(Also, in case anyone is curious, I changed Silas's name to Renn, as I discovered from one of my viewers, Silas is an existing character in the expanded universe of “Star Wars.”)

On the outskirts of Appleloosa, the Dark Jedi, Renn waited. He stood upon one of the rocky structures in the town's distance, his dark brown cloak allowing him to almost blend in with the rocks and sand that made up the landscape. His hair was long, going over his neck but not past his shoulders, his eyes were a dark brown and held a rather detached look to them. He was relatively tall but not towering...his cold eyes surveyed the now immense town that was Appleloosa. It was indeed an impressive town to say the least, built in just under a year, and under the decision of its founders and due to the fact many hardworking ponies had been arriving monthly looking for work, they had been adding more and more buildings in just months.

Humble but still colorful little houses ran down the dusty streets, shops were flourishing and a new and improved train station had been built, and the town's most impressive feat...the Town Hall. Where monthly and usually beneficial town meetings were held stood alone, other buildings were further away from the Town Hall so as to give it proper space.

It was easy for Renn to see the train come rumbling into the station, slowly its wheels rolling to a halt, the smoke ceasing to rise.

“Changelings, get ready.”

“We move?” One of the drones asked in a hissing voice that sounded like it needed water and perhaps it did.

“We move.”

- - - -

General Grievous stood stoically at the still unopened train doors, his tall frame blotting out most of the sunlight and shrouding the ponies in darkness. The cyborg turned to face the quizzical ponies when they stopped a few inches behind him.

“Before we proceed I need to make a few things clear,” he growled out quietly, he briefly looked out the windows of the train car to make sure nothing suspicious was outside.

“While we are in this town you will all follow my rules and commands. This is as of the second we arrived is a combat zone. There is a very likely chance you could be injured or killed in these proceedings. Understood?” He had begun pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, addressing them as he would soldiers. And at the moment, they were.

“Sir yes sir!” Pinkie Pie said in a somewhat quiet voice bringing her right hoof up to her forehead in a salute.

“Good,” the doors slid open ominously, “let's go.”

- - - -

The town was deathly silent...a few tumbleweeds would bounce and roll and the light wind wind would kick up sand and cause store signs to creak or even bang against the wooden frames. Fluttershy would cringed at almost all of these and she was shaking like a leaf but to her credit...she never shrieked or squealed no matter how bad she wanted too.

Rainbow Dash hovered by Grievous' head and whispered.

“Everything's clear up there.”

'Good,' the warlord thought and continued on. His metal, taloned feet made no sound on the sandy ground, only leaving huge footprints and claw marks in their wake. Rarity had been assigned by Grievous to keep watch at the back of the group while Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie to keep watch at the flanks of the group. And he had decided to take something similar to pity on Fluttershy by assigning her the easiest job he could think of. Alerting the group to anything unusual.

The group continued their silent march past a group of shops, all of which had scorch marks, most likely from blasts of magic curtsey of the Changelings. Apple trees had been mercilessly cut down or at least severely mutilated. Most of the structures in the town were surprisingly colorful despite the rather dull looking location, red or blue or even green. Business signs that mostly pertained to apple products were everywhere, a few hat and shoe stores, restaurants, and hotels.

It had been shaping up to be quite a town...until the invaders.

“Where the hay is everypony?” Applejack's voice wavered slightly in her worry and her stomach queasy as her green eyes took in more of the damage done her cousin's beloved town.

“The survivors are probably hiding, Applejack,” he glanced over his shoulder at her, his cape blew in the wind, “did this cousin of yours ever mention some place they could hide in times of trouble?”

“Well...,” the stetson wearing pony rubbed her chin with a hoof for a few seconds as she thought, “Braeburn did mention a Town Hall that had a cellar they could hold up in-”

“I assume that large building is the town hall?”

“Yup, that's gotta be it,” she nodded decisively.

General Grievous quickly marched up to it beckoning with a hand for them to follow. He proceeded up the perfectly crafted and sanded wooded steps of the building, the porch was wide enough for them all and the doors were built tall and wide as well. Fearlessly he opened them.

The meeting place was completely vacant except for a table near the wall. The inside of the Town Hall was impressive, widely built, beautifully painted wall boards, deep almond brown in color. A big red apple painted in the center with a brown seal painted around it. A large skylight in the high ceiling.

“C'mon I think I know where its at, Braeburn gave me a blueprint just in case,” Applejack's hooves resonated loudly on the floor and echoed throughout the room. She slid to a halt and began prodding at the wall.

“Oh come on its gotta be here!”

Click!

A board pushed in and the door slid open to reveal a dark hallway.

“This is just one of two ways down to the cellar,” she grinned, “this here's the shortcut.”

Grievous flicked a finger forward after gesturing to Twilight to go ahead, her horn glowing with bright purple light to illuminate the dark and eerily silent hallway. The glow lit up Grievous and the ponies as they went on. The hallway was wooden as well.

'Highly flammable,' Grievous observed mentally, 'they're lucky they weren't burned out.'

After only a few more steps they found it...an already descending staircase that led down. It was positioned perfectly so they could step on them easily. Twilight was still ahead so as to provide the group with good light. Grievous swished his cape to the side with his right hand as his footsteps echoed on the steps.

“Grievous,” Twilight stopped in front of a simple door , a bronze colored knob plainly out for all to see, “I found it.”

His antenna shifted allowing him to pick up quieter sounds. He heard it, the younger ones whimpering fearfully.

He nodded to Applejack in conformation.

She needed no other persuasion. She knocked on the door.

“Braeburn its me, Applejack,” no response. She repeated the knock. “Braeburn you an the others can come out now. We're here to rescue ya!”

“Likely story,” a hoarse male voice replied from the other side, “don't think we won't kick yer flank Changelin'!”

“Please Braeburn it really is me!”

“Prove it.”

“How?” Her expression was pained.

“What was the last thing Big Macintosh said?”

“'Eeyup.' As always.”

The door opened. Next Chapter: Showdown Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 20 Minutes