Chapter 77: New Dawn
Part 1: Siege of East Cahokia Station - Dawn
TIME: 05:24 ERDT
DATE: War Day 709/13 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia Gendarmes South Point Station, East Cahokia, Inoka
Dawn was in about an hour or so. We slept in short naps in shifts, though sleep was initially hard to come by, Derpy reported that Luna was directly guarding our dreams, and we slept peacefully.
She.. didn't do anything with me, other than ask for a report, and cuddle. Good cuddles, too. Warm, relaxing..
I was up, now, in the Kitchenette with Dusty, making more coffee.
Dusty: "They didn't come back." She shrugged. "Think we got 'em?"
K: "More like, Luna did, and I'm pretty sure, the thought of the Nightmare Moon coming after them, shattered their unearthly resolve. It's always nice to have a BIGGER monster on YOUR team. Usually, that's me?" I shrugged, with a confident smirk. "Sombra. Luna. Yeah."
Dusty: "And when that doesn't work, more guns works." She nodded. "You.. know how scared I was for you, right?"
K: "Yeah.. ah.. I'm sorry." I shrugged, and set the coffee pot on the stove. "I really am, but I had the thought that they might just be satisfied with me, and leave the rest of you alone, if that happened..."
Dusty: "I.." She pushed me against the counter, this time, and ran her hooves along my chest. "..it hurts, but.. I deal." She leaned up and gave me a kiss.
K: "I'll always try to come back. I put the rest of you first, before me." I slowly shook my head. "I'm just one life, one alien life, the rest of you are far more important."
Dusty: "Mmmm!" She kissed me harder, now, pulling me into her. "You talk all brave and noble like that, makes me want to stick you in a pet carrier and surround it with castle walls!" She made a distressed huff. "But, I get it.. I get it. It's how I feel, too. What's my life when others are in such danger?"
K: "Well. Reinforcements will be here, soon." I nodded.
We went into the back office area, which was now our new "front line." We'd ripped the desk out of the floor, and wedged it in the archway between the front area and the back office. The doors were on their last legs, and wouldn't hold up to a sustained assault.
Every bit of anything we could get, was reinforcing that desk, and it was a series of fire slits, now. Everyone was here.
The lads and Dex were awake.
Gaze: "Shouldn't be long, suh." He nodded. "About an hour."
Cosmic: "I'm going to go make a radio report - see who answers." He got up, and tapped Norfy, who followed.
Dex: "Dude.. this is some serious horror movie stuff, right here." He chuckled.
K: "Yeah.. and some of the best of them came out in the decade you draw all your fashion and persona from - it fits." I smirked.
Dex: "Ha! Yea!" He beamed a grin.
After a few minutes, Cosmic returned.
Cosmic: "Cahokia, Ozarka Militia Regiment is ready to advance. Springfield Captial District Militia was held up and will arrive by noon. Mount Vernon Militia will be here by 7AM. 20th Motor Infantry Regiment from Fort Cinchell will be here from the east at about the same time as the Cahokia Militia." He nodded. "Four Regiments, by noon."
K: "Excellent news." I nodded.
Dex: "Sounds great." He nodded. "What's the plan, then?"
K: "Probe the Mounds. We find anything, we save it for later. We find their nest? We burn them to the ground." I nodded. "We'll have a force of 1,462 troops here, plus vehicle support. I can't imagine there'll be that many of them. No telling how many we aced last night."
Cosmic: "Oh, indeed." He nodded.
TIME: 06:34 ERDT
Major Bellweather: "ATTENTION IN THE STATION!"
K: "Sounds like someone indeed." I nodded.
Norfy: "CODE BOOK!" Norfy got out his. "GREEN, ONE-FIVE, GLACIER!"
Major Bellweather: "YELLOW, ONE-SEVEN, CASTLE!"
K: "They check out." I nodded. "COME ON IN, THE DOOR'S BARRICADED. BREAK IT IN!"
In a few moments, soldiers from the 18th Reconnaisence Company broke the door in, with axes and sledges. Their commander, Captain Rosekruz, marched up to me.
Capt. Rozekruz: "General K!" He nodded. "Captain Rozekruz, 8th Recon. Major Bellweather'd like to talk to you, sir."
K: "Everyone stand down and get some rest!" I ordered, as I went out to talk to the Major.
I could see the Cahokia Militia marching up at the same time. Their command staff made their way over to me immediately.
Major Tucker Folds: "General - Major Tucker Folds, Cahokia Militia." He nodded, and nodded to Major Bellweather.
Major Bellweather: "Major Adorea Bellweather, 20th Regiment." She nodded to me, then Major Folds.
K: "That's two." I nodded. "Where's Mount Vernon?"
Major Bellweather: "We saw them - they're not taking the roads, they're going direct." He nodded. "Another thirty minutes and they'll be here."
K: "Alright." I nodded. "The East Cahokia Militia is suspected of treason and sedition." I nodded slowly. "Major Folds, I need your Ranger Company."
Major Folds: "Yes, General." He nodded as Chemical Lens came up.
Chemical Lens: "Gentlemen, ladies, Sheriff Lens, Special Marshal of Celestia's Royal Courts." She nodded to them. "The Militia Rangers will come with me, Sergeant Dunes, General K, and we will get to the bottom of this."
K: "When we return, prepare for combat, gentlemen. While you wait, fortify this structure, it's our field HQ. Major Bellweather, send a vehicle section to the nearest Armory and draw three more days of fire for a 1500-troop unit."
Major Bellweather: "Yes, sir." He nodded.
K: "Alright, where's East Cahokia's militia HQ?" I nodded to Major Folds.
Major Folds: "About.. three kilometers north of here." He nodded.
K: "Let's go, then." I nodded.
We met up with Captain Turning Paige and her Ranger Company.
Capt. Paige: "General K. Captain Turning Paige, sir." She nodded. "Cahokia Rangers."
K: "You're under Sheriff Lens' command." I nodded to Chem.
Chemical Lens: "All of you are Deputized as Gendarmes Posse. Our objective is to find out why your comrades in East Cahokia abandoned the General and his staff to the Skinwalkers last night." She stood proud in front of them.
Capt. Paige: "Ohh.. that's what happened." She frowned. "General, I'm sorry, if we had known.." She sighed.
K: "Tell me what you DO know, Captain." I nodded.
Capt. Paige: "We heard rumors that people were going missing. We asked East Cahokia Gendarmes to look into it, but they never gave us any kind of a report. Finally, we had our own people look into it - my brother was a detective-constable for Cahokia Gendarmes. Was. He went missing about a month ago. They found part of his uniform about a block from here.. shredded. Lieutenant Spears said.. well.. the Skinwalkers got to him, and if I knew what was good for me, I'd keep my mouth shut, since they know my face, now, and they'll come for me if I make trouble. I brought it up to Major Folds, and we were trying to figure out what to do - East Cahokia's Militia were dragging their feet. Then.. YOU showed up!" She shrugged. "I want justice for my brother, General."
K: "You'll have it. Who commands the East Cahokia unit?" I nodded to her.
Capt. Paige: "Captain Straight Flush, sir." She nodded. "It's an Infantry company, and they have an Engineer Squad and a Logistic Squad as extras."
K: "Understood." I nodded. "Alright, let's move.."
We were going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another. I didn't like this - ponies leaving other ponies to die? That wasn't right, that wasn't like them. Something bigger was afoot, here.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: East Cahokia Internal Affairs
TIME: 07:11 ERDT
DATE: War Day 709/13 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia Militia HQ, East Cahokia, Inoka
We just marched up, and then took cover positions all over the place, covering the front entrance, and moving civilians out of the buildings across from the HQ building, a former Ice House.
Once we were in place, I got on the radio.
K: C> "This is General K to the East Cahokia Militia. You are ordered to surrender yourselves for arrest. The Cahokia Ranger Company is out front and dug in. If you choose to resist, you will be shot as traitors." I looked at Captain Paige.
She just shook her head, and braced her Bradley on the window sill.
K: C> "East Cahokia Militia. This is your final warning. Communicate your surrender to myself and Sheriff Chemical Lens immediately!" I demanded.
No answer.
K: "Anyone got a target!?" I called out.
Sgt. Lanyard: "I do, sir! Militia Private, standing in the HQ, looks like he's at the window in a supply room, sir!"
K: "Shatter the window! Don't hit the Target!" I called out.
Sgt. Lanyard: "Aye, sir!"
One shot later, and I could hear the distant sound of a window shattering.
I then grabbed the bullhorn.
K: "THIS IS GENERAL-FIELD MARSHAL K, COMMANDER IN CHIEF! EVERYONE INSIDE THE EAST CAHOKIA MILITIA HEADQUARTERS WILL MARCH OUT AND SURRENDER THEMSELVES FOR ARREST! IF YOU RESIST, YOU WILL BE SHOT AS TRAITORS TO PRINCESS CELESTIA, AND THE KINGDOM OF EQUESTRIA!" I screamed into the bullhorn.
I waited.. and waited.
K: "THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING! IN FIVE MINUTES, WE ATTACK! NO QUARTER FOR TRAITORS!" I screamed into the bullhorn. "Captain, get your company ready for immediate assault." I nodded to her.
Capt. Paige: "Yes, General." She nodded, and moved.
I waited sixty seconds, and went down stairs from the perch we were on.
K: "Dusty, with me. Chem, stay here." I nodded to her. "Captain? Kickoff in thirty seconds." I nodded to her.
Capt. Paige: "Not waiting the full five minutes?" She clarified.
K: "No." I shook my head.
The Rangers stacked up at the entrance.
K: "I hate to order this, everyone. No Quarter." I looked at each of them. "They're traitors, they got one of your own killed, and contributed to the deaths of the very ponies they swore to protect. They're cornered and will likely resist hard. Frag the rooms just like you trained to do, don't concern yourself with who's in there - Traitors to Ponykind are lower than Duregars and Goblins."
They all gave a 'yes, sir' and I nodded to the breacher to heave the breaching charge.
We were going to go in and shoot our own people.
Not like Mason's men - those were criminals masquerading as soldiers. These were Traitors masquerading as our friends...
I hesitated one moment longer, hoping someone would come to their senses.. nothing. I nodded.
Sgt. Bricker: "Breaching!"
The charge went off, and the gates were blown down. We rushed in, aim kept both up and to the front, looking for anyone that might be trying to take a shot at us.
One of them stuck their head out of the 2nd floor, and immediately got shot right between the eyes. He fell from the window, and hit the ground near us.
Sgt. Bricker arrived at the building's door, and just used raw strength to rear back and mule-kick it open.
I was first in.
Five of them were standing around several supply crates, and looked up as we entered.
Pvt. Masher Flow: "WAI-"
I gunned them all down.
K: "DEATH TO TRAITORS!" I screamed as I did so.
The one that spoke was only wounded, and tried to crawl away. I walked up on him, and stepped on his tail, pinning him to the ground. I put my Bradley to the back of his head.
Pvt. Masher Flow: "YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" He said, not looking at me. "YOU HAVE NO I-"
I put a round through his skull.
The rest of the Rangers charged up the stairs, and rushed the rest of the building, throwing fragmentation grenades into each room before entering.
I charged for the second floor, with Dusty behind me. The command staff room was just ahead. I stopped at the door.
K: "CAPTAIN! YOUR SOLDIERS ARE DYING! COME OUT AND ACCEPT YOUR DOOM, LIKE A PROPER STALLION!" I demanded.
Capt. Flush: "YOU IDIOT! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" He called back. "THEY'LL COME FOR US, NOW! COME FOR OUR FAMILIES! THEY'LL ERASE THE WHOLE CITY TONIGHT! YOU STUPID MONKEY, YOU'VE DOOMED US ALL!!"
K: "NO, YOU DID!" I nodded to Dusty.
She pulled back, and I moved out of the way. She then fired an impact detonating Gavin shell into the door.
It made an awful mess inside.
Within a few minutes, it was over. I was back out in the yard with Captain Paige. The Rangers dragged over a few survivors that hadn't attempted to resist - 21 out of 70.
K: "Who's the highest ranked." I stated, not asked.
CWO Digger: "Chief Digger, General." He glared at me from his handcuffs.
K: "You stand accused of high treason. How do you plead?" I glared right back.
CWO Digger: "We made the choice, General. WE MADE THE ONLY CHOICE!" He spat. "We all knew the risks. You don't GET it! They're ALL OVER this land! ALL OVER!" He whipped his head sharply right. "The town's surrounded by Mounds! THEIR Mounds! THEIR Sanctuaries! Half the city's BUILT on a COLLAPSED Mound! WE did that! WE invaded THEIR land! WE don't BELONG here! But as long as WE leave THEM alone, THEY left US alone! WE MADE A DEAL! All they wanted was a few tourists every now and then!" He hissed. "What does it matter!? A few Outsiders! Griffons or Donkeys or whatever!"
K: "You disgust me." I narrowed my eyes at him. "You put on that uniform to protect lives, not sacrifice them to monsters using the authority it gives you to commit murder. Outsiders? There's no such thing as outsiders. Only lives that need protecting. Instead of doing that, you admit you willingly sacrificed them to those abyssal horrors. Like barbarians! You're no better than Ympha!" I waved a hand at them.
CWO Digger: "We protected, alright. We protected our own." He sneered. "I hope you hear the screams of my foals every night when those monsters eat them."
K: "I hope when you get to Tartarus.." I relieved a Rangerpony of his Merrill Commando. "..you understand why you're there."
Chemical Lens: "You are all traitors. You will die as such."
I would not have people wearing my uniform, that participated in malicious murder of others.
I just.. pulled the trigger, raking over the lines of defenseless handcuffed ponies.
The ponies that called themselves the East Cahokia Militia Company were eradicated.
We arrived back at the Forward HQ soon after, leaving the bodies there to rot. I reported all of this to the other unit commanders.
Major Bellweather: "I've NEVER heard of ANYTHING like this before, sir! The whole Company?!" She was understandably distressed.
K: "I'm afraid so. Sheriff Lens and Captain Paige were both witnesses.. as was most of the Ranger Company. They outright stated they'd been sacrificing 'tourists' to these monsters." I shrugged. "I really.. I didn't have a choice. Life imprisonment isn't a real sentence. You may as well just shoot them at that point."
Spears, Granite, and Flowers were in chains, out front.
I walked up to them.
K: "You helped." I stated.
Spears: "Lawyer." He repeated.
I kicked him in the ribs as hard as I could.
K: "YOU HELPED! WHAT DID YOU DO, FAKE ARRESTS, AND THROW THEM TO THE MONSTERS?!" I picked him up by his forelegs.
Granite: "Damn STRAIGHT we did!" He hissed at me. "It was THEM or US!"
I looked at Spears.
He just gave me a cocky grin.
K: "Except, you liked it." I set him down.
I then drew my Morgan, and shot him between the eyes. I then paced over to Granite - Flowers had immediately voided on herself, tucked her tail, and had started sobbing.
K: "Any last words?" I asked him.
Granite: "Yeah. Fuck you, Monkey Boy." He spat at me.
I shot him as well. Same place.
Flowers shrieked, and urinated on herself.
Flowers: "PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!" She thumped her head on my shoes, and I annoyedly kicked her away. "NO!! PLLLEAAAAAAAAASE!" *Bawling* "PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON ME! PLEASE! FOR CELESTIA'S SAKE!" She sobbed.
I stepped back.
K: "You miserable, disgusting creature." I spat at her. "Confess your part in this."
Flowers: "I-I-I.. I helped.. hi-hi-him.. find.. victims..!" *Rapid hiccup* "H-He.. he's the one.. that.. HE KILLED THEM! THEY BOTH DID! PLEASE! I-I.." She sobbed so hard, she was shaking. "I WOULDN'T LET THEM HURT THE CHILDREN! I-I-I TOOK THEM TO THE ORPHANAGE IN BELLWIND! PLEASE!"
K: "..." I made a noise, but it wasn't a word. "Twenty years in Fort Leatherworth. That's the sentence I'll suggest." I nodded to the Majors. "Put her in custody."
Flowers: "THANK YOU!" She bawled harder.
Chemical Lens: "I would have shot her, anyway. Just because she showed mercy to a few, doesn't excuse what she did to the rest." She snorted.
K: "Yeah, but.." I shook my head. "..she might redeem herself and learn a lesson."
Chemical Lens: "And what lesson is that, sir?"
K: "Go get a bigger monster." I looked her in the eye. "And don't betray the ones you swore an oath to protect."
Chemical Lens: "Perhaps, General." She nodded, crisply.
It sat sour and bitter in my mouth and prickly pain in my stomach that these ponies could abandon their ideals like this, and do so willingly, to sacrifice others.. even as they had the means to resist. Equestria.. I would rather we be known as a nation of justice that was harsh on traitors, than a nation of backstabbers that would murder others, seeing them as "outsiders."
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: A Bigger Monster
TIME: 09:27 ERDT
DATE: War Day 709/13 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia, Inoka
K: "When the Springfield Regiment gets here, give them some time to rest." I nodded to Major Bellweather.
Major Bellweather: "Yes, sir." She nodded. "The supply train has returned with more ammunition and supplies."
K: "Good." I nodded.
Major Bellweather: "I have to admit, sir.. I.." She looked down.
K: "I don't feel good about what we just did, either, Major. In fact, I feel much worse - they were my responsibility. However it is that the unit was constituted, the responsibility is mine. I bear the sins of their killings, too." I nodded. "Negligence."
Major Bellweather: "It's.." She sighed. "..don't feel so bad, General."
K: "On the contrary, I should feel horrible." I shook my head. "My gifts of violence have been used for evil many times over. Such is the nature of tools. But, Ponies that I trained, helped train, and took into my military, betraying all of us?! No. I can't let such things happen."
Major Bellweather: "General, no one's perfect." She nodded.
Dusty: "No kidding, K." She hugged my arm. "Best you can do is try to.. fix problems when you find them." She nodded.
K: "I'm never going to stop feeling guilty." I shrugged.
Major Bellweather: "And that's why the rest of us, trust you, sir." She nodded.
About noonish, the Springfield Regiment showed up in good order. Still a hoof unit, despite the slowly growing motorization of our forces, they made good time, and did so at a pace that didn't leave them exhausted for the coming fight.
The commander was Lieutenant Colonel Matte Painting, Commander of the Inoka State Militia.
LCOL Painting: "General K!" He stepped up, and nodded - treating this as an active battlefield and not saluting. He was a tan, green-maned stallion, tallish, athletic cut. His Cutie Mark, apparently, was a painter's palette with six colors on it. "I understand you know my.. eh.. call her a friend - Toola Roola."
K: "I.. do, yes. How are you acquainted?" I tilted my hand, and shook hoof/hand with him.
LCOL Painting: "Well.. she's a bit younger than me.. I'm a student of Singer Sergeant. I taught her his style." He nodded. "But, she taught me, too, sir." He smiled a bit. "How is she, these days?"
K: "Invaluable to the war effort, Colonel, trust me. I'll tell her we met." I gave a nod. "Alright.. here's the plan." I stepped a bit towards the south. "By Squad, we make a waffle formation, Recon and Rangers on the flanks to the rear of the first echelon. They plug gaps. Anything you see, standing alone? Shoot it. Stay in visual contact with the squads to your front left and front right. Three rows. When you fire, FIRE. No holding back, these things can take a beating. When we get to that first mound, I want the Royal Infantry Heavy Weapons Teams to get ready to blow holes in it. Failing that, Engineers with demolition charges. We take that mound, first, then work our way around to the north like a J-Hook. I want to clear this southern group of six mounds before sundown." I nodded.
Major Bellweather: "Understood." She nodded.
K: "Thirty minutes before sundown, we fall back to the Station, and hunker down for the night. In the morning, we get to the north side of town, and take the mounds up there. Once the mounds around East Cahokia are all exterminated, we mop up, and we're done." I nodded a bit. "I'm going to have to ask Cahokia's militia to form a detachment and station themselves here in East Cahokia. As part of the mop up operation, we need to meet with the community leaders and figure out what all went wrong, here. Then, Colonel, you need to raise and train a new Militia Unit for south-eastern Inoka. I recommend stationing the headquarters in either Swansea or Granite City, and just having East Cahokia part of their command structure."
LCOL Painter: "I'll take that under advisement." He nodded.
K: "Alright, organize your units, push-off in twenty." I dismissed them.
Derpy: "Where'll we be?" She nodded at me.
K: "With the main advance, row two, center two positions." I nodded.
Derpy: "You got it, K!" And off she took, to organize everyone.
TIME: 14:00 ERDT
My Squad was me, Dusty, Octavia, Scratch, Dex, and Vigilance. We were doing final weapons checks.
Octavia: "You know, K.." She started in, a little flirt in her light Ambleonian accent. "..four years ago, I recall, the LAST time you brought me to such danger.. I'd asked if you were attracted to me."
K: "You did. And I wasn't known as The Monkey Sex God, yet." I nodded. "Nor did I know of.. certain traditions." I smirked a bit.
Octavia: "I'd better not be damaged again." She poked me in the chest with the cleaning rod for her Super Sherman. "Unlike Spitfire.. I was granted clearance long ago." She wiggled her eyebrows at me. "I did save your little sister."
K: "I have to admit.. I've been curious." I shrugged. "It's up to Dusty, though, really - she's my Chaperone."
Vy: "Mmm.. General in the Streets, meat in the sheets!" She snickered.
Dex: "Vy!" He blushed a little.
Dusty: "Well, she isn't wrong." She shrugged. "It's not like half the Mares in Equestria of mating age or older, wouldn't throw themselves in the hay for him." And smirked.
K: "This is true." I nodded. "Tell you what, 'Tavi. After this is over, if one of us isn't badly injured, we'll have an evening together and see how it goes. I've been wanting to show you the other few songs on my phone that Spike can't really transcribe well."
Octavia: "That's all I really wanted, K." She stepped up to me, and gave me a sort of semi-flirty/mostly friendship half hug and nuzzle. "I mean.. you know how exotic you are.. all the music you know.. I'm but a moth to a flame, I'm afriad."
Vigilance: "Eh. My wife's said he's a good catch." He nodded. "We don't share, K, but she.. she did say something about if she was a few years younger, and a few pounds lighter."
K: "Vig, I know your wife VERY well, and I.. have to say you're about the only stallion that can handle her." That was a Bro-Compliment.
Vig's wife was.. thicc. Yes, in the pony sense of the term. She was on the bigger side, a stark contrast to his chiseled physique. And in the attractive way - perfectly filled roundness, and an ass like sculpted butter. Something like Mrs. Cake, but not as chubby. She was also.. well.. before I became a General and I was doing things around Ponyville to help out, I had to repair their bed SIX TIMES.
Yeah, no, too wild. My hips would break. Even me and J-- never got THAT bad.
Dusty: "SEE?! Even the married Mares!" She snorted, but puffed with pride.
K: "I get it! I get it! I'm a good monkey with some gifts." I shrugged.
Octavia: "It does not help that you're such a close friend to us all. I.. dare say.. Ponyville would be lesser without you." She gave a tiny blush.
Dex: "Fer sher, dude! I mean, without you, dude? I'd've never met my Co-MC For Life." They kissed.. rather passionately. *Mmhff* "But, yeah, dude.. you're always there for us, I mean.. best friends."
K: "Yeah. That's why I prefer teams of friends." I nodded. "MAJOR BELLWEATHER! WE READY?" I called to the back of the line.
Major Bellweather: "YES, GENERAL!"
K: "ALL SQUADS! ADVANCE, STANDARD PACE AND ADVANCE TO CONTACT!" I got my Bradley to my shoulder, assumed a Hunter's Stance, and started marching.
We got as far as Fixit's shop before we saw one. The one that had been standing in the yard yesterday.. was chewing bones.
It was hosed down by the ENTIRE line. It didn't even get a chance to look up.
K: "Recon, First Squad!" I motioned to our position, to plug my Squad's gap.
I had to know.
I moved up, and saw the garage door was open. Inside, one of those things was impaled into a piece of machinery.. and there was a lot of pony blood.. leading to the pile of meat the now-dead skinwalker had been eating from.
I picked up a bloodied screwdriver from the mess.
K: "Rest in peace, Fixit." I said, wiping it off, and sticking it in my back pocket.
Dusty: "At least he GOT one before he went! Damn sight better than those TRAITORS! That old man had some balls!" She snorted.
K: "He sure did." I nodded. "Kinda tragic.. you know.. Saletine wasn't a young Griff, either. I guess this war is going to eat more than it's fair share of The Old." I shook my head.
Octavia: "If my father is any indication, they would do so quite willingly, if it meant saving one of us." She sighed. "Besides the.. lack of courage.. displayed locally.." She cocked a brow in frustration. "..I know for solid fact that there isn't a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent.. in all of Equestria.. that wouldn't lay down their lives to protect their families."
Vy: "Especially K." She put in.
Dex: "Damn straight." A nod.
Vigilance: "I know you would, sir." He patted my shoulder. "Come on."
We got back into the line, and advanced towards the edge of town. This was a bloodbath. The residents had been picked off one at a time, and the very Ponies they looked to for protection, didn't just sell them out, they actively sacrificed them to protect themselves.
I KNEW this level of betrayal and cowardice was COMPLETELY unlike these Ponies. Something may have influenced their decision, or perhaps they were just that weak willed. I knew the rest of the Gendarmes weren't.
Whatever this was, we were about to get to the bottom of it.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Mounded
TIME: 14:37 ERDT
DATE: War Day 709/13 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: 450m from East Cahokia, Inoka
Sgt. Bell Peppers: "CONTACT FRONT! CONTACT FRONT! LOTS OF CONTACT FRONT!"
Skinwalkers.. in a wave. In the daylight. Totally unlike them.. they were almost suicide charging.
We all knew what to do, we just opened fire as hard as possible, trying to get good shots on them, while the ones with Grenade Launchers blew chunks from the ground, and the pintile-mounted EM-4's raked their lines from the trucks behind us.
A few managed to get through the withering fire, and tackle a couple of ponies, but their brave comrades charged into them, with bayonet and rifle butt, and dragged their wounded squadmates free, while absolutely butchering the enemy.
We reached the midpoint between the town and the first mound.
K: "HOLD UP! REPLACEMENTS ON THE LINE! FILL GAPS! AND I NEED A CASUALTY REPORT! RELOAD AND CHECK AMMO!" I called out.
Everyone was within earshot, so..
Cosmic came up to me, from just behind us, his Squad being him, Norfy, Gaze, Doc, Teddy and Sweetheart.
Cosmic: "Seven wounded, one critical, they're going to Evac him." He nodded. "Thirty seven confirmed enemy dead."
K: "Doc, see to that critical case." I nodded.
He moved off, and Spitfire moved into his place.
Major Bellweather: "General! We're good! Gaps filled, Ammo topped off!" She called from the center truck at the back line.
K: "Advance to the Mound! BOW ECHO formation! Free Fire on ALL targets, 360 degree coverage!" I said, as we started to advance.
The silence was unnatural - the only things we could hear were our own footsteps, and the truck engines.
200 meters from the mound, though.. the engines all died at once.
Major Bellweather: "GENERAL! The Engines are all DEAD!" She called out.
K: "HOLD UP! COVER!" I motioned, as I crabwalked back. "Major."
Major Bellweather: "This another trick of theirs?" She snorted.
K: "Yes, they can - at least in a few of my legends - kill flashlights and electronics. Makes sense they can force an engine to cut out, too." I opened the engine compartment, and wrapped a bandanna around my right hand, poking and prodding at it.
Engines are not my forte. Put gas in, car go. Tire flat? Put on spare, get replacement. No, I was checking for-
K: "YOW!" A spark that felt like darkness. "Magic!" I hissed.
Major Bellweather: "What do we do?" She shrugged.
K: "Cosmic!" I called, and he trotted up.
Cosmic: "Yeah?" He immediately sniffed at the engine and passed a scan spell over it. "Ohhhh.. I see what they did." His horn glowed, and..
..the engine turned over.
Then died again as soon as his spell ended.
K: "I think it's range-based." I nodded. "Alright, Major, I'm going to have Cosmic help your trucks. Pull back 50 meters and stay put." I nodded. "Coz."
Cosmic: "Mmm.. fortunately, the spell isn't that strong. It'll probably take me half an hour to do this one by one, though." He shrugged.
K: "Major? Tow them." I nodded.
Major Bellweather: "Aye, sir."
I let Derpy fall back to cover him, and returned to my set Squad.
K: "ADVANCE, HALF PACE! BOW ECHO!" I indicated, and we started walking as Cosmic worked to recover the vehicles.
The edge of the first Mound.. it stank. Stank like death. Like body parts and gore. And suffering.
Octavia: "Dear CELESTIA! The SMELL! It's worse than Vinyl's GYM CLOTHES!"
Everyone had a chuckle at that.
Pvt. Bell Sprout: "General.. look over there." She pointed, from the squad ahead of us.
There was a rippling sort of fog at the base of the mound, in a stand of unnaturally twisted, dead trees. Only, the trees really weren't dead.. they were.. gently moving in response to us.
K: "Treants!" I snorted. "Real ones! Figures." I nodded. "GRENADES! GET READY!" I pointed to the Treants. "WAIT FOR MY ORDER!"
Norfy: "Mmm.. Gaze, help me scan that." He already knew what I wanted.
Gaze: "Aye.. mm... oohhhh.. tha'ssum dark magic f'sure!" He scowled. "Here's'a thing, K.. thas'sa portal." He nodded.
K: "To where, though?" I shrugged.
Gaze: "If'n I'm readin' this right.. inside th' mound." He shivered a little.
K: "G'awh..." I shook my head. "ROLL THAT ARTILLERY UP HERE! GET ME ONE OF THOSE SEVENTY-SIXERS!" I called back to the 19th Artillery Company that was part of the 20th Regiment.
The Hussars (19th Hussar Co.) wouldn't be much help. They couldn't drive up here. The 76mm guns? They could be hoof-rolled into position.
It took them a bit, though. Finally, we got one of the guns in place, and another two next to it.
K: "Alright. Load that one with HE, load the other two with Grape Shot." I nodded. "Aim at the Portal."
Sgt. Sideway Belter: "Gun ready, General."
We all got out of the way.
K: "Give me five rounds, HE, fast as you can." I nodded.
Sgt. Belter: "ALRIGHT! GET THE NEXT SHELL READY, GET THAT CRATE RIGHT HERE!" He called out. "Ready to go."
K: "Fire!" I leaned away and plugged my ears.
Sgt. Belter: "FIVE ROUNDS, H-E, FAST LOAD.. FIRE!"
Cpl. Bridger: "FIRING!"
*PACHOOM!*
Cpl. Bridger: "ROUND OUT!"
Pvt. Slotter: "TRAY OPEN!"
Pvt. Grounder: "SHELL IN!"
Pvt. Slotter: "ROUND LOADED!"
Cpl. Bridger: "FIRING!"
*PACHOOM!*
I let the other three shells fly. Once they hit the portal, they rippled, and we could hear matching explosions from inside the mound.
K: "GRAPESHOT! FIRE!" I ordered
Both guns loaded with Grapeshot fired, one after the other, and the huge balls of lead rippled through the portal. We could hear them THUMP! Inside the mound. They also pruned the Treants, reducing them to splinters.
K: "Norfy! Gaze! Dusty! ON ME!" I gestured.
Gaze: "Och! We're gonna look INSIDE, arrent we!?" He whined a bit.
Norfy: "Of course! We have to see the effectiveness of our artillery barrage. Besides, it's very likely everything in there is dead." He nodded.
K: "Norfy. Ice Fog. Freeze some lungs." I nodded at the portal.
Norfy: "One moment." His horn glowed.
I watched him summon up a dense fog of ice, crystals so sharp, they could slice lung tissue.. and he flung it into the portal like a gaseous baseball.
Norfy: "Wait two minutes for it to disperse." He nodded.
K: "Not a problem." I chamber-checked my Bradley, and loaded an Illumination Flare into the Gavin.
Once the wait was over, the four of us proceeded. I was the one to touch the portal.. it felt.. like passing my hand through a pile rug that was somehow electrified with a 9v battery.
I raised my Bradley, and I was the first one in. It was pitch black, as I expected it to be. I fired the flare, and the entire area lit up. Dusty and the boys were right behind me.
Inside.. was blood. So.. so much blood. Most of it old, reeking, maggot-infested.. tiny scraps of meat here and there. And several more dead Skinwalkers, along with five successively deeper craters of the 76mm shells, and a whole bunch of smaller holes from the Grapeshot.
Norfy: "Gaze, gimme some Magic Flare, eh?" He was walking to one of the many alcoves..
Gaze: *Shudders* "No problem, Norf. Celestia's Mane, this is.. I-I dinnae have words, K.."
K: "How the HELL in Tartarus' Name did something like this even exist?!" I snorted.
Norfy: "..I think I have an answer. But, I don't think anyone is going to like it." He was examining the alcove carefully.
K: "Like it or not, give." I nodded.
Norfy: "These were Ponies. Once." He held up some aged-to-oblivion cloth scraps. "Something caused them to mutate. Magic, I'm assuming, but have no proof." He shrugged. "Does the pattern on this cloth look familiar, K?"
I examined it.. and I could make out some faint letters.
K: "D-E-F.. L-E.." I blinked. "Def Leppard. That's... that's a rock band." One of the better ones, to be sure! "Wait.. the only society that would even.." I looked up, and walked back to the portal, sticking my head out..
..oh, that's a lot of guns pointed at me, for a second
K: "Chill. Teddy? Sweetheart? Need you." I gestured.
When they got in, I had them look at the cloth Norfy was holding.
Teddy: "Ohhh... man, this is from their '95 Tour! I had one of these, it was signed, and I took Sweetheart there, but.." He stopped himself. "K.. what the HELL does this MEAN!?"
K: "If I'm following the clues, these skinwalkers were mutated by some kind of dark magic, and used to be Ponies. I mean.. we can CALL them Skinwalkers, NOW.. that's what they've BECOME.. but they used to be.. ponies." I shrugged, and shook my head. "They're from YOUR time, Teddy." I put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm betting.. these are ponies that took shelter in here, to try and ride out the Catacylsm.. like you did.. magical sleep or something, I don't know.." I shook my head, looking to Norfy.
Norfy: "As good a theory as any." He shrugged, and put the cloth back. "And if we're right about this, while they were asleep - or, maybe, as a result of the spell in the first place - they mutated into these creatures." He shook his head. "And if that's the case.. I'm GUESSING.. their original identities, their SELF.. was somehow destroyed.. and the act of imitating others..? It's.. maybe.. some way they're trying to be Ponies again, by taking over the lives and bodies of others.. their minds.."
Gaze: "Aye.. an'.. if'n that's how it's happenin'.. then.. the more Ponies they eat, th' closer they gets to bein' back to somethin' resemblin' normal ponies again." He shrugged. "They're tryin'ta become NORMAL!"
K: "Like a Vampire needing Blood, they need Ponies bodies and minds, to try and regain what they once were. They're imitating because they can't remember who or what they originally were." I frowned.
Teddy: "So.. what.. these monsters used to be like us?" He blinked. "Oh.. that's.. that's just so messed up." He shook his head. "Is.. can we even CURE them?"
K: "Honestly.." I shrugged. "..I really don't think it's possible, not with the magic we currently have. I don't think the Elements, even with the Sword of Rainbow's Light, OR the Crystal Heart - assuming its battery is recharged - and Cadence.. all together.." I shook my head. "..just a guess, but, no, I don't think so."
Norfy: "Either way, we need to tell Celestia." He nodded. "These things aren't just dangerous, they HAVE a PURPOSE. And they know this purpose, this mission.. they're driven. They probably would've gotten real mad about not eating Pony, eventually, and.. probably attacked the city as it is." A shrug. "Just guessing, K."
K: "I trust your guesses a lot more than I trust some people's so-called facts, Norfy." I nodded, and looked to Gaze. "Anything from your family history about this?"
Gaze: "Nothin' specific, K." He shrugged. "Seems pretty likely t'me. But, aye, I wanna tell Celestia about this. Maybe have 'er come here 'n have a look 'erself."
K: "Alright, let's go."
And with that, the Mound Mystery.. deepened. From a military solution, to a magical one.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Mutation
TIME: 11:12 ERDT
DATE: War Day 711/15 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia, Inoka
Two days ago, we breached the first mound. Expecting monsters, we slaughtered them without a second thought. They'd killed, and they'd killed without remorse. They'd cowed the local Militia into betraying those they'd sworn to protect.
Then, we discovered the horrible truth - they'd once been Ponies, not monsters created from wholecloth.
Communication was sent back to the Palace, a full and detailed report. Celestia's response was for us to 'stand by' while she did a bit of digging on her own. When she could not come up with anything that might explain this, she sent the only two experts with a chance at deciphering this: Zecora and Radio Active.
They arrived with Dawn Earlylight this morning.
Zecora: "Near's I can figger.." She shrugged. "..I should be able'ta dispel the magic that keeps'em running." She nodded to Radio. "With her help."
Radio: "When I'm near them, I can feel that.. mystical energy they have. Whatever it originally was? It's been corrupted. They're contaminated with bad magic, but.. it's soaked through them." She nodded to me. "The best way I can describe it that makes sense, is, that their souls are trapped in these flesh prisons, and they're terrified.. they're trying to make themselves look like how they used to, but I'm pretty sure, they don't know what that even IS, any more." She shrugged.
Zecora: "So's, they kill. They kill sentients. Somehow, they sucks out all'a'da stuff they got goin' on up hea'h." She tapped her head. "An' yeah - they got some kind'a group mental link. Pretty sure that's connected to it all." She shrugged.
K: "What's the plan, then?" I nodded to them.
Zecora: "I gotta go source a bunch of materials. After that.." She shrugged. "..mix up a brew, feed it to Radio, let her do th'rest."
Radio: "I've.. found.. that.." She cleared her throat. "..because of what happend to me, I act as a dispersal tool for magical potions like that. As though I was a.. water sprinkler, I suppose, but I put off the energy in waves."
K: "In short, feed you a potion, you 'radiate' some 'active waves' of whatever power it has." I patted her shoulder. "You're very brave to do this."
Radio: "Yeah." She blushed, looking at Norfy. "I have my reasons."
K: "Alright. Dawn?" I nodded to her.
Dawn: "Yes, General?" She stepped up.
K: "Go with Copper Top and Chem, take Zecora and Radio anywhere they need to go, and get the materials they need. Train's over there on the siding, get money." I nodded.
Dawn: "Yes, General!" She nodded, and off they went.
Norfy: "At least we have a plan, now, sir." He nodded.
Gaze: "Aye! An' wi'out the Lasses." He shrugged, grinning.
K: "This here goes to prove that you all CAN survive without them." I wagged a finger at eveyone. "This is the reason I created this military - so the rest of you can stand on your own four hooves."
Dex: "Sure can." He nodded.
Octavia: "Indeed." She reflexively rubbed her stomach. "I believe the Hero Rule here is.. Main Character Syndrome."
K: "Apt. Yes, in worlds like this, the Universe tends to focus power in the hooves of a small number of people. Fate and luck are on their side. They lead blessed and fortunate lives, even if the events they go through are pure torment and torture, they live thorugh it, and save the day." I hefted my Bradley. "This is the first step towards making all of you the Main Characters in your own lives. This gives the average Pony or Griffon or whatever, born without such power, a means to resist evil. That's just the start, though - you have to WANT IT. And you've all demonstrated that." I shrugged. "And, now, because of YOUR drive and YOUR desire to protect what's valuable to YOU.. we've come up with a magical solution to a magical problem without the Elements of Harmony." I shrugged. "And very little input from me."
Spitfire: "He's right." She nodded. "I've been on the edge of this whole thing since before the war. Even I'll admit that before the Elements were.. discovered? I didn't feel like the Wonderbolts were anything more than an aerial acrobat team - that's all we'd ever be. And the Royal Guard were just showponies in shiny gear. And afterwards, that Twilight and her friends.. and my friend Dash.. would be the protectors of Equestria." She patted her Ridgway. "Now I know... we ALL are."
Cosmic: "Yeah." He beamed with pride.
K: "Alright.. everyone get comfortable, this could take a bit."
Indeed, the last couple days had been us staying by the Gendarmes Station, fortified, and ordering delivery food from surrounding restaurants. Feeding 1460 ponies wasn't easy. I mean, we were in our own country, so.. I didn't see the point of eating rations.
The Skinwalkers took our punitive expedition seriously - they hadn't done a thing.
Now, to the OTHER matter at hand - the Mayor of East Cahokia and the City Council. I'd had Copper Top and Chemical Lens go through everything they could, so I could have an understanding of what's been going on, including interviewing residents.
The Mayor, Greaton Edifice, was - like all mayors - appointed by Celestia. The City Council was selected.. kinda by vote? Ponies with the right skills for each job would simply apply, and if they got a lot of signatures supporting them, they got it. Not the same as a true open voting system, but once they got in, they rarely got challenged.
Mayor Edifice: "General K.." He said, coming into the former Meeting Room in the Station. "..let me start by saying, I'm shocked and appaled-"
K: "Oh, you're a real good politician, ain'cha?" I immediately hated him. "Stuff it." I pointed right at him. "I know your kind! Where I grew up? Dirtiest politics in the whole of the Human World, and I am its student." I sat across from him. "Drop the horse manure. Talk to me properly."
Mayor Edifice: "I-" He paused and studied me a moment - I surmised it took him longer to mentally corellate my reactions from horse face to human, then nodded. "Alright. I'm sorry." He shrugged. "I'm just so used to.." He trailed off. "..never mind." He raised his head. "I think you know."
K: "I do. That's the langauge you use on The Boss when shit goes south, you know you're somehow responsible, and you need to deflect blame. Politics really IS your forte." I smirked.
Mayor Edifice: "And you read that in less than a sentence." He shrugged.
K: "Let's just say.. Politics is something I know BETTER than war." I cocked a brow.
Mayor Edifice: "Then I am outmatched." He bowed his head slighlty. "Real talk. I honestly didn't have any idea they were killing ponies. The Gendarmes Commander assured me Lieutenant Spears had found a solution to the problem of Ponies going missing. Straight Flush, whom I trusted to watch over his shoulder, told me the same thing. I did not verify it myself, because, to be honest, I'm a coward and didn't want to get anywhere near those things."
K: "Oh. Refreshing." I nodded. "Alright." I shrugged. "You're not in trouble with me. You did what you thought was right - you trusted your fellow Ponies, and that's the nature of this world. Deception and dastardly deeds are unlike Ponies. You delegated authority to those you thought trustworthy, and - coward or not - even asked a second entity to verify the first. That shows thoroughness. That both of them were in on it? Is immaterial. You did your best, and you didn't try to sell anyone out."
Mayor Edifice: "I still feel bad." He frowned. "I do feel like I let my ponies down. I knew Mr. Fixit. Not WELL, but, I'd been a customer of his years ago. The whole area.. started to change.. probably 15 years ago. That's when I stopped going. When you formed the Militia and Gendarmes, I thought I had a real solution." He shrugged. "Instead, more died. And we'll probably never know how many, for sure." And sighed, tiredly, putting his hoof to his forehead. "I can't bring back the dead."
K: "I can't, either." I shrugged... and I didn't hate him, any more.
Copper Top: "Well, Mr. Mayor.." She looked at the rest of the Council. "..I think you might have some house cleaning to do." She nodded. "As for numbers, I estimate 57 in the last two years."
Mayor Edifice: "Dear CELESTIA!" He was genuinely shocked and disgusted at the thought. "So many wasted lives.."
K: "Don't let this shake you. I think this is a great opportunity to create a specific Oversight Task Force answerable to you. I have a General's Staff? I mean.." I shrugged. "Copper Top over there, I can verify, is an honest pony. She won't betray you. Moreover, she won't let anyone get away with breaking the law." I nodded to him. "To get political, it will go a long way to showing the public that you care, and are working to make sure it never happens again."
Mayor Edifice: "Oh! That's a great idea." He nodded. "And, I suppose, I need to make certain they're actually doing their jobs."
K: "Yes, and unlike the human world, you can be assured they will, once you set them to a task." I nodded.
Mayor Edifice: "Yes." He nodded. "What do you say, Copper Top? Would you accept the position as City Inspector of Oversight?"
Copper Top: "As long as my bosses don't object, and I get to keep my team." She nodded to the other three Gendarmes.
Mayor Edifice: "Of course!" He nodded. "Your first job is to sniff out any other confederates of Straight Flush and Spears.. and deal with them according to the law."
Copper Top: "Sounds fun." She nodded. "Sheriff, Grishna has the most field experience."
Chemical Lens: "Grishna, I promote you to Gendarmes Detective-Corporal. You, Orinoco, and Turn Tables are seconded to Mayor Edifice's Oversight Task Force." She nodded.
K: "I second."
As Commander in Chief, I didn't HAVE to - any Rank in the Equestrian Military above OF-03 (Major, in most cases) has the authority to issue spot promotions to Enlisted, and I have the authority to create anyone to the rank of up to Chief Warrant Officer 5 (WO-05), but my endorsement was still an endorsement. The title "Detective" was an Enlisted rank title enhancement for Gendarmes, indicating they were assigned as an investigator, no matter their other rank.
Grishna: "I thank you." She nodded.
K: "Remember.. according to the law." I nodded to Copper's team.
Copper Top: "Always, General." She smiled.
It was clear that the South Point Station and the local Militia were entirely responsible for the mess. The guilty were, excepting ex-Constable Flowers, now also all dead, unable to harm anyone else. The Mayor was also poised to sweep all the really BAD corruption out of his town.
Now, we just needed to finish off the Skinwalkers, and call it a day.
{End of Chapter 77}
