SGM. Clare:

I stood there, the barrel of the mighty revolver expelled smoke and Chrysalis lay slumped on the floor. I let out a deep exhale and lowered the revolver. Daffodil entered the office and stood beside me.

“She’s dead… it’s over… it’s finally over” Daffodil muttered. I holstered the revolver, “No… it’ll never be over” I said as I walked out of the room and started to walk towards the ER where I had left Cadence. MPs swarmed the hallways in search of Chrysalis. I directed them to office where Chrysalis’ body still lay.

Daffodil had stayed behind to tell the others what had happened but I had a certain mare to check on. And her husband to, if they’d let me see him. I walked up to the ER doors and entered but the doctor was gone and so was Cadence.

I looked to a nurse that hid in the room. “Where’d they go?” I asked. “Another ER, across the hospital, she was in critical condition” the nurse informed me.

I rushed across the hospital and eventually found the other ER. Ponies had begun to walk freely through the halls again. I entered the ER room where Cadence rested in bed, she had medical bandages around her belly.

I rushed to here side. “Cadence… please Cadence can you hear me?” I asked and she nodded weakly. Tears came to my eyes as I gazed upon her weak body and quickly knelt beside her. I held her hoof in my hand and held it close to my face. “Please god… please god let the foal be okay” I prayed.

Cadence hushed me and gently laid her other hoof on my head and gave it a soothing rub. “Shh, hush now… everything’s okay” she whispered. “Cadence… I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have brought you with us” I sobbed, knowing that the foal had probably been shot and was dead.

“No… I should be sorry. I encouraged you to take me along” she whispered. I stood up and gave her a gentle hug and cried into her neck. “This shouldn’t happen… it shouldn’t… too many ponies have died” I sobbed, crying into her fur. “Shh… quiet now. Everything will be okay” she cooed.

“Sergeant major, can I speak to you please?” asked a doctor from behind me. I pulled away from Cadence and wiped the tears from my eyes. I followed him out to the hallway. “Doc how is she?” I asked. “She’ll be fine… it’s the foal I wanted to talk about” he said and began to tell me what happened to the foal.

First Lieutenant Daffodil:

I entered the hallway with Posey, we had gotten together right after the whole ordeal and she had offered to show me where Cadence was. I saw Clare talking to a doctor then Clare held his head and fell to his knees, crying. He was crying!

I rushed up to his side and knelt down. “Sarge… sergeant!” I exclaimed. He just sat there and cried. “Sarge… I’m sorry. It’ll be okay” I told him soothingly. “Yeah… yeah it will” he said through some sniffles. The comment took me back

“Wait… what?” I asked curiously, I had seen Cadence get shot in the belly so wasn’t he crying because the foal was dead?

“The bullet missed” he informed me. “What? How?” I asked, shocked that somehow the bullet had missed. The shot had been perfectly placed right at her womb. There was no way it could’ve missed.

“Fate must’ve planned otherwise. After the bullet entered it must’ve tumbled. The bullet curved perfectly and missed the womb completely” the doctor informed me. I let out a deep exhale.

SGM. Clare:

“Sergeant, it would seem that you saved lives today. If Cadence was brought in any later she might’ve lost too much blood and the foal would’ve been forced out. And you managed to stop Chrysalis” the doctor informed me. “Shining Armor?” I asked. “He’ll be fine, if Posey here hadn’t shown up when she did I fear he may not have made it” he said and I nodded.

He gave us a salute then left to do a check on other patients in the hospital. “Well Sarge… I’m taking a vacation with Posey. We’re going to Fillydelphia” Daffodil told me. “Getting together?” I asked and they both blushed. “Go on Sarge, we want to be alone” Daff ordered me. “Hey I’m going, I’m going” I said as I hopped away on the crutches.

They walked away and I hopped into the ER recovery and sat beside Cadence as she rested. “Thank you god… thank you” I said as I watched Cadence rest. I looked to my watch. It was 5 in the afternoon. I let out a sigh as I lay my head down on the medical bed.

* * *

13 months ago,

Sgt. Clare, Sudan Africa:

We sat in our ambush positions and waited for the convoy to come through. “I still can’t believe you bought those” muttered Captain Daniels. I nodded as I held a dream catcher. “They’re cool huh?” I replied and he shook his head from my pure immaturity.

“Sir, convoy inbound” reported one of our team members. “Roger copy that, convoy inbound” Daniels replied then looked down the sights of his C7 carbine. “Things are about to heat up” I whispered and he nodded.

Suddenly a rifle shot went off. “Who’s firing, cease fire goddammit” Daniels yelled over the head set. “It’s Julio sir he…” the headset trailed off. “Victor? VICTOR!” Daniels yelled then all hell broke loose.

Explosions ripped through the streets and the chattering of automatic fire drowned out the screams of civilians as they ran for cover. “Fuck!” I swore then leveled my assault rifle. I saw an African male run into the streets with and AK47 and he motioned for some of his buddies to follow him.

I waited for his friends to follow him then I fired a grenade round at them. The 40mm grenade shell erupted and violently blew them to pieces. Suddenly an RPG round fizzed through the air and struck our building.

The floor crumbled below our feet and we fell to the ground floor. My vision blurred as I staggered to my feet. I looked over to Daniels and rushed over to him.

“Peacekeeping my ass… this shit is downright fucked up” I yelled to Captain Daniels as I helped him to his feet.

Another RPG round struck the building and debris fell from the roof of the building we had taken cover in. “Shit… Private Sharps, can you hit that bastard with the RPG?” Daniels yelled over the sound of automatic gunfire.

Suddenly it was like my entire world shook. My mind blurred and I returned to reality.

Present day,

SGM. Clare, field hospital:

“Uhh… huh?” I mumbled tiredly. “Sergeant major… sergeant major” said a voice as the pony shook my body. I looked up to see Colonel Ross standing above me.

I quickly stood up and gave him a salute. “At ease. Sergeant major I need to ask how you’re feeling?” he asked. “Fine sir” I replied, Cadence was awake. I guess Ross had woke her. “How long have I been asleep?” I asked. “All night” they said and I looked to my watch, 5:45am. I nodded, I had a kink in my neck but it would soon pass.

“Sergeant major, Firebase Bravo has lost its CO and Daffodil is on vacation. They need someone to lead them” he informed me. I knew that Bravo was where my squad was stationed. “Isn’t it a little awkward for an NCO to command a firebase?” I asked and he nodded. “Indeed, that is why we got you a new platoon sergeant to assist you until we get a new CO. His name is Gunnery Sergeant Aussie” he said and I realized there was another pony at the door dressed in combat fatigues with a slouch hat. It had the left brim pinned up.

He stepped forwards and extended his hoof. “My name is Aussie, nice to meet yah Sarge” he said and I shook his hoof. “How long until you get a replacement?” I asked and Ross shrugged. “A few days, Daffodil will return from his vacation and he’ll resume leadership as the firebase CO” he informed me.

I nodded then looked to Cadence. “Hey… uhm tell Shining I said hi” I said and she nodded. I got up and winced a little as we walked out. My leg still hurt but it wasn’t bad.

“So sergeant major, I hear you were once a Canadian soldier” Aussie said and I nodded. “What happened?” he asked and I shrugged. “Got reenlisted as a shadow guard” I informed him as we walked out to the helipad where a Huey helicopter waited for us.

We embarked on the helicopter and it took off into the air. “Ross… The Apache is still out there. She’s gonna continue to kill until she’s stopped” I said over the sound of the rotors. “I know. Don’t worry though. Aussie here is a professional marksman” Ross informed me and I looked to Aussie. “Any jungle experience?” I asked but he shook his head. “I’ve got experience in the outback though… I use this little thing” he said and for the first time I realized he had an Australian accent.

He unslung an M25 sniper rifle. “I call her White Feather” he said, the M25 sniper system had already been given the nickname White Feather but him naming it and engraving White Feather into the stock made me respect him a little more.

“How about you Sarge?” he asked. “I like the .300 Model 70 Winchester” I informed him and he chuckled. “A little overkill don’t yah think? .300s can blow a pony in half” he told me and I nodded. “Over kill would be lugging around a light fifty” I said, referring to the Barrette M82 .50 caliber which was called the light fifty despite weighing just over thirty pounds. He chuckled “Okay now that’s overkill, you could take down bloody elephants with one of those” he laughed and I nodded.

As the helicopter neared Firebase Charlie the helicopter pilot turned to us. “Welcome to hell boys” he said and I smirked. I knew that every firebase was hell and the morale was usually low on the bases.

As the helicopter landed, Aussie and I disembarked the helicopter. Ross stayed on it. “Good luck gentlecolts. You’ll have
your first orders in the morning” he called to us as the helicopter began to depart. I still had my hospital gown on and only had an empty revolver. “I need to get refitted” I said and we began to walk towards the supply tent.

On the firebase radio speakers a song blared out that most stallions and mares had become used to hearing on firebases.