Chapters "ALRIGHT TROOPERS!!!" The General shouted across the assembly hall of the Core.
The shout startled Private Snap Shot out of his daydreaming. He was a dark grey pegasus with black hair. His cutie mark was that of sniper scope, but it was concealed by his green-orange camo fatigues.
The General continued at maximum shouting. "We are approaching a planet new to you all. While, for the whole time any of you have been fighting, we have been fighting rebels and the Republic. Some of you will know this not-so new menace. The Discordant Insurrection, a collection of extremists and demons, have invaded the paradise world of Pandora IV."
Whispers rippled out through the crowd. Demons?
"Pandora IV. A beautiful world of lush forest and great oceans. A population of six million, this sphere is often considered a paradise. A paradise that had been at war for three months. You troopers are going to liberate it. For those navy troopers listening, we have three enemy grand cruisers in orbit of the planet, so prep your guns. As for us ground troops, we will be facing off against four full corps of enemy troops."
Whispers started up again now. They were a meager two thousand. Against an estimated Two Hundred Thousand? What the buck?
"Now, most of you will be wondering: That's suicide. Well, alone, it is. However, we have...allies." The General sighed. "I'm sure you've heard about the truce with the New Lunar Republic."
Snap's jaw dropped. He's joking.
"The L.S.S Nova will be joining us. Adding our total to four-thousand of the best trained soldiers in the galaxy against two-hundred thousand demons and crazed cultists."
Utter silence. If it was of outrage of working with the republic or hatred of the odds, Snap couldn't tell.
The General shook his head and continued. "Yeah, it doesn't look good, does it? But we are all the Empire can spare! We are marines, troopers! We won't let these demons win! Drop in Thirty Minutes! DISMISSED!!!!"
....
"Come on Mom, I'll be fine." Ella said, smiling at the computer screen holding her mothers face.
"Ella, please be careful." Her mother said. "You're a Corporal, I know, and that's great, but you need to be careful. I don't want to risk loosing my only child's life."
Ella shook her head. "Don't worry. I'm a technician. I won't be on the front lines."
Her mother smiled half heartedly. "Alright. Bye honey, and good luck."
"Goodbye mom." Ella said, as the computer screen went blank. Ella wiped a single tear from her green eyes. She hated lying to her mother. It was a partial truth she had told. She was a Combat Engineer, which meant she would be seeing a lot more front line combat then her mother wanted.
....
"Hey, Snap Shot!"
Snap turned to see Drako, one his four squad mates. Drako was the teams machine gunner, which he had said weapon strapped to his back.
Snap smiled. "Hey Drako. Hows the horn doing?"
Drako gestured to his horn. "Fine. I hope I don't have to do anything other than levitation. Anyway, hows the sniper doing before his first combat drop?"
"I'm fine Drako. Hey, who knows, maybe they'll promote me!" He said, laughing. "But, on a more serious note, what do you think of working with the Rebs?"
Drako shrugged. "I dunno. I've fought them before though, and it will be nice to have their technology on our side."
Suddenly, an alarm blared. "All personnel, battle statons! We are engaging the enemy."
Drako looked at Snap and smiled. "Well, lets get to the pods. We're out of time."
Snap ran into the armory. He had no time to talk to his fellow squad mates. He was too excited.
Barely thinking, he grabbed his sniper rifle and his pistol. With that, he quickly lept into his pod. His first combat drop! Heck, his fist combat!
Meanwhile, his other mates began to get into their pods, Sergeant Claw, the squads griffonian leader, grabbed his shotgun, shook his head at Snap's bravado, and slowly stepped into his pod for his forty-third drop.
Ant Hunter, the groups support specialist, joined the weathered sergeant, grabbing a grenade launcher and assault rifle.
Dalla quickly walked into her own pod, her medical supplies strapped all over her body.
Finally, Drako fitted his machine gun into it's slot, and slid into his own pod.
With that, the pod doors creaked shut. The pods turned, allowing their occupants a glimpse of the world bellow. It was a lush blue world, with loads of green.
However, of more immediate concern was the trio of huge hostile warships approaching. As he looked as distant shots began to be exchanged, Snap's on-board screen lit up, showing the regiments colonel frowning.
"Charlie Squad, you are being en-tasked to secure a polar beachhead that connects to the main continent. It is lightly defended. When done, move on and disable the enemy ground-to-space cannon nearby. With the beachhead secured, our friends over at the Nova a landing zone. Good Luck." With that, the screen blinked out.
Claw's voice crawled over the com. "Alright, you heard the colonel, take that beachhead! Drako, provide cover fire. Ant, help me and Dalla take the beachhead. Snap Shot, set up, and keep an eye out for reinforcements. Take em' out if they are coming in. Move out!"
With that, the clamp on the drop pod unlatched, and the pod dropped,
Instantly, Snap grabbed braced himself. It was a rough ride, to say the least. As they entered the atmoshere, it was even worse. Snap tried his hardest to keep his stomach in, just barely winning.
Then they hit the ground. Hard.
However, Snap had been trained to get moving after it, and bucked open his pod,
Outside, his squad had already engaged in a pitched battle against the rebels. So far, it looked good. The area was a tundra, with only a little snow, but it was still blisteringly cold.
Snap popped his rifle out of it's holder, and went down low, setting up. He picked a target through his scope, and picked him off, nice and clean. He continued to do so until all skirmish was over. He looked around. No casualties. Yet.
Quickly, the group advanced up into the hilly area around the gun. When they got to the top of the hill, Snap stopped, and set his sniper up. His squad looked at him curious.
Snap smiled. "I know a few tricks. Just lie low, and when the gun blows, move in to mop up survivors. Go."
Claw nodded, and went down against the brown grass, crawling aliong towrd the gun. The rest of the squad followed.
Then, Snap started counting between shots. "One, two, three four, five, shot."
As he took aim, he got at the perfect angle. "Come on, timing, don't fail me!" he whispered.
Three,
His hoof was around the trigger...
Four,
Breath, and squeeze.
Five.
Just as the massive magical bolt left the barrel of the mighty gun, a smaller, sniper-sized bolt collided with it.
The gun was a carbon based energy crystal. The sniper was a cadmium based energy crystal. And we all know what happens when we mix two volatile elements, correct?
As pieces of the gun scattered all around, one almost bonking Snap on the head,
With that, Charlie Squad engaged. The enemy stood no chance.
As the battle concluded, a shuttle came down, to pick the squad up. So far, so good.
Why did Snap ALWAYS think things were going well? Those times always seem to turn upside down.
It's been a week since they landed. The squad was currently stuck in a trench line outside the small town of Cliffside. The town was named appropriately, as it was an interconnected network of houses hanging off the side of a four-hundred foot tall cliff in the middle of an oak forest. That also gave the enemy a beautiful spot to set up artillery and anti-tank batteries, so they couldn't bring in what little armor they had.
They did, however, link up with the remnants of the Planetary Defense Forces (PDF), which brought their numbers up slightly. Add that to the high technology of the Republic, and the Strike Force wasn't completely crazy.
Snap Shot sat their in the squads small hole they considered a home. At least it sheltered them from the harsh fire of outside. From nearby came the constant boom of artillery shells bombarding the small position. .
He was accompanied by Dalla, who was tending to a PDF's wounds, and Ant, who was grabbing more energy crystals before diving out into the living hell that was outside.
Claw jumped in. "Snap, I need you to take out an enemy artillery crew. They're exposing themselves, and lets show them what that means!"
Snap nodded, and trotted into the trench. In front of him was the burnt wreckage of a mile long warzone between them and Cliffside.
Snap quickly took up position next to Drako, who was loyally holding a machine gun, opening up while Ant fed him cyrstals.
Snap peered down his scope, seeing the artillery crew. They were in a gun nest hanging from one of Cliffside's buildings, and were madly trying to reload.
However, just as one of them managed to grab the massive energy crystal, he lost his head.
Snap Shot looked up to Claw for approval, but the veteran Sergeant stood stock still.
...
"Dad, did I hit it?"
Claw lowered his binoculars, amazed. 300 feet, with only a hunting rifle.
"Yeah son, Yeah, right in the bullseye."
...
Claw shook himself. "Good shot. We need to move up. Through the trench on the left. It will take you farther forwards. You, Drako, and Ant. Go trooper!"
Snap nodded, pulled out his pistol (his sniper was too heavy to fire on the go), and ran after Drako and Ant.
He quickly caught up with Ant, but Drako was a good ten meters ahead. However, just as Drako passed a pair of PDF, an artillery shell hit the trench.
Ant and Snap were blown back by the explosion. Drako and the two PDF weren't so lucky.
Just like that. War can be a harsh thing, and when you loose a friend, it's all the more harsh.
As soon as Snap shot got up and realized that Drako had been literally vaporized, he just stood. For that entire week, Drako had been his best friend. Gone, gust like that. The one thing that never changes in war: The loses.
Ant, meanwhile, brought his gun up as enemies, sensing weakness, ran in.
A single tear streaked down Snaps face. Then, he got angry.
They took Cliffside the next day.
The Squad received no replacements. Instead, Snap simply got a promotion to corporal.
...
"Hey Mom. You might read these video's once I send them to you. We're moving up. We took Cliffside. We just have to make our way through two more towns, and a large grassland. Then, we march into Paradise, the Planetary Capital.
"I hate to say this, but I lied to you earlier. I just couldn't keep innocence afterwards. I'm a combat engineer. I see plenty of combat. But, from here, I can make the best difference. I can save lives. Wars are won by the stallions who fight them. I'm sorry. I promise not to lie to you anymore, and I also promise I won't get hurt.
Anyway, I heard about this new hero. His names Snap Shot. He not only destroyed an entire enemy AA gun, but also led the attack on Cliffside. He got promoted to Corporal for his valor. I heard he lost a squad mate too. Maybe I'll be reassigned to his squad.
Your Daughter,
Ella"
Forestry. A large farming community in a large oak forest, twenty-eight kilometers south-east of Cliffside. Situated in a large valley, it was hell to take, because of one thing; its position in a valley made it a deathtrap for artillery strikes. It was heavily fortified, and the valley was surrounded by fire-bases, connected by trenches. It was even a harder nut to crack then Cliffside. Even worse, it had started as a mining town, so its run through with underground tunnels.
Snap Shot's Squad moved through the surrounding forests. They were on a routine patrol, root out enemy elements and blow a fire-base if they find one. They knew what was happening. They were going to take Forestry. And soon.
Still, despite evident victory, the war in space was still in a staring match level, and they had yet to meet the bulk of the enemy forces. Hopeful rumors spoke that reinforcements were on the way, but Claw doubted it. And Snap Shot had learned to trust Claw.
After several hours in the darkness of night in the beautiful forests, they still had yet to encounter any enemy resistance. They had begun to hope for no combat, but that was silenced by nearby gunfire, and screaming. Terrible screaming.
The squad immediately prepared themselves. Claw led them into a clearing. Ahead were a pair of dead marines. Republic. Another marine, also Republic, stood, bleeding from dozens of wounds. He was shaking. His assault rifle was several feet away, cut cleanly in half. His knife was embedded thickly in a scorched tree. His pistol was torn to small pieces and scattered across the ground.
The Sergeant immediately ran up. "Trooper, speak to me! Are you all right!? Dalla, medkit, now!"
Dalla looked at the trooper hesitantly. "But sir, he's a reb..."
"I know that! Help him!"
Dalla walked slowly up to the trooper and took out a medkit. "Alright, I'm going to need you to tell me what happened. It may be painful, but I need to know."
The trooper, still shaking, answered. "Oh Luna... Sarge and Doc..."
Claw gestured to the bodies. "Those them?"
The trooper shook his head. "No. Thats... Fia and Pilot. Sarge and Doc... they just took them... they were screaming... oh goddess! "
Dalla kept trying. "Whats you name, designation?"
The trooper closed his eyes in thought. "Keg Vodka. Lance Corperal, Support Specialist. New Lunar Republic Marines. Used to be a bartender at a bar on Draconic V."
Claw nodded. "What exactly happened?"
The trooper bit his lip. "My squad was on patrol. We were walking.. when... I'm so sorry... it's just so hard!"
Dalla bit her lip. "Sarge, Ant, could you look around for clues? I'll keep trying."
Claw and Ant bot left the clearing, looking for any evidence of what happened.
Dalla looked back at Keg. "You've got to try. Try and remember. It'll be all right. We'll protect you."
Keg swallowed hard, sweating heavily. "We were walking, and... and Fia thought she heard something. We stopped here, and, then, there... there was a rustling in the trees. Then... Then Doc screamed! It had him... and Sarge tried to fight it... but another one appeared... and grabbed Sarge... they disappeared... then... another one attacked from behind! It... it took Pilot... right through the heart... he screamed as he died.... Fia tried to shoot it, but it was too fast.. it grabbed her and... and snapped her like a twig. And... I just stood there... and watched them die!" He broke down into loud sobs.
Dalla asked one final question. "What? What were they?"
The stallion face, racked in pain and misery, looked up only long enough to utter a single word: "Demons!"
Dalla shot up, and looked at Snap Shot in panic. He knew what it meant. The sound of a shotgun shot said all they needed to know.
Keg, still sobbing, followed the group, armed with Dalla's spare pistol, into another clearing. Ant and Claw were fighting off a quintuplet of Demons.
The sight of the creatures alone horrified Snap Shot. They were tall, easily the size of one of the princesses, floating torsos of black rock, sheathed in fire. Two appendages hung out, one ending in a sharp spike, the other in some sort of cannon. A black head, completely blackened, was featureless except for a pair of blood red eyes and a grinning, fanged mouth, spitting fire.
He raised his sniper rifle, and shot off his name sake. It struck one of the abominations in the chest, but it seemed to do nothing but grab it's attention. He unloaded another three shots into it, then expelling the spent crystal. The final shot seemed to chip the black carapace of it's chest, but did nothing more than make it angry.
All seemed lost when a flash of white bolts tore through one of the monsters, shredding it's chest. Snap Shot turned, to see a trio of figures appear out of nowhere. They wore sets of night-vision goggles and long cloaks. They held long, white rifles, and the rounds they expended were equally pale. These weapons did far more damage to the demons then the conventional cadmium weapons. A second demon fell to ashes before the other two could retaliate. One charged the closest newcomer. The newcomer disappeared. The demon looked around in disarray. The pony reappeared right behind him. Three shots silence the demon permanently.
The remaining demon, panicked and outnumbered, fled, disappearing into the night.
Claw turned to the newcomers. "Who in the name of Tartarus are you?"
The leading pony answered polity. "Lieutanent Dreamgoer, Third NLR Special Ops. We specialize in those monsters you just had the courtesy of meeting."
Ant inspected their gear closely. "What the hell are you guys using?"
The mare by the lieutenants side answered. "Standard Night Vision goggles couples with Chameleon Cloaks Mark Two. Our rifles are new Star Burst Cannons Mark One, armed with Silver Anti-Demon Energy crystals. By the way, the names Ella. Combat Engineer."
Claw nodded. "We wouldn't mind you helping us. We're on patrol."
The Lieutenant shook his head. "Nope. We're performing a strike on Forestry herself. Command's hoping to mass-paratrooper the place at dawn. We're taking out the enemy light anti-air. Now's my time to ask if you want help us ."
Ant snarled. "Why would we help you rebel sons of..."
"Of course we'll help. Ant, take point. We'll follow your instructions Lieutenant." Claw interrupted, giving a nasty glare at Ant.
The Lieutenant nodded. "We'll move up. By the way, is anypony going to help the poor corporal you have with you?"
They then remembered Keg, who was being treated by Dalla. Dalla replied briskly. "I'm trying. Thankfully, he's just suffering from major shock. His wounds are hardly deep, and he's lost very little blood. Considering that he went up against Demons. Of course, shock is an issue in itself. I don't have the tools to have save him in case he goes into cardiac arrest..."
Keg shook himself. "I'll live. It's just... difficult to imagine they're...they're gone...." He sniffed. "I'll live." He repeated. He said no more.
...
After several hours, they were stopped by one of the Spec Ops, who had gone ahead to scout. "Bad news or good news?"
"Bad News." The group replied simultaneously.
"Enemy Fire-base in a clearing fifty meters ahead."
Groans echoed through the group. "Good news?" Snap Shot asked, grasping at hope.
"It's only lightly defended, and the defenders seem lax. It's should be easy pickings if we strike hard and fast. That means aerial insertion for those who can. The rest of you hold back until we hit. Then come in and mop up. We don't want them to call for help."
Quickly, the squad got into positions. The lieutenant and the scout, both pegasus, took to the skies, followed by ant (a pegasus as well) and Claw.
Snap Shot set up in the bushes outside the base. It was barely a campsite surrounded by a low concrete wall. The defenders, six ponies sitting around a campfire.
Suddenly, a shimmer of air, and one of the defenders fell, dead. The ponies stood, confused, when a second shimmer took another from behind. Then Ant and Claw fell in a storm of gunfire. Snap Shot managed off a shot, taking one of the enemies out, before it was over. It lasted maybe ten seconds.
They got back together quickly. Claw spoke first."What's the plan now?"
He was right. They needed a new plan. Dawn was coming, and they were overlooking Forestry down below. The camp was next to one of the cliffs.
Snap Shot answered, and idea coming to mind. "I could shoot the AA from here. Should be easy, if I had the right crystals..."
Ella spoke up. "Here! I've got some of our rifle crystals here. I have some Sodium Explosive ones right here."
Snap Shot shook his head. "No. Those rifles Magic Measure couldn't possibly be the same as mine."
Ella smiled. "50 M-M. That's an Equestrian Guns Inc. 50 M-M Anti-Material Rifle, correct?"
Snap Shot shook his head and looked at the lieutenant. "How does she know all this?"
Ella answered for him, "I'm a combat engineer. I've been trained to 'know all this'" saying the last part in a mimic of Snap's voice. Dalla snickered.
Snap Shot sighed. "So, you're rifles use 50 M-M? No wonder they're so powerful. 4 Shot?"
Ella shook her head. "Three."
Snap Shot whistled. "I need to get me one of those."
Claw interrupted. "If you two are done talking about guns, we've got a half-hour before that attack starts. We need those guns down now!"
Snap Shot loaded the Sodium Crystals into his magazine, leveled out, and took his first target. It was the largest AA gun, the size indicating that it could take down a heavy aeroplane in a single shot. Still, it was nothing compared to the previous AA gun when they landed, oh so long ago. He hit it's magazine, which was loaded at all times, like any other military procedure. It exploded into a fireball. He expelled another two shots, taking another two AA guns in balls of heat and scorching flame.By the time he had spent all four energy crystals, the towns anti-air capabilities were at an end.
Forestry was officially taken by massed paratrooper landings an hour later.
Forestry is a small town, with little strategic position besides the fact it's got the only major route from Cliffside to Derelict. So, it was practically the turning point in the war, for more then one reason. The first was the fact that the friendly forces linked up to the rest of the PDF and planetary resistance, who liked to call themselves the Anti-Demonic Militias. The second our heroes discovered on the fourth day in the town.
It was a normal day. They were in a camp playing poker when the Lieutenant and company trotted up. Claw asked whats up.
The Lieutenant informed them quickly: "We've found an entrance to the underground sections of this humble town. And I wouldn't mind having a squad with us when we poke around."
Claw nodded. "Course Lt. Alright, troopers, we move in five!"
....
A half hour later, they were walking through the gloom of the underground tunnels of Forestry.
Snap Shot disliked cramped places. Not because he was claustrophobic, no! (he actually loved crawling into cramped spaces as a foal). The fact was that he was useless in cramped spaces. He was a sniper, armed with a sniper. He couldn't do much of anything in the mines underneath Forestry, and he knew it. Claw on the other had, with his shotgun, could be devastating in the close quarters.
Still, they were hoping these tunnels were abandoned. Once again, they were wrong.
Once again, the unknown Spec Ops Pegasus had forged ahead. This time, though, he didn't come back. They were getting worried when they heard a gunshot, clear and crisp, along with an equally short and crisp scream.
They arrived too late for the trooper. His body was torn and mutilated. He was barely alive, breath coming in short, raspy gasps. Dalla knew instantly he was dead. She didn't even bother trying to save him. She just put a round through his head and hoped he was in a better place.
The Lieutenant bit his lip in anger at the lose. He took the troopers dog-tags. "Why those sons of...!" Pop.
Just like that. The squad learned what that arm cannon on the demons could do to a pony.
The lieutenant looked down at the splotch of blood rapidly spreading across his chest. The demon approached slowly.
The lieutenant smiled. "Well, I'm taking you with me!" He pulled up his rifle, and blew as many holes as he could in the demon, more then enough to kill, before expiring.
However, he dug out his own dogtags, and tossed them to Dalla first, then died on the spot, still shooting. Ella ran up to him.
Claw bit his lip."Come on. There's a lot of resistance for a bunch of old tunnels. I want to find out why."
...
Several small patrols later, they came upon a great metal door. They knew immediately this was what they were looking for, and, with a silent look around, planted a grenade and blew it down.
They rushed in, expecting an enemy camp, factory, or mine.
What they found was none of these. No, in fact, it was FAR worse.
They were in a gargantuan cavern, spanning hundreds of feet. Around them were dozens of silos, each one containing a fifty-foot long missile, waiting to be firing into a short and bloody life. It was a missile base, with enough firepower to blow the planet up several times over. And, it was heavily guarded. Several dozen demons, along with at least two hundred enemy soldiers, were in the room as well.
And they were against a very ticked off squad of marines who had very little or no sense of self preservation whatsoever. It was pretty evenly matched.
As the squad fought though enemy after enemy, they were getting less and less lucky. They were starting to be hit, and they really had no clue what to do.
They were saved by a demon, even taller then the others, who stood up upon the control platform for a massive eighty-foot missile that would look better if it was in the torpedo tube of a starbound ship.
The demons mouth crooked into a wicked smile. "Mortals, look up me! This missile will soon impact your warship on orbit! The Core shall be known no more!!!"
With a dramatic slam, he pile-drove his spike-arm into the console launch button.
A computerized voice came on, and the room became doused in red warning lights. "Ten minutes to launch. Target: Orbiting Solar-Class Battleship."
Sadly for the demon, he just renewed the groups determination to win. In eight minutes, the battle was over.
They looked into the control panel. It was too damaged by the demon to use. No abort launch.
Claw sighed. "Ant, your in command. Get them out of here."
Ant looked at the sergeant in awe. "SIR???" He sputtered.
"Get out of here. I'm going to make sure this missile doesn't leave the bay. Go! Snap Shot, come here."
Snap Shot walked reluctantly up to his officer. "Sir?"
Claw looked at Snap hesitantly. "I had a son. He died of cancer at fourteen. You remind me so much of him."
Snap Shot blinked. "What does this have to do with anything, sir?"
"You're the only pony I trust. I need you to go home to my house in northern griffonia, and break the news to my family. Please." He tore off his dogtags and hoofed them off.
Snap Shot bit his lip. "Of...Of course Sir. And might I say..."
Claw turned back to the corporal, confused.
"It was a wonderful privilege being called your son."
Then, he sprinted full tilt out of the silo, just as emergency door clanged shut as Claw sealed the entire base.
If he had turned around, he would have seen a grin upon the sad soldiers face.
The Pandora System. Discovered by Ponykind in the year 1009, Celestial Age, the beautiful system was immediately taken under the sway of Equestria.
The capital planet of the system, Pandora IV, was a lush forested world, with country-sized forests of trees similar to oak. It was the target assigned to populate.
Soon, the spires of its Capital, Paradise, shone in the sky's. The planet held a population of six million, spread out in rural areas or concentrated in Paradise. The planet was given a complement of three thousand soldiers and a pair of Equestrian-Class Frigates.
The civil war, started not long after Pandora was discovered, wasn't affected by the war. For almost three years, Pandora IV was a perfect colony.
Then, the Discordiant Insurrection rose up again. War spread across the galaxy like wildfire.
Today is July 1st, 1012. It has been three months since the Discordiant Insurrection invaded the entire planet. The planets complement was peace-meal for the composition of three Grand Cruisers and four full Corps of enemy troops, along with several hundred demons.
Today a pair of Dreadnoughts, the Nova and the Core, one New Lunar Republic, one Solar Empire, entered the system.
Today, they take Pandora back.
