Chapter 17

Swift flew in front of his squadron, the Amethyst Fire and Lucky Shadow seats hadn't been replaced, so they flew understaffed, continued behind their own lines, but stopped at larger outposts and military camps and asked for a Pinkamina Pie, or whether it is known where she is.
So far no luck.

"I think it's time we turned around." Swift said and looked down at the front line. In the meantime trenches were being dug and sandbags were being piled up. New cannons were set up further back, larger than those used on ships.
The war was changing.
It was only a matter of time before a pegasus in the air was even more unsafe than a soldier on the ground.
After all, unicorns could create shields.
"Yes, time to turn back. Turn south."
All obeyed Swift's orders. they would fly further back inland.
"okay now west." they were just out of sight of their own front, well within their own.
It would be a nice and quiet flight back and then ...

"contact, southwestern. unknown." reported Sharp.
Swift looked in the direction and indeed, a flash of light from the southwest told the squadron that they were probably being watched.
"could be your own ..." said Swift thoughtfully, turn off, we fly huin and take a look. "
The squadron responded with: "Yes sir!"

They were moving fast, and when they flew over the point in question everyone could see that two soldiers dressed in enemy uniforms were retreating towards the east on the ground.
"A unicorn and an earth pony, possibly a crystal pony ... heading east." reported Sharp, "Seems to be alone."
"Very well, enemy scouts behind our lines. I want to capture you alive!" reported Swift, "So, mission is capture, hit fast, deep and hard!"
The entire season went lower until their wings were level with the running ponies.

They ran through a line of trees that was open enough for the squadron to fly through. The two fleeing enemies shouted something, but Swift didn't understand what, until about a dozen enemy unicorns emerged from a grain field that was about waist high and opened fire.

"IT'S AN AMBUSH!" called Corporal Night.
Swift grabbed his spear tighter and flew a little lower, right at the enemy. "I want the watchers alive, kill the rest if they don't surrender!" With slight movements to the left and right, he dodged enemy magical projectiles. In a flash he had overtaken the fleeing enemies, flew past them and rammed his spear through one of the enemies at full speed, slid to a halt and let the lifeless body fly straight ahead, so that three more enemies were torn down. Sharp and Artic did the same, only Corporal Night let go of his spear and regained altitude. Ruby meanwhile had crashed into the enemy like a huge steamroller and struck with two spears, shouting: "THAT'S FOR LUCKY SHADOW!"
Because she was so strong and well built, the unicorns had no chance in her range. She tossed them around like toys.
Atin used his wings against melee attacks, and fought with the spear, determined to eliminate the threat.
He didn't notice a unicorn charging a shot and pointing at him.
When the shot broke, Swift heard nothing for a moment.
Time seemed to stand still when he turned to the shot. he was so slow, but swift knew there was no way to avoid it
"SERGEANT!" He heard Sharp call specialists, and out of the corner of his eye he saw her throw herself into the line of fire.
He wanted to stop her
That could not be true!

But it was. he could see in slow motion how the magic spear hit Sharp and how she was swept around by it. Her hoof flew away, the rest to the ground.

After that everything seemed to go back to normal.
Sharp was lying on the floor, holding his bloody shoulder, uttering a weak and painful "Ah ..."
“Pony on the ground!” Was all Swift could shout, then he kept attacking, trying to defend Sharp as best he could.
"Hold by specialist! You survive this!"
The shooter drew again, but this time he didn't get to fire his magical spear. One made of metal and wood went through his neck and blood spattered all over the place.
Swift couldn't remember throwing his.
Now it was called hoof on hoof combat.

Another air raid by Night and another enemy fell while Ruby cut her way through the enemy lines. When her spear broke, she took one of the opponents to hit the other opponents. four of the enemy troops surrendered. the two observers were also placed.

The others lay either dead or dying in the cornfield. Sharp's wound was bandaged and an analgesic was administered.
her pulse was weak but there.
After the fight, Swift launched a red smoke grenade followed by a green one.
Other air patrols would now know that there are enemies and allies here. Swift went over to Specialist Ruby and Sharp.
"How is she doing?" he asked, looking at Sharp.
"She's doing badly, but she's stable. I think she'll get through." Ruby replied softly, "but i cant save her hoof."
"Yes, I feared that." Swift closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at the prisoners who were sitting in the field with their hooves behind their heads. He went straight to the senior officer, the observer who had run away, and stood up in front of him.
Both looked each other in the eye, neither was willing to give in.

Just as the enemy officer was about to say something, another group of pegasi landed. The squadron paramedic took care of the injured immediately. "This mare urgently needs a hospital and better care!" Two with a stretcher began to secure Sharp on it.
"Sergeant, that was a very good job." said a lieutenant.
"Thank you, sir. But my group was hit hard, I think we won't be able to fly for a while."
"Understandable. We'll accompany you back to your airship." suggested the lieutenant
"That would be very nice, sir. But can I ask you to take this prisoner here on our airship as well? I think Commander Dash would be happy to have someone to interview." Swift finally broke his gaze and looked at the lieutenant.

A little later, with the exception of Sharp Wing, everyone was escorted back to the airship. Once there, the group was welcomed again by Fluttershy and the medical team.
and the enemy officer was also examined.
"What am I gonna do with you, Swift." Commander dash said, shaking his head, "Almost as if you wanted to die."
"I can't help it. Nobody expected an enemy air defense force behind our line. And I'm now sure that I was on the right side of our front when specialist Lucke died."
"Possible, but unsettling." Dash admitted, "But there is good news too."

Just as the enemy officer was about to say something, another group of pegasi landed. The squadron paramedic took care of the injured immediately. "This mare urgently needs a hospital and better care!" Two with a stretcher began to secure Sharp on it.
"Sergeant, that was a very good job." said a lieutenant.
"Thank you, sir. But my group was hit hard, I think we won't be able to fly for a while."
"Understandable. We'll accompany you back to your airship." suggested the lieutenant
"That would be very nice, sir. But can I ask you to take this prisoner here on our airship as well? I think Commander Dash would be happy to have someone to interview." Swift finally broke his gaze and looked at the lieutenant.

A little later, with the exception of Sharp Wing, everyone was escorted back to the airship. Once there, the group was welcomed again by Fluttershy and the medical team.
and the enemy officer was also examined.
"What am I gonna do with you, Swift." Commander dash said, shaking his head, "Almost as if you wanted to die."
"I can't help it. Nobody expected an enemy air defense force behind our line. And I'm now sure that I was on the right side of our front when specialist Lucke died."
"Possible, but unsettling." Dash admitted, "But there is good news too."

Swift was walking into the conference room when a pink hind hoof crashed into the door frame just past his head. He only missed because Swift ducked in time.
"Ah, as I see you have learned to keep an eye on your surroundings. An improvement, lead wings!"
"Yes, I have improved. Please stop calling me lead wings." Swift said and grabbed the hoof that was still pressing against the door frame.
"Make me!" the other hind hoof dashed straight towards Swift's face and almost hit him if Swift hadn't ducked. As a result, however, pinkamina was free again and with all four hooves she pulled Swift out of the room again. But apart from the air it hit nothing.
"You practiced, didn't you? Very nice!" Pinkamina smiled and got back into fighting position.
Swift did the same, this time prepared.

"Stop immediately!" Commander Dash called, about to interrupt her, when the fight broke out. Quick kicks from Pinkamina were blocked by Swift's wings and front hooves.
"You're slowing down ..." said Swift, "or are you getting soft?"
"You wish that!" said Pinkamina and laughed a little before she changed her teeth and the punches and kicks came in quicker succession.
It was only after a while that Swift landed a counterstrike, much to Pinkamina's surprise.
"oho, someone trained there." she said with a giggle and then defended herself a little, but Swift just lacked the earth pony endurance.

Only when Swift slowed down and Pinkamina wanted to continue, Commander Dash came between the two of them and pushed them apart with her wings.
"It's over now, both of you! What's that supposed to mean?" she asked angrily.
"We just said hello ma'am." Pinkamina said with a shrug, "no big deal."
"no big deal?" Dash snorted, then pointed to all the eyewitnesses and onlookers who had gathered in the hallways, "Two soldiers are having a hoof fight here, and that's 'no big deal'?"
Swift laughed a little before he said, "Commander, Pinkamina tested me in hand-to-hand combat after I got the wings. After that we met a few times to train. She helped me a little over the loss of my squadron come and then also about the fact that I am no longer a real Pegasus ... "
"The lenders again ... You are no longer a pegasus, you are a Cypony! You are better than a normal Pegasus!" interjected Pinkamina.
"Yeah, probably, but it doesn't feel any better. I wish you knew what I mean. Feeling the wind in the feathers, the sun warming your wings, the freedom to fly wherever you want ..." Swift looked dreamy the window, "I can't have all that anymore ... but I can fly wherever I want ... all thanks to Electric."

Author's Note

Enemy troops behind your own lines are rather unusual as the northern front has developed more and more into trench warfare. the rows of four trenches are difficult to negotiate, and behind them there are often cannon positions manned by earth ponies. Because there are many allied air units at the front, the canines are used more defensively.