Tears of Harmony

"Torch 'em, Spike!"

Two down, four more to go. After returning to Koss' apartment Sixfour and I had returned to the corvette to stash the soul gems, and I spent the longest time just staring at them. It was odd to me, to consider that I was doing what I was doing. That I would do what I intended to do. As I stared at the gems I could only wonder what Moondancer and the Pie Sisters were doing back on Etherea. As discussed I'd left them behind to take care of the fillies and research what they could about the Elements of Harmony. I was certain that Moondancer and Sunburst were practicing and remembering what they could from their time as Twilight's friends all those centuries ago. I was grateful to them; the more we knew about the Elements and the kind of magic they cast, the better.

"If you gaze into them for long, they will gaze back, my princess" I heard Sixfour comment from behind me. I huffed, closed the case, and slid it into a hidden compartment of the cockpit's control dash. I turned to face my robotic compatriot and trotted past him, heading for the door.

"I have little patience for hyperbole and melodrama, Sixfour. The gems will not consume my mind; they're mere means to an end" I quipped, hearing Sixfour fall in behind me. The two us traveled down the hall to the small, semi-circular staircase that went down to the main core of the corvette, the area that housed things like the mess, armory, den, and entrance airlocks. We trotted up to the airlock and waited for it to cycle us out. "Speaking of that end, we've got a lead on some more gems. Koss gave me a tip on a Minotaur marauder band moving goods across The Dome as a go-between for some of the Griffon mercenary groups in the metropolis."

"How did Koss learn of this information?"

"My guess is that these Minotaurs were going to move these goods for the Sons of Gilda, but then backed out when another merc group gave them a better price. This reeks more of Koss and the SoG getting payback, but it's mutually beneficial. The SoG get back at the Minotaurs for gypping them, and we get another gem" I explained.

Sixfour said nothing in response and we stepped out onto the dock, heading down the way to the checkpoint that would lead us into The Dome proper. The Sons of Gilda had agreed to help the two of us track the Minotaurs, as well as ferry us around The Dome on our hunt for soul gems. In return, they'd be getting paid for each soul gem they successfully helped us acquire, as well as for the taxi service.

"What do you suppose the odds of us acquiring the soul gems peacefully are?" Sixfour asked.

I paused as the first airlock door opened to cycle us into The Dome, turned to look at Sixfour, and gave him a smirk. "The means mean nothing. Only the end."

The Dome was as aromatic as it was visually pleasing. That is to say, not at all. Sure, as you neared a corner shop you might pick up a random pleasant scent that'd remind you of Equus, but the predominant odor was that of sulfur and smoke carried on stale air. The oxygen in the mammoth glass canopy was artificially produced, and it never quite could compare to that of natural air. I yearned to see a tree, or grass, or a clear blue sky. Instead it was all steel and stone, bathed in an odd, fleeting darkness from the planet's perpetual blanket of stormclouds covering its red skies. It was a place that engendered little but misery and depression in one's thoughts.

"My Princess, I am in position. I have positional information regarding the Minotaur targets and their relation to our forces that may prove advantageous" Sixfour chimed in over the radio. I'd been lying prone on a rooftop, shielded from above by a thin sheet-metal awning that buffeted an adjacent roof, leaving about three feet of space for me to crawl into. The perfect position to watch the target building from. Information from the Sons of Gilda and Koss had led us to a rather unassuming industrial district and a site with a large garage flanked by a small office. Inside were an unknown number of Minotaurs, and my soul gems, also an unknown number.

"Send it" I replied, carefully watching the doors of the complex that faced my perch: two garage doors and a single pedestrian door that led into the office. Sixfour was supposed to be watching the other side of the building, though I'd never have been able to see him even if I'd tried.

"Seven marauders observed through second-story windows moving cargo in the direction of the garage. Cargo is of mixed sizes, from small cases to large crates on cart. Target gems likely among this cargo. No further enemy units observed as of this moment."

"Keep alert: I'm sure there's more than just those seven in there" I said. In truth seven likely was all of them; the complex wasn't that large.

"Of course."

There was two facets to the plan here. One was for Sixfour and I to storm the building from opposite ends and engage the marauders within, finding and securing our gems as we went. This was the optimal plan, as it'd be fought in a static environment. The catch was that the marauders would have the home field advantage. The other option was to assault their vehicles as they left the garage, which they were scheduled to do soon, and would provide the most surprise, as well as provide us a fluid environment to fight in(not to mention offering the best chance at retreat should the attack go awry). The catch there was that they'd be mobile and armored.

"I'm moving in. Stand by" I chimed in over the radio, shimmying out from under the awning. Igniting my horn, I wreathed myself in magic and kicked off the ledge, levitating silently through the air towards the building. The windows were all shaded(or armored) and there was no door guard, making my approach undetectable by those inside. I landed gracefully on the roof above a few windows, and turned to face them, backing off the roof. With a sigh of exertion I held myself up with my forehooves and eased down into position, placing my hindlegs on the windowsill. I lit my horn once again and pushed, the window holding. Changing spells I fed more power into my magic and the glass began to glow, melting at the edges. Within a few minutes the glass and steel shutter behind it had softened and I pushed again, the whole affair popping from the sill and falling to the floor in a semi-molten state.

Once inside, I found myself in a featureless hallway, a nondescript door at either end. From where I was standing, the garage was on the left-hoof side of the building, and so I turned in that direction. Even on the second floor I was sure I'd have been able to find my way there, doing my best to avoid any attention from the Minotaurs inside the building.

"My Princess, what is your status?" Sixfour asked, and I paused. I keyed the mic twice, our designated 'stealth' signal when we needed to communicate silently. "Shall I make my approach to provide on-site assistance?" he pushed, and I keyed the mic once to say 'no.' I began to move up to the door when Sixfour said "I advise against solo infiltration, my Princess."

The faster I get these gems, the better I thought. My goal was to move in and out as fast as possible. I didn't need Sixfour's help here. There was no way those Minotaurs would be getting out of there with my gems! All I needed Sixfour to do was watch for any sign the Minotaurs were leaving.

Pushing the door open I peered through the crack, my gaze falling on the garage. There was a catwalk that ringed the upper level of the garage, connecting the second floor to the bay. The upper catwalk was H-shaped, with a crane on a sliding track built onto the railing of the middle connector. Parked in the garage was a large armored vehicle, its side doors open and loading ramps deployed. Stowed away on rafters, far above the floor, was a skyboat, likely in need of repairs or otherwise out-of-commission. I watched through the grated floor of the catwalk as three Minotaurs walked into the garage, one of them pushing a loaded cargo cart. He pushed the cart up the ramp into the armored vehicle, his two buddies following him in. As I watched I caught movement high up on the far side of the back wall, and my eyes snapped up to watch. There was a small window built near the ceiling, to provide ventilation, being pushed on from the outside. I watched quietly as Sixfour peered in before he pushed the window open all the way, climbed in, and leaped silently onto the catwalk. He quickly slinked off and dropped to the floor, disappearing from sight behind some stacked crates. He hadn't seen me through the cracked door.

"Sixfour, what is your status?" I whispered, curious. There had never been any indication that he'd ever do anything without me ordering it, so for him to infiltrate the warehouse on his own initiative, and without telling me, was interesting. Equally interesting would be his response.

"Standing by, Princess" he responded simply. That much was true, though he neglected to reveal he'd snuck into the warehouse. "IR scans report three foes inside armored vehicle and two moving toward garage via downstairs hallway. Remaining two hostiles unaccounted for. Scans also report equine life form watching from second floor doorway."

Fuck.

"Very cute. Next time, stay outside unless I order you to move in."

"Negative, Princess. Support is necessary for high-risk ops. Can't have you going off to fight by yourself."

Before I could say anything more I heard the engine of the Minotaurs' vehicle roar to life, the side doors being pulled shut from inside. Without a second thought I dashed out onto the catwalks and rushed to the connecting bridge, there the crane was. I was unfamiliar with the controls, but they seemed simple enough. With a throw of a lever the crane arm was lowered down, and with a little more finagling I managed to get the hook on the end of the arm to catch on the armored vehicle. The door to the garage automatically opened, and the Minotaur behind the wheel accelerated. They made it about three feet before the crane arm reached the end of its travel, and the hook wrenched against the vehicle, rooting them in place.

A full second later five gunshots rang out and I was struck by each of the bullets fired, the light slugs failing to penetrate the armor of the cloak. I whipped around in place and ignited my horn to cast a shield, another number of shots hitting the magical barrier just before my face. It seemed a Minotaur had come through the same door I had at some point, and I had missed his arrival. I heard the doors of the armored vehicle open and I returned fire on the Minotaur, my beam going wide and spearing the wall by his side. He ducked back into the hallway and I vaulted over the railing, dropping down onto the APC as the Minotaurs inside came out with weapons raised. I shot one through the back of the head and hit another in the shoulder before they turned to respond. As they did Sixfour emerged from behind the crates and opened fire with a magical laser we'd fitted to his hull. The Minotaur I'd wounded was hit in the lower abdomen twice, and he fell to the floor, pushing himself back with one arm as he braced his rifle against his shoulder.

A smattering of heavier gunfire from the catwalk scored along my shield, and I leaped back off the APC to find cover. I pumped up the power to my barrier, the surface becoming a deep purple. The problem was that the more magic I fed into the shield, the more opaque it became, obscuring my vision, but it'd stave off all but the heaviest of firepower for the few seconds I needed to get behind more corporeal cover. I ducked behind the back of the APC and reduced the power of the shield, from a full bubble that surrounded my body, to a light film that contoured to my form like a traditional energy shield. The Minotaurs' rifles would easily punch through that, but I was counting on the cover from the APC(as well as my wits and Sixfour's coordination) to survive.

"STAR! Slag it quick!" I heard one of the Minotaur's bark from beyond the APC. I heard a thump as the Minotaur upstairs dropped down to the floor, Sixfour scuttling back into cover with me. He slinked into the APC just as a grenade rolled out into the open, a horrific *WHUMP!* sending hot shrapnel around the warehouse, the little shards and slivers hitting my shield like rain drops.

"Shifting OS, IR trackers online. Warning, two Minotaur combatants rapidly approaching garage from ground-level door. We will be surrounded by seven combatants in 4.63 seconds" Sixfour exclaimed as he poked his head out the right-side door of the APC, his weapon firing as he did. "We will be surrounded by six combatants in 2.34 seconds."

"Perform maneuver Generosity! Move port to buck!" I shouted, dashing out the back of the APC and leaping up onto the top of the vehicle just as the missing two Minotaurs entered the garage. I saw Sixfour charge out the left side of the APC and rush towards the front to flank the Minotaurs. I threw off the cloak and spread my wings, taking to the air with my shield on moderate power. Sixfour dropped a Minotaur and wounded another as I soared up, my horn siphoning off power to slug the wounded horn through the sternum, killing him.

"EXTERMINATE THE EQUESTRIAN and send her corpse BACK TO EMPRESS TWILIGHT!" one of the four remaining Minotaurs thundered. They shifted positions, scattering to take cover from both me and Sixfour. I wanted nothing more than to explain to them that we wanted the same things, but they would never have believed me. They'd be necessary casualties in the march to Harmony.

As Sixfour doubled back to the APC he ran head-first into one of the Minotaurs as it passed through the vehicle, the diminutive Star staggered by the impact with the brute. The Minotaur raised his arm and decked Sixfour with the back of his fist, and a plate from Sixfour's face clattered across the floor. He rolled towards the Minotaur, throwing him off balance, and I shot him once in the back to distract him before the remaining three Minotaurs had regrouped and were taking beads on me.

"ALICORN! KILL HER! FUCKING TEAR HER WINGS FROM HER BACK!" a Minotaur, the squad leader from the looks of him, barked. I dropped to the roof of the APC and ran to the corner they'd just occupied, closest to the garage door. There was a large spool of cable laid out like a table that would be ample cover. I moved behind the spool and crouched down, peering around the side of it to see the Minotaurs across the garage. As I did this another grenade rolled up right next to me and I ignited my horn, flash-feeding every last thaum I could muster to power my shield, the color a solid deep purple. The grenade went off and more than half the shield caved in before bouncing back like a water balloon being gripped and released. The shield saved me from the worst of the concussive wave but I still shook my head to recover from the vertigo. As my senses returned to me I reduced power to the shield so I could see and saw that a Minotaur was standing just beyond the cable spool, opening fire a split second later. The bullets hit the shield with a kind of sound I could never hope to describe, and one I never wanted to hear again. A quick burst from my horn put him on the floor with a case of rigor mortis, leaving the two Minotaurs down the way plus the one I'd left with Sixfour.

"IMPERIAL SCUM! I'LL ENJOY RENDING YOUR WINGS AND GOUGING YOUR EYES! And when the time comes, I'll do the same to your EMPRESS!!"

I snapped. I charged from cover directly towards the Minotaurs, my shield peppered with their gunfire. I yelled a cry I scarcely remember yelling and fired two beams, slagging their guns. The Minotaurs went for their knives and I swung my horn and kicked out my hooves and pranced about. One of the Minotaurs kicked up, missed me, and I darted between his legs, reared my head up and stabbed him in the stomach. He barked in surprise and pain and swung his knife, the blade lashing up my neck and ear, sending blood through the air. As his buddy attempted to stab me I ignited my shield, throwing them both away from me. As they struggled on the ground I set upon them, driving my horn into the neck of one as I stood on his back. He jerked and I fell onto him, holding his sides with my hooves as my horn carved up his throat into his jaw. I pulsed my magic and half his head vanished, coating my face and chest in blood. His friend had regained his footing and lunged at me, I ducked under him, and stabbed him through the armpit and up towards the collarbone. He growled and plunged his knife into my flank. I screamed in pain and twisted my neck, which drove my horn deeper into his chest cavity. Blood flowed down the spire and into my eyes, and I screamed. My horn pulsed, and his arm was turned to atoms, his knife left stuck in my cutie mark. His limp body fell to the floor and I screamed and screamed as I kicked and bucked at his corpse. Blood, mine and his, matted my fur and dripped to the floor, my chest heaving. I was shaking, and I realized the garage had gone quiet.

"S-Six... Are you there, Sixfour..." I breathed, the sound loud enough in the still room. There was no response, and so I deigned to stand over the bodies of the Minotaurs, my heart racing. "Sixfour..." I called again, and again there was no response. I shakily stepped over the bodies of the Minotaurs and approached the rear of the APC, where my cloak had fallen. With a careful flick of my horn it floated up into the air and I wrapped it around me, buttoning it up. I felt it catch on something and realized the Minotaur's knife was still stuck in my flank. I stared at it as I drew it out with my magic, thick blood running out onto the blade and splattering to the floor. I dropped the knife and as I did, I realized Sixfour was standing where I'd just been, next to the bodies of the Minotaurs, holding two small cases on his back. He was missing a few plates, and was covered in a bit of blood himself, but seemed no worse for wear. I stared at him with wide eyes, the blood in my fur drying as the last of it dripped to the cold concrete, and he stared back, as expressionless as ever.

Four gems down, two more to go.