Fallout Equestria: Shaping Shadow - Book 5

Simi reached Golden Dawn’s position with ease. The squad followed him without any reservations. He ordered them to defensive positions as he sought out Golden Dawn. The zebras began to provide fire support like any of the other EPM forces.

Simi finally located Golden Darn. She was in a blasted apart building that was once a mess hall. She had a command post set up, directly on the front, and was using the remaining tables to plan out the strategy. Several other officers were planning with her, arguing over the strategy for breaking the defenses.

“Simi, right?” Golden Dawn asked. “Where’s Shadow?”

“Off on another mission,” Simi replied. “He went with Star Paladin Yellow Quartz to assis General Nova, Unit 41, and Unit 72. The rest of our group is under my command.”

“Okay,” Golden Dawn nodded. “I was hoping to have some of his heavy weapons to punch a hole in their line, but we can do this with old fashioned wing power. I did get to where I am without learning how to be smart.”

“You finished up Twin Clouds with ease,” Simi said.

“Yes, but I also killed Vengeful Blade, my friend and leader of Unit 99, because he had to shoot me in order for us to pass their security check. We were on the same side and the gambit worked, but it cost him his life. It is a pyrrhic victory to me because of his death.”

“I understand,” Simi replied. “So let’s make sure they don’t take any more of our friends than they have to.”

“Incoming!” Hellfire yelled from her post at the front of the building.

Everypony scrambled to the defenses as a rocket came screaming through the giant hole in the front of the building and exploded on the back wall. Bullets and magic rifle fire followed it, washing over the defenders. Hellfire was pierced and Colonel Safe took a bullet. In the span of thirty seconds, every officer was hit and the only regular soldiers standing were Simi and Purple Sky. They couldn’t stop the Enclave as they rushed through the openings in the building. Simi put six down with his shotgun before he engaged another in hoof-to-hoof combat. He won but another Enclave soldier was poised to kill him with a combat knife.

Simi couldn’t stop him or dodge, but the blow never came as the world froze. Flying bullets were suspended in mid air. Simi’s body was frozen too, but he could move his eyes. He was able to see Ukuzwa walk in through the back, chanting as she walked. She was channeling ancient Zebra magic. With her poisoned knife, she cut the throats of every enclave soldier before she released the frozen building. The bullets clinked to the ground as they were released, while the magic weapons fire simply dissipated.

"Much healing is needed, and with great speed they must be treated," Ukuzwa said as combat medics ran in to assist. "You, Simi, are the lone officer standing of any type. Now is the time to prove your stripes. Not long ago your ancestors fought, although war is something you were not taught. Your lineage is as clear as your stripes, for it was their way of life. And so too it shall be yours if you take a stand now, for Mtoaji did not come to us to help cut our land with a plough. He came to help me and you, a master magician and a warlord whose blood is true."

"Me!" Simi exclaimed. "A warlord? But...I'm not a warlord. I know I'm to lead the defense once Mtoaji leaves us, but a warlord?"

"Warlords were once very different than those you know. They led their tribe often from the comfort of their home. The title was translated to warlord, but it could also be spoken as landlord. To lead and fight if necessary is what your ancestors did. Their power was frightening, their influence strong, their enemies decided to take actions to rid. They hid a child in hopes that one day they would rise up and take their rightful place of power, for they were zebras of honor and courage that towered. They did it to ensure that future generations would one day have zebras of their caliber watching over their lives. For if one did rise up they knew the tribe would thrive. Now it is time for you to take that stand. Of these ponies you must take command. Mtoaji sent you as leader for a reason. The time for you to command is the season. I must help save these souls, for that is my primary role."

"Command is yours," Colonel Golden Dawn coughed. "I have faith in you." Golden Dawn switched her coms to everypony under her command. "I'm hit and out of the fight, and so are the others. Simi had command and the plan. Listen to his orders and let's win this war! For peace! For the Pegasi! For the Council! For Equestria! And for Shadow Flare!" She entered a coughing fit and ended up spitting out blood. Ukuzwa started to treat Golden Dawn with magic.

Simi looked out of a hole in the wall. They needed to make a hole in the Enclave's defenses. From that hole their entire force could push through and spread out, hitting the entrenched troops in their backs where they were exposed. It was the last solid line of defense the Enclave had.

"Listen up," Simi said over the coms. "My Zebra team, join me in the mess hall, the barely together building. Everypony else, we are going to make a hole. Once we do, I'll give the orders for units to start going through. It's clear and free after that. Continue to launch suppressing fire and kill anypony you can."

The junior officers and senior NCOs all confirmed the orders. Simi's team didn't take long to arrive. They assembled in the middle of the mess hall. The map that Golden Dawn had made on the table had been destroyed in the attack, but Simi didn’t need it.

“Pair off and cloak up,” Simi ordered. “You are going to stealth kill every enemy on that side so we can walk our troops through. I’ll stay back, waiting for your clearance and then lead us through.”

They each confirmed the orders and wrapped themselves in their magic cloaks, disappearing. Simi took the time to find out which officers were left and who they were in charge of. He prepared them for the entry, organizing the lineup and then calling the lead units to his position. The six units would split and start sweeping down the line in either direction. Simi reloaded his own weapons and ensured that each unit was ready.

“Hole made,” Kami reported. “Give us two minutes to get clear and create a distraction. Entry is straight across from you.”

“Timer set,” Simi replied. He turned to the units behind him. “In about two minutes, the soldiers who made our entry point will begin a distraction. You all know what is at stake; your friends, family, their safety, and your culture. Once we are through, we have to sweep down their line, hitting them in the back. This is the moment that will make the sacrifices of your fellow military pegasi worth their blood, and worth yours if it comes to it.”

“And what about your sacrifice?” a lieutenant asked. “You have no real stake here.”

“No, we don’t, but we will spill our blood and have spilled it, for your cause because Shadow Flare did the same for our home over the past decade. He risked his life for us, so we will do the same for him, even if that means the ultimate sacrifice is the cost we have to pay to thank him. Under Shadow's leadership, we unified a region, built a strong, self supporting city, and eliminated multiple warlords, each with their own armies. Some of those warlords could have decimated the Enclave on their own, but we took them down with smaller numbers than you have. Shadow bled for us on many occasions and without expecting anything in return.”

Simi turned towards the exit. The two minutes were almost up. “So, we, I, fight! Now, to battle!”

Simi rushed out at the head of the units. They followed him without hesitation. On the other side of the defenses it was quiet. There were bodies all around, each killed with a blade by clearly skilled hooves. Most had their throats slit so they couldn’t scream out warnings.

The units split and began to sweep the defensive line. Several explosions went off in other parts of the base and then gunfire erupted as the zebras launched their diversion. Simi stayed at the head of the north sweeping units. They passed by whole units that had been silently slaughtered.

They finally found the first pocket of resistance. Simi opened up first, putting a round in their heads. The noise didn’t cause the other enemy soldiers to react. They assumed they were shooting at the enemy soldiers that were on the other side and that the bullets killing their fellow soldiers were from across the way. To the south a fierce firefight erupted. Simi ordered the second group to come across and silenced the units on their front. Once they had cleared another 500 meters, the rest of the EMP could rush across without needing to use the hole.

Simi continued to lead the units into battle. It wasn’t long before the Enclave soldiers finally understood that they were under attack, on their side. Simi stood steady, opening up with his gun while the others took cover. He was quick, putting a single round into the head of anypony that trained their gun on him. The fight was over before he was forced to go to cover and Simi moved them on.

After several more successful engagements, Simi gave the order. With a thunderous roar, the Equestrian Pegasus Military rose up and charged. They successfully got over the final defenses and began to move into the base, unchecked.

Simi continued to lead the sweep, but the battle had fragmented. The Enclave’s line was broken. They were in disarray without a senior leader to keep them organized. Despite their best efforts, the Enclave hadn’t broken the leadership of the EPM. They had gotten close, but there was a Zebra Warlord in their clouds. They couldn’t stop him or the better trained EPM.