Fire Base Zebra

Fifth day of assignment,

00:27

Somewhere near the border of Equestria

Luna's moon was shining over the hilly desert landscape. There were couple of snow topped mountains in the horizon. They seemed to reflect the moon's light, making them look like they were gigantic lighthouses.

Temperature was just under the zero, and the trees and plants were covered with frost

There were thin smoke rising from behind one small hill.

Six ponies were making their way towards the downed carriage in dense canopy. They were in a valley called Ursa valley. The legend says that it was made by rampaging ursa major many years ago.

Soldiers from observation post Alpha had said that the changeling carriage had crash landed somewhere in that valley. They had walked for seven hours to even get to the Ursa valley, then they had started to search the almost seven kilometers long valley for the changeling wagon.

Rough Gunner was on the lead, making a path for rest of them. Crack Shot followed him about five meters aback, Healing Horn was five meters behind him, then Heavy, Spade and Riff, who was guarding their rear. They moved slowly due the thick canopy in the bottom of the valley, but they couldn't move up to the hills, because there they would be too exposed and easy to spot by the possible changelings nearby.

Suddenly Rough stopped and lifted his hoof in the air, then he stepped aside from the path and entered the bushes. Crack stopped too, mimicking Rough's moves.

Soon everypony had stopped moving, hiding in the bushes. They all had guns drawn.

Riff was sitting on his haunches, pointing his assault rifle towards the hills. Spade sneaked to him. Spade crouched next to Riff, who and looked at him, still pointing his gun towards the hilltops.

"What?" Riff asked, with a quiet, annoyed voice.

"What do you think it is?" Spade asked from Riff

"I don't know, maybe he heard something?" Riff answered.

"Do you think it is the changelings?" nervous looking Spade asked.

Riff didn't answer.

After a while of nervous silence, Riff and Spade saw Rough emerge from the bushes, walking towards Crack. Riff and Spade put their weapons back to their holsters and started to move towards their team leader.

Heavy was behind fallen tree. He had his machine gun leaning against the tree trunk. Spade tapped on His shoulder when they passed him.

Heavy turned his head and saw Spade pointing towards Rough.

He understood what he meant and followed Riff and Spade.

Healing Horn and Crack Shot were already talking to Rough, when Riff reached them. Rough turned his head towards Riff and asked: "Do you smell that?"

They all sniffed the air. There were small hint smokey smell in the air.

"We're close now," Crack said.

They all started to look around them. They continued for a while before Healing pointed his hoof towards one small hill.

"There," he whispered.

They all turned towards the direction Healing's hoof was pointing. They saw thin smoke rising from behind the hill. Rough looked there, he took flask from his combat vest and took a long sip from it. Then he sat down and took his assault rifle from its holster on his back. He looked at the others and said: "Drink something and check your weapons, just in case"

Everypony sat down to check their equipment.

Riff was about to light a cigarette, but Rough took it from his mouth and threw it away. Riff had a confused look on his face.

"You can see a light cigarette miles away at night, use your head for fuck's sake," Rough Gunner scolded Riff, who noticed his mistake and went silent.

They were soon ready to move, and put their weapons back to heir backs. while strapping his rifle onto his back, Crack Shot cursed the fact that he was a pony. Every time a pony wanted to shoot, they would need to sit down or rose up to their. hind legs, making moving while shooting impossible. It was a real disadvantage in a battle.

Rough started to climb up the hill, behind which the smoke came. They reached the top in less than five minutes. They crawled behind one larger rock and saw what they were looking for.

The carriage had probably flown too low and had hit the hill they were lying on. It had flipped couple of times and crashed into a rock. Then it had catched on fire by unknown reason.

It was lying upside down and there were two black corpses lying near the wagon, or what was left of it.  Rough noticed that the carriage was made for four changelings, and there were only two bodies.

That meant two others had escaped, or were still somewhere near.

"Heavy, Crack Shot, stay here behind this rock, and cover our flanks while we're down there," Rough said to Crack and Heavy, who nodded.

They took their weapons from their holsters and adjusted the sights.

Heavy set up his machine gun on the bipod to increase the accuracy. He opened the cover of the feed tray, and inserted the ammunition belt into the feed tray. He then closed the cover and pulled the cocking handle, which made a cold metallic sound.

The gun was now loaded.

Rough then turned his head towards Riff and Spade.

"Riff, I don't think we can salvage anything out from that. -" He pointed towards the carriage "- Take Spade with you and rig it up." Rough said while looking at Riff.

"Understood," Riff answered.

Rough then turned to see Healing and said: "Healing Horn, first you'll send a letter to the FB Zebra, then you will come with me and check those bodies."

Rough looked at the scene in front of him, while Healing took a piece of paper and a pen.

"I'm ready sir, What do I write?" Healing said, holding the pen with his magic.

Rough started: "To fire base Zebra from Captain Rough Gunner. We found the crash-landed changeling carriage at coordinates -" Rough looked at his map for a second "- Golf 12, Charlie 9. Wreckage is burnt and worth nothing. At least two KIA changeling soldiers, two others have disappeared. Requesting orders. Over."

Healing quickly wrote the message on the paper, then he folded it in half. He took small seal from his pocket and licked it. Then he sealed the letter with it. Healing placed the letter on the ground in front of him and concentrated his magic into the small piece of paper.

There was a small white flash and the letter was gone.

After about thirty seconds, a small flash appeared in front of Healing Horn. It was a letter from fire base Zebra. Healing passed it to Rough, who broke the seal and read the letter. It was short and straight foward.

Major Valor, fire base Zebra to Captain Rough Gunner

Roger that Captain. Proceed to destroy the wreckage, search the dead for any useful intel. Leave the bodies. Contact us if the situation changes.

Rough read the letter and then ripped in half and gave it to healing, who put it in his pocket, to be destroyed later. Then Rough turned to his soldiers. He pumped his hoof up and down, as a sign to move out.

Riff and Spade started to crawl on the side of the hill, towards the carriage while Rough and Healing sneaked closer towards the two fallen changelings.

Riff and Spade were closing to wagon. They stopped behind one thick bush. Spade took his assault rifle from his back and pulled the charging handle back.

Riff looked at the wreckage for a second, then he turned to Spade and said: "You stay here and cover me if something happens."

Spade nodded. Just as Riff was going to move, Spade patted him on the shoulder.

Riff turned around and saw Spade holding a pistol in his  hoof.

"Take this," he said.

Riff understood what Spade meant. Pistol was better in close quarters and he could use it while moving with three hooves, unlike with his clumsy AR.

Riff nodded and took the pistol to himself. He removed the magazine to saw if it had any bullets. It had seven 9mm bullets in two rows, so it had fourteen bullets in total. Riff placed the mag back and pulled the slide back.

He saw one bronze colored bullet in the chamber. He released the slide, letting it snap back to it's place.

Riff started to advance towards the carriage.

Meanwhile Rough and Healing were hiding behind a small bulge. Healing held his assault rifle tightly against his chest. Rough was sitting next to him, examining the situation.

He saw how Riff was walking towards the wreck, while Spade was watching over him.

Rough looked at the corpses, both bodies were lying on the open. Anypony who would go search them would be really exposed.

He turned to Healing and asked: "How would you do this?"

Healing was surprised by sudden question. He still managed to answer: "I.. I think Spade and Riff have a good idea."

Rough turned to see what Healing meant. He saw Spade guarding Riff's back, while Riff was examining the wreckage. He came to the conclusion that it was best way to go.

"You or me?" Rough asked. Healing looked nervous.

"I don't think you need a medic. They are clearly dead and I wouldn't know what to look for," Healing explained with shaky voice.

"Okay, I'll go. You keep an eye on those trees over there," Rough said, pointing towards small set of thin trees. They were a perfect place to hide.

"Yes sir," Healing said. He gulped and loaded his gun. With that Rough Gunner was walking towards the bodies.

Crack Shot was leaning against the rock upper on the hill. Heavy was lying next to him, pointing his machine gun towards the opening.

Crack was placing a night vision scope to his assault rifles upper accessory rail. He quickly screwed it to place and adjusted it. Then he started to scan the area trough the scope. He saw Riff setting up explosives to the carriage.

He turned the rifle to the left, where he saw Captain Rough turning one of the dead changelings onto it's back. Crack saw Healing sitting behind bulge, looking around him nervously.

Crack turned his riffle back to Rough, who was now investigating the other body.

Just as Crack was going to turn his rifle, he saw something move behind a rock near Rough. He turned his rifle towards the rock. He saw something move again. Crack's heart started to beat faster as he saw something reflecting moon's light, something metallic.

Crack gasped. He then shouted: "Captain! To your left!"

It all happened really fast. Rough turned to his left and saw Changeling rising behind one rock. He had a big, mean looking eastern styled assault rifle in his hooves. Rough's weapon was strapped to his back, and his pistol was still in it's holster. He was completely helpless against the heavily armed changeling.

They were silent for a moment, just looking at each other.

Suddenly the changeling smirked and pointed his gun towards Rough.

Rough's eyes went wide and he let out a loud gasp.

"Die pony scum!" the changeling shouted, with it's high pitched, almost insect like voice

Changeling's weapon roared. Rough's only option was to jump aside. The ground where he had stood just a second ago exploded. Changeling laughed, as he turned his gun's barrel towards Rough, who stumbled towards the Wagon.

Changeling fired his assault rifle from the hip, sending another burst of lead towards running Rough, but the bullets missed almost by meter or so.

Rough Gunner was sure that he was going to die.

Rough heard gunshots. He closed his eyes and prepared for the impact, but it never came. Then he realized that the shots weren't from changeling's gun. They were from a small caliber handgun. He opened his eyes and looked around himself and saw muzzle flashes under the carriage.

It was Riff. He was lying under the wagon, shooting towards the changeling, suppressing him just enough for Rough Gunner to reach the safety of the downed carriage.

The changeling tried to rise from behind the rock to fire again, but five different guns were now spraying bullets towards him, making it impossible for him to move.

7,62 mm bullets from Heavy's machine gun were tearing the rock into little bits.

The air was full of tracer rounds, illuminating the small opening and making it look like some kind of a deadly laser show.

Rough took couple of deep breaths to calm down and let the adrenaline run out of his body. He then rose up, waving his hoof and shouting: "CEASE FIRE!"

Firing stopped. Couple of shots were fired from the hill. Probably Crack Shot, judging by the sound of the weapon.

Rough leaned against the wagon. Riff crawled from under the wagon. He sat next to Rough and held the now empty pistol in his hooves.

Rough turned to peek from behind the wagon. He saw that the rock was only about half the size it used to be. He saw Healing Horn pointing his rifle towards the rock. He was looking terrified. Rough was feeling a bit mean for leaving him all alone.

Rough looked at the rock again, then he shouted: "You don't need to do this! We have a medic, if you're injured!"

There were long silence. Rough was sure that the changeling behind the rock had been killed by the storm of lead.

The changeling slowly rose up from behind the rock. Everypony aimed their weapons towards him. Rough noticed that he was bleeding from his left front hoof.

"Lay down and put your front hooves behind your head!" Rough shouted.

Changeling was silent. He looked at them for a short time, then he shouted: "Long live the hive!"

He lifted his assault rifles muzzle into his mouth.

"Nonono!" Rough shouted, as the changeling pressed the trigger. There was a gunshot, and a big spray of blue blood exploded from the occipital of the changeling. He collapsed onto the ground, limp and lifeless.

Everypony were silent. Healing was sitting behind that same bulge where Rough had left him. He saw changelings body twitch couple of times before it ceased to move.

He felt sick. He was still pointing his gun at the lifeless body, but then he lowered it.

He suddenly felt his dinner coming up, but Healing managed to hold it in. He watched as Spade walked to Rough Gunner and Riff. They were reloading their guns.

Healing decided to do the same. He dropped his empty clip on the ground and took another, full one from his combat vest. Healing's hooves were shaking, which made it difficult to put the clip into the magazine well. After a while he managed to get it right and he pulled the charging handle.

Just as he had loaded his gun, he heard something rustling in the nearby bushes. Healing yelled and turned into that direction, he quickly fired couple of shots in the general direction of the sound.

He waited for a moment, then somepony or something shouted from the bushes: "Please... Don't... Shoot.."

it was a changeling voice, high pitched, but it didn't sound as cruel and evil as the previous had sounded.

Healing heard Rough shout: "Come closer! No weapons!"

Healing heard more rustling, and soon limping changeling emerged from the bushes. He had bandages around his body, and they were covered in blue blood.

The changeling had a pleading look on his face when he said: "Please... Help me.."

Healing saw Rough looking at the wounded changeling from behind the carriage. He said something to Riff, then Rough shouted: "Just take it easy. Lay down on the ground!"

The changeling whimpered, he seemed to be in some kind of shock. He kept wobbling on his hooves and didn't seem to understand what Rough had said. He just kept repeating: "Please... Help..."

Healing was still hiding behind the bulge, he was just couple of meters from the wounded changeling. He saw how it kept looking around himself nervously.

"Please... Help..." he pleaded again.

"Calm down! What's your name?" Rough tried.

The changeling froze. It didn't move, just stared at Rough Gunner. He opened and closed his mouth couple of time, then he drooped his head and said: "Name... I don't have a name... I'm drone 301829, made for transporting purposes..."

There were short silence. Even Rough had hard time trying to find words. After couple of minutes of silence Rough managed to speak again: "Okay... Umm... Drone. Just lay down and well get you fixed in no time!"

Changeling looked at him and sat down, he then started to plead again: "Please...the others will be here soon."

Everypony went silent.

"What do you mean by others?" Rough asked. His voice was full of concern. The changeling started crying.

"Please... I don't want to di.." he was cut off by a sharp sound of firing machine gun, and tracer sawed the poor changeling in half.. literally.

The changeling yelped and collapsed on the ground in two pieces.

Healing got sprays of blue blood on him.

"God dammit Heavy! Why did you do that!?" Rough shouted towards the hill.

"It.. It wasn't me!" Heavy shouted with shaky voice.

Rough's eyes widened. He quickly shouted: "EVERYPONY BACK TO THE HILL!"

Just then at least half a dozen muzzle flashes started to flutter on a nearby hill. Rough Gunner, Riff and Spade had to press themselves tightly against the upside down carriage, because the air around them was filled with bullets.

They couldn't move, but then Heavy opened fire towards the enemy MG, silencing it.

Crack Shot was spotting changelings with his night vision scope for Heavy, who fired short bursts towards the direction Crack was giving him.

"Behind that tree!" Crack shouted and pointed his hoof towards barely visible tree. Heavy fired three second burst and the tree exploded into small splinters.

Crack saw three changelings approaching the carriage from left, behind some bushes. Riff, Rough and Spade seemed to have their attention concerned towards the hill, and they were unaware of the enemies approaching them.

"Left from the wagon!" Crack shouted to Heavy.

"I can't see them!" Heavy shouted back.

"Just shoot where I shoot!" Crack shouted and lifted his rifle to firing position. He saw that the three changelings were almost at the carriage. He shot five quick shots towards the first changeling, who fell down on his back, squirming for a second before he stopped moving.

The other two tried to hide behind the bushes, but they were gunned down by a long burst of Heavy's machine gun.

Riff leaned against the wagon. He shot couple of times towards the muzzle flashes on the hill. Spade was reloading his gun and Rough was firing towards the hill too. Riff was about to shoot again, but bullet ricocheted from right next to his head, making him fall back behind cover.

"Were you hit?" Spade asked and looked at Riff, who shook his head.

"How are we going to get out from here!?" Riff asked from Rough, who was firing towards small group of enemies. He shot couple times more and returned behind the wagon. He changed a new mag to his rifle. Then he looked at Riff and Spade.

"Did you plant the explosives already?" he asked from Riff.

"Yes," Riff answered while shooting towards the hill.

Rough did the same. After that he said: "I have a plan. We are going to run behind that fallen tree. -" Rough pointed his hoof towards fallen tree about fifteen meters from the wagon "- When we're there, we will let the changelings advance near the carriage. Then you will detonate the charges. While they try to recover from the blast, we will run up to Crack Shot and Heavy."

Riff wasn't sure if that would work, but it was best plan this far. He nodded as agreement.

"I will cover you two while you run, and then you two will cover me. Got it?" Rough asked.

"Right, ready Spade?" Riff asked from Spade, who nodded nervously.

They strapped their weapons to their backs. Rough waited for a good moment, then he opened fire towards the nearby enemies.

"Go now!" He shouted.

Riff and Spade ran while Rough Gunner kept enemy suppressed. Heavy seemed to have same idea. He shot long bursts that forced changelings to keep their heads low.

Spade and Riff quickly reached the tree trunk and jumped over it. They took their weapons from their backs and now it was their turn to cover Rough.

They shot at everything that moved behind the carriage, making the moving of changelings hard.

Riff saw how Rough started running. He saw one changeling appearing from behind the carriage, aiming towards Rough. Riff acted fast and shot at the changeling three times.

All the bullets hit the changelings right into his chest, making him fell backwards on the ground. Two more appeared after him, but they had to retreat behind the carriage because of Riff and Spade were firing towards them.

Rough Gunner reached the fallen tree. He leaned against it, breathing heavily. Riff took the detonator in his hooves. He waited for Roughs order. Spade shot towards the wagon, keeping the changelings behind it. Rough tapped onto his shoulder. Spade strapped his rifle behind his back and they were ready to go.

"Hit it Riff" Rough said.

Large explosion illuminated the night and the sound was ear shattering. The carriage had disappeared into a big ball of fire. Healing Horn saw five changelings exploding into bits with the wagon.

He noticed that Rough, Riff and Spade were galloping up towards the hill. Should he do the same?

Just as he was going to run for it, Healing heard shouting behind him. He turned around and saw group of changelings moving towards him. They hadn't noticed Healing, who had been hiding behind the bulge.

Healing checked his weapon. It was loaded and he had four full clips in his combat vest's pockets.

Healing was terrified, changelings were now less than ten meters away from him.

He had only one option.

Healing lifted his rifle and put the buttstock tightly against his shoulder. He lined the sights to nearest changeling's chest and squeezed the trigger.

Shot send the bullet flying towards it's target.

Time slowed around Healing as he saw bullet hit the changeling. Blue blood sprayed from his chest. changeling's expression went from angry to surprised and then shocked. He fell down on the ground.

It was Healing's first kill. He looked at the body, waiting it to rise up again, but it didn't. He felt the adrenaline run trough his veins.

Healing was quickly brought back to reality, by bullets ripping the ground in front of him. Healing turned his rifle towards next target and fired. This time he didn't hit. He shot again and heard a yelp. He had hit one changeling in the leg.

He tried to drag himself behind one rock, but bullets from Healing's weapon reached him before that.

Three changelings now opened fire towards Healing.

He tried to return fire, but his gun didn't work. He tried to pull the trigger again, with same results.

"Oh fuck, Jam!" he shouted to no-one.

Crack Shot was shooting towards the approaching changelings, when Riff, Spade and Rough jumped besides him, breathing heavily after running up the hill.

He aimed trough his scope and saw one changeling setting up a heavy machine gun. Crack aimed and pulled the trigger. Round hit the changeling right in the head. Other one tried to continue setting up the gun, but Crack took him down too.

"We need to pull back!" Spade shouted.

"I must first send a letter to the fire base! Healing Horn get over he.." Rough started, but stopped when he noticed that Healing was nowhere to be seen.

"Where the hell is he?" Riff shouted.

Crack Shot scanned the battlefield with his scope. He found Healing crouching over his gun, trying to unload a jammed bullet from the chamber, while three changelings were approaching his positions.

"Oh fuck! His gun is jammed!" Crack shouted and started to strap his weapon onto his back.

"Riff, give me couple of those grenades you have," Crack said to Riff, who quickly took couple of grenades from his combat vest, and gave them to Crack.

Crack Shot ran towards Healing, behind the hilltop so changelings couldn't see him.

When he was just over Healing, he pulled the pin from one grenade and threw it towards the enemy. The grenade landed next to one changeling with a small thud. He turned to see what it was, and a terror filled his eyes. He tried to jump behind a small rock, but it was to late.

A sharp explosion ripped the changeling's leg off.

He rolled on the ground, screaming loudly until one of his comrades came and shot him.

Crack threw another grenade. That one landed between Healing Horn and two changelings. Healing ducked, but he two changelings weren't fast enough and were killed by the blast.

"Run Healing run!" Crack Shot shouted, and Healing did just that. He ran as fast as he could, and finally reached the top of the hill.

"Holy.. fuck, that.. was... a close one," Healing panted. Crack Shot smirked and patted him on the shoulder.

Rough was leaning against a rock with Riff. Spade and Heavy were shooting towards the enemy. Crack Shot and Healing trotted to them.

"Healing Horn, send a letter to fire base Zebra," Rough said to Healing.

"Yes sir," Healing answered and took a paper and a pen.

Rough started: "Crash landed carriage is destroyed. We are under heavy enemy fire, multiple enemy KIA's. No friendly casualties. Requesting a pickup. We can't hold the enemy for much more longer."

Healing sent the message, and soon a letter came to him. He gave it to Rough, who read it.

Major Valor, fire base Zebra to Captain Rough Gunner

Roger that captain. We have sent a armed carriage to pick you up at coordinates Golf 13, Charlie 9 ETA twenty minutes. Move to the extraction point as soon as possible. Mark your location with green smoke. Try to hold on captain, help is on the way.

Rough planned for a short time, then he decided that they must get moving right now.

"Heavy, Riff. You stay here and cover our retreat. After five minutes, follow us to extraction point, which is behind that hill," Rough said to Heavy and Riff, while pointing towards the extraction point.

Heavy and Riff nodded. Rough put his hoof on Riff's shoulder and said: "Good luck."

Then they were off.

"Give me new belt from my bag," Heavy said to Riff, who did as he was told. He opened Heavy's bag and took a new 250 round belt of 7.62mm bullets. He gave it to Heavy who attached it to the old belt, so he could continue shooting without reloading.

Riff took his rifle and reloaded it. He was down on his last two clips. He had to make his shots count.

Heavy shot short burst towards three changelings that were climbing up the hill they were on. They all got hit and their bodies rolled down the hill.

Riff aimed his every shot. He saw one changeling running from cover to cover. Riff waited until he started to run again and shot. Riff hit the changeling right in the side. Another one tried to pull his downed comrade to cover, but Riff shot him in the stomach, leaving him severely wounded.

There were small group of changelings under the hill. They started to climb up the hill, but Heavy took them out with a long burst of lead.

No matter how much they shot, changelings seemed to keep coming. Riff was running low on ammo and Heavy had only three quarters of belt left.

"I think we should bail," Riff suggested. Heavy shot one more burst, before he lifted his machine gun to his back.

"Let's go," He said. Riff nodded and they started running after rest of their team.

Meanwhile Rough Gunner, Crack Shot, Healing Horn and Spade had reached the extraction point. They had found a good, open space in the rocky terrain for the wagon to land.

Sun was already rising over the horizon, making it easier to see, but it meant that the changelings would see them better too.

Rough noticed that the distant gunfire had stopped, so Riff and Heavy were on their way towards them.

He looked at his wrist watch. Their ride should be there in about ten minutes.

"Listen up! If we're lucky, the wagon will be here before the changelings can reach us. But if they do, we need to be ready!" Rough explained to Healing, Crack and Spade.

"Spade and Crack, go behind that rock. There you will have a good visibility towards those trees," Rough said to them.

"Healing, you will take positions here. When you see Heavy and Riff, point them over here," He said while digging green smoke grenade from his combat vest's pocket.

Everypony took positions. Now they just had to wait.

Soon Healing saw Heavy running with his big weapon on his back. Riff was right behind him. Healing stood up and waved his hooves. They saw it and changed their direction towards him.

Riff laid next to Healing, breathing heavily. Heavy didn't even seem winded, while he set up his machine gun on a nearby tree stub.

They were ready to hold off the changelings until their ride arrives.

"You have any clips I can borrow? Im running on my last one," Riff asked from Healing.

"Yeah sure," Healing answered, giving Riff one full magazine.

"Thanks," Riff said and jerked his old clip from his rifle. He then inserted his new full clip into the magazine well. After finishing that, Riff looked at Healing, who noticed Riff staring.

"What?" he asked annoyed.

"Umm.. You got something on you," Riff said, pointing his hoof towards Healing's face. Healing remembered how he got sprayed with the changeling's blood, when he got shot in half.

Healing started to gag and tried to swipe the blood from his face. All he managed to do was to smear it all over his face. He calmed down after a minute, and tried not to think about it.

"Get ready! Here they come!" Rough shouted suddenly.

They saw couple of changelings approaching them in the dense canopy. Heavy was first to shoot, making the changelings run for cover. More of them appeared from the bushes.

Muzzle flashes fluttered from behind rocks and trees and the bullets were flying past the ponies.

Spade and Crack started shooting at enemies advancing from the left, while Healing and Riff kept enemy from flanking their right side. Heavy and Rough were shooting at the changelings in front of them.

Healing shot towards couple of enemies in front of him, hitting at least one of them. Others ducked under the bushes and rocks. A burst from enemy's weapon forced Healing to duck down.

Riff was shooting at enemies, who tried to flank them behind a small bulge.

He noticed that bullets didn't reach the changelings behind the bulge, so he grabbed his last grenade from his combat vest, pulled the pin and counted to two, before throwing it towards the flanking enemies.

The grenade landed right behind them, so they didn't notice it before it was too late.

The bulge muffled the explosion, but Riff and Healing could see a burst of earth and something that looked like a hoof, flying form behind it.

"I'm out of ammo!" Heavy shouted to Rough, who was busy keeping the changelings as far as possible from them. Between couple of shots, Rough tossed his pistol to Heavy, who picked it up and started firing towards the enemies.

Rough saw that changelings were getting closer and closer. One was dashing towards Rough, but he gunned it down before it got too close.

Another one appeared behind the bushes, wielding only a combat knife. Rough turned his assault rifle towards him, but when he squeezed the trigger, all the gun did was just klick.

"Oh fuck!" he shouted, while the changeling jumped at him, making them both fall on the ground. Rough and changeling rolled on the ground for a second, but then Rough got it pinned under him. The changeling tried to stab Rough in the face, but he caught the knife before it hit him, turning it's blade at the changeling.

The changeling tried to resist with all it's powers, but Rough leaned against the knife with his whole body, making it sink into changelings throat.

It groaned and blue blood flooded from its mouth and throat. He tried to gasp fo air, but it was useless. Changeling twitched couple of times and then died.

Rough go up to his hooves and grabbed his rifle. He reloaded it and continued shooting.

Crack Shot saw the struggle between Rough and changeling, but he didn't have time to think about it, because changelings were getting close to them too. They were advancing from cover to cover, while the others cave them suppressing fire. Crack stood up and shot the advancing changelings as they left from cover, killing at least three of them before he had to retreat back behind the rock for cover from the enemy fire.

Spade leaned from behind the rock to shoot, but fell down on his back. He tried to rose up, but his left front hoof was limp.

Spade tried to stood up again, with same results.

"What the hay.." confused Spade said.

Crack saw red blood running from under Spade's combat west.

Now Spade's expression turned into fear. He held his chest with his right hoof and started sceraming.

Healing could hear Spade screaming. Crack waved at him and shouted: "Spade's been hit!"

He was only medic in the team, so he had to leave his position to help Spade.

He gave Riff his last clip and ran towards the sound of Spade crying out in pain. He saw Crack Shooting towards the enemy, while spade was leaning on the rock, screaming out loud.

"Let me see the wound!" Healing shouted to Spade, who was still holding his right hoof over his bloody chest. Healing removed Spade's hoof from the way, then he took closer look at the wound.

It looked bad. The hole left by bullet was bleeding dark red blood,

Spade's face was turning white and he was now silent.. Healing dug bandages from his pockets and tried to apply them around Spade's chest, while bullets were flying past his head.

After that he kept pressing area near the wound, so Spade wouldn't be bleeding so badly, but he still was starting to fall unconscious. Healing knew that if Spade would pass out, he wouldn't wake up anymore.

Healing tried to remember what they had been taught about heavy blood loss, then he remembered the adrenaline syringe in his bag.

Healing quickly dug it out from his bag and removed the plastic cover from the needle.

Healing Horn ripped Spade's jacket open, so he could inject the content of the needle into his friend.

Spade wasn't moving anymore, and his eyes were half lidded. Healing knew that he had to do this fast.

He raised the syringe above his head, and then stabbed it right into Spade's blood covered chest.

Spade moaned when Healing injected the adrenaline into his chest, but it didn't seem to work, and Spade was still half-fainted.

Healing was feeling powerless. He could do nothing else to help his friend. Spade was dying in his arms.

He thought that all was lost, but the he heard Riff shouting: "I see the wagon!"

There were a small dot near the sun in the distance, and it was moving fast towards them. Rough pulled the pin from the smoke grenade and tossed it into the opening, which soon was filled with green thick smoke.

The carriage curved to them and was started to circle over the battlefield.

It was flown by four pegasus ponies. The wagon itself was big, green structure. It was meant for transporting ponies from one place to another, but now there was one earth pony readying a massive 50.cal machine gun that was attached to the side of the wagon. When he was ready, the gunner started to fire his weapon at changelings.

The machine gun roared and sent deadly bursts of tracers towards enemies, ripping them apart into a bloody mess.

Not even rocks could give protection to changelings. 50.cal bullets blasted right trough them.

"Retreat now!" Rough shouted and started to move towards the landing zone. Riff and Heavy too departed from their fighting positions, under the covering fire of the carriage. Crack packed his rifle and threw it on his back, he then crouched over Healing Horn and Spade, who was still bleeding trough his bandages.

"Will he make it?" he asked from Healing.

"I don't know," Healing said with a sad expression on his face.

The carriage started to land on the opening.

"Take spade there first!" Rough shouted.

Healing tried to lift Spade, but he was too heavy for him to carry alone. Riff and Crack Shot soon came and helped Healing to carry now unconscious Spade into the carriage, while Rough and Heavy covered them. Rough and Heavy were the last ones to get inside.

"All in! Lets get the fuck out of here!" Rough shouted to the pegasies, who quickly took off. Changeling's still tried to shoot at them, even they were flying full speed away from them. Couple of rounds even hit the carriage, but the gunner returned fire with the 50.cal. Changelings had to duck for cover, and soon they were out of range of the changelings weapons.

"You were in a quite a mess down there," the pony mounting the 50.cal said to them, but nopony answered and he realized that it was better if he would just shut up.

Riff laid exhausted on the floor of the carriage. Crack was siting in the corner, shaking from the tension of the battle.

"R..Riff, C.. Could you give me a c.. cigarette," he asked from Riff, who rose up to sitting position.

He started to get shaky too, and taking cigarette from the pack was a real challenge. He got frustrated and emptied the whole pack on the floor.

Rough Gunner, Healing Horn and Heavy were crouched over Spade. Heavy was right behind Healing, who tried to change the bandages around Spade's chest.

"Is he going to be okay doc? I.. I mean I've know him since we were just little colts. Tell me his going to be okay..." Heavy said to Healing. He didn't answer, and Rough was silent too.

Heavy watched his friend lying on the floor of the wagon. Healing opened the bandages, exposing the wound, which spurted blood on the floor. The sight was too much for Heavy, he leaned across the wagon and puked.

It wasn't the blood that made him sick, it was his best friend bleeding to death.

He wiped his mouth, and  turned away. He sat next to Riff and took one cigarette from the floor.

He was crying.

Rough looked at Heavy for a brief moment, then he turned to Healing Horn and asked: "Will he make it?"

Healing didn't answer at first, he was too busy trying to stem the constant flow of blood from Spade's chest.

"I don't know, he has lost a lot of blood. The bullet must have went trough near the heart," Healing said silently. Rough watched at Spade's  unconscious body. Healing finally changed the bandages. He looked at Spade, who was lying in a big pool of his own blood.

He turned to Rough, he had tears in his eyes.

"I can't stop the bleeding.." he whimpered.

"You did all you could have done," Rough said and held his hoof on Healing's shoulder.

"Sit down and have a cigarette, it will calm your nerves down," Rough said to him silently.

Healing nodded and settled himself next to Crack Shot.

Rough stood up and looked over the horizon. They were at least fifteen minutes from the fire base Zebra. He turned his head towards his soldiers, who looked at him with a asking look on their faces.

Rough sat in front of them and said: "You did good today, all of you."

                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sun had now completely risen up from behind the horizon. Painting the sky with a orange glow. There was a big black dot approaching fire base Zebra from the west.

The carriage was now descending towards fire base Zebra. There were major Valor and two royal guards waiting for it on the edge of the landing pad.

The wagon made a long curve so it could drop some of the speed before landing neatly on the pad.

Five exhausted looking, dirty ponies jumped from the carriage and started to walk towards the barracks.

Heavy was crying, Riff and Healing were holding him from the shoulders while they walked.

One of the pegasies noticed that they had left their equipment on the wagon. He unhitched himself from the wagon and flew towards Crack Shot, landing in front of him.

"Hey buddy, you need to unpack you're things from my wagon," he said angrily.

"Fuck off," Crack said and shoved him aside. The pegasus tried to stop him, but he was already gone. He then turned to Rough Gunner.

"Did you just hear what your soldier said to me, a officer higher in rank than him?" he said with a shocked expression on his face. Rough pushed himself against the pegasus, who seemed to shrink under Rough's stare.

"Yeah, I heard. He told you to FUCK OFF!" Rough shouted with his deep voice and pushed the surprised pegasus on the ground.

The pegasus quickly backed up to his friends, still lying on the ground.

Rough Gunner continued walking to major Valor and two royal guards, who saluted to him.

Rough just looked at them, not saluting back, which made them frown.

Major Valor looked at Rough. He gave a quick look at the carriage, and then said: "Give me a situation report."

Rough took of his aviator glasses, revealing his green eyes.

He looked Valor right in the eyes when he said: "Mission accomplished"

"Anything else?" Valor asked.

Rough looked back at the wagon. He sighed and turned his head towards Valor again..

He looked at the older stallion in front of him for a moment, then he said: "one KIA."