Chapter Forty Two: The Last Plan.

***

Plymouth base. May 6th 2030.

There was a buzz in the air, a feeling unlike anything anyone and anypony in the camp had ever experienced. There was an emotion running around, an emotion none of the fighters had felt in a very long time, and though none of them could have said for certain where that feeling had come from, none of them would ever dare to question it.

For that feeling was hope. Hope in the endless, bitter war they had fought. Hope that maybe… just maybe... there might be an end in sight other than the grave and the ashes of defeat.

It took a single day for the assembled leaders of the British Defence Force to bring together a council of war, and now this council was gathered in a single large tent to discuss what the final plan of action for the invasion of Canterlot would be.

Everyone in the room was having their own conversations, filling the crowded room with a general murmur. Only a few of them knew the exact reason they had been summoned. Twilight looked around, counting the people and ponies and wondering exactly who was who. She didn't recognise most of them, But some of them she knew very well. The council themselves were present, just finishing a hushed conversation with Major Redmond.

Twilight had never seen them look so energised. Anderson seemed to be filled with a fire that no one had ever seen in the otherwise cynical man. Mr Sato was energised as well, smiling often and laughing heartily, as though a great burden had been lifted from his heart. Prince Blueblood’s Night Guard armour was, if it were possible, even more polished and impressive, as though he had spent all night making himself look as presentable and royal as he could in preparation for today.

As well as the council themselves, there were various other important figures. King William of Britain, a polite and quiet man in a simple set of military fatigues, had come with the council, as had Dinky Doo, who was now wearing a set of Night Guard armour that, while nowhere near as ornate as Blueblood’s, was still every inch as polished and presentable. With them was Civilian Representative Cheerilee, the magenta mare looking tired but energised - she was here representing the Equestrian Resistance’s civilian population, an often otherwise unheard voice.

As well as them was the tall, pale man that was known only as “the Undead” - the leader of the Dead Men. His coat was surprisingly ornate for the military; it was a leather trenchcoat with brass buttons. His gaze seemed to pierce any he levelled it at. With him stood Wallace Springfield, the Converted looking somewhat out of place yet seeming to radiate a confidence that was at odds with the quivering figure he had cut when he was first freed.

Another man had arrived by transport helicopter that morning. He and his associates had come dressed in plain grey military fatigues and wielding rifles, the only remarkable thing about them being the fact that many of them also seemed to have long swords strapped to their sides and pieces of archaic armour strapped on in places. Twilight had seen one or two soldiers like that before, but it was still odd - and slightly impressive - to see a full gathering of the Knights of Albion. They had thrown respectful salutes at the council, but had actively knelt before Elliot - their leader was a dark skinned man named Eric Smith, or “Sir Eric” as Elliot and most of his men had referred to him. He stood with two adjutants by his side.

Representing the highest ranking officers of the Resistance were two ponies: one was Air Commodore High Tide, an older pony in battle armour with a greying mane. The most notable thing about the navy coloured stallion was that his left wing had been ripped to pieces in action, and though it had been fixed, he had never been able to fly again.

Another was a pony named Colonel Grid Lock, a dark red Earth Pony with a road sign cutie mark who had, somehow managed to become the leader of the Resistance infantry (mainly through having exceptional organisational skills from his previous career as a road layer and traffic consultant).

Major Redmond was of course also there, having taken his position after chatting with the council. Though she knew he wasn’t really a high ranking officer as such, Twilight could understand his presence, since he was the highest ranking Defence Force soldier present (discounting Elliot). He looked somewhat tired and stressed, the energy in the room having somehow not reached him.

Another military officer, a human called Colonel Greene, was stood with his arms folded, looking irritated by this entire arrangement. He had salt and pepper stubble under a shaved head, and his eyes were cold blue, hard, and scrutinised every pony in the room with a look of at best suspicion and at worst outright hostility. Though Twilight hadn’t heard much about him, she knew he was supposedly, according to Elliot, ‘Hardcore HLF’ and a proponent of ‘ends justify the means’ thinking, which didn’t sound good. He’d spent most of the war fighting on the Scottish coast with members of the Long Watch of Britannia, but had come for this meeting especially.

Errant Flight (looking as tired as Redmond) and Grey Fox (looking nervous) were both there, as were a good half dozen other Pegasi squadron leaders, representing the Resistance Air Force's troops on the ground (so to speak). Hell Blazer and the Doctor had come, both of them looking odd surrounded by eminently military individuals in their casual civilian outfits, though Hell Blazer had straightened his tie and the Doctor had changed into a less battered leather coat as though trying to smarten himself up.

The most prominent amongst all of the assembled leaders and soldiers though was David Elliot himself, the Avatar of Albion. Though he had made no effort to tidy himself up, still wearing the battered clothes, worn boots and jacket that he had worn when he had first met Twilight and her friends, he looked more imposing and more powerful than she thought she had ever seen him.

Twilight, in her simple combat vest, was fortunately not alone: all of her friends, including True Grit, Ditzy and Lyra, as well as (to her surprise) the still-quiet Desert Wind, were here with her. To her surprise and joy, they had refused to let her go in alone, and the council had (reluctantly) allowed them to be present for these discussions. She looked nervous, but the reassuring expressions on the faces of her friends filled her with new resolve every time she turned to them. She was ready to state her case here.

“Alright!” called out Elliot, his voice commanding. Upon hearing his voice, the hubbub of small conversations in the tent ceased at once. “Everyone - thank you all for coming. I know several of you were pulled from important campaigns…” and here he nodded at Sir Eric, who returned the nod impassively, “and I also know that some of you aren’t comfortable with gathering so many of the Resistance’s leaders here…” and here Commodore Tide and Colonel Grid Lock both frowned slightly, “but I promise you, this is important.” He paused, looking around the group. “Ladies, gentlemen, mares and stallions, we’re here to discuss plans for what we’re terming operation Sundown - the invasion of Canterlot and the final destruction of the Solaminan Empire.”

The reaction was immediate. There was disbelief from some quarters: Redmond frowned sceptically, and Colonel Lock snorted derisively. Errant Flight exchanged glances with the other Squadron leaders, as though expecting some comment, but they followed his lead and remained silent. High Tide laughed, though whether from amusement or because he was happy about the news no one could tell.

The Undead and Sir Eric both straightened slightly, identical expressions of pride and eagerness appearing on their faces. Blueblood and the council members exchanged glances, and King William said nothing, apparently content to merely listen.

“Excuse me, sir,” Colonel Lock said after a moment. “But do you want to explain to me exactly how the buck that’s possible?”

Elliot grinned. “I’m glad you asked. Lieutenant Sparkle?”

Twilight threw one last glance at her friends, all of whom nodded reassuringly, before stepping forward.

“Lieutenant Sparkle is the one who discovered the spell we’ll be using to open a portal to Equestria,” Elliot began. “We’ve seen its effectiveness first hand.”

“A… portal?” Tide said, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s correct,” Twilight said shakily. “The portal can theoretically take us straight to Equestria from here. It’ll be a tricky thing to keep active,” she added, her voice cracking slightly from nerves, “but I’m sure we’ll be able to…”

“All due respect,” Colonel Lock said, interrupting Twilight with an expression of distaste, “but I’d prefer to see the effectiveness of this portal for myself.”

“As would I,” Commodore Tide added, throwing his colleague a glance. “But if Commander Albion says it works, I’m willing to hear this plan out.”

“Thank you, Commodore,” Elliot said, giving Lock a challenging look. “I assure you, Colonel, you will be given an opportunity to test the portal out prior to our assault.”

Lock nodded, apparently mollified for the moment.

“So,” Prince Blueblood said, looking around the assembled group. “We know our goals. The first step should be translating them into concrete mission objectives.”

“There should only be one objective as far as I’m, concerned,” Commodore Tide said. “Killing the Empress with extreme bucking prejudice.”

“Here fucking here!” Hell Blazer called out. The Doctor shushed him but several individuals seemed to think this was an acceptable answer.

“Prince Blueblood’s right,” Redmond put in. “It’s no good just saying that we need the bitch dead. We need to know how to achieve it. We need a goddamn plan.”

“Well first off, we can’t just attack Canterlot directly,” Blueblood said. “Even before the Equestrian council was dissolved, it was defended by all sorts of things - Guard contingents, special forces…”

“And what would you suggest instead?” Lock said.

“If I may,” the Undead said quietly, stepping forward slightly.

“Of course,” Sato said, bowing respectfully. “We always welcome hearing from the leader of one of the militant cults.”

Anderson coughed loudly, a noise that sounded suspiciously like it was trying to hide a laugh. Sato glanced at him briefly, looking unhappy, but the Undead ignored it.

“There are many means to an end,” the Undead put in. “We could, for example, use what aircraft we have to instigate a bombing campaign on crucial sites, thus crippling Solaminan factories and war-production and buying ourselves crucial time…”

“Such a bombing campaign would violate the Exodus Convention,” Cheerilee cut in, surprisingly sharply for the softly spoken mare. “The Convention states that our mission is to retake Equestria - any kind of bombing campaign would result in massive civilian casualties, which is unacceptable.”

The Undead, surprisingly, did not argue, instead bowing his head. “As you say, representative. I am in error.”

“I hate to be the one to say this,” put in Colonel Greene, sounding like he felt anything but hate at what he was thinking, “but since no one else is…”

“By all means,” Blueblood said slightly sarcastically, gesturing for the Colonel to speak.

Greene smiled sourly. “I’d say at this point, the Exodus Convention is bupkiss. We need to end this war, and here we are saying that now - finally - the thing can actually be ended in such a way that we don’t all die! Frankly, if bombing the shit out of a few cities is the way to do it…”

“No,” Anderson put in, scowling. “That won’t be happening, Colonel. We signed the Exodus Convention in good faith, and we won’t breach it now, not when we have alternatives.”

“Sir,” Colonel Greene said, “a campaign of bombing runs - hell, one nuke - and we can turn this war from an unwinnable farce where we’ve been on the constant defensive without even a chance to defend ourselves, into something where we have the advantage…”

“And we can decide to become the monsters we fought - we decide that the lives of innocents don’t matter,” Elliot snapped, his eyes narrowed at the Colonel. “Is that what you’re suggesting, Colonel?”

“Well this might have escaped your notice while you were playing King Arthur, boy,” Greene said, “but we’re losing this war. We’re in about as desperate a set of straits as the human race has ever been!”

“And we were in desperate straits when we signed the Exodus Convention,” Elliot rejoined, ignoring the King Arthur jibe. “We signed the convention to ensure that whatever we did, we’d not be afraid to sleep at the end of it. If we were going to do whatever we wanted without conscience…”

“Conscience?!” Greene growled. “Permission to speak perfectly candidly, sirs?”

“Granted,” Anderson said softly.

“Sir, we have spent six years losing millions of soldiers,” the Colonel said. “Including pony soldiers. Isn’t it better for everyone involved if we just end the damn thing?”

“The opinion of the Exodite civilians population on the matter has never changed,” Cheerilee said quietly, her eyes cold. “We want to go home - to take back our home and rebuild. We don’t want to return to ashes.”

“But this world is ashes,” Greene retorted. “Ashes and cinders and rubble. What if the human race is tired of giving up everything? What if we want something to come back to?”

There was a long pause at that remark.

“I do have something to come back to,” Elliot put in. “I have the knowledge that I never sank as low as the men under my command who were in the army back when we had camps and strict martial law and -”

“That knowledge isn’t going to bring the world back,” Greene said. “That knowledge isn’t going to restore everything we’ve lost. You ask me, Equestria’s been lucky not to suffer as badly as Earth has.”

“Lucky?!” Dinky Doo snapped. “Lucky?! Was my mother lucky when she blew herself up to -!”

“That’s enough!” Blueblood snapped. He looked at Dinky. “Stand down, Doo.”

Dinky snorted but said nothing.

Blueblood turned to Greene. “Believe it or not, Colonel, I sympathise with you. I really do. And you’re right - Earth’s lost a lot more than Equestria. That was wrong. But what you’re talking about isn’t just a strategic victory - you’re talking about revenge.”

Greene narrowed his eyes. “Maybe we earned some.”

“Maybe you have,” Blueblood said. “But there are ponies even in your units, Colonel. Ponies you’ve served with for all these years. Ponies with homes, ponies who want to see those homes again. They’ve given as much as you have. Don’t they have the right to see their struggles validated as much as you do?”

Greene said nothing for a moment, but then he turned away, sighing.

“You’re right,” he said quietly. “Two wrongs… don’t make a right.” He paused. “And if I don’t get to see my home again… I can’t deny the ponies who served with me the right to see theirs. But I still think a bombing campaign is the best idea.”

“The consensus says differently,” Anderson commented.

“So it does,” Greene muttered.

There was a long pause as everyone and everypony thought things through.

“We need a way to end the war with minimum of casualties,” Cheerilee put in. “Canterlot is the only target where that’s possible.”

“Agreed,” Anderson put in. “Solamina is there. It’s the seat of Equestrian military and civilian power. It has to be our objective - we take it, the war ends.”

“Are we really so willing to waste lives on a full assault on Canterlot?” Grid Lock said. “A slower invasion, starting from lesser defended positions…”

“A slower invasion would be difficult to sustain,” Twilight put in, a little hesitantly. “The portal is going to be difficult to activate - and that’s if Solamina doesn’t create a way to close it off.”

“There’s also the fact that, to put it bluntly, we cannot afford a long, drawn out war,” Sato added gravely. “Whatever plan we have must cut the head from the Empire’s shoulders. If we are drawn into a long term conflict, we will waste too many resources - we will lose this war.”

This point levelled a grim silence upon the assembled soldiers and leaders.

“He’s right,” Redmond said grimly. “We don’t have the troops to fight a defensive war in Britain and a battle in Equestria. One of those fronts will suffer.”

“Then whatever plan we have has to end the war,” Elliot said simply.

“That simple, huh?” Greene asked derisively. “Only a matter of breaking down Canterlot’s defences, landing troops there, killing the most powerful creature in Equestria and doing it all without wasting so many resources that our forces can’t recover if they should have to.”

He snorted, shaking his head.

“I never said it would be simple,” Elliot said quietly, giving the Colonel a glare. “But it’s a fact. We have to end the war with this battle.”

“Then the plan had better be a good one,” High Tide said bluntly. “Or we’re dead.”

There was a moment’s pause as that particularly grim assessment sunk in with everyone and everypony.

“It strikes me,” the Dead Men’s leader put in, “that if the mission must be to assassinate Solamina, then only a small handful need be sent, possibly a sort of infiltration mission. I would be more than willing to volunteer a group of my finest…”

“And we would as well,” Sir Eric added at once, catching the Undead’s drift.

“Is such an infiltration possible?” Sato asked, looking at Twilight.

Blinking in surprise at being addressed, the purple Unicorn stuttered slightly. “I - I think so, yes. In theory, we could set the portal to open in Canterlot.”

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Blueblood said quietly. “The defences of Canterlot are vast - Auntie Celestia…!” He paused, his expression souring and his eyes closing briefly, whether in self-recrimination for the mistake or in bitter remembrance of happier times, no one could tell.

“Empress Solamina,” he began again, “has hundreds of thousands of Royal Guards, and that’s not even beginning to count the other forces she can call upon. Twilight Sparkle and her entire Archmagi contingent, Sol Invictus’ militia forces, the Solar Idols, the Crystal Golems… I don’t think that any small team, unless they were really lucky, could avoid all of them, and they’d be overwhelmed.”

There was a long pause as the assembled group digested Blueblood’s words.

“So you suggest a frontal assault?” Redmond asked after a while.

“I don’t see what else we can do,” Blueblood shrugged.

“We’ve already said we need to win this quick,” Anderson growled, sounding annoyed at the very suggestion. “A siege would be too time-consuming.”

“And yet stealth seems too risky, too unlikely to succeed,” Sato pointed out, folding his arms.

“So we have two options,” Elliot cut in, holding up a hand to forestall an argument. “We can either infiltrate or we can attack head on.”

“So it seems,” Blueblood agreed quietly, looking less than happy.

“There has to be a third option,” Elliot said quietly. “Any third option.”

“We seem to return to…” Greene began.

“Not that third option,” Elliot growled. “The nukes and the bombing campaigns are off the table, Colonel.”

“Careful how you talk to me, Major,” Greene growled. “I could still take you on, fancy magic or not.”

“Colonel, Major, if you can’t be civil to one another, you can both piss off,” General Anderson put in. Eyes widening and nostrils flaring, Greene stood to attention.

“Apologies, sir,” he put in, sounding annoyed.

Elliot sighed. “Sorry.”

Anderson scowled at him.

For a long while, the group was silent save for a series of murmurings, each of them contemplating possible alternatives to the two courses of action that had been suggested so far.

“There has to be some other way!” Twilight said after a while of this silence, looking around. “You can’t tell me that we have so many tacticians here and nopony... nobody has any ideas?!”

“It isn’t a simple job, Lieutenant Sparkle,” Redmond growled. “We have a lot of checks to balance, and lives hang in the balance.”

“What if…” a small voice spoke. Suddenly, everyone was utterly silent, their gaze drawn to the pony who had spoken. Of all of them, it had been Fluttershy who had spoken.

“What if what, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

Her voice so quiet that she could barely be heard at all, Fluttershy gulped as she spoke. “What if we do both?”

“Both?” Twilight repeated. The word echoed throughout the room. To Fluttershy’s surprise, the idea was not immediately shot down: she had only suggested it due to her natural desire for compromise between disagreeing groups - her knowledge of military tactics was limited even now - but apparently, the idea had some traction.

“Well, what if there’s a big attack,” she said, her voice growing in volume as she spoke, now feeling that she wasn't talking complete nonsense, “but the big attack is just to distract most of the forces in Canterlot… then the small team can infiltrate and then… and then…”

Her voice trailed off. The room was silent, the assembled leaders apparently considering it.

“And then Solamina’s forces are divided,” Elliot said slowly. “War on two fronts. Divide and conquer. Oldest tactic in the book, but...”

“How would it work?” Blueblood asked, turning to look at Twilight. “Can we open more than one portal?”

“The spell can be taught to others,” Twilight said at once, looking around to see what other unicorns were here. “I mean… Lyra for example.”

“Me?” Lyra said quickly, the turquoise mare surprised to be called upon. “Why me?”

“You’re almost as skilled as me,” Twilight said sincerely, smiling encouragingly. “If there’s anypony here I’d trust to open another portal, it’d be you.”

“So say we open two portals,” Anderson said gruffly. “What then?”

"We'd need a small infiltration team," Elliot replied. "Me for Solamina. A team to help me handle anything else."

"Excuse me sirs," came Grey Fox's voice, the nervy young squadron leader raising a hoof almost curiously. "It's occurred to me that we're discussing this as though we're on a time limit. I know our situation is desperate... but I mean, surely we don't need to decide anything right this second..."

There was a general hubbub of agreement at this point: they had time, didn't they? The war wouldn't be lost in a few days of discussion. However, the council looked grim, sharing unhappy glances with Major Redmond and Errant Flight, who looked equally unhappy.

"I'm afraid we're on more of a time limit than we know," Sato said quietly. "Major Redmond and Errant Flight recently completed interrogation of a captured Archmagi."

The word 'Archmagi' brought worried expressions to the faces of the assembled leaders - the name implied an implicit connection with Commander Twilight Sparkle, which made any information from that source more important than the average prisoner.

"Major," Blueblood said, sounding vaguely ill. "If you could elucidate."

Redmond frowned, but he stepped forward slightly. "As some of you may know, there have been several instances... the Illustrious being the most recent, though we know of others... where Equestrian forces have hoarded human prisoners, or in the case of the Illustrious their bodies... for reasons we were uncertain of until recently." There was a pause. "Thanks to the assistance of Acolyte Springfield of the Dead Men, a Converted whose programming was broken, we were able to extract the information from our prisoner. She told him..."

He paused, the otherwise stern and hard man apparently not able to put what he had heard into words.

"She told me why they needed the bodies," Springfield cut in. "They're experimenting on them."

"On bodies?" Grey Fox asked, looking disgusted - he wasn't alone in that, as most of the people and ponies in the room looked as though they wanted to throw up. "Why?!"

"The genetic material of humanity," Springfield said slowly, sounding as horrified as the rest of the room. "They want it to hand... to hoof... so they can experiment on it. Find new ways of killing us... new ways of converting us."

"The actual specifics were some sort of corrosive element they wanted to add to the potion," Errant Flight put in tonelessly. "It's why the bodies were so damaged. They want to find a way to get past our protection suits without damaging the flesh beneath. So far they’ve been… unsuccessful."

"They want to end the war faster," Springfield continued, looking around the assembled group. "We don’t have time to waste. If they intend it, they’ll succeed.”

“Even if they are doing this research,” High Tide pointed out, “why would they need so many bodies? No way they’d need that many?”

“There’s more uses for them,” Errant said quietly. “Wallace?”

“The prisoner said that Sparkle has a ‘secret project’,” the Converted said. “We don’t know exactly what that project is going to be - the prisoner wasn’t high level enough for it - but with the Solaminan Empire, who the hell knows?”

“Even with this information, we surely still have time,” Lock put in. “Time to plan a counter to them, if we act quickly.”

“This is Sparkle's new pet project,” Redmond replied, snorting derisively. “With her involved, how much time do you think we have?”

“According to our prisoner,” Errant Flight said, “she’s been committing extra hours to these two projects of hers of action ever since she found out about the newcomer Elements..."

"How did they do that, anyway?" Grid Lock asked, scowling at Twilight and her friends. Twilight shrank back from his gaze.

"If you read the report," Elliot put in quietly, "you'd know there were magical problems involved. We could never have accounted for magical means of spying that we know nothing about.”

“Agreed,” Blueblood put in. “Solamina has access through the Canterlot archives to many arcane mysteries we dare not imagine. It was inevitable some might be put to use.”

“Which returns us to the question of this plan,” High Tide said. “A small infiltration team, invading Canterlot - but that leaves the question of Canterlot itself on the bigger field. There’s no way we’d be able to take the city.”

“He’s right,” Springfield said quietly. “The Archmagi would immediately summon a shield impervious to magical or physical attack. The city would be impenetrable.”

“And if the Archmagi were somehow taken out of the equation?” Elliot asked.

“Then… there’s nothing else that can do the shield spell,” Springfield said slowly.

“Then maybe that should be another objective of the group,” Elliot said with a smile. “Solamina might be my main target, but I don’t think she’ll be right at the portal - unless we open it in her chambers.”

A smattering of giggles and chuckles lightened the mood in the room. Some people, however, were not so amused.

“This sounds like the second coming of Market-bloody-Garden,” Anderson said, sounding irritated. “A small group goes ahead of the main force to clear the way, with no backup and no way out if things fuck up.”

“You’re right,” Elliot replied, and Anderson blinked in surprise. “But this isn’t a time for half measures. It’s a time to put our all into it.”

“All or nothing,” the Australian General growled. “I remember ‘all or nothing’ - got most of the Australian army burned by the Barrier when we unleashed hell on the bloody thing.”

“We’ve entered the last days,” Elliot said grimly. “You heard what Springfield said. They’re working on ways past our hazmat suits. With that gone, there’d be nothing stopping them from potion bombing cities - nothing stopping them from turning us all into Converted. That isn’t a fate I think most humans here would want.”

“Agreed,” Springfield said quietly. “I’d rather have died.”

“And me,” Hell Blazer cut in. “I was a bloody Convie for five b-fucking minutes, and it was the worst thing I’ve ever been through.” He frowned. “Still is now - you have no idea how fucking aggravating this pony shite in my head is.”

“Yeah,” Springfield said quietly. The two Converted had become the centre of attention, everyone and everypony suddenly realising that they were the possible future if the armies of Britain weren’t successful.

“So our only choices are two impossible plans or an almost impossible plan,” Blueblood said quietly. He looked around the assembled leaders. “I don’t like this, if I’m being honest. I’d prefer something with a better chance of actually succeeding. But…”

“But that’s a luxury,” Anderson continued, not looking at anyone. “Fuck.”

“If I may?” came the soft voice of King William. At a nod from Blueblood, the tall, balding man stepped forward.

“We’ve all suffered a lot during this war,” the King began, looking around. “We’ve all lost a lot. There are people here from lands which no longer exist.” Anderson and Redmond shared a glance. “There are ponies here who’ve lost everything, who’ve seen their home become a tyranny.” Errant Flight looked at the floor, lost in memories. “We all know someone who fell in battle, or who was converted, or both. But despite that, we’ve all chosen to fight. We’ve stepped up to the challenge of defending the last of humanity, of standing against the most terrible tyranny both our worlds have ever witnessed.” He smiled, a slightly melancholy thing. “We are a mouse in front of a lion, as this island has been a hundred times before.” He looked around, and then his smile changed into an almost feral grin. “I think after six years, we’ve earned the chance to make Equestria hear our bloody roar!”

As one, most of the room erupted in cheers. Blueblood grinned. Anderson laughed. Redmond saluted smartly. Sir Eric and the rest of the Albion Knights hollered and stamped their feet. Elliot cheered.

After a moment, the entire room settled down.

“I take it from the rather… exuberant show of approval that we’re good with this plan?” Blueblood asked. No one said anything. “Alright then. Major Elliot,” he said, using Elliot’s rarely spoken military rank, “what troops will you need?”

“Only a squad’s worth, sir,” Elliot said. “I can take Solamina alone,” ‘I hope, “so it’s really a case of dealing with the Archmagi - and I think we’ll need stealth before brute force.” He paused, thinking to himself. “I’ll only take volunteers though. It’s too dangerous to order anyone to go with me.”

“Well you’ve got one right bloody now,” Hell Blazer said at once. “I’ve gone with you through every other harebrained scheme you’ve come up with - why not this one?”

“I’ll go with you as well,” the Doctor added. “I was there when the Solaminan Empire began. It will be good to be there when it ends as well.”

“You’ll need me to open the portal,” Twilight said quietly. “There’s no way in Tartarus that I’m not going with you.”

“If Twilight’s going,” Applejack added, “then we’re all going as well.” The Element bearers nodded in agreement. “We’re not leaving her on her own.”

“Rainbow and Fluttershy can’t go with you,” Errant Flight said at once. “Grey Squadron needs them.”

The two Pegasi shared a glance, before Fluttershy looked at Errant. “I’m sorry Errant, but we’re going with Twilight. We’re friends. We’ve come too far now to not see it to the end.”

“I did ask for volunteers,” Elliot said quietly. “And Grey's never short of volunteers - you'll find somepony.”

Errant sighed and nodded. "Ok then."

“You not coming with, Ditzy?” Rainbow asked the grey mare. She shook her head.

“The Ditzy of this world flew with Grey Squadron,” she said. “She died flying with them, trying to free Equestria. I think… I think it’s right that I should go with Grey Squadron, since she can’t.”

Standing behind Blueblood, Dinky lifted her head from her notepad. She gave the mare that looked and acted like her mother an odd look - partly of resentment… and partly of something else. A kind of grudging love and respect. She half smiled, before returning her attention to her notes.

“Thank you,” Errant said quietly, looking at her with respect. He looked at Rainbow and Fluttershy, and smiled slightly. “It’ll be a shame to miss you at the party.”

“Give ‘em hell for us,” Rainbow said with a grin.

“What about Grit and Lyra?” Applejack asked.

“Lyra has to open the portal for the main forces,” Twilight pointed out. “She’s the best qualified, I think.”

The turquoise mare smiled half-heartedly, clearly not entirely comfortable with the idea.

“In that case,” True Grit said quietly. “I’ll go with Miss Heartstrings. It isn’t right to send her alone.”

Lyra grinned at him. “Thanks Grit.”

“No problem, ma’am,” the former Guard replied.

“Ahem,” another voice spoke. Desert Wind raised a hoof. “If there’s a team going to Canterlot, I’m going with ‘em. I have a score to settle with Commander Sparkle, and she’ll likely be with her Archmagi.”

“This isn’t a personal revenge mission, Operative Wind,” Blueblood said with a frown.

“No, it ain’t, your blueness,” Wind said with a snort. “It’s an impossible suicide mission, and the man asked for volunteers. He never asked why they were volunteering.”

Blueblood sighed and looked at Elliot. “Your call, Major.”

“I won’t turn down help,” Elliot replied, before glancing at Desert Wind. “but you follow orders, Operative.”

“Always, sir,” Desert Wind replied with a grin. “Especially if they lead me where I want to go.”

“Anyone else?” Elliot asked.

A moment later, Sir Eric turned to his two adjutants. One of them, a young woman with short red hair, stepped forward.

“Sir Elise, sir,” she said quietly. “I have a ten man troop at my command. I know for certain that all of them would be honoured to stand beside you.” She drew her sword and knelt before Elliot. “You have our swords.”

“And my hooves,” Springfield added, stepping forward. “Solamina’s wronged the Converted more than she’s wronged anyone. If one of us isn’t there to see her dead, it’d be a crime.”

“Ahem,” Hell Blazer pointed out.

“No offence, sir, but you were one of the Converted for five minutes,” Springfield said angrily. “I lived with it for seven years. I will not let the chance to be there for us slip by.” He turned to the Undead. “With your permission, sir.”

“The Dead should be there,” the Undead replied simply. “It is our duty.”

Springfield inclined his head in gratitude, before moving to stand near Elliot. The Avatar grinned.

“I think that’s everyone,” he said quietly.

“Alright then,” Blueblood said, looking at the group. He quietly conferred with the other two council members. “We launch the attack on June 6th. Either we die, or they do.”

The Undead chuckled slightly, drawing everyone’s attention simply from the sheer incongruity of it.

“What?” Anderson asked.

“This plan. Certainty of death,” the Undead replied, listing the attributes of the plan with his fingers. “Small chance of success.” He laughed. “What are we waiting for?”

***

Author's Notes:

And boom! With especial thanks to RoyalPsycho for helping me proofread this particular chapter, and thanks once more to everyone who's commented and favourited.

EDIT: This chapter was (re)edited 4th August 2015