Soldiers: Skyfall

"Command, need coordinates! Command? Command this is Captian Bullwark i need coordinates......damnit......everyone i am declering everything south of the 103 highway enemy territory, commence full bombardment!"
--Broadcast from Arillery Officer Captian Bullwark, Trottingham.

Date: August 9th, 1666 CC
Time: 15:00
Name: Princess Celestia
Location: Oceanic Hotel

The Oceanic was one of the top hotels in Vanhoover and hosts guests of the highest order, selling itself on its amazing view of the bay as well as a view of the major park within Vanhoover proper.

It was here Princess Celestia had been staying during her visit to the city and it was here she had retreated when her motorcade was attacked. She had stepped in to aid the royal guard and keeper escorts but all that had done was draw the attention of the massive ship that now hung over the city. It had taken nearly all of her power to shield the city from the resulting bombardment from that ship's powerful guns.

It had nearly burned out her magic and had they continued to fire they would have broken through.

Even with them failing they had used enough of her power up to render her significantly weakened to where she wasn't able to leave the city, not that she would abandon her loyal subjects with her. Thus the retreat to the Oceanic Hotel, a place she knew well.

She had rented the top 2 floors for her guards and herself as well as security reason and now those top floors served as an emergency center for those who were able to reach the hotel protected by what remained of Celestia’s Royal Guards and Keeper detail from her motorcade as well as anyone else who wished to help defend the hotel.

On one of the middle floors Princess Celestia lay out on the bed near the windows taking several calming breaths. She took one deep breath and the anti material rifle that rested on the window sill kicked against her shoulder and she watched as her target went down in a spray of gore.

Through the scope of her rifle she watched the 3 ponies flee down an alleyway and out of her view now that the invader that ambushed them was no longer a threat. She couldn't get anyone to safety in her current state but she could help as best as she could.

“Um…p-princess?” A nervous voice spoke behind her.

Celestia removed her eye from the scope and looked back with a small smile as she recognized the voice. “Yes Keeper Ambrosia?”

“Um…you wanted me to tell you when it had been 2 hours.” The young Keeper said nervously. She’d only been a Keeper for a short time and not only had been chosen to be part of the motorcade for royalty but said royalty had seemingly decided she was now her personal Keeper having ordered all other Keepers and Guards to tend to security matter and the civilians on the grounds Ambrosia was all the security she needed.

“Hmm I see thank you Keeper.” Celestia said in that motherly way she did, she had chosen the mare as she saw something in her, potential, a lot of it and she hoped to nurture it even in these trying times.

Celestia got up from where she lay, her muscles protesting somewhat as she’d held the exact same potions for the last two hours with only minute adjustments for shifting her rifle. “Then I'll make my rounds.”

With that she dismantled her rifle, placed it within its case and hoofed over the case to the pegasus Keeper who nearly fell over at the weight, Celestia still forgot her own strength at times.

She helped the Keeper to find her balance and then she walked out the door into the hall with Ambrosia following behind.

After climbing the stairs they stepped out into the penthouse which had been converted to a sort of field hospital due to its large space. A hoofful of doctor and nurses scampered about along with a few BCD doctors who had made their way here from their nearby lab providing most of the medical supplies currently in use.

It was here Celestia did another major part of her responsibility, being seen and speaking to her subjects to help with morale.

Celestia glided through the field hospital, an island of calm in a sea of controlled chaos.

She spoke to the injured, hoof doctors items they needed and just did whatever she felt could help. And her heart ached when an injured pony would ask about a loved one they got separated from for Celestia knew there was nothing she could do for them except give them words of encouragement and wonder if any of those she saw through her scope had been them, she doubted she’d ever know.

And so she moved on not dwelling on such matters as they would help no one. She glided up one side of the room and then back down the other with Ambrosia following behind her trying to look as professional as she could among all the suffering and fear.

Soon they left the room and walked towards the stairs. “How do you do it Princess?” The Keeper asked.

“Hm? Do what?”

“Be so calm in all of this?”

“Honestly? I am not.” She said and the Keeper blinked at her. “I am terrified as I don't know what is going on out there or if my Sister is safe or not. It scares me as I know despite all my years of life I truly do not know what to do to make a difference in the fighting. All I can do is try to help those here to the best of my abilities and that means being a rock they can cling to and draw strength from in these trying times and help them believe we are all going to be okay.”

“Oh….are we going to get through this?”

“I do not know my little pony…..I wish I did.”