It was early in the morning, the area was experiencing it’s, late, first snowfall of the year. Captain Shimmer stood in an IFV’s turret cupola, her arm resting on its fifty cal as she watched the flakes dance through the wind. Around her the column of armoured vehicles and heavy transports were being readied for their journey to the old city. The Captain was in a Wolf Spider IFV, ahead of her sat one of the UNDF’s trump cards of urban warfare, an Object 304 prototype heavy tank. The metal beast belonged to the Army’s 5th Armour, a tank unit with rather close ties to her NavSpecWar team, immune to the weapons of the common man, and a cannon that’ll punch through anything it finds; the Obj. 304 actually finds itself falling into the roll of breakthrough instead of its intended anti-tank roll.

She watched from her mount as the oddly named ‘When Diplomacy Fails’ has the last jerry can dumped in her tanks, she gave a sputter or two before her mighty V12 roars to life. Damn thing let everyone in a twenty klick radius know she’s ready to move.

Soon they were ready, and with a squeal of brakes, they were off into the breaking dawn.

Civil Protection cut a path through early morning traffic, as they led the group out of the bustling metropolis headed for the highways. ‘Course if the lights and sirens didn’t make them move, then the few hundred tonnes of armour and guns behind them certainly did. Faster than anyone really expected they were on the highway headed East, their escorts had broken off when they hit city limits now a couple highway patrol cars headed their convoy; and despite being a heavy the 304 actually makes pretty decent speed, bet that was a sight, your car being passed by a ~65 odd tonne tank on the straights.

Watching the cars pass by, Sunset reached her arm over the turret shield, hand held out, she watched as the snow lightly dusted her glove; innocently watching it melt like a young child, as if she wasn’t an elite soldier in a multi-tonne war machine. Deciding to try and pass the time with some fun she started taping a gloved hand on the shield, a quiet song spilling from her lips.

“Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme.” She sang softly, yet her voice seemed to carry over the wind and the engines.

“Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine. Come, lift up your voices all grief to refrain.
For we may or might never all meet here again.” As Sunset sang she noticed the talking below her stop, and a light banging started.

“Here's a health to the company and one to the lost.” To Sunsets, minor, surprise, voices drifted up from the armoured vehicle as the men below started singing with her. “Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass, let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain. For we may or might never all meet here again.”

“Here's a health to the dearest that we love so well. For their strength and their allegiance, sure none can excel.” Her voice carried over the winds, for what felt like kilometres. “There's a smile on their countenance as we lay rest to thee, there's no girl in this wide world as proud as me.”

“Here's a health to the company and one to our loss.” By now it seemed like half the convoy was singing with her, their voices to be heard by all. “Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass,
let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain. For we may or might never all meet here again.

Our ship lies at anchor, she's ready to dock. I wish her safe landing, without any shock. If ever I should meet you by land or by sea, I will always remember your kindness to me.” Sunset’s voice feel quiet as the rest of the convoy picked up the song.

“Here's a health to the company and one to the lost. Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass, let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain. For we may or might never all meet here again.” Came the booming chorus from the men below.

Starting to fall quiet, they took on a sombre tone as they continued. “Here's a health to the company and one to the lost. Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass, let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain.” The convoy fell silent, letting Sunset’s soft tone carry.

“For we may or might never all meet here again.” Her song finished, the convoy was left in deafening silence, it seemed the world itself stopped to listen and was hesitant to make a sound,

Almost an hour later saw them driving across cracked, sun-baked asphalt approaching the city’s gate. A towering structure of sand, cement, and guns; built between two apartments this gate guarded the city's main entrance. Slowly the convoy weaved through the concrete barriers and barbed wire filling the street and came to a stop at the gatehouse, really just an old apartment window they took over, around them a couple dozen barrels watched their every move. Everything from machine guns, anti-tank rifles, and cannons watched from barricaded windows ready to throw lead down the road.

“You ever get the feeling you’re being watched?” Sunset asked the IFV’s gunner, who had popped out of his hatch, as they both stared at the half-dozen barrels looking at them.

“Sometimes.” The man answered her.

Soon the gates opened for them and, with a whistle, they were off once more, into Canterlot proper; and one step closer to the portal, and to her home.

She really wasn’t looking forward to this.

File: 00015352-7563664-ABBC-0735
Name: Dash/Blitz, Rainbow. Spc.
Callsign: Skittles
Nation of Origin: United States of America
Branch: Army Airborne, Storm Divers, NavSpecWar

Description: One of our elite Storm Divers, Specialist Dash holds a rather standard flyers physic, small, lean, and light; yet has oddly strong arms and legs. Equipped with a standard Wing Diver harness modified for the more extreme manoeuvres of the Storm Divers, and electrically insulated. Easily identified by her dare-devil stunts and her striking hair colour, it’s natural we checked, she can inspire beleaguered squads in even some of the worst conditions, possibly more so than a flight of A-5s, and everyone loves the A-5s.

Statements: There isn’t much to be said in this report that isn’t classified way beyond my paygrade, and yours too (probably). One thing that I can say is her attitude, while brash (easily interpreted as arrogance), is almost fully backed up by her abilities, almost nothing is beyond her.

Medical report: Spc. Dash has all the standard enhancements for Wing Divers, though through a means not of our own she seems to have gained a partial immunity to electricity. I mean we have seen this woman get struck by lightning and walk it off, yet a simple taser knocked her flat. Back to her enhancements, Spc. Dash has had additional modifications to make her more resistant to G-forces, and almost immune to disorientation. Anyway, specifics are too classified for this document. If you want to know more, please inform your nearest high brass that you wish to view classified intel.

Author's Note

Shorter chapter this time. I couldn't figure out how to tie this with the portal escapades, so here we are, one step closer to home for Sunset.

Also what do you think of the song?
I wanted to change it up a bit, and this was the best I could get.

Edited to add character file.