De Luce et Tenebris Umbra

Ghost

I moved silently along the tree line as the sun slowly rose in the distance. The forest was eerily quiet at a time when it should be bustling with life, the natural chirps and howls absent in the cool morning breeze. The antsy feeling in my arm wouldn't leave me, and my leg would give a nervous tap whenever I stood still for too long.

Crack

I spun sideways and half-raised my rifle before once again settling it into a light carry position. My motion tracker displayed a yellow dot, the signal for friendlies towards the edge of its range. The forest was so quiet that I could hear the snap of a twig at 25 meters.

I shook my head and continued on towards my objective. Dan was already near and the other would reach us soon. A hectic night and only 2 hours of sleep were not the factors of an optimal situation for a hostage rescue mission, as well as the protection of a possible VIP, but it had to be done. I just had to hold out hope that the previous night’s action wouldn’t come back to haunt us.

{------------------------}

10 Hours Ago
2100 Hours

Following Dan’s return to us and his quick recounts of the information that he had gathered with his drones, we quickly moved out to track the escaping ‘Van and their captives. We had to move quickly as the Drone was quickly running out of its charge with the sun already below the horizon.

Dan could offer no solid explanation for this snag, the battery was supposed to last for at least 6 hours after charging. We had to assume that something was either draining the power, or it had malfunctioned in some way. In either case, we could not afford to delay in our pursuit of the enemy. The longer that the hostages remained within their grasp, the higher the chances of several of them suddenly becoming dinner.

Dan had put the drone’s live feed up on all of our visors. It was tracking the slight heat signatures that remained after the ‘Van entered the forest. The thick leaves and tree cover hampered our ability to track them with the drone, so the sooner we were able track with hard evidence, the faster we could hopefully find the ‘Van’s camp and start rescue operations.

Nothing says ‘I’m your friend’ like some innocents returned to their families. The more collateral damage we could prevent now, were less repercussions we would have to suffer later. In a case such as this with sensitive Tech and important Civvies in the grasp of the ‘Van, now exceeded with several more innocent hostages? It warranted two very different responses.

One was to execute extreme care in the liberation of the hostages and ensure the recovery or, at the very least, destruction of all classified materials. It was a great public moral boost and also a good way to earn favors from a great many people, even acquire some sensitive non-mission critical information for black mail later…if necessary.

The second option, was the immediate, systematic and indiscriminate destruction of everything that could be used against us. Everything within the area was to be considered hostile and eliminated with extreme prejudice…no one ever liked that option, didn't mean we haven’t done it, but it was only a last resort.

Considering the nature of the ‘Van’s favored weapons, usual supplies, and the standard gear that most of us carried, it would have been extremely simple to simply transform any occupied area into a swirling mass of dust, fire, and glass. We would do our best to avoid that situation though…for now.

(---------------------------------)

I crouched down slowly and picked up a small colorful item from the clutches of a thorn bush. It was obviously from a piece of clothing, and from the accompanying bloodstains, I could almost imagine what had transpired. The worst being that one of the hostages had been used as a shield for the thorns. As unconventional as it sounded, the ‘Van weren't really known for their gentleness and care for others.

I raised myself out of my slight crouch and made some quick gestures with my hand before moving forward. I could see from my radar alone that my team was spread out into a half-circle formation 15 meters apart from each other. A clump of people was a juicy target for any trigger happy sentry, but one man…one man was a waste of bullets.

I slowly creeped closer towards our objective and settled down when I had reached a suitable spot to wait. I watched as I received green acknowledgement lights from my team and as a blue-ish dot raced away on the radar, indicating that Dan had launched his drone again. His quick jury-rigged EMP Grenade had managed to put a good charge into the drone, though it wouldn't last more than 15 minutes.

As I watched the feed stream into my helmet, my mouth settled into a grim line. The camp was a good sized one, and from the sensors of the drone, the ‘Van presence was at least 35 strong with 25 unknowns and the 5 hostages. I frowned as I watched one of the hostages, a male, thrown roughly into a large cage, his still form marking a dark point in our short reconnaissance.

Dan had started to pan the image away when we spotted movement at one corner of the cage. As the camera settled once again over the man, we watched as a slim figure darted quickly over to the man and rolled him over. In the dim light I could just make out a shimmer of color from her clothing. I reached down to one of the pockets on my belt and pulled out the small piece of cloth from before.

Pink

(------------------------)

I stopped at one edge of the camp and opened comms to my team.

“Everyone ready?” I whispered even though my helmet was sealed. I felt an unnatural anxiety begin to cloud my mind before shaking it off. The night seemed to literally hang over the camp, the darkness sticking to anything that wasn't reached by the low light of the makeshift torches.

“Dan, keep an eye on the drone and watch Char’s back as she plants the charges. Pick, be ready to spring the hostages should we need, if not then at least get some info from the area.”

Three lights blinked back in unison as we each moved off into the camp.

While they moved off into the night, their black armor melding into the shadows, I moved as quickly as I could towards what we had identified as the command tent. When no adequate technology is available to gather info, sometime it had to be gathered the old fashioned way.

I darted from shadow to shadow and allowed my suit’s camouflage function to act in a passive covering making me semi-transparent, almost invisible in the night.

Besides the small amount of ‘Van pairs patrolling the area, I could see almost no security whatsoever. None of the energy signatures that signaled there being an infrared trip wire, or any other sort of defensive mechanism. It was almost as if the ‘Van had become lax in this new dimension. I shook my head slowly at how easy it was to sneak through the camp undetected. It was almost too easy.

I started to take a step forward when I suddenly jerked myself backwards. I looked down past my foot and saw a hairy paw sticking out of the shadows, claws half-extended. I slowly looked up and traced the paw back to its owner only to do a double-take.

The paw was connected to heavily muscled leg, which in turn was connected to what seemed to be a giant lion. A giant lion with wings and a scorpion tail.

Manticore

The name rang true in my mind, like someone had flicked a switch. Information about the beast bombarded my mind, from the weak point in its tail to the strength of its packed fur. I could almost picture myself twisting the neck of the beast until it snapped. All of the raw animal power nothing compared to mine…

Odd…where did those thoughts come from?

I knew that I had been given inspiration before, and even seemed to relive events that were not part of my life. The increasing frequency in which I was getting these flashbacks, was making it hard to dismiss them as simple meandering thoughts from an overworked brain.

I really do need to get myself checked out…

I stepped as lightly as I could around the manticore, doing my best to not disturb its slumber. The last thing we needed was a several ton rampaging beast in the middle of a sensitive op. Though, knowing my luck, it would end up pissed off at me one way or another.

“Can’t…not enough…wait!”

My head darted up at the semi-familiar voice, and I moved as quickly as I could towards the shouts.

Approaching a medium sized tent, I could feel the tension in the air. Not the situational tension that can come by multiple ways and is only a perception of the human brain, but literal tension in the air, as if there was a standing electrical charge in the atmosphere.

I quickly gave my suit a small command to stop the air scrubbers and waited a few seconds before trying the air…and practically choked as the taste of copper filled my mouth. I gagged and quickly turned the scrubbers back on in an attempt to rid myself of the taste.

Ozone…

Usually you can’t taste the ozone in the air, but in rare instances it becomes truly noticeable. A lightning strike, being near a tesla coil, an arching power line, or in this case, the literal standing charge in the air. I shook my head to clear my thoughts when one pushed itself to the front of my mind.

The Portal Generator! Or as the report had put it, the 'Trans-dimensional Space Time Manipulation Device' or TSTMD.

From reading the small report of the project at the base before we left, I had found a section where several scientists had reported strange symptoms from activating the portal. Taste of Ozone, a prickling sensation, euphoria, excessive increases in heart rates, and according to one guard, the irefusable sensation to sit down; enjoy the view of the sky, and sleep.

Pushing myself forward I crouched near the tent and pulled a fiber optic probe from my belt.

“It’s much too soon! You can’t expect me to rush…”

“You’re simply delaying the inevitable in the hope that someone comes for you! Face the facts!”

I froze for a moment before sidling up to the edge side of a few crates that were stacked near the tent. I tried to give myself the smallest profile that I could to avoid being hit by a lucky patrol as I looked around for a place to insert the probe. I had almost decided to cut a hole through the tent’s side myself before I saw a small piece of cloth protruding from the otherwise smooth material.

I switched through the low vision modes of my visor before I could tell what it was that I was looking at.

Clever Bastard…

I couldn’t help but grin at Wide Eye’s attempt to escape. The lightly patched hole would easily make for a large enough exit for a moderately sized person. I jimmied the end of the probe through a small gap in the patch and focused on worming it to the point where I could see what was transpiring within the tent. Hopefully, I could catch a glimpse of whoever I was facing.
I turned on the camera and watched as the lens adjusted to the light, before carefully panning it around the area.

From what was primarily visible, I could see what seemed to be a desk covered with strewn parts of technology, as well as a large open crate in one corner of the room.

SMASH!

I gave a small twitch as I listened to the sounds of breaking glass, magnified by the probe’s microphone and my helmet’s speakers. I quickly panned the end towards the sound and grunted in frustration. There was a chair covered in old rags blocking my view; and not just any rags, but a scientist’s jacket covered in stains, along with several small bushels of some type of dried grass.

I snaked the probe along until it was resting within the folds of the coat, and

The faster you give me a working portal, the faster you can put an end to your suffering…”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

'What the hell is this guy?'

{---------}

Captain FleetFoot

SE Infantry Commander

I slowly became aware of the pounding in my head along with the ringing in my ears. My body felt as if I had an Ursa Major sitting on my chest. Trying to open my eyes, I found that I was unable to open my left, and it felt as if my right was glued shut by some sort of crusty substance.

I tried to turn myself over and gasped as sharp pains racked my body, not just soreness, many runs over field courses had taught me the meaning of being sore. No, this felt like I had just gone through my final exam in Canterlot on the day of the Changeling attack.

(--------)

My team and I were overwhelmed and forced into the crystal caverns under the castle until our subsequent rescue by Princess Celestia's royal guards.

After watching several of my men die it gave me a larger view on life. I couldn't help but feel that I should've been able to do something more. I was sent home to my wife and two daughters in Ponyville for a small amount of leave and time to recover. But only a few days later, the war started.

Some may call me a coward for what I did after the order to return came in. Resigning my position, I volunteered to become of the Ponyville Militia, made up of Ponyville residents, SE, and NLR resignees.

I was just as patriotic as the next pony, but, while the thought of having to choose between the princesses was tough, having to watch all of my old squad-mates be separated between the two factions was just too much.

Ponyville being both a Neutral zone and the home of the Elements of Harmony was a huge boon for my family.
The tense days of the war and having to wait for news of the fronts had most of Ponyville's citizens on edge. Now with the appearance of these new enemies and the subsequent 'alliance' between the princesses our days simply got darker.
I cracked open my eyes and watched as several stars peeked out from behind the clouds. I could see shapes moving at the edge of my vision. Unknown and yet familiar…

{-------}

6 hours before
1500 hours (Ghost's time)
Outskirts of Ponyville

"Daddy! Daddy! Watch what I can do!"

Breaking my gaze away from the sky, I glanced over to where my daughter Featherstep was currently balancing on a fence post before jumping to the next one. I wasn't going to interrupt her; there was too much despair in the world to deprive her of this small joy.

I could feel the warm smile spreading across my face, I could almost swear that her special talent was going to be something related to acrobatics, we would just have to wait and see.

"I'm watching sweetie, just make sure not to fall."

She smiled and proceeded to jump towards her sister, Butterwing who was currently watching some butterflies dancing around the bright yellow flower that grew on the side of the road.

“BOO!”

“AHHHH!”

She jumped high into the air, somersaulting over her sister before landing perfectly on Featherstep’s back. Featherstep managed to hold her up for a split-second before succumbing to the weight.

“Oof…”

I shook my head, a small spurt of laughter escaping my hand as I tried to stifle it. I could hear my wife (VC) as well trying to hold in her giggles.

Featherstep joined in our amusement as her sister got off of her, an indignant look on her face.

“That was not funny!”

I just shook my head before taking my wife’s hand and pulling her to them and, once we had collected them, we began to walk towards our old house. We only got a few steps when…

“HIIII!!!”
Now it was me who jumped. The sudden flash of pink had me at my wits end in an instant.

Pinkie Pie…

“Hiya everypony…”

“Hey…”

Daddy?

“How are you doing today Miss Pie?”

Daddy wake up…please

“Oh nothing…but I heard laughing and decided to join in!”

Wake up! Captain wake up!

She looked full of energy and yet ragged, stains covering her clothing, and several clumps of her usually puffy mane were hanging loose like bangs. She had been through much, trying to keep everyponys’ spirits up, indiscriminate of whether you were NLR or SE.

Most couldn’t help but smile at her antics, her youthful energy and determination to cheer ponies up even when hope seemed lost…

SPLASH!

(---------------------)

I felt the sudden surge of freezing water envelope my face. The combination of cold and water entering my airways woke me up quickly. I could only sputter and shake as shivers wracked my body, my eyes flew open and my hand lashed out only to be caught by a firm hand.

Straining my neck, I turned my head to see someone that I thought I would never see again. His red and orange streaked mane hanging lightly over his eyes as he slowly let go of my arm. He smiled and moved slowly out of the way so I could see behind him, at my wife and children huddled near me, dirty, crying, scratched, but laughing. Next to them, the bright pink mane that had guided so many of us out of dark hazes.

I turned my attention back to the pony who I had spent most of basic with, and afterward be my second in command.

He shook his head, exposing the bandages along his neck and side of his face.

“Long time no see eh, Captain?”

A/N
Okay guys, another chapter's out and once again my imagination throws another monkey wrench into my plotline. I'm sure you all have seen the (Viewer's choice) mark and it means literally what it says.
I can't think of names like that so i need some suggestions.
Whichever I like best will be added in and mentioned after this A/N.
Besides that, since i had already started on the engagement chapter before I decided to put this one in, it shouldn't be to long before I put it out here.

Am i sorry that I'm not uploading quickly? Course not!
I'm letting anything go till its done, checked, corrected, added, and put through a grill.
Welp...see ya'll next time in Recon Pt.2, and First Contact.