“INCOMING!”

Civilians and guards alike hit the dirt as the next wave of shells shrieked across the sky like vengeful banshees, before exploding amidst a cloud of shrapnel and blasted soil. The staccato racket of gunfire filled the air, punctuating the terror-stricken voices of those pushing towards the rescue carriages.

Flitter ducked behind the sandbags as another shell whizzed overhead and impacted with a thump some ways behind her. “Do we have confirmation the Elements are safe?” She asked Mythic, who was busy radioing in artillery coordinates.

“I just got word that they were picked up at objective Apple by VTOL, they should be back at the ship in a few minutes!” Mythic had to yell over the sound of the screaming civilians and rattling gunfire.

“What's the range of the enemy forces, has Taven reported in?” Flitter anxiously checked her battle-saddle again as her mind went back to the task at hand. With the Elements secured, she could focus entirely on the trouble before her.

“Yes ma'am! They've repositioned at point Charlie, that's three streets back our way from their original position! Near main street!” Mythic retuned the radio, listening in carefully. After a moment, he retuned again and ordered a short fire mission. The booming return of Stalwart’s pack howitzers offered a steadying backdrop to the unfolding battle.

“Flitter!?”

A familiar voice caused Flitter's ears to prick, and her head to turn toward the source. “Cloudy?”

Cloud Chaser had broken from the group of scared civilians, and was galloping toward Flitter. “Flitter!” Flitter hardly had a moment to gawk as Cloud Chaser barreled into her, and promptly hugged the stuffing out of her. “I’m so sorry! I’m sorry!” Cloud Chaser pushed her muzzle into Flitter’s armoured chest, earning several confused looks from the armed ponies around her.

With her surprise finally being overcome, Flitter gently pushed Cloudy off of her. “Y-wh-...” Flitter clamped her lips shut for a moment as she tried to gather her thoughts long enough to speak coherently. “You should be back with the others, you need to be evacuated.” It was her pragmatic lieutenant’s thinking that won out over all the other thoughts, though it seemed to strike Cloudy deeply.

Shivering softly, Cloudy Hugged Flitter again. “I know… I know, but I saw you and I couldn’t… I’m so sorry Flitter… I’m so sorry…”

“What… What are you apologizing for?’ Flitter questioned as she glanced at Mythic and motioned for him to continue at his job. Without warning, the shrill whistle of another incoming shell pierced the air. “Incoming!” Flitter yelled, prompting those around her to duck their heads. Flitter pushed her sister down to the ground, just as the mortar landed nearby and exploded, sending dirt and hot shrapnel this way and that. A chunk twanged audibly off of Flitter’s helmet, but didn’t phase her in the slightest as Cloudy yelped in fear.

“F-for everything!” Cloudy warbled fearfully as she was pulled up out of the dirt. Flitter’s older sister was barely holding back tears as she spoke, and the sight pained Flitter’s heart. “I’m just- I’m so fucking sorry Flitter… I’m so sorry I couldn’t have been a better sister…” Cloud Chaser’s hug increased in strength, causing Flitter to grunt lightly in discomfort. “I-I thought you’d died, but… but then Mom found you, and-” Cloudy sniffled as she buried her face in Flitter’s neck. “You aren’t dead to me. I still love you, even if Mom doesn’t, and you don’t love me…”

For her part, Flitter sat on her haunches, looking struck with shock as her older sister poured her heart out to her in a hastily dug fighting position. “Cloudy…” Flitter swallowed as she tried to gather her train of thought. Placing a hoof on her sister’s shoulder, Flitter did her best to gently create a bit of space between them. “I know you’re sorry, and I don’t hate you. You made a mistake… granted, it was a really, really big mistake, but… That’s not enough for me to stop loving you.” Flitter gave her sister a soft smile as another mortar shell whizzed by overhead. Pausing for a moment, Flitter turned to Mythic. “Get Taven’s squad on the horn, I want to know where those mortars are, and I want them gone!”

“Yes ma’am!”

Seemingly a little shocked by the sudden display of authority, Cloud Chaser sniffed and smiled sadly. “Look at you go… a guard officer and… -uh-huhn-” She hiccuped and put a hoof to her mouth. “Flitter-”

“Cloudy.” Flitter interjected quickly, cutting off what was to come. “This isn’t the time or place for this. Get back in line with the others and get up to the ship safely. We can talk there, okay?” Flitter’s voice was stern, and didn’t broker any argument from Cloudy.

Nodding, her sister hugged her once more. “Okay… okay… I will, but just… please... please come and find me after? And… and kick these assholes out of our town.” The last of her words came out an emotional growl, which earned a mildly amused smirk from Flitter.

“That was the plan. Now go, go! I don’t want you any further back in the line!” Flitter shooed at her sister, before tensing at the sound of higher pitched whistling that split the air. “INCOMING!” As she yelled and everyone around hit the dirt, returning artillery fire slammed into the ground nearby, blasting hunks of dirt and stone up in a column. Several ponies began shrieking in agony as their shrapnel wounds became known. “Where the hell did that come from!?”

“Taven reports that the Griffon warship has entered the AO, and is firing at us! Stalwart is attempting to find range, I-” Mythic paused for a moment and listened intently. Flitter slid closer, and perched over his shoulder for the report. Without Flitter there to stop it, a pair of guards grabbed hold of Cloudy, and dragged her off to the evacuation point. As Cloud Chaser was dragged off indignantly, Mythic finished his report to Flitter. “Enemy forces are beginning their assault! Sounds like they’re pushing up the main street and putting pressure on Taven, he says he doesn’t know how much longer they can last in their position!”

Cursing under her breath, Flitter pulled up her map. “Tell Taven to pull back on our signal. Radio Stalwart, and get a creeping barrage thrown down through sectors B through E! High explosive charge! I’m sending forward reinforcements to cover their retreat!” Mythic nodded snappily as he began to radio in the orders, while Flitter hustled back to the command dug-out. “I need volunteers to cover First Squad’s retreat!” A dozen hooves jutted up from those who weren’t direly needed to man positions. Flitter selected at random. Several guard, and six ponies from Havoc squad were soon moving off through the nearby houses, working their way up to Taven’s position.

Several minutes passed by, only to find the fighting creeping closer, and the crowd of civilians not growing thinner any faster than before. There was roughly a hundred civilians on the ground still, Cloud Chaser included. The entrenched units had begun to spot the forward vanguard, and were already in the process of shifting their bulk to repel the stronger points of the enemy’s multi-pronged offensive. It was when the next salvo of enemy artillery struck that Flitter received the news that saw her heart drop into her stomach.

“I just got word that the Element’s vtol went down.” Mythic spoke as quietly as he could to Flitter. “Jack was onboard.”

Not letting her emotions come out on top despite the deep feeling of anguish she felt, Flitter nodded stiffly. “Do we have an approximate location?”

“Yes ma’am, grid location seven six nine oscar, sector Hotel. Spotters on deck said they saw it go down roughly two minutes ago.”

Flitter pulled out her map and consulted it as quickly as she could. The area the VTOL had gone down in was heavily wooded, and dangerously close to the Everfree. It would take them time to get there. Possibly too much time. Clenching her jaw, Flitter let out a slow, calming breath. “Copy. How is Stalwart for munitions? Did they report like I asked?”

Mythic nodded again, but she could already tell she wasn’t going to like the report. “They’re running low on shells, seems they didn’t have a full compliment to begin with, figures… They’ve limited us to three round fire missions, and no more willy petes.”

Flitter nodded again, and cast a glance down the line, just as Taven’s squad reached their entrenched line. He waved to her as every last one of his people hunkered down and reloaded. Flitter motioned him over as she scurried to the command post. There, she found Commander Bulwark, and Warlock Hail. As Taven joined her, she got their attentions and laid out the map. “I just received word that the transport carrying the Elements and the Knight Captain has been shot down in this grid location. I need a team of fast movers to buzz the site and recon the area. If anybody survived the crash, they’ll need help, so I want a team standing by to move on their location and assist. Can I expect any help from your ponies?” Flitter shot a stern look up at the two older ponies before her.

Commander Bulwark nodded the moment she finished her request. “I’ll have five of my fastest fly out there. They aren’t heavily armoured, so your ponies will need to form the strike team. My heavy hitters are locked down keeping the vanguard off of us.” She instinctively ducked when another shell whizzed by and landed dangerously close, showering the command post with dirt. “I wish there was a way we could stop these shells! If they get any closer, they’ll kill scores of my ponies!”

Nodding, Flitter turned her attention to the still silent Hail. “Warlock? Anything your ponies can do?”

“We are conserving our strength for when the enemy closes.” He answered calmly and simply. The statement caused Flitter to clench her jaw in annoyance, and Bulwark to look displeased for a moment, though neither mare said anything to the warlock.

Looking back to Bulwark, Flitter gave the commander her full attention. “Send your people. Taven, get Havoc squad to stand by for rescue operations. They’re kitted for this as it is. Grab Private Marvich as well, there may be critically injured on site. I don’t need to tell you how important this is.”

“No, you don’t.” Taven answered quietly as he nodded to her. “Anything else?”

“No, get a hustle on. We can’t waste any more time than we already have!” Flitter motioned him off, before turning her attentions back to the task at hand. She could see the enemy already; they were streaming through the shops and the houses, ducking into alleyways and harassing their line. The conscripts remained out in the open, drawing fire and going down without so much as a whimper. It was all a diversionary tactic, and she knew it. Their enemy was betting on them being too busy dealing with the conscripts and the vanguard force to notice the highly trained and well equipped forces hitting their flanks. Simple tactics, and highly effective, if the commander was willing to throw away lives without a second thought and their foe was an idiot with tunnel vision. Flitter knew that Carolus was more than willing to send ponies and griffons to die like rats, but she was not an idiot. Cantering up to her weapons teams, she delivered her orders. “Hold fire against the vanguard, and reposition two machinegun teams to our left and right flanks. I want marksmen taking up the slack, but don't waste ammo. Single shots for the conscripts, more for the vanguard if you have to. Call out clumps of enemies, and watch for Rangers and Empire regulars on the flanks. Copy?” She received an affirmative all around as she paced down the line.

As time went on, and the final fifty civilians were waiting to be boarded, the call finally came in from the recovery team. Having been called over, Flitter hunkered down, and listened to the report of the crash site. No survivors found. The elements missing, and Jack MIA. Only the bodies of the VTOL crew, Applejack’s family, and Max had been found. Muting a curse, Flitter ordered the team to return to the lines as soon as possible, before turning her attention back to the defences. It was when she passed over the radio that the attack came. A massive, vibrant lance of magic leapt across Ponyville, and struck Stalwart Liberty's starboard side. The concussive blast of the impact jarred Flitter's teeth in her head; she hardly had a moment to gawk at the great ship as it listed from it's painful wound, as the attack finally came. Without warning, the Imperial forces crashed down upon the defenders like a tidal wave. Conscripts threw themselves forward, using their bodies as shields for the vanguard. Both flanks came under simultaneous attack, prompting the JSOG machine gunners to open fire. Frantic reports and distress calls began to overlap each other as Equestrian positions were struck with withering mortar fire.

“THIS IS IT!” Flitter bellowed over the incoming bullets and mortars. “STAND FIRM!” Returning fire sprang out from Equestrian lines, gunning down everything before them. Arcs of tracers leapt out across the quaint village roads, cutting down Imperial soldiers and felling conscripts like chaff. “KEEP FIRING! FIRE UNTIL THEY CAN SEE THE GLOW OF OUR BARRELS!” Flitter kicked her rifle into full auto, and began sending accurate bursts down range, striking and killing those she fired on.

The pegasi of the guard were entangled above in a vicious aerial battle as they fought to keep the airborne griffons from descending upon the defence line. The shielded guards piled in around the JSOG machinegun teams, protecting them from any enemies that came too close. The entire line had devolved into a firestorm of gunfire, death, and suffering.

Despite the savage response from Equestrian lines, the Imperial forces continued to grind forward, clearly intent on drowning the defenders in blood and bodies. The bulk of the imperial force had almost reached the defenders line, when the Warlocks finally committed. Rapid fire magical lances shot out from two of the warlocks as they began to cut down the attackers like wheat to a scythe, while the other two charged a larger spell.

Dropping down behind cover, Flitter slammed a fresh magazine home and bucked the charging handle. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself from cover, and sighted her rifle. Imperial forces greeted her, but they were not what gave her pause. The massive funnel of wind, creeping down to earth like a wicked, crooked finger gave her just a moment's pause, before she smiled as the magical tornado began rampaging​ through the imperial forces. As she resumed firing, she watched as a single magical flare leapt out from the warlocks, and struck the tornado, setting the magical construct ablaze.

With the Warlocks pouring copious amounts of magic down upon the attackers, Flitter was finally given enough reprieve to begin putting a cap on the chaos. “All teams! I want status reports, and I want them now! Argus, Mint, pull back and dig in! Lemon, Jones, reinforce that foxhole!” As Flitter bellowed her orders, and JSOG responded with a flurry of affirmatives and copies, a massive, metallic boom shook the ground under her hooves. Looking over her shoulder, Flitter couldn't​ stop herself from gawking in horror this time as Stalwart Liberty finished beaching itself in the vast forest that bordered Ponyville. A secondary explosion rippled up from the gaping wound in it's side, spewing smoke and fire skyward over the treetops. “Somebody try and raise Stalwart! Now!”

“I'm on it!” Mythic yelled from the command pit. Taven was there with his squad, keeping the enemy back with accurate fire.

“Flitter!” Taven yelled over the low roar of the fiery tornado as it ripped through Ponyville, immolating scores of Imperials and destroying the town. “The Imp vessel is pulling out!”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Flitter nodded as she ducked down behind the sandbags. “Finally, some good news!”

Dashing her brief hopes, Taven shook his head. “That magic lance came from the Imp vessel. Simoh says he spotted the Elements on the deck. It's safe to say they're comprised.”

“Fucking hell…” Flitter groaned softly. “Did Simoh try and put them down?”

Nodding his head, Taven sat next to her. “He fired on them, but the Princess had a shield up. The vessel is pulling out, but the imp forces are staying put. I'd bet on them being reinforced soon.”

“They're going to try and wipe us out. They got their first objective and now it's just us left.” Flitter cursed softly. “I just hope Jack's on his way back. If Stalwart is fucked, we're in this for the long haul until any friendlies can reach us.” She perked when Mythic lifted the radio towards her, prompting her to grab it and put it against her ear. “This is Knight Lieutenant Falenas, Stalwart, what is your status?”

“This is Acting Captain Jewels, we've taken massive damage to our starboard side and suffered damage to our archanotech drives. What is the status of the ground teams?”

Scowling, Flitter hunkered down behind the sandbags. “We're holding the line as well as we can, but I'm about to prepare for a pull back to your position. What happened to the Captain?”

“Badly injured in the blast, he'll make it. All of our systems are down, we're basically blind up here. We only just managed to get the tech based radios operational. Whatever hit us shut down everything magical.” There was a brief pause. “Knight Lieutenant, if you have a plan, I'm all ears.”

She did indeed have a plan, but it was going to be hell getting it down without suffering casualties. “I'll radio when it's laid out, just get those howitzers operational. Over and out.” Handing the radio back, Flitter beckoned the nearby Commander Bulwark over.

Cantering over, Bulwark stood tall despite the incoming rounds. “What do you need, Knight Lieutenant?”

“I want your ranged forces to gather up the remaining civilians and get them to Stalwart, and then begin entrenching a line across the starboard side. We hold this line until they're finished, and send back staggered groups in a leapfrogging tactical withdrawal. Once the bulk of our forces have reached the cover of the trees, I'll call for Stalwart to hit our lines with smoke, and the final defenders will fall back. Once we have pulled back, Stalwart will shell our old lines and kill anything that follows. When we're in Stalwart’s shadow, we'll have her deck guns and armour to keep us safe, and in return we'll keep the gnats off her hide. We'll dig in like Everfree ticks, and make the Imps pay for every meter with a hundred bodies. From there it'll just be a matter of holding on until reinforcements arrive or Stalwart's systems are repaired enough for flight.”

To Flitter's surprise, the Commander grinned, and shot her a stiff backed salute. “I like your gumption kid. I'll get my ponies into position. Are you sure your soldiers can hold the line without us?”

“I'm very sure. And please, do not salute me or anybody else in the field. I'd rather not have my head taken off by a sniper.” Flitter nodded to Commander Bulwark, as the Commander had the sense to look a little surprised and sheepish.

“Sorry, still getting used to this whole 'trench warfare’ thing.” Smiling and nodding to each other, the two parted ways; Bulwark headed to speak to her ponies and spread the plan, and Flitter to speak with Warlock Hail and his Warlocks.

As she cantered up, her question in mind deflated swiftly, as she saw that the warlocks were sweaty and tired looking. “Warlock Hail!” Flitter called out as she approached.

“What do you want, Knight Lieutenant?” Hail shot back gruffly as another lance of energy shot out from his horn.

“I'm preparing a fall back to Stalwart's position, how much longer can you keep this up?” Flitter ducked into cover near the warlocks, and looked to Hail.

“A minute, maybe less.” Sweat was beading down the old stallion’s muzzle as he continued to exert himself.

“Then hold your fire!” Flitter yelled over the shriek of incoming shells. “We're preparing a fallback to Stalwart Liberty's position, I don't want to have to carry you there!”

The older stallion shook his head. “There is no use. The Elements have been stolen, and our airship destroyed. It will be futile for us to try to hold out. Help will not come in time.”

It took Flitter a moment for the words to register, and the shock to subside. When it did, the shock was swiftly replaced with anger. “Then release your Warlocks to my command, I'm not sacrificing lives because you're too much of a coward to keep fighting when things get tough!”

Warlock Hail’s features scrunched in indignant anger. “I am not a coward! I-”

“You're an idiot and a coward! You're an idiot for thinking that we've lost, and a coward who's willing to give up all because of some set backs!” Flitter barked back.

“You call this a setback!? The Empire has us outnumbered sixty to one! We are of no use here any longer.” He said as he looked to the other warlocks, who averted their gazes.

“You might think we're all doomed either way, but I'm not going to stop until I’m dead. I'm not leaving Ponyville, until every last civilian is accounted for and evacuated.” Flitter met the Warlock's gaze steadily. “I suggest you start galloping for Canterlot, because if I see you anywhere near the front line, I'll have you shot.

A tense second passed between the two, as neither refused to budge. It was the other warlocks who broke the stand off.

“I'm going with the guard.” One of the warlocks announced. “I'm not going to roll over and die.” The other two shared a look between each other, before nodding agreement. Without another word, they set off to rejoin the guards, and do what they could.

Letting his head hang slightly, the Warlock pulled his head dress off and sighed. “It must be a thing of youth, the thought that you can stand against a god and win. First the Archmage, now all of this…”

“It's just you now, Hail. Are you with us, or against us?” Flitter's wing went to her side arm. The thought of what may come next brought a grimace to her features.

“I've stood by Equestria for fifty years. I've seen the rise and fall of Discord, the human revolution, and now this. This… World War. We've never faced anything like this before, never. I can't foresee any way this could end but our deaths.” Hail glanced over as Flitter drew her sidearm slowly. “Are you going to kill me? Why? Because I offended your sense of honour?”

“No.” Flitter answered levelly. “I'm not going to let the enemy get a hold of you. Whatever your feelings here are, you'll work gladly for them. I'll ask you one last time. Are you with us, or are you against us?”

“Please. Make it as painless as you can…” Hail sat down, and looked to his hooves as Flitter cantered around to his side. “I suppose father was right.” Hail murmured to himself as Flitter pressed the barrel of her side arm against his head. “I should have been a banker.”

The shot was quick, and muffled by the flesh it instantly entered. As far as Flitter could tell, the Warlock had died instantly. Pausing for a single moment to regard the dead warlock, Flitter shook her head, before galloping back to her command dugout. She had a battle to lead.

The withdrawal began shortly after, with the guard leading the civilians off into the woods as quickly as they could. Bullets snapped and hissed over head, while the mortars continued to fall like rain. The dead defenders littered the shallow trench line, though the bodies of their attackers were piled so high that machine gunners had to push the bodies over however they could to maintain a clear firing line. The call soon came for the next wave to fall back, and Flitter was there to answer it.

Sending half her force back, Flitter called for smoke shells to begin dropping on her position. As the first shell began to fall, the Imperials pushed their advantage, and begun the assault anew. As she gunned down everything that came into her sights, Flitter soon found herself firing on faces she recognised. Rangers. A pang of sorrow struck her heart as she continued to fire, no amount of sympathy would stop her from firing. They deserved swift deaths, at the very least. The rangers only ever came in teams of two or three; probing the equestrian trench line, and often sniping at anybody they could draw a bead on. No doubt the main body of the fallen rangers was waiting for the right moment to swoop in and kill them off.

“Ma'am!” Mythic yelled to Flitter, before waving her over. “The last group just made it, we're good to fall back on your order.” Taven's unit, and several others from her own were the only ones holding the line, and it seemed the Imperials knew it.

Grabbing the radio, Flitter made the call. “Stalwart, load HE and fire on the same coordinates, give us one minute.”

“Copy that Knight Lieutenant. Good luck.”

“Let's go boys!” Flitter yelled as she waved toward the forest. “We've got fifty seconds!” The last of the smoke shells landed, obscuring the entire trench line. The remains of JSOG rose from their positions, their gear gathered and stowed for the run. The distant sound of howitzers gave them all the extra encouragement they needed to gallop as hard as their tired bodies would allow.

“Maskmaskmask!!” Taven cried as he pointed back toward their line. They'd only gotten a street away from their old position, though they were about to enter the open ground around Ponyville.

Chancing a glance over her shoulder, Flitter felt the cold pain of fear in her chest when she spotted the masked griffon descending toward them. The mask looked ready to discharge, and likely catch them all in the radius. Jack wouldn't be there to save them this time.

The first of the shells screamed earthwards, throwing up great gouts of earth and shrapnel. The griffons mask crackled with energy as he lifted his eyes skyward and began to shout. A bullet struck the mask, only to be destroyed by whatever magic wreathed the item. Flitter's soldiers were firing at the mask bearer, in the hopes of killing him before he could finish the short spell. It wouldn't be enough, however. The mask’s crackling energy reached a cusp, just as Flitter began closing her eyes to accept the inevitable. Hopefully she'd bought the others enough time.

Her train of thought was interrupted, as Simoh's rifle boomed, and Order's magic didn't wash over her body. The masked griffon's head snapped back as the heavy caliber bullet slipped through the eyeslit of the mask, and blasted the wearer's brains out. The shells were now raining down around them as the squad cheered loudly, and Flitter dashed toward the fallen Imperial. A shell landed painfully close, peppering Flitter with hot shrapnel, and opening her legs up with a dozen smoking hot cuts. Ripping the mask off the fallen soldier, Flitter galloped and flew as fast as her body could carry her. With the shell falls growing only slightly quieter as they crossed the open fields, the squad just barely managed to reach the tree line as Imperial bullets began finding their way back to them.

Despite the danger, Flitter found herself laughing, and soon, the others were infected with it. Not only had they escaped death and capture, they'd spit in the Imperials eyes. Upon reaching the shadow of Stalwart, Flitter returned herself to professionalism, while most of the squad dog piled Simoh, crushing the now squawking griffon with embraces.

“We were afraid you weren't going to make it!” Commander Bulwark stood out on the trenchline and smiled. “Glad to have you back with us- what the hell is that?” The commander gestured toward the mask that hung off of Flitter's barding.

“It's an imperial control mask. We killed one of their officers in the retreat. If we destroy it, any imperial forces in the area will have the spell on them broken.” Flitter looked around, investigating the trenchline. It was quickly dug, but the guard's earthponies were second to none when it came to earthworks and engineering. The trenchline stretched across Stalwarts port side, and pushed forward roughly two hundred meters. Plenty of fighting pits, and fall back positions. With it likely getting even more fortified with the days to come, Flitter was pleased with it, at a glance.

“No shit…” Bulwark murmured as she gazed at the mask. “How do we destroy it?”

Flitter paused for a moment as she considered the question. The mask had stopped bullets in their tracks, but Jack had smashed it to bits with his fist. “Physical damage, as far as I know. My CO destroyed one with his fist, but his titanium may have messed with the magic…” Flitter frowned deeply as she continued to consider things. She couldn't exactly test, in case she did destroy the mask and waste their only chance at saving the rangers.

“Well.” Bulwark nodded in thought. “It's more of a chance than we had earlier. Something's bothering me though… if they had a mask, why didn't they use it? They could have, easily.”

Again, Flitter drew a blank and shrugged. “I have no idea. It was still charging magic when we were retreating, so maybe it was only recently brought up?”

“Maybe they have an effective range.” Bulwark sighed. “Oh well. I'm just glad you all made it. The civilians are safe inside the ship, though the crew is messed up from the crash. We're not looking at a lot of reinforcements.”

“Right…” Flitter breathed a soft sigh. “I'm going to head to the bridge, keep your ponies at it. I want these lines reinforced and armed to the teeth. We don't have anywhere else to fall back to.”

Frowning softly, Bulwark nodded in agreement. “You don't need to remind me. Can you send some of yours into the ship to get us more of this ammunition? My men tell me they are almost out.”

“You get these lines reinforced, I'll make sure that hot food and cold water make their way out here too.” Flitter cast a gaze toward the sky as clouds began to gather. “It's going to get cold.”

“We best get to work then, Knight Lieutenant.”

Aboard the Imperial Flagship, Carolus eagerly awaited the arrival of the cruiser leading the Ponyville operation. The news on the radio was just too good for him to believe without seeing it with his own eyes. However, his excitement was curtailed and smothered by his guests. King Xerox and Darneil flanked him on either side, awaiting the same ship. Carolus hated them. No, he loathed them. He loathed changelings, in both their appearances, and their ways. King Xerox was manageable, he was loyal and kept to his hives and operatives. Darneil however, was a constant thorn in his paw.

As much as it vexed Carolus, Darneil was the one who had control of the changelings, so as much as he wished to throttle the disgusting wretch, he couldn't afford to lose allies who willingly followed Order.

“There they are.” King Xerox was the first to spot the cruiser, as Carolus was momentarily lost in his disliking for changelings. The cruiser was approaching the flagship, and was still fully manned as far as Carolus could see. After the disaster that had happened before the assault on Stalliongrad, Carolus wasn't going to take chances.

“Have them radio in and confirm.” A tense few moments passed, if only for Carolus, before the call was answered and the correct code phrase was uttered. It wasn't much longer before the cruiser was floating next to the Flagship, and the gangplanks had been secured. The Elements of Harmony trotted over, while his operatives carried a stretcher and wheeled a heavy crate over. Carolus could hardly contain himself as he descended the steps and moved to see his prizes.

The Elements lined up, and upon inspection, were most certainly understand his control. The whites of their eyes were tinged blue, like all of his followers, though the Element of Magic had Order's magic positively glowing from her eyes. “Wonderful. Simply wonderful.” Carolus cracked a very rare smile as he turned to look at the human who was strapped down tight to the stretcher. “Is this-?”

“Knight Captain Kessle.” Ada answered stiffly. “Captured, by your order.”

Today was a good day. “And his armour? Weapons?”

“Removed.” Ada slowly gestured to the heavy crate.

“Excellent! Most excellent! Men, take the trophies down below, my scientists will be eager to rip them apart and learn their secrets. Ada, ensure this human does not awaken until we reach Hunter's Perch” Carolus paused for only a moment, as he turned and looked to Darneil. “You know what to do now, yes?”

The hybrid simply rolled his eyes as he lifted the drape covering Jack, and observed him. A moment later, green fire enveloped his body. When it extinguished, Knight Captain Jack Kessle stretch out and groaned, before testing his voice. “Just drop me off somewhere close to the Equestrians. I'm not going to walk all the way there.” Darneil, now Jack, began rooting through the box, digging through the human's belongings. Stealing his clothes and pulling them on, Darneil soon lifted up the exoskeleton and threw it over his shoulders, only for nothing to happen.

“Needs… plugs…” Ada forced the words out, and the mind control magic couldn't keep the disgust from her voice.

“Grab one of the weapons and get off my ship.” Carolus ordered, causing Darneil to grunt, and pull the sabot pistol and it's holster free from the pile. “Do you remember your mission?”

“Yes Carolus, good lord above. I'm to infiltrate Canterlot, assassinate Celestia, and steal the Chaos Core.”

Sneering, Carolus snapped his talons, and pointed to the bulkhead door. “Ada, have your men secure our prizes. Darneil, begone. My patience for your prattling has worn thin enough.”

Setting his hands on his belt, Darneil fixed Carolus with a stare. “I still think I should infiltrate the military unit he was in. I'll be far more trusted if I return with them, instead of alone.”

“The Joint Special Operations Group has been a thorn in my side for far too long. You're the master infiltrator, make do without them.” Carolus snapped at Darneil, his thin patience having run out.

“I'm telling you Carolus, we stand to gain a lot more if we let them live.” Darneil was fitting the odd holster to his leg while he argued with Carolus, and to his surprise, he wasn't thrown off the ship.

Cracking a sneering smile, Carolus approached the now taller hybrid. “I'll tell you what. Infiltrate the JSOG unit. If they survive, you get your wish. If they do not, well, then you had best hope that the Progeny can see through your disguise.”

With his features growing ashen, Darneil nodded. “You're on, Carolus.” Without another word, Darneil crossed the gang plank, and boarded the cruiser.

As the cruiser chugged back toward Ponyville, King Xerox turned to Carolus. “What do you plan to do with the human?” Ada's ears pricked as she stood by, and her soldiers carried Jack downwards, into the bowels of the ship.

“We're going to break him, and have him serve our cause.” Carolus turned to look at Ada, though she didn't look back. “Isn't that right, pet?”

The siege had begun.

With her unit dug in deep, and the royal guard surrounding them, Flitter watched as the Imperials began setting camp around the forest. They were too far away to really reach out and touch, but the same went both ways. Both sides were virtually untouchable through the thick foliage, unless one paid the price and closed the distance. Flitter had cursed when she'd discovered that Stalwart's pack howitzers were completely out of ammo; the guns were little more than glorified paperweights now.

Climbing up the stairs to the bridge, Flitter was forced to flap her wings occasionally to keep her balance, as the entire ship was tilted roughly to the side by it's resting place. The bridge was a place of organized chaos, though it was possibly the brightest place on the ship with the power out. Emergency lighting had lit her way upwards, but now the fading sun filtered in through broken windows, casting shadows on dead instruments and drying blood. The remaining crew were doing what they could to fix instruments and clean up broken glass. The acting captain stood in the command pulpit, doing his best to coordinate his remaining crew. Acting Captain Jewels was a skinny earthpony stallion with a grey coat and the bars of a naval commander. His eyes flicked to her as she entered, and relief became apparent on his features.

“You made it! We were all very worried up here that you wouldn't.” The lines across the stallion's muzzle and eyes had seemingly grown much deeper in the short span of time they'd been deployed.

“It was a close one, that's for certain… Give me a situation report.” Flitter rested her flank up against a destroyed console as she did her best to ignore the still drying blood under her hooves.

Nodding, the Acting Captain slumped into the captain's chair. “All of our magical instruments are out, that includes propulsion, communications, primary lights, medical equipment, and shield systems. We're running on backup generators for emergency lighting, though the generators should last us quite some time. The Lance cut right through us, though the worst of the damage is on our port side. We have… twenty confirmed KIA, and sixty seven wounded.”

Wincing heavily, Flitter looked up and met Jewel’s eyes. “I'm sorry for your loss. We'll pick up the slack on the ground to make sure no more of your ponies go down.”

“I would take you up on that offer, if I believed there was any slack left for anybody to pull.” Captain Jewels sighed as he sat back. “Captain Chord was badly hurt when the Lance hit us. He's in the medical bay.” There was another short pause as the officer thought. “As far as I know, no civilians were killed in the crash. We have what has to be all of Ponyville on board. They're in the hangar and adjacent cargo bay.”

Letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding in, Flitter felt the first tingle of relief she’d had in several days. “Good, I was… I was concerned. I have family among them.” Flitter smiled softly for a brief moment, before returning her mind to the task at hand. “How many combat capable aero-marines do you have?”

“We have our standard complement of one hundred and twenty aeronautical marines, and I was going to have my Chief Petty Officer see if any among the civilians are willing to wear a vest and pack a rifle.”

“So…” Flitter did the math in her head. “We’ve roughly two hundred trained personnel, plus whoever you can grab from your sailors, plus whoever we can convince among the civilians... I don't think we should take on the civilians for combat roles. Not yet. How are we with food and water?”

The Acting Captain winced a little. “We didn’t have a chance to restock when in Canterlot, we’ve a week, if not less, for our current numbers. We weren’t anticipating having to feed an entire town on this journey.”

Sighing softly, Flitter nodded in understanding. “It’s alright, I’m sure somebody will come and help within that time. They have to. All we have to do, is hold out long enough for them to have somebody to relieve.”

“My technicians are working as we speak to secure long range comms with Canterlot. I’ll keep you advised of the situation. I’ll have my cooks run some cauldrons of soup out to your people outside right now, if you’d like.”

Flitter smiled weakly, and nodded. “Please. I need to grab some ammo, and munitions. I’ll be within reach of a radio, so feel free to call either myself or Commander Bulwark up if you need us.”

There was a brief pause, before the Acting Captain spoke again. “What happened to Warlock Hail?”

Flitter’s features fell for a moment, before she hardened them and met Jewel’s gaze. “Warlock Hail is dead. He was unwilling to help us further, and was going to be captured by the enemy. I did what I had to do.” Flitter held her gaze on the captain, who silently judged her actions.

Nodding slowly, and looking away, Jewels sighed. “I understand. We all do. There’s no quitting this fight, is there?”

“No sir.” Flitter answered with a salute, before trotting off as the Acting Captain saw to his bridge crew.

Slowly descending the stairs into the hangar bay, Flitter let out a long, drawn out sigh. She felt tired. Maybe a rest soon would help. Giving her head a shake, Flitter continued onward toward her objective; the armoury. As she loaded herself down with belts of ammo and filled her pockets with grenades, somebody cleared their throat by the door, drawing her attention.

Standing by the armoury doors was a royal guard, specifically the one who had been guarding the door when she entered. “Ma'am? There's… some ponies here to see you.” The guard glanced over his shoulder, though now Flitter could hear the murmuring. “A lot of ponies.”

Furrowing her brows, Flitter moved toward the door, though she was hardly stealthy with the hundreds of rounds hanging from her body and the dozen grenades bulging her pouches and pockets. Stepping passed the guard, Flitter was greeted by almost a hundred ponies, if not more. Mayor Mare stood before them, smiling her politician's smile as the civilians choked the area with their bodies.

The Mayor spoke before Flitter could think of anything to say, as her eyes scanned the crowd. “Good day, Lieutenant! We're here to sign up!” The silence that greeted the mayor was apparently not what she expected, as she cleared her throat awkwardly. “I said-”

“I heard what you said.” Flitter adjusted a belt of machinegun ammo as it began to bite into her neck. “The answer is no.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd of ponies as the mayor blinked in shock. “B-but… We're here to help! We can fight!”

“No, no you can't.” Flitter affirmed as she met the crowd with a flat, unwavering gaze. There were a lot of faces she recognized in the crowd, her sister included. “You're all untrained civilians, this isn't some book, or hero's tale. You aren't going to make a difference, and by trying to be heroes, you all are going to get somebody else killed. Dozens of ponies have already given their lives to protect all of you.”

“You can't keep us from protecting our homes!” Somebody in the crowd shouted; Flitter though she recognized the shriek. Others yelled in agreement. “We're going to defend Ponyville!”

Anger was beginning to lace Flitter's mind, and for once, she didn't let her mind’s voice remain unheard. “If you ponies wanted to keep Ponyville safe, you would have joined the militia! But you didn't! And I don't know if any of you have noticed, but Ponyville is no longer under Equestrian control! If you folks really want to make a difference, help out in the ship, and stay the hell out of the way of the professionals.”

Angry murmurs spread through the crowd, causing the fur on Flitter's neck to stand on end. Eyes were looking over her, into the armoury. The Aeronaut at her side was equally uncomfortable, but had stayed silent so far. The crowd in front of her was developing into a herd, utterly focused on one goal and ignoring anything else. If she was unlucky, things could devolve into violence. The thought made her cringe. The murmurs were growing louder, climbing in decibel until the ponies in front of her were practically yelling. For a moment, she made eye contact with Cloudy. Cloudy was scared, that much she could tell.

Mayor Mare fixed her glasses, and upturned her nose ever so slightly. Flitter didn't give her a chance to speak as she unholstered her pistol, and pointed it toward the roof. The ponies in the front cringed away in fear; Flitter held her fire, and instead bellowed at the top of her lungs. “SHUUUT THE FUUUCK UUUP!” Unsurprisingly, all the voices around her went silent out of fear. “All medical personnel, lift your hooves!” Only a few hooves went up, from ponies she knew didn't work at the hospital. Likely they'd already gone to the medical bay. “Anyone with training, report to the medical bay, now!!” She glared at the crowd as several ponies shuffled off. “Cooks!” Her old manager and co-workers from Founding Mares lifted their hooves. “Mess hall!” And such, she carried on, bellowing orders until the crowd had dissipated. Only a few remained, the unskilled labourers, and weather patrol. “You all will be ferrying ammo!” She made eye contact with each of the ponies. “You will follow directions, and you will keep your heads down! If you lift your head in a firefight, you'll die. If you get in somebody's way, you'll die. If you're simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, you'll die!” Flitter maintained eye contact, and watched the bravado bleed away to rightful fear. “Your job is to ferry ammunition, nothing more, nothing less. You'll follow orders to the letter, is that clear?”

The murmured affirmatives did little to ease her rough mood. Without another word, she gestured for them to follow her into the armoury. There, she began loading the carriers down with bullets and grenades. As she laid belts of ammo over Cloudy's shoulders, her sister looked to her, and smiled softly. “thank you.”

“Please, don't thank me.” Flitter muttered. “You won't want to soon.”

The defenders were soon settling in, as the dark night rolled over them and bathed the forest in complete darkness. They could see the fires in the distance, the lights of the enemy's camps. They were being surrounded.

Fires were banned, if only to keep them hidden from the enemy. Unicorns who could create magical heat became fast friends with whoever they were hunkered down in their foxholes with. The cold rolled in with the dark, and coiled around each and every one of them tightly. It was only going to get worse.

The enemy didn't attack the first night.

They attacked the second.

Ponies were sent in, prodding their defenses and testing their response. The response was swift, and deadly. The rest of the second day was quiet, as the corpses of Carolus’ unwilling army cooled on the forest floor.

The third was not.

Mortar shells began to whistle down, and throw up dirt as they landed haphazardly among the reinforced trenchline. Another wave of attackers were sent to their deaths, and their bodies piled up along the designated kill zone. The night was worse, as Imperial snipers kill three guard as their unicorn accidentally​ created too much heat, and started a fire. The light created had them killed within moments. The last of the group had been gut shot; unable to reach the wounded through the sniper fire, the defenders were forced to listen to his agonizing wails of pain for hours, until he finally bled out and died.

Late into the night, distant machine guns began firing, sending tracers high into the sky. A cacophonous boom sounded sounded shortly after, and a flash of fiery light light up the horizon for a brief moment. The defenders paused in what they were doing to watch, and listen. Shortly after, the laboured drone of a single rotor aircraft was heard nearby as it swiftly lost altitude. With ponies scrambling to find signal flares, their hopes were dashed when the drone of the engine died, and was replaced by a distant bang.

The fourth day proved no better. The Imperials were finding their range, and were making the Equestrians pay with every mortar. Repairs were still slow going on Stalwart, and morale was beginning to scrape the bottom of the barrel. The fourth night was when the terror set in. Inequine shrieks split the night, and echoed through the trees.

“Progeny…” Taven muttered as he hunkered down next to Flitter. “They've brought their monsters out to play.”

“How did we kill them before?” Flitter murmured as she rubs her hooves together over the warm heating element.

Taven's momentary glance only saw her heart sink further. “Jack.”

The howls didn't stop, and carried on for hours, halting sleep, and setting everyone on edge. The campaign of psychological terror proved highly effective, as few of the defenders were ready when the next wave of bodies hit.

Again, the wave was comprised almost entirely of brainwashed civilians, dragged from the streets of Manehattan. Mares in evening gowns wore imperial battle-saddles, and police ponies charged Flitter's lines with bayonets. Regardless of who they'd been in their past lives, they all died the same as Flitter hunkered down and set her rifle to semi-automatic. It was almost too easy, just squeezing the trigger and sending lead into ponies who prior, hadn't wanted anything to do with the war. Flitter fired another shot, feeling the muted kick of her rifle as the heavy round blasted the top of a mares head off as she sprayed automatic imperial lead at Flitter's foxhole.

“Fire in intervals! Don't let them close with the trenches!” Flitter bellowed as a guardspony slid into her foxhole and peeked over the brim, only to have his brains pushed through the back of his head by accurate rifle fire. “Snipers! Heads down!”

“Simoh, eleven o’clock!” Taven yelled, before ducking his own head as Simoh and his spotter began hunting for the snipers.

Peeking out, Flitter was swiftly forced to duck as a round threw dirt in her eyes and skipped off the brim of her steel helmet, earning a yelp and a curse from the mare. The second shot didn't come, as Simoh's rifle boomed over the others. Lifting her hoof slightly in thanks to the sniper, Flitter returned to her firing position. She would be there for hours, firing into the forest at flashes of muzzle flare, unknowing if she'd scored a hit. All the while, the Progeny shrieked with glee just beyond her range.

The fourth night, thankfully, was quiet. The Warlocks fired magical flares high into the sky, bathing the forest in light. Huddled up around a cauldron of hot soup, Flitter found herself accosted by Commander Bulwark. The stout mare was plastered with dirt, grime, and blood. She looked as if she could stare through a hundred miles of solid stone.

“Knight Lieutenant?” She asked quietly as one of the aeronauts ladled her a big bowl of hot soup.

“What do you need, Commander?” Flitter already had her chilly hooves wrapped around a bowl of her own, and was surrounded on both sides with her soldiers doing the same.

Sliding into the foxhole, the commander didn't answer for a moment as she quickly scarfed down her food without expression. Flitter traded a look with Minerva, as the Commander finally spoke. “That… screaming. Earlier. What… “

“Progeny.” Flitter answered quietly, as all conversation died. “They're literal monsters. Some kind of… experiment, or something. I don't think anybody knows what makes them.”

Nodding slowly, the Commander cradled her sword. “How do we kill them? Can we?”

Flitter cast a look up the side of Stalwart. “The fifties. Best we can do is hope the AP rounds will punch through their hides. Maybe the Warlocks can do something, if we're lucky.”

“Luck and hope…” Bulwark sighed softly, and rubbed her eyes. “Where the hell are our reinforcements?” The question wasn't posed to Flitter, as everypony huddled for warmth in the foxhole was thinking the same thing.

The fifth day proved to be a bloodbath, as a horde of civilians descended upon them, acting as living shields for Imperial Regulars. Tracers arced and bounced through the forest, flashing overhead and slamming into the ship's thick hull. Mortars whistled down, throwing up plumes of dirt and showered those around them with hot shrapnel. The silent advance of the Imperials was more disturbing than any war cry, as they marched and died with only a whimper. As bayonets were mounted and brainwashed civilians were run through, Flitter's mind went to the mask in her bag, and when she should use it. If she used it now, all she'd get for her efforts was another load of civilians, wounded and starving and scared out of their wits. As much as it ate away at her soul, she told herself to save it for a more worthwhile target.

A terrified scream drew her attention back toward her lines, just in time to see Cloudy fall out of sight, into a foxhole. Panic gripped Flitter's heart, and saw her abandon her foxhole to charge across the brief stretch of open ground to where Cloudy had fallen. Tracers nipped at her heels and churned up the ground around her as she galloped for all she was worth. Sliding into the foxhole, Flitter found her sister huddled up against another pony belonging to the weather crew. Cloudy's side was slick with blood, and she'd dropped her ammo into the hard dirt; the pony at her hooves had been shredded with machinegun fire and now lay dead with her eyes wide open.

“Cloudy!” Flitter yelled as she grabbed her sister, fearing the worst. “Are you hit?” She frantically looked over her bloodstained sister, but couldn't find any wounds l. “Cloudy, come on… talk to me!”

Cloudy's eyes had unfocused, as she continued to stare at the fallen mare, whose blood was spattered across her chest and muzzle. It took a mortar landing nearby to pull her back into reality. With a cry an anguish and terror, Cloudy flung herself at Flitter, and hugged her tight. “I WANNA GO HOME!”

Trapped by Cloudy and now covered in blood and tears, Flitter could only embrace her sister, and pull her deeper into the foxhole to avoid the streaking tracers that whipped by overhead. “Cloudy, cloudy you need to listen to me! Hey, look at me!” Flitter shook her sister roughly, earning a cry of anguish and more sobs. “You're gonna make it through this! Just keep your head down, and make a run for the ship when I say so! Do you understand?” Flitter looked to her sister's face, and felt her own heart falling to pieces as she watched her older, stronger sister fall apart in her hooves.

“I wanna go home…” Cloudy bawled into Flitter's chest.

“I know, I know you do, we all do, but right now I need you to be strong, I need you to listen to me!” Flitter peeked up over the berm of the foxhole, and cursed as Imperial Regulars broke through and passed over her old foxhole. Jamming her bayonet into place on her rifle, Flitter pushed Cloudy into the blood filled bottom of the foxhole, and rose to fire. Her first burst ripped into a young griffon’s chest, and sent him tumbling face first into the ground. The second was clipped by two rounds, but carried onward, and the last charged her with a bayonet as her magazine clicked dry. With a flap of her wings and a vicious howl of anger, Flitter dodged the imperial bayonet, and rammed her own into the soldier's neck. Ripping it out, Flitter rammed it into the griffon’s eye socket to make sure. She was already kicking her spent mag out, and fumbling for a fresh one as the wounded soldiers she'd failed to kill charged her with his talons outstretched.

Flitter grunted as she was tackled to the side, and only just managed to lift her armoured forehooves up to protect her face and neck. The griffon slashed at her, ripping at her uniform and cutting her forehooves where the armour plates didn't cover. Flitter cried out in pain as the razor capped talons skipped over the armour plate, and ripped into her cheek. Twisting her body, Flitter took another slash across the base of her neck as she rammed her bayonet into the young griffon’s stomach. Seemingly unbothered by the mortal wound, the griffon continued to rip away at her, before Cloudy slammed a rock up against the side of his head. Stunned, the griffon fell to the side, were Cloudy leapt upon him with a cry of terror, and began beating the griffon to death with the stone in her hoof.

Pulling Cloudy off the dead griffon, Flitter hugged her tight. “He's dead! He's dead, stop!” Dropping the stone, Cloudy all but collapsed against Flitter, her eyes wide in horror.

With a shudder, Cloudy vomited once, before speaking with a voice that was torn between a scream and a cry. “A-are you alright?”

Flitter could feel the pulsing of her own blood, trickling down the back of her neck and cheek; the blood caking into her fur. She nodded. “I'm alright! Get back to the ship, now!” Flitter's heart fell into her stomach when she heard the shriek of the Progeny, and felt them approaching. “NOW! Go now!”

“I'm not leaving without you!” Cloudy screamed over the sounds of the horrors approaching, though she didn't have to fight Flitter to get her demand seen to. Rising up from the foxhole, Flitter hauled Cloudy out by her drag handle, and all but threw her forward. The pair set off at a dead gallop, headed for the more reinforced trenchline, where the majority of friendly forces were centered.

“GET READY! HERE THEY COME!” Flitter bellowed as she slid into the trench and fixed her rifle down range.

“Come and get some, ugly!” Taven yelled to the enemy as he racked the heavy charging handle on the fifty.

As if on cue, one of the largest progeny, the ones looking like ogres, burst from the treeline; its massive feet churned up frozen ground as it sped toward them. Fire shifted, and rounds peppered the beast's hide by the dozen. It easily crossed the first line of foxholes, and the defenders who had lagged behind were swarmed by the Imperials who followed in the beast's wake. Thankfully, the Equestrians were ready for the Progeny. A magical blast reached out from one of the warlocks, and struck the beast in the side as it crossed the open ground. The ogre seemed unconcerned about the magical blast, and carried on it's way, giggling as it grabbed a fleeing guard and ripped them in two. Grenades exploded at it's feet, peppering it's belly with shrapnel. Still, it carried on through their fire, before entering the killzone. Taven bared his fangs as the fifty lurched in his hooves and began belching out a storm of steel jacketed lead toward the ogre bearing down on him. The Progeny yowled in pain and lifted a great paw to cover its face as it lurched from the impacts.

“COME ON YOU MOTHERFUCKER!! GET SOME!” Taven roared in defiance as he continued to depress the trigger. The heavy bullets bit deep into the progeny's hide, blasting great chunks of it's flesh off as it struggled to carry on it's forward momentum. It's final moment came when one of the Warlocks crushed it into the ground with a great magical hoof, effectively pinning it in place. The ogre thrashed and fought until the heavy rounds turned its head to chutney, and cries of victory went up along the line.

Celebration ended swiftly when the corrupted rangers fell upon them from the flank with accurate rifle fire, and scores of aero-marines and royal guard fell in response. “They're in the trench line!”

“Taven!” Flitter yelled over the din of combat. “Keep up the fire! Mythic, radio the bridge and tell them to button up! The rest of you, CQC weapons! Let's clean this trenchline!”

“Right behind you ma'am!” Minerva pulled a sword from the scabbard of a fallen guard, and waved her squad forward. “Come on you sonsabitches! Into the breach!”

Darneil truly did hate Carolus. The griffon was a brat, to say the very least. A brat with delusions of grandeur, an overinflated ego, and generally a shitty attitude. But most of all, Darneil hated him because he'd forced him to walk. After four days, the forest was all looking the same, and Darneil was almost entirely convinced that he’d doubled back once or twice on accident. Of course, that had been before he'd passed by the burned out husk of the imperial cruiser in charge of the operation, and he’d finally managed to pinpoint the sounds of gunfire, coming from deeper inside the forest. His entire journey would have been considerably faster if Carolus had simply dropped him off closer, but the Emperor wanted to see Darneil suffer.

He was going to have to be very careful with how he approached the fallen ship. With his disguise, imperial forces were sure to shoot at him, but on top of that, if he charged in, the Equestrians would surely shred him. Despite all of Carolus’ prattling regarding how weak and soft and awful the Equestrians were, there was a very good reason why the EQ’s had won nearly every military engagement since the start of the war. Darneil didn't want to find himself on the receiving end of Equestrian sharpshooters.

Pulling the strange pistol from it's holster, Darneil turned it over and frowned deeply. It was unlike the ones he'd trained with, and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out how to make the damn thing work. After several minutes more of fumbling with the weapon, he gave up once again, and continued toward the ever louder sounds of battle. He could feel it now, the raw emotions that were being poured out by the defenders. Unfortunately, they were all foul with anger, sadness, and terror. Darneil’s stomach grumbled as if on command, reminding him the last time he'd fed was days ago; a scrap of lust from a mind slave. Grunting and focusing his eyes forward, Darneil tried to ignore the thought and the feelings.

He could see movement ahead, possibly Imperials. Darneil paused, and ducked behind a tree as he observed. It was a pair of young griffons, hardly old enough to be considered for military service. They'd dug out a foxhole, and were… What were they doing? Darneil furrowed his brow as he crept closer to get a better look. He soon rolled his eyes in disgust was he spotted the small pony who had been strung over an open fire to cook. The pair of griffons sat silently, watching and waiting. A rifle belonging to one of them leaned up against the side of the shallow foxhole, just behind the griffons. With a glance to the pistol he couldn't make work for the life of him, Darneil steeled himself, and stole forward as silently as his feet would allow.

Carefully wrapping his fingers around the barrel of the rifle, Darneil lifted it up and away. Silently flipping off the crude safety, he shot both griffons in the back. The pair crumpled as the rifle blasted loudly, and soon the smell of burning feathers filled the air. Pulling one of them back from the fire, Darneil quickly stripped the griffon of his webbing and spare magazines. Looking over himself, Darneil frowned lightly. He was dirty and tired, but it didn't look like he'd fought his way free of anything. He had to make himself presentable.

A few minutes later, Darneil found himself spackled with blood, and stained with the scent of cooked flesh. He'd spotted tracer fire earlier, and knew he was close. All he had to do was make it across no-mans land. Putting on his best scowl, Darneil practiced with his stolen voice as he began his final approach.

As quietly as he could, Darneil approached the raging inferno of combat. The ragged clearly caused by the Air-Carrier’s crash was a heavily fortified line of foxholes and earthworks that spread around the airship's side. Bodies strew the area like discarded toys, and tracers filled the air like deadly fireflies. The Imperials had advanced over the first line of foxholes, but had apparently lost their momentum and were now stalled out. Both sides were trading blows, and it was unclear who was going to be the winner. With a deep sigh, Darneil steeled himself, and bolted across the open ground.

Bullets zipped over his head and spat dirt up at him as he ran, though through luck, or providence, none bit into his hidden chitin. Tells went up the line as he approached, and some of the bullets coming his way stopped as Equestrians yelled encouragement to him. Sliding into the main trenchline, Darneil shook the dirt from his black hair, and let out a breath of relief. After his second of reprieve, he looked to the Aeronaut next to him. “WHOSE IN CHARGE HERE!?” He had to yell over the chatter of guns and whistle of bullets.

The Aeronaut pointed further down the trench, before getting back into his position. As Darneil moved through the trench, he was forced to stop as a sniper’s bullet took the head off of the gunner before him. Muttering a curse, Darneil shook his head and carried on. No. He wasn't Darneil anymore. He was Jack. Knight Captain Jack Kessle. He had to look the part. Bringing up a foul scowl, Jack moved deeper into the trenchline, searching for the pony in charge.

She found him, before he found her. Jack froze as the emotions of Knight Lieutenant Falenas crashed over his defenses like a tidal wave, and flooded his mind. He was so overcome by the love, relief, and joy the mare was pumping out, he completely blanked, and missed what she'd said. She had to shake him to get him to focus again.

“Jack! Are you alright!?”

Flitter was holding on to his bloodied hand, looking up at him with bright eyes. The imposter could hardly get his words together. “Y-yeah. I'm fine, darlin’. What's the situation?”

Relief from Flitter struck him like a sledgehammer, and he almost vomited. “Oh thank Celestia. We're completely surrounded, we're completely cut off, and we've got the civilian population on board!” She ducked down as a mortar landed nearby and threw dirt across the trench. “What happened to the Elements?”

Now was the moment of truth. Jack shook his head as he hunkered down in the trench. “Imperial spec ops shot us down, and they got us with a mask. My armour was destroyed, and I only just barely managed to escape. I tried to get them out, but they were turned, Twilight nearly killed me.”

Flitter's features scrunched up in pain at the report, though she nodded in understanding shortly after. “Alright. What's the plan?”

The imposter blanked. Had he been the real Jack, he'd have an answer; instead he had to wing it. “I don't have one, you know the situation better than I do.” He slumped against the trench wall and feigned fatigue. “You're doing great. I'll follow you.”

Jack felt relief as Flitter nodded, and set a hoof on his shoulder. “Just rest. I've got it under control.” He couldn't help but shiver heavily as she touched him, and poured more of her raw emotions into the unwitting changeling. Wrapping a scarred hand around the hoof, the imposter reveled in the intoxicating feeling.

Pulling away after a long moment, Flitter reloaded her rifle, and set off down the line. Some of the team had noticed Jack's return, and were already moving in to check on him out of concern. Flitter couldn't remain by his side, no matter how much she wished for it. She had a battle to win. “Secure that right flank! I don't want any more rangers getting in!”

“Lieutenant!!” Flitter!!” Mythic waved toward her frantically, which had her running. “Bridge has comms to Canterlot, they want a sitrep!”

Flitter inhaled deeply as she came to a stop. Looking around, Flitter watched as the Imperials slowly crept upon their trenchline, and the clearing was shredded with gunfire. “BROKEN ARROW!” She bellowed at Mythic, who nodded once, and repeated the message.

Within the walls of Canterlot Castle, Celestia and Luna were approaching the radio room, as they'd just been informed that communications had been reestablished with the Ponyville task force, after close to six days of silence.

“I say again, Broken Arrow!” All personnel within the radio room stopped, and looked to the set, before scrambling about to relay the cry for help to all available units.

Celestia froze upon hearing the words, though Luna simply seemed confused. “Sister? What does it mean?”

Swallowing thickly, Celestia lowered her gaze. “Broken Arrow is used when a friendly force is on the cusp of being overrun.” Without a word, Luna turned on her hooves and began to march back into the castle. “Luna!” Celestia called after her. “What are you doing?”

“Retrieving my armour! Have the fliers from Stalliongrad begin their bombing runs, I will join the reinforcements.”

“Sister.” Celestia spoke softly, causing Luna to slow ever so slightly. “Be careful.”

“Of course.” Luna nodded, before teleporting herself into the armoury.

“Ma'am! We've got Stalliongrad bombers inbound, ordnance stacked up every thousand feet from seven thousand to eighteen! Ready for your call ins!” Mythic ducked as another round bounded off his sandbag barrier.

Waving a hoof over the forest and the trenchline before it, Flitter yelled to be heard. “You bring them in now! Danger close! Cook those Imp’s asses!”

“Yes ma'am! Firebrand, this is Stalwart one one two, requesting ordnance on grid location six niner echo four! Danger close!”

Flitter galloped through the lines, popping off shots as she moved from squad to squad, checking on them and making sure they were alright. The medical station was nearly overrun with wounded. The medbay inside the ship was equally bad, and as such, Private Marvich had found himself leading a pair of nurses in seeing to the myriad shrapnel and gunshot wounds that couldn't be sent into the ship. “Air support inbound! We're almost through this!” The wounded and the medical staff cheered, before getting interrupted by another mortar, and a scream for a medic. Moving onwards, Flitter spread the good news down the line, and did her best to cajole morale upwards. The first bomber reached them by the time she'd reached Commander Bulwark. “Get your people back! Get them back now!”

The single engine craft roared by overhead, it's wing mounted machineguns tearing up the ground and anybody in the way. Moments later, the underslung bomb was released, and tumbled to the ground. Magical flames roared out of the ruptured vessel, and soon a ten meter stretch of treeline was consumed with roaring fire. Craft after craft came down, firing bursts from their machineguns, and dropping magical bombs onto the heads of the Imperials. The heat washed over the defenders, causing them to duck their own heads to hide.

Running back to Mythic, Flitter spotted one of the bombers coming in far too hot. “CALL HIM OFF! CALL THAT SON OF A BITCH OFF!

Spotting the bomber, Mythic yelled into the radio. “Firebrand five two, disengage! I REPEAT, DISENGAGE!” The bomber pulled up at the last moment, its deadly cargo remaining in its cradle.

Another bomber passed by overhead, too close for comfort. It's bomb loosed from its cradle, and plummeted to earth. Falling too close, several royal guard were engulfed in the boiling wall of flame. Mythic stared in horror at the sight, as the ponies pulled themselves from their foxholes, and began stumbling back to the main trench. Their screams of horror and agony were nearly engulfed by the roiling flames that bathed their bodies. Flitter shook Mythic roughly. “Keep those bombs coming! You're the only thing keeping us alive!”

Mythic nodded, gritting his teeth as he screamed the next location to the flyboys. As Flitter turned, she heard the howls of anger over the roar of flames. Opening her mouth to scream a warning, she found it was too late as the muscular progeny charged through the wall of flame, and ate away at the distance between them at an alarming rate. “PROGENY!”

Jack cursed as he looked up, and made eye contact with the beast as it ran on all fours. The Progeny howled with glee, and immediately turned its full attention to him. With terror gripping his heart, the imposter raised his stolen rifle, and began firing at the beast as it closed with him. Finding it doing nothing, he yanked the pistol from it's holster, and willed it to work.

Flitter was nearly next to Jack when the Progeny leaped over the trenchline, and wrapped its massive paws around his chest. Slamming him into the hull of the ship, Jack gasped in pain, and dropped his pistol to the frozen ground. Feeling the anger well up inside her, Flitter screamed in fury as she scooped up the pistol, and leapt at the beast's face.

Again, the imposter was overcome with raw emotion, but it was not the emotion that left him slackjawed as the small pegasus slammed into the progeny’s head and fired a round through it's skull and turned one of its beady eyes to molten jelly. The beast released him as it roared, and turned it's horrible attentions to Flitter. Grabbing her, the Progeny screeched in fury, and ripped one of her hooves off, spraying blood across the dirt as the errant limb was sent tumbling. Flitter screamed in return as the Progeny reached for another one of her limbs, but she refused to allow it the satisfaction of disarming her. Jamming the pulsed sabot pistol it's it's ruined eye socket, Flitter switched the weapon to full auto, and sent four steel spikes through its skull and out the back. The blasts of plasma that followed cratered it's awful features, and left nothing but a charred neck for a stump. The Progeny’s body tensed, and as it began to convulse, it started to squeeze the life from Flitter.

Jack watched as the colour drained from Flitter's face, and found himself at a crossroads. If he let her die, it was one less obstacle. However, if he had her live, he'd get more love to eat than he'd ever tasted in his entire life. The choice was simple. Jumping forward, he began to pry the thick fingers off of her, while yelling for help.

Help came swiftly, as several JSOG operatives leapt into action, and began to pry Flitter free from the dead Progeny's deathgrip. Blood was flowing freely from her ruined shoulder, and her discarded hoof lay in the dirt some ways away. Flitter cried out in agony as they finally freed her, and pulled her back toward the ship. Jack found himself carrying the wounded pony, staring into her eyes as she repeated his name over and over again, while holding him for all she was worth. Once she was handed off to the medics, he found himself lost.

The battle continued on without him, with the rest of the imperial force pressing down on the exhausted defenders. The reinforcements that the Imperials had received were telling, as even after the firebombs they were still coming in heavy. Machinegun fire laced the air and pierced the wall of flame that split the two forces. Unfortunately, it didn't separate them for long. The Imperials crashed through the wall, setting themselves ablaze as they continued to attack, despite their flesh boiling from their bones. Soon the gunfights devolved into frantic melees, where flaming ghouls beset desperate guardsponies.

As the final defensive line was reached, and the combat reached its fevered pitch, the Equestrians reinforcements finally arrived. The Princess of the night landed with a sonic boom, throwing griffons and ponies alike into the air as she bellowed a challenge to all who would take it. Behind her, carriage after carriage of royal guard, militia, crystal guard, and Minotauren pioneer landed in the open ground, and disgorged troops into the field. With Luna leading the charge, the Equestrians crashed into the Imperials, and shattered them like glass.

Jack could only hide within the trenchline, pretending to care for a dead pony as the battle raged on. He wasn't going to risk his life when he was so close to proving Carolus wrong. Truth be told, he didn't want to get any closer to the lunar diarch, as she cleaved a dozen in twain every time she swung her midnight blade. Even the Progeny, in all their rage and hate, failed to so much as scratch the alicorn as she crushed and boiled them with magic.

As the last remnants of the Imperials were mopped up by the joint force, Luna trotted over to the beleaguered defenders and planted her midnight blade in the frozen earth. “The cavalry has arrived. Stand down, all of you.”

Author's Notes:

Okay, I hated this chapter. Plugging away at the same thing for close to two months now has nearly driven me insane. However, hopefully as a result it'll be of better quality than the last one.

In related, good news, I've returned to work, so you all can expect to see chapters come out on a fairly regular basis from now on.

Edit: It appears Fimfiction is having some kind of problem (No big surprise) and will not show my indentations. I'm just going to save it and hope for the best. It's indented on my end during editing, but It doesn't look like there's much I can do to fix this crap.