private Eastern Skies Ablaze

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

"Who's there? Why are you in my dreams!" She couldn't peice two and two together at this stage and had not a clue who this creature was in her dream, maybe a demon that would make this place a nightmare. Great a nightmare that would be fun, a restless night of horror before going into tomorrow.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

Appearing as though from nowhere and in glittering grace, her mane as dark as the midnight sky and her form a defined royal figure. Immediatley Star recognized the pony towering over her.

 

Princess Luna!

 

She smiled happily to her.

"Do not be afraid. No pony will hurt you here." She says. Appearing near them were two large bean bag like sofas. A rather casual choice for royalty.

"Do sit." She says taking her seat on the comfy furniture its form shaping to Luna as she took seat in it.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

"Um ok sure." She walked over tomthe other bean bag and sat, she was immediately felt rather comfortable. But Luna still had her on edge, why was she here in her head? "W-why are you here Princess, what have I done to warrent a visit from you?" She shifted uncomfortably waiting for her answer feeling like she had to be at attention like a gaurd.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

"Tis nothing to worry yourself my child. In fact you seem to be one of the many plauged with these toughts and worries during your slumber." She says.

The princess shifted a bit raising her head and an image of white appeared showing various ponies, some Star recognized. The cadets, Kris and Soft Soar. Even Razorwing all seeming to toss and turn some slumping up as though overencumbered by worry.

 

"Worried to go to war." She says stating at the problem.

 

"They have all been restless and I have done my best to bring them comfort." She says.

"Your mind is plauged with questions, concerns many upon many. I wish to have an audience with you. Please... dont hesitate to open up." She says he flowing mane glistening.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

"Luna... Princess?!" Shaking her head. She made an exasperated shrug. "I don't know what to say, you and you sister are sending me to fight! I'm not a guard or a full Bolt I'm a scientist not a soldier!..." She sighed. "How can I even kill a changeling I don't think there bad, just misunderstood..."

[FancyHorse 1,209]

"I assure to you my subject, he decision for war was not in my favor. But the world of politics is such a betwixted thing. My sister however made the final choice. The changelings however are not the purpose, it was the threat just upon Arabia's border." She said.

 

A soft cloud image appeared with the face of a rather gruff unicorn. His mane tied in a tight ponytail its ebony gloss accented with golden threads at the ends. His eyes are rather narrow and a tuft of hair juts from his chin. A ather devious appearance. His coat color is creamy tan under his decorated military stylized coat. THe obvious dictator type.

 

"This pony in question is our concern. Asir Rassadi. You may have never heard of him. To the north of Saddle Arabia the kingdom of Rassarikstan is waging a war between its two neighbors and soon I fear Saddle Arabia maybe pressured to take full intervention. This villianous one has allowed countless atrocities amongst his neighbors; mainly the small kingdom of Malteese." She says.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

"So what does me going to Arabia to fight changelings have to do with some dictator like Sombra? You want us to go to his country too fight Arabians? I'm sorry I might be able to kill changelings but I draw the line at our kind, or cousins anyway..."

 

She shied away from her, she'd take imprisonment over killing any kind of horse or pony.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

Star awoke from her empty slumber. It was almost by set time. And that time sadly was for departure. Into certain death? An easy victory? Just something of an excuse to ease her mind perhaps but it was hard to shake the anxiety. She stood up in her bed, Cirrus looking to her as she rose from her pillow. Better not waste time. She arose and began her final preperation.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

She moved back to the shower to clean yet again and sat and washed and thought for a while. She left a while later and git her things and walked to the slipstream to her appointed destination, it was a a sad sight if anyone was awake to see it. She looked like a pony on death row, nights sleep had done little to help her.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

On through the slipstream she flew about following in its general flow. Past the various cloud homes and near to the Canterlot mountian and straightening out and onward to Baltimare. Coming into view the city remains lit in the early morning setting just like a scene from a cinema. Exiting the slip stream early she fly west ward toward the Airbase just off to the distance, even from the distance plenty of movement could be seen around and in the airbase fields.

 

Landing at the entrance she was greeted a rather large massing of ponies just around the entrance perimeter. Judging on their tone and angry shouts they don't seem too happy. Not sticking around she quickly entered showing her admissions card as she went past the guards.

 

"The rest of the air teams are being assigned at the air field terminal" The guard handed back her admission card and explained pointing in the general direction.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

She walked on to the pointed direction. "Guess I just haul my stuff for now then, geeze thanks dude..." She muttered under her breath to herself. Cirrus came around and landed her shoulder, she didn't want the guards seeing her if she could help it yet. "So the is stage one of Celestia... no buck her and her sister sending me here..." She thought.

 

"Stage one of Cadence knows... yeah that works, Cadence knows what's to come." She made her way to the terminal heading inside, still ladened by her stuff and Cirrus accompanying her.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

Before her groups of cadets and officers are awaiting about. Some sitting near the seats of the exit. Some lay lazily scrolling through their smart phones and devices they brought along. She could hear sudden trotting from her side turning to see a stallion pegasus stops immedaitley before her with a smile on his face.

 

"Guess who!?" Kris spoke up nearly spoking her as he approached.

 

"I had a feeling we would see each other here!" he said happily.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

Star actually smiled for once seeing Kris, ontop of that she gave him a hug for good messure. She held this hug for sometime for letting him go she needed a hug, he was the first thing that made her happy so she hugged him.

 

"It's nice to see you Kris, though I wish it was under nicer conditions preferably at Cloudsdale not here..." She didn't even wish to think about what was to come.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

"Hey its all good. I'd rather be going into this with somepony I know." He said, he looked past her spotting someting just behind her.

"Speaking of that ..." He called out. "Soar!" He said. Looking behind her now rushing up to the two of them is the familiar Soft Soar. Her face immediately brightening to see the two of them. She trotted merrily and emrbaced the two with her surprising strength.

"Guys! Its so good to see you!" She squeaed in delight before letting them go. Her attention soon to Cirrus as she squeaks a bit.

"Aww Hiya Cirrus!" She gently pets her head, Cirrus reacting calmly having recognized her and nuzzled into her hoof.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

"Well at least I get to die with some friendly faces around me... shit sorry I'm stuck in morbid mode I'm not keen to be doing this at all." Her head droops a little, from shame, fear something else? She wasn't sure but she was terrified to be going back to Saddle Arabia.

 

"Please tell me I'm not the only one scared to be doing this?"

[FancyHorse 1,209]

The two exchanged looks and returned gaze.

 

"I don't think not any of us aren't scared. We all saw what happened there. I don't wanna go there as much as any pony. And its apparant that the rest of Equestria agree." Kris says noting to the outside with large crowd of protesters.

 

"What's going on?" Soar asked,

"Just a practice of rights. They don't like the decision from the Princesses to go to war. No pony wants to war." Kris says before his attention is turned to three ponies entering, rather bug like in apperance. Shortly it was easily noted the three entering are changelings. Dressed in simple Wonderbolt cadet uniforms. They approach almost timidly unsure a bit.

 

One approaches, "A-are we meeting here?" He asked, his tone a bit soft with faint hissing at the end. It was a first difficult to tell the three appart except by their eye color it seems. Almost like they are exact copies of another.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

"Er... what in the devil?..." She watched the trio in a state of surprise, how on Equestria did anypony think it was a good idea to draft changelings to fight changelings? "Y-yeah we're meeting here, man I though we had it bad, but you guys... I don't envy you guys..." She felt sorry for them, certainly did not want to be in their hooves. 

[FancyHorse 1,209]

The three exchange glances or a bit, "W-what do you mean?" The forward one asked his wings buzzing a bit, shortly though an officer exits from the terminal entrance hall. Clip board in hoof he begins calling out cadets. Kris is called up, gathering his things he begins heading forward along with others. Soar's name was called shortly after along with Star's. Wasting. no time she gathers her things and heads onward into the terminal hall following along its length, looking outside the windows she could see ahead a large military transport plane. Soar looks back to you following by your side whilst Kris is ahead of the group.

 

Past into an extended stairs they enter into their final destination. A one way trip into their possible demise. Awaiting inside near a foldout tables examining various documents are two ponies. Immediatley recognized is Razorwing, thankfully. She looks upon the various papers. She seems to be adorned in an armored flight suit minues the flight helmet. Next to her is the old fart that is Ironwing. She looks up from her view smiling at the sight of her familiar cadets.

 

"Well its good to see familiar faces." She says, primarily at Star as they take seats lined on the sides of the transport plane.

"Just pile your things centered." She says pointing to the middle of the floor ahead of them.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

Star quickly without any thought dumpes her gear instantly. "I hate carrying things I'm not a earth pony..." She sits on one of the seats in a slight huff, she still wasn't really happy. Not likely to change either at this rate, not without intervention.

 

She sat Cirrus in her lap and nuzzled her before stroking her with a hoof as the pair relaxed for the long flight or as well as they could.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

Slowly and surely the rest of the cadets soon fall in dumping their stuff and taking their seats, the three changelings apart of them. The group simply chilling their conversations filling in the enclosed area. Kris reaches over petting Cirrus' head.

 

"ALRIGHT! Settle in cadets." Razor calls out. A rumbling could be felt and shortly movement. Their aircraft was taking off. Several minutes pass of rumbling and turbulance as they ascended into their final destination. Finally the aircraft levels out reducing the impeded balance.

 

"Safe altitude. You can unstrap cadets." Razor spoke and doing so each unbuckle their harnesses.

 

Ironwing speaks up, "As of 0400 hours. The fleet has left into wild waters. We'll be approaching for a Soft HALO* onto Herald of Frienship. So lets get this breifing done. Brass gave the okay for air operations in Saddle Arabia and the surrounding regions. Lets clear up a one thing. And I know media and other sources are thinking the same thing. Our mission objective is not the changelings residing east of Arabia. That's their issue. Our focus is on our main enemy." Iron wing stamps a large poster on the display board behind him of a rather aged stallion. A gruff beard formed under his chin and adorned in a white military suit. An obvious dictator type.

 

"Asir Rassadi is the main king of Rassarikstan. He's been causing some nasty shit lately. Already the smaller kingdom of Malteese, just west, lossing at about %60 of its territory. Taursikstan another small kingdom is holding seige just south of the kingdom. " He said pulling up maps of the two kingdoms.

 

"A pony like this is plot mind of many atrocities across this region. It'll be up to us to keep these skies clear and assure assistance to the Arabians when they will make thier involvment more prevelant." He added.

 

"I'll be dividing each of you cadets into your squads. Lieutenant Razor. Your callsign will be Dagger 1. Officer Soft Star!" Instinctively Star rose Cirrus hoping into the space below.

"Callsign will be Dagger 2. Lightfeather!" Kris also rose.

"Dagger 3." He said.

"Soft Soar!" She too rose, "Dagger 4. Dagger Squad take your seat." They all sat down. Kris leaned into Star.

"Dagger 2? Promotion came handy ehy?" He whispered.

 

This was them, an actual combat squad. Dagger.

 

((Soft HALO being a military low altitude jump into a location below. In this case a glide. Generally used when pegasi need to board along already deployed naval transports in emergency dispatch))

Edited September 7, 2016 by IllusivePony

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

(I am aware of most military terms)

 

"Well I suppose I'm not a grunt." She whispered back. But that led to more thought, If Razor was injured or even killed she'd be in charge of Soar and Kris, two ponies in her hooves a daunting thought. She was filled with doubt in herself, the mission and a few other things but one this she was not and that was her comrades she had faith in the others.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

Ironwing continued on assigning officers and cadets to their various squads and callsigns. Didn't really take much time. 

 

"We've got around a- a few minutes till we arrive with the fleet. Take 5 everypony. Briefing will continue on Herald of Frienship." Ironwing dismissed the brief breifing. The chatter soon continued.

 

"Well now. On the plus side the changelings aren't the baddies we're after." Kris said,

"You think the princesses had something to do with it?" Soar asked, 

"I took a look on the news... seems like advocates with the changelings seem to be pressuring the Royal Highness on the issue. A big pony rights movement or such." Razorwing inputted.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

"Yeah we're going from killing another species to killing our own kind now... that is not an improvement in my book." She wasn't very happy one way or another but what could she do? Nothing was the answer so she sat there and continued to pat her bird, who very much enjoyed the attention. "Me and you girl, me and you." 

 

She was going to try and get through this alive and unhurt hopefully, that was the goal. 

[FancyHorse 1,209]

It wasnt too long until they heard the faint buzz of the proximity alarm.

"Get your things Cadets! Get ready for a jump." Ironwing called out and everypony rose facing foward to exit door. One of the transport crew approaches to the door pressing to a button. With a loud mechanical whirring commencing as they lower open to the peaking dawn of the horizon.

"Sunrise." Kris whispered, barely audible to her.

 

A green light flashes above the door.

 

"The Herald of Friendship is directly in the center of the fleet! Aim for the center Carrier!" Ironwing shouted out.

"Go GO!" He shouts and each one by one jump forward into the sky the air whoosing as each fall forward. Razor jumps ahead of the squad as an opening appears. Star and the others following soon. Cirrus jumped from Star's back and opened her wings following along with her owner.

 

Below them a large fleet of naval craft carry forward crashing through the waves water as though it were nothing making their way to the same destination. The center said painted in Royal Blue colors is a large carrier vessel imposing largerly against its fellow naval craft.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

She didn't dive for the obvious carrier at first she flew above for a bit taking in the view which was actually quite stunning, somthing about the ocean. She gazed over the fleet it was somewhat impressive a fair number of ships all around a huge carrier had to be the flag ship of the fleet. She eventually moved down to land on the ship with the others, being last to do so. Her first intention was to fly around the fleet and look at the ships they looked quite awesome.