Chapter 36 Safe Houses and Raids

“War is sweet to those who have no experience of it. But the experienced man trembles exceedingly in his heart at its approach.” ― Pindar ~Marcius

Safehouse # 2, Hoofington, Lunar Commonwealth: Ginger Snaps.

The move from the rally point to our second safehouse goes without any real difficulty. With that said, I will admit I am beginning to worry about my husband more and more. The neck wound this afternoon has made me realize how easily I could have lost him, much less any other members of our team.

Our next safe house is actually an entire building. When we leave the rally point it is already dark and we go in small groups as we travel to Meat Locker. Choo takes the flyers with her and arrives there first.

Xochitl, Epona, and I along with Double Back and Days End leave last. As we arrive at the main entrance we are met by their head of security. He nods his head as he sees us and when close enough tells us, “Follow me and keep it low-key.”

We follow him and I am stunned as he takes us downstairs towards the lower levels. As we go lower, he tells us, “Don’t worry, we made sure the ferals are not near this area.”

We keep silent as we follow him through the dimly lit corridors. Finally, we arrive at a room where the rest of our team was, and to my surprise the same group of thestrals as the previous time our team was in Hoofington.

When I see them, I smile and I hear Sunny say, “Hey guys, look who we ran into on our flight here.”

I find myself smiling at his enthusiasm and tell them, “It is good to see you all again.”

The white mare smiles back at me and the stallion with them replies in his high-pitched voice, “It is good to see you again as well. Sunny has been telling of this place where you come from, he called Site Paddock, is it true?”

“Well, there is a Site Paddock, but what are you asking is true?”

“That they have unborn of our type that our mares may carry.”

I nod my head and in a serious tone of voice I tell him, “Yes, it is true.” Then I ask, “Why? Is this of interest to you?”

I watch as he starts to barely show signs of blushing and I watch his body language show embarrassment as he says, “You have to understand, we were isolated for a very long time, and we are now having problems because of such a limited genetic pool.”

From the side, I hear Cowlick say, “He wouldn’t listen to me Ging when I told him we have the same problem for the cattle.”

I watch as the batpony stallion simply shrugs and then he says, “It is hard to believe others may be having this problem as well.”

“Well, maybe we can set up a way for your people and ours to work together on this genetic problem. However, I am sure it will have to wait until this war is done.”

They stay with us the next day and that night Choo tells Sunny, “Sunny, I need you and Morning Mist to do a recon of our target area.”

“No problem Boss. Do you want us to check out Thunderhead again?”

I hear her sigh, then she answers, “While I would prefer naught; if you can get in and out without getting caught, do so. Also, if the Lieutenant Ball Lighting is still in the hospital, send him our well wishes for a speedy recovery.”

Sunny grins nearly ear to ear. “You got it, boss.”

Then I hear Morning Star, the white batpony mare asks, “Sunset Water, if you are doing this at night, I would like me and the others with me to accompany you.”

Sunny looks at her then the others and asks, “Well Boss what do you think?”

She tilts her head and then nods, “Yes, I think that would be very beneficial to both you and them.”

That night after Sunny and his group leave, I am talking with Choo when she laughs slightly.

“What’s funny boss?”

She shakes her head slightly and says, “Nothing really. I am just amused at how Sunny’s friends seem to think I look so much like the Princess, especially now that I got my cutie mark back. Before your group got here, they offered to join us and to serve as my personal escort as they were sure I had to be a princess.”

I shrug a bit as I reply, “Well, you do bare some resemblance, especially to anyone who has not actually met her.”

She grins at me, “Gee, thanks Ginger, I guess I will have to get used to ponies saying that.”

Late that night I wake as Sunny, Morning Mist, and the bat ponies all return. As they enter, they are all in high spirits.

I get up and join Choo as she asks them, “How did it go?”

Sunny stands a bit straighter and suddenly his face is completely serious as he reports, “Our recon of the target has gone well Boss. During the recon, we checked out both the Marimare base as well as Thunderhead. All six of us successfully infiltrated both, including the Nightingale Military Hospital.”

He pauses and looks at me, “The Colonel really got a piece of him. I saw his charts. He was hurt really bad. To be honest Choo, from what I saw and overheard the staff say, he is lucky to still be alive. Oh, and I did give him our congratulations on his and his wife’s coming foal.”

I watch as Choo raises an eyebrow and I hear her reply, “Thank you for that. But we did not know about the foal.”

He grins, “No, but one of the batponies was hiding in the shadows as his wife left with that friend of theirs and they were talking about it. Besides, it should drive them nuts trying to figure out who told us.”

I can’t help but burst out laughing when he says this and I can see the amusement on Choo’s face and I hear the batponies begin to laugh in their high-pitched singsong laughter.

Then I watch as both Sunny and Morning Mist look at each other and grin. Sunny then says, “I am sure that should keep them flying all over trying to find the source.”

“Well done to you and your team Sunny. Now why don’t you all go get some rest.”

The next morning, Choo goes over our next assignment with us. It is the first time we have heard all the details and some of them catch us off guard. We also meet four additional members to our team. As the Meat Locker guard brings them into the room with us, all but Choo are surprised to see that they are all pegasi and that three of them were the aircrew that was with them when they crashed just before the team got back together.

They are all wearing civilian clothing and the leader of them smiles at Choo and tells her, “It is great to see you again princess.”

I watch as Choo first smiles, nods her head, and then cringes slightly as the bat pony stallion Asra squeaks out, “I knew you were a princess.”

Before Choo can say anything the pilot tells him, “Well, she is not really a princess, my crew and I just like to call her that.”

When he says this, I notice how Choo blushes slightly and how all the batponies tilt their heads and have an expression of slight confusion on their faces.

The pilot then explains, “Yah have to understand that we still don’t know her real name, so we just called her that so we knew who we were talking about.”

“Ah, I understand. Sunny has explained how those of you from out here use these nicknames.”

He turns to her and asks, “So, who is Sunny?”

She points to him and Sunny says, “Well, now you know my name, time for full introductions I guess.”

The pilot then tells us, “Well, my name is Flight Plan. My co-pilot is Cloud Bank. Our gunner over there, well that is Double Tap, and our new gunner, she is his sister, Love Tap.”

Choo steps up and tells them, “Well, my name is Choo Choo,” She points to each of us and tells them our names. Then she looks at the batponies and tells him, “Flight Plan, the thestrals with us are our friends and not normally with our team, however, we trust them, and if they choose to give you their names, that is up to them.”

He nods his head, “Thank you for letting me know that Ma’am.” He tells her, then asks, “Have they worked with your team much?”

She smiles and I tell him, “Not the team so much, but with Sunny. They pulled his bacon out of the fire a while back when he infiltrated Thunderhead the first time.”

He looks surprised, “First time?”

I nod my head and smile, “Last night he was with a team that reconned there as well as Marimare last night.”

Flight Plan smiles and turns to his co-pilot, “See, this is what I meant when I was telling you they are a blast to work with.”

*****

Safehouse # 2, Meat Locker, Hoofington, Lunar Commonwealth: Xochitl

I am kinda nervous about the new team members, even if they are only for this mission. However, as Choo and those who were with her while we were back down here trust them, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Especially after the stories we heard from Sunny, Cow, and the rest.

We spend another two days getting to know each other as we wait for the go signal. When Choo finally receives the message, she looks at us, “We go tomorrow. The other teams will be hitting their targets as distractions for us. “

We all nod our heads at this. I notice the batponies do this as well as the aircrew.

Asra, tells her, “We understand. We will get you there and once the fighting begins we will be backing off. But if things go bad, we will help you find sanctuary.”

“That is all we can ask,” Choo tells him.

That night we spend talking and trying to hide our nervousness. This will be one of our most difficult missions as a team. As we exchange our stories, I come to know the new aircrew more and am becoming more comfortable with them. I am particularly fascinated with hearing about the crash and evasion they had with the rest of our team right before we met up again.

Flight Plan then tells us, “Yeah, that could have been a lot worse. I am just glad the princess here was able to slow us enough that most of us survived.”

“Most?” asks Ginger.

Double Tap nods his head, and with a bit of sorrow in his voice tells us, “Yeah, my best friend was our other gunner back then. He didn’t make it, between the MEW wounds and the impact.”

I find myself nodding my head as she tells him, “Yeah, we know what that can be like. We lost a lot of good ponies on the Expedition.”

I watch as Double Tap tilts his head and moves it in a questioning manner as he asks, “Ok, I have heard some of you talk about this expedition, what was it?”

So, together with Choo, we begin to tell them briefly about it. They are really surprised when Days End joins in and begins to tell them about Targhee and the Valley from the other side.

Flight Plan then asks curiously, “So you guys really don’t have any problem fighting alongside those who you fought against before?”

“Yes and no,” I answer. “You have to understand, that was a long time ago. We also are on the same payroll now. However, if he had been with the raiders that overran the Equestrian Rangers we would have gutted him with our knives. Fighting against each other is one thing, what those bastards did, well that was inequine and deserved to be punished.”

I see the shock on the aircrews’ faces, but I also notice the curiosity on the faces of the batponies. As I continue, “You must understand they took no prisoners and were directly targeting medics and stretcher-bearers. Of the more than ninety ponies and cattle that started that day with the Rangers, only fifteen survived the day.”

I see Flight Plan shake his head slightly and he asks, “So it was a really hard fight then? That makes the difference?”

Choo interjects this time as she says, “No, it was the fact that they were killing the wounded who could no longer fight as well as those who were trying to help them.”

He shrugs and tells us, "I guess you would have an issue with some of those who were with the Enclave forces at Friendship City then.”

I feel myself as well as Ginger sigh when he asks this and I hear Epona ask, “Ok, I only know about what I read in the Book of Little Pip about that and we have not had much interaction with others who were there. But from what I have read about it, and from what I have heard from the former Enclavers back home, most of those involved there were not really given any choices.”

I notice Flight Path relax some after he hears this. I also see both of the younger siblings look at each other with a questioning look briefly crossing their facial features.

Flight Plan then asks, “So, even if I was with the Enclave during Operation Cauterize?”

I look at Flight Plan and I notice he is wearing a Dashite brand where his cutie mark should be and I ask, “Flight, that brand, it tells me you stood up about something to the Enclave leadership. Maybe you should stop judging yourself for your past, and let those of us who you interact with determine what kind of pony you are.”

Choo nods her head and then tells him, “You seem to have redeemed yourself to have such a loyal flight crew and I have to say, I do approve of what I have seen of you so far. Besides, we all have done things that we are not proud about.”

The next morning we prepare for the mission as usual. Though we know it will not kick off until after the sun sets. I find myself checking over my weapons three times at least before Choo finally announces, "It is time."

We all grab our gear and begin to get ready, including the batponies who have just finished their breakfast.

Soon we hear a knock on the door and we are led back out by another member of the Meat Locker security force, who takes us out of the building using a little-known and even less often-used service entrance.

Just before we go, the guard tells us, “We recently received a letter from some of the ghouls you rescued. They made it to Dead Quite and said to tell you thanks. That might not mean much to you, but to us, well few will go out of their way to help our kind, much less help us find a safe haven. So, thanks, and may the goddesses bless all of you.” He then turns and slowly makes his way back inside the door while Asra and Morning Star begin to lead us on our way to our jump-off point.

As we go through the dark streets, I can almost swear that I see the batponies disappear and reappear from shadow to shadow. I ask Sunny about it and he just smiles at me and tells me, “Remember Flower, each type of pony has its own type of magic.”

Soon we are at the jump-off point. As we arrive I notice it is starting to rain, and I see an occasional bit of lighting in the distance. Huh, with all the pegasi from Thunderhead in this area, I thought they would not let there be wild weather, I think to myself. Soon I hear thunder as well as lighting and the winds begin to pick up. I look over and I see Choo begin to smile, But Flight Plan looks a bit nervous.

I then overhear him tell her, “I hate flying in weather like this. It makes it so much harder to control a vertibuck and really tires a buck out.”

Then I hear a church bell in the distance from over in the direction of the Rainbow Dash Skyport and when I look in that direction I see a flare rising into the sky from that direction. Choo tells us, Get ready, and as we follow her out the back door she shoots a flare from her horn back and then tells us, “GO!, Go! Go!” and we are moving toward a secondary gate of the Marimare Air Station at a full gallop. I begin to cringe as I see two of the guards at the gate swing in our direction and begin to bring their weapons up, but I notice two shadows behind them move and after a brief bit of gunfire they are down. As we pass the gate Asra and Morning Star wave to us and tell us, “Good luck, we will see you in Manesville.” As they disappear again.

From several of the other gate locations I also hear gunfire and explosions as we keep running deeper into the base and onto the tarmac. As I run, I can see Tater’s wound from the other day has reopened and I feel the one on my neck beginning to pull.

We head straight to the nearest hanger. Most of the team fans out and secures the building while Cowlick and Morning Mist set a couple of explosive charges on the vertibucks inside. Once done, Cowlick calls out over the headsets, “Big Blue, this is Salt and Fog, ready to move.”

At that, she signals us and we move to the next hanger. We are on the fourth hanger when we see pegasi heading our way. They stop in one of the other hangers and we can hear them yelling as they prepare the Vertibucks in there for an emergency scramble to help the defenders at the RD Skyport.

As they are doing this we exit this hanger to sneak up to another one. It is then that we are detected and gunfire is first exchanged. As I take a quick aim I realize that they are not wearing power armor and are only security troops so far. I pop around a crate that is next to the tarmac and open a quick burst with my carbine and hear a howl of pain as one of the security troopers not only is hit but begins to burn from the enchantment my zebra carbine has.

To the side, I notice Salt slide to a stop and fire a quick burst of suppressive fire as one of the flight crew is hit and goes down, and Twinks runs up to drag them to safety. I have just ducked back to reload when I see her give the wounded aircrewman a healing potion and help him limp to cover. As this is happening I hear gunfire from above us and I see Choo strafe them with her mini-gun with Sunny as her wingmare.

As I realize that we will not be able to make it to the next hangar I hear Ginger call out, “This is Cookie, all elements fall back to the flight line, Make sure you cover that pilot and crew, or we are stuck here.”

As we run towards the flight line I see two rows of vertibucks, one side is the lighter version, and on the other are several transport versions, one of which we all head towards. We are almost there when I see one of the other flight crewmembers take a hit and go down hard, I run over and as I begin to grab them it feels like I am kicked in the neck and helmet. I feel myself beginning to black out and I look up to see Cowlick grabbing me with his teeth by my collar.

I try to tell him to run to protect himself, but I cannot speak. I begin to feel cold, then all goes dark.

*****

Marimare Air Station, Grand Pegasus Enclave Territory: Choo Choo

As we run through the gates onto the AirStation I thank the Goddesses that I made sure the team was wearing their heavy barding. I have a bad feeling about this. As we go, I see explosions in the distance. Once we are on the flight line, we head to the first hanger and my explosive techs begin to rig up the aircraft within. It is not until the fourth one that we begin to have trouble, and when it comes it comes fast and hard.

Ahead of us, I can make out in my SATS several hostiles coming our way. “Ok, heads up between us and hanger five, I need suppressive fire, Sunny, on me, we are going to provide air support.”

As Sunny and I are strafing the responding ground crews and security forces I hear over my headset, “Medic up,” From Love Tap.

Twinks responds to this quickly and calmly with “On my way.”

I have just made a second pass over the hostiles when I see Twinks assisting the one who I think is the co-pilot to shelter. Then I hear Ginger callout, “This is Cookie, all elements fall back to the flight line, Make sure you cover that pilot and crew, or we are stuck here.”

I watch below me as my people begin to fight their way to the transport vertibucks that are on the tarmac still. I also notice Morning Mist and Tater running to some of the smaller vertibucks and tossing explosive charges inside of them. The aircrew is almost to the furthest back transport when I see one of them go down and Xochitl going to do a pickup on them. He is almost to the down crewpony when I see him get hit hard enough that he spins around. I immediately fly over to them as does Cowlick. “Salt, grab Flower and I will grab the other,” I tell him over the radio.

He nods his head and we both drag them to the now warming up vertibuck as I provide a shield for us. It is as we are loading the wounded onboard that I notice the one I brought back is Double Tap. He is hurt badly and I am worried, but I dare not drop my shield to treat him yet. To the side, I see Twinks and can barely hear her yell, “Cookie back off and let me treat him. Belt yourself into your seat." Then the engines are at full speed and I can hear quick bursts from the door guns as Flight Plan calls me over our radio channel, “Big Blue, let's go. Time to haul tail out of here.”

I drop my shield and fly up to it as he begins to take off. Landing hard on the floor as the rear loading door closes. I see Love Tap is on one door gun and Tater is on the other. As we take off and twist in the air. Then I see Cowlick and I tell him, “Do it now.”

I watch him have a feral smile come across his muzzle as he takes the remote detonator and pushes the big red button on it. Below us, I hear over a dozen explosions and I feel the transport buck skyward quickly as Flight Plan says, “Damn, now will you look at that.”

I look out one of the windows and below us I see most of the vertibucks on the tarmac and all four of the hangers below us are on fire. I can also see where several of the other teams on the ground are still fighting and suddenly I see a very large explosion as the base's main ammo dump explodes. I am stunned as I first see it then we feel and hear it as the blast again hits the transport vertibuck.

“What the Tartarus was that?” I hear Flight Plan ask.

I think briefly and when I answer I cautiously tell him, “I think we may not have been hitting the main target for the base, or if we were, then someone else got lucky. I do believe Marimare will be out of business for a while.”

From the side I see Ginger looking worriedly at her husband. Then I hear Twinks say over the radio, “Cookie, he will be ok. The healing spell took care of his wounds and that new helmet we got for him from Meat Locker saved him. He is still unconscious though. But when he wakes up, he will have one dilly of a headache.”

Then Ginger points toward Double Tap and I see a sad expression come over her face as she tells her, “Sorry Ginger, he was gone before he even made it to the aircraft.”

As she says this, I see Love Tap tense up and then I watch as a single tear falls from her eyes. She wipes it away and keeps scanning the sky as we make the run for a safe landing spot, and through the storm that we had seen coming in.

It is several hours later when ahead of us on the ground we see a brightly lit settlement. As we get closer, I tell Flight Plan, “Land outside of the perimeter, but on the backside. All weapons are to be stowed unless I say otherwise.”

Once we land, I tell the others, “Wait here.” Then I think briefly and tell Cowlick, “Salt, you are with me. Oh, and Cookie, Flower is off the watch bill until he is cleared by a doctor. He took a real blow there.”

I see him look at me and I watch as he tries to focus his eyes and then he slowly says, “Thanks, boss.”

As Cowlick and I head toward the E3 Oasis, I hear Flight Plan asks, “So I take it you guys have been here before too?” which is responded to with a chorus of laughter.

As we approach the rear gate, I can see several more guards cautiously approaching. So Cow and I stop and I quietly ask, “Could you please send me the Sergeant or Officer of the guard.”

Soon after this, a new stallion comes forward and asks, “What do you want?” As he asks this, he looks at both me and Cowlick with a suspicious expression on his face.

I read the rank on his uniform and I tell him, “Sergeant, we have talked with the Colonel before, and we are only seeking a couple of hours rest. We wanted to ask permission to keep our transport where it is, and to take advantage of your normal services.”

I see him nod his head and then he calls on his radio, “Yeah, that is right, a big blue alicorn with a fake cutie mark and a hairy one-headed brahmin.” He pauses briefly and then says, “Yes sir, I understand sir.”

I stand there patiently waiting and he asks me, “Are you Cowlick and Choo Choo?”

We both nod our heads and he says, “The Colonel says for you both to come in and see him at the location you last met with him.”

“Thank you, Sergeant, if you would like to escort us, that would be fine.”

“Oh, no need to ma’am. If you don’t go there you will be marked as infiltrators.”

I laugh lightly and Cowlick shrugs as he tells the sergeant, “Makes sense, to me.”’

With that, we are allowed in and we head straight to the basement entrance and down the stairs. Once we pass the old security room we are met by the base commander, Lieutenant Colonel Forage.

He looks at me and I see his stare at my flank, then he looks at Cowlick and asks, “Son, is that a painted-on cutie mark?”

Cowlick grins at him and tells him, “No, it’s real. I was just as surprised as you were when I saw it the first time.”

I can see the expression on the old ghoul's face as he says, “Well, I’ll be. Well, Choo, that is interesting and all, but I have reports you arrived with a whole vertibuck full of ponies and that you were coming in hard and fast when you landed. Who’s after you?”

This time I speak, “Colonel, we were one of the teams that struck Marimare earlier tonight. We landed to give our pilot and copilot a rest. We will continue on as soon as possible to prevent you from having to deal with the Enclave yet.”

“Yet?”

“Yes, yet. If they defeat the NCR, how long do you think it will take them to turn onto the smaller non-aligned settlements as well as the Lunar Commonwealth.”

He does not say much as he thinks. Then he tells us, “Ok, but standard rules. No flying into the grounds of the Oasis.”

I nod my head and he then asks, “So young bull, did you find Site Paddock?”

I watch as Cowlick first licks his lips, then he answers, “Yes sir. We did. Those who remained had become ghouls. Most had gone feral and those who had not asked us to take care of them. After we were done, Lieutenant Johnny Cake informed us of the prime reason for Site Paddock. Sir, did you know about the cryogenically frozen embryos?”

I see the surprise on his face as he replies, “No. I did not, so they had frozen ponies embryos?”

Cowlick smiles as he then says, “No sir, not just ponies, but mules, cattle, even yaks. If it was a live birth and an intelligent species, it is in there.”

“Well, I’ll be.” He then asks cautiously, “ So what became of the ghouls who still are mentally there?”

Cowlick tells him, “Well, last I heard they had been offered to move to the settlement of Dead Quiet if they wanted to, but they are forming another ghoul settlement instead.”

“Interesting. And the supplies and embryos?”

“Those are being discussed with the regional heads. So, I am not sure. But last time I saw Lieutenant Cake he was pretty happy with the way things were beginning to go for them at Site Paddock.”

Forage finally tells us, “Go get your people taken care of. I will have a camo net brought out and set up to help hide the vertibuck. Just do not be obvious.”

“Yes sir, and thank you.”

“You're welcome, but please, do not make me regret helping you.”

With that, we are dismissed. After the transport is covered with a camo net, we first bury Double Tap. Then we slowly filter our way back into the Oasis.

While sitting in the diner eating I hear the radio being changed as the music changes to that of a more military nature. Then I hear a new voice I have only heard a couple of times before.

Good afternoon my loyal Enclave listeners. This is Radio Free Equestria and my name is Hollowed Dreams and do I have some news for you. Some of you who live in the Thunderhead and Hoofington region may have heard what sounded like a battle last night. Well, it was of sorts. It seems the NCR has hired terrorists to try and attack our dirtside base of Marimare as well as the civilian ran and local Volunteer Corps headquarters at the old Rainbow Dash Skyport.

While the fight was vicious at times, rest assured that our side took few casualties among our brave Enclave soldiers and security personnel. The damage was kept to a minimum for us. However, for those fools who trusted the NCR leadership, their lives were thrown away in a useless attack that saw few survivors.

As the stallion on the radio continues to drone on my team members all look at each other and smirks, while one of the locals calls out, “Hey Two Bits, how about changing the station back to where it was?”

From the kitchen pick-up area I hear a mare wearing a waitress outfit call back to him, “I guess, but I figured we could use a bit of a change. Besides, we need to hear the news from more than just the NCR, after all, how much can you trust those over in Junction Town?”

This makes me wonder about how much support the NCR can expect to garner from those unaligned ponies in the future. I finally decide we will burn that bridge when we get there, and I take another bite of my fried cram sandwich, followed by a nice cool sip of my Sparkle Cola Rad.

That night we take to the air again and we head back as quickly as we can for the NCR. By the next afternoon, we have landed and taken a break twice before we reach our next destination. We have just finished circling the area around Hackamore and the base there when suddenly I see a very large, blue dragon wearing a very large set of pegasus goggles flying at us. I have the pilot hover and I jump out and fly over to her and call out, “Hey George, it’s us.”

I see her put a claw on the radio receiver patch over her left hearing diaphragm. Then she smiles and waves to us before I hear her say over the radio. “Choo! It is so good to see you again, but what are you doing here, and where did you get a vertibuck?”

I quickly tell her, then she says, “Oh, I almost forgot to report in.”

She calls the local command on the radio and after hearing a reply she tells me, “Ok, Follow me, we are taking you to Harness.”

I call over the radio and let Flight Plan know and he nods his head through the Perspex glass of the cockpit as I fly alongside George, he flies behind us keeping pace until we reach the valley where we follow George and eventually come to land in an area that looks to have once been a parking area for the mining equipment.

Once we have landed and the engines have wound down, I call the team over and tell them, “Ok, for those of you who have not met her yet, this is my best friend George.”

They all murmur a small greeting and then I hear Days End ask, “Ok, so where are we?”

Double Back smile broadly as he slaps a hoof on his back and tells him, “This is where I was raised up. Welcome to Harness.”

*****

Nightingale Military Hospital, Thunderhead, Grand Pegasus Enclave: Ball Lightning

As I convalesce, I think it is almost a week after I am visited by Sunset Waters that I am visited finally by my Company Commander Captain Golden Feather. As he walks in he shakes his head, “Damn Lieutenant, you really stirred up a hornets' nest with this one. The Lieutenant-Colonel is fit to be tied over almost losing one of his officers.”

I am a bit surprised to hear this. Especially since no one over me in my chain of command has visited before. So I ask, “If he is so upset, why did it take so long for one of you to come to visit me? Better yet, why hasn’t he done so? Am I a pariah now?”

He actually looks surprised and then he tells me, “Ball, until yesterday, we had no idea where you or that team you took with you were. It seems after you were brought here, they had a few odd jobs for the others to do too.”

Reluctantly I accept what he has said, then I tell him, “I wonder why they are keeping it on the down low?”

He shrugs and tells me, “Honestly, I wonder as does our CO, what you were up to down there.” Before I can say anything he raises a hoof and holding the bottom towards me says, “And no, we do not expect to ever know. We figured it was a need to know only issue.”

I try to smile when he says this and I tell him, “Thank you for understanding.”

I have just finished saying this when I hear a beeping noise from his PipBuck. He looks at it and says, “Oh Buck. Sorry, I must go now. I will be back when I can.”

Just as he begins to run out the door, I hear explosions in the far distance and I begin to hear sirens from the base warning system. I struggle to look out the window of my room and am not able to see anything. All I can do is sit and wait. A short time later one of the nurses comes by and checks on me and tells me, “Just try to relax Lieutenant. I know it is hard for you, but really, there is nothing you can do.”

“What is going on?” I ask him.

He looks nervously out the window and back towards the hallway before answering, “Both the RDS and Marimare are being attacked. No word yet on what is going on other than that.”

I am surprised to hear that, then I hear several Vertibucks fly over the hospital, and on the landing pad that I can see from my window, I watch as several stretchers are carried as fast as can be done towards the hospital.

Soon afterward I hear a very large explosion that racks the entire building and I have to catch myself to keep from falling out of my bed.

Over the hospital PA, I hear All personnel not involved in critical care of patients are to report to the Emergency Room Stat! We have a mass casualty event in progress and wounded are inbound. I repeat All personnel not involved in critical care of patients are to report to the Emergency room Stat!

My Goddesses I think to myself as I hear wings flapping and hooves clapping on the floors as the medical staff make an exodus towards the ER.

On my floor, there is a skeleton crew of staff left, but most are gone. As the same nurse walks by that I talked with earlier I see his scrubs are covered with blood as well as what looks to be burned feathers and meat.

He looks almost in shock and I call to him, “Hay, Nurse Heart Beat, are you ok?”

He turns to me and I see a look in his eyes that reminds me of a combat vet who has seen too much. He looks in my direction but instead of looking at me, he almost seems to look through me. Finally, he hesitantly replies, “Am I ok?” He pauses, then he looks up at me again, “No, no I am not. I, I cannot even begin to tell you how ok I am not. Sorry Sir, but I have to go. I have to let them know how many beds we have available in this ward.”

I watch as he then continues down the hallway and to the nurses' desk and talks to the one who is on duty there. He takes her seat, puts his head down, and while not asleep I am not sure if he is crying or not. I watch as she gulps and then flies toward the ER herself.

A short time later I see even more vertibucks arriving and wounded being carried in. I know I should not get out of my bed, but I feel an overwhelming need to help, to do something, anything. So, I force myself to get out of my bed and slowly walk down the hallway. I am almost to the elevator when it opens and I watch a badly injured, but unconscious patient being wheeled past and to one of the other rooms.

I slip into the elevator and I make my way down to the ER. What I find there makes me wish I had never left my room. I see wounded and burned ponies everywhere. Some are screaming in pain. Others whimper quietly and some just sit there silent.

As I walk past one asks me, “Water, please, I am so thirsty.”

I know I cannot give him water as he has a belly wound. So, I tell him, “I will be right back.”

I go and I get a bucket of water and a washcloth. I soak the rag in it and let him briefly suck the water.

As I am doing this I see a mare in a black cloak approach, One half of her face looks beautiful, the other almost like a ghouls. She smiles sadly as she looks at the pony I am giving the water to, puts a hoof on his shoulder and he begins to relax. She then tells me, “My name is Hela, Val has told me about you.”

He quietly tells me, “Thank you.” Then he closes his eyes forever. After this I see Hela continue down the hallways. Occasionally stopping, then I no longer see her.

I am shaken by this but I begin to go to do what I can to ease the suffering of the wounded.

Finally, I run into my doctor, she looks worn out and disheveled. As her eyes focus on me she asks me, “Lieutenant, what in Celestia’s name are you doing out of bed?”

I feel embarrassed as I tell her, “I knew they needed help, so I came to assist.”

She looks at my stomach area and I see her look slightly angry as she says, “Lieutenant, you are almost making it a bigger problem for all of us. Didn’t you realize you reopened your wound and have bled through your bandages?”

I shake my head, “No Ma’am. I hadn’t. I am sorry.” I tell her as I feel my face heat and I blush.

“I understand, let me make sure it is not too bad, then we will get you back to your room.”

A short time later I am back in my room when they wheel in a patient and put them in the other bed. I recognize the face of the unconscious mare. It is Lieutenant Colonel Sun Spot. I can see where they have bandaged her most obvious wounds. All through the night, I see them bringing in vertibucks and skywagons of the injured. I also hear those who have survived long enough to have been treated as they are wheeled down the corridors to other rooms. Finally, I am really surprised when they decide to squeeze another bed in our room along with monitoring equipment. With all the hustle and bustle through the night, I am afraid it will be a long one with little sleep. Finally, just before dawn, I finally am able to fall asleep.

It is midmorning when I finally wake up. I am looking up into the face of one of the nurses as she checks my bandages. I hear her tsk-tsking as she looks at them. When she notices I am awake she asks me, “Sir, how did you tear open these sutures?”

I am embarrassed as I admit, “I went down to the ER to try and comfort the wounded last night as much as I could.”

“And how did you think you could do that?”

“Nurse, I was giving them water by letting them suck it out of a washcloth. I know it wasn’t sanitary, but it was something. I saw so many of them that it was the last comfort they had.”

She closes her eyes and nods her head. Then she asks, “If I may ask, how come you are wearing the Enclave military uniform rather than the Volunteer Corps? I can tell your heart lays in helping others.”

I sigh as I look at the ceiling. Then I tell her, “I am better as an officer than I would be in the VC.”

She smiles and then tells me, “With the severity of the war, once it's done, think about it, sir. The world needs more helpers and healers. It is so much easier to destroy than create.”

This gets me to think and I tell her, “Thanks for a new perspective. Who knows, maybe I will someday.”

It is the next day before Sunspot wakes up. When she does she looks over at me and after focusing her eyes she asks, “What happened?”

I shrug slightly and tell her, “I was just going to ask you that too.”

She laughs lightly and tells me, “Last I remember, a group of mudpuppies stormed our hanger and we were in a firefight. I got two of them I think, but they got me too and I passed out I think.”

“Yeah, I understand how that is. Well, I am glad to see you survived. First time having something like this happen?”

She grimaces and then nods her head with it still on her pillow.

“Well, hopefully, this will be your only time then. Ma’am.”

“Thanks, Lieutenant. I hope so too.”

*****

Good evening listeners this is Chrome Microphone and you are listening to HOOF from our station in Hoofington. Tonight’s news is led off by reports of NCR agents and troops having attacked the Grand Pegasus Enclave at several points including the Rainbow Dash Skyport and the Marimare Air Station here in the Hoofington region.

Both sides claim to have caused major casualties to the opposition while taking few themselves. However, both of the Enclave Ground stations have been closed to the public until further notice. There are also reports of a large number of vertibucks and skywagons coming and going from both of these locations after these attacks.

In other news, the Lunar Council has received notice from the leadership of the Grand Pegasus Enclave that if such further actions take place under their muzzles that they will not be tolerated and will be considered deliberate provocations against them.

I will be back with more news after the next five in a row. Starting out here is For Hell’s Bells.

Author's Note

Often times when a weaker nation is being attacked, it will try to blunt enemy operations with quick surgical strikes to limit its enemy's ability to wage war. The attacks we see here are an example of them. However, we also see the cost in lives as well as property that comes with them.

I have also tried to show the slow changes coming about in our characters in the attitudes and behaviors of those who are involved in such operations. Again this is among the cost that comes with such events.

For those who would like to listen to this chapters dedication song, the YouTube link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Bx-3nblUc