Deep Freeze

The five members of Victor squad trudged through the snow towards their objective. It was a routine scouting mission, set up a position and monitor one of Heat's main camp, looking for weaknesses or any other useful intel. Feather Quill had his concerns however. "P-Permission to speak, Captain?"

Whipped Cream glanced back at the private. "Is it vital to the mission?" He asked flatly.

Quill thought to himself for a moment before answering. "Well... I-I don't think so but-"

"Chain of command then, Quill."

"C-Corporal Response?" He asked as he quickened his pace to catch up to the corporal.

"Hm?" The white Pegasus  turned his attention to the pony addressing him.

"Don't you think it's a bit... W-Well, strange for them to send an entire squad out for a scouting mission?"

Before First Response could answer, Starnsy chimed in. "There's safety in numbers, Quill. You've seen what Heat is capable of."

Quill sighed, thinking to himself as he looked down at the gray snow under his boots. "It just doesn't feel right. I'm getting the same feeling I got before the castle was attacked." He looked forward at the large pony ahead of him. "What do you you think, Red?"

Red grunted, simply walking along the path. When he spoke, he spoke in his thick Stalliongrad accent. "I think we find camp. We set up. We watch. We go back to castle."

Whipped Cream spoke up again. "Hey, cut the chatter. We're nearing the camp." He pointed to a faint glow down the slope to their right. "Let's set up on that ridge right there. We can get a good view of the camp from there." Following the Captain's orders, Victor squad set up shop on the ridge overlooking the camp. Their mottled white and gray armor blended in with the snow near perfectly. Captain Whipped Cream laid prone, scanning the camp back and forth with his binoculars as the rest of his squad went about their respective duties.

Starnsy patrolled with Red Iron, making sure nothing took Victor squad by surprise during their observation.  First Response laid next to Feather Quill's DMR, waiting for him to stop writing an entryin his small journal that he kept with him at all times. The medical Pegasus was to act as Quill's spotter if the need arose. Starnsy looked over at Red as they made another round about the small encampment. "Something on your mind, Red?"

The large stallion didn't answer for a few seconds. "Thinking about what Quill said. He has point. Why send whole squad for job that two ponies could handle? It makes no sense. I get strange feeling we were not told everything."

Starnsy double-checked the explosives on her belt. "I mean... I guess you're right. It's a bit strange, but why do you think they sent all of us?" Starmsy asked as she watched the horizon for any movement.

Red stopped. "Truthfully? I think this is not just scouting mission. Something bigger is happening here I think..." Red trailed off, looking into the distance as he thought.

Back in the encampment, First Response sighed. "Quill, get over here. You're supposed to be helping with surveillance."

"Ah! Y-Yes sir! Sorry sir!" Quill put away his journal, inkwell, and quill as he hurried over to his DMR. He unfolded the bipod and laid prone next to First Response, taking a deep breath to calm himself as he looked through the scope and adjusted it for the dostance they were at. The corporal rolled his eyes and looked through his rangefinder. As he scanned the camp, he stopped abruptly.

"Uh, Captain, you might wanna come see this." He motioned with his hand for the Captain to come over.

Whipped Cream stood and made his way over to the sniper and his spotter. He laid down once more and took the rangefinder. First Response adjusted it so that the captain could look at what transpired in the camp.

In Heat's camp a truck was being unloaded, but it wasn't the cargo that was of interest, it was the ponies unloading it. Each of the ponies unloading cargo was wearing an exosuit that ran all the way up their spine to the base of their skull, extending to the arms, hands, legs and feet. There was a large circular device on the back that covered the entire upper back of the ponies wearing them. They wore respirators on their faces, most likely to protect from any toxic fumes.

Whipped Cream put down the rangefinder and pinched the bridge of his nose. Feather Quill saw them through his scope and looked over to their speechless Captain. "C-Captain, what are they wearing?"

Red Iron spoke up from behind the private, startling him."Exosuits. Hydraulically powered. Hardwired into their nervous system. They were discontinued after they found to have problem with overheating."

Firat Response spoke up as he peered through the rangefinder. "Yes, but it seems they've found a solution to that with that device on their back. Looks to be a cooling unit."

Red extended an open hand to the corporal. "Give here." First Response placed the rangefinder in his hand and continued to observe what he could from their encampment. A low rumble could be heard from the east side of the camp, and Red turned his attention there, looking through the rangefinder. Now Red Iron was not a pony to be frightened easily, but what he saw next made his blood run cold and sent a chill down his spine. Entering into the camp was a tank. One he recognized all too well. He muttered under his breath. "Tiger..."

Feather Quill was trembling as he saw the metal behemoth enter the camp through his scope. "I-Is that a tank? An actual working tank? O-Our weapons can't punch through that armor!"

Starnsy frowned as she crouched beside the quivering Quill. "You sure? I have a lot of explosives here."

Red interrupted her. "Нет. Your explosives are anti-personnel. Not anti-tank."

"Then what do we do?" Asked Starnsy as she watched the tank roll into the camp.

Whipped Cream spoke up in a firm, authoritative voice. "We're gonna pack up. We aren't gonna leave any trace that we've been here. We're gonna go back to the castle and warn them."

"No we aren't." First Response said bluntly as his ears twitched, picking up on the minuscule differences in the weather. We have a blizzard forming. He have a few minutes at best, we should get our blizzard gear on." As if on cue, the wind began to pick up, whipping through their manes and tails as it gained speed. The members of Victor squad donned their thick blizzard suits, covering any skin that was visible and slipping on facemasks and goggles. To an outside observer, each of the ponies looked exactly the same, save for the ranks on their shoulders. As the wind picked up more and more speed, visibility began to drop, and soon the five ponies could barely see their hands in front of their faces. The sound of the wind roaring past drowned out all sound around them, including their voices. This blizzard was stronger than the last by a mile, it took effort to stay in place or risk being swept away and buried under sickly snow. And in the midst of it all, unbeknownst to them, Victor squad began to split...