Halls of Canterlot palace looked beautifully this day. Sun shone through their many windows creating gleams, in which dust danced it's happy waltz. Colorfully painted but old walls, decorated with ancient paintings created an illusion of place with a long history. Occasionaly a bird could be heard from outside, creating impression of a peaceful and quiet place.
But Canterlot was far from being peaceful. If you looked out of the window, you could see a Spitfire squadron soaring above the city, creating long shadows over the purple roofs. In the streets many workers were preparing positions for anti-aircraft cannons, and just outside of the city walls Royal Guards were digging trenches for the oncoming changeling horde. On the palace courtyard a group of royal mages were casting a shield spell, similliar to one used during wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and now-Prince Shining Armor.
Princess Celestia walked slowly through one of many hallways. She was having a moment of personal serenity, which she tried to enjoy as much as she could, because they were so rare recently. She could hear quick hoofsteps coming from behind.
"So much from a free moment." She thought.
"Princess Celestia!" Shouted Officer. "You are required in the war room!"
"What is happening my little pony?" Celestia asked, when she looked down at the guardspony.
"I don't know princess, but I think something really bad, because General Nimbus looked as if she have seen a ghost..."
Celestia didn't wait for soldier to finish his sentence, as she quickly trotted through multiple hallways leaving him behind. She knew her staff officer long enough to know that there were only a few things to bring general out of her noisy balance.
Situation already was very bad. Three days ago Canterlot HQ lost contact with entire 4th Army, which was assigned to hold changelings away from the city of Los Pegasus, Crystal Front was on the verge of collapse and the only thing that could stop an enemy march on the capital, a thirty brand new infantry divisions, were in the middle of their training.
At the beginning Celestia thought, that Equestria was ready. She was reassured in that belief, when first Chrysalis tanks were stopped on equestrian border by general Soarin. But then bugs landed on the shores of Vanhoover, jagers attacked Acornage Airbase and finally, entire Featherfall front broke.
It was Princess Luna, who postponed Equestrian collapse.
Despite the equestrian nobility cries and screams, she flew to the headquarters of western front and took command from Prince Blueblood hooves.
She saved over seventy divisions from encirclement and certain doom.
New front was established, and it stretched from Raspberry Groove, through Marechester, to the Crystal Mountains. New generals, choosed personally by Luna, were divided between four equestrian armies.
But even Warrior Princess, as soldiers started to call bringer of the night, couldn't stop one hundred fifty divisions. Each day Front was closing to Canterlot, and Celestia couldn't do anything about it.
While Luna was commanding everything from the frontline, Celestia and her staff planned biggest operations and split resources between kingdom armies.
After passing a considerable number of security posts white alicorn finally reached her destination.
First thing that Celestia saw when she entered canterlot war room, was nopony other that general Nimbus Dash herself. Despite her small posture, she was very hard to miss. She was running between different tables, sometime even jumping on them to shout orders and insults at every staff officer she was able to spot. Over her blue coat she was wearing olive officer uniform and on her back you could spot a pair of small wings. She had black unkept mane, and a nasty scar which spread across left side of her head.
"General, I see that everything is under control." Said Celestia, as she entered the room.
"Nothing is under control, we are in dark hole, as deep as buck!" Small general shouted, while she was running to another staff officer. "Get this thing to work you stupid horse!"
"I almost got it m'am." Pony replied her calmly.
The pony was doing something on the side of large round magical holographic table which took most of the space inside the room.
"General, could you please tell me what made you even more louder, than normal?" Celestia asked.
"Erm, yes sorry princess," general screamed a bit quieter, "we've established a contact with general Surprise independent operating group."
Celestia remembered, that white pegasus took command over six equestrian light tank divisions, and had an objective to hold Los Pegasus naval base and city as long as she could.
"She managed to encircle and eliminate changeling infatry division and is still holding not only Los Pegasus –" General pointed at one of the maps "– But also entire coastline to Waffleland."
"But how? The fourth army..."
"Fourth army ceased to exist princess." General interrupted "Bugs encircled and captured half of their divisions, and right now they are pouring through the hole created by this defeat." Nimbus said pointing at spot where 4th equestrian army supposed to be. "It's Featherfall all over again."
"What about my sister, where is she now?" Celestia asked.
"Marshal Luna is currently carrying out an counter attack on the crystal front, exactly here..." Nimbus pointed on another spot on the map. "Even if she could take a plane to the west, she would be there in two days."
"General the map is ready." Said officer, while getting up.
"So what are you waiting for? Launch it!" Small general screamed, clearly annoyed.
Royal war map was possibly only one of its kind in the entire known world. It was created a few months before the war. Table was based upon the one in Twilight Sparkle castle in Ponyville, but its purpose was completely different. Basing upon magical scans from scout planes and radar stations, it showed current positions of equestrian and if possible, changeling divisions, ships, and plane squadrons.
What Celestia saw thrilled her. Situation was far worse than she expected it to be. Changeling legion captured Rockville airbase and was approaching the city. These equestrian divisions which survived initial strike, were trying to establish a firm frontline, but Chrysalis forces were just too fast. But something seemed off. Attack of that scale should be followed with an offensive on entire front. But there were only a couple of fights on the middle and north parts of frontline.
Then it hit Celestia.
"They are trying to capture our oil fields." She said "Without them the war is going to end in couple of weeks, if not days. General, please tell me what are our remaining forces in this region."
"Not much, twelve infantry divisions, and general Surprise tanks, supported by No. 316 and No. 314 squadrons, about fifty fighters and bombers. On the other side we have General Tempest Shadow with 3rd Royal Army with 2nd Air Wing, but they are being stalemated by Chrysalis forces and can't move freely without loosing strenght on the western frontline." Replied small officer.
Celestia knew what she had to do. "Contact general Pinkamena. Order her to deploy her divisions, and stop changelings as long as she can."
"Those recruits?" Nimbus opened her eyes wide in astonishment.
"Yes, and contact generals Tempest and Surprise, I have a very special task for them..."
Next day, Los Pegasus Naval Base, 50km from the frontline.
Captain Black Sword was having a very bad day. Firstly an enemy unspotted bombing run destroyed his personal plane in the morning. Now he must ride to closest naval base for a replacement, because some stupid higher up thought that it was a great idea to test out ther new prototype.
As if he didn't have enough problems.
About two weeks ago he lost his wingpony. Poor child went stright onto the first enemy fighter he spotted. Greene stood no chance against an experienced Shrike pilot.
From this time captain flied alone. Thanks to Sword feats in the sky colonel Glider didn't have a problem with it. After tenth bug down he actually lost the count.
Batpony looked out of the window and saw his reflection in the glass. He didn't like the sigh. During his initial days on the frontline a bullet went through the bottom of his cockpit, creating an indicator of his luck – a small scar over his left eyebrow. His dark green mane was now cut short, and a blood red stripe was going right through middle of it. His grey coat had a few burnt marks left over from a last week dogfight.
On his breast proudly hang the Iron Moon.
Behind his reflection he saw orange savanna plains. In the distance batpony could see large forest spreading in every direction.
Driver didn't take him directly to port, but to an small airplane runway not far away from it. A couple of Fairey Albacores stood beside it and a group of technicians were preparing them for a take off. Directly on runaway a single Spitfire was
being loaded with fuel and ammunition. A siren could be heard not so far away.
As Sword thanked his chauffeur and left the car, he heard a distant voice calling him.
"Captain Sword over here, quick!" A single earth pony officer who stood beside fighter,was waving towards him.
As batpony approached the airplane, soldier took out a piece of paper from his uniform.
"Those are your new orders sir." Said officer, giving them to pilot.
"What? I was supposed to bring her to our main base for further inspection." Black Sword looked sceptically at new Spitfire. He was very attached to his old Mk V, which took him out from many oppresions.
Earth pony seeing his gaze started "This is Spitfire LF Mk IX, she has brand new Starswirl 66 engine and a type E wing."
"I don't like her." He looked back at the officer.
"Please read your orders, and get into the airplane, sir." Soldier replied calmly.
Black Sword quickly opened a small piece of paper. Each word he read made his eyes go wider and wider.
"What? But that would mean..." he started, directing his eyes back at earth pony.
"Yes sir it does. Now please, get into the airplane captain, Moon and Lion squadrons are already approaching their destination and from what i heard, in the east almost entire 2nd wing is being scrambled."
Black Sword smiled, showing his fangs to a fellow officer.
1st Independent Tank Group HQ, 10km from the frontline.
Room was dark and quiet. The only light was emitted from a single lamp, hanging from the ceiling. A group of ponies stood around the table standing in the middle.
Suddenly doors opened and a white pegasus mare entered the room. Her blonde, curly hair were bouncing happily with her each step.
"All right colts listen up!" She started. "This week we're ending this war!"
Every pony in the room looked at the general, as if she was insane.
"No i'm not insane." She said happily, seeing general reactin. "We've been given a perfect opportunity to encircle changeling army." Surprise drew a line on the map. "We need to capture and hold this line. Our intel tells that bugs are spread thin and we should have no problem in breaking their defences. Whooves you'll take one division to hold naval base and if you can, the city. Remember that we all count on you, this is the last base on the entire western shore and we can't risk loosing it."
"No pressure m'am, we'll do it." Answered a brown earth pony.
"Okay, rest of the plan is simple. General Tempest is creating similliar breakthrough on the other side of the front, but we are many times faster than her infantry. When we'll have them locked, our divisions from the south will start pushing bugs towards our positions so be ready for a heavy counterattack. From what we know their supplies already are overstretched so without any deliveries from north they should surrender in a week."
General looked up at her ponies. Some of them seemed scared, but most had a firm look in their eyes.
"This could be our only chance to win this war. Intel says that there is half of Chryssie army out there. We just need to stand first three days, after that Tempest divisions will reinforce us and bugs will be cut off for good. I know I'm expecting too much from you, but you are equestria's best. Now gentlecolts get to your divisions, we're staring at 11AM. From now, until that moment I'm ordering a full radio silence."
When General Surprise finished, everypony in the room cheered.
Later that day
Private Phalanx had a simple life. One day he march, another one he guards. For instance this day he was supposed to watch out for enemy forces as a frontguard. And he did it as best as he could.
Then a loud sound interrupted his nap.
When Phalanx got up he faced three ponies. Changeling was so shocked that he couldn't do anything, when they restricted him.
"Seregant we found one!" Screamed one of the soldiers to somepony in the back.
Behind the group a couple of tanks were rolling through bushes. After them rode even more vehicles, from trucks to a self-propelled artillery. On every one of them was painted a small red sun.
"Put him on the truck, just hurry up! Everypony be ready, we are closing on enemy positions." Replied a gray, blonde-maned pegaus walking behind one of the tanks.
Author's Note
My first ever story written in english, no proofreading, so expect a lot of grammar errors :D.
Created for Equestria at War writting contest. (b.t.w. check out the mod, one of the best things I ever played :P)
Story is actually based on a operation, which really happened in the game. :D
I'm planning three chapters for this.
I hope you enjoyed it.
See ya! :P
