Manehatten Defensive Line Headquarters

“Hey, you ever wonder what's inside the KBots?” One of the officers asked his partner, who sat next to him, the two watching the radar.

“What? I'm pretty sure that they’re just machines. Like this thing.” The other officer patted his computer.

“No, sometimes when walking through the wreckage of previous battles, other commanders are rumored to have reported blood seeping out of ruined Peewee’s and Rocko’s.” The first Officer replied.

“Ew, that's disgusting. Maybe we ought to crack one open during our next break?”

Bulwark sighed as he walked into the headquarters, examining the faces of all his ponies as they stood as one, saluting him, before returning to their duties. That is, until the room lit up in red alarms.

“Commander Bulwark, enemy contacts have appeared on radar! We don't know how they got so close, but they've broken past the outer defenses! We can confirm that these enemies bear Invictus’ colors!” One of the officers spoke up, and Bulwarks eyes narrowed.

“This is that monsters first assault since the Fall. Let us avenge our brothers and sisters in Canterlot! Return all patrols back to the Defensive Line, lure the enemy into the minefield, and alert all stations! Prepare for battle!” He declared, and all the officers returned the cry.

“Commander, our radar might be on the fritz. We’re detecting incoming enemy forces… from the ocean, sir.” Another Officer called out, and Bulwark looked at him.

“Check again, Officer! If Invictus has naval forces, then I want you to activate our coastline defenses!” Bulwark ordered, and the officer complied, before pressing several buttons. Bulwark gave one last look around the room, before returning through the door to find his Command Suit.

Invictus Forward Operating Base (Our Town)

“So… how goes the battle, Mister Invictus?” Starlight asked, watching the Commander carefully, still wary about the robots capacity for mass murder.

”Battle Assessment: Preliminary Assault was a success, minimal casualties. Enemy outer defenses were easily demolished. Naval Forces engaging coastline defenses, fifteen frigates lost in opening salvo, with seventeen more returning fire. Destroyers unharmed, beginning bombardment of city defenses. Estimated Time until Total enemy destruction: Two hours. Civilian ‘Reaper’ class Transports on standby, awaiting captives.” Invictus droned on, before twitching. ”New data decorrupted. Title designation: Imperator Invictus.”

“You’re… Imperator Invictus? Is that what I should call you?” Starlight asked.

”Affirmative. Imperator Invictus, leader of Legionis Machina.”

“Oookay then, Imperator. So, what's our next move after this?” Starlight asked.

”Once organic life forms have been identified, Reaper-Class Civilian Transports, along with Dox guards, bring the organic life forms here. All forces shall converge on-” Invictus explained, before pausing. ”Heavy enemy defensive turrets have come online. Enemy land mines have reduced fighting strength by fifteen percent. Probability of success of Manehatten invasion within original estimates: forty-five percent and steadily decreasing.” the Commander droned, data shifting rapidly in his supercomputer brain as the initial strike numbers continued to dwindle.

“So… we aren't going to win within two hours?” Starlight asked, tilting her head.

”Negative. Without unexpected assault, new estimate will be: Total Land victory in five to seven days.” Invictus stated. ”Recalling all forces to prepare for siege warfare. Naval forces will pull back.”

“Well, this just gets better and better.” Starlight groaned. “Though, I suppose this could allow us to capture the civilians as they evacuate.”

”Understood. Organic Starlight, you shall be put in charge of Reaper Transports and the Civilian capture program. I shall be able to focus solely on the Siege.” Invictus informed the purple unicorn, who blinked.

“You’re… putting me in charge of it?” She asked. Invictus merely nodded. “Well, I thank you for the show of trust… do I just, I dunno, give them all orders and stuff?”

”Yes.”

Siege of Manehatten, Day Four.

If the bright blue Commander could sigh, it surely would be doing that right now. It had been four days since the siege began, and though Invictus had won much ground against the defenders, crushing and reclaiming three defensive lines, the enemy Commander persisted vigilantly against Invictus’ tactics. Any attempts at setting up a mobile artillery barrage team were quickly met with a fast-attack group of Kbots, which immediately returned to the defensive lines before his forces could destroy them. He had lost his naval superiority on day two, in which his fleet had attempted a bombardment assault, but was met with new Guardian defensive turrets, which had torn into the hulls of the Destroyers and turned the open sea into a graveyard. And yesterday, the unidentified enemy Commander had attacked, and only the chance encounter with a group of Displaced had managed to repel them before Invictus’ forces could be caught in a crossfire.

The only good thing to happen was that Starlight had succeeded in securing the civilians, taking them to their new homes in his camps. The Imperator needed an ace. A special weapon, but he didn't have the resources for another ATLAS, so he was mostly out of options.

“Imperator Invictus, the Civilians have been… introduced to the idea of living under your rule.” Starlight said, trotting up to the Commander, who stood still as he maneuvered three assault groups out of the way of enemy gunfire.

”Your work appears quite exceptional, Organic Starlight. Have you considered becoming a Sub-Commander under me?” Invictus asked, focusing only thirteen percent of his concentration on talking to the quite helpful organic.

“What, you mean… become a robot like you?” Starlight asked, slightly taken aback. “Is that even possible?”

”According to decorrupted data files, yes. The ‘Patterning’ process developed by a Precursor Empire is within my data files. I would simply need to produce a facility for such a thing.” Invictus stated, shifting slightly as three tanks suffered a critical blow to their engines, causing them to detonate in a fiery explosion.

“As… tempting as that sounds, I think I'll pass for now. I like having my magic, plus it’s how I keep our new subjects happy.” Starlight said nervously, backing away slightly as her tail shifted from side to side. “I'm honestly more of a help to you as an organic.”

”Understood. Enemy defensive line has begun to falter, and-” Invictus paused, as did every single one of his bots and tanks, which resulted in dozens of them being annihilated as a single warning filled his sight, and for the first time, the Commander felt something akin to the organic emotion of dread.

Interplanetary Nuclear Missile Launch Detected

Designated Moon 413b ‘Mundus Planus’

Far above the surface of Equestria, inside the crater that had once made up the eye of the Mare in the Moon, a large missile rose from its silo, another missile already beginning fabrication by the silos built-in nanolathe, the orange rocket sailing past three fighters that had happened to be patrolling in that area, the missile circling around the small moon several times before launching itself into space, heading towards the targeted continent. On another part of the moon, multiple factories began working, producing dozens of freshly made bots and tanks, while a lone robot observed the facilities.

It's upper body, which had surrounded the area where it's head was, shifted, its nanolathe producing a new Orbital Factory. The orange robot was bipedal, with heavy playing on its shoulders and arms, with a somewhat bulky metal jaw decoration just underneath its singular glowing eye.

The Synchronous Commander was quite excited, for two reasons. It had been such a long time since the Commander had seen action, and it had established contact with another Synchronous Commander on the planet above it, who had apparently recently awakened, and needed to be synchronized immediately. When it had told him that there were two other Commanders on the planet, the Synchronous Commander had decided to assist it in destroying them before the synchronization process. It's first act had been the nuclear weapon, which was currently heading for one of the enemy Commander’s outposts, but soon it would deploy en-masse to the planet below.

The Metrarch would be pleased to hear that this loyal Synchronous Commander had destroyed two commanders, and reunited the Synchronous with one of their lost brothers.

”This is going to be such fun!”

Invictus FOB

”Legate Starlight, we must evacuate all forces immediately. Send a warning to the Manehatten defense force as well, on an open channel. If my sensors are correct, we will need to call a temporary truce.” Invictus ordered, already preparing two transports for his and Starlight’s evacuation. He had already given the order for his forces to return to the teleporters, but it had been slow.

“What? But what about the invasion? I doubt they would accept a truce from us after all we have done-” Starlight began, but was interrupted by a surprisingly cold glare from Invictus.

”Legate Starlight. An unidentified Commander has launched a nuclear missile from the moon. No one is keeping Manehatten. Understood?” Invictus growled as a transport landed next to him, a Reaper Transport floating next to it.

“What's a nuclear missile? And what do you mean, no one’s keeping Manehatten. They've seemed to have it locked down tight.”

”Primitives.” Invictus grumbled, before opening up an open channel to the Manehatten forces.

“Commander Bulwark, there's an open transmission from Invictus, broadcasting it to you and all forces now!” An officer called in Bulwark’s ear, the Commander watching with confusion as Invictus’ latest assault forces pulled away.

”Attention, Commander of Manehatten. My long-range sensors have detected a nuclear missile has been launched from the moon, heading directly for you. Evacuate all remaining civilians. I, Invictus, have ordered all of my forces away. I repeat, a Nuclear Missile has been launched at Manehatten from the Moon. Evacuate immediately.” called the monotone, dead voice of the Invictus Commander.

While the other guards muttered in confusion, Bulwark paled inside his suit as Guardians continued firing on the fleeing Invictus military. ”Did it… say a nuclear missile…?!” He thought to himself, running through all the scenarios as quickly as his organic mind could.

“Command, this is a direct order, effective immediately. Get all soldiers and officers on Atlas Transports now. We will rendezvous near Ponyville. Evacuate now!” Bulwark shouted into his comm device.

“But sir, what if it's a trap?” The officer on the other end of the line asked.

“If Invictus is telling the truth, Manehatten is about to become the biggest fireball in the history of Ponykind! Now evacuate!” Bulwark said, calling his own Atlas transport to pick him up. “All forces, we need to evacuate now!” He called on an open channel, broadcasting to all of his troops as his Atlas Transport picked him up, ferrying the Commander away from Manehatten with all haste. He glanced back to see dozens of other Transports bearing more Command Suits, with some officers holding onto the latches for dear life.

“Is that everypony?” Bulwark asked over the comms.

“Sir, there's something in the sky!” One of the Sub-Commanders called out. The normally stern faced soldier looked up in fear as something rushed down into the center of Manehatten, before vanishing behind the gleaming towers. Then everything was enveloped in a blinding flash of light, as the shockwave of the detonation tore its way through the trees below, black smoke blanketing the area and covering the devastation the missile had wrought. As the shockwave hit the Transports, knocking some out of the sky, and sending dozens of officers and Commanders to their deaths as they vanished inside of the all-encompassing darkness. A massive cloud rose from where Manehatten once stood, blue energy still billowing up within the cloud itself. Once Bulwark’s Atlas had stabilized itself, he opened up comms once again.

“Status report!” He called out, but only static met his sensitive ears, causing him to deactivate the device. “Damn. The blast must have either damaged my comms, or it released some sort of interference…” He glanced back at the pillar of smoke rising ever higher into the sky, beyond even what a Pegasus could reach.

“Invictus was correct…” Bulwark muttered, before realizing how quickly the ground was rushing up to meet him. “Oh hell-” He didn't finish his sentence as he slammed against the ground, his transport tearing itself apart with the sound of shearing metal, the last sound Bulwark heard before everything went black.

Neighagra Falls Secret Communications Outpost

“This can't be right…” One of the officers within Celestia’s personal command center muttered, checking his comms again. “Um… Comms Observation team to Princess Celestia, do you respond?”

“Yes, this is one of Celestia’s Personal Guards. What seems to be the problem?” A gruff male voice responded, making the young officer yelp in surprise.

“Um, well, sir…” He muttered, looking around. “I-I appear to have lost communications with Manehatten. All communications with them suddenly cut out.” There was a pause on the other end of the line, and soon the Guard spoke again.

“I thank you for this information. I will inform the Princess immediately.” And with that, the line went dead. The officer sighed, leaning back.

“What’s the point of being part of the Princess’s personal information center, if all we ever talk to is her guards?”

“The Princess is usually busy with the nobles and politicians, Officer Honey Drop.” Honey’s superior, Quick Slider, said, standing directly behind him. “What is it you just contacted them about without sanction, Officer?”

“S-Sir, I’m sorry for breaking protocol, but w-we just lost all contact with the Manehatten area.” Honey Drop gulped, turning around to face him. “Th-there was-“ Honey was cut off as the room suddenly shook, the power of the sudden earthquake rocking the entire facility.

“What in Tartarus was that?!” Quick Slider demanded, rushing to his command post in the center of the room.

“Sir, several of our spies reporting Invictus’s movements say there was a massive explosion from Manehatten, with Invictus’s forces all retreating moments before.” One of Honey’s Co-workers, Charged Spice, declared worriedly.

“An explosion…? You think that is the cause of that earthquake?” Slider asked, his grey coat seeming to be trying to turn to white.

“Yes sir. The explosion is far greater than anything we have previously encountered, and it would seem that Manehatten has been completely annihilated.”

“Do we have any contact from the forces defending the city?” Slider asked, shaking.

“S-Sir, all communications in that area are either full of interference, o-or have ceased completely. We have no idea whether anyone survived.” Honey Drop reported, stammering at the sheer horror of what this meant.

“Send a high priority message to Celestia. Tell them…” Slider gulped, falling back into his seat. “Tell them that our enemy has completely destroyed Manehatten, and that they have some form of Superweapon.”

Author's Note

Aaand chapter done! So sorry for the gods awful wait! I had this mostly done for the longest time, and got caught up with some stuff, and only recently finished this thing. So if there are any inconsistencies, please forgive me. There was a crossover chapter for this as well, which was sort of in between the start and the end. I’ll find that and post it.

New faction has appeared! The war only grows in size...