I wish I could say that the racks were full of nothing but weapons and ammo.  That would have made my life a lot easier in the long run.  Several of the panels rotated into position and lit up as a wide variety of displays.  Others neatly carried the tools of my trade, armor, toolkits and the like.  Either way, the Princesses looked suitably impressed by the show.

"I hope you don't mind if I have a snack while we discuss things.  It feels like I haven't eaten in a million years.  I'd offer you a seat, but as you can tell, things are a little...sparse in here.   Feel free to take a look around while I take care of myself."

It was kind of amusing to watch their reactions to all the new technology they were being introduced to.  Luna seemed more intent to gaze at the assortment of items hanging or shelved on the racks.  More disturbingly was Celestia's reaction.  She strode over to the large screen that had recently unfolded and was glaring at the images displayed with a mixture of hate and absolute revulsion.  That reminded me to hurry up.  From one of outstretched racks, I removed a small stainless tube with a small threaded tip.  

Luna's attention quickly changed to watch my movements as I unlatched a small panel on my inner thigh.  It was one of the may places where function overcame armor, as the recess under the panel sat directly over the femoral artery.  From within the tiny pocket, I fished out a small section of braided steel line and screwed it into the matching part of the ampule.  Another series of gestures clicked the object into the socket in my armor before I replaced the covering and met Luna's eyes and unspoken questions.

"We haven't figured out what I can eat here yet, so Seven went to the backup of the backup's backup plan.  I'm just happy I don't have to taste it, as I don't think amino acid, protein, and vitamin concentrate would taste good.  Not exactly filling either."

I grimaced a little at the thought of my grumbling stomach, but this was still a sight better than going without.  Both Luna and my heads whipped around when we heard Celestia whispering to herself.  It was a mixture of spoken words and a growl, but every bit of it was angry.

"My city... my ponies... gone.  All gone."

Thats when I truly paid attention to the display.  While two of us had been occupied with mundane things, Celestia was enveloped in her own personal hell.  The slowly panning display was a live feed from Central's camera suite.  It showed current movements of the minotaur forces, current status of the drones under its control, and most importantly, a real time view of all the destruction below.  Minotaur bodies lay strewn through the cobblestone streets like bloody ragdolls.  Moreso was what drove the Princess beyond horror.  On the ramparts and in full view of the city stood a large set of gallows.  From the palace walls dangled an assortment of corpses in varied states.  More importantly was the section of the screen that Celestia was practically pressing her nose against.  

A small group of ponies were being dragged along the shattered ramparts on a chain lead.  The majority of the ponies seemed downtrodden, resigned to their fate as the ropes beckoned.  There was one stallion that strode proudly, head held high despite the weight of shackles and series of purple bruises spreading across his alabaster coat.  One stallion that Celestia seemed to know so well.

###Accessing Database: Royalty

***Friendly identified as "Shining Armor," Captain of the Royal Guard

Well, fuck me.

In the end, it wasn't my action or inaction that started the reclamation of Canterlot.  Don't get me wrong, I'd love to take that tile for a ride, but it isn't mine.  You see, I had forgotten about the other people...er...ponies that had access to the network.  Imagine my surprise when the screen popped up with a series of messages of an insane nature.

***Users: Cadence, Twilight have left network range.

***Radiation spike in city.  "Magic" output detected.  Matches User: Twilight

***Users: Cadence, Twilight detected on surface.  Tasking drones for CAS

"Anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Celestia was still enraptured with the display, watching every foot...hoofstep of the pony called Shining Armor toward his inevitable fate.  Luna at least seemed to be as irritated and confused as I was with the situation as she moved in next to her sister while speaking.

"Shining Armor is both Twilight Sparkle's older brother, and Cadence's husband.  I can understand their behavior, but there is no way for my sister and I to reach him in time."

Mentally, I was slapping myself, but hitting Seven harder.  If he hadn't given these damn horses our tech, this wouldn't have happened.  The damn ponies had committed themselves to something I had no idea if we could win.  With a slight tug, I pulled one of the panels out on it's mount, laying it out like a desktop computer and tried to figure out a way to salvage this.  

"Seven, give me access to drone tasking for Control.  Luna, there is no way I am letting your sister out of here in her current state, but I need someone to lead your ponies if we are going to survive this shitstorm.  Get back to your camp and mobilize the majority of your forces, we are going to need them.  I'll let you know what the plan is, if we have one when you get there."

Little more than gut instinct made me grab my helmet off the shelf and slam it over my head, barely getting it sealed before Luna vanished in a burst of azure magic.  A moment later, I had everything reattached and my micro displays flickered back to life.  Since the Princesses were apparently set on getting themselves killed, I needed to do my best to protect them.  After all, they were my best shot at staying alive.  By the time I had started marking targets for drone strikes, a series of explosions rippled over the stoney walkway carrying the ponies.  Out of the settling dust strode two Alicorns looking for a fight.

"Luna, we don't have much time.  I need you to do two things.  First, the drones say that the area near the cavern entrance is largely free of hostiles.  I need your forces to clear an area around he entrance of all hostiles.  The bigger the better, but nothing you can't hold on your own.  Beyond that, I need a small kill team of your best.  I'm going to task a support drone to try to get them to the castle, as the fight has already started there.  We'll get the rest later.  Talk to one of the drones out there if you need me.  I'm going to try to save Twilight and Cadence if I can."

I didn't even give her much of a chance to respond as I got back to the matter at hand.  Chaos was everywhere on the ramparts.  Magic met steel and in several cases, alicorn horn pierced firm flesh of the minotaurs.  Cadence was a dervish of destruction wherever she strode, kicking and biting her way toward her husband.  Twilight on the other hand slung spell after spell at the onrushing creatures, blasting or throwing many to the hard and now very bloody stone below.  Every time it looked like they would be overwhelmed, one of the Princesses pulled some insane trick.  One minotaur exploded in a shower of blood and bone as it tried to bludgeon Twilight.  More horrifying were the results of Cadence's magic.  At first it was grotesque as two of the creatures stopped their advance to look longingly at each other.  Until the rest of the nearby minotaurs decended, each wanting to get a piece of the two, very literally.  The drones passed overhead, firing at targets of opportunity as they could, pausing whenever I tasked them to make sure that the prisoners stayed safe through the melee.  Several times, their shots landed just moments before what would have become a killing blow on both pony or Alicorn.

Meanwhile, I could see the limited fighting in the city on my displays.  Luna and her forces were making decent headway and had the better part of a few hundred yards clear of any hostiles, strangely without a single casualty.  The kill team on the other hand was completely unhindered as most enemy movement was toward the palace.  Anything they came across was struck down by the overwatching drone.  Hopefully they would get there in time.

"Luna, don't push too hard into the city.  We don't have the forces to hold much more.  The support drones I sent out with you have bags of small metal spikes in them.  Both the drones and your forces need to set those in the ground every few dozen yards.  It'll let us know when and where movement in the area is.  By the way, Twilight and Cadence are doing well so far.  I'll keep you posted."

All in all, it took far to long for this clusterfuck of an operation to go down.  The drones ended up using nearly their entire payloads to support the insanity.  In the end, I watched with a small grin on my face as the three airborn drones escorted the prisoners and their saviors toward the green zone near the caverns.  Anything that came near the exhausted group of survivors was dealt with harshly by the kill team, especially the one I had learned to fear.  Big Macintosh was a monster with his warhammer, caving in chests with powerful swings, and snapping bone with little more than a kick.  Thankfully his coat was already crimson, as he was somewhat coated in blood from what the camera showed.

The sensor probes went up without much hassle, and they at least gave us a small detection network without the drones being in the air constantly.  Fuel was not infinite after all.  It would also give everyone a chance to do the three R's.  Rearm, resupply, and relax, even if it was only for a few minutes.  As I concentrated on displays and calibrating sensors, something unexpected happened.  From nowhere, two limbs snaked around my torso and pulled me tight, reminding me that Celestia was still in the room.  The soft pattering of tears hitting my armor was surprising at the very least, and her whispers stunned me into silence.

"Thank you..."