Author'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.