Mass Effect Saga - The Shepards, hope for the future

By: Black--Soul

Inspired by: Bioware masterpiece Mass Effect

Chapter one: Unkind fate

♤♡-♤♡-♤♡

For need of a armor strap, the wing armor cover was lost.

For need of a wing armor protecting a wing, the pegasus wing was lost.

For need of a fast pegasus, the timely opportunity was lost.

For need of a fast pegasus to delivered a timely warning, the message was delayed.

For need of the message delivered swiftly, the battle was lost.

For need of a battle deciding message timely delivered, the queendoms defense was lost.

And all for the need of a singel armor strap the wing armor cover hold in place.

Go figure...
- Quote from:
Commander Hurricane Thunder-Dash.

Ten thousand years before the great age of the return of Discord and the royal alicorn

The castle of the formerly four sisters

This moment had been a long time in the coming for Princess 'Celestia Solaris Stellar' followers, inevitable in its arrival in their perspective and rather obvious in hindsight.
So the historic books would claim later on the event.

Queen 'Nightmare Moon Stellar' and Princess 'Luna Dreemur Stellar' would still found themself confused about this act of high treason.
Where were these rebels coming from?
A ten thousand and one hundred pony strong army don't come from nothing.

Ponies hired and trained over a long time.
Armor and weapons crafted with enchanted metals, something very hard to come by.
Most importantly:
Surrounding the capital of the castle 'Everfree'.

Why hadn’t Celestia approached her elder sisters earlier about this? They could have worked through this together, like they were supposed to as current triarchy of Equestria and more importantly:
Family!

Like sisters under one another were supposed to.

“Freeze alicorns of the night!” Princess Celestia hissed venomously with her voice, while she looked at her elder sisters with a ice cold glare.

Celestia usually looked down at her older sister, when they standed on level ground, since her Pegasus and Eartpony side of her alicorn nature let her tower over them by a full head height.

Despite Nightmare Moon and Luna looking down
from the dais in the throne room at Celestia, did the condescending eyes looking up at her sisters told of the unavoidable conflict to come.

Celestia took a step forward to the side, a gesture to reveal more of her bodys side profil and give more attack area for a warning that she didn't fear a confrontation with them.
Her Kirin horn glinting dangerously in the light of the moonlight coming from overhead through the enchanted ceiling window made out of crystal empire glass above them, one of the last remnants of the empire from so long ago.

“Did you really expect me to sit idly by, until my supposed destiny becomes written down fate in our nations history books?
All while the prophecy hangs over me this very moment, to silently acquiesce about what is to come?
I can’t allow my life to end in your shadows,
to dissappear or even die.
I won’t be trotting silently into the darkness of the prophecys foretold oblivion!”

“Celestia, please stop this, before it is to late!” Nightmare begged her almost Nirik turned youngest alicorn sister.
“You shouldn’t do something extream like this Tia. Prophecies even from somecreature as powerful as our sister Prismia aren’t set in stone, beside she isn't dead as we feared back than and only dissappeared for slightly more than a century.”

Former alicorn 'Prismia Nova Exterminaty', now Changeling Queen 'Chrysalis' confirmed with a vigorous nodding of her head standing in between the thrones of day and night.

“No, they aren’t. Especially if one study them in detail for loop holes!” Celestia shook her head that started to produce enough heat that her mane began moving erratic and the air continued to distort from the heat in the air rising around the sun alicorn.

Metaphoricaly speaking, did ice filled Celestias followers veins, when their goddess of day and sun started raising near the rooms ceiling without a single flap of her mighty wings or the lighting up of a magic casting horn.
Celestia knew what she needed to do to avoid her fate and would instead flip the coin of destiny,
for a new throw,
a better throw.

Instead of her falling dead over if the coin landed on head or becoming something entirely else like her youngest sister Prismia now known as Chrysalis, when it landed on tails.
Maybe it would land on its edge and spare herself a 'unkind fate'.

Celestia harden her heart, when she see the fear and betrayed look in her three sisters eyes, no matter their pleading for a last chance of a peaceful and harmonious resolution, her path was set.

They ignored her worrying about it for a hole year by now, for all they know it could happen tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

Even as her sisters stared at her in horror with pleading eyes, she would follow through. They had ignored her pleading for a activ resolution, because technically Nightmare Moon could have retired and fullfilled the prophecy that way.
In theory.

For the greater good... she needed to force a resolution of the conflict to come.

And more importantly, for the sake of all ponykind leadership. Especially her familys sake leading all of ponykind wisely for many, many thousand of years to come.

“As you aren’t willing to do anything about my request to find a way out of the predicament of the prophecy, i have found my own resolution.
It will deal with the prophecy once and for all... as I can clearly see on our youngest sister, you will not act on fear of running into the prophecy by avoiding it by ignoring it completely, passively acquiesce to it if you will wait for its unavoidable conclusion to find me."

Celestia chuckled mirthless to herself.
"As i am now the only one that cares for its prevention, I won’t let you lead it to my downfall. After tonight, there will only be two alicorns in Equestria as foretold, but i shall not be its victim.
There shall be one alicorn of day and night instead of two mares of the night!”

Nightmare looked over her sister hysterical show and wondered how she could have neglected her so mutch, the rallying troops on her side showed them that the time of words had come and gone.

Sadness filling Chrysalis heart even as she prepared herself for battle, feeling her sisters emotional discord of regrets, fear and determination respectively.

The days alicorn’s flowing mane somehow looked as if it was about to burst into flames and her so bright light pink coat that it was often mistaken for white, looked like it had bleached in a reflecting substance.

Celestia had been showing uncharacteristically absence from day court of the sun for several planetary cycles, they where not checking on her, because they are where in the middle of estrius, what might have been worth the embarrassing running into her sisters harem in the act after all in hindsight.

Celestia eyes were bloodshot to a mere mortal, but the immortals and in magic vision aura gifted mortals could see its true horror.
It looked like she had lost her round pupils and exchanged them for slitted ones, that resembling a Abesinian or that of a Thestral.

As fortunate as their family had now all slitted eye pupils, did they had anything but a celebration in mind.

Now even the most devoted follower of the sun alicorn flee the throne room due to the unbelievable heat coming of Celestia.
If not for massive protection spells over tapestries and furniture, the room would be devoured by flames and smoke.

Celestias body seem to suffer uncontrollable contractions and float towards the middle of the thrones, forcing the night alicorns and the changling queen to teleport to the opposite of the wide and long throne room.

She landed with a very auditable *thud* and upon making contact with all four hooves, reared up.

As she presented her back to her sisters, did they see how she seemingly changed her fur into bright orange magical flames and her feathers turned into beautiful and deadly blue flames.

When she turned to her sisters with her newly transformed body, did her sisters mouth dropped open in disbelief.

The wall beside her had the dais glowing from surface overheating, behind Celestia the wall was apperently uncertain if to melt or crack from the stone and mortar reacting to the heat and the window of the ceiling that overlooking the room was laced with cracks and threatened to shatter, fragmenting the moonlight from the outside in a awe inspiring way.

Her mane and tail apperently turned into pink fire and her red glowing pupils promised a 'unkind fate' for any opposition.
Magic flames and wisps swirling around her, Nirik Celestia rose up, her horn glowing as she cast the artificial sun behind the moon, creating an eclipse that made everyone seeing it fear for the fate of the world.

A writhing unnatural darkness spread blue flame spear over the ground and the ceiling out, eldritch smoke of green and purple spitting out across the throne room emitting unexpectedly orange light that made it very hard to get a dissemination of what mix of effects Nirik Celestias flame would have upon contact other than the most predictable outcome of what flame in general caused.

Suddenly the heat of the room forced by the alicorn of day that turned Nirik what would cause lesser beings of flesh and blood to wither and die subsided, for a moment did the three sisters of Celestia hoped their Nirik turned sister had in the last moment regained her senses and returned to reasoning.

Nirik Celestias next words would put any hopes to a cold grave despite the still overheated room:

“Queen Nightmare Moon Stellar, beloved sister of mine... prepare to meet the prophecys foretold outcome!”

A large elemental embued beams of magical Nirik fire reached out towards Nightmare Moon, but it was misdirected from its target to struck true by the strength of Luna and Chrysalis combined magical defensive wards, shields and occasionally uprooted tree to block the almost certainly doom bringing flames cast from her Kirik shaped horn.

After minutes of this happening over and over, did Celestias wrath subsided enough for her rational mind to take hold of her.
Apperently going Nirik after a long time needed the sun alicorn to get used to her fourth aspect of her alicorn nature again.

Celestia main aspect was her Pegasus side, noone could fly more gracious through the air.
Given chance she could even perform a 'Aurora burn', a supersonic traveling speed in the air with enough preparation to leave a aurora or rainbow from the entry point of the 'Aurora Burn'.

Her second aspect was coming from Earthponys and made her the physical strongest and toughest of the four alicorn sisters, before Discord messed around with the youngest of the group, making her a natural armored flying light tank in the shape of a form shifting bug-pony queen.

Her third aspect was that of a Nirik and give her control of the artificial sun, while giving her all benefits of a pyromaniac pony.
Immunity to heat, yet generating enough on demand to turn a dragon lava bath into one of her monthly fur coat maintenance routines.

And at last her final aspect, the fourth affinity was that of day unicorns. Giving her the abilities and benefits of a usually to a spiraled horn counted pony amplified by her alicorn nature.

With Celestias mental control restored, did the true battle began.

Nirik Celestia first eliminated the more agil air target out the confrontation, her sister Chrysalis.

Striking Chrysalis in the base of her wings when the angle of attack allowed for it, did the Nirik flames consume the flight magic inside them without harming them physically in any capacity.

The crash landing in contrast, did enough physical damage to knocking her out cold.

Ribbons of spiraling flames hit Luna, when Celestia attacked her next. When it hit her on her left wing. This attack was aimed for her feathers to be specific.
Unlike with Chrysalis did the flames consume Lunas primary wing feathers halfway, but left her otherwise unharmed.

In contrast to Chrysalis did Luna was safely lifted mid fall by Nightmare and hastily deposited on the ground in a bush to cushing her impact.

At least Luna could take care of the unconscious buggy sister.

Unfortunately now nopony stand in between the queen of the night and her absolutely livid sunshine bringing sister turned super nova for this one of a kind twilight.

As always did Nightmare tried to use humor to throw off her opposition focus in fight with witty jokes and creative insults. It also helped enraged opposition to calm down more often than not.

Nightmare Moon was constantly forced into cocooning herselves around in protective shields and hastily erected heat reduction wards, but the pyromaniac alicorn in all her glory only increased the pressure and heat of her attacks in response.

While Nightmare was bombarding Celestia with bad jokes and clever puns, did Celestia returned magical fire back at the smart ass alicorn of the night.

To Nightmare Moon surprise, did anypony hit by Celestias attacks only suffered superficial damage. If a Pegasus was hit, he or she often lamented the horror of having their wings feathers burned to the quill beginning, but are otherwise unharmed.
A testament of fine control in its effect even when casted in the haste of battle.

A unicorn would in comparison lose a impressive patch of fur coat, tail hair or their entire mane in some cases.
Despite Celestias appearing rage guided rampage, did her attacks had methods and reasoning behind them.
Apperently was Nirik Celestia not beyond reasonable use of force.

Unfortunately did she not restrained her fore hoove punches and hindleg bucks in the air.
At the latest when Celestia put Nightmare through two thick walls, when Nightmare flee into the castle confined space, because her Thestral wings give her agility over speed.
Thestral wing has claws on them, that every Thestral enjoyed as makeshift fine tool manipulators, weapons, as well vector changing mid air hooks on surfaces throughout the area, like furniture and tapestries.

But afterwards did her wingclaws burn with the over exertion of overuse of unregular trained movements.
Something that tired her wings out in general over a short time period, what also caused every join found in the wing to strain and complain with a burning sensation.

Any attempts to talk to Celestia showed to be a waste of breath for Nightmare and was answered with a battle cry at best.

Celestia tried a new tactic after some time, since her current attack patterns had not the necessary effects on her eldest sister.
The unfortunate result of somepony that trained and had sparring matches with decades of experience behind them accumulated.
The flames of her newest attacks encased the shield of the night queen and in this ball of bright ball of magical flame, started to blind everyone around them with the volume of flames and their stinging heat waves alone.

Celestia than started a manover that made her spinning in a small circle, faster and faster as it lifted the queen of Equestria off the air like a hurricane would uproot buildings and smashed her into the ground shortly after with a application of telekinetic grabbing.

Than the Nirik turned day alicorn of the day tried to suffocating Nightmare by having her in a magic fire wall that actively consumed the air in its proximity and try to let them eat away anything to breathe.

The burning ball was held in place for a moment before exploding brilliantly, revealing a unamused Nightmare Moon now being fed up with Celestia supposed coup attempt.

Nightmare Moon grinned, revealing her Thestral teeth, her fangs to be specific, that looked like they could tear through dragon scales if need be.

Queen Nightmare Moons unicorn shaped horn glowing a brilliant blue, she cast a beam of energy out, smashing the magic flame engulfed day alicorn into a wall, until mid way to being through it she suddenly stopped.

All this punishment that the castle had endured by magic attacks that hit the castle or its foundation had unfortunately reached a critical level. So after the damage that had been greatly over their makers endurance estimated needs, reached the ceiling of the throne room limit.

Many things started to fall apart partially, sending slabs of stone and thick crystal glass crashing to the floor below.
Almost threatening to showering them in a very extremely sharp rain of crystal glass.

If the mortals comprising the day alicorns forces had not been evacuating the castle inhabitants to keep them better in check, than the death toll than and there would have been a tragedy all on their own.

As the night themed now challenged queen of equestria witnessed her home crumbling around her, did she really had no other choice than to treat her sister as a enemy to the nation:

“Tia, I will not longer play around with you!” Narrowing her eyes in determination, Nightmare Moon stepped forward in calculating steps.
“You must lower the sun and end this madness immediately!
It is your duty as a princess of Equestria!"

When Celestia looked blankly at her superior in the hierarchy of Equestria outside everyday nation related decisions, could Nightmare try a last time to defuse her sisters rage with some bad not to clever humor:

"Besides i can hear the protest and confusion filled out cry of the castle chicken cocks turn in indecision, due to the instinctual need to announce the day or leave the creatures of the castle rest another hour or three!”

But apperently had it rather the opposing effect on her second youngest sister.

Celestia sneered and answer her defiantly standing sister:
“Still trying to defuse the situation with jokes in hopes i give you a last chance after all Moony?”
The in fury burning AND quite literally burning alicorn growled, as she freed herself out the wall indented her body had forced upon it.

With a stomping hoof to the ground upon landing to catch a breath, did Celestia give both sides time to take a breath and let the conflict as well the destroyed surrounding sink in how far everything had gone to Tarterus. Her eyes flared dangerously in a greenish and purple mist.

“I am sick and tired of being not taken seriously by you or the others, further more do you know that if i don't end it tonight, my coming morning might very well be the last i ever bring!

Only a Alicorn with Kirin attributes can control one of the 10 artificial sun's our ancestors had created, before they encased our Empire and isolated us from 'THE STAR-DEMONS'.
I have but one royal duty now 'Queen Stellar':

To defeat and banish you, no matter the methods! After all, unless you can pull a Kirin with the powerscale to move at least a artificial sun if not to speak a real sun, than by royal duty alone there is no choice in the matter, a Alicorn of the day need to stay or all life within the Space Sphere Empire will suffer for the lack of balance and coordination.”

With a shout of outrage, Nightmare Moon blasted away at her monolingual justification her sister Celestia was throwing at her.
Nightmare Moon Stellar was no fool and knew that, but it disregarded the magic enclave sun and moon rising abilities and more importantly, indicating that her loyal antique order that maintained balance was no longer a option.
The insolence her sister was showing her loyal and faithful followers and implied incompetence or worse was staggering!

The Alicorn showed one another with her magic, that was beyond moral fine control unassisted that either wasn't backing down.
The younger alicorn slipped out of the way of the lastest beam attack embuded with ice affinity, a mighty flap of her magic fire engulfed wings spared her sisters attempt to make her 'chill out'.

She needed space to work, and the Nightmare Moon shaped holes through the perforated room walls was more than adequate for the moment.

With another flap, she accelerated out of the castle and into the night sky when she smashed through a ruined broken window, the former windowd frame set alight by the still blazing heat coming of Celestias body.

The eerie eclipse that was a signal for her following army to non-lethaly subdued any resistance in their path, had done their duty.
In the distance did bound groups on ponies showed prisoners that would have to be persuaded after everything was said and done, but the corrupt and the fooled followers of Nightmare needed to be sorted out later.

Celestias thoughts got interrupted by a very mutch enraged shout of her eldest sister.

“And where do you think you are going now Tia? Are you running low on mana perhaps?!” Nightmare Moon shouted at her retreating sister, consequently sending chills down everycreatures spine to hear the dark undertones of the ice queens outrage.

Slowly losing her patience with her cake loving sister to hold back her truth might and her
hired roughe turned followers.
Leaping into the air after following her sister magical signature outside the castle, Nightmare flew after her sister with dead serious intent to crush this rebellion in its beginning hours.

There would be no running from this battle for Celestia, because she could not decide the fight before her mana reserves run dry.
Especially her followers would feel the full weight of the law for their actions today.
They better had following Celestias non-lethal approach, unless they wanted to meet their untimely end as well.

Nightmares flight muscles straining increasingly got worse, all her creative aerial manovers and indoor attack spell dodging actions had the queen of the night remember why one should not skipping wing night in the sparring.

Celestia was probably running low on mana with her unrelenting attack until now, but Nightmare had in turn overstretched her physical endurance.
This confrontation was about to end rather sooner than later.

'Nightmare Moon Stellar' was unlike her rebellion leading sister more towards magic than physical prowess, she had her first aspect of Alicornhood as a unicorn, a very magic versatile and strong side to have in one's nature.

Her second aspect was that of a Thestral, making her a deadly hunter of the night. By benefits of eyes that see in the darkest of nights, as if it was a cloud covered day at worst. The benefits her fangs give her to ravishing fruits was not to bad either.
Right now she would almost kill for a Mango or three.

Her third aspect was that of a night Earthpony, taking strength from earth magic and moonlight alike, giving her a advantage over day Earthponys that are strongest during sun light hours. Granting a constitution beyond most mortals in their prime and her stamina at least half as good as that of Celestia.

With Nightmare fourth aspect and/or affinity of Bicorns, able to perform magic usually faster due to have two separate horns. Nightmare without the second horn still being able to perform as if she had two physical horns.

Celestia flapped her wings and weaved between the towers and ramparts of the castle while dodging the return fire of Nightmare.

Unlike her own magical blasts in strong and long burst that would in return yield great effect, did Nightmare rather howed her fondness for fast and short bursts of magical concussion spells.

The form Nightmare Moon barrage of attack used reminded her of a arrow wall coming down on a army, trading precision for area covered in hits.

While Nightmare pursued her fleeing sister high in the sky over the castle of the Everfree capital of Equestria, did the well prepared forces of Unicorns and Kirin did their best subduing any resistance in their path.

Celestia was in trouble, her mana was running lower faster than she expected. Her Nirik form enhanced her greatly, but it was hard on her magical and physical stamina as a consequence.

When Celestia had been hit once to often on the base of her wings, did her fine control in the air faulted and she had to change tactics.

Dropping towards the ground, Celestia flared her wings at the last possible moment to just skim across the surface above the treeline of the Everfree Forest. Nightmare Moon stayed hot on her tail despite Pegasus usually being able to outspeed any Thestral in the air.

Rising back up into the air with growing strain on her overtaxed wing joins, did Celestia really regret to have skipped wing day for the last months.

Nightmare Moon fired another series of short burst beams and blasts, this time with almost deadly accuracy.
Speeding out from her horn, the bolt struck true, hitting Celestia in the chest when she tried a quick turn mid air.

She screamed in pain, and her wings locked up. She plummeted to the ground without her wings acting as airbreaks.
It was to her luck that Celestia fell through a series of trees to cushion her fall.

For minutes on end did Celestia and Nightmare used the trees for cover, while smacking one another again with innocent trees and the wild life of the Everfree Forest like a Manticore that would teach his cubs how dangerous horned ponies are, a prey pretending to be a predator and doing it quite well.
Everything living in the forest really learned to fear the ponies in the following minutes.

Meanwhile did Luna was hauling flank with Chrysalis on her back riding still unconscious, while the Ponies and Kirin following the sunprincess battered Lunas shield relentless with all kind of spells.

While a flame shield would have accounted for most Kirin attack spells, did the Unicorns made it difficult with other elemental attacks like thunder, ice spears, some seem to try confuse her with tickle curses.

Unfortunately did Celestias forces made sure that their opposition don't get any momentum with sabotage days before this civil war started, further would many night walking pony found there food spiced up.
Be it magic suppressing medication or more exotic poisoning.

Celestia made sure that everything used had no permanent outcomes, but she would not risk as mutch as a combat maid to come to her sisters aid this night.

While Luna could have defeated a lot of the rebels as her alicorn powers outstripping even a Archmage followed by a hundred or three hundred of followers supporting them.
The most powerful mortals under pony kind all collected in Equestria's magic enclave, unfortunately did her current situation was not allowing for its support due to Celestia’s preparations to keep them indisposed.

Every immortal once there power bloomed to full potential could take a army of sword and crossbow wielding enemys. A mortal simply could not stand up to immortals, unless they had extraordinary circumstances backing them up.
Like a unconscious sister on one's back paired with the problem that area of effect spells usually destroyed more than the enemy.

As mutch as Luna would love to teach the rebels how a magic battle really looks like, did her destroying the castle and its surrounding would have been like overwhelming a Bloody Bunny with siege breaking weapons.

Further would this rebellion end the moment Nightmare or Tia would be defeated by the other.

Until than Luna just had to keep moving and shielding Chrysalis unmoving limp body.

After roughly a half hour of two sister booping one another violently with uprooted trees and the occasional concussion spell to the face, did the sun and night princesses take to the sky again, though it ended a lot sooner than Celestia could have guessed.

When Nightmare unexpectedly teleported infront of Celestia and with pinpoint accuracy used a area of effect attack aimed at forcing anything in its effective range to ground.
Specifically did Celestia was put through the roof of the throne room.

When the living flaming inferno of a alicorn found herself sprawled on the floor, did she wondered what else,she could do to win this battle.
Having even if for a short time to breach through 3 alicorns magical defenses had really drained her.

By now she already feel her flames lose strength and she had lost a lot of her hordes of mana stored for this confrontation within the royal petral infront of her chest.
If this continued for longer than roughly half a hour, than she would have put months of planning and fortunes of enchanted metal stored for over a millenia unnecessary into a wasted campaign.

Every part of her body ached as she lay still against the already cool stone of the marble floor. She kept her eyes closed, taking the moment to gather her strength. The fight had been short in general, but it had still taken a lot of out of her in less than 2 hours of intensive magic casting with the occasional hoove work.

It wasn’t over and she still had a long way to go before she could rest in the knowledge that she done all she could to prevent greater harm to her family and queendom.

Sighing deeply, Celestia stood slowly on her by now shaking four legs, her eyes still closed. Her head hung low she spoke to herself:
“Oh, dear sister. I am so sorry... But if i can not talk you down, not defeat you in battle, than i must play our queendom last remaining trump card. May Harmony forgive me, for nopony else will...”

Stepping backwards, Celestia dispelled her Nirik form mostly and Celestia fur coat was mostly back to its normal, while her mane was still on fired alongside her tail.
She released a beam of magic at the center of the floor of the throne room.

The enshrined last ditch effort of her plans would bring her victory or everything would be lost.

Laboriously due to her low magic reserves and with a groan of protesting metal, did the floor slid apart. Hidden gears clacked against each other, spinning and rising the legendary trump card of Equestria, queendom of ponykind.

Out of the hole in the floor did a large device rose up, five spires orbiting around it on thin metal arms. On the top of the device sat a smooth anti magic stone globe, perfectly spherical in its making.

“You have given me no choice but to use these, sister.” Celestia whispered mournfully as she stretched her heavily protesting wings with many secondary feathers broken or even ripped out to the quill.

With a strong flap of her heavy damaged wings, flew the former proud alicorn of the morning up above the device, using her magic to take hold of the anti magic stone globe in the center, by overpowering their anti magic resistance coming from its protective casing.

She grimaced as her magic strained against the stone anti magic spectrum, but slowly and surely, out of the stone rose the Element of Magic, the Element of her sister Nightmare Moon.

From the thin metal spires, the other five elements rose encased in anti magic stone to prevent anyone less than a Archmage to use them.

Kindness & Generosity, the element she herself was wielding.
Laughter Nightmare Moons second element. Honesty & Loyalty was wielded by Luna.
They all together formed
'The Elements of Harmony'.

They meet all with the element of magic in Celestias telekinesis mid air.
Celestia could feel the magic of Harmony pulsing within her, yet they resisted her as well.
Forcing them to fire would take time and as they rose to orbit around Celestia, did she wondered:
'Would she come to regret their usage?'

Held aloft by her magic grip, did the elements slowly charged as she hoped.

Beating her straining and acking wings, Celestia rose back up through the hole in the ceiling her body created, thanks to Nightmare Moons attack just a minute or two ago.
While Celestia remember all the times they had used the Harmony power earlier as she ascended of the throne room.

• Discord
  
• Grogar
  
• Tirek
  
• Sombra

And now, against her own blood...
- Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon was waiting for her outside, her teeth gritted together in anger as she witnessed Celestias last desperate gamble.
This better be the biggest joke Celestias ever pulled, that hopefully have one Tarterus of a punchline, because otherwise Celestia must have truly lost it.

To use the sacred elements of harmony against her own blood.

Hovering unsteady in the air, Celestia glared at Nightmare Moon back as the dark mare lowered herself from the sky to Celestia’s level landing on the roof so both might rest their wings for a few minutes.

Even as the Elements orbited around the almost to her normal state returned day alicorn form, the white mare felt lower than she ever had before since she truly had not expected to fall on her last desperate plan to succeed.
Her heart heavy in her chest with tears welling in her eyes she steeled herself, she had no doubt that she would regret victory or defeat.

“Don’t make me do this, Moony.” Celestia pleaded, her voice cracking in open desperation.

“I Nightmare Moon queen of Equestria command you to stop your rebellion and return the elements of harmony to their resting place under the throne room."

Nightmare Moon waited for dramatic delivery and giving her sentence more weight.

"Comply or truly witness mercyless judgment, this no longer is a family business, but a matter of the queendom.
Do as your Queen commands or you will share the dungeon with your misguided followers Celestia Solaris Stellar.”

A crack of lightning from her horn punctuated her statement.

“I was wrong not to heed your fear Celestia, return the elements and i swear on my throne i do what i can to..."

Nightmare hesitate before continuing:

"...be the one suffering the prophecy.”

Celestia sighed, lowering her head. “But this fighting does nothing, but prevent me from falling victim to the prophecy. Certainly you can see my action for this single purpose.
As to not meat my 'unkind fate', i have to do this.
Or the prophecy shall be fullfilled.”

“No!” Nightmare Moon shook her head and gestured an angry hoof at her sister.
“This is 'NOT' the only way!”

Celestia know that Nightmare Moon pride as Queen of Equestria would not allow for her surrendering to anyone, without extraordinary circumstances.

Gathering her magic, Nightmare Moon fired a beam of magic at the solar princess, when she failed to comply.
Celestia dodged by jumping of the damaged roof and Nightmare Moon rushed to follow her foolish sister.

“This is the way that everything needs to happen! You know it to be true!” Celestia shouted after growling bigger sister.

Their desperate flight took them around the entirety of the castle outline parameters, with countless Kirin and Unicorns watching the alicorns battle.
Magic arced out across the sky, ripping stone and mortar to pieces, whenever it failed to connect with its intended target.

“Stop this immediately Celestia, called Luna and a awake but still groggy Chrysalis over to their rebbeling sibling.

“Never!” Celestia shouted. Gathering her magic, she fired a low mana blast after another at her pursuing attacker to buy herself more time to charge the elements.

Celestia still slipped through Nightmare Moon’s attack and resisted any telekinesis grabbing of herself or that of the elements of harmony.
The stones started to glow brighter and made Nightmare very nervous, there wasn't mutch left than taking the fleeding alicorn down, hard.

Every self preservation instinct deep inside Nightmare telling her to end it immediately.

The maiming magic that would have struck Celestias head if she didn't dodge in the last moment instead continued onwards, blasting apart the tallest tower of the castle. More than half of the stones turned to dust and debre from the sheer power of the blast Nightmare Moon used, the queen of equestria used lethal levels of spells now.

What was left behind from the tower that got hit my Nightmare crumbled and showed Celestia that this was now a do or die situation.

Unfortunately did Celestias panic made her over strained wings lock up after reaching the physical limit, without any magi for flight to spare did the mare was helplessly plummeting to the ground.

To her relief did some Unicorns and Kirin come to her aid, but as expected did they stopped the mighty queen of equestria only for a few seconds. Far worse did the queen of the night stopped holding back towards the rebels and every singel pony residing between Celestia and herself died a quick painful death. Nothing mutch of the soldiers was left, the magic enchanted armor could not withstand a alicorns magic.

Celestias eyes widened in complete terror and fear, she had pushed her oldest sister over the line of no return. Celestia stopped her running, away unwilling to sacrifice even more ponies.
It would and now, one way or another.

Turning to face her sister in mortal combat.
It was overwhelming strength that forced Celestia via telekinesis to the ground. The fight was over befor it even started.
Celestia could feel only sadness and pain at everything she had thrown away for her one chance of success.

Until the magic holding Celestia down was suddenly breaking. Celestia one of 2 remaining princesses of ponykind had done it, the elements had charged fully up and she had been rendered immune to all magic for the duration of the harmony stones usage.

“Oh, Celestia.” Nightmare spoke softly. She lowered herself to the ground admission of her defeat.

As Nightmare was letting herself fall to the ground, just one question for her sister:
“What have you decided?
What shall be the fate for us, beloved sister?”

Celestia spoke with a shaking voice:
"Banishment to our sisters green Moon for a century.
With only two alicorn remaining on Equis like the prophecy has fortold."

Nightmare Moon nodded in submission and spoke:
"Very well, I think in the end, this might be the most beneficial way to fullfill the prophecy.
I will see you in about 100 years sister."

Celestia nodded with tears streaming down her face.

But not because of what Nightmare Moon had expected her reasons to be.

A minute later did the Moon had a new decail on its surface of a alicorn head.

“No!” Did her sisters whisper shouted when they spotted the mare on the moon.
One of her sisters had been banished to Lunas moon.

The form of Luna and Chrysalis come into view of Nightmare Moon faded away fur coat, leaving Queen Nightmare Moon exhausted form laying unconscious on the ground. Tears filled their eyes and with rushed steps, did they moved towards the alicorn laying on the ground.

Celestia had just banished herself and transferred her Kirin powers to her eldest sister, allowing her to wield the sun.

And so the Celestial sun princess had in the history books rebelled and payed the price.
In the end she had chosen differently and had decided that she could not after all force a 'unkind fate' on her own family.

It is never to late for a change of heart.

One month later

The castle of the formerly four sisters

Chrysalis touched down softly beside Nightmare Moon, the queens body was still adjusting to her now self banished sisters power. While many doctors and the Archmage of the queendom keep peering up at her and record all changes in her magic signature.

Out of the rubble of this very short lived rebellion
come a lot of trouble. Once the rubble and dust had set, did everything in the rebels army had to pay accordingly with monetary compensation, unless their actions had earned them to stay the rest of their life in Tarterus or the breeding stalls.

What had caught Lunas attention was Nightmare inability to rest during the day and life through the night. Apperently did Celestias nature shattered any chance of Nightmare’s old lifestyle to return until the day of her return.

The dark blue alicorn still recovering from the fight and the adjustments to her magic, like a foal in a crib lay exhausted after a day of running and flying around.

The still queen of equestria was as if flattened from stones catapulted by siege weapons hit mid air. The remnants of Celestias hardline supporters had fleed the country or were on the way of doing it.

Everypony that feared persecution were strewn all about the outskirts of the land of ponies.
Until they could form up again and do anything to become a barely recognizable military force to fear once more.

In the wreckage of a splintered Equestria, did Celestia had shaken the foundation of the queendom and revealed corruption and other nations plot.
In a way banished princess of Equestria Celestia Solaris Stellar, had prevented the worst outcome the royal family had feared, turning it into a new chance of making Equestria what it was always meant to be:

A Queendom of unity, be it by all pony races and/or non pony races.

The remnants of Princess Celestia’s room, where collected and everycreature prepared to leave the castle of the Everfree capitol behind.

At least until it could be de-constructed and rebuild stone by stone.
The fight between alicorns had cracked the castle roof down to the very foundation.

Everycreature was helping their search from hidden magic artifacts to little momentous of the last millenia. Everyone continued silently their assigned task, tossing rubble aside and out of the castle, stone by brick stone.
It was a melancholy time for Equestria, for they had lost more than they could afford, once their not so friendly neighbors found out about this rebellion, they presumably would smell blood in the air and strike.

Fortunately did the rebels delivered already masterfully crafted armor for their defense.
Equestrian had always been geared up towards defense and stalling the enemy, until the alicorns and unicorn mage order could arrive to turn the tide of otherwise not to win battles.

Many nobel that were promised rich rewards for helping to usurp their rightful queen where holding back tears, their crocodile tears for losing their standing and depending on investigation, their freedom.
Though Luna raged quietly under her mask of stern determination that over half their nobility had fallen to corruption and greed, what remained was truly deserving of their titel.

Taking ahold of the largest pieces of the black market of Equestria, did Nightmare, Luna and Chrysalis ripped its net of corruption and organisation into unusable pieces.

The tower of corruption was reaching quite high, its roots going down to the foundation.
But in time would they remove it.
And unlike before, be wary of its eventually trying to return.

Luna tossed the rotting elements inside Equestria borders to burn, in some cases quite literally. Until many outside forces needed to return from where they once came when ponies and non ponies alike suffered their participation of its grip around Equestria's throat.

It weight was nothing to sneeze at, but with 3 immortals? The mortal criminals fleeing the queendom of ponykind in hopes their descendant would rise once more, would see their plans to bring Equestria to its knees failed and tossed aside.

And as they had dropped to the ground in horror of everything revealed and ripped from its hiding places, a better Equestria would hopefully rise and not fall again due to corruption.

Luna, Nightmare and Chrysalis let their collective tears flow freely, internally screaming their despair to the sky above.
The 'Elements of Harmony' had lost their magic.
With them lost, was Celestias return in question.
How would she be returned to them after a hundred years if their power was sealed away?

“I am sorry, children of Equis,”
the tree of Harmony said quietly.
"The Harmony within your group has been lost. Until you find new potencial bearing element holders, your sister will remain on the green moon. Unless you find a way to bring her back through the void of space on your own efforts.

Disheartened the royal family would need to find a way to either get Celestia back on their own or bring somecreatures appropriate to represent Harmony once more.
100 years would be a tight fit to find a way returning Celestia to them.

Either way...
...things would never be the same.

Ten thousand years later...

Discord finally managed to get out his absolutely unbearable petrification prison.
After a short full body stretching, did he finally scratched his nose.
That was a horrific torture for a few thousand years, occupying half his attention over the millenia.

After having himself freed of his stiffness and his half maddening nose itch, did he noticed that he had nearly no plans what so ever for the near future.

A whimpering noise pulled his attention to about where his cloven leg would be, what he witnessed almost give him either diabetic attacks or a diabolical case of heartburn.

Before him did Chrysalis and Luna sit looking up at his elevated position like dogs that had not been fed and let out for walkies afterwards.

When he facepalmed at that display of puppy eyes, did he had to scratch the gravel out the conors of his eyes and looked down again.

Now Luna had reduced her height to a normal pony and Chrysalis had changed to a filly version of herself, both still giving him puppy dog eyes.

Discord double facepalmed at that sight.
After a minute of growling and groaning to himself did he looked again at them.

Now Luna had upgraded to quivering under lip and of all things Chrysalis had shifted to a actual puppy that was whimpering and pawing at the air in Discords direction.

Now Discord literally feel like he had kicked a puppy, but he resisted the urge to give justification to this horrible feeling forced upon him.

When he ask what they wanted from him so soon after he had freed himself, could he have sworn on his nuts that he could hear the 'Tree of Harmony' metaphoricaly full belly laughing about his situation.

Maybe being petrified for a few more millenia wasn't that bad after all.

After having the situation explained to him, did Discord first needed to meet with Harmony in person to ask if he needed to do more than fixing Celestias slip up.

'The Lord of Chaos' wasn't to surprised to see Harmony in a bad shape, it looked like it needed a vacation.

Harmony told Discord: "I need a vacation... this adorable equines and other heart attack inducing creatures run my roots to exhaustion. "

The oldest prankster of the universe understood the sentiment rather well, they had gotten him stoned, without the nice side effects.

Discord told Harmony simply in a dismissing way: "Go ahead, I can take care of Equestria for you."

While Harmony rejoiced at the chance of have a driday night and two day for itself, a hole weekend! Still would a bad feeling in its roots not take this opportunity without questioning its good luck.

Harmony ask in a serious tone:
"Will Equestria still stand next weeks start, if I take two days off?"

Discord contemplated his response while he dislodged a few pebbles remains from his goatee, that awful stone prison of Harmonys powers had not fully dissipated yet and the Draconequus almost told Harmony his honest opinion about it:
"Probably n- ABSOLUTELY!"

The tree of Harmony would have narrowing its eyebrows if it had eyes, but its silence was telling the chaos bringer about he's chance to deceive it.
It would be rather having a displeased outlook about Equis well being with no being watching over the Chimera.

Discord give its counterpart a set of puppy eyes and a sad smile of a cat.
Harmony would probably regret it upon returning, but it really needed a vacation from the ponies.

So Harmony told Discord sternly:
"No elaborate adventures with your direct participation with the ponies and you have a deal..."

Discord already was complaining with his face stretched in disappointment and he told it:
"You take all the fun out of it..."

Harmony would have smirked in triumph if it crystalline structure had anything resembling a face:
"We have a deal than. See you Monday!"

The Trees bright glow diminish a lot, when it
shifted its mind and part if it's body into another dimension to pollinate some flowers.
They have not seen it for over 10 millenia his time after all.

Discord waited a few minutes unmoving before he got nudged by Luna and Chrysalis:
"Yes i know... i get your sisters of the moon surface and back to Equestria, but give me one hour or three.
Also you might want to prepare a welcome back to Equis party or something. Otherwise this might end in tears or anything equally unpleasant.

Chrysalis Queen of the shape-shifting Bugwaifus and Luna the new mare of the night squeezed Discord in a hug in celebration, before flying off for all preparations that could be accomplished in the short time.

Discord smirked, because the worn down tree of harmony never specified that he should give them opportunities to talk everything out in peace, he could and would watch them giving one another some harsh love for the stonewalling they give him.

Harmony returns monday around 8 in the morning. One of the mirror dimension it had visited, did given it in the 2 days and nights that passed more than 2 years of vacation time.
The eternity that it had not been there made sure that everyone wanted a piece of it.

A lot of Harmony was brought and spread to its preferred vacation spot.

Harmony enjoyed the afterglow up to now of its vacation for a few seconds more, before it became aware of Equis, specifically Equestria and give its equivalent of a shrieked in horror:
"WHY IS THE EVERFREE FOREST ON FIRE?!"

Discord poofed into existence like a inverted ballon explosion and answer his eternal rival:
"Ok, seriouse talk here...
It's entirely your fault for leaving me alone for two hole days and some hours without supervision..."

The Tree of Harmony could not physically facepalm due to lack of a face and palms, but it was really tempted to find a equivalent for its own use right about now...

30 Years later - Shadowbolts search
and rescue mission

April 1rd, 2164 C.E.
Mindoir, Attican Traverse

The Batarian Hegemony had a strange way of pulling a prank on someone. The colony of Mindoir would be a text book example of their dark humor.

Alarms indicating imminent trouble blared through the spaceship with two squads with eatch 6 members of 'Nightmare Moon finest Black Ops Units' and 6 recently filled closed reinforced cascades.
Cloud Shy had years long experiences drowned stuff like that out on demand, the losing of friends he served with and the ignoring of attention drawing details.

He had bigger issues to focus on like his wife Rose Shy needing a hoove to get into her fur coat tight battlesuit, even if she had been perfectly able to do it herself due to years of training, it was still battle damaged like his own, since they had 3 missions in a row.

The triathlon of missions he had run with his team and two other squads unfortunately ended up with eatch team losing 2 members, so it was less than ideal, when they reacted to a emergency signal.
A colony mayday calling for immediate military assistance.

What was stopping his enthusiasm to service was not just losing 4 of his best friends, but also the 2 sisters of his wife. A very bitter reality they would have to work through later.
Of all things that had cost their life it was running completely out of standard ammo blocks.

Shadowbolts usually didn't engage in several hours long lasting firefights, but at least they had selled themselves extreamly high when it was unavoidable, when ever they are forced into it, they show why a well trained and coordinated elite squad can be a lot more deadly than a platoon of mediocre trained pirates and/or slave traders.

Their on board A.I. named 'Shadow Walker' counted over 181 confirmed kills and 9 unconfirmed kills, over the 3 missions running for 50 hours straight.

Eventually physical and equipment fatigue as well ammunition shortage, had them backed into a conor and the horseapples started dropping one after another.

But there would be time for a debriefing and the laying to rest of their fallen unsung heros for later.

The Shadowbolts had at least 23 hours to get patched up and sleep thanks to mild sleeping aids and their general fatigue.
But a Shadowbolts work is never truly done.

Luck had it that Griffon marines had been running a life fire exercise with their Human counterparts and some of the few Krogan allies they had with them.
The unexpected reinforcement had really pulled the Shadowbolts squads rumps out of the frying pan back into a manageable fire.

Unlike themself, the Marines had also brought along fire support in form of space fighters, their air support had made a world of difference between making strafing runs and simply breaking up already failing combat formations.

Shadowbolts usually dropped alone and worked with cloak and dagger tactics.
Undetected into enemy territory and with a blood stained dagger silently out the area, ideally exfiltration performed before anyone noticed them ever being there and able to react to their presence.

The Shadowbolts had been on a search and destroy mission. They acted on stolen black market informations and had managed to destroy two huge raider partys cooperating.

Base camp and officers could be successfully added to their 'Bingo books', but a big collection of retired civilian grade shuttles busses had made it out of the operation area to places unknown.

They had followed discreetly and found their beta base, what with a application of the rest of their exploding presents and some improvised surprises could been partially be clean out as well.

In the end they got a bit sloppy, when the enemy caught up to them. Before they could successfully retreat was when everything went to the storm clouds and it hailed death upon them and their evacuation shuttles.

What Batarians lack in proper personal armor and viability of improvised military transportation, they make up with numbers and the neck to use improvised target tracking explosives similar in outside apperance of old style RPG's. At least that is what he was remembering of human weapon history, something about russian heavy weapons a long time ago in a long since past battle or war.

When their military grade evacuation shuttles had been shot down with a literally wasteful amount of explosives, did they had to fight for hour's in a less than ideal terrain.

Over time they had to replace their high quality weapons with what ever could be taken from fallen Batarian militant element send out against them, since used standard ammunition blocks not worked beyond a certain point.

When the Batarians seemingly wisely making sure after the first hour of uninterrupted firefights to limit their canon fodder to only the weapon ammunition blocks in their weapons already loaded, so that at their bodies wasn't a single standard ammunition block to salvage for the ponies to use against them.

Lack of maintenance and proper weapon calibration really throw the Pegasus and Thestrals of the Shadowbolts for a loop, when eventually they had to discard their own weapons for the trash the Batarians give away for their cheapest troops.
How anyone could hope to accurately dispose enemies over 100 meters away from them was a mystery.

Further did it made it really tricky to dispose of their well armored and kinetic barriers protected officers.

Only a unexpectedly arriving small fleet of 2 military shuttle and space fighter holding carrier with 3 capital scout ships as reinforcements saved the day.

It would really have been a embarrassing end, to fall to Batarians that are at best third grade or lower. To be specific to the ones that had only been hired of their slumps in their colonys and given enough training to hold a gun and point it towards the enemy in the hopes they don't starve to death.
Most of the times.

As outside the Batarian main military the 'backstabbing' of ones superior to steal her position, was rather often happening under the female population. The Batarian had the same problem with population ratios like ponies.

Just slightly less drastic.

But unlike ponies who respected their males and herded, in so finding strength in numbers, the Batarian females love to murder their competition. Rather depend on their own often lacking strength.

Than again, they might be the next genophage victim if they didn't changed their ways, since they breed more rapidly than humans with supposedly half the care of the world raising them 'AFTER' they reach their adulthood with a breeding age at 15 'properly'.

In the end quantity of cheap troops pressed to charge on mass, had simply overrun the elite of the equine military over time on the ground, when eventually their weapons and equipment started to give out.

The Griffon marines had taken surprisingly many casualties due to some suicide bombing Batarian already by gunfire and improvised explosion device downed officers, pleading for help.
Perhaps not willing to go out alone, than often detonate a grenade or other improvised explosive, when a green marine of the Griffon showed a heart and tried to help.

The humans surprisingly didn't lose any of their marines to this tactic, rather shooting the Batarians in the head, than helping them mid combat.

One can say many things about Sphere or Human morality on the combat philosophy, but at least the humans had a lot more marines returning afterwards to tell the tale.
A bleeding heart in the middle of a combat with Batarians was yet to be learned outside Shadowbolts ranks to be futility at best, outright deathly naive at worst.

Batarians rarely ever undertake self sacrifice outside direct family, but perhaps it was rather spitting the enemy in the face, than dying for a greater goal.
Batarians had a neck for smaller pictures, rather than the bigger hole.
At least outside their main military.

Batarians were still rather hard to judge beside their official codex entries, what left out their military structure that was between a disciplined militia and unorganized pirate bands.

While their main gavourment was tolerable, their outright willful ignorance of who ever of their race did something to non Batarian Hegemony members was redicules.

Fortunately did the Krogan mercenaries and human marines take up the slack and the Batarian slave camp was successfully purged in the end.
The Krogan always enjoyed their by now traditional looting of the enemy.

Keeping everything useful, while selling everything else for materials to the Space Sphere Empire that the ponies and other species called their home. With Batarian salvage it really was just melting down their stuff for materials.

At least a Turian pirate gang had well calibrated guns and armor, while Salarian pirates and outlaws had the best omnitool and equipment add-ons on them.

But apperently had they not purged them fast enough, because the distress call on their way home had most likely something to do with the two destroyed slavery groups they had disposed off earlier.
Apperently did more than a few shuttles busses had made their escape, if they started their raiding activities right away.

It would also explain the lack of slaves in their base camps. The empty cages found suggested they had prepared for some big operation.

After a series of missions back to back and them being battle fatigued and under equipment failure, did a distress call ending their plans on returning home abruptly and giving them another situation to clean up.

The fact that Cloud Shy and his comrades was about to experience combat after having lost 6 of his best friends, just was the topping of this sun and moon forsaking milkrun outside their territory.

For the first time in his life did Cloud consider retirement. It was honestly something that he had prayed he would never see himself doing, but times had changed a lot since he entered the military life.

Being a career soldier for 60 years and one year in a special unit that usually has a survival rate of three missions, since mass effect weapons got introduced.
But the monthly stand by salary was really great equally to a year of combat pay. Not to speak of actual combat pay as a Shadowbolt Agent.

The benefits for his family clan if he died wasn't to bad either. Matter of factly did it set up a herd of 4 members, the departed not counting since they just died, up for a simple lifestyle of luxury.

Sure, the Shadowbolts had become a more multi functional and frequently called on part of Equestria's military, since they discovered the humans and shortly after a mass relay near a star named Pluto.

The species named humans to everycreatures surprise happen to be a mythical creature to them, while all humans strangely enough seem to be thinking the same for all the species found inside the Space Sphere Empire as well.

The first contact was quite amusing, because apperently despite the mathematics improbable chances, both systems species seem to take a great liking to one another.
The advantages for the civilian sector thoroughly bounded humans and the Space Sphere Empire together.

Together with volunteers did 10.000 human got settled on the ring world that was known as 'Halo number 10', and together did humans engineering and the multi race societys of the Space Sphere Empire magic and glyph smith's developed Magi-Tek.

That and more did make up for all the trouble the military had this days defending Humans.
Their space traveling friends on two legs had billions in population in comparison to the hundred of millions of Sphere citizens.
Yet it was the marines of the humans and they military branches of all Sphere combined to keep the colonies save.

What the Sphere received in compensation for their military aid in infantry and the A.I. controlled space ships produced inside the Sphere, was materials in unbelievable high quantities, that in time got refined inside the Sphere Halos factory installations into high quality material blocks.

So mutch in fact, that the Sphere Empire had a artificial created world composed out of material blocks that to this day was growing. Thanks to the thoughtful recycling of everything that wasn't chemicals that got disposed by dumping them into space outside the Sphere Space.

Many years later on they also befriended a loyal and brave warrior race, that had once saved the galaxy from a threat noone else could, as stated by the Codex entries provided by a few datapads from something called 'Citadel Counsel Space' provided by the Krogans and verified later when eventually contacted with the
'Citadel Counsel Space' was established.

Only to be betrayed the following decades later. Even worse, they had been infected with a artificial created sickness that killed their children in their mothers wombs as a egg, within the 6 months it usually takes before the laying.

After learning of the cruelty the space outside their 'Space Sphere Empire' ruled, they blocked any travel inside the sphere until they implemented medical checkpoints for checking anything and everything that return from outside the Sphere Space.

Krogans that entered the Space Sphere Empire had been limited to one of the 10 ring worlds or otherwise referred as Halo's, massiv artificial world shaped like a massiv engagement horn, fetlock or wing ring.
They had been since the earliest recorded time in history be used as mining platforms and production facilities for space ships.

Fun fact:
The seemingly normal teleportation platforms, between nations had not as long believed connected races beyond a great wall of arctic ice and snow walls on their homeworld, but actually the homeworld and the ring worlds.

Anyway...

'Halo number 10' the closest ring world to the entry and exit point of the Sphere that hold their entire Empire collection of ring worlds and the homeworld in a protective casing, had accepted 20.000 males and 100 females of the Krogan race so far.
Apperently smuggling any born females of their poisoned homeworld often resulted in the ship's transporting them to suffer one fate or another that prevented them to flee to the Space Sphere Empire.

While the males are all adults of age 100 to 500, the female got smuggled to the Sphere Empire hidden between real artifacts of their homeworld and made up replica containing eatch a singel egg.
The Sphere Empire always was fond of culture and art rather than technology, ...officially...

That got traded for redicules amounts of food as the counsel of citadel races would call it.
Krogan, Salarian and human world received 'levo acid' based nutrition luxury goods grown on the homeworld and 3 of the ring worlds, since the taste was very appreciated without any artificial means as magic seem to have no negative side effects for non sphere species.

While Turians, Ranoch Quarians living with the Geth and Fleet Quarians opposed to the maschine lovers, as well Volus enjoyed 'dexto acid' foods.

What had scientists outside the Sphere baffled to this day, that the Space Sphere Empire somehow could grow both kinds of foods in the same soil nearly side by side with the application of day and night Earthponys and Changelings copy them and magical exchange their properties.

Clinical testing with volunteers had them taste testing the to identifiable food after chemical shots of neutralizing agents had been received. The apperently nearly same taste was outside the simple description as 'impossible without magic'.

All Vorcha in the testing had been selected because they are in their end stage of their life cycles and they had fully consent to the risks.
All Vorcha that had participated in the studies had been found to have died of natural causes instead of the consequences of eating usually deadly opposite nutrients made for otherwise totally different digestive systems.

Matter of factly did they died under a better health than they started after a year or longer of testing.

But that was unimportant.

What was important however, was the still horrified by the civilization of other space traveling races behavior that begged for help the once primitive races of the Krogans and Vorcha, only to betray the rescue races, even if they had some points that made sense why they did it.

Official historic records showed that after some Krogan factions had been calling to war against the other species that suddenly stopped supporting their race, after their services wouldn't be needed anymore.

The Krogans had a violent nature if not raised right, so that even the Space Sphere Empire had to heavily control their society and what entered the sphere at all, yet they would never have been as cruel as to practically force a slow genocide upon one race that saved theirs from certain extinction.

Unfortunately did the historic books would claim the Krogans to be responsible for it all and nothing said in contradiction was accepted.
One more reason why the Sphere didn't trade military and civilian technology production secrets.

According to older recordings years later seemed to confirm, Krogan are prone to violence and a voracity that reminded of a highly territorial dragon or a pregnant Kirin, but with patience and the occasional heavy hoove, the Krogans started to relax around Sphere Empire races that had granted them asylum.

Unfortunately many outside the Sphere Empire don't seem to understand or willingly ignore the reasons for anyone to show the Krogan race kindness and generosity.
Many seem to be to stuck in their anger and hate of the Krogans ancestors deeds, to see that the current generation and future generations could be lead to a decent civilization, if given the chance and some guidance.

Especially the 'coming of age Thrashers Maw challenge' got changed up to 'stealing a Dragon egg and raise it to be a Krogan' challenge.
Queen Chrysalis was certain it was a shifted instinct to raise descendants... alien cultures followed alien logic after all.

The Dragon and Kirin population was not happy how they like to 'tickle the dragon'.
On the other hoof it was sometimes hilarious, when a female non Krogan found herself the attention of a group of Krogan males.

Because the moment any species female showed a singel Krogan male sexual attraction, wasn't it to uncommon that a hospital was treating a huge group of Krogans after a headbutting competition.
It seem they would be competing under one another for a more worthy mate, than the original lucky male in question originally was the females target of affection.

Something that probably come from the Genophage enforcement of 'the superior Krogan gets to breed, while the loser get feed to the Varren'...
Varren are luckily not tolerated in the Sphere Empire, because even Cutie Mark gifted ponies declared them unsave at all times.

Vorcha at least know to not bite the hand that feeds them, when they miss 2 meals in a row...
there wasn't any redeeming quality for this overbreed hyper aggressive domestically hold alien warhounds.

At least the male Krogans had the common sence to aim for one another headplate instead of teeth or eyes...
Even if some dentists wouldn't mind the repeat business.

The Genophage wasn't contractable by any other species so far, the Alicorns made sure that was checked monthly by their top xeno medical biologists.
Besides farming and working at the ring worlds outer layer on the spaceship docks, the most place that was seeing them are...
pleasure service facilities.

Apperently Krogans had a healthy breeding instinct despite being unable to breed outside Dragon and Kirin unions.
Consequently creating a new market of pleasure workers, since stallions mostly had made up the branch of jobs their strength.
Something of a culture shock with interesting changes to the pleasure workers industry.

The only exception was Breezy's, how the Tarterus a Krogan male, a living breathing tank with redundant organs and a fragile Breezy got the idea to try it was still very unclear...
but the result ended always in a singel male offspring that looked like a Breeze had ...
breed ...
with...
a...
Nevermind!

Seriously, the results looked like miniature Krogans with six Dragonfly wings... how adaptive Krogan reproduction was under magic influence was mind breaking, even to creatures well versed in the reproduction boosting magical scientific community.

Anyway, one could see Krogan having grown more polite and considerate over time, if it was given to them beforehoof.
Apperently half the aggressive attitude faded away, when they are not constantly
'pent up and ready to go'.

They are a proud warriors race, but given incentives for a peaceful life, they are willing to work hard on farms and space docks to earn a chance for a new beginning. Especially if offered a chance of financially spending it for all the exotic tail they could get their hands on.

Food, sex, weapons, ammunition, explosives and more food. Krogans sure have their priorities straight.

By now it was known that unlike Dragons, they raised their children very carefully and strictly, if given the chance.

They had to survive as a race raised to be arrow fodder for others, to be the spear striking into the heart of the enemy that noone else at the time could defeat.

They had to survive space wars in the past,
they have to survive a species wide spread sickness in the present and finally,
they would have to learn not just to survive,
but to live a life worth living in the future.

Not many could do this, matter of factly noone had to, so once the Space Sphere Empire offered the Krogan who are willing to reform and behave not worse than a hording Dragon, they become beside the humans, the best alliance partners of pony kind in space.

That also enjoyed with 15.000 visit visa of their civilian population on Halo number 10 the presence in the Space Sphere Empire, additional to the permanent staying 20.000 Krogans living there.

Surprisingly the infamous mercenaries group known as the Blood Pack, could given the good enough reasons like relaxation and well paid services, be surprisingly polite and well behaved as long they resident within the Sphere for a temporary stay and a chance to experience living, instead of surviving.

But ever since the Space Sphere Empire had been open by the A.I's caretakers over thirty years ago,
they were still primarily seen as threat to the status quo of the universe.
It just so happened that it was now policy to never leave ponies unescorted,
especially after the Batarians had foal napped civilian visitors of the Citadel station and the Alicorn of the Sun had made a statement.

Leaving the Batarian Home system devoid of their sun, leaving a depleted artificial sun as substitute so the only remaining not to the core stripped down planets population freeze completely up.

Thats right, Princess Celestia of Equestria had stolen their sun like they had stolen their civilian ponies. But unlike the Batarians, the Alicorns had offered to return what was stolen.
One to one, no questions ask.

After that stunt, noone ever dared to foalnap civilian ponies ever again, and the policy of any planet to escort the ponies as long they visited a planet or the Citadel space station was born.

Celestia was openly smug about their new trophy sun, when the Batarians failed to return any foalnapped ponies, her sisters apparently just raised their left eyebrow, when ever it was talked about in their presence.

Unfortunately did that made Batarians made sure that ponies in hostage situations never get taken alive or dead, they got by default a headshot when ever they are discovered in a hostage situation caused by them and dumped outside the main entry, to avoid any foalnap incidents.

Go figure...

But what was always taken from ponies by criminal elements of the planet if they managed to get them robbed under weapon force if given the chance, was their gear when thiefs could manage it.
It was the exotic Space Sphere Empire Magi-Tek, any equipment, armor and weapons that could be obtained was extreamly highly in demand.
With ponies being tightly muzzled about how it worked and how it was produced.

To this day nothing beyond the simplest devices could be replicated and only badly at that, but at least the original stolen items could be used.
Unfortunately did literally everything had the ponies found a way of indenting the owners and their origin, with those elements in mind, was it common to use there items deep in the lawless area of space to avoid the wrath of the terrifying known nearly immortal Alicorns of the Space Sphere Empire.

Anyway, while the Shadowbolts where supposed to have a normal high risk - high reward mission,
'a milkrun', they unfortunately had this time a milkrun like in a Minotaur breeding season...
not even Tarterus would know anything more diabolical to survive.

Minotaur where rather hard to milk outside interpersonal affairs, and the liquid was high end upper class luxurious commodity back in the days as now in the modern age.
So every milkrun, was a high risk, high gain mission outside very expensive trading agreements.

After so long day dreaming towards non mission critical things he got shifted in priorities, when his wife accidentally wiped her tail in his muzzle.

If not for the imminent danger, he would have tried to get her attention by nipping her flank,
but it would not be the right place or time for romance.
Especially with their fallen friends and family in attendance within their coffins.

Cloud Shy misdirected his galloping away thoughts he had with his memories of finally getting the achievement his greatest dream in life aimed at.
He was a Shadowbolt!

One year and two months ago he had become inoffiziell a Shadowbolt agent.
There was no greater honor to be found behind closed doors, no higher paid position for any activ soldier and even if he retired after the year of service, he be payed a 'Sargent salary' until his natural lifespan expired!

The benefits of having served with 'the elite of the elite, knowing that every mission might be their last.' They are ~~Mechwarriors~~ Shadowbolts!

There were only two moments that he held in higher regard than this archivment of becoming a Shadowbolt Agent.
The first was his wedding day with his beloved Rose Shy. Seeing Rose walking down the aisle in her dress...

it still made his legs go wobbly and his heart almost explode in joy.
The second was the birth of his two foals, a colt named Zephyr Shy and a filly named Flutter Shy. All things considered, Cloud Shy was living the dream.

Cloud Shy and his fellow Shadowbolts got shaken out of their thoughts, when the Battle-net A.I. in their suits cleared up the distress call from earlier.
When the distress call had come through, only the A.I. Shadow Walker was able to understand it, now it was cleaned up and ready for organics to listen in:

"This is the human colony planet, Mindoir.
We are under attack by Batarian raiders.
PLEASE, if anycreature can hear this, we need help! Oh goddesses, I hope somecreature is listening in to this *static* distress call."

The message repeated, stuck on a loop that got repeated twice, the other part was still being defragmented and put into understandable pieces by the Shadowbolts assigned battle A.I.
'Shadow Walker'.
Apperently did somecreature had sabotage the communication systems with a virus, that had made any signals nearly impossible to understand.

Thanks to V.I. of the humans made in cooperation of Griffons and A.I. of the Space Sphere Empire, that had not been to mutch of a problem to fix over time.
While the audio message got scrambled badly, the attached coordinates still had been transmitted without any change.

Shadow Walker made a educated guess that the problem was software only, since the signal seem to be strong and steady otherwise.
Sending out the usual steady stream of informations that indicate everything was normal.

Strongly indicating that somecreature professional was behind this raiding of the colony.
Batarians had good demolition and improving expertise, but that kind of software manipulation actually was flying beyond their usual capacity.

The use of the military emergency channel had made the battlesuits A.I. request the fleet they traveld in to change course, while it defragmented and repaired the distress call.
At best it was a misunderstandings and after a quick check with the colonies communication headquarters they would simply depart again.
But otherwise they would have just another day in the Shadowbolts monthly 'field trip exercise'.

Who ever would be behind the attack and sabotage would probably find it a complete miracle, that they had even managed to pick it up.
But one reason why they managed it was what the Citadel Counsel Space hated the most about the Space Sphere Empire, the use of exotic magical enhanced technology from their ancestors and refine with human help in the last decades and the use of A.I. technology.

The ship of the Shadowbolts used to travel planets was the state of the art of the Space Sphere Empire military at current use.
It was positively antic yet highly advanced, their ship specifically had once served as a long range communication connection device, connecting between colonys of the humans and the Sphere that hold the Empire comprising of a large number of species.

Now this one ship was refitted for organic transport duty, as well as being used as mobile make shift base camp.

The ship now was additional to its original design as a communication support, hauling around light freights to planets on the traverse as well military personal.

It was a ressource hungry and maintenance intensive piece of technology, but in relatively good working order thanks to the A.I. of the sphere very detailed step by step guidance to ship service manuals with video attachments.

Unlike the humans, did the A.I. systems controlling the Sphere all ships of the Empire via quantum entanglement remote control.

The Sphere was holding thousands of individual A.I. personalitys, while some strictly stayed within Sphere maintenance, others dedicated themself to watch over the races on the ring worlds.

A rare minority liked the possibilities of otherworldly being outside the Empire and stationed older and more maintenance hungry ship's outside the sphere as communication platforms, unlike human satellites they could easily be exchanged for another ship when equipment eventually break down and when ever some pirate tried his luck in salvage, when the apperently dormant ship floating in space came back online for some target practice.
Giving the criminals a warm welcome.

Which is why the Shadowbolts had preferred to use it. This Ship was connected to the A.I. know as 'Shadow Walker'. It was in A.I. terms a juvenile, yet it was highly professional in combat situations.
The ship itself was the perfect size to transport them to the occasional milkrun that they had begun to schedule across the human traveld galaxy.
Calling for help if necessarily would also be easier with a ship made with that purpose in mind.

Requesting some help from marines for example with the best communication equipment their Empire owned, should quantity be better in a situation than quality.

Cloud Shy shuffled his hooves, checking one last time that his battle harness was firmly attached around his barrel. It was patched up by omni gel thanks to some near misses of his opposition during his last three missions, but it should hold for one more mission together.

The straps were tight, but not overly so, and the guns were in just the right place to not restrict his wings during flight and hooves in case of emergency landings.

His coat itched under the light armor, he hadn't cleaned it thoroughly, since he expected a total exchange of the battlesuit upon arrival in their home base, but there was nothing he could do about it now, but chew his tongue and bear it.

Glancing around the room, Cloud Shy looked over the Shadowbolts surrounding him.
He was by far the newest of the team alongside his wife, having only served 14 months,
but he was beginning to get to know who they all were and where he stood with them.

They were a generally fun loving bunch in private who trained hard and partied harder, well aware that any mission might be their last.
The pranks and games on board in their off time were a part of their normal life, and laughter with wide smiles were the name of the game.

Cloud Shy couldn't see any smiles on his teammates' faces after all they suffered recently. A heavy, solemn air had fallen on the converted cargo hold as the Shadowbolts trickled in from their rooms, dressed in their combat armor.

They all stood in a group, speaking quietly to one another, anxious for the last of the military actions they would undertake, before declaring themselves unfit for duty after equipment failure due to overuse and need of R&R after losing eatch a friend and squad mate. After all, stress can kill a marine as sure a high velocity bullet through the had can do.

The A.I. Shadow Walker played the transmission once more, this time in its complete version as well it managed to restore it:

"Oh goddesses, please work this time! ...I never skip communication maintenance again...
Please work...
YES! IT - IS - FINALLY - SENDING!
Someone, anyone! Help us!
This is the colony of the human Mindoir, we are under attack by *electronic static*
and Batarians!

They're just shooting everyone on sight without even taking slaves! I think the-
*electronic static*
...hired this bastards to attack us here!
Oh goddesses, oh goddesses!
P-L-E-A-S-E!
This is the colony planet Mindoir. We're under attack-"

The transmission cut off to distored static, before continuing:

"This is the human colony planet, Mindoir.
We are under attack by Batarian raiders.
PLEASE!
If anycreature can hear this, we need help!
Oh goddesses, I hope somecreature is listening in to this *static* ...distress call."

Shadow Walker repeated it once more, before Shadowglider the leader of the milkrun was giving his briefing.

"You all heard the same thing that I did!" Commander Shadowglider said as he stepped into the converted cargo hold. By sheer presence alone, did everypony went silent as they waited for him to continue speaking. He stood in front of the to attention standing Shadowbolts, dressed in the same armor as the rest of them.
He paced back and forth in front of them all, and they all hung to his words with rapt attention:

"By all chances, we are the only ship close enough to respond according to Shadow Walker.
I know you were all expecting a human style milkrun flight back home, but we're Shadowbolts, and by the princesses we can't just sit back and let a colony get destroyed!
We are Shadowbolts, and we are the best that Equestria has to offer even in our current state!
We won't let our princesses down or the humans in need, are you with me!?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Cloud Shy found himself shouting along with the rest of the Shadowbolts.
Their combined cry was loud and fierce, as if fresh out the Sphere to begin their usual Minatour style milkrun.

"Will we let the batarian scum sucker do how they please with civilians!?"
Shadowglider asked, snorting annoyed.

"Sir, no sir!" The cry came louder than before.

Shadowglider grinned, dropping his helmet into place.
"Now that's what I like to hear Shadowbolts!
Time to kick in some teeth and go home, when we send this group of murder hobos running!"

A battle cry worthy of a Krogan warlord later, the ponies prepared to begin at a moments notice.

Shadow Walker informed all remaining Shadowbolt Agents via suit radio and the ship's intercom:

"Entering Mindoir's atmosphere in 60 seconds, prepare for drop and show them the shadows of the beyond Agents!"

"You heard the battle-net A.I.!"
Shadowglider flared his wings, grinning wildly with bloodlust in his eyes.
"Remember to stick with your wingpony and you'll do fine kicking Batarian rumps.
Make our princesses proud!"

Shadowglider take a deep intake of air to shout:

"Shadowbolts, into the darkness and beyond!"

The shout vibrated through Cloud Shy and his companions, that seeming to resonate deeply in their very soul.
It felt good, and they could feel a confidence welling up in them all that hadn't been there before the speech started.

Stepping up with his wingpony, Cloud Shy gave a warm smile to Rose Shy and his two remaining squad mates.
The female pegasus that was his wife and superior officer, her butter yellow coat and rose pink mane were barely visible under the armor she was wearing.

She was older than him by a decade and had been quick to take him under her wing from the moment that he had graduated through the academy, after all it was recommended in their society to catch them young so they could get bucked later for longer.

When they were back on Equestria, he had an open invitation to dinner in the 'Flash clan household', where Rose originated from and he and Rose got to announce their success and survival of another set of missions for the clan history recording.
That fact that he and his wife survived without Rose sisters would come around to haunt him later, but it was all good in the end than anypony come out of this clusterbuck after all.

"Ready, ma'am," Cloud Shy said. Familiarity was for when they were off duty.

"That's good, Agent Cloud." Rose Shy nodded approvingly at Cloud.
"Just remember, stick with me and the other and don't pull a heroic mare act again, it will not bring our comrades or my siblings back..." She sniffed a tear or two away.

She paused for a moment to collect herself.

"We'll get through this if we can all stick together."

Cloud and his squad mates give a confident smile:

"Got it." Nodding stoicly, Cloud Shy and the others took a deep yet unsteady breath.
Despite their displayed confidence, Rose Shy and the others had never actually seen any action that had them battle fatigued from the start in that degree.

They had them all so close to their physical and equipment limit. Maybe retirement was actually something to consider for them all, they all had family and noone was becoming any younger.
The Shy's had two fillies on Equis and they had more than enough money earned alongside their brothers and sisters in arms.

Further did the death of her sisters laying in reinforced caskets before her, just hammered down that the next generation needed to be raised well, trained better and harder and most importantly enough:

Zephyr Shy and Flutter Shy needed more siblings~♡

Mutually reassuring each other was the best thing that they could do among them despite the less than ideal situation.
Together the 3 squad with 4 remaining members each, they could get through anything, if they only restricted themself to the primary objectives without trying to ace every side mission they come along...

just this once would they stuck to the main goal and avoid unnecessary Batarian Hegemony member hunt downs.

Shadowglider spoke up after a look on his left foreleg technology based omnitool:
"It looks like we've got four capital ships in the atmosphere, most likely shuttles carriers."

He checked his Magi-Tek omnitool on his right foreleg, fully charged and ready to be pulled as a last resort trump card.

The ship's intercom blared again, this time with a warning that the gate would open and to stand clear of the initial opening wind gust.
Together the Shadowbolts all moved to their assigned spots in the drop hold, once the wind was bearing down on them in a equal strength they had been ready the moment they would be ordered to move out.

Each of the Agents waited were markings on the floor with four yellow hoof prints telling them where to stand ready, the waiting before the combat drop always had them giving a prayer for a save return or missing to return, that their family clan would not forget their sacrifice for Queen, Empire and their dear alliance partners.

Shadowglider shook his fellow agents out of their last prayer before the drop:

"Batarian as expected reporting of local databases still working, by the look of the ship sensors nothing we can't buck to Tarterus on our own.
No fighters what so ever, but a few transport shuttles buzzing about. Can't believe they use civilian versions for military operations exclusively, cheap amateurs really asking for a swift buck to the rump."

*A short direct message of the accompanied fleet later*

"Roger that, Captain." Shadowglider spoke into his helmet microphone towards the ship captain escorting them currently, already connected to the ships communication and information network they now shared with one another and the colony.
As he turned to face the rest of the Shadowbolts from his own assigned spot he stretched out his wings.

"Check synchronisation to the battle-net and our battlefield A.I. Shadow Walker, despite the Batarians bad equipment a lucky shot could still get ones day ruined. Stay sharp!"

Reaching over, Cloud Shy tapped a button on one of the gauntlets on his foreleg. Inside his helmet, his armor and communications synchronisation was renewed with the rest of the Shadowbolts, the connecting with a quiet on board V.I. reporting all systems operational, even if the one or another part reported missing add- ons or compromised armor sections.

"Drop in sixty seconds!" The ship started to shake, a violent motion that felt completely different from actually flying through the air on their own wings. But unlike a Pegasus, the ship could plow their way in one go to their target area.

"THIRTY... TWENTY... TEN... NOW!"

"GO-GO-GO!"

The Shadowbolt's ship sliced neatly through the atmosphere filled with clouds nearly directly over the in the Attican Traverse located agrarian colony.

Mindoir's only colony city,
Hadley's Hope.

It was a small settlement, with a population only numbering roughly 50.159, the majority of them retired spacers and men and women from the merchant mercenary guild as well some United Multi Systems Alliance old timers.
A simple agrarian colony run by Wayland Yutani, one of countless other companies trying to feed humanity.

The bottom of the ship's hold drop light switched from red to green and the Shadowbolts plummeted out towards the ground below once they cleared the ship, their wings folded tightly to their sides, hooves held back to make them as aerodynamic as possible so they could use initial drop as a speedbooster. Something is harder to hit if it flies by with speed that would need skill and calculations to hit something in the sky.

Shadowbolt Cloud Shy felt the familiar feeling of his stomach dropping despite him plummeted to the ground far below.

Cloud Shy stuck directly behind and to the left of Rose Shy, just like they had drilled in training for years until it was instinct to do so.
Never leave ones partner side unless under direct orders.
In his helmet, the buildings of New Denver and all of the other Shadowbolts were highlighted by the battle-net, making it easier for him to pick out everypony and everything of importance.

As he looked between the clouds coming his way, he couldn't help but stare with his Pegasus natural magnification in horror at the burning buildings all around. Even as the sound of the air rushing past his ears, almost making him deaf to other sounds, did faint screams from below had him raging over the Batarian females crimes committed this very moment.

"Primary mission priorities highlighted," Shadowglider chimed in over the battle-net.
"On my mark, go into flight pattern delta-three without highwatch, since we all lost our scouts."

Cloud Shy tensed along with the other Shadowbolts, ready to do as their mission leader commanded.

The ground kept growing closer and closer and soon enough, Cloud Shy could make out the faces of the bodies lying still on the ground, surrounded by red outlines.
He shuddered, gripping metaphoricaly speaking firmly his revulsion for what he had to do, focus on efficiency and try to blend out emotions for the time being.

"Now!" Shadowglider's simple command came through, his voice confident and unwavering.

The Shadowbolts broke apart, each team with its 4 remaining team members moving to strike a position that the Battle-net had highlighted for them.

Alpha Squad would go after all the enemy shuttles, to denial them to retreat with slaves.

Bravo Squad was going after high population evacuation centers to help push the invaders back.

Charlie Squad, his team would go directly for the direction of the distress signal still transmitted.
They would have most likely the most up to date situation overview. Helping all three squads to make their priorities beyond:

"Go out there, save civilians and kick Batarian flanks until they are high tailing it away from the colony."

Cloud Shy and Rose Shy rocketed towards what appeared to be a residential area besides their two remaining squad members, just past a large park full of large trees surrounded by artificial duck ponds.

A raider transport shuttle hovered nearly directly over the area, highlighted by the battle-net as priority threat, since they keep shooting out the modified windows down at fleeing civilians.

"Okay, Cloud Shy." Rose Shy his direct superior said, her voice coming in nice and clear through Cloud Shy's helmet communication system. "Follow me in, close and tight. Let's take that flying bucket out."

"Roger that, Ma'am." Cloud Shy gave a nod of affirmation, even though she couldn't see it from her position.
Ahead of them did smoke from the burning buildings around them decreased the distance visibility in the air.
"On your lead, Ma'am!"

Their two squad nembers dropped down, their battle harness activating at the subtle hoof movements they made. The guns instantly locking on the target infront of them and without any hesitation opened fire on their available targets of opportunity.
The beams melting through the relatively unarmored shuttle buss with ease upon contact.

Cloud Shy fly after Rose and they flanked the improvised bearly armored Batarian air transport. They activated their guns tracking spells and than opened fire on the shuttle located life signatures in the front portion of the vehicle.

Armor melting streaking magic beams digging through the ship's walls as if they are wet paper or a mining laser would melt a asteroid into its elements.
By chance, they both hit something important like the head of the co-pilot as well the main pilot balls and legs, a rare minority of Batarian males, infertility driven of their colonys.
Unloved and unwanted, forced to die as canon fodder just like the usually by slavery crime syndicat common female.

The ship's engines died with noone holding the throttle up.

As the shuttle started plummeting to the ground below with its occupying passengers screaming their lungs out, before it exploded violently, silencing them forever.
Sending the raider witness their air support being disposed off fleeing like civilian alike below scurrying away for any cover possibly found in short notice.

"Good shooting, Cloud." Rose congratulated with a shout of delight.

"Thank you, ma'am." Cloud Shy grinned, combat adrenaline pumping through his heavy duty pulling heart.

"Follow me back around," Rose ordered, already banking for another pass.
"Let's take these girls out."

"Roger that, ma'am." Cloud Shy nodded, following her. "I'm on your six!'

The two peeled back around, heading back towards the Batarians that were firing indiscriminately up into the air at them.
Meanwhile their two other squad mates take the ground level route.

Lining up with them in a flanking manover with the elevated position making crossfire impossible.
Rose Shy and Cloud Shy opened fire simultaneously with their ground galloping squad mates.

Magic streaked out from the flyers, while the ground stability Pegasus tearing the alien raiders apart with scope heavy pistol fire. They dropped the Batarians like flies, the battle harnesses accuracy being guided by their battle-net A.I. guidance system. Something that made a already great shooting into a dedicated sharpshooter in its general accuracy.

Why the Citadel Counsel didn't use A.I's to aid them in battle with impunity was wasted potencial and bad parenting. After all the difference between rasing a A.I. or a biological foal was the rate of with they growing up, while the mental maturity needed for both decades of positive exposure if possible.

The raiders dropped like insects hit by moth traps, melted by magic that turned to super heated lasers upon contact or ripped apart by heavy pistol fire.
Unexpected did they seem to progress to slow in disposing the enemy in line of sight, because before the battle-net could report all targets being neutralized one of them made apparently a lucky hit.

While it actually was one of three Salarian STG Agents supported by a Turian Specter, using the Batarian officers suit sensors as target support.
Managing to finally hit after 5 missed shots so far.

Once the Pegasus was confirmed to hit the ground, did the field Commander of the operation redirected his Batarian low grade mercenaries towards targets that would force the unexpectedly arriving Special Forces of the equines to either spread themselves to thin to stop their operation as a hole or buy enough for his fellow STG Agents to fullfill their goals.

The STG Commander did not dare to use direct communication with the squad or the Spector, the A.I. assistance had in the past delivered electronic warfare defeats to the Salarian Union like noone ever before did.
Further would verbal key phrasing be enough to give away the ponies, without alerting any nosy A.I. monitoring all channels of communication be it unencrypted or specifically encrypted ones.

With the Space Sphere Empire hiding ones communication was often a mistake, rather being easy listened to with verbal codes in seemingly normal combat chatter and speaking algorithm emulating the troops used as scapegoats would be the way to go.

So it was a female Batarian non Hegemony military casual battle banter that tipped off two other STG Agents of the Salarian Union and the Turian Specter named Saren to fullfill their main objective and exfiltrating, before anyone noticed them ever being in the vicinity of the raiders usual criminal activities against civilian colonys.

As unfortunately being not rare enough to be considered to note worth in the grand scheme of things when dealing with the Batarian race females always out to acquire some new sex slaves for their colonys to sell them on their usual gray markets openly trading non Batarian like livestock or exotic pets at best, discardable 12 month holding pleasure toys at worst.

Crying out in pain, Cloud Shy felt a streak of fire rocket through his left wing joint and he plummeted like a stone as he screamed in pain, spinning in a spiraled way toward the ground.

"CLOUD SHY!" His superior and wife shouted in panic, but her fellow Agent and husband barely heard her through his agony.

He hit the ground hard, sliding across it until he came to a stop against a water fountain.
He laid still, shocked and in unbelievable pain.
His suit working hard to seal the suit damage and the leak in the blood circulation system of its wearing pony.

"Cloud Shy!" Above him Rose Shy banked back around, finishing off the raiders in his direct vicinity that might try take out the downed Shadowbolt, aided by her now again airborn remaining squad members, did they quickly made remaining Batarians flee the area.
When Cloud Shys squad started circling above the downed Pegasus, did the Battle-net A.I. Shadow Walker called out a medical emergency over the Shadowbolts private military channel.

Shadowglider ordered all remaining Shadowbolt Agents to aid their fallen comrade, he would not lose one more pony to this heartless group of fatherbuckers!

"Come on Agent, talk to me! Cloud Shy by order of your superior, you're 'not allowed to die' before the mission ends and we reach Equestria!
ETA 30 seconds, come on Shadowbolts, not another shall fall through the veil!"

With a groan, Cloud Shy sat up, fighting through the pain and dizziness. Looking back at his hit wing, he found it missing.
He blinked once, than twice. When he take of his helmet to rub his eyes and return the helmet to its place on his head.
He confirmed with a ice cold feeling running down his spine that he had been indeed 'completly winged on one side'.

A fate worse than death in civilian circles of the Pegasus pony race.
The fact that the military has prosthetics for the civilian sector and regrowth options for the military sector was not really giving him any comfort at the moment.

He looked away, shutting his eyes to try and push away the nausea that overtook him. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his other wing, at least it looked intact and didn't feel worse than having slided on grass over the ground.
Saved by light armor fall impact protection.
Something was better than nothing.

He looked up in time to see Shadowbolts landing around him and securing the at the moment target free vicinity.

Cloud Shy was still in shock, but adrenaline pumping through his veins helped him finding his equilibrium alongside the medical system administrated pain suppressing medication.
So after catching his breath Cloud Shy spoke up:

"I'm bucked, but still operational on ground level." He reassured them all, doing his best to keep the pain out of his voice.
"My wing is lost, though, shot clean off through the bloody wing joint. I'll be alright in a minute when the medi gel stopped the bleeding completely, but I'm on the ground from here on out Commander. Permanently."

He added with a suppressed wimper.

"Thank the queen and princesses it wasn’t your head or you be dead!" The medical combat specialist of their squad gave a sigh of relief and though she forced not to see the stallions face expression, Cloud Shy was sure that she had suppressed a melancholy smile like all the other's. Losing a wing was for a Pegasus like losing as a Unicorn the horn to the base of the skull, unable to even use basic levitation and area illumination spells.
Or Earthponys losing their limbs and affinities to manipulate their surrounding nature.

Shadowglider reassured Cloud that he be given a new wing, no questions ask, he himself had both his wings regrown at some point in his career.

He deliberately leave out that Thestral wings had less problems in military replacement procedures, the Pegasus would otherwise not make it back to Equestria.
It had happened once under his command, he would not have another pony with a 'weapon malfunction through their throat into their brain out of the back of their head' on this mission run,
not while he could help it.

Cloud Shy forced a grin on his face, reassuring each of the squads his limited combat abilities would make up for his inconvenienced situation with their any close quarters efficiency.

They all take care not to show their concern for the 'totally winged on his left side' comrade, but they still had a job to do.

A scream of terror tore through the air, on the other side of the fountain. It was a clearly military reinforced building, its surrounding littered with Batarian corpses that almost blanket the ground like a uneven and very messy carpet.

Someone had given the Batarians Tarterus, but the lone dead Krogan with Blood Pack markings could not have done it by himself.

Cloud Shy instantly ask for permission to investigate, Shadowglider jumped at the chance to do his duties in a less open to enemies area.
The convenience of this military building complex being also important enough to justify the Batarians to literally throw themself at it, would be ideal to save life's and rally survivers to hold out until Shadowglider had his request for reinforcements successful acknowledged.

The remaining reinforcements that had once saved their flanks already strained to stop the Batarians on ground level over the colony spread out.

The STG Agent Mordin Solus was conflicted how to proceed, he had been given roughly 1/4 of the total arriving Batarian Hegemony hired 'non Batarian Hegemony affiliated, outlaw makeshift mercenaries' upon making planet fall.

His directly by the Salarian Union assigned superior for the mission was a accomplished tactician and lead the remnants of their originally hired number of Batarian forces.
Fortunately did the lesser group was rather encouraged to fullfill their mission, because no matter if they died or lived, their families had been already payed a ridiculous amount of Credits as compensation for their participation in this mercenary contract, before the mission was completed.

When the message came in that someone had attacked their basecamp and more than half the hired numbers got cut down, did the remnants of the limited combat trained force rather celebrated than despaired.
The other half of the negotiated amount of Citadel Counsel Space Credits would only be payed out for anyone making planet fall.

Originally to lure many Batarians helping to build the two basecamps and modify the civilian shuttle busses, also to fight instead of chilling out and playing slave owners after the mission was completed.

The moment they registered with the hiring party and their Batarian Hegemony inoffical contact on the planet.
They made sure everyone received a pistol or rifle with eatch getting 2 standard ammunition blocks. With how many usually died, ammunition blocks would be plenty to salvage for the remaining troops to use.

The Batarian lady share of the now massively increased second aspect of the mission, increased their literally suicidal charges.

If they survived or their registered family got the money in case of their death, was of no consequence as long the money flowing where it was needed to make sure the Salarian had a steady supply of expendable troops and scapegoats on demand.

It always paid for both sides, the volunteering Batarian females got Credits, while the Salarian Union get results.

The Salarian Union and Batarian Hegemony had a long standing association with one another beyond anything that could ever be proven for hiring their muscle, so they could do their jobs while hidden within massive amounts of disposable troops.

Anyway while 3/4 of the Batarians had been coordinated by his superior to what Batarians do best, only coordinated better than usually for once, he had been task to aid the Specter named Saren Arterius, or codenamed Meatgrinder Bravo during the duration of the mission.

His last fellow STG Agent was named Maelonis Solus, his brother in fact. If he would regret anything today, it would be him dying even if to fullfill the mission. He has like himself a medical profession, a steady hand operating a scalpel and handgun alike.
Unlike him he managed near miracle in the medical battlefield and face of death coming for his patients with unrivaled success.

He himself liked to be called efficient, even if his fellow STG Agents made jokes behind his back when crafting his name into the phrase:
'More than Soul-less'.
He got the job done, no matter the price.
His brother was standing up for him publicly, but behind closed doors often pleading him to be more reasonable with the lifes of his fellow Salarians.
A sentimental opinion going against his believes, when on a mission.
He would not tarnish his perfect missions performance if possible.

Lots of ways to help people in his opinion. Sometimes healing sick or wounded patients when he was helping out in clinical complexes military or civilian, sometimes execute dangerous people crossing his path. Either way, it helps in the end the galaxy at the bigger picture.

Mordin Solus was a Salarian geneticist, professor of medical biology be it native Salarian or xeno in origin, a currently top operative of the Special Tasks Group, short STG.

Special Tasks Group Agents are either trained to work alone or in small groups, depending on their affinity showed during the first year.
Mordin Solus was never a team player on the battlefield, where he performed often reconnaissance and participate in sabotage as a one Agent demolition squad.

He always got the job done.
Perfect mission file to accomplish the target, even if he needed to use his fellow operatives to get the objectives fullfilled, when assigned in a supporting role.

By now unfortunately he was known to use his temporary mission assigned allies to get his successful mission, even if he had to use them up like disposable assets.
It had been done to him on his first mission, he survived and wasn't even angry at his superior.
They got a nearly impossible mission and had still succeeded.

Even today he trusted his supervisor in form of a Spector to use him if need be as a sacrificial pawn. But only if need must be met to absolutely make sure the mission was a success.
More than ever did he had to successfully pull the mission to a satisfactory result, even if everyone involved would meet their maker in the afterlife after today.
The primary objective was a female Krogan teenager named 'Angel Bunny', a strange name for a Krogan farmer/medical nurse, according to the colony population manifest.

In the end that was irrelevant.
Executing dangerous people for the greater good was common sense.

What was relevant, that she be terminated post haste.
No matter who let her escape Tuchanka without making sure she never arrived alive anywhere.

Instead she not only arrived at her destination, but she had survived 33 days 12 hours and 35 minutes without any STG or Counsel Spector making sure she had a unfortunate situation that ended up in 100% lethality.

Mordin has a moral character best described as consequentialist in his Agent file, he believing the ends justify the means, especially if it was only common sense to do it.

He dislikes taking life without good cause in general, but usually his job give him more than good reasons to rest his moral compass and do what was often timely overdue.
His actions are often guided by an impersonal logic, after all it was nothing personal.
Just simply galactic safety business.

He refused letting his conscience be tainted by anyone, he was better trained than this.
Personal and emotional connections could cloud his judgment, impairing his ability to do his job.
What others believes is truly about him is acceptable as long they didn't get in his way.
In the big picture, he was just doing his small part in it. A simple contribution to the greater goal of galactic peace.

In the end he know it had to be him.
Someone else might have gotten it wrong.

Though he been told he is affable in some cases, perhaps well earned in some cases, he was a quick thinking and honest talking usually friendly citizen of the Union.
Mordin bears no physical scars of his time in the STG and is thanks to his roughness in mission easily able to keep professional distance at all times.

Well... until for some reason his brother had insisted to be on this mission. Apperently he had a bad feeling about it. So he made sure to be there for his brother.
Someone else might have gotten it wrong.

The Batarian woman had failed to meet his expectations so far, but they did well enough as a distraction.
Specter Saren Arterius had managed to slip through a sabotage window after a short circuit opened all locks on them and was finishing the mission if need be alone.

The arms fire upstairs made Mordin race with the Spector, who would clean his complex level first?
The Spector all on his own by benefits of the power cut upper level and there for deactivated sentry gun emplacements or himself and his 7 remained Batarian mercenaries-

*A grenade exploded infront of his group*

...correction 5 remaining mercenaries, himself and his brother.
In the end he know it had to be himself pulling through.
Someone else might have gotten it wrong.

Cloud Shy hooves did shake, just good he would not need to fear missing target at that range.
His battle harness in constant use as he tensed and relaxed his remaining right wing as a stress coping mechanism.
Unfortunately did the stinging pain on his left wing joint ruined that effect enough so that it was basically a wasted effort.

Walking over the floor cushioned with dead bodies. Almost literally making a carpet out of bloody corpses did he wonder what could have been to bloody important within this building that the Batarians banzai charged the sentry gun emplacements, despite knowing it would end in them dying.

There is the sacrifices for the bigger picture, but slave traders had no pointing it in doing it, they couldn't spend money if they are dead after all.
Unless the Batarians had used neural inhibitions implant on their own kind?
So many questions and no answers coming forth.
They should really let the clean up crews check via autopsy if his hunch was correct.
Otherwise these Batarian gaggle of females are just plain nuts.

Gun fire in the direction to their right, had them hurry up, the Batarian on the grounds had been positively been all killed, as hole riddled their corpses are from leg to head.

The screaming of children and some adults dead ahead of the corridor they waded through, thanks to the Batarian carpet of death slowing them down. His fellow Shadowbolts not rushing to hover, because if the Batarians still had been in numbers ahead, than they rather face them with combined forces.

One last screaming was to hear before a long string of gun fire silenced the shouting ahead.
Hopefully it wasn't to late to save anyone remaining.

They activated 'notice me not spells' build into their armor and weapons and on silent hooves walked slowly into the room.
No need to waste the element of surprise, they most likely would need it.

Shadow Walker was now taking over the coordination via signals to their individual heads up display.

Shadowglider and his three Thestral squad mates moved with impunity in first, the second squad followed suit.

Finally Cloud Shy squad made it into the room.
What they see surprised them.

A single Salarian in modified STG armor standed with 2 Batarian officers of the slavery groups in the room.
The Batarian females had eatch a child on the ground pinned that silently whimpered on the ground looking terrified to one another.

One Krogan of the infamous Blood Pack was laying on the ground with two knifes sticking out of his eye sockets, further did someone seem to want to play it save and blow his brain out.

A older human in N6 armor of the UMSA was holding his arm stump where his left arm used to be. Not half a meter away layed said arm still displaying a omni tool blade activated and ready for use.

The Salarian seem to relaxed all things considered and seem to scan the omni tool of the dis-armed UMSA soldier, most likely retired with how old he looked.

The Salarian seem to be puzzled about something he found on the omnitool via remote hacking.
Apperently taking the arm and typing on it manually was not a option for some reason.

The old soldier was switching between the children pinned to the ground and the Salarian typing away at his omni tool as if to write down his own autobiography, while occasionally snorting as if someone seem to annoy him personally.

Before the Equestrian forces could strike despite being in position, did the speaking Salarian prompt the Equestrians to hold for a moment:

"You didn't just provide the Krogan target shelter, you adopted her? Did you expected the name addition of Shepard on the name end to provide cover for her future here?"

The man growled a protest, the coughing breaths he was taking stopping him from speaking unnecessarily.
"Let the children go, they are no threat to anyone, there is no need to hurt them, for goddesses sake, both are only 10 years of age!"

The STG Agent looked half over his shoulder and than turned back to the human and said:

"I find no general flaw in that statement, tell me what I want to know and I will be leaving. You have my word, I will not harm the children.
But you better hurry speaking up, your suits medi gel is exhausted and your bleeding out in probably the next 10 minutes, tops."

Only a moment of hesitation and a quick lock over to his grand children made up his mind, he had done everything humanly possible to resist before.

"Angel Bunny Shepard is probably in her room right now, I told her to hide in there until I come for her. The code will have reset to random after your stunt with the energy supply of the building.
So I can't give you the combination. But it is a civilian lock non the less, high grade or not.
Simply slap some omni gel on its master override slot and the door will open."

The old man hesitated for a moment, before continuing with a rasping voice:

"Why this glaring security system glitch was never fixed is beyond me."

The Salarian rubbed his eyes in annoyance and answered the human:
"Agreed, but high grade omni gel is not easy to come by and I expect that to change the coming years, since even military locks can be bypassed like that.

One last question before I leave with my unexpected associates, why would you even grand a Krogan female shelter or in your specific case adopt her?
This is beyond my understanding.

The extranet is filled with stories accompanied with videos that show that female Krogans lead to deadly accidents or brutal incidents, with your grand children in her vicinity you really should have been more critical about helping one out."

The paling man had visibly trouble breathing and he even lost the strength to keep pressure on his still bleeding arm. His simple answer shocked the Salarian STG Agents enough that he reacted as if slapped in the face.

"Angel Bunny... Shepard, is a good child, she deserved to life happy and be loved.
She is a good girl."

The Salarian face was changing between different expressions, until the life sign monitor on the severed arm flatlined.

That shook the Salarian out if his stupor and he turned away from the human, the Agent still typing on his omni tool some final commands.

The Batarians ask if they could have the children, they would make for good merchandise.

The STG Agent named Mordin Solus shake his head in the negative and with a tone of finality told his last remaining Batarian soldiers to leave no witnesses.

A civil way to give them the command to kill the children with a bullet to the head.
10 year old or not, they most certainly had seen enough to tell others how a Salarian had been leading Batarian slavery crime syndicat common muscle.
He rather not be responsible for that mess.

They nodded in confirmation and pulled a pistol eatch.

That was as far they got before the Salarian eyes seem to widened to their limit and a air less
"O Shit..." left his mouth, confusing the two females greatly.

He finally spotted the hoove shaped blood red markings all over the ground, ending right behind the two well kitted out females.

He had read about something similar in a STG report, but before he could do anything the Batarians found their neck broken and the limp body throw off the children who whimpering embraced one another.

From one moment to another 12 ponies standed before him, 9 guns trained at his head body and what was probably his crouch area.

He signal his cloaked brother to do nothing with shacking thumbs-up, simply staying perfectly still in the far conor of the room.

Mordin Solus really regret to not have read and repeatedly close the message application his brother had constantly open up remotely.
Next time, if there would be a next time, he take some moments to read what could be so pressing that his message function was suddenly sporting 50+ new messages.

So mutch for a smooth mission success.

Go figure...

A explosion right above them startled Rose Shy and she accidentally blow off a chunk of the Salarians head, a simple "Ops..." made them all growling in annoyance about the Salarian that had now a stream of his blood decorating the wall.

The children found themself overwhelmed with fear and didn't resisted the ponies evacuation of them into room that wasn't splattered with blood and worse.

Clouds Squad was taking the children underground and would restart the partial working generator to full capacity if possible.

After Cloud Shy refusing rest until the building was secured, did Shadowglider take Cloud temporarily into his squad formation.

Cloud told his wife:
"I go check that explosion out, there is still a Krogan filly in danger!"

Rise was silent for a moment before she responded, her voice hard. "You better not die on me, Cloud Shy. I don't want to have to explain that to our foals. Further just you know, i want at least two more!"

"You won't have to tell me twice ma'am, also happy to obligate to your request." Cloud Shy shuddered internaly at the thought of his wife riding and milking it out of him, but that was future Cloud Shys problems.

Cloud Shy nodded a short 'until later'. He started forward taking the stairs with their squad, no bodies, but a trail of blood half printed shoes showed where at least one enemy or survivers had been sprinting away.

A loud string of exclamations later found the squad to be all to guide them to a door that had be blown off their hinges and a part of the wall.

Making their way into the room with their 'notice me not' spell activated.
Unfortunately Cloud Shy equipment failed, but it didn't stop him from entering the room none the less.

Cloud Shy kept his head on a constant swivel until he spotted two fighting individuals behind a decorative transparent wall.

The cursing of both fighters grew louder with every step that he took through the clothes devider functioning like a very decorative door.

When it was followed by a series of gunshots getting losend mid struggle, did he had his rifle trained on the non human.

His 4 temporary squadmates take eatch a conor of the room, de-cloked and declared everyone to freeze.

But the struggle didn't seized. The human woman in standard UMSA armor struggling against a Turian, he seemed to be occurring to be wearing camo over his custom looking armor, trying her hardest to keep him from raising his heavy pistol to her chest.

"Back away from her!" Cloud Shy shouted alongside his equine comrades, sound of the tone alone promised a gruesome death if compliance was not forthcoming.

The Turian ignored them all, instead headbutting the woman in the face. She forced herself to hold on, not dropping back and keep on fighting. Still with a scream of pain she announced her Turian's success in breaking her nose.

Since they struggled uncontrollable from one side to another, not letting go of one another, knowing that once they separated one would die.

Cloud rifle was shaking, adrenaline increasingly
heightening his time perception, yet he know that nothing was more final than the pulling of a trigger.

But as he had a moment of hesitation, the human woman now know, that she wasn't alone and she made a cold calculated trade as only a mother could do.
Her life for that of her children, adopted or otherwise. Since the moment the Spector found a chance he be turning towards the clothes locker and end her adopted daughters life in a instant.

The life of a old and sick woman gains the life of a 5 year old child, the deal was more than fair.

She pulled a concussion grenade when she had Saren distracted with a unexpectedly effective headbutt to one of his in rage flared mandibles, the old retires UMSA soldier flipped its trigger and watched the Turian eyes widening in the knowledge of what was about to happen.
With the strength of the desperate, did the women pushed herself and the Turian towards the window closest to them.

The Turian just managed to say:
"You lunatic, you are going to kill us bo-"
*the explosion of the grenade interrupted the Spector*.

Flinging him out the window and leaving two ripped off mandibles beside some blood splattering behind as a testament to him ever being in the room.

The human flung by the explosion towards one of Shadowglider original squad members, knocking said pony out cold while saving the human from crack her head open on the wall she would have hit otherwise.

Her body fell to the floor as if boneless.

Cloud Shy rushed to the woman, who lay still on the Shadowbolt, separating their entangled bodies.

While Shadowglider was looking after the body of the Turian that got flung out the window like in a theater piece, did the medic of the group had a fast scan over the human body, shake a negative towards Cloud Shy and was working on bringing the out cold Agent back into the land of the waking.

The woman was working hard for each breath. She smiled up at Cloud Shy approximated position, before noticing that her eyes had not survived the explosive shockwave, it was at least making sure that she just screwed the Turian Specter equally hard over.
Mentally she smiled having that smug bastard told a lesson about 'resistance against futility' as he called it.

She was a Shepard, like the Williams they fight until the bitter end. The Shanxi invasion didn't count, they bought time for the ponies to arrive and the fireworks they made out if the Turian fleet in orbit before the UMSA jumped in after the all clear of the Relay being safe to pass without getting hit the moment they arrived had the humans showing the Turian who was boss.

Her chest and the blood that the was coughing up was quickly pooling around her and staining the carpet. Blood would be really difficult to clean out the carpet. Damn shame, it was her favorite.

"Shit" she swore, breaking into a coughing fit, wiping blood from her mouth with her remaining arm.

"Ma'am," Cloud Shy said quietly. "Just hang on, I'm sending for help. They can patch you up right."
He lied to make her passing hopefully easier.

"I don't think so, but as long as you save them, it will be fine..."
The woman probably tried to laugh, but it turned into a deep rasping hacking sound and blood spurted out her mouth in a fine mist. "My adopted daughter and grandchildren..."

Cloud Shy eyes light up like hearts warming trees:
"The human colt and filly are save, ma'am." Cloud Shy assumed that she was speaking of the human foals now situated in the basement.
There were only the Krogan filly somewhere around here after all.

"The small closet..." she said as firmly as her blood drowned lungs allowed to. The woman shook her head, pointing towards a small closet, or made the ponies look around them.
"My adopted daughter, Angel Bunny... Shepard. Please, protect her alongside my grand children."

The woman slumped to the floor, breathing heavily, her eyes closing since they didn't work anyway.

"I will ma'am." Cloud Shy held her gently, not wanting her to be alone in her final moments. "They all be safe, you have my word of honor."

She exhaled one final time, and then fell still. Cloud Shy was frozen for a long moment, staring down at her.
Somepony had died in his hooves.
She had been killed because he wasn't fast enough, someone else had died because of him and the others hesitation to taking a chance.
That was the final nail in the coffin, he would not be returning to the military after getting home.
He could not sacrifice his time for anything than his herd any longer. He had done his duty until he had grown to old.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Cloud Shy lay the female body to rest, stood up and looking at the closet the woman spoke off.

Stepping forward, he opened it, finding a teenage Krogan girl huddled on the floor, her hands tight around her ears, eyes clenched shut, her unusual light blue natural armor tangled in clothing and wet with blood clinging to her face and body clothing.

"Angel Bunny?" Cloud Shy whispered questioningly, looking down at the non human girl worriedly.

She didn't hear him, rocking back and forth as she tried to stifle her sobs, her new mommy told her to stay silent until the bad people go away, they be going together to her favorite ice store later on, because good girls get lots of ice cream!

Slowly, Cloud Shy reached out a hoof and touched her arm.

Screaming, Angel Bunny eyes shot open. Adrenaline and fear pumping through her system starting a blood rage like situation, instinctively activating her biotic affinity and made her glowing in a biotics trade marks light.
She wanted to run, but her mommy wanted her to stay silent and hidden. Good girls got ice cream as a reward when they listened.

Cloud Shy was blocking the door anyway despite stepping half a hoove away seeing the familiar magic aura of a foal in panic about to blow her surrounding up in a magic surge.
Angel Bunny froze at the sight of him and her mind struggled to comprehend what she was seeing before her. A cute pony.

Ponies were allies, that's what her parents in the camps of Tuchanka and friends escorting them to this colony always told her. Her new family made up by squishy humans, they had told her of the hug and cuddle addiction on four legs, adorable equines just waiting to be hugged and cuddled.

Looking past Cloud Shy, Angel Bunny saw her new adopted mother lying on the floor surrounded by red painting. She looked like her old mommy. She had a bad feeling about this.

Because she knew that unlike her own kind, humans had no natural armor plates as protection and secondary organs, so when they had red paint all over themself than things usually was worse than when Krogan got sleepy and got to leave for bed.

"MOMMY!" Angel Bunny cried out.
She lunged forward to her adoptive mother side, pushing Cloud Shy out of the way as her tears finally started falling like endless rivers.
Cloud Shy picked himself off the ground, when the Krogan teenager had catapulted him across the room with magic powers into a wall.
After he came to a shaking stand he watched the Krogan teenager with compassionate eyes despite his acking body.

"Cloud Shy reported to Shadowglider that they have a singel additional survivors, the missing Krogan filly.
Only the three human foals needed to be evacuated, when reinforcements arrived."

Cloud Shy spoke into his helmet with tears in his eyes, not from the pain of his bodies injuries, but his acking heart for a child that lost its remaining herd.

"Roger that, Cloud Shy we will acquiesce when possible." The battle A.I. responded with a sad voice for the Commander that was looking through the files of the soon dead Turian.
After all, he looked just like someone that, well... take a grenade to the face.

Unless some miracle happend, he be staying where he layed after landing hilariously on a jumping rubber castle.
Unfortunately had his head spikes deflated its rubber body after two minutes and he probably wasn't going to enjoy bouncing around.

His omnitool apperently did not contain mutch, either it had security installed that upon remote hacking destroyed all its files, or this Turian was very selective about what he take into a mission.
Both possibilities had been equally possible at this point.

A sudden alarm on his visor made him make a announcement:

"Heads up, ponies." Shadowglider's voice broke out over the battle-net to all Shadowbolts.
"We're about to get company.
Sensors picking up 'Friendly IFF' signals.
Fall back to ground so when airborn units arrive we have cleared the airspace, the last i need is a Pegasus or Thestral strike on them coming in Shuttles to relieve us!"

"I'll meet up with you Rose, the Krogan is with Cloud Shy, the Shepard siblings should be reunited, they are all that is left apperently of their herd."

Shadowglider said as he left the Turian to die bleeding on the ground. Noone noticed until later that someone recovered him, making the Shadowbolts Commander wonder if the Turian actually did survived his horrific injuries.

Meanwhile did Cloud Shy watching Angel Bunny effortless, but carefully dragging her mother along like a oversized plushtoy.
She pulled her into the small closet and started to sing a lullaby that made the grown stallion cry.

Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed...

Hush now, quiet now...
It's time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now. Quiet now.
It's time to go to bed...

Driftin, driftin, off to sleep!
The exciting day behind you.
Driftin, driftin off to sleep.
Let the joy of dream land find you.

Hush now. Quiet now.
Lay your sleepy head...
We sing hush now, quiet now,
It's time to go to bed...

The tears shedding stallion joined her lullaby with a unsteady voice:

Hush now, quiet it now, it's time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed.
Hush now, quiet now, close your sleepy eyes.
Hush now, quiet now, my how time sure flies.

Drifting, drifting off to sleep the days excitement behind you.
Drifting drifting off to sleep let the joy of dreamland find you.

"Go ahead. I've got you covered filly, noone here should scare you any further, go to sleep with your mommy in your arms. I will be watching over you both."

The Krogan filly ask the pony:
"Do we go later for ice cream?"

Cloud Shy stepped forward and hugged Angel Bunny as good he managed.

She leaned back into him, desperate holding on to her sleeping mommy.
Trying any form of comfort, until her mommy was waking up and they all go for ice cream.

Catching the hint, Cloud Shy lay down in a kind of hug. She started to sob into his shoulder, when she finally could let her fear be heared.

Before Cloud Shy could say anything, five earth shaking booms shook the military building complex.

Angel Bunny didn't even flinch, that poor filly had been through mutch in her 5 years since hatching.

Cloud Shy felt like his teeth were going to shake apart from his muzzle, but he didn't let go of the Krogan named 'Angel Bunny', holding tighter as her tears fell harder on his face after he had used his remaining wing to take off his helmet.

"This is the dreadnought UMSA ZEUS." A new voice spoke out over the battle-net.
From what his helmet was telling him in whispers, Cloud Shy realized that it was being broadcast on all available channels, civilian and military. Whoever was doing it was not messing around, making sure everyone would hear them.

"This is the United Multi Systems Alliance.
Stop all hostile actions and surrender peacefully, or we will use lethal force!"

Cloud Shy shut his eyes in relief. The Multi System Alliance had arrived, and they would take the clean up operation from here on out.
Apperently did human forces where on their way to the colony after all.

Four sharp booms echoed out moments later, nowhere near as impressive as the five just moments before. Ships were jumping in and out with sub light engines in atmosphere, it was the only explanation. The Batarians were jumping away, probably leaving countless still on the ground to fend for themself.
Or in other words:
'Left for dead'...

Angel Bunny tired herself out after a few minutes of silent crying and soon enough she had no more tears to cry. She slumped, Cloud Shy still holding her, while she clung to her eternally sleeping mommy.

Shadowglider flew up to rejoin the other Shadowbolt squads with his 3 following teammates, convergence on the human military mobil field base with the currently grounded Shadowbolt Agent Cloud Shy remaining in the building, with the three foals barricaded in.
They watched with wide eyes at the massive human dreadnought and 2 cruisers flanking it and two spacefighter transporters holding position above the colony still floated with a silent threat to any Batarian remaining.

The UMSA ZEUS was a sight to behold, as dozens of combat transport shuttle still emerged from it. They began descending to the surface escorted by space fighters, where they started to unload hundreds of United Multi Systems Alliance marines, 2 squads at a time.

The made up by humans squad had rifles and small arms and the other of Minotaur in heavy armor carried heavy anti tank snipers and missle launchers.

"Nice of you to show up for the party." Shadowglider broadcasted on all military channels, directing it at the human Dreadnought ZEUS above them. "Thought we were going to have to take care of this mess all by ourselves, again."

"Identify yourself! Who is this?"
A harsh military drilled voice asked.
"This is a restricted military channel."

"Commander Shadowglider, with the Shadowbolts." Shadowglider responded easily.

"Commander... Shadowglider!" The voice sounded surprised, but recognized the name after a moment.
"I didn't know you were stationed on Mindoir."

"We weren't, but we heard the distress call." Shadowglider banked around, leading the Shadowbolts back towards their ship which was waiting in orbit half a mile away to resupply.
"We couldn't help but answer our friends in dire need."

"Thanks for the assist Commander of the Shadowbolts, we are well aware you acted for the greater good of us all as always.
Just like you did in Shanxi, we will not forget your heroic deeds in loyalty, your kindness coming to our aid and your generous aid overall." the voice said warmly.

"Good job, Shadowbolts!" Shadowglider and their battle suits A I. Shadow Walker congratulated over the battle-net. "You made your queens, princesses proud today, they will praise your sacrifices for the Empire and our friends of the human race."

Hours later

As Rose Shy stepped into the damaged military complex giving shelter to countless humans by now.
Cloud Shy grimaced when his bloodshot yes meet the tired eyes of his wife, this was not going to be a easy time for anyone.

Guards inside and outside the rooms keep guard up, since Batarians still run around and the STG Salarian that got shot, apparently recovered and fleeing before they returned to the room they left him in.

The amount of blood on the ground suggested he wasn't as critically hit as they believed a shot to be that ripped part of ones head off.

Cloud swallowed back bile at the sight of his missing wing, but in time he would learn to cope.

Passing through the room for a conversation wasn't in the cards with the human and Krogan foals holding tight in their sleep onto him.

"Nothing so far, ma'am," he whispered to his wife.
But with the casualties... They deserved a lot better than this."

Rose Shy joined the cuddle sleeping pile in sorrow. They had earned their rest.
Sharing a unkind fate with their future foals, if they managed to adopt them.

Nightmare, Luna, Celestia and Cadance laying down beside Chrysalis. She just had a new prophecy revealed to her.
The Alicorns blanket their sister Chrysalis in winghugs and loving nuzzling, Chrysalis was shaking in fear with the emotions behind it telling of death and destruction of never before recorded dimensions.

The royal ponies could think of nothing to say, instead giving their bug royal equivalent their silent support.

Chrysalis had seen three individuals before a huge black and red mix out of insect, squid and maschine. As always was her ignoring it wasted time, better to face its perpetuity and be prepared for a unkind fate:

A male human in a black unknown armor with N7 on its left chest side.

A female human with a royal blue UMSA armor with N7 on its left chest side.

A Krogan female with a bright Equestrian pink styled armor with N7 on its left chest side.

They standed side by side with magic orbital bombardment pointing tracer guns at the eye of the soulless enemy.

Howling a ear torturing BBRRRWWWTTT.

Author's Note

Yes I know, I still need some proof reading for this chapter.
But after two months of writing and editing as well proofreading in my free time I want it published.

Also my Fimfiction Avatar commission is finally finished:

I will commission a custom story cover when I receive my next paycheck.
Black and white will be unfortunately all I can effort.

Thanks artist Nightbridge for this masterpiece. Even downscaled due to Fimfiction restrictions it looks amazing ♡

My story:
'Foundational story: Equus Story'
Is the inspiration for most of my stories.

Still need to decide if Equus or Equis.

I decide and edit it later.

All edited all weekend long, hope you enjoyed the first chapter.

Stay Cuddly everyone ♡