Equestria 2150

“Ma’am, the scouting team is back, they have a hostage.” Razgriz said to Luna, with a bow.

“Very good, General, please tell the troops that we’ll be attacking just before dawn.” Luna answered, to which Razgriz bowed and left the room. He trotted through the base camp, seeing the few quickly constructed buildings for medical, production, barracks and headquarters. He went to the command post and informed the commanders of the timing of the pre-dawn attack. Afterward, Razgriz galloped to the aircraft hangar, which was right in the middle of their resupply field and aircraft production plant.

“Jelly Bean, you around, mate?” Razgriz yelled into the desolate hangar bay. His voice echoed off the aluminum walls and made him shudder. All the pilots were in their barracks, sleeping. Given Razgriz couldn’t find Jelly Bean in his bunk, he assumed that his friend was working on something.

“Yeah. I’m over here, by the bombers.”

Jelly Bean’s faint voice could be heard at the other end of the hangar. Razgriz walked over, admiring the squadron from the moon. His light hoofsteps sounded off the stone floor, made to store the attack squadron for the invasion.

The main air force consisted of attack fighters, the Oppressor Interceptor. These high-speed, lightly armored aircraft were great for shooting down bombers and escorting the Lunar Army’s own bombers. The sleek body and lightweight build made the Oppressor one of the top aircraft in Equestria.

Razgriz trotted to the end of the hanger, where he found Jelly Bean finishing up a bomb for a Draconequus bomber. The Draconequus was a fat and slow aircraft, mostly made for one-way missions, but the payload they could carry was worth the cost. Just one bomber could carry twenty-four one-hundred-pound magic pulse bombs, which have the force to blow up a small building.

Jelly had just finished putting the casing back over top of the internals when he noticed Razgriz trotting over. “Hey, buddy, how's it been lately? Since the move we haven’t been able to talk much.” he said through a smile. Jelly Bean was a very tall, black Andalusion pegasis white a white mane and tail. He stood about as tall as Celestia, so he towered over Razgriz

The two ponies had been friends since Jelly Bean was born. Razgriz took care of him while his parents were helping at the production plants. At the time, Razgriz was hesitant to become friends with anypony. They would all ether die before the invasion of Equestria, or in the fighting during it. So to avoid heartbreak, he had secluded himself to his training. Given that he could live for the whole time he was on the moon, his skills were beyond anypony in the LA or the SE.

“Well, as good as it can be, I guess.” Razgriz said.

“What do you mean by that?” Jelly Bean asked, concern in his voice.

“Well, ever since I was banished it seemed like a good idea to get back at Celestia, but now that we are really doing it…” Razgriz trailed off.

"I’m sure Luna wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t right, buddy. Her sister betrayed her, after all.”

"Maybe, but killing innocent ponies just to get back at her? Do Celestia and everypony that follows her really deserve that?”

Jelly Bean scratched his head, worried that Razgriz had fallen ill and that his judgment was clouded. He had been one of the biggest supporters of retaliating.

“Look, I don’t care who it is, if they follow Celestia, they are an enemy to the Lunar Army. Just remember that, Razgriz, and you’ll get through this.”

Jelly Bean put a hoof onto Razgriz’s shoulder in reassurance. Razgriz nodded, and snapped to a half hearted salute, which Jelly Bean returned. They went about their business after that- Razgriz wanted to get a wink of sleep before the first large scale battle of the war, and Jelly Bean had to finish his prep for his squadron of bombers.

-

“Ma’am, still no news on the patrol. We fear something may have happened to the spec ops scout, Electric Spark.” Rough Cut said to the white alicorn, bowing as he did.

“Alright. Send one team out to the last known location of the scout for a SAR effort, and deliver a message to the Elements to be here within the hour. We must be ready for the worst.” Celestia solemnly said.

Rough Cut galloped off to do as he was told. Celestia turned her head and looked out the window, rising from her throne to look at the moon.

“Oh, my sister... I’m so sorry for this.”