Lieutenant Hard Stop kept a wary eye on the Hive around him. His Riptide tank Gorgeous slowly rolled down a street with a squad of infantry following behind. The Changelings had a nasty habit of placing machine guns in ambush so tanks had to lead the way for their comrades marching alongside. Today, however, all was quiet. There were rumors that the war was ending soon but until the call was made, they had their orders. Clear each Hive of Chrysalis' forces to guarantee as little resistance as possible for an occupation.
As Gorgeous made her way to an intersection, Hard Stop signaled one of the infantry ponies. "Take a look around the corners! Make sure they aren't any nasty surprises waiting for us!" One soldier made their way towards the intersection, keeping low in case of snipers or ambushes. He glanced around the corner studying the damaged and destroyed architecture, watching for movement or anything suspicious.
The soldier turned and returned to the Gorgeous. "Didn't see anything sir, just a blasted Panzer IV and rubble. Should be clear."
Hard Stop nodded and signaled his driver to continue. As the Gorgeous turned the corner he saw the tank. The Panzer IV looked mostly intact except it's treads were blown to pieces and a small hole was bored into it's side, probably from an infantry anti-tank weapon. Hard Stop returned his attention to the main road when the Panzer's turret began to rotate.
Hard Stop's eyes widened and he yelled "GUNNER!! TRAVERSE LEFT!! TARGET ENEMY PANZER!!" Gorgeous' turret seemed to move in slow motion as the Panzer lined up their shot.
Private Garnet hated the cold. Being from the Crystal Empire, one would think he would get used to it, but no. Garnet shivered in his cold and frozen trench as his company milled about. No orders from higher up and the Changeling Jaegers they were facing hadn't made a move all week. They were still there as the occasional shot told the Crystal soldiers, but no shelling and no counter attacks were launched.
Garnet heard movement and watched another soldier move through the lines. An Equestrian gently put his hoof on every soldier he passed, saying something quietly that made everyone smile. He finally got to where Garnet sat.
"Cold, Friend? Well don't worry! It's Over! We won!" Garnet couldn't believe it! They did it?! Garnet smiled a smile he hadn't felt in years. "There will be hot soup and drinks at HQ this evening! Everyone is invited!" The Equestrian continued on, spreading a joy not felt by the Army since the beginning of the war. Smiles spread through the company until the Equestrian looked over the top.
Corporal Dashing's body had been there for a few days, slumped over against a tree trunk. A sniper had taken him out one night when he went to relieve himself. The Equestrian didn't know this. He stepped up to the lip of the trench to call out to the 'spotter'. Garnet and a few others rushed over to pull him down.
Corporal Mandible sighed. The Olenian mountains were quite stunning this time of year. He stood alongside a small outpost set up by his small team of four. After the war they would work alongside Equestrian Military Police to root out Chrysalis supporters to help bring a lasting peace between their Queen and Equestria. Mandible listened to his fellows talk about the end of the war. What they hoped to see on potential travels and what they might try to do. One even talked about moving to Equestria! Mandible chuckled, what a fool that one was.
Suddenly a twig snapped. His team became quiet. Mandible stepped in-front of the outpost. One of his team quickly took up a machine gun they had set up. Mandible called out. "This position is to root out enemies of the future Changeling state! We mean you no harm! Please step out and identify yourself or we will have to use force!"
A pair of Equestrian soldiers stepped out, rifles raised as they advanced. Mandible continued. "Lower your weapons and identify yourselves!"
A shot responded, impacting the sandbag wall of the outpost. Mandible ducked back towards the safety of cover and continued to yell. "CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE!! LOWER YOUR WEAPONS OR WE WILL FIRE!" The Equestrians fired again, one shot almost hitting the machine gunner. The Gunner looked back at Mandible, silently asking for orders.
Mandible swallowed, hoped he would be forgiven and yelled out his orders.
Celestia sat at the negotiation table. To her left and right sat Luna and Cadence respectively, across from them sat Queen Argynnis of the Vraks Hive, Queen Helvia of the Ditrysium Hive and Field Marshal Trimmel, the Chief of Staff for the Changeling Army. The terms of surrender sat before the Changelings. Celestia believed the terms were quite fair and hoped that they would be accepted. A darker side of her called for the utter destruction of the Hives and their subjugation but she pushed that thought down. This was a time for peace, not further conflict.
The Queens and Field Marshal read through the terms. The release of all Olenian territory, the separation of all Hives and the denial of them ever uniting again alongside the complete demobilizing of the Changeling Army save for some small groups to be used alongside Equestrian forces to crush any Chrysalis resistance.
Solemnly, the three Changelings agreed to the treaty. Celestia gave them a sad smile before turnng to a nearby aide. "Inform Marshal Blueblood that all Equestrian forces are to stand down, the war is ow over." The aide nodded and left. Celestia turned back to the Changelings. "I know it's hard, but now we finally have peace, this bloodshed can now end, hears to hoping for future peace and safety for all our citizens."
Gorgeous was too late. The Panzer fired, punching a hole clear through the chassis of the tank. Quickly the fuel began to ignite from the heat of the enemy tank shell. Hard Stop screamed as flames began to engulf his body. He quickly climbed out of his tank, hitting the ground hard as the flames caught on his uniform and coat. Hard Stop continued to scream, the fire scorching his lungs before he made eye contact with the soldier that scouted for him.
He hadn't noticed before, but the soldier was only a young colt, no more than 18. He looked at the rifle hanging from the colt's side. "Shoot me! PLEASE!" Hard Stop yelled out. Tears filled the colt's eyes as he lowered the rifle to the Lieutenants face.
"DO IT!! PLE-" The shot of the rifle echoed throughout the ruined Hive as the rest of the colt's squad retreated.
"GET DOWN DAMNIT BEFO-" The shot tore through the air. Garnet and the others who ran to the poor Equestrian could only watch as the stallion's head snapped back before his body tumbled backwards into the trench. Return fire was launched but Garnet didn't hear it. Flashes of the Stallion's smile and words filled his mind as he watched the blood pool at the bottom of his trench stuck in the frozen north of the front line.
"RETURN FIRE!!" Mandible yelled. Bringing his own rifle to bear, he watched as the Equestrians were caught in the open by the team's machine gun. The bodies almost seemed to dance as bullets impacted them. They dropped to the ground, just two more poor souls lost to the war. Mandible sighed, hoping that this incident didn't effect the peace talks.
Ponies gathered around radios as the news report came in. "This just in! The Princesses have finally brokered a peace between our nation and the Changelings! As of now, November 11 1011, the Great War has finally ended! Soldiers will begin to trickle home as some units reform as occupation forces to help demilitarize and reform the Changelings Hives so they can never threaten our fair country ever again!"
Author's Note
This idea came to me as the 11th came closer. A small tribute to those who lost their lives in the final moments of war. Lest we Forget all those who serve and lose their lives for their countries and their ideals.
