I stepped out to the parking lot, the entire platoon gathered into squads. Each crusader was ordering around their knights and getting them into formation. I stood, awkwardly I might add looking at everypony unsure where to go. I decided to check out my new weapon to occupy myself, there were no miniguns left to spare, from the choices given to me I decided for something with a lot more explosive potency. I refused to let those shield bastards ever corner me or my comrades again. A six-cylinder missile launcher adorned my flank, with six other missiles stuffed into my saddle bag. I was warned to use them sparingly, as munitions ran low on both Applebloom and Braeburn. As I ran a weapons diagnostic, a hoof tapped me on the helmet breaking me from my stupor.

“Come on, you’re with me kid Cyclone Squad could use the firepower.” Flag pointed his hoof at my missile launcher. He moved past me, and I trotted after him, my new squad was placed on the right flank. Lemon’s squad took the left flank and our rear was brought up by a combination of 06 and 07 squad remnants. Their leader, field promoted Crusader Clippers staunchly led the slapped together squad into formation.

“Platoon advance.” My fathers voice crackled over the radio. We moved at a methodical pace, the wagons left securely in our base of operations everypony was combat ready with weapons hot. My father had everpony get their mapping software updated with the E.C.Z zone. As we moved an active feed from our E.F.S and the stations threat assessment technology gave us the location of every firefight happening in the E.C.Z. as expected few skirmishes dotted around key areas, most forces were located at the Ironshod Storage Site. No doubt a treasure cove of weapons and munitions fueled the conflict. The spoils of that battle would upset the balance of power in this sector. We avoided the hot spots and were making good time to City 9. Though there was no detailed map of the city, once we left the E.C.Z all we had to do was follow the big castle.

After maybe two hours of travel we entered the city proper. The main street opened to a massive seven lane highway. Everywhere wrecks of abandoned wagons and signs of battle scarred the city. Yet like before no corpses, each side was flanked by massive sky scrapers. The once crystal constructs of the suburbs gave way to Earth Pony engineering. Cement and bricks built this megacity, the crystal housing looked archaic in comparison. Though obviously the city wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing as the crystal constructs. Our first intersection split into two streets, each named after gemstones. The sign above us as we marched read Cadence 15, I suppose it was done in honor of the ruler of the empire. I glanced to the buildings to my right and saw the remains of spent bullet casings scorch marks from magical energy weapons. Broken glass and breaches on the sky scrapes indicating explosives were used.

Several posters with various propaganda lined the walls, with the wear and tear from being in the line of fire. Again, I was reminded that this war was recent and the people who evacuated this city had only recently been living here. Yet the dates on that terminal didn’t fit with our own.

“Sir look,” a knight ahead of me pointed to a sky scrape fifty meters from our course. Even with some letters missing I was able to read ‘Ministry of Wartime Technology.’ My father hummed and moved towards the M.W.T hub with us following close behind. The front doors were blown out and when we entered inside there were bullet casings and blood stains all over the lobby, two flights of stairs parallel to each other faced the entrances. Between the stair cases was a reception desk, wide enough to nearly touch the stairs. Several terminals lined the desk, monitors facing away from the entrance. One of the terminals was still active while the others were shot to hell. Everypony trained their weapons and spread out securing the lobby. I moved to the receptionist desk. Looking behind it, I cringed, several pony corpses caked in dry blood were strewn about. All corpses were clad in Equestrain combat armor, I walked around the desk and stepped carefully over the corpses to a nearby terminal. It was locked, I connected with the terminal my hacking module making a joke of the security protocols installed in the computer.

[SECURITY THREAT LEVEL: OMEGA]

[ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE TO LOCAL STABLE UNDERNEATH M.W.T HEADQUATERS]

I frowned, there was no data left on the computer, security protocols wiped it clean no doubt when the attack happened here. “Star Paladin, there’s a Stable down here.” Everypony quickly turned to me. I was thankful nopony could see me blush beneath my helmet at the sudden attention. “Says it’s below the hub.”

“I don’t suppose that means down there.” Flag’s voice drew my attention to the lobby second floor. I went up stairs beating a few ponies there, an emergency bulkhead door was open. Bloody hoof prints on the outside followed by a smear trailing down on the wall to a zebra legionare. My father came up and peered into the corridor.

“Flag get your squad in there and see if the Stable is still operational.”My father turned to another flight of stairs leading upwards. “The rest of us will search upstairs, move out.” My father moved up the stairs and everypony else followed.

“Come on Cyclone, with any luck we can find ourselves some thankful mares fore the rescue.” Flag chuckled and stepped into the hall first. I followed suit and felt my heart grow heavy at the corpses lining the hall. Further down zebra corpses started popping up wearing the Legion’s armor. The corridor turned into a spiraling staircase, and we followed down the rabbit hole at least six stories underground. We turned our headlamps on when we reached the basement shrouded in darkness. Our beams of light cut through the darkness to the strewn bodies of zebras and ponies in a rectangular room with metal plated walls and floors. Looking up, I saw the massive reinforced door of the Stable open before us.

“They didn’t make it.” I muttered mostly to myself.

“No, the striped bastards were right on their heels.” Flag turned to one of his knights, “Berries, get back up and tell the Star Paladin Stable is compromised, the rest of us are going inside.” The knight nodded and trotted away. “With me everypony else, keep your eyes sharp for zebras.” I followed Flag inside, the first room had flickering lights, bullet riddled walls and more corpses. On the stable door control laid a blue Stable suit pony, her hoof resting on the door control. I blinked confused, I moved around her to see bullet entry wounds on her back rather than front.

“That’s not right…” I looked behind her my light illuminated the wall, there three bullet holes directly behind her some dry blood but no corpse.

“What is it?” Flag came up beside me never looking away from the opened door leading further into the Stable.

“This pony was going to shut the stable door, but she was shot from behind. Somepony didn’t want the door shut.” I looked to the corpses, zebras and Equestrian soldiers but no other blue jump suit ponies.

“Let’s head further inside.” Flag led the way and we followed looking at every nook and cranny of the halls and rooms. Though never been here before the design was basically the same as Stable 29, we reached the Atrium taking a similar path as we would at home. Our headlamps searched around finding the site of further battle, dining tables had been flipped as makeshift cover. Pistols used by Stable security laid everywhere along with the security ponies. Zebras and Equestrian soldiers as well made up the bulk of the corpses. There were very little civilian ponies, I moved to Flag and he pointed to the Overmare’s office. I followed his light with my own and true enough, the window that overlooked the Atrium was blown open with blood stains near it. Flag made his way to the office with us following behind.

The dark office only had the low light of the overmares pipbuck to light it. I looked towards the Office window to find the Overmare, well her bottom half at least splattered against the carpet floor. There was a bloody trail from the window, I followed it with my light to the other half of the overmare. Her innards were plopped in a pile of her own blood. I swallowed resisting the urge to vomit, I don’t think I could ever get used to seeing corpses. I could see her Pipbuck flashing with medical warning a sign of the obvious to the overmare I assumed., when she dragged her top half to her desk. I also spotted that a message was recorded capped at thrity minutes. I sat on my haunches and carefully downloaded the message with my hacking module tool. With Stable-Tec’s virtual monopoly of terminals it wasn’t hard for universal tools to be made using their basic design. My tool was just so using a Pipbuck technician’s master tool, with the message downloaded I gently moved my hoof to close the corpses eyes. I opened the recording and listened to it while my comrades looked over the office.

Gun fire and ponies yelling, cursing and blaring alarms filled the audio at first. Then low squelching sounds with audible grunts. I could only grimace at how she must have felt dragging what was left of her through her office.

They knew, they always knew…I should have known. We have a few bleeding hearts and now we all get screwed. The Overmare coughed violently before continuing.

Now they’ve killed me I swore the damn zebras brought a fucking bomb down here when they got me. I heard it even through the bullet proof glass, an anti-machine rifle. I’m leaving this behind in hope of somepony finding it. The zebra employees went down to the sub-level lab. They were insiders, spies. I drank coffee with the bastards this morning. But…but, I…

I stopped the recording it was just background afterwards, she died before she could finish her message. “Flag, there’s a sub-level lab here. I guess this was the point of this Stable.” I stood back up struggling to keep tears from escaping my eyes.

“How do you know?” He came up beside me.

“She told me.” I nodded to the Overmare.

“Hmm, alright come on let’s find a way down there.” We went down the stairs from the Overmare’s office. From the Atrium we trotted towards what we assumed the armory would be. Instead we found a bulkhead door with corpses around it and wide open. With caution Flag entered first his weapons hot. I followed close behind not liking using these massive weapons in such close quarters. It was the lab was and it had seen better days, papers weren’t burnt and sterwn around, broken terminals and pony scientist in lab coats and blue jump suits littered the lab.

“No Zebra bodies here, looks like it was asset retrieval and then asset denial. The zebras here destroyed everything they could before leaving.” Did this happen when the megaspell attack started? It would seem logical and the best time to attack the Stable.

“Yo Valiant, this terminal is still working.” I moved to Flag and saw the corpse of a scientist pony covering the terminal with his body. I wondered if it had been intentional to save something. But if the zebras missed this, they must have been on a tight schedule. Maybe reinforcements from the Fourth Army Group were headed here. Then again maybe that’s what all the soldier bodies and zebras meant. But why leave all the bodies like this? Maybe they feared the megaspell attacks would break through the shield before they could do a proper clean up. I pushed the body off and hacked into the terminal.

[MINISTRY OF WARTIME TECHNOLOGY & MINISTRY OF ARCANE SCIENCES: DO-OVER PROJECT]

Several entries littered the screen, reports on the research being done here. I hummed, looking around I hadn’t noticed but the scientist were all unicorns. From what I recall the Ministry of Wartime Technology was an earth pony venture by earth pony companies. The only collaboration I knew that involved unicorns was the creation of magical power armor.

“Look, Arcane scientist.” Flag kicked a corpse over and I almost felt the need to glare at him. But I knew enough about Flag to know it would fall on deaf ears. He’s seen things like this I presumed in his time as a Ranger. But sure enough, the partly blood stain lab coat held the Ministry of Arcane Science logo. This whole city just kept getting stranger, and stranger I really hated being so in the dark about everything.

“Let me see these entries on the project.” I neighed and began reading them, no dates just entry numbers.

Entry 215: I would question the point of the project, if the nature of our research was nothing short of… miraculous. We are testing magic the greatest magician in all Equestria could not fully interpret. But I have gushed enough, as per company policy I am filing a daily report on project Do-Over as commissioned by Princess Cadence. We are at a very early stage of basic spell re-construction. The sample provided by Equestria has allowed us to get a basic understanding. But progress has already slowed to zero, as such a spell requires a great amount of magical energy. Something I have a hard time believe a single pony can conjure up such a taxing amount of magical energy. So, our first priority is to somehow make the spell less dependent on a huge amount of magical energy.

Entry 246: Eurika! We did it, our work paid off we managed to reduce spell energy requirement by sixty percent. With the use of am assistant harness wired to a magical spark pack. We can conjure up the necessary energy to cast the spell. However, that is only step one, we must actually give it shape, the most obvious shape is a sphere. To encompass the object at hoof. We don’t dare try it on ponies at least not in such an early state. To make a sphere of energy isn’t the problem, to make the spell work within is another matter. But triggering the spell and not to break the mold is. Not to mention if the containment of the spell will affect its effectiveness. All these variables are to be tested, if they proved a problem we must overcome it.

Entry 298: Progress is slow, the efficiency in power luckily enough solved the problem of overlapping the sphere. But it created other problems in its wake, the lack of power combined with the sphere means the effects are minimized and we have at most managed a few seconds of spell time. Beyond that we cannot prolong its effects. I have thought of feeding more energy but it risk leaving the spherical field. The results aren’t the best but Princess Cadence has praised us on a surprise inspection. With her was Shining Armor, he was less than…thrilled of the resources being put into this project. But then again, I knew where he wanted those resources. Not that I knew much of those projects, different departments. My team and I will continue to test other methods to expand the sphere and the effects of the spell.

Entry 316: Today we had new staff introduced, along with added security considering the…background of these new team members. Zebras, I’m not a xenophobe of any kind, I assure everypony. But even I am skeptical of the added staff, these Zebras had clean backgrounds and even impressive resumes in their magical research fields. Still, we have a zebra encirclement and an army besieging our empire. I don’t want to take risks with this project, but I am contractually obligated to share our research and progress. As of late we got the field to expand over and apple and had to increase the power output. We managed a record time of two minutes now, which didn’t impress to the more…frontal magical users. That being Shining Armor himself, he came for another inspection on behalf of the princess. He said if results weren’t more promising he didn’t want to keep draining resources from other projects.

Entry 416: We got a warning today, Equestria has gone dark on communications the fourth army group security here has practically gone ballistic and almost threaten to leave! But I told them not to worry we were on the verge of stopping this. Whatever Equestria was suffering this would fix her. It would fix everything, the Zebras and us.

Entry 490: The sphere spread, and spell overlap has been fine-tuned, we even managed a full twenty-four-hour spell lapse! This is it, we did it I already sent the data to Headquaters at the Castle. Applejack herself sent us a thank you! But we still need to fit the spell into a Megaspell framework. With the loss of communications and the shield going over the empire, we moved all research to the local Stable beneath our building. Princess Cadence expects us to send her the final product. The spell has to be fitted into a Crusader Mainframe the one in the castle to be exact.

Entry 512: Were done, its finally ready we can deploy the spell within a megaspell framework. I have sent a report to headquarters for a priority one transport. I need to over see the transfer myself, after I take care of the commotion outside I think my fellow co-workers are celebrating early. Some of our Zebra coworkers said they had something to show us. To celebrate our success, it seems. Update to follow as schedule after the transport team arrives.

No entries followed, the attack, and whatever the hell was project Do-Over was finished and stolen by the Zebras.

“Whatever they wanted is long gone Flag.” I sighed shaking my head.

“Then were wasting time, lets go this place is just a grave now.” Flag uttered and walked out. I followed suit but I felt my heart heavy thinking of the Overmare and everypony that died here. They gave months if not years to that project. This was just another reason to help the ponies here. To help fight back and kill every single zebra bastard.

“Kid?” Flag looked back at me his light shining in my eyes. I blinked and noticed I had stopped trotting. My thoguhts of genocide had rooted me on the spot, I- I don’t think I meant that. Just my grief, it had to be to think that.

“Nothing, lets go.” I caught up and returned to the Atrium to regroup with the squad. We doubled timed it back to the lobby to meet my father.

“This whole building is devoid of technology and answers. Every floor had a fire fight fought and lost by the ponies here.” He announced to us. Flag looked at me and nodded to my father, I shrunk a little still not feeling the courage to talk to my father after disobeying orders. But it looked like Flag wasn’t going to report anytime soon and he was just a few words from making it an order.

“Star Paladin, we know why they came here…sort off.” I shrugged awkwardly in the armor. “The ponies here were working on something called Project Do-Over, under Princess Cadence request. Some spell, I wasn’t quite sure what it was but it was but, there were reports of mounting it on a megaspell framework. But the Zebras took the research and the aforementioned spell.”

“I see, then let’s not waste more time here, I had hope we could find a means to contact the source of our ‘ministry mare’ but no. The zebras clearly got everything of importance and left. Platoon move out.” My father led us outside and we resumed our march to the castle. Again, the streets were empty with the sounds of battle echoing into the sky. We marched for another two hours without distractions nearly till midday. The mega seven lane street gave way to a circular road five lines deep. The road circled the massive castle of crystal at the center, a soft hue of pink as the secondary shield protected it in the stead of the crumbled fence around the castle. Through the pink veil, I peered at the tacked-on building, it was a Ministry of Arcane Science and Wartime Technology mega building. A few other corporation logos littered the building, but I could only recognize a few.

“Ironshod, Robronco, R.E.P.C.O.N.N, shit even E.S.A backing? Why did so many companies converge here?” Flag asked aloud to everypony. Not that we knew the answer ourselves.

“What’s the last two you said Flag?” I don’t recall ever hearing the acronyms in Manehattan.

“The first is Rocket Engineering Production company of Neighvarro. They were the ponies to talk to about building rockets, especially if you were looking to get balefire megaspell tipped missile to the Zebra Empire. The other is Equestrian Space Administration military branch. I don’t know much about them, I guess with all the fighting going on, they probably got overlooked by the companies making weapons.” Flag shrugged a hoof and it looked much more natural then the awkward push of shoulders I kept trying to do.

“Focus, we need to get inside.” My father walked forward to the shield.

“How are we going to get passed the shield?” I pointed a hoof at it making everypony stop.

“Shield?” Flag looked to me than back at the castle.

“What are you talking about soldier?” My father stared right into the shield but didn’t seem to register its presence, was my visor malfunctioning? I saw the shield from way back, I assumed everypony did. My father opened his helmet and jumped slightly. “Holy! Everpony open your helmets.” They all did so and finally noticed the shield.

“Why can you see it with your helmet visor?” Some pony behind me asked, though to be honest I was as dumbstruck as them. I took a moment to think what it could mean.

I made it that way, afta’ you saved them boys back in the E.C.Z

I jumped to my hooves and spread my stance looking around my stance wide.

“Applejack?” Flag said aloud and closed his helmet, everypony heard it!

I can hide t’a shield from them data recorders. Not against yer eyes but I can hide it with them helmets down. Trick the data readings and what not.

“M-Mam? Applejack?” I flinched at how utterly meek I sounded.

Ayep, what can I do fer ya partner?

“Uhm, why did I see it when I entered the city?” I looked the shield over walking towards it. “Everypony here made it before me why didn’t they see it?”

Ah ya see, when you ponies neared the princess shield I cloaked this shield. I could see ya in my monitors. But I reckon, I didn’t know if yall was Rangers or just some imposters. So I hid the field until yer’ friends proved to be Rangers. It wasn’t until you saved them boys in the E.C.Z that I reckoned I might as well turn the cloak-thingy off.

My father looked towards the shield and raised a hoof to it.

I wouldn’t touch it partner, I reckon you don’t want to be a pile o ash before you get to swing at them zebras. If we hide the shield from high tech data recorders, we reckon zebras would just smack right into it. Guess them fellers are smarter than that, they haven’t tried to touch it beside bombarding it, fer all the good that did for em.

This was insane, I was, rather, our order was talking to our ministry mare in such a casual manner. Like we were just out here for Sunday tea! I sat on my haunches forgetting myself for a moment trying to process how we were talking to mare that was supposed to be dead for two hundred years!

Now look here, I know you fellars got questions and I’ll answer em’ if not ol Grumpy here will. But we reckon first yall need to prove yourself trustworthy. We are at a critical junction in the war, if we plan on using Do-Over that is.

The project was here, done and ready for deployment?

But the zebras know, they’re planning something big, and I ain’t one to sit on ma’ haunches to wait for em. So ya’ll first need to push them fellers back and keep em from the shield. Whatever they plan requires them to be near it. I need you to go back to the E.C.Z and help our boys push em off Braeburns storage site. Help our fellers clear the site, then get yourselves over to City 12, that’s where Equestrian Fourth Army group is. They know what to do, know where the war needs fightin’

“Mam, this isn’t our fight, we need to see you.” My father was cut off.

No can do partner, I let the shield down, it won’t be coming back up only way is through city 12 if and when w decide you fellers can come in. For now you gotta do what yer mare wants ya to do. I called for you, cause I know only ma’ boys in shining armor can kick em where it hurts. Well at least yall used to be shiny, mighty fine new dark and red color, I like the apples on the flanks too. Well I gotta go, the front needs me, can’t keep quiet for too long. Good luck.

“Mam hold on!” My father received no response this time.

“Was that really her?” I looked to everypony but nopony would meet my gaze they seemed to be having their own crisis of understanding. “How did she even see us? Know what we were doing?”

“Can’t be, she’s dead but we can’t get in without her say so.” My father sighed, we marched here and got nothing. He looked towards us and looked deep in thought.

“We.” I corrected thoughtlessly.

“What?” My father’s helmet snapped to look at me.

“Uhm- sorry Star Paladin, Applejack, our Ministry Mare said we, her and old Grumpy. She’s with somepony else in there.” I scuffed the ground with my hoof looking down. Mn it

“Damn it.” My father sighed, “I think we have little choice in the matter, if we aim to take down the princess shield like she calls it. We need to get inside, thorough city 12.” My father looked to the west, huge walls lined the skyline through the skyscrapers. The walls just as tall if not taller than some of them. The walls disappeared around the castle and mega ministry building.

“What’s the plan sir?” Flag looked towards my father as did everypony else.

My father neighed annoyed, “We go to war, everypony ready were heading back to the E.C.Z, were going to plan our attack on Ironshod at the Station. Let’s move out!”.

We turned and started the long march to our temporary home. With a quick pace our armor let us reach the station by late afternoon. My father let us all rest not even posting sentries to let us prepare for the battle ahead. While most exited their armor I remined inside mine, I felt more useful and whole inside it. I wasn’t sure how welcomed I was with Flag’s squad, they all didn’t pay me mind choosing to prepare for the battle among themselves. Flag himself was in the command center planning with my father. I sat on my haunches watching ponies go about their business in the garage. My squad was at the right end, their garage door open while they rummaged around their wagon for supplies.

Feeling the urge to do something I left the garage to see if I could help father, and Flag. When I entered the command center their backs were to me while on their haunches. They focused on the storage site on the map, the site itself was at least five by five miles in perimeter. The line outside the warehouse told it was walled off, but I can only guess it didn’t hold off the zebras. The red dots were on the far east clustered around buildings on that side and the warehouses there. While the yellow dots looked to man only one line of buildings about they seemed spread in a semicircular formation. Little dots of platoons scattered the center as skirmishes happened.

“This display is great and all, but dots don’t tell me shit about how entrenched the zebras are.” Flag sighed scratching his head. He was outside his armor while my father only removed his helmet.

“Yeah, heh.” My father chuckled, and I froze in place the rarer sound foreign to my ears.

“Remember those junkies that took hold of Stable 15? Didn’t need eyes then to go in guns blazing clearing out the bastards.” My father was reminiscing he was talking about his past! I dared not even breath to listen.

“Don’t remind me, Elder Strawberry Lemonade had us doing laps with depleted spark packs on our armor for hours!” Flag laughed but my father had a cool subdued chuckle. “Hey kid you’re going to sit there all day or what?” Flag turned smirking at me and I jumped a little trotting to them both.

“Sorry, I wanted to help with something, and I think I can, guessing by your conversation.” I smiled as I opened my helmet.

“With what?” My father asked flatly.

“Eyes on the sky, the map it doesn’t work in conjunction with the antenna, that’s just a transmitter. Something else is sending it data. I’m willing to bet it’s a satellite. Maybe there’s another with a camera I can.” I coughed rolling my eyes. “Borrow, if the terminal that controls the map lets us control where the satellite sends data, maybe I can use it to contact another nearby satellite.” I clopped my hooves together excited, I could do this! I could help!

“Alright soldier, get to it, terminal is right there under the map tell Pickle Jar you’re taking over for now.” My father nodded, and I saw the small smile on his lips. I practically galloped to the knight working the terminal, he moved as asked and I began working with my interface tool. There seemed to be two satellites in orbit, all with surprisingly still working propulsion. As I sent the required commands, the firewall protections kicked in. It was a matter of wrestling control from the placed security and disable the firewalls. To be honest it was hard as it seems like the algorithm that coded the security protocols changed constantly to keep me on the tip of my hooves. But lucky for me I could run a bypass command for emergency maintenance.

“Okay I’m in let’s see.”

[PEGASUS ONE WEATHER TRACKER]

[UNAUTHARIZE ACCESS DETECTED, LOCKING DOWN CONTROLS FOR CELESTIA TWO]

I blinked, the other satellite locked me out, I was sure there was no way it would do that. There had to be some sort of failsafe to keep hackers away. The name was peculiar as well, but I had no time to dwell on it.

“Okay I got a weather satellite and I can use its camera…oh somepony wants it back.” I chuckled the probing attempts were recall signals and weak hacking attempts. I locked them out by cutting access to the second source. “Okay now that’s taken cared off, I can use the camera to see over the storage site.” The map changed picture to our planet’s surface. I zoomed in and found myself staring at the blue hue of the princess shield. Great, this wasn’t help at all I neighed in frustration and put my hoof under my chin in thought. I turned on my radio and relayed the signal through Applebloom hooked up to the transmitter antena. It was a long shot, and it was an open unsecured channel.

“Uhm, Mam? Mistry Mare Applejack are you there?” I received no response just static.

Oh, this ain’t a secure line fella, let me patch you to somethin’ more personal…there we are, what can I do fer ya. Has to be quick I’m busy helpin the other fronts.

I resisted the urge to cheer and got down to business. “I’m trying to get a visual of the Ironshod Storage Site, but I can’t see it from here with the princess shield. I don’t suppose you could do the same trick you did with the castle shield, and let us see through could you?”

Ah, yeah I was wondering what happened to them satellites just be careful and don’t bother Celestia okay? I need er where she is.

I nodded then remembered she wouldn’t see it. “Right yeah, sorry about that mam. It won’t happen again.” I couldn’t access Celestia two again anyways.

Alright, there ya go you should see it now, before I go your name is Valiant right?

I blushed the Ministry Mare knew my name! Then I remembered wat my father said and shook the feeling away. “Yes mam, how did you know my name? How are you watching us?”

A gal, gots to keep some secrets to herself now don she? Don’t you worry I ain’t watching you bathe or nothin’ just need it to watch out for you boys and the rest of our soldiers. Now you hurry along and help those ponies ya’ hear. The better you do the easier it will be to get into the shield, so I can properly meet ya, good luck, oh and just call me Applejack, I never was much for titles and such. Alright until next time partner.

I smiled a little and decided maybe this was her, she was certainly as records painted her. Down to earth and friendly. But I decided to keep this little thought to myself the Wasteland had shown the old world had an abundance of impressive technology. Maybe this would be just another show how impressive Equestrian Arcano science had gotten. Within a few minutes I was able to zoom further and see the live feed of the Pegasus Weather tracker. The picture wasn’t pretty, not just in resolution passed a certain magnification, but the Ponies were on the defensive. Zebras were pushing their left and right flanks. Encircling the skirmishing ponies at the center of the storage site. “That’s the best picture I can get.” I looked back to Flag and my father.

“Flag what’s your take on the situation, I think we can salvage it, but that depends on whether the zebras have anti-machine rifles.” My father stroked his chin looking intently at the engagement on screen.

“Uhm, when I defended those ponies on my way here, the Zebras looked surprised to see me.they didn’t have any of the weaponry used to stop us outside the princess shield.” I offered my experience hoping it would help somehow.

“I don’t think the zebras can resupply easily, if Valiant encountered a team outside the major engagement zone. I’m willing to bet they were attacking supply lines.” Flag smirked looking to my father.

“So, you think neither side has had the real chance to update themselves to our arrival.” My father looked to the screen and I could tell he had already formulated a plan of attack.

“Yeah, if they have any proper counter measures they won’t be able to afford them everywhere.” Flag pointed at the screen. “I can already read your mind, we break their flanking maneuver with one of our own. If we crush them from their right flank. We can spearhead a counter attack allowing the Fourth Army Group a chance to charge.

“Okay that sounds good, gather everypony and let’s head out, Valiant.” My father’s look made me jump slightly.

“Fa-Star Paladin?” I quickly bit my tongue almost letting slip protocol.

“Can you get me the unit’s station there calm channel? I need to talk to whoever is in-charge.” He turned walking away, I quickly followed.

“Y-yeah I should be able to, I did it before.” I kept the fact it had been by accident to myself.

“Good, you have two hours, get to it.” My father exited the command center and I paled. That wasn’t a long time, if they were THE Equestrian army, finding their primary transmission loop would be next to impossible. Unless, well there was the chance I could take Trapper was still among them. I went out to the rooftop on that haunch and tapped into the transmitter tower. I sat on my haunches and flipped to the channel I used to find Jaeger Platoon. “Trapper, it’s me the Steel Ranger are you there?”

“Holy- this is Trapper! What are you doing on this channel?”the sounds of gunfire were almost deafening. Trapper was out in the front line it would seem, the sheer volume of sound indicated more than a simple skirmish.

“Trapper I need you to-” I heard the transmission be interrupted by another voice.

“This is Colonel Starfire, you are tapped into a restricted transmission, identify yourself!” Whoa, that was a loud mare! She practically drowned out the battlefield with her voice.

“I’m a Steel Ranger mam, let me get you in contact with my C.O he wants to speak to you.” I hurried hoping my father had his helmet on.

“Star Paladin Heavy Arms please respond.” There was the sound of shuffling before I received an answer.

“This is Star Paladin Heavy Arms, what do you need Valiant?” He grunted while he barked orders momentarily.

“I did it, I got into contact with their commanding officer.” My father called for silence and all background noise stopped.

“Already?” He sounded impressed and I felt a hint of smugness creep up.

“Yes sir, I don’t think she’s going to hold on the line for long.” My father sighed.

“Patch me through and follow my lead, understood Corporal?” I blinked confused.

“Y-yes sir,” I shook off the confusion and patched communication through. “Colonel Starfire is receiving sir.”

“Colonel Starfire, I am Captain Heavy Arms, Dragon Platoon, Ministry of Wartime Technology specials operations unit. I’m here to assist.” There was silence or well only the sound of gunfire before the Colonel responded.

“If that’s so I need you here for special tasking.” Maybe it was me, but she sounded relieved.

“Negative, I have direct orders from the Ministry Colonel. I’m conducting my own operation, you have zebras threatening to encircle your forward position. My Rangers and I will engage their flank and help you counter-charge their positions.” My father’s voice was a stark contrast to the Colonels booming voice.

“That isn’t how this works, if you are who you say you are, I need you to follow my orders!” The colonel practically screamed in my ear.

“Negative, Ministry Mare Applejack outranks you on this one mam, look for us on your right flank. You’ll know it’s us.” My father clearly left no room for argument.

“Wait!” The Colonel left a ring in my ear.

“Corporal end transmission.” I followed my father’s command and ended our transmission with the Colonel. I quickly returned downs stairs to see everypony gathered in the lobby. “Let’s move out, Rangers it looks like we have to show these ponies how to wage a war!” All Rangers cheered loudly, before my father raised a hoof for silence. “We need to blend in with these ponies, as such, you are now to refer to me with the rank of Captain. Crusaders are sergeants and Crusaders second in command are corporals. The rest are privates get used to it on the march. Now let’s go!” Everypony saluted and moved out, though I paused, was I Flags second in command? I decided it was best to leave that for later, I already did what I was told anyways. Having a little rank didn’t mean much else to me.

We took a brisk pace and went east keeping ourselves on the main road. Daylight had begun to leave us tinting the sky a bright orange. When we approached the storage site we could hear the thundering sounds of guns of all sizes fill the world. The only thing separating us was a huge fifteen-meter wall. This explained why neither zebras or Ponies met us when marching to the wall. They didn’t expect anyone could breach the wall without alerting one side. Too bad they didn’t count on power armor. My father raised a hoof and pointed it at the wall. Six ponies trotted to the wall turned their flanks to it. In unison, they raised to their front hooves and bucked with all their might. Their bucks dusted the walls, they repeated the action three more times and a huge crack spread up the wall. The knights returned to their position while two more knights aimed their missile launchers at the wall.

“Sempre Invicta!” my father yelled, two missiles flew past me with twin trails of smoke. They impacted the wall in a fireball of debris and smoke crumbling to debris. My father reared to his hind legs in an imitation of that old Ranger recruitment poster. He let out a thunderous battle cry and charged ahead. In formation we all galloped behind him each pony making sure to be clear of each other’s firing line. As I cleared the breach I almost felt my legs size up. The storage site was utter chaos! Magic dust on tracer rounds whizzed back and forth as the zebras and ponies tried to exterminate each other. The equestrian soldiers had taken up position to the west side. Sandbag barriers were spread north disjointed from each other. Each pony was leaning against the sandbags some with battle saddles others with weapons in their hooves firing. The zebras sprinted across the field like a sea of black and white with their decorative helmets. Their front line charged with spears attached to their side. While the next line held swords in their mouths and their reserve fired through the advancing ranks while running on their hind legs rifles on their hooves. It was a mystery how they managed that, but it would be for another day to solve.

“All Rangers fire at will!” The order brought out a dark clenching aura around my heart. Seeing the zebra’s, I pictured Strider laying bleeding on the snow his helmet open looking at me with a helpless look.

It should have been me.

Our heavy weapons drowned out the zebras and pony’s weapons. My father let loose his grenade machinegun in rapid thumps grenades flying at an arc. The rangers in his squad as well fired their weapons against the exposed Zebra flank. The explosions sent a wave of heat into the air. Various zebras were instantly torn asunder body parts and blood spraying everywhere. Flag’s 50 caliber machinegun cracked loudly to my right as he tore into the zebras to our own right flank. I gazed towards Flags firing line, and my minigun turned with me. the gun span to life and the familiar buzzing sound followed, my gun tore the advancing zebras apart into limbs and gore. Their screams deafened by the thunder of our guns. I strafed the minigun through their front line cutting through them and the ones behind them. The bullets exploded zebras apart, the shots bursting through flesh impacted the ground throwing up pavement and dust. Flag quickly tore away from the platoon and we followed. Our attackers burst through the cloud of kicked up dust over their fallen. I gritted my teeth as the first line of shields went up.

“Not this time!” I yelled, and I fired all my six missiles, they arced upward before curving over the shields and exploding behind their ranks. The phalanx was blown apart the zebras thrown forward broken and bloodied. My squad members opened their full arsenal with loud cracks. Grenades and missiles tore the zebra push apart.

“They’re pulling back, don’t let up now Rangers.” My father’s voice brought me out of my own rage induced trance. I never heard my father so calm, worst in the middle of a battle like this. I expected his emotions to at least show.

“Come on Valiant, no mercy blow them apart!” Flag led the charge, his machinegun glowing red as he left a trail of bullet casings behind. My heads-up display indicated my missiles had been reloaded. I fired two into the mass of retreating zebras exploding into a mass of fire. The bodies flew up torn apart and I moved aside as some pieces landed by us. I narrowed my eyes and saw the zebras with rifles turn and fire their rifles at us. I lowered my head keeping my visor a hard target to hit. The bullets impacted my body sending ripples of pain through me. I fell forward rolling on the ground the pony behind nearly tripping over me, I lost visual of him as I writhed on the ground.

“Son of a bitch!” Flag roared in pain as the weird bullets impacted his armor. I scrambled to my hooves and fired my minigun at Flags attackers. They fell before my might, innards and body parts blown back against the pavement. More shooters fired at us and tore at my body. My medical injector quickly warmed me of internal bleeding and ruptured arteries! I fired another two missiles, the zebras stopped firing to run but the missiles were faster decimating at least six into chunks with sound of Lunas hooves smacking the ground. Taking a moment to let the potion injected into my system mend my wounds I studied our enemy. They fell back to their own deployed cover, shields tilted at an angle rested against sandbags. Each bullet fired against it flew upwards into the sky. They had set up their fortifications between warehouses. Each warehouse was spaced out between them enough to set up a solid firing line of twelve. Zebras with rifles rested against the sandbags and returned fire. Their peculiar bullets slowing us down significantly. I pushed forward each bullet hitting my armor leaving a tremor of pain against my flesh.

Grenades arched above me and over the sandbags, they exploded in a hell of shrapnel and fire. The zebras splattered against their own fortifications. I saw one desperately try to leave cover only to be gunned down by another Ranger. They were in panic, yet even so we had yet to break them their lines dissolved as we pushed, despite inflicting heavy casualties they retreated in an orderly fashion. Some ran others dropped fire. If the thoughts of my dead comrades weren’t present in my head. I would have feared them. But all I could feel was unbridle rage and hatred, it was all consuming, my mind filled with joy as each enemy fell before me their bodies torn asunder by my overwhelming firepower.

“Die, just die!” I screamed and galloped towards the entrenched position. I jumped over the sandbags. My metal cover hooves splashing wet as blood and innards littered the closed space. My E.F.S read more contacts rushing the other end of the fortification. I stood my ground my minigun spinning to life. The zebras jumped over the sandbags on their end skidding to a halt. Pilums of smoke raised from the small craters left by the heavy explosives. I summarized they just barely caught sight of my frame among the smoke screen. My minigun fired hitting the first dead center. The zebra’s chest burst into red and gore, before its head was blown back. I strafed the space between the walls back and forth, back and forth until the screams stopped.

“Colonel, this Heavy Arms we got the enemy on the run, send in your soldiers now!” my father’s voice was booming over the radio. So strong it cut through the hellfire of guns and explosions. Flag and my squad rushed up with a firm nod from Flag he moved forward, and we followed.

“Let’s go, were a hundred meters to the bulk of their forces.” Flag grunted and galloped ahead, we followed suit in formation, I glanced to our left to see my father burst through a cloud of smoke rangers at his back his grenade machinegun rotated sending grenades at the retreating force. Flag tilted our formation as we galloped across the smoking tarmac and we reunited with the main force. Ahead some sixty meters and closing was a four-story building. Several windows lined the eastern wall facing us. From our distance I was able to make out huge mounted gun emplacements. I wasn’t familiar with zebra weaponry, but guns that big probably weren’t good news for us. Muzzle flashes across the wall lit up, the ground before us exploded bullets ripping up the pavement.

“Flag!” I felt my heart size up, we were going to die! These guns would kill us.

“Don’t stop!” Flag roared over the chaos, I winced as tracer rounds passed me.

“Agh!” the Ranger to my left fell forward rolling before disappearing from my field of view, I skidded to a top and ran back to him.

“Valiant!” Flag yelled but they ran off without me. “You’re a sitting duck! Ge the hell out of there!” I ignored him my heart pounding against my eardrums. I galloped to the fallen Ranger forcing him to his side. The armor was burst open at his chest, I forced open his helmet to see the pony inside. I didn’t know him, but he was younger than even me. tears leaked from his eyes while he struggled to breath. I flinched the pavement exploding around me the guns fixating on me.

“Oh Celestia, hold on I’m getting you out of here!” I stuck my head beneath him and hauled him over my back. The armor pistons and servos protested slightly from the added weight but held firmly.

“Valiant, leave that pony behind, let the armor take care of him.” My father, I almost stopped, almost.

“I can’t sir, I won’t let another Ranger die if I can help it!” I barked through pants even with the armor doing most of the work, all the running around was starting to take its toll.

“Soldier, I just had three more rangers fall behind. Are you going to pick them up too?” the gunfire was deafening but my father’s bark put the battle to shame.

“I…I can save this one!” I clumsily jumped over the sandbags before me, or more I fell over them in a tangled mess with the Ranger rolling off my body. “I made it, the other ponies can help you.” I looked about, there weren’t other ponies.

“They’re not here.” I spoke aloud but my father answered regardless, I heard his voice over the sound of glass shattering and a scream followed by deafening explosions and then clanking.

“Valiant return at once!” My father’s voice was hoarse and undoability angry, but my attention was on something worse. We had no reinforcements from the locals.

“The Equestrain forces they’re not here!” I trotted past my fallen comrade where we came from. I propped myself up on the sandbags and saw no movement from the ponies on the no western line.

“This isn’t over soldier, you disobeyed my direct orders twice. Now hold your position, do not advanced were pinned at their headquarters.” My father grunted followed by several explosions and screams. “Pull that Ranger back into cover!” The transmission cut off after that. This wasn’t good even with the zebras falling back the new weapons we encountered halted our momentum. I flipped the radio channel and contacted the one pony who had to know something.

“Trapper! It’s me Valiant respond.” I received silence. “I know your there Trapper!” I shouted, my frame shaking desperately wanting to ignore my father and go back to help him.

“Yeah.” The response was soft, followed by scolding mumbles.

“Did the Colonel not give the command? Where’s our backup!” I shouted and pointed my hoof at the zebra stronghold feebly.

“Valiant I… I’m sorry but were scared. Those zebras, if you hadn’t shown up just now. We’d be dead.” Trappers voice wavered reminiscent of our first encounter.

“Trapper if you don’t advance my comrades are going to die!” I knew I sounded desperate. I looked back to my fellow ranger laying on the bloodied ground by the sandbags.

“I’m sorry.” Trapper uttered with a strangled sob. “We…I don’t want to die.” I felt something click in my head. Our roles had been reversed, it was me and my comrades in need of rescue. We came as the cavalry expecting them to charge. Trappers words when we met ringing true, we never faced the Immortal Legion, but they have for 200 years they knew their enemy. They feared their enemy more than their own commander.

“Patch me through Trapper.” I commanded and galloped to their lines, I made a B-line to their center or what I could see was their most centralized position.

“W-what?” Trapper sputtered.

“Patch me through every pony here! You have the correct channels you can transmit my words to everypony…please.” I skidded to a halt panting, Trapper didn’t respond, and the silence was killing me as the echo of my comrade’s fight faded into the sky.

“Okay you’re live.” Trapper muttered.

“It’s okay, everypony it’s okay to be scared! My name is Valiant knight I intervened when Trapper and his friends were almost killed out here!” I paused for breath my chest heaved with emotion and combat fatigue. “I was scared, just like you I was scared to die, and scared to act. Because I felt I wasn’t good enough, I thought what could one pony do? What can I do against that? What can I do against such brutality.” I trotted closer making sure I stood out to everypony poking their heads from their cover to stare at me. “I don’t want to die, I really don’t my body screamed at me to leave to let Trapper to his fate. To save myself to live and excuse my inaction to standing orders.” I smacked my forehoof against the ground as hard as I could to release the energy building up inside me. wanting me to return to my comrades, wanting me to correct the mistake of abandoning Strider.

It should have been me.

“But then I heard Trapper say those same words, he doesn’t want to die. I understood I understood clearly the fear of dying the fear of being torn apart and left for the birds to pick clean. I was afraid to never see my mother again my home. But I acted, because being afraid means you have the chance to be brave.” I turned facing the direction my comrades were fighting for their lives. “I failed to be brave once, I failed the only friend I ever had by being a coward. I fled no matter what he said I fled! But I won’t not anymore. I won’t let anyone else die if I can help it! So, make your choice stay and live, forever afraid. Or be brave because I know that the only time a pony can be brave is when he’s afraid. Now Charge!” I trotted slowly before bursting into full gallop. My hooves lonely clanking against the pavement.

“For Equestria!” I stopped to see two ponies jump over the sandbags galloping towards me.

“For my friends!” Another pony, followed suit and then a thunderous roar filled world. Everypony let out battle cries and galloped towards me forming behind me into squads in wage formations.

“For Celestia and Luna!” I felt it in my heart was the best thing to say. I switched calms as we galloped and cleared the first abandoned zebra line. Passing by the warehouses I switched calms again.

“Everypony I’m heading to your psotion!” I shouted through pants.

“I told you to.” I cut my father off, impressing even myself for that one.

“I’m not alone, I have Equestria’s finest at my back!” I grinned and gazed skyward at the zebra makeshift fortress of the office. Muzzle flashes lit up the fourth floor, the tarmac once more exploded into debris and dust as heavy caliber bullets impacted around us. Ponies to my right fell rolling on the ground. To my right as well more ponies were turned to gore the massive rounds penetrating their combat armor easily. I targeted the top floor and fired my remaining missiles. They arced upward the sky momentarily lit by magical tracer rounds trying to shoot the missiles down giving us a reprieve from the machinegun fire. The missiles flew to their intended targets. Two of the gun towing windows burst into a fiery explosion the guns falling out the window along with at least two flaming zebras falling after them. The remaining guns stopped firing smoke pouring out of the window the zebras inside choking on it.

I looked to the office building flanked by two more warehouses. Several zebra squads ran out from them some armed with rifles others with spears and swords. “Kill them all!” I shouted. The third floor which free of gun emplacements soon had some heavy guns being set up. I stopped my minigun whirring to life, I fired strafing the third-floor windows left and right. The bullets destroyed the guns and killed the zebras operating them. But plenty of the bullets flattened against the office walls. They had to be reinforced compared to other civilian buildings. I turned to my comrades they split into two groups vying to take the adjacent warehouses. As the zebras put up a final stand, both sides forced to close quarters hoof-to-hoof fighting. I snorted and ran for the building jumping through a shattered window. I slipped on the lanidng inside falling to my side. I groaned my body protesting from the punishment of strange force bullet-things. Hours of motion and emotional pain, as I dragged myself on to my hooves I noticed I had slipped on blood. The hallway was torn apart with huge black scorch marks on the walls revealing heavy metal plating. Body parts littered the floor and I found at least four rangers bodies. Each one near hallway junctions where abandoned gun emplacements lined the hallway. I moved through the hallway to catch some Rangers on their haunches or sides. While one equipped with a minigun watched the hallway I just turned to.

“Valliant! You scared me I almost shot you!” Knight Lemon sat on her haunches and put a hoof to her chest.

“Where’s my father- I mean- forget it, where is he?” I was jittery I needed to see him see he was okay. At the same time, I thought about Flag and cut off whatever response Lemon was going to say. “Where’s Flag? Is my squad okay?”

“Crusader Flag is on the third floor the Star Paladin is cut off from us on the fourth floor.

“Oh Celestia.” I pushed past her and ran upstairs.

“Wait!” I ignored Lemon, my heart was pounding against my ears, and an image of my father’s broken body was burned into my mind.

It should have been me.

“What the- Valaint!” somepony called aloud, I reached the second floor more rangers wounded waiting for the armor to self-repair and the healing potions to do their job were there. I ran past them all the same hallway with offices leading me to the next set of stairs. I made it to the third floor to find more rangers. The hallway ended splitting into two, to my right three Rangers looked to me jumpy before visibly relaxing and returning to keeping watch at the right hallway. The left had a Ranger leaning out his 50-caliber machinegun cracking loudly in the enclosed space before returning to cover. The Ranger just barely missed a hail of bullets, the Ranger in question was Flag who cursed every curse I knew and plenty I didn’t

“Valaint? What the hell?” I don’t know what Flag was about to say, I barreled through him knocking him aside, the gunfire stopped as I predicted so I galloped down the hall. Two more Ranger bodies were on the hall. At the far end at least ten meters, was a heavy gun emplacement. Propped over some knocked over desks. The zebras zeroed me in quickly, but I fired my minigun forcing them behind cover. A few feet before I reached them my gun stopped firing abruptly.

[AMMUNITION SPENT]

I jumped over the gun, my body running on pure instinct. I landed on a zebra my hooves on its side. The weight and jump were enough to crack ribs. I felt my hooves sink into flesh and broken bone. The zebra wheezed out before closing its eyes for good four more zebras scrambled to action. I knew basic hoof-to-hoof combat it was part of Ranger training. It didn’t mean I was good, I relied on the advantage of my weight and armor. I kicked out with my forelegs hitting a zebra on its head to my immediate left. The helmet dent with the force and made the zebra smack against the reinforced wall. It fell unmoving two zebras tried tackling me to the floor. But I bucked them off and kicked with my right back leg and crushed another’s ribs. The other one delivered a kick to my head forcing me against the left wall. The hallway was cramped, and it did not agree with the zebra’s martial arts. The zebra crumpled to the floor from the kick hitting the right wall. I capitalized and brought my hoof down on its neck, bone crunched, and blood spurted from its mouth. I heard the familiar click of a rifle and ducked as a zebra leveled a rifle at me. on full automatic I felt the impacts sent ripples of force against my side while I fell over.

“Agghhh!” I writhed on the ground several warnings lighting up my heads-up display. Internal bleeding cracked ribs and torn arteries. Emptying the magazine, the zebra reached behind it with its mouth and procured a knife clenched between its teeth. It had one edge and the edge lit up red with magic. I scrambled hard with the pile of dead or dying zebras making it harder to stand, I pushed against the floor launching my body against the zebra. The zebra moved aside before impact and buried the dagger through my armor! I felt hot searing pain, the knife embedded on my right side near my midsection. I landed in a hapless heap. “Aaaghhhh!!!” I felt like an actual fire was lit inside me! I looked back to see smoke coming from the breach where the blade dug into me. the damn blade melted through my armor! I was lucky it lost most of its heat just to penetrate the armor and now just seared my inside and wound. The zebra picked up a rifle from underneath one of its comrades, getting on its hind legs it aimed at my visor, I flinched hearing a loud crack. The zebras head from the right side the helmet blown outward along with brain matter. It fell, left eye etched open in surprise by my face. Vaulting over the gun was Flag’s familiar armor. He quickly saw the wisps of smoke coming from the knife in my side.

“Shit!” He opened his helmet and grabbed the knife with his mouth.

“W-wait!” I tried before he pulled the knife the once seared closed flesh opening again with a burst of my blood staining my already dirty armor. “Aaagh!” I rolled to my side with sheer force of adrenalin pushing myself up to my hooves and leaning against the right wall.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook! With me rangers let’s save our paladin!” Flag ran past me as did the rest of my comrades. I meanwhile stood there letting the medical injector pump a super healing potion into my body. My armor closed the breach slowly, but I knew I would have a scar there after this. I tried to control my breathing steadying myself on my hooves. More Rangers came up with Knight Lemon at their head.

“Oh Celestia, what happened? Come on you need to rest a little.” Lemon put a hoof over my shoulder. I shrugged it off and trotted as fast as my body allowed me.

“I have to, get to him, my father I need to see him!” I trotted upwards to smoke filling the fourth floor. I turned on my light the beam cutting through most of it. The flames had died down on the main hall where my missile impacted had lit the wallpaper on fire and revealed the reinforced steel walls behind. I walked the hallway alert burnt zebra bodies and another Ranger laid strewn about. I turned the corner to see my father smash his hoof into a Zebra’s face splattering the wall with its blood and brain matter. The body slid against the wall, I sighed in relief he was okay my father was okay.

“They’re retreating! Valaint the Legion its retreating! Look at those stripe bastards go!” My father must have tuned into that as well as he ran opposite of me turning the corner out of sight. At a much slower pace I followed suit grimacing with various aches across my body, I wobbled a little and leaned against the wall. I dared not open my helmet, less I choked on smoke, I felt sick and I felt bile up my throat. I forced it down and made my way down the hall turning to find my fellow rangers staring out the window. I watched hundreds of Zebras break into a full route, it wasn’t a retreat like when we struck. They were running for their lives, weapons left behind helmets off or discarded wounded abandoned the Legion forces were in full disarray. The day was ours as if to make the moment more poignant the Equestrian soldiers on all frequencies blasted the march of the parasprites. Patriotic dribble that sprite bots played back home but somehow. Somehow for the first time, I liked the patriotic dribble.

Level Up: 3

Perks: Smooth Rambler: You have a +15 points added to your speech perk, you can get ponies to do just about anything…anything!... except that…but anything.

Author's Notes:

Hey...uhm, sorry about the delay I let myself b distracted by gaming. As it stands I have put SO many hours on Kingdom Come Deliverence and Monster Hunter World. Celestia I am loving these two games! But I digress after this chapter there will be less action but I promise the world building will get cool. If I do say so myself, and I will also be expanding on the mysteries of this mysterious land stuck in a long over war.

I honestly look forward to that chapter. As much as I love writing battles, and I do, but I also love myself some world building. This is why I loved the original story so much. The world building was amazing and I loved it! Speaking of which, to answer a preemptive question. We won’t be spending the entire story here in the Empire. We will return to the Wasteland periodically I promise you. But I digress, please enjoy this chapter I poured a lot of blood and sweat over it! I hope the editing was better than my last. Still trying to find an available beta.