"That was a mess." The tent had several men of power. The one speaking was frowning at the others. "But we're back on track. Training is supposed to suppress that kind of reaction."

Another waved it off. "They're also trained in how close is too close to a nuclear weapon. We're officially too close, and it looked like an immediately terminal situation at first. It's only normal that some chaos would result."

The first threw down a small stack of papers on a field table. "Four fights broke out. They can try to evacuate, but attacking their fellow soldier? We can't let that go without discipline. You can get me to look past the rest, but that?"

Several soldiers had tried to get use of a jeep. In the panic, they fought over the controls instead of one driving the others to safety. It had been a shameful display for all involved.

"Actions detrimental to good order and discipline in time of war," grunted the commanding officer, fury clear on his face. "If we had the facilities, they'd already be confined."

The second rose to his feet with a nod. "Yes, yes, we will have to deal with that, but let us turn our attention to the positives." He reached for the same stack and threw up half of it, flipping it open. "Those who stayed calm and ready. Interviews with them had some insights."

"Hm? Like what?"

He flipped a few pages further. "Private Second Class Paul Smith, reported ready. When interviewed, confessed he had only stayed at the urging of another private. Swayed by their leadership and determination, they decided to stand in honor, rather than scrambling for safety."

This caught the first's attention. "What class?"

"Second."

It was the lowest rank a private could be, a fresh face. But they had shown leadership, and qualities above others of greater rank at that moment. "Hm... you've captured my attention. What is their name?"

"Hoku." There was quiet. They both knew who Hoku was. They wouldn't be doing their jobs if they didn't know about the alien army member. He wasn't the only alien member in the armed forces, but they remained rare enough to not be overlooked easily. "I only worry," continued the man with a trailing finger over the paper. "--what will other soldiers think being led by something that isn't human."

"PFC isn't an officer rank," grunted the first. "but he's respected among his class. He served his duty well during the original assault, did he not? I read that report." There had been a list of top performers, those who had shown positive qualities during that trying time. "That doesn't earn him a sudden promotion, but it paints a nice picture."

"Exactly what I was thinking." He suddenly flipped the mass of papers closed. “Look, we have a bunch of privates and not enough people to lead them right now. Hoku showed that he could. Field-promote him to PFC and give him a team for now.”

Moon Dancer had hoped to be with Twilight, but that hadn't quite worked out.

"This is exciting," bubbled Minuette, grinning and bouncing a little in place, more than the movements of the vehicle they were in would imply. "Do you think we'll get there soon?"

Moon set a hoof over her face. "I doubt it. We're not even on the front... where Twilight is..." And where she should be, she silently added. "They want us to help, not fight. It will probably be very boring."

"Don't say that." Minuette stuck out her tongue before looking across to a soldier just sitting there. "Hey."

The soldier returned her look curiously. "Need something?"

"Where are we going again?"

Moon threw up a hoof. "They told you that a dozen times, Minuette."

"You remember then?" She was looking at Moon with big hopeful eyes.

Moon rolled her eyes even as she began to repeat it, "We were assigned to satellite deployment. They want us to get satellites up above the sky and move them to where they need to be. With a unicorn that can look out the window of an airship instead of having to worry about grappling hooks and similar devices, we can get it done right away."

"How does that help fight a war?" asked Minuette with a befuddled look.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" She set a hoof on Minuette's shoulder. "I know you're not stupid. Is it boredom? If you're that bored, why don't you get us there faster? You can do that, can't you?"

Minuette's nose wrinkled. "I thought I told you about that. If it's more than me, then not so much. I could get there in a hurry, but where would that leave all of you? Then I'd have to wait for all of you anyway." She reached up and tapped her horn. "It's not that big of a deal. Why do ponies act like it's a big thing?"

Moon went quiet for a moment, just the noises of the bumping van they were riding. "Say... What if you slowed yourself down?"

"Huh?"

"Slow down, then it'll feel like it took less time to get there." Moon nodded softly. "Go on, try it."

Things became quiet once more. Minuette was barely moving, even her blinks becoming strangely slow as her personal version of time came to nearly a halt. It would seem like an instant between when she started and arrived.

Moon smiled softly, feeling accomplished. "Peace..."

Queen Novo emerged from the water with a graceful lack of a splash, becoming a hippogriff and soaring away without pause. She had a meeting of the EFC to attend, and so many questions in need of dire answers. Guards flew out just behind her, a silent note of her lack of faith, or perhaps her worry that others might act against her.

"All officials disavow knowledge of any nuclear launch." A window appeared, showing President Rason assuring a crowd that he would not have permitted such a thing.

"Despite these words, public outcry continues to mount. Perhaps more worrying than if the government didn't launch the bomb is the question of who else could have, and how that is being handled. Environmentalists are demanding immediate efforts to contain and clean the results of the explosion, but the ongoing conflict is making that a difficult proposal at best."

The speaker gestured to a map that appeared of the minotaur lands, drawn as it was without satellite images. "Some estimates have as much as a quarter of the population of the country, largely concentrated in their capital city, within high radiation areas that could cause immediate sickness leading to death if not treated. It is not known if the minotaurs have the medical facilities or expertise to handle this."

"The properties of the local atmosphere have made the attack worse than it would have been. Creating an envelope for itself and expanding into the air with barely resistance, both heat and radioactive material were spread far wider than a similar bomb detonated on earth could have accomplished. It is unknown whether it was a ground blast or an air blast, but there is no doubt that this attack outclasses Hiroshima and Nagasaki by at least a magnitude."

Theoretical color rings appeared on the map, showing their best guess as to where each damage radius would have appeared in a big ugly black eye on the bull's country. "Despite this damage, the TSDI has announced a resolution to fight on, calling humanity and America extremists."

They shuffled their papers lightly, looking towards the camera. "In other news..."

It was morning. They were getting dressed for a day of marching. Food was in their belly, and plastic offered modest protection from radiation. A lieutenant walked in with a determined pace. Motion slowed as the privates that filled that tent rushed to salute the incoming officer.

He ignored most of them, save to chastise one whose bed was in a terrible state for the time of day. He had other business though. He marched up to the saluting Hoku. Hoku's bedding was packed and put away and the otter was sharply dressed and clean. He was ready.

"Private Hoku," barked the lieutenant. "Are you ready to serve?"

"Sir, Yes, Sir!" eagerly responded Hoku, stiff and upright.

"Congratulations, private Hoku. You’re a PFC now." He produced a badge and offered it towards the shorter Hoku. "Here’s your new insignia, take--" He pointed out several other privates, Paul included. "--out and you're on advanced patrol. A hostile approaches, we want to know about it. See something interesting, we want to know about it. Bullets fire, yours better be responding, and we want to know about it."

"Sir, yes, Sir!" Hoku could scarcely hide the smile on his furry face. He was a commander, of a few people. He had come up in the world!

The lieutenant swatted Hoku on the shoulder. "Like the books. React to Contact if need be. Do us proud."

He couldn't help it, his tail slapped the ground behind himself in a sharp noise. "With pleasure, Sir!" He didn't take his eyes away from the lieutenant until he was gone.

Hoku looked down at his slightly shaking hand, holding his badge, which was less a badge and more of a velcro patch and a pin.

"Congrats." Other privates whistled and cheered for his good fortune. Some left without a word.

Paul was there, reaching for his badge. "Let me help with that." He affixed the velcro patch on the front of Hoku's suit, and put the pin through his hat. "Private First Class. Guess I have to call you 'Sir', now."

Hoku shoved him with a laugh. "Not officer. We get in trouble. Not do." One didn't go calling non-commissioned folks sir. "Hoku." He hiked a thumb at himself. "Paul." He called out the names of each person in his sudden squad. "We go."

Hoku marched out of the tent and wheeled just in time to avoid crashing into someone else just as furry as he was. "Pony?" He hadn't expected to run into one.

Starlight hiked a brow. "Huh, hey there. You... aren't a human." Her eyes lifted to his cap and down to the rank on his chest, not that she knew what they meant. "But you're in the army?"

"What do here? Dangerous. Serious serious." He made a soft shooing motion. "Much dangers for ponies."

"Yeah thanks." She held up a hoof in front of his face. "But we were asked to come here and we plan to see it through."

Hoku lifted an ear at her. "You sure?"

"Deadly."

Hoku smiled a bit. He could understand that. "Good pony. What name? Private First Class Hoku." He hiked a thumb at himself, specifically aimed at his new badge.

"Starlight, no title." She lowered her hoof. "Look, I shouldn't be here without my suit, so I'm going to go take care of that. See you later, alright?"

"Yes, get suit. I need suit too." The two dashed past one another to get prepared for the day. Neither would be comfortable, but would be protected, at least in part, from the fallout that they were travelling towards.

Once the camp was packed, movement began, pushing ahead into enemy territory. It was perhaps the silence that was the most concerning. No guns came live at them. No enemy infantry. No enemy armored vehicles. It was as if they were marching into a country that was already dead.

Had the bomb they saw taken out their enemy's will to fight entirely?

Would they simply arrive in time to accept surrenders?

It was nice to entertain, but they couldn't assume that, and no such intel had been given to them, so they had to press on, ready and methodically, prepared for the attack that just didn't seem to be coming.

They ran into civilians, acting as if nothing had happened. Isolated from the capital city, news had not reached them. They had no idea who the humans were, thinking it was some kind of strange parade.

It was a parade, of sorts. The people, the army knew, would likely develop cancer far earlier than normal, their lives shortening with every day they lived in the fallout, but what could they do?

Author's Notes:

Promotions! Hoku is a good soldier, I say.

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