Canterlot Castle was a buzzing hive of frantic activity as the docked vessels offloaded their wounded and the several hundred terrified civilians they had saved. The most grievous of wounds were treated at the castle's medical ward, but almost two hundred cases of injuries and non-life threatening wounds were redirected to the local hospitals, which quickly found themselves overloaded and overburdened. The city itself was goading itself into a panic as Stalwart Liberty floated in dock, its hull shredded and smoking. The call to arms went out, and hundreds of royal guard were rushing to mobilise against the invaders.

As Celestia trotted quickly toward her meeting room with her aides and orderlies trailing and reporting, her mind was racing with possibilities and tactics. They hadn't had a war with the empire for almost eight hundred years, and now they were on the receiving end of one of the most effective assaults she'd ever been witness to.

“Princess Celestia! Another town has gone dark! Over the badlands!”

The princess hid her wince as she carried in. Reports had been flooding in by the hour, reporting the three battle fleets and their courses. It seemed whoever was in charge was perfectly complacent to simply roll over every town and village from the border to Canterlot. What worried her more, was that there were no reports of resistance. Passing by the main hall, Celestia almost stopped in her tracks as the sudden burst of voices struck her. It seemed that almost all of Canterlot's elite and it's media had collected there, and had been waiting for her arrival to barrage her with screams and yells that could may well possibly been questions. Her guards were struggling with the bulk of the group, not to mention the political clout.

“We demand answers!”

One question managed to punch above the others, or rather, it was repeated enough for her to make it out. With a calm face, Celestia faced the crowd of rich and famous. “I apologise, but I cannot stay to answer your questions right now, as I am on my way to the War Council.”

The crowd gasped theatrically, and Celestia fought the very tempting desire to facehoof. They wanted to know if they were at war.

Staring down the crowd with her scorching gaze, Celestia spoke levelly, and they all listened. “Yes, we are at war. I suggest all nobles return to their houses and retrieve their family documents regarding their agreements with the crown.” Her statement caused a good half of the voices to fall utterly silent. They didn't realise that in war, she'd owned them from the founding of the city. “Please do not incite panic. I am meeting the council right now, and I assure you that we have a plan to keep the citizens of Equestria as safe as possible. That is all.” She turned from the crowd, and left as more questions bounced off her backside. She could see the headlines already, and she could feel her migraine beginning to fester.

Pushing open the council chamber doors, Celestia was greeted by her generals, her captain of the guard, Luna, and the officers involved in the engagement. The wounds on all of them didn't always match up with the blood on their uniforms, and the Generals seemed to regard them with disdain. Several doctors were working still on both Jack and Captain Chord. Trotting around to her sister's side, Celestia his a wince as the ruined half of Jack's face came into view. “Knight Captain, you should be in the infirmary.”

The human shook his head as the doctor tried to knit his halves of cheek back together. “Can't.” He winced and fidgeted as a small portion of skin grew back. “You need me.”

“Sister, we do not have time for semantics, and Jack is right.” Luna spoke, and Celestia was forced to agree.

Sitting down, Celestia looked to the gathered field officers. “Tell me everything that happened. Leave nothing out, as it may be crucial.”

“Yes, do tell us how two of the mightiest ships and the best trained and armed units in all of Equestria got their flanks handed to them by the kittens.” General Wave quipped, with the tone of somebody agitated and bored. His expression swiftly turned to one of regret when Celestia and Luna fixed him with smouldering gazes.

“We were ambushed while retrieving the princess. Barely made it out.” Jack spoke after the portion of cheek closest to his mouth knit together.

“Did you retrieve her? Is Princess Gilda safe?” Luna asked with worry, and at his nod, she furrowed her brow. “So where is she?”

Clearing his throat, the Air Force General leaned forward on the table. “As she is not apart of the Equestrian Military Complex, we saw it as a unneeded breach in security to bring her here.”

As Celestia's expression darkened, Jack let out a wet chuckle and muttered about where he could get his general stars online. “Please, General.” Celestia spoke in a calm and even tone. “Send somebody to get her.”

The meeting was put on a temporary hold as a runner galloped off to collect the Imperial heir, and Celestia found herself staring at the map as magically guided pieces slowly moved about the board. The first imperial battlegroup was making a hard charge for Stalliongrad, where nearly all of the Equestrian war industry was. The second seemed to be working in a broad swooping motion, mopping up town after town as it moved to encircle the capital. The third battlegroup, however, worried her. It was making the most efficient path as possible to get out of Equestria, and into Zebraic lands. From there, they could strike anywhere. Dozens of cities, towns, and villages were in danger, and they couldn't even begin to send aid to a fraction of them.

Thankfully, Princess Gilda was swiftly brought to the room, where she stood stiffly with a brightly uniformed Major. The army General, Ironsides, was first of the three to open his mouth about the extra griffon, but it was shut quite quickly when Gilda screamed at him. “Major Highwater is my personal guard, and if you want my help, he is staying!”

Celestia's patience for the three out of depth Generals was swiftly running thin, while Luna's had run out the moment she had met them. As tensions rose sharply, it was all interrupted by Jack chuckling oddly as one of the doctors pulled a stray chunk of shrapnel from his skull. “Hell of a day, eh Highwater?” Major Highwater smiled thinly as Jack sighed in amusement. “Rebel to imperial bodyguard in a single day. That's better than my record.”

Thanks to the momentary distraction, Celestia was able to clear her throat and gather the group's attention. “Princess Gilda, please tell us exactly what led to this attack. Your father has betrayed centuries of peace and a very important, recent agreement.”

Wincing at the mention, Gilda took a seat at the table. “That's because he's dead. My brother killed him. He just… He was wearing this mask, and...” She trailed off, the events still fresh wounds across her heart and mind.

With a grunt, Jack rested an elbow on the table and slowly pieced together his sentence. “It's believed as of right now, that Petyr, Ada, and the Griffon contingent of JSOG have been captured and turned, somehow.”

Dire news indeed, and only made worse when Flitter spoke next. “Colonel Glow said we should surrender for the good of Order. I think he's under the same influence. They were going to hold the pass as long as they could, to buy us time. I remember there was a flash of blue light, and soon he came on the radio.”

Frowning heavily, Luna looked to the soldiers across from her. “Tell us what happened, from the top.” As the single, chaotic day was repeated by those still suffering from it, Celestia and Luna occasionally traded glances as certain details were spoken. At the end, it was Luna who spoke. “Sister, I believe that Jalgromak has returned.”

Celestia turned to her sister, as the others simply looked confused. “How can you be certain? Discord killed him during his first rise, when-”

“I know. But this all fits. I have had my ponies looking for clues since we spoke of it with the late Emperor. I believe that Jalgromak was not killed, not fully. He was simply banished, in several pieces.”

“Those pieces would contain a fraction of a god's power…”

Gilda's eyes shot open. “My brother's mask.”

Nodding in agreement, Celestia sighed. “Your brother Carolus has fallen under the sway of a god, Gilda. A true God.” She watched as another border town went from gold, to red. The pain of the simple change drove a stake through her heart. “If my assumption is correct, then he is using the power of the mask to exert control over those he conquers. They will follow him with utter loyalty.”

“Fuckin cunt.” Jack cursed mildly. “Do y’all understand what Total War is? Not you, Flitter. Cheater.” Flitter pouted ever so mildly as she put her hoof down. Jack rolled his jaw, before sighing. “Okay, explain it.”

Rolling her eyes, Flitter sat up straight before the group. “Total war is, by definition, when a society dedicates itself, one hundred percent, to a war effort. Every weapon, and the society's full financial capability are put to the war effort. Normally, not truly possible. But if the entire populace couldn't, and won’t say different?”

Expressions around the table turned ashen, as Celestia spoke the answer. “Then we would have the full, true might of the Imperial war industry weighing down upon us.”

General Ironsides sat up a little taller, and assumed the expression befitting of somebody of his rank. “Permission to reactivate the REA and all Ranger units.”

“Permission granted. The forges have been ordered to double time their production of personal protection and weaponry. For now, use what you can from the Royal Guard stockpiles.” Celestia turned her attentions toward the other two generals. “Stormfront, you are to gather all forces at your disposal, and begin the immediate evacuation of all outlier cloud towns, and the repositioning of Cloudsdale.”

Almost everybody in the room looked to Celestia in shock as the general in question shifted uncomfortably. “I will… need a rite of conscription. Moving the whole city will… not be an easy feat by any standard.”

“No it will not, but Cloudsdale cannot fall to the griffons. If it does, they will have a staging ground for attacks all over the country and we do not have the forces to retake it in that event. If it cannot be reclaimed, you are to scuttle the city.” As a worried murmur came from Stormfront, Celestia finally turned her attention to Wave. “Wave, you are to return to Maripony Shipyards, and activate all foundries. We need our navy.”

Rubbing his cheek, General Wave looked to his leader. “With all due respect, Princess, we just don't have the time to make any more ships. We have neither the funds, nor the ponypower.”

Finally, Luna spoke. “I give you the rite of conscription. If you require funding, you only need ask.”

“Just fuckin’ steal the griffon ships.” Jack said out loud as the doctor dabbed at his empty eye socket with a gauze pad.

Blinking in surprise as she ran the idea through her head, Luna slowly nodded. “Yes, yes that may work! General Wave, you are ordered to capture and refit any and all griffon vessels you can. We will turn their might against them.” Somehow, the prospect of boarding enemy vessels and stealing them appealed far less to Wave than a blank cheque did.

“Guard Captain Caspian.” Celestia began as she looked to the Captain of the Royal Guard. “You are to gather all guard units and special forces, and begin the immediate evacuation of all towns near Canterlot. We cannot let our ponies fall into enemy talons.” The Captain simply saluted, never speaking a word. “Generals, Captain, you are dismissed. See to your orders immediately.” Celestia waited for the Generals and their aides to file out, before looking to the soldiers who had been in the field, and the Imperial Princess. “Princess Gilda, we are more than glad to offer you and your guards asylum in Canterlot. Any help you can render would be invaluable.”

“I…” Gilda pulled idly at her crest. “I'll do what I can. I don't know how much help I'll be. I never wanted to lead my country, unlike my dweeb brother…”

Celestia smiled softly to the princess. “If you can help build a profile of your brother, and what he may be planning, that would be more than enough.” As Gilda promised to do what she could, she too was dismissed, and her rebel bodyguard swiftly followed her. Jack groaned quietly as the last of the shrapnel was pulled from his skull, and the exhausted doctor bandaged him up. “I have to say, Jack, I'm rather shocked you're still awake.”

“M’ up to my eyeballs in morphine…”

Nodding in acknowledgement, Celestia looked again to the board as her own pieces began to finally move and position. “I need you rested as well as you can. Is JSOG in any shape to fight?”

The wince from Jack at the mention of his team was greater than when a portion of his visor had been pulled from his ruined socket. “You got me, Taven, Mythic, Baron, and Simoh.”

Faces fell as the very short list of names ended far too soon. One in ten of the world's most elite fighting force had survived the last week. Celestia let out a breath through her nose as she nodded. “I see. Lieutenant Falenas, how many soldiers do you have in good health under your command?”

Flitter thought for a moment, before responding. “Twenty eight, including myself. The battle on Stalwart killed nearly half my ponies.”

Flitter's brows arched in immediate concern as Celestia blinked away tears. “I apologise.” Celestia began as Luna slowly rubbed her back. “You all showed such immense bravery during all of this, I am beside myself for your losses… I should be giving you all medals, not throwing you back into the fire.”

“Ma'am.” Captain Chord stood, grunting as his stitches moved. “We are your warriors. We'll follow you and your sister to Tartarus and back. If we die defending our home, then so be it. Let us only take as many of the enemy with us as we can.”

“Oorah.” Jack echoed as Celestia and Luna smiled.

“As Jack says it, Semper fi, ma'am.” Taven spoke, earning a weak grin from Jack. The statement was echoed around the room, earning a proud smile from their rulers.

Swallowing thickly, Celestia continued to smile as she looked to the board. “Thank you. Thank you all so much for everything. Lieutenant Falenas, you and your rangers are now officially a part of JSOG. I expect great things from you, and your unit.”

As her sister looked back to the table, Luna spoke up in her stead. “Please see to your wounds and rearm yourselves. You all will be back on the front lines very, very soon. Until our armies can be brought together and mobilised, we will be forced to abandon almost all engagements. You will have to harry the imperial lines with lightning strikes. Slow them as best you can, and buy us the time we need to erect our defenses. May the stars guide your way.” Luna bowed her head to the ragtag band, who all remained seated, except flitter.

Leaning over, she stage whispered to the others. “That means we're dismissed.”

“Oh.”

The group all stood as best they could, before saluting and exiting the planning room. As they started down the halls toward the armoury, Flitter was forced to start leading Jack's doped up form toward the hospital as he conspicuously attempted to try and keep going with them.

“Oh no you don't mister. You're still relieved of command. You're going to the hospital.” She gently guided him as the spent doctor simply nodded and followed in their wake. “We're all going to the infirmary to get patched up, come on, no complaining.”

“But…” Jack blinked slowly as his mind swam and sunk into the morphine. “I like complaining.”

Adopting a concerned expression, Flitter glanced toward Taven, who voiced what she was thinking. “Jack, how much of that morphine stuff are you on right now?”

There was a long pause as the human narrowed his eyes slightly in thought. “...all of it.”

“How are you not dead?” Captain Chord asked idly as he was forced to lean on Captain Alsan for support.

“I'm not really sure.” Jack answered honestly. “Ah do believe, that ah am in an inordinate amount of pain. Ah can't feel a thing.”

The doctor beside him let out a plaintive groan. “How am I supposed to work with you people? I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker.”

Jack began an off kilter chuckle as he was led to the infirmary. There, the group were seen to for their various injuries by the well stocked medical personnel. Unfortunately, the castle hospital was almost full with aeronauts and civilians who had been grievously wounded in the fighting, so the crew were only given treatment regarding the worst of their injuries. Captain Chord was the first to go in, and Jack was only second as he'd fallen asleep sitting, and nobody present had the strength to heft the three quarter tonne marine onto a gurney.

While Flitter's injuries were rather light, she found herself alone as Captain Alsan returned to her vessel, and Taven split off to begin sorting through their munitions pile for anything useable. Realization dawned on Flitter as she applied the healing paste as directed by her physician; she still had to inform her rangers that they were now all technically knighted and under the JSOG banner. With a tired sigh, Flitter patted Jack's armoured hand as the doctors worked at trying to give him a blood transfusion. She'd been told that they couldn't do anything more about his face, not with their time frame. He'd be stuck with his half skull grin for the foreseeable future.

Flitter pushed herself up off the floor, and pulled her uniform top back on. Her pitted and blood spattered body armour followed swiftly, and she only left once she was sure her guns were loaded and secured. Heading through the halls, Flitter began to weave her way passed galloping servants and nervous guards. Stalwart Liberty was still in dock, and brief repairs were being committed to it so it could limp to the shipyards for a proper rearming and repairing.

As Flitter mentally planned her route to Stalwart, then back to the armoury, her train of thought was rudely interrupted by a happy chirp of “FRITTAH!” It was further interrupted as Toast all but tackled her off her hooves and squee'd happily as Flitter sucked air.

“Oh goodness! I'm so sorry, here, let me-” Field galloped over, and began helping Flitter up, only to freeze in his tracks as he realized who Toast had all but dive tackled. “F-flitter! I didn't realise you were back in Canterlot!” He laughed weakly. “Hi! Um… how are you?”

Blinking at the stallion as Toast snuggled her, Flitter pursed her lips tightly. “Well Field, hello to you too. I'm not great right now.”

The bat stallion adjusted his glasses as he looked down toward her, and finally spotted all the dried blood and scars across her body armour, and the recently bandaged graze. “What in heaven's name happened to you!?”

“Uh… the war happened, Field.”

He stared at her incredulously, and she was privy to watch as realization dawned in his eyes. “Oh. I… I suppose you would be on the front line of that… how… how did it go? Erm… stupid question, I'm sorry.” He sighed weakly. “Are you still in the army? I'm certainly glad you didn't join in on Jack's band of brigands, I'm quite certain he's going to get them all killed-” Field shut his muzzle with an audible click as Flitter's gaze turned incendiary.

“I have places to be Field. I'm following Jack back out there, and there's a lot I have to do to ensure my ponies don't die. I'm sure you've got a paper to write.” Flitter gave Toast a brief nuzzle, earning a coo from the human. She stood, and began trotting away from the stallion as he sputtered and tried to fabricate a way to salvage the conversation.

“I'm- I'm sorry, Flitter! Please, I'm just stressed, I didn't mean to offend you!”

Flitter didn't look back at him. “Goodbye, Field.”

The trot to Stalwart was a thankfully quiet one for her there on, as she passed by frantic ponies gossiping about the sudden outbreak of war. So much misinformation was flying around, Flitter had to shake her head at the absurdity. She was listening to a maid proudly speculate on military matters, touting knowledge because so and so dated a guard once. With a foul mood already about her, Flitter felt a keen disliking come over her as she tried to shut out the idle crap that was beginning to fill her ears. Thankfully, nopony stopped her, and she was able to board Stalwart with ease. There, the mood shifted dramatically to professionalism as aeronauts did their best to patch up their home. As she trotted and glided through the thin halls, Flitter nearly ran muzzlefirst into Taven, who was eyeball deep in munitions reports and lists.

“Oh! Taven, you startled me!” Flitter forced a smile as Taven readjusted his files.

“It's my fault, should have been looking where I was going.” Taven sighed hard as he shuffled the orders. “Do you need help with anything? I feel like I'm going to go crazy staring at all of these numbers.”

Smiling knowingly, Flitter nodded. “I could really use a hoof. I need to find my Rangers and break the news to them.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Taven stowed the armoury books and nodded. “May as well grab Baron, Mystic, and Simoh. Get us all together for a proper powwow.”

“What the hell is a powwow?” Flitter questioned as they both started down the hall toward the bunk rooms.

“One of Jack's little words. Means meeting.”

“Oh. Yay. Meetings. My favourite thing.”

Taven grinned. “You sound like Jack. You may want to see a doctor.” He snickered as she lightly punched his shoulder.

The pair trotted together through the ship, carefully avoiding marked off areas as crews tried to patch broken pipes and split bulkheads. Stopping by Taven's bunk first, they found it to be utterly missing, and the bulkhead opening up to a beautiful view of the city through ruined steel and sparking wires. As they closed the bulkhead door, a rating trotted up and taped off the door with an apology. With the fur on the backs of their necks standing on end, they continued onward.

Simoh was by far the easiest to find, as the village raised snowy griffon stuck out like an awkwardly sore thumb. Waving him over, the pair found Simoh still clutching his rifle.

Taven frowned slightly, and spoke to the new recruit. “How are you feeling, Simoh?”

The griffon perked slightly as he watched ratings flow past with welding equipment and replacement parts. “I killed more of my kind yesterday than I've ever known.” He watched the ratings for a moment longer, before looking back to the pair. “I will be fine, Sergeant Varenikov. I am thankful for this rifle and bountiful ammunition.” The griffon smiled idly. “I hear we may be returning to the front. I look forward to it.” Simoh idly patted the Terran rifle's polymer stock, which had nearly four dozen new tally marks etched into it.

“Right. We're gathering everybody and swearing in some new blood. Would you like to join us?” Taven asked, and Simoh nodded in return. With the quietly intense griffon in tow, the trio set off once again to collect everybody.

After some asking around, it seemed that Mythic and Baron had retired to their bunks. While they definitely deserved it, they were needed. And so, the search continued.

Having finally found which bunkroom the two had commandeered, Flitter spun the hatch wheel and pushed it open. Sticking her head in, she found herself swiftly retreating as Mythic shrieked in surprise. Slamming the hatch closed, Flitter pulled back as her features went bright cherry red.

“What? What was it?” Taven asked curiously as Flitter failed to cover a giggle.

“T-they’re… Um, well, Mythic seems to be feeding Corporal Baron her needed love!”

Taven stared at Flitter for a moment, before snorting and loosing a single “Hah!” He pounded on the hatch, before opening it a crack. “You two finished in there? We've got work to do!”

Mythic's defeated voice was the first to sound. “Yeah, I'm finished…”

Snickering, Taven shook his head. “You've got two minutes to freshen up. We'll wait.”

It took less than two minutes, but the pair had hardly freshened themselves. Mythic looked dazed and horribly embarrassed, while Baron seemed as stoic as ever. They carried on with little more than a nod between Taven and Baron. The silence didn't last forever, though.

“Sooo…” Flitter started, and Mythic's ears turned red under his fur.

Not having any of it, Baron simply spoke. “Yes, it was good. I hate you both, and we're not finished.”

Grinning, Taven cast a glance at Mythic, who was busy trying to be invisible. “Not finished?”

Baron shook her head. “No sir. When we're finished here, I've business to attend to in the nearest linen closet with Private Ace.” She looked to Flitter momentarily. “And before you ask, yes, that business is him rutting me until I can't walk.”

Shuddering in both excitement and awful embarrassment, Mythic muttered an excited “oh momma…” Under his breath.

“I mean, if you're into that.” Baron teased back, and earned a loud pair of laughs as Mythic went nuclear red.

With the JSOG survivors in tow, Taven and Flitter were finally able to make their way down into the cargo bay where the Rangers had staked their territorial claim. They came to a halt as they spotted the trip wires and sentries. It appeared as though the rangers had constructed themselves a replacement fort in the lower cargo hold, and nestled in like ticks.

“It's the Lieutenant! Open the gate!”

“Opening the gate!”

“Wait! She brought the lunatics with her!”

“Closing the gate!”

Flitter snorted and rolled her eyes. “Rosedew, if you close that gate on me, you'll be cleaning latrines for a month!”

“...Opening the gate a little!”

The sentry poked her head back up. “Watch the tripwires ma'am!”

“I noticed them, thank you.” Flitter began the swift navigation of the tripwire field, and slipped in through the gate with the others following on her heels. Inside the fort didn't surprise her in the least, but it seemed to surprise the others. The Rangers had apparently dragged bunks down from somewhere, and found sand to fill sandbags. It was a proper FOB, and Flitter felt a hint of pride upon seeing the proper fallback points and kill zones. “Nicely done rangers, this is a nice fort.”

Sergeant Minerva was out of her flak armor, and approaching swiftly. She came to a swift halt and a crashing salute. “First platoon reporting ninth deck cargo bay clear of hostiles and secured.”

Snorting mildly in amusement, Flitter saluted back. “At ease sergeant. Can I have everybody's attention? I have a rather important announcement.” Minerva barked for attention, but didn't have to. All eyes had been on her the moment she had entered. Smiling, Flitter nodded to her troops. “Thank you. Okay, let's start from the top. We're at war with the Empire, and the Emperor has been murdered by his own son.”

“What a dick!”

“What a hack!

“What a maroon!”

Flitter rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah, I know, Emperor Carolus is a fuckhead of the highest order. He's managed to find some ancient artifact that's lent him the powers of an old fallen god by the name of Jalgromak, the god of Order. He's using mind control on the empire, and Colonel Glow, because from what I've heard, he couldn't lead his way out of a wet paper bag by himself.” Jeers sounded, and they served to put Flitter at ease. “Which leads me to the next point. We are, right now one of four combat ready military units in all of Equestria. That includes JSOG, the Wonderbolts, and the Royal Guard.”

“So, what you're saying ma'am, is that we're the only military unit in all of Equestria.” Minerva snipped idly, earning a few chuckles.

Minerva's smile dimmed slightly when Flitter looked to her and nodded. “That's about the meat of the situation. JSOG suffered massive casualties during the invasion. Those you see with me, plus one, are all that remains of a platoon sized force.” At the winces of her platoon, Flitter continued. “That is why the princesses have upgraded us, and given us to JSOG.” The entire bay went silent as the Rangers stared back at her in a mix of understanding, confusion, and clear disapproval. “JSOG will be at the front of the fight. Where the Rangers should be. I'm not going to order any of you to join. It's a volunteer force, and we'll be sticking in where the fighting is the worst. Sergeant Taven will explain some of the perks, but first I'd like you all to step in line, please.” Flitter turned toward Taven to ask him a question, but stopped as her platoon swiftly fell in line and Sergeant Minerva bellowed.

“All Rangers who want to follow the Lieutenant into hell, step forward.” The crash of hooves on the deck was unanimous and nearly deafening as every ranger stepped forward without hesitation. Flitter was struck dumb for a moment, as Taven smirked knowingly. Sergeant Minerva Aegis cast a momentary glance over the platoon, before looking back to her. “Ma'am, first platoon is ready. We volunteer.”

Pursing her lips as she looked down, Flitter let out a mild sigh of exasperation. “Well fuck. Okay, I guess you sorry lot are special forces now.”

“With emphasis on Special.” Minerva continued, earning a few grins of agreement.

Scoffing mildly, Flitter failed to hide her smile. “Okay. Sergeant Taven is the highest ranking survivor of the old crew besides the knight captain, so he's going to do a quick and dirty rundown on how they run things around here. After that, get to know these four. Once our meet and greet is done. We're headed for the armoury to get kitted. JSOG gets all the nice toys.” At all the growing smiles, Flitter felt the need to ground her troops. “Fancy toys are heavy toys. Don't rely on them.” At the groans and mild complaints to extra, heavy kit, Flitter smirked. “Come on, First Platoon! You're equestrian knights now! We're gonna kick the new Emperor's ass so hard, he'll taste boot polish well into the afterlife! Oorah?”

The returning affirmative was loud, brash, and full of gusto. First Platoon wasn't going to let anybody down. Not if they could help it. Flitter ensured she stuck around and answered as many questions as she could, and saw her rangers outfitted well before she was. In fact, she was the last. JSOG body armour was truly impressive, and she felt safer just wearing it. The chest piece had nearly the same level of enchantment as royal guard armour, though it wouldn't help much against automatic weapons. It took some time, seeing everybody placed and kitted, and it took even longer to try and convince the castle foundries to hoof over the crates of ammunition they needed, but by the time the moon rose, they were ready, and sharpening their bayonets with deadly intent. Soon enough, the call would come in, and Flitter would swiftly run back to the castle to requisition more ammunition.

For the next mission Celestia was planning on sending them, they would certainly need every last single bullet they’d appropriated. Retribution attacks tended to be that way.

Author's Notes:

Well! This had to be one of the fastest chapters I've ever written, and it's probably riddled with problems. Either way, the war begins!