Equestria At War - In the Shadow of the Sun

The meek journalist stood in-front of the building; at a very specific position as instructed by the city's guards, so that the windows had no line of sight on her. She stood behind a truck, but at an angle with which the camerapony could get somewhat of a shot at the building, and some of the windows; not minding that he risked his life for a good shot.

"Egh..." A nearby guard groaned. "You press ponies - do you really need to lug all of this gear around? Ain't a way to not carry all this?" He asked the journalist.

The camerapony gave the guard a shrug. "When they make smaller cameras and microphones and transmitters - ya bet."

The guard sighed and walked away. With a small "hmph", the journalist pony was given a microphone - attached to a long series of machinery with a built-in antenna.

"Are we ready?" She asked the camerapony.

"Ready when you are - big gal. Just don't poke your head out." He chuckled. "My stuff ain't waterproof."

"...Charming." She sighed. "Don't miss the mark - when are we live?"

"Almost - I'll start the countdown in a bit. Gussy up, ya?"

"Ugh, whatever you say." She said, brushing her mane and briefly checking her portable mirror, before putting it away and standing ready.

"Three...Two...One...Let's hear ya!"

"Ahem. Good evening - Echo Voice reporting. The tensions between the hostage-takers and the city's guard have been increasing, as gunshots have been heard from inside the embassy." The journalist said. "Although the hostage-takers have not agreed to dialogue following the shots, snipers and observers have deduced that a hostage has been killed - mister Rowler, who was a member of embassy staff. However, the guard has not been able to siege the embassy, and the reasons have not been clear. This is the sixth day of the siege, and as the sun sets and visibility lessens, we may only speculate how many more days it can be prolonged fo-- H-Hey! Where are you pointing the camera!?"

"Up there!" The cameraman exclaimed.

Realizing what was happening, Echo spoke into the microphone. "H-Hold on! W-What appears to be a group of soldiers are gathering on the roof top of the building!"

***

"Icarus team." The unicorn Major told his seven subordinates as they rigged the rappels between the ledges and their black, featureless uniforms, his gas mask raised to allow him to speak audibly. "Twenty eight hostages - ten tangos. I expect this to be clean and quick - any longer than five minutes and we can consider our performance to be sloppy. I expect no more than four bullets per target - chest and head. No talking to press - no revealing your faces." He said. "Guard the hostages with your lives. Take hostiles prison only if they're surrendering. I'm not repeating this. Everypony, operation commences in thirty seconds. Alpha, on me. Bravo - you're with Pepper." The stallion ordered, finally putting the mask over his face.

"Yes sir." Softly said Lieutenant Pepper Scorch with her gas mask already worn, as she and three other operators started to slowly descend closer to the windows.

"You smell that, Leftenant?" Grinned the stallion to her right - Sergeant Strive. "That's the sweet, sweet smell of ascension. After this, we're gonna get noticed by the big lady herself."

"'Fore you worry about ascension - worry 'bout not letting the enemy ascend a gun barrel towards that ugly face of yours." The Lieutenant scoffed, her pegasus wings folding to make sure the entry would not injure them. With a single motion of her hoof, she put on her nightvision device. "Adler, Sizzle - you two ready?"

The two corporals had quietly whispered in agreement. Pepper looked left, and gave the Major a gest of readiness. Which was returned by him. He started to tap his hoof against the wall - every tap indicating a countdown from five to one.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Eight windows had shattered into a mad flurry of shards, an explosion of glass that blew across the entire room.

"They're here!" Screamed a stallion in the dark - who shot at one of the silhouettes...But was unable to note that it had sank into the shadows - his shot going nowhere. He was dropped instantly - two 45 ACP bullets had connected with his chest and head.

"W-Who the fuck!?" A mare shouted - her final words as her corpse sank into the cover of shadows.

"Guys!" Yelled a voice from an adjacent room. "W-We have intruders! Open fire!"

"But the hostages!?" Asked another muffled voice.

"Fuck them! I'd rather get out of here alive!"

The two voices had opened blind fire through the door. The operators refused to fire not knowing who or what was on the other side - but all it took was a little patience and cover. As the holes were formed in the wood, Pepper and Adler were each able to take a controlled shot at the gunponies, dropping them.

"How many hostages in this room?" Pepper asked her corporals.

"Eighteen, ma'am!" Sizzle exclaimed.

"Ten may have been taken as part of a contingency plan in another part of the building." The Major said. "Bravo - sweep second floor. Alpha - first floor, on me."

With three stallions in a file behind her, the Lieutenant began to walk at a firm pace with her gun trained forward, her boots enabling her to walk completely silently despite the intensity of her speed. Yells rang through the walls - from hostages and hostiles - but none from their own operators, Pepper knew that much.

"No radios..." The Sergeant sighed. "Sniper updates would be nice."

"Adapt." She said, stacking up to a door. "Snipers last reported three tangos in this room, intel is currently dated by 3 minutes. Be ready." She said, producing a flashbang.

With a flash of white and a thundering explosion - the two assailants were not prepared. One of them had taken a stallion as a living shield - but it only took a single bullet in the head to drop him. The other was dropped just as quickly while he attempted to cower.

"Six hostages here, others must be below for Alpha." Paprika said. "Search 'em and gather them, we're taking them outside."

"...They're clear as ice, ma'am." Adler told her, taking one of the hostages - a red stallion, and propping him onto his hooves, and then doing the same with the rest.

"...Affirmative." Softly cursing, she began to take the hostages by the collars of their clothing and form them in a line, ordering them to then follow her.

They would advance further through the hallways - albeit the hostages were confused why she opted to go for a more winded path that led them to a stairwell.

Suddenly, Pepper had turned around and grabbed one of the hostages by the neck - the red stallion who Adler had checked earlier. Swiftly, she had shoved him - and losing balance, the stallion began to fall down the stairs.

As he fell down and his consciousness wavered, he had been met with a pair of green nightvision lights in the dark - before blackness swiftly took him forever. The grenade that he had planned to use harmlessly rolled away, its pin still nested. Without a word, the Major knew that the stallion that was dropped onto the floor he was clearing was by no means friendly.

The hostages looked both relieved and in terror. Pepper smiled at them. "Guess he kept you quiet with the threats, huh? Good call on staying cool. Best hostages I've had the pleasure of saving." She chuckled softly to herself, before beginning to descend down the stairs as the second floor had been thoroughly searched; passing by the corpse of the hostile who had attempted to blend in with the hostages.

And as another pair of silenced gunshots erupted...It took for four minutes and forty two seconds for all the hostages to be safely brought outside; all of them zip-tied, laid on the ground, and identified by the guard one at a time.

Sergeant Strive laughed at Pepper as they left the building. "So your "ice" trick worked, huh?"

"I figured they'd try blending with the hostages. It was best to have a codeword without raising suspicion."

Echo Voice ran as fast as she could to the eight black-clad ponies. "E-Excuse me! Excuse me! Echo Voice - Equus Oculus News! M-May we please ask some questions?"

As per orders, the eight ponies would shake their heads, and turn away.

Echo's eyebrow twitched as she cussed softly. "B-But, please! Everypony wants to know the names of the heroes such as yourselves, I-I..."

All hope of getting an interview seemed lost...

Until spoke a mare's wicked voice.

"These fillies and gentlecolts..." The approaching mare's voice sounded. "Are a highly trained team belonging to a special forces unit of our glorious army, the unit that goes by the title - The Special Insertion Force."

This caught the attention of Icarus team, who turned around to face the mare who had so easily given away their identity.

"...General Aurora." Whispered the Major.

The tall mare smiled wide. "Major--, ah, I suppose your name ought to be redacted." She giggled. "Ahem. Major; it's been a while. Have your legs healed?"

"They ache when I remember how the lack of updates from command was the reason we were stuck in the fight longer than we had to." The Major coldly said, prompting Aurora to laugh softly.

"Oh Major - you've always been a sour lil' cocktail of pessimism, rudeness, and disrespect. Shame you're a war hero - can't do much to punish ya." She giggled, and turned to Echo. "You're a smart mare, and you know what to keep off the record, right?" She asked, shooting a look at the camerapony not to turn on his camera, which made him squeak softly as he nearly dropped it entirely.

Echo would only nod her head - nervously and meekly.

The Major sighed. "What do you want?"

Aurora gave a big, warm smile. "I've come to inform you that Her Majesty, Daybreaker, is considering ascending you and your team - provided you can pull off one more assignment. That's what I overheard, at-least."

Pepper's eyes widened behind the tinted gas mask, while Strive had a big grin. The Major however, remained facially stationary.

"That's what you overheard, huh. Is that all?"

Aurora rose a brow at him. "Are you disregarding the words of Daybreaker herself, Major?"

"General Aurora - these words hold weight when said by Daybreaker herself, or by somepony with the appropriate designation to speak on her behalf." The stallion softly scoffed. "I am not under your command. I am under hers, and of much higher authorities you're not aware of. Don't bother me just to antagonize me. Daybreaker's words will reach me one way or another. Mail, telegraph, telephone, even via fucking pidgeon if needs be. As it stands, I do not answer to the words of the Baltimare Butcher."

"...What did you call me?" Aurora softly hissed.

"...They were enemies of the state - but they were ponies. Equestrians, as much as they deemed themselves not to be." The Major softly said. "If I had the authority - I'd have you shot for using white phosphorus. Get out of my sight, you mangy, wretched bitch."

"...You're going to dance like a little trained puppy if I want you to - Silver." She whispered - voice seeping with venom.

"And if I want to, I'll have you squirming on a noose." The Major softly said, and looked at Echo. "If you need to report - report this. Eques--...The Solar Empire does not negotiate with terrorists. Let this operation be a message to those willing to endanger its citizens. That's the only flashy bit of words you need for a good headline, miss journalist." He said, and whistled over to his team. Perking up to attention, the other seven ponies had run over to the black van, and boarded it - Pepper being the last pony to board.

The lieutenant made eye contact with General Aurora for a moment, and felt a sense of dread wash over her.

And she hated that she was met with Aurora's smile - one that was visually pleasant and warm; but radiated with toxic wickedness.

Pepper closed the door to the van, and it drove off.

Softly whimpering, Echo turned to the tall General, who had to crane her head down to look at the journalist.

And the general's smile widened into a bigger grin.

"An interview, then. Shall we?" Aurora proposed.