Supreme Commander: Equestrian front.by Shot n Shell the PonyChaptersSystem rebootFirst contact"What is it?"Day and NightHis new commandRespect For AllLife's a BitchTheir Universal DutyBurn's and Paper Cut'sClash of OpinionRank and FileBio-hazardWing's of HonourRubber BurningCat and MouseNight Night.The Day AfterArrival...The new crewSitting, Waiting, Shooting, Trying to AdvanceBloody Seraphim ... (Re-done)Odd's and End'sSystem rebootSystem reboot Screaming. Screaming coming from the colonists... his family. The Cybrans were here! Where did they come from!?... There was a bang and the boors caved in a bit more. All he knew was that he was kneeling behind an impromptu barricade of crates and mining gear with a shotgun in hand. Kneeling to his left was his granddad, an old miner, holding bolt action rifle in his aged, arthritis riddled hands. To his right was a panicking woman, her hands were shaking with barely contained terror and a pickaxe clutched tightly like a drowning man holding onto a life line. His granddad rested his hand on his shoulder "Steady lad...steady David..." "You know I don't like that name" Ross said pushing his sweat sodden hair out of his eye's. His granddad chuckled as the second line of the firing line stepped behind them as the door caved in a bit more. "Here they COME!" some one shouted and a ray of light shone into the mine shaft's mouth as the door started to part under whatever was hitting them from to other side. In the depths of the mine, the the families and one or two miners were working on a escape tunnel. Ross could hear their drills and shouts echoing back to where the brave few were going to hold try and hold off the Cybrans. The door parted a bit more flooding the small tunnel mouth with more light. "Front rank! PRESENT!" a old and grizzled veteran shouted. He had come for peace and now was their last hope. Ross and his granddad along with the 30 others on the front rank pointed their weapons to point at the doorway. "Ross I'm so proud of you" his granddad muttered. The door burst in and shadows fill'd the door and Ross racked the shotgun "FIRE!!!" Ross opened his eyes and blackness was all that met them. The reactor must have shut down. His mind was going through the priority's. Power, weapon's, injuries, treatment, damage. Damage control. His eyes soon adjusted to their limits of natural night vision but it was enough to see the small world. After his eyes refocused enough, he found that he was looking... his boots. He took a deep breath and immediately regret it as the pain burnt through his chest. From the worst of the pain, he could tell a good portion of his ribs were no more than shards. As he breathed, a wheezing rasp started and he felt a wet leaking sensation where his right lung was. "O *Wheez* shit...." he muttered through the pain as he thought up of what must of happened. With the impact of what he assumed was a landing, he had been thrown around in his harness with sufficient force to break bones and the filter and scrubber system's held on the front of his chest for his mask didn't soften the blow. He knew he was lucky. Many were killed by a bad gate-in, either ripped in two or bludgeoned to death by the harness meant to keep them safe. Ross slowly lifted his head up off his chest, relieved that his neck was not broken. As he gingerly pulled his arms out of the control frame, his right wrist throbbed angrily. "OK *Wheez* OK...I'm OK" He started raise his right arm to turn the emergency lights on but the searing pain reminded him of his possibly broken wrist. Instead he raised his left arm to the small bank of switches above him. Three up...four across He flicked the switch on… and nothing. Ross flicked the switch back off and then on again followed with a pop, a flicker and a hum as the red lights glowed to life. The vision on his right was obscured somewhat by the cobweb pattern of cracked glass. Lowering his arm to the ignition box to his right, he tried the key but the generator didn't turn over. He tried again with the same result. He tried a third time but the generator remained silent and cold. "No...please not now..." Ross reached up to the top right corner and pulled hard and with the nail on blackboard sound of screws giving way, the face of the box fell down on its hinges revealing a mass of wires and circuit boards. Reaching down to his trench coat's left pocket and after a bit of thumbing withdrew from its depths a pair of black leather gloves. He didn't fancy getting electrocuted as well. With a bit of juggling and pain he managed to pull them on and gingerly brought his right arm up and into the mass of wires finding the wires that fed into the back of the key barrel. He pulled them out and gently moved his damaged wrist so he could get a better angle. Taking the wires, one in each hand, he brushed the ends together. The generator coughed and turned over once before going silent once again. He pulled the wires apart and the pressed them together again. Some sparks flashed and was quickly followed by the sputter of the engine before it roared to life. Ross held his breath partly in anticipation but more so to stop his chest from hurting. Then his heart soared as he heard the loud hum and whine of the reactor coming to life. "Thank who ever the locals believe their god is..." One screen to his left flashed up, it was a damage report and a computer generated voice read off as it came onto the screen. Sub system 00-1 alpha Damage control... Core integrity: 99% Radiation shield: 98% Reflector shield: Not Installed Left antimatter cannon: 89% Right antimatter cannon: 100% Armor: 95% Electronic and sub-systems: 52%; WARNING!!! CRITICAL DAMAGE. CHECK FUSES AND ALL AVAILABLE DATA. Construction assistance Drones: Not installed Strategic miss- Ross pressed the "Delete" button on the keyboard, the monitor flashing back to a blank, blue screen. With a groan, Ross fiddled with his harness release clasp in the middle of the harness’ chest plate and with a hiss of hydraulics, the harness rose part way up and Ross pushed the harness fully up. He sat there taking shallow wheezing breaths. Then he reached for a handle nearby with his good arm and slowly pulled him to his feet. Another major worry melted from his mind, that of a broken back, but his whole body felt like it had been in a train wreck… Without thinking, he slowly shuffled off towards a grating in the floor of the control room. He slowly bent down and pulled it up to reveal a ladder on the wall covered in wires, circuit boards and lights. Ross undid a few buttons on his trench coat and slid his damaged wrist into the coat using it as a improvised sling before lowering himself down into the depths of the ACU's heart. Celestia looked at the map on her table the city of Canterlot. Luna to her left and looked just as ragged and worn as her sister. Her dark blue coat had taken on a shade that one could mistake for black. Accompanying the Princesses were half a dozen Lunar and Royal Guard officers. "Scouts are reporting that the Machines are advancing towards the city from the north. They estimate that they will arrive within a few hours. I strongly recommend pulling the scouts back to the defensive positions." One officer of the Lunar Guard stated. "No, we need to know what their strength is. We need to send the scouts closer." A unicorn officer of the Royal Guard rebuttled. "They’re only light scouts. They will be torn to ribbons before they get close enough to see what we're are up against." “Or they could be light units that we could easily defeat.” "Enough!" Celestia said the tone of her voice daring them to continue. They both gave each other a look before backing down. "I will not risk the lives of my ponies if it risks leaving the city weakly def-" Celestia was cut off as the doors all but burst open and a panting, sweating Earth pony trotted in. He wore only a simple steel chest plate and helmet, the colour and style of the feathers on his helm told her he was a scout. "Y...your...m...majesty... w....t..there's..." He took a deep breath and tried slowing his heart. "Deep breaths my little pony, take you time." Celestia said with a kind smile her, face hurt like it had forgotten how to do it. He nodded and took a few more deep breaths before trying again. "Your majesty I bring a report... from the scouts to the south. They report that there was some sort of explosion. We don't think it was from the Machines we know of..." he sat there panting as beads of sweat dripped from his fur onto the floor. Celestia stood then looked at the map. "We cannot fight on two fronts." her mind was racing. She walked up to the messenger. "You are to tell all the scouting parties to fall back to the city and await orders" The scout nodded and trotted out the room and Celestia turned to face to face the room, all eyes were on her. "I wish to speak with Luna, alone." The officers slowly filed out of the room, their armor and hooves clicking as they went. Celestia looked at her sister “Sister... you know I value your opinion. What do you make of this?" Luna walked up to her sister, a somber look on her face "It will take a miracle but... there is hope if the ponies are willing to stand in the face of this. Right now, hope is all we have left and I do not know how long that will last." "Yes...there is hope" Celestia said as he looked out the window to the northern horizon to the. She could swear that she could see silhouettes. The ACU swayed as Ross walked it on. He had gotten most of the systems working but he only had black and white video feed on the monitors and a good portion of the auto repair systems were offline. The outside world was fuzzy, a mess of shapes he thought could be a mountain in the distance. Ross moaned as he was jolted in his harness, his broken ribs flaring into pain again. As he took a breath, a gurgling started along with the wheezing. Ross pulled the bottom of his gas mask up and with a wet cough, the thick coppery taste met his tongue as he spat a pool of blood to the floor. Groaning and a pulling the mask back down, he tucked the length of material back under the collar of the trench coat, fully sealing the uniform from the outside world again. A small pop and thrum was heard before the colour of the world filled the viewing screen. Ross' eyes ached as he had never seen a world so brightly coloured. He quickly turned his head to the side to shield his eyes until they could adjust before turning back to the screen. The world was so full of colour he thought the world was tropical. "WARNING!! WARNING!! Seraphim forces detected. Command unit detected." His arm shot up in pain as he reached for lever to the right of his chair, slamming it from "Transport" to "Combat." "Warning reactor control rods extraction in progress. Control rod extraction complete." The computer voice encode through the room. A klaxon blared and the lights shifted from red to blue. "RIGHT!" Ross press'd the pedals as far forward as he could and the ACU moved off swaying as it moved from walking to a rolling jog to a sprint. The ACU jolted violently causing the monitor to flicker before refocusing onto the mountain. No... not a mountain... It was a city "INCOMING!!" The ponies quickly ducked down into the trench as a shell slammed into the ground just behind the trench, throwing dirt into the trench and onto the ponies. Most only had a helm and steel chest plate for protection. "We’re all going to di-" the cowering stallion was silenced as his friend smacked him upside the head. One officer walked along the duck boards in the bottom of the trench. "WHERE IS MY FIRE SUPPORT!?!" she bellowed. There was a loud bang and a dozen unicorns ran along the duck boards. "Where do you want us?!" the Sergeant of the squad said. "I DON'T CARE, JUST LET THEM KNOW WE’RE HERE!!!" the officer bellowed at them. The half a dozen unicorns stepped up onto the firing step and started to shoot out a virility of spell's erupting from there horns. "GET DOWN!!" The office screamed as whistling was the only warning. Everypony ducked and a second later, another fountain of dirt erupted from the front of the trench line. "TO THE SOUTH!!" A young guard shouted. The officer turned and saw a large creature running at them. "Celestia save us...." Author's Note Feel free to comment and spread this around Also thanks to flyingfox for all the help with the story and correcting me with my spelling and helping make this story better than I could First contactFirst contact Ross looked at the viewing screen "Where are you you little... Bingo." His eyes had found the silhouette of the Seraphim command unit. The backward-kneed, three, tall points of the Seraphim ACU was behind a wall of units consisting mostly of basic units with a small number of more advanced units forming a sort of personal guard for the Commander. Ross felt the blood start to make it's way up his throat once again. A fit of coughing and hacking overtook him as he pulled the mask up. The fowl mixture of fluids fell to the floor with a wet slap. Siting back into his seat leaving his gas-mask half up, a trail of pink slowly made its way down his chin "OK...OK...e...nope..." He heaved and a mass of blood and some fleshy chunks fell out with it this time. He sat back into his chair I need to end this… He slowed the ACU to a slow walk and scanned the battle field. The trench network caught his eye. "C..cavalry.... is that...all they have?" Ross panted. He could feel his lung filling up and guessed it was close to a third full 15 minutes... 20 tops... before... I… Blackness pressed in and he pushed it back. Incoming fire started to rattle off his armor... from the trenches. Ross ignored them as he stood over the trenches. "Time to...say...hello." he gurgled as blood drooled into his lap while he reached up to a thin chain and gave it a tug. Celestia watched as the new machine stood like a sentinel over her troops, some of them firing spells up at the new automation as it stood silent and unmoving. Celestia flinched as a loud echoing horn bellowed from the Machine as it raised two large prism on the end of each arm to point at the advancing and sleeker looking machines. Luna trotted up next to Celestia on the balcony overlooking the field below. "Is that our miracle?" she asked looking at her older sister then to the Machine, a touch of hope in her voice. As Luna, asked two balls of white-blue shot towards the sleeker Machines and as they hit, three of the sleek Machines exploded and fliped onto their back's. "It could be my dear Sister. It could be" she said as a stream of blue-white lights blazed from their new ally. Ross raised his arms in their frames and squeezed the trigger as the targeting reticules danced across the screen, red for right white for left. The red reticule passed over a mobile artillery piece and he yanked the trigger in the respective control grip. The display dimming as the muzzle blazed and sent a white-blue ball flying at the Seraphim artillery. "Confirmed" A computerized female voice droned. "OH SHUT UP!" Ross gurgled up some more blood, adding to the small pool in his lap. The ACU shuddered as something hit it's shoulder with sufficient force and brought it round to the right on it's hip pivot followed by more less powerful strikes. Then Ross twisted the handles to the left and brought the top half back around to face the aggressor. "Alright, now you’re pissing me off!" He spat and pulled both of the triggers as he saw the smoking gun of a hover tank. "SEE YA!" the two ant matter shell's hit home. "Conf-" Ross flicked a switch on the right handle and the voice cut off. Ross flicked a small red button on the left and the hum of the reactor grew deafening as the power output increased. He pulled and held both of the triggers, the cannons started to glow as an almost constant stream of antimatter shots flew towards the slowly advancing Seraphim. Dozens after dozens of tanks, bots, and artillery exploded, the smoke coming the wrecks starting to choke the sky. Ross’ head lulled forward again as he almost blacked out, blood continued drooling thickly from his mouth along with a few chunks of flesh into the gore show in his lap. With a flick of a button, the loud external address system came online. "COME ON YOU CHICKEN, FIGHT LIKE A MAN!!!" he bellowed. The smoke sat like a curtain, hiding the wrecks from an aerial view. A yellow-black beam shot out through the smoke and hit his ACU squarely in the chest with a violent impact. Ross felt a searing pain in his chest again from the impact as the ACU auto-compensated by taking a step back. Ross quickly pulled his left hand out of the control frame and pulled the gas mask down and tucked the mask under the collar of his trench coat "F..Fire suppression!" The thick off white smoke filled the room choking the sparks and any possible fire. He smiled as he saw the smoke start to part as the Seraphim commander had come to him accepting his challenge, leaving its bodyguard behind.Then it hit him, if he was going to take it out, he would need to keep it away from the city when its core turned nuclear. Only one solution was available. "FOR THE THUNDER FIGHTERS!!!" Ross bellowed into the external address system and began walking his ACU to meet the Seraphim commander. He pulled the chain again and the war horns bellowed as two avatars of war strode at each other, their armor glowed where the weapons fire slammed into their target. "YOU!" An overcharged shot smashed into the Seraphim's knee joint, blowing it out and immobilizing the unit. "WILL!" Another overcharged shot pealed its left armament off, the right armament stabbed out a shot that narrowly missed the Unbreakable Shield's head. "FALL!" The right armament blew off in a spectacular show of fire erupting the stump. Putting his feet on the back of the pedals and pulling back on them, the legs moved turning around while the top half stayed facing the Seraphim commander as he walked backwards to clear the blast. "TO-DAY!!!" he roared along with the hiss of hydraulics as Ross raised both of his arm, bringing both cannons to bare towards the crippled Seraphim. The whine of his super charged cannons filled the air and he squeezed the triggers into the grips as both the cross hairs matched up. The cannons glowed and bucked back with the recoil as two balls of antimatter flew from the end of the barrels and punched cleanly through the armor of the Seraphim war machine. It stood there silent and twisted before starting to glow. Ross pressed the ACU into a backwards run as a blinding light shone out the hole followed by a blinding whiteness and shortly after, the shock wave. The shock wave hit him in the chest like a ton of bricks making it feel like it was about to cave in. Ross slumped in his chair, the pain having subsided as he had gone numb. Through the pain, he could feel his lung filling and even if he could get back, he knew the doctors couldn’t do anything in time. He knew he was a dead man...a dead man walking. Slowly, he slid his arms out the controls frames and brought his arm to the ignition box. With trembling fingers, he pressed a clear button and the hum and whine of the reactor slowly died out until it was silent once again. His right hand drifted to the holster on his thigh. No... outside....in the light. Unclipping his harness, he slowly slipped off his seat and stood causing the pool of blood and lung matter that was in his lap to fall to the floor and join the spreading puddle. No stain was left as one of the chemical that causes the trench coat's foul smell prevented anything from staining it and to leave it dry. Slowly he reached up to the hatch in the ceiling. After some fiddling, there was a hiss of rushing air and climbed out onto the ACU's head. He was 20 stories up and he didn't care as he fell to his knees, the blackness pressing in...and he let it take him briefly. He closed his eyes as he could feel himself sliding off. When he opened them again, he was looking up at his ACU from ground with two shadows standing over him. He felt someone grab his shoulders and start to drag him off before fading into unconsciousness. Celestia held her breath as their ally spun around to face Machines again after one of them fired a spell and caught it in the shoulder. As it spun back, it sent two blue white orbs at the offender. Luna swear she could hear the blue Machine hum loudly followed by a torrent of light streaming towards the invaders, balls of flame erupted as the lights met their mark. The Machines started to fall like wheat to a scythe under the onslaught. Their ally suddenly spoke in their language, an echoing voice that penetrated everything "COME ON YOU CHICKEN FIGHT LIKE A MAN!!!" The smoke of the battle slowly floated up to the sky. A yellow-black beam cut through the smoke causing both Celestia and Luna to gasp as it hit the blue machine. Celestia was sure it would fall as it took a step back then miraculously it stood again. Then the source of the beam was revealed to have originated from large, sleek machine with the three tall points on it's back. "FOR THE THUNDER FIGHTERS!!!" the ally shouted followed by a long drawn out blast from a horn. Celestia and Luna watched as the two Machines dueled one another. One sleeker with three tall points protruding above the body, it looked all most organic. The orange lights glowing angrily even in the light of day. The other with boxy arms and a square chest. A small head sat on top like a pea on a drum. Then blue machine bellowed again "YOU! WILL! FALL! TO DAY!!!" Each punctuated with a loud whining and a glowing shot that blew part of the advancing machine off. With its last bellow, the boxy Machine sent two balls into the sleeker one. Both Celestia and Luna watched with confusion as the boxy one started to run. "Tia, why is it ru-" Luna was about to ask but was interrupted by a light that rivaled Celestias' sun exploding outwards from the twisted and damned machine. They raised a hoof to try and shield their eyes from the light but soon had to cover their ears from the deafening explosion that followed. When the light finally diminished, they saw a white line spreading in a perfect circle. "Brace yourself!" Celestia said as it raced towards the city and hit not a second later, throwing both against the wall. Small cracks could be seen once they had slid down. "Well that was… rather spectacular" Luna muttered as she picked herself up. Celestia went back to the railing, looking at the remaining Machine as it stood there, unmoving and deathly silent. "Luna, do you see what I see?” Luna moved next to her sister and squinted but couldn’t quite figure out what her sister was looking at. “Where?’ “There, on top. There’s something climbing out of the top.” Hearing this, Luna squinted at the top to see that has indeed climbed out of it and as she saw something climbing out on to the surface of the machine. “I see it now.” Both gasped as it slid and fell from the top of Machine. Celestia concentrated and its descent to the ground was slowed somewhat but it still hit the ground quite hard. "I do believe that is our savior. Why don’t we go and meet him?" Celestia took flight with Luna quickly following suit. "What is it?"What is it? The ponies in the trenches gathered round as the two Lunar Guard's pulled the creature in with them. As it rolled down the wall of the trench and on to the floor, the ponies nearest taking a step back. It lay there, unmoving and face down on the duck boards with thick mud clinging on to it. "Is it dead?" one Royal Guard asked nobody in particular. A Lunar Sergeant stepped forward and rolled the creature on to it’s back drawing numerous gasps from the crowd. "Never mind that what’s up with its face?" some pony in the crowd asked as they all stared. "MOVE IT! MOVE IT! OFFICER COMING THROUGH!!" The crowd parted as the Captain of the Royal guard pushed past the ranks before catching sight of the creature. "WHAT THE BUCK IS THAT!?" "Unknown Captain. We dragged it in from under that thing" one of the Luna Guard that had dragged Ross in answered, nodding at Unbreakable Shield. The Caption looked down at the unconscious Ross. It's eyes were partly covered by the helmet it was wearing, one of which looked damaged. The face looked almost as if it were fabric and its mouth seemed to lead into a bag on it's chest. The Captain slowly extended a foreleg towards the neck to feel for a pulse. Without warning it grabbed her leg and lifted its head off the floor. The Captain looked into the large black eyes, noticing that they were like window and could barely see the actual eyes behind them. "Don't.... y... you.... Don-" it gurgled at her before suddenly falling limp, the head slowly laying back onto the muddy boards with her foreleg still in its death-grip. She managed to get her leg free of his grip after a short struggle with a little flailing of his arm. "What are we going to do with it Captain?" A Lunar Lieutenant asked. "We will take care of that my little ponies." Everpony turned to find Celestia and Luna standing on the lip of the trench. The soldiers stood to attention and the Captain stepped forward "Yes, of course your majesties." Celestia and Luna were able to get a good look at there savier. Well dear sister that's... not what we were expecting. Luna thought as her eyes followed over the creature laying in the mud from its large, bug like eyes and long mouth to the strange length of fabric wrapped around two of its legs. A blue stallion unicorn with syringe for a cutiemark finally made it through the crowd of soldiers carrying a large tan saddle bag with a red cross stitched on the flap. As he knelt down to the creature, his horn glowed as he slowly moved it up and down it's body a few times. "Hm… Not good, not good at all" he muttered. Celestia gently fluttered her wings and landed gently on the boards next to it. "What's happened to the poor thing?" The Medic looked up at her "It's right lung is puncture and filling with blood. It's rib cage has almost caved in completely and its right er... hind leg is shattered in three places your majesty. We need to get it to a hospital now if it is to survive as the injuries are too much for me to fix." He looked at it's shattered eye, "But that I can fix." His horn glowed and with a cracking, the lense was fixed. Luna fluttered down next to Celestia before slowly stepping closer to creature and looked down into it's eye's. She lit her horn gently and with it's glow,, she could see it's eyes, they were a dark blue. She almost gasped as she was sure that they looked almost perfectly into her own. "Sister is there something wrong?" Celestia must of noticed Luna's half stifled gasp. "No, dear sister, no..." Luna let her horn dim as she stepped back. "Very well, I will be taking the poor thing to the hospital myself" Celestia said as a soft golden glow surrounded Ross as she gently and carefully lifted him. Ross was sure he saw a pair of beautiful eye's looking at him… The doctors and nurses looked at the thing laying on the table, none of them knowing what to do. "Er... Nurse Redheart any ideas?" one doctor asked. The white mare with a light pink mane stepped up to it. She looked at the face then the helm. Slowly, she reached for it and gently pulled at it. Nothing. She moved her hoof and noticed the small clasps that seemed to be fixed into it's fabric like face and ever so gently undid them, two on either side of it's head. Then with a gentle pull she pulled the helm off and placed it gently on a table next to her. The fabric of the face extended to under its large coat. "Ok..." Redheart muttered as she looked for a clue. She noticed the thick straps around its chest and the thick long mouth leading into it. She undid them and gently pulled the straps out from under it before lifting the large bag on it's front "O...Celestia!" The bag was surprisingly heavy. Suddenly she lost her grip dropped the bag, pulling it's face to the side and up slightly. Redheart cringed as she was sure she had just snapped its neck. Checking to make sure she didn’t, she noticed that there was shaven skin where the fabric had been. With shaking hooves, she gently pushed the mask up slowly and pulled it away, revealing an almost childlike face. His skin was pale, almost ghostly white, and as the mask was pulled off completely, brown hair fell down and gently brushed it's ears. One of the unicorn doctors hummed loudly as he walked around Ross as Redheart placed his gas mask and its scrubber and filter systems on the table with his helm. Those eyes… They were one of the most beautiful things.... a dying mans dreams.... Ross thought in his mind, accepting his fate and that final image. He rolled his head over and was met with a very soft fabric rather than the lining of his gas mask. Ross opened his eyes to find he was in a hospital room. He could feel a tube feeding in to his left arm while his right arm was in a sling, the extra weight on his chest told him he had cast on but it was lighter than the cast he had on his arm once. His right leg felt heavier than normal, another cast. His lung felt...normal. He slowly brought his head up before sitting up completely and looked around the room. A small window in the right which showed little of the outside world. To his left was the machine that fed a drip into his arm along with a heart monitor and past that was a door and windows with clouded glass. OK, I'm alive. At the end of his bed sat a small table, his trench coat was folded and sat on the table. His white T-shirt sat on the trench coat and the gas mask along with the scrubbing system and helmet sat neatly on on the shirt with lenses staring at him. Next to them were his black combat trousers with his belt resting on top, the empty scabbard and equally empty holster still attached. Ross looked down to find a form of hospital gown on him. The door opened and when Ross saw what came in, he was sure the painkillers were affecting his mind as there was a white horse with a light pink mane and nurse's hat. On her back was a tray of what apparently was food. His stomach let out a gurgle when he was sure that it was in fact food. The nurse horse noticed he was awake and smiled lightly at him. "Its rude to stare you know." Ross was sure his jaw had just fell onto the floor "Sorry... I think I'm as high as a kite at the minute cause...your a bleeding pony." His voice was a lot softer than what was heard through the mask. Ross gently pinched his leg to check he was awake. The Nurse smiled "Well David, you are pretty odd too." "How do you know my name?" Ross asked knowing this was a figment of his drug addled brain. The Nurse nodded at his helm and Ross saw his dog tags wrapped around it, the thin beaded chain tied with the two plates of stamped metal with his details indented on them. "Very well..." Ross closed his eyes and heard the clopping of hooves on tiles as the nurse walk up to him. "Well here’s some food" Ross opened his eyes and gently took the tray off her back. "Thanks miss..." "Redheart. My name is Redheart." "Thank you Miss Redheart" Ross looked down at the tray. Hay, grass, pellet feed and aa apple. Redheart left the room leaving Ross to his thoughts. This has to be some cruel joke. Side affects or not, he picked up the apple and took a large bite out of it. The apple was fresher than any he had had in his FMPs or ones he had had from the shops. The door opened again and Nurse Redheart poked her head in. "Excuse me David, but somepony would like to see you if you are feeling up to it." "Sure, send them in." Last time he was in hospital, nobody visited him. Wait… "Somepony?!" Redheart smiled as she pulled her head out before walking in holding hoofs with a small, golden pegasus with a light blue mane that was doing her best to hide behind the nurse. "Here Raindrops, you said you wanted to meet him." The pegasus had both wings wrapped in bandages along with her right eye. Slowly, she moved out from behind Redheart. "H-hello." Her small voice was barely audible. First a talking horse and now there’s a talking pegasus? I'm off my fucking rocker! Ross smiled kindly towards her, the smile looked out of place compared to his grim uniform "Hello, how are you?" The pegasus moved from behind the nurse a fraction more. "I'm..OK… thank you...and you?" Ross gave a small chuckle and a twinge of pain reminded him of his ribs "Well young lady, I've been better but thank you for asking." He gently scooted over and patted the bed "Want a seat?" The pegasus smiled slightly and walked up to the side of the bed. Ross reached down with his good arm and, minding the drip, lifted the small pegasus up onto his bed. "Wow, your hoof is so soft." Ross looked confused for a second before his brain put two and two together."Oh, you mean my hand" He said wiggling his fingers while Raindrops stared at them. "Are your ‘hands’ supposed to be like that?" Ross smiled as she continued to stare at them in awe. "Yes, I know they’re funny but they are meant to be like that." Ross saw the curiosity burn in Raindrops’ eyes. "You can touch them if you want" Ross said lowering his hand so the pegasus could hold it. Raindrop gently took his fingers in both of her hooves and gently started to examine them. Her hooves were so soft. "Don’t bend them that way please" Ross said as Raindrop bent them the opposite way to the joints. "Oh, sorry" She quickly pulled her hooves away afraid that she had hurt him. "Its OK you didn't know." Raindrop looked round the room and gave a small yelp when she found the mask looking at them. "W-what is that?" Ross gently took a hoof in his hand "It's OK, its just my gas mask. It's not dangerous." Raindrop looked at it with curiosity "C-can I have a look?" Ross looked over to Nurse Redheart "Miss Redheart, can you bring my mask and helmet over please?" She gave a nod and walked over to the table then slid the mask along with it's bag on to her back and took the helmet in her mouth before trotting up to the bed. "Nice balancing skills Miss." Ross commented as he took the helmet out of her mouth. "Thank you and its just Redhart to you." she said as Ross picked the mask and bag off her back. Ross handed the mask to Raindrop and smiled as she slowly looked over every inch of it. "So... what do you do with it?" She asked looking at the lenses. "You wear it like this." Ross took the mask and brought it up above his head before sliding it down. The sound of his filtered breathing met his ears. "Wow..." Raindrop reached up and gently moved her hooves over his masked face. Ross gently slid the too large helm onto Raindrop's head, getting a small giggle from the young pegasus. Author's Note Sorry for the delay I'm back at collage now and working wed nights so sorry for any delay Thanks to flyingfox for helping me Comment like all that good stuff Day and NightDay and Night Celestia and Luna walked down the corridor side by side, the doctors quickly stepping off to the side as they passed. "Well dear sister, I got word that our savior is awake." Luna felt a twinge of excitement. Luna wasn't sure what she was more excited about. The fact they had help or that this was the first contact with alien species. Celestia looked at Luna as they walked. "According to the doctors, its name is David Ross or at least, they think it is. They said that they had found a little necklace made of small metal beads with two small plates on it with what they presume to be identification." As they continued along the hall nearing his room, the sound of laughter greeted their ears. "I wonder what its doing?" “Well, only one way to find out.” And with that, Celestia carefully pushed open the door as to not disturb the occupants. What she saw brought a smile to her face. She gestured for Luna to come have a look through the door. A smile found its way to her face as she watched the gold pegasus mare apparently playing with David. The way too large trench coat she was wearing along with the helmet certainly had an effect. Nurse Redheart was next to the bed smiling at the young pegasus’ laughs. "Again! Again!" She exclaimed with her sleeve covered hooves clapping together. "Alright, but this is the last time Raindrops OK?" Ross said, his voice muffled by the mask. Ross breathed out hard and fast so that the filters couldn't cope with the pressure causing a series of farting noise to come from the mask's outlet valve blowing out. Raindrop fell on to her back laughing hysterically. "Oh, you like fart jokes do you?" Ross asked sarcastically. Raindrops laughing soon turned into a fit of hacking and coughing with Redheart starting to pat her on the back. "Easy does it Drop, easy" Nurse Redheart said gently while patting her back. "Come on, it's time for you medication." Raindrop slowly nodded as her coughing subsided. "C... can I come and see you again Mister?" she asked looking Ross in the eyes. "Anytime and it's just David to y-" Ross was cut of by a quick yelp from Redheart. "Your Majesties!" Redheart blurted out, swiftly dropped into a bow. "Rise my little pony." Celestia said as smiled while warmly Luna smiled trying to contain her mirth. Redheart got back to her hooves and looked at Raindrop. "Come on Raindrop, its time to go anyway." Raindrop pulled the trench coat off then put her hooves on the helmet "Can I keep this?" Her puppy eyes trying there best to make Ross give in. Ross slide the gas mask off and set it down on the bed. "No. I'm afraid not but..." Ross took the coat and started to rummage through the pockets. Everything come to his touch. Revolver ammo, Mask repair kit, a FMP… I need to clean out these pockets he thought as something disturbingly squishy met his touch before finding the soft fabric. "Here you go" Ross said as he pulled out a light blue beret. The insignia of the regiment was on it, a metal pin of horizontal crossed cannons with lightning bolts crossing the opposite way. Ross patted the creases out and checked to make sure there was nothing on the inside. "Here you go Drop" He pulled it down and made sure it sat on her head perfectly "There, now isn’t that better than that tonne of weight this is my helmet?" Raindrop's face lit up with happiness."Thanks!" Ross smiled as he lifted back Drop down onto the floor with his good arm. "And when I'm better, how would you like to go for a ride?” Raindrops looked shocked "In Unbreakable Shield?" "But of course." Ross said as he smiled. Raindrops practically jumped through the ceiling "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!" she shouted as she hopped up and down with the beret some how staying on her head. As Nurse Redheart led Raindrop out the door, Ross Looked at the two princesses "And what can...I-" His eyes met those of the dark blue one and he knew those were the ones he had seen. Luna started to blush as they stared at each other, then she blinked and the spell was broken. "-help you?" Ross finished. Celestia looked to her sister then to Ross in the bed. "Well, I am Princess Celestia, Goddess of the Day and this, is my dear sister Princess Luna, Goddess of the Night." Celestia smiled as Ross bowed his head. Luna and Celestia walked up to the bedside "May I ask who are you?" Celestia asked. "I am Leftenant David Ross of the United Earth Federation." "Leftenant? Don't you mean lieutenant" Celestia asked "They’re the same thing, it's just that that's how I pronounce it." Ross said shimmying to the edge of the bed before gently lowering his legs to the floor. "No, stay in bed David." Luna gently put a hoof on his shoulder. "So... what are you? You’re not unicorns or pegasi, so what are you out of curiosity?" Celestia smiled "We are what is called an Alicorn." Ross nodded Yep, I'm as mad as a march hare. "So, how am I to be of service?" Celestia and Luna looked at each other. "Well Ross, as you saw this morning, we are losing this war and it seems you received our call for help." "So that was you then." Ross said as he looked at the table "Can someone please pass me my t-shirt." Luna used her magic to lift the top and lay it in Ross' lap. "What the hell was that?!" Ross asked as he looked at Luna's horn. "Magic." Luna said as if it solved everything. Ross' face said that he didn't quite understand. "Surely you have magic in your world?" Luna asked. Ross shook his head no. "How do you do anything?" "We have our ways and means to do things." Ross gently lifted the sling off followed by the hospital gown, glad he still had his black boxers on. Without the gown on, his well toned body was put on display with barely any fat from sitting in the ACU, his training and drills kept him from turning into fatty balls like some ACU pilot's. Next, Ross pulled the drip out of his arm while leaving the needle in his artery and slipped the T-shirt on, it's short sleeves hugged his well built arms and over the cast. He put the tube back into the needle once he finished with the shirt. "You shouldn't be doing that you know." Celestia said. "I know" Ross replied as he moved the sling over his head and slipped his arm back into it. "Ross, I'm not going to beat about the bush, we need your help to protect my little ponies. We have done all that we can but its just not enough. Word has spread very quickly about you did this morning, many are.... premature I agree... calling you our savior." Ross looked out the window to the sky. "Yes, well I was sent to help you so lets get started." Ross stood up and unhooked the barely used drip bag before hobbling over to the table with his trousers and boots. After a few minutes he was fully dressed except for his right boot, the drip bag tied to his left arm and the sling holding his right arm and with a cluck his helmet fastened into the clips on his mask. "I'll need my weapons back please" Ross said turning to face the princess. "Can we trust you?" Ross nodded "Your word is law" Celestia lit up her horn briefly and Ross' sword and revolver appeared into existence on the table. Ross turned to the table and lifted the saber, gently moving it left to right. He smiled under the mask as he felt the center of gravity stay the same and the blade looked exceptionally dull. "The real on please, Celestia." Celestia hid her shock well "What are you-" Ross cut in. "My saber has a hollow channel forged into it. Which is half full of mercury that provides better swing power. In addition, it’s a Mono-blade, a superfine edge that can easily cut through armor and never lose its edge, this one can't cut butter. Now if you want my help, stop treating me like a fool and give me my sword." As he said this, he picked up the revolver to inspect it. Satisfied that the markings were real and the weight was there, he holstered it. There was now another sword on the table and Ross set the one in his hand down before picking the new one up and repeating his inspection. "Thank you" he said as he slid it into his scabbard. Ross turned around to the princesses. "I'll swear an oath if it will make you trust me or whatever you want." "We will discuss that later. Right now, we need your help" Celestia said walking out the door. Luna looked at Ross "Sorry she's under a lot of stress at the moment." Ross slid his mask up revealing his face. "I know I would of done the same. And, thank you for bringing me here. Redheart told me." He gave her a smile and received one in return "Sorry but I have got to say this, your eyes are amazing." Ross slid his mask back down and limped out leaving Luna standing there dumbstruck for a few seconds before she too walked out the door The officers of the Guards were shouting over one another and none of them could hear what the next pony was saying as Ross and the Princesses entered the room. They stood there for a few seconds hoping for the noise to subside. It became obvious, though, that the Officers were too enthralled with yelling at each other to notice. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Ross bellowed through his mask. One of the officers gave him a shocked look and fell silent, the rest continued shouting as they hadn’t heard him. "SILENCE!!!" Celestia's voice made the very building shake. Nicely done Ross thought as he waited for his ears to stop ringing. Celestia looked at the officers "In almost 1,000 years I have never had to use the Royal Canterlot Voice. All of you should be ashamed!" Silence followed that remark. "Now if you are quite done, we need to turn our attention to solidifying our defences and our guest here," Celestia turned to Ross "is Lieutenant David Ross of the United Earth Federation. He has be sent to aid us." A Lunar officer, still not sure what Ross is, then walked up to him. "And...what is it?" Ross didn't back down, instead let his breathing fill the room "I...am a human. And I don't like it when ponies talk to me like this." Feels strange to say pony instead. The officer took a step back and then walked away. "Well what do you propose?" Another officer spoke up, all eyes turning to Ross. Ross hobbled over to the table in the middle of the room. "Do you have a map of the city?" One officer dropped a roll on the table and Ross unrolled. The city lay out was on it as well as the surrounding area, a red network of lines showed the trenches and a large blue cross sat in the middle of the trenches. "Right, what unit's have we got?" Some officer shouted "2 veteran company's, 12 regiments, 1 conscript regiment, 2 company's of support." Ross nodded "Any moral boosters?" Silence. "Banners, Heroes, Distinguished officers?... No" Ross looked down. "We have two banners one for the Royal guard and one for the Luna guard." Celestia said. "Hum... tell me of the Conscript" Ross spoke to no one in particular. "Un-trained. They are a mix of the two guard’s training cadets and citizens that want to fight." another guard officer called out. Humm… they'll need to have help to keep them effective in the fight… But how, there’s no other way. Ross nodded "The commanding officer?" "A Caption Money" another called out. Ross snorted "Rich boy! Inform him that he will be having a Commissar attached to his staff." "Commissar?" A officer to his right asked. "The Commissar is an officer that monitors the morale of the troops and does anything to keep the morale up by giving speeches, leading by example, discipline and dealing with inept officers and troops..." as he spoke he drew his revolver and placed it on the edge of the map, pinning it down. "...with lethal force if need be. All of which I am qualified to do." Ross looked round at the officers "Complaints?" None spoke. "OK." Ross pulled the map to him. Half an hour or so later, many new markings on the map depicted where he'd place defenses. "Right, thats all I can do till I get Unbreakable shield working right." Ross said standing up his lower back sore. The officers in the room muttering. Celestia and Luna walked up to either side of him. "I'll only become a Leftenant Commissar if you want and I've had a good record of the job as well it's only a temporary position." Ross hobbled round and gently sat on the edge of the table. "Do you think it will be necessary?" Celestia asked looking at Ross. "What has kept you fighting?" Ross asked putting the revolver back in it's holster. "Hope" Luna said. Ross nodded "Then I must do it. Can you please show me where the conscripts are?” Ross said as he got back to his feet. “Follow us “ Celestia said as she and Luna said as they turned to the doors. His new commandHis new command Ross slipped the glove on over his swollen right hand as he followed the Princesses to the parade grounds. Captain Money looked at the scroll in his hooves “Has this been confirmed?" he asked his Bat-pony Sergeant. "Yes Sir." "Bucking hay! What’s this toss pot doing in my company" Money said scrunching the scroll up and throwing it on to the flagstones. "Perhaps you would like to say that to my face." Money turned around to find a pair of bottomless black eyes. "Wh..." Money took a step back as the two Princesses came to stand on either side of the bipedal creature. "Captain Money, I am Leftenant Commissar Ross, your new officer." he said as he rubbed his right swollen hand. Captain Money looked up and down Ross taking in the cast on his right leg, sling and uniform but it was the face that got him. "You are wounded you know that?" Money asked raising a eyebrow cockly. "Yes sir I am fully aware of my injuries and they are none of your concern and you are to address me as ‘Sir.’" Money nearly exploded, he would not be ordered around by a lowly Leftenant! "WHAT GROUNDS DO YOU HAVE THAT MAKE ME ADDRESS YOU AS SIR!?!" he stood up right and bellowed into Ross' face, spit coating the lenses of his gas-mask. Ross stood there calmly under his bellows and when Captain Money finished he slowly wiped his lenses clean. "My grounds are that I'm a political officer that embody the will of the highest authority and in this case, it is the Princesses and by right I hold powers of whatever the Princesses de-." "BUCK!!! OFF!!!" The Captain bellowed as he tried to lash out at Ross only to find himself upside down against a wall of the courtyard a good ten or twelve meters from where he was standing just a second prior. The conscripts stood in mis-matched lines of ponies. Being a conscript battalion, there was a mix of four pony races. Their armor is not enchanted so there was every color under the sun present, the only exception being the officers who were clad in full suits of enchanted armor. Captian Money is an Earth-pony and the son of a wealthy noble who had payed for his insertion to Captain and right now, he is in a great deal of pain which is impressive because he is earth pony. Ross straightened his coat "Caption Money any other Commissar would have executed you. That is the first warning. One more..." Ross patted a crease out and turned to the Princesses "I do apologize for that." He turned to the Bat-pony Sergeant who was staring, her mouth wide open. "Come on Sergeant, shape up shape up!" he sounded almost amused as her reaction to his little show. "Yes Sir, sorry Sir" she said straightening up. "What's you name Sergeant?" "Moonlight, Sir." "Sergeant Moonlight, have them stand at attention." He nodded at the Conscripts. "Yes Sir!" As Moonlight started to order the conscript around, Captain Money managed to get back to his hooves and limped heavily up to the Princesses. "It can’t just do this!" Anger clearly written on his face. Celestia looked down at him unimpressed. "Honestly, I don't care after that display and ‘It’ has a name." Ross limped along the front rank his cast making a click as it met the flagstones. Well I’ve got plenty to work with… He stopped in front of a large, red earth pony "Name?" "Big Macintosh Apple" He said in a drawl. "Sir" Ross reminded him. "Sorry Sir" He followed up. "Do you know what makes a good solder?" Mac racked his brain "Er... nnope Sir... Actually Sir is it knowing when he is to keep his mouth shut when he's asked stupid questions by superior officers... Sir?" "Correct. Stand easy Cadet Macintosh." Ross hobbled along the line and slowly looked up and down the lines. There were a few pegasi and unicorns with plenty of earth pony's and bat pony's then... "SERGEANT MOONLIGHT!" She flew over to him. Slowly, she looked down at the three small ponies standing at the end of the last line. "What are you three doing here?" "Er... we wanna fight" said the small yellow and pink filly trying to sound older than she was "Name..." Ross said eyeing her. "Apple Bloom Apple" "Cadet Macintosh!" Ross bellowed "Get over and get your sister out of here." Mac and another earth pony, this one was orange, came over. "Apple Bloom! What in the hay are you three doin here?!" "Why did you fall out!?" Ross asked the orange pony. "She's ma sis too Sir" Ross nodded. "Name?" "Applejack Apple." she said. "Alright, you two fall out and get them home." Big mac and Applejack led Apple bloom away when Applejack turned back. "You too Sweetie Belle and you Scootaloo" the other two filly followed there head's held low letting out a combined “Awww…” A few minutes later, Ross stood in front of the conscripts "Attention!!" Dozens of hooves meeting stone snapped the still air. "Other than the fillies, I must say I'm impress with what we have here. Not much can be said for some of the officers but we can't have everything now can we?" Ross stood with his good arm behind his back noticing the drip bag was now half empty. An hour till that stuff is gone and then maybe a few more hours to come down. Hopefully when I do come down, I’ll stop seeing ponies ‘n shit. "Now that I've learned a little about you guys, do any of you have any questions for me?" Silence. "Are you sure? Now’s your only chance..." Silence... Silence..... Ross' mind exploded "TO THE TRENCHES!!!" He bellowed as the realization of why it had been so quiet. "GET BLOODY GOIN' the message got through as Sergeant Moonlight bellowed ordered to the group. “The others -" Celestia started "NO TIME" Ross shouted as he ran with the tide of pony, his trench coats bottom blowing out, the scabbard and holster swing wildly. The ponies going about their day stopped and stared as Ross and his company of troops ran past through the streets of Canterlot. Most of the stares were directed at Ross as none have seen anything like him before, even more so were the apparent injuries he was sporting and still keeping pace. They continued to stare until the group had left through the front gates before slowly going back to what they were doing before. Unbreakable Shield stood like a god over the trenches as they streamed into the trenches, grabbing anything and everything. Lances, crossbows, swords, shields, tool's and lump's of wood, anything that could be used in a fight then moved to the firing step. Nothing, the field was empty. "Er...Sir there's...nothing there." An Earth pony said looking at Ross. "Yes there is you can't see it" "Get up out of there." Captain Money walked up to Ross a sadistic smile on his face as the troops pulled themselves out of the trench. "Sergeant you will escort this thing to the dungeons an-" Ross backhanded him hard enough to knock Money's helmet off. "Last warning no more." "You souldn’t of done th-" He was interrupted again as Celestia and Luna landed next to them. "Caption Money restrain yourself he has more expiri- " Was that a shimmer in the air? Celestia watched almost in slow motion as Ross grabbed Money with his left arm and shoved him away while he ripped the sling off and drew the metal object from his belt and brought it up. There was a loud bang as a green spell blazed from the end of it. She watched on as the spell raced to where the shimmer was. Gotta love home made rounds. Ross thought as the green tracer struck the cloaked Commando and as the cloaking failed, its chest exploded as the explosive round detonated. "SHIELDS!!!" Ross drew his saber and brought his revolver up. There was a series of "hums" as half a dozen Commandos uncloaked, one right next to Ross. Instinctively, Ross raised his saber up and in a single swing, cut its right leg clean off with a spit of oil and other fluids then as the unit writhed on the floor. Ross put two shots into it, now no longer moving. The Conscript's had formed a shield wall and where hunkering down. Ross, quite literally, threw himself behind the shield wall. The Princesses had a bubble around them. Ross looked around the field, his view eventually landed on Money and what he saw was one of the most disgraceful things he had ever seen. Money had a hold of Moonlight and was using her as a shield. She had caught a few shots and a good foot or two of her guts were now spilled out on the ground. Ross stood up and slowly walked through the incoming fire. One shot skinned his mask, another bounced off his pauldrons and into the drip bag, popping it and spilling the painkiller onto the dirt. As he walked he slid the saber back into the scabbard. Money heard the filtered breathing approaching and turned to find his death slowly walking towards him. Clad in a gray coat, black eyes that betrayed no emotion and the smell of decay enveloped it like a mist. It stood a few feet from him and the slowly dying Moonlight. "Captain Money..." it voice was cold and unemotional. "No..." he muttered "... on charges of cowardice and ill contempt..." "Please..." Money put a hoof to his mouth and released Moonlight's life blood was coating them. "I sentence you..." it raised the metal object it held in its left for leg to point at Money's face. "...to death." Money didn't even squeak let alone scream as the bullet entered his left eye, a split second later the round detonated and the back of Money's head exploded outwards gray brain matter,blood and skull fragments sprayed the grass behind him in a large cone. Money's body barely hit the floor before Ross had scooped Moonlight into his arms. One shot hit his arm and the great coat stopped it dead, the weave and the material prevented weak bullets and blows from piercing the coat 5 years pay well spent. he thought as he waded back to the line holding Moonlight in his arms, shielding her. "RETURN FIRE!!" Ross bellowed as he passed behind the shields, the ponies with crossbows getting out of his way before going back to the line as they moved to get a clear shot. A few unicorns joined them, their horns glowing with power. "Front rank, present! FIRE!" a volley of crossbow bolts and spells cut a few Commandos down. Ross crouched behind a shield pony and peaked over the top. "Second rank, FIRE!" As Ross bellowed he stood up and fired two shots before ducking back down. "Shit... they're charging. LANCES!" Behind the shields, the ponies with lances dropped them over the top. "Advance!" The wall slowly shuffled forward. Ross brought his hand down on on the side of the cylinder and it swung down spitting the empty casing to the floor reaching into his pocket and pulled a fist full of bullets out and with a well practice moves slid them into the five empty chambers. As he slind the last round home something smashed into the shield which intern slammed into him "FUCKER!" Ross stood simultaneously snapping the cylinder home and then pumped the full cylinder into the thing's face. "SURPRISE!". There was an explosion from the direction of Unbreakable and he looked to find a gout of fire erupt from it's chest. "STOP BLOWING HOLES IN MY ACU!!!" Then there was a sound of something landing on the dirt behind him. Stamping on his left boot's heel, a small blade extended from the heel and with a spinning jump, he brought his leg down into its neck sticking the blade in deep. More of the mix of oil and other things spread out as he gave a tug and ripped the blade out. The thing twitched as it fell to the ground. Seeing that it was still twitching, he brought his foot up and stomped down on the head repeatedly. Its mix of fluids leaked and spread all over the grass. The sound of pony's in terror meet his ears as he faced the line again to see another unit, this one white apposed to the gray of the other's, smash the wall apart and to walk towards him . It pointed at him and he drew his saber and holstered his revolver. Holding it in both hand's pointing the tip at the aggressor. Next thing he knew was surrounded by a dark blue glow. What the… He didn't know what was happening and didn't care but as the unit brought a blade down he parried it's blow then brought his head down and hard as he could smashed it's odd looking face with his helmeted forehead. It rolled back and Ross felt his energy spike the as the Commando brought it's blade up and swung down at him again. Ross quickly took a step back causing it to miss. The blade sunk deep into the ground and before it could be brought back out, Ross landed a dozen fast blows that shredded it's chest armorer. Why is this so easy… He used his leg with the cast to stand on it's blade then brought his own up. The commander unit let go of the blade and planted it fist into his chest. Pain burnt again in his chest but then there was a loud cracking from the Seraphim's hand and it fell to it knees holding its wrist and screaming. "DIE!" Ross drew his revolver rested it against it’s head, his finger rested on the trigger. But before he could pull the trigger, a lance erupted from it's chest spraying him in its blood. Moonlight lay there panting, holding her guts in "S-Sir, the l-line." Ross saw that they were pushing back the units. Ross grabbed one of Moonlight’s forelegs over his shoulder and helped her walk, in her other hoof she held the lance "If you're going to die... Wanna die a hero?" Moonlight smiled a little, a trail of blood and chunks flowing down onto her armorer. "L-Love.. to Sir." "Don't be a damn fool, you're getting out of this" Ross said "But...I'll take you close." Ross walked on. "PART!" The line spit and they walked past, there were only three units left. Ross held his saber high, "IN THE NAME OF THE PRINCESSES, CHARGE!!!" Then the line broke and they all stormed towards the last units who decided that a retreat would be the best option. Unfortunately for them, their decision to retreat came too slow and were quickly overrun and brought down. A round of yelling erupted from the troops as the last one fell. "What… what were they?" Moonlight asked her wing fluttering slightly. "They’re called Commandos. I've heard tales of them, said that they are impossible to kill...and they got beat by conscripts. Not very impressive." Ross raised his saber into the air "YOU HAVE WON THIS BATTLE!!!" A few minutes later Ross stood over the White Commando and looked down at it. The humanoid exoskeleton and armor looked too fragile to do anything. He crouched down and looked into what passed for the face. "Ross?" He looked up to find Luna standing next to him. Ross bowed his head "Your majesty." "Rise" she said Ross slowly stood. "Why?" Ross knew what she was asking. "He was a coward and he would of killed the conscripts in that battle if he was in charge." "But like that?" Luna walked next to Ross. "What else could I have done? Behead him?" Luna stood there silently "I...suppose..." Ross and Luna looked down at the Commando "Why do they wear those suits?" She asked. "I don't know" Ross crouched again and rested it's blade on it's chest and rested it's hands on the grip. Author's Note Like comment whatere you want to do all is welcome Sorry if it seems rushed Respect For AllRespect For All Ross stood and looked at Luna "That was...hard... for me to do that." His voice was slightly chocked. Luna looked at him "It's your job why was it hard?" her voice was cold. "I five years of service I had never had to do anything like that ... but if i had to i'd do it a hundred times if it meant I could save this world." There was a sound of shuffling from behind Luna and she trend to find a Commando clinging to life despite the number of bolts sticking out of it and the burns from spells. It drag it self towards her with one hand and held in the other a knife. Ross walked past Luna and looked down at the Commando who intern looked up at him and shakily raising it's knife. The two just looked at each other for a few seconds then Ross knelt down on his knees and gently took the knife from its hand. "Rest you have done your duty." Ross said as he gently rolled the Commando onto its back. It didn't fight. Ross gently placed the blade on it's chest and it placed it's hands on the handle. "May The Way take you to the paradise that you where promised." The Commando nodded then spoke "Thank you. Siege Warrior you show r...respect." it slowly reached for it's helmet and Ross helped take it off to revile a woman with iridescent hair. "You know of my regiment?" Ross asked as he gently lifted her head and placed her helm under her head holding it up. "Y..yes all know of the Lone Siege Warrior in this world w...we saw your coming." Ross reached into a pocket and brought a water canteen out. Unscrewing the top he gently press't it to her lips and she took a few sips. "Thank you Siege Warrior." Her soft voice was weakening "Nice to know there is a person under The Death's Face." then her breath slowed and with a slight gurgle stoped. Luna held back here tears and she watched Ross slowly close the commando's eyes and stood up "What d..did it mean by " The Death's Face"?" Ross looked at her "My gas mask now excuse me please" Ross tern'd back to the Command and after a bit of fiddling removed his helmet and held it over his hart. "Nun kämpfte. Gehen Sie in Frieden ruhen." He placed his helmet back on then turned to Luna "Those where the word's my regiments founder said to a valiant enemy commander they are our most honored way of showing respect." "But... they would of kill us all." Luna was shocked first he was exacting his own men now this. "I know what your thinking of me...I show respect because she stood and die like a solder should." Ross pointed at the body of the Commando. "Would you want to die like that? Standing for your people?..." A single tear rolled down her cheek but Ross continued "...I also do it because for me there may be no way for any one to show respect! Not even ASH! when I die I'll be atomized when Unbreakable goes up! Or reduced to scraps of flesh with no name like my regiments for bears! Now would you show respect to all that could go to there grave fully in stead of festering and rotting on the field of battle." More tears rolled down her cheeks. "Yes... and I'd die if it could save a single pony." Ross walked up to Luna and slowly wiped the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. They stood there for a few minutes till Luna finely stoped. "Thank you Ross."Luna snuffled and regretted it as the smell from Ross's coat filled her nostrils. "Can't you do anything about the smell?" Ross shock his head "Try'd for months nothing worked. Can you do anything?" "Maybe whats your favored smell?" Ross shrugged "You chose" Luna thought for a moment then her horn glowed and the dark blue aura surrounded Ross's trench coat. Ross pulled his mask and helmet off and fixed them to his left epaulet then took a deep breath. "Dandelion and Burdock with a hint of orange." The pain killer must still be affecting me Ross thought. Luna smiled "Correct." Luna looked a Ross his head looked oddly small with out his mask and helmet. The longer Luna saw looked more than the faceless solder and cold killing machine there was something... There was a pop and Celestia append next to Luna "May as well do it properly and show some respect." "Your Majesty" Ross knelt and bowed his head. "No need to be so formal Ross. Stand." Ross stood up "Any news on Moonlight?" He asked and Luna could hear the concern in his voice. Celestia smiled "She'll live. Also Money's death paper work will be on your head." Ross nodded "Of cores and may we all hope its the last time and maybe we should keep the summery exaction between us if the civvies fined out that...may... bring down there morale more than the good it will do." Celestia nodded "Agreed now if you are done here we need to explain you to my little pony's." the expressionless face of Ross changed ever so slightly to one of burly noticeable announce "I don't do public very well." "You don't have to talk or anything." Celestia said. He stood silent for a few second's "Argh!... fine." he then scratched at his cast bound leg "Can I as you a favor?" "But of cores what is it?" "Can one of you use your bloody magic to scratch my leg. It's itching up a fc-... a storm." Celestia smiled "Magic word..." "Please..." Ross said taping at the cast a slight smile torching the edge of his mouth for a split second. Ross limped along behind the Princesses his cast clicking like the shoes of the princesses "Ow! ow! ow! Fucking! ow!" Ross murmured quietly so no one would here him. Pain killer wearing off. I must be coming down soon to thank go...Celestia she's a god well goddess and Luna too...hum... thank Celestia and Luna. Ross hobbled along and the pipe that fed into his mask gently taping agents the cast on his chest "So what am I going to do?" "O just stand there and look pretty" Celestia said. Luna looked back at him and smiled slightly "Pretty? have you looked at me?" Ross looked at Luna and she saw the smiling in his eyes that was there for a brief second then they turned to the cold blue pools they use to be. "OK Ross ready?" there was the sound of fabric ageist fabric as Ross pulled his gas-mask down "Yes Celestia." Celestia and Luna stepped up onto a podium to loud cheering then Ross climbed the stairs and the crowds fell silent Typical "There's no need for alarm my little pony's." Celestia said to the pony's and Ross stood there like a stewed prune. "Not likening this?" Luna's voice whisperer into Ross's mind "Telepathic? you can do that too?" Ross thought wondering if this was another side affect. "Yes surprised?" "Yes now please get out of my head.". Celestial herd her sisters giggle "Out of his head please Lulu" "O Lulu is it?" Ross's voice said in the small telepathic conversation "TIA!!! you let him hear that?!" Luna's check's blazed crimson as Celestia continued to talk to the crowd. "...As you all know this morning we where saved by new machine that helped our solders to defeat the invaders and this..." Celestia trend to Ross "...is the pilot of the new machine this is Leftenant- Commissar David Ross of the United Earth Federation." Ross looked round the crowd and there was everything and every color that there was stood string at Ross. "He is here to help us and will be a guest of my so you need not fear him" Celestia looked at Ross "Care to say anything Ross?" Ross gave a single sharp nod then stepped forwards and stood with his hands held behind his back. Ross looked round at the massed pony's then he reached up and pulled his mask and helmet off then affixed them them to his left equlet. "Now I know that to you I am a shaven animal and not very nice to look at so lets put that aside I was sent hear to help fight and that's what I'll do I will also try my best to protect you. I want you all to know I'm here to help and the princesses word is law to me Thank you." Ross took a step back and looked through the crowd at the faces. They looked a but more comfortable at his word's. "Thank you Ross. Now..." Celestia carry on explaining what he was and other thing's. While she was doing this Ross's attention was coughs by what looked to be tattoos on each pony's flank. Each one different and seemed to theme to what they where one unicorn had a tattoo of a scroll and quill. A pegasis... Ross pinch'd his leg then decide he was still high... a rainbow main and a tattoo of cloud with a thunder bolt of rainbow. With a quick glance Ross looked at Celestia and Luna's flanks Celestia a sun Well the sun shine's out her ass. Luna a crescent moon. A few minutes later Celestia finished and the pony's started to leave but a lot where still staring at Ross Why don't you take a photo it'll last longer. "Ross ?" He tern to find Luna looking at him "Sorry lost in thoughts..." he stood there then looked up a Luna then his stomach growled reminded him of his body's need's "When's dinner time?" Luna walked up to him "Now will you join us?" Ross nodded "You lead on" Luna smiled "Where not walking take hold of me" Ross stared at her then gently put is left hand on her shoulder. "Ready?" she asked and Ross nodded confused. Luna concentrated then there was a pop and they appeared in the dining hall of the Castle "There we are." Ross stood there a look of shock on his face "Did I pass out?" Luna looked at him "No... you just teleported why?" her voice full of concern "Nothing..." Ross said faintly and sat down in the nearest chair. A few seconds later Celestia pop'd in to existence at the head of the table and looked at Ross "Whats the matter" Ross's eyes looked glazed "N..nothing..." he muttered and Celestia looked at her sister who was stood next to him and she shrugged. "Well what do you want to eat?" she asked as a servant came in ready to take there requests to the chefs in the kitchen if he noticed Ross he showed no reaction "...I got my own food..." Ross said as he fished the FMP out of his pocket and placed it on the table "Very well I'll have..." As Celestia and Luna sorted out what they wanted Ross sat there I must of come down by now so why am I still seeing pony's and my coat still smalls nice this cant be real no theirs no talking horses any where there cant be no no no talking pony's... the Servant came back with two covered dished and set one in front of each of the princess and Ross pulled the lid off his FMP reviling three separate sections. Sat there looking up at him was a small pile of off gray, cold and greasy nutrient past, a lump of corn beef and instead of a apple a small white pile something. He never worked out what it was. Ross reached into a inner pocket and he pulled his he had his eating kit witch was in truth a pocket knife with just a spoon,knife and fork with a sight he skewered his corn beef and swallowed it howl. Celestia glanced at Ross as she ate her steamed vegetables and rice "Dear Luna have you seen how little he has to eat?" she asked telepathically Luna looked "Yes dear sister." By now Ross was shoveling the nutrient past in to his mouth and was trying not to throw it back up. How do his superior's expect him to fight if he has to eat that? Celestia thought as she continued to watch Ross. The her hart sank as he stuck his spoon into the white pile only for it to snap as he try'd to take a scoop. Ross sighed then pushed the lid back on and slid the FMP back into his pocket sitting there silently. "Ross you can order something you know" Celestia said as she set he knife and fork down "I know." he said looking at Celesta's plate then tugging his eyes back to the table in front of him. A while later the princesses had the dishes taken away and there puddings brought out and Luna saw Ross's eyes flick to her cheese cake then back to the table in fount of him other than that his table manners were impeccable. "Ross can I ask you something?" Ross sat there for a few seconds then looked a Celestia "Yes what is it?" Celestia thought if she should ask it or not "Why is your uniform so grim?" Ross again took a few seconds to answer "I'm not going to tell you...not very good table conversation." Celestia saw the honesty in his eyes and let the subject drop. Once Celestia and Luna finished there pudding's and stood up Ross following a second later "Well Ross's I suspect you are tired after your activity's today follow me and I'll show you where you are sleeping." Ross nodded and followed as he past Luna he turn'd to her "Thanks for your help this morning." Luna gave him a small smile "Anytime." Ross followed Celestia along corridor after corridor and a few flights of stairs Celestia stoped in front of a large double door. "This is you room if you need me or my sister were down the corridor. "Thank you Celestia." Ross entered the room and closed the door's. Celestia looked down the corridor to the seeing late evening sun viable through the window at the end of the corridor. "Yes my little pony's we have hope now" Celestia tern'd and walked to her room. Life's a BitchLife's a Bitch Ross looked round the large room. Too large he felt uncomfortable. He looked to his left there was a bath room through a door. Directly opposite the door's there was a balcony the entire room was so lavishly decorated he didn't want to do anything in case he messed it up his gray and black uniform uniform clashed horrifically with the white and cream's of the room. His right wrist throbbed angrily reminding him of the need for a new sling. There was a knocking at the door and Ross opened it to find a... "SURPRISE!!!" A bright pink pony yelled but Ross was more interested in the large cannon pointing at him. All he could do was whimper as a saw the cannon's fuse burnt into the breach. Life's a bitch... The cannon bellowed and Ross felt whatever Pinky had stuffed into it slam into his gut. Celestia herd the explosion and some pony yelling followed by a distance slashing as she ran round the corner she found Pinky Pie staring in horror at where Ross had been standing a trail of cake mix and confetti leading to the knee high railing of the balcony "Pinky?" Celestia said calmly "Yes..." Pinky mutter. "Where...did Ross go?" Celestia asked knowing the answer. "O...over the...b... balcony" Applejack looked at her friends "Did ya'll see the alien commander in-charge now?" Rainbow Dash nodded "Yer I saw it this after-noon when the princes introduced him." Twilight nodded "I've yet to see him I have so munch to ask him." Spike scoffed as he walked next to the small group Rarity nodded "Apparently he is a personal guest of the Princesses I wo-" She was interrupted by some pony yelling then the small fish pond next to them erupted sending water all over the group then a metallic clattering. Rarity shrieked My mane! It's...ruined!!" Dash shook the water from her mane. "What the hay was that?" Spike stepped forwards and picked up the metal object at his feet "What is this?" Applejack shook the water from her chest plate and her stetson she had worn over the rusty helmet she had been issued. "That's Ross's fancy hat but wheres the head it goes on?" she explained when she saw Ross's helmet "I think I know" Dash said as she picked the gas mask up and looked at the tube leading into the cloudy water. Ross slowly opened his eye's and his vision was blurred. His gut felt like the had been run through. He try'd to take a breath. The water force its way into his nostrils quick as a flash he was clawing for the edge of the water only to latch on to a very surprised cyan Pegasuses and almost pull her in. Ross saw cadet Apple who grab onto him some how and hall him out of the pond. All he cold do was lay there coughing and spluttering. With a pop Celestia, Luna and Pinky appeared next to the small group "Well Tia he's resilient." Luna said with a smirk Ross rolled on to his side the cake mix slid from his stomach and on to the gravel path. Celestia levitated Ross to his feet and there was a wet slap as the cast on his leg sloughed to the gravel melted by the water the one around his chest protected by the treated coat. Celestia gently put her hoof on his shoulder. Ross stood there his water drenched hair covered his eye's he slowly took breath's and as he felt the hoof on his shoulder he finely snapped This can't be real. This is not real! there are no talking horses!! There are no Pegasuses!!! There are no bloody Alicorns... pressure press down on the other shoulder. "Ross..." Celestia put her other hoof on Ross's other shoulder try'd to look his eye's. Ross gave her a sharp push and she took a few steps back "No this....no not real" Celestia, Luna and the others exchanged look's of concern. "NO!" Celestia yelled as Ross drew his revolver and gently tapped the barrel agents his temple "No...no this cant be no non of this is real! " he muttered as he pulled the hammer to half-cock back then slid it back to the rest position. "This... this is a dream this is just a dream." with a sharp *CLICK* drew the hammer full back. and held the barrel agents his temple "I...if I die in a dream I'll wake up..." he looked up and they all saw the desperation in his eye's the almost ghost like face didn't help "Now Ross..." Celestia slowly stepped forwards "...just put that down." She only got a twitch of his free hand. "This can't be real..." He repeated then took a step back on his bad leg and collapsed. Celestia was horrified at the fact he didn't show any pain or react to what must be searing pain in his broken leg only the dead look. "This...can't...be...real..." Celestia took a step forwards and Ross brought the revolver to face her. "Stay away from me!" "Now Ross you don't have to hurt me I'm only-" Celestia was interrupted by Ross firing the revolver into the pond and a muffled explosion that followed sending water leaping over the edge of the pond. Dash looked down at the mask still head in her hoof's then here eyes followed the stretched pipe leading to the front of Ross's coat. "Hay!" She called out with a idea forming. As Ross looked at her she let go of the mask and it shot towards Ross's face and met with a loud slap. Dashes smile faded from her face. Ross didn't even flinch only letting the damp mask slide from his face. Ross looked at each of the present pony's "If this is reality...prove it..." Celestia took a step forwards and Ross pulled the trigger *Click!* they all flinched expecting a explosion and a lot of blood. Ross's expression of madness fell as the revolver slip'd and fall to the floor with a clatter he couldn't believe he'd do that. Then he pulled his knees up to his chin and gently rested his chin on the knee guard's and started to rock like a distraught filly. "No... no...no..." Ross tucked his head down the trench coat splayed around him. The small group gathered round him and they each slowly moved closer. "R..Ross w..what happened to you?" Celestia asked cautious. "I...fuc-...snapped...lost...my...will to live... this is impossible. There are no talking pony's there not colorful. They don't have tattoos on there flanks there are no bleeding Pegasuses no bloody Alicorns!" as Ross continued he rocked faster. "I c- this never-..." he fell silent and they all gathered closer a quiet whimpering coming from the gray ball. Applejack gently put a hoof on his shoulder. Ross half pulled his shoulder in not letting her touch him he gave up and let her put her hoof on his shoulder. "Ross ya'll right now?" "No" Dash sat on his other side of Ross " I'm sorry for almost pulling you into the pond..." she heard from him "It's ok" Dash said with a slight smile and gently put a hoof on his back "Sorry for slapping you in the face with that mask thing." Celestia looked at her sister I never considered the need for him to adjust to this world but...why didn't he say anything? Celestia lowed her self to Ross's leave and spoke softly "Why didn't you say you did't have anything like this at home?" Ross's rocking slowed a bit "I..painkillers... h ... h ...hallucinating ... not right..." Ross started to rock again. Pinky pie stepped up and gently pushed a cake to Ross's feet "Sorry for scaring you and shooting you with cake mix...and confetti.... and over the balcony and into the pond..." Ross head gave a slight nod indicating his acknowledgment. Ross picked the cake up and gingerly took a bite. "T...thank you" Pinky smiled and patted Ross the top of his head. Ross slowly stood and Dash's eye's followed Ross "H...how can he stand with a broke leg!?... his pain tolerance must be freaky high!" Ross looked at Spike "My helmet please." Spike just stared at Ross. After a few seconds Ross hobbled up to Spike and took it from his hand's they all heard Ross's broken bones scrape together. "I... I need to go to hospital c..can you lead me there?" "Of course" Twilight said a small reassuring smile on her face that faded as Ross started to walk down the path this the accompaniment of scrapes and clack's of broken bone ageist bone "No you don't." Twilight said as her tell tail magenta glow of magic lifted Ross from his feet. "Oooowwww this is odd." Ross tern'd to the princesses as he slowly spun in the glow to face them "C...can you bring Unbreakable Shield in from outside the walls?"."Celestia smiled "Of coarse" Ross nodded then looked at the setting in the sun "Thank you...". A few minutes and plenty of look's and bows from the pony's lining the street's Ross was sat on the same bed that he was in that morning. There where was a male Unicorn Doctor by the name of "Saw Bones" , A female Earth pony doctor called "Patchwork" and the group that walked with Ross to the hospitable. "HE DID WHAT!?" Saw Bones asked "He try'd walked here after being shot over a balcony." Celestia told him. As the group continued to talk Ross saw Raindrop's looking round the door frame. Ross smiled and waved her forwards. A small smile found it's way onto her face as she walked up to the bed and Ross lifted her in to his lap and set her down on his good leg. "Hello I heard you where back. How are you David?" she asked looking Ross up and down "I'm fine Drop's thanks you?" "I'm a bit better now wh-" She was cut off as Patchwork cough sight of her "What are you doing hear!?" Raindrops let out a yell and wrap her for legs round Ross's chest. Ross responded instinctively. Putting both his arms round Raindrops, minding her bandaged wings and gently pulled her into a hug even thou it was something he did instinctively it felt odd showing this much emotion in the same month. "I invited her in is that a problem?" Raindrop pressed her head into his chest and Ross barely cringed as pain burned dully in his rib's. "Well...no..." Patchwork said reluctantly the Saw Bones walked up to Ross "Now you... what am I going to do with you?" Ross looked him "You got magic use it." "We don't know if it will do anything to you." Saw Bones said looking at Ross's broken leg. "Plus there may be side affect's." Ross dead panned "Iv survived a how hell of a lot ... I think I can handle a bit of vertigo or what ever." "What have you actually survived I'd like to study how resilient your race is?" Twilight asked a note book and quill held in a magenta glow. "Not now!" Celestia hissed at her. Sawbones shrugged "On your head be it. Raindrops get of him for a second please" Raindrops let go and sat on the other end of the bed. "Now then David if you feel any thing odd or feels off tell me ok?" Saw Bones stepped up and Ross gave a sharp nod as Saw Bones's horn glowed Ross closed his eye's and as a genital tingle in his bones started and is slowly spread through his body "Is the tingling normal?" "Yes often" Celestas voice meat his ear's. Ross sat there as he felt the bone's growing and fixing that felt a bit disconcerting. With out warning something hit him like a wall of water and he felt something almost poring into and onto him "David you OK?" Drop's voice filtered in to his head it it seemed to echo like he was leaving his body. "David!" Ross snapped back and open'd his eye's to find Celesta's face almost pressed to his. "JESUS CHRIST!" He shot back and fell off the end of the bed. "Who's Jesus Christ?" Twilight asked "Not now" Luna said following her sister's gaze to the edge of the bed "Is the feeling of water practically crushing you and something almost poring into you normal?" Ross asked as he picked him self up "Sssssometimes...." Saw Bones said un-certainly. Ross looked down and taped the broken leg and he felt uneasy as it tingled slightly. "So is it fixed..." "Yes" "... and my rib's?" "Yes" "OK..." Gently he took a step forward on his once broken leg and it held his weight. A feeling of light headiness press'd then it went. "Are you still feeling like you are being crushed?" Patchwork asked "No...just the water pouring into and onto me still." Ross felt the sensation start to subside "Ok...it's stopping now...." Ross lent agents the wall and Celestia, Luna and Twilight surrounded around Ross. Celestia racked her vast vault of knowledge to see if there was anything that could explain what David had just felt. The only thing that she knew of was a long time ago when she was sat in between her mothers leg's and using her magic lifted a biscuit for the first time. No, that's impossible. It can't be like that, can it?...Must have been the first time he's been exposed to magic. she then filed it away as nothing more than first exposure. Ross felt fuller than normal and then gently stood feeling slightly heaver that he should have been even in would in full combat gear. "I...take it as my first exposure to magic..." Ross breathed slowly and then stood straight then looked at the doctors "So...that's that. Can we take the cast on my chest off?" "I believe so" Patchwork said looking for the saw to cut the cast open but Ross had striped to the waist and drew his saber then he gingerly slid it's point down cutting the cast and taking hold of the two sides of the cut he strained. A second of straning later there was a loud crack and the cast split in two. "Good riddance to bad rubbish." Ross said as put the two half's on the bed. "OOOOOO" Pinky Pie wraped her self round Ross's right arm "So strong" Ross eye'd her "The hell..." was all he could say then gently waved his arm then harder then harder still but her vice like grip held firm. Then grabbing her by the scurf of the neck he pulled as hard as he could her grip finely gave and he held her at arm's length "Please don't do that." "Ok Dokey lokey" Pinky said she was curled up into a ball her for leg's tucked under her chin. Ross set her down and she literately bounced around the room. "Is she on drug's?" Ross asked Twilight who shock her head "She's always like this don't worry. on another note can I ask you something?" "Yes" Ross stood there his head following the power ball Pinky bouncing from floor to ceiling then back again repeatedly at almost blinding speed. "I wold like to kn-" She was interrupted by Pinky grabbing her then shouted "I FELT HIS MUSCLES!!!" Then bounced around the room again taking Drop's with her. Twilight trend back to find a now fully dressed Ross again except for his mask and helmet that was attached to his epaulet once again. Celestia was impress by how silent and fast he had redressed. "I'd like to stud- talk to you about ...Well, everything. Can we arrange to meet and talk?" "Sure." Ross said then his face changed to a look of concern "Is Sergent Moonlight here?" "She's at the end of this corridor." Saw Bones said "Can I see her?" Patchwork held the door open and gestated for Ross to follow. Moonlight lay in the bed her armorer on the table at the end of the bed. eye's closed. Contemplating the event's of that afternoon then her sensitive ear's picked up the sound of hoof's coming down the corridor. Another doctor doubtlessly coming to change the dressing's round her stomach. Then she herd heavier foot step's follow and a slight rattle of a sword in a scrabbler. Opening her golden, cat like eye's then closing them as a slight pain shot into the back of her eye's. After her eye's adjusted she lifted her head and looked at the door as the doctor came in then Ross ducking his head to get through the slightly to low door way. "SIR!" She try'd to sit up only for Ross's hand to gently force her back down "Don't get up." he said as he stood next to the bed. Their Universal DutyTheir Universal Duty Moonlight gave Ross a small smile "Thanks for you know...saving me" Ross gave a slight nod "My duty is to look after the morale and health of those under my command. Like you to those under your command." "Why? I'm just a lowly Sargent there are dose's of my rank." "Not to me" Ross said as he lent agents the wall and looked down at the injurer Moonlight. "So how long you going to play lazy bugger's?" Ross said earning a slight chuckle from Moonlight "A few day's then I'll be walking round again. I'll be sore for a few day's after but I'll not like putting armor back on." Ross nodded then walked to her set of armorer and picked up the helmet and the attached neck armor. He was surprised by how light it was. "Wow. That's lighter than I expected." there was a chuckle from Moonlight "Why? How heavy is you helmet." Ross un-clipped his from the gas-mask and handed it to her It was easily double if not triple the weight of Moonlight's enchanted helmet. "Luna's Moon! what is this made of!?" " Nano-steel I'll go into detail if you want." Moonlight chuckled "You leave that to Savior Twilight and Spike the Dragon Oww! don't make me laugh my gut's burly holding together as it is." Ross gave a genuine smile his eye's reflected that for a full second then it faded as Moonlight spoke her next sentence. "I herd about Money... I can't say I'm sorry to see that one go...would you do ... do that to me?" Ross shook his head "I think you are willing to follow me into death's mouth." "To pinch his gold teeth." Moonlight said with a smile. "Come hell or high water." Ross said returning the smile. "Listen you get some rest and heal I need you back." "Yes Sir." Ross trend and left the room and Patchwork closed the door. Moonlight lay back down closing her eye's her ear's twitch following the heavy foot step's going up the corridor. Celestia tend to the door as Ross stepped through the door way. "How is your Sargent?" "She's alive and kicking." Ross said as Celestia tend to Ross compactly "Do you thin-" Ross stoped as something covering his eye's and a giggling "Gess who?" Ross acted on instinct and training. Grabbing the hoof's over his eye's and with a spin and tug pulled the pink power ball off his back and held her in a head lock "Pinky I believe the name was..." smiling for the briefest second. Pinky giggled loudly and some how managed to get loose and was on his back in a instant then some how managed to find Ross's neck under the large collier of his trench coat and wrapped her legs round it and his chest. I like this one. Bit to clingy maybe Ross let her hang on to his back. Ross trend back to Celestia "Er..." Bugger it. Ross stood straight. "It is my universal duty to learn all I can of you're tradition, history knowledge, technology and..." he let the professional air go ".... bla bla bla blarr... in short I'll get a bolli- disciplined if I don't study all I can learn from you." Ross rolled his shoulders to joy of Pinky as this lifted her up higher and she rested her chin on the top off his head. As Celestia contemplated that Ross noticed his other boot and walked over to the tabled and pulled the boot he left there that morning and he slipped it on did the lacing then the Puttees all the while Pinky hugged her self tightly to his back and giggling all the while. "Only if you do the same?" Celestia answered Ross gave a nod "Agreed. Now if we are done here can I please get back to Unbreakable I'll need to sort her out before the Seraphim come knocking again and I suspect... Knowing I'm here now... the'll be eager for a swing at me." Celesta nodded and turned to Luna "Sister can you take him to the army barracks please." Luna smiled then walked over Ross "Follow me please." "Off please Pinky." After a bit of pulling she let go and pouted as she stood there. Celestia the Doctor's and the small group watched Ross's retreating back. "He's a interesting fella ant' he." Applejack said a slight smile on her face as she fiddled with her stetson. "Yes Darling but sweet Celestia - No offence intended you majesty- he need's some better cloth's than that retched coat! And why he has fabric wrapped round his leg's I'll never know!!". "I like him" Raindrops said from the bed having recovered from feeling sick from the bounce round the room with Pinky. The all the troop's stood there looking up at the giant machine It had been levitated in with a team of a hundred unicorns just to lift it a few inches off the ground. "All right you lot quit your gorping!" Ross said as he and Luna entered through the gates of the barracks he had seen his ACU's silhouette from long way off and as he came closer the gaping hole in it's chest revival it's self. "Jesus bloody Christ! I'm going have to pull a all nigher to fix that!" Ross gestated to the the damage as he walked thorough the crowd and looked up to the twenty store high machine "How the hell am I going to get up there to fix the bleeding thing!? I don't have a gantry set up!" "Let me" Luna said warping her for legs round his chest "What are you- WOOHH!!" Ross yelled as he felt him self being lifted off the floor and start to rise up the ACU "PUT ME DOWN!!! PUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWN!!!" Ross never liked flying even when he did the flying now he was rising through the air without any form of lifter or plane. Then as he felt his feet meet the top of Unbreakable's head he tent to find Luna with a large smile placated cross her face accompany with laughter from the crowd's below "O SHUT UP!" Ross shouted half-hearted as he looked down at the crowd's "Don't you lot have something to do?!" "Can you blame them and it is your job to maintain moral leftenant-Commissar..." "Yes ha ha" Ross said as he bent down and pulled the hatch open. "Welcome to my humble abode." Ross said as he hoped through the hatch and landed next to the command seat and into the congealed pool of blood and lung Luna lowered her head in and looked round. Her main dropping in almost to the floor and blood but saved by the merest whisper of ethereal wind. Luna looked round the small room lit by the gaping hole in fount of the seat. Then she took in all the strange machinery that was there too. "How long do you stay in this place?" "Depends .Hours . Day's. The longest was ten day's the previous pilot was in here for six years on a siege. The longest in record was 500 years with 15 different pilots through the years more died to old age than enemy fire." Luna was mortified "What is your galaxy like?" Ross sat in the command chair and Luna could see his mood change it turned dark"... The Infinite war ... a millennium of constant war... blood... carnage... that was two years ago.. now the last day's of humanity could be at hand... we are making our last stand's agents the Seraphim... I don't think about it but I'm riding surrounded by two thing's that will kill me..." he stamped his foot on the floor the solid panel bouncing off the dome of the reactor roof with a surrounding clang "... I'm getting ass cancer from siting on that large fuck off pile of Uranium or Thorium or whatever this thing uses..." Then he slammed his fist the wall to his left. Denting the metal panel a little "... I got a ant-matter generator ever side of me that if there is a microscopic hole in the shielding... I... die." Ross un-clenched his fist and then looked out the jagged hole opposite him. "One in my position...tends lost there fear of death... and that's.... not... healthy..." Luna watched as he seemed do deflate in his seat. "Sorry..." Luna said unsure if it was her fault for bringing down his mood again. "No no I'm going to have to talk with you about everything I know with your "dear sister". Ross said the last word's in a disturbingly accurate impression of Luna's voice. He looked up at her sticking her head in through the hatch almost above him. "You can come in you know." Luna pulled her head out then with some difficulty managed to get her self on the run's of the small ladder that led through Unbreakable's head and into the command room. As her shoe met the floor and there was a fuzzy fabric and she looked down to fined Ross's trench coat covering the pool of blood and lug. "Save you from cleaning your self." Ross stood offering her his seat. As Luna stepped off Ross picked the coat off the sticky patch and pull'd it back on "Thank you but there was no need." Luna said siting in the proofread seat looking at the control's and other computers surrounding the seat she looked to find Ross pulling a small door open to her right. "David?" "Yes Daughter of the Coal's?" Ross rummage through the locker looking through the piled up of tool's in the locker. "What did you call me?! " Luna said looking at Ross's back unsure if he'd just insulted her or not. "Humm... O sorry slipped back into the native tong "Daughter of the Coal's" means princes on my home world." Luna's curiosity was aroused "Do you have any more names for royalty?" Ross trend to her a large frame with three gas bottles slung onto his back. "Yes "Son of Steel" Is a prince, the queen is known as "The Lady of The Anvil" And the king "Lord of the Forge"." As Ross talked he pulled the torch head from the tool cabinet and as he fixed the three pipes from the gas bottles to there respective valves. Orange- fuel, Blue- Oxygen, Green- Booster. All correct Ross reached back in and pulled a hammer out. "What is you're home planet?" Luna asked as she got her self settled in to the surprisingly comfortable seat." Ross smiled as he slid his mask down "The Forge planet of Garnlis home till the family had to go to a colony..." Screaming Ross pushed the memory's deep into his soul."...but we moved swiftly back." Luna pulled Ross back to reality. "Forge Planet?" Luna asked a idea in her mind. "A forge planed is a world dedicated to manufacturing anything and everything from nail's to the modern versions of Unbreakable..." Ross gave the wall a almost affection pat "... then they are shipped out all over the UEF...." Luna could see it in her mind's eye: Polluted with smog chimneys spewing more out and killing the world slowly, wast and ruin the light of fires burning bright... all plant and wild life dead and gone replaced with mud and ash... "... and officially the most beautiful planet in the UEF... The City of Craftsman the capital of the planet the lush forest's and field of every crop known to man surround the city the mountain range's there mine's provide the purest ore's of all in the UEF and there are millennium's more worth in the mines most of them aren't even a quarter mile deep the ore is so pure and they have been mining there since the first few colonists landed and now ... father's beg us to take there son's as apprentices and our crafts men in demand all over the place and our warriors some of the finest armed and in constant demand our infantry the most feared in the galaxy." "You are one of them?" Luna asked "Yes a simple miner boy who's mother was a smith and dad a miner. Now I'm a ACU pilot and known as a "Iron Warrior" that title is given once a generation both a blessing and a cruse." "Why?" Luna said confused Ross puled a lighter out and trying to spark it. *POP!* as with the lighter Ross lit the blow torch and the large orange flame lit up. "While it let's my family live in comfit for the rest of there live's but the likelihood of me seeing them again in next to non... still the pay is welcome and good it keep's the family happy that's all that matter's." Ross shut the torch off and walked up to Luna and opened the ignition box and started the generator and Luna jumped as it started then the hum of the reactor returning to life filled the room. "Computer! Information vault. Unknown life-form present log. Name: Daughter of the Coal's Luna Status: Friend. Access granted to information souses that is not classified by military order." "Yes David and how hay I help you Daughter of the Coal's?" the female voice of the computer responded. Luna looked round looking for the disembodied voice "What was that?" Luna said uncertainly "Just the voice of the computer nothing to be afraid. Just ask the computer a question and it will display the answer on this." Ross taped the top of the monitor that had displayed the damage report with the head of the blow torch." "Very well" Luna said as here horn glowed lightly and a telepathic connection opened with Celestia whom was lisening to some noble complain about Pony's camping in his garden and to Twilight who had some how got her hoof's on a tissue sample from Ross Sister, Twilight I'm currently in Ross's War Engine and he has let me into to something called a "Information vault" I'll need a quill a few ink well's and a few roles of parchment please. Twilight squeal coursing Spike to jump and send the tissue sample roiling away in it's enchanted jar "I'll bring them and stay with you!! her link died as she doubtlessly ran round the room gathering all that was asked. Your doing well little sister what have you learn so far? Celestia asked as the noble continued to complain ageist the campers. I'v learned a bit of his home planet and it's Culture. Old Smithy would like him. Luna looked at Ross who had re-lit the blow torch and was pressing what looked like opaque glass into the rims of his mask's eye lenses. Good heavens Is Old Smithy still with us? Of cores! Yes I saw him last month when I did that inspection. Anyway You keep learning what you can from him. The noble was still complaining now about some flower bed that the evacuees had destroyed. O shut up! I didn't say any thing Tia. O sorry Lulu this noble testing my patience. Luna looked at Ross as the hiss trended to a rushing noise and the flame from the touch trend blue as he press'd the lever that opened the valve down. Ross adjusted the feed valves letting the booster into the mix of gasses and the flame turned a deep purple. Luna could feel the heat from the torch for the seat even though she was sat a few feet from the source. Yet another chemical prevented the intense heat from the torch from igniting the coat it also protected form Flamethrowers's he'd demanded the treatment even though Flamethrowers's hadn't been seen on the battle field for eons. Ross turned using the light from the torch to see through the welding glass and found the first jagged peace of metal that needed re-bent into place the head of the torch was't set up to cut just to heat the material so it could be bent into shape. As Ross knelt and started to work Luna waited for Twilight she started to sift through the vast information that was a waiting her. The minute's passed with only the beaning of metal on metal and hissing of Ross at work fixing the damage. There was a banging on the hatch and Luna looked up from the screen that was displaying some political stance currently in affect. Luna looked to find Ross holding another weapon this one was larger version of the on he had on his hip. Ross heard the bang and grabbed his costume made Bording Gun that had been resting in the tool locker and was on the first run's of the short ladder. The torch's small in-built computer activated mag-lock's that fastened it to his belt and also turn'd it off when he let go of the grip. With a sharp jerk of his head the welding lenses fell from the gas-mask's eye rimes and in to his open hand. Twilight banged on the hatch again and looked at the saddle bag's checking for the tenth time if she had everything that Luna asked The was a *Screeeeck* as the hatch opened ever so slightly and what looked like a pipe with a metal bit stuck on top it came out the gap opposite her then swiftly tern'd round the rim of the hatch to point at her feet. Twilight lowered her head to look down the pipe closing one eye to see down it better "Hello anyone their?" The hatch slid up higher then pivoting round reviling Ross a new object in his hands as he protruded out the hole. "Jesus! don't you know not to look down the barrel of a gun!?" Twilight cocked her head "Why it don't look dangers?" Ross looked and saw a pigeon flying over head Sorry mate this may sting a bit Ross raised the shotgun in one hand and pulled the trigger the drum turning anti clockwise. A inch of the pigeons tail disappeared in a cloud of feathers as the mix of buck and bird shot tore through the air and feathers. "You don't want to know what happens when a person's crotch meet's buckshot" Ross pushed the small leaver on top of the pistol grip to the right and the front half fell down reviling the back of the cylinder and the eight cartridges pushed up one's firing cap dented where the hammer had struck it. Ross pulled it out and slipped the empty into his right pocket and swapped it for a live one. "Field rule No.4 when about to leave for off world combat all arms loaded and primed". Twilight rubbed her ears "Why is it so loud?" "Unfortunate side affect of the weapons Humanity has come up with also to sow terror in the enemy." Ross snapped the shotgun closed then claimed down the ladder "Well come in then." Twilight looked into the hatch and saw Luna looking up at her. Twilight try'd to get down the ladder but ended up falling off and landing in the congealed blood "Ew ew ew!" She looked down at the few chunks of lung now stuck in her fir and main she looked to see Ross kneeling back in-front of the half fixed hole trying to re-light the torch his shotgun resting agents the wall. A enchanted jar lifted from the bag and the few chunk's of lung surrounded by a magenta glow flew into the jar. "Twilight have you got what I asked for?" Twilight tern'd to face Luna sliding the bag's off her back "Yes " she said with a smile "Thank you Twilight." Luna returned the smile. *Click Click... Sn-click... Sn-click Puffffff* the torch lit and Ross started working again Twilight's ear's twitched towards the new sound and after giveing Luna the supply's walked over and looked over Ross's shoulder only to be blinded for a second and she was pretty sure her fir started to singe before Ross turned the torch down "If you don't want ark eye don't stand behind me or look at the light so please go and talk with the Daughter of the Coal's." Twilight cocked her head again. "Who?" "Me" Luna said the quill dancing along the role of parchment as she jotted down the political policy she was reading before. Burn's and Paper Cut'sBurn's and Paper Cut's "... that is how my home planet got it's name because of the large deposit's of Garnets on the surface. Now excuse me" Ross pulled the torch back and started to slam the hammer into the glowing armor beaning it in back in to shape the cherry red metal giving in easily to the hammer blow's. Luna let Twilight question Ross as she pleased as she found a file that caught her eye. "Title: Known enemy's of the UEF Race: Symbionts Oversight: The Cybrines where the brain child of Dr. Gustaf Brackman or "Crazy Old Bastard" a Bio-scientist that graduated from the university of medical scientist in Japan with distinction and was practiced to become a prodigy a prediction that became true in his late fifty's when he manged to join the human brain with an Artificial Intelligent's. But due to UEF concerns a secret "loyalty" program was installed when anyone with a AI implant updated there software. Due to this Dr. Brackman fled with some still "free" symbionts to a planet of Procyon and due to a slow processes of flagging and backtracking of Cybrinen tri-beam transmissions it revival'd the location of the main "Node" to witch Black Sun was transmitted through the QGN (Quantum Gate Network) and destroyed there home planet but due to the hive mind like network of node's it is not possible to deliver a killing blow as of yet..." As Ross struck the glowing metal hard sending sparks flying a single spark of heated metal struck little piece of exposed flesh between the end of the glove and his sleeve "OWTCH! ow ha ha ha! You little fucker!" Ross pulled the glove up and fastened it into the wrist of the coat sealing the sleeve and glove together "Sorry for my language Twilight and to you Daughter of the Cole's." Luna returned to reading and jotting down note's "... There is a major difference between Cybrines "addition's" and UEF Bionics and Augments while Cybrines are consistently evolving and changing with a AI the UEF's have a rudimentary preservation program, for example if a person with a Bionic arm or leg was unconscious in a room due to fume's and there was a door the replacement limb will activate then drag or push the host toward's the door then attempt to open the door and move the host body to safety." "File 2 : Aeon Illuminate/ The Order During humanity’s second expansion into galactic space, Commander Trent Smith of the Earth Empire led a group of scientists and colonists to Seraphim II, a planet approximately five times the size of earth. When Commander Smith and his group landed they made contact with a xeno race at was revival to be a far flung colony of Seraphim but not before a quarantine zone was set up and some started to learn and study there there religion "The Way" But due to Cmd'r Smith's xenophobia he wiped out said colony the few that embraced The Way formed the base of the Aeon Illuminate. When the Seraphim started there war on the universe some of the more fanatical members of the Aeon split off and joined the Seraphim and change there name to "The Order" they are evaluated to be complacently fanatical willing to do anything to please there masters." "File 3: Seraphim By order of UEF high command. File access restricted to UEF offices on front line service or specially access on NTK basis. Psy. scan required for access." "Ross from what you told me why don't you build an engineer to make fixing this faster?" Twilight asked consulting her scrolls of text she had written down. Ross froze "I...it's a matter of honer and pride among my people that we always maintain our war gear or charges before our self's by letting the commando's do this... defilement bring's shame on me and I must do all I can to restore the damage and the better I fix this myself my honor is restored." Ross teared his attention back to his work. Luna looked up stretching her stiff neck. Ross was heating up the second to last peace of jagged metal the sun set flooding in."Lulu are you meant to be doing something now?" her sisters voice whispered in her head. Luna dropped the scroll and quill she had held in her magic and scrambled up the ladder. Luna pulled her self up on to the top of Unbreakable's head. This will do. Luna stood planting her hoof's firmly on the domed roof that was a brown-silver of weathered metal then relaxed. Closing her eyes and letting the sound of the world fill her ear's, the sound of bugs the slow sound's of the twilight that gently caressed the pony's to there bed's and to the realm of dream's, she let her vast reserves of magic slowly seep into her then gather at the tip of her horn. Slowly as to not bring unwanted attention she let her magic reach up through the heavens then she felt it take hold of the celestial body that was hiding just below the horizon. She let the magic build and the moon slowly started to rise. Unbeknownst to her her wings un-folded and flared up as if to add stabilization as she concentrated on raising her charge. As the moonlight gently touched her closed eye's she smiled as she let her magic reseed. She gently swayed only to be held steady by a hand on her shoulder. Luna opened her eye's and looked back and found Ross holding him self half out of the hatch with one arm and the other held her gently by the shoulder the moon light dancing off the brass round the gas-mask's lenses his deep blue eye's visible through the glass . "You OK Daughter of the Cole's?" "Luna smiled as she blushed she uselessly didn't have a audience "That was beautiful Luna... sorry Daughter of the Cole's" "Luna is fine and thank you." She sat down next to the hatch and watched as Ross stared into the night sky the stars and moon. "The night is old yet it is young it is infinite yet it is short it is both caretaker and criminal yet we should give praise to the darkness that scares man and child it lets the brave be brave the thinkers to think and the dreamers to dream." Ross fell silent staring into the haven's for a few second's the looked up to Luna who was still sat next to him "A poem that was read to me as a child on Ganelis to calm me down before bed..." Ross pulled his left glove off to looked at his wrist watch. "22:30" Ross then slid down the ladder leaving Luna siting there in the cool of the night. Twilight sat next to the chair that Luna had been sat in looking up Ross's bottom half the leg's mostly concealed by the trench coat. The scroll's held in her magenta glow had the poem that had just been re-sited inked onto it. Twilight's eye's held a look of confusion. How can a being of such destruction and pain from a universe like his know something like that? she looked at the small pile of scrolls that held hundreds of pages, thousands of paragraph and hundreds of thousand's of word's. Maybe there will be a answer in there or maybe it's something different. "Where you looking up my skirt?" Ross's question pulled Twilight out of her revelry "No." she simply said as she slid the scrap of parchment into the saddle bag's. Ross looked at the last peace of armor that needed repaired then all the seams needed welding shut. He could leave it for the morning. "I hate to say this but I need you to go I need to sleep too." Twilight levitated the scroll's into the bag then the bag out of the hatch "Of cores you must preserve your strength." Twilight looked at the run's of the ladder " Here." Ross said as he grabbed Twilight then lifted her half way through then pushed her complacently through the hatch "Good Night Twilight Daughter o...Luna." "Goodnight" The two replied As Ross reached up and pulled on the hatch that then swiftly swing over the hole then closed. Ross looked round the now empty control room. God I'm sleepy... Ross looked down at the solid floor plate under his feet and just in front of the command throne. Ross stepped off the panel and pulled it up reviling the top of the radiation shield and a mass of bedding that formed a sort of nest was pressed next to the reactor on the same side the access hatch was that was used for re-fulling. Ross slipped his belt off and seat it and the attached weapons down next to the nest. Siting at the foot of the throne he pulled his tall boot's off and massaged his. The helmet and after un-clipping the gas-mask's in-let pipe they too where lay'd down except they where set at what was assumed to be the head of the nest. Then with a stretch and role of his shoulders the set of pauldron's where lifted up and off the leather strap's that held the scrubber systems. With a bit of a struggle Ross managed to undo the right side of the harness and slip it off and set it down next to the boot's. Finely the grate coat followed except Ross lay down in the nest and pulled the coat over him. "Ooh... I'd never trade this bed for all the riches in the universe." Ross gently rested his head on the gas-mask covered helmet. Ross settled down then he realized the reactor was still running. Groaning Ross turned over in his nest to eye the power box. The clear shut down button barely viable on the down pointing face. His eye was also cough by the shiny black boot's. Ross retched fore the nearest boot and threw it.The boot slammed into the control face and the light's and hum of the reactor slowly stoped. Ross turned back over and rested ageist the reactor letting the decay heat help keep him warm. 9 1/4 hour's later. Celestia was laying in her large bed the silk and the feather filled pillow's ensured her bed was one of the most comfortable on Equess. Celestas internal body clock slowly ticked down to the time she had to get up and take over the celestial dance from her sister since time immemorial. Luna was dosing in her throne night court having ended for the night and was waiting for her sister to wake and take over for the day Twilight was asleep at her desk her face stuck to the book she had been reading by a pool of drool. Ross was slowly and carefully pushing the hatch up hoping to catch his breakfast. Two pigeons sat on top the edge of Unbreakable head cooing. Ross slowly pushed up on the run's of the ladder now his arms where over the rim of the hatch and his saber held in his right hand. "Wow theses pigeons are numb bugger's." Ross raised the saber red- *TH-WACK!* "AAARGH!" something slammed into him from behind sending him forward's into the roof. his head bouncing of the metal. The pigeons looked back and lazily flapped off. Ross looked up and blew the hair out of his eye's. Well wonderful! Eating fucking nutrient past this morning. he was sure he had a mild concussion to boot. His hair fell down again and he blew it away but the blonde hair fell down again Wait...I'm not a blond. Ross twisted round to find he was looking a... Ross quickly pulled the tail off his head and covered the gray mare up. "Erummm... Miss are you ok?" Ross's cheek's held a slightly red tint. The mare shook her head and looked back "O... hi I'm Ditzy...Ditzy Doo" She smiled her wall eye's shifting Ross shook his head trying to clear it. Nope she was still wall eyed. Ross smiled for some reason she made him smile "Leftenant-Commissar David Ross at your service Miss Doo. Now can you please get off something is sticking into my gut." "O..sorry." Ditzy said as she try'd to stand "No let me..a" After a bit of a straggle the two where separate from one another. Ross glanced at his watch. "5:48" "May I ask what you are doing up so early Miss Doo ?" "Why I wanted too meet you silly before I go to work." Ross was surprise "At this time?" Ditzy puffed her chest out. "I'm the Mail mare! Since most of the mail pony's are off fighting. I would be to but the recruitment corporal would't take me and I have a little filly to look after her..." her proud poster fell but it returned ".. I'm now the only mail pony left! but it's dangers I'f I fly to high explosions appear near me and strange metal bird's come after me." Ross filed setting up a air defiance on his to do list in his head. "Well Miss Doo would you like to come in?" "Ditzy looked at Ross's waist "This isn't your body?" she asked taping the metal beneath her left for-hoof "No come in please." Ross slid the saber into it's scabbard and slid down the ladder "Or would you rather stay up there?" "O up here please." A few second's later Ross appear'd up through the hatch a metal cup in hand "Tea?" "O..thank you!" Ditzy sat down and took the mug by the wire handles Ross vanished into the hatch way again and appeared with a bag, a bottle and his bayonet in one hand and another metal cup of tea. "Milk and surge?" Ditzy looked round "Is there a spoon?" Ross gave a smile "It snapped so well do this in rough one or two tea spoon's?" "Two please!" Ross opened the army green sugar bag that had a issue number stamped on it to find it half full. Ditzy held her tea out and Ross shook the bag as he pored the sugar in then stirred the drink with the blade of the knife. "Milk?" "Yep!" "Say when." Then un-screwing the lid of the bottle Ross pored the milk in and Ditzy pulled the mug back and Ross stirred the tea again. Ross repeated the action for his tea and the two sat drinking. "So how old are you Ross?" Ditzy asked one eye on his face the other looking over his shoulder "I'm 22 years old." Ross answered swirling his tea in the cup. "Is there a Mare friend or Stallion friend back home?" It took Ross a second to work out what she meant. "N..no... I'm straight I just.. no good with girl's and they don't seam very interested with my type." "You said you had a kid?" Ross looked at Ditzy "Yep my little muffin Dinky!" Ross nod'd "You keep her safe and stay out of the fighting I'v written too meany letters that end with a child in care." "O..." the two continued to drink is silence. A few minute's later Ross threw the last few dregs of tea over the edge then slipped down hole and dropped the cup onto the command throne. "Thank you for the tea Ross but I got to go or I'll be late for work!" "OK See you!" Ross waved her off as she flew off into the city. A few minute's later Ross threw the empty breakfast ration into the hole and spat over the edge a few times in an attempt to rid his mouth of the aftertaste. "I'll kill for a shitty beacon bun" Ross slipped down the hatch and after pulling the grate coat, boot's, gas-mask's harness and the pauldron's on. He was pulling the gas mask off the helmet when he heard a bugle go off. Colonel Iron Skin Veteran of the Royal Guard and current commander walked along the bunk houses, her armorer glinting in the morning sun and a trail of officer's following like a chick's after there mother. "What was the butcher's bill for the raid yesterday?" A young officer to her right pulled a note out of a pouch in his armor "Dozen miner injury's to the conscript regiment. One Sargent hospitalized and the Captain..." He squinted at the note "... Summery Executed?!" "What!?" Iron Skin turned to the officer. "I don't know it was that alien officer!!" he said in a high pitched voice slipping the note back into the pouch. "WHERE IS HE!?" She bellowed. "T...there..." another officer said pointing to Unbreakable Ross screwd the in-let pipe onto valve on the gas mask when he heard some shouting "OWE YOU UP IN THE METAL THING GET DOWN HEAR NOW!" With a sigh Ross pulled the gas mask on then the helmet. Author's Note I did want to make Ross good with girls but I don't exactly know what to do as I don't have any experience other than them braying me for nothing :( Also Ditzy or Derpy ? I'll Comment on The story and thrum it up for Derpy down for Ditzy you got a week Clash of OpinionAuthor's Note I'm not sure what you will make of this one If you don't like it say, suggest and I'll try something else. Clash of Opinion Clash of Opinion Iron skin paced back and thought waiting I'm going to rip it's bucking throat out! There was the sound of rope and something landing "Who the fuck are you!? and why the fuck are you ordering me about !?" Iron Skin turn'd and looked up into the black eye's of Ross's mask. She had seen him when the princesses brought him to the war room but she was straining her neck looking up at him and he was a dame side more intimidating up close. Ross looked down at a white pony with a scar's running across her face, a patch on her left eye and a sword in a scabbard ran down the left side of her armorer and Ross picked up that she was very VERY pissed at him. "You been killing my officers?" her voice was calm. "Only the inept one a Caption Money" Ross folded his arm's with the hiss of the slightly squished air pipe. "And ... you ... shot... him?" Ross rested one hand on his sword's hilt "Yes he was a coward and incompetent officer he would have killed more troop's to his lack of ability to command and he showed this by using Sargent Moonlight as a meat shield to protect him self." Iron Skin started to judge him " If that is true you should of reported it to me." Ross slowly slipped his hand onto the plastic-rubbery handle of his sword. "You can't change a officer set onto killing others to save his own flank. Plus I don't think there was anything you could do to change him." Iron skin took a step back and fiddled with her sword's handle. Mean while in the bunk house Applejack role from the top bunk and landed onto her hoof's "Morning Sis..." Big Mac muttered as he slipped off the bottom bunk. "Morning..." Applejack walked to the small table that sat under the window, on top a clay bow of water sat with out hesitating she dunked her face into the cool water sending a few drop's over the lip of the shallow bowl. A few second's later she pulled her face out feeling a bit more awake. There was the sound's of the other pony's in the bunk house getting up. Applejack looked through the window to see the left foot of The ACU and the small group standing there. She moved off then shot back to the window when she realist what was happening from the way the pony's where standing. "Hay y'all! I think the General is sizing up Ross!" The thirty other's in the bunk house looked up to Applejack then they stormed and crowded the window's. Ross noted the officers that followed Iron Skin had formed a border "If you want to fight just say." Ross drew his saber slowly and stabbed it into the ground then he pulled the belt off from round his wast with the attached revolver holster and rested it on top of the hilt. Then he cracked his knuckles and waited. Iron skin smiled stretching her scar's and chuckled that slowly built to a hearty laugh "You don't give two buck for rank and authority do you?" "Only when it's earned." Ross shifted his leg's setting his weight onto his back foot ready to react. Iron Skin continued to laugh, some of the other officer's started to laugh nervously "T...this one this one I like!" Iron skin stood on her back leg's and put one for-leg round Ross's shoulder. "But you let-" Something prodded her unarmored belly. Something sharp. "..Your guard down to fast." Ross finished her sentence while keeping the presser on the pocket knife prodding her stomach. "Where was that blade?" Iron Skin ask'd "Field rule number 5: All way's keep a concealed weapon on you." "You have potential and I like you." Iron Skin said feeling Ross slip his knife into his pocket. Iron Skin dropped back onto all four's "I think we haven't been properly introduced. I'm General Iron Skin of her Majesty's Royal Guard." Ross snapped to attention "Iron Warrior Leftenant-Commissar David Ross! Of the 68th Siege/Siege breaker Regiment "The Thunder Fighter's of the UEF!" Ross saluted and remand stood to attention. "What are you any way?" Iron Skin asked "Human! Male! Age. 22!" Ross rattled off. "At ease" Iron Skin said and Ross stood to at ease. Celestia stood on her balcony and watched the massed pony's begin to wake up. Every bed held family, every garden, park and scrap of free land held as many tent's as could possibly fit. Each tent holding as many pony's as humanly possible. Carts pulled by members of the guard where drawn down the street's issuing food and drink to the evacuees. Luna slip'd into her bed exhausted the curtains drawn blocking her sisters sun. "Er..Twilight..." Spike poked twilight with his talon " Hum..." Twilight head lifted from her desk the book held on the side of her face by her drool. "Er... Twilight. Face." Spike said suppressing his laughter. "Err..." Twilight ratcheted up and pulled the off book with wet sound. Iron Skin looked over Ross's uniform "Where and what is your rank identification?" "Here." Ross moved his head to the left reviling the two gold pip's on his right collier. Iron skin looked up "Kneel down I can't see." Ross glanced at her through the lenses but knelt down on one knee. Iron Skin looked up at the two gold pip's "Very well but you will need the correct marks." Iron skin turned to one of her officers "Caption Edge! Go to the quarter master and request a set of lieutenant pip's dismiss!" The Caption snapped to his hoof's together then fell out. Applejack and the others in the bunk house watched as Ross knelt down "What's he doing?" one pony at the back asked "I don't rightly know." Applejack said as they watched. "Right you lot aren't you meant to be ready to have breakfast?" Said a familiar voice called from the door way. They all turned to find Sargent moonlight standing there bandages round her mid rift. "Sargent!" All the pony surrounded her asking how she was and what happened. "I'm fine and I'll explain later. Have I missed anything?" The Doctor of the conscript regiment Pin Prick stepped forward's "No just Iron Skin working Ross over." Moonlight smiled "How is he doing?" Pin Prick looked out the window "Well..." Ross was stood to attention again Iron Skin was interrogating him about his uniform "Whats with the coat?" Ross answered with the truth "The treated trench coat and the full uniform was stranded battle dress for my regiment and the current battle dress of my home world as we often fight in poor conditions that where often also contaminated with Radioactive, Chemical and even Biological weapons that ha been detonate'd against us." Moonlight turn'd back from the window "Ok. Right you lot go get your breakfast." There was the sound of hoof's on wooden floor board's as the conscript's moved off to the mess hall. Iron Skin wasn't sure but she thought she saw Ross's head ever so slightly turn toward's the pony's entered the mess hall. "Hungry?" "Ma'am?" "Are you hungry?" Iron Skin asked again a smile touching her lip's. "No." Ross lied the nutrient paste ration not filling but the slight gurgle from his stomach betrayed him. Iron Skin gave in she knew a army marched on it's stomach "You are dismissed go get something to eat." "Thank you Ma'am." Ross saluted then ran to the mess hall. Moonlight sat the bowl of oatmeal in front of her. The door open'd and Ross stooped in looking round he moved to the counter the food was on.pulling a white, chipped tin bowl from his pocket and dunked it into the porridge pot to the annoyance of the cook. Ross pulled the bowl out the porridge only just staying in it. Looking round he saw Moonlight, Applejack, Big Mac. Parting the crowd Ross sat next to Big Mac. "Er... Sir this is not the officer's mess you know that?" Pin Prick asked Ross shrugged "I don't care. Proper food." Ross pulled his gas mask up reveling his mouth. He brought the bowl up to his lip's and started too gulp it down the pony's on the table stared at him. "Ya'll hungry?" Big Mac asked. Ross gulped a few more times the set the now empty bowl down with a clatter "What gave it away?" Ross pulled the mask down and looked round the table, with a bletch that made his mask bulge. Moonlight shook her head. "Sargent? What you doing here I thought you where still in hospital?" Ross looked her up and down. "I can't stand it in there it's to quite." "Well you look good. Did you sign out or brake out?" Moonlight smiled "They know I'm out but they didn't say I could go." Ross rested his hand on her back ""If you wanted braking out all you had to do was ask." There was a chuckle from all around the table. "Lieutenant Ross! I'm looking for Lieutenant Ross!?" Ross looked at the door and found a runner "Here!" The scout runner moved over to him and pulled a letter out of his saddle bag then left. Ross opened the letter and read it. "To Lieutenant-Commissar David Ross. It is my firm belief that you should be given command of any force and troop that you deem a necessity to aid you in the saving of our world. This decision was made due to the information my sister and fateful student Twilight Sparkle has given me so far in addition you are the only one with moderate experience and knowledge of fighting the "Seraphim" and "Order" forces. I also propose you form a team that you will lead and train as a specialist force dedicated to hunting and removing major threats that require a more subtle touch or if the use large fores is a unattainable option. These individuals will be excused normal duty's and to your judgment and discretion you will reward promotion's or commendation's. You will have my full support In any decision's you make. Yours fatefully Princes Celestia." "Is it good?" Moonlight asked a concerned look on her face. Ross nodded and fished around in his pocket and pulled a sheet of paper out and a pen "Well Sargent Major do you think you can keep up with me?" Moonlight looked round "Where's the Sargent Major!?" "I'm looking at her Sargent Major." Ross passed her the slip of paper. Moonlight opened the folded paper. "Official document ASDER00006034 Type: Promotion form. Promotion from rank of..." The printed text changed to a neat hand writing. "... Warren officer 1st Class then appointed to Sargent Major. Reason: Confirmed loyalty and belief in the Officer of command and the necessary attitude to command in the role of Sargent Major. You are transfer'd to LT Ross's command immediately. With this you are excused normal duty's of a Sargent Major of the larger army to take part in S.O.H.U (Seraphim and Order Hunter Unit.) Congratulation's. Sign'd..." There was a scrawl but Moonlight was sure she could see "Ross" in it. Moonlight looked up at Ross and stammered. "I...w....h..." Ross passed her the letter from Celestia and watched as her face changed from confusion to amazement. "Now Sargent Major if you are fit for duty you will evaluate any possible candidate's for training as I have other duty's to attend to thank you... O Moonlight you may need to go to the quarter master and attain your new rank emblem's." Ross got up and walked out the mess hall and Moonlight looked round the table "Well...that went well." Celestia looked down at the brown folder that had been given to her by a scout runner. There was a note attached. "My credential's what you to be assured you trust is well placed also the note underneath explains something." Celestia pulled the note out and read it It explained the differences between her pony's and the ones of his home and he would appreciate it if she did't tell anyone he use to ride horses as for all he knew that it could be something sexual or dirty. Celestia felt her cheek's blush as she read it if only Ross knew how right he was. She put that trail of thought aside and opened the file. "Name: DAVID ROSS Bio Age: 22 Birthplace: Garnelis, City of Craftsmen, Smith street hospital Birthday 8, October 3824 Height : 5 Ft 10 in Eye color: Blue Sex: Male Training Stranded Infantry Training Grenadier Training (Advanced Specialist) Combat Engineer Training (Advanced) Cavalry Training (Advanced) Hazardous environment combat training. Officer Training Commissariat training (Specialist training) Siege Warfare and Siege Braking Training Operation & Maintenance of ACU Training Service Record 44th Training group 23rd Garnlis line infantry regiment 666th "Delves Own" Engineering training Korp 99th Hazardous environment combat team. 8th Grenadier regiment 110th Heavy Cavalry of Garnlis 69th Siege/Siege brake regiment. Notable action's 44th Where on a training mission when they where ambushed by renegades of the 2nd infantry of Mars that had turned to the Cybran's. The survivors of the 44th some three hundred consolidated and headed to the extraction point only to find a defensive line. The only way they could get to the com's relay and call for help was with a full frontal assault. The assault was in a hilly region where the com's array sat where it could reach the satellite link in high orbit. This made the charge to the defensive line more difficult as they where fighting up hill. The commanding officer Coronal Brim asked for volunteer's to form a Forlorn hope that he would lead. Ross step'd forward's the instant the word's left Brim's mouth. No one else step'd forward's so Brim chose "volunteers" Before the attack Brim pulled Ross aside and gave him is deceased second's sword and made him Cadet leader. This image was taken from a captured Cybren droid when they stormed the line. Left with cap and sword Coronal Brim. Center Unknown Cadet. Right with sword and pistol Cadet leader Ross. Note they are wearing the battle dress of the Garnlis infantry and the older battle dress of siege regiment's. The Forlorn hope manged to punch a hole through the line to witch the remaining men stormed the breach and made a run for the Com's array the Forlorn hope became the rear guard. The navy was called and it's transport made planet fall. The traitors pressed on the rear guard as they fell back there numbers dwindled from the 50 of the Forlorn hope to two dozen. The following report is from Cargo master Bella Ferdinan who greeted the survivors as they boarded the transport. "I was on the lip of the ramp guiding the pilot down into the small landing area the 44th had cleared. We hit the dirt and the two hundred or so troop's there stormed up the ramp I noticed there where no officers so I grabbed the nearest one asking where the rest of them where and through the mask and over the engines told me they where ever dead or in the rear guard. So we waited and we started taking incoming so I draw my pistol and the few of the uninjured or walking wounded stood with me at the end of the ramp. So we stood there and mortars started to come down. We where being forced to take off when I saw something running at us. It was faintly human as it got closer it was five men. It was Ross with Coronal Brim across his shoulders. One with a leg wound using him as a support on his left, he was dragging another with his right the another walking at his side protecting him. The guard told us to take off as they where the last ones. So they jogged past us and I noticed the gunshot in Ross's back so we take off and deal with the wounded on the way up, Ross sat in a seat in a dark end of the hold I almost forgot to treat him 'till he stumbled into me." Ross still carry's the sword to this day. Ross was rewarded the Blue Ribbon for bravery in the face of the enemy and the Blood Cross for continuing duty while wounded. While with the 8th Grenadier's Ross... now a Staff Sargent ... took part in a raid on a Aeon Held world that involved a jump from a high flying transport to the content below. The raid was fouled by a long range AA instillation and the drop team was reduced from twenty to eight yet they continued the mission that required them to destroy key structure's before the ACU lead force could gate in with out difficulty. They landed with a six wheeled Light vehicle to help them move in the snowy planet. They had to raid a motor pool to destroy the fuel dump then the ammo dump next to it. The attack went ahead and was a run away successes but of the mad dash to escape the exploding ammo dump Ross and a fellow grenadier where thrown from the back of the six wheeler. They where both wounded severally, with out any range weapon's only Ross sword, survival knife and his fellows knife but the more pressing issue was the lack of supply's to last them if they manged to escape and wait for the main force to come to the rescue. But they manged to escape and into a nearby wood's. They where hunted for three day's in the coarse of which the two managed to kill off almost a squad of warriors by silently hunting with them down with the knifes and sword, basic trap's made from wood and the now useless ammo they had by making making "Toe popper" booby-trap's. Unfortunately his partner perished on the third morning Ross and the body where rescued that afternoon. Ross was rewarded the Victoria cross for Valor in the face of the enemy, The Crossed machete's medal for resourcefulness, Sword's man's medal for skill with bladed weapon's, The Anvil medal for determination to return the dead home and the Red Ribbon for bravery. Ross requested a transfer to the cavalry after he learned the squad leader had been promoted after a last stand in which he was the sole survivor and the bodies of the other grenadier's where unrecoverable saying "Those man where fifty times the man that bastard will ever be." On Sitane 3 he jumped from his charging mount to intercept a sniper's shot aimed for Infantry Major Andrew Willow. It is speculated the only reason he lived was his stubbornness. On Tarterus the UEF was fighting to defend a fort. After having his his commanding officer exacted for leaking information to the enemy Ross lead a suicidal charge against Aeon armor in a attempted to allow his commander's to fire a tactical missile uninterrupted. The attempt was successful and the missal struck the Aeon base. Ross was rewarded The gold ribbon for bravery the silver horse Horseshoe for mastery of riding and the brass Horseshoe for skill of fighting from the saddle. His skill as a ACU pilot was discovered when a ACU officer's cadet was wounded and he climbed the SACU mid battle with medical supply's. When he ratcheted the access hatch he patched up the pilot but the SACU was effectively immobilized but a crash corset from it's pilot and the ACU officer and Ross fell in with the ACU and the sister's SACU of the 12th Brigade. Ross accounted for ten high priority kill's three of which where beyond the designated effective range of the SACU's weapon's. Ross was pulled from the cavalry, promoted to lieutenant and entered the ACU program immediately. He is currently attached to the 69th Siege/Siege brake regiment." Celestia set the file down and felt a little nag melted away she was now confident that supporting Ross fully was the right thing to do. Rank and FileAuthor's Note I ant to happy with this one what do you lot say? Rank and File Rank and File The ACU made it's way down the street a pair of guard pony's infrount and behind it helping guide the ACU as it made it's ponderous way down to the gate and to the trenches. Pony's watched in awe amazed that something so large could walk on it's own Raindrops looked up at the viewing monitor from Ross's lap. Redhart was infrount of Ross and Drops. Daylight streamed in through the open hatch and bird song made it's way in. Redhart assisted on it being open and Ross's shotgun was the right length to prop the hatch open. "Look out for that building!" Raindrops said pointing at the monitor. "We'll get past." Ross reassured her. A minute later the ACU stepped out the gate's and onto the plains at the foot of the mountain the trench network sat a few hundred feet from the gate A regiment was filing from the trench and another that had followed the ACU took over the watch in the trench. Ross pressed the pedals to the floor bringing Unbreakable to a stand still. Ross pulled the arm frames down and slipped his arms into them. "Drops I need you to say "Computer" Then wait and say. "Engage engineering sud-system." quite loudly too." She nodded confused. "Err... Computer!" "Yes?" Raindrops jumped and tucked her self into Ross "Your OK it won't hurt you." Ross pulled his right hand out and gently stroked her back. A few second's of reassuring and she looked up "You sure." Ross nodded a kind smile on his face. "Computer." "Yes?" "Engage engineering sub-system's." There was the hum of a small electric engine and a visor lowered down over Ross's eye's covering them, he had to lean forward a bit as it was set up to compensate for the gas mask. The visor showed the engineering system displaying the materials his ACU had in storage, the structure selection menu and the terraforming control's for small terrain modification's but all this cost his wide filed of view and the view of the control room. Ross pulled his right arm out of the frame after checking there was no immediate threats he groped vaguely for the key bored before he felt it being pulled under his hand "Thank you." Your welcome." Redhart said. Rosa started typing "Engineering all access code 34REFF2." A chime in his ear told him the password was correct and the visors screen filled with information and recommendation's. Ross presses the right arrow key and held it till the point defense menu came up and he selected the "Ravager". "Drops put you hoof under my finger." Ross wiggled the finger that was over the left trigger. he felt a soft hoof rest in between his finger and trigger. ---- 2 hour's later ---- The troop's in the trench watched as the newest turret was completed and the ACU turned back to the city. The ACU stood still back in the barrack's. Ross pushed Redhart up and out the hatch followed by Raindrops the Ross with the duffle bag on his back once again. The two claimed into the bag and Ross threw the rope ladder down. As Ross clime'd down Ross could hear the clinking of cooling metal. Ross knelt down on one knee and they got out. "So... did you enjoy that?" Raindrop's nodded "Yes! Thanks for letting me control it!" "Ross smiled "You may get a go again if you behave in hospital." Raindrop's nodded frantically "I will!" There was a polite cough and Ross turned to Redhart "I want to say thank you for making her so happy. I think she needed that." Ross smiled "Are you OK do you want me to walk you home?" Redhart smiled a slight blush on her cheek's. "Thank's but no thank's I'll take Drops back and then head home my self." Ross stood up "Well goodbye for now." Moonlight opened the door to the briefing room where the candidate's where sat. "Right attention! Officer present." there was the scraping of chairs on floor board's as they stood up and as Ross entered the room they stood to attention. "As you where." The pony's sat down and looked at Ross. "Are you all aware of why you are hear?" Ross asked and revived combined shack of head's and most answered "No Sir". Ross nodded "Right basics. As most of you will know or been told I'm Leftenant - Commissar David Ross of the UEF. I was sent hear to help and that's what I'm going to do. You lot are hear because the Sargent Major here believes you are ideal for a group called S.O.H.U that I will lead and we will specialist in hunting down vital target's of Seraphim or Order origin. Now I'll go through you all and make my selection." Ross took the files on the desk and went through them and asked the pony's questions to evaluate there suitability. A half an hour later Ross had twenty or so for S.O.H.U. Ross looked the files in his hand these where the ones with the most potential potential. Moonlight and Ross looked over there selection "Happy?" Ross asked "Why should I matter it's your team "I'f I go down there then your team and I don't like it when my troop's are unhappy." Moonlight nodded "More than happy." Ross looked down at the names again. Applejack and her brother Big Mac. They where heavy hitter's. There was the dark blue Unicorn Medic Pin Prick. A Tan brown Earth Pony called Crock Catcher that was from a place called "Horsetralia" who was supposedly a good tracker and survive expert. Then there was Jasmine a Bat-pony from the Luna guard who was supposedly a master of "Hoof blade's" and "Wing blade's" Another silver white Bat-pony called Silver Light. A stealth and night fighter expert. The rest of the team where one's with the right attitude and or another useful skill. "Right. Get them out to the firing range I want to see what each one is like with a cross bow then I'll see what there hand to hand is like." Moonlight nodded and started ordering the new S.O.H.U to the firing range. As they went to the range they all stoped by the armory to sign out a crossbow and quiver of arrow's. Ross watched each one had to write there name's then draw the tattoo they had on the flank's. "Moonlight what are them tattoo's?" "You mean the Cutey mark's? They are themed to what the pony's best skill is why?" "Humans don't have them." Really?" "See for your self." Ross flicked the bottom of his trench coat back and slipped the side of his trousers down to show his blank buttock. "No hair as well... how do you fined your special skill?" "Trial and Error." Ross said with a smile Ross stepped up to the large window used for distributing and receiving weapon's and other kit. "Quarter Master?" the old Earth pony looked round he was a gray with white filling his muzzle "I that's me Smithy is the name Old Smithy is my name and you owe me a bag don't ya?" Ross put it out of his pocket "There." The old pony smiled. "Thank you." Ross stood on the range "Right two thing you should know about Order infantry. They will not quit. I'v seen them stagger back to there feet with a good portion of there torso missing only to charge on. Second. They are all mark's men so you..." Ross's arm moved in a blur and with a bang the closest's dummy's head rocked with the impact of the revolvers shot. "... need to be better." They all looked at him. "Sargent Major you take care of them for now each is to have ten shot's." Ross returned with his old infantry and cavalry webbing on. It consisted of ammo pouches around his wast, around the back on ever side of his wast were holder's for his stick grenade's three to each holder. In the center of his back covering where his spine met his hip was his entrenching tool handle pointing down. On one of the straps that went over his shoulder in a holder handle down was a bayonet that fitted onto his shotgun. Over his shoulder on a strap was his shotgun. Moonlight saluted and made her report "All hit there target's but only a few penetrated the armorer." Ross looked up the range to find broken arrows that had bounced off they where littered the ground infrount of the target's. Ross nodded "Right I'll do hand to hand drills with them." Ross stood infrount of the troop's "Who want's to go hand to hand with me?" The group looked round. "I will" Jasmine stepped forward's. "Very well." Ross stepped back and watched as Jasmine pulled what looked like metal gloves with a pair of bladed on each side almost like talon's. Ross watched as she pulled them onto her front hoof's "I won't go easy on you." Jasmine said eyeing Ross. Ross thought of what he was going to do "I'll play this defensively." Ross thought as the gas-mask slipped on. Followed by the helmet and the click of it fixing into the latches. Jasmine watched as Ross pulled the gloves on and for some reason he reached round with his right hand pulled the spade he had on his back out. "You got a sword use it." All she receive was a stare from the lenses and the sound breathing. The only acknowledge she got that Ross heard her was he raising the spade level with his head. "Fine." said and the two started walking in a circle keeping them self's opposite each other. Jasmine soon realized she might of bitten of more she could chew. The only reason she was so good was her ability to use the opponent's body language to predict there movement's and attack's. Ross's coat prevented her from watching for muscles tensing and the lenses instead of eye's meant she couldn't use them to help see if he had seen any opening's. Jasmine gave in first. She swiped at him with her left only for it to be stoped with bone jarring force and a loud clang as Ross caught her blades with the edge of the spade. He forced her back and they started to walk the circle again. The second move was made by Ross but it was a faint Ross suddenly stood up from the slight crouch and raised the spade in both hand's above his head. Jasmine brought her blades up to protect her self. Ross swung low and smacked her in the side with the face of the spade. Jasmine grimaced but drought the bladed down on the back off Ross's head. Sparks erupted from Ross's helmet and he stagger back giving Jasmine a opening she needed. She launched her self at him blades raised. But Ross had recovered faster than she expected. With a back handed swing he swatted the blade's aimed at his chest away and she side was made open to witch Ross's fist slammed into her. This continued for ten minutes the two exchanged blows the other deflecting them. That was until Ross made a deliberate mistake. He loosen his grip as Jasmine swung at him the spade fell from his hand as her blade's slammed into the head of the spade. Jasmine smiled and brought both her blade's up and drought them to bear. She brought both set's of blade's down but Ross cough her wrist's and held her firm. Jasmine stared into the lenses but there was nothing there to see she was panted but Ross was still breathing slowly. Jasmine was suddenly flipped and slammed into ground on her back. She opened her eye's only to find Ross kneeling over her the wickedly sharp cutting edge of the spade hovering over her throat she nodded and she could feel the spade edge with her fir. Ross pulled his mask up and pulled Jasmine to her feet. "G...good fight." Ross nodded with a smile "Yes you nearly beat me once or twice." The crowd surrounded Jasmine congratulating her. Moonlight looked at Ross "I need to work on something for these lot to use better than them crossbow's." Moonlight looked at him "Was that necessary?" Ross looked at the group "There moral is up. that's all I need." Ross looked through the menu of a coffee shop called "Doughnut Joe's" he had the creeping feeling of being watched he looked round and found all the other customer's staring at him. "Problem?" They all quickly wiped there head's back round. "What can I do you for?" Ross looked round to find the unicorn owner that the cafe got it's name. His brown main was a mess and his fir was yellow. "Er...I'll have a tea with two sugar's, milk and three toffee doughnut's please sir." Ross smiled and Joe nodded and smiled as he moved off to the other end counter. A minute or two latter Joe came back a tray in his magic glow. "There you go my stallion." The tray came to rest on the counter "That will be five bit's please." Ross reached into his pocked and pulled out what looked like a thin sheet of clear plastic with a thin pattern on it and the number five in the center. "There you go." Ross put it on the counter. Doughnut Joe looked down at it "What is that?" Ross looked down. "Five credit's you asked for." Joe shook his head "Five bit's. Bit's!" Ross looked down "Ar... bollocks! I'v only been here two day's so...I don't have any money." Joe smiled. "No worry I'll set up a tab and you can pay back when you are in fund's." "Thank's m-" Ross was interrupted as a scrunched up paper towel bounced off his head. "WHO threw that!?" no pony owned up. Ross turned back to Joe. "You see who?" "No sorry." Ross shrugged "No harm done." Ross picked up the tea and took a sip "O... that's good." Joe smiled "Glad you like it." Ross shifted his shoulders and he felt his shotgun knock ageist his back "Er Joe do you mind if i have my arm's in hear I'll hand them over to you if you want." Joe looked over at him from where he was serving another customer. "As long as you don't use them I'm OK." Ross took a bite from one of the toffee doughnut's and Ross saved it. Last time he had half decent doughnut was at home his mother had made. "You look happy." Joe said. Ross nodded and murmurer something that sounded like a "Yes." Ross swallowed "One of the best I'v ever had." Joe pulled up a chair on his side of the counter and they started to talk. Twenty minute's later Joe looked at the clock handing over the doughnut fryer. "Ten o'clock. better start getting ready for the dinner rush." Ross drained the last of his tea. "Again thanks for that." "Anytime." Ross got up and left. The eye's of every pony followed him. As Ross walked back to the barrack's his mind turned to the need to get better arm's for S.O.H.U. Ross was looking through the computer , running stimulation's. The monitor to his left read off all the rifles Ross could produce at the factory he was going to build. "M-T.R.R Assault rifle.... Fail. Set up un-usable. M-16 all modals... Fail. Use of control's to fiddly for hoofs. Semi-auto rifles... Fail... While set up is viable the extra sound of the action operating and shine of the ejected bullet spinning through the air will give away shooter's location in stealth operation's. Bolt action rifles... Possible... the simple set up off bolt action rifle is more than etiquette but re-loading will be hard with out ammo strip and some ammo will be to weak to pierce Order or Seraphim armorer. Martin-Henry action rifle... Ideal. Despite the single shot system the ammo in powerful enough to punch through armor the set up is ideal for pony's and is sturdy enough it may be used as a club." Ross eye the computer "Relay? Is that all you can come up with?" Ross shrugged. "Computer," "Yes?" "Activate Engineering sub-system." The pony's walked into the bunk house having finished there meal and it was their afternoon off . "What the hay?!" Some pony said some of the pony's had long boxes with the boxes there was a belt with pouch's each had a letter left with them." The pony's that had the boxes opened the letter's attached to each was almost the same. " The holder of this letter is promoted to Private. This is your newly issued to arm. A Martini-Henry action rifle MK-IV you are not to operate them with out receiving the briefing tomorrow morning. You will report to the briefing room to begin you initiation to S.O.H.U. Congratulation's." Big mac looked at his bunk there was a letter but no box or belt. He opened it. "Cadet M.Apple You and your sister are promoted to Private You are to be issued a specialist weapon. You will be taken to the castle forge where you will be issued you new arm after the initiation." "Wow." One pony had opened the case and took the rifle out and was waving it round. "PRIVATE! WHAT DID THE LETTER SAY!!" Moonlight stood in the door way. Bio-hazardBio-hazard Ross sat in the dark of the ACU his wrist watch chimed as it hit midnight and reset to "0:00" Ross slowly took a sit from his canteen the cold water numbing his lip's. He was changing he knew it. "Cold...Killer... Evil .... Murderer... Murderer... that was one of the common ones... the way he had been described by prisoner's taken from the battle filed." Ross looked up at the star spangled sky thorough the hatch. He was't going to sleep...not to night. Luna walked through the gardens of the castle. Some of the strange iridescent flower's that opened at night glowed dully in the flower bed's. As she walked her eye was drawn to a strange shape standing near one of the fish pond's. "Who's there! Identify your self!" "Leftenant-Commissar David Ross. Of 68th." Ross turned his gas-mask lenses reflecting the glowing plant's. "O David you startled me." Luna let out a sigh of relief and dispelled the magic in her horn "What are you doing hear at this hour?" Her curiosity was aroused. "My apology's Luna." Ross bowed his head. "I was out hear...contemplating." "If I may ask what where you contemplating?" Luna walked up to Ross and she come level with his head she cold see a twinkle in the black depth. "Me...this world... It's changing me I never take my mask off unless I'm sleeping, use to hardly smile I...I was cold... Now...I smile and go around with out my mask I have a few friend's already." Luna was confuse "And that's not a good thing?" Ross looked at the flower's "Yes and...no...yes I'm becoming a more feeling person, happier and all that and no what if there is a side affect of this sudden change? Like I have a cancer in my brain or something?" Luna closed here eye's and her horn glowed as she recited a spell in her head. She could not find any thing obvious. "From what I can find there is nothing wrong with you... but if you want you can always talk to me confidently..." She gently stepped up to Ross and slid his gas-mask up reviling...even in the early light of dawn.... his ghostly white face. "...that need's to stay off as much as possible. Please. For me." Ross gave a small and soft smile. "Yes...Luna." Ross looked at her the sun just over her shoulder starting to glow from it's possession behind the horizon. Luna smiled as a blush formed over her check's "Ross your staring am I that pretty?" Ross gave her another smile "Sorry Daughter o-... Luna" Celestia looked at the report infrount of her "Has this been verified?" The scout caption nodded. "I saw this my self." Celestia sat there on the throne. "Summon Lieutenant Ross. Immediately!" Ross was in the Briefing room demonstrating the new rifle to the members S.O.H.U. Ross held the rifle up. "This is the Martini-Henry Mk IV. Note there is no safety. It uses as drop block mechanism and is operated as such." Ross pulled the handle down and showed block dropping into the rifle and reviling the end of the chamber. "With these weapons you should be able to hit a target at eight hundred yard's." The pony's looked at each other's a look of awe on each faces. Crossbow's where fortunate if they hit there target at 150 yard's at the most and then they where luck if they hurt anything. Ross pulled two Order chest plats out from under the desk, one was shot at point blank with a cross bow and the other was shot with a Martini at 500 yard's. "Note the cross bow bolt entered the armor and stoped roughly a inch..." Ross held the armor up with the bullet hole. "...and the Martini rifle at five hundred yard's... clean through. The door banged open and Ross found a scout caption. In a crop of tree's near Canterlot was where the S.O.H.U was lead after Ross had given Big Mac and Applejack a crash corse on there new charge. The bunker was seat in the bottom of a hollow in the wood's. The old leves formed a brown and crunching carpet. Ross looked at the heavy door with the strange sign on it "Any idea?" Moonlight asked looking at the door as well "Maybe..." Ross turned to his team "Non of you are to follow me even if something happens got that?" "YES SIR!" they all responded Ross gestated Moonlight over and keeled down his trench coat splaying round him. Moonlight looked at the door "What do you think is in there?" Ross looked over his shoulder to the hand picked team. Macintosh was sat closes the frame that held the two mini-gun's set on ever side of his body pointing up into the sky "Private Macantos come hear please." "Eeyup." He slowly stood and walked over "Right this doesn't go out side this small talk OK? I think this is a teasing facility but it's what may be inside that worry's me..." The two pony's looked at each other. "... Macantos you and you sister are to cover the door after I enter Moonlight you sort the team out I need to get ready. "Yes Sir" "Eeyep...Sir" "Forget the sir Mac." Ross pulled on his gloves then fasten them to the sleeve's. Then siting down on the dirt he tightened the putty's to the point it almost hurt and he was sure there was a seale. Ross then pulled on the gas mask and made there was a seal where the gas-mask meat the collier of his coat. Next his webbing followed. The stick grenades fixed into there holder's, bayonet in it's sheath, shovel on his back and the attached pouch's some swollen from the ammo held with in other's with vital kit. "Ready Ross?" Moonlight asked as Ross snapped his shot gun closed "Yes Sargent" Ross's muffled voice replied and moved towards the door." How are you getting in?" Moonlight asked watching Ross as he press at the top of the door then the bottom with his foot "Like this" he planted the muzzle of the shot gun where he judged the lock was and fired. The door swung in and every pony cringed as a horrific smell meet there noses. There was a deep echoing of the gun's retort and the door slamming into the wall Ross opened the shot gun and swap'd out the spent cartridge "Mac If anything try's to get out that an't me send it to oblivion" Mac bit down on the prime button on the controls in front of his mouth and the two gun's spun up to full speed in a instant then fell still "Eeyep." Ross turn'd to the dark door way as he entered the pitch black he pulled two devices out of a pouch of the webbing and twisted them into his eye leases of the gas-mask. As Ross went deeper into the bunker the devices activated and the corridor was revival'd in the sickly green of night-vision. A few step's in Ross sank a bit. Looked down to find there was a few inches of something on the floor. "O Jesus what is this..." Ross continued into the darkness now a slight squelch of whatever under foot as he walked on. Soon there was a flight of step's and Ross descended into another corridor this one was much wider with door's spaced every few feet along the corridor. His attention was cough by a gurney in the middle of this corridor with something covered "You better be dead." Ross muttered as he slowly creep'd toward's the gurney. As he reached it Ross pulled the bayonet from his webbing and with the point slowly pulled the dirty and stained sheet back. The pink and long main was dirty and tatter'd. More of the sheet was pulled down. The shaven and plucked Pegasus was revival Ross was discussed by what had been done. Parts a been hacked off and replaced the face was a mash of flesh and metal the cheek's had been sliced off reviling all the teeth and the jaw had been seat in a deathly grin. One eye had burst and the thick goo had drooled down onto the metal table the body was thin and emaciated he could see every bone. Ross gently prodded it with the point of the bayonet hoping not to get a response. All he got was a hiss of escaping gas from the bloated corp's. Sick fuckers what did they do to you... Ross pulled the sheet back over the body. "Celestia and Luna take you." Ross slipped the bayonet onto the muzzle of the shotgun and proceeded with gun raised and safety off. There was a scattering noise as he slowly walked off it sounded like it was coming from ahead along with a dripping sound other than that the place was silent. All the door's where barely open but it was enough to see each held a form of mutilation. The last door was wide open Ross didn't pay it any attention not wanting to see it's content's. He was directly opposite it when he saw there was a pony silhouetted in it he didn't think he thrust the shotgun into it berrying the bayonet deep into it's neck with a fleshy sound and a hiss of gas. Ross looked into it face. It's milky eye's stared back as it smiled the smile it was given looking down Ross found it's leg's had been replaced with mechanical devices that held it upright. Ross looked back up to fined it's head had moved slightly he unsure If it was the body reacting to the blade that might of nudging a bone or something. With a sharp jerk Ross pulled the blade free of the things neck. There was a clatter of something ahead and Ross trained his shot gun onto it. Nothing. Taking a deep breath Ross keep advancing along the corridor. He finely came to the last door on that corridor. He didn't want to open it. Ross for once of the few times so far in his life. Scared of doing something. But Ross forced his body work. He pushed the door with the tip of the bayonet. *Squick* Ross slowly pushed the door open to find a operation theater there was a large pile of discarded biological material. Limes, organs... Ross swallowed the vomit that try'd to force it's way up his throat ... Fetus's there where fetus's! Cut from there mother's?! "What did they hope to achieve from this genocide?" Ross asked aloud. He closed the door not wanting so see what other atrocity's in the pile. There was another flight of stair and as Ross descended he noticed his night vision was starting to weaken. The light from the now open door no longer being picked by the devices. Ross ratcheted up and turned on the small infrared torch on the left eye a large cone of infrared lit his way as he walked down the step's. At the bottom was a room full of what look to be cryo pod's. Ice was forming on them and even trough his trench coat Ross felt the temperature had fallen considerably. A thick steam started to rise from the bag on his chest as he walked deeper into the pod's. A few row's in a pod to his left was smashed. One of the pony monstrosity's was half way out. This one had a blade instead of it's left for-leg. Ross looked down to find the source of the dripping noise. A drop fell from the thing's teeth and hit the floor with slight hiss and a puff of smoke Acid? Ross thought as he prodded it with the bayonet once again receiving the hiss from the bloated body. "If these are all full and where still alive I'd be dead with in two minutes." Ross continued to walk on with the crunch of the now frozen sludge under foot. There was a door at the end of the pod's this one was more of a bulk head with a large wheel in the middle of the door Ross sling the shot gun onto his shoulder and took a firm grip of the wheel. Ross try'd to turn it but only received a slight movement and a squeak of metal on metal. "Come on..." Ross try'd again and there was a slamming noise as the wheel gave in more and Ross received a half turn with more scraping and and squealing. "Come the fuck on!" Ross gave it another tug and it spun lose with a squeal and a cloud of rusty dust. Ross pulled the shotgun off his shoulder and walked through the door. *Crunch crunch crunch...screeeep.....crunch crunch crunch....screeeep* Ross spun round shotgun tucked into his shoulder. The was a whine as Ross's night vision goggles strained to penetrate the dark. Nothing. Ross lowed his shotgun after a few second'. " My mind is playing trick's on me." Ross turned to the door and entered. Ross looked round he was surrounded by tower's of what looked like server's and other detritus of research. A large monitor and computer station Ross slowly walked up to it the slit mum of active electrical power had it's way to his ear's " Still powered?" Ross looked at the key's on the board while they were definitely human but they where of Order style. Slight change where made to them. Ross pressed what looked like the power button. The monitor burst into life "Intialising Network Connection." Ross smiled into his mask not believing his luck the smile quickly turned into a grimes of horror and Ross was forced to swallow the second load of vomit that tried to maker it's way up his throat. The silent video showed a pony obviously screaming in agony and Ross could see a surgeon with a blood and gore stained chainsaw rip her gut's out. Ross realized that it was the Pegasus he passed in the first hall. Ross held what looked like a delete button and the video vanished and what looked like a ongoing text communication. "Are the 5th, 1st, 166th, 10th, 8th, 203rd, 1,023th ,12th, 77th, 700th, 56th ,13th ,55th, 76th, 98th, 200th cohort's ready?" .... "Yes Battle Master they are making there way to the rally point near the capital of the witches." "Good...you have brought honer to the position the Order has given you." "Than-" "UNKNOWN USER STATE YOU ID?" "Aww shit!" Ross said " "Aww shit!" IS NOT VALID USER NAME ACTIVATING SECURITY" Ross turned shot gun held level at his wast. The dead eyes where watching him. The Pony's looked up as echoing bang's and shouting made there way up through the door all leaved there weapon's at the door. Ross pulled the trigger and the powerfully recoil sent shock waves up his arm's the nearest head exploded and another took it's place. Ross slashed with the bayonet Black and maggot infested organs spilled from it. Ross pulled the trigger and there was no recoiled that time. Ross charged towards the door bayonet practically shining in the dark. Ross berrying the blade in past the muzzle of the gun with a tug'd upward's Ross sent the monstrosity over his head and he ran on. he could felt the weight of body's pressing in on him and he some how knew he could not fight them all he had to get out that instant. Ross ran shouldering and stabbing what he could. They where dragging and striking him, his coat and webbing taking every thing they could but some blow's got through and he could feel them stinging and burning. On flight of stare's later Ross threw a stick grenade over his shoulder and it exploded with a wet bang he felt goer spray his back as he ran. He screamed at his leg's to go faster The loud crunch of the frozen slug meat his ear's and a defining banning from the cryo pod's. Ross ran harder the crunch of hundred's of hoof's behind him made his adrenalin kick into over drive and his legs muscles kicked into over drive. The next flight of stairs fell beneath him and he saw the one the gurney was on it's feet. It was inbetween the door and him. It was walking at him grinning. Ross slid on the slime... it spraying up onto him and with a powerful adrenalin fuel'd kick wiped it's leg's out. He felt one jump on him and bit down"Fucking hard!" Ross thought as he belted to the door. "FIRE! He bellowed as he threw himself into the dirt outside the door. Ross felt the weight on his back lifted to and the very air being ripped apart a few centimeter's above his back. Ross didn't know how long he was laying there but felt more and more gore cover him. Then it stoped. Ross lay face down still. then he was lifted up. Applejack picked up Ross from the floor. "Ya'll right." Ross looked down at his stained and gore covered uniform. Then his attention was court by the bite that had de-shaped and slightly disolved the pauldron. "Y...ye I...Im good." Mac walked up a smile plastered across his face smoke still rising from the cooling mini-gun's. "Ya'll smell like all nation!" "Yes thank you for that." The three looked down at the one with the mechanical leg's that was apparently on his back "Well th-" It stood with out warning it jaw extended wide ready to bite down on Ross's arm. A hoof met the side of it's head and it fell. Applejack looked back. Ross didn't mess about about he picked his saber up and in a one armed over the head swing severed it's neck from it's body "Bucking stay dead." Ross said sliding the saber in to the scabbard. "Let's...go home." Moonlight said panting her smoking rifle across her back. Wing's of HonourWing's of Honour Ross knew the only way they could find the supposed army was to look down on the world. Ross was currently a few hundred miles from Canterlot. The plane flew through the cloud's It's looked incredibly ugly and odd design. The short and fat fuselage compered to it's short squire wing's made it looked like it was drawn by a child but there was a purpose for the wing's as the size of the of payload attached on the underside showed. The size of the fuselage it self was deceiving as at the very nose thought there was only a few inches of it showing a was the Thunder fire gatling cannon with a rate of fire of 15,000 - 20,000 round's a minute and a cooling system of liquid nitrogen but there was a price for the weapon as it could only fire a 4 second burst or risk stalling with no chance of recovery. While aircraft's officially name is the Silver Arrow 99 It was known as "God Killer" to Ross It was't even a main line fighter it was reserved for specialist mission's and personnel. Few where trained or even able to operate it dew to the stress it had on the body. It was't even the standard model of the aircraft. Modification's had been made that that let it fly into space meant only the brave or insane flew such a craft but the unusual fluid atmosphere of Equiss meant Ross was going to have to test God Killer to her extreme and utter limit. Ross had received training to pilot the Silver Arrow when he was with 99th Hazardous environment combat team. . . Ross had his flight mask off and was eating a chocolate bar. Ross snack was interrupted by the crackle of the radio in his ear's "tchhhh Spitfire to Ross Spitfire to Ross. Come in? Over." While it had been a pain modifying the equipment for pony use but the stranded flight helmet's where surprisingly good fit for them and he was thankful for the ease of communication before it was banning on the canopy, pointing and shouting. Ross swallowed the lump of chocolate then slipped the barely touched snack into his right breast pocket, pulled the mask back on then pressed the throat mice into his neck "Ross receiving. What is it Captain? Over." While Ross had been given command over any pony he wanted he had stepped down when it came to the air force to let Admiral Fairweather take command as Ross had never been comfortable with commanding air combat. To day he was paired with there best fly's the "Wounderbolt's" led by Caption Spitfire Ross had stepped down again but Spitfire took his help when he offered. Ross looked though the canopy to his front. The formation was in the classic arrow shape with Ross in the middle and back as the turbulent from the exhaust fumes would be enough to knock any Pegasus from the air. At the head of the arrow he saw the flame tail of Spitfire. "On the ground at two O'clock. Convoy? Over." Ross rolled the plane so the right win dipped and thorough a hole the cloud he saw a line of vehicles and possibly Infantry. "Confirm. Potential Target need confirmation before I commit to attack. Over." Ross had't worked out a weapon systems for the pegasis so they scouted and he hit the target. "Confirm sending scout out now. Out" Spitfire turned to Sorin on her left and with a few signal's got the message to him that he needed have a closer look. Sorin nodded back at Spitfire trying not to smile at the way the helmet Ross had given her looked on her. Sorin dived into the clouds and sped ahead of the formation and carefully try'd to get closer. Sorin lowered his head through the cloud and carefully looked through the convoy looking for the hint's as to what it was. Two tank's lead the convoy followed by a what looked like a regiment then some covered up lorry's, then more tank's and some walker's and another regiment. Sorin pulled back to the formation and flew next to Spitfire to use the microphone "Ross you got two regiment's, armorer support and what look's like supply's. Over." "Any AA? Over." "No. Over" "Roger. Accelerating to attack. speed weapon's hot. You lot stay safe. Out" The engines grew defining as Ross pulled the plane into a steep clime readying for the attack. Ross watched as the altimeter claimed on the control face "8,000 ft....10,000 ft...14,000 ft." Next to the altimeter was the arm switch. *Click* Ross sat back in the seat as the sound of the pump's for the liquid nitrogen met his ears. Cala'er was marching next to his brother the hover tank in front of him humming loudly. "Brother do you think we should of left the Aeon?" Tasep't looked at Cala'er "Yes Brother this is what The Way is about bringing peace for all even If we have to harm others in this land and the next and the next if need be but theses strange weld eldritch powers so we must remove them for peace." "Silence in line! We're almost at Glory." the Caption shouted and they trudged "What's that noise?" Cala'er asked out loud. There was a screeching sound. Ross pulled back on the joy stick with is left hand sending God Killer into a nose dive. The screamer on the underside of the the cockpit started wining as the plain entered the dive. "19,000...17,000...12,000... 8,000... 3,000" as the altimeter decrease the speed shot up though it was slow slow dive for the aircraft. "200 mph ... 334 mph...378 mph ... 400 mph." Ross held his breath trying to not let the blood be forced from his brain. As he dive'd the aiming reticule raised into the center of the canopy in-frout of him as he burst from the cloud's and sped at the convoy. As he pulled up sharply God Killer barely skimming the tree top height Ross press'd a red button with is thumb and a pair of bombs one from each wing fell. As the plain raised up into the sun. Ross looked over his shoulder as the pair of hundred pound bombs slammed into the hart of the convoy taking out the lorry's and a good portion of the first regiment. Cala'er picked himself up and grabbed his Cristala rifle "C...Cal..." A pink something dropped down into his vision and he pulled it off it was... he followed the length of the pink thing to his brothers torso. He was burly clinging to life holding what he could of his gut's in his legs had be reduced to a red mist by the boom strike. "C...Cal..." Tasep't gurgled weakly Cala'er scrambled over dragging his rifle by it's barrel. "Brother... no no please don't die on me! No!" but Tasep't died before Cala'er could reach him. "GET UP! WEAPONS FREE!" The caption bellowed looking round the sky. Ross looked up through the canopy the sun behind him preventing any from seeing him. He saw the remaining infantry spread out. Ross pulled back on the throttle's with is right hand and God Killer entered a stall and fell from the air in a tactic called "Descent of the Angle." The sun silhouetted him but did't let guide by eye weapons to find him. As he entered a few thousand feet Ross throttled up, brought the nose down and the plain right way up. Ross pulled the trigger in the front of the joy stick as the reticule passed up the convoy and over the line of walkers that where only just starting to split up. *BUZZZZZZZ!!!! ZZZZZZZZZ!!!! BUZZZZZZ!!!! ZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!* The entire aircraft felt like it was going to fall apart from the recoil all Ross could smell was cordite from the 50 mm rounds even through his mask and pressurized flight site. Ross pulled up and rolled as some of the troop's shot up at him with there weapon's. As the aircraft pass'd over low over the wreck of the tank Cala'er swung with it the trigger held down the muzzle blazing with blue fire. The crystal ammo of the rifle shattering ineffectively on the armorer of the plane. He pulled out the flask that held the liquid ammo that was then turn'd into crystal's in the firing chamber and swapped it out for a fresh one. There was a shriek and Cala'er looked to see the wing of the plane dipped down and for the briefest of second's saw the pilot clearly looking at him. All he felt was rage towards the pilot and would do anything and every thing to kill him... no not him...it. Spitfire, Sorin and the rest of the patrol watched from a cloud as Ross danced and weaved thought the sky then diving to with in a hundred feet of his target. "I'm amazed that thing can fly let alone move in such a elegant way." Sorin commented as God killer gently flipped round the right way and glided down then sped up as the nose went down pointing at the remains of the convoy. "We'll have to have a little competition with him then." Spitfire said fiddling with the sun visor on the helmet. "Err... Captain..." Rapidfire said "...get Ross on the radio..." "Why...O..." Spitfire turn'd and saw what had Rapidfire' attention. On the ground melting into vision was a sprawling mass of building's and what looked like a lot of turret's tracking Ross as well as a very large formation of aircraft. "Ross...Ross come in. Over." Ross looked over his shoulder at the remains of the convoy there was no need for another strafing. "Ross...Ross come in. Over." "Ross here what the matter? Over." "How fast can you fly?" "Very why? Over." "Ground your eight O'clock." Ross looked down and pity sure his gut's where about to drop. There was a combat flight wing coming straight at him and there was a sprawling base, *Bluuup!* The small radar screen in the middle of the display in front of him lit up the small green dot in the middle and the small group in the cloud in the sea of red. "Spitfire! get out of here get out now!" Ross brought God Killer round to face the Seraphim and Order fighter's pushing the throttle's fully open and flicking the afterburner's on. He was forced into his chair the suit pressurized trying to help him cope with the forces acting on his body. Spitfire watched as Ross shrieked by flame erupting from the engine's then a white cone and a explosion as God Killer broke the sound barrier. Ross saw the formation ahead brake up and prepare to attack. Got there attention. Ross pushed on the joy stick and God Killer entered a clime the altitude climbing fast "8,000 ...10,000 ... 12,000 ... 14,000 ... 16,000..." The altimeter suddenly stopped and Ross slammed his fist into the altimeter "Work dame you!" it suddenly spun back to life. Ross looked over his shoulder the Seraphim fighter's where on his tail along with several smoke trails a green flame where the smoke trail's started was a tell tail sing to the missile type. There was only one way to lose these type of missiles and that was to enter the void. Ross pushed on the joystick more and God Killer entered even steeper clime. Ross pressed the throttle's hard and there was a click the throttle went through the gate. A small time appear next to the aiming retractile counted down the five minutes he could stay at emergency speed before the engines destroyed them self with the strain. Ross was slammed into the back of the seat as the engines shrieked deafeningly loud and the plane shook more violently than when the gun was firing. He could feel his body being compressed into the chair his organs felt like they where being squished he was tire his oxygen starved brain fought to keep working. Spitfire ignored Ross's order's and watched. "Ross level out! level out!!" "N...no...c...can't...m....missiles." Spitfire looked at the team. "You lot want to help him?" They all looked at each other and then they nodded one by one. "Let's Fly!" Ross felt himself becoming weightless and throttled back and the countdown vanished as it read "2:37". The air suddenly thickened to normal as the on-board air supply made it's way into his mask. Ross gently leveled out and looked back could see the missiles spun affectingly in the low gravity and trace of the atmosphere. Then they detonated in a green fire. "ROSS COME IN ARE YOU ALIVE!!?" Ross slowly pressed the throat mic in "I'm...alive" "Thank Celestia...It looks like they think they killed you and they are returning to that base and they haven't seen us." Ross looked down the cloud's covering the base. "W...what can you tell me of it?" "It look's like a staging aria... Celestia help us ... It look's like a entire army is there! Err.. tanks' and artillery everything! there's a road leading to Canterlot ... Ross this army's going to try and take Canterlot! We got to do something!?" Ross thought for a second "Is there a round building with what look's like a ball with arm's on it?" Spitfire looked round the building's "Yes! there is." Ross drew up a image from his memory. "That's a shield generator. Is there a tower of light with a contraption on top near the shield generator?" "Yes!" "That's a radar jammier and stealth system that's why we only found that base the hard way.... is there a building that look's like it's holding a egg?" "Yes there four of them surrounding the shield and jammier." Ross pressed a button on the panel to his right and the display changed displaying the weapons available "789,054 of 1,000,000. 50 mm . 18 bomb's of 20." "Spitfire can you see the ant-air battery's?" "Yes why?" "Keep them busy but don't do anything risky." "Yes but what will you do?" "We'll see" Ross pulled back on the joy stick starting the four minute vertical dive. The howler started it's scream. Fleetfoot shot out of the cloud as it exploded and hid in another a dozen shells passed by the cloud and detonated silhouetting him with the flash and giving the AA gunners something to aim for. Fleetfoot flew from the cloud as that cloud met the same end as the one before. Fleetfoot dived into a large pile of thick cumulonimbus. More shells went up and detonated there was no silhouette the cloud was too thick. Sorin looked over the edge of the cloud he was shearing with Rapidfire "Where's Ross?" There was a faint screeching "He's on his way!" Sorin shouted as a shell ripped through the cloud between them and they shot off into other cloud's. Ross glanced at the speedometer "2,199 mph" The aircraft had been proofed to 9,000 mph but Ross did't fancy testing that but if it came to it he would if he liked it or not. Ross glanced at the speedometer again as the sound of metal on metal meat his ears "4,999 mph" some quick calculations and he found if he reached the top speed of 8,000 he had two minute's till impact with the ground. Surprise swooped low and slow over the AA it stood pointing up and silent. He swiftly flew back to the thick cumulonimbus where the rest of the Pegasus where hiding "Nothing! It's like there not interested in us any more." Spitfire looked over the side of the cloud "Why?" Rapidfire asked "That's why." Blaze said pointed at a black speck in the blue of the sky. Ross was struggling to stay consciousness The speed read "7,800 mph" but on the altimeter all he could read was "26,7 - - - " the last number's where a white blur Ross felt some new vibration's and glanced out the window to find the wing's where jerking up and down violently.Hold together lass for me please! The AA opened up black flowers burst into existence all around Ross as he dived toward's them. The AA closed in with every shot Ross was thrown around in his seat and harness. The control column and pedal's were violently jerking mimicking the way the control surfaces on the wing's and tail where trying to take the path of least resistance. It was taking all of Ross's strength to keep the aircraft in the dive. A black flower appeared in front of him and the canopy creaked and as the shower of flack bounced off the next shot was more devastating. The shell exploded slightly above and on Ross's left. The canopy shattered Ross yelled as the scolding metal and glass scythed into his arm's and left leg his vision was blurred red in his left eye. The wind rushing in was defining. The Pegasus watched as the black ball's closed in on Ross "He'll never make it!" Surprise said out loud "He's having a good go at it." Blaze commented. The alarm went off to signal twenty thousand feet and Ross pulled back on the joystick but nothing happened God Killer kept her death daring dive straight to the hart of the Seraphim base Ross was sure he was going to plow straight into the power generators Hell of a way to go lot's of explosions and fire.. the altimeter read "15,000" Then he felt it the feeling of passing through a thin waterfall he was inside the shield and to his grate relief God Killer was starting to pull up the reticent was on the shield generator Ross held the trigger the shear speed he was traveling at he could afford to fire longer with out stalling. *BBUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZBOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!* The shield generator exploded and with out thinking Ross held the boom release button. Eighteen hundred pound of high explosive fell from the underside of God Killer simultaneously there air brakes making the boom's fall slower. A second later they all meat there target's in a earth shattering salvo that was magnified by the four generators exploding but all Ross could feel as he pulled up was adrenalin and euphoria then stared laughing. "ROSS YOU ALIVE?" Ross Presses the mic into his neck "Alive! ALIVE! I'm fucking fantastic! I...I'm alive! I thought It was going to be a Kamikaze!" Ross stared laughing Spitfire watch'd as God Killer cycled above the cloud. Ross felt his adrenalin subside and the pain made it's self known with revenge "Ow...ow...o god .... em... I'm bleeding can we go home now Caption?" Spitfire took to wing and flew up then onto the now slowly flying plain taking hold of the frame that was use to hold the canopy she looked in. Ross was looking at the inch or so of metal sticking out of his shoulder "How's my left eye? All I see out of it is red" Spitfire looked over it carefully "All good just a gash above your eye brow that's bleeding." Ross pulled the flight mask that covered his nose and mask off with a smile. "Thank's now let's get this seen to." Spitfire flew down tho the cloud again "Moving out now ge-" Spitfire was interrupted by God Killer's left wing erupting into a fireball. "Hurry up! I'm getting out of here before another missile hit's me meet you half-way!" Ross claimed and vanished into the layer of cloud's with a large trail of black smoke trailing from the left engine. Cala'er threw the smoking launcher at the still twitching body of his caption he just killed to take the launcher. "Dame you! Dame you you retched thing! I'll track you down! I'll kill you! If it's that last thing I DO! The Way bound it! Dame it!" He collapsed to his knees then started writhing in the blood stained mud. Spitfire looked round than saw the black smoke trail and underside of Ross's plain. "Ross your six o'clock coming under you now." Spitfire noticed the hole blown into the wing. "Confirm Err... I need you to go ahead and tell them to expect a hard landing from me I can't activate the landing gear. ETA 3 minutes. I don't fancy go any faster in case she gives up on me." "Roger see you soon." The Wounderbolts shot off leaving Ross to limp home. Admiral Fairweather looked through the binoculars Ross had given him "Nothing yet." He looked at the Wounderbolts. Each had a concerned look on there face. "He's over time." Spitfire said looking round the sky. "All I'll say is that he has a lot of talent even if he do't think he has any." Sorin said. looking at the rest of the team to receiving nod's of agreement. Ross Looked at the wing as another panel started to flap loose "I told you to hold together!" He looked through the shattered canopy for the runway and the light to lead him in. There was a bang and Ross looked down at the flashing light "Left Engine Failure."Ross looked at the engine to find it engulfed in fire. Ross instinctively pulled the fire extinguisher. White foam flooded the engine but it did nothing the fire continued to blazed away. Ross pulled the left throttle fully back cutting the full that was feeding the fire. The fire reduced from a inferno to a smoldering mess of the engine. The left wing dipped and he throttled up the right engine to compensate. Looking round he saw it the red arrow of light's at the end of the runway. The radio came to life with Admiral Fairweather's voice. "*Trrruqquuuuuueee Bleep!* Any one there? Ross?" "I'm hear. Are the medical staff and fire team's ready?" "Yes." "OK Coming in.... hard!" Fairweather looked up and saw the black smoke trail "Hear he come's!" Ross was struggling to keep God Killer in line with the runway. Ross glanced at the altimeter as he entered the finale approach "100ft...80ft.....50ft....20ft..." Ross knew it was a one way ticket he throttled the last engine to just above stall and braced himself. With a bang and screech of metal on tarmac Ross started his hap hazard slid down the runway. All the pony's watched as Ross slid down the runway at brake neck speed a fountain of spark's following him. Ross felt himself spinning as the plain turned on the run way. He realized he was now going tail first. He closed his eye's and prayed he felt the plain starting to lift and he knew he was going to be crushed. There was a bang and he felt himself fall still. Ross opened his eyes slowly he was sat on the runway infrount of the hanger that where at the far and of the runway. He pulled out the emergency shutdown plunger and pulled the right throttle fully back. Poping the harness clasp and pushed the canopy up. Ross with a moan of pain haled himself out of the cockpit. He fell face first onto the tarmac and started to drag himself away from the plain. He felt something grab the collar of his flight suit and drag him away. Ross looked at his plain to find a crew of unicorns where sending spell's into the smoldering engine. "You look like you been to Tartarus and back." Ross looked up to find Spitfire. "H...hello how are you?" Ross said smiling. "Fine you?" Ross started laughing nervously "Alive." Ross sat up and looked at Spitfire "Is every one alive?" Spitfire nodded. A new pony loomed over Ross. "Well look at you." Ring Out said with a smile "Big her-" Ross interrupted him by grabbing the whisky bottle he saw sticking out of Ring out's coat pocket. "That's mine! Give it back!" "No! Fuck off!" Ross said then drained the small bottle with a shudder. "Jesus Christ...pull it out." "What?" The two pony's said "The metal in my shoulder. Pull it oAAAAARRGH!!" Ring out pulled the shrapnel an eval smile on his Face "Y...you enjoyed that d...didn't you." Ross hissed. Ring out nodded. Ross opened the small medical pack that was sown into the flight suit's right leg. In it was a small bottle of Medical alcohol, local anesthetic, A role of bandage, A small bag of cotton wool, a set of forceps and a set of Trauma shears. Ross pulled the Trauma shears out and cut the suite's left leg open. The few wound in his leg where not serious and Ross pulled the forceps out then started to pull the small lump's of metal out. "Need any help?" Ring out said "No not after my shoulder mate!" After a few minute of pulling and swearing Ross was bandaging the wound's the alcohol soaked cotton wool pressed agents the wounds on his leg's and shoulder. "Right I'm going to see what is left of God Killer." Ross stated as he try'd to get up. As he try'd Admiral Farweathere flew over to him. "Lieutenant Ross you are hear by awarded the Wing's of Honour medal for bravery in air combat." Ross stumbled to his feet with help from Spitfire. "T...Thank you Admiral." Ross gowned as his bad leg took some of his weight. Rubber BurningAuthor's Note I'm back I had to go to wales to see some family members. I'm back and writing (Badly :P) Rubber Burning Rubber burning. Ross looked up at Celetia "So what you found in the bunker is true...they are coming to utterly wipe us out..." Ross nodded carefully not wanting to upset the stitching above his eye. "Yes we may have an hour we may have month ...Celestia I will do all humanly possible to prevent that." Celestial saw the fire in his eye's. "I ... believe you." Ross spent the rest of the day converting some Klink Hammer's to there mobile counter part used by infinity known as "Hell Hammer's." Then with a team of unicorns hosted them onto the battlement's over looking the trenches and gate. Now he needed to crew them. Ross stood on a cart in the middle of a refugee camp "Attention!" Ross powerful voice that was so use to bellowing orders over the din of battle had no problem of being heard by all the pony's in the camp. The pony in the tent's looked at him meany hid there filly's in case he was hungry. "I'v come to ask fore volunteers who wish to fight!?" The pony's looked at each other. "Why?" Somepony shouted out. "Why? Because I and others are risking our live's daily to defend this place from the Seprahim!" "That's your problem we've lost enough to them all ready!." The crown murmured in agreement "So you will willing sit idle while others lay down there lifeblood so save your own!?" The same voice answered "Its there JOB! to protect us it's what they get payed for." Ross's face hardened "Then it is your duty to help in any way you can! I was't here to ask you to fight on the fount line or any way that I wouldn't go! I was here to ask your help in the hospital's, Gun crew's and other vital task's that will keep us fighting that little bit longer! But if you'd see your wife's defiled and your children torture so be it! But If you don't if you'd see the filth sweep'd away then you will help us fight!" Ross paused for affect. "Who's with me!?" he shouted over the crown. The crowd looked round then a pail green Earth pony stallion with a blue main took a step toward's Ross. He jumped down from the cart and looked the stallion up and down."Will you?" Ross asked. The Stallion looked round at the crowd then he looked at Ross. "I will." Ross pulled the back of the cart down and putting his hands to gatherer helped the stallion into the cart. A small line formed and Ross helped each up with his cupped hand's. A dozen pony's later Ross pulled up the tail gate of the cart then walked round to there the tow bike sat and with a cloud of diesel fumes pulled the cart off. Ross open the hatch and sat up on the edge of the hole tea in hand. A cold breeze blew passed him and coursing him shiver the t-shirt he was wearing was not much protection agents the chill. Ross looked at his watch "4:55" The sound of hoof's meeting metal "Hi David! I missed you yesterday morning!" Ross turned to fined the golden eye's "Morning Miss Doo." Ditzy smiled and sat down next to Ross whom offer her his tea. "Thank's!" She watched as Ross dropped into his hole then come back up with another tin cup of tea in his hand. "So how have you been?" Ross asked "Fine thank you" Ditzy answered taking a sip of her tea. Then her eyes widened like she had remembered something. "This is for you!" Ross watched as Ditzy puled a letter out of the saddle bag's she had on. "Fer you." She said round the letter held in her teeth. Ross took it and looked at the crudely written address. "The strange Alion, The big metal monster, The Guard ~~Barr~~ the place where they sleep, the princesses garden." "I think a filly has written this." Ross said with a smile "How cute." Ditzy said with a giggle. Ross opened the letter and read the much neater writing. "I don't know if you will get this as my smaller sister had to write the address so I took the precaution of re-writing her letter just in case." "Dear Mr.Alien My name is Gumdrop I saw you when you came to our camp and you took my big brother away. He's called Mint Fresh. I'm writing to tell you to take care of him because If you don't I'll turn you in to a puddle of slime. (When I learn how to.) I was hoping to ask you your name but I don't think you know where to send a letter in return. Well my mom would want me to say thank you for helping keep us safe so thank you! Gumdrop PS. Do you eat filly's?" Ross chuckle as he folded the letter up and dropped it down to the bed below him. The two sat there talking as the night turned in to twilight. Ditzy looked at the orange strip that was standing the bottom of the night. "I must go David." with that she flew into the city Ross waving her off. A few minuet's latter Ross looked at the ration pack then dropped it to the floor. Uninterested. Luna sat in her throne No pony was at night court at this hour she looked at her two guard's "You two are dismiss I'm going for a walk in the garden's." The two guard's saluted and marched away. She stepped out of a small door that lead from one of the hall's to the out side of the castle. She took a deep breath of cool night air the smell of the the garden filling her nostrils walked on of her favorite route through the took her past the ornamental salmon pond that was full of Rainbow trout. Ross was craving a decent meal rather than the inadequate nutrition from his ration's and that lead to what he was doing. He was currently kneeling next to the pond his right arm up to his elbow in the freezing water. He slowly and gently traced his middle finger up the trout's tail, up it's belly then to its head. Then slowly he took his finger from it's head and then gently moved to it's tail and repeated the action. Ross felt a smile cross his face at the memory of him and his granddad creeping threw the swamp land near a dukes manner. They had shoe'd almost all his horses for him and he "neglected" to pay them so they "acquire'd" there missing pay. Ross heard hoof's near by and he whipped his hand out of the water and pulled his sleeve down. Ross stood up and looked down the path. Ross saw Luna walk down the path and he took his helmet off "Luna." Ross bowed. "David? What are you doing hear?" "I was taking a wander through the garden before I head out. Why?" Ross slipped his helmet back on and the cold metal made the back of his neck twitch. Luna cocked her head. "Do you ever sleep?" Ross nodded " I get three to four hours a night it's all I need why?." Luna examined his eye's and found there where no bag's under his eye's. "You never seam to be still or resting that's all." "I'll rest when I'm dead.... Will the purple one be up?" Luna thought for a moment "You mean Twilight Sparkle?" Ross nodded. "Maybe why?" Luna asked Ross smiled "I need a map." Ross lent on the heavy lance. Watching the convoy move along the old forestry road down hill from him. The thick trees prevented any detection devices from seeing him. He'd been sat there since before dawn and it was now 8:30. The sun was just above the horizon Ross was keeping tally of what he was seeing on a notebook that was resting on his left leg. "13 16 infantry regiment's = 1 field army of 80,000 men approx. 6 Armored regiment's with strength of 1,200 armored unit's each. 8,000 Mobile artillery pieces. 1 ACU + 2 SACU's 50 Engineer's tech L 3 So far enough supplies to last for 3 week's of heavy fighting or 1 month of unsupported siege. Approx. Air support sighted strength unknown seen 1 wing of heavy fighter/bomber's suspect more." Ross watched more supply's making it's way up the road. He pushed the note's into his left coat pocket and pulled a pair of binoculars out. He raised them up to the lenses of his gas mask and looked down the road. More. Yet more supply truck's. Trailing down the road to the foot of the mountain. Ross lowed the binoculars and slipped them back into his pocket. He looked over the convoy directly below him. There was a line of hovering anti air battery's. Turning to one of the two bag's behind the seat Ross pulled a map out of one of them. The mountain he was on depicted in detail and he studded it closely. He dent use the bikes system of echo mapping in-case he was detected so was forced to use old map's from deep in vault's of the castle. It had taken him, Twilight and Spike almost an hour to find the map's that depicted this area of land. Ross noticed a narrow pass to the east that was walled by rocky cliffs. He opened the other bag and pulled out the demo charges he had. He had five charges on him. He slipped the charges back into the bag Ross rested the lance across his lap. With a flick of his foot Ross unfolded the kick start handle out and on the first trod the engine started the silencer on the exhaust pipe made the engine incredibly quite. Ross taped the kick handle with the back with of his leg and turned in the detection of the pass. He rode on slowly looking round the lance held in his right hand the left controlling the throttle. The bike was set up so the rider could use a weapon freely. Ross pressed on the gear up pedal and the bike picked up speed as it entered second gear. While Ross would prefer'd to grow a genetically engineer horse used in the cavalry he thought it would've not go down well with every pony. He pulled the map out and looked at it as he found a small stream. Canterlot was on his right and the pass was infrount of him, over the stream. Ross pressed the left pedal and the bike dropped into first gear then he stoped. Ross claimed off and walked to the stream the eight foot lance tickled the low branch's of the tree he was walking under. He dropped the lance into the water and found the stream was only a foot deep. He walked back to the bike that was ticking over and claimed back on and crossed the stream. Ross came to the pass and looked down. The pass was about seventy feet deep the narrow road mud on the old trail was undisturbed a few dozen feet there was a sharp corner that he couldn't see round due to the thick tree's. Resting the lance ageist the bike Ross un-clipped the rope and small land anchor that was strapped to the front mud guard. Ross dropped the anchor into the dirt where the rock of the cliff started he walked back to the bike and pulled the demo charges out and slipped them into a pouch on his webbing. After making sure the land anchor was secure Ross tied the rope to it and round his wast and into the loop's in his webbing. Ross then walked to the edge of the cliff and slowly started to abseil down the cliff. A few feet down from the edge of the cliff the the rock cut in and made a deep over hang. Ross pulled him self under. The over hang was around four feet and Ross looked for clues to find if there where any defect's in the rock. A narrow cut in the rock gave him a good place to place the charge's Ross tied the rope into a knot to keep himself steady. The charges had a adhesive layer that could stick to almost any surface Ross pulled the clear plastic off and slipped the charge unto the crack and pulled the pin from the detonation system. Ross pulled him self along the cut and a few feet along slipped the next demo charge, another pin. A few minuet's later Ross stoped and listened. In the distance there where hushed voices. "Argh...shit!" Ross muttered looking down. A team of five Order trooper's where below him. They where probably the scout's for the convoy. Ross looked at his side and slowly reached for the long wooden handle of a stick-grenade. The group was sat close together looking at a hologram, one had a radio out. Ross pulled the pin out and started to count the eight second fuse. "1...2...3...4...5!" Ross threw the grenade it spinning over and over as it sailed through the air in a slight ark. It stuck in the mud handle down next to the group with a wet slap then it detonated. Three of the group where sent flying through the air on fire, ones head split in two by a lump of scolding shrapnel the remains of it's brain splatter the mud. The last slumped over a bloody pool forming round the body. Ross looked round and he heard something large making it's way towards him. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" Ross slapped the demo charge on the rock and pulled the pin from it. This charge had the master arm on it. Ross entered the activation code on it and selected remote detonation mode. Ross pulled himself up and quickly untied the rope around his wast and started coiling it up. As he made his way back to the bike with the rope and land anchor. The tank rounded the corner Ross re clipped the rope and anchor onto the mud guard. He opened the bag the demo charge's where in and found the remote detonator. The Obsidian hover'd along the track ahead of the convoy. Ready to support the scout's if they ran into trouble or a ride if they needed to get away from something. Saptat looked up at the Sargent of the crew. Tatala "Sargent. Contact front. 100 meters infrount." The driver called out. "Look's like our scout's. Engines stop." Tatala called and the driver stoped the Obsidian tank and it lowered to the ground. Saptat watched as Tatala opened the hatch over his head and claimed out of the command tank. Saptat followed and slid down the side of the tank and into the black, thick, ankle deep and fowl smelling mud. The fact his jumpsuit was white didn't help the matter. The two approached the body's, three where smoldering the smell of burnt meat was thick in the air. Saptat watched Tatala draw his Cristala pistol. "What happened to you?" Tatala muttered. As they approached they found the smoking crater. "Booby-trap?" Saptat suggested and Tatala nodded holstering his pistol. "Yes." Tatala waved the tank forward's and it entered the pass. The tank pulled up to Tatala. Saptat walked further up the track looking for clues. He found a few thin sheet's of clear plastic. Ross was listening carefully he could here the loud hum of the tank as it pulled level with him. He pressed the clacker's trigger. The charges detonated and the over hang gave way crushing the tank. Ross revved the bike and pulled up to the edge of the cliff Ross saw black smoke and flames rising from under the land slide. He saw a lone figure running down the trail. Saptat ran he's seen the cliff come down and wanted away all he could do was run. He header a bellow like a wild beast and the sound of mud being ripped up behind him. He turned to find a gray figure astride a black bike a lance pointed at his chest. He felt the lance puncher his chest and pierce straight into his hart. Ross let the weight of the body drag his arm round and the lance was ripped from the solders chest in a fountain of blood. He twisted the throttle and the bike bellowed as it sped on down the track and back to where S.O.H.U where working. Ross felt something warm on his hand and a glance showed a blood trail leading up his lance to the punctured hart on the head of the lance. Ross lowered the lance to the ground and the heart was ripped off the lance and tumbled through the mud. Cat and Mouse(Out of story. Can I say thank you so much to everyone that has Liked, Favorited, looked at, read or even just glanced at my story, So thanks for the likes the favorites and all the encouraging comments and you will be glad to know I am continuing to write. You know what I'm going to be honest thought people would just hate this and move on. I must thank you all for sticking with me even with my bad spelling and all. Anyway you lot want a chapter and here it is) Cat and Mouse Ross powered down the road his coat flapping around his legs. The sun was rising in the air and it's light shining off some of the window's in the city. Ross twitched his leg as it brushed the hot engine of the bike. The wind blew into him and the bike wobbled slightly in the side wind. Moonlight raised her head from the box of land mines, one held in her mouth by the handle as her sensitive hearing picked up the sound the sound of an engine racing towards them. "IT'S ROSS MA'MA!" The lookout on the ridge near by shouted down to them as he raised his rifle up away from Ross. Ross slowed down as he pulled into the wood's that S.O.H.U where setting mine's in to slow the advancing army. He slowly weaved the bike in between the tree's and dashing ponies. Ponies saluted and Ross raised the lance in acknowledgment and they continued the blockading of the forest. He heard a commotion above him and looked up to find a pair of pegasi facing a mine to a length of transparent catgut making the horrific "Face Slapper" trap. The trap consisted of a length of catgut that was cut so that it was long enough that when the trip line was triggered the mine would ever slam into the face or back of head of the victim then detonate or if they failed to detonate would knock the victim out or at least incapacitate them. The bike coughed as it came to a stop and Ross looked round. Moonlight gently put the mine back down carefully and walked up to him. "Good hunt?" She asked with a salute. Ross saluted in kind and nodded "A tank, five crew and five scout's. But look at this." Ross handed the note book to her. Ross lent back into his bikes seat and watched as Moonlight's eyes widen. "How...how will we slow them?" She asked and passed the note book back to him. Ross looked at the handles of his bike. "When we've finished here I'll stay back as long as I can to hunt the-“ "Don't move and don't turn round keep acting like I'm talking to you." Moonlight caught a flash over Ross's shoulder. "Sniper?" Ross asked gently rubbing the back of his neck. Trying to act calmly. "It's like a glass reflecting." Moonlight commentated as she looked around for somepony with their rifle. Ross took a deep breath. "Sniper...He'll be trying to work out the chain of command after me and what we are doing. Where's is the sniper?" Moonlight glanced over his shoulder. "That small out crop of rock near the road. He must of followed you somehow." Ross gently swung his leg over the bike and slowly walked through. "Moonlight follow. He won't try to snipe me in the crowed as it will likely give him away." Ross slowly tucked his hands into his small back and walked with Moonlight at his side. Ross felt his heart rate pick up slightly. "Who do you think is the best shot?" Ross asked and slowly turned to look at the out crop of rock. There was a slight star flash of reflecting glass. "He's a novice. He should have had a glare guard or a nano-scope." Ross commented. "Mapper sir the cartographer." Moonlight glanced round the back of her neck sweating and a spell in her armor absorbing the sweat. The two slowly walked up to Mapper. "Mapper! Listen don't look yet. The out crop of rock near the road almost at the top of it. There's a sniper probably with his sights on my head. Neutralist." Mapper winked and slowly slipped his rifle along his side. "Walk deeper into the forest then walk round to the far end of the woods maybe you will get a line on him." Ross gently walked on with Moonlight. "How are you staying so calm?" She asked. Ross gave a weak chuckle. "I'm not. I'm shitting myself!" The sniper lifted his head from the check pad. His gilly suit and cloak gently waving in the wind. He gently whipped his eye clean. He rested his head back onto the cheek rest and closed his right eye. The far off wood's came into crystal clear view. The Siege Warrior. The helmeted head slowly scanned through the woods. A pony at his side with bat wing's and deep purple armor. He noticed the Siege Warrior had his arms held behind his back and slowly walked "Idea situation." but trees where blocking his firing line. The sniper slowly panned his scope along the tree line while waiting for a clear line on the Siege Warrior. The sniper taking interests at how the ponies where working with implement of human designed. There was another gust and he felt his cloak flap slightly. His eye was cough by a brown lump closure to his posi- His scope focused on the Siege Warrior the deep black pools was looking straight at him. He watched in horror as the trench coat clad figure slowly shook its head at him. The sniper pushed the safety off and the scope filled with information of conditions along the bullet's path. Wind, Heat, Humidity and many different types of radiation. There was a flash from the lump and the Sniper's scope exploded, there was a bloody mass where his left eye's was. His flipped back from his seat that he set up. As his brain sent desperate messages to his dying body. His arm pulled his rifle up and the large Anti matter rifle fired in a deafening explosion, In his other hand the radio clicked. The muzzle barker hissed as the contrail of smoke floated from the pile of rocks near the wood's. The handle dropped and the brass casing shot back of the action. The nano scope hummed as it prevented any leans flare. The brown lump smiled as it pulled the cigarette and matches from the webbing Ross had given him to try. His smile fell and eye's contradicted. He spat the cigarette out. His throat closed up, dried by the new and horrible flavor and sensation. "O...BUCK! That's horrid." He trod the cigarette and walked back to Ross. Ross saw the fountain of blood from the rocks and he let a breath out. "O... thank fuck!" He looked at Mapper. "I owe you a beer or something." Mapper smiled "As long as it's not one of them cigarette's." Ross nodded "Don't worry. It was the only one I had and I don't smoke." The activity in the forest started again. Ross looked round and then then he walked to the cart and pulled his beloved shotgun from it. Then after whipping it clean, checking the barrel for obstructions, he slid fresh shells into its cylinder and slung it onto his back. Ross felt it's comfortable with its reassuring weight on his back. Ross looked to where the sniper was and saw the red on the rock. But he still felt. Uneasy. Ross noticed Moonlight's ear's twitch slightly. He slowly walked up to her and gently knelt down next to her. "What is there?" Ross asked his eye's scanning the wood land. "There's a low...humming...no...engine!" She looked up at Ross and she saw his eye's flick to the sky. "Sniper called for help..." She saw his eye's flick to the bike. "...Go... I'll distract them." As he spoke the sound of aircraft grew louder and the others pony's started looking up. Moonlight stood tall and summed her voice and shouted as only a Sargent Major could. "ALL YOU! BACK TO THE CITY! NOW!!!" No pony questioned her as the abandon there charges and galloped off in single file as to hide their numbers. Ross straddled the bike again. "I'm coming with you!" Moonlight called out as she claimed on to the back, wrapping her foreleg’s round his middle." "No you stay here and help I can buy you a few minutes if I give that gunship something to hunt." "I'll double that time then." Moonlight said giving Ross a squeeze and was answered with the throaty howl of the engine as the bike's back wheel spun furiously in the loose dirt. "What's the plan?" Moonlight shouted "Gun it like hell!" Ross bellowed. The already loud raw of the engine grew defining as Ross twisted the throttle round harder and the bike's front wheel lifted up off the ground. Then from around the distant mountain that Ross sat on that morning three sets of contrail wound round the mountain and towards them. Ross charged from the wood's lance held proud and shotgun cross his lap. At his back was Moonlight she knew she could fly fast and gallop fast But this was new the sounds of the throaty engine, the smell of warm fuel and oil, the wind rushing through her fur and the odd smell of dandelion and burdock. The earth around them started to be torn up around them as the gunship chased them. Ross pressed his right foot down on the clutch and the bike entered top gear with a cough of flame from the exhaust. Ross powered across the grassland a dust trail of his wheel's and bullet impact's. Ross pulled the back brake the brake and dropped his foot into the dirt. The bike entered a slide and the bike turned to face the three flyers. Ross shifted his grip on the lance and the bike bellowed as Ross charged at the first flyer. The first gunship flew lower and faster at him. Ross realized he was in a deadly game of chicken. All he knew he wasn’t going to back down as the bike howled and reared up like a wild beast, Ross saw his opening. With a bellow of effort he threw the lance at the first gunship. It sailed through the air and in a shower of sparks and liquids struck the gunship just behind the cockpit. The gunship spun up and round the force of the turning threw the pilot off and in a ball of fire the gunship crashed into the ground. Ross sped passed the blazing inferno and back onto the planes. The two remaining gunship's giving chase. Ross looked over his shoulder the gunships where on his tail he looked down at the speedo on the back of the handle bars. "120 mph" "Think you can drive!?" Ross bellowed over the wind, engine and through his mask. "WHAT?!" Moonlight shouted in disbelieve. But Ross had swung his right leg over and pushed Moonlight towards the handle bars. "HOW?!" Moonlight shouted into his face. "LEARN!" Ross drew his revolver and tucked his left hand into his right elbow forming a rest that he rested the revolver on his arm on the inch of metal front the trigger guard. He drew the cocking hammer then he took a deep breath and let in gently flow out so not to upset his aim. He sighted the closest gunship's cockpit up, He took another lung full of air and as it eased out he compensate for the moving target and his own momentum. He fired and the Plexiglas of the cockpit fractured but didn't break, Ross sent another round and another white flower of fracturing in the Plexiglas materialized. The Bike swerved and Ross held on with his knees like he used to when he was a cavalrymen. Ross was getting angry and sent the last four rounds at the gunship. The gunship nose-dived and sank into the dirt. Moonlight slowed the bike and Ross put his foot into the grass. "Well driven Moonlight." Moonlight let a breath out of in relief. "You drive I don't like it I'll stick to flying thanks." She flapped her wings and rose up into the air. Ross slid along the set and Moonlight dropped onto the back of the seat and once again wrapped her foreleg's round him. "Where's the last bastard?" Ross asked looking round. Moonlight looked round nervously "It can’t just vanish can it?" She asked and Ross shook his head. There question was answered as the gunship appear to raise from the ground in front of them. Ross patted the bike's fuel tank. "Sorry lad this is a one way trip for you. Moonlight do you think you can fly with me under you?" Moonlight's ear's twitch in confusion. "Maybe wh-" She was interrupted as Ross sent the bike and them into a charge at the last gunship. As they approached the gunship Ross crouched on the seat ready to jump. The gunship's guns started barking and shot's bounced off the ground and armor of the bike. The ground give way to a cliff and Ross leap from the bike to gunship. Moonlight took to wing as the bike fell to the bottom of the cliff that ended in a fiery ball. She sailed round the gunship and watched as the pilot tried to throw Ross off. Ross clung to the barrel of the gun on the left wing. He reached for the fuselage and the craft gave a hard swerve. He felt his grip weakening. Ross swing back and forth then threw himself towards the cock pit. He hit the side of the cock pit and clawed for a perches. His questing hand grabbed onto a handle that looked like it was used by the pilot to get in. Ross reached back and grabbed the first wooded handle he felt. Taking hold of it Ross started to smack at the Plexiglas of the cock pit. A white crack appeared and Ross kept putting his entire arm's strength into the swing's. The Plexiglas gave way and Ross pulled himself up. The pilot looked at him and he returned the look. Black visor and flight mask looking at iron ringed lenses and gray gas mask. They stayed like that at looking at each other for a few seconds. The pilot started reaching for a flair gun next to him but Ross reached up and pulled himself into the cockpit. Ross grabbed the arm reaching for the gun and Ross brought his arm up to strike. The pilot grabbed his arm mid strike and clutched the flight column with his knees. The two stayed like that there arm's trembling as they held the other firm. Ross realized what he had in his hand. Even though it was badly dented and its paint was all but gone the stick grenade sat there. The pilot seemed to realize at the same time as he brought his hand from the attempt to grab the flare gun and grabbed the handle. Ross grabbed onto the handle too. There was a small hook where Ross assumed the flight mask hung and slowly forced the looped pin towards it. The pilot forced his hand's back Ross was losing. The pilot was above him and was using his body weight to force the grenade down. Ross let go of the grenade and the pilot's hands smashed into the controls. The gunship entered a spin and Ross slipped out of his hole but in his hand was the pin of the grenade. Ross fell to wards the bottom of the cliff the jagged rock's racing to meet him. Ross closed his eye's ready for the rocks to puncher his body. There was a fiery blast. Ross could feel the heat from the explosion and hear the whistle from shrapnel. Ross felt something gran him under the shoulder's and the falling sensation stopped and was replaced by the sensation of gliding. Ross cracked his eyes open and saw the land below go past as a steady pace. Opening his eyes and looked up to find Moonlight with her fore leg's round his shoulders and the two were flying in the direction of Canterlot. "Thanks Moonlight!" Moonlight looked down "Anytime.". Ross looked down and saw a river pass bellow them. Night Night.Author's Note Well I'm at a new college and it is worse than ever. All right I have one or two old friend's. But the upsetting banter is worse than ever. "He cant pull a rotten tooth from a dead horses head!" Was one line I one picked up on that they say. Here if any one is willing I think some better art cover is in order so if you find anything fitting let me know or if you wana make something I'll give you a shout our or something. Ignore me I'm rambling. Night Night. Night Night. Ross woke with a start. He lifted his head up and looked round. He had fallen asleep in the command throne of the ACU. The monitor listed what he had been building and he recognized the list as a standard city fortification. He looked down to find he was in full uniform and his gas mask was on. Ross looked at his hands "O...god..." Luna sat in the throne looking at the ceiling. A batpony servant trotted up to her a cup of tea sat on the tray held in his mouth. Luna took it with a murmured of thanks and the servant bowed and backed away. There was a scream and a pony in a trench coat burst through the doors, tripping over his hoofs and the sword he had on his belt. The guard's dog piled him and more jumped onto the top. Luna put her cup of tea down and rose from her throne. "WHO ARE THY!" Luna shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice. The pony's head protruded from under the pile Luna saw its face and head where covered but in a mask and helmet that looked familiar.... "FUCK SAKE LUNA HELP ME!!!" Ross's voice came from the pony. "Ross!?!" Luna stared in disbelief. The pony nodded as best he could. "Off. Get off him." Luna said and the guard's got off Pony Ross. Ross stood after a few attempt's the sword stuck in-between his back leg's. "What the fuck happened to me?" Ross asked as he tried to extract his sword from between his legs. Luna stared in disbelief. The tea cup snorted and Luna looked at it "Discord!” There was a bang and Discord stood there smiling "You called?" He asked and Ross tripped over his back legs. "What the... what are you?" Ross asked twisting his head inquisitively from his sitting position. Discord's face turned into a grim "I am what is called a Draconequus!" "What?" Ross said in a voice the just stated confusion "Never mind." Discord said off handed and vanished into a cloud of smoke. "So how my I help you then?" Ross revolver asked the room. Ross threw it at the floor and there was a flash as Discord re-materialized. "Now that..." Discord snapped his fingers Ross was flung up into the ceiling and stayed there. "...was not very nice." Ross looked down from his position on the high valeted ceiling "I'm tripping balls up here! Get me down...Please!" Discord smirked as he snapped his fingers again and Ross dropped like a stone. Ross closed his eyes as the floor was about to meet him. He kept them closed then opened them to find a deep blue aura surround him. Ross put his hoofs on the floor and the aura vanished. Ross remembered the aura from the battle with the commandos and the time Luna enchanted his coat. "Thank you Luna." A few minutes later and there was a bang, a cloud of smoke and Ross sat there looking confused once he took his gas-mask off. "Is there any way to tell who did that to me?" Luna shook her head. "While all magical creatures have a unique foot print when they cast spells. I have not seen one like the spell that was cast on you." Luna watched as Ross picked himself off the floor and straighten his coat, check he did not have a tail and his ears where on the side of his head as opposed to on top. "Well princess I must leave my watch starts in a few hours." Ross bowed then walked out the door, with his scabbed swaying with his walk. Ross stood in on the rampart's over the gate. He'd been there for almost the entire day watching the road and train track's that led towards Canterlot. Through the day he had heard a few explosions probably from the mines or the vehicles they had blown up. There was a silence then a blinding flash of light. "BRACE!" Ross bellowed as the mushroom cloud appeared and the white shortwave sped towards Ross. The shock wave hit and Ross stumbled. He stood still and forced his fingers into his ears. A second later the sound wave hit him and despite his finger's he was defend for a few second's. Ross pulled his fingers out of his ears and watched as the mushroom cloud reached high into the atmosphere. Then suddenly a second light blinded him. "AGAIN!" Ross bellowed. A few hours later Ross saw the head of the convoy approach the city from the woods and he wave a sentry over. "All crews to their guns. Start the bombardment." A few minutes later the Hell hammers and Klink Hammer where firing. Sending shells down onto the Seraphim who properly stated to dig themselves into trenches and other attempts to hide from the bombardment. Ross raised a flare gun and fired it, the red orb glowed and then the bombardment sub sided. The Seraphim stayed in there trenches. "and so it begins...the siege of Canterlot...." Ross though as he moved from his position on the rampart's. The mirror rose up past the lip of the trench, held aloft by the knife it was stuck to. Ross sat under the mirror, notebook in his lap he was sketching the mass of creators into a rough map. Ross handed the not book to Moonlight "Last time ask me." Moonlight started the test to check Ross had memorize the terrain. "OK Section Alpha. Number of craters?" Ross closed his eye's and the mental image of the no man's land came into his mind. "Section Alpha. There are five craters. Alpha B, Bravo, Charley, Delta and Echo." Moonlight nodded. "There distance from the trench?" "Alpha B is ten meters from us, Bravo and Charley are thirteen meters from us, Delta is seventeen meters from us and Echo is fifty meters from us...and on their line." Ross opened his eyes and Moonlight smiled. "All correct, Now what is all this for?" Luna looked at Ross. "You want me to do what!?" She stared at him in disbelief. Ross stood in his battle dress. Shotgun over his shoulder and repeated his request. "Dime the star's and the moon for a minute. Just this ones please." Luna looked at him. "I don't think I can..." Ross broke his stance and moved closer to her. "Pleas all may depend on this night." Ross tied the rope round his waist then looked at the trail of ponies. "If the rope is severed try to head back to this trench 'cause I’m going all the way." The pony's nodded and Ross climbed up the ladder, he spun the shotgun's revolving chamber, he pressed a one of the night vision goggles into his right eye as he saw Luna escorted by some of her bat ponies step down into the trench. Luna could see Ross standing on the ladder and the rope leading to the other ponies. She nodded and they all saluted back. She stood in the trench looking up at her celestial body; she closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Slowly o so slowly the stars started going out as she bent there light to reflect away from the planet. They started going out faster till only the moon was left. Luna forced the splinting headache back and the moon started to dime. Ross started in case that was all he was going to get. The pony's moved up the ladder as they felt the pull on the rope. Ross quickly crawled along on his belly. He felt a crater to his right and ticked the first creator in his head. Luna concentrated harder and harder on dimming the moon. Then she felt faint and stopped before she passed out. There was a snap and the moon and star's where back. Ross looked up. "Damn it! Well you did your best Luna." Ross continued to crawl through the no man’s land the trail of ponies following behind him. Ross stopped as he heard voices and looked up through his gas mask. There were several order troops mingling around a heavy machine gun. Ross reached back and grabbed a specially made grenade. He had removed the explosive heads from several of his grenades and lashed them together around one that still had a handle attached. Ross pulled the pin and the bundle of grenade towards the gun pit. It whistled through the air and landed among the troops, a second later there was a fiery explosion and bodies were thrown through the air. Ross stood up and charged out through the mud to the trench. Somehow a trooper had survived and it saw him charging towards his trench. He raised a knife bur Ross raised his shotgun and fired. Ross jumped down into the trench and started making his way along it to the middle of the line where the command dig out was likely to be. Ponies dropped in after him, cutting themselves free of the rope and started to swarm down the trenches. Ross signaled Mac to go down a trench that led deeper into the network. Ross saw two guard's outside of a dug out. He fired and they fell. The door opened and Ross smashed into it shoulder first. The door fell in on its hinges and Ross stumbled in. There where charts and other detritus of command. Ross did a double take on the bed was two women scantily dressed and hiding under the blanket. There was a banging from under the door that was under his feet. Ross steeped off and found the Order commander in an over flash uniform. He had dark, blue eyes and fair skin. Ross raised his shotgun and smashed his face with the stock of his gun. The hauled him up off the floor and onto a pony's back. He started tearing the dig-out apart. He took map's chart's and others document's, snuffing them into pouches and pocket's. Ross opened a cupboard and found several cloaked. Ross remembered the two joy-girl's in the bed, he pulled the shotgun onto his shoulder and pulled a set of the cloaks out. He walked to the bed and the two joy-girls hid under the blanket more. Ross looked up and pulled his gas mask and helmet off and once again fixed them to his left Epaulet. "Come on put theses on." He offered one of his gloved hand's to the first the one she had blond hair that reached down to the small of her back her green eye's looked into Ross's deep blue ones. She took his offered hand and slid out of the bed. Ross kept looking into her eye's while he unfolded one of the cloak's and wrapped her in it. He repented this for the seconded. This one had light brown skin. Light blue eye's and short Platinum hair they sat there on the bed looking up at him nervously. Ross looked out the door as shouting of pony's running up the trench met his ear's. He pulled his mask and helmet back on. He looked round the dig out one last time, then at the two joy-girl's. Ross tipped his helmet and ran out the door way and into the night. The two girl's looked at each other, they started giggling and blushing. "He was cute!" The blond one said. The tan one blushed deeper. "He was so handsome! He did't even look down at our boob's! " The two drew the cloak's round them tighter the fine fabric hugged there hour glass figures and highlighting there ample bust's. Ross started down the trench his webbing, ammo pouch's, ammo, and other thing's started rattling as he jogged down to where they breached the trench network. Ross saw the pony's where almost back at the home trench line. There was a thundering noise and he looked up at the Seraphim ACU looking down at him. It's light's blazing angrily. "O sssssssssshit!" Ross started walking backward's then he threw himself at the wall of the trench and started to scramble up the wall. The ACU brought all it's gun's down to point him. He forced his limb's into over drive. He scrambled over the edge then threw himself into a crater as the ACU fired into the trench missing him by inches. Ross was out of the crater and ruining as fast as his leg's could go. Ross saw the trench come into view and next thing he knew he was sailing through the air. He started coming down to earth. "This was going to hit. No this was really! Going to hurt. " Ross braced himself and no sooner he smashed into the wall of the trench and fell into the few inches of standing water. Ross blacked out for a few second's but then sat up. His neck hurt like bloody murder. Ross rolled his head it and his neck responded. It let out as series of creak's and pop's there was a loud crack and the pain left. Ross then haled himself from the muddy water and stood. Luna watched as the cannon fired down silhouetting Ross and she watched in horror as Ross was lunched easily twenty or thirty feet then flew into the trench. He hit the wall head first and lay there. Luna ran up to Ross but she felt her panic subside as Ross sat up. "Got what you wanted?" Luna asked and Ross nodded as he lent on the wall of the trench. "That and more." Ross lent over the desk that was in the war room he stood in a few day's ago when he arrived, the varies document's, map's, note's and letter's. All pointed to the same thing. They where in for the hurt locker. THe sege was hevily on the Order's side, juging by the troop manifest he found. Ross stood he needed to start making his army strong. Ross rubbed his eye's he was tired and sour all over but he knew he had to work through the night. The ACU woke in the night. It's generator coughing and roaring replaced by a loud humming of the reactor. Pony's watched as it lit up, light's blazing in the night. The ACU creaked and squeaked as oil and other lubricant's where being forced into joint's and other small part's that had run dry when Unbreakable had been standing. Ross twisted his hand's to the right and the ACU swung on it's hip pivot round the where the small factory that birthed God Killer sat. Ross's eye's adjusted as the visor of the engineering mode blazed into life The cannon's glowed as there dater command's where transmitter to the factory and it started to de-construct. Ross was already starting to fall asleep and he remembered a song that some of the foot slugger's where singing when they where on there daily run round the base. Ross flicked through the music option's and found a backing track to match the lyric's. A rock tune came on and Ross sat up in the thrown. " Into the Motherland The Seraphim army march! In the UEF on world in dispute. Tanks line up in thousands as far the eye can see Ready for the onslaught. Ready for the fight. Waiting for the Seraphim to march into the trap Mines are placed in darkness In the cover of the night! Waiting to be triggered When the time is right Imminent invasion, imminent attack! Once the battle started... There's no turning back! The end of Man draws near It's time has come to an end The end of an era is here It's time.... to attack! Into the Motherland the Seraphim army march Comrades stand side by side to stop the Order charge Obsidian's on our soil a thunder in the air sixty million men at war UEF wrath unleashed! Fields of wheat Where the heat of battle burned. Suffered heavy losses The tide of war was turned Driving back the Order Fighting on all fronts Hunt them out of the UEF. Out of order land Reinforce the front line Force the Order to retreat Send in all the reserves Securing their defeat Soldiers of the Union Broke there citadel Ruins of an army The Order rest in hell! The end of Man draws near Its time has come to an end The end of an era is here Its time to attack. Into the Motherland the Seraphim army march Comrades stand side by side to stop the Order charge Obsidian's on our soil a thunder in the air fifty million men at war UEF wrath unleashed!..." There was a lull in the singing as Ross shouted his own part he liked to add. "Onward comrades! Onward's for the UEF!! Charge!!!!" The he keep singing "...Ow The UEF! Union of world's Will of the people Strong in command! Ow The UEF! Union of world's Once more victorious the Grate Army stands! The end of Seraphim draws near. Its time has come to an end! The end of an era is here... Its time.... to attack!!! Into the There land the UEF army march Comrades charge side by side to brake the Order line. Pillar's on there soil a thunder in the air. thirty million men at war The UEF's wrath unleashed!!!" Ross watched as the final few pieces of the Land factory unfolded and locked into place. The light's on the land factory lighted up and the Engineering visor raised up and Ross looked round for the space for another factory. As the night marched on Ross continued building and singing more song's as he did, most where old war song's or song's about heroes of old and new except for one. The music was slow and sweet. Ross's voice complemented it perfectly. It was a old song , older than the Infinite War it's self. Unbeknownst to Ross he had accidentally knocked the External Address System on, thankfully onto it's lowest setting but it was still enough to wake pony's for a few hundred feet to wake up. But most where reduced to tear's with in a few word's. In the Castle's throne room Luna looked up from the once again empty Night Court as the voice made it's way to her. Ross blissful of this continued building as he sung. It was in a old tong from his home. Nobody knew what the word's meant but all could tell it was a song of a solder separated from his lover. Ross sung the last few lyric's as the last part's of the factory slid into place, Unbreakable stood there like a Cartographer studying the land. Ross nodded, smile and started typing on the keyboard under the monitor to his left. As one the factory's started, light blazed in to the early morning light, the mechanical arm's started assembling the first of meany Striker's, so soon crawl on the world. There was a click and Ross looked down to find he had cort on the EAS switch and he knocked it off, hoping he had only just knocked it on. Dawn the next day Celestia gently swooped through the air and looked down at the strange building's now covering most of the garden's, most of the smaller ones where spinning while what looked like lightning arched between there internal working's. Others spun then dropped into the ground like it was pumping something up from the depths. She saw the ACU standing by the entrance of the gardens and in front of a few group's of neatly lined contraption's. She landed softly on top of the ACU. Her gold horse shoes burly clicking as them met the metal beneath. She raped the hatch on top and a few second's later the hatch open revile a groggy looking Ross. "O...hi..." There was a clatter of boot's on metal as Ross dropped back into gut's of Unbreakable. "Well come in then..." Celesta's all ready tired features shifted to show a look of concern as she attempted to lower her self in through the hatch. Ross saw she was struggling to clime down and then took her into his arm's and lowed her to the floor. Celestia felt her cheek's blaze as Ross picked her up. She was not use to being handled in such are uncouth way. But that was not to say she did not mind it. Ross gently flicked some of Celesta's main off his shoulder and nodded as he then sat down on the command throne. Celestia took her first look round at what called home when he was not at base. She was shocked. "He is expected to live and fight from here? I would not condom a criminal to be kept in here." She looked round as Ross forced his back into the head rest and there was a wearing sound. A device extended from behind the head rest. Celestia watched then cringed as a needle piston'd into Ross's neck from the side of the throne. Ross shook his head and she saw his pules contract to pin prick's. Ross felt his energy skyrocket as the sleep singes where blocked and the adrenaline pumped through his body. "Gggoooddd Morning!" The Day AfterAuthor's Note Sorry fore the delay XP But here it is the next chapter and I cannot take any more OC As All spot's are full! The Day After The Day After Celestia listen as Ross explained what he had done and what everything was. While she did not understand most of it she got the gist of it . Ross was in remote command of all the vehicles she had seen outside. This meant he could command entire armies by himself but this also meant that he was often compromised his safety if there were multiple assaults on his position, when he divide his attention between the fount's he could let something slip through his defenses and strike at him. There was suddenly a great deal of shouting out side and Ross gently brushed pass Celestia, as he claimed up the ladder. Celestia could hear some shouting from Ross who then dropped down again. He roughly pressed Celestia against the wall as he opened the locker next to his command throne and pulled his webbing, helmet and shotgun out. He then turned back to the ladder. As she was pressed agents the wall she felt the gas mask's filter press into her. She did not even notice he had it on, the mask handing from his left epaulette again. She could feel the filter on Ross's chest, the metal outcrops under the heavy fabric, gently pressed into her as Ross slipped past her and she wondered how Ross could wear that on his chest day after day. She did not mind admitting she was impressed by his endurance or the tolerance he had. "Forgive me princess, There is some activity on the Order line." and with that Ross pulled himself up and out of the hatch. Ross pulled the shot gun over his head and it sat across his back then, swung round and onto the rope ladder. He slid down it and slammed into the dirt, A thin trail of smoke from his gloves from the friction and he started running, as he did he pulled his webbing on and fumbled his gas mask on and pulled his helmet on and it snapped into the latches on the mask. Ponies watched as Ross ran along his webbing clacking as he went. As Ross ran some of the Klink Hammer started firing volley's over the city walls. As Ross passed under the gate way a bell started ringing calling the guards to arms. "Fuck!" Ross muttered as he continued running. Shell's started landing around the trench as Ross slid into a trench and into the officer of the watch. The Caption looked round angrily as Ross pulled his shotgun off his shoulder. The Caption smiled his anger leaving him. "Nice to see you sir! The Order is sending a wave at us! Should we fall back!?" A shell slammed into the lip of the trench sending Ross and the Captain relying into the opposite wall. Ross stood shaking his head as his ears started ringing. Ross grabbed the Captain and looked up and down the trench. There were at least thirty Pony's in the trench. All where cowering and where equipped with crossbow's. "Up! Get up! We need to hold them back... what are we? Platoon strength?" Ross shouted. "Ey we are!" The Captain shouted. Ross drew his sword and gave it to the Captain who had been separated from his own. "Onto the step with you!" Ross stepped up onto the fire step and set his shotgun into his shoulder. The bombardment stopped and there was silence. Ross looked round then drew his revolver as the sound of hoof's in water met is ear's, Ross pointed the revolver at the few of the ponies who were trying to escape . He twitched the barrel to the firing step then the pony's slowly moved back to the step. Ross slid the revolver back into the holster and looked round as a raw of shouting rose from the Order line and a mass of body's claimed up and started running through the mud and water as the bombardment from Ross's cannon's continued to attempt to blast the advancing infantrymen to past. " Celestia.... there must be at least a company if not a regiment coming at us..." The Captain comment looking at Ross. "We hold! But we must wait till they are closer. Then you will not hold back! You will fire fill your dry of arrow's then we will show no mercy or respite!" The pony's gave a raw of anger as they stepped up onto the firing step, Crossbow's where drawn and bolt's slid home. "HOLD!" Ross bellowed as the Order advanced closer and closer. "HOOOOLD!!!" The Order advanced closer and closer. "THERE GETTING BUCKING CLOSE! ANY TIME SIR!" One Bat pony shouted. "Come on...come on a little closer... come on you bastard's!" Ross muttered watching the troop's getting closer. "FIRE!!!" Ross shouted pulling the trigger of his shotgun. The shot going wide as the firing step giving way from under Ross and he fell into the muddy water. Other's where more lucky. There was a rushing and twanging as the twenty or so ponies fired their cross bow's. Many hit there target's and bounced off the hard alloys of the armorer. Yet some found gap's in arm and neck joint's, one even passing through an eye lens of a helmet. Ross stood up and saw a trooper looming over him. Ross slammed the barrel of his shotgun into the trooper's legs and the troop slipped and fell into the trench. Ross flipped his shot gun and started cubing the trooper to death with the stock. The Captain stepped in and brought Ross's borrowed sword down ending the fight. Ross turned to see a Bat pony about to be run through with a sword. With a billow on anger Ross swung the shotgun down with all his might. The wooden stock of the shotgun shatter into splinter's as the blow caved in the officer's head. Ross threw the now useless shotgun on to the ground behind the trench as the Bat bony nodded his thank's and Ross drew his entrenching tool and pointed at the trooper's yet to reach the trench. "Up and Over! Not one inch shall be lost!" Ross ordered as he claimed up the ladder infront of him and into the cratered wasteland. With a billowed cry the pony's followed running into the wasteland to meet the charge head on. A few ponies where hit by the Orders troopers who fire wildly from the waste as they ran but no pony fell. Ross responded firing with his revolver, from the six shot's Ross dropped three troop's and Ross holstered his pistol as he took the spade's handle in both hand's . Ross stoped running as he slid along in the mud and slammed his Entrenching tool into the trooper's face. There was a echoing clang and the trooper fell his neck broken. The pony's and Order troops crashed together and start fighting among the thick mud and water filled crater's. The pony's dropped their cross bow's and started to trample and kick while the Order troop's thrust and swiped with their bayoneted rifle's. Ross slammed in to an Order troop ruby tackling him into a crater and they struggled in the water. The green and white armorer of the troop truing a dull gray of the thick mud as Ross head butted him then drought the E-tool down point first into the chest of the troop. The sharp point dented the armorer and Ross drought it down again and again. The trooper tried to block a blow but the spade severed his hand and drove the spade into the dented armorer, blood stared pouring from the last strike and Ross brought his hand from the throat of the Order trooper and drove his spade home. Ross stood from the crater and ran at his next target holding his spade up over his head and bellowing his challenge at what may be a Sargent. The Sargent responded bringing his rifle round only to get a back handed swing from the E-tool taking his throat out with it. Ross was panting the heavy clay like mud clinging to his coat as well as his boots and trousers. But Ross kept fighting in the bloody melee, he did not know if they were wining or loosening, whether they had help coming or not but he kept fighting and helping pony's where he could. Ross pulled a trouper of a pony he was intent on chocking and brought the E-tool down and beheaded him. Ross pulled pony up and shoved his E-tool into the pony's grip. Ross drew his bayonet as a decorated Order officer, obviously leading the attack, comes into sight. He swiftly fell, Ross's thrown bayonet sticking from his un-helmeted forehead. Ross saw two trooper's raise their rifles and charge him. Obviously desperate to avenge the death of their Officer. Ross reached for his sword but remembered he gave it to the Captain; he then raised his fists. The first one thrust at his chest with the bayonet and he side stepped it and swung his fist into the helmeted face. The first fell and Ross grabbed the barrel of the other troop's rifle and forced the rifle's barrel up. Ross lashed out with his right leg and with his steel-toed boots kicked the trooper in the groin. There was a fleshy popping and the trooper fell clutching his now ruptured testicles. Ross spun the rifle and brought it down, the bayonet passed through the armorer and the trooper laid still, blood pouring from where the blade had passed through his hart. Ross turned and was to slow. The punched trooper was back up and the bayonet was on a course for his face. Ross knew this was going to hurt. Ross stepped back and brought his hand up. The bayonet passed through his outstretched hand. Ross bellowed in pain and anger. He pressed back on the rifle. The trooper slipped in the thick mud and fell onto his back. Ross pulled his hand off the bayonet then balled his hand and bought the fist down on the head of the white and green warrior. He felt pain shoot up his arm as he kept punching with his stabbed hand. There was a cracking and trooper started bleeding from under the mask as it shattered but Ross kept going. He stopped as blood poured from all the cuts and the stump that was left of the noise. He looked up and saw another Guard Officer being throttled agents the lip of a crater the Order trooper had its rifle across the Officers throat. Ross scrambled to his feet and made his way over. Ross skidded over, pulling his helmet off as he went. Ross smashed his hermit into the side of the trooper's head. The Trooper's helmet flew off as the trooper fell to the mud Ross saw it was a women and jumped on her. The trooper raised her knife but Ross graded her wrist and raised his helmet. "ORDER REST IN HELL!" Ross bellowed as brought his helmet down. Blood spattered his coat but he kept going the soft features being destroyed as Ross's tough helmet slammed down. There was a crack and her skill caved in. Ross stood mud and blood coating his trench coat's front as well as his mask. There was a flash of fire and pony's where running around a light and screaming, behind the glowing, billowing flames where three heavily armored troop's with flame throwers. "Fall back! Fall back!" Ross bellowed as he pulled the bloody helmet on and started hoping the fire proofing was still good on his uniform. He picked the knife up from the limp hand of the woman under him and tried slipped into a deep crater full of water. The three troopers saw him and as one turned there weapon's on Ross having be promised a bounce for his burn corps from there masters. Ross stumbled back as the three jets of burning fuel struck him and the fire ball engulfed him. He slipped back and into another crater as the fire ball sent a black cloud up into the air. The three emptied the tanks of fuel on their back into the aria, there weapons dribbling as the residual presser slowly stopped. The mud was black and baked rock hard the water in the creator's nearby was steaming slightly. The water in the crater nearest the flame thrower's exploded and Ross launched himself the the group they fired there drained weapons only for them to dribble a bit. They dropped the flame throwers and reached for their pistols. Ross tore into them the knife slipping between a first's on between the chest armorer and the mask, silting the throat open. The second was bringing his piston up as Ross turned and relived him of the pistol along with his hand that was swiftly followed by a slit throat. Ross turned the last one and batter's the pistol down bringing the bloody knife up into the gut's the knife somehow slipping through the armored belly with ease. Ross ripped the knife free and the trooper clutching where his gut's where starting to force their way out. Yet he was still trying to attack Ross. Ross quickly drew his revolver and loaded a single shot into it. "You got gut's skinny. I'll give you that...and there getting all over the place!" The warrior fell to his knees and Ross raised the revolver to lightly rest ageist the troop's forehead. "But I ant so easily kill'd" Ross fired the trooper's head exploding out violently. As Ross was dealing with the flame throwers the ponies had kept fighting. Pony kicked or drowned the remains of the Order's troops. Ross let the body of the last flame thrower's body fall and he turned as he heard a cough. He looked down to find a badly wounded Order troop claw at his ankle from where he lay in the crater. Ross shook the hand off his ankle and stood on the Trooper's head, forcing it under the water in the creator. There was some light thrashing then the hand clutching his leg lost its grip Ross held it down for a while longer then took his foot out. "Captain! Report! And Get me some fucking support!" Ross bellowed the pain hi his hand making him angry. The Captain blew the whistle that was round his neck and it war responded by a whistle from the gate house and a mass of pony's where half way to the trench. “Three dead five wounded two can continue duty Sir!" Ross walked over to the Order officer's body and pulled his bayonet from his forehead, the body twitched and its leg lifted off the ground a little. Ross wiped the knife clean on the Officer's uniform as looked at the Order lines and saw a periscope look over the top of the trench. "In! Into the trench!" As soon as Ross shouted artillery from the Order side started slamming into the mud. In the safety of the trench Ross took his saber back and found his E-tool. He lent ageist the muddy wall and looked round at the pony's there the wounded laying in the bottom of the trench. "Sir... your hand." A Sargent commented. Ross looked down from where the bayonet passed through his hand luckily missing anything impotent but it was a bit disconcerting that he could see through the hole, it needing sown shut. "Eww..." Ross lowered it and the Sargent started wrapping a bandage around the hand. Ross watched as a few squads of ponies finely made it to the trench. “Your bloody late!" Ross bellowed as he picked his stock less shotgun and looked back at company that had helped him. "You lot are to go to the barrack's and double ration's for you all!" Ross picked up two of the injured pony's one on each shoulder and he started jogging of the pony's in tail as Ross weaved skillfully through the artillery as it rained down on the trench. And surrounding aria. Ross sat in the medical room of the barrack's Ross watched as Pin Prick stitched his hand shut the local anesthetic making Ross's finger's flop limply as the stab wound was shut and disinfected. "You are enjoying this aren't you?" Ross asked he was finished and raised his arm and everything past his wrist flopped loosely and Pin Prick smiled. Arrival...Author's Note Sorry for the delay! one of my editor's shattered his tail bone and the other is AFK so i did what I could but I'm sorry if there are any mistakes! Arrival... Arrival... Equestria. Royal Castle Gardens. Barracks B4. Ross sat there pondering the situation as he looked as he recently stitched hand. "There commander threw a regiment at us... He is willing to risk there sacrifice in just a probing attack... who ever this was he was ether a master mind or inept.... I wounder witch..." There was a bleeping and Ross looked at the monitor. "All viable restorers expended.... projection.... lack sufficient vital mineral's to construct Q-gate for reinforcement's from Earth or any other UEF strong hold." Ross stared at the monitor and had only one word. "...bugger..." Ross sat in the command throne of Unbreakable he had been trying to get a strong radio signal to Earth to inform Brigadier Zanic of his progress, problem's and what he had discovered. Ross pressed the ear peace on his ear in. His right hand gently turned the dial on the radio. "Tri-beam communication...most advanced my ass!" Ross muttered as the radio hissed angrily. "Shut up!" Ross muttered at the hissing radio as he slammed his fist on top of it. It stoped hissing and he looked at the operations manual in his lap for the home frequent's. He turned the knob a fraction the right.*Click!* "Leftenant Ross! Of th-" *SSSSSCCCCRRRRTCH!* Ross threw the head set off his head and into the opposite wall. he sat in the command throne rubbed his wringing ear's. "Wrong number?" Ross asked himself as he looked down at the manual. To find it was the correct Frequency and band length. Earth Parade Ground of the 68th Siege/ Siege breaker Regiment "Thunder fighters" Commander: Brigadier Zanic The Lord General sat looking at his two guest's. The one on his left was clad in a sweeping white and green robes with a deep hood from which a pair of green eye's burned like Emeralds. To his right was a mangled heap of flesh and metal It's meany eye's burned red and the Cybran nation emblem across it's midnight black chest. The two where the highest ranking officer's of there respective faction's that where available to take part in the negotiation's and other requirement's that will be needed to combined there army's and command structure's. The Lord General cleared his throat and the Aeon Illuminate representative looked at him from under it's hood. The Cybran envoy's eye's died and the one looking at him glowed bright. "As you all know the Seraphim are pressing into a corner and our leaders have band together. This leave's the issue of the army's command." The Lord General looked up as the door opened to the room and Brigadier Zanic entered. She ran round the table and knelt next to the Lord General's seat. "It's Ross Lord we believe he need's help." Zanic whispered. Her look of concern that turned to anger as the general smiled sadistically. "So he is not the best fighter this side of the galaxy?" He said every word making Zanic angrier that he not believing or trusting her finest officer's ability's. "He is! It will have to be something bloody major to stop him!" The Lord General looked at her then to the envoy's around him then back to Zanic. "Well.... give me a bit and I may... see fit to send some help... Can SACU's survive a main Quantum gate transport?" " I knew it! He is feckless of anything to to with ACU's! " Zanic though as she sigh'd as she stood. "Well.... maybe..." A few hour's later the ground of trembled as the four giant's strode along the road. The sun broke over the horizon as the four SACU's made there way along the well trodden rode toward's the Quantum gate. The led two where UEF SACU's The left SACU was dubbed "In Stahlgewittern", the right was dubbed. "King of the Chieftain's". Following on there heels in black and red was the Cybran SACU. "Retribution of Sins". Following that bearing the personal hereditary of the Princes was the Aeon SACU. "Ethereal Light". The four came to a stop in a line infrount of the Quantum gate. In unison they walked toward's the gate and entered. Equestria Princess's castle War Room of the Two Sister's Ross was laying under and wast deep in the holo table he was set up in the war room of the castle so that the Princess's could plan anything they needed with real time images an well as the direct sight on to the battlefield. "Ok...what's the hologram doing now? Celestia, Spike and Twilight watched as a dozen UEF emblem's spun disorderly. "It's still out of sync I recommend adjusting.... er..." Twilight stoped as she realize this was something she had no knowledge of. Celestia and Spike rolled there eye's as Twilight practically forced her self into the small access hatch in the side of the table desperate to quench her thrust fore knowledge. Ross looked down from the complex arrangement's of mirrors and other complex mechanism's only to find Twilight laying on top of him and they where practically noise to noise. "Er... hello.... can I help you?" Ross asked unsure of he wanted to be this interment at all. "Hi! How are you? Also yes I want to know... well... everything! " Twilight said smiling. Ross got the with of flower's, he wounder'd whether it was perfume or some sort of shampoo. That also made him realized he had not bathed since he had arrived. "Well I cant tell you anything now as I can hardly breath and I need to concentrate but...." Ross looked up where the instruction manual was hanging from a conveniently placed coolant pipe. "... here read through that I think I know what I need to do." Celestia watched as Twilight extracted her felt from the hatch. In her mouth was a thick manual covered in coffee ring's and oil. She then watched with interest as one by one the miss matched emblem's slowly started to match up with one another. Suddenly the door's to the war room slammed open with a deafening bang that was swiftly accompany with yep's from Ross as he reserved a electric shock from a small bit of exposed wire. As Ross slid out of the table and as he sit up he try'd to shack the pins and needles from his hand and arm. Celestia rounded on the guard that pushed the door's open. "What is the meaning of this!?" Celestia asked in a commanding voice. She then found her self. "I'm sorry.... what is it my little pony? The guard shook but walked up to her. "Your majesty... Ross...there is something you need to see. Ross and Celestia found them self's in one of the higher tower's of the castle and where looking to the east. "Well... what is there?" Ross asked As he turned to the guard that led them up there. The guard offered him a telescope. Ross took it and opened it up and brought it up to his eye. "There was a blue flash like when you arrived near the cop's of tree's past the river..." the guard looked up as Ross looked where he was directed to look and saw the hazy outline over the tree's and reconsidered each one of them. "Why are you two there?" Ross asked himself as he looked at the two enemy SACU's and wondered why they had come through next to the UEF ones. "Report to Sargent Major Moonlight... Mobilize S.O.H.U and get me three squid ready for combat. And trooper.... get ready the City gates Unbreakable is taking to the field." Celestia watched as the Guard pony saluted and galloped off. "What is it Ross?" Ross turned to face Celestia. " Support's arrived early.... and in trouble." Order trooper's looked up as the City gate's opened and the hulking form of a UEF ACU filled the gap. They grabbed there weapons and there radio's filled with chatter and requested for ACU killing weapon's. There own ACU having fallen back to refuel it's reactors and would not be operational for at lest a few hour's. They watched as the ACU turned from them and headed around the side on the mountain along a unknown path. Trailing in it's mighty foot fall'a they saw a few squid's of pony's gallop along. There was a screeching and whistling as shell's started to land around them forcing the Order's into there trench. Moonlight looked up as she galloped then opened her wing's and flew up to the shoulder of the ACU. The other Bat pony's and Pegasuses flew up to join her. Ross walked the ACU on, her cannon's scanning left and right as they mimicked Ross's hand movement's he pressed his feet and the peddles to the floor and Unbreakable came to a stop. He spoke into the radio and Moonlight put her hoof to her ear, it resting on the small ear peace radio that Ross had issued to her, every member of S.O.H.U, each Sargent and officer that was with him. "I see the target's, dead ahead. Weapons up, safety off and keep close. Us me as cover we don't know if hostile." Ross then slowly advanced down the mountain trail that was barely wide enough, toward's the end of the trail and the river. The Bat pony's and Pegasus that where on the ACU swayed slowly with it. Ross soon reached the river and waded through it the water reaching the ankles of the ACU. He was soon on the other side and stopped to cover the pony's as they waded and swam through the water. Big Mac was barely keeping his head above the water the two mini gun's weighing him down as he went, Applejack was not faring much better the spear ammo for her brother's gun's slowly tiring her as they reached half way. "Darn it.... w...why could one of the unicorn's have lifted us over... after all.... ant' we specialist's?" Applejack complained as the cold water lapped at her chin. "Eey-" Mac start'd before he took a mouth full of water and started choking and panicking. They was a blue aura around Mac as he was lifted to the bank, Applejack was then lifted from the river and set down next to her brother. She looked up to see Pin Prick shake himself free from water, his medic-bag rattling. "Thank ya'll...." Mac said and Pin Prick nodded " Anytime." Ross looked at the group of SACU's that stood before him. He turned to face the two hostile SACU's and turned the radio to the locked down and encrypted UEF command channel. "Cadet's report.... this is Leftenant Ross, respond do you know why there are two hostiles next to you? Over." He reserved static and he tried a few more time's before he switched to squid broadcast. "All squad's. Secure the two right ammeter's commanding rank take over the command. I'm required to investigate the radio silence from the other two." He reserved an acknowledgment from a Major before he slowly walked Unbreakable over to the UEF SACU's the bat pony's and Pegasus's flying of to join there squid's again. Ross stoped Unbreakable next to the closest SACU. Ross untangled his arm's from the frames and stood up he took a few second's to look at the monitor and the SACU. On scrawling text was "In Stahlgewittern" on it's right shoulder. He turned and claimed part way up the ladder and took a firm hold on the locking wheel on the hatch. He opened it and claimed out. Ross pulled his helmet on as he slowly walked over to the edge of the head and looked round. Pony's slowly approached the two other SACU's and one or two gently poked and then started claiming on top them, those could fly did and landed on top of there designated SACU. Ross looked at the SACU next to him then turned to the hatch. He reached down and pulled the rope ladder out and moved of the side of the ACU head. He latched it using the mag-lock's to latch the ladder to Unbreakable. He then looked at the SACU below him and jugged the distance, he activated the mag-lock's on the other end of the ladder and slowly started swinging it back and forth slowly building momentum. With a grunt he threw it and there was a clanged as the magnet's slammed into the armor of In Stahlgewittern and locked on. He then promptly scuttled down the angle of the ladder and onto the much smaller SACU. There was a small scanner on the hatch and Ross pulled his glove off before he pressed his thumb to the plat. There was a humming and the sound of rushing air as the seal of the hatch pop'd open and Ross opened it. The under side of the hatch was red and dripping with blood. Ross coughed and dropped into the sum-what familiar insides of the SACU. He looked at the command thrown to find only a bloody splat where the cadet should be. Ross remembered the name of this type of transportation mishap. It was known as " Aliment Decomposition " "Poor bugger." Ross commented as he walked over to the gore pile and lifted a red set of dog tag's from it. He then pressed and finger to his ear-radio and requested a unicorn or someone who could clean up the mess. Ross claimed out and moved to the ladder and deactivated the mag-lock's on Unbreakable end using a control interface on the ladder. the magnet's acted as a weigh and the leader swung to the floor, Ross waited till the sent solder arrived up from the ground. It was a Royal guard unicorn his shook him self and looked at Ross saluting. "Privet Sunshine sir. You needed me to clean something?" Ross nodded a little and pointed at the bloody hatch. "Bit of a gore show in here I'm afraid...." Moonlight stood looking up as Ross and the unicorn looked into the hatch. There was a clattering from a small compartment in Unbreakable's leg. She looked at the three troop's that where stood with her guarding Unbreakable. "You three.... Charge your bayonet's... the small hatch." Moonlight walked up to the hatch that was used to assess the inner working of the ankle joint. The three turned and slipped there slender but long bayonet/fighting knife onto the end of there rifles and turned to face the small hatch. Moonlight opened it and they watched as the small figure fall out to the floor. Despite the red and black grease, covering him Moonlight reconsidered him. "You bloody argent fool! What are you doing here..." Unaware of what was happening around the feet of giant's Ross moved from SACU to SACU leaving a guard atop each one. In the second UEF SACU he found the pilot met the safe fate but the SACU used a older form of neural linking system that required finger's to work. "You little B." Ross said as he contemplated detonating the reactor. He decided to think about it later and claimed out after he plucked the dog tag's from the meaty stew that was ones a pilot. He move to the Aeon SACU, same again a liquefied pilot but he checked the SACU for trap's and other potential problem's. After gently experimenting Ross discovered, like the UEF SACU's, Most of secondary system's and a few primary's had over loaded. He climbed out and let Sunshine work on cleaning the SACU. Ross looked up, he had reached the last SACU and a sense of foreboding filled him as the Mag-lock's slammed into the Cybran SACU and locked on. As he half walked and half climbed along to the SACU his foreboding increases a he hesitantly put his booted foot on the black metal. He took a deep breath to calm his racing hart and stepped fully onto the metal. The hatched open'd and Ross dropped in. He looked round at the inside of the Retribution of Sins. Then he saw him. The pilot was suspended in the air. His leg's where gone as where his arm's. It looked like it was hard wired into the SACU it's self. But Ross could see there was what may be neural linking equipment on the thrown. "A.... your Ross lieutenant. Yes? No?" The thing looked at him and Ross stared back at it coldly. Ross poped the holster of his revolver and drew his weapon. "Lieutenant why draw weapon?" The thing hissed and click more as it's head looked at him. The mash of dead flesh and metal looking at him. Ross felt a uncontrollable anger flood him and his hand trembled violently with his anger. Ross could not stop himself he raised the revolver as memory's flashed through his head. The thing screeched at him and Ross fired then again and again. Ross then lowered his revolver and slip'd it into his holster. Ross let a slow breath out. That was it... his first murder... and hopefully his last... He knew he killed, but everyone he killed could defend them self's they had a chance. He pulled the bayonet from his webbing and cut the thing from it's cabbies and dragged it to under it's hatch." "SUN! SHINE! Got this out of here and burn it or something. I need to check this thing is safe to use." The body levitated out and Ross turned and sat in the throne. Gingerly looking for booby trap's and other thing's. He found nothing and that it like the other's had suffered a massive power surge. *Beep! Beep!* "Ross. Moonlight. You had a stow away in the maintenance access of the right leg." Ross presses his finger into the radio and there was the soft click of broadcasting. "Who or what is it?" There was a beep of message incoming. "Spike the Dragon" Ross stood over the small dragon his arm's folded. "Why are you here?" Ross's voice was stern as he stood there staring down at the small lizard. Spike looked up from where he sat huddled with his knee's to his chest still covered in grease. "I... I wanted to see what war was like..." He looked up at Ross but ducked down as he felt the stares from the three armed pony's on him. "We-" Ross started before a crystal shattered on the armorer of Unbreakable. "COVER!!!" Ross bellowed as he grabbed Spike and threw him over the foot of the ACU and jumped over himself. Ross looked over the foot as the pony's scattered and he saw the green trooper's advance on them. The new crewThe new crew Ross ducked down as more of the raze edged disk's shattered ageist the armored foot of Unbreakable. Pony's ran for cover but some fell before they knew they where under attack, more were cut down as they attempted to ran for cover. Ross watched as a member of S.O.H.U was hit in the throat the crystal shattering as he started jumping over the foot Ross and Spike where using to block the shot's, the crystal fractured sending hundred's of tiny peaces out in all directions and shredding the pony's throat clean out. Ross was reaching for him as he hit the ground his leg's collapsing as Ross grabbed him and pulled him close. Ross knew it was to late and ratcheted for the pony's rifle in stead . He tucked the rifle's stock into his shoulder and pressed the cocking lever down, exposing the back of the camber and the cartridge with in. Ross snapped the handle back up and looked at Spike pulling his revolver out and offering it to him, grip out. "Can I trust you to watch my back?" Ross said glaceing over the cover to see who was still standing. Spike took the large revolver in trembling hand's and looked it over as Ross pulled the hammer back. Spike looked up at Ross and gave a small nod Ross slowly filled his lung's as he slipped the rifle over his cover and rested his head on the wood stock. Pony's lay dead and dying out in front of him and those who where left where ever behind the SACU's or had run off. Ross cures the cowered's and closed one eye as he sighted the nearest Order trooper. Ross slowly let the air flow from his lung's, the simple notch and peg sight lined up with a green warriors chest, he squeezed the trigger. The rifle slammed into his shoulder with a loud bang and he ducked down opening the breach sending a smoking brass to the floor as he rummaged through the pony's webbing looking for the ammo poach. Soon the pony's where holding there own Mac and Applejack forcing the green clad troop's slowly back with there heavy weapons fire. The pony's on top of the SACU's who where guarding them, fired down onto the Order troop's. Ross ducked down as he fought with the pony's wedding to get another cartridge. There was a thunk and Ross looked next to him an grenade sat there. Ross dropped the rifle and grabbed Spike. Kneeling on one Ross he pulled Spike in front of him shielding Spike from the grenade. It exploded with a band and a flash and all Ross could here was his ear's wringing and see white. "It was a flash-bang!" Ross looked down where he though Spike was and shouted. "Fire the dame gun!" Ross shouted coursing Spike to look up and then at the smoking grenade casing next to him. "I cant see! You have to protect me till my sight come's back!" Spike looked over the metal foot of the ACU at a Order trooper unsure if he could take a life or not. Ross's world was ether white or dark shapes' he looked at the vaguely dragon shape beneath him and looked round his vision slowly coming back to him. His hart stopped as he saw one in the bushes and shouted. "FOUNT!" Spike looked round and saw the rifle being raised and he pointed the revolver at the Order trooper and closed his eye's. "I'm so sorry!" Spike felt his finger rest on the trigger then he puled slowly. He felt a grate force slam into his hand's and a defining bang as the pistol bucked up into the air, bouncing off Ross's head. Ross watched the troop's chest explode out as the round detonated in the chest cavity shredding everything in the troop's chest. The body hit the ground and he put his arm round Spike. "It's never easy...you never get use to it...." Ross flicked the rifle closed finely having reloaded and looked round. There infantry where on the retreat. There was a cheering and Ross stood up. "SHUT UP! All infantry are to fall back to the City!" He looked at the pony's on the SACU's "YOU LOT GET IN! I NEED YOU TO PILOT THEM!" Ross bellowed as the sound of galloping filled the air. Ross watched the pony's gallop to the river some picking up wounded comrade's other taking kit and armor from the fallen. Ross turned to the still shocked Spike and pulled his revolver from him. "You! GET IN THAT SACU!" Ross bellowed at Spike as he pointed at King of the Chieftain's. Ross looked up at Unbreakable and he jumped onto her foot and started the ponders clime. As Ross was claiming the pony's who where atop the SACU's had claimed down into them and sealed them self's in by accident. Ross swung him self onto Unbreakable chest, using the venting slit's to clime faster. He knew that The Order would be bringing heavy weapons and ACU Killer's up having discovered what he was after. Ross swung up onto a massive shoulder and took a running jump, he got half way up the head, he swung his knee up over the edge and rolled on to the top of Unbreakable Head, the hatch open and Ross pushed himself over and slipped in and locking the hatch as he went. Pulling his helmet and mask off Ross turned the key and the generator, it coughed to life. Soon the hum of the reactor grew deafening as Ross engaged combat mode. The klaxon blared as the blue combat light's came on. The pony's trapped in the SACU's looked round as Ross's voice came from no where. " Right Quick! Strip you armorer and sit in the command throne's!" The pony's and Spike did as they where told and pulling there armorer off they sat in the command throne's. Ross turned to the monitor and searched through the stored command's. He found the file he was looking for and found the Loyalty Worm he opened his radio link to the Aeon and Cybren SACU's and transmitted the dater to them. Ross watched the up load bar grow and he slipped the head set onto his head and put his arm's in the frame's. He walked Unbreakable to face the way the Order had come from and placed him self between the SACU's and any possible attack. "Right! All of you the arm and foot rest's there are little pad's of what look like gels or small holder's. Place your hoof's on them and softly will the SACU to do as you want. Spike! Treat that bitch harder it's the only way to get that SACU's system to work!" Ross bellowed as contact singles where pined up on the HUD and the harness slipped down locking him into the seat. Pony's looked nervelessly at the Neural link's before they gingerly rested there hoof's on them. A strange tingling meat there hoof's as they looked as to monitor's in front of them. Ross watched as the SACU's mad jerky movement and smiled a little. "Warning! Warning! Enemy Encroaching. Charging Cannon's." There was a loud humming as the Electromagnetic in the cannons activated and built up there charge to suspend the Anti matter in the barrels. Ross walked Unbreakable out from the group and brought the right cannon to face the nearest contact signal. He fired into the mass of tree's and watched as a few infantry scrambled from the blast. There was a rushing from the anti matter generator to the right of his thrown. The SACU's twitched and jerked as there pilot's struggled to gain control over there charge's. Ross kept firing at the infantry. "Hurry up you lot!" Ross shouted into the radio knowing the longer he lingered the more likely something powerful was coming for him. Spike struggled with his controls over the SACU. Whenever he willed it to walk on it did a half step but stopped there. He felt something spark in the back of his head and the SACU moved leg smoothly in a perfect step. "Good Spike! Just do it faster!" Ross voice filled the cabin. Ross spun the ACU to face a group of new contact's to find walker's running at him. The cannon's glowed as the magnet's built up a charge and sent there payload to ward's there target's. Ross stood his ground the cannon's firing, Slowly, Spike and the pony's gained control of there charges and they then slowly started walking towards the pass they had used to get out of Canterlot. Ross turned the ACU and waded through the river and stood on the other side of the water, watching the group make there way over, firing on the last few walker's and infantry who where fool hardly to stay with in his mighty guns range. "Right you lot, ass in gear and get mo-" "Warning! Warning! Energy spike di-" A pure white light erupted from a thick clump of bushes and it slammed into his left cannon sheering the shielding and coursing the electro magnet's to ark and over load worsening the damaged by cursing the gun to start pulling it's self apart. Ross reacted for the panel of switches above him and flicked the one that shut the power flow to the damaged cannon off and turned the respective Anti-matter generator into shut down. "Tartarus take you!" Ross bellowed as he sent a stream of anti-matter at the offender. "Bastard!" Ross looked at the scrolling information on the monitor and slowly backed Unbreakable away. "Combat potential negated.... Falling back!" Spike looked at the monitor's as he made the SACU turned about and walk past the other's that where jerkily, moving along the start of the trail and he headed back to the wounded ACU. Ross slowly walked Unbreakable back words to the pass gently swaying to and throw firing to to any potential cover to try and force anyone there to go to ground. There was a stream of more anti-matter shells streaming past him and he gave silent thanks' to his currently unknown gunner. "Bushes! two O'clock! " Ross called as he fired into a hollow that could be sheltering some infantry. The entire aria was ablaze in fire. He look round then turned round to walk up slop and found the small SACU standing there and he recognized it and smiled. " My thanks' young master Spike. Fall back and I will seal this pass." Ross started walking the wounded Unbreakable up the pass behind King of the Chieftain. Roughly half way back Ross spun Unbreakable around on her hip pivot and looked up at the cliff side. He raised the canon and blasted out part's of the cliff till the side of the mountain slid down taking the narrow track out with it and sealing the pass. Ross walked on to find the SACU's stood waiting for him and he walked past. "All of follow me...." Ross lead the convoy to the narrow slither of no man's land that he knew was not shelled and that the SACU's could cross. The Klink hammer's where still firing, trying to force the Order and Seraphim's down. Pony's on the wall cheered and called out as they saw Unbreakable wounded but victories, stride over the cratered hell out side of Canterlot and at the head of the small convoy of walker's. The gates scraped open and Ross limped Unbreakable in and they headed for the Royal gardens that Ross had stood Unbreakable for the past few day's. The SACU's jerkily came to a stop in a rough line next to the ACU. "Good work every one.... you are all to report to the briefing room in an hour." Ross pulled the head off and set it on the hook next to the throne. Ross sat there wondering if his plan could work or not. The hour passed and the five sat there looking around at each other un-sure of what to do. They jumped as the door opened and Ross came in with a box's and bunch of poster's in his arm's. "Right. Welcome to ACU and SACU orientation and basic functioning course..." He set the box and poster's on the desk and looked back at the shocked pony's and dragon sat there looking at him. "You are transferred to my command imminently..." Ross walked to the pony's and set a letter of transfer notification on there desk and he walked to Spike. "... I will have to talk with you and Celestia later." Ross walked to the found of the room and stood to attention. " You are now part of S.O.H.U and will reserve training and a rank to reflect your new position of Pilot's. You are now all leftenant's but you are to follow me into battle as I have seniority over you." A few hour's passed, Ross explaining what to be expected of them and what there charges where along with other detail's. As Ross stood seeing the pony's filed out talking as they went. Existed about there new positions and the promise of glory. "Fool's..." Ross thought. "Blind fool's there is no glory in this position." Ross ratchet out and gently rest his hand on Spikes shoulder as look down at him. "Not you Master Spike you and me need to see the Princes... she should still be in the throne room." Ross looked up at the sun as he lead Spike off. Celestia stared at Ross in shock, Spike stood in front of him Ross's left hand on his scaly shoulder. "No. I forbid you from taking him any where near a field of combat!" Celestia said each work filled with horror. Ross bowed his head. "Respectfully Princes.... this is all ready a field of battle. We are under heavy siege. We are slowly running out of food and from what I can gather the civilians are getting scared. We are lucky there has been no rioting yet but that will come soon..." Ross took his hand from Spikes shoulder and he pulled a slip of parchment from his pocket and held it up. " ... and you did tell me I can take anything I will need to keep them back? Well I need Spike to become my Co-pilot and second in command." Ross softly shook Spikes shoulder as Spike looked up at him shocked. Celestia sat there on her thrown, head in her hoot's, silence filled the room as she contemplated whether to let Spike go or not. Ross cleared his throat softly. "He will be under my protection for the duration of his service.... as well as behind thick armorer for the most time in combat." Ross said reassuringly as he stood waiting. Celestia sat for a few moment's longer then sat up looking Ross dead in the eye's. " You make sure he comes home alive and well." Ross snapped his heals together with a click. "My live is his shield then." Ross bowed and turned to leave but stopped and turned back and pulled a small wad of letters out and a small bag. "Forgive me Princes but I have all ready written to the kin of the dead.... I'm sorry we where unable to retrieve any of the body's to be buried properly...." Ross slowly turned and walked to ward's the door's Spike in trail. Twilight sat in the middle of her library she sat there wondering where Spike was, her friend's, except for Applejack had come round to try and calm her down. She had try'd everything she had know to try and keep calm, tea, talking, she was trying reading now Twilight looked up from her book that she had been trying to read and gasped grabbing Spike and hugging him tightly "SPIKE! O where have you been!?" She pulled back and looked him up and down. "What's the matter?" She saw he was in a sort of trance. There was a clattering from Twilight's bed room and Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinky looked round and rush'd forward's hugging Spike and Twilight. When they eventually pulled back Twilight noticed the latter that had been clasped in his talons and was now crumpled. "What is this Spike?" Twilight asked. Spike held it out to her with a mumble of "Read it." Twilight opened the letter and looked at it her eye's flicking along the line's. Twilight gasped then stormed off growling. Rarity picked up the letter and summoned her glasses from her hand bag in the other room. She slowly and carefully read the letter "O Spike..." She looked at him paler than usual. She took him in a tight hug. "O my Spiky Wiky.... How could this happen?" She pulled back and looked him over. "Well.... if you have to go let me get you a uniform that fit's...." She looked sadly as a little tear rolled from her eye as she lead Spike away. Ross looked round as a shrill call came from the gate way and he set the replacement panel he was working on down and stood up. He stood the unicorn look round then storm toward's him. Ross tightened his grip on the sword as he took a deep breath. "Twil-" Ross started be for he was slammed ageist the stone wall, his head aked as he looked down to find he was suspended agents the wall a few feet up. He was slammed into the wall again and his sword slipped from his grip and he looked down at the fuming purple Unicorn. "WHY YOU TAKING HIM!?" Twilight screamed slamming Ross into the wall with each word. She watched as Ross shook his head and looked at her. "W...w...would... y-you rather..." Ross forced him self to speak the pain from his head bouncing off the wall making it hard to talk. "... Have all of you killed or enslaved? All thing's you know and love burned and defaced? Your Princesses made examples off? and there is worse...." More memory's, dark, disturbing. "He is growing.... he will not be a little boy forever, he know's what is happening and told me he is willing to do this, he will be under my protection....." Ross sighed " My life is his protection.... I promised Celestia. I promise you.... I promised him...." Ross was promptly dropped and he knelt there head bowed. He looked up to find Twilight stood there crying. Ross crawled up to her and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "W... you are..." Ross stood up swaying as he gently lifted the catatonic Twilight into his arm's and gently started walking to ward's the castle. Sitting, Waiting, Shooting, Trying to AdvanceAuthor's Note To All the followers of this story I'm so so so so so so so so sorry I have not updated in so long... family maters as well as .... as a severe knock to my writing confidence, already puny level self esteem...along with a misleading "friend" who I thought I could trust that stabbing me in the back, hard. I feel like I have really buggered up this chapter... I what everyone to tell me what they think and what I need to improve. Don't worry something big is coming. Sitting, Waiting, Shooting, Trying to Advance Sitting, Waiting, Shooting, Advancing. The sun slowly slid up over the horizon, Celestia bringing it up as was her sacred duty, she knew it must happen even in the situation she found her self and the citizens where in. As the sun slowly raised it's golden red rays began creeping over the ground reveling the numerous artillery barrels of Miasma's and Zthuthaam's poking out from there dug outs, all pointing towards the City, each set to rain down on the trenches, Ross's battery's having superior range from there elevated position and preventing the Order and Seraphim from raining death into the city. The sun continued lifting up over the lip of the horizon to reveal the carpet of mist that was hugging the ground. As the sun slowly raised up a little more reveling more and more of the misted wasteland the suddenly appearing foot step's in the mist. They slowly moved on through the mist the only hint to there source reveled by only a faint glittering in the air and soft humming of stealth field's. Commando squad Zezunka slowly and gingerly walked on there scanner's constantly flicking through settings, scanning for trap's, spider holes, and even the strange energy's some of the creatures could summon and command. Commando Relize slowly walked in the middle of the formation through the mist to his right was his twin sister, on his left was his mother, Relize looked to his mother, her armor being out lined with a red glow and a red line mesh, she looked at him and gave a slow nod. Then he slowly turned his head to look at the holy entity that was walking in front of him and at the head of there formation. The large bipedal armored carriage that held one of there gods who had elected to come with them to ensure there mission was successful. It stood at six feet tall and was larger then a normal man, it's was backward kneaded and walked with a slight role its two toe'd feet balancing it's somehow and it looked to delicate to fight like all of Seraphim technology. When it was not shrouded in it's stealth field it's armored plaits where of pure silver and etched with some of the most intriguing engravings of strange pattern's and complex images that Relize could not make out and Relize sub-continuously mimicked the beings moment's to honer the god, even his own armorer's markings and of those around him had been changed to mimicked the set of there commander god they had the honer of serving in the hope of pleasing it. The god stopped and raised a six fingered hand to single them to stop, the Commando's doing instantly and drawing there heavily modified rifles from across there chest's where they where held with magnetic lock's before they stood as still as possible to ensure there delicate stealth field would not fail. There was a burbling as the god spoke into its hermit's radio then the transliterate in Relize's helmet made it's holy word's audible to his eternally unworthy ear's. "They are infidels, are eternally dame... remember if possible capture the horned ones.... and the Siege warrior... we want him. There defenses are near, we shall track, kill only if there is no option, and do so with silence... Relize...point." Relize felt his hart swell with zeal and joy at the sound of the monotone translated voice, "The God knew his name! What a impossible honer!." "Y...yes lord....I will do as-" he stopped as the God looked at him in the eye cutting him off from his fawning. "Go." It said to him. Relize nodded his head quickly and a warning blip appeared in the HUD and his stealth field flicked from stress. Then his head vanished following a splat and crack of shattering metal as a shower of gore and blood filled the air. The body dropped, it's knee's bending as it crashed to the floor with a soft squirting sound, before the calmer of battle filled the air. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Moonlight slowly pushed the periscope up over the lip of the trench, her gold cat like eye's looked into the mirror's as she slowly scanned through the misty dawn. She fought the tiredness that the night watch had brought on, her night vision denoting her and the few other Bat pony's in Ross's command to this duty. Moonlight pulled back from the periscope and rubbed her eye's for the thousandth time before she returned to looking back through the periscopes slightly clouded glass. She slowly scanned out toward the trenches of The Order. Moonlight saw the still mist start swirling in a few places as sets of tracks formed. She then scanned passed them her blearily mind barely noting them. Then it clicked, her hart rate suddenly picked up and a sudden adrenaline rush woke her up as she looked at the mist swirling again then the mist stopped. Her cat like pupils contracted as she tried to pick up the swirling mist again. She turned to her left and look at the gray lump next to her that was matching the now gray mud of the wasteland of the trench war. The lump was Ross who was sat there with his mask on, his chin and the connecting resting on his chest and his arms crossed as he sat lent into the muddy trench wall. The cold mud at his back being unnoticed by him due to practice and his trusted coat. "There hoof prints forming in the mist." Moonlight whispered in a shushed voice not expecting Ross to respond if he was asleep, but respond he did. Moonlight jerked back as Ross's head jerked up from where he had been sleeping and he grabbed his swords grip. "Ugh... where?" he murmured, before pulling his feet free from the thick mud as he slide off his box and crouched down to look into the periscope through his gas mask. "About twelve O'clock" Moonlight muttered in Ross's ear as she kicking a sleeping Applejack with her back left leg, the blow waking Applejack who was sleeping on the firing step along with all of the ranker pony's who where not on watch, while Officers assigned to trench rotation and not Officer of the Watch where sleeping in the small guard rooms built into the walls of the City by the gates, this allowed them to respond to calls to arms while allowing them sleeping in relative comfort. Applejack threw a murderous look at Moonlight before noting Ross was awake meaning that something was happening. Applejack gave her brother a sharp poke and one for Crock Catcher, as she pressing a hoof to there lip's to silence them, they nodded understanding there need for silence for the moment as Applejack pulled her hoof back and moved to wake other's, soon the few pony's that where awake watched this sudden activity started waking there friend's before they pulled there weapons from under canvas covers or hastily repurposed boxes. Ross blinked his eye's a little more forcing the tug of sleep to quickly vanish as he watched the mist carefully, he could not see much nor the footstep's Moonlight mentioned. He slowly pulled the periscope down before he felt something tap his shoulder, he turned to find Moonlight hold her rifle for him to take. He nodded a little and took the rifle in his right hand before checking if it was loaded, then Ross stepped to the right and onto the firing step, sliding the rifle into the one of the parapet's gun slit as he did, he then settled there resting his head on the stock before looking out into the mist. If Moonlight said she saw something he would not but her down for it specially at times like this. As Ross scanned the mist Moonlight moved to the Periscope again and she pushed it back up before she continued scanning the mist where she had seen the swirling mist had last been forming. Suddenly there was a pop and Ross saw a person flash in and out of existence, immediately he aimed and fired with out thinking then cracked the action open, he was rewarded with the sound of shattering armorer along with ripping flesh and cracking bone. The Commando stood there, headless as a fountain of blood started shooting out from the stump of the neck. It then fell to the ground blood poring out and mixing with the gray of the No Mans Land. Ross herd several pop's as a group of figures de-cloaked and raised rifles to point at his gun slit. "ALARM!!!" Ross bellowed and ducked down as the shout was echoed up and down the length of the trench as bell's where rattled to wake troops and call them to arms. Ross had seen the group of commandos for a split second before he ducked in the trench, but the largest one got his attention in the bad way yet he could have a guess as to what it was. S.O.H.U and Guard members into the trench huddled into the wall as crystals shattered or thwacked into the mud around them. Ross handed the rifle back to Moonlight as he drew his revolver in his right hand and pulled the hammer back. "Aim for the big one!" Ross ordered as raised his his revolver and fired wildly over the top of the trench in a wide spread. There was a few wet booming sound's of fleshy detonations as he pulled his arm back down, a quick count of the number of incoming shot's revealed that the number of shooter's had decreased by one or two. "Fire at will!" Ross ordered and pressed the cylinder release with his thumb then with a flick of his wrist swung the cylinder out before he slapped the ejector in, the brasses sinking into the mud or bouncing off his boot, Ross felt along his webbing's pocket's, he found a fresh speed loader in the pouch on his left hip and pressed it home. Applejack and Crock Catcher fairing in unison blowing two holes through the chest of one commando killing him out right, that left two commandos and there large leader. Mac pressed into Ross's back and looked up at the lip of the trench as he was unable to fight without exposing himself to the fire. Ross's ear's picked up the sound of body's hitting the mud after several shots from S.O.H.U's rifles rang out but they where to light of impacts for the big one. Ross felt the ground tremble as something of grate mass landed next to him, Ross felt Mac's weight vanish as he pulled from his back and herd Mac whinny as he was flung through the air past him and into his sister, Moonlight, Pin Prick as well as a few other guards pony's Ross turned round and found the hulking armored figure, it armorer glistening like a mirror and it moved to swiftly and fluidly for something like that should move, Ross stood up and snapped the revolver's cylinder home then raised it and cowboy'd the revolver, pumping the six rounds into a tight pattern in the center of it's chest plate, each war head detonating within the armor and blasting chunks of the mirror like armor out and crating a small hole in the armor reveling the gray black of the armor under the polished surface. Then the Dead Mans click met his ear's as Ross started backing away as the metal monstrosity drew a long slender silver club, it's head arching with electricity. Half of S.O.H.U fired into it's back with there rifles and a few of the normal guards pony's firing bolts as well but it ignored the blows all together. Ross started to back away as he threw the revolver onto the side of the trench and waved his hand to the pony's behind him to back away, he slowly gave up his ground even as every fiber of him wanting to stand his ground but tactical sensibility making him back down. This opponent would be to strong for him. Ross slowly continued backing away his mind trying to work a tactic out, but before he could work anything out he felt wood bump into his back and realize he had backed into of one of the staggering's that prevented shrapnel from flying down the trench. The thing babbled at him and and took it's club in both it's hands and raised it above him, ready to knock him out him. "Fire!" Moonlight shouted as a few S.O.H.U fired, there round's hitting the thing in the back of it's helmet and setting it off balance, it's club coming down, smashing through the board and into the mud beneath it, as it struck, the head arced with blue green lightning, next to Ross head. Ross then shoved his for arm's ageist it chest, a unnatural warmth passing through his coat's sleeves, and with a grunted, Ross pushed ageist the hulking figure with all his might and the club was forced out of its grip. Ross staggered and the weight suddenly pulled the Commando away, he the watched as the armorer's weight forced the large thing back more and more but it soon gained balance. Ross got his idea. He ran at the Commander, it looked at him, its eight glowing eye's each beady and bright stared at him. The Commander curled it's fists and set one leg spindly leg forwards to spread it's vast weight as Ross charged at it, Ross fainted to the left coursing the thing to swing at him with it's left arm, He ducked as the blow swiped through the air where Ross head was with enough force to have ripped it clean off if the blow had connected, while the blow did miss it was still close enough that the back of Ross helmet flaking gray paint and sparks as the fist scraped along the back of his head. Ross used the commander's leg to run up the figure. Ross grabbed the figures head and shattered some of the eye's as he wrapped his leg's round it's neck, his hands taking a furn hold on its head, shattering its reaming eye's as he turned his momentum and wight into to the force to pull the figure off balance and onto it's back. That was the opening pony's needed and they descended on it with sword's, knives, bit's of wood and there bear hooves as the began to brutally stamp, stab and crush it beneath them. Ross scrambled from its shoulder's as it crashed down, he scrambled to his feet to join the pony's, grabbing a mattock that was stuck in the trench wall. Ross turned and swung it down with all his might into the things chest , chest armor weakened by Ross's pistol round's, cracked under the mattock's blows as several swords and crossbow bolts found opening's in the neck joint and thick black green liquid pored out as it flayed in the mud. It finely stopped after fighting after five minutes of continues bludgeoning, stabbing and a shot's from rifles and crossbows, but it finely let a ear splinting shriek out, it was high pitched and wavering in and out of Ross's hearing range but the sound dropped Moonlight and a few bat pony's to there knee's, there eyes screwed shut with agony and they held there ear's ageist there head, many pulling there helmets off, press there ears in harder. After five seconds of this wavering scratch it fell still and there was a heavy silence except for the panting and gasping of the pony's and Ross as they looked at there enemy. Ross hefted the mattock up before lodging it back in the wall of the trench, it's once razor sharp ax head now blunt and chipped as the thick green black blood flowed from it's head and dripped onto the wall board's and duck boards making the mud slicked floor even more slippery. "I... slay m..meany a men and women ... and have...respect for the enemy b...but this thing was not human..." Ross looked around. "Get... me a pole." Ross drew his saber and looked down at the body. His breath's coming in gasp's as he took a firm grip on his saber's handle. Pony's looked at the grisly spectral hanging over there trench, the severed head hanging from the end of the pole, it's blood slowly oozing down with gravity. Ross sat under it as he screwed the binoculars into his gas mask lenses before slipping onto the firing step then sat low in a gun slit looking at the Order trench. Ross sat there for several minutes and the mist started to dissipating in the warm air. Suddenly there was a shouting of a sniper or sentry that had court sight of the new trophy. Suddenly there then a cacophony of shouting. "I think we pissed them off." Ross muttered as several people climbed from there trench and charged towards the Pony's trench bellowing threats and oaths towards them, there guns spitting disks through the air. "Step up!" Ross called lazily and pony's clambered onto the fire step then took aim with there bow's or rifles. As the Order Troopers crossed the one hundred yard mark Ross gave a slight nod and Moonlight, who was stood behind him and walked down behind the Pony's. "Fire at Will!" Moonlight called then the pony's fired. Twanging sound's filled the air as cross bow's where released, there bolts zipping through the air then slamming into the Order armor, most sticking into the armor, coursing no harm to the trooper's. But several slammed into joiners and one into the neck of one warrior. "Who ever took that shot! Well done!" Ross called and reserved no acknowledgement. He had to remind him self he was not with UEF OR Death Korp troops anymore. Then the rifles bellowed and the Order Trooper's jerked violently as the thumb sized bullets struck as they forced there way through the strange ceramic alloy armorer. Ross watched them fall several laying and screaming in agony or in anger at there gods death, Ross could not tell witch. "Weapon." Ross said holding a hand out to reserve something, he felt something press into his palm then looked to find a Crossbow. Ross took it and tucked the too short stock into his shoulder before lining the simple grove sight on the head of the farthest warrior, the then aimed high to allow for the mis-fit of the weapon as well as the possible drop of the bolt. He squeezed the trigger up into the stock and the bolt shot from the weapon, it sailed through the air then slammed into the mud a few feet short, its bright white fletching sticking out from the gray of the mud. Ross grabbed the string then pulled it back into the catch as a guard held a bolt out for Ross witch he took before he slid it home, he took aim again and aimed a inch higher than he had the first shot. He fired and there was a crack as the bold slammed home through the thinly armored top of the warrior's helm the Trooper gurgled wetly and trembled violently, be fore seizing up and then falling limp. There was more twangs and bolts where released and the screaming stopped. Pony's letting sighs out as they set there weapon's down. there nerves shot at the events of the the last twenty minutes. Then a gurgling court his attention, Ross looked at his right to see the pony who's Crossbow he borrowed was retching, Ross gave him a sharp slap in the back, the blow stinting his hand a little as the felt the troopers inside jolt, the pony threw up the green and orange foam and chunks in stark contrast to the gray of the Mud Ross knew what had made the pony throw up. Ross knew what was awaiting him outside his mask.The smell would be of burnt gun powder, the blood and the thick stagnant water smell of the mud. Ross knew it well, even though the filter of his mask he could smell it as a memory. He had endured the smell for god knows how long over his service. Then there was the silence ,that he knew just as well, it was heavy in the air, but Ross knew it would get a lot heavier sooner then later. Ross put his hand on the back of the sick pony. "It will pass, just breath deeply. The smell in not the worst part." Ross then held the crossbow to the pony's chest and he felt the Crossbow been taken from him. With that Ross slid down from the firing step. "Step! Down!" Moonlight bellowed and the pony's climbed down from the firing step. Then they moved back towards there seats, renaming just as silent as ever. Except for the odd retching and heaving from the pony's as the powder smoke settled in the trench to hover there, a thin blue smoke hovered there. S.O.H.U where among them, use to moving before they breathed it in, or a breeze moved the smell on. Ross raised his hand up to his mask's binocular's and started unscrewing them with a slight soft squeaking, Ross put them in a pouch on his chest, the one on the binocular's pouch its right holding the night vision goggles. Ross then placed his hand in the small of his back as he looked up and down the trench before he turned to his right to look at the slightly green Moonlight, it was almost comical Ross thought. "Ammo count for S.O.H.U please, Sargent Major." Moonlight, saluted sharply then moved off up the trench and Ross moved back towards the trooper who was the first to be sick. Ross walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder with his right hand. The Pony looked up at Ross, the little green ageist the white of his coat sticking out brightly. He nodded not wanting to brake the strange silence. "I GO TO MY GOD'S AND FOREBEARS!!!" The shout shattered the silence like a bomb in a small box, Ross looked up to find a Order Trooper running at him, he was unarmed and unarmored, a simple white singlet and boots was all he wore for clothing. The thick mud covering him telling that he had crawled through the No Mans Land. The trooper ran at Ross who could see the wires and the strange pouches that where wrapped round the man's chest, there was another wire running from his strange vest to his hand where a little box was. Ross's drew his revolver with his left hand with lightning speed as he tucked his other hand behind his back, his hand just above his waist before he fired. His revolver bucking up and he held if firm as it pointing up into the air as the propellant punched the round through the air. The round entered the man's chest just below his hart. The war head detonated a split second after entering and the resulting blast killing the Suicider, there was a split second pause then there was a blue flash as the vest's pay load exploded in violent fashion. Ross stood firm as the shock wave blasted past him. The blast knocking some pony to the floor, others holding there eye's as they where blinded. Ross blinked the whiteness away in a second, his cornea's healing them selves quickly to allow him to see again, Pony's moaned and rubbed there eye's more and more aggressively. Ross then lowered his Revolver and slipped it into his holster, musicale memory pressing the pop clasp shut then resting his hand on the saber handle. "The Blindness will pass in a few minutes, if not report to the Medical officer on duty!" Ross turned to the Pony to his right and found his face was missing, the vest having jettisoned plasma bomblets in all directions but most detonating in the vest when Ross's warhead went off, but the few that did hit something left telling mark's. Several boards in the trench wall where on fire or smoldering, pony's threw mud onto the flames, smothering them out. Ross looked at the pony, his skull was cracked, chard deep black, the flesh around the hole was bubbling and steaming, he could here the fain pops as the bubbles bursting, spraying scolding blood as they did, then there was the helmet, it had run molten, the metal now fused to the fur and skin. Ross turned from the sight with out comment or change of mood. "Stretcher! Remove the body!" Ross ordered and walked down the trench. Ross only took five steps before all hell broke louse, Order field peaces bellowed, healing there shell's into the air and down onto the Pony trenches. There heavy machine gun's, if they where even machine gun's, chattered as large disk's sliced through the air and into the mud all around the trench. Ross barely acknowledged the new sound as he continued to stride down the trench. Pony's in the City stopped and looked round as the whistle of incoming, filled the air, then they saw the chunks of dirt that the larger round' flung high enough into the air to see over the wall. The citizens of Canterlot stopped to watch this display, this being the first major artillery strike, and largest, they had seen. While the Canterlot Elite stopped to gorp, the Refugees, stat there in silence staring off into the distance, there minds filled with dark thoughts of there home towns and villages. Foals as well as older kid's cried, mothers comforted then while they cried them selfies then farther's and husbands comforted mother's and Wife's if they where there at all, while they too let silent tears fall. They had ran from Death, now it was pounding at the door. All that stood before it was a thin... brown...line. Hours passed, the rain returned to fell like the shell's of the Order guns. The artillery was uncoordinated, inaccurate and not following any pattern of bombardment, it was fired in anger at them, there gun crews's filled with a unquenchable anger. They wanted to get as meany shells on top of him as possible, to try and do something but not caring to there inaccuracy. Pony's sat huddled together trying to stop shivering in the cold water meany sporting there issued poncho's, while the few officers in the trench paraded around in there clean and dry armor, the rain stopping about two foot above them and the mud dissolving from the armorer, a spell responsible for both of effects. Pony's eyed there officer's and muttered curses under there breath and the tried huddling closer together. Ross eyed one officer through his mask, the officer court sight of his eyes somehow, he turned to challenge Ross. Ross slowly turned his head to look at him, "Apologe Major." Ross muttered and the officer gave a curt nod before he walked on, Ross watched as he marched on splashing mud onto several troops . Ross settled again atop his box. The rain hammered down round him and off his helmet, the soft "tink tink tink" reverberating around his helmet. His trusted coat letting the water run off in small stream's and to the floor where it joined the small ponds that had formed in that part of the trench. Then there was the shriek and explosion's of the artillery. Ross had no concern for them. "Ross. S.O.H.U have forty five rounds a pony that's nine hundred round all together, Mac has three boxed of five hundred." Moonlight said as she came up the trench to his right and looked at Ross and he nodded. "Thank you Moonlight, get who you can out. I'll remain till the bomb bombardment it ove-COVER!!!" Ross turned his head as he bellowed, a particularly high pitch whistle met his ear's and there was a splash down that was accompanied with splintering wood as several large wood bards where flung into the air from the splash down and into the mud around the trench, Ross felt several large splinters mixed with mud bounce off him. "Dam..." Ross muttered as he took hold of one of the large lump of wood and threw it over his head and into the mud. "...that was the access trench... we are all staying till dark. Don't was to risk it." Ross said looking at Moonlight. He noticed the three bars on her armor's collier denoting her rank of Sargent when it should be four stripes with the royal crest on top of the stripes. "Not had your rank put on your armor?" He queried her and she shrugged her shoulder's. "Did not seem retentive in the present circumstances." Ross conceded the point with a nod. "Ta Moonlight." Ross pulled a small metal flash from his pocket,and offered it to her, "Whisky." She took it and raised it to her lips and took a swig. "Thank's... better go see to the Troops." Moonlight handed the flash back and walked off her wings rustling as she went. Ross turned to look at the wall he was facing as he closed his eye's, he sat there and listen to the world. He sat listening like that for a few minutes, listening the the distant gun and counting how long it took there payload to hit this side, it was the same every time. Five seconds from booming retort to fiery impact. Time slowly past and Ross kept counting the time of the shots till he herd the number of guns reduce, then slowly stop. He presumed control had finely been asserted once again, possibly the officer's bellowed them selfless hoarse and just as likely to no avail. Ross speculated in all likely hood one of the Order's mystic Battle Priest had come to preach loudly at the gun crews till they finely settled down. Ross gave this thought little note and continued to sit there with his eyes closed listening to the sounds of earth settling from the bombardment, his ear's then picked up a sneeze to his left, Ross opened his left eye and turned his head slightly in its direction. He find Applejack sat on the ground a few feet from him, her rump partly submerged as she sat on the duck boards, the few empty spaced on the firing step or resting step no better then the floor. Ross then realized her poncho shredded ether from bad packing or during some other event, he could see her armor and orange fur showing through the holes, it also revealed she was shivering a lot more than any of the other's. Ross sighed and unfolded his arm's to expose the mask's filterers, he reached up to his webbing's chest straps and unbuckled them before hanging them on the side of his box where a nail was sticking out of it, this was followed by his masks filter and the mask, Ross unbuckled his holster belt before he pulled it off, setting the holster and scabbard on the box next to him on the box than he started undoing the ten button's on his coat front and as he unbuttoned the last one he quickly pulled his coat off and over himself. Ross gave a sharp whistle and Applejack looked at him. Ross jerked his head signaling her to come to him, as she did Ross put his holster belt to one side and patted the side of his box she nodded and hoped up pulling her poncho off as she huddled under the make shift tent with Ross. Applejack looked up at Ross and she felt how warm he was yet. She could not help but huddle right up to him, her damp fur and cool armor separating them. She put her front legs round his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, she liked this. "I'm shearing shelter. Not a invitation to cuddle up like that." Ross said sternly and Applejack took her arms from around his arm. "S...sorry Sir... Ya'll where just warm is all." she said honestly and took her for legs from his arm and took her head from his shoulder. Ross turned his head to look up the trench and they sat there. Hours later the rain finely let up and Ross pulled his coat back a little as he looked at the sky seeing that the sun was past its high point and half way to setting. Ross then pulled his coat down himself and slid his arms back down the sleeves before pulling the holster belt open and fastening it again. "You can go now." Ross said as he pulled his mask scrubbers onto his chest and did the buckles on the leather harness. Applejack gave a nod and salute as she got off Ross's box and walked towards where she had last seen her brother. Ross stopped as he started pulling on his webbing, He had no idea how much ammo he had left for himself. Ross was sat atop his box, a crate lid across his lap as a table as he sat there counting his revolver rounds while adding them into speed loader's that where empty, he now knew he was running low on the combat rounds and the minerals to produce them where not with in the small amount he had extracted from the mountain. As Ross set the last speed loader down he looked at his reserves. He had fifty explosive war headed rounds, twenty five Executioner rounds, sixty three Magnum shotgun round's, twelve solid slugs and a dozen odds and sods ranging from target rounds to normal magnum rounds even a low velocity flare round for his shotgun. Ross's eye's then looked at the lead lined case that held six rounds of terrible power, he would not use them with out sanction from the Princesses or The Lord of the Forge himself. Ross picked the box up and looked at the wax seal on the lid sealing it closed, Ross looked at it and the o so familiar seal of the Krige Korps was on it Ross lifted the box so it was level wit his eye's and looked over the seal. The Double headed Steel Eagle sat there regale and proud, it represented there army's pride and discipline as well as the stratocracy society of his home world, the only world to survive for so long under such leader ship. Below the Eagle held in its talons was a skull representing there military duty and sacrifice, there and his willingness to die was in the understanding of the need for sacrifice to ensure the UEF and Humanity could survive all odd's. Ross then place the rounds into his webbing and pockets, his mind turning outcomes around in his head. After Ross placed the last speed loader into a belt pouch with one hand he set the box lid down and looked out at the lights of the city from the trench. The lights glinting and flickering over the top of the wall , Hell Hammers silhouetted by the slight light pollution of the city. Ross raised his eye's to the void of the sky, the sun was just below the horizon, the moon slowly peaking up making the sky a deep purple as Ross looked up into the infinite void his mind wandering from the situation to deep thoughts. "Can I save this world? Would he be the only solder of the UEF on this world?" With a sigh Ross lowered his head, the mud wall opposite him confirming he was back to reality. Ross patted his pouches as he remember in his ammo issue, Ross sat there, then looked at his swords handle his hand moving to it and griping the oddly plastic like leather that spiraled around the grip like the tape on a bat. "Well... some times the old ways are the best ways." Ross thought as he took his hand from the handle and noted the cool nip of the night started to set and the darkness of the night starting to ink the sky. There was no beard song, he noted, not like after he first walked in the city Ross's enhanced hearing picked up a soft squelch coursing Ross to jerk his head up, then there was a soft wet scraping ,a tell tail sound of something or one slipping on the mud and trying to muffle it, he could tell it was on the far side of No Mans Land, "Would it be worth raising the alarm?" Ross though then decided not to, in case it bough a full assault on. Ross looked at Moonlight who was sat opposite and she slowly nodded at him, "Heard it to." Ross pulled his mask on and took a beep breath, the reassuring and familiarly dry air was calming and familiar. Moonlight watched Ross as he pulled his gloves on before he grabbed a hand full of browny gray mud, he then started smearing it on his helmet, turning the gray colore to the browny gray of the wasteland. As Moonlight watched Ross started slapping and rubbing more mud onto his already coated uniform. Soon Ross stopped before he started shacking the mud from his hands before he looked at the wall of the trench, Ross the slipped his helmet on with his left hand while the right one moved to take a firm grip on the handle of his survival knife. He slowly pulled the blade out then pressed the blade into the wall, dulling the polished blade to stop it from shinning in the low sun. Ross then pulled his night vision goggles out of there webbing pouch and pressed them into his mask's lenses. Ross then slowly slipped over the trench para pit. Moonlight watching him go. Time ticked pass and Moonlight started feeling more and more nervous, Ross's presence was a oddly calm influence to her, was it his silence in all this ore how he was acting so calm Moonlight looked through the periscope her natural night vision picking out the detailed of the wasteland around her. She could not see Ross or what he was hunting. She sat back on her small seat and pulled her Rifle into her hoof's ready to bring to bear. She sat there listening to the soft whisper of wind. Was that a blade entering something? A muffled shout? she then shook her head, Wind. Just, Wind. Moonlight let her ear's scan back and fourth, her eyes watching the lip of the trench an like her ear's scanned back and fourth just as the sun set The white of the moon started appearing over the horizon as the dark gray brown figure slipped over the lip of the trench. Moonlight looked at Ross as he slid down the wall of the Trench, his uniform still crusted with mud. "What did you go out there for? " Ross looked at Moonlight through his mask. "I was scouting for probe's and sappers' the'll be wanting in soon so the officers will be wanting us checked out..." Ross held up his survival knife, Moonlights eye's could see the thick red blood glinted in the late evening sun. "...That's twelve reports there not going to get." Ross said wiping the blade on a rag hanging from a nail. "Here, souvenir." Ross muttered passing her a yellowish skull. "Human. Possible from one of the commando's I saved you from when I got here." Ross muttered as he un-clipped his helmet from his mask,then pulled it off. Ross then returned to sitting on his box. Ross looked up at the moon and then at his watch, "21:26:38" With that Ross gave Moonlight who was sat next to him a rap on her helmet. "Five minutes till we are rotated out. But I want us on stand by." he said as he looked up and down the trench as as he slid, from his box while stretched his slightly stiff leg's. "Oofh...bugger!" Ross muttered as the stiffness vanished in a rush of feeling. Moonlight nodded to Ross as he stretched then she moved off to gather the members of Ross's command to ready up and prepare for retreat down the access trench leading to the secondary trench then crawl along the completely destroyed and filled in access trench to the city. Five minutes later Ross stood and nodded to the new officer of the watch. "Why no salute?" The Officer asked as a line of bat pony's passed Ross command, he then waved the muddy troops to pass with a nod at Moonlight who nodded back, the bags under her eyes starting to form . "There are sniper's watching us. I think they want me alive but I suspect they will kill you if you reveal superior ranks. So no salutes or ranks names only." Ross explained knowing there was a good chance a sniper was scanning the air right above the lip of the trench where he was standing. Ross then looked at the lip of the trench before he patted the officer on the shoulder, "Good Night. And don't stick your head up." Bloody Seraphim ... (Re-done)Author's Note I'm back! sorry family and relation ship issues. don't worry Pulled Through will be continued soon Thanks to flyingfox for helping me with the spelling and...well making it so much better than I ever could. Bloody Seraphim ... (Re-done) Bloody Seraphim... Earth Parade Ground of the 68th Siege/ Siege breaker Regiment "Thunder fighters" Commander: Brigadier Zanic ACU: Model MK 5-3 "" Brigadier Zanic looked up at the holo-monitor as she leaned against the frame and harness that tracked her movements as she watched the static fill screen. "tchhhhMayday! Mayday! We tchh under attack from tchh unknown aggressor. We require tchhhh military assistance. Our own forces have sustained heavy tchhhhh-" The transmission cut off and Brigadier Zanic looked at the small control panel next to her and pressed a button and the holo-monitor started to rise. As the holo-monitor clicked into place, the large viewing screen lit up and the Parade ground snapped into view showing the large courtyard that held hundreds of units and half a dozen ACU's standing to attention. At the very edge of the screen, she could see her own ACU's shoulders, the pips on them the exact same as the one's on her uniform's shoulders. "I suppose I'd better inform HQ..." Zanic muttered to herself as she stood up and straightened her uniform. Celestia looked to the horizon where the last of her subjects were piling into Canterlot. The once beautiful city now a fortress and the last bastion of her people. The griffins were holding their own but were tied down in a grueling meat-grinder of a land battle. They promised to send help if they could get a reprieve. Other than that, that was all Celestial knew of the world outside of Equestria other than the panic'd and garbled reports of scouts and citizens. "Princess Celestia, the call for help has been sent but I don’t know if anypony or anyone will receive it." The Princess continued watching the horizon from the balcony of her personal room. Her once pristine features now replaced with signs of stress and lack sleep. Her once grand, ethereal mane had lost much of it’s sheen and now hangs limp around her like every other pony’s mane, only the very end of it flows in the non-existent wind. “And my little ponies?” “The civilians have been settled in and I have scouts out to keep an eye out for the Machines. If they do come, how… how will we survive?” The ACU let out a wail from its war horns as it ran at the Seraphim's line. Heavy tanks, Siege bots and other units followed in the ACU’s wake as the pilot charged on through the incoming gunfire, most bouncing off harmlessly while others leaving small pot-marks here and there. Then, an unknown machine as large as the ACU and looked like a spider with extra legs, each ending in some form of blade, emerged to meet the ACU's charge head on. "Pause" A rather fat Lord General said as he lifted a fat hand with many gold and jewels in crusted rings on it to point at the unknown unit. "What in hell is that?" Brigadier Zanic stepped forward " We believe it was a experimental melee unit Sir but it didn't work very well... Sir" The lord general looked at her his many chins wobbling. "And you know this how?" He said eyeing her. Zanic felt a pang of annoyance towards the fat man. "As you undoubtedly know, all current UEF ACU's are armed with dual antimatter cannons along with any other upgrades the pilot wishes, none of which are close combat weapons. If you watch the rest of the tape, you will see why the enemy unit wasn't very good." "Very well" the General leaned back into his chair and spun towards the screen "Play." The ACU's pilot sounded the war horns again and without breaking stride, raised its cannons firing at the machine as the two ran at each other. When they met the ACU lifted the canons high in to the air and brought them down onto the first arm of the machine as it reared up to strike. The lord general's eyes widened as he watch the ACU proceeded to smash and dodge the other arms as the pilot started dismantling the infernal Seraphim war engine. Then the pilot had somehow managed to pick up the hull of the Seraphim engine between his cannons and smashed it into the ground. The lord general stood up "Lights!" Zanic closed her eyes as the lights left after images and gave a slight growl and the room was revealed, the oak walls hiding the complex systems that prevented anyone from eavesdropping by any means. "Who is the pilot? I want to know." He stood up and his ample gut protruding before him. Zanic looked at him "That is Lieutenant Ross of my regiment Sir, the 68th Siege/ Siege breaker Regiment." The general looked shocked " He's just a Lieutenant? I'm surprised, I'd of thought a Major at least." Zanic smiled "If he had accepted any promotion he'd be your superior Sir." A tint of red touched the general's face. You didn't like that did you Zanic thought. "Well bring him in and we'll see if I agree with what you propose. Dismissed." The Lord General sat back down with a sigh. "Well I must warn you he’s a traditionalist of the regiments uniform, some find him scary Sir" Brigadier Zanic said as she left a smile on her face. The gray, foul smelling trench coat billowed behind him as he walked up next to Brigadier Zanic, his thick combat boots making a thud with every step. The sword in it's scabbard rattling at his thigh while the revolver and it’s aging holster swung to and fro as he walked. The thick gray pauldrons made of titanium sat perfectly on his shoulders. the golden pips on his coat's collar where the only change of the gray scale of the uniform. "What the hell am I doing here?" Ross asked, his voice was muffled slightly "You know I can’t stand the brass twats!" "Did somebody take a shit in your coffee this morning?" Zanic asked not even looking at Ross. "Tea. I drink tea and nobody took a shit in it....pissed in it, maybe." Ross said again his voice slightly muffled. Zanic let a snort of laughter out "Mess hall not sorted the machine out yet?" She heard a rustling and she assumed Ross was shaking his head. "Right best behavior in here" Zanic said as she opened the door and marched in Ross matching her pace. The they both stopped and stood at attention in front of the Lord General’s desk. His head looking down at some papers. The instant Ross saw the General, I doubt you even seen the inside of a ACU or have ever been in a battle, porky was the thought that went through Ross's mind. "What is that horrific smell?" he asked not looking up, the foul stench having finally reached his nose. "Me Sir" Ross said his voice still muffled. "When was the last time you had a bath?" The general asked still looking at his papers. "Five minutes ago sir" Ross responded instantly. The general finely looked up from his papers and nearly fell out of his chair. Where Ross's eye were meant to be were reflective quarter-covered lenses of a gas mask, a gray helmet covered the top third of the lenses as well as the back and sides of his head and neck. A long hose protruded like the trunk of an elephant and lead into a Khaki canvas bag with a large dial on the front and held onto the front of his trench coat by straps around his chest and shoulders. The General looked down at the bottom half of Ross and found he was wearing Puttees over his large steel toed combat boots and steel pads strap'd onto his knees. "Is there a problem sir?" Ross said his voice was muffled by the mask and filters. "Erg...no no Ross." The general stared at him. "Hum... yes, Ross tell me, what do you make of this?" The general pull'd a remote out of his desk and fiddled with it until the transmission played again. "tchhhhMayday! Mayday! We tchh under attack from tchh unknown aggressor. We require tchhhh military assistance. Our own forces have sustained heavy tchhhhh-" "Well Ross, what do you think?" Ross stood there silently, all that came from him was his filtered breathing. "I leave in 5 minutes sir" was all he said and he turned to leave. "Ross, can you tell me something?" The general sat there looking at his back "Yes Sir" Ross trend back "Your ACU this... "Unbreakable Shield," tell me about the unit" his eyes were squinting. "My Armored Command Unit "Unbreakable Shield" is a MK 1-0 of the United Earth Federation and is the largest crap heap that can be driven." Ross said and his eye lenses flashed. "I think I misheard you. You pilot a Mark 1 suit." The Lord General sat there smiling like he heard a joke. "Yes Sir, Mark 1. Can I go now?" Ross turned and headed out the door, not waiting to be dismissed and closed the door behind him. "So, Brigadier Zanic, will he do?" He sat there filling the leather chair like melting jelly. "Do or he’ll die Sir. There’s nobody finer on this side of the galaxy" Zanic said "you fat bastard" she muttered under her breath so he wouldn't hear. "How old is he?" The Lord General asked out of the blue "22 Sir. Why?" Zanic said eyeing him. "The daughter needs a husband" he said eyeing the door. Ross sat down into the command seat of his ACU the old system was all analog, none of the fancy neuron link to control here. The ACU stepping and leg movements were controled by pedals and a complex system of pistons and sensors that controls the arms, anti matter cannons and building systems. As if to complement the already confined space and arceo-tech, there were large keyboards and old monitors filling the little control room. The room was filled with red lights that were battery powered. "Unbreakable Shield this is Fire Prism can you read me? Over" Ross unhooked the headphones and mic and slipped them on under his helmet and his gas mask. "Rodger Fire Prism, I'm reading you loud and clear. Over" "Confirmed. You are to activate and proceed to the Quantum gate. Over." "Rodger Fire Prism, proceed the the Quantum gate and gate to target. Out." Ross pulled his hand out of the left arm control frame and twisted a key in a large box to his right there was a loud whining as the starting motor for the diesel generator turn'd over then and it roared into life followed shortly by a loud hum and whine as the fusion reactor was brought on line. The generator coughed and died as the reactor took up powering the ACU's systems. Pressing a yellow button on the same box, the monitors flickered into life and the outside world was shown. On the edges of the monitor the two golden pips on the ACU's shoulders one above the other were just visible. Ross slid his arm back into the arm control frame and rested his feet onto the control pedals. "Come on lass, time to march again." Ross squeezed the grip at the end of the arm control. Ross press the right pedal forwards and the ACU's right foot lifted a few meters off the ground and forward 10 or 15 meters. Then the left pedal and that brought the left foot level then past the right foot. He repeated this as he walked the war engine on towards the gate. The men that were on duty watched and waved at the engine as it passed. The engine was a relic and was literally a walking history keeper of the regiment. It was there when the regiment was found and had survived the hardest battles. There was once an entire mission to recover the burnt out husk when it fell and was restored to original condition. "Unbreakable Shield, this is Fire Prism. Over" "Reading you Fire Prism. How can I help, Zanic? Over." "The Lord General wanted me to keep this from you as I told you there was no video feed with the message. Over" "Yes, as you said. Over" Ross swayed slightly with the rolling gait of the ACU as it walked to the quantum gate. "You’re being sent to a previously unknown location, thus we don’t know what’s there so be ready for anything. Over." Ross press'd both pedals down to the floor "So you’re sending me because..." He smiled under his mask knowing the answer He heard a sigh in his ear "’Cause you’re the best fighter we've got. Over." "Me? No, really?! Over." he said with mock surprise as he set the ACU forwards again. "Yer yer Ar! Oh, and before I forget, you'll be in-charge of two office cadets that will come through after you set up a base and quantum gate. Over." "I’ve got more important thing to do than babysit them and give them milk runs. Over" Ross pushed the pedals harder and the engine picked up speed. "Brass's orders. Out." The link turned to static and Ross shut it off as the gate came into view. "Ok lass here we go again" Ross muttered as he pull'd the harness down over him. Ross settled into his seat as he walked up the ramp and the gate activated all the colors of the world where flashing in and out. "And. Here. We. Go!" Ross said as the cannons entered the gateway followed by the arms and then the rest of the ACU. The instant Ross passed the event horizon, he knew there was something wrong with how ACU lurched violently and started to shake and tremble like the earth was being dropped on to it. Ross looked at the viewing monitor, the colors were all wrong. They were white, pink and every other colour when it was meant to be blue. Ross held on tightly as the trembling got worse and he was sure the gate was going to rip his ACU apart. There was a sudden and deafening ban followed by a hard impact as Ross head banged off the harness, knocking him unconscious. Odd's and End'sAuthor's Note I think this one is a bit lazy say and I'll do a bit of re-writing. Odd's and End's Odd's and End's Ross walked through the hall's of the hospital he had a promise to keep . Raindrops lay on the bed looked up at the ceiling the blue beret still on her head and she was bored "You OK Drop's?" She looked at the door to find Ross stood in the open door. "David!" She scrambled over to the door and jumped up, taking him in a hug. Which Ross returned. "What you doing here?" Ross pulled his gas mask off and fixed it and the helmet to a his left pauldron. "Keeping a promise which nurse is in-charge of looking after you?." Ross smiled at her and Raindrops smiled back her wings rustling slightly in there bandages "Redhart she should be here soon" "Well we'll wait hear." Redhart walked along the corridor her normal poster was slumped and she was showing tiredness having had to worked all night after a fight broke out at a refuge camp that resulted in a lot of pony's needing medical attention. "Red! How you holding up?" She turned to find Night Watch walking towards her. Redhart felt her hart skip a beat she was't afraid to admit to her self that she may have a bit of a crush on him. He was wearing his black hospital security uniform that clashed with his short gray main. She avoided making eye contact with his purple one's "I'm...fine. You?" She risked a look and saw that his brown fir didn't hide the bag's under his eye's. "Well I'll be looking forward's to bed when I get home you?" Redhart smiled "I think I'll be doing the same Watch but I got to go through the pediatric's..." She rubbed her tired, red eye's Night Watch gave a sad smile "How are they doing?" "Most are fine... but there there are one or two..." Redhart felt a speck dampness role down her cheek. More followed. "I'm sorry..." she said weakly turning from Night Watch "Hay hay whats the matter?" Redhart felt Night Watch put his for-leg round her shoulders. Redhart knew it wasn't good to let her emotion's out on duty and on the ward but she didn't care. "Sorry... I'v just been rushed off my hoof's ... I thought it was it bad enough that I was on pediatric's router but now... I'v seen what the book's skip over... what pony can to do to each other if they are willing..." Redhart closed her eye's as more tears rolled down her cheek's Night Watch held her letting Redhart let it out. He gave her a gentle squeeze and felt her lean into him slightly. "... Thank you." Night smiled as she pulled away and he took his leg from around her shoulder's "Will you be OK now?". Redhart nodded and smiled the damp trails in her fir where the only indication that she had been crying. There was a commotion behind her and she looked to see a crowd of filly's and other staff piled into Raindrops ... now dark room. "O Celestia ... not her ... please..." Redhart mutter'd and she rushed to the door, Night Watch on her heel's. Some of the filly's in care had seen there parent's or close friend's been killed, most sported injury's from when that happened. It was't sadly unheard of one or two of them to commit suicide, unable to cope with what they had seen even with the best help of Canterlot hospital. Night opened the door and the two ran in and they stoped dead. The children and staff where sat on the floor and bed. But Redhart's attention was caught by galaxy hanging in the air, it zoom'd in and started to go to planet's and naming them "Earth. Cradle of humanity." "Mars. First colony." "Seraphim II. The quarantined planet" "Garnelis. Forge Planet. War hart of the UEF." The planet zoomed out and the galaxy came back. The galaxy shifted to a fox looking round the room's occupant's, there was a soft murmur of awe came from the crowd as the fox turned into a white Pegasus flying through the cloud's, that then turned into a member of the Royal guard and one Luna guard the two, stood to attention saluted, stood easy then smiled and waved. To which a lot of the filly's waved back. The image slowly faded out and the light came on reviling Ross stood ageist the wall opposite the crowd with a disk held in his palm "Thank you Lady's and Gentleman, Boys and Girl's I hope you enjoyed the hologram's." A small round of clapping came from the crowd as they started to leave. Ross looked at Redhart and Night Watch "Impressed?" The two nodded "Where's Raindrops?" "Up here!" She called out from where she siting on Ross's shoulder's her head resting on top of his. "Well David not that I'm not happy to see you but why are you here?" Redhart asked as Ross slipped the Holo-protector into his pocket. "Keeping a promise I made. Will it be OK for me to take Raindrops out for a bit?" "No offense but you must understand that you are not her guardian or carer." Redhart explained and Ross nodded. "Are you a care or guardian Red?" She nodded "Well road trip? You look like you need a brake." Ross said. "No I d-" Redhart started but Night Watch interrupted. "He...?" Watch looked at Ross for confirmation and received a nod. "He's right you need a brake you can't keep going like this." Redhart shook her head "No I can't plus I don't think Doctor Saw Bonus will let me off duty." "On the contrary I think you are done. You've done a Ten hour shift." They all looked to find Doctor Saw Bones standing there. "Impressive light show David but Redhart you are to take Drop's out to do whatever it is David has in mind and they you will go home." Redhart stood there stammering trying to think of a excuse to not go home but she failed and relented "Yes Doctor." The three walked down the street. Ross reviving look's and murmur's but he ignored them. Raindrops still on Ross's shoulder's "Why do they stare?" She asked looking round at all the faces looking at them "It's me. I'm different, odd." Ross said looking round. "I don't think your odd." Ross smiled "Thanks Drops." "Excuse me..." something asked. Ross turned round to find a pure white Unicorn with green eye's and a scroll and magnifying glass. "Can I help you?" Ross asked tentatively. "Yes Doctor Discover I was wondering if you help me?" "Maybe?" Ross right had found it self resting on the pop stud of his holster Ross watched as he pulled a cloth out of some where. "What dose this smell of?" Ross was amused. How thick did he think he was!?! "What's that?" Ross said pointing down the street. Dr. Discovery turned to look giving Ross a perfect angle. Ross swung his leg and with a fleshy crunch he steel toed boot met Discovery's testicle's. Discovery squirrel was muffled as Ross held the cloth over his muzzle. Discovery fought like a cornered cat but his flaying quickly stopped. "Wow." Ross quickly pulled Raindrop's off his shoulder's "You ok?!" She nodded looking at Discovery "What was he trying to do?" "I think he as trying to drug me and drag me off." Ross looked at Redhart who took the rag and sniff it lightly. "Chloroform." Ross picked the body up and slung it over his shoulder. "Where is the nearest police station?" The black unicorn Law and white Pegasus Order stat at the fount desk. It had been oddly quiet even with all the new pony's in Canterlot. The door's banged open and the two shot back as the white unicorn was dropped on the desk "Bang him up for attempted kidnap." Ross said placing the rag on the desk as well. "You that alien that the princess showed us yesterday aren't you?" Ross nodded "Leftenant-Commisar Ross." Order picked the Discovery's head up "What did he try to do?" Law picked the cloth up. "Don't sniff that it soaked with Chloroform." Law looked surprised "That old trick? Wow." Ross nodded "Old one back home too." Discovery moaned and they all looked down at him. "Can you take care of him I have stuff to do matter of duty and order's." The two nodded. "Don't worry we'll care of him." Order said as Law levitated Discovery off the desk "No no there with me." Ross pushed the spear up that was pointing at Redhart. "Sorry Sir." The guard raised the spear and stood back as his post at the side of the gate to the barracks. Raindrop's came round from behind Redhart and stood next to Ross in awe. "That's ineradicable." Ross smiled and knelt down one one knee next to her. "Yes it is." Ross and Raindrop's looked at the scene before them. These barrack's where in one of the royal gardens and where some of the newest. Made in the rush after the Seraphim landed and the need to increase pony's at arm's. Some of the troop's where drilling practicing there sword and spear attacks another squad of unicorns where working on there spell accuracy the target dummy's made of old armorer with hole's blown in them. The newer targets consisted of looted Order armor. Ross watched a Sargent drilling a squad near the firing range some of the officers where walking and looking through the camp easily distinguished by there more ornate armorer. The Royal Castle was in the back ground but more prominently was the hulking ACU casting it's shadow over the entire complex. Ross felt a presser on his leg and looked to see Raindrop's had her for leg's on his leg. She was looking up at the ACU and Ross couldn't help but chuckle. "It's... big." she said looking at the bunkhouse next to the ACU. "You...want to go up?" Ross asked. Raindrop's looked up at Ross pure joy etched into the smile spreading across her face. "Really?" Ross pulled the beret off and ruffled her mane. "I'v kept the promise so far." he said as he pulled the beret back on her head. Redhart smiled at the two a tear of joy rolled down her check. She had never seen Raindrop's so happy. Ross spy'd a pony pulling a cart with duffel bag's in it. "O Corporal! Chuck us one of them!" The pony took one in his teeth and threw it to Ross who caught it mid-air "Nice throw Corporal. Just tell the quarter master I took this one out and I'll sign it out later." "Yes Sir." The Corporal said as he started to pull the cart off in the direction of the store hut. "What you need that for?" Raindrops asked. "I need both arm's to clime the rope ladder and I don't want you falling off my back. and why shouldn't Red see there sight's I'll show you?" As he said this Ross pulled the duffle bag onto his back "Ready?" Raindrops nodded and held up her for-leg's Ross picked her up and slipped her into the bag. He felt her slip down to the small of his back "Red your turn." Ross knelt down and felt Redhart clime in. "Happy?" He felt them shuffling around. "Ready." Ross walked to the foot of the swaying rope ladder and started to clime. Ross was half way when there was a shout. "Ross!" Ross let go with his right arm and swung out to look down to find Moonlight in full armor. A slight gust of wind mad his coat bottom flapping a little in the wind. "Yes!?" "I'v made my selection of candidates for S.O.H.U. there ready for you review." Ross swapped his hold on the ladder and looked at his watch. "Ok I'll be an hour or two...What armorer have they got?" "Buck all!" "Right you go to the quarter master and put the presser on to get some decent armor ready for them OK?" Moonlight saluted and moved off. "O Sargent Major! There's a.... caption Edge kicking about he has something for me if you could collect it for me I'll pick it up when I go through the candidates with you." "Yes sir!" Ross pulled him self and the two in the bag on top of Unbreakable and they got out and Ross stood up. "There's you view." Ross said pointing over the city wall's down the mountain and to the plains where he could see the curvature of Equine it's self. "O wow...It's beautiful." Ross sat down his leg's dangling over the edge of the ACU's head.
System rebootSystem reboot Screaming. Screaming coming from the colonists... his family. The Cybrans were here! Where did they come from!?... There was a bang and the boors caved in a bit more. All he knew was that he was kneeling behind an impromptu barricade of crates and mining gear with a shotgun in hand. Kneeling to his left was his granddad, an old miner, holding bolt action rifle in his aged, arthritis riddled hands. To his right was a panicking woman, her hands were shaking with barely contained terror and a pickaxe clutched tightly like a drowning man holding onto a life line. His granddad rested his hand on his shoulder "Steady lad...steady David..." "You know I don't like that name" Ross said pushing his sweat sodden hair out of his eye's. His granddad chuckled as the second line of the firing line stepped behind them as the door caved in a bit more. "Here they COME!" some one shouted and a ray of light shone into the mine shaft's mouth as the door started to part under whatever was hitting them from to other side. In the depths of the mine, the the families and one or two miners were working on a escape tunnel. Ross could hear their drills and shouts echoing back to where the brave few were going to hold try and hold off the Cybrans. The door parted a bit more flooding the small tunnel mouth with more light. "Front rank! PRESENT!" a old and grizzled veteran shouted. He had come for peace and now was their last hope. Ross and his granddad along with the 30 others on the front rank pointed their weapons to point at the doorway. "Ross I'm so proud of you" his granddad muttered. The door burst in and shadows fill'd the door and Ross racked the shotgun "FIRE!!!" Ross opened his eyes and blackness was all that met them. The reactor must have shut down. His mind was going through the priority's. Power, weapon's, injuries, treatment, damage. Damage control. His eyes soon adjusted to their limits of natural night vision but it was enough to see the small world. After his eyes refocused enough, he found that he was looking... his boots. He took a deep breath and immediately regret it as the pain burnt through his chest. From the worst of the pain, he could tell a good portion of his ribs were no more than shards. As he breathed, a wheezing rasp started and he felt a wet leaking sensation where his right lung was. "O *Wheez* shit...." he muttered through the pain as he thought up of what must of happened. With the impact of what he assumed was a landing, he had been thrown around in his harness with sufficient force to break bones and the filter and scrubber system's held on the front of his chest for his mask didn't soften the blow. He knew he was lucky. Many were killed by a bad gate-in, either ripped in two or bludgeoned to death by the harness meant to keep them safe. Ross slowly lifted his head up off his chest, relieved that his neck was not broken. As he gingerly pulled his arms out of the control frame, his right wrist throbbed angrily. "OK *Wheez* OK...I'm OK" He started raise his right arm to turn the emergency lights on but the searing pain reminded him of his possibly broken wrist. Instead he raised his left arm to the small bank of switches above him. Three up...four across He flicked the switch on… and nothing. Ross flicked the switch back off and then on again followed with a pop, a flicker and a hum as the red lights glowed to life. The vision on his right was obscured somewhat by the cobweb pattern of cracked glass. Lowering his arm to the ignition box to his right, he tried the key but the generator didn't turn over. He tried again with the same result. He tried a third time but the generator remained silent and cold. "No...please not now..." Ross reached up to the top right corner and pulled hard and with the nail on blackboard sound of screws giving way, the face of the box fell down on its hinges revealing a mass of wires and circuit boards. Reaching down to his trench coat's left pocket and after a bit of thumbing withdrew from its depths a pair of black leather gloves. He didn't fancy getting electrocuted as well. With a bit of juggling and pain he managed to pull them on and gingerly brought his right arm up and into the mass of wires finding the wires that fed into the back of the key barrel. He pulled them out and gently moved his damaged wrist so he could get a better angle. Taking the wires, one in each hand, he brushed the ends together. The generator coughed and turned over once before going silent once again. He pulled the wires apart and the pressed them together again. Some sparks flashed and was quickly followed by the sputter of the engine before it roared to life. Ross held his breath partly in anticipation but more so to stop his chest from hurting. Then his heart soared as he heard the loud hum and whine of the reactor coming to life. "Thank who ever the locals believe their god is..." One screen to his left flashed up, it was a damage report and a computer generated voice read off as it came onto the screen. Sub system 00-1 alpha Damage control... Core integrity: 99% Radiation shield: 98% Reflector shield: Not Installed Left antimatter cannon: 89% Right antimatter cannon: 100% Armor: 95% Electronic and sub-systems: 52%; WARNING!!! CRITICAL DAMAGE. CHECK FUSES AND ALL AVAILABLE DATA. Construction assistance Drones: Not installed Strategic miss- Ross pressed the "Delete" button on the keyboard, the monitor flashing back to a blank, blue screen. With a groan, Ross fiddled with his harness release clasp in the middle of the harness’ chest plate and with a hiss of hydraulics, the harness rose part way up and Ross pushed the harness fully up. He sat there taking shallow wheezing breaths. Then he reached for a handle nearby with his good arm and slowly pulled him to his feet. Another major worry melted from his mind, that of a broken back, but his whole body felt like it had been in a train wreck… Without thinking, he slowly shuffled off towards a grating in the floor of the control room. He slowly bent down and pulled it up to reveal a ladder on the wall covered in wires, circuit boards and lights. Ross undid a few buttons on his trench coat and slid his damaged wrist into the coat using it as a improvised sling before lowering himself down into the depths of the ACU's heart. Celestia looked at the map on her table the city of Canterlot. Luna to her left and looked just as ragged and worn as her sister. Her dark blue coat had taken on a shade that one could mistake for black. Accompanying the Princesses were half a dozen Lunar and Royal Guard officers. "Scouts are reporting that the Machines are advancing towards the city from the north. They estimate that they will arrive within a few hours. I strongly recommend pulling the scouts back to the defensive positions." One officer of the Lunar Guard stated. "No, we need to know what their strength is. We need to send the scouts closer." A unicorn officer of the Royal Guard rebuttled. "They’re only light scouts. They will be torn to ribbons before they get close enough to see what we're are up against." “Or they could be light units that we could easily defeat.” "Enough!" Celestia said the tone of her voice daring them to continue. They both gave each other a look before backing down. "I will not risk the lives of my ponies if it risks leaving the city weakly def-" Celestia was cut off as the doors all but burst open and a panting, sweating Earth pony trotted in. He wore only a simple steel chest plate and helmet, the colour and style of the feathers on his helm told her he was a scout. "Y...your...m...majesty... w....t..there's..." He took a deep breath and tried slowing his heart. "Deep breaths my little pony, take you time." Celestia said with a kind smile her, face hurt like it had forgotten how to do it. He nodded and took a few more deep breaths before trying again. "Your majesty I bring a report... from the scouts to the south. They report that there was some sort of explosion. We don't think it was from the Machines we know of..." he sat there panting as beads of sweat dripped from his fur onto the floor. Celestia stood then looked at the map. "We cannot fight on two fronts." her mind was racing. She walked up to the messenger. "You are to tell all the scouting parties to fall back to the city and await orders" The scout nodded and trotted out the room and Celestia turned to face to face the room, all eyes were on her. "I wish to speak with Luna, alone." The officers slowly filed out of the room, their armor and hooves clicking as they went. Celestia looked at her sister “Sister... you know I value your opinion. What do you make of this?" Luna walked up to her sister, a somber look on her face "It will take a miracle but... there is hope if the ponies are willing to stand in the face of this. Right now, hope is all we have left and I do not know how long that will last." "Yes...there is hope" Celestia said as he looked out the window to the northern horizon to the. She could swear that she could see silhouettes. The ACU swayed as Ross walked it on. He had gotten most of the systems working but he only had black and white video feed on the monitors and a good portion of the auto repair systems were offline. The outside world was fuzzy, a mess of shapes he thought could be a mountain in the distance. Ross moaned as he was jolted in his harness, his broken ribs flaring into pain again. As he took a breath, a gurgling started along with the wheezing. Ross pulled the bottom of his gas mask up and with a wet cough, the thick coppery taste met his tongue as he spat a pool of blood to the floor. Groaning and a pulling the mask back down, he tucked the length of material back under the collar of the trench coat, fully sealing the uniform from the outside world again. A small pop and thrum was heard before the colour of the world filled the viewing screen. Ross' eyes ached as he had never seen a world so brightly coloured. He quickly turned his head to the side to shield his eyes until they could adjust before turning back to the screen. The world was so full of colour he thought the world was tropical. "WARNING!! WARNING!! Seraphim forces detected. Command unit detected." His arm shot up in pain as he reached for lever to the right of his chair, slamming it from "Transport" to "Combat." "Warning reactor control rods extraction in progress. Control rod extraction complete." The computer voice encode through the room. A klaxon blared and the lights shifted from red to blue. "RIGHT!" Ross press'd the pedals as far forward as he could and the ACU moved off swaying as it moved from walking to a rolling jog to a sprint. The ACU jolted violently causing the monitor to flicker before refocusing onto the mountain. No... not a mountain... It was a city "INCOMING!!" The ponies quickly ducked down into the trench as a shell slammed into the ground just behind the trench, throwing dirt into the trench and onto the ponies. Most only had a helm and steel chest plate for protection. "We’re all going to di-" the cowering stallion was silenced as his friend smacked him upside the head. One officer walked along the duck boards in the bottom of the trench. "WHERE IS MY FIRE SUPPORT!?!" she bellowed. There was a loud bang and a dozen unicorns ran along the duck boards. "Where do you want us?!" the Sergeant of the squad said. "I DON'T CARE, JUST LET THEM KNOW WE’RE HERE!!!" the officer bellowed at them. The half a dozen unicorns stepped up onto the firing step and started to shoot out a virility of spell's erupting from there horns. "GET DOWN!!" The office screamed as whistling was the only warning. Everypony ducked and a second later, another fountain of dirt erupted from the front of the trench line. "TO THE SOUTH!!" A young guard shouted. The officer turned and saw a large creature running at them. "Celestia save us...." Author's Note Feel free to comment and spread this around Also thanks to flyingfox for all the help with the story and correcting me with my spelling and helping make this story better than I could
First contactFirst contact Ross looked at the viewing screen "Where are you you little... Bingo." His eyes had found the silhouette of the Seraphim command unit. The backward-kneed, three, tall points of the Seraphim ACU was behind a wall of units consisting mostly of basic units with a small number of more advanced units forming a sort of personal guard for the Commander. Ross felt the blood start to make it's way up his throat once again. A fit of coughing and hacking overtook him as he pulled the mask up. The fowl mixture of fluids fell to the floor with a wet slap. Siting back into his seat leaving his gas-mask half up, a trail of pink slowly made its way down his chin "OK...OK...e...nope..." He heaved and a mass of blood and some fleshy chunks fell out with it this time. He sat back into his chair I need to end this… He slowed the ACU to a slow walk and scanned the battle field. The trench network caught his eye. "C..cavalry.... is that...all they have?" Ross panted. He could feel his lung filling up and guessed it was close to a third full 15 minutes... 20 tops... before... I… Blackness pressed in and he pushed it back. Incoming fire started to rattle off his armor... from the trenches. Ross ignored them as he stood over the trenches. "Time to...say...hello." he gurgled as blood drooled into his lap while he reached up to a thin chain and gave it a tug. Celestia watched as the new machine stood like a sentinel over her troops, some of them firing spells up at the new automation as it stood silent and unmoving. Celestia flinched as a loud echoing horn bellowed from the Machine as it raised two large prism on the end of each arm to point at the advancing and sleeker looking machines. Luna trotted up next to Celestia on the balcony overlooking the field below. "Is that our miracle?" she asked looking at her older sister then to the Machine, a touch of hope in her voice. As Luna, asked two balls of white-blue shot towards the sleeker Machines and as they hit, three of the sleek Machines exploded and fliped onto their back's. "It could be my dear Sister. It could be" she said as a stream of blue-white lights blazed from their new ally. Ross raised his arms in their frames and squeezed the trigger as the targeting reticules danced across the screen, red for right white for left. The red reticule passed over a mobile artillery piece and he yanked the trigger in the respective control grip. The display dimming as the muzzle blazed and sent a white-blue ball flying at the Seraphim artillery. "Confirmed" A computerized female voice droned. "OH SHUT UP!" Ross gurgled up some more blood, adding to the small pool in his lap. The ACU shuddered as something hit it's shoulder with sufficient force and brought it round to the right on it's hip pivot followed by more less powerful strikes. Then Ross twisted the handles to the left and brought the top half back around to face the aggressor. "Alright, now you’re pissing me off!" He spat and pulled both of the triggers as he saw the smoking gun of a hover tank. "SEE YA!" the two ant matter shell's hit home. "Conf-" Ross flicked a switch on the right handle and the voice cut off. Ross flicked a small red button on the left and the hum of the reactor grew deafening as the power output increased. He pulled and held both of the triggers, the cannons started to glow as an almost constant stream of antimatter shots flew towards the slowly advancing Seraphim. Dozens after dozens of tanks, bots, and artillery exploded, the smoke coming the wrecks starting to choke the sky. Ross’ head lulled forward again as he almost blacked out, blood continued drooling thickly from his mouth along with a few chunks of flesh into the gore show in his lap. With a flick of a button, the loud external address system came online. "COME ON YOU CHICKEN, FIGHT LIKE A MAN!!!" he bellowed. The smoke sat like a curtain, hiding the wrecks from an aerial view. A yellow-black beam shot out through the smoke and hit his ACU squarely in the chest with a violent impact. Ross felt a searing pain in his chest again from the impact as the ACU auto-compensated by taking a step back. Ross quickly pulled his left hand out of the control frame and pulled the gas mask down and tucked the mask under the collar of his trench coat "F..Fire suppression!" The thick off white smoke filled the room choking the sparks and any possible fire. He smiled as he saw the smoke start to part as the Seraphim commander had come to him accepting his challenge, leaving its bodyguard behind.Then it hit him, if he was going to take it out, he would need to keep it away from the city when its core turned nuclear. Only one solution was available. "FOR THE THUNDER FIGHTERS!!!" Ross bellowed into the external address system and began walking his ACU to meet the Seraphim commander. He pulled the chain again and the war horns bellowed as two avatars of war strode at each other, their armor glowed where the weapons fire slammed into their target. "YOU!" An overcharged shot smashed into the Seraphim's knee joint, blowing it out and immobilizing the unit. "WILL!" Another overcharged shot pealed its left armament off, the right armament stabbed out a shot that narrowly missed the Unbreakable Shield's head. "FALL!" The right armament blew off in a spectacular show of fire erupting the stump. Putting his feet on the back of the pedals and pulling back on them, the legs moved turning around while the top half stayed facing the Seraphim commander as he walked backwards to clear the blast. "TO-DAY!!!" he roared along with the hiss of hydraulics as Ross raised both of his arm, bringing both cannons to bare towards the crippled Seraphim. The whine of his super charged cannons filled the air and he squeezed the triggers into the grips as both the cross hairs matched up. The cannons glowed and bucked back with the recoil as two balls of antimatter flew from the end of the barrels and punched cleanly through the armor of the Seraphim war machine. It stood there silent and twisted before starting to glow. Ross pressed the ACU into a backwards run as a blinding light shone out the hole followed by a blinding whiteness and shortly after, the shock wave. The shock wave hit him in the chest like a ton of bricks making it feel like it was about to cave in. Ross slumped in his chair, the pain having subsided as he had gone numb. Through the pain, he could feel his lung filling and even if he could get back, he knew the doctors couldn’t do anything in time. He knew he was a dead man...a dead man walking. Slowly, he slid his arms out the controls frames and brought his arm to the ignition box. With trembling fingers, he pressed a clear button and the hum and whine of the reactor slowly died out until it was silent once again. His right hand drifted to the holster on his thigh. No... outside....in the light. Unclipping his harness, he slowly slipped off his seat and stood causing the pool of blood and lung matter that was in his lap to fall to the floor and join the spreading puddle. No stain was left as one of the chemical that causes the trench coat's foul smell prevented anything from staining it and to leave it dry. Slowly he reached up to the hatch in the ceiling. After some fiddling, there was a hiss of rushing air and climbed out onto the ACU's head. He was 20 stories up and he didn't care as he fell to his knees, the blackness pressing in...and he let it take him briefly. He closed his eyes as he could feel himself sliding off. When he opened them again, he was looking up at his ACU from ground with two shadows standing over him. He felt someone grab his shoulders and start to drag him off before fading into unconsciousness. Celestia held her breath as their ally spun around to face Machines again after one of them fired a spell and caught it in the shoulder. As it spun back, it sent two blue white orbs at the offender. Luna swear she could hear the blue Machine hum loudly followed by a torrent of light streaming towards the invaders, balls of flame erupted as the lights met their mark. The Machines started to fall like wheat to a scythe under the onslaught. Their ally suddenly spoke in their language, an echoing voice that penetrated everything "COME ON YOU CHICKEN FIGHT LIKE A MAN!!!" The smoke of the battle slowly floated up to the sky. A yellow-black beam cut through the smoke causing both Celestia and Luna to gasp as it hit the blue machine. Celestia was sure it would fall as it took a step back then miraculously it stood again. Then the source of the beam was revealed to have originated from large, sleek machine with the three tall points on it's back. "FOR THE THUNDER FIGHTERS!!!" the ally shouted followed by a long drawn out blast from a horn. Celestia and Luna watched as the two Machines dueled one another. One sleeker with three tall points protruding above the body, it looked all most organic. The orange lights glowing angrily even in the light of day. The other with boxy arms and a square chest. A small head sat on top like a pea on a drum. Then blue machine bellowed again "YOU! WILL! FALL! TO DAY!!!" Each punctuated with a loud whining and a glowing shot that blew part of the advancing machine off. With its last bellow, the boxy Machine sent two balls into the sleeker one. Both Celestia and Luna watched with confusion as the boxy one started to run. "Tia, why is it ru-" Luna was about to ask but was interrupted by a light that rivaled Celestias' sun exploding outwards from the twisted and damned machine. They raised a hoof to try and shield their eyes from the light but soon had to cover their ears from the deafening explosion that followed. When the light finally diminished, they saw a white line spreading in a perfect circle. "Brace yourself!" Celestia said as it raced towards the city and hit not a second later, throwing both against the wall. Small cracks could be seen once they had slid down. "Well that was… rather spectacular" Luna muttered as she picked herself up. Celestia went back to the railing, looking at the remaining Machine as it stood there, unmoving and deathly silent. "Luna, do you see what I see?” Luna moved next to her sister and squinted but couldn’t quite figure out what her sister was looking at. “Where?’ “There, on top. There’s something climbing out of the top.” Hearing this, Luna squinted at the top to see that has indeed climbed out of it and as she saw something climbing out on to the surface of the machine. “I see it now.” Both gasped as it slid and fell from the top of Machine. Celestia concentrated and its descent to the ground was slowed somewhat but it still hit the ground quite hard. "I do believe that is our savior. Why don’t we go and meet him?" Celestia took flight with Luna quickly following suit.
"What is it?"What is it? The ponies in the trenches gathered round as the two Lunar Guard's pulled the creature in with them. As it rolled down the wall of the trench and on to the floor, the ponies nearest taking a step back. It lay there, unmoving and face down on the duck boards with thick mud clinging on to it. "Is it dead?" one Royal Guard asked nobody in particular. A Lunar Sergeant stepped forward and rolled the creature on to it’s back drawing numerous gasps from the crowd. "Never mind that what’s up with its face?" some pony in the crowd asked as they all stared. "MOVE IT! MOVE IT! OFFICER COMING THROUGH!!" The crowd parted as the Captain of the Royal guard pushed past the ranks before catching sight of the creature. "WHAT THE BUCK IS THAT!?" "Unknown Captain. We dragged it in from under that thing" one of the Luna Guard that had dragged Ross in answered, nodding at Unbreakable Shield. The Caption looked down at the unconscious Ross. It's eyes were partly covered by the helmet it was wearing, one of which looked damaged. The face looked almost as if it were fabric and its mouth seemed to lead into a bag on it's chest. The Captain slowly extended a foreleg towards the neck to feel for a pulse. Without warning it grabbed her leg and lifted its head off the floor. The Captain looked into the large black eyes, noticing that they were like window and could barely see the actual eyes behind them. "Don't.... y... you.... Don-" it gurgled at her before suddenly falling limp, the head slowly laying back onto the muddy boards with her foreleg still in its death-grip. She managed to get her leg free of his grip after a short struggle with a little flailing of his arm. "What are we going to do with it Captain?" A Lunar Lieutenant asked. "We will take care of that my little ponies." Everpony turned to find Celestia and Luna standing on the lip of the trench. The soldiers stood to attention and the Captain stepped forward "Yes, of course your majesties." Celestia and Luna were able to get a good look at there savier. Well dear sister that's... not what we were expecting. Luna thought as her eyes followed over the creature laying in the mud from its large, bug like eyes and long mouth to the strange length of fabric wrapped around two of its legs. A blue stallion unicorn with syringe for a cutiemark finally made it through the crowd of soldiers carrying a large tan saddle bag with a red cross stitched on the flap. As he knelt down to the creature, his horn glowed as he slowly moved it up and down it's body a few times. "Hm… Not good, not good at all" he muttered. Celestia gently fluttered her wings and landed gently on the boards next to it. "What's happened to the poor thing?" The Medic looked up at her "It's right lung is puncture and filling with blood. It's rib cage has almost caved in completely and its right er... hind leg is shattered in three places your majesty. We need to get it to a hospital now if it is to survive as the injuries are too much for me to fix." He looked at it's shattered eye, "But that I can fix." His horn glowed and with a cracking, the lense was fixed. Luna fluttered down next to Celestia before slowly stepping closer to creature and looked down into it's eye's. She lit her horn gently and with it's glow,, she could see it's eyes, they were a dark blue. She almost gasped as she was sure that they looked almost perfectly into her own. "Sister is there something wrong?" Celestia must of noticed Luna's half stifled gasp. "No, dear sister, no..." Luna let her horn dim as she stepped back. "Very well, I will be taking the poor thing to the hospital myself" Celestia said as a soft golden glow surrounded Ross as she gently and carefully lifted him. Ross was sure he saw a pair of beautiful eye's looking at him… The doctors and nurses looked at the thing laying on the table, none of them knowing what to do. "Er... Nurse Redheart any ideas?" one doctor asked. The white mare with a light pink mane stepped up to it. She looked at the face then the helm. Slowly, she reached for it and gently pulled at it. Nothing. She moved her hoof and noticed the small clasps that seemed to be fixed into it's fabric like face and ever so gently undid them, two on either side of it's head. Then with a gentle pull she pulled the helm off and placed it gently on a table next to her. The fabric of the face extended to under its large coat. "Ok..." Redheart muttered as she looked for a clue. She noticed the thick straps around its chest and the thick long mouth leading into it. She undid them and gently pulled the straps out from under it before lifting the large bag on it's front "O...Celestia!" The bag was surprisingly heavy. Suddenly she lost her grip dropped the bag, pulling it's face to the side and up slightly. Redheart cringed as she was sure she had just snapped its neck. Checking to make sure she didn’t, she noticed that there was shaven skin where the fabric had been. With shaking hooves, she gently pushed the mask up slowly and pulled it away, revealing an almost childlike face. His skin was pale, almost ghostly white, and as the mask was pulled off completely, brown hair fell down and gently brushed it's ears. One of the unicorn doctors hummed loudly as he walked around Ross as Redheart placed his gas mask and its scrubber and filter systems on the table with his helm. Those eyes… They were one of the most beautiful things.... a dying mans dreams.... Ross thought in his mind, accepting his fate and that final image. He rolled his head over and was met with a very soft fabric rather than the lining of his gas mask. Ross opened his eyes to find he was in a hospital room. He could feel a tube feeding in to his left arm while his right arm was in a sling, the extra weight on his chest told him he had cast on but it was lighter than the cast he had on his arm once. His right leg felt heavier than normal, another cast. His lung felt...normal. He slowly brought his head up before sitting up completely and looked around the room. A small window in the right which showed little of the outside world. To his left was the machine that fed a drip into his arm along with a heart monitor and past that was a door and windows with clouded glass. OK, I'm alive. At the end of his bed sat a small table, his trench coat was folded and sat on the table. His white T-shirt sat on the trench coat and the gas mask along with the scrubbing system and helmet sat neatly on on the shirt with lenses staring at him. Next to them were his black combat trousers with his belt resting on top, the empty scabbard and equally empty holster still attached. Ross looked down to find a form of hospital gown on him. The door opened and when Ross saw what came in, he was sure the painkillers were affecting his mind as there was a white horse with a light pink mane and nurse's hat. On her back was a tray of what apparently was food. His stomach let out a gurgle when he was sure that it was in fact food. The nurse horse noticed he was awake and smiled lightly at him. "Its rude to stare you know." Ross was sure his jaw had just fell onto the floor "Sorry... I think I'm as high as a kite at the minute cause...your a bleeding pony." His voice was a lot softer than what was heard through the mask. Ross gently pinched his leg to check he was awake. The Nurse smiled "Well David, you are pretty odd too." "How do you know my name?" Ross asked knowing this was a figment of his drug addled brain. The Nurse nodded at his helm and Ross saw his dog tags wrapped around it, the thin beaded chain tied with the two plates of stamped metal with his details indented on them. "Very well..." Ross closed his eyes and heard the clopping of hooves on tiles as the nurse walk up to him. "Well here’s some food" Ross opened his eyes and gently took the tray off her back. "Thanks miss..." "Redheart. My name is Redheart." "Thank you Miss Redheart" Ross looked down at the tray. Hay, grass, pellet feed and aa apple. Redheart left the room leaving Ross to his thoughts. This has to be some cruel joke. Side affects or not, he picked up the apple and took a large bite out of it. The apple was fresher than any he had had in his FMPs or ones he had had from the shops. The door opened again and Nurse Redheart poked her head in. "Excuse me David, but somepony would like to see you if you are feeling up to it." "Sure, send them in." Last time he was in hospital, nobody visited him. Wait… "Somepony?!" Redheart smiled as she pulled her head out before walking in holding hoofs with a small, golden pegasus with a light blue mane that was doing her best to hide behind the nurse. "Here Raindrops, you said you wanted to meet him." The pegasus had both wings wrapped in bandages along with her right eye. Slowly, she moved out from behind Redheart. "H-hello." Her small voice was barely audible. First a talking horse and now there’s a talking pegasus? I'm off my fucking rocker! Ross smiled kindly towards her, the smile looked out of place compared to his grim uniform "Hello, how are you?" The pegasus moved from behind the nurse a fraction more. "I'm..OK… thank you...and you?" Ross gave a small chuckle and a twinge of pain reminded him of his ribs "Well young lady, I've been better but thank you for asking." He gently scooted over and patted the bed "Want a seat?" The pegasus smiled slightly and walked up to the side of the bed. Ross reached down with his good arm and, minding the drip, lifted the small pegasus up onto his bed. "Wow, your hoof is so soft." Ross looked confused for a second before his brain put two and two together."Oh, you mean my hand" He said wiggling his fingers while Raindrops stared at them. "Are your ‘hands’ supposed to be like that?" Ross smiled as she continued to stare at them in awe. "Yes, I know they’re funny but they are meant to be like that." Ross saw the curiosity burn in Raindrops’ eyes. "You can touch them if you want" Ross said lowering his hand so the pegasus could hold it. Raindrop gently took his fingers in both of her hooves and gently started to examine them. Her hooves were so soft. "Don’t bend them that way please" Ross said as Raindrop bent them the opposite way to the joints. "Oh, sorry" She quickly pulled her hooves away afraid that she had hurt him. "Its OK you didn't know." Raindrop looked round the room and gave a small yelp when she found the mask looking at them. "W-what is that?" Ross gently took a hoof in his hand "It's OK, its just my gas mask. It's not dangerous." Raindrop looked at it with curiosity "C-can I have a look?" Ross looked over to Nurse Redheart "Miss Redheart, can you bring my mask and helmet over please?" She gave a nod and walked over to the table then slid the mask along with it's bag on to her back and took the helmet in her mouth before trotting up to the bed. "Nice balancing skills Miss." Ross commented as he took the helmet out of her mouth. "Thank you and its just Redhart to you." she said as Ross picked the mask and bag off her back. Ross handed the mask to Raindrop and smiled as she slowly looked over every inch of it. "So... what do you do with it?" She asked looking at the lenses. "You wear it like this." Ross took the mask and brought it up above his head before sliding it down. The sound of his filtered breathing met his ears. "Wow..." Raindrop reached up and gently moved her hooves over his masked face. Ross gently slid the too large helm onto Raindrop's head, getting a small giggle from the young pegasus. Author's Note Sorry for the delay I'm back at collage now and working wed nights so sorry for any delay Thanks to flyingfox for helping me Comment like all that good stuff
Day and NightDay and Night Celestia and Luna walked down the corridor side by side, the doctors quickly stepping off to the side as they passed. "Well dear sister, I got word that our savior is awake." Luna felt a twinge of excitement. Luna wasn't sure what she was more excited about. The fact they had help or that this was the first contact with alien species. Celestia looked at Luna as they walked. "According to the doctors, its name is David Ross or at least, they think it is. They said that they had found a little necklace made of small metal beads with two small plates on it with what they presume to be identification." As they continued along the hall nearing his room, the sound of laughter greeted their ears. "I wonder what its doing?" “Well, only one way to find out.” And with that, Celestia carefully pushed open the door as to not disturb the occupants. What she saw brought a smile to her face. She gestured for Luna to come have a look through the door. A smile found its way to her face as she watched the gold pegasus mare apparently playing with David. The way too large trench coat she was wearing along with the helmet certainly had an effect. Nurse Redheart was next to the bed smiling at the young pegasus’ laughs. "Again! Again!" She exclaimed with her sleeve covered hooves clapping together. "Alright, but this is the last time Raindrops OK?" Ross said, his voice muffled by the mask. Ross breathed out hard and fast so that the filters couldn't cope with the pressure causing a series of farting noise to come from the mask's outlet valve blowing out. Raindrop fell on to her back laughing hysterically. "Oh, you like fart jokes do you?" Ross asked sarcastically. Raindrops laughing soon turned into a fit of hacking and coughing with Redheart starting to pat her on the back. "Easy does it Drop, easy" Nurse Redheart said gently while patting her back. "Come on, it's time for you medication." Raindrop slowly nodded as her coughing subsided. "C... can I come and see you again Mister?" she asked looking Ross in the eyes. "Anytime and it's just David to y-" Ross was cut of by a quick yelp from Redheart. "Your Majesties!" Redheart blurted out, swiftly dropped into a bow. "Rise my little pony." Celestia said as smiled while warmly Luna smiled trying to contain her mirth. Redheart got back to her hooves and looked at Raindrop. "Come on Raindrop, its time to go anyway." Raindrop pulled the trench coat off then put her hooves on the helmet "Can I keep this?" Her puppy eyes trying there best to make Ross give in. Ross slide the gas mask off and set it down on the bed. "No. I'm afraid not but..." Ross took the coat and started to rummage through the pockets. Everything come to his touch. Revolver ammo, Mask repair kit, a FMP… I need to clean out these pockets he thought as something disturbingly squishy met his touch before finding the soft fabric. "Here you go" Ross said as he pulled out a light blue beret. The insignia of the regiment was on it, a metal pin of horizontal crossed cannons with lightning bolts crossing the opposite way. Ross patted the creases out and checked to make sure there was nothing on the inside. "Here you go Drop" He pulled it down and made sure it sat on her head perfectly "There, now isn’t that better than that tonne of weight this is my helmet?" Raindrop's face lit up with happiness."Thanks!" Ross smiled as he lifted back Drop down onto the floor with his good arm. "And when I'm better, how would you like to go for a ride?” Raindrops looked shocked "In Unbreakable Shield?" "But of course." Ross said as he smiled. Raindrops practically jumped through the ceiling "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!" she shouted as she hopped up and down with the beret some how staying on her head. As Nurse Redheart led Raindrop out the door, Ross Looked at the two princesses "And what can...I-" His eyes met those of the dark blue one and he knew those were the ones he had seen. Luna started to blush as they stared at each other, then she blinked and the spell was broken. "-help you?" Ross finished. Celestia looked to her sister then to Ross in the bed. "Well, I am Princess Celestia, Goddess of the Day and this, is my dear sister Princess Luna, Goddess of the Night." Celestia smiled as Ross bowed his head. Luna and Celestia walked up to the bedside "May I ask who are you?" Celestia asked. "I am Leftenant David Ross of the United Earth Federation." "Leftenant? Don't you mean lieutenant" Celestia asked "They’re the same thing, it's just that that's how I pronounce it." Ross said shimmying to the edge of the bed before gently lowering his legs to the floor. "No, stay in bed David." Luna gently put a hoof on his shoulder. "So... what are you? You’re not unicorns or pegasi, so what are you out of curiosity?" Celestia smiled "We are what is called an Alicorn." Ross nodded Yep, I'm as mad as a march hare. "So, how am I to be of service?" Celestia and Luna looked at each other. "Well Ross, as you saw this morning, we are losing this war and it seems you received our call for help." "So that was you then." Ross said as he looked at the table "Can someone please pass me my t-shirt." Luna used her magic to lift the top and lay it in Ross' lap. "What the hell was that?!" Ross asked as he looked at Luna's horn. "Magic." Luna said as if it solved everything. Ross' face said that he didn't quite understand. "Surely you have magic in your world?" Luna asked. Ross shook his head no. "How do you do anything?" "We have our ways and means to do things." Ross gently lifted the sling off followed by the hospital gown, glad he still had his black boxers on. Without the gown on, his well toned body was put on display with barely any fat from sitting in the ACU, his training and drills kept him from turning into fatty balls like some ACU pilot's. Next, Ross pulled the drip out of his arm while leaving the needle in his artery and slipped the T-shirt on, it's short sleeves hugged his well built arms and over the cast. He put the tube back into the needle once he finished with the shirt. "You shouldn't be doing that you know." Celestia said. "I know" Ross replied as he moved the sling over his head and slipped his arm back into it. "Ross, I'm not going to beat about the bush, we need your help to protect my little ponies. We have done all that we can but its just not enough. Word has spread very quickly about you did this morning, many are.... premature I agree... calling you our savior." Ross looked out the window to the sky. "Yes, well I was sent to help you so lets get started." Ross stood up and unhooked the barely used drip bag before hobbling over to the table with his trousers and boots. After a few minutes he was fully dressed except for his right boot, the drip bag tied to his left arm and the sling holding his right arm and with a cluck his helmet fastened into the clips on his mask. "I'll need my weapons back please" Ross said turning to face the princess. "Can we trust you?" Ross nodded "Your word is law" Celestia lit up her horn briefly and Ross' sword and revolver appeared into existence on the table. Ross turned to the table and lifted the saber, gently moving it left to right. He smiled under the mask as he felt the center of gravity stay the same and the blade looked exceptionally dull. "The real on please, Celestia." Celestia hid her shock well "What are you-" Ross cut in. "My saber has a hollow channel forged into it. Which is half full of mercury that provides better swing power. In addition, it’s a Mono-blade, a superfine edge that can easily cut through armor and never lose its edge, this one can't cut butter. Now if you want my help, stop treating me like a fool and give me my sword." As he said this, he picked up the revolver to inspect it. Satisfied that the markings were real and the weight was there, he holstered it. There was now another sword on the table and Ross set the one in his hand down before picking the new one up and repeating his inspection. "Thank you" he said as he slid it into his scabbard. Ross turned around to the princesses. "I'll swear an oath if it will make you trust me or whatever you want." "We will discuss that later. Right now, we need your help" Celestia said walking out the door. Luna looked at Ross "Sorry she's under a lot of stress at the moment." Ross slid his mask up revealing his face. "I know I would of done the same. And, thank you for bringing me here. Redheart told me." He gave her a smile and received one in return "Sorry but I have got to say this, your eyes are amazing." Ross slid his mask back down and limped out leaving Luna standing there dumbstruck for a few seconds before she too walked out the door The officers of the Guards were shouting over one another and none of them could hear what the next pony was saying as Ross and the Princesses entered the room. They stood there for a few seconds hoping for the noise to subside. It became obvious, though, that the Officers were too enthralled with yelling at each other to notice. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Ross bellowed through his mask. One of the officers gave him a shocked look and fell silent, the rest continued shouting as they hadn’t heard him. "SILENCE!!!" Celestia's voice made the very building shake. Nicely done Ross thought as he waited for his ears to stop ringing. Celestia looked at the officers "In almost 1,000 years I have never had to use the Royal Canterlot Voice. All of you should be ashamed!" Silence followed that remark. "Now if you are quite done, we need to turn our attention to solidifying our defences and our guest here," Celestia turned to Ross "is Lieutenant David Ross of the United Earth Federation. He has be sent to aid us." A Lunar officer, still not sure what Ross is, then walked up to him. "And...what is it?" Ross didn't back down, instead let his breathing fill the room "I...am a human. And I don't like it when ponies talk to me like this." Feels strange to say pony instead. The officer took a step back and then walked away. "Well what do you propose?" Another officer spoke up, all eyes turning to Ross. Ross hobbled over to the table in the middle of the room. "Do you have a map of the city?" One officer dropped a roll on the table and Ross unrolled. The city lay out was on it as well as the surrounding area, a red network of lines showed the trenches and a large blue cross sat in the middle of the trenches. "Right, what unit's have we got?" Some officer shouted "2 veteran company's, 12 regiments, 1 conscript regiment, 2 company's of support." Ross nodded "Any moral boosters?" Silence. "Banners, Heroes, Distinguished officers?... No" Ross looked down. "We have two banners one for the Royal guard and one for the Luna guard." Celestia said. "Hum... tell me of the Conscript" Ross spoke to no one in particular. "Un-trained. They are a mix of the two guard’s training cadets and citizens that want to fight." another guard officer called out. Humm… they'll need to have help to keep them effective in the fight… But how, there’s no other way. Ross nodded "The commanding officer?" "A Caption Money" another called out. Ross snorted "Rich boy! Inform him that he will be having a Commissar attached to his staff." "Commissar?" A officer to his right asked. "The Commissar is an officer that monitors the morale of the troops and does anything to keep the morale up by giving speeches, leading by example, discipline and dealing with inept officers and troops..." as he spoke he drew his revolver and placed it on the edge of the map, pinning it down. "...with lethal force if need be. All of which I am qualified to do." Ross looked round at the officers "Complaints?" None spoke. "OK." Ross pulled the map to him. Half an hour or so later, many new markings on the map depicted where he'd place defenses. "Right, thats all I can do till I get Unbreakable shield working right." Ross said standing up his lower back sore. The officers in the room muttering. Celestia and Luna walked up to either side of him. "I'll only become a Leftenant Commissar if you want and I've had a good record of the job as well it's only a temporary position." Ross hobbled round and gently sat on the edge of the table. "Do you think it will be necessary?" Celestia asked looking at Ross. "What has kept you fighting?" Ross asked putting the revolver back in it's holster. "Hope" Luna said. Ross nodded "Then I must do it. Can you please show me where the conscripts are?” Ross said as he got back to his feet. “Follow us “ Celestia said as she and Luna said as they turned to the doors.
His new commandHis new command Ross slipped the glove on over his swollen right hand as he followed the Princesses to the parade grounds. Captain Money looked at the scroll in his hooves “Has this been confirmed?" he asked his Bat-pony Sergeant. "Yes Sir." "Bucking hay! What’s this toss pot doing in my company" Money said scrunching the scroll up and throwing it on to the flagstones. "Perhaps you would like to say that to my face." Money turned around to find a pair of bottomless black eyes. "Wh..." Money took a step back as the two Princesses came to stand on either side of the bipedal creature. "Captain Money, I am Leftenant Commissar Ross, your new officer." he said as he rubbed his right swollen hand. Captain Money looked up and down Ross taking in the cast on his right leg, sling and uniform but it was the face that got him. "You are wounded you know that?" Money asked raising a eyebrow cockly. "Yes sir I am fully aware of my injuries and they are none of your concern and you are to address me as ‘Sir.’" Money nearly exploded, he would not be ordered around by a lowly Leftenant! "WHAT GROUNDS DO YOU HAVE THAT MAKE ME ADDRESS YOU AS SIR!?!" he stood up right and bellowed into Ross' face, spit coating the lenses of his gas-mask. Ross stood there calmly under his bellows and when Captain Money finished he slowly wiped his lenses clean. "My grounds are that I'm a political officer that embody the will of the highest authority and in this case, it is the Princesses and by right I hold powers of whatever the Princesses de-." "BUCK!!! OFF!!!" The Captain bellowed as he tried to lash out at Ross only to find himself upside down against a wall of the courtyard a good ten or twelve meters from where he was standing just a second prior. The conscripts stood in mis-matched lines of ponies. Being a conscript battalion, there was a mix of four pony races. Their armor is not enchanted so there was every color under the sun present, the only exception being the officers who were clad in full suits of enchanted armor. Captian Money is an Earth-pony and the son of a wealthy noble who had payed for his insertion to Captain and right now, he is in a great deal of pain which is impressive because he is earth pony. Ross straightened his coat "Caption Money any other Commissar would have executed you. That is the first warning. One more..." Ross patted a crease out and turned to the Princesses "I do apologize for that." He turned to the Bat-pony Sergeant who was staring, her mouth wide open. "Come on Sergeant, shape up shape up!" he sounded almost amused as her reaction to his little show. "Yes Sir, sorry Sir" she said straightening up. "What's you name Sergeant?" "Moonlight, Sir." "Sergeant Moonlight, have them stand at attention." He nodded at the Conscripts. "Yes Sir!" As Moonlight started to order the conscript around, Captain Money managed to get back to his hooves and limped heavily up to the Princesses. "It can’t just do this!" Anger clearly written on his face. Celestia looked down at him unimpressed. "Honestly, I don't care after that display and ‘It’ has a name." Ross limped along the front rank his cast making a click as it met the flagstones. Well I’ve got plenty to work with… He stopped in front of a large, red earth pony "Name?" "Big Macintosh Apple" He said in a drawl. "Sir" Ross reminded him. "Sorry Sir" He followed up. "Do you know what makes a good solder?" Mac racked his brain "Er... nnope Sir... Actually Sir is it knowing when he is to keep his mouth shut when he's asked stupid questions by superior officers... Sir?" "Correct. Stand easy Cadet Macintosh." Ross hobbled along the line and slowly looked up and down the lines. There were a few pegasi and unicorns with plenty of earth pony's and bat pony's then... "SERGEANT MOONLIGHT!" She flew over to him. Slowly, she looked down at the three small ponies standing at the end of the last line. "What are you three doing here?" "Er... we wanna fight" said the small yellow and pink filly trying to sound older than she was "Name..." Ross said eyeing her. "Apple Bloom Apple" "Cadet Macintosh!" Ross bellowed "Get over and get your sister out of here." Mac and another earth pony, this one was orange, came over. "Apple Bloom! What in the hay are you three doin here?!" "Why did you fall out!?" Ross asked the orange pony. "She's ma sis too Sir" Ross nodded. "Name?" "Applejack Apple." she said. "Alright, you two fall out and get them home." Big mac and Applejack led Apple bloom away when Applejack turned back. "You too Sweetie Belle and you Scootaloo" the other two filly followed there head's held low letting out a combined “Awww…” A few minutes later, Ross stood in front of the conscripts "Attention!!" Dozens of hooves meeting stone snapped the still air. "Other than the fillies, I must say I'm impress with what we have here. Not much can be said for some of the officers but we can't have everything now can we?" Ross stood with his good arm behind his back noticing the drip bag was now half empty. An hour till that stuff is gone and then maybe a few more hours to come down. Hopefully when I do come down, I’ll stop seeing ponies ‘n shit. "Now that I've learned a little about you guys, do any of you have any questions for me?" Silence. "Are you sure? Now’s your only chance..." Silence... Silence..... Ross' mind exploded "TO THE TRENCHES!!!" He bellowed as the realization of why it had been so quiet. "GET BLOODY GOIN' the message got through as Sergeant Moonlight bellowed ordered to the group. “The others -" Celestia started "NO TIME" Ross shouted as he ran with the tide of pony, his trench coats bottom blowing out, the scabbard and holster swing wildly. The ponies going about their day stopped and stared as Ross and his company of troops ran past through the streets of Canterlot. Most of the stares were directed at Ross as none have seen anything like him before, even more so were the apparent injuries he was sporting and still keeping pace. They continued to stare until the group had left through the front gates before slowly going back to what they were doing before. Unbreakable Shield stood like a god over the trenches as they streamed into the trenches, grabbing anything and everything. Lances, crossbows, swords, shields, tool's and lump's of wood, anything that could be used in a fight then moved to the firing step. Nothing, the field was empty. "Er...Sir there's...nothing there." An Earth pony said looking at Ross. "Yes there is you can't see it" "Get up out of there." Captain Money walked up to Ross a sadistic smile on his face as the troops pulled themselves out of the trench. "Sergeant you will escort this thing to the dungeons an-" Ross backhanded him hard enough to knock Money's helmet off. "Last warning no more." "You souldn’t of done th-" He was interrupted again as Celestia and Luna landed next to them. "Caption Money restrain yourself he has more expiri- " Was that a shimmer in the air? Celestia watched almost in slow motion as Ross grabbed Money with his left arm and shoved him away while he ripped the sling off and drew the metal object from his belt and brought it up. There was a loud bang as a green spell blazed from the end of it. She watched on as the spell raced to where the shimmer was. Gotta love home made rounds. Ross thought as the green tracer struck the cloaked Commando and as the cloaking failed, its chest exploded as the explosive round detonated. "SHIELDS!!!" Ross drew his saber and brought his revolver up. There was a series of "hums" as half a dozen Commandos uncloaked, one right next to Ross. Instinctively, Ross raised his saber up and in a single swing, cut its right leg clean off with a spit of oil and other fluids then as the unit writhed on the floor. Ross put two shots into it, now no longer moving. The Conscript's had formed a shield wall and where hunkering down. Ross, quite literally, threw himself behind the shield wall. The Princesses had a bubble around them. Ross looked around the field, his view eventually landed on Money and what he saw was one of the most disgraceful things he had ever seen. Money had a hold of Moonlight and was using her as a shield. She had caught a few shots and a good foot or two of her guts were now spilled out on the ground. Ross stood up and slowly walked through the incoming fire. One shot skinned his mask, another bounced off his pauldrons and into the drip bag, popping it and spilling the painkiller onto the dirt. As he walked he slid the saber back into the scabbard. Money heard the filtered breathing approaching and turned to find his death slowly walking towards him. Clad in a gray coat, black eyes that betrayed no emotion and the smell of decay enveloped it like a mist. It stood a few feet from him and the slowly dying Moonlight. "Captain Money..." it voice was cold and unemotional. "No..." he muttered "... on charges of cowardice and ill contempt..." "Please..." Money put a hoof to his mouth and released Moonlight's life blood was coating them. "I sentence you..." it raised the metal object it held in its left for leg to point at Money's face. "...to death." Money didn't even squeak let alone scream as the bullet entered his left eye, a split second later the round detonated and the back of Money's head exploded outwards gray brain matter,blood and skull fragments sprayed the grass behind him in a large cone. Money's body barely hit the floor before Ross had scooped Moonlight into his arms. One shot hit his arm and the great coat stopped it dead, the weave and the material prevented weak bullets and blows from piercing the coat 5 years pay well spent. he thought as he waded back to the line holding Moonlight in his arms, shielding her. "RETURN FIRE!!" Ross bellowed as he passed behind the shields, the ponies with crossbows getting out of his way before going back to the line as they moved to get a clear shot. A few unicorns joined them, their horns glowing with power. "Front rank, present! FIRE!" a volley of crossbow bolts and spells cut a few Commandos down. Ross crouched behind a shield pony and peaked over the top. "Second rank, FIRE!" As Ross bellowed he stood up and fired two shots before ducking back down. "Shit... they're charging. LANCES!" Behind the shields, the ponies with lances dropped them over the top. "Advance!" The wall slowly shuffled forward. Ross brought his hand down on on the side of the cylinder and it swung down spitting the empty casing to the floor reaching into his pocket and pulled a fist full of bullets out and with a well practice moves slid them into the five empty chambers. As he slind the last round home something smashed into the shield which intern slammed into him "FUCKER!" Ross stood simultaneously snapping the cylinder home and then pumped the full cylinder into the thing's face. "SURPRISE!". There was an explosion from the direction of Unbreakable and he looked to find a gout of fire erupt from it's chest. "STOP BLOWING HOLES IN MY ACU!!!" Then there was a sound of something landing on the dirt behind him. Stamping on his left boot's heel, a small blade extended from the heel and with a spinning jump, he brought his leg down into its neck sticking the blade in deep. More of the mix of oil and other things spread out as he gave a tug and ripped the blade out. The thing twitched as it fell to the ground. Seeing that it was still twitching, he brought his foot up and stomped down on the head repeatedly. Its mix of fluids leaked and spread all over the grass. The sound of pony's in terror meet his ears as he faced the line again to see another unit, this one white apposed to the gray of the other's, smash the wall apart and to walk towards him . It pointed at him and he drew his saber and holstered his revolver. Holding it in both hand's pointing the tip at the aggressor. Next thing he knew was surrounded by a dark blue glow. What the… He didn't know what was happening and didn't care but as the unit brought a blade down he parried it's blow then brought his head down and hard as he could smashed it's odd looking face with his helmeted forehead. It rolled back and Ross felt his energy spike the as the Commando brought it's blade up and swung down at him again. Ross quickly took a step back causing it to miss. The blade sunk deep into the ground and before it could be brought back out, Ross landed a dozen fast blows that shredded it's chest armorer. Why is this so easy… He used his leg with the cast to stand on it's blade then brought his own up. The commander unit let go of the blade and planted it fist into his chest. Pain burnt again in his chest but then there was a loud cracking from the Seraphim's hand and it fell to it knees holding its wrist and screaming. "DIE!" Ross drew his revolver rested it against it’s head, his finger rested on the trigger. But before he could pull the trigger, a lance erupted from it's chest spraying him in its blood. Moonlight lay there panting, holding her guts in "S-Sir, the l-line." Ross saw that they were pushing back the units. Ross grabbed one of Moonlight’s forelegs over his shoulder and helped her walk, in her other hoof she held the lance "If you're going to die... Wanna die a hero?" Moonlight smiled a little, a trail of blood and chunks flowing down onto her armorer. "L-Love.. to Sir." "Don't be a damn fool, you're getting out of this" Ross said "But...I'll take you close." Ross walked on. "PART!" The line spit and they walked past, there were only three units left. Ross held his saber high, "IN THE NAME OF THE PRINCESSES, CHARGE!!!" Then the line broke and they all stormed towards the last units who decided that a retreat would be the best option. Unfortunately for them, their decision to retreat came too slow and were quickly overrun and brought down. A round of yelling erupted from the troops as the last one fell. "What… what were they?" Moonlight asked her wing fluttering slightly. "They’re called Commandos. I've heard tales of them, said that they are impossible to kill...and they got beat by conscripts. Not very impressive." Ross raised his saber into the air "YOU HAVE WON THIS BATTLE!!!" A few minutes later Ross stood over the White Commando and looked down at it. The humanoid exoskeleton and armor looked too fragile to do anything. He crouched down and looked into what passed for the face. "Ross?" He looked up to find Luna standing next to him. Ross bowed his head "Your majesty." "Rise" she said Ross slowly stood. "Why?" Ross knew what she was asking. "He was a coward and he would of killed the conscripts in that battle if he was in charge." "But like that?" Luna walked next to Ross. "What else could I have done? Behead him?" Luna stood there silently "I...suppose..." Ross and Luna looked down at the Commando "Why do they wear those suits?" She asked. "I don't know" Ross crouched again and rested it's blade on it's chest and rested it's hands on the grip. Author's Note Like comment whatere you want to do all is welcome Sorry if it seems rushed
Respect For AllRespect For All Ross stood and looked at Luna "That was...hard... for me to do that." His voice was slightly chocked. Luna looked at him "It's your job why was it hard?" her voice was cold. "I five years of service I had never had to do anything like that ... but if i had to i'd do it a hundred times if it meant I could save this world." There was a sound of shuffling from behind Luna and she trend to find a Commando clinging to life despite the number of bolts sticking out of it and the burns from spells. It drag it self towards her with one hand and held in the other a knife. Ross walked past Luna and looked down at the Commando who intern looked up at him and shakily raising it's knife. The two just looked at each other for a few seconds then Ross knelt down on his knees and gently took the knife from its hand. "Rest you have done your duty." Ross said as he gently rolled the Commando onto its back. It didn't fight. Ross gently placed the blade on it's chest and it placed it's hands on the handle. "May The Way take you to the paradise that you where promised." The Commando nodded then spoke "Thank you. Siege Warrior you show r...respect." it slowly reached for it's helmet and Ross helped take it off to revile a woman with iridescent hair. "You know of my regiment?" Ross asked as he gently lifted her head and placed her helm under her head holding it up. "Y..yes all know of the Lone Siege Warrior in this world w...we saw your coming." Ross reached into a pocket and brought a water canteen out. Unscrewing the top he gently press't it to her lips and she took a few sips. "Thank you Siege Warrior." Her soft voice was weakening "Nice to know there is a person under The Death's Face." then her breath slowed and with a slight gurgle stoped. Luna held back here tears and she watched Ross slowly close the commando's eyes and stood up "What d..did it mean by " The Death's Face"?" Ross looked at her "My gas mask now excuse me please" Ross tern'd back to the Command and after a bit of fiddling removed his helmet and held it over his hart. "Nun kämpfte. Gehen Sie in Frieden ruhen." He placed his helmet back on then turned to Luna "Those where the word's my regiments founder said to a valiant enemy commander they are our most honored way of showing respect." "But... they would of kill us all." Luna was shocked first he was exacting his own men now this. "I know what your thinking of me...I show respect because she stood and die like a solder should." Ross pointed at the body of the Commando. "Would you want to die like that? Standing for your people?..." A single tear rolled down her cheek but Ross continued "...I also do it because for me there may be no way for any one to show respect! Not even ASH! when I die I'll be atomized when Unbreakable goes up! Or reduced to scraps of flesh with no name like my regiments for bears! Now would you show respect to all that could go to there grave fully in stead of festering and rotting on the field of battle." More tears rolled down her cheeks. "Yes... and I'd die if it could save a single pony." Ross walked up to Luna and slowly wiped the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. They stood there for a few minutes till Luna finely stoped. "Thank you Ross."Luna snuffled and regretted it as the smell from Ross's coat filled her nostrils. "Can't you do anything about the smell?" Ross shock his head "Try'd for months nothing worked. Can you do anything?" "Maybe whats your favored smell?" Ross shrugged "You chose" Luna thought for a moment then her horn glowed and the dark blue aura surrounded Ross's trench coat. Ross pulled his mask and helmet off and fixed them to his left epaulet then took a deep breath. "Dandelion and Burdock with a hint of orange." The pain killer must still be affecting me Ross thought. Luna smiled "Correct." Luna looked a Ross his head looked oddly small with out his mask and helmet. The longer Luna saw looked more than the faceless solder and cold killing machine there was something... There was a pop and Celestia append next to Luna "May as well do it properly and show some respect." "Your Majesty" Ross knelt and bowed his head. "No need to be so formal Ross. Stand." Ross stood up "Any news on Moonlight?" He asked and Luna could hear the concern in his voice. Celestia smiled "She'll live. Also Money's death paper work will be on your head." Ross nodded "Of cores and may we all hope its the last time and maybe we should keep the summery exaction between us if the civvies fined out that...may... bring down there morale more than the good it will do." Celestia nodded "Agreed now if you are done here we need to explain you to my little pony's." the expressionless face of Ross changed ever so slightly to one of burly noticeable announce "I don't do public very well." "You don't have to talk or anything." Celestia said. He stood silent for a few second's "Argh!... fine." he then scratched at his cast bound leg "Can I as you a favor?" "But of cores what is it?" "Can one of you use your bloody magic to scratch my leg. It's itching up a fc-... a storm." Celestia smiled "Magic word..." "Please..." Ross said taping at the cast a slight smile torching the edge of his mouth for a split second. Ross limped along behind the Princesses his cast clicking like the shoes of the princesses "Ow! ow! ow! Fucking! ow!" Ross murmured quietly so no one would here him. Pain killer wearing off. I must be coming down soon to thank go...Celestia she's a god well goddess and Luna too...hum... thank Celestia and Luna. Ross hobbled along and the pipe that fed into his mask gently taping agents the cast on his chest "So what am I going to do?" "O just stand there and look pretty" Celestia said. Luna looked back at him and smiled slightly "Pretty? have you looked at me?" Ross looked at Luna and she saw the smiling in his eyes that was there for a brief second then they turned to the cold blue pools they use to be. "OK Ross ready?" there was the sound of fabric ageist fabric as Ross pulled his gas-mask down "Yes Celestia." Celestia and Luna stepped up onto a podium to loud cheering then Ross climbed the stairs and the crowds fell silent Typical "There's no need for alarm my little pony's." Celestia said to the pony's and Ross stood there like a stewed prune. "Not likening this?" Luna's voice whisperer into Ross's mind "Telepathic? you can do that too?" Ross thought wondering if this was another side affect. "Yes surprised?" "Yes now please get out of my head.". Celestial herd her sisters giggle "Out of his head please Lulu" "O Lulu is it?" Ross's voice said in the small telepathic conversation "TIA!!! you let him hear that?!" Luna's check's blazed crimson as Celestia continued to talk to the crowd. "...As you all know this morning we where saved by new machine that helped our solders to defeat the invaders and this..." Celestia trend to Ross "...is the pilot of the new machine this is Leftenant- Commissar David Ross of the United Earth Federation." Ross looked round the crowd and there was everything and every color that there was stood string at Ross. "He is here to help us and will be a guest of my so you need not fear him" Celestia looked at Ross "Care to say anything Ross?" Ross gave a single sharp nod then stepped forwards and stood with his hands held behind his back. Ross looked round at the massed pony's then he reached up and pulled his mask and helmet off then affixed them them to his left equlet. "Now I know that to you I am a shaven animal and not very nice to look at so lets put that aside I was sent hear to help fight and that's what I'll do I will also try my best to protect you. I want you all to know I'm here to help and the princesses word is law to me Thank you." Ross took a step back and looked through the crowd at the faces. They looked a but more comfortable at his word's. "Thank you Ross. Now..." Celestia carry on explaining what he was and other thing's. While she was doing this Ross's attention was coughs by what looked to be tattoos on each pony's flank. Each one different and seemed to theme to what they where one unicorn had a tattoo of a scroll and quill. A pegasis... Ross pinch'd his leg then decide he was still high... a rainbow main and a tattoo of cloud with a thunder bolt of rainbow. With a quick glance Ross looked at Celestia and Luna's flanks Celestia a sun Well the sun shine's out her ass. Luna a crescent moon. A few minutes later Celestia finished and the pony's started to leave but a lot where still staring at Ross Why don't you take a photo it'll last longer. "Ross ?" He tern to find Luna looking at him "Sorry lost in thoughts..." he stood there then looked up a Luna then his stomach growled reminded him of his body's need's "When's dinner time?" Luna walked up to him "Now will you join us?" Ross nodded "You lead on" Luna smiled "Where not walking take hold of me" Ross stared at her then gently put is left hand on her shoulder. "Ready?" she asked and Ross nodded confused. Luna concentrated then there was a pop and they appeared in the dining hall of the Castle "There we are." Ross stood there a look of shock on his face "Did I pass out?" Luna looked at him "No... you just teleported why?" her voice full of concern "Nothing..." Ross said faintly and sat down in the nearest chair. A few seconds later Celestia pop'd in to existence at the head of the table and looked at Ross "Whats the matter" Ross's eyes looked glazed "N..nothing..." he muttered and Celestia looked at her sister who was stood next to him and she shrugged. "Well what do you want to eat?" she asked as a servant came in ready to take there requests to the chefs in the kitchen if he noticed Ross he showed no reaction "...I got my own food..." Ross said as he fished the FMP out of his pocket and placed it on the table "Very well I'll have..." As Celestia and Luna sorted out what they wanted Ross sat there I must of come down by now so why am I still seeing pony's and my coat still smalls nice this cant be real no theirs no talking horses any where there cant be no no no talking pony's... the Servant came back with two covered dished and set one in front of each of the princess and Ross pulled the lid off his FMP reviling three separate sections. Sat there looking up at him was a small pile of off gray, cold and greasy nutrient past, a lump of corn beef and instead of a apple a small white pile something. He never worked out what it was. Ross reached into a inner pocket and he pulled his he had his eating kit witch was in truth a pocket knife with just a spoon,knife and fork with a sight he skewered his corn beef and swallowed it howl. Celestia glanced at Ross as she ate her steamed vegetables and rice "Dear Luna have you seen how little he has to eat?" she asked telepathically Luna looked "Yes dear sister." By now Ross was shoveling the nutrient past in to his mouth and was trying not to throw it back up. How do his superior's expect him to fight if he has to eat that? Celestia thought as she continued to watch Ross. The her hart sank as he stuck his spoon into the white pile only for it to snap as he try'd to take a scoop. Ross sighed then pushed the lid back on and slid the FMP back into his pocket sitting there silently. "Ross you can order something you know" Celestia said as she set he knife and fork down "I know." he said looking at Celesta's plate then tugging his eyes back to the table in front of him. A while later the princesses had the dishes taken away and there puddings brought out and Luna saw Ross's eyes flick to her cheese cake then back to the table in fount of him other than that his table manners were impeccable. "Ross can I ask you something?" Ross sat there for a few seconds then looked a Celestia "Yes what is it?" Celestia thought if she should ask it or not "Why is your uniform so grim?" Ross again took a few seconds to answer "I'm not going to tell you...not very good table conversation." Celestia saw the honesty in his eyes and let the subject drop. Once Celestia and Luna finished there pudding's and stood up Ross following a second later "Well Ross's I suspect you are tired after your activity's today follow me and I'll show you where you are sleeping." Ross nodded and followed as he past Luna he turn'd to her "Thanks for your help this morning." Luna gave him a small smile "Anytime." Ross followed Celestia along corridor after corridor and a few flights of stairs Celestia stoped in front of a large double door. "This is you room if you need me or my sister were down the corridor. "Thank you Celestia." Ross entered the room and closed the door's. Celestia looked down the corridor to the seeing late evening sun viable through the window at the end of the corridor. "Yes my little pony's we have hope now" Celestia tern'd and walked to her room.
Life's a BitchLife's a Bitch Ross looked round the large room. Too large he felt uncomfortable. He looked to his left there was a bath room through a door. Directly opposite the door's there was a balcony the entire room was so lavishly decorated he didn't want to do anything in case he messed it up his gray and black uniform uniform clashed horrifically with the white and cream's of the room. His right wrist throbbed angrily reminding him of the need for a new sling. There was a knocking at the door and Ross opened it to find a... "SURPRISE!!!" A bright pink pony yelled but Ross was more interested in the large cannon pointing at him. All he could do was whimper as a saw the cannon's fuse burnt into the breach. Life's a bitch... The cannon bellowed and Ross felt whatever Pinky had stuffed into it slam into his gut. Celestia herd the explosion and some pony yelling followed by a distance slashing as she ran round the corner she found Pinky Pie staring in horror at where Ross had been standing a trail of cake mix and confetti leading to the knee high railing of the balcony "Pinky?" Celestia said calmly "Yes..." Pinky mutter. "Where...did Ross go?" Celestia asked knowing the answer. "O...over the...b... balcony" Applejack looked at her friends "Did ya'll see the alien commander in-charge now?" Rainbow Dash nodded "Yer I saw it this after-noon when the princes introduced him." Twilight nodded "I've yet to see him I have so munch to ask him." Spike scoffed as he walked next to the small group Rarity nodded "Apparently he is a personal guest of the Princesses I wo-" She was interrupted by some pony yelling then the small fish pond next to them erupted sending water all over the group then a metallic clattering. Rarity shrieked My mane! It's...ruined!!" Dash shook the water from her mane. "What the hay was that?" Spike stepped forwards and picked up the metal object at his feet "What is this?" Applejack shook the water from her chest plate and her stetson she had worn over the rusty helmet she had been issued. "That's Ross's fancy hat but wheres the head it goes on?" she explained when she saw Ross's helmet "I think I know" Dash said as she picked the gas mask up and looked at the tube leading into the cloudy water. Ross slowly opened his eye's and his vision was blurred. His gut felt like the had been run through. He try'd to take a breath. The water force its way into his nostrils quick as a flash he was clawing for the edge of the water only to latch on to a very surprised cyan Pegasuses and almost pull her in. Ross saw cadet Apple who grab onto him some how and hall him out of the pond. All he cold do was lay there coughing and spluttering. With a pop Celestia, Luna and Pinky appeared next to the small group "Well Tia he's resilient." Luna said with a smirk Ross rolled on to his side the cake mix slid from his stomach and on to the gravel path. Celestia levitated Ross to his feet and there was a wet slap as the cast on his leg sloughed to the gravel melted by the water the one around his chest protected by the treated coat. Celestia gently put her hoof on his shoulder. Ross stood there his water drenched hair covered his eye's he slowly took breath's and as he felt the hoof on his shoulder he finely snapped This can't be real. This is not real! there are no talking horses!! There are no Pegasuses!!! There are no bloody Alicorns... pressure press down on the other shoulder. "Ross..." Celestia put her other hoof on Ross's other shoulder try'd to look his eye's. Ross gave her a sharp push and she took a few steps back "No this....no not real" Celestia, Luna and the others exchanged look's of concern. "NO!" Celestia yelled as Ross drew his revolver and gently tapped the barrel agents his temple "No...no this cant be no non of this is real! " he muttered as he pulled the hammer to half-cock back then slid it back to the rest position. "This... this is a dream this is just a dream." with a sharp *CLICK* drew the hammer full back. and held the barrel agents his temple "I...if I die in a dream I'll wake up..." he looked up and they all saw the desperation in his eye's the almost ghost like face didn't help "Now Ross..." Celestia slowly stepped forwards "...just put that down." She only got a twitch of his free hand. "This can't be real..." He repeated then took a step back on his bad leg and collapsed. Celestia was horrified at the fact he didn't show any pain or react to what must be searing pain in his broken leg only the dead look. "This...can't...be...real..." Celestia took a step forwards and Ross brought the revolver to face her. "Stay away from me!" "Now Ross you don't have to hurt me I'm only-" Celestia was interrupted by Ross firing the revolver into the pond and a muffled explosion that followed sending water leaping over the edge of the pond. Dash looked down at the mask still head in her hoof's then here eyes followed the stretched pipe leading to the front of Ross's coat. "Hay!" She called out with a idea forming. As Ross looked at her she let go of the mask and it shot towards Ross's face and met with a loud slap. Dashes smile faded from her face. Ross didn't even flinch only letting the damp mask slide from his face. Ross looked at each of the present pony's "If this is reality...prove it..." Celestia took a step forwards and Ross pulled the trigger *Click!* they all flinched expecting a explosion and a lot of blood. Ross's expression of madness fell as the revolver slip'd and fall to the floor with a clatter he couldn't believe he'd do that. Then he pulled his knees up to his chin and gently rested his chin on the knee guard's and started to rock like a distraught filly. "No... no...no..." Ross tucked his head down the trench coat splayed around him. The small group gathered round him and they each slowly moved closer. "R..Ross w..what happened to you?" Celestia asked cautious. "I...fuc-...snapped...lost...my...will to live... this is impossible. There are no talking pony's there not colorful. They don't have tattoos on there flanks there are no bleeding Pegasuses no bloody Alicorns!" as Ross continued he rocked faster. "I c- this never-..." he fell silent and they all gathered closer a quiet whimpering coming from the gray ball. Applejack gently put a hoof on his shoulder. Ross half pulled his shoulder in not letting her touch him he gave up and let her put her hoof on his shoulder. "Ross ya'll right now?" "No" Dash sat on his other side of Ross " I'm sorry for almost pulling you into the pond..." she heard from him "It's ok" Dash said with a slight smile and gently put a hoof on his back "Sorry for slapping you in the face with that mask thing." Celestia looked at her sister I never considered the need for him to adjust to this world but...why didn't he say anything? Celestia lowed her self to Ross's leave and spoke softly "Why didn't you say you did't have anything like this at home?" Ross's rocking slowed a bit "I..painkillers... h ... h ...hallucinating ... not right..." Ross started to rock again. Pinky pie stepped up and gently pushed a cake to Ross's feet "Sorry for scaring you and shooting you with cake mix...and confetti.... and over the balcony and into the pond..." Ross head gave a slight nod indicating his acknowledgment. Ross picked the cake up and gingerly took a bite. "T...thank you" Pinky smiled and patted Ross the top of his head. Ross slowly stood and Dash's eye's followed Ross "H...how can he stand with a broke leg!?... his pain tolerance must be freaky high!" Ross looked at Spike "My helmet please." Spike just stared at Ross. After a few seconds Ross hobbled up to Spike and took it from his hand's they all heard Ross's broken bones scrape together. "I... I need to go to hospital c..can you lead me there?" "Of course" Twilight said a small reassuring smile on her face that faded as Ross started to walk down the path this the accompaniment of scrapes and clack's of broken bone ageist bone "No you don't." Twilight said as her tell tail magenta glow of magic lifted Ross from his feet. "Oooowwww this is odd." Ross tern'd to the princesses as he slowly spun in the glow to face them "C...can you bring Unbreakable Shield in from outside the walls?"."Celestia smiled "Of coarse" Ross nodded then looked at the setting in the sun "Thank you...". A few minutes and plenty of look's and bows from the pony's lining the street's Ross was sat on the same bed that he was in that morning. There where was a male Unicorn Doctor by the name of "Saw Bones" , A female Earth pony doctor called "Patchwork" and the group that walked with Ross to the hospitable. "HE DID WHAT!?" Saw Bones asked "He try'd walked here after being shot over a balcony." Celestia told him. As the group continued to talk Ross saw Raindrop's looking round the door frame. Ross smiled and waved her forwards. A small smile found it's way onto her face as she walked up to the bed and Ross lifted her in to his lap and set her down on his good leg. "Hello I heard you where back. How are you David?" she asked looking Ross up and down "I'm fine Drop's thanks you?" "I'm a bit better now wh-" She was cut off as Patchwork cough sight of her "What are you doing hear!?" Raindrops let out a yell and wrap her for legs round Ross's chest. Ross responded instinctively. Putting both his arms round Raindrops, minding her bandaged wings and gently pulled her into a hug even thou it was something he did instinctively it felt odd showing this much emotion in the same month. "I invited her in is that a problem?" Raindrop pressed her head into his chest and Ross barely cringed as pain burned dully in his rib's. "Well...no..." Patchwork said reluctantly the Saw Bones walked up to Ross "Now you... what am I going to do with you?" Ross looked him "You got magic use it." "We don't know if it will do anything to you." Saw Bones said looking at Ross's broken leg. "Plus there may be side affect's." Ross dead panned "Iv survived a how hell of a lot ... I think I can handle a bit of vertigo or what ever." "What have you actually survived I'd like to study how resilient your race is?" Twilight asked a note book and quill held in a magenta glow. "Not now!" Celestia hissed at her. Sawbones shrugged "On your head be it. Raindrops get of him for a second please" Raindrops let go and sat on the other end of the bed. "Now then David if you feel any thing odd or feels off tell me ok?" Saw Bones stepped up and Ross gave a sharp nod as Saw Bones's horn glowed Ross closed his eye's and as a genital tingle in his bones started and is slowly spread through his body "Is the tingling normal?" "Yes often" Celestas voice meat his ear's. Ross sat there as he felt the bone's growing and fixing that felt a bit disconcerting. With out warning something hit him like a wall of water and he felt something almost poring into and onto him "David you OK?" Drop's voice filtered in to his head it it seemed to echo like he was leaving his body. "David!" Ross snapped back and open'd his eye's to find Celesta's face almost pressed to his. "JESUS CHRIST!" He shot back and fell off the end of the bed. "Who's Jesus Christ?" Twilight asked "Not now" Luna said following her sister's gaze to the edge of the bed "Is the feeling of water practically crushing you and something almost poring into you normal?" Ross asked as he picked him self up "Sssssometimes...." Saw Bones said un-certainly. Ross looked down and taped the broken leg and he felt uneasy as it tingled slightly. "So is it fixed..." "Yes" "... and my rib's?" "Yes" "OK..." Gently he took a step forward on his once broken leg and it held his weight. A feeling of light headiness press'd then it went. "Are you still feeling like you are being crushed?" Patchwork asked "No...just the water pouring into and onto me still." Ross felt the sensation start to subside "Ok...it's stopping now...." Ross lent agents the wall and Celestia, Luna and Twilight surrounded around Ross. Celestia racked her vast vault of knowledge to see if there was anything that could explain what David had just felt. The only thing that she knew of was a long time ago when she was sat in between her mothers leg's and using her magic lifted a biscuit for the first time. No, that's impossible. It can't be like that, can it?...Must have been the first time he's been exposed to magic. she then filed it away as nothing more than first exposure. Ross felt fuller than normal and then gently stood feeling slightly heaver that he should have been even in would in full combat gear. "I...take it as my first exposure to magic..." Ross breathed slowly and then stood straight then looked at the doctors "So...that's that. Can we take the cast on my chest off?" "I believe so" Patchwork said looking for the saw to cut the cast open but Ross had striped to the waist and drew his saber then he gingerly slid it's point down cutting the cast and taking hold of the two sides of the cut he strained. A second of straning later there was a loud crack and the cast split in two. "Good riddance to bad rubbish." Ross said as put the two half's on the bed. "OOOOOO" Pinky Pie wraped her self round Ross's right arm "So strong" Ross eye'd her "The hell..." was all he could say then gently waved his arm then harder then harder still but her vice like grip held firm. Then grabbing her by the scurf of the neck he pulled as hard as he could her grip finely gave and he held her at arm's length "Please don't do that." "Ok Dokey lokey" Pinky said she was curled up into a ball her for leg's tucked under her chin. Ross set her down and she literately bounced around the room. "Is she on drug's?" Ross asked Twilight who shock her head "She's always like this don't worry. on another note can I ask you something?" "Yes" Ross stood there his head following the power ball Pinky bouncing from floor to ceiling then back again repeatedly at almost blinding speed. "I wold like to kn-" She was interrupted by Pinky grabbing her then shouted "I FELT HIS MUSCLES!!!" Then bounced around the room again taking Drop's with her. Twilight trend back to find a now fully dressed Ross again except for his mask and helmet that was attached to his epaulet once again. Celestia was impress by how silent and fast he had redressed. "I'd like to stud- talk to you about ...Well, everything. Can we arrange to meet and talk?" "Sure." Ross said then his face changed to a look of concern "Is Sergent Moonlight here?" "She's at the end of this corridor." Saw Bones said "Can I see her?" Patchwork held the door open and gestated for Ross to follow. Moonlight lay in the bed her armorer on the table at the end of the bed. eye's closed. Contemplating the event's of that afternoon then her sensitive ear's picked up the sound of hoof's coming down the corridor. Another doctor doubtlessly coming to change the dressing's round her stomach. Then she herd heavier foot step's follow and a slight rattle of a sword in a scrabbler. Opening her golden, cat like eye's then closing them as a slight pain shot into the back of her eye's. After her eye's adjusted she lifted her head and looked at the door as the doctor came in then Ross ducking his head to get through the slightly to low door way. "SIR!" She try'd to sit up only for Ross's hand to gently force her back down "Don't get up." he said as he stood next to the bed.
Their Universal DutyTheir Universal Duty Moonlight gave Ross a small smile "Thanks for you know...saving me" Ross gave a slight nod "My duty is to look after the morale and health of those under my command. Like you to those under your command." "Why? I'm just a lowly Sargent there are dose's of my rank." "Not to me" Ross said as he lent agents the wall and looked down at the injurer Moonlight. "So how long you going to play lazy bugger's?" Ross said earning a slight chuckle from Moonlight "A few day's then I'll be walking round again. I'll be sore for a few day's after but I'll not like putting armor back on." Ross nodded then walked to her set of armorer and picked up the helmet and the attached neck armor. He was surprised by how light it was. "Wow. That's lighter than I expected." there was a chuckle from Moonlight "Why? How heavy is you helmet." Ross un-clipped his from the gas-mask and handed it to her It was easily double if not triple the weight of Moonlight's enchanted helmet. "Luna's Moon! what is this made of!?" " Nano-steel I'll go into detail if you want." Moonlight chuckled "You leave that to Savior Twilight and Spike the Dragon Oww! don't make me laugh my gut's burly holding together as it is." Ross gave a genuine smile his eye's reflected that for a full second then it faded as Moonlight spoke her next sentence. "I herd about Money... I can't say I'm sorry to see that one go...would you do ... do that to me?" Ross shook his head "I think you are willing to follow me into death's mouth." "To pinch his gold teeth." Moonlight said with a smile. "Come hell or high water." Ross said returning the smile. "Listen you get some rest and heal I need you back." "Yes Sir." Ross trend and left the room and Patchwork closed the door. Moonlight lay back down closing her eye's her ear's twitch following the heavy foot step's going up the corridor. Celestia tend to the door as Ross stepped through the door way. "How is your Sargent?" "She's alive and kicking." Ross said as Celestia tend to Ross compactly "Do you thin-" Ross stoped as something covering his eye's and a giggling "Gess who?" Ross acted on instinct and training. Grabbing the hoof's over his eye's and with a spin and tug pulled the pink power ball off his back and held her in a head lock "Pinky I believe the name was..." smiling for the briefest second. Pinky giggled loudly and some how managed to get loose and was on his back in a instant then some how managed to find Ross's neck under the large collier of his trench coat and wrapped her legs round it and his chest. I like this one. Bit to clingy maybe Ross let her hang on to his back. Ross trend back to Celestia "Er..." Bugger it. Ross stood straight. "It is my universal duty to learn all I can of you're tradition, history knowledge, technology and..." he let the professional air go ".... bla bla bla blarr... in short I'll get a bolli- disciplined if I don't study all I can learn from you." Ross rolled his shoulders to joy of Pinky as this lifted her up higher and she rested her chin on the top off his head. As Celestia contemplated that Ross noticed his other boot and walked over to the tabled and pulled the boot he left there that morning and he slipped it on did the lacing then the Puttees all the while Pinky hugged her self tightly to his back and giggling all the while. "Only if you do the same?" Celestia answered Ross gave a nod "Agreed. Now if we are done here can I please get back to Unbreakable I'll need to sort her out before the Seraphim come knocking again and I suspect... Knowing I'm here now... the'll be eager for a swing at me." Celesta nodded and turned to Luna "Sister can you take him to the army barracks please." Luna smiled then walked over Ross "Follow me please." "Off please Pinky." After a bit of pulling she let go and pouted as she stood there. Celestia the Doctor's and the small group watched Ross's retreating back. "He's a interesting fella ant' he." Applejack said a slight smile on her face as she fiddled with her stetson. "Yes Darling but sweet Celestia - No offence intended you majesty- he need's some better cloth's than that retched coat! And why he has fabric wrapped round his leg's I'll never know!!". "I like him" Raindrops said from the bed having recovered from feeling sick from the bounce round the room with Pinky. The all the troop's stood there looking up at the giant machine It had been levitated in with a team of a hundred unicorns just to lift it a few inches off the ground. "All right you lot quit your gorping!" Ross said as he and Luna entered through the gates of the barracks he had seen his ACU's silhouette from long way off and as he came closer the gaping hole in it's chest revival it's self. "Jesus bloody Christ! I'm going have to pull a all nigher to fix that!" Ross gestated to the the damage as he walked thorough the crowd and looked up to the twenty store high machine "How the hell am I going to get up there to fix the bleeding thing!? I don't have a gantry set up!" "Let me" Luna said warping her for legs round his chest "What are you- WOOHH!!" Ross yelled as he felt him self being lifted off the floor and start to rise up the ACU "PUT ME DOWN!!! PUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWN!!!" Ross never liked flying even when he did the flying now he was rising through the air without any form of lifter or plane. Then as he felt his feet meet the top of Unbreakable's head he tent to find Luna with a large smile placated cross her face accompany with laughter from the crowd's below "O SHUT UP!" Ross shouted half-hearted as he looked down at the crowd's "Don't you lot have something to do?!" "Can you blame them and it is your job to maintain moral leftenant-Commissar..." "Yes ha ha" Ross said as he bent down and pulled the hatch open. "Welcome to my humble abode." Ross said as he hoped through the hatch and landed next to the command seat and into the congealed pool of blood and lung Luna lowered her head in and looked round. Her main dropping in almost to the floor and blood but saved by the merest whisper of ethereal wind. Luna looked round the small room lit by the gaping hole in fount of the seat. Then she took in all the strange machinery that was there too. "How long do you stay in this place?" "Depends .Hours . Day's. The longest was ten day's the previous pilot was in here for six years on a siege. The longest in record was 500 years with 15 different pilots through the years more died to old age than enemy fire." Luna was mortified "What is your galaxy like?" Ross sat in the command chair and Luna could see his mood change it turned dark"... The Infinite war ... a millennium of constant war... blood... carnage... that was two years ago.. now the last day's of humanity could be at hand... we are making our last stand's agents the Seraphim... I don't think about it but I'm riding surrounded by two thing's that will kill me..." he stamped his foot on the floor the solid panel bouncing off the dome of the reactor roof with a surrounding clang "... I'm getting ass cancer from siting on that large fuck off pile of Uranium or Thorium or whatever this thing uses..." Then he slammed his fist the wall to his left. Denting the metal panel a little "... I got a ant-matter generator ever side of me that if there is a microscopic hole in the shielding... I... die." Ross un-clenched his fist and then looked out the jagged hole opposite him. "One in my position...tends lost there fear of death... and that's.... not... healthy..." Luna watched as he seemed do deflate in his seat. "Sorry..." Luna said unsure if it was her fault for bringing down his mood again. "No no I'm going to have to talk with you about everything I know with your "dear sister". Ross said the last word's in a disturbingly accurate impression of Luna's voice. He looked up at her sticking her head in through the hatch almost above him. "You can come in you know." Luna pulled her head out then with some difficulty managed to get her self on the run's of the small ladder that led through Unbreakable's head and into the command room. As her shoe met the floor and there was a fuzzy fabric and she looked down to fined Ross's trench coat covering the pool of blood and lug. "Save you from cleaning your self." Ross stood offering her his seat. As Luna stepped off Ross picked the coat off the sticky patch and pull'd it back on "Thank you but there was no need." Luna said siting in the proofread seat looking at the control's and other computers surrounding the seat she looked to find Ross pulling a small door open to her right. "David?" "Yes Daughter of the Coal's?" Ross rummage through the locker looking through the piled up of tool's in the locker. "What did you call me?! " Luna said looking at Ross's back unsure if he'd just insulted her or not. "Humm... O sorry slipped back into the native tong "Daughter of the Coal's" means princes on my home world." Luna's curiosity was aroused "Do you have any more names for royalty?" Ross trend to her a large frame with three gas bottles slung onto his back. "Yes "Son of Steel" Is a prince, the queen is known as "The Lady of The Anvil" And the king "Lord of the Forge"." As Ross talked he pulled the torch head from the tool cabinet and as he fixed the three pipes from the gas bottles to there respective valves. Orange- fuel, Blue- Oxygen, Green- Booster. All correct Ross reached back in and pulled a hammer out. "What is you're home planet?" Luna asked as she got her self settled in to the surprisingly comfortable seat." Ross smiled as he slid his mask down "The Forge planet of Garnlis home till the family had to go to a colony..." Screaming Ross pushed the memory's deep into his soul."...but we moved swiftly back." Luna pulled Ross back to reality. "Forge Planet?" Luna asked a idea in her mind. "A forge planed is a world dedicated to manufacturing anything and everything from nail's to the modern versions of Unbreakable..." Ross gave the wall a almost affection pat "... then they are shipped out all over the UEF...." Luna could see it in her mind's eye: Polluted with smog chimneys spewing more out and killing the world slowly, wast and ruin the light of fires burning bright... all plant and wild life dead and gone replaced with mud and ash... "... and officially the most beautiful planet in the UEF... The City of Craftsman the capital of the planet the lush forest's and field of every crop known to man surround the city the mountain range's there mine's provide the purest ore's of all in the UEF and there are millennium's more worth in the mines most of them aren't even a quarter mile deep the ore is so pure and they have been mining there since the first few colonists landed and now ... father's beg us to take there son's as apprentices and our crafts men in demand all over the place and our warriors some of the finest armed and in constant demand our infantry the most feared in the galaxy." "You are one of them?" Luna asked "Yes a simple miner boy who's mother was a smith and dad a miner. Now I'm a ACU pilot and known as a "Iron Warrior" that title is given once a generation both a blessing and a cruse." "Why?" Luna said confused Ross puled a lighter out and trying to spark it. *POP!* as with the lighter Ross lit the blow torch and the large orange flame lit up. "While it let's my family live in comfit for the rest of there live's but the likelihood of me seeing them again in next to non... still the pay is welcome and good it keep's the family happy that's all that matter's." Ross shut the torch off and walked up to Luna and opened the ignition box and started the generator and Luna jumped as it started then the hum of the reactor returning to life filled the room. "Computer! Information vault. Unknown life-form present log. Name: Daughter of the Coal's Luna Status: Friend. Access granted to information souses that is not classified by military order." "Yes David and how hay I help you Daughter of the Coal's?" the female voice of the computer responded. Luna looked round looking for the disembodied voice "What was that?" Luna said uncertainly "Just the voice of the computer nothing to be afraid. Just ask the computer a question and it will display the answer on this." Ross taped the top of the monitor that had displayed the damage report with the head of the blow torch." "Very well" Luna said as here horn glowed lightly and a telepathic connection opened with Celestia whom was lisening to some noble complain about Pony's camping in his garden and to Twilight who had some how got her hoof's on a tissue sample from Ross Sister, Twilight I'm currently in Ross's War Engine and he has let me into to something called a "Information vault" I'll need a quill a few ink well's and a few roles of parchment please. Twilight squeal coursing Spike to jump and send the tissue sample roiling away in it's enchanted jar "I'll bring them and stay with you!! her link died as she doubtlessly ran round the room gathering all that was asked. Your doing well little sister what have you learn so far? Celestia asked as the noble continued to complain ageist the campers. I'v learned a bit of his home planet and it's Culture. Old Smithy would like him. Luna looked at Ross who had re-lit the blow torch and was pressing what looked like opaque glass into the rims of his mask's eye lenses. Good heavens Is Old Smithy still with us? Of cores! Yes I saw him last month when I did that inspection. Anyway You keep learning what you can from him. The noble was still complaining now about some flower bed that the evacuees had destroyed. O shut up! I didn't say any thing Tia. O sorry Lulu this noble testing my patience. Luna looked at Ross as the hiss trended to a rushing noise and the flame from the touch trend blue as he press'd the lever that opened the valve down. Ross adjusted the feed valves letting the booster into the mix of gasses and the flame turned a deep purple. Luna could feel the heat from the torch for the seat even though she was sat a few feet from the source. Yet another chemical prevented the intense heat from the torch from igniting the coat it also protected form Flamethrowers's he'd demanded the treatment even though Flamethrowers's hadn't been seen on the battle field for eons. Ross turned using the light from the torch to see through the welding glass and found the first jagged peace of metal that needed re-bent into place the head of the torch was't set up to cut just to heat the material so it could be bent into shape. As Ross knelt and started to work Luna waited for Twilight she started to sift through the vast information that was a waiting her. The minute's passed with only the beaning of metal on metal and hissing of Ross at work fixing the damage. There was a banging on the hatch and Luna looked up from the screen that was displaying some political stance currently in affect. Luna looked to find Ross holding another weapon this one was larger version of the on he had on his hip. Ross heard the bang and grabbed his costume made Bording Gun that had been resting in the tool locker and was on the first run's of the short ladder. The torch's small in-built computer activated mag-lock's that fastened it to his belt and also turn'd it off when he let go of the grip. With a sharp jerk of his head the welding lenses fell from the gas-mask's eye rimes and in to his open hand. Twilight banged on the hatch again and looked at the saddle bag's checking for the tenth time if she had everything that Luna asked The was a *Screeeeck* as the hatch opened ever so slightly and what looked like a pipe with a metal bit stuck on top it came out the gap opposite her then swiftly tern'd round the rim of the hatch to point at her feet. Twilight lowered her head to look down the pipe closing one eye to see down it better "Hello anyone their?" The hatch slid up higher then pivoting round reviling Ross a new object in his hands as he protruded out the hole. "Jesus! don't you know not to look down the barrel of a gun!?" Twilight cocked her head "Why it don't look dangers?" Ross looked and saw a pigeon flying over head Sorry mate this may sting a bit Ross raised the shotgun in one hand and pulled the trigger the drum turning anti clockwise. A inch of the pigeons tail disappeared in a cloud of feathers as the mix of buck and bird shot tore through the air and feathers. "You don't want to know what happens when a person's crotch meet's buckshot" Ross pushed the small leaver on top of the pistol grip to the right and the front half fell down reviling the back of the cylinder and the eight cartridges pushed up one's firing cap dented where the hammer had struck it. Ross pulled it out and slipped the empty into his right pocket and swapped it for a live one. "Field rule No.4 when about to leave for off world combat all arms loaded and primed". Twilight rubbed her ears "Why is it so loud?" "Unfortunate side affect of the weapons Humanity has come up with also to sow terror in the enemy." Ross snapped the shotgun closed then claimed down the ladder "Well come in then." Twilight looked into the hatch and saw Luna looking up at her. Twilight try'd to get down the ladder but ended up falling off and landing in the congealed blood "Ew ew ew!" She looked down at the few chunks of lung now stuck in her fir and main she looked to see Ross kneeling back in-front of the half fixed hole trying to re-light the torch his shotgun resting agents the wall. A enchanted jar lifted from the bag and the few chunk's of lung surrounded by a magenta glow flew into the jar. "Twilight have you got what I asked for?" Twilight tern'd to face Luna sliding the bag's off her back "Yes " she said with a smile "Thank you Twilight." Luna returned the smile. *Click Click... Sn-click... Sn-click Puffffff* the torch lit and Ross started working again Twilight's ear's twitched towards the new sound and after giveing Luna the supply's walked over and looked over Ross's shoulder only to be blinded for a second and she was pretty sure her fir started to singe before Ross turned the torch down "If you don't want ark eye don't stand behind me or look at the light so please go and talk with the Daughter of the Coal's." Twilight cocked her head again. "Who?" "Me" Luna said the quill dancing along the role of parchment as she jotted down the political policy she was reading before.
Burn's and Paper Cut'sBurn's and Paper Cut's "... that is how my home planet got it's name because of the large deposit's of Garnets on the surface. Now excuse me" Ross pulled the torch back and started to slam the hammer into the glowing armor beaning it in back in to shape the cherry red metal giving in easily to the hammer blow's. Luna let Twilight question Ross as she pleased as she found a file that caught her eye. "Title: Known enemy's of the UEF Race: Symbionts Oversight: The Cybrines where the brain child of Dr. Gustaf Brackman or "Crazy Old Bastard" a Bio-scientist that graduated from the university of medical scientist in Japan with distinction and was practiced to become a prodigy a prediction that became true in his late fifty's when he manged to join the human brain with an Artificial Intelligent's. But due to UEF concerns a secret "loyalty" program was installed when anyone with a AI implant updated there software. Due to this Dr. Brackman fled with some still "free" symbionts to a planet of Procyon and due to a slow processes of flagging and backtracking of Cybrinen tri-beam transmissions it revival'd the location of the main "Node" to witch Black Sun was transmitted through the QGN (Quantum Gate Network) and destroyed there home planet but due to the hive mind like network of node's it is not possible to deliver a killing blow as of yet..." As Ross struck the glowing metal hard sending sparks flying a single spark of heated metal struck little piece of exposed flesh between the end of the glove and his sleeve "OWTCH! ow ha ha ha! You little fucker!" Ross pulled the glove up and fastened it into the wrist of the coat sealing the sleeve and glove together "Sorry for my language Twilight and to you Daughter of the Cole's." Luna returned to reading and jotting down note's "... There is a major difference between Cybrines "addition's" and UEF Bionics and Augments while Cybrines are consistently evolving and changing with a AI the UEF's have a rudimentary preservation program, for example if a person with a Bionic arm or leg was unconscious in a room due to fume's and there was a door the replacement limb will activate then drag or push the host toward's the door then attempt to open the door and move the host body to safety." "File 2 : Aeon Illuminate/ The Order During humanity’s second expansion into galactic space, Commander Trent Smith of the Earth Empire led a group of scientists and colonists to Seraphim II, a planet approximately five times the size of earth. When Commander Smith and his group landed they made contact with a xeno race at was revival to be a far flung colony of Seraphim but not before a quarantine zone was set up and some started to learn and study there there religion "The Way" But due to Cmd'r Smith's xenophobia he wiped out said colony the few that embraced The Way formed the base of the Aeon Illuminate. When the Seraphim started there war on the universe some of the more fanatical members of the Aeon split off and joined the Seraphim and change there name to "The Order" they are evaluated to be complacently fanatical willing to do anything to please there masters." "File 3: Seraphim By order of UEF high command. File access restricted to UEF offices on front line service or specially access on NTK basis. Psy. scan required for access." "Ross from what you told me why don't you build an engineer to make fixing this faster?" Twilight asked consulting her scrolls of text she had written down. Ross froze "I...it's a matter of honer and pride among my people that we always maintain our war gear or charges before our self's by letting the commando's do this... defilement bring's shame on me and I must do all I can to restore the damage and the better I fix this myself my honor is restored." Ross teared his attention back to his work. Luna looked up stretching her stiff neck. Ross was heating up the second to last peace of jagged metal the sun set flooding in."Lulu are you meant to be doing something now?" her sisters voice whispered in her head. Luna dropped the scroll and quill she had held in her magic and scrambled up the ladder. Luna pulled her self up on to the top of Unbreakable's head. This will do. Luna stood planting her hoof's firmly on the domed roof that was a brown-silver of weathered metal then relaxed. Closing her eyes and letting the sound of the world fill her ear's, the sound of bugs the slow sound's of the twilight that gently caressed the pony's to there bed's and to the realm of dream's, she let her vast reserves of magic slowly seep into her then gather at the tip of her horn. Slowly as to not bring unwanted attention she let her magic reach up through the heavens then she felt it take hold of the celestial body that was hiding just below the horizon. She let the magic build and the moon slowly started to rise. Unbeknownst to her her wings un-folded and flared up as if to add stabilization as she concentrated on raising her charge. As the moonlight gently touched her closed eye's she smiled as she let her magic reseed. She gently swayed only to be held steady by a hand on her shoulder. Luna opened her eye's and looked back and found Ross holding him self half out of the hatch with one arm and the other held her gently by the shoulder the moon light dancing off the brass round the gas-mask's lenses his deep blue eye's visible through the glass . "You OK Daughter of the Cole's?" "Luna smiled as she blushed she uselessly didn't have a audience "That was beautiful Luna... sorry Daughter of the Cole's" "Luna is fine and thank you." She sat down next to the hatch and watched as Ross stared into the night sky the stars and moon. "The night is old yet it is young it is infinite yet it is short it is both caretaker and criminal yet we should give praise to the darkness that scares man and child it lets the brave be brave the thinkers to think and the dreamers to dream." Ross fell silent staring into the haven's for a few second's the looked up to Luna who was still sat next to him "A poem that was read to me as a child on Ganelis to calm me down before bed..." Ross pulled his left glove off to looked at his wrist watch. "22:30" Ross then slid down the ladder leaving Luna siting there in the cool of the night. Twilight sat next to the chair that Luna had been sat in looking up Ross's bottom half the leg's mostly concealed by the trench coat. The scroll's held in her magenta glow had the poem that had just been re-sited inked onto it. Twilight's eye's held a look of confusion. How can a being of such destruction and pain from a universe like his know something like that? she looked at the small pile of scrolls that held hundreds of pages, thousands of paragraph and hundreds of thousand's of word's. Maybe there will be a answer in there or maybe it's something different. "Where you looking up my skirt?" Ross's question pulled Twilight out of her revelry "No." she simply said as she slid the scrap of parchment into the saddle bag's. Ross looked at the last peace of armor that needed repaired then all the seams needed welding shut. He could leave it for the morning. "I hate to say this but I need you to go I need to sleep too." Twilight levitated the scroll's into the bag then the bag out of the hatch "Of cores you must preserve your strength." Twilight looked at the run's of the ladder " Here." Ross said as he grabbed Twilight then lifted her half way through then pushed her complacently through the hatch "Good Night Twilight Daughter o...Luna." "Goodnight" The two replied As Ross reached up and pulled on the hatch that then swiftly swing over the hole then closed. Ross looked round the now empty control room. God I'm sleepy... Ross looked down at the solid floor plate under his feet and just in front of the command throne. Ross stepped off the panel and pulled it up reviling the top of the radiation shield and a mass of bedding that formed a sort of nest was pressed next to the reactor on the same side the access hatch was that was used for re-fulling. Ross slipped his belt off and seat it and the attached weapons down next to the nest. Siting at the foot of the throne he pulled his tall boot's off and massaged his. The helmet and after un-clipping the gas-mask's in-let pipe they too where lay'd down except they where set at what was assumed to be the head of the nest. Then with a stretch and role of his shoulders the set of pauldron's where lifted up and off the leather strap's that held the scrubber systems. With a bit of a struggle Ross managed to undo the right side of the harness and slip it off and set it down next to the boot's. Finely the grate coat followed except Ross lay down in the nest and pulled the coat over him. "Ooh... I'd never trade this bed for all the riches in the universe." Ross gently rested his head on the gas-mask covered helmet. Ross settled down then he realized the reactor was still running. Groaning Ross turned over in his nest to eye the power box. The clear shut down button barely viable on the down pointing face. His eye was also cough by the shiny black boot's. Ross retched fore the nearest boot and threw it.The boot slammed into the control face and the light's and hum of the reactor slowly stoped. Ross turned back over and rested ageist the reactor letting the decay heat help keep him warm. 9 1/4 hour's later. Celestia was laying in her large bed the silk and the feather filled pillow's ensured her bed was one of the most comfortable on Equess. Celestas internal body clock slowly ticked down to the time she had to get up and take over the celestial dance from her sister since time immemorial. Luna was dosing in her throne night court having ended for the night and was waiting for her sister to wake and take over for the day Twilight was asleep at her desk her face stuck to the book she had been reading by a pool of drool. Ross was slowly and carefully pushing the hatch up hoping to catch his breakfast. Two pigeons sat on top the edge of Unbreakable head cooing. Ross slowly pushed up on the run's of the ladder now his arms where over the rim of the hatch and his saber held in his right hand. "Wow theses pigeons are numb bugger's." Ross raised the saber red- *TH-WACK!* "AAARGH!" something slammed into him from behind sending him forward's into the roof. his head bouncing of the metal. The pigeons looked back and lazily flapped off. Ross looked up and blew the hair out of his eye's. Well wonderful! Eating fucking nutrient past this morning. he was sure he had a mild concussion to boot. His hair fell down again and he blew it away but the blonde hair fell down again Wait...I'm not a blond. Ross twisted round to find he was looking a... Ross quickly pulled the tail off his head and covered the gray mare up. "Erummm... Miss are you ok?" Ross's cheek's held a slightly red tint. The mare shook her head and looked back "O... hi I'm Ditzy...Ditzy Doo" She smiled her wall eye's shifting Ross shook his head trying to clear it. Nope she was still wall eyed. Ross smiled for some reason she made him smile "Leftenant-Commissar David Ross at your service Miss Doo. Now can you please get off something is sticking into my gut." "O..sorry." Ditzy said as she try'd to stand "No let me..a" After a bit of a straggle the two where separate from one another. Ross glanced at his watch. "5:48" "May I ask what you are doing up so early Miss Doo ?" "Why I wanted too meet you silly before I go to work." Ross was surprise "At this time?" Ditzy puffed her chest out. "I'm the Mail mare! Since most of the mail pony's are off fighting. I would be to but the recruitment corporal would't take me and I have a little filly to look after her..." her proud poster fell but it returned ".. I'm now the only mail pony left! but it's dangers I'f I fly to high explosions appear near me and strange metal bird's come after me." Ross filed setting up a air defiance on his to do list in his head. "Well Miss Doo would you like to come in?" "Ditzy looked at Ross's waist "This isn't your body?" she asked taping the metal beneath her left for-hoof "No come in please." Ross slid the saber into it's scabbard and slid down the ladder "Or would you rather stay up there?" "O up here please." A few second's later Ross appear'd up through the hatch a metal cup in hand "Tea?" "O..thank you!" Ditzy sat down and took the mug by the wire handles Ross vanished into the hatch way again and appeared with a bag, a bottle and his bayonet in one hand and another metal cup of tea. "Milk and surge?" Ditzy looked round "Is there a spoon?" Ross gave a smile "It snapped so well do this in rough one or two tea spoon's?" "Two please!" Ross opened the army green sugar bag that had a issue number stamped on it to find it half full. Ditzy held her tea out and Ross shook the bag as he pored the sugar in then stirred the drink with the blade of the knife. "Milk?" "Yep!" "Say when." Then un-screwing the lid of the bottle Ross pored the milk in and Ditzy pulled the mug back and Ross stirred the tea again. Ross repeated the action for his tea and the two sat drinking. "So how old are you Ross?" Ditzy asked one eye on his face the other looking over his shoulder "I'm 22 years old." Ross answered swirling his tea in the cup. "Is there a Mare friend or Stallion friend back home?" It took Ross a second to work out what she meant. "N..no... I'm straight I just.. no good with girl's and they don't seam very interested with my type." "You said you had a kid?" Ross looked at Ditzy "Yep my little muffin Dinky!" Ross nod'd "You keep her safe and stay out of the fighting I'v written too meany letters that end with a child in care." "O..." the two continued to drink is silence. A few minute's later Ross threw the last few dregs of tea over the edge then slipped down hole and dropped the cup onto the command throne. "Thank you for the tea Ross but I got to go or I'll be late for work!" "OK See you!" Ross waved her off as she flew off into the city. A few minute's later Ross threw the empty breakfast ration into the hole and spat over the edge a few times in an attempt to rid his mouth of the aftertaste. "I'll kill for a shitty beacon bun" Ross slipped down the hatch and after pulling the grate coat, boot's, gas-mask's harness and the pauldron's on. He was pulling the gas mask off the helmet when he heard a bugle go off. Colonel Iron Skin Veteran of the Royal Guard and current commander walked along the bunk houses, her armorer glinting in the morning sun and a trail of officer's following like a chick's after there mother. "What was the butcher's bill for the raid yesterday?" A young officer to her right pulled a note out of a pouch in his armor "Dozen miner injury's to the conscript regiment. One Sargent hospitalized and the Captain..." He squinted at the note "... Summery Executed?!" "What!?" Iron Skin turned to the officer. "I don't know it was that alien officer!!" he said in a high pitched voice slipping the note back into the pouch. "WHERE IS HE!?" She bellowed. "T...there..." another officer said pointing to Unbreakable Ross screwd the in-let pipe onto valve on the gas mask when he heard some shouting "OWE YOU UP IN THE METAL THING GET DOWN HEAR NOW!" With a sigh Ross pulled the gas mask on then the helmet. Author's Note I did want to make Ross good with girls but I don't exactly know what to do as I don't have any experience other than them braying me for nothing :( Also Ditzy or Derpy ? I'll Comment on The story and thrum it up for Derpy down for Ditzy you got a week
Clash of OpinionAuthor's Note I'm not sure what you will make of this one If you don't like it say, suggest and I'll try something else. Clash of Opinion Clash of Opinion Iron skin paced back and thought waiting I'm going to rip it's bucking throat out! There was the sound of rope and something landing "Who the fuck are you!? and why the fuck are you ordering me about !?" Iron Skin turn'd and looked up into the black eye's of Ross's mask. She had seen him when the princesses brought him to the war room but she was straining her neck looking up at him and he was a dame side more intimidating up close. Ross looked down at a white pony with a scar's running across her face, a patch on her left eye and a sword in a scabbard ran down the left side of her armorer and Ross picked up that she was very VERY pissed at him. "You been killing my officers?" her voice was calm. "Only the inept one a Caption Money" Ross folded his arm's with the hiss of the slightly squished air pipe. "And ... you ... shot... him?" Ross rested one hand on his sword's hilt "Yes he was a coward and incompetent officer he would have killed more troop's to his lack of ability to command and he showed this by using Sargent Moonlight as a meat shield to protect him self." Iron Skin started to judge him " If that is true you should of reported it to me." Ross slowly slipped his hand onto the plastic-rubbery handle of his sword. "You can't change a officer set onto killing others to save his own flank. Plus I don't think there was anything you could do to change him." Iron skin took a step back and fiddled with her sword's handle. Mean while in the bunk house Applejack role from the top bunk and landed onto her hoof's "Morning Sis..." Big Mac muttered as he slipped off the bottom bunk. "Morning..." Applejack walked to the small table that sat under the window, on top a clay bow of water sat with out hesitating she dunked her face into the cool water sending a few drop's over the lip of the shallow bowl. A few second's later she pulled her face out feeling a bit more awake. There was the sound's of the other pony's in the bunk house getting up. Applejack looked through the window to see the left foot of The ACU and the small group standing there. She moved off then shot back to the window when she realist what was happening from the way the pony's where standing. "Hay y'all! I think the General is sizing up Ross!" The thirty other's in the bunk house looked up to Applejack then they stormed and crowded the window's. Ross noted the officers that followed Iron Skin had formed a border "If you want to fight just say." Ross drew his saber slowly and stabbed it into the ground then he pulled the belt off from round his wast with the attached revolver holster and rested it on top of the hilt. Then he cracked his knuckles and waited. Iron skin smiled stretching her scar's and chuckled that slowly built to a hearty laugh "You don't give two buck for rank and authority do you?" "Only when it's earned." Ross shifted his leg's setting his weight onto his back foot ready to react. Iron Skin continued to laugh, some of the other officer's started to laugh nervously "T...this one this one I like!" Iron skin stood on her back leg's and put one for-leg round Ross's shoulder. "But you let-" Something prodded her unarmored belly. Something sharp. "..Your guard down to fast." Ross finished her sentence while keeping the presser on the pocket knife prodding her stomach. "Where was that blade?" Iron Skin ask'd "Field rule number 5: All way's keep a concealed weapon on you." "You have potential and I like you." Iron Skin said feeling Ross slip his knife into his pocket. Iron Skin dropped back onto all four's "I think we haven't been properly introduced. I'm General Iron Skin of her Majesty's Royal Guard." Ross snapped to attention "Iron Warrior Leftenant-Commissar David Ross! Of the 68th Siege/Siege breaker Regiment "The Thunder Fighter's of the UEF!" Ross saluted and remand stood to attention. "What are you any way?" Iron Skin asked "Human! Male! Age. 22!" Ross rattled off. "At ease" Iron Skin said and Ross stood to at ease. Celestia stood on her balcony and watched the massed pony's begin to wake up. Every bed held family, every garden, park and scrap of free land held as many tent's as could possibly fit. Each tent holding as many pony's as humanly possible. Carts pulled by members of the guard where drawn down the street's issuing food and drink to the evacuees. Luna slip'd into her bed exhausted the curtains drawn blocking her sisters sun. "Er..Twilight..." Spike poked twilight with his talon " Hum..." Twilight head lifted from her desk the book held on the side of her face by her drool. "Er... Twilight. Face." Spike said suppressing his laughter. "Err..." Twilight ratcheted up and pulled the off book with wet sound. Iron Skin looked over Ross's uniform "Where and what is your rank identification?" "Here." Ross moved his head to the left reviling the two gold pip's on his right collier. Iron skin looked up "Kneel down I can't see." Ross glanced at her through the lenses but knelt down on one knee. Iron Skin looked up at the two gold pip's "Very well but you will need the correct marks." Iron skin turned to one of her officers "Caption Edge! Go to the quarter master and request a set of lieutenant pip's dismiss!" The Caption snapped to his hoof's together then fell out. Applejack and the others in the bunk house watched as Ross knelt down "What's he doing?" one pony at the back asked "I don't rightly know." Applejack said as they watched. "Right you lot aren't you meant to be ready to have breakfast?" Said a familiar voice called from the door way. They all turned to find Sargent moonlight standing there bandages round her mid rift. "Sargent!" All the pony surrounded her asking how she was and what happened. "I'm fine and I'll explain later. Have I missed anything?" The Doctor of the conscript regiment Pin Prick stepped forward's "No just Iron Skin working Ross over." Moonlight smiled "How is he doing?" Pin Prick looked out the window "Well..." Ross was stood to attention again Iron Skin was interrogating him about his uniform "Whats with the coat?" Ross answered with the truth "The treated trench coat and the full uniform was stranded battle dress for my regiment and the current battle dress of my home world as we often fight in poor conditions that where often also contaminated with Radioactive, Chemical and even Biological weapons that ha been detonate'd against us." Moonlight turn'd back from the window "Ok. Right you lot go get your breakfast." There was the sound of hoof's on wooden floor board's as the conscript's moved off to the mess hall. Iron Skin wasn't sure but she thought she saw Ross's head ever so slightly turn toward's the pony's entered the mess hall. "Hungry?" "Ma'am?" "Are you hungry?" Iron Skin asked again a smile touching her lip's. "No." Ross lied the nutrient paste ration not filling but the slight gurgle from his stomach betrayed him. Iron Skin gave in she knew a army marched on it's stomach "You are dismissed go get something to eat." "Thank you Ma'am." Ross saluted then ran to the mess hall. Moonlight sat the bowl of oatmeal in front of her. The door open'd and Ross stooped in looking round he moved to the counter the food was on.pulling a white, chipped tin bowl from his pocket and dunked it into the porridge pot to the annoyance of the cook. Ross pulled the bowl out the porridge only just staying in it. Looking round he saw Moonlight, Applejack, Big Mac. Parting the crowd Ross sat next to Big Mac. "Er... Sir this is not the officer's mess you know that?" Pin Prick asked Ross shrugged "I don't care. Proper food." Ross pulled his gas mask up reveling his mouth. He brought the bowl up to his lip's and started too gulp it down the pony's on the table stared at him. "Ya'll hungry?" Big Mac asked. Ross gulped a few more times the set the now empty bowl down with a clatter "What gave it away?" Ross pulled the mask down and looked round the table, with a bletch that made his mask bulge. Moonlight shook her head. "Sargent? What you doing here I thought you where still in hospital?" Ross looked her up and down. "I can't stand it in there it's to quite." "Well you look good. Did you sign out or brake out?" Moonlight smiled "They know I'm out but they didn't say I could go." Ross rested his hand on her back ""If you wanted braking out all you had to do was ask." There was a chuckle from all around the table. "Lieutenant Ross! I'm looking for Lieutenant Ross!?" Ross looked at the door and found a runner "Here!" The scout runner moved over to him and pulled a letter out of his saddle bag then left. Ross opened the letter and read it. "To Lieutenant-Commissar David Ross. It is my firm belief that you should be given command of any force and troop that you deem a necessity to aid you in the saving of our world. This decision was made due to the information my sister and fateful student Twilight Sparkle has given me so far in addition you are the only one with moderate experience and knowledge of fighting the "Seraphim" and "Order" forces. I also propose you form a team that you will lead and train as a specialist force dedicated to hunting and removing major threats that require a more subtle touch or if the use large fores is a unattainable option. These individuals will be excused normal duty's and to your judgment and discretion you will reward promotion's or commendation's. You will have my full support In any decision's you make. Yours fatefully Princes Celestia." "Is it good?" Moonlight asked a concerned look on her face. Ross nodded and fished around in his pocket and pulled a sheet of paper out and a pen "Well Sargent Major do you think you can keep up with me?" Moonlight looked round "Where's the Sargent Major!?" "I'm looking at her Sargent Major." Ross passed her the slip of paper. Moonlight opened the folded paper. "Official document ASDER00006034 Type: Promotion form. Promotion from rank of..." The printed text changed to a neat hand writing. "... Warren officer 1st Class then appointed to Sargent Major. Reason: Confirmed loyalty and belief in the Officer of command and the necessary attitude to command in the role of Sargent Major. You are transfer'd to LT Ross's command immediately. With this you are excused normal duty's of a Sargent Major of the larger army to take part in S.O.H.U (Seraphim and Order Hunter Unit.) Congratulation's. Sign'd..." There was a scrawl but Moonlight was sure she could see "Ross" in it. Moonlight looked up at Ross and stammered. "I...w....h..." Ross passed her the letter from Celestia and watched as her face changed from confusion to amazement. "Now Sargent Major if you are fit for duty you will evaluate any possible candidate's for training as I have other duty's to attend to thank you... O Moonlight you may need to go to the quarter master and attain your new rank emblem's." Ross got up and walked out the mess hall and Moonlight looked round the table "Well...that went well." Celestia looked down at the brown folder that had been given to her by a scout runner. There was a note attached. "My credential's what you to be assured you trust is well placed also the note underneath explains something." Celestia pulled the note out and read it It explained the differences between her pony's and the ones of his home and he would appreciate it if she did't tell anyone he use to ride horses as for all he knew that it could be something sexual or dirty. Celestia felt her cheek's blush as she read it if only Ross knew how right he was. She put that trail of thought aside and opened the file. "Name: DAVID ROSS Bio Age: 22 Birthplace: Garnelis, City of Craftsmen, Smith street hospital Birthday 8, October 3824 Height : 5 Ft 10 in Eye color: Blue Sex: Male Training Stranded Infantry Training Grenadier Training (Advanced Specialist) Combat Engineer Training (Advanced) Cavalry Training (Advanced) Hazardous environment combat training. Officer Training Commissariat training (Specialist training) Siege Warfare and Siege Braking Training Operation & Maintenance of ACU Training Service Record 44th Training group 23rd Garnlis line infantry regiment 666th "Delves Own" Engineering training Korp 99th Hazardous environment combat team. 8th Grenadier regiment 110th Heavy Cavalry of Garnlis 69th Siege/Siege brake regiment. Notable action's 44th Where on a training mission when they where ambushed by renegades of the 2nd infantry of Mars that had turned to the Cybran's. The survivors of the 44th some three hundred consolidated and headed to the extraction point only to find a defensive line. The only way they could get to the com's relay and call for help was with a full frontal assault. The assault was in a hilly region where the com's array sat where it could reach the satellite link in high orbit. This made the charge to the defensive line more difficult as they where fighting up hill. The commanding officer Coronal Brim asked for volunteer's to form a Forlorn hope that he would lead. Ross step'd forward's the instant the word's left Brim's mouth. No one else step'd forward's so Brim chose "volunteers" Before the attack Brim pulled Ross aside and gave him is deceased second's sword and made him Cadet leader. This image was taken from a captured Cybren droid when they stormed the line. Left with cap and sword Coronal Brim. Center Unknown Cadet. Right with sword and pistol Cadet leader Ross. Note they are wearing the battle dress of the Garnlis infantry and the older battle dress of siege regiment's. The Forlorn hope manged to punch a hole through the line to witch the remaining men stormed the breach and made a run for the Com's array the Forlorn hope became the rear guard. The navy was called and it's transport made planet fall. The traitors pressed on the rear guard as they fell back there numbers dwindled from the 50 of the Forlorn hope to two dozen. The following report is from Cargo master Bella Ferdinan who greeted the survivors as they boarded the transport. "I was on the lip of the ramp guiding the pilot down into the small landing area the 44th had cleared. We hit the dirt and the two hundred or so troop's there stormed up the ramp I noticed there where no officers so I grabbed the nearest one asking where the rest of them where and through the mask and over the engines told me they where ever dead or in the rear guard. So we waited and we started taking incoming so I draw my pistol and the few of the uninjured or walking wounded stood with me at the end of the ramp. So we stood there and mortars started to come down. We where being forced to take off when I saw something running at us. It was faintly human as it got closer it was five men. It was Ross with Coronal Brim across his shoulders. One with a leg wound using him as a support on his left, he was dragging another with his right the another walking at his side protecting him. The guard told us to take off as they where the last ones. So they jogged past us and I noticed the gunshot in Ross's back so we take off and deal with the wounded on the way up, Ross sat in a seat in a dark end of the hold I almost forgot to treat him 'till he stumbled into me." Ross still carry's the sword to this day. Ross was rewarded the Blue Ribbon for bravery in the face of the enemy and the Blood Cross for continuing duty while wounded. While with the 8th Grenadier's Ross... now a Staff Sargent ... took part in a raid on a Aeon Held world that involved a jump from a high flying transport to the content below. The raid was fouled by a long range AA instillation and the drop team was reduced from twenty to eight yet they continued the mission that required them to destroy key structure's before the ACU lead force could gate in with out difficulty. They landed with a six wheeled Light vehicle to help them move in the snowy planet. They had to raid a motor pool to destroy the fuel dump then the ammo dump next to it. The attack went ahead and was a run away successes but of the mad dash to escape the exploding ammo dump Ross and a fellow grenadier where thrown from the back of the six wheeler. They where both wounded severally, with out any range weapon's only Ross sword, survival knife and his fellows knife but the more pressing issue was the lack of supply's to last them if they manged to escape and wait for the main force to come to the rescue. But they manged to escape and into a nearby wood's. They where hunted for three day's in the coarse of which the two managed to kill off almost a squad of warriors by silently hunting with them down with the knifes and sword, basic trap's made from wood and the now useless ammo they had by making making "Toe popper" booby-trap's. Unfortunately his partner perished on the third morning Ross and the body where rescued that afternoon. Ross was rewarded the Victoria cross for Valor in the face of the enemy, The Crossed machete's medal for resourcefulness, Sword's man's medal for skill with bladed weapon's, The Anvil medal for determination to return the dead home and the Red Ribbon for bravery. Ross requested a transfer to the cavalry after he learned the squad leader had been promoted after a last stand in which he was the sole survivor and the bodies of the other grenadier's where unrecoverable saying "Those man where fifty times the man that bastard will ever be." On Sitane 3 he jumped from his charging mount to intercept a sniper's shot aimed for Infantry Major Andrew Willow. It is speculated the only reason he lived was his stubbornness. On Tarterus the UEF was fighting to defend a fort. After having his his commanding officer exacted for leaking information to the enemy Ross lead a suicidal charge against Aeon armor in a attempted to allow his commander's to fire a tactical missile uninterrupted. The attempt was successful and the missal struck the Aeon base. Ross was rewarded The gold ribbon for bravery the silver horse Horseshoe for mastery of riding and the brass Horseshoe for skill of fighting from the saddle. His skill as a ACU pilot was discovered when a ACU officer's cadet was wounded and he climbed the SACU mid battle with medical supply's. When he ratcheted the access hatch he patched up the pilot but the SACU was effectively immobilized but a crash corset from it's pilot and the ACU officer and Ross fell in with the ACU and the sister's SACU of the 12th Brigade. Ross accounted for ten high priority kill's three of which where beyond the designated effective range of the SACU's weapon's. Ross was pulled from the cavalry, promoted to lieutenant and entered the ACU program immediately. He is currently attached to the 69th Siege/Siege brake regiment." Celestia set the file down and felt a little nag melted away she was now confident that supporting Ross fully was the right thing to do.
Rank and FileAuthor's Note I ant to happy with this one what do you lot say? Rank and File Rank and File The ACU made it's way down the street a pair of guard pony's infrount and behind it helping guide the ACU as it made it's ponderous way down to the gate and to the trenches. Pony's watched in awe amazed that something so large could walk on it's own Raindrops looked up at the viewing monitor from Ross's lap. Redhart was infrount of Ross and Drops. Daylight streamed in through the open hatch and bird song made it's way in. Redhart assisted on it being open and Ross's shotgun was the right length to prop the hatch open. "Look out for that building!" Raindrops said pointing at the monitor. "We'll get past." Ross reassured her. A minute later the ACU stepped out the gate's and onto the plains at the foot of the mountain the trench network sat a few hundred feet from the gate A regiment was filing from the trench and another that had followed the ACU took over the watch in the trench. Ross pressed the pedals to the floor bringing Unbreakable to a stand still. Ross pulled the arm frames down and slipped his arms into them. "Drops I need you to say "Computer" Then wait and say. "Engage engineering sud-system." quite loudly too." She nodded confused. "Err... Computer!" "Yes?" Raindrops jumped and tucked her self into Ross "Your OK it won't hurt you." Ross pulled his right hand out and gently stroked her back. A few second's of reassuring and she looked up "You sure." Ross nodded a kind smile on his face. "Computer." "Yes?" "Engage engineering sub-system's." There was the hum of a small electric engine and a visor lowered down over Ross's eye's covering them, he had to lean forward a bit as it was set up to compensate for the gas mask. The visor showed the engineering system displaying the materials his ACU had in storage, the structure selection menu and the terraforming control's for small terrain modification's but all this cost his wide filed of view and the view of the control room. Ross pulled his right arm out of the frame after checking there was no immediate threats he groped vaguely for the key bored before he felt it being pulled under his hand "Thank you." Your welcome." Redhart said. Rosa started typing "Engineering all access code 34REFF2." A chime in his ear told him the password was correct and the visors screen filled with information and recommendation's. Ross presses the right arrow key and held it till the point defense menu came up and he selected the "Ravager". "Drops put you hoof under my finger." Ross wiggled the finger that was over the left trigger. he felt a soft hoof rest in between his finger and trigger. ---- 2 hour's later ---- The troop's in the trench watched as the newest turret was completed and the ACU turned back to the city. The ACU stood still back in the barrack's. Ross pushed Redhart up and out the hatch followed by Raindrops the Ross with the duffle bag on his back once again. The two claimed into the bag and Ross threw the rope ladder down. As Ross clime'd down Ross could hear the clinking of cooling metal. Ross knelt down on one knee and they got out. "So... did you enjoy that?" Raindrop's nodded "Yes! Thanks for letting me control it!" "Ross smiled "You may get a go again if you behave in hospital." Raindrop's nodded frantically "I will!" There was a polite cough and Ross turned to Redhart "I want to say thank you for making her so happy. I think she needed that." Ross smiled "Are you OK do you want me to walk you home?" Redhart smiled a slight blush on her cheek's. "Thank's but no thank's I'll take Drops back and then head home my self." Ross stood up "Well goodbye for now." Moonlight opened the door to the briefing room where the candidate's where sat. "Right attention! Officer present." there was the scraping of chairs on floor board's as they stood up and as Ross entered the room they stood to attention. "As you where." The pony's sat down and looked at Ross. "Are you all aware of why you are hear?" Ross asked and revived combined shack of head's and most answered "No Sir". Ross nodded "Right basics. As most of you will know or been told I'm Leftenant - Commissar David Ross of the UEF. I was sent hear to help and that's what I'm going to do. You lot are hear because the Sargent Major here believes you are ideal for a group called S.O.H.U that I will lead and we will specialist in hunting down vital target's of Seraphim or Order origin. Now I'll go through you all and make my selection." Ross took the files on the desk and went through them and asked the pony's questions to evaluate there suitability. A half an hour later Ross had twenty or so for S.O.H.U. Ross looked the files in his hand these where the ones with the most potential potential. Moonlight and Ross looked over there selection "Happy?" Ross asked "Why should I matter it's your team "I'f I go down there then your team and I don't like it when my troop's are unhappy." Moonlight nodded "More than happy." Ross looked down at the names again. Applejack and her brother Big Mac. They where heavy hitter's. There was the dark blue Unicorn Medic Pin Prick. A Tan brown Earth Pony called Crock Catcher that was from a place called "Horsetralia" who was supposedly a good tracker and survive expert. Then there was Jasmine a Bat-pony from the Luna guard who was supposedly a master of "Hoof blade's" and "Wing blade's" Another silver white Bat-pony called Silver Light. A stealth and night fighter expert. The rest of the team where one's with the right attitude and or another useful skill. "Right. Get them out to the firing range I want to see what each one is like with a cross bow then I'll see what there hand to hand is like." Moonlight nodded and started ordering the new S.O.H.U to the firing range. As they went to the range they all stoped by the armory to sign out a crossbow and quiver of arrow's. Ross watched each one had to write there name's then draw the tattoo they had on the flank's. "Moonlight what are them tattoo's?" "You mean the Cutey mark's? They are themed to what the pony's best skill is why?" "Humans don't have them." Really?" "See for your self." Ross flicked the bottom of his trench coat back and slipped the side of his trousers down to show his blank buttock. "No hair as well... how do you fined your special skill?" "Trial and Error." Ross said with a smile Ross stepped up to the large window used for distributing and receiving weapon's and other kit. "Quarter Master?" the old Earth pony looked round he was a gray with white filling his muzzle "I that's me Smithy is the name Old Smithy is my name and you owe me a bag don't ya?" Ross put it out of his pocket "There." The old pony smiled. "Thank you." Ross stood on the range "Right two thing you should know about Order infantry. They will not quit. I'v seen them stagger back to there feet with a good portion of there torso missing only to charge on. Second. They are all mark's men so you..." Ross's arm moved in a blur and with a bang the closest's dummy's head rocked with the impact of the revolvers shot. "... need to be better." They all looked at him. "Sargent Major you take care of them for now each is to have ten shot's." Ross returned with his old infantry and cavalry webbing on. It consisted of ammo pouches around his wast, around the back on ever side of his wast were holder's for his stick grenade's three to each holder. In the center of his back covering where his spine met his hip was his entrenching tool handle pointing down. On one of the straps that went over his shoulder in a holder handle down was a bayonet that fitted onto his shotgun. Over his shoulder on a strap was his shotgun. Moonlight saluted and made her report "All hit there target's but only a few penetrated the armorer." Ross looked up the range to find broken arrows that had bounced off they where littered the ground infrount of the target's. Ross nodded "Right I'll do hand to hand drills with them." Ross stood infrount of the troop's "Who want's to go hand to hand with me?" The group looked round. "I will" Jasmine stepped forward's. "Very well." Ross stepped back and watched as Jasmine pulled what looked like metal gloves with a pair of bladed on each side almost like talon's. Ross watched as she pulled them onto her front hoof's "I won't go easy on you." Jasmine said eyeing Ross. Ross thought of what he was going to do "I'll play this defensively." Ross thought as the gas-mask slipped on. Followed by the helmet and the click of it fixing into the latches. Jasmine watched as Ross pulled the gloves on and for some reason he reached round with his right hand pulled the spade he had on his back out. "You got a sword use it." All she receive was a stare from the lenses and the sound breathing. The only acknowledge she got that Ross heard her was he raising the spade level with his head. "Fine." said and the two started walking in a circle keeping them self's opposite each other. Jasmine soon realized she might of bitten of more she could chew. The only reason she was so good was her ability to use the opponent's body language to predict there movement's and attack's. Ross's coat prevented her from watching for muscles tensing and the lenses instead of eye's meant she couldn't use them to help see if he had seen any opening's. Jasmine gave in first. She swiped at him with her left only for it to be stoped with bone jarring force and a loud clang as Ross caught her blades with the edge of the spade. He forced her back and they started to walk the circle again. The second move was made by Ross but it was a faint Ross suddenly stood up from the slight crouch and raised the spade in both hand's above his head. Jasmine brought her blades up to protect her self. Ross swung low and smacked her in the side with the face of the spade. Jasmine grimaced but drought the bladed down on the back off Ross's head. Sparks erupted from Ross's helmet and he stagger back giving Jasmine a opening she needed. She launched her self at him blades raised. But Ross had recovered faster than she expected. With a back handed swing he swatted the blade's aimed at his chest away and she side was made open to witch Ross's fist slammed into her. This continued for ten minutes the two exchanged blows the other deflecting them. That was until Ross made a deliberate mistake. He loosen his grip as Jasmine swung at him the spade fell from his hand as her blade's slammed into the head of the spade. Jasmine smiled and brought both her blade's up and drought them to bear. She brought both set's of blade's down but Ross cough her wrist's and held her firm. Jasmine stared into the lenses but there was nothing there to see she was panted but Ross was still breathing slowly. Jasmine was suddenly flipped and slammed into ground on her back. She opened her eye's only to find Ross kneeling over her the wickedly sharp cutting edge of the spade hovering over her throat she nodded and she could feel the spade edge with her fir. Ross pulled his mask up and pulled Jasmine to her feet. "G...good fight." Ross nodded with a smile "Yes you nearly beat me once or twice." The crowd surrounded Jasmine congratulating her. Moonlight looked at Ross "I need to work on something for these lot to use better than them crossbow's." Moonlight looked at him "Was that necessary?" Ross looked at the group "There moral is up. that's all I need." Ross looked through the menu of a coffee shop called "Doughnut Joe's" he had the creeping feeling of being watched he looked round and found all the other customer's staring at him. "Problem?" They all quickly wiped there head's back round. "What can I do you for?" Ross looked round to find the unicorn owner that the cafe got it's name. His brown main was a mess and his fir was yellow. "Er...I'll have a tea with two sugar's, milk and three toffee doughnut's please sir." Ross smiled and Joe nodded and smiled as he moved off to the other end counter. A minute or two latter Joe came back a tray in his magic glow. "There you go my stallion." The tray came to rest on the counter "That will be five bit's please." Ross reached into his pocked and pulled out what looked like a thin sheet of clear plastic with a thin pattern on it and the number five in the center. "There you go." Ross put it on the counter. Doughnut Joe looked down at it "What is that?" Ross looked down. "Five credit's you asked for." Joe shook his head "Five bit's. Bit's!" Ross looked down "Ar... bollocks! I'v only been here two day's so...I don't have any money." Joe smiled. "No worry I'll set up a tab and you can pay back when you are in fund's." "Thank's m-" Ross was interrupted as a scrunched up paper towel bounced off his head. "WHO threw that!?" no pony owned up. Ross turned back to Joe. "You see who?" "No sorry." Ross shrugged "No harm done." Ross picked up the tea and took a sip "O... that's good." Joe smiled "Glad you like it." Ross shifted his shoulders and he felt his shotgun knock ageist his back "Er Joe do you mind if i have my arm's in hear I'll hand them over to you if you want." Joe looked over at him from where he was serving another customer. "As long as you don't use them I'm OK." Ross took a bite from one of the toffee doughnut's and Ross saved it. Last time he had half decent doughnut was at home his mother had made. "You look happy." Joe said. Ross nodded and murmurer something that sounded like a "Yes." Ross swallowed "One of the best I'v ever had." Joe pulled up a chair on his side of the counter and they started to talk. Twenty minute's later Joe looked at the clock handing over the doughnut fryer. "Ten o'clock. better start getting ready for the dinner rush." Ross drained the last of his tea. "Again thanks for that." "Anytime." Ross got up and left. The eye's of every pony followed him. As Ross walked back to the barrack's his mind turned to the need to get better arm's for S.O.H.U. Ross was looking through the computer , running stimulation's. The monitor to his left read off all the rifles Ross could produce at the factory he was going to build. "M-T.R.R Assault rifle.... Fail. Set up un-usable. M-16 all modals... Fail. Use of control's to fiddly for hoofs. Semi-auto rifles... Fail... While set up is viable the extra sound of the action operating and shine of the ejected bullet spinning through the air will give away shooter's location in stealth operation's. Bolt action rifles... Possible... the simple set up off bolt action rifle is more than etiquette but re-loading will be hard with out ammo strip and some ammo will be to weak to pierce Order or Seraphim armorer. Martin-Henry action rifle... Ideal. Despite the single shot system the ammo in powerful enough to punch through armor the set up is ideal for pony's and is sturdy enough it may be used as a club." Ross eye the computer "Relay? Is that all you can come up with?" Ross shrugged. "Computer," "Yes?" "Activate Engineering sub-system." The pony's walked into the bunk house having finished there meal and it was their afternoon off . "What the hay?!" Some pony said some of the pony's had long boxes with the boxes there was a belt with pouch's each had a letter left with them." The pony's that had the boxes opened the letter's attached to each was almost the same. " The holder of this letter is promoted to Private. This is your newly issued to arm. A Martini-Henry action rifle MK-IV you are not to operate them with out receiving the briefing tomorrow morning. You will report to the briefing room to begin you initiation to S.O.H.U. Congratulation's." Big mac looked at his bunk there was a letter but no box or belt. He opened it. "Cadet M.Apple You and your sister are promoted to Private You are to be issued a specialist weapon. You will be taken to the castle forge where you will be issued you new arm after the initiation." "Wow." One pony had opened the case and took the rifle out and was waving it round. "PRIVATE! WHAT DID THE LETTER SAY!!" Moonlight stood in the door way.
Bio-hazardBio-hazard Ross sat in the dark of the ACU his wrist watch chimed as it hit midnight and reset to "0:00" Ross slowly took a sit from his canteen the cold water numbing his lip's. He was changing he knew it. "Cold...Killer... Evil .... Murderer... Murderer... that was one of the common ones... the way he had been described by prisoner's taken from the battle filed." Ross looked up at the star spangled sky thorough the hatch. He was't going to sleep...not to night. Luna walked through the gardens of the castle. Some of the strange iridescent flower's that opened at night glowed dully in the flower bed's. As she walked her eye was drawn to a strange shape standing near one of the fish pond's. "Who's there! Identify your self!" "Leftenant-Commissar David Ross. Of 68th." Ross turned his gas-mask lenses reflecting the glowing plant's. "O David you startled me." Luna let out a sigh of relief and dispelled the magic in her horn "What are you doing hear at this hour?" Her curiosity was aroused. "My apology's Luna." Ross bowed his head. "I was out hear...contemplating." "If I may ask what where you contemplating?" Luna walked up to Ross and she come level with his head she cold see a twinkle in the black depth. "Me...this world... It's changing me I never take my mask off unless I'm sleeping, use to hardly smile I...I was cold... Now...I smile and go around with out my mask I have a few friend's already." Luna was confuse "And that's not a good thing?" Ross looked at the flower's "Yes and...no...yes I'm becoming a more feeling person, happier and all that and no what if there is a side affect of this sudden change? Like I have a cancer in my brain or something?" Luna closed here eye's and her horn glowed as she recited a spell in her head. She could not find any thing obvious. "From what I can find there is nothing wrong with you... but if you want you can always talk to me confidently..." She gently stepped up to Ross and slid his gas-mask up reviling...even in the early light of dawn.... his ghostly white face. "...that need's to stay off as much as possible. Please. For me." Ross gave a small and soft smile. "Yes...Luna." Ross looked at her the sun just over her shoulder starting to glow from it's possession behind the horizon. Luna smiled as a blush formed over her check's "Ross your staring am I that pretty?" Ross gave her another smile "Sorry Daughter o-... Luna" Celestia looked at the report infrount of her "Has this been verified?" The scout caption nodded. "I saw this my self." Celestia sat there on the throne. "Summon Lieutenant Ross. Immediately!" Ross was in the Briefing room demonstrating the new rifle to the members S.O.H.U. Ross held the rifle up. "This is the Martini-Henry Mk IV. Note there is no safety. It uses as drop block mechanism and is operated as such." Ross pulled the handle down and showed block dropping into the rifle and reviling the end of the chamber. "With these weapons you should be able to hit a target at eight hundred yard's." The pony's looked at each other's a look of awe on each faces. Crossbow's where fortunate if they hit there target at 150 yard's at the most and then they where luck if they hurt anything. Ross pulled two Order chest plats out from under the desk, one was shot at point blank with a cross bow and the other was shot with a Martini at 500 yard's. "Note the cross bow bolt entered the armor and stoped roughly a inch..." Ross held the armor up with the bullet hole. "...and the Martini rifle at five hundred yard's... clean through. The door banged open and Ross found a scout caption. In a crop of tree's near Canterlot was where the S.O.H.U was lead after Ross had given Big Mac and Applejack a crash corse on there new charge. The bunker was seat in the bottom of a hollow in the wood's. The old leves formed a brown and crunching carpet. Ross looked at the heavy door with the strange sign on it "Any idea?" Moonlight asked looking at the door as well "Maybe..." Ross turned to his team "Non of you are to follow me even if something happens got that?" "YES SIR!" they all responded Ross gestated Moonlight over and keeled down his trench coat splaying round him. Moonlight looked at the door "What do you think is in there?" Ross looked over his shoulder to the hand picked team. Macintosh was sat closes the frame that held the two mini-gun's set on ever side of his body pointing up into the sky "Private Macantos come hear please." "Eeyup." He slowly stood and walked over "Right this doesn't go out side this small talk OK? I think this is a teasing facility but it's what may be inside that worry's me..." The two pony's looked at each other. "... Macantos you and you sister are to cover the door after I enter Moonlight you sort the team out I need to get ready. "Yes Sir" "Eeyep...Sir" "Forget the sir Mac." Ross pulled on his gloves then fasten them to the sleeve's. Then siting down on the dirt he tightened the putty's to the point it almost hurt and he was sure there was a seale. Ross then pulled on the gas mask and made there was a seal where the gas-mask meat the collier of his coat. Next his webbing followed. The stick grenades fixed into there holder's, bayonet in it's sheath, shovel on his back and the attached pouch's some swollen from the ammo held with in other's with vital kit. "Ready Ross?" Moonlight asked as Ross snapped his shot gun closed "Yes Sargent" Ross's muffled voice replied and moved towards the door." How are you getting in?" Moonlight asked watching Ross as he press at the top of the door then the bottom with his foot "Like this" he planted the muzzle of the shot gun where he judged the lock was and fired. The door swung in and every pony cringed as a horrific smell meet there noses. There was a deep echoing of the gun's retort and the door slamming into the wall Ross opened the shot gun and swap'd out the spent cartridge "Mac If anything try's to get out that an't me send it to oblivion" Mac bit down on the prime button on the controls in front of his mouth and the two gun's spun up to full speed in a instant then fell still "Eeyep." Ross turn'd to the dark door way as he entered the pitch black he pulled two devices out of a pouch of the webbing and twisted them into his eye leases of the gas-mask. As Ross went deeper into the bunker the devices activated and the corridor was revival'd in the sickly green of night-vision. A few step's in Ross sank a bit. Looked down to find there was a few inches of something on the floor. "O Jesus what is this..." Ross continued into the darkness now a slight squelch of whatever under foot as he walked on. Soon there was a flight of step's and Ross descended into another corridor this one was much wider with door's spaced every few feet along the corridor. His attention was cough by a gurney in the middle of this corridor with something covered "You better be dead." Ross muttered as he slowly creep'd toward's the gurney. As he reached it Ross pulled the bayonet from his webbing and with the point slowly pulled the dirty and stained sheet back. The pink and long main was dirty and tatter'd. More of the sheet was pulled down. The shaven and plucked Pegasus was revival Ross was discussed by what had been done. Parts a been hacked off and replaced the face was a mash of flesh and metal the cheek's had been sliced off reviling all the teeth and the jaw had been seat in a deathly grin. One eye had burst and the thick goo had drooled down onto the metal table the body was thin and emaciated he could see every bone. Ross gently prodded it with the point of the bayonet hoping not to get a response. All he got was a hiss of escaping gas from the bloated corp's. Sick fuckers what did they do to you... Ross pulled the sheet back over the body. "Celestia and Luna take you." Ross slipped the bayonet onto the muzzle of the shotgun and proceeded with gun raised and safety off. There was a scattering noise as he slowly walked off it sounded like it was coming from ahead along with a dripping sound other than that the place was silent. All the door's where barely open but it was enough to see each held a form of mutilation. The last door was wide open Ross didn't pay it any attention not wanting to see it's content's. He was directly opposite it when he saw there was a pony silhouetted in it he didn't think he thrust the shotgun into it berrying the bayonet deep into it's neck with a fleshy sound and a hiss of gas. Ross looked into it face. It's milky eye's stared back as it smiled the smile it was given looking down Ross found it's leg's had been replaced with mechanical devices that held it upright. Ross looked back up to fined it's head had moved slightly he unsure If it was the body reacting to the blade that might of nudging a bone or something. With a sharp jerk Ross pulled the blade free of the things neck. There was a clatter of something ahead and Ross trained his shot gun onto it. Nothing. Taking a deep breath Ross keep advancing along the corridor. He finely came to the last door on that corridor. He didn't want to open it. Ross for once of the few times so far in his life. Scared of doing something. But Ross forced his body work. He pushed the door with the tip of the bayonet. *Squick* Ross slowly pushed the door open to find a operation theater there was a large pile of discarded biological material. Limes, organs... Ross swallowed the vomit that try'd to force it's way up his throat ... Fetus's there where fetus's! Cut from there mother's?! "What did they hope to achieve from this genocide?" Ross asked aloud. He closed the door not wanting so see what other atrocity's in the pile. There was another flight of stair and as Ross descended he noticed his night vision was starting to weaken. The light from the now open door no longer being picked by the devices. Ross ratcheted up and turned on the small infrared torch on the left eye a large cone of infrared lit his way as he walked down the step's. At the bottom was a room full of what look to be cryo pod's. Ice was forming on them and even trough his trench coat Ross felt the temperature had fallen considerably. A thick steam started to rise from the bag on his chest as he walked deeper into the pod's. A few row's in a pod to his left was smashed. One of the pony monstrosity's was half way out. This one had a blade instead of it's left for-leg. Ross looked down to find the source of the dripping noise. A drop fell from the thing's teeth and hit the floor with slight hiss and a puff of smoke Acid? Ross thought as he prodded it with the bayonet once again receiving the hiss from the bloated body. "If these are all full and where still alive I'd be dead with in two minutes." Ross continued to walk on with the crunch of the now frozen sludge under foot. There was a door at the end of the pod's this one was more of a bulk head with a large wheel in the middle of the door Ross sling the shot gun onto his shoulder and took a firm grip of the wheel. Ross try'd to turn it but only received a slight movement and a squeak of metal on metal. "Come on..." Ross try'd again and there was a slamming noise as the wheel gave in more and Ross received a half turn with more scraping and and squealing. "Come the fuck on!" Ross gave it another tug and it spun lose with a squeal and a cloud of rusty dust. Ross pulled the shotgun off his shoulder and walked through the door. *Crunch crunch crunch...screeeep.....crunch crunch crunch....screeeep* Ross spun round shotgun tucked into his shoulder. The was a whine as Ross's night vision goggles strained to penetrate the dark. Nothing. Ross lowed his shotgun after a few second'. " My mind is playing trick's on me." Ross turned to the door and entered. Ross looked round he was surrounded by tower's of what looked like server's and other detritus of research. A large monitor and computer station Ross slowly walked up to it the slit mum of active electrical power had it's way to his ear's " Still powered?" Ross looked at the key's on the board while they were definitely human but they where of Order style. Slight change where made to them. Ross pressed what looked like the power button. The monitor burst into life "Intialising Network Connection." Ross smiled into his mask not believing his luck the smile quickly turned into a grimes of horror and Ross was forced to swallow the second load of vomit that tried to maker it's way up his throat. The silent video showed a pony obviously screaming in agony and Ross could see a surgeon with a blood and gore stained chainsaw rip her gut's out. Ross realized that it was the Pegasus he passed in the first hall. Ross held what looked like a delete button and the video vanished and what looked like a ongoing text communication. "Are the 5th, 1st, 166th, 10th, 8th, 203rd, 1,023th ,12th, 77th, 700th, 56th ,13th ,55th, 76th, 98th, 200th cohort's ready?" .... "Yes Battle Master they are making there way to the rally point near the capital of the witches." "Good...you have brought honer to the position the Order has given you." "Than-" "UNKNOWN USER STATE YOU ID?" "Aww shit!" Ross said " "Aww shit!" IS NOT VALID USER NAME ACTIVATING SECURITY" Ross turned shot gun held level at his wast. The dead eyes where watching him. The Pony's looked up as echoing bang's and shouting made there way up through the door all leaved there weapon's at the door. Ross pulled the trigger and the powerfully recoil sent shock waves up his arm's the nearest head exploded and another took it's place. Ross slashed with the bayonet Black and maggot infested organs spilled from it. Ross pulled the trigger and there was no recoiled that time. Ross charged towards the door bayonet practically shining in the dark. Ross berrying the blade in past the muzzle of the gun with a tug'd upward's Ross sent the monstrosity over his head and he ran on. he could felt the weight of body's pressing in on him and he some how knew he could not fight them all he had to get out that instant. Ross ran shouldering and stabbing what he could. They where dragging and striking him, his coat and webbing taking every thing they could but some blow's got through and he could feel them stinging and burning. On flight of stare's later Ross threw a stick grenade over his shoulder and it exploded with a wet bang he felt goer spray his back as he ran. He screamed at his leg's to go faster The loud crunch of the frozen slug meat his ear's and a defining banning from the cryo pod's. Ross ran harder the crunch of hundred's of hoof's behind him made his adrenalin kick into over drive and his legs muscles kicked into over drive. The next flight of stairs fell beneath him and he saw the one the gurney was on it's feet. It was inbetween the door and him. It was walking at him grinning. Ross slid on the slime... it spraying up onto him and with a powerful adrenalin fuel'd kick wiped it's leg's out. He felt one jump on him and bit down"Fucking hard!" Ross thought as he belted to the door. "FIRE! He bellowed as he threw himself into the dirt outside the door. Ross felt the weight on his back lifted to and the very air being ripped apart a few centimeter's above his back. Ross didn't know how long he was laying there but felt more and more gore cover him. Then it stoped. Ross lay face down still. then he was lifted up. Applejack picked up Ross from the floor. "Ya'll right." Ross looked down at his stained and gore covered uniform. Then his attention was court by the bite that had de-shaped and slightly disolved the pauldron. "Y...ye I...Im good." Mac walked up a smile plastered across his face smoke still rising from the cooling mini-gun's. "Ya'll smell like all nation!" "Yes thank you for that." The three looked down at the one with the mechanical leg's that was apparently on his back "Well th-" It stood with out warning it jaw extended wide ready to bite down on Ross's arm. A hoof met the side of it's head and it fell. Applejack looked back. Ross didn't mess about about he picked his saber up and in a one armed over the head swing severed it's neck from it's body "Bucking stay dead." Ross said sliding the saber in to the scabbard. "Let's...go home." Moonlight said panting her smoking rifle across her back.
Wing's of HonourWing's of Honour Ross knew the only way they could find the supposed army was to look down on the world. Ross was currently a few hundred miles from Canterlot. The plane flew through the cloud's It's looked incredibly ugly and odd design. The short and fat fuselage compered to it's short squire wing's made it looked like it was drawn by a child but there was a purpose for the wing's as the size of the of payload attached on the underside showed. The size of the fuselage it self was deceiving as at the very nose thought there was only a few inches of it showing a was the Thunder fire gatling cannon with a rate of fire of 15,000 - 20,000 round's a minute and a cooling system of liquid nitrogen but there was a price for the weapon as it could only fire a 4 second burst or risk stalling with no chance of recovery. While aircraft's officially name is the Silver Arrow 99 It was known as "God Killer" to Ross It was't even a main line fighter it was reserved for specialist mission's and personnel. Few where trained or even able to operate it dew to the stress it had on the body. It was't even the standard model of the aircraft. Modification's had been made that that let it fly into space meant only the brave or insane flew such a craft but the unusual fluid atmosphere of Equiss meant Ross was going to have to test God Killer to her extreme and utter limit. Ross had received training to pilot the Silver Arrow when he was with 99th Hazardous environment combat team. . . Ross had his flight mask off and was eating a chocolate bar. Ross snack was interrupted by the crackle of the radio in his ear's "tchhhh Spitfire to Ross Spitfire to Ross. Come in? Over." While it had been a pain modifying the equipment for pony use but the stranded flight helmet's where surprisingly good fit for them and he was thankful for the ease of communication before it was banning on the canopy, pointing and shouting. Ross swallowed the lump of chocolate then slipped the barely touched snack into his right breast pocket, pulled the mask back on then pressed the throat mice into his neck "Ross receiving. What is it Captain? Over." While Ross had been given command over any pony he wanted he had stepped down when it came to the air force to let Admiral Fairweather take command as Ross had never been comfortable with commanding air combat. To day he was paired with there best fly's the "Wounderbolt's" led by Caption Spitfire Ross had stepped down again but Spitfire took his help when he offered. Ross looked though the canopy to his front. The formation was in the classic arrow shape with Ross in the middle and back as the turbulent from the exhaust fumes would be enough to knock any Pegasus from the air. At the head of the arrow he saw the flame tail of Spitfire. "On the ground at two O'clock. Convoy? Over." Ross rolled the plane so the right win dipped and thorough a hole the cloud he saw a line of vehicles and possibly Infantry. "Confirm. Potential Target need confirmation before I commit to attack. Over." Ross had't worked out a weapon systems for the pegasis so they scouted and he hit the target. "Confirm sending scout out now. Out" Spitfire turned to Sorin on her left and with a few signal's got the message to him that he needed have a closer look. Sorin nodded back at Spitfire trying not to smile at the way the helmet Ross had given her looked on her. Sorin dived into the clouds and sped ahead of the formation and carefully try'd to get closer. Sorin lowered his head through the cloud and carefully looked through the convoy looking for the hint's as to what it was. Two tank's lead the convoy followed by a what looked like a regiment then some covered up lorry's, then more tank's and some walker's and another regiment. Sorin pulled back to the formation and flew next to Spitfire to use the microphone "Ross you got two regiment's, armorer support and what look's like supply's. Over." "Any AA? Over." "No. Over" "Roger. Accelerating to attack. speed weapon's hot. You lot stay safe. Out" The engines grew defining as Ross pulled the plane into a steep clime readying for the attack. Ross watched as the altimeter claimed on the control face "8,000 ft....10,000 ft...14,000 ft." Next to the altimeter was the arm switch. *Click* Ross sat back in the seat as the sound of the pump's for the liquid nitrogen met his ears. Cala'er was marching next to his brother the hover tank in front of him humming loudly. "Brother do you think we should of left the Aeon?" Tasep't looked at Cala'er "Yes Brother this is what The Way is about bringing peace for all even If we have to harm others in this land and the next and the next if need be but theses strange weld eldritch powers so we must remove them for peace." "Silence in line! We're almost at Glory." the Caption shouted and they trudged "What's that noise?" Cala'er asked out loud. There was a screeching sound. Ross pulled back on the joy stick with is left hand sending God Killer into a nose dive. The screamer on the underside of the the cockpit started wining as the plain entered the dive. "19,000...17,000...12,000... 8,000... 3,000" as the altimeter decrease the speed shot up though it was slow slow dive for the aircraft. "200 mph ... 334 mph...378 mph ... 400 mph." Ross held his breath trying to not let the blood be forced from his brain. As he dive'd the aiming reticule raised into the center of the canopy in-frout of him as he burst from the cloud's and sped at the convoy. As he pulled up sharply God Killer barely skimming the tree top height Ross press'd a red button with is thumb and a pair of bombs one from each wing fell. As the plain raised up into the sun. Ross looked over his shoulder as the pair of hundred pound bombs slammed into the hart of the convoy taking out the lorry's and a good portion of the first regiment. Cala'er picked himself up and grabbed his Cristala rifle "C...Cal..." A pink something dropped down into his vision and he pulled it off it was... he followed the length of the pink thing to his brothers torso. He was burly clinging to life holding what he could of his gut's in his legs had be reduced to a red mist by the boom strike. "C...Cal..." Tasep't gurgled weakly Cala'er scrambled over dragging his rifle by it's barrel. "Brother... no no please don't die on me! No!" but Tasep't died before Cala'er could reach him. "GET UP! WEAPONS FREE!" The caption bellowed looking round the sky. Ross looked up through the canopy the sun behind him preventing any from seeing him. He saw the remaining infantry spread out. Ross pulled back on the throttle's with is right hand and God Killer entered a stall and fell from the air in a tactic called "Descent of the Angle." The sun silhouetted him but did't let guide by eye weapons to find him. As he entered a few thousand feet Ross throttled up, brought the nose down and the plain right way up. Ross pulled the trigger in the front of the joy stick as the reticule passed up the convoy and over the line of walkers that where only just starting to split up. *BUZZZZZZZ!!!! ZZZZZZZZZ!!!! BUZZZZZZ!!!! ZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!* The entire aircraft felt like it was going to fall apart from the recoil all Ross could smell was cordite from the 50 mm rounds even through his mask and pressurized flight site. Ross pulled up and rolled as some of the troop's shot up at him with there weapon's. As the aircraft pass'd over low over the wreck of the tank Cala'er swung with it the trigger held down the muzzle blazing with blue fire. The crystal ammo of the rifle shattering ineffectively on the armorer of the plane. He pulled out the flask that held the liquid ammo that was then turn'd into crystal's in the firing chamber and swapped it out for a fresh one. There was a shriek and Cala'er looked to see the wing of the plane dipped down and for the briefest of second's saw the pilot clearly looking at him. All he felt was rage towards the pilot and would do anything and every thing to kill him... no not him...it. Spitfire, Sorin and the rest of the patrol watched from a cloud as Ross danced and weaved thought the sky then diving to with in a hundred feet of his target. "I'm amazed that thing can fly let alone move in such a elegant way." Sorin commented as God killer gently flipped round the right way and glided down then sped up as the nose went down pointing at the remains of the convoy. "We'll have to have a little competition with him then." Spitfire said fiddling with the sun visor on the helmet. "Err... Captain..." Rapidfire said "...get Ross on the radio..." "Why...O..." Spitfire turn'd and saw what had Rapidfire' attention. On the ground melting into vision was a sprawling mass of building's and what looked like a lot of turret's tracking Ross as well as a very large formation of aircraft. "Ross...Ross come in. Over." Ross looked over his shoulder at the remains of the convoy there was no need for another strafing. "Ross...Ross come in. Over." "Ross here what the matter? Over." "How fast can you fly?" "Very why? Over." "Ground your eight O'clock." Ross looked down and pity sure his gut's where about to drop. There was a combat flight wing coming straight at him and there was a sprawling base, *Bluuup!* The small radar screen in the middle of the display in front of him lit up the small green dot in the middle and the small group in the cloud in the sea of red. "Spitfire! get out of here get out now!" Ross brought God Killer round to face the Seraphim and Order fighter's pushing the throttle's fully open and flicking the afterburner's on. He was forced into his chair the suit pressurized trying to help him cope with the forces acting on his body. Spitfire watched as Ross shrieked by flame erupting from the engine's then a white cone and a explosion as God Killer broke the sound barrier. Ross saw the formation ahead brake up and prepare to attack. Got there attention. Ross pushed on the joy stick and God Killer entered a clime the altitude climbing fast "8,000 ...10,000 ... 12,000 ... 14,000 ... 16,000..." The altimeter suddenly stopped and Ross slammed his fist into the altimeter "Work dame you!" it suddenly spun back to life. Ross looked over his shoulder the Seraphim fighter's where on his tail along with several smoke trails a green flame where the smoke trail's started was a tell tail sing to the missile type. There was only one way to lose these type of missiles and that was to enter the void. Ross pushed on the joystick more and God Killer entered even steeper clime. Ross pressed the throttle's hard and there was a click the throttle went through the gate. A small time appear next to the aiming retractile counted down the five minutes he could stay at emergency speed before the engines destroyed them self with the strain. Ross was slammed into the back of the seat as the engines shrieked deafeningly loud and the plane shook more violently than when the gun was firing. He could feel his body being compressed into the chair his organs felt like they where being squished he was tire his oxygen starved brain fought to keep working. Spitfire ignored Ross's order's and watched. "Ross level out! level out!!" "N...no...c...can't...m....missiles." Spitfire looked at the team. "You lot want to help him?" They all looked at each other and then they nodded one by one. "Let's Fly!" Ross felt himself becoming weightless and throttled back and the countdown vanished as it read "2:37". The air suddenly thickened to normal as the on-board air supply made it's way into his mask. Ross gently leveled out and looked back could see the missiles spun affectingly in the low gravity and trace of the atmosphere. Then they detonated in a green fire. "ROSS COME IN ARE YOU ALIVE!!?" Ross slowly pressed the throat mic in "I'm...alive" "Thank Celestia...It looks like they think they killed you and they are returning to that base and they haven't seen us." Ross looked down the cloud's covering the base. "W...what can you tell me of it?" "It look's like a staging aria... Celestia help us ... It look's like a entire army is there! Err.. tanks' and artillery everything! there's a road leading to Canterlot ... Ross this army's going to try and take Canterlot! We got to do something!?" Ross thought for a second "Is there a round building with what look's like a ball with arm's on it?" Spitfire looked round the building's "Yes! there is." Ross drew up a image from his memory. "That's a shield generator. Is there a tower of light with a contraption on top near the shield generator?" "Yes!" "That's a radar jammier and stealth system that's why we only found that base the hard way.... is there a building that look's like it's holding a egg?" "Yes there four of them surrounding the shield and jammier." Ross pressed a button on the panel to his right and the display changed displaying the weapons available "789,054 of 1,000,000. 50 mm . 18 bomb's of 20." "Spitfire can you see the ant-air battery's?" "Yes why?" "Keep them busy but don't do anything risky." "Yes but what will you do?" "We'll see" Ross pulled back on the joy stick starting the four minute vertical dive. The howler started it's scream. Fleetfoot shot out of the cloud as it exploded and hid in another a dozen shells passed by the cloud and detonated silhouetting him with the flash and giving the AA gunners something to aim for. Fleetfoot flew from the cloud as that cloud met the same end as the one before. Fleetfoot dived into a large pile of thick cumulonimbus. More shells went up and detonated there was no silhouette the cloud was too thick. Sorin looked over the edge of the cloud he was shearing with Rapidfire "Where's Ross?" There was a faint screeching "He's on his way!" Sorin shouted as a shell ripped through the cloud between them and they shot off into other cloud's. Ross glanced at the speedometer "2,199 mph" The aircraft had been proofed to 9,000 mph but Ross did't fancy testing that but if it came to it he would if he liked it or not. Ross glanced at the speedometer again as the sound of metal on metal meat his ears "4,999 mph" some quick calculations and he found if he reached the top speed of 8,000 he had two minute's till impact with the ground. Surprise swooped low and slow over the AA it stood pointing up and silent. He swiftly flew back to the thick cumulonimbus where the rest of the Pegasus where hiding "Nothing! It's like there not interested in us any more." Spitfire looked over the side of the cloud "Why?" Rapidfire asked "That's why." Blaze said pointed at a black speck in the blue of the sky. Ross was struggling to stay consciousness The speed read "7,800 mph" but on the altimeter all he could read was "26,7 - - - " the last number's where a white blur Ross felt some new vibration's and glanced out the window to find the wing's where jerking up and down violently.Hold together lass for me please! The AA opened up black flowers burst into existence all around Ross as he dived toward's them. The AA closed in with every shot Ross was thrown around in his seat and harness. The control column and pedal's were violently jerking mimicking the way the control surfaces on the wing's and tail where trying to take the path of least resistance. It was taking all of Ross's strength to keep the aircraft in the dive. A black flower appeared in front of him and the canopy creaked and as the shower of flack bounced off the next shot was more devastating. The shell exploded slightly above and on Ross's left. The canopy shattered Ross yelled as the scolding metal and glass scythed into his arm's and left leg his vision was blurred red in his left eye. The wind rushing in was defining. The Pegasus watched as the black ball's closed in on Ross "He'll never make it!" Surprise said out loud "He's having a good go at it." Blaze commented. The alarm went off to signal twenty thousand feet and Ross pulled back on the joystick but nothing happened God Killer kept her death daring dive straight to the hart of the Seraphim base Ross was sure he was going to plow straight into the power generators Hell of a way to go lot's of explosions and fire.. the altimeter read "15,000" Then he felt it the feeling of passing through a thin waterfall he was inside the shield and to his grate relief God Killer was starting to pull up the reticent was on the shield generator Ross held the trigger the shear speed he was traveling at he could afford to fire longer with out stalling. *BBUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZBOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!* The shield generator exploded and with out thinking Ross held the boom release button. Eighteen hundred pound of high explosive fell from the underside of God Killer simultaneously there air brakes making the boom's fall slower. A second later they all meat there target's in a earth shattering salvo that was magnified by the four generators exploding but all Ross could feel as he pulled up was adrenalin and euphoria then stared laughing. "ROSS YOU ALIVE?" Ross Presses the mic into his neck "Alive! ALIVE! I'm fucking fantastic! I...I'm alive! I thought It was going to be a Kamikaze!" Ross stared laughing Spitfire watch'd as God Killer cycled above the cloud. Ross felt his adrenalin subside and the pain made it's self known with revenge "Ow...ow...o god .... em... I'm bleeding can we go home now Caption?" Spitfire took to wing and flew up then onto the now slowly flying plain taking hold of the frame that was use to hold the canopy she looked in. Ross was looking at the inch or so of metal sticking out of his shoulder "How's my left eye? All I see out of it is red" Spitfire looked over it carefully "All good just a gash above your eye brow that's bleeding." Ross pulled the flight mask that covered his nose and mask off with a smile. "Thank's now let's get this seen to." Spitfire flew down tho the cloud again "Moving out now ge-" Spitfire was interrupted by God Killer's left wing erupting into a fireball. "Hurry up! I'm getting out of here before another missile hit's me meet you half-way!" Ross claimed and vanished into the layer of cloud's with a large trail of black smoke trailing from the left engine. Cala'er threw the smoking launcher at the still twitching body of his caption he just killed to take the launcher. "Dame you! Dame you you retched thing! I'll track you down! I'll kill you! If it's that last thing I DO! The Way bound it! Dame it!" He collapsed to his knees then started writhing in the blood stained mud. Spitfire looked round than saw the black smoke trail and underside of Ross's plain. "Ross your six o'clock coming under you now." Spitfire noticed the hole blown into the wing. "Confirm Err... I need you to go ahead and tell them to expect a hard landing from me I can't activate the landing gear. ETA 3 minutes. I don't fancy go any faster in case she gives up on me." "Roger see you soon." The Wounderbolts shot off leaving Ross to limp home. Admiral Fairweather looked through the binoculars Ross had given him "Nothing yet." He looked at the Wounderbolts. Each had a concerned look on there face. "He's over time." Spitfire said looking round the sky. "All I'll say is that he has a lot of talent even if he do't think he has any." Sorin said. looking at the rest of the team to receiving nod's of agreement. Ross Looked at the wing as another panel started to flap loose "I told you to hold together!" He looked through the shattered canopy for the runway and the light to lead him in. There was a bang and Ross looked down at the flashing light "Left Engine Failure."Ross looked at the engine to find it engulfed in fire. Ross instinctively pulled the fire extinguisher. White foam flooded the engine but it did nothing the fire continued to blazed away. Ross pulled the left throttle fully back cutting the full that was feeding the fire. The fire reduced from a inferno to a smoldering mess of the engine. The left wing dipped and he throttled up the right engine to compensate. Looking round he saw it the red arrow of light's at the end of the runway. The radio came to life with Admiral Fairweather's voice. "*Trrruqquuuuuueee Bleep!* Any one there? Ross?" "I'm hear. Are the medical staff and fire team's ready?" "Yes." "OK Coming in.... hard!" Fairweather looked up and saw the black smoke trail "Hear he come's!" Ross was struggling to keep God Killer in line with the runway. Ross glanced at the altimeter as he entered the finale approach "100ft...80ft.....50ft....20ft..." Ross knew it was a one way ticket he throttled the last engine to just above stall and braced himself. With a bang and screech of metal on tarmac Ross started his hap hazard slid down the runway. All the pony's watched as Ross slid down the runway at brake neck speed a fountain of spark's following him. Ross felt himself spinning as the plain turned on the run way. He realized he was now going tail first. He closed his eye's and prayed he felt the plain starting to lift and he knew he was going to be crushed. There was a bang and he felt himself fall still. Ross opened his eyes slowly he was sat on the runway infrount of the hanger that where at the far and of the runway. He pulled out the emergency shutdown plunger and pulled the right throttle fully back. Poping the harness clasp and pushed the canopy up. Ross with a moan of pain haled himself out of the cockpit. He fell face first onto the tarmac and started to drag himself away from the plain. He felt something grab the collar of his flight suit and drag him away. Ross looked at his plain to find a crew of unicorns where sending spell's into the smoldering engine. "You look like you been to Tartarus and back." Ross looked up to find Spitfire. "H...hello how are you?" Ross said smiling. "Fine you?" Ross started laughing nervously "Alive." Ross sat up and looked at Spitfire "Is every one alive?" Spitfire nodded. A new pony loomed over Ross. "Well look at you." Ring Out said with a smile "Big her-" Ross interrupted him by grabbing the whisky bottle he saw sticking out of Ring out's coat pocket. "That's mine! Give it back!" "No! Fuck off!" Ross said then drained the small bottle with a shudder. "Jesus Christ...pull it out." "What?" The two pony's said "The metal in my shoulder. Pull it oAAAAARRGH!!" Ring out pulled the shrapnel an eval smile on his Face "Y...you enjoyed that d...didn't you." Ross hissed. Ring out nodded. Ross opened the small medical pack that was sown into the flight suit's right leg. In it was a small bottle of Medical alcohol, local anesthetic, A role of bandage, A small bag of cotton wool, a set of forceps and a set of Trauma shears. Ross pulled the Trauma shears out and cut the suite's left leg open. The few wound in his leg where not serious and Ross pulled the forceps out then started to pull the small lump's of metal out. "Need any help?" Ring out said "No not after my shoulder mate!" After a few minute of pulling and swearing Ross was bandaging the wound's the alcohol soaked cotton wool pressed agents the wounds on his leg's and shoulder. "Right I'm going to see what is left of God Killer." Ross stated as he try'd to get up. As he try'd Admiral Farweathere flew over to him. "Lieutenant Ross you are hear by awarded the Wing's of Honour medal for bravery in air combat." Ross stumbled to his feet with help from Spitfire. "T...Thank you Admiral." Ross gowned as his bad leg took some of his weight.
Rubber BurningAuthor's Note I'm back I had to go to wales to see some family members. I'm back and writing (Badly :P) Rubber Burning Rubber burning. Ross looked up at Celetia "So what you found in the bunker is true...they are coming to utterly wipe us out..." Ross nodded carefully not wanting to upset the stitching above his eye. "Yes we may have an hour we may have month ...Celestia I will do all humanly possible to prevent that." Celestial saw the fire in his eye's. "I ... believe you." Ross spent the rest of the day converting some Klink Hammer's to there mobile counter part used by infinity known as "Hell Hammer's." Then with a team of unicorns hosted them onto the battlement's over looking the trenches and gate. Now he needed to crew them. Ross stood on a cart in the middle of a refugee camp "Attention!" Ross powerful voice that was so use to bellowing orders over the din of battle had no problem of being heard by all the pony's in the camp. The pony in the tent's looked at him meany hid there filly's in case he was hungry. "I'v come to ask fore volunteers who wish to fight!?" The pony's looked at each other. "Why?" Somepony shouted out. "Why? Because I and others are risking our live's daily to defend this place from the Seprahim!" "That's your problem we've lost enough to them all ready!." The crown murmured in agreement "So you will willing sit idle while others lay down there lifeblood so save your own!?" The same voice answered "Its there JOB! to protect us it's what they get payed for." Ross's face hardened "Then it is your duty to help in any way you can! I was't here to ask you to fight on the fount line or any way that I wouldn't go! I was here to ask your help in the hospital's, Gun crew's and other vital task's that will keep us fighting that little bit longer! But if you'd see your wife's defiled and your children torture so be it! But If you don't if you'd see the filth sweep'd away then you will help us fight!" Ross paused for affect. "Who's with me!?" he shouted over the crown. The crowd looked round then a pail green Earth pony stallion with a blue main took a step toward's Ross. He jumped down from the cart and looked the stallion up and down."Will you?" Ross asked. The Stallion looked round at the crowd then he looked at Ross. "I will." Ross pulled the back of the cart down and putting his hands to gatherer helped the stallion into the cart. A small line formed and Ross helped each up with his cupped hand's. A dozen pony's later Ross pulled up the tail gate of the cart then walked round to there the tow bike sat and with a cloud of diesel fumes pulled the cart off. Ross open the hatch and sat up on the edge of the hole tea in hand. A cold breeze blew passed him and coursing him shiver the t-shirt he was wearing was not much protection agents the chill. Ross looked at his watch "4:55" The sound of hoof's meeting metal "Hi David! I missed you yesterday morning!" Ross turned to fined the golden eye's "Morning Miss Doo." Ditzy smiled and sat down next to Ross whom offer her his tea. "Thank's!" She watched as Ross dropped into his hole then come back up with another tin cup of tea in his hand. "So how have you been?" Ross asked "Fine thank you" Ditzy answered taking a sip of her tea. Then her eyes widened like she had remembered something. "This is for you!" Ross watched as Ditzy puled a letter out of the saddle bag's she had on. "Fer you." She said round the letter held in her teeth. Ross took it and looked at the crudely written address. "The strange Alion, The big metal monster, The Guard ~~Barr~~ the place where they sleep, the princesses garden." "I think a filly has written this." Ross said with a smile "How cute." Ditzy said with a giggle. Ross opened the letter and read the much neater writing. "I don't know if you will get this as my smaller sister had to write the address so I took the precaution of re-writing her letter just in case." "Dear Mr.Alien My name is Gumdrop I saw you when you came to our camp and you took my big brother away. He's called Mint Fresh. I'm writing to tell you to take care of him because If you don't I'll turn you in to a puddle of slime. (When I learn how to.) I was hoping to ask you your name but I don't think you know where to send a letter in return. Well my mom would want me to say thank you for helping keep us safe so thank you! Gumdrop PS. Do you eat filly's?" Ross chuckle as he folded the letter up and dropped it down to the bed below him. The two sat there talking as the night turned in to twilight. Ditzy looked at the orange strip that was standing the bottom of the night. "I must go David." with that she flew into the city Ross waving her off. A few minuet's latter Ross looked at the ration pack then dropped it to the floor. Uninterested. Luna sat in her throne No pony was at night court at this hour she looked at her two guard's "You two are dismiss I'm going for a walk in the garden's." The two guard's saluted and marched away. She stepped out of a small door that lead from one of the hall's to the out side of the castle. She took a deep breath of cool night air the smell of the the garden filling her nostrils walked on of her favorite route through the took her past the ornamental salmon pond that was full of Rainbow trout. Ross was craving a decent meal rather than the inadequate nutrition from his ration's and that lead to what he was doing. He was currently kneeling next to the pond his right arm up to his elbow in the freezing water. He slowly and gently traced his middle finger up the trout's tail, up it's belly then to its head. Then slowly he took his finger from it's head and then gently moved to it's tail and repeated the action. Ross felt a smile cross his face at the memory of him and his granddad creeping threw the swamp land near a dukes manner. They had shoe'd almost all his horses for him and he "neglected" to pay them so they "acquire'd" there missing pay. Ross heard hoof's near by and he whipped his hand out of the water and pulled his sleeve down. Ross stood up and looked down the path. Ross saw Luna walk down the path and he took his helmet off "Luna." Ross bowed. "David? What are you doing hear?" "I was taking a wander through the garden before I head out. Why?" Ross slipped his helmet back on and the cold metal made the back of his neck twitch. Luna cocked her head. "Do you ever sleep?" Ross nodded " I get three to four hours a night it's all I need why?." Luna examined his eye's and found there where no bag's under his eye's. "You never seam to be still or resting that's all." "I'll rest when I'm dead.... Will the purple one be up?" Luna thought for a moment "You mean Twilight Sparkle?" Ross nodded. "Maybe why?" Luna asked Ross smiled "I need a map." Ross lent on the heavy lance. Watching the convoy move along the old forestry road down hill from him. The thick trees prevented any detection devices from seeing him. He'd been sat there since before dawn and it was now 8:30. The sun was just above the horizon Ross was keeping tally of what he was seeing on a notebook that was resting on his left leg. "13 16 infantry regiment's = 1 field army of 80,000 men approx. 6 Armored regiment's with strength of 1,200 armored unit's each. 8,000 Mobile artillery pieces. 1 ACU + 2 SACU's 50 Engineer's tech L 3 So far enough supplies to last for 3 week's of heavy fighting or 1 month of unsupported siege. Approx. Air support sighted strength unknown seen 1 wing of heavy fighter/bomber's suspect more." Ross watched more supply's making it's way up the road. He pushed the note's into his left coat pocket and pulled a pair of binoculars out. He raised them up to the lenses of his gas mask and looked down the road. More. Yet more supply truck's. Trailing down the road to the foot of the mountain. Ross lowed the binoculars and slipped them back into his pocket. He looked over the convoy directly below him. There was a line of hovering anti air battery's. Turning to one of the two bag's behind the seat Ross pulled a map out of one of them. The mountain he was on depicted in detail and he studded it closely. He dent use the bikes system of echo mapping in-case he was detected so was forced to use old map's from deep in vault's of the castle. It had taken him, Twilight and Spike almost an hour to find the map's that depicted this area of land. Ross noticed a narrow pass to the east that was walled by rocky cliffs. He opened the other bag and pulled out the demo charges he had. He had five charges on him. He slipped the charges back into the bag Ross rested the lance across his lap. With a flick of his foot Ross unfolded the kick start handle out and on the first trod the engine started the silencer on the exhaust pipe made the engine incredibly quite. Ross taped the kick handle with the back with of his leg and turned in the detection of the pass. He rode on slowly looking round the lance held in his right hand the left controlling the throttle. The bike was set up so the rider could use a weapon freely. Ross pressed on the gear up pedal and the bike picked up speed as it entered second gear. While Ross would prefer'd to grow a genetically engineer horse used in the cavalry he thought it would've not go down well with every pony. He pulled the map out and looked at it as he found a small stream. Canterlot was on his right and the pass was infrount of him, over the stream. Ross pressed the left pedal and the bike dropped into first gear then he stoped. Ross claimed off and walked to the stream the eight foot lance tickled the low branch's of the tree he was walking under. He dropped the lance into the water and found the stream was only a foot deep. He walked back to the bike that was ticking over and claimed back on and crossed the stream. Ross came to the pass and looked down. The pass was about seventy feet deep the narrow road mud on the old trail was undisturbed a few dozen feet there was a sharp corner that he couldn't see round due to the thick tree's. Resting the lance ageist the bike Ross un-clipped the rope and small land anchor that was strapped to the front mud guard. Ross dropped the anchor into the dirt where the rock of the cliff started he walked back to the bike and pulled the demo charges out and slipped them into a pouch on his webbing. After making sure the land anchor was secure Ross tied the rope to it and round his wast and into the loop's in his webbing. Ross then walked to the edge of the cliff and slowly started to abseil down the cliff. A few feet down from the edge of the cliff the the rock cut in and made a deep over hang. Ross pulled him self under. The over hang was around four feet and Ross looked for clues to find if there where any defect's in the rock. A narrow cut in the rock gave him a good place to place the charge's Ross tied the rope into a knot to keep himself steady. The charges had a adhesive layer that could stick to almost any surface Ross pulled the clear plastic off and slipped the charge unto the crack and pulled the pin from the detonation system. Ross pulled him self along the cut and a few feet along slipped the next demo charge, another pin. A few minuet's later Ross stoped and listened. In the distance there where hushed voices. "Argh...shit!" Ross muttered looking down. A team of five Order trooper's where below him. They where probably the scout's for the convoy. Ross looked at his side and slowly reached for the long wooden handle of a stick-grenade. The group was sat close together looking at a hologram, one had a radio out. Ross pulled the pin out and started to count the eight second fuse. "1...2...3...4...5!" Ross threw the grenade it spinning over and over as it sailed through the air in a slight ark. It stuck in the mud handle down next to the group with a wet slap then it detonated. Three of the group where sent flying through the air on fire, ones head split in two by a lump of scolding shrapnel the remains of it's brain splatter the mud. The last slumped over a bloody pool forming round the body. Ross looked round and he heard something large making it's way towards him. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" Ross slapped the demo charge on the rock and pulled the pin from it. This charge had the master arm on it. Ross entered the activation code on it and selected remote detonation mode. Ross pulled himself up and quickly untied the rope around his wast and started coiling it up. As he made his way back to the bike with the rope and land anchor. The tank rounded the corner Ross re clipped the rope and anchor onto the mud guard. He opened the bag the demo charge's where in and found the remote detonator. The Obsidian hover'd along the track ahead of the convoy. Ready to support the scout's if they ran into trouble or a ride if they needed to get away from something. Saptat looked up at the Sargent of the crew. Tatala "Sargent. Contact front. 100 meters infrount." The driver called out. "Look's like our scout's. Engines stop." Tatala called and the driver stoped the Obsidian tank and it lowered to the ground. Saptat watched as Tatala opened the hatch over his head and claimed out of the command tank. Saptat followed and slid down the side of the tank and into the black, thick, ankle deep and fowl smelling mud. The fact his jumpsuit was white didn't help the matter. The two approached the body's, three where smoldering the smell of burnt meat was thick in the air. Saptat watched Tatala draw his Cristala pistol. "What happened to you?" Tatala muttered. As they approached they found the smoking crater. "Booby-trap?" Saptat suggested and Tatala nodded holstering his pistol. "Yes." Tatala waved the tank forward's and it entered the pass. The tank pulled up to Tatala. Saptat walked further up the track looking for clues. He found a few thin sheet's of clear plastic. Ross was listening carefully he could here the loud hum of the tank as it pulled level with him. He pressed the clacker's trigger. The charges detonated and the over hang gave way crushing the tank. Ross revved the bike and pulled up to the edge of the cliff Ross saw black smoke and flames rising from under the land slide. He saw a lone figure running down the trail. Saptat ran he's seen the cliff come down and wanted away all he could do was run. He header a bellow like a wild beast and the sound of mud being ripped up behind him. He turned to find a gray figure astride a black bike a lance pointed at his chest. He felt the lance puncher his chest and pierce straight into his hart. Ross let the weight of the body drag his arm round and the lance was ripped from the solders chest in a fountain of blood. He twisted the throttle and the bike bellowed as it sped on down the track and back to where S.O.H.U where working. Ross felt something warm on his hand and a glance showed a blood trail leading up his lance to the punctured hart on the head of the lance. Ross lowered the lance to the ground and the heart was ripped off the lance and tumbled through the mud.
Cat and Mouse(Out of story. Can I say thank you so much to everyone that has Liked, Favorited, looked at, read or even just glanced at my story, So thanks for the likes the favorites and all the encouraging comments and you will be glad to know I am continuing to write. You know what I'm going to be honest thought people would just hate this and move on. I must thank you all for sticking with me even with my bad spelling and all. Anyway you lot want a chapter and here it is) Cat and Mouse Ross powered down the road his coat flapping around his legs. The sun was rising in the air and it's light shining off some of the window's in the city. Ross twitched his leg as it brushed the hot engine of the bike. The wind blew into him and the bike wobbled slightly in the side wind. Moonlight raised her head from the box of land mines, one held in her mouth by the handle as her sensitive hearing picked up the sound the sound of an engine racing towards them. "IT'S ROSS MA'MA!" The lookout on the ridge near by shouted down to them as he raised his rifle up away from Ross. Ross slowed down as he pulled into the wood's that S.O.H.U where setting mine's in to slow the advancing army. He slowly weaved the bike in between the tree's and dashing ponies. Ponies saluted and Ross raised the lance in acknowledgment and they continued the blockading of the forest. He heard a commotion above him and looked up to find a pair of pegasi facing a mine to a length of transparent catgut making the horrific "Face Slapper" trap. The trap consisted of a length of catgut that was cut so that it was long enough that when the trip line was triggered the mine would ever slam into the face or back of head of the victim then detonate or if they failed to detonate would knock the victim out or at least incapacitate them. The bike coughed as it came to a stop and Ross looked round. Moonlight gently put the mine back down carefully and walked up to him. "Good hunt?" She asked with a salute. Ross saluted in kind and nodded "A tank, five crew and five scout's. But look at this." Ross handed the note book to her. Ross lent back into his bikes seat and watched as Moonlight's eyes widen. "How...how will we slow them?" She asked and passed the note book back to him. Ross looked at the handles of his bike. "When we've finished here I'll stay back as long as I can to hunt the-“ "Don't move and don't turn round keep acting like I'm talking to you." Moonlight caught a flash over Ross's shoulder. "Sniper?" Ross asked gently rubbing the back of his neck. Trying to act calmly. "It's like a glass reflecting." Moonlight commentated as she looked around for somepony with their rifle. Ross took a deep breath. "Sniper...He'll be trying to work out the chain of command after me and what we are doing. Where's is the sniper?" Moonlight glanced over his shoulder. "That small out crop of rock near the road. He must of followed you somehow." Ross gently swung his leg over the bike and slowly walked through. "Moonlight follow. He won't try to snipe me in the crowed as it will likely give him away." Ross slowly tucked his hands into his small back and walked with Moonlight at his side. Ross felt his heart rate pick up slightly. "Who do you think is the best shot?" Ross asked and slowly turned to look at the out crop of rock. There was a slight star flash of reflecting glass. "He's a novice. He should have had a glare guard or a nano-scope." Ross commented. "Mapper sir the cartographer." Moonlight glanced round the back of her neck sweating and a spell in her armor absorbing the sweat. The two slowly walked up to Mapper. "Mapper! Listen don't look yet. The out crop of rock near the road almost at the top of it. There's a sniper probably with his sights on my head. Neutralist." Mapper winked and slowly slipped his rifle along his side. "Walk deeper into the forest then walk round to the far end of the woods maybe you will get a line on him." Ross gently walked on with Moonlight. "How are you staying so calm?" She asked. Ross gave a weak chuckle. "I'm not. I'm shitting myself!" The sniper lifted his head from the check pad. His gilly suit and cloak gently waving in the wind. He gently whipped his eye clean. He rested his head back onto the cheek rest and closed his right eye. The far off wood's came into crystal clear view. The Siege Warrior. The helmeted head slowly scanned through the woods. A pony at his side with bat wing's and deep purple armor. He noticed the Siege Warrior had his arms held behind his back and slowly walked "Idea situation." but trees where blocking his firing line. The sniper slowly panned his scope along the tree line while waiting for a clear line on the Siege Warrior. The sniper taking interests at how the ponies where working with implement of human designed. There was another gust and he felt his cloak flap slightly. His eye was cough by a brown lump closure to his posi- His scope focused on the Siege Warrior the deep black pools was looking straight at him. He watched in horror as the trench coat clad figure slowly shook its head at him. The sniper pushed the safety off and the scope filled with information of conditions along the bullet's path. Wind, Heat, Humidity and many different types of radiation. There was a flash from the lump and the Sniper's scope exploded, there was a bloody mass where his left eye's was. His flipped back from his seat that he set up. As his brain sent desperate messages to his dying body. His arm pulled his rifle up and the large Anti matter rifle fired in a deafening explosion, In his other hand the radio clicked. The muzzle barker hissed as the contrail of smoke floated from the pile of rocks near the wood's. The handle dropped and the brass casing shot back of the action. The nano scope hummed as it prevented any leans flare. The brown lump smiled as it pulled the cigarette and matches from the webbing Ross had given him to try. His smile fell and eye's contradicted. He spat the cigarette out. His throat closed up, dried by the new and horrible flavor and sensation. "O...BUCK! That's horrid." He trod the cigarette and walked back to Ross. Ross saw the fountain of blood from the rocks and he let a breath out. "O... thank fuck!" He looked at Mapper. "I owe you a beer or something." Mapper smiled "As long as it's not one of them cigarette's." Ross nodded "Don't worry. It was the only one I had and I don't smoke." The activity in the forest started again. Ross looked round and then then he walked to the cart and pulled his beloved shotgun from it. Then after whipping it clean, checking the barrel for obstructions, he slid fresh shells into its cylinder and slung it onto his back. Ross felt it's comfortable with its reassuring weight on his back. Ross looked to where the sniper was and saw the red on the rock. But he still felt. Uneasy. Ross noticed Moonlight's ear's twitch slightly. He slowly walked up to her and gently knelt down next to her. "What is there?" Ross asked his eye's scanning the wood land. "There's a low...humming...no...engine!" She looked up at Ross and she saw his eye's flick to the sky. "Sniper called for help..." She saw his eye's flick to the bike. "...Go... I'll distract them." As he spoke the sound of aircraft grew louder and the others pony's started looking up. Moonlight stood tall and summed her voice and shouted as only a Sargent Major could. "ALL YOU! BACK TO THE CITY! NOW!!!" No pony questioned her as the abandon there charges and galloped off in single file as to hide their numbers. Ross straddled the bike again. "I'm coming with you!" Moonlight called out as she claimed on to the back, wrapping her foreleg’s round his middle." "No you stay here and help I can buy you a few minutes if I give that gunship something to hunt." "I'll double that time then." Moonlight said giving Ross a squeeze and was answered with the throaty howl of the engine as the bike's back wheel spun furiously in the loose dirt. "What's the plan?" Moonlight shouted "Gun it like hell!" Ross bellowed. The already loud raw of the engine grew defining as Ross twisted the throttle round harder and the bike's front wheel lifted up off the ground. Then from around the distant mountain that Ross sat on that morning three sets of contrail wound round the mountain and towards them. Ross charged from the wood's lance held proud and shotgun cross his lap. At his back was Moonlight she knew she could fly fast and gallop fast But this was new the sounds of the throaty engine, the smell of warm fuel and oil, the wind rushing through her fur and the odd smell of dandelion and burdock. The earth around them started to be torn up around them as the gunship chased them. Ross pressed his right foot down on the clutch and the bike entered top gear with a cough of flame from the exhaust. Ross powered across the grassland a dust trail of his wheel's and bullet impact's. Ross pulled the back brake the brake and dropped his foot into the dirt. The bike entered a slide and the bike turned to face the three flyers. Ross shifted his grip on the lance and the bike bellowed as Ross charged at the first flyer. The first gunship flew lower and faster at him. Ross realized he was in a deadly game of chicken. All he knew he wasn’t going to back down as the bike howled and reared up like a wild beast, Ross saw his opening. With a bellow of effort he threw the lance at the first gunship. It sailed through the air and in a shower of sparks and liquids struck the gunship just behind the cockpit. The gunship spun up and round the force of the turning threw the pilot off and in a ball of fire the gunship crashed into the ground. Ross sped passed the blazing inferno and back onto the planes. The two remaining gunship's giving chase. Ross looked over his shoulder the gunships where on his tail he looked down at the speedo on the back of the handle bars. "120 mph" "Think you can drive!?" Ross bellowed over the wind, engine and through his mask. "WHAT?!" Moonlight shouted in disbelieve. But Ross had swung his right leg over and pushed Moonlight towards the handle bars. "HOW?!" Moonlight shouted into his face. "LEARN!" Ross drew his revolver and tucked his left hand into his right elbow forming a rest that he rested the revolver on his arm on the inch of metal front the trigger guard. He drew the cocking hammer then he took a deep breath and let in gently flow out so not to upset his aim. He sighted the closest gunship's cockpit up, He took another lung full of air and as it eased out he compensate for the moving target and his own momentum. He fired and the Plexiglas of the cockpit fractured but didn't break, Ross sent another round and another white flower of fracturing in the Plexiglas materialized. The Bike swerved and Ross held on with his knees like he used to when he was a cavalrymen. Ross was getting angry and sent the last four rounds at the gunship. The gunship nose-dived and sank into the dirt. Moonlight slowed the bike and Ross put his foot into the grass. "Well driven Moonlight." Moonlight let a breath out of in relief. "You drive I don't like it I'll stick to flying thanks." She flapped her wings and rose up into the air. Ross slid along the set and Moonlight dropped onto the back of the seat and once again wrapped her foreleg's round him. "Where's the last bastard?" Ross asked looking round. Moonlight looked round nervously "It can’t just vanish can it?" She asked and Ross shook his head. There question was answered as the gunship appear to raise from the ground in front of them. Ross patted the bike's fuel tank. "Sorry lad this is a one way trip for you. Moonlight do you think you can fly with me under you?" Moonlight's ear's twitch in confusion. "Maybe wh-" She was interrupted as Ross sent the bike and them into a charge at the last gunship. As they approached the gunship Ross crouched on the seat ready to jump. The gunship's guns started barking and shot's bounced off the ground and armor of the bike. The ground give way to a cliff and Ross leap from the bike to gunship. Moonlight took to wing as the bike fell to the bottom of the cliff that ended in a fiery ball. She sailed round the gunship and watched as the pilot tried to throw Ross off. Ross clung to the barrel of the gun on the left wing. He reached for the fuselage and the craft gave a hard swerve. He felt his grip weakening. Ross swing back and forth then threw himself towards the cock pit. He hit the side of the cock pit and clawed for a perches. His questing hand grabbed onto a handle that looked like it was used by the pilot to get in. Ross reached back and grabbed the first wooded handle he felt. Taking hold of it Ross started to smack at the Plexiglas of the cock pit. A white crack appeared and Ross kept putting his entire arm's strength into the swing's. The Plexiglas gave way and Ross pulled himself up. The pilot looked at him and he returned the look. Black visor and flight mask looking at iron ringed lenses and gray gas mask. They stayed like that at looking at each other for a few seconds. The pilot started reaching for a flair gun next to him but Ross reached up and pulled himself into the cockpit. Ross grabbed the arm reaching for the gun and Ross brought his arm up to strike. The pilot grabbed his arm mid strike and clutched the flight column with his knees. The two stayed like that there arm's trembling as they held the other firm. Ross realized what he had in his hand. Even though it was badly dented and its paint was all but gone the stick grenade sat there. The pilot seemed to realize at the same time as he brought his hand from the attempt to grab the flare gun and grabbed the handle. Ross grabbed onto the handle too. There was a small hook where Ross assumed the flight mask hung and slowly forced the looped pin towards it. The pilot forced his hand's back Ross was losing. The pilot was above him and was using his body weight to force the grenade down. Ross let go of the grenade and the pilot's hands smashed into the controls. The gunship entered a spin and Ross slipped out of his hole but in his hand was the pin of the grenade. Ross fell to wards the bottom of the cliff the jagged rock's racing to meet him. Ross closed his eye's ready for the rocks to puncher his body. There was a fiery blast. Ross could feel the heat from the explosion and hear the whistle from shrapnel. Ross felt something gran him under the shoulder's and the falling sensation stopped and was replaced by the sensation of gliding. Ross cracked his eyes open and saw the land below go past as a steady pace. Opening his eyes and looked up to find Moonlight with her fore leg's round his shoulders and the two were flying in the direction of Canterlot. "Thanks Moonlight!" Moonlight looked down "Anytime.". Ross looked down and saw a river pass bellow them.
Night Night.Author's Note Well I'm at a new college and it is worse than ever. All right I have one or two old friend's. But the upsetting banter is worse than ever. "He cant pull a rotten tooth from a dead horses head!" Was one line I one picked up on that they say. Here if any one is willing I think some better art cover is in order so if you find anything fitting let me know or if you wana make something I'll give you a shout our or something. Ignore me I'm rambling. Night Night. Night Night. Ross woke with a start. He lifted his head up and looked round. He had fallen asleep in the command throne of the ACU. The monitor listed what he had been building and he recognized the list as a standard city fortification. He looked down to find he was in full uniform and his gas mask was on. Ross looked at his hands "O...god..." Luna sat in the throne looking at the ceiling. A batpony servant trotted up to her a cup of tea sat on the tray held in his mouth. Luna took it with a murmured of thanks and the servant bowed and backed away. There was a scream and a pony in a trench coat burst through the doors, tripping over his hoofs and the sword he had on his belt. The guard's dog piled him and more jumped onto the top. Luna put her cup of tea down and rose from her throne. "WHO ARE THY!" Luna shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice. The pony's head protruded from under the pile Luna saw its face and head where covered but in a mask and helmet that looked familiar.... "FUCK SAKE LUNA HELP ME!!!" Ross's voice came from the pony. "Ross!?!" Luna stared in disbelief. The pony nodded as best he could. "Off. Get off him." Luna said and the guard's got off Pony Ross. Ross stood after a few attempt's the sword stuck in-between his back leg's. "What the fuck happened to me?" Ross asked as he tried to extract his sword from between his legs. Luna stared in disbelief. The tea cup snorted and Luna looked at it "Discord!” There was a bang and Discord stood there smiling "You called?" He asked and Ross tripped over his back legs. "What the... what are you?" Ross asked twisting his head inquisitively from his sitting position. Discord's face turned into a grim "I am what is called a Draconequus!" "What?" Ross said in a voice the just stated confusion "Never mind." Discord said off handed and vanished into a cloud of smoke. "So how my I help you then?" Ross revolver asked the room. Ross threw it at the floor and there was a flash as Discord re-materialized. "Now that..." Discord snapped his fingers Ross was flung up into the ceiling and stayed there. "...was not very nice." Ross looked down from his position on the high valeted ceiling "I'm tripping balls up here! Get me down...Please!" Discord smirked as he snapped his fingers again and Ross dropped like a stone. Ross closed his eyes as the floor was about to meet him. He kept them closed then opened them to find a deep blue aura surround him. Ross put his hoofs on the floor and the aura vanished. Ross remembered the aura from the battle with the commandos and the time Luna enchanted his coat. "Thank you Luna." A few minutes later and there was a bang, a cloud of smoke and Ross sat there looking confused once he took his gas-mask off. "Is there any way to tell who did that to me?" Luna shook her head. "While all magical creatures have a unique foot print when they cast spells. I have not seen one like the spell that was cast on you." Luna watched as Ross picked himself off the floor and straighten his coat, check he did not have a tail and his ears where on the side of his head as opposed to on top. "Well princess I must leave my watch starts in a few hours." Ross bowed then walked out the door, with his scabbed swaying with his walk. Ross stood in on the rampart's over the gate. He'd been there for almost the entire day watching the road and train track's that led towards Canterlot. Through the day he had heard a few explosions probably from the mines or the vehicles they had blown up. There was a silence then a blinding flash of light. "BRACE!" Ross bellowed as the mushroom cloud appeared and the white shortwave sped towards Ross. The shock wave hit and Ross stumbled. He stood still and forced his fingers into his ears. A second later the sound wave hit him and despite his finger's he was defend for a few second's. Ross pulled his fingers out of his ears and watched as the mushroom cloud reached high into the atmosphere. Then suddenly a second light blinded him. "AGAIN!" Ross bellowed. A few hours later Ross saw the head of the convoy approach the city from the woods and he wave a sentry over. "All crews to their guns. Start the bombardment." A few minutes later the Hell hammers and Klink Hammer where firing. Sending shells down onto the Seraphim who properly stated to dig themselves into trenches and other attempts to hide from the bombardment. Ross raised a flare gun and fired it, the red orb glowed and then the bombardment sub sided. The Seraphim stayed in there trenches. "and so it begins...the siege of Canterlot...." Ross though as he moved from his position on the rampart's. The mirror rose up past the lip of the trench, held aloft by the knife it was stuck to. Ross sat under the mirror, notebook in his lap he was sketching the mass of creators into a rough map. Ross handed the not book to Moonlight "Last time ask me." Moonlight started the test to check Ross had memorize the terrain. "OK Section Alpha. Number of craters?" Ross closed his eye's and the mental image of the no man's land came into his mind. "Section Alpha. There are five craters. Alpha B, Bravo, Charley, Delta and Echo." Moonlight nodded. "There distance from the trench?" "Alpha B is ten meters from us, Bravo and Charley are thirteen meters from us, Delta is seventeen meters from us and Echo is fifty meters from us...and on their line." Ross opened his eyes and Moonlight smiled. "All correct, Now what is all this for?" Luna looked at Ross. "You want me to do what!?" She stared at him in disbelief. Ross stood in his battle dress. Shotgun over his shoulder and repeated his request. "Dime the star's and the moon for a minute. Just this ones please." Luna looked at him. "I don't think I can..." Ross broke his stance and moved closer to her. "Pleas all may depend on this night." Ross tied the rope round his waist then looked at the trail of ponies. "If the rope is severed try to head back to this trench 'cause I’m going all the way." The pony's nodded and Ross climbed up the ladder, he spun the shotgun's revolving chamber, he pressed a one of the night vision goggles into his right eye as he saw Luna escorted by some of her bat ponies step down into the trench. Luna could see Ross standing on the ladder and the rope leading to the other ponies. She nodded and they all saluted back. She stood in the trench looking up at her celestial body; she closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Slowly o so slowly the stars started going out as she bent there light to reflect away from the planet. They started going out faster till only the moon was left. Luna forced the splinting headache back and the moon started to dime. Ross started in case that was all he was going to get. The pony's moved up the ladder as they felt the pull on the rope. Ross quickly crawled along on his belly. He felt a crater to his right and ticked the first creator in his head. Luna concentrated harder and harder on dimming the moon. Then she felt faint and stopped before she passed out. There was a snap and the moon and star's where back. Ross looked up. "Damn it! Well you did your best Luna." Ross continued to crawl through the no man’s land the trail of ponies following behind him. Ross stopped as he heard voices and looked up through his gas mask. There were several order troops mingling around a heavy machine gun. Ross reached back and grabbed a specially made grenade. He had removed the explosive heads from several of his grenades and lashed them together around one that still had a handle attached. Ross pulled the pin and the bundle of grenade towards the gun pit. It whistled through the air and landed among the troops, a second later there was a fiery explosion and bodies were thrown through the air. Ross stood up and charged out through the mud to the trench. Somehow a trooper had survived and it saw him charging towards his trench. He raised a knife bur Ross raised his shotgun and fired. Ross jumped down into the trench and started making his way along it to the middle of the line where the command dig out was likely to be. Ponies dropped in after him, cutting themselves free of the rope and started to swarm down the trenches. Ross signaled Mac to go down a trench that led deeper into the network. Ross saw two guard's outside of a dug out. He fired and they fell. The door opened and Ross smashed into it shoulder first. The door fell in on its hinges and Ross stumbled in. There where charts and other detritus of command. Ross did a double take on the bed was two women scantily dressed and hiding under the blanket. There was a banging from under the door that was under his feet. Ross steeped off and found the Order commander in an over flash uniform. He had dark, blue eyes and fair skin. Ross raised his shotgun and smashed his face with the stock of his gun. The hauled him up off the floor and onto a pony's back. He started tearing the dig-out apart. He took map's chart's and others document's, snuffing them into pouches and pocket's. Ross opened a cupboard and found several cloaked. Ross remembered the two joy-girl's in the bed, he pulled the shotgun onto his shoulder and pulled a set of the cloaks out. He walked to the bed and the two joy-girls hid under the blanket more. Ross looked up and pulled his gas mask and helmet off and once again fixed them to his left Epaulet. "Come on put theses on." He offered one of his gloved hand's to the first the one she had blond hair that reached down to the small of her back her green eye's looked into Ross's deep blue ones. She took his offered hand and slid out of the bed. Ross kept looking into her eye's while he unfolded one of the cloak's and wrapped her in it. He repented this for the seconded. This one had light brown skin. Light blue eye's and short Platinum hair they sat there on the bed looking up at him nervously. Ross looked out the door as shouting of pony's running up the trench met his ear's. He pulled his mask and helmet back on. He looked round the dig out one last time, then at the two joy-girl's. Ross tipped his helmet and ran out the door way and into the night. The two girl's looked at each other, they started giggling and blushing. "He was cute!" The blond one said. The tan one blushed deeper. "He was so handsome! He did't even look down at our boob's! " The two drew the cloak's round them tighter the fine fabric hugged there hour glass figures and highlighting there ample bust's. Ross started down the trench his webbing, ammo pouch's, ammo, and other thing's started rattling as he jogged down to where they breached the trench network. Ross saw the pony's where almost back at the home trench line. There was a thundering noise and he looked up at the Seraphim ACU looking down at him. It's light's blazing angrily. "O sssssssssshit!" Ross started walking backward's then he threw himself at the wall of the trench and started to scramble up the wall. The ACU brought all it's gun's down to point him. He forced his limb's into over drive. He scrambled over the edge then threw himself into a crater as the ACU fired into the trench missing him by inches. Ross was out of the crater and ruining as fast as his leg's could go. Ross saw the trench come into view and next thing he knew he was sailing through the air. He started coming down to earth. "This was going to hit. No this was really! Going to hurt. " Ross braced himself and no sooner he smashed into the wall of the trench and fell into the few inches of standing water. Ross blacked out for a few second's but then sat up. His neck hurt like bloody murder. Ross rolled his head it and his neck responded. It let out as series of creak's and pop's there was a loud crack and the pain left. Ross then haled himself from the muddy water and stood. Luna watched as the cannon fired down silhouetting Ross and she watched in horror as Ross was lunched easily twenty or thirty feet then flew into the trench. He hit the wall head first and lay there. Luna ran up to Ross but she felt her panic subside as Ross sat up. "Got what you wanted?" Luna asked and Ross nodded as he lent on the wall of the trench. "That and more." Ross lent over the desk that was in the war room he stood in a few day's ago when he arrived, the varies document's, map's, note's and letter's. All pointed to the same thing. They where in for the hurt locker. THe sege was hevily on the Order's side, juging by the troop manifest he found. Ross stood he needed to start making his army strong. Ross rubbed his eye's he was tired and sour all over but he knew he had to work through the night. The ACU woke in the night. It's generator coughing and roaring replaced by a loud humming of the reactor. Pony's watched as it lit up, light's blazing in the night. The ACU creaked and squeaked as oil and other lubricant's where being forced into joint's and other small part's that had run dry when Unbreakable had been standing. Ross twisted his hand's to the right and the ACU swung on it's hip pivot round the where the small factory that birthed God Killer sat. Ross's eye's adjusted as the visor of the engineering mode blazed into life The cannon's glowed as there dater command's where transmitter to the factory and it started to de-construct. Ross was already starting to fall asleep and he remembered a song that some of the foot slugger's where singing when they where on there daily run round the base. Ross flicked through the music option's and found a backing track to match the lyric's. A rock tune came on and Ross sat up in the thrown. " Into the Motherland The Seraphim army march! In the UEF on world in dispute. Tanks line up in thousands as far the eye can see Ready for the onslaught. Ready for the fight. Waiting for the Seraphim to march into the trap Mines are placed in darkness In the cover of the night! Waiting to be triggered When the time is right Imminent invasion, imminent attack! Once the battle started... There's no turning back! The end of Man draws near It's time has come to an end The end of an era is here It's time.... to attack! Into the Motherland the Seraphim army march Comrades stand side by side to stop the Order charge Obsidian's on our soil a thunder in the air sixty million men at war UEF wrath unleashed! Fields of wheat Where the heat of battle burned. Suffered heavy losses The tide of war was turned Driving back the Order Fighting on all fronts Hunt them out of the UEF. Out of order land Reinforce the front line Force the Order to retreat Send in all the reserves Securing their defeat Soldiers of the Union Broke there citadel Ruins of an army The Order rest in hell! The end of Man draws near Its time has come to an end The end of an era is here Its time to attack. Into the Motherland the Seraphim army march Comrades stand side by side to stop the Order charge Obsidian's on our soil a thunder in the air fifty million men at war UEF wrath unleashed!..." There was a lull in the singing as Ross shouted his own part he liked to add. "Onward comrades! Onward's for the UEF!! Charge!!!!" The he keep singing "...Ow The UEF! Union of world's Will of the people Strong in command! Ow The UEF! Union of world's Once more victorious the Grate Army stands! The end of Seraphim draws near. Its time has come to an end! The end of an era is here... Its time.... to attack!!! Into the There land the UEF army march Comrades charge side by side to brake the Order line. Pillar's on there soil a thunder in the air. thirty million men at war The UEF's wrath unleashed!!!" Ross watched as the final few pieces of the Land factory unfolded and locked into place. The light's on the land factory lighted up and the Engineering visor raised up and Ross looked round for the space for another factory. As the night marched on Ross continued building and singing more song's as he did, most where old war song's or song's about heroes of old and new except for one. The music was slow and sweet. Ross's voice complemented it perfectly. It was a old song , older than the Infinite War it's self. Unbeknownst to Ross he had accidentally knocked the External Address System on, thankfully onto it's lowest setting but it was still enough to wake pony's for a few hundred feet to wake up. But most where reduced to tear's with in a few word's. In the Castle's throne room Luna looked up from the once again empty Night Court as the voice made it's way to her. Ross blissful of this continued building as he sung. It was in a old tong from his home. Nobody knew what the word's meant but all could tell it was a song of a solder separated from his lover. Ross sung the last few lyric's as the last part's of the factory slid into place, Unbreakable stood there like a Cartographer studying the land. Ross nodded, smile and started typing on the keyboard under the monitor to his left. As one the factory's started, light blazed in to the early morning light, the mechanical arm's started assembling the first of meany Striker's, so soon crawl on the world. There was a click and Ross looked down to find he had cort on the EAS switch and he knocked it off, hoping he had only just knocked it on. Dawn the next day Celestia gently swooped through the air and looked down at the strange building's now covering most of the garden's, most of the smaller ones where spinning while what looked like lightning arched between there internal working's. Others spun then dropped into the ground like it was pumping something up from the depths. She saw the ACU standing by the entrance of the gardens and in front of a few group's of neatly lined contraption's. She landed softly on top of the ACU. Her gold horse shoes burly clicking as them met the metal beneath. She raped the hatch on top and a few second's later the hatch open revile a groggy looking Ross. "O...hi..." There was a clatter of boot's on metal as Ross dropped back into gut's of Unbreakable. "Well come in then..." Celesta's all ready tired features shifted to show a look of concern as she attempted to lower her self in through the hatch. Ross saw she was struggling to clime down and then took her into his arm's and lowed her to the floor. Celestia felt her cheek's blaze as Ross picked her up. She was not use to being handled in such are uncouth way. But that was not to say she did not mind it. Ross gently flicked some of Celesta's main off his shoulder and nodded as he then sat down on the command throne. Celestia took her first look round at what called home when he was not at base. She was shocked. "He is expected to live and fight from here? I would not condom a criminal to be kept in here." She looked round as Ross forced his back into the head rest and there was a wearing sound. A device extended from behind the head rest. Celestia watched then cringed as a needle piston'd into Ross's neck from the side of the throne. Ross shook his head and she saw his pules contract to pin prick's. Ross felt his energy skyrocket as the sleep singes where blocked and the adrenaline pumped through his body. "Gggoooddd Morning!"
The Day AfterAuthor's Note Sorry fore the delay XP But here it is the next chapter and I cannot take any more OC As All spot's are full! The Day After The Day After Celestia listen as Ross explained what he had done and what everything was. While she did not understand most of it she got the gist of it . Ross was in remote command of all the vehicles she had seen outside. This meant he could command entire armies by himself but this also meant that he was often compromised his safety if there were multiple assaults on his position, when he divide his attention between the fount's he could let something slip through his defenses and strike at him. There was suddenly a great deal of shouting out side and Ross gently brushed pass Celestia, as he claimed up the ladder. Celestia could hear some shouting from Ross who then dropped down again. He roughly pressed Celestia against the wall as he opened the locker next to his command throne and pulled his webbing, helmet and shotgun out. He then turned back to the ladder. As she was pressed agents the wall she felt the gas mask's filter press into her. She did not even notice he had it on, the mask handing from his left epaulette again. She could feel the filter on Ross's chest, the metal outcrops under the heavy fabric, gently pressed into her as Ross slipped past her and she wondered how Ross could wear that on his chest day after day. She did not mind admitting she was impressed by his endurance or the tolerance he had. "Forgive me princess, There is some activity on the Order line." and with that Ross pulled himself up and out of the hatch. Ross pulled the shot gun over his head and it sat across his back then, swung round and onto the rope ladder. He slid down it and slammed into the dirt, A thin trail of smoke from his gloves from the friction and he started running, as he did he pulled his webbing on and fumbled his gas mask on and pulled his helmet on and it snapped into the latches on the mask. Ponies watched as Ross ran along his webbing clacking as he went. As Ross ran some of the Klink Hammer started firing volley's over the city walls. As Ross passed under the gate way a bell started ringing calling the guards to arms. "Fuck!" Ross muttered as he continued running. Shell's started landing around the trench as Ross slid into a trench and into the officer of the watch. The Caption looked round angrily as Ross pulled his shotgun off his shoulder. The Caption smiled his anger leaving him. "Nice to see you sir! The Order is sending a wave at us! Should we fall back!?" A shell slammed into the lip of the trench sending Ross and the Captain relying into the opposite wall. Ross stood shaking his head as his ears started ringing. Ross grabbed the Captain and looked up and down the trench. There were at least thirty Pony's in the trench. All where cowering and where equipped with crossbow's. "Up! Get up! We need to hold them back... what are we? Platoon strength?" Ross shouted. "Ey we are!" The Captain shouted. Ross drew his sword and gave it to the Captain who had been separated from his own. "Onto the step with you!" Ross stepped up onto the fire step and set his shotgun into his shoulder. The bombardment stopped and there was silence. Ross looked round then drew his revolver as the sound of hoof's in water met is ear's, Ross pointed the revolver at the few of the ponies who were trying to escape . He twitched the barrel to the firing step then the pony's slowly moved back to the step. Ross slid the revolver back into the holster and looked round as a raw of shouting rose from the Order line and a mass of body's claimed up and started running through the mud and water as the bombardment from Ross's cannon's continued to attempt to blast the advancing infantrymen to past. " Celestia.... there must be at least a company if not a regiment coming at us..." The Captain comment looking at Ross. "We hold! But we must wait till they are closer. Then you will not hold back! You will fire fill your dry of arrow's then we will show no mercy or respite!" The pony's gave a raw of anger as they stepped up onto the firing step, Crossbow's where drawn and bolt's slid home. "HOLD!" Ross bellowed as the Order advanced closer and closer. "HOOOOLD!!!" The Order advanced closer and closer. "THERE GETTING BUCKING CLOSE! ANY TIME SIR!" One Bat pony shouted. "Come on...come on a little closer... come on you bastard's!" Ross muttered watching the troop's getting closer. "FIRE!!!" Ross shouted pulling the trigger of his shotgun. The shot going wide as the firing step giving way from under Ross and he fell into the muddy water. Other's where more lucky. There was a rushing and twanging as the twenty or so ponies fired their cross bow's. Many hit there target's and bounced off the hard alloys of the armorer. Yet some found gap's in arm and neck joint's, one even passing through an eye lens of a helmet. Ross stood up and saw a trooper looming over him. Ross slammed the barrel of his shotgun into the trooper's legs and the troop slipped and fell into the trench. Ross flipped his shot gun and started cubing the trooper to death with the stock. The Captain stepped in and brought Ross's borrowed sword down ending the fight. Ross turned to see a Bat pony about to be run through with a sword. With a billow on anger Ross swung the shotgun down with all his might. The wooden stock of the shotgun shatter into splinter's as the blow caved in the officer's head. Ross threw the now useless shotgun on to the ground behind the trench as the Bat bony nodded his thank's and Ross drew his entrenching tool and pointed at the trooper's yet to reach the trench. "Up and Over! Not one inch shall be lost!" Ross ordered as he claimed up the ladder infront of him and into the cratered wasteland. With a billowed cry the pony's followed running into the wasteland to meet the charge head on. A few ponies where hit by the Orders troopers who fire wildly from the waste as they ran but no pony fell. Ross responded firing with his revolver, from the six shot's Ross dropped three troop's and Ross holstered his pistol as he took the spade's handle in both hand's . Ross stoped running as he slid along in the mud and slammed his Entrenching tool into the trooper's face. There was a echoing clang and the trooper fell his neck broken. The pony's and Order troops crashed together and start fighting among the thick mud and water filled crater's. The pony's dropped their cross bow's and started to trample and kick while the Order troop's thrust and swiped with their bayoneted rifle's. Ross slammed in to an Order troop ruby tackling him into a crater and they struggled in the water. The green and white armorer of the troop truing a dull gray of the thick mud as Ross head butted him then drought the E-tool down point first into the chest of the troop. The sharp point dented the armorer and Ross drought it down again and again. The trooper tried to block a blow but the spade severed his hand and drove the spade into the dented armorer, blood stared pouring from the last strike and Ross brought his hand from the throat of the Order trooper and drove his spade home. Ross stood from the crater and ran at his next target holding his spade up over his head and bellowing his challenge at what may be a Sargent. The Sargent responded bringing his rifle round only to get a back handed swing from the E-tool taking his throat out with it. Ross was panting the heavy clay like mud clinging to his coat as well as his boots and trousers. But Ross kept fighting in the bloody melee, he did not know if they were wining or loosening, whether they had help coming or not but he kept fighting and helping pony's where he could. Ross pulled a trouper of a pony he was intent on chocking and brought the E-tool down and beheaded him. Ross pulled pony up and shoved his E-tool into the pony's grip. Ross drew his bayonet as a decorated Order officer, obviously leading the attack, comes into sight. He swiftly fell, Ross's thrown bayonet sticking from his un-helmeted forehead. Ross saw two trooper's raise their rifles and charge him. Obviously desperate to avenge the death of their Officer. Ross reached for his sword but remembered he gave it to the Captain; he then raised his fists. The first one thrust at his chest with the bayonet and he side stepped it and swung his fist into the helmeted face. The first fell and Ross grabbed the barrel of the other troop's rifle and forced the rifle's barrel up. Ross lashed out with his right leg and with his steel-toed boots kicked the trooper in the groin. There was a fleshy popping and the trooper fell clutching his now ruptured testicles. Ross spun the rifle and brought it down, the bayonet passed through the armorer and the trooper laid still, blood pouring from where the blade had passed through his hart. Ross turned and was to slow. The punched trooper was back up and the bayonet was on a course for his face. Ross knew this was going to hurt. Ross stepped back and brought his hand up. The bayonet passed through his outstretched hand. Ross bellowed in pain and anger. He pressed back on the rifle. The trooper slipped in the thick mud and fell onto his back. Ross pulled his hand off the bayonet then balled his hand and bought the fist down on the head of the white and green warrior. He felt pain shoot up his arm as he kept punching with his stabbed hand. There was a cracking and trooper started bleeding from under the mask as it shattered but Ross kept going. He stopped as blood poured from all the cuts and the stump that was left of the noise. He looked up and saw another Guard Officer being throttled agents the lip of a crater the Order trooper had its rifle across the Officers throat. Ross scrambled to his feet and made his way over. Ross skidded over, pulling his helmet off as he went. Ross smashed his hermit into the side of the trooper's head. The Trooper's helmet flew off as the trooper fell to the mud Ross saw it was a women and jumped on her. The trooper raised her knife but Ross graded her wrist and raised his helmet. "ORDER REST IN HELL!" Ross bellowed as brought his helmet down. Blood spattered his coat but he kept going the soft features being destroyed as Ross's tough helmet slammed down. There was a crack and her skill caved in. Ross stood mud and blood coating his trench coat's front as well as his mask. There was a flash of fire and pony's where running around a light and screaming, behind the glowing, billowing flames where three heavily armored troop's with flame throwers. "Fall back! Fall back!" Ross bellowed as he pulled the bloody helmet on and started hoping the fire proofing was still good on his uniform. He picked the knife up from the limp hand of the woman under him and tried slipped into a deep crater full of water. The three troopers saw him and as one turned there weapon's on Ross having be promised a bounce for his burn corps from there masters. Ross stumbled back as the three jets of burning fuel struck him and the fire ball engulfed him. He slipped back and into another crater as the fire ball sent a black cloud up into the air. The three emptied the tanks of fuel on their back into the aria, there weapons dribbling as the residual presser slowly stopped. The mud was black and baked rock hard the water in the creator's nearby was steaming slightly. The water in the crater nearest the flame thrower's exploded and Ross launched himself the the group they fired there drained weapons only for them to dribble a bit. They dropped the flame throwers and reached for their pistols. Ross tore into them the knife slipping between a first's on between the chest armorer and the mask, silting the throat open. The second was bringing his piston up as Ross turned and relived him of the pistol along with his hand that was swiftly followed by a slit throat. Ross turned the last one and batter's the pistol down bringing the bloody knife up into the gut's the knife somehow slipping through the armored belly with ease. Ross ripped the knife free and the trooper clutching where his gut's where starting to force their way out. Yet he was still trying to attack Ross. Ross quickly drew his revolver and loaded a single shot into it. "You got gut's skinny. I'll give you that...and there getting all over the place!" The warrior fell to his knees and Ross raised the revolver to lightly rest ageist the troop's forehead. "But I ant so easily kill'd" Ross fired the trooper's head exploding out violently. As Ross was dealing with the flame throwers the ponies had kept fighting. Pony kicked or drowned the remains of the Order's troops. Ross let the body of the last flame thrower's body fall and he turned as he heard a cough. He looked down to find a badly wounded Order troop claw at his ankle from where he lay in the crater. Ross shook the hand off his ankle and stood on the Trooper's head, forcing it under the water in the creator. There was some light thrashing then the hand clutching his leg lost its grip Ross held it down for a while longer then took his foot out. "Captain! Report! And Get me some fucking support!" Ross bellowed the pain hi his hand making him angry. The Captain blew the whistle that was round his neck and it war responded by a whistle from the gate house and a mass of pony's where half way to the trench. “Three dead five wounded two can continue duty Sir!" Ross walked over to the Order officer's body and pulled his bayonet from his forehead, the body twitched and its leg lifted off the ground a little. Ross wiped the knife clean on the Officer's uniform as looked at the Order lines and saw a periscope look over the top of the trench. "In! Into the trench!" As soon as Ross shouted artillery from the Order side started slamming into the mud. In the safety of the trench Ross took his saber back and found his E-tool. He lent ageist the muddy wall and looked round at the pony's there the wounded laying in the bottom of the trench. "Sir... your hand." A Sargent commented. Ross looked down from where the bayonet passed through his hand luckily missing anything impotent but it was a bit disconcerting that he could see through the hole, it needing sown shut. "Eww..." Ross lowered it and the Sargent started wrapping a bandage around the hand. Ross watched as a few squads of ponies finely made it to the trench. “Your bloody late!" Ross bellowed as he picked his stock less shotgun and looked back at company that had helped him. "You lot are to go to the barrack's and double ration's for you all!" Ross picked up two of the injured pony's one on each shoulder and he started jogging of the pony's in tail as Ross weaved skillfully through the artillery as it rained down on the trench. And surrounding aria. Ross sat in the medical room of the barrack's Ross watched as Pin Prick stitched his hand shut the local anesthetic making Ross's finger's flop limply as the stab wound was shut and disinfected. "You are enjoying this aren't you?" Ross asked he was finished and raised his arm and everything past his wrist flopped loosely and Pin Prick smiled.
Arrival...Author's Note Sorry for the delay! one of my editor's shattered his tail bone and the other is AFK so i did what I could but I'm sorry if there are any mistakes! Arrival... Arrival... Equestria. Royal Castle Gardens. Barracks B4. Ross sat there pondering the situation as he looked as he recently stitched hand. "There commander threw a regiment at us... He is willing to risk there sacrifice in just a probing attack... who ever this was he was ether a master mind or inept.... I wounder witch..." There was a bleeping and Ross looked at the monitor. "All viable restorers expended.... projection.... lack sufficient vital mineral's to construct Q-gate for reinforcement's from Earth or any other UEF strong hold." Ross stared at the monitor and had only one word. "...bugger..." Ross sat in the command throne of Unbreakable he had been trying to get a strong radio signal to Earth to inform Brigadier Zanic of his progress, problem's and what he had discovered. Ross pressed the ear peace on his ear in. His right hand gently turned the dial on the radio. "Tri-beam communication...most advanced my ass!" Ross muttered as the radio hissed angrily. "Shut up!" Ross muttered at the hissing radio as he slammed his fist on top of it. It stoped hissing and he looked at the operations manual in his lap for the home frequent's. He turned the knob a fraction the right.*Click!* "Leftenant Ross! Of th-" *SSSSSCCCCRRRRTCH!* Ross threw the head set off his head and into the opposite wall. he sat in the command throne rubbed his wringing ear's. "Wrong number?" Ross asked himself as he looked down at the manual. To find it was the correct Frequency and band length. Earth Parade Ground of the 68th Siege/ Siege breaker Regiment "Thunder fighters" Commander: Brigadier Zanic The Lord General sat looking at his two guest's. The one on his left was clad in a sweeping white and green robes with a deep hood from which a pair of green eye's burned like Emeralds. To his right was a mangled heap of flesh and metal It's meany eye's burned red and the Cybran nation emblem across it's midnight black chest. The two where the highest ranking officer's of there respective faction's that where available to take part in the negotiation's and other requirement's that will be needed to combined there army's and command structure's. The Lord General cleared his throat and the Aeon Illuminate representative looked at him from under it's hood. The Cybran envoy's eye's died and the one looking at him glowed bright. "As you all know the Seraphim are pressing into a corner and our leaders have band together. This leave's the issue of the army's command." The Lord General looked up as the door opened to the room and Brigadier Zanic entered. She ran round the table and knelt next to the Lord General's seat. "It's Ross Lord we believe he need's help." Zanic whispered. Her look of concern that turned to anger as the general smiled sadistically. "So he is not the best fighter this side of the galaxy?" He said every word making Zanic angrier that he not believing or trusting her finest officer's ability's. "He is! It will have to be something bloody major to stop him!" The Lord General looked at her then to the envoy's around him then back to Zanic. "Well.... give me a bit and I may... see fit to send some help... Can SACU's survive a main Quantum gate transport?" " I knew it! He is feckless of anything to to with ACU's! " Zanic though as she sigh'd as she stood. "Well.... maybe..." A few hour's later the ground of trembled as the four giant's strode along the road. The sun broke over the horizon as the four SACU's made there way along the well trodden rode toward's the Quantum gate. The led two where UEF SACU's The left SACU was dubbed "In Stahlgewittern", the right was dubbed. "King of the Chieftain's". Following on there heels in black and red was the Cybran SACU. "Retribution of Sins". Following that bearing the personal hereditary of the Princes was the Aeon SACU. "Ethereal Light". The four came to a stop in a line infrount of the Quantum gate. In unison they walked toward's the gate and entered. Equestria Princess's castle War Room of the Two Sister's Ross was laying under and wast deep in the holo table he was set up in the war room of the castle so that the Princess's could plan anything they needed with real time images an well as the direct sight on to the battlefield. "Ok...what's the hologram doing now? Celestia, Spike and Twilight watched as a dozen UEF emblem's spun disorderly. "It's still out of sync I recommend adjusting.... er..." Twilight stoped as she realize this was something she had no knowledge of. Celestia and Spike rolled there eye's as Twilight practically forced her self into the small access hatch in the side of the table desperate to quench her thrust fore knowledge. Ross looked down from the complex arrangement's of mirrors and other complex mechanism's only to find Twilight laying on top of him and they where practically noise to noise. "Er... hello.... can I help you?" Ross asked unsure of he wanted to be this interment at all. "Hi! How are you? Also yes I want to know... well... everything! " Twilight said smiling. Ross got the with of flower's, he wounder'd whether it was perfume or some sort of shampoo. That also made him realized he had not bathed since he had arrived. "Well I cant tell you anything now as I can hardly breath and I need to concentrate but...." Ross looked up where the instruction manual was hanging from a conveniently placed coolant pipe. "... here read through that I think I know what I need to do." Celestia watched as Twilight extracted her felt from the hatch. In her mouth was a thick manual covered in coffee ring's and oil. She then watched with interest as one by one the miss matched emblem's slowly started to match up with one another. Suddenly the door's to the war room slammed open with a deafening bang that was swiftly accompany with yep's from Ross as he reserved a electric shock from a small bit of exposed wire. As Ross slid out of the table and as he sit up he try'd to shack the pins and needles from his hand and arm. Celestia rounded on the guard that pushed the door's open. "What is the meaning of this!?" Celestia asked in a commanding voice. She then found her self. "I'm sorry.... what is it my little pony? The guard shook but walked up to her. "Your majesty... Ross...there is something you need to see. Ross and Celestia found them self's in one of the higher tower's of the castle and where looking to the east. "Well... what is there?" Ross asked As he turned to the guard that led them up there. The guard offered him a telescope. Ross took it and opened it up and brought it up to his eye. "There was a blue flash like when you arrived near the cop's of tree's past the river..." the guard looked up as Ross looked where he was directed to look and saw the hazy outline over the tree's and reconsidered each one of them. "Why are you two there?" Ross asked himself as he looked at the two enemy SACU's and wondered why they had come through next to the UEF ones. "Report to Sargent Major Moonlight... Mobilize S.O.H.U and get me three squid ready for combat. And trooper.... get ready the City gates Unbreakable is taking to the field." Celestia watched as the Guard pony saluted and galloped off. "What is it Ross?" Ross turned to face Celestia. " Support's arrived early.... and in trouble." Order trooper's looked up as the City gate's opened and the hulking form of a UEF ACU filled the gap. They grabbed there weapons and there radio's filled with chatter and requested for ACU killing weapon's. There own ACU having fallen back to refuel it's reactors and would not be operational for at lest a few hour's. They watched as the ACU turned from them and headed around the side on the mountain along a unknown path. Trailing in it's mighty foot fall'a they saw a few squid's of pony's gallop along. There was a screeching and whistling as shell's started to land around them forcing the Order's into there trench. Moonlight looked up as she galloped then opened her wing's and flew up to the shoulder of the ACU. The other Bat pony's and Pegasuses flew up to join her. Ross walked the ACU on, her cannon's scanning left and right as they mimicked Ross's hand movement's he pressed his feet and the peddles to the floor and Unbreakable came to a stop. He spoke into the radio and Moonlight put her hoof to her ear, it resting on the small ear peace radio that Ross had issued to her, every member of S.O.H.U, each Sargent and officer that was with him. "I see the target's, dead ahead. Weapons up, safety off and keep close. Us me as cover we don't know if hostile." Ross then slowly advanced down the mountain trail that was barely wide enough, toward's the end of the trail and the river. The Bat pony's and Pegasus that where on the ACU swayed slowly with it. Ross soon reached the river and waded through it the water reaching the ankles of the ACU. He was soon on the other side and stopped to cover the pony's as they waded and swam through the water. Big Mac was barely keeping his head above the water the two mini gun's weighing him down as he went, Applejack was not faring much better the spear ammo for her brother's gun's slowly tiring her as they reached half way. "Darn it.... w...why could one of the unicorn's have lifted us over... after all.... ant' we specialist's?" Applejack complained as the cold water lapped at her chin. "Eey-" Mac start'd before he took a mouth full of water and started choking and panicking. They was a blue aura around Mac as he was lifted to the bank, Applejack was then lifted from the river and set down next to her brother. She looked up to see Pin Prick shake himself free from water, his medic-bag rattling. "Thank ya'll...." Mac said and Pin Prick nodded " Anytime." Ross looked at the group of SACU's that stood before him. He turned to face the two hostile SACU's and turned the radio to the locked down and encrypted UEF command channel. "Cadet's report.... this is Leftenant Ross, respond do you know why there are two hostiles next to you? Over." He reserved static and he tried a few more time's before he switched to squid broadcast. "All squad's. Secure the two right ammeter's commanding rank take over the command. I'm required to investigate the radio silence from the other two." He reserved an acknowledgment from a Major before he slowly walked Unbreakable over to the UEF SACU's the bat pony's and Pegasus's flying of to join there squid's again. Ross stoped Unbreakable next to the closest SACU. Ross untangled his arm's from the frames and stood up he took a few second's to look at the monitor and the SACU. On scrawling text was "In Stahlgewittern" on it's right shoulder. He turned and claimed part way up the ladder and took a firm hold on the locking wheel on the hatch. He opened it and claimed out. Ross pulled his helmet on as he slowly walked over to the edge of the head and looked round. Pony's slowly approached the two other SACU's and one or two gently poked and then started claiming on top them, those could fly did and landed on top of there designated SACU. Ross looked at the SACU next to him then turned to the hatch. He reached down and pulled the rope ladder out and moved of the side of the ACU head. He latched it using the mag-lock's to latch the ladder to Unbreakable. He then looked at the SACU below him and jugged the distance, he activated the mag-lock's on the other end of the ladder and slowly started swinging it back and forth slowly building momentum. With a grunt he threw it and there was a clanged as the magnet's slammed into the armor of In Stahlgewittern and locked on. He then promptly scuttled down the angle of the ladder and onto the much smaller SACU. There was a small scanner on the hatch and Ross pulled his glove off before he pressed his thumb to the plat. There was a humming and the sound of rushing air as the seal of the hatch pop'd open and Ross opened it. The under side of the hatch was red and dripping with blood. Ross coughed and dropped into the sum-what familiar insides of the SACU. He looked at the command thrown to find only a bloody splat where the cadet should be. Ross remembered the name of this type of transportation mishap. It was known as " Aliment Decomposition " "Poor bugger." Ross commented as he walked over to the gore pile and lifted a red set of dog tag's from it. He then pressed and finger to his ear-radio and requested a unicorn or someone who could clean up the mess. Ross claimed out and moved to the ladder and deactivated the mag-lock's on Unbreakable end using a control interface on the ladder. the magnet's acted as a weigh and the leader swung to the floor, Ross waited till the sent solder arrived up from the ground. It was a Royal guard unicorn his shook him self and looked at Ross saluting. "Privet Sunshine sir. You needed me to clean something?" Ross nodded a little and pointed at the bloody hatch. "Bit of a gore show in here I'm afraid...." Moonlight stood looking up as Ross and the unicorn looked into the hatch. There was a clattering from a small compartment in Unbreakable's leg. She looked at the three troop's that where stood with her guarding Unbreakable. "You three.... Charge your bayonet's... the small hatch." Moonlight walked up to the hatch that was used to assess the inner working of the ankle joint. The three turned and slipped there slender but long bayonet/fighting knife onto the end of there rifles and turned to face the small hatch. Moonlight opened it and they watched as the small figure fall out to the floor. Despite the red and black grease, covering him Moonlight reconsidered him. "You bloody argent fool! What are you doing here..." Unaware of what was happening around the feet of giant's Ross moved from SACU to SACU leaving a guard atop each one. In the second UEF SACU he found the pilot met the safe fate but the SACU used a older form of neural linking system that required finger's to work. "You little B." Ross said as he contemplated detonating the reactor. He decided to think about it later and claimed out after he plucked the dog tag's from the meaty stew that was ones a pilot. He move to the Aeon SACU, same again a liquefied pilot but he checked the SACU for trap's and other potential problem's. After gently experimenting Ross discovered, like the UEF SACU's, Most of secondary system's and a few primary's had over loaded. He climbed out and let Sunshine work on cleaning the SACU. Ross looked up, he had reached the last SACU and a sense of foreboding filled him as the Mag-lock's slammed into the Cybran SACU and locked on. As he half walked and half climbed along to the SACU his foreboding increases a he hesitantly put his booted foot on the black metal. He took a deep breath to calm his racing hart and stepped fully onto the metal. The hatched open'd and Ross dropped in. He looked round at the inside of the Retribution of Sins. Then he saw him. The pilot was suspended in the air. His leg's where gone as where his arm's. It looked like it was hard wired into the SACU it's self. But Ross could see there was what may be neural linking equipment on the thrown. "A.... your Ross lieutenant. Yes? No?" The thing looked at him and Ross stared back at it coldly. Ross poped the holster of his revolver and drew his weapon. "Lieutenant why draw weapon?" The thing hissed and click more as it's head looked at him. The mash of dead flesh and metal looking at him. Ross felt a uncontrollable anger flood him and his hand trembled violently with his anger. Ross could not stop himself he raised the revolver as memory's flashed through his head. The thing screeched at him and Ross fired then again and again. Ross then lowered his revolver and slip'd it into his holster. Ross let a slow breath out. That was it... his first murder... and hopefully his last... He knew he killed, but everyone he killed could defend them self's they had a chance. He pulled the bayonet from his webbing and cut the thing from it's cabbies and dragged it to under it's hatch." "SUN! SHINE! Got this out of here and burn it or something. I need to check this thing is safe to use." The body levitated out and Ross turned and sat in the throne. Gingerly looking for booby trap's and other thing's. He found nothing and that it like the other's had suffered a massive power surge. *Beep! Beep!* "Ross. Moonlight. You had a stow away in the maintenance access of the right leg." Ross presses his finger into the radio and there was the soft click of broadcasting. "Who or what is it?" There was a beep of message incoming. "Spike the Dragon" Ross stood over the small dragon his arm's folded. "Why are you here?" Ross's voice was stern as he stood there staring down at the small lizard. Spike looked up from where he sat huddled with his knee's to his chest still covered in grease. "I... I wanted to see what war was like..." He looked up at Ross but ducked down as he felt the stares from the three armed pony's on him. "We-" Ross started before a crystal shattered on the armorer of Unbreakable. "COVER!!!" Ross bellowed as he grabbed Spike and threw him over the foot of the ACU and jumped over himself. Ross looked over the foot as the pony's scattered and he saw the green trooper's advance on them.
The new crewThe new crew Ross ducked down as more of the raze edged disk's shattered ageist the armored foot of Unbreakable. Pony's ran for cover but some fell before they knew they where under attack, more were cut down as they attempted to ran for cover. Ross watched as a member of S.O.H.U was hit in the throat the crystal shattering as he started jumping over the foot Ross and Spike where using to block the shot's, the crystal fractured sending hundred's of tiny peaces out in all directions and shredding the pony's throat clean out. Ross was reaching for him as he hit the ground his leg's collapsing as Ross grabbed him and pulled him close. Ross knew it was to late and ratcheted for the pony's rifle in stead . He tucked the rifle's stock into his shoulder and pressed the cocking lever down, exposing the back of the camber and the cartridge with in. Ross snapped the handle back up and looked at Spike pulling his revolver out and offering it to him, grip out. "Can I trust you to watch my back?" Ross said glaceing over the cover to see who was still standing. Spike took the large revolver in trembling hand's and looked it over as Ross pulled the hammer back. Spike looked up at Ross and gave a small nod Ross slowly filled his lung's as he slipped the rifle over his cover and rested his head on the wood stock. Pony's lay dead and dying out in front of him and those who where left where ever behind the SACU's or had run off. Ross cures the cowered's and closed one eye as he sighted the nearest Order trooper. Ross slowly let the air flow from his lung's, the simple notch and peg sight lined up with a green warriors chest, he squeezed the trigger. The rifle slammed into his shoulder with a loud bang and he ducked down opening the breach sending a smoking brass to the floor as he rummaged through the pony's webbing looking for the ammo poach. Soon the pony's where holding there own Mac and Applejack forcing the green clad troop's slowly back with there heavy weapons fire. The pony's on top of the SACU's who where guarding them, fired down onto the Order troop's. Ross ducked down as he fought with the pony's wedding to get another cartridge. There was a thunk and Ross looked next to him an grenade sat there. Ross dropped the rifle and grabbed Spike. Kneeling on one Ross he pulled Spike in front of him shielding Spike from the grenade. It exploded with a band and a flash and all Ross could here was his ear's wringing and see white. "It was a flash-bang!" Ross looked down where he though Spike was and shouted. "Fire the dame gun!" Ross shouted coursing Spike to look up and then at the smoking grenade casing next to him. "I cant see! You have to protect me till my sight come's back!" Spike looked over the metal foot of the ACU at a Order trooper unsure if he could take a life or not. Ross's world was ether white or dark shapes' he looked at the vaguely dragon shape beneath him and looked round his vision slowly coming back to him. His hart stopped as he saw one in the bushes and shouted. "FOUNT!" Spike looked round and saw the rifle being raised and he pointed the revolver at the Order trooper and closed his eye's. "I'm so sorry!" Spike felt his finger rest on the trigger then he puled slowly. He felt a grate force slam into his hand's and a defining bang as the pistol bucked up into the air, bouncing off Ross's head. Ross watched the troop's chest explode out as the round detonated in the chest cavity shredding everything in the troop's chest. The body hit the ground and he put his arm round Spike. "It's never easy...you never get use to it...." Ross flicked the rifle closed finely having reloaded and looked round. There infantry where on the retreat. There was a cheering and Ross stood up. "SHUT UP! All infantry are to fall back to the City!" He looked at the pony's on the SACU's "YOU LOT GET IN! I NEED YOU TO PILOT THEM!" Ross bellowed as the sound of galloping filled the air. Ross watched the pony's gallop to the river some picking up wounded comrade's other taking kit and armor from the fallen. Ross turned to the still shocked Spike and pulled his revolver from him. "You! GET IN THAT SACU!" Ross bellowed at Spike as he pointed at King of the Chieftain's. Ross looked up at Unbreakable and he jumped onto her foot and started the ponders clime. As Ross was claiming the pony's who where atop the SACU's had claimed down into them and sealed them self's in by accident. Ross swung him self onto Unbreakable chest, using the venting slit's to clime faster. He knew that The Order would be bringing heavy weapons and ACU Killer's up having discovered what he was after. Ross swung up onto a massive shoulder and took a running jump, he got half way up the head, he swung his knee up over the edge and rolled on to the top of Unbreakable Head, the hatch open and Ross pushed himself over and slipped in and locking the hatch as he went. Pulling his helmet and mask off Ross turned the key and the generator, it coughed to life. Soon the hum of the reactor grew deafening as Ross engaged combat mode. The klaxon blared as the blue combat light's came on. The pony's trapped in the SACU's looked round as Ross's voice came from no where. " Right Quick! Strip you armorer and sit in the command throne's!" The pony's and Spike did as they where told and pulling there armorer off they sat in the command throne's. Ross turned to the monitor and searched through the stored command's. He found the file he was looking for and found the Loyalty Worm he opened his radio link to the Aeon and Cybren SACU's and transmitted the dater to them. Ross watched the up load bar grow and he slipped the head set onto his head and put his arm's in the frame's. He walked Unbreakable to face the way the Order had come from and placed him self between the SACU's and any possible attack. "Right! All of you the arm and foot rest's there are little pad's of what look like gels or small holder's. Place your hoof's on them and softly will the SACU to do as you want. Spike! Treat that bitch harder it's the only way to get that SACU's system to work!" Ross bellowed as contact singles where pined up on the HUD and the harness slipped down locking him into the seat. Pony's looked nervelessly at the Neural link's before they gingerly rested there hoof's on them. A strange tingling meat there hoof's as they looked as to monitor's in front of them. Ross watched as the SACU's mad jerky movement and smiled a little. "Warning! Warning! Enemy Encroaching. Charging Cannon's." There was a loud humming as the Electromagnetic in the cannons activated and built up there charge to suspend the Anti matter in the barrels. Ross walked Unbreakable out from the group and brought the right cannon to face the nearest contact signal. He fired into the mass of tree's and watched as a few infantry scrambled from the blast. There was a rushing from the anti matter generator to the right of his thrown. The SACU's twitched and jerked as there pilot's struggled to gain control over there charge's. Ross kept firing at the infantry. "Hurry up you lot!" Ross shouted into the radio knowing the longer he lingered the more likely something powerful was coming for him. Spike struggled with his controls over the SACU. Whenever he willed it to walk on it did a half step but stopped there. He felt something spark in the back of his head and the SACU moved leg smoothly in a perfect step. "Good Spike! Just do it faster!" Ross voice filled the cabin. Ross spun the ACU to face a group of new contact's to find walker's running at him. The cannon's glowed as the magnet's built up a charge and sent there payload to ward's there target's. Ross stood his ground the cannon's firing, Slowly, Spike and the pony's gained control of there charges and they then slowly started walking towards the pass they had used to get out of Canterlot. Ross turned the ACU and waded through the river and stood on the other side of the water, watching the group make there way over, firing on the last few walker's and infantry who where fool hardly to stay with in his mighty guns range. "Right you lot, ass in gear and get mo-" "Warning! Warning! Energy spike di-" A pure white light erupted from a thick clump of bushes and it slammed into his left cannon sheering the shielding and coursing the electro magnet's to ark and over load worsening the damaged by cursing the gun to start pulling it's self apart. Ross reacted for the panel of switches above him and flicked the one that shut the power flow to the damaged cannon off and turned the respective Anti-matter generator into shut down. "Tartarus take you!" Ross bellowed as he sent a stream of anti-matter at the offender. "Bastard!" Ross looked at the scrolling information on the monitor and slowly backed Unbreakable away. "Combat potential negated.... Falling back!" Spike looked at the monitor's as he made the SACU turned about and walk past the other's that where jerkily, moving along the start of the trail and he headed back to the wounded ACU. Ross slowly walked Unbreakable back words to the pass gently swaying to and throw firing to to any potential cover to try and force anyone there to go to ground. There was a stream of more anti-matter shells streaming past him and he gave silent thanks' to his currently unknown gunner. "Bushes! two O'clock! " Ross called as he fired into a hollow that could be sheltering some infantry. The entire aria was ablaze in fire. He look round then turned round to walk up slop and found the small SACU standing there and he recognized it and smiled. " My thanks' young master Spike. Fall back and I will seal this pass." Ross started walking the wounded Unbreakable up the pass behind King of the Chieftain. Roughly half way back Ross spun Unbreakable around on her hip pivot and looked up at the cliff side. He raised the canon and blasted out part's of the cliff till the side of the mountain slid down taking the narrow track out with it and sealing the pass. Ross walked on to find the SACU's stood waiting for him and he walked past. "All of follow me...." Ross lead the convoy to the narrow slither of no man's land that he knew was not shelled and that the SACU's could cross. The Klink hammer's where still firing, trying to force the Order and Seraphim's down. Pony's on the wall cheered and called out as they saw Unbreakable wounded but victories, stride over the cratered hell out side of Canterlot and at the head of the small convoy of walker's. The gates scraped open and Ross limped Unbreakable in and they headed for the Royal gardens that Ross had stood Unbreakable for the past few day's. The SACU's jerkily came to a stop in a rough line next to the ACU. "Good work every one.... you are all to report to the briefing room in an hour." Ross pulled the head off and set it on the hook next to the throne. Ross sat there wondering if his plan could work or not. The hour passed and the five sat there looking around at each other un-sure of what to do. They jumped as the door opened and Ross came in with a box's and bunch of poster's in his arm's. "Right. Welcome to ACU and SACU orientation and basic functioning course..." He set the box and poster's on the desk and looked back at the shocked pony's and dragon sat there looking at him. "You are transferred to my command imminently..." Ross walked to the pony's and set a letter of transfer notification on there desk and he walked to Spike. "... I will have to talk with you and Celestia later." Ross walked to the found of the room and stood to attention. " You are now part of S.O.H.U and will reserve training and a rank to reflect your new position of Pilot's. You are now all leftenant's but you are to follow me into battle as I have seniority over you." A few hour's passed, Ross explaining what to be expected of them and what there charges where along with other detail's. As Ross stood seeing the pony's filed out talking as they went. Existed about there new positions and the promise of glory. "Fool's..." Ross thought. "Blind fool's there is no glory in this position." Ross ratchet out and gently rest his hand on Spikes shoulder as look down at him. "Not you Master Spike you and me need to see the Princes... she should still be in the throne room." Ross looked up at the sun as he lead Spike off. Celestia stared at Ross in shock, Spike stood in front of him Ross's left hand on his scaly shoulder. "No. I forbid you from taking him any where near a field of combat!" Celestia said each work filled with horror. Ross bowed his head. "Respectfully Princes.... this is all ready a field of battle. We are under heavy siege. We are slowly running out of food and from what I can gather the civilians are getting scared. We are lucky there has been no rioting yet but that will come soon..." Ross took his hand from Spikes shoulder and he pulled a slip of parchment from his pocket and held it up. " ... and you did tell me I can take anything I will need to keep them back? Well I need Spike to become my Co-pilot and second in command." Ross softly shook Spikes shoulder as Spike looked up at him shocked. Celestia sat there on her thrown, head in her hoot's, silence filled the room as she contemplated whether to let Spike go or not. Ross cleared his throat softly. "He will be under my protection for the duration of his service.... as well as behind thick armorer for the most time in combat." Ross said reassuringly as he stood waiting. Celestia sat for a few moment's longer then sat up looking Ross dead in the eye's. " You make sure he comes home alive and well." Ross snapped his heals together with a click. "My live is his shield then." Ross bowed and turned to leave but stopped and turned back and pulled a small wad of letters out and a small bag. "Forgive me Princes but I have all ready written to the kin of the dead.... I'm sorry we where unable to retrieve any of the body's to be buried properly...." Ross slowly turned and walked to ward's the door's Spike in trail. Twilight sat in the middle of her library she sat there wondering where Spike was, her friend's, except for Applejack had come round to try and calm her down. She had try'd everything she had know to try and keep calm, tea, talking, she was trying reading now Twilight looked up from her book that she had been trying to read and gasped grabbing Spike and hugging him tightly "SPIKE! O where have you been!?" She pulled back and looked him up and down. "What's the matter?" She saw he was in a sort of trance. There was a clattering from Twilight's bed room and Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinky looked round and rush'd forward's hugging Spike and Twilight. When they eventually pulled back Twilight noticed the latter that had been clasped in his talons and was now crumpled. "What is this Spike?" Twilight asked. Spike held it out to her with a mumble of "Read it." Twilight opened the letter and looked at it her eye's flicking along the line's. Twilight gasped then stormed off growling. Rarity picked up the letter and summoned her glasses from her hand bag in the other room. She slowly and carefully read the letter "O Spike..." She looked at him paler than usual. She took him in a tight hug. "O my Spiky Wiky.... How could this happen?" She pulled back and looked him over. "Well.... if you have to go let me get you a uniform that fit's...." She looked sadly as a little tear rolled from her eye as she lead Spike away. Ross looked round as a shrill call came from the gate way and he set the replacement panel he was working on down and stood up. He stood the unicorn look round then storm toward's him. Ross tightened his grip on the sword as he took a deep breath. "Twil-" Ross started be for he was slammed ageist the stone wall, his head aked as he looked down to find he was suspended agents the wall a few feet up. He was slammed into the wall again and his sword slipped from his grip and he looked down at the fuming purple Unicorn. "WHY YOU TAKING HIM!?" Twilight screamed slamming Ross into the wall with each word. She watched as Ross shook his head and looked at her. "W...w...would... y-you rather..." Ross forced him self to speak the pain from his head bouncing off the wall making it hard to talk. "... Have all of you killed or enslaved? All thing's you know and love burned and defaced? Your Princesses made examples off? and there is worse...." More memory's, dark, disturbing. "He is growing.... he will not be a little boy forever, he know's what is happening and told me he is willing to do this, he will be under my protection....." Ross sighed " My life is his protection.... I promised Celestia. I promise you.... I promised him...." Ross was promptly dropped and he knelt there head bowed. He looked up to find Twilight stood there crying. Ross crawled up to her and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "W... you are..." Ross stood up swaying as he gently lifted the catatonic Twilight into his arm's and gently started walking to ward's the castle.
Sitting, Waiting, Shooting, Trying to AdvanceAuthor's Note To All the followers of this story I'm so so so so so so so so sorry I have not updated in so long... family maters as well as .... as a severe knock to my writing confidence, already puny level self esteem...along with a misleading "friend" who I thought I could trust that stabbing me in the back, hard. I feel like I have really buggered up this chapter... I what everyone to tell me what they think and what I need to improve. Don't worry something big is coming. Sitting, Waiting, Shooting, Trying to Advance Sitting, Waiting, Shooting, Advancing. The sun slowly slid up over the horizon, Celestia bringing it up as was her sacred duty, she knew it must happen even in the situation she found her self and the citizens where in. As the sun slowly raised it's golden red rays began creeping over the ground reveling the numerous artillery barrels of Miasma's and Zthuthaam's poking out from there dug outs, all pointing towards the City, each set to rain down on the trenches, Ross's battery's having superior range from there elevated position and preventing the Order and Seraphim from raining death into the city. The sun continued lifting up over the lip of the horizon to reveal the carpet of mist that was hugging the ground. As the sun slowly raised up a little more reveling more and more of the misted wasteland the suddenly appearing foot step's in the mist. They slowly moved on through the mist the only hint to there source reveled by only a faint glittering in the air and soft humming of stealth field's. Commando squad Zezunka slowly and gingerly walked on there scanner's constantly flicking through settings, scanning for trap's, spider holes, and even the strange energy's some of the creatures could summon and command. Commando Relize slowly walked in the middle of the formation through the mist to his right was his twin sister, on his left was his mother, Relize looked to his mother, her armor being out lined with a red glow and a red line mesh, she looked at him and gave a slow nod. Then he slowly turned his head to look at the holy entity that was walking in front of him and at the head of there formation. The large bipedal armored carriage that held one of there gods who had elected to come with them to ensure there mission was successful. It stood at six feet tall and was larger then a normal man, it's was backward kneaded and walked with a slight role its two toe'd feet balancing it's somehow and it looked to delicate to fight like all of Seraphim technology. When it was not shrouded in it's stealth field it's armored plaits where of pure silver and etched with some of the most intriguing engravings of strange pattern's and complex images that Relize could not make out and Relize sub-continuously mimicked the beings moment's to honer the god, even his own armorer's markings and of those around him had been changed to mimicked the set of there commander god they had the honer of serving in the hope of pleasing it. The god stopped and raised a six fingered hand to single them to stop, the Commando's doing instantly and drawing there heavily modified rifles from across there chest's where they where held with magnetic lock's before they stood as still as possible to ensure there delicate stealth field would not fail. There was a burbling as the god spoke into its hermit's radio then the transliterate in Relize's helmet made it's holy word's audible to his eternally unworthy ear's. "They are infidels, are eternally dame... remember if possible capture the horned ones.... and the Siege warrior... we want him. There defenses are near, we shall track, kill only if there is no option, and do so with silence... Relize...point." Relize felt his hart swell with zeal and joy at the sound of the monotone translated voice, "The God knew his name! What a impossible honer!." "Y...yes lord....I will do as-" he stopped as the God looked at him in the eye cutting him off from his fawning. "Go." It said to him. Relize nodded his head quickly and a warning blip appeared in the HUD and his stealth field flicked from stress. Then his head vanished following a splat and crack of shattering metal as a shower of gore and blood filled the air. The body dropped, it's knee's bending as it crashed to the floor with a soft squirting sound, before the calmer of battle filled the air. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Moonlight slowly pushed the periscope up over the lip of the trench, her gold cat like eye's looked into the mirror's as she slowly scanned through the misty dawn. She fought the tiredness that the night watch had brought on, her night vision denoting her and the few other Bat pony's in Ross's command to this duty. Moonlight pulled back from the periscope and rubbed her eye's for the thousandth time before she returned to looking back through the periscopes slightly clouded glass. She slowly scanned out toward the trenches of The Order. Moonlight saw the still mist start swirling in a few places as sets of tracks formed. She then scanned passed them her blearily mind barely noting them. Then it clicked, her hart rate suddenly picked up and a sudden adrenaline rush woke her up as she looked at the mist swirling again then the mist stopped. Her cat like pupils contracted as she tried to pick up the swirling mist again. She turned to her left and look at the gray lump next to her that was matching the now gray mud of the wasteland of the trench war. The lump was Ross who was sat there with his mask on, his chin and the connecting resting on his chest and his arms crossed as he sat lent into the muddy trench wall. The cold mud at his back being unnoticed by him due to practice and his trusted coat. "There hoof prints forming in the mist." Moonlight whispered in a shushed voice not expecting Ross to respond if he was asleep, but respond he did. Moonlight jerked back as Ross's head jerked up from where he had been sleeping and he grabbed his swords grip. "Ugh... where?" he murmured, before pulling his feet free from the thick mud as he slide off his box and crouched down to look into the periscope through his gas mask. "About twelve O'clock" Moonlight muttered in Ross's ear as she kicking a sleeping Applejack with her back left leg, the blow waking Applejack who was sleeping on the firing step along with all of the ranker pony's who where not on watch, while Officers assigned to trench rotation and not Officer of the Watch where sleeping in the small guard rooms built into the walls of the City by the gates, this allowed them to respond to calls to arms while allowing them sleeping in relative comfort. Applejack threw a murderous look at Moonlight before noting Ross was awake meaning that something was happening. Applejack gave her brother a sharp poke and one for Crock Catcher, as she pressing a hoof to there lip's to silence them, they nodded understanding there need for silence for the moment as Applejack pulled her hoof back and moved to wake other's, soon the few pony's that where awake watched this sudden activity started waking there friend's before they pulled there weapons from under canvas covers or hastily repurposed boxes. Ross blinked his eye's a little more forcing the tug of sleep to quickly vanish as he watched the mist carefully, he could not see much nor the footstep's Moonlight mentioned. He slowly pulled the periscope down before he felt something tap his shoulder, he turned to find Moonlight hold her rifle for him to take. He nodded a little and took the rifle in his right hand before checking if it was loaded, then Ross stepped to the right and onto the firing step, sliding the rifle into the one of the parapet's gun slit as he did, he then settled there resting his head on the stock before looking out into the mist. If Moonlight said she saw something he would not but her down for it specially at times like this. As Ross scanned the mist Moonlight moved to the Periscope again and she pushed it back up before she continued scanning the mist where she had seen the swirling mist had last been forming. Suddenly there was a pop and Ross saw a person flash in and out of existence, immediately he aimed and fired with out thinking then cracked the action open, he was rewarded with the sound of shattering armorer along with ripping flesh and cracking bone. The Commando stood there, headless as a fountain of blood started shooting out from the stump of the neck. It then fell to the ground blood poring out and mixing with the gray of the No Mans Land. Ross herd several pop's as a group of figures de-cloaked and raised rifles to point at his gun slit. "ALARM!!!" Ross bellowed and ducked down as the shout was echoed up and down the length of the trench as bell's where rattled to wake troops and call them to arms. Ross had seen the group of commandos for a split second before he ducked in the trench, but the largest one got his attention in the bad way yet he could have a guess as to what it was. S.O.H.U and Guard members into the trench huddled into the wall as crystals shattered or thwacked into the mud around them. Ross handed the rifle back to Moonlight as he drew his revolver in his right hand and pulled the hammer back. "Aim for the big one!" Ross ordered as raised his his revolver and fired wildly over the top of the trench in a wide spread. There was a few wet booming sound's of fleshy detonations as he pulled his arm back down, a quick count of the number of incoming shot's revealed that the number of shooter's had decreased by one or two. "Fire at will!" Ross ordered and pressed the cylinder release with his thumb then with a flick of his wrist swung the cylinder out before he slapped the ejector in, the brasses sinking into the mud or bouncing off his boot, Ross felt along his webbing's pocket's, he found a fresh speed loader in the pouch on his left hip and pressed it home. Applejack and Crock Catcher fairing in unison blowing two holes through the chest of one commando killing him out right, that left two commandos and there large leader. Mac pressed into Ross's back and looked up at the lip of the trench as he was unable to fight without exposing himself to the fire. Ross's ear's picked up the sound of body's hitting the mud after several shots from S.O.H.U's rifles rang out but they where to light of impacts for the big one. Ross felt the ground tremble as something of grate mass landed next to him, Ross felt Mac's weight vanish as he pulled from his back and herd Mac whinny as he was flung through the air past him and into his sister, Moonlight, Pin Prick as well as a few other guards pony's Ross turned round and found the hulking armored figure, it armorer glistening like a mirror and it moved to swiftly and fluidly for something like that should move, Ross stood up and snapped the revolver's cylinder home then raised it and cowboy'd the revolver, pumping the six rounds into a tight pattern in the center of it's chest plate, each war head detonating within the armor and blasting chunks of the mirror like armor out and crating a small hole in the armor reveling the gray black of the armor under the polished surface. Then the Dead Mans click met his ear's as Ross started backing away as the metal monstrosity drew a long slender silver club, it's head arching with electricity. Half of S.O.H.U fired into it's back with there rifles and a few of the normal guards pony's firing bolts as well but it ignored the blows all together. Ross started to back away as he threw the revolver onto the side of the trench and waved his hand to the pony's behind him to back away, he slowly gave up his ground even as every fiber of him wanting to stand his ground but tactical sensibility making him back down. This opponent would be to strong for him. Ross slowly continued backing away his mind trying to work a tactic out, but before he could work anything out he felt wood bump into his back and realize he had backed into of one of the staggering's that prevented shrapnel from flying down the trench. The thing babbled at him and and took it's club in both it's hands and raised it above him, ready to knock him out him. "Fire!" Moonlight shouted as a few S.O.H.U fired, there round's hitting the thing in the back of it's helmet and setting it off balance, it's club coming down, smashing through the board and into the mud beneath it, as it struck, the head arced with blue green lightning, next to Ross head. Ross then shoved his for arm's ageist it chest, a unnatural warmth passing through his coat's sleeves, and with a grunted, Ross pushed ageist the hulking figure with all his might and the club was forced out of its grip. Ross staggered and the weight suddenly pulled the Commando away, he the watched as the armorer's weight forced the large thing back more and more but it soon gained balance. Ross got his idea. He ran at the Commander, it looked at him, its eight glowing eye's each beady and bright stared at him. The Commander curled it's fists and set one leg spindly leg forwards to spread it's vast weight as Ross charged at it, Ross fainted to the left coursing the thing to swing at him with it's left arm, He ducked as the blow swiped through the air where Ross head was with enough force to have ripped it clean off if the blow had connected, while the blow did miss it was still close enough that the back of Ross helmet flaking gray paint and sparks as the fist scraped along the back of his head. Ross used the commander's leg to run up the figure. Ross grabbed the figures head and shattered some of the eye's as he wrapped his leg's round it's neck, his hands taking a furn hold on its head, shattering its reaming eye's as he turned his momentum and wight into to the force to pull the figure off balance and onto it's back. That was the opening pony's needed and they descended on it with sword's, knives, bit's of wood and there bear hooves as the began to brutally stamp, stab and crush it beneath them. Ross scrambled from its shoulder's as it crashed down, he scrambled to his feet to join the pony's, grabbing a mattock that was stuck in the trench wall. Ross turned and swung it down with all his might into the things chest , chest armor weakened by Ross's pistol round's, cracked under the mattock's blows as several swords and crossbow bolts found opening's in the neck joint and thick black green liquid pored out as it flayed in the mud. It finely stopped after fighting after five minutes of continues bludgeoning, stabbing and a shot's from rifles and crossbows, but it finely let a ear splinting shriek out, it was high pitched and wavering in and out of Ross's hearing range but the sound dropped Moonlight and a few bat pony's to there knee's, there eyes screwed shut with agony and they held there ear's ageist there head, many pulling there helmets off, press there ears in harder. After five seconds of this wavering scratch it fell still and there was a heavy silence except for the panting and gasping of the pony's and Ross as they looked at there enemy. Ross hefted the mattock up before lodging it back in the wall of the trench, it's once razor sharp ax head now blunt and chipped as the thick green black blood flowed from it's head and dripped onto the wall board's and duck boards making the mud slicked floor even more slippery. "I... slay m..meany a men and women ... and have...respect for the enemy b...but this thing was not human..." Ross looked around. "Get... me a pole." Ross drew his saber and looked down at the body. His breath's coming in gasp's as he took a firm grip on his saber's handle. Pony's looked at the grisly spectral hanging over there trench, the severed head hanging from the end of the pole, it's blood slowly oozing down with gravity. Ross sat under it as he screwed the binoculars into his gas mask lenses before slipping onto the firing step then sat low in a gun slit looking at the Order trench. Ross sat there for several minutes and the mist started to dissipating in the warm air. Suddenly there was a shouting of a sniper or sentry that had court sight of the new trophy. Suddenly there then a cacophony of shouting. "I think we pissed them off." Ross muttered as several people climbed from there trench and charged towards the Pony's trench bellowing threats and oaths towards them, there guns spitting disks through the air. "Step up!" Ross called lazily and pony's clambered onto the fire step then took aim with there bow's or rifles. As the Order Troopers crossed the one hundred yard mark Ross gave a slight nod and Moonlight, who was stood behind him and walked down behind the Pony's. "Fire at Will!" Moonlight called then the pony's fired. Twanging sound's filled the air as cross bow's where released, there bolts zipping through the air then slamming into the Order armor, most sticking into the armor, coursing no harm to the trooper's. But several slammed into joiners and one into the neck of one warrior. "Who ever took that shot! Well done!" Ross called and reserved no acknowledgement. He had to remind him self he was not with UEF OR Death Korp troops anymore. Then the rifles bellowed and the Order Trooper's jerked violently as the thumb sized bullets struck as they forced there way through the strange ceramic alloy armorer. Ross watched them fall several laying and screaming in agony or in anger at there gods death, Ross could not tell witch. "Weapon." Ross said holding a hand out to reserve something, he felt something press into his palm then looked to find a Crossbow. Ross took it and tucked the too short stock into his shoulder before lining the simple grove sight on the head of the farthest warrior, the then aimed high to allow for the mis-fit of the weapon as well as the possible drop of the bolt. He squeezed the trigger up into the stock and the bolt shot from the weapon, it sailed through the air then slammed into the mud a few feet short, its bright white fletching sticking out from the gray of the mud. Ross grabbed the string then pulled it back into the catch as a guard held a bolt out for Ross witch he took before he slid it home, he took aim again and aimed a inch higher than he had the first shot. He fired and there was a crack as the bold slammed home through the thinly armored top of the warrior's helm the Trooper gurgled wetly and trembled violently, be fore seizing up and then falling limp. There was more twangs and bolts where released and the screaming stopped. Pony's letting sighs out as they set there weapon's down. there nerves shot at the events of the the last twenty minutes. Then a gurgling court his attention, Ross looked at his right to see the pony who's Crossbow he borrowed was retching, Ross gave him a sharp slap in the back, the blow stinting his hand a little as the felt the troopers inside jolt, the pony threw up the green and orange foam and chunks in stark contrast to the gray of the Mud Ross knew what had made the pony throw up. Ross knew what was awaiting him outside his mask.The smell would be of burnt gun powder, the blood and the thick stagnant water smell of the mud. Ross knew it well, even though the filter of his mask he could smell it as a memory. He had endured the smell for god knows how long over his service. Then there was the silence ,that he knew just as well, it was heavy in the air, but Ross knew it would get a lot heavier sooner then later. Ross put his hand on the back of the sick pony. "It will pass, just breath deeply. The smell in not the worst part." Ross then held the crossbow to the pony's chest and he felt the Crossbow been taken from him. With that Ross slid down from the firing step. "Step! Down!" Moonlight bellowed and the pony's climbed down from the firing step. Then they moved back towards there seats, renaming just as silent as ever. Except for the odd retching and heaving from the pony's as the powder smoke settled in the trench to hover there, a thin blue smoke hovered there. S.O.H.U where among them, use to moving before they breathed it in, or a breeze moved the smell on. Ross raised his hand up to his mask's binocular's and started unscrewing them with a slight soft squeaking, Ross put them in a pouch on his chest, the one on the binocular's pouch its right holding the night vision goggles. Ross then placed his hand in the small of his back as he looked up and down the trench before he turned to his right to look at the slightly green Moonlight, it was almost comical Ross thought. "Ammo count for S.O.H.U please, Sargent Major." Moonlight, saluted sharply then moved off up the trench and Ross moved back towards the trooper who was the first to be sick. Ross walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder with his right hand. The Pony looked up at Ross, the little green ageist the white of his coat sticking out brightly. He nodded not wanting to brake the strange silence. "I GO TO MY GOD'S AND FOREBEARS!!!" The shout shattered the silence like a bomb in a small box, Ross looked up to find a Order Trooper running at him, he was unarmed and unarmored, a simple white singlet and boots was all he wore for clothing. The thick mud covering him telling that he had crawled through the No Mans Land. The trooper ran at Ross who could see the wires and the strange pouches that where wrapped round the man's chest, there was another wire running from his strange vest to his hand where a little box was. Ross's drew his revolver with his left hand with lightning speed as he tucked his other hand behind his back, his hand just above his waist before he fired. His revolver bucking up and he held if firm as it pointing up into the air as the propellant punched the round through the air. The round entered the man's chest just below his hart. The war head detonated a split second after entering and the resulting blast killing the Suicider, there was a split second pause then there was a blue flash as the vest's pay load exploded in violent fashion. Ross stood firm as the shock wave blasted past him. The blast knocking some pony to the floor, others holding there eye's as they where blinded. Ross blinked the whiteness away in a second, his cornea's healing them selves quickly to allow him to see again, Pony's moaned and rubbed there eye's more and more aggressively. Ross then lowered his Revolver and slipped it into his holster, musicale memory pressing the pop clasp shut then resting his hand on the saber handle. "The Blindness will pass in a few minutes, if not report to the Medical officer on duty!" Ross turned to the Pony to his right and found his face was missing, the vest having jettisoned plasma bomblets in all directions but most detonating in the vest when Ross's warhead went off, but the few that did hit something left telling mark's. Several boards in the trench wall where on fire or smoldering, pony's threw mud onto the flames, smothering them out. Ross looked at the pony, his skull was cracked, chard deep black, the flesh around the hole was bubbling and steaming, he could here the fain pops as the bubbles bursting, spraying scolding blood as they did, then there was the helmet, it had run molten, the metal now fused to the fur and skin. Ross turned from the sight with out comment or change of mood. "Stretcher! Remove the body!" Ross ordered and walked down the trench. Ross only took five steps before all hell broke louse, Order field peaces bellowed, healing there shell's into the air and down onto the Pony trenches. There heavy machine gun's, if they where even machine gun's, chattered as large disk's sliced through the air and into the mud all around the trench. Ross barely acknowledged the new sound as he continued to stride down the trench. Pony's in the City stopped and looked round as the whistle of incoming, filled the air, then they saw the chunks of dirt that the larger round' flung high enough into the air to see over the wall. The citizens of Canterlot stopped to watch this display, this being the first major artillery strike, and largest, they had seen. While the Canterlot Elite stopped to gorp, the Refugees, stat there in silence staring off into the distance, there minds filled with dark thoughts of there home towns and villages. Foals as well as older kid's cried, mothers comforted then while they cried them selfies then farther's and husbands comforted mother's and Wife's if they where there at all, while they too let silent tears fall. They had ran from Death, now it was pounding at the door. All that stood before it was a thin... brown...line. Hours passed, the rain returned to fell like the shell's of the Order guns. The artillery was uncoordinated, inaccurate and not following any pattern of bombardment, it was fired in anger at them, there gun crews's filled with a unquenchable anger. They wanted to get as meany shells on top of him as possible, to try and do something but not caring to there inaccuracy. Pony's sat huddled together trying to stop shivering in the cold water meany sporting there issued poncho's, while the few officers in the trench paraded around in there clean and dry armor, the rain stopping about two foot above them and the mud dissolving from the armorer, a spell responsible for both of effects. Pony's eyed there officer's and muttered curses under there breath and the tried huddling closer together. Ross eyed one officer through his mask, the officer court sight of his eyes somehow, he turned to challenge Ross. Ross slowly turned his head to look at him, "Apologe Major." Ross muttered and the officer gave a curt nod before he walked on, Ross watched as he marched on splashing mud onto several troops . Ross settled again atop his box. The rain hammered down round him and off his helmet, the soft "tink tink tink" reverberating around his helmet. His trusted coat letting the water run off in small stream's and to the floor where it joined the small ponds that had formed in that part of the trench. Then there was the shriek and explosion's of the artillery. Ross had no concern for them. "Ross. S.O.H.U have forty five rounds a pony that's nine hundred round all together, Mac has three boxed of five hundred." Moonlight said as she came up the trench to his right and looked at Ross and he nodded. "Thank you Moonlight, get who you can out. I'll remain till the bomb bombardment it ove-COVER!!!" Ross turned his head as he bellowed, a particularly high pitch whistle met his ear's and there was a splash down that was accompanied with splintering wood as several large wood bards where flung into the air from the splash down and into the mud around the trench, Ross felt several large splinters mixed with mud bounce off him. "Dam..." Ross muttered as he took hold of one of the large lump of wood and threw it over his head and into the mud. "...that was the access trench... we are all staying till dark. Don't was to risk it." Ross said looking at Moonlight. He noticed the three bars on her armor's collier denoting her rank of Sargent when it should be four stripes with the royal crest on top of the stripes. "Not had your rank put on your armor?" He queried her and she shrugged her shoulder's. "Did not seem retentive in the present circumstances." Ross conceded the point with a nod. "Ta Moonlight." Ross pulled a small metal flash from his pocket,and offered it to her, "Whisky." She took it and raised it to her lips and took a swig. "Thank's... better go see to the Troops." Moonlight handed the flash back and walked off her wings rustling as she went. Ross turned to look at the wall he was facing as he closed his eye's, he sat there and listen to the world. He sat listening like that for a few minutes, listening the the distant gun and counting how long it took there payload to hit this side, it was the same every time. Five seconds from booming retort to fiery impact. Time slowly past and Ross kept counting the time of the shots till he herd the number of guns reduce, then slowly stop. He presumed control had finely been asserted once again, possibly the officer's bellowed them selfless hoarse and just as likely to no avail. Ross speculated in all likely hood one of the Order's mystic Battle Priest had come to preach loudly at the gun crews till they finely settled down. Ross gave this thought little note and continued to sit there with his eyes closed listening to the sounds of earth settling from the bombardment, his ear's then picked up a sneeze to his left, Ross opened his left eye and turned his head slightly in its direction. He find Applejack sat on the ground a few feet from him, her rump partly submerged as she sat on the duck boards, the few empty spaced on the firing step or resting step no better then the floor. Ross then realized her poncho shredded ether from bad packing or during some other event, he could see her armor and orange fur showing through the holes, it also revealed she was shivering a lot more than any of the other's. Ross sighed and unfolded his arm's to expose the mask's filterers, he reached up to his webbing's chest straps and unbuckled them before hanging them on the side of his box where a nail was sticking out of it, this was followed by his masks filter and the mask, Ross unbuckled his holster belt before he pulled it off, setting the holster and scabbard on the box next to him on the box than he started undoing the ten button's on his coat front and as he unbuttoned the last one he quickly pulled his coat off and over himself. Ross gave a sharp whistle and Applejack looked at him. Ross jerked his head signaling her to come to him, as she did Ross put his holster belt to one side and patted the side of his box she nodded and hoped up pulling her poncho off as she huddled under the make shift tent with Ross. Applejack looked up at Ross and she felt how warm he was yet. She could not help but huddle right up to him, her damp fur and cool armor separating them. She put her front legs round his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, she liked this. "I'm shearing shelter. Not a invitation to cuddle up like that." Ross said sternly and Applejack took her arms from around his arm. "S...sorry Sir... Ya'll where just warm is all." she said honestly and took her for legs from his arm and took her head from his shoulder. Ross turned his head to look up the trench and they sat there. Hours later the rain finely let up and Ross pulled his coat back a little as he looked at the sky seeing that the sun was past its high point and half way to setting. Ross then pulled his coat down himself and slid his arms back down the sleeves before pulling the holster belt open and fastening it again. "You can go now." Ross said as he pulled his mask scrubbers onto his chest and did the buckles on the leather harness. Applejack gave a nod and salute as she got off Ross's box and walked towards where she had last seen her brother. Ross stopped as he started pulling on his webbing, He had no idea how much ammo he had left for himself. Ross was sat atop his box, a crate lid across his lap as a table as he sat there counting his revolver rounds while adding them into speed loader's that where empty, he now knew he was running low on the combat rounds and the minerals to produce them where not with in the small amount he had extracted from the mountain. As Ross set the last speed loader down he looked at his reserves. He had fifty explosive war headed rounds, twenty five Executioner rounds, sixty three Magnum shotgun round's, twelve solid slugs and a dozen odds and sods ranging from target rounds to normal magnum rounds even a low velocity flare round for his shotgun. Ross's eye's then looked at the lead lined case that held six rounds of terrible power, he would not use them with out sanction from the Princesses or The Lord of the Forge himself. Ross picked the box up and looked at the wax seal on the lid sealing it closed, Ross looked at it and the o so familiar seal of the Krige Korps was on it Ross lifted the box so it was level wit his eye's and looked over the seal. The Double headed Steel Eagle sat there regale and proud, it represented there army's pride and discipline as well as the stratocracy society of his home world, the only world to survive for so long under such leader ship. Below the Eagle held in its talons was a skull representing there military duty and sacrifice, there and his willingness to die was in the understanding of the need for sacrifice to ensure the UEF and Humanity could survive all odd's. Ross then place the rounds into his webbing and pockets, his mind turning outcomes around in his head. After Ross placed the last speed loader into a belt pouch with one hand he set the box lid down and looked out at the lights of the city from the trench. The lights glinting and flickering over the top of the wall , Hell Hammers silhouetted by the slight light pollution of the city. Ross raised his eye's to the void of the sky, the sun was just below the horizon, the moon slowly peaking up making the sky a deep purple as Ross looked up into the infinite void his mind wandering from the situation to deep thoughts. "Can I save this world? Would he be the only solder of the UEF on this world?" With a sigh Ross lowered his head, the mud wall opposite him confirming he was back to reality. Ross patted his pouches as he remember in his ammo issue, Ross sat there, then looked at his swords handle his hand moving to it and griping the oddly plastic like leather that spiraled around the grip like the tape on a bat. "Well... some times the old ways are the best ways." Ross thought as he took his hand from the handle and noted the cool nip of the night started to set and the darkness of the night starting to ink the sky. There was no beard song, he noted, not like after he first walked in the city Ross's enhanced hearing picked up a soft squelch coursing Ross to jerk his head up, then there was a soft wet scraping ,a tell tail sound of something or one slipping on the mud and trying to muffle it, he could tell it was on the far side of No Mans Land, "Would it be worth raising the alarm?" Ross though then decided not to, in case it bough a full assault on. Ross looked at Moonlight who was sat opposite and she slowly nodded at him, "Heard it to." Ross pulled his mask on and took a beep breath, the reassuring and familiarly dry air was calming and familiar. Moonlight watched Ross as he pulled his gloves on before he grabbed a hand full of browny gray mud, he then started smearing it on his helmet, turning the gray colore to the browny gray of the wasteland. As Moonlight watched Ross started slapping and rubbing more mud onto his already coated uniform. Soon Ross stopped before he started shacking the mud from his hands before he looked at the wall of the trench, Ross the slipped his helmet on with his left hand while the right one moved to take a firm grip on the handle of his survival knife. He slowly pulled the blade out then pressed the blade into the wall, dulling the polished blade to stop it from shinning in the low sun. Ross then pulled his night vision goggles out of there webbing pouch and pressed them into his mask's lenses. Ross then slowly slipped over the trench para pit. Moonlight watching him go. Time ticked pass and Moonlight started feeling more and more nervous, Ross's presence was a oddly calm influence to her, was it his silence in all this ore how he was acting so calm Moonlight looked through the periscope her natural night vision picking out the detailed of the wasteland around her. She could not see Ross or what he was hunting. She sat back on her small seat and pulled her Rifle into her hoof's ready to bring to bear. She sat there listening to the soft whisper of wind. Was that a blade entering something? A muffled shout? she then shook her head, Wind. Just, Wind. Moonlight let her ear's scan back and fourth, her eyes watching the lip of the trench an like her ear's scanned back and fourth just as the sun set The white of the moon started appearing over the horizon as the dark gray brown figure slipped over the lip of the trench. Moonlight looked at Ross as he slid down the wall of the Trench, his uniform still crusted with mud. "What did you go out there for? " Ross looked at Moonlight through his mask. "I was scouting for probe's and sappers' the'll be wanting in soon so the officers will be wanting us checked out..." Ross held up his survival knife, Moonlights eye's could see the thick red blood glinted in the late evening sun. "...That's twelve reports there not going to get." Ross said wiping the blade on a rag hanging from a nail. "Here, souvenir." Ross muttered passing her a yellowish skull. "Human. Possible from one of the commando's I saved you from when I got here." Ross muttered as he un-clipped his helmet from his mask,then pulled it off. Ross then returned to sitting on his box. Ross looked up at the moon and then at his watch, "21:26:38" With that Ross gave Moonlight who was sat next to him a rap on her helmet. "Five minutes till we are rotated out. But I want us on stand by." he said as he looked up and down the trench as as he slid, from his box while stretched his slightly stiff leg's. "Oofh...bugger!" Ross muttered as the stiffness vanished in a rush of feeling. Moonlight nodded to Ross as he stretched then she moved off to gather the members of Ross's command to ready up and prepare for retreat down the access trench leading to the secondary trench then crawl along the completely destroyed and filled in access trench to the city. Five minutes later Ross stood and nodded to the new officer of the watch. "Why no salute?" The Officer asked as a line of bat pony's passed Ross command, he then waved the muddy troops to pass with a nod at Moonlight who nodded back, the bags under her eyes starting to form . "There are sniper's watching us. I think they want me alive but I suspect they will kill you if you reveal superior ranks. So no salutes or ranks names only." Ross explained knowing there was a good chance a sniper was scanning the air right above the lip of the trench where he was standing. Ross then looked at the lip of the trench before he patted the officer on the shoulder, "Good Night. And don't stick your head up."
Bloody Seraphim ... (Re-done)Author's Note I'm back! sorry family and relation ship issues. don't worry Pulled Through will be continued soon Thanks to flyingfox for helping me with the spelling and...well making it so much better than I ever could. Bloody Seraphim ... (Re-done) Bloody Seraphim... Earth Parade Ground of the 68th Siege/ Siege breaker Regiment "Thunder fighters" Commander: Brigadier Zanic ACU: Model MK 5-3 "" Brigadier Zanic looked up at the holo-monitor as she leaned against the frame and harness that tracked her movements as she watched the static fill screen. "tchhhhMayday! Mayday! We tchh under attack from tchh unknown aggressor. We require tchhhh military assistance. Our own forces have sustained heavy tchhhhh-" The transmission cut off and Brigadier Zanic looked at the small control panel next to her and pressed a button and the holo-monitor started to rise. As the holo-monitor clicked into place, the large viewing screen lit up and the Parade ground snapped into view showing the large courtyard that held hundreds of units and half a dozen ACU's standing to attention. At the very edge of the screen, she could see her own ACU's shoulders, the pips on them the exact same as the one's on her uniform's shoulders. "I suppose I'd better inform HQ..." Zanic muttered to herself as she stood up and straightened her uniform. Celestia looked to the horizon where the last of her subjects were piling into Canterlot. The once beautiful city now a fortress and the last bastion of her people. The griffins were holding their own but were tied down in a grueling meat-grinder of a land battle. They promised to send help if they could get a reprieve. Other than that, that was all Celestial knew of the world outside of Equestria other than the panic'd and garbled reports of scouts and citizens. "Princess Celestia, the call for help has been sent but I don’t know if anypony or anyone will receive it." The Princess continued watching the horizon from the balcony of her personal room. Her once pristine features now replaced with signs of stress and lack sleep. Her once grand, ethereal mane had lost much of it’s sheen and now hangs limp around her like every other pony’s mane, only the very end of it flows in the non-existent wind. “And my little ponies?” “The civilians have been settled in and I have scouts out to keep an eye out for the Machines. If they do come, how… how will we survive?” The ACU let out a wail from its war horns as it ran at the Seraphim's line. Heavy tanks, Siege bots and other units followed in the ACU’s wake as the pilot charged on through the incoming gunfire, most bouncing off harmlessly while others leaving small pot-marks here and there. Then, an unknown machine as large as the ACU and looked like a spider with extra legs, each ending in some form of blade, emerged to meet the ACU's charge head on. "Pause" A rather fat Lord General said as he lifted a fat hand with many gold and jewels in crusted rings on it to point at the unknown unit. "What in hell is that?" Brigadier Zanic stepped forward " We believe it was a experimental melee unit Sir but it didn't work very well... Sir" The lord general looked at her his many chins wobbling. "And you know this how?" He said eyeing her. Zanic felt a pang of annoyance towards the fat man. "As you undoubtedly know, all current UEF ACU's are armed with dual antimatter cannons along with any other upgrades the pilot wishes, none of which are close combat weapons. If you watch the rest of the tape, you will see why the enemy unit wasn't very good." "Very well" the General leaned back into his chair and spun towards the screen "Play." The ACU's pilot sounded the war horns again and without breaking stride, raised its cannons firing at the machine as the two ran at each other. When they met the ACU lifted the canons high in to the air and brought them down onto the first arm of the machine as it reared up to strike. The lord general's eyes widened as he watch the ACU proceeded to smash and dodge the other arms as the pilot started dismantling the infernal Seraphim war engine. Then the pilot had somehow managed to pick up the hull of the Seraphim engine between his cannons and smashed it into the ground. The lord general stood up "Lights!" Zanic closed her eyes as the lights left after images and gave a slight growl and the room was revealed, the oak walls hiding the complex systems that prevented anyone from eavesdropping by any means. "Who is the pilot? I want to know." He stood up and his ample gut protruding before him. Zanic looked at him "That is Lieutenant Ross of my regiment Sir, the 68th Siege/ Siege breaker Regiment." The general looked shocked " He's just a Lieutenant? I'm surprised, I'd of thought a Major at least." Zanic smiled "If he had accepted any promotion he'd be your superior Sir." A tint of red touched the general's face. You didn't like that did you Zanic thought. "Well bring him in and we'll see if I agree with what you propose. Dismissed." The Lord General sat back down with a sigh. "Well I must warn you he’s a traditionalist of the regiments uniform, some find him scary Sir" Brigadier Zanic said as she left a smile on her face. The gray, foul smelling trench coat billowed behind him as he walked up next to Brigadier Zanic, his thick combat boots making a thud with every step. The sword in it's scabbard rattling at his thigh while the revolver and it’s aging holster swung to and fro as he walked. The thick gray pauldrons made of titanium sat perfectly on his shoulders. the golden pips on his coat's collar where the only change of the gray scale of the uniform. "What the hell am I doing here?" Ross asked, his voice was muffled slightly "You know I can’t stand the brass twats!" "Did somebody take a shit in your coffee this morning?" Zanic asked not even looking at Ross. "Tea. I drink tea and nobody took a shit in it....pissed in it, maybe." Ross said again his voice slightly muffled. Zanic let a snort of laughter out "Mess hall not sorted the machine out yet?" She heard a rustling and she assumed Ross was shaking his head. "Right best behavior in here" Zanic said as she opened the door and marched in Ross matching her pace. The they both stopped and stood at attention in front of the Lord General’s desk. His head looking down at some papers. The instant Ross saw the General, I doubt you even seen the inside of a ACU or have ever been in a battle, porky was the thought that went through Ross's mind. "What is that horrific smell?" he asked not looking up, the foul stench having finally reached his nose. "Me Sir" Ross said his voice still muffled. "When was the last time you had a bath?" The general asked still looking at his papers. "Five minutes ago sir" Ross responded instantly. The general finely looked up from his papers and nearly fell out of his chair. Where Ross's eye were meant to be were reflective quarter-covered lenses of a gas mask, a gray helmet covered the top third of the lenses as well as the back and sides of his head and neck. A long hose protruded like the trunk of an elephant and lead into a Khaki canvas bag with a large dial on the front and held onto the front of his trench coat by straps around his chest and shoulders. The General looked down at the bottom half of Ross and found he was wearing Puttees over his large steel toed combat boots and steel pads strap'd onto his knees. "Is there a problem sir?" Ross said his voice was muffled by the mask and filters. "Erg...no no Ross." The general stared at him. "Hum... yes, Ross tell me, what do you make of this?" The general pull'd a remote out of his desk and fiddled with it until the transmission played again. "tchhhhMayday! Mayday! We tchh under attack from tchh unknown aggressor. We require tchhhh military assistance. Our own forces have sustained heavy tchhhhh-" "Well Ross, what do you think?" Ross stood there silently, all that came from him was his filtered breathing. "I leave in 5 minutes sir" was all he said and he turned to leave. "Ross, can you tell me something?" The general sat there looking at his back "Yes Sir" Ross trend back "Your ACU this... "Unbreakable Shield," tell me about the unit" his eyes were squinting. "My Armored Command Unit "Unbreakable Shield" is a MK 1-0 of the United Earth Federation and is the largest crap heap that can be driven." Ross said and his eye lenses flashed. "I think I misheard you. You pilot a Mark 1 suit." The Lord General sat there smiling like he heard a joke. "Yes Sir, Mark 1. Can I go now?" Ross turned and headed out the door, not waiting to be dismissed and closed the door behind him. "So, Brigadier Zanic, will he do?" He sat there filling the leather chair like melting jelly. "Do or he’ll die Sir. There’s nobody finer on this side of the galaxy" Zanic said "you fat bastard" she muttered under her breath so he wouldn't hear. "How old is he?" The Lord General asked out of the blue "22 Sir. Why?" Zanic said eyeing him. "The daughter needs a husband" he said eyeing the door. Ross sat down into the command seat of his ACU the old system was all analog, none of the fancy neuron link to control here. The ACU stepping and leg movements were controled by pedals and a complex system of pistons and sensors that controls the arms, anti matter cannons and building systems. As if to complement the already confined space and arceo-tech, there were large keyboards and old monitors filling the little control room. The room was filled with red lights that were battery powered. "Unbreakable Shield this is Fire Prism can you read me? Over" Ross unhooked the headphones and mic and slipped them on under his helmet and his gas mask. "Rodger Fire Prism, I'm reading you loud and clear. Over" "Confirmed. You are to activate and proceed to the Quantum gate. Over." "Rodger Fire Prism, proceed the the Quantum gate and gate to target. Out." Ross pulled his hand out of the left arm control frame and twisted a key in a large box to his right there was a loud whining as the starting motor for the diesel generator turn'd over then and it roared into life followed shortly by a loud hum and whine as the fusion reactor was brought on line. The generator coughed and died as the reactor took up powering the ACU's systems. Pressing a yellow button on the same box, the monitors flickered into life and the outside world was shown. On the edges of the monitor the two golden pips on the ACU's shoulders one above the other were just visible. Ross slid his arm back into the arm control frame and rested his feet onto the control pedals. "Come on lass, time to march again." Ross squeezed the grip at the end of the arm control. Ross press the right pedal forwards and the ACU's right foot lifted a few meters off the ground and forward 10 or 15 meters. Then the left pedal and that brought the left foot level then past the right foot. He repeated this as he walked the war engine on towards the gate. The men that were on duty watched and waved at the engine as it passed. The engine was a relic and was literally a walking history keeper of the regiment. It was there when the regiment was found and had survived the hardest battles. There was once an entire mission to recover the burnt out husk when it fell and was restored to original condition. "Unbreakable Shield, this is Fire Prism. Over" "Reading you Fire Prism. How can I help, Zanic? Over." "The Lord General wanted me to keep this from you as I told you there was no video feed with the message. Over" "Yes, as you said. Over" Ross swayed slightly with the rolling gait of the ACU as it walked to the quantum gate. "You’re being sent to a previously unknown location, thus we don’t know what’s there so be ready for anything. Over." Ross press'd both pedals down to the floor "So you’re sending me because..." He smiled under his mask knowing the answer He heard a sigh in his ear "’Cause you’re the best fighter we've got. Over." "Me? No, really?! Over." he said with mock surprise as he set the ACU forwards again. "Yer yer Ar! Oh, and before I forget, you'll be in-charge of two office cadets that will come through after you set up a base and quantum gate. Over." "I’ve got more important thing to do than babysit them and give them milk runs. Over" Ross pushed the pedals harder and the engine picked up speed. "Brass's orders. Out." The link turned to static and Ross shut it off as the gate came into view. "Ok lass here we go again" Ross muttered as he pull'd the harness down over him. Ross settled into his seat as he walked up the ramp and the gate activated all the colors of the world where flashing in and out. "And. Here. We. Go!" Ross said as the cannons entered the gateway followed by the arms and then the rest of the ACU. The instant Ross passed the event horizon, he knew there was something wrong with how ACU lurched violently and started to shake and tremble like the earth was being dropped on to it. Ross looked at the viewing monitor, the colors were all wrong. They were white, pink and every other colour when it was meant to be blue. Ross held on tightly as the trembling got worse and he was sure the gate was going to rip his ACU apart. There was a sudden and deafening ban followed by a hard impact as Ross head banged off the harness, knocking him unconscious.
Odd's and End'sAuthor's Note I think this one is a bit lazy say and I'll do a bit of re-writing. Odd's and End's Odd's and End's Ross walked through the hall's of the hospital he had a promise to keep . Raindrops lay on the bed looked up at the ceiling the blue beret still on her head and she was bored "You OK Drop's?" She looked at the door to find Ross stood in the open door. "David!" She scrambled over to the door and jumped up, taking him in a hug. Which Ross returned. "What you doing here?" Ross pulled his gas mask off and fixed it and the helmet to a his left pauldron. "Keeping a promise which nurse is in-charge of looking after you?." Ross smiled at her and Raindrops smiled back her wings rustling slightly in there bandages "Redhart she should be here soon" "Well we'll wait hear." Redhart walked along the corridor her normal poster was slumped and she was showing tiredness having had to worked all night after a fight broke out at a refuge camp that resulted in a lot of pony's needing medical attention. "Red! How you holding up?" She turned to find Night Watch walking towards her. Redhart felt her hart skip a beat she was't afraid to admit to her self that she may have a bit of a crush on him. He was wearing his black hospital security uniform that clashed with his short gray main. She avoided making eye contact with his purple one's "I'm...fine. You?" She risked a look and saw that his brown fir didn't hide the bag's under his eye's. "Well I'll be looking forward's to bed when I get home you?" Redhart smiled "I think I'll be doing the same Watch but I got to go through the pediatric's..." She rubbed her tired, red eye's Night Watch gave a sad smile "How are they doing?" "Most are fine... but there there are one or two..." Redhart felt a speck dampness role down her cheek. More followed. "I'm sorry..." she said weakly turning from Night Watch "Hay hay whats the matter?" Redhart felt Night Watch put his for-leg round her shoulders. Redhart knew it wasn't good to let her emotion's out on duty and on the ward but she didn't care. "Sorry... I'v just been rushed off my hoof's ... I thought it was it bad enough that I was on pediatric's router but now... I'v seen what the book's skip over... what pony can to do to each other if they are willing..." Redhart closed her eye's as more tears rolled down her cheek's Night Watch held her letting Redhart let it out. He gave her a gentle squeeze and felt her lean into him slightly. "... Thank you." Night smiled as she pulled away and he took his leg from around her shoulder's "Will you be OK now?". Redhart nodded and smiled the damp trails in her fir where the only indication that she had been crying. There was a commotion behind her and she looked to see a crowd of filly's and other staff piled into Raindrops ... now dark room. "O Celestia ... not her ... please..." Redhart mutter'd and she rushed to the door, Night Watch on her heel's. Some of the filly's in care had seen there parent's or close friend's been killed, most sported injury's from when that happened. It was't sadly unheard of one or two of them to commit suicide, unable to cope with what they had seen even with the best help of Canterlot hospital. Night opened the door and the two ran in and they stoped dead. The children and staff where sat on the floor and bed. But Redhart's attention was caught by galaxy hanging in the air, it zoom'd in and started to go to planet's and naming them "Earth. Cradle of humanity." "Mars. First colony." "Seraphim II. The quarantined planet" "Garnelis. Forge Planet. War hart of the UEF." The planet zoomed out and the galaxy came back. The galaxy shifted to a fox looking round the room's occupant's, there was a soft murmur of awe came from the crowd as the fox turned into a white Pegasus flying through the cloud's, that then turned into a member of the Royal guard and one Luna guard the two, stood to attention saluted, stood easy then smiled and waved. To which a lot of the filly's waved back. The image slowly faded out and the light came on reviling Ross stood ageist the wall opposite the crowd with a disk held in his palm "Thank you Lady's and Gentleman, Boys and Girl's I hope you enjoyed the hologram's." A small round of clapping came from the crowd as they started to leave. Ross looked at Redhart and Night Watch "Impressed?" The two nodded "Where's Raindrops?" "Up here!" She called out from where she siting on Ross's shoulder's her head resting on top of his. "Well David not that I'm not happy to see you but why are you here?" Redhart asked as Ross slipped the Holo-protector into his pocket. "Keeping a promise I made. Will it be OK for me to take Raindrops out for a bit?" "No offense but you must understand that you are not her guardian or carer." Redhart explained and Ross nodded. "Are you a care or guardian Red?" She nodded "Well road trip? You look like you need a brake." Ross said. "No I d-" Redhart started but Night Watch interrupted. "He...?" Watch looked at Ross for confirmation and received a nod. "He's right you need a brake you can't keep going like this." Redhart shook her head "No I can't plus I don't think Doctor Saw Bonus will let me off duty." "On the contrary I think you are done. You've done a Ten hour shift." They all looked to find Doctor Saw Bones standing there. "Impressive light show David but Redhart you are to take Drop's out to do whatever it is David has in mind and they you will go home." Redhart stood there stammering trying to think of a excuse to not go home but she failed and relented "Yes Doctor." The three walked down the street. Ross reviving look's and murmur's but he ignored them. Raindrops still on Ross's shoulder's "Why do they stare?" She asked looking round at all the faces looking at them "It's me. I'm different, odd." Ross said looking round. "I don't think your odd." Ross smiled "Thanks Drops." "Excuse me..." something asked. Ross turned round to find a pure white Unicorn with green eye's and a scroll and magnifying glass. "Can I help you?" Ross asked tentatively. "Yes Doctor Discover I was wondering if you help me?" "Maybe?" Ross right had found it self resting on the pop stud of his holster Ross watched as he pulled a cloth out of some where. "What dose this smell of?" Ross was amused. How thick did he think he was!?! "What's that?" Ross said pointing down the street. Dr. Discovery turned to look giving Ross a perfect angle. Ross swung his leg and with a fleshy crunch he steel toed boot met Discovery's testicle's. Discovery squirrel was muffled as Ross held the cloth over his muzzle. Discovery fought like a cornered cat but his flaying quickly stopped. "Wow." Ross quickly pulled Raindrop's off his shoulder's "You ok?!" She nodded looking at Discovery "What was he trying to do?" "I think he as trying to drug me and drag me off." Ross looked at Redhart who took the rag and sniff it lightly. "Chloroform." Ross picked the body up and slung it over his shoulder. "Where is the nearest police station?" The black unicorn Law and white Pegasus Order stat at the fount desk. It had been oddly quiet even with all the new pony's in Canterlot. The door's banged open and the two shot back as the white unicorn was dropped on the desk "Bang him up for attempted kidnap." Ross said placing the rag on the desk as well. "You that alien that the princess showed us yesterday aren't you?" Ross nodded "Leftenant-Commisar Ross." Order picked the Discovery's head up "What did he try to do?" Law picked the cloth up. "Don't sniff that it soaked with Chloroform." Law looked surprised "That old trick? Wow." Ross nodded "Old one back home too." Discovery moaned and they all looked down at him. "Can you take care of him I have stuff to do matter of duty and order's." The two nodded. "Don't worry we'll care of him." Order said as Law levitated Discovery off the desk "No no there with me." Ross pushed the spear up that was pointing at Redhart. "Sorry Sir." The guard raised the spear and stood back as his post at the side of the gate to the barracks. Raindrop's came round from behind Redhart and stood next to Ross in awe. "That's ineradicable." Ross smiled and knelt down one one knee next to her. "Yes it is." Ross and Raindrop's looked at the scene before them. These barrack's where in one of the royal gardens and where some of the newest. Made in the rush after the Seraphim landed and the need to increase pony's at arm's. Some of the troop's where drilling practicing there sword and spear attacks another squad of unicorns where working on there spell accuracy the target dummy's made of old armorer with hole's blown in them. The newer targets consisted of looted Order armor. Ross watched a Sargent drilling a squad near the firing range some of the officers where walking and looking through the camp easily distinguished by there more ornate armorer. The Royal Castle was in the back ground but more prominently was the hulking ACU casting it's shadow over the entire complex. Ross felt a presser on his leg and looked to see Raindrop's had her for leg's on his leg. She was looking up at the ACU and Ross couldn't help but chuckle. "It's... big." she said looking at the bunkhouse next to the ACU. "You...want to go up?" Ross asked. Raindrop's looked up at Ross pure joy etched into the smile spreading across her face. "Really?" Ross pulled the beret off and ruffled her mane. "I'v kept the promise so far." he said as he pulled the beret back on her head. Redhart smiled at the two a tear of joy rolled down her check. She had never seen Raindrop's so happy. Ross spy'd a pony pulling a cart with duffel bag's in it. "O Corporal! Chuck us one of them!" The pony took one in his teeth and threw it to Ross who caught it mid-air "Nice throw Corporal. Just tell the quarter master I took this one out and I'll sign it out later." "Yes Sir." The Corporal said as he started to pull the cart off in the direction of the store hut. "What you need that for?" Raindrops asked. "I need both arm's to clime the rope ladder and I don't want you falling off my back. and why shouldn't Red see there sight's I'll show you?" As he said this Ross pulled the duffle bag onto his back "Ready?" Raindrops nodded and held up her for-leg's Ross picked her up and slipped her into the bag. He felt her slip down to the small of his back "Red your turn." Ross knelt down and felt Redhart clime in. "Happy?" He felt them shuffling around. "Ready." Ross walked to the foot of the swaying rope ladder and started to clime. Ross was half way when there was a shout. "Ross!" Ross let go with his right arm and swung out to look down to find Moonlight in full armor. A slight gust of wind mad his coat bottom flapping a little in the wind. "Yes!?" "I'v made my selection of candidates for S.O.H.U. there ready for you review." Ross swapped his hold on the ladder and looked at his watch. "Ok I'll be an hour or two...What armorer have they got?" "Buck all!" "Right you go to the quarter master and put the presser on to get some decent armor ready for them OK?" Moonlight saluted and moved off. "O Sargent Major! There's a.... caption Edge kicking about he has something for me if you could collect it for me I'll pick it up when I go through the candidates with you." "Yes sir!" Ross pulled him self and the two in the bag on top of Unbreakable and they got out and Ross stood up. "There's you view." Ross said pointing over the city wall's down the mountain and to the plains where he could see the curvature of Equine it's self. "O wow...It's beautiful." Ross sat down his leg's dangling over the edge of the ACU's head.
