"You know what's the worst job to be assigned during the war? Winter Night Watch." -First Private Silver Sword.

Blizzard Dust laid upon her bunk bed, above her twin sister Diamond Dust, who was cleaning her Magi-rifle below. Blizzard flopped over onto her back with her head barely hanging off and sighed. She had finished all her daily duties: Polish and clean her Magi-rifle, polish and clean her armor, grab her lunch, exercise in the gym of the Battleships' lower decks, and finally, her karate classes. Now here she lays in her top bunk, gazing up at the steel ceiling bored out of her mind. She let loose another sigh for most likely the 77th time and kicked her forelegs lazily upwards towards the steel roof of the ship in false fighting.

Born in the bat-pony city of Northguard; the Dust twins were both Privates, having served the IPE Star Navy for over three years made them used to most of the fleets' ships, but they choose to stay on the Battleship. They were inseparable, they had such a strong bond that it was impossible to keep them sane if you took them away forcefully. The twins had flipped colors. Diamond, the tallest and considered the oldest, had dark blue coat with light brown hair with a ice streak through it. Her twin just had the coat and brown switched, with the brown being the darkest. They loved to tease each other without end when the opportunity rises. Not to mention they are both Bat-ponies with their fluffy ears.

"If you are SO bored, go do something," said Diamond.

Blizzard groaned and put her hooves in her face, "Like what?" she asked, her voice slightly muffled.

"Like...I don't know, maybe flirt with the stallions or something like you always do."

Blizzard blushed softly at the obvious truth, "I do not flirt with the stallions! What could I gain by doing that?"

Diamond chuckled, "Well...there are a lot of things you could gain."

Blizzard blinked at what she said and groaned in both defeat and embarrassment, earning a short laugh from her twin, "Like always, I still win in our arguments," She continued polishing her rifle, rubbing the cloth over the barrel, making the silver-gray steel shine. "Oh, and yes you do flirt with the stallions, I saw you do it," she added earning another groan from Blizzard.

"Well its not like you don't ether," Blizzard shot back now turning over to look down at her sister's head as she worked.

Diamond paused her cleaning to look up at her sisters' face, which had the red on her coat fading fast. "Indeed I do, because its what we mares are built to do to the stallions; we get them flustered and interested, rut. Then, few days later, maybe rut again. Simple as that," she finished with a smile.

Blizzard flicked Diamonds' ear with a hoof before hopping off her bed and onto the floor gracefully. Grabbing her silver under-armor, which she would wear under her actual suit of armor, she made her way out. She turned to give one last look at her sister, who was still cleaning her rifle but now at the barrel, and gave a small snort before turning away and continuing her way out.

Diamond heard the door open and she looked up to see her sister leaving and raised a brow, "Where are you going?"

Blizzard turned her head to respond, "I'm headed out to walk about the ship for a bit, maybe jog. I'll be back later."

Diamond nodded, "Alright then, have fun flirting," she said with a smirk hoping she will get a rise out of her sister.

"Hah hah hah, very funny." Blizzard retorted before leaving.

Diamond shook her head while smiling before continuing to clean her rifle. "I'll catch up with her later," she murmured softly as she glanced at her small reflection on the barrel.

Deep below and semi-far to the back of the ship, where the reactors sat powering the ship, was where the Tech-Troopers mostly stayed.

Gearbox, one such Tech-Trooper, was fixing a wire that had torn with one of his handy limbs on his back as he observed it, careful to not damage any other wires nearby or the tubing behind it. There were other Tech-Troopers nearby that were working on other parts of the ship and operating the consoles, keeping the Battleship in perfect shape.

Gearbox is considered an "elite" Tech-Trooper, he had done multiple different projects that helped the IPE significantly in the war with Equestria. Gearbox had a gold coat with rust brown hair. He is constantly in his armor and rarely takes it off, mostly due to the fact that he simply likes to be in it. Being born in Ori, made him stronger than the normal pony. Due to the fact of how harsh the fortress city was.

Gearbox breathed a sigh of at finally fixing the broken wire, the damn thing wouldn't stay together. Letting his augmented limbs rest as he placed and bolted the panel back on. He walked away to find something else to fix or assist with fixing, sending the report of the fix via his HUD.

Originally, he wanted to be on a Research Vessel and help the eggheads invent something new. He had been on a few, mostly due to large repairs because a space rock hit them or some kind of failure. Every time he was on one, he remembered it well.

One ship was his favorite: The Mundus Viridi. It was a ship that focused on the wildlife on Equis and created and tested chemicals to better help the crops. The ship had massive domes of jungle, forests and plains as well as many others. It was eye candy that's for sure, plus it acted as a cruise ship for only the richest. Around a few million for five nights aboard. Gearbox was called to it because a vent system for one of the habitats had broke and was preventing clean air from getting through. The way the bio-domes worked amazed him to no end. They were made of reinforced glass and that's all. It was luck that kept it from getting hit by asteroids.

The IPE liked to stick their secret research facilities up high. Though it could've been better underground, where it had a lesser risk of being found by a Equestrian ship. Gearbox always wondered that.

He sighed happily at the memory of that majestic ship as he walked down the corridor, but made a small tilt of his head as the though once more came to him. While he walked, he saw two fully armored troopers chatting together. The one that was facing towards him noticed him and stopped chatting to wave. Doing this caused the other trooper to wave and smile as well. Gearbox made a small nod in return before passing by them.

Finding nothing at all to repair, and nothing from higher command, he made his way to the dining hall on mid-deck via the elevator. When the elevator doors opened, he was greeted by loud noise and the chatter of ponies at the tables. Making his way to a open table, the ponies he passed by noticed him and waved at him as he passed, he just flashed a smile and a nod at them in greeting.

Sitting at the table he selected, he just sat in thought, with nothing to do at the moment, right when he was just about to get up to grab a bite to eat, someone arrived at his table-

"Hey there Gear."

Gearbox looked up to see a green Pegasus mare smiling down at him. He smiled when he realized who it was, "Hey Lightning."

Lightning Striker had a forest green coat with gray and light yellow hair. She was a private much like the Dust twins, only she had a weapon of preference; it was a Magi-sniper rifle. It had a small charge but it could fire incredibly long ranges, combined with a longer, slimmer barrel and a much more stronger blue GemCell than the standard issue green and red. It was a powerful weapon... Though not as powerful when she is on the ship, but still a force to be reckoned with. Her mastery with a sniper rifle comes from the fact she came from a griffin population center in the IPE: Erogos.

"Can I sit with you?" Striker asked pointing a hoof to the seat in front of her.

Gearbox nodded with a small motion of his own hoof, "Sure."

"Thanks, I just got done with my patrol duty, so I'm off till tomorrow. Hell, they work us hard despite the isolation here." she informs while she sits down.

"That's good. I know how you feel too, mostly because I was once a conscript during the early stages of the Second War," Striker leaned forward once he started talking, for she had rarely heard Gearbox talk about his past, particularly the Second Division War and the First Year. "But once they found out I was skilled at mechanics, electronics and the likes; they had me taken away and made me a Tech-Apprentice," He paused to let out a somewhat sad sigh and closed his eyes. When he opened them he saw Striker staring expectantly at him, he chuckled at her before continuing, "The Conscription Camps back then we're so brutal. Ya'll had it easy," he motioned the ponies in the room with a small notion of his hoof. "The Commissars were strict, as they had to be. They would execute cowards or the weak ones, and even the ones who broke the rules. Not to forget they would sometimes kill to make an example. I lost quite a few friends that way."

Striker tilted her head, "Commissars?" she questioned.

Gearbox nodded, "Aye Commissars. They are one of the forgotten branches of the IPE military that formed in the First Year. Though now they don't exist anymore due to the Empress saying it was too harsh on the morale of the troopers and not only that, they had no use afterwards."

Striker had a somewhat deflated look on her face as Gearbox finished his history lesson. She looked down at her crossed hooves on the table, "Sorry I brought up some unhappy memories."

She heard him sigh and looked up at him as he gave her a smile and a shrug, "Eh... It's ok, its not your fault. Its good to tell somepony about the REAL First Year of the IPE. When it first got on its hooves," he replied.

She smiled back at him weakly, still feeling at fault for bringing up those memories. Gearbox frowned at her smile before getting up and moving next to her. She followed him with her eyes as he sat next to her.

After sitting next to her, he stared deep into her eyes as she did to him.

Boop

Gearbox blinked as he got nose booped and went cross-eyed to look at his nose. The reaction made Striker giggle at him while he frowned in amusement at her rather immature behavior.

He shook his head with a smile in response to her giggle, the frown vanishing quicker than when it came, "You are unintentionally cute sometimes you know that?"

Striker flushed with amusement, "I try."

"March in place, you piles of shit with legs!"

"Sir, yes Sir!"

Lt. Orion Blaze watched in clear disgust at the new batch, or cadets, that had just arrived a few days ago. IPESC thought that the Battleship needed more troopers to crew it, even though the IPE had the strongest, other than Equestrias', Star Navy in all of Equis.

Orion Blaze had a dark blue coat with marble white hair. He was also a unicorn. Born in the richer parts of Arthrenia, which was closer to the Citadel, he was no doubt spoiled to no end by his richer parents... However there are those who doubt that theory. Making him one of the most hated, but somewhat respected, members aboard the Carmina Burana. He would commonly throw unneeded insults towards lower ranking troopers when no other higher ranking personnel was around.

And having twin jobs; a lieutenant and drill Sargent, only boosted his ego ten times over.

"Halt!" he bellowed. The cadets came to a ordered halt, with sweat poring down their faces as they stood at attention, looking off into the distance ahead of them. Orion marched up to the line and started routine inspection, checking their stature and doing the same test as before; if they made eye contact with him.

He stopped at one cadet. He caught him looking at him while he inspected the rest. Staring at him right in the eyes, he attempted to make him move again to confirm his eyes that he saw him move. What he got was, a increase in shaking and sweat, before the cadet finally broke and looked at him.

Orion forged a ghost of a wicked smile on his face before he wiped it clean and made a falsely calm demeanor as the cadet looked at him. "What is your name, cadet?" he asked calmly, while he attempted forcing his smile to hide.

The cadet stuttered, caught off guard, " E-Easy Shot, sir."

Orion chuckled lightly at the name and looked down before resting a hoof on the sweating troopers' shoulder, "Well Easy Shit, can you tell me why I am standing in front of you right now?"

Easys' eyes darted around and looked at the hoof resting on him, while resisted to frown at the rather crude abuse of his name, catching a glance at some of the cadets that are looking his way. He swallowed before answering in an uneasy voice, "I looked at you when I was told to stay at attention?" he asked unsure.

Orion nodded and said back calmly, "Yes you indeed did. Now tell whats the punishment of doing that is."

"Umm...No lunch break and more extreme exercises?" he said uncertainly, silently hoping that the Lt. doesn't catch his uncertainty.

Sadly, he does.

Orion puts on a constantly practiced aggressive face before shoving himself into Easys' own face, "NO! This is not boot camp, nor is it the old conscript camps from the First Year!" he bellowed, making the poor cadets nearby and Easys' ears ring. The cadets barely got time to prepare for another assault of words when Orion shoved himself back into Easy's face. "You are on the Battleship, Carmina Burana. Finest ship in the Star Navy! I will not have a bunch of shit eaters desecrate this majestic vessel with your shit clad hooves!" The cadets visibly flinched when Orion slammed his armor clad hoof into the floor, creating a loud bang, making their ears ring again combined with his harsh words. "Now tell me, what do we do on here!?"

"We serve and Protect!"

"What were we born to do!?"

"To fight and win!"

"And what were you trained to do!?"

"To fight and win once more!"

"For who do you fight for!?"

"The Empress and the IPE!"

"That's right! Now because I had to waste my breath and inhale your disgusting stench that your even your fake, imaginary wives would vomit at, you all are going to be doing 300 damned push-ups; with pegasi doing wing-ups," he paused to look at the clock on the wall as it slowly ticked, "Starting, now!" he bellowed for the last time as the cadets followed his orders and began right away, grunting softly, not wanting to invoke his ire again.

Turning around with a sneer across his face, he came face to face with a five foot armor clad pony, except of the head. Which showed the pony in the armor. His sneer quickly fell as he went into a stiff salute before the giant.

"At ease Lt. There is no need to be formal, I'm just here to check on the recruits," the giant spoke.

"Sorry sir," Orion said relaxing. His evil grin now long gone and replaced with a static one as he stood in front of the pony.

The giant, called a Centurion, had a shining iron coat with silver hair. He was a Earth pony; much to Orion's dismay but he pushed aside the emotions when it came to these guys, especially this one. His armor color was fitted to the colors of his choice; a pure white as its main color with gold at the tips. His name was Steel Rain. If you said his name in the cities or armies of the IPE, just about everypony would know him, for he is often hailed as a hero. With a statue erected in the Courtyard in front of the Citadel in Arthrenia with him standing atop the bodies of dead Equestria soldiers while holding the IPE flag in his right hoof.

His hometown is unknown however.

"It's fine Lt." he reassured as he observed the new cadets as they did their push ups. Orion had moved next to him as he watched. "How are the new ones doing?" Steel asked without looking at Orion.

"They are doing alright, still the same as most of the new troopers that arrive on here," Orion informed.

Steel hummed softly, "That's good," He turned his head to look down at Orion, "Try not to go too hard on them. They are still new. Don't want them broken and battered before we can use them for something."

Orion looked up at him and nodded with a small smile, "Of course, sir," He replied before looking back at the troopers.

They stayed like that, watching them do push ups before Steel said his goodbyes and left, his armor clad hooves resonating through the training hall. Orion watched him go with careful eyes till he was out of sight. When he was, Orion turned to face the troopers, who had finally finished all 300 and were breathing hard, the smell of sweating ponies permeating the air.

They all visibly gulped as they saw his wicked grin of glee and savagery and knew there was a whole new world of pain coming for them.

Bellowing laughter came from the med-bay of the ship. The reason behind this was because, Spritze, the medic, was telling her tales of misfortune and pasts to a patient. She had pure white fur with vibrant red hair that seemed like it was glowing, her mark a medical cross with a syringe in the middle. She was from Germane across the sea and came here after the First Year, looking for work.

The patient laughed once again and slammed a hoof on the bed he was on as she finished off her tale. Spritze chuckled and leaned on the edge of the bed while resting her head on her hoof, "...That's how I lost my medical licence," she said with a chuckle.

The patient stopped laughing instantly after she said that and looked at her with a mixture of shock and fear. Spritze noticed his face and patted him lightly with a hoof on the shoulder, which he attempted to move away from. "Aw, don't be such a baby....I won't hurt you...," she brought up a syringe with her magic, she looked down at him with a smile as he stared in fear, "Don't worry Mein Freund, this will only hurt a bit..." she paused again before bringing the syringe to bare on his arm, "Maybe."

The patient had no time to react as the syringe was driven into his skin and through the flesh, narrowly avoiding the veins, so that it touches the bone and goes into it, causing so much pain through his nerves that the poor stallion passed out from the pain with nothing more than a small yelp.

Spritze stuck out her tongue cutely in concentration as she inserted the healing gel into the bone. The patient had a broken bone due to a accident with a Lifter and a crate, so to fix it, it had to be dosed with some bone heal gel...'Expertly'. After emptying it into the bone, she took out the syringe and set it on the table nearby. Finished, she looked at the patient and frowned at him. She poked his face with a hoof and nodded, "Yep, out cold," She sighed and shook her head before turning around and heading for the door. Usually they would numb the limb broken, but Spritze... was not the usual doctor.

Soon after another medic came running in with a worried look on her face as she saw the stallion unconscious. She felt his head with a hoof and breathed out a small sigh of relief at the fact that he had a beating heart. Looking behind her at the door, she sighed before muttering quietly, "When will they ever fire her?"

*****

Spritzes' medic cloak made small flaps in the air as she made her way down the halls of the vessel. She would nod and give small smiles to the nearby ponies that would cross her path, only to get weak forced smiles in return. The reason behind this mostly was due to being so well known for her, "Expertise" in her class.

Finally arriving at the mess hall, she observed the tables. Looking for her friends that would meet up with her everyday here.

"Over here Spritze!" called out Blizzard Dust with a wave of her hoof.

Spritze smiled brightly at her and made her way over, winding through all the tables filled with chatting or eating ponies. "So, vhats up?" she asked after taking her seat across from the twins.

Blizzard giggled, "Oh nothing, just that I got a date with a certain stallion..." she said with a drunk-like giggle.

Diamond blinked in shock at what she just heard while Spritze was smiling proudly at her. "Congrats mein freund, you should have the lucky stallion come by for a 'checkup', as you should come too," she said with a teasing wink and a witty smile. Blizzard thus became an apple and nodded jerkily, all the while Diamond had a shocked expression.

Diamond blinked and shook her head before looking at her sister with a stern gaze, " Are you sure he's a good one?" she asked carefully as she eyed her sister.

Blizzard nodded excitedly, "Oh yes he is," she sighed and leaned on her hoof, "You should have seen him in the training room earlier today. Oh!" She perked up suddenly as she looked across the table to the one nearby, there sat the said stallion. He had a dark blue coat with deep purple hair, his pegasus wings had the same color as his hair. He was sitting with a few friends of his own laughing along with one of them at a unheard joke.

Diamond followed Blizzard's gaze and saw the stallion, and she couldn't help but admit that he was indeed eye candy. With all that muscle under that armor, she couldn't help but think of her with him, but she kicked out those ideas before they took root. Spritze however, really didn't find him her type.

Diamond turned back to a daydreaming opposite, "Ok, I'll agree that he looks nice, but just be careful please, sis."

Spritze turned back too and nodded, "Ja, you should listen to her."

Blizzard looked up at them puzzled, "Why are you both so concerned?"

"Well, we care about you. Not to mention I'm your sister and I"m meant to protect you." Diamond explained, getting a nod of agreement from Spritze. "Plus this is quite out of nowhere. Just a day ago I was teasing you about flirting."

"Ok, big sis, I'll be careful. And a lot can happen in a few days ya know."

"Thank you," Diamond replied with a smile and gave Blizzard a sisterly hug. They sat for a while chatting with the occasional gossip entering into the conversations till a sudden alert came from the speakers, abruptly ending their chatting.

"Squad 548 report to the top bridge immediately at this time. Squad 548 report to the top bridge."

Author's Note

The Magi-rifle was, as the name suggests, a rifle of magic. It is powered by magic infused crystals that would send a powerful beam out when the trigger it pulled by the user. The trigger is adapted for each race of pony. Unicorn could use magic to hold it. Earth and Pegasi would have saddle mounted rifles that had mind order enchantments, the enchantment would follow the orders of the mind of whatever the rifle is attached to, mostly acting as a extra limb. The Magi-rifle was developed shortly after the First Year, as a replacement for the kinetic rifles which used bullets.
Tech-Troopers are the masterminds of the IPE mechanics. They are best noticeable by the attachments on their backs. The attachments are arms that act like additional limbs, fully controllable by their owner.
Centurions are the best of the best in the IPE. Standing at an incredible 5.3, only a inch higher than Luna. They are able to carry heavy weapons with ease thanks to the exo-suit within the armor. They are not too common on the field or anywhere for that matter, other than Arthrenia; the capital of the IPE.

So this is the first chapter really. This is only the into to the cast of who will be in the story, plus this is one of my first attempt at a story that involves space and the IPE along with the index system above on things to explain.
Tell me what you think.