Drone #060147

“COME ON BOYS THE SHIELDS’ ALMOST DOWN!” I heard my Lieutenant shout. I was anxious for the long awaited moment that the shield would go down at Canterlot. This was mainly supposed to be a shock and awe operation. We rain down from the sky all menacing-like, we subdue the ponies and try to restrain, no casualties if we can avoid it.

The original plan as the queen had said was this was supposed to just be a hostile takeover so we could settle on peaceful terms from a position of strength but my thoughts told me otherwise. I am drone designated number 060147 of batch Theta-Delta-Phi. Drone class is raised to follow and take orders but some of us questioned them. They were the ones executed for treason.

I panted slowly as I looked down upon the massive city, far more intricate and detailed then our hives. I thought back to the many starving from being love deprived and I knew I had to help fight for them. These ponies had everything and most races had nothing, it would be nice to knock them down a few pegs. Supposedly they were going to be like sheep. Easy to corral and not really expecting to fight. So they would be easy to subdue. The royal guard would be lazy, though on alert it was doubted they would be expecting to fight anything more than a drunkard or two today, let alone a full scale invasion.

The pounding of my brother’s bodies on the force field will remain in my head to this day. It was another tactic to help with the whole shock and awe thing. The constant sound of buzzing and thumping against the one thing that kept them protected made them be aware of the constant threat and that we were an army that would not stop. The buzzing in the back of my mind was dull but it kept reminding me of our mission and our goals. That was the hive mind. For those of you that are unaware, basically imagine having a walkie talkie in your skull that your leader is able to broadcast to their subjects with. It was annoying but it was strangely soothing at the same time. It’s hard to explain if you haven’t felt it.

Suddenly I heard the shield shatter and it seemed the others practically began cheering in glee. I swear I heard 060234 begin humming Ride of the Valkyries or Flight of the Bumblebees, I always get the two mixed up. I let out a deep breath to calm my nerves as I prepared the spell to make my descent and crash as dramatic as possible. “Shock and Awe” I muttered and dived down like a green javelin. Plummeting down and causing a sizable quake in the ground.

I leaped up and out of the crater and made my way around a corner. I set my eyes on a couple and foal I had noticed on the way down. I quickly corralled the family into an alley as was orders. I saw the look on the little ones face and felt a twinge of guilt but I knew I had to look menacing for the job. I bared my fangs and let out a creepy hissing laugh. A typical means to dominate and take control of the situation that us changelings were taught since we were hatchlings. I sent up a blue bolt of magic with my horn to signal a builder drone over. He swooped down and spat out a green goo that quickly hardened and blocked off the ponies exits as another drone took my place to guard them.

“Move brother! We have gotten word that a group of rebels are in search of an anti changeling weapon to repel us.”

“Where are they?” 

“East of here by the main castle, we need more troops to hold them back, they are surprisingly adept fighters, six of them, two pegasi, two unicorns and two earth ponies.”

“On my way.” I replied and flew over, trying to make it there in brisk time when I felt something whizz by my wing. I barrel rolled left and looked down to spot a Canterlot guard try to pick me out of the sky with magic just before he was tackled by a lieutenant and three drones. I smirked and kept flying to my destination.

“Need to just repel this group of fighters.” I muttered when I spotted the fighting.

I swooped down and changed into a purple unicorn, getting into position to slip in and pretend to be a fighter before bumping into an orange earth pony. I got up back to back with her to get her guard down before changing into my real form to snarl at her and hopefully shock her, but she only expressed her confusion at the situation before I tackled her, immediately being covered in copies of my brethren disguised as her.

We had almost neutralized the target when I heard the sound of magic and was promptly blown off the mare in a blinding flash of purple light. I landed hard upon the cement nearby. Dazed I tried to get up but suddenly felt weak and I collapsed again, My body feeling numb and unstable.Suddenly the commotion had stopped, the nearby troops were all lying on the ground, wounded. The group of rebels rushed for the doors to their objective. I thought I had failed but was pleasantly surprised when they opened the doors only to be greeted by more of our troops and I sighed in relief. The rebels were then quickly subdued.

I slowly stood up as the spell wore off.I looked around and noticed other drones slowly stood up after the defensive spells wore off for them too.  A few not getting up at all. The dead with eyes wide open. Those of us that stood up were battered and bruised, a few missing wings. One of the drones sent up a green bolt of magic to say the area was secured followed by an orange bolt to get some medical attention.

I steadied myself and found I was strong enough to be able to move and my worst injuries was a minor sprain in my front left hoof after having landed on it funny. I flew up and searched for a Lieutenant, finding one a few blocks away and I asked for a report on the area.

“Eastern Canterlot is locked down and secure. 16,489 civilians have been neutralized and we have received only 1,457 casualties along with the civilian casualties at only 19. Now if you stop bothering me and get back on patrol of the area we might just be able to keep it as low as we have it at. MOVE YOUR CARAPACE!” He yelled in my face so loud I swear I flew back a few inches.

I searched the area and was surprised to find it actually was fairly well locked down and secure just as the Lieutenant said. “We won….” I said aloud, not believing the words myself. Looking at the streets we now had occupied. We had actually taken the pony’s capitol and negotiations of some sort were sure to happen soon just as the Queen had promised.  “Her plan actually worked…..”

I almost felt at peace atop the building when suddenly the familiar hive mind in my head was screaming in agony and my entire head throbbed as I noticed several red bolts of magic were sent up symbolizing a failure followed by black bolts which symbolized “Retreat” in only the span of a second before my vision was blurred by pink and I felt as if I had been hit by a tidal wave of stone. My last thoughts before completely losing consciousness was of the incredible pain I felt in my body and in my head and then everything went black.