Soldiers: Skyfall

"This is EMS Darkstar, we've exhausted everything we have. Initiating Silent Runner protocols till all clear is given to sector Gamma-Three-Six-One-Epislon."
--Transcript found of Submarine EMS Darkstar in Baltimare Harbor Command, thought lost.

Date: August 9th, 1666 CC
Time: 17: 04
Name: Dewdrop
Location: Outside Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, Canterlot

Staff Sergeant Dewdrop held up a hoof to halt the troopers with her, she didn't know most of them as they were made up of survivors from multiple different units who had all been able to reach Canterlot to do what they could to help defend the city.

Dewdrop had managed to make contact with a Colonel Tricks who was apparently in command of the 6th army as their General was missing from what she could tell but it wasn't her place to ask someone who outranked her by that much.

Her and the the ponies with her had been quickly folded into a single platoon under her as there weren't any available officers and upon Dewdrops bit of insistence on being able to rest later the colonel had sent her platoon to investigate Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns as there were scattered reports of citizens still being there after contact was lost during evacuation.

“Swift, Barrel get up on the roof and recon the school.” Dewdrop ordered and the two pegasi flew up to the roof, they had been part of an air combat unit and from what she gathered were the only survivors out of the 50 pony unit having been caught behind enemy lines and were keen on making the invaders pay for it.

After a few minutes the two flew back down. "No sign of enemy movement….no sign of any movement at the school.” Swift reported.

Dewdrop nodded, that was both good and bad news. “Alright we keep moving, do a quick sweep for survivors then report back.” She said and felt the ground shake a bit as a distant explosion echoed.

The troopers nodded and they began to move up the street towards the school, Dewdrop noting the couple columns of smoke rising from burning vehicles out front.

Soon they came upon the scene of a massacre. Troopers, Keepers and what looked like instructors and other civilians lay scattered in the streets before the schools gate, which had been mangled beyond recognition.

It was unfortunately a common sight from evac sites that were hit by the enemy. “Spread out, keep your eyes open for signs of survivors and watch for enemy contacts.”

The troopers started to spread out a short distance and waded into the bodies to see if anyone was still somehow alive despite the unlikelihood.

The mare went to check along the fence and found one of the invaders dead and pinned between the fence and a Keeper cruiser and from the look of the marks on the road whoever did it depress the accelerator all the way burning rubber she could faintly smell as they fired through the windshield. Whether it died from the bullets of being crushed she had no clue.

She investigated the vehicle but all it told her was whoever had done it made it out of it leaving the driver door open.

Next was one of the buses being used to transport people, lots of abandoned personal items around it and she boarded it to see if anyone was hiding, unfortunately no one was but at the same time looked like the bus never had anyone aboard.

The troopers moved from body to body and checked the various vehicles and soon they all were at the twisted gates of the school ground.

“Anything?” Dewdrop asked, already knowing the answer. She got replies in the negative.

“Think we should check the school?” An earth pony named Roads asked looking at the building.

Dewdrop looked at it debating the thought, it was a large building….it was possible….

A tone sounded from a nearby speaker. “Thank Celestia, someone finally came by.” A voice said through the static of the speaker. “Listen there isn’t much time, there is a group hidden in the southeast part of the basement, you need to hurry as those things are searching the building and it won't be long till they find them. I’m in a security room so I can help a little but if you don't reach them first they won't make it. I'm unlocking the doors on the east side of the building, it will get you close to the stairs. Hurry.``

Dewdrop looked around and spotted a camera facing them and that plea had answered the question as she looked back at the troopers who already had their weapons at the ready.

With a nod the platoon moved onto the grounds passing a statue of Celestia and reaching the eastern doors.

Inside was a long hall lined with doors and branching halls.

“Alright, head down the hall and take the second right, I'll do my best to keep you from walking into those things but I'll need to be careful as I can't control the PA system's volume so it could get their attention….actually…hold on.” The speaker went dead and Dewdrop moved to follow the instruction and could very faintly hear distant talking echoing down the hall from a speaker elsewhere in the building. Seems their guide realized a way to use the speakers to help them.

The troopers crept down the halls as quietly as they could, watching every door and both directions of the hall for enemy contacts.

They walked down the hall and then a tone sounded overhead. “Alright, keep going till you reach the auditorium, there is a door backstage that will take you to the basement. I'll lock the doors behind you to hopefully slow them down.” The speaker said.

Dewdrop nodded and continued to walk watching the cameras turn to monitor them. It wasn't long till they reached the doors they needed and opened to a massive room with rows of chairs before a large stage. This made Dewdrop uncomfortable as there were 3 entrances counting this one and it was a large open area with little cover.

Still they had a mission and so they entered the room, hearing a click from the door behind them once it closed.

They rapidly moved through the room, keeping sound down was hard here as it was built to carry sound but soon they reached the stage and slipped behind the curtain.

There were several doors and after finding two proper rooms they found the stairs leading down and quickly decided, hearing the door lock behind them.

Down here was not as nice looking as the halls above, the walls bare stone with exposed pipes and various panels, it was clearly a place meant for only certain staff to be.

“Alright now this will be harder as the basement is like a maze but just follow my instructions and you will reach the maintenance room they are in.” The speaker said, the speakers down here had a bit of static as maintaining them seemed less of a priority. “I've already informed them you’re on your way.”

With that the speaker guided them as best as they could and Dewdrop had to agree this place was a maze with every hall looking more or less the same and nothing was direct.

After what felt like going in circles of the same hall they rounded a corner and came face to face with a group of armed ponies behind a small barricade of boxes and carts.

“Hold your fire, it's the rescue team.” A voice barked an order and the ponies stood up, revealing armor that was Blue and Orange marking them as personal guards of a noble house.

“I’m staff sergeant Dewdrop, and yeah we are the rescue team, can you show us the others?” She asked.

The guards quickly made a hole in the barricade, and Dewdrop ordered some of the platoon to take up positions with them just in case as the rest was led into a large maintenance bay.

Here they found civilians clutching various tools as weapons and an instruction along with multiple foals wearing the school uniform and among them was a stallion dressed in some very fine clothing with a house insignia Dewdrop didn't recognize meaning it wasn't a high house.

“It’s about time you have arrived.” The Lord said as he stood and looked them over. “Is this it?” He said, sounding displeased.

Dewdrop frowned at his attitude. “If you were expecting a limo then you will be sorely disappointed.” She said, since he's not a high house it meant she didn't have to worry about being polite as much.

“You misunderstand me Sergeant, there are 50 of us and you've brought a small force to try and extract us in a building overrun by those barbarians.” The Lord said. “Even with what remains of my personal guards I do not…”He cut himself off, eyeing the rest of the ponies around him and took a deep breath composing himself. “I am Lord Fiddlesticks of House Annabelle and I welcome you here and thank you for coming for us.” He said changing behavior and Dewdrop had seen how what he was saying before seemed to be affecting the others making them more scared and now they seemed to have calmed.

“So then sergeant what is the plan? You have full use of my guards though their armor and weapons are not as good as yours.” Lord Fiddlesticks said.

“Plans simple, we head back the way we came, meet up with whoever is in the security office to extract them and get you to safety.” Dewdrop said.

Lord Fiddlesticks nodded. "I see, and will this be the evac corridor?”

“Evac corridor?”

“Yes, it started broadcasting on the radio a bit ago." The lord nodded to one of the ponies who turned on the radio.

“--avenue to safety. I will set this message to repeat.” Dewdrop heard the voice of Colonel Tricks and after a couple seconds of silence the message began from the start. “This is Colonel Tricks of the EDF and current commander of the 6th army broadcasting this message on all non critical frequencies to those still within Canterlot. We have managed to open up an evacuation corridor and I urge all citizens to head for it as well as survivors of the 5th, 3rd and 9th army to fall back. Take Lunar Avenue to safety, I will set this message to repeat.”

The radio was shut off and Lord Fiddlesticks looked at her expectably. Dewdrop slowly nodded. “That's our coronal so yes we will be heading for Lunar Avenue.” She said,

“Very well then Lead on sergeant I turn over full command to you.” he said and drew a pistol. “I know I am no soldier but I will follow your orders and help as best as I can.”

This was not exactly expected by Dewdrop as she was used to anything below a High House being arrogant, self centered and quite frankly stupid yet this lord seemed to recognize what was going on and seemed to have been leading this group well enough.

It was a curiosity for later and she looked at the rest of the people. “Alright everyone get ready we are heading out now.” she said and they nodded standing up straighter.

With that they filed out of the room into the halls and Dewdrop took command of the guards assessing their weapons. It was mostly pistols and a couple SMGs but it was better than nothing.

After that they started moving back the way they came with a few of the troopers and guards bringing up the rear to make sure no one fell behind.

It wasn't long before they neared the stairs and heard a muffled explosion causing them to freeze.

A moment later the speakers came to life. “Dammit, a couple of them just breached the auditorium and they are searching it. I've managed to distract most of them but not all of them are taking the bait.” The Speaker said. "They haven't reached the stage yet though. But I don't have another way out of there that won't take much longer and increase the risk.”

Dewdrop had to agree and she thought going back over what she saw of the auditorium. Large Open room, rows and rows of chairs and the curtain was down on the stage…..perfect.

She relayed the plan to the troopers and guards, leaving the guards to keep the civilians from running as the troopers snuck up the stairs and onto the stage spreading out having one get to the controls.

Suddenly music started blasting from the stage's speakers loud enough to vibrate everything, it seemed their guide realized what they were doing and was helping.

On her signal the curtain went up part way to reveal the two invaders aiming their weapons round at the speakers confused and not remotely ready for the opening act.

Automatic weapons fire reverberated through the room drowning out the music for the few seconds it lasted and the invaders topped into a pool of blood.

"Alright we need to move.” She shouted down to the civilians as the music ended. “Alright where are you?” She asked the camera.

“Don't worry about me, I already have a way out and I'll meet up with you at the evac corridor, just get them out of here before more show up as some are coming. You don't have much time to reach the exit.” The speaker said.

Dewdrop weighed this and realized it would put the civilians in unneeded danger. “You sure you can get out?”

“Positive I know this place like the back of my hoof, now go.”

Dewdrop nodded. “Move move go go go!” She ordered them out, her troopers leading the way stopping only to direct people down halls and in minutes they were outside and running for the gates, soon passing through them and on their way to Lunar Avenue.

Date: August 9th, 1666 CC
Time: 17:34
Name: Rock
Location: Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns Security Office, Canterlot

Rock watched on the cameras as the soldiers got what remained of the ponies at the school outside and to the gate, he watched them go down the street through the gate camera till they were no longer visible and sat back in his chair with a sigh of relief.

“Okay….that's taken care of…..” He said and he started flipping through the cameras of the school to see if those things that killed his fellow school security guards were after them and was pleased to see his diversions with the PA system had worked, by the time they reached the auditorium the group was long gone. He nodded in satisfaction listening to the message from the radio about the evacuation corridor and wondering where it might lead.

He sighed as he changed the monitor to the camera outside the security office to see the remnant of the security shutters for the hall melted into a useless blob of metal and the group stacking up outside the door placing a device on it.

“alright….Let’s do this…” he said as he pushed himself away from the monitors. Standing up he drew his taser and baton and got ready. “Alright you ugly sons of bitches, come at me…..”He said as the monitor behind him showed them activate the breaching charge.