Chapter Seventeen
The Attack

Day by day we march along, with only myself to guide us. I have searched high and low for Shining Armor, but no one nowhere knows what has happened to him. There’s hope, however. There’s always hope. For both the Peace Fighters and Shining Armor. There will always be hope.

News travels quickly here, and I’ve received word that there was some kind of breakout at a Changeling prison deep in their country, located somewhere in the Intervention* Mountains. Not sure what significance this bears to us but we’ve got people investigating.

Gleaming Bullet is a good soldier, and it’s been a week since we both got drunk and talked about the war. I have participated in several battles with him since then, and I’ve seen fit to promote him to Corporal. We promised not to talk about that night to anyone, including each other. If someone else is reading this we didn’t have sex, if that’s what you’re thinking, but it was still inappropriate for us to get wasted like that.

It’s been raining since yesterday, with heavy thunder and lightning. I like the rain, it reminds me of a time when I was a little filly in Canterlot who was taking an afternoon nap during a storm, involuntary shivers running through me as I lied under the warm blanket and hearing the patter of rain against the window.

...I don’t know why I remember that. Probably because it was a time when my life was simpler, a time when I didn’t know what I know now. See, the truth behind the Princesses is--

“Lieutenant! Come quick, forward scouts have reports of an Imperial assault force getting a little too close to us for comfort” a Peace Fighter soldier declared as he rushed into Strong Spear’s private quarters, interrupting her diary entry.

“OK, I’ll be there soon” Strong replied, dropping her pencil and heading out into the halls. The base was quite active at that moment, with many soldiers and other personnel making their way through the halls. With the Vietmane home base being their central hub the Lieutenant didn’t blame her companions for getting antsy.

Taking a left in the main hall and heading down the stairs there Strong entered what was essentially the control room for the base, approaching the sensor console and the technician sitting there.

“What do we got?” Lieutenant Spear asked.

“The guys outside said they saw a few Imperial DRAVMs flying somewhere outside the jungle’s edge, and the sensors picked up two, but now they’re gone. The outsiders still say they can see them flying out of range” the technician explained.

“Hmm, keep an eye on it. I’ll go tell the weapons guys to get some ponies on the turrets” Strong Spear said, heading back out into the halls and heading down for weapons control on the left side and giving the necessary orders.

“Once you’re finished doing what I told you let me know where Corporal Gleaming Bullet is at” the Lieutenant ordered.

“Ma’am the Corporal was last seen alone in the radio room” the technician stated, already completing the command.

“Alone in the radio room? How odd” Lieutenant Spear remarked, leaving the room to head for the radios at the back. While on the way there the Lieutenant heard a distant boom from the surface and the base-wide alarm went off a second later.

“Shoot” Strong said, heading up the stairs for the surface and emerging into the pouring afternoon rain. Three Imperial DRAVMs swooped to a stop above the base, all surface turrets destroyed.

As Strong Spear looked up at the lead DRAVM she saw Major Nightshade standing in the cockpit, looking down at her as she prepared to settle the score.

Major Nightshade waited patiently as her trio of DRAVMs patrolled the edges of the Peace Fighter home base perimeter, waiting for the opportune time to attack. The Major knew the Peace Fighter leader was there at the base, and wanted to finish her mission to kill her.

Red Dragon should be in the jungle near the base right now, sneaking up on the anti-air turrets. Once he’s taken those out we’ll be able to begin the attack Nightshade thought. Won’t be hard to find Lieutenant Strong Spear once we’re inside, she’ll probably come to me. Her lackeys will be everywhere, though.

“This operation’s gotta go off without a hitch, everypony” Nightshade announced, waiting for the go-ahead from Red Dragon.

I’m itching to get in there and take this idiot out. She got lucky in Howloon, but it’s not gonna happen again. I’m getting in there and I’m killing her, even if I have to murder everyone else that gets in my way the Major thought.

A commotion down in the base alerted Nightshade, and she saw Red Dragon picking off the turret operators with his sniper rifle from the treeline. Four rounds and four bodies later the Peace Fighter home base was open for all air vehicles to land.

“Get us in there!”

The three DRAVMs swooped down and came to a hover over the base, a large hatch opening in the concrete disc that was the only surface presence of the base and a single pony stepping out. As the ramps for all three DRAVMs opened Major Nightshade looked down at this brave soul and immediately recognized her as Lieutenant Strong Spear.

Grabbing her gear the Major jumped out of the DRAVM and landed on the concrete, approaching the target as her companions waited patiently for orders.

Rushing up the stairs from the inner base were dozens of Peace Fighter soldiers, far outnumbering the Imperials that had come to their most-hidden base.

This doesn’t make any sense. The force that destroyed Howloon was 50 times this size** Lieutenant Spear thought, confused.

“Lieutenant Strong Spear, formerly Sergeant of Her Majesty’s Imperial Army, I have hunted you far and wide since our encounter at Howloon, and now I found you here, hiding with all your comrades in the jungles of Vietmane. This is to be our final encounter, Lieutenant. There will be convenient rescues, no retreat, and no surrender. Face me!” Major Nightshade exclaimed, smacking the Lieutenant’s M6 pistol from her hooves as they engaged in hoof-to-hoof combat.

Emerging from the jungle Red Dragon ordered the Imperials to assault the Peace Fighters while he helped the Major. Finding cover where they could the two sides of the infantry opened fire on each other, while the figureheads duked it out.

Wondering how she could take on two soldiers at once, much less one that’s a five-foot tall super soldier, Lieutenant Spear decked Nightshade across the face with a solid punch, sending her reeling as the dragon attempted to stab her.

Grabbing the hand holding the knife by the wrists Lieutenant Spear pushed down with her hooves and the assailant was forced to drop the knife, allowing Strong to pick it up for herself.

Deciding that the dragon was the most lethal of the two individuals attacking her Strong Spear decided she would want to eliminate him first, and acted accordingly.

Raising the knife the Lieutenant stabbed down on the dragon’s right knee, the blade failing to stab and just sliding off the steel of his armor. Pulling back Strong swung out her hoof to knock the dragon’s feet out from under him. An attack that failed as her hoof just hit his leg and stopped.

He’s like a wall. How can I bring him down?

Diverting her attention back to Major Nightshade the Lieutenant swung the knife for a stab, her attack blocked by the Major. Raising the knife high Strong tried to stab again to no avail, and with her right hoof up in the air, held by the Major, her chest was completely open for a direct punch from Nightshade.

Staggering back from the blow the Lieutenant watched both of her attackers approach, hoping they’d be able to just simply gang up on her and thinking she wouldn’t be able to fight both of them at once.

Lashing out with the knife and another stab blocked the Lieutenant used the leverage provided by Nightshade holding her arm to kick the dragon in the stomach, sending him back a few steps. With her hoof still raised and out Strong planted it firmly in the ground and lifted Nightshade over her head before throwing her to the concrete.

With Nightshade down for the moment Lieutenant Strong could focus on the dragon, who wasted no time in reaching for the Peace Fighter. Strong switched the blade to her left hoof and swung it wide for the assassin, who grabbed her at the wrist and pulled, sending her airborne for a second before she slammed down on her back.

Rolling away and getting to her hooves the Lieutenant saw that the dragon has picked the knife back up and was already swinging it at her, the end-cap of the handle oriented to his chest and blade facing out. Stabbing out straight for her neck the Lieutenant was forced to quickly lean back, the blade missing her by just half a foot.

After a strong swing like that the dragon would be vulnerable, and Strong Spear took advantage of that fact. With his arm fully stretched out Strong grabbed him by the wrist with her left hoof and his elbow with her right, facing her back to him and lifting him over her before throwing him down on his back.

Turning around the Lieutenant saw Nightshade getting back to her hooves, rushing straight for her as soon as she was stable. Intercepting her quickly Strong attempted to put her down but was countered, the Major delivering an uppercut to Strong’s chin and a straight punch to her stomach.

Pulling back from Nightshade Strong Spear began to circle around her opponent, cautiously eyeing her and waiting for an opportune moment to strike.

“Your Peace Fighters will soon be naught, Lieutenant. The might of Her Majesty’s empire will crush you and your army, and your insolent ‘revolution’ will come to an end” Nightshade claimed, tensing herself up for attack.

“At least we have the nerve to stand up to the Princesses, unlike you blind sheep. If you knew what we know you too would fight back” Lieutenant Spear replied.

“I don’t care what nonsensical ‘truth’ Shining Armor has planted in your little heads; it’s BS” Nightshade said, bored of just walking around and striking fast and hard at the Lieutenant with a straight punch for her face. Strong blocked with a hoof but couldn’t put the Major down since she had no leverage in her current position; if she let go of Nightshade’s hoof then the Pegasus would just pull away.

Remembering Shining’s lessons for close quarters combat Lieutenant Spear pulled Nightshade towards her, keeping the Pegasus’ hoof in hers and whacking her free hoof parallel across the Major’s face, throwing her to the floor.

“That’s a little something Shining taught me” Lieutenant Spear declared as she stood over the prone figure of Major Nightshade.

Hearing the scrape of metal on concrete Strong whipped around and saw the dragon assassin about to stab her, prompting her to roll to the side as the assassin pursued.

As Red Dragon kept after her with a knife Lieutenant Spear saw Nightshade already trying to get back to her hooves, apparently not getting the hint to stay down. One of the Imperial DRAVMs soared overhead as the rain kept pouring down. A flash of lightning struck some miles away and silhouetted Red Dragon, the vibrant glow of his red visor menacing and his figure imposing.

Grabbing Red Dragon’s arm by the wrist as he stabbed forward Lieutenant Spear threw him towards Nightshade, the two colliding and the dragon collapsing on top of her. Looking over at the infantry fighting on the other side Strong saw Gleaming Bullet in the Peace Fighter lines, keeping the heat on the Imperials along with his brethren.

One of the enemy DRAVMs ignited in a fireball and fell into the jungle, blasting several trees apart. Pushing Red Dragon off of her Major Nightshade got up and pulled out what appeared to be a sword from her backside gear, walking towards the Lieutenant on her hind legs and holding the sword firm.

“This is a family heirloom, passed down from when it was first forged 700 years ago during the expansion of Equestria through the Faith Of The Sun wars. For those 700 years it has taken the lives of many who opposed the Princesses, and it will do the same today” Major Nightshade exclaimed as she neared Lieutenant Spear.

Right off the bat the Major swung her sword horizontally, the blade swishing through the air without pause. Lieutenant Spear ducked low to avoid the blow and tackled Nightshade to the ground, promptly getting kicked off afterward.

Rolling forward and turning to her hooves as both Red Dragon and Major Nightshade approached the Lieutenant, the latter Imperial keeping her sword at the ready. As the Major stabbed forward Strong grabbed her arm and jerked forward, forcing Nightshade to drop the sword as Lieutenant Spear threw her to the ground and took the sword for herself.

Suddenly the last two Imperial DRAVMs exploded, two smoke trails emanating from within the jungle. Ignoring that for now Lieutenant Spear approached Red Dragon with the sword at the ready and performed one of her favorite maneuvers; the fake-out.

Stabbing the sword straight for Red Dragon’s neck Lieutenant Spear waited until the assassin tried to block the hit before pulling back and aiming for another part of his body, the blade connecting and piercing right through his armor and scales in his waist, going all the way through.

Ripping the sword out and turning around Strong Spear saw Nightshade coming right at her, the Lieutenant punching the Pegasus directly across the face with her left hoof. While Nightshade was reeling from the blow Strong turned her sword up so the edge of the blade was facing the sky and stabbed it straight through Major Nightshade’s chest, the blade sinking into her body all the way up the hilt and piercing multiple organs.

Shock on her face and blood leaking out of her mouth Nightshade crumpled to the floor as the Lieutenant withdrew the blade, blood immediately squirting out of the wound.

Nightshade was dead.

Turning back to face Red Dragon Strong Spear was about to finish him off when an explosion nearby sent her staggering and the assassin to the floor, allowing several Peace Fighters to restrain him. When Strong looked over to where the Imperial infantry had been hunkered down she saw several smoking craters.

Making sure the dragon was secure Lieutenant Spear surveyed the area for any stragglers just as Gleaming Bullet rushed up to her, sounding like he was out of breath and looking like he was out of ammo.

“Get this thing inside and locked away, I want to know who he is and why there wasn’t a bigger assault force” Strong Spear ordered, soaking wet from the rain. Gleaming nodded and was about to do as instructed when he caught glimpse of a stallion in the tree-line, pointing him out for the rest of the Peace Fighters.

“Who is that? An Imperial soldier?” Lieutenant Strong asked, cautiously watching him as he walked closer. Quickly enough the stallion exited the tree-line and walked into the light, the rain running down his body. In his hooves was a smoking missile system and on his back some unknown gun. His blue hair matted to his head and soaking wet.

“...Shining?” Strong asked, thinking it was almost too good to be true. As he came closer and Strong Spear could see him clearly she realized it was him; Shining Armor. The stallion walked closer but completely ignored her, coming to a stop by her side and staring past her.

Following his gaze until she stopped on Gleaming Bullet Strong saw the stallion with the same look on his face as the Lieutenant, though he seemed to be nervously glancing back and forth between Strong and Shining, unnerved by the stallion’s unwavering stare.

Focusing her attention back on Captain Armor Strong Spear could see past his locks of wet hair and into his eyes, seeing anger and confusion within.

And it was directed at Gleaming Bullet.

Author's Note

*This is a play on words referring to Cheyenne Mountains and Cheyenne Tactical's M200 "Intervention" sniper system.
**This is a reference to the line speaking of the fleet that arrives at Earth in the beginning of Halo 2.

Legal note: Shining Armor, Princess Celestia, and all related characters belong to Hasbro. Strong Spear, Gleaming Bullet, and all related characters belong to me. Nightshade belongs to Kirlia481.