Fort Drogan (Task Force Suntrot Only)

[SteelEagle]

Even in the best of times, Fort Drogan is a terrible place to be.

Located northeast of Tartarus, Drogan is as ancient and foreboding as the land it occupies. Located in the lone valley that contained the single road that lead from Tartarus to Equestria, it stands as a guardian against the many evil creatures who live in that most visceral place. At least when ponies occupy it. For many generations it lay abandoned and slowly collapsing. The great outer wall became a ruin and many of the rooms inside open to the awful elements that bombard the region as a result of Tartaran influence, the grand hall ransacked by Diamond Dogs and the storerooms spoiled. Only the inner wall that guards the keep has been shielded and stands, but even that is slowly but surely becoming lesser, small sections of the wall on the top falling off in the past few years. Underneath the topside are several smaller rooms in dungeons and underside positions, all of which circles a single large cavern that houses purified water from the Hippo river. And it is good they can find some cover, even if it is uncomfortable and small, because the elements show no mercy.

During the day, temperatures soar around forty-four celsius on standard, sixty degrees during heat waves in the summer. But even in the summer, nights are just as brutal. Negative twenty five degrees celsius standard, seventy five degree celsius swings on a daily basis the norm. Flash fires during the day are fought by water that freezes an hour later. During the winter, temperatures drop to negative fifty celsius as the very earth starts to form into chunks of ice, and even the barest exposure proving possibly fatal. No matter the time of day or season, tornados, typhoons, flash foods and fires, thunderstorms and earthquakes can rock the region. The terrain itself breaks and shatters underneath such a barrage and once in a long while streams of lava will pour from the earth, filling the moat around the abandoned fort and giving the whole thing an unearthly glow. So far from mainland Equestria and combating the insanity that is Tartarus, pegasi magic struggles at its finest and best executed to give the valley any sense of reality. Try as they might, Tartarus is constant and limitless.

Because of this, the region has fallen from Equestria's light. While the effects of the wild weather are localized to the valley, the creatures inside as well as the Diamond Dogs to the northeast are not. Small pony settlements along the Hippo River or along much of the Trensal on the western side of the mountains that divide the region from Northern Equestria are victims all too often. Some are scared into the great beyond, the forest before the Badlands. Others are driven south and the city of Beakbreak are well informed of the trials and tribulations of the begotten region. of course, it takes a certain brand of fool to live out here so it has rarely been a great concern of the Guard. Now things are different. Or at least that is the hope.

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Task Force Suntrot:

You are hereby deployed to Fort Drogan in the hills and valleys northeast of Tartarus as part of Operation: Stalwart. As the rainy season approaches, records indicate now is the most likely time for any Tartarus based monster to terrorize the locals. It is also the most active season for the Diamond Dogs of the region, who use the chaos to kidnap ponies and ransom them in negotiations with Beakbreak based groups along with their normal gem hunting which lies within Equestrian borders. Your mission is therefore fourfold:

1) Throw back any incursion from Tartarus before it can harm or hinder Equestrians.

2) Defeat any attempt by Diamond Dogs to harm or hinder local Equestrians.

3) If needs be, destroy any localized Diamond Dog raider camp.

4) Protect the lives of ponies in the region, at the cost of your own if you must.

We will review all intelligence assets at the end of the season to see if Stalwart is needed. As always, you are free to operate on your own and take on any task that falls under your umbrella of protecting Equestria.

The Royal Equestrian Army and Guard thank you for your service. May the Princesses always watch over us

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A simple order given out to the mass of the Force, even as leaders and intelligence units were given more. The harshness of the region was such that it took nearly two weeks to finally get there but when they did, many would wonder if 'home' was worth it...

Still, the force arrived around dawn and immediately moved into the keep and the rooms underneath. There was much work to be done.

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OOC Rules: Only members of Task Force Suntrot are allowed to post. This is a hub thread. While it is a full blown RP thread about the Task Force settling in and general shenanigans, the OP will also act as a hub for all operations and mission launched from this base.

[Imagination]

Fort Drogan.

He had only heard about the place. Reveille had never been there himself, until now. This Force Suntrot was a pleasant step back in the field, though he was going to miss the feeling of molding willing recruits, rather than babysit griping grunts. He could understand, though. For most of them, this was a long way from home and the dangers were obnoxiously high. If the climate of the area alone didn't get them, there was always the risk of entities from Tartarus snatching them up (should they get past the three-headed guardian). Not only that, but Diamond Dog raiders were operating in the area. Very known for kidnapping and forced labor. Very aggressive, and smarter than most ponies would give them credit for. To underestimate your enemy was to give them an advantage. Reveille knew that better than anypony.

He had to keep everypony on their theoretical toes. He had to teach them how to avoid capture and escape, as well as fight back. He had to teach them tactics that would help in close quarters, such as mines or other ruins, and he had to teach them to negotiate. Sometimes the best weapon a pony can have (especially when it came to hairy hostage situations with the Diamond Dogs) was words. But the wrong words could mean disaster.

While not even his time serving in the desert could have prepared him for this heat, he wasn't going to let weakness show. He was the example. He was here to keep these ponies at their best. The princess thought he was good enough to be here, gave him a job to do, and by Celestia he was going to do it!

The Drill Instructor was given a more practical uniform for the hot environment. A khaki blouse, sleeves rolled up to the distinctive patch on the front left leg, identifying him as Force Suntrot. His green and grey shemagh hung around his neck for now, ready to cover his face if needed. For now, the earth pony's hard gaze was hidden under his smokey bear cap. The golden sun, the badge of his former office, rested centered on the brown cap. He might not be a Drill Instructor while in Force Suntrot, but he was here to train and drill these ponies. If anypony respected, feared and obeyed any other symbol when being given instruction that could one day save their life... it was the distinctive cap of a Drill Instructor. That, and it helped him stand out. He was the only one wearing it.

The Master Sergeant was making rounds around the crumbling walls of the fort, his rank very visible in green stripes on the opposite sleeve of his patch. The wide brim of his cap keeping the sun away from his eyes was a blessing. Nothing annoyed him more than catching the sun's glare while trying to do something important. He conducted scheduled drills at certain times, however if anypony needed help, or had a question, they were encouraged to ask. For now, he was looking for something to busy himself before his next session. Sure, technically he was supposed to be resting, but there was the blisteringly cold night hours for that.

[RarityDash]

Alexandrite Tilt gazed down at the sharp point of her trusty lance with reflective eyes. Her life seemed as if it was on a highly erratic spiral and had been for some time now. It traced back a full one thousand years she supposed, though that detail seldom felt very real very often. Watching as her empire fell to tyranny, being utterly powerless before evil's influence, the heartbreak and the failure of it now seemed as if a distant and yet perpetually haunting nightmare. Since then, since her empire was restored to the world, the tyrant eradicated and a new ruler set upon the throne, things hadn't slowed down for the champion jouster and palace guard either. It had seemed as if they had at first. Peace and happiness abounded, Alexandrite was able to pass her time training her lance, entertaining an increasing number of outsiders visiting the empire and quietly develop a level of infatuation for a certain dancer. it had seemed surreal, like all the dark and awful things in the world had evaporated with Sombra's spectre. That was about when she heard the news of the changeling attack in Equestria. It became clear to her that things were not so different. Evil still existed, even in this new age. If she wasn't able to do her part to combat it, the old nightmares would just haunt her forever.

And so she had volunteered her time as an drill sergeant in Equestria as a part of civilian leaders boot camp, which aimed to teach ordinary ponies the qualities requisite of soldiers. She had really admire the idea, and she didn't believe the experience to have been a rewarding one, but even after it was through she was left wondering if there wasn't more than she could do. After volunteering for and completing an especially arduous mission in which she rescued a Canterlot statespony from the bitter and unforgiving frozen wilderness, she became inspired to find a new way to volunteer her time to help make a difference. That's what had led her to joining Task Force Suntrot. That was what had lead her to Fort Drogan.

This was not her first time in Fort Drogan. She had had a number of ventures from the Empire in her days as a fresh faced young cadet in the Crystal Imperial Guard during the last years of the last Crystal Queen's rule. It was still old even then, but it had still been seen as an important outpost, sitting as it did in the shadows of the Dragon Peaks, at the cusp of the badlands, just before the foreboding Forest of Leota which contained the gates to Tartarus. Both Aquellia and Equestria had been keen to keep it reinforced to monitor the turbulent and dangerous region. Alexandrite had been stationed there for just over a week. perhaps as a test of sorts. but the miserable conditions and looming danger had made it seem so much longer.

Things were different now. It had been decided evidently long ago that the ancient fort was not worth actively maintaining. It had fallen into disrepair in the ensuing centuries, transforming it into a hauntingly twisted image of its former self. Seeing it now as it was played certain tricks on the crystal mares memory. Since she had arrived, nightmares had visited her frequently, leaving her tired an on edge as she waited for further orders. There was after all a reason she was here now. Though it had been abandoned ages ago, it was necessary for them task force to be deployed here now, as the area had fallen into increasing general instability of late. The monsters of the woods loomed menacingly while diamond dog criminal groups based in the area were becoming more aggressive in their nefarious deeds. It was becoming a volatile blight on the map, and with the rainy season sure to make matters worse, it meant a need to reinforce the area or else risk the danger spilling down to Breakbeak or Talonopils and beyond.

None of this was going to be easy. That was exactly why Alexandrite was ready for what was to come though. She didn't want it to be easy. She wanted to do what had to be done. For that she'd use her lance well. Failure was never an option.

Presently there was nothing for her but to wait for further orders, but still she found her lance in hoof, clad in her crystal blue armor just outside the old fort. The blistering heat made the heavy gear so much heavier, even as the mare had long since taught herself to think of it as an extension of herself. Regardless, she didn't care if it was difficult. As her moment of reflection passed, she broke into a charging gallop. Her thrusting form was said to be one of the best in the empire and it had certainly won her more than enough jousting matches for any one mare, but there was always room for improvement. When the time came and her skills were needed, she needed to do what needed to be done as a defender. For that, she would never stop training herself.

​

[SteelEagle]

Applejack would never regret doing what she thought was best for her family and for Equestria, but that didn't make it any more comfortable.

It had started several months ago as she just finished prepping the final sector of the orchard for the upcoming harvest. Row upon row upon row of the most beautiful trees in the most beautiful farm in the most beautiful place in the world, made better and stronger by the labor of her and her family. Every tree bore the mark of their sweat and tears and every tree that would blossom because of it was almost as much of the family as each and every one of them, and Applejack took pride in it all. Her family, her farm, her work and her impact on the world. Sure, other ponies sought fame and glory or to be the talk of the town, but everything they did was only ever possible because of ponies like her. She fed them and she made them believe in a better world, and in return, she was happy to put her back into every buck and every haul. It was a good life, and Applejack was excited for the harvest.

It was then that a new task force was created, and in talking with Twilight, Applejack came to understand why it was so important. There were a great many evils that existed in the world and fed off of the despair and kindness of Equestrians, relying on the Guards to move too slow and defensively to do much good. It made sense and Applejack had seen it happen and by golly, that meant that with the Elements of Harmony now gone, they were no longer truly protected. For all the righteousness that had followed the path of her and her friends lately, Applejack knew that it was by divine luck that they had escaped serious harm and it had come down to the Elements and magic of Friendship. But with the Elements of gone and Friendship not being the sort of tool that could be used by Applejack and her friends everywhere at once, how could Equestrians be safe? The short answer was that they weren't. And that didn't sit well with her, not one bit. How could she ensure her family's continued prosperity if there was the threat of defeat haging over them?

Well, she had her answer in the alternately hot and cold defiled soil of the valley that straddled infernal, eternal Tartarus. She had joined the task force the day of it's public unveiling, rededicating herself thricefold to her farm work with the understanding that she needed to get a whole season's work done on top ofanother just so she could get the time she needed. Sleepless nights of paperwork were followed by rough days where two days in one were the requirement, not a desire. Months of labor and she had done it, a full harvest finished and a season of lighter work ahead. Luckiky, no zap apple signs so there was no great need for her to remain, and with her work finished and her mind set, Suntrot was her next stop. And more importantly, a forgotten fort far from hearth and safety beckoned her, and she had no qualms about it and no half-hearted measures were given credence in her boisterous heart.

Applejack would never regret doing what she thought was best for her family and for Equestria, but that didn't make it any more comfortable.

The landscape was unlike anything she had never seen. Blistering temperatures threatened to roast her in her own skin one minute, only for a bone-chilling wind to put out the fires that cropped up wherever she looked. The ground cracked and spilled over in lava one day but was swiftly frozen and broken up into chunks by the terrible earthquakes that marked their passage. the logistics force had to sprint from location to location at times as the pegasi spotted not one, two, or three, but a dozen plus huge tornados tearing away at an outraged land. At night, outlying tents and ponies fell back in line as the entire force found new and unique ways to stay warm. Dozens upon dozens of ponies got incredibly ill and were forced back home, while even more couldn't stand it and simply left. Only half of the logistics branch who had been dispatched to the fort ever made it.

It annoyed Applejack to no end, but no use worrying about it. Once she arrived, she had to make do with what she had on hoof. She wasn't the leader of the Logistics branch, but she was quite famous as one of the Elements and also as the leader of Equestria's most powerful farming family. She helped run the kitchen under the fort as ponies toiled to make what supplies they were given stretch out most effectively which was quite the task by itself. That would have been a task by itself, but Applejack wanted to do more. Her experience in treating all manner of injuries using nothing more tha good old fashioned home remedies was a Celestia-given gift to the force, as many of their medical supplies had been lost on the way just treating those who had fallen sick an injured during the trip. These two tasks alone would have been enough to give any mare a full plate, butr Applejack had an appetite of a full grown stallion in more ways than just fritters.

Her most important job was one which she had fought to get accepted and personally elected to lead and carry out. Under the fort where the local stream passed under the base Applejack had planted a garden full of plants granted by Luna that grew most splendidly in the dark, allowing her garden to work without the brutal sun above. None of it was all that tasty, nor would she be able to produce enough to feed everypony all the time, but food was food and some was better than none. She tilled the soil and built her irrigation system, tended her crops and looked over them every day for however long it took. With those three tasks, Applejack's plate was full.

That made her final task somewhat of a dessert, Applejack volunteering herself to go topside to handle logistical issues during the day when her duties below were done. She was pretty good with looking at some documents and knowing what needed to go where and why, which made her a valuable asset to have on hoof. She also liked delivering the rations to those on patrol. All told, Applejack believed she was doing hardly enough, but maybe an opportunity would present itself.

"Sir, yer rations," Applejack said politely as she trotted up the half-broken staircase to reach Sgt. Reveille, an enlarged saddlebag straddling her. She reached into it and grabbed a small covered plate which contained his small amount of rations for the afternoon. Food was almost impossible to keep from spoiling in these conditions so rations were delivered at such times as they were expected to be used. Even an hour later and it would go bad, despite all the efforts of the ponies in the kitchens below. Several canteens jingled at her side, one of which she also hoofed over before leaning over the battlement and started observing the chaotic land many miles away. Multiple funnels pierced the sky slowly like dragon's fingers and then stood there, jostling for position as if sentient while the sky around them cracked with soundless lightning. A good, boring day outside for the drill sargeant, it seemed.

"Looks like a mighteh' normal day ta me. Y'all should go down, see where tha REAL action is takin' place," Applejack smiled and teased as she observed the crystal mare below, outside the castle and practicing her moves. How hot must it have been for her? No matter though, her lance skills were for real. Alexandrite and Applejack had never really spoken but she seemed committed, which was all Applejack ever really cared to know.

"How long has she been out thar?"

[Imagination]

The Master Sergeant had began observing the Guardsmare below not long before the Ponyville mare arrived with the rations. By now he knew better than to turn it away. Everypony needed to eat as often as able, especially if most of the day they were conducting training and patrols. Needed to keep their energy up. "Appreciate it..." he said before watching Guardsmare Tilt once again. He only knew her for a brief time at the depot, but her demeanor and professionalism was impressive. It was certainly a learning experience dealing with a pony whose military lifestyle dated a millennium ago.

His attention was taken from his thoughts when Applejack spoke again, joining him in his observation.

Normal. Certainly a word the Army had to use loosely out here. He had to stifle a chuckle when she suggested getting into the action. "I'd love that more than anything, miss... But, Army's keeping me behind the wire. So I gotta teach these greenhorns to fight like I can. But maybe I'll get lucky someday. Will have a long enough gap between training that I can go out on patrol, like I did in the Pinto..." Good times. Kicking flanks, taking names. Course, the buffalo aren't a problem anymore, nor are bandits along the rail line. These Diamond Dogs weren't all that different though, so he was happy to pass on a few tricks here and there to deal with an unconventional enemy.

Once he had been given his canteen, the farmmare grabbed his attention once more as he stowed the water for later.

"How long has she been out thar?"

"Hm? Oh, I can't say for sure. I just noticed her before you found me. I've worked with the Guardsmare briefly. I'm sure she can handle it. Course, I think her biggest obstacle might just be just getting used to things how they are now. Can only imagine having to adjust your military doctrine and relations after being gone for a thousand years..." She seemed to be adjusting well, though. He'd been meaning to pick her brain about the Empire's military history from back then. Books were nice, but hearing it from a living source! What could be better?

"By the way, I appreciate what you're doing here. Having one of the elements with us has been great for morale. Makes our jobs a lot easier." Pretty simple, but the message was a very important one. Sure, Applejack might not be a warrior like the rest of the Army ponies here, but she was the Element of Honesty! A national hero three (or was it four?) times over! It gave them all somepony to look after, and something to fight for. "So thank you. You should come by during one of our weapons drills sometime, see if we can get you familiar with a spear." Why not? Afterall, melee combat drills were a great workout. Especially around here! That, and Applejack might not be a soldier, but she definitely had a fighter's spirit. Why hide it?

[Lux]

Night Watcher appeared from the ruined mess that was Fort Drogan, dressed in her silvery Lunar Guard Armor. She had arrived there the night before, stopping briefly between Canterlot and the fort in Appleoosa to rest her wings. Having arrived at night, the mare didn't have much time to get a sense of her surroundings, learning about the fort from the short briefing of her commanding officer. As a Lunar Guard she had vowed to protect Equestria from all threats, and not just in Canterlot. Upon receiving the letter on her desk from none other then Princess Twilight Sparkle about the formation of Suntrot, the mare decided to test her mettle with this new group and seek out danger where it resided. The fort was a place only whispered among the soldiers of a once proud place on the edge of Equestria, protecting the western borders from danger. Now she had a chance to see for herself this almost mythic place.

"This place looks like it has been through a war zone," she said seeing for the first time in the daylight the extent of the damage and neglect. She picked her way around the broken walls and fallen roof beams until reaching the impromptu mess hall area. She then approached an orange pony who was serving the rations and although clearly not a member of the military she admired for her support.

"Good morning miss. I am Staff Sergeant Night Watcher of the Lunar Guard. I thank you for your devotion to the cause and in supporting us in our endeavors."

As she waited, her eyes settled upon another pony, a Crystal Pony who was standing with a lance, her choice weapon no doubt. The jet black Pegasus had no need for weapons but clearly understood when they would come in handy.

"And good morning to you too miss. I trust that your journey from the Crystal Empire has been without issue."

It was then that the mare saw her one of her commanding officers, a pony named Master Sergeant Reveille that she knew from in the REA barracks.

"Good morning sir," Night watcher said standing to attention, "Staff Sergeant Night watcher of the Lunar Guard reporting."

[Bellosh]

Elsewhere, up in the best sheltered room Fort Drogan provided, what had once been a storage Col. Pummel’s established his HQ. A giant map of the entire region highlighted one of the walls; fittingly, much of it was blank. Much records about the geography of the inner Dragon Peaks and the Forest of Letoa beyond disappeared over the years, or featured gross inaccuracies. The other wall featured a brand-new (and mostly empty) filing cabinet; oddly pristine compared to the decayed walls and ceiling. Because he traded off lighting for protection for exposure, Pummel made do with a single kerosene lamp hanging over his desk, giving him just enough light for paperwork. While the air smelled foul and felt oppressive, in here was the only place the colonel could perform his administrative duties without dealing with the extreme elements found outside.

At the present time, Col. Pummel worked on putting the finishing touches on a report destined for Canterlot. Forgoing most of his usual day-to-day uniform he wore in civilized places, the grim stallion wrote instead a simple khaki blouse to go along with his peaked cap. Some physicians questioned Pummel’s ability to withstand the climate of Fort Drogan due to his age, but the hard-as-nails stallion always made a show of staying physically fit, so he lobbied extensively for this post. If Pummel couldn’t lead Force Suntrot in the harshest environment known to ponykind, who would?

The stalwart colonel didn’t know for certain how long Fort Drogan could be maintained. Personally, he held out hope for a pact between Equestria and the dragons of the ominous Caldera, of which their miserable valley hovered just to the northeast. Assuming there were a high-enough number of dragons that agreed to a mutually-beneficial defense agreement, then there would be no need for ponies to waste away here. But if no alliance could be forged, and Fort Drogan failed to prove itself a viable outpost, Pummel might very well be ordered to withdraw his personnel. That would be a shame, because for all the calamities that struck on a daily occurrence, Drogan was the best position to guard against hostile threats from Tartarus. It was foolish to entrust this responsibility only to a single three-headed dog.

As Col. Pummel slaved away with his pencil, he took a glance at a clock mounted above the entryway. Five minutes from now, Lt. Silverheart was scheduled to come in with a report on the well-being of the troops and civilian contractors at the fort. That motivated Pummel to work faster, wanting to finish up by the time the lower-ranked officer arrived.

[Dio]

Command Sergeant Major Novaya was no stranger to being dirty, sweaty, and tired. Years of service in the Frontier Territory meant years of long patrols, tough sorties, and long stretches of time away from the creature comforts of civilization. Experience with long range reconnaissance patrols had taught Novaya to pack light. Eschewing the typical heavy armor of the Royal Guard, Novaya’s unit had opted for lightweight gear to beat the heat: anoraks, boonie caps, shemaghs, and pack saddles laden with combat rations and hydration bladders.

Assignment to a sparsely-settled far-flung corner of Equestria may well have been a filly scout camping trip for the older mare. Unfortunately, as military operations were wont to do, things did not go according to plan. The sergeant major headed the patrol of six ponies, only half of whom were still on their hooves. The others were towed on improvised stretchers cobbled together from pack frames, paracord, and hundred mile an hour tape.

LRRP was always assumed to be hazardous. They were expected to operate beyond the support fan, beyond hope of rescue if things went south, after all. Novaya wiped the sweat off her brow with a greasy fetlock as she continued to haul her charge after her. The sulfur smell lingered about them, stuck to her coat like the scent of death that seemed to pervade the entire region. She hadn’t expected it to be easy. But she also hadn’t expected so many casualties so soon.

“Chepukha,” she cursed in Stallian under her breath. Finally, the crumbling walls of Fort Drogan came into view. The conditions were still dingy and hellish, but it was far better return there to treat the wounded than bivouacking and waiting for medevac that might never come. Novaya ignored the soldiers training in front of the keep, dragging her charges past Alexandrite and under the ramparts upon which Reveille, Applejack, and Night Watcher stood. There was little time for conversation.

The only thing on the sergeant’s mind was getting her squad into the infirmary...

[Imagination]

Reveille watched a group of soldiers arrive for their drill below, and even from where he was he could see there was some complaining. He couldn't blame them. Who would want to drill so much in this kind of heat? Though not long after the group gaggled and started their warm-ups for some grappling drills, a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Good morning sir. Staff Sergeant Night watcher of the Lunar Guard reporting."

"We're not at the depot anymore, Staff Sergeant. Call me by my rank. Besides that, glad to have you with us. Have you checked in with-" Before he could finish, he overheard a few gate guards announcing the patrol was back, and to fetch medics. Looking down from where he was, he noticed that the CSM was back! Only half of her ponies were still moving by their own power, however. Hopefully those casualties came with some intel they could use. Unfortunate as it was to see soldiers hurt, the Drill Instructor had to take advantage of the learning opportunity. Looking back to the group that had gathered before, he noticed them gawking and chatting among themselves. To get their minds back on track and their bodies back to work, his voice echoed in the courtyard as he called down, "Take a good long look! THAT is why we drill as often as we do! To reduce your chances of coming back looking like that! Let me catch ONE of you slacking off! Clear?!"

After a response of 'Yes Master Sergeant!' was shouted back by the group, their grappling training continued. Diamond Dogs were tough up front, and it was important to be able to go up to them on equal footing. Hoofing. Whatever.

"Staff Sergeant, come with me. We need to speak to the Sergeant Major and get her SITREP on what's going on out there... Miss Applejack I'll catch up with you later, if you wish." With that he left the mare and made his way down the crumbling stone stairs. He had never spoken to Command Sergeant Major Novaya, but he'd certainly heard about her once he got to the fort. From what he had heard, there was no better choice for a senior enlisted adviser. Trusting she was on her way to the infirmary, he'd have to meet up with her there. Her report would dictate how training would change, in order to better prepare the soldiers for whatever was out there.

[Pretzelparty]

This was such an honor! To be selected by the princess to join her newly formed branch of the R.E.A. ;Force Suntrot. Silver wasn't really sure what had earned him this position, maybe his father had pulled a few strings or made a recommendation? He certainly hoped that wasn't the case. If he didn't make it to this position on his own merits, what was the point of even coming here? He had to be sure he made his own achievements in the Royal Equestrian army.

Being stationed in Fort Drogan was proving to be a trying experience for the young guardpony. The intense weather conditions during this dry season was taking it's toll on pretty much everypony, many of the ponies in his charge were seriously beat from the sweltering heat and he wasn't too far behind. Even though it wasn't regulation he had to remove at least his helmet so he wasn't completely cooked in the metal shell. It was a such a shame as he had been spending so much time during the overly cool nights polishing and shining it and now it seemed like it was otherwise for nothing since he couldn't showcase it all. On the other hoof it seemed some of the mares and stallions in his charge had gained the tiniest of morale boosts by seeing him out of his helmet.

For now though, Silver had an assignment to take care of as he trotted across the top of the fort's remaining stone wall. Looking out over the harsh terrain in the distance he saw the LRRP coming into view with Sergeant Major Novaya leading them in. Her squad looked like it was in pretty bad shape... things must have gotten very tough out there. Turning to the training ground inside the fort he smiled a bit at the various soldiers training with some of the higher ranked officers assisting in their practice. It seemed even Equestria's very own champion and element of honesty Applejack had even decided to lend a helping hoof. He would have to stop by and say hello at some time, but for now he had somepony to report to...

Col. Pummel had currently elected to stay in a more secure area of the fort. While some had been worried about the colonel's health when he was stationed here, Silverheart was not one of them. He had met the general before and if anything he had proven he was tough as nails. Soon the grey stallion came to the colonel's door and knocked a few times before raising his voice so the colonel could hear him, "Second Lieutenant Silverheart Reporting, Sir! Permission to enter?"

[Lux]

Night Watcher felt awkward ignoring one of the basic rules of the military with speaking one's title. Still it was the least of issues that the group had here in Fort Drogan, but Night made a note to next time properly address the Master Sergeant. As he was about to speak with her, there was a shout and Reveille and Night looked to see what was going on. The black Pegasus saw a team of ponies, many of whom appeared injured. She wondered what tragedy befell the team, but it appeared the Master Sergeant wasn't too concerned about the state of the group. Instead he gave the drilling ponies, many of whom were doing anything else but practicing a lesson in being prepared.

"Staff Sergeant, come with me. We need to speak to the Sergeant Major and get her SITREP on what's going on out there."

"Yes Master Sergeant. May I ask while we are rendezvousing with the Sergeant Major about that group, specifically where they were and what they were doing to sustain such injuries?"

[SunlightHeart]

Gigavolt's scientific curiosity lead him to volunteer for some pretty radical projects, but joining a military operation out near the horrors of Tartarus(literally) was definitely the most extreme. A stereotype is what he felt like; a young starry eyed egghead tailing behind gruff army types doing all sorts of research while they did the heavy lifting. Well, in his case, the expression he wore was more akin to a sheet of featureless dry wall. Static.It didn't matter much to the stallion, as he was too busy trying to make himself useful. The reason he'd even come out here was for a chance to get first hand experience with the wild raging weather, lava flows, and seismic activity. All of it was a threat to the ponies at Fort Drogan, and because of it, a specialist who could read the data, organize it, and expound a report in an orderly fashion was needed. Taking the job would was a strong check on his resume for the future, but at the same time, knowing lives depended on his ability to provide accurate intel was a bit nerve wracking. Volt didn't let it get to him too much though; it was something he felt that he needed to do. His little contribution to the nation.

Moving in had been a hassle, but he couldn't complain. Gigavolt wouldn't allow the REA ponies to move of all his equipment on their own, he wouldn't let them carry his weight. He had requested a space at the very top of the fort, but his will couldn't be fully accommodated. Instead he received a large lab on the floor second to the top, it wasn't positioned where he wanted it, but it was larger and more than adequate for his needs. Within a couple of days, the barren grey space had been filled with all sorts of devices that could be used to measure and analyzed almost any aspect of the world around them, each constantly cranking out readings that Volt cataloged and used to draw out patterns, giving method to the madness.

During his time at the fort, he'd barely made any acquaintances outside of the ponies who brought him different charts, graphs and measurements of the conditions outside. He didn't really blame anypony, from the grunts to the intel officers, all were busy. But he also knew that his personality had an effect on how approachable he was as well. He was weird; unlike almost everypony else, he loved this place. He didn't love being on the fringes of a possible diamond dog or monster incursion, but he did love standing on the top of the fort watching the thunderstorms roll past or watching the skies over large magma veins burn orange in the night sky. Things were so dynamic out here on the edge. One day the temperatures could flash fry an egg on the stone and the next day the very earth would be frozen over. He liked that, this project would keep him on his hooves and alert.

However, at the moment Gigavolt was just sitting on a dilapidated mezzanine and going through the new sets of data he had received earlier today. Occasionally, he took a look at the ponies milling about on the floor below him. A few he recognized, most he didn't. But what really caught his eye was the returning patrol. They looked, bad... The first thing questions that came to his mind were "Did my intel lead them wrong? Would more have returned if I did a better job?" The unicorn quickly banished the thoughts, he and the rest of intelligence had done the best they could do in a field that was far from an exact science yet. Sighing, he folded up the papers and watched the group make their way to what he hoped was the infirmary for some medical attention.

[RarityDash]

Thrust after thrust, Alexandrite trained herself diligently. her lance smashing its way through innumerable imagined foe with increasing precision. it wasn't until several minutes passed that she came to be aware of the audience that had formed above. Not that she minded so much when she did notice. She was, after all a performer just as she was a soldier. The distinction came in the fact that this show of form was not a performance. It was not sport to entertain a crowd of onlookers sitting comfortably in the stands of an arena. No, she was honing this form so that she would be able to call on it, so that it would be second nature to her when something really did need to be smashed through with a lance.

She cast a cautious glance up at the others. She had worked with some of them, like Master Sergeant Reveille and Staff Sergeant Night Watcher before when she was stationed at boot camp. Still others, such as the civilians were new to her. Still... she had an immediate respect for any pony who would accept a mission in this unforgiving land. It called for a certain resolve that seldom few possessed. Yes, she had faith in this Task Force Suntrot. and what it represented. There was a sense of strength to be found under its banner, of ponies that could rely on one another. It was a powerful thing.

Alexandrite continued her thrusts, deciding not to pay mind to the others. She needed to focus, and so she would. She didn't look away from her repeated thrusts until she was presented with the sounds of a commotion at hoof. She paused and turned her head to find a comrade she was less familiar with dragging behind her some injured. She didn't recognized the faces, but she knew they were the team sent out on the scouting mission, the LRRP as they were evidently called; the abbreviations used by the REA, like many of the subtleties of its culture and how it was organized still did often elude or mystify her. That was, second to the point, however. She saw wounded comrades dragged past her eyes. She gave not a second thought before stabbing her lance into the dirt and rushing toward the mare.

"Allow me to assist you , my friend," Alexandrite started as she got into position to assume some of the burden of maneuvering the wounded where they needed to go. "It's imperative we spare not a second in situations like this."

​

[SteelEagle]

Wait, what?

Applejack wasn't one to criticize other pony's sense of humor normally as she knew that more than once in a while her jokes and ability to detect them were skewered towards the pathetic end of the spectrum, but her teasing of the Drill Sergeant went right over his head. Well, nopony ever accused him of being in the ball in terms of humor, just that he was a good leader. And he seemed to back that up enough for her to forgive a degree of silliness in joke recognition. She didn't mind a bit of respect though for what she had done in the past, though. She didn't crave it but a little acknowledgement that she wasn't here taking up space and supplies was always a valuable morale boost for her. More interesting to her was the mare down below who was out of time. Being a crystal pony of any stripe or lifestyle must have been something fiercely odd. Seeing how she'd respond would be one of the make or break aspects of Suntrot up in the Drogan. Hopefully she'd do well, for all their sakes. She was tearing up whatever fantasy opponent she had in mind.

"Well, Ah'm just doing mah part for Equestria. Nothing special about it," she smiled and imagined herself with a spear, then wiggled her rear to emphasize the lasso which dully patted her as she did so, "and Ah'm more than prepared. Ah bet Ah could disarm anypony before they got anywhere close to me," She laughed at the image, deciding against offering an exhibition. That wouldn't go over too well in all likelihood and she wasn't about to sink good friendships...well, probably not good friendships, but it was never a good idea to put yourself in a position to take from somepony who was already giving so much. They should be left with their pride at the very least.

As she turned to get to her other patrons on top, a female Lunar Guard approached and thanked her for her service. Once again, a bit of recognition wasn't all that bad but it was getting a bit much. They'd been there for a bit and she thought she had gotten the deluge of thanks and support out of the way and in front of her lay mutual respect and a common working relationship, but there were a lot of ponies on patrol that she hardly ever saw and this mare was one of them. She seemed nice enough and anypony who was a member of the Lunar Guard was definitely worthy of her respect. Before she could get away to thank the Crystal mare below, Applejack stealthily snuck the ration pack inside of the pony's saddlebag. Quick hooves were always a plus.

"Ah'm just happy doin' mah part. Happy ta meet you," Applejack replied evenly, slipping away from Reveille and the new mare and trotting down onto the field. Underneath her bare hooves the ground felt like barely resistible flame, her steps picking up in pace through little conscious effort as she trotted over to the Crystal mare. even Crystal ponies needed a healthy diet to sustain themselves, especially if they planned to do a lot of lance work in such conditions. The mare seemed greatly conditioned however so Applejack was more worried about some odd Crystal tradition popping up, like how you had to fight one another for every scrap of bread. She knew that nothing too silly likely existed, but possibilities were as endless as her imagination when it came to the oddities of a place like that.

"You re-" Applejack began as she reached into her saddlebag to give the mare some rations just as Novaya and her squad, or what remained of it, limped in. No doubt judging by what little Applejack saw that they had encountered some unusually rough terrain, which when you considered the nature of this place was a horrifying statement. Usually a squad would come back with maybe one casualty as well as several on the brink of delirium because of the heat, but not often did you have three. Who hadn't been injured at this point was the real question, as even the logistics branch in their expeditions out had encountered troubles. No matter what though, they needed help. Applejack swiftly stuffed rations into Alexandrite's saddlebag- she had her own job to do, after all- and then trotted hoof in hoof with the squad that was making their way in. Two earth pony guards carried a pegasus on a stretcher, but they looked hammered as well. That wouldn't do.

Applejack placed her hoof on the shoulder of the leading earth pony and gave him a nod. He let go and nearly collapsed in place himself, dragging his hooves as he followed the group. Applejack hoisted the back end of the stretcher onto her shoulders on either side of her head. She kept in line with the lead pony as they made good time into the keep and towards the entrance to the underground, where they would be met by a few medical personel to be taken to the infirmary. She was joined by the Crystal mare, who offered her help as well. All hooves on deck, eh?

"Anythin' we should tell tha medics?" Applejack asked as she examined the wounded. Poor ponies. At least soon they'd get the care they needed, and Applejack would see them right into the caring hooves of those below.

OOC: 3,000th post!

[SunlightHeart]

Analytical eyes watched as the scene below unfolded. What started as a solemn march from the killing grounds slowly became soothing steps into the hooves of friends and comrades. The small group of returning soldiers soon had a small entourage of fort staff aiding their movement to the infirmary. The level of efficiency made Gigavolt grin, but it wasn't just the productivity; it was watching everypony come together and operate towards a common goal with no promise of any sort of reward. He wasn't particularly gung-ho on friendship or camaraderie, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate genuine shows of it around him.

He wanted to help them, but they had already gained enough capable hooves and more ponies weren't always better. One of the soldiers who had been practicing with her spear stopped what she was doing to help, heck, even the mare who came around every so often with rations-- Applejack was her name-- came to their aid. Helping the pony next to them seemed to fulfill them to some extent he could understand the feeling. It was the same thing he felt when he learned something new or put the final piece in a metaphorical puzzle.

They knew there place when it came to helping, and he knew his. Gigavolt doubted any forward recon troops would want intelligence in their face immediately after their ordeal. So the thing he could do was to be ready for their eventual after action report. He turned their observations of the world and the raw data they brought him into usable information that they could use out there. Perhaps after everypony settled again, he'd seek out the Sargent Major and inquire about her squad.

[Bellosh]

Almost right when Col. Pummel put the final touches on his report and gave it his signature, Lt. Silverheart asked permission to enter. Silverheart was a good officer, one brilliant enough to be assigned to Princess Celestia on several occasions. The old pegasus running Fort Drogan was of course glad to procure this competent royal guard as his right-hoof stallion for this hellish assignment. “You may enter,” Pummel replied, making note that no spare chair was available for the subordinate to sit in; “I’m afraid chairs are in short supply here, so you’ll have to stay standing.” As something of a symbolic gesture, the colonel rose up from his seat, indicating that he too would remain on his hooves.

As the pleasantries ceased, a moderate commotion from outside could be heard in Pummel’s office. CSM Novaya’s LRRP was two hours overdue, and if those sounds were the audible signals of its return, that could only mean the patrol ran into trouble out there. Hence, Pummel expected bad news from Novaya’s upcoming after-action report. Onto present matters; “Your report on the condition of our troops and contractors, Lieutenant?”

[Quillhart]

Punk couldn't feel his face. Everything was blurred when he tried to open his eyes but he could manage to glance something orange and brown somewhere below his hind hoofs. He moved and realized that he weren't laying down on the ground as he had assumed. The firm base that he laid on seemed to move as well and Punk could feel how his stomach cringed a little. It suddenly struck him that he had fallen. Small fragments of the accident swirled in his head but nothing clear enough to give a full report. He could clearly remember the feeling of loosing the ground underneath his hoofs and a razor-sharp image of a certain rock two inches from his face. He made some grunting noises and managed to lift a hoof to his face. Punk could tell that his head was badly hit by touching his swollen eye. He usually didn't fall and couldn't imagine what possibly had happened to make him finally lose his balance. His vision cleared. Punk turned his head and saw that they were by the training grounds and ponies were gazing in his direction. His strength began to return and the pain came alongside. It began like an itch around his eye but it finally unfolded to a raging fire in his head. He had to close his eyes to not start to cry by pure pain.

"Anythin' we should tell tha medics?"

Punk heard the orange mare ask the pony behind him. "You tell the meds that this pal might just kill somepony if he doesn't get his headache cured ASAP." He said faintly and clenched his hoof firmly against his head, unable to raise from his laying position. "If it doesn't kill him first, that is." The weak pegasus added along with several grunting noises.

Punk closed his eyes. It had been so easy. All he had had to do was to yell 'yes' when the name was said on the attendance check. He could never have predicted this when the guard first trotted up and asked him to take his place in the expedition. Poor fella really tried to convince him that it was because of a sprained hoof and that he didn't want to bother the authority about it. Psh, Punk could have seen the fright in his eyes from the other side of Equestria even though the pony really tried to appear calm. Punk pitied him, though he was supposed to attend to some exercise that day and he made sure that the pony was clear about that he would have to be there in his place. The guard was swift to accept, despite his 'sprained hoof', and Punk was excited to go on an adventure! He had managed to get aboard the squad without any questions or issues and everything had been going as smooth as it could until the time came for Punk to fall. It was pretty funny actually. Punk had managed to sneak in the squad without getting busted. He was sure that Pummel would literally kill him if he found out that he had been sneaking out with the scouting squad.

Punks eyes flashed open. PUMMEL WOULD KILL HIM! The fog left his mind and everything was suddenly so obvious for him! Punk wasn't going to get away with this, not by any chance. "Dangit!" Punk whispered to himself and struck the stretcher with his hoof as hard as his strength allowed. Ponies would ask who he was and they would see that he had broken the rules, again. Pummel might even go as far as sending him home this time. Punk knew that his father wouldn't be able to see him directly in the eyes after an incident like that. He might get away easy if he explained about the situation with his friend but that was a big maybe and it would include pulling him in the mud as well.

Punk considered acting like he had fainted to avoid the question for as long as possible. That idea was soon scraped. The medics weren't stupid, they would see through his charade as soon as they began examine his eye. The fact that he had just spoken to the orange mare didn't encourage him to speculate further on that front either. He could perhaps say that it was simply a communication issue and he simply thought that he was supposed to be there. Though that would mean lying straight to the commander's face. Punk wasn't too fond of that thought, it could make the whole thing worse, but he chose to remember it if everything unfolded into an absolute emergency. The best thing to do was to lay low. For now. Punk got wrapped up by the pain his head caused and closed his eyes again. The best thing would be to act like nothing had happened at all. The thing was that Punk wasn't sure about how long that would work.

He could really use some pumpkin candy...

[Dio]

Novaya was so focused on dragging her current charge back to the fort that she almost didn’t notice ponies coming to help. The sergeant cracked a wan smile. If there was one thing that Equestrians could be counted upon to do, it was help their own. It sustained the city of Stalliongrad even in the midst of bitter winters and most certainly did the same for the southlands.

"Allow me to assist you , my friend. It's imperative we spare not a second in situations like this."

“Many thanks,” she said to the Crystal Pony. They were fascinating to be sure. The mare’s coat shimmered with every footstep she made like a living jewel. Novaya directed the stallion flanking her to leave his charge to Alexandrite, dismissing him to head to the infirmary under his own power. She looked to the other pony who had lent her assistance. “And to you as well.”

The earth pony was a familiar face around base. “Applejack,” they called her, a hero of Equestria. Novaya wasn’t one to go by titles or hearsay or really one to be starstruck despite the weight that the name carried. After all, was she not among those that defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord? It mattered not if she was a princess beneath that earth pony exterior if she couldn’t handle herself in front of others. Thankfully, that did not appear to be the case as Applejack lent her assistance.

"Anythin' we should tell tha medics?"

“Blunt trauma with some puncture wounds from debris. We need water, clean gauze, antiseptic, and cool place to rest.” Novaya’s Stallian accent was thick with her assessment, but intelligible. “Thankful we have no fatalities. But these soldiers will not be ready for duty for long time coming.”

"You tell the meds that this pal might just kill somepony if he doesn't get his headache cured ASAP!"

“Hush, mal’chik,” Novaya shushed Punk Walker gently, but firmly. “We just pulled you out of aether rift. You are lucky your lungs didn’t explode while you were inside it. Count blessings.”

Novaya led the groups through the serpentine hallway and thick canvas curtains separating the infirmary from the outside world. The winding corridor opened up into a larger chamber where cots were set up in a makeshift patient ward. Standing curtains separated each patient bed from the next, but most were open as the infirmary was largely empty.

“Let’s get this one onto bed so doctors can look, da?”

[Pretzelparty]

“You may enter,” Pummel replied, making note that no spare chair was available for the subordinate to sit in; “I’m afraid chairs are in short supply here, so you’ll have to stay standing.”

“Your report on the condition of our troops and contractors, Lieutenant?”

Silver Didn't mind standing up in the presence of this superior officer, He probably would have stayed standing even if there was a chair set aside for him. "That is fine, Colonel." Stated the armor clad unicorn as he approached the desk,"I've been on my hooves most of the day already. I can stand as long as it takes."

Taking a quick breath, Silver prepared to explain the current status of the fort as a whole. "So far our contractors are doing quite decently, Miss Applejack in particular has been of great help in her work to keep the troops fed and healthy. The Fort's repairs having only just begun as half our requested supplies have yet to arrive and I've been hearing some rumors that those supplies may have been intercepted by the Diamond dogs plaguing the area. The majority of our troops are still willing for the time being but morale due to our current situation and living conditions is slowly draining and I'm worried as to how that may affect the troops performance. The Morale issue may become even worse with the arrival of some heavily injured troops only recently brought in." As soon as the marish stallion finished he took a deep breath through his nose to fill his lungs after his long winded explanation.

[Bellosh]

Pummel carefully nodded throughout the lieutenant’s report. Almost none of it sounded like good news, but what else did ponies expect in a hellish place like Fort Drogan? Way out here, these particular diamond dogs were so brazen as to steal military supplies without any provocation. Something will have to be done with the bandits. “We don’t have the strength yet to pacify the bandits,” the colonel sighed; “Not when we haven’t fully consolidated our position yet. The most important thing that you must do now is keep the spirits of everypony up. Make sure that their hearts remain undefeated by our environment. Do whatever you have to do to maintain morale.

“Make no mistake though,” Col. Pummel’s eyes revealed a glint of restrained anger; “When we are at full strength, we will give those diamond dogs a lesson they will never forget. We WILL teach those bandits to respect the rule of the Princesses, like the rest of their kind..... You’re dismissed. See to it that our injured are given the best care possible.” The old stallion sat back down, groaning as he stayed at his desk to begin writing another dispatch. This time, he’d have to report on the loss of the supplies meant for Fort Drogan.

[RarityDash]

Alexandrite did her best to help the injured ponies, nodding at Novaya as she took on her share of the burden. Another pony, a civilian named Applejack, came to aid in the efforts as well.Together, they escorted their injured comrades through the long and winding corridors of the ancient fort until they were able to place them on a medic's bed. One of the injured soliders, a pegasus stallion, began to stir and speak to them as they transported him. By Novaya's words, it seemed he and the others had been through a serious happening. Pummelled by debris, caught in rifts of aether, narrowly escaping a sure demise. That, Alexa supposed, was their reality though. For the first time since she had confronted Sombra and those loyal to him a millennium ago, she was face to face with the reality that the possibility of a quick death hid behind every corner. Just as then, she needed to do her best to ensure she and her comrades always lived to fight on for the sake of those less strong.

Applejack was asking questions, though Alexandrite didn't see the need. The situation explained itself as she saw it. Now what mattered were the injuries. Tending to those weakened in the event came far before anything else. Speaking of which, Alexa found her eyes go to Novaya. Stress was clear upon her face, even as they reached the medic. That she had been carrying all these wounded comrades so far on her own couldn't mean well for her physical state.

"What of you, my friend?" Alexandrite asked, looking at Novaya still. "We're you caught in any of it?" she added, concern evident. "Whatever the case, it might do you well to sit and let yourself calm and have the medic look you over as well. Even for those spared serious injury, the burden of one who lives through an encounter with such things can take a curious toll."

​

[SteelEagle]

One of the wounded pegasus ponies couldn't handle himself silently, not that Applejack coould blame him. Some ponies were loud in how they handled their wounds and others seemingly preferred to suffer in silence. It was good to see he had enough energy to blast out his message and it was nice to hear that a headache was all he was complaining about. That didn't matter entirely too much as some of the most potent possibilities existed under the awareness of any stallion or mare but at least if there was something blindingly obvious he would say so. of course, he could have a serious concussion or some other brain injury and that wouldn't play well at all. All she could now was help them get to the medical staff. She was a mare of all trades, not a trained professional.

"Just stay still and rest yer weary head, soldier. No need ta worry now. Yer safe," Applejack attempted to soothe the rightfully agitated pegasus as they reached the inner workings of the decayed castle's basement, where the infirmary found itself nestled in between stone and soil. They propped him up on his bed as the others followed, taking up quite a few beds. Alexandrite and Novaya spoke as the medics walked in, closely examining the patients as they did so. On the surface most things seemed rather generic, but Applejack wondered if they knew what an aether rift meant. It would make sense that they didn't. They didn't know Twilight or her near-constant observations about the aether and its relation to magic...Equestrian and otherwise. She quickly approached one of the nurses, tugging slightly on her uniform.

"Ain't nothing too unusual. Blunt trauma, some punctures. Ah'd check for anything brain-related on account of one of 'em- that one over thar- actin' a bit funny like," She spoke quickly before tipping her hat to those she had just helped.

"If y'all need anythin' feel free ta ask," She whispered on account of being slowly pushed out by the nurses- they needed their space to help the doctors, after all. And that was just as fine for Applejack in any case as the fur on the back of her neck was practically jumping off of her with worry. She started galloping down the increasingly decrepit hallway, excusing herself more than a dozen times as she did little to vary her direction. After what seemed like forever but couldn't have been more than a few minutes she reached what she had affectionately termed the cellar- the huge cavern that had multiple roles. A waterway wormed its way through and so it was used as an internal dock. Outside of the cave in the wilds of the world beyond the castle was a small landing strip that was staffed only when an airship was inbound- the materials still needed to be taken in via the river.

The cavern also served as storage. Hundreds of boxes of random supplies of all sorts lined the walls. Several small cubbies worked as various hubs for boring administration, including the staff Applejack was assigned to and its communication hub and the intelligence group nearby. Bunk beds and coverings made a section of the cave safe for sleeping and a lot of the logistics branch made their home here. None of this mattered except for the communications hub.

Applejack galloped over, ignoring the dual salutes of the two guards as she entered. The pony in charge of the morse code magical telegraphy device looked back at the orange mare who ran in. Applejack nodded and the pony gulped, hammering out the message. Applejack had prepared for this.

But before she could do more such as going to Pummel and telling him what was up, she needed to visit the Geophysicist. She needed to see if what she was thinking was happening was happening. And so she started to gallop once more- this time from the very bottom of the Fort's mare-made ecosystem to the very top of its collapsing visage. And she was going to do it quick...because if she was right, the whole region was going to get hot and get hot fast.

[SunlightHeart]

The upper floor of the fort somehow managed to remain stuffy, despite the multiple windows spread out along the walls. Likely, it had something to do with the supplies lining the hallways and the constant nonstop flow of activity. Gigavolt wasn't a military type of pony, but he loved the atmosphere. Something was always being done, somepony somewhere was always productive, or at least seemed to be productive. It reminded him of a few of his colleagues. He didn't talk to them too much, but these ponies had the same air about them as they did.

The air around him lent his body to mental autopilot while his mind turned in on itself. To the soldiers and civilians around him, it probably looked like he was jogging around aimlessly. In reality, he was actually reviewing the data he currently had while biding his time until his instruments needed to be checked again; he'd gotten some strange readings and would need to double check before he said anything about it. Still, it was true in a way, he had no destination in mind and only sought to feel the slow building burn in his muscles. Aerobic activity always helped clear his head and he'd need a clear noggin when the returning force was debriefed and passed their reports off to Intelligence. At such a critical time though, he needed to be where he could be found easily. With that in mind, he rounded a corner and made his way back to the lab in the eastern corner of the fort.

------

Beyond the lab's heavy wooden door was his haven. Though his shared it for most of the day with other ponies, the lab still felt like a little piece of paradise to him. The chitter and scribbling of the large computing device filled his ears with the rhythmic music of data collection. Soil, water, and stone samples alongside neat stacks of notes and curious devices sat organized and ready for examination on several large tables. Huge humidity controlled cabinets and cubbies occupied most of the rooms wall space. Off in a back corner, was a mattress surrounded by scattered papers and a few mechanical parts and wires. The tiny area looked heavily lived in, seeing as it was where the stallion slept, usually took his meals, and went for general alone time.

Using his magic, Volt tore several feet of paper out of the computer's slot, even as it continued scribbiling lines on the graph paper. "Hmmm..."

[SteelEagle]

(I have been waiting for people to post, so here I go)

Applejack galloped with a mix of excitement and fear up the spiral staircases that led to a dozen or more landings, each one an important office for one pony or another. It was always a little bit of a rush to feel the blood roar through you in anticipation of something grand, the adrenaline crushing sensibility briefly before your senses heightened to a razor point. Applejack was finely tuned that way. Maybe it was her good heritage blossoming finally or her personal fitness and alertness blazing ahead but she felt alive. Really alive. And that was preferable to feeling dead. Really dead. Because she knew the odds each pony had against the local beasts and knew better than to force that fear down deep into her where it could breed itself into panic in secret before it devoured her rabidly. For all of her adrenaline and for all of her comrades' courage, if she was right they would cast their lot in with the gamblers and the foolhardy and leave their very lives to as much luck as skill. And nothing was more frightening for her than not being in control of something as basic as her own fate.

She she better make sure that this emotion was placed correctly before going to the Colonel. Only one pony could help her and that was their Geophysicist, a pony who she had only the briefest of contact with as supplies were shifted around. The title along went right above her heard. She understood what it meant but why they didn't call it something simpler was beyond her. The fancy types tended to have complicated names for common sense positions all the time, as if they got paid by the use of odd words and callings. No matter. Applejack didn't quite care what the title was though or why it was the way it was. She was a results oriented mare and if he could help her she'd put on a showmare's outfit and dance for the pleased masses. If it meant saving ponies she'd do just about anything. She made it to the labs on the eastern side and galloped past several ponies, deftly avoiding them as if they were rodeo obstacles, muttering apologies before she came to a skittering halt in front of her target who was currently reading tape coming from one of those super-machines.

"Gigavolt, Ah'm worried sick 'bout something. If Ah'm right, we could be in a whole heap'a trouble," Applejack began, taking her hat off and wiping the sweat from her brow before her eyes narrowed, "do you see anythin' strange 'bout the past week or so's readings underground? Ah mean, well, stranger than usual'?" She asked, her mind racing. Aether rifts weren't natural. Not for Equestria. Not for the Everfree. Not for outside Tartarus. She wasn't a magic pony by any stretch of the imagination. It was all above her understanding. But she was best friends with the pony who not only understood magic the best, but had the ability to explain it easily enough. And Applejack was nothing if not a good listener. Aether rifts were unnatural tears in the aether in and around both ponies and the land they called home. In effect, magic was spread so thin so fast in one area that it 'snapped' and tore, as Twilight had explained to her friend. In that brief second, all local magic went haywire and disasters of all kinds were possible. That was the absolute limit of Applejack's understanding.

She had went to the communications hub first and had the message sent to Twilight. Maybe she could help confirm that. Applejack didn't understand any of it beyond that base description. But she did understand that it was rare even for here. There shouldn't have been several patrols experiencing this, they shouldn't have been getting closer, and they shouldn't have been getting worse. Something was happening to the magic in the area. Something very, very bad.

[Pretzelparty]

“We don’t have the strength yet to pacify the bandits,” the colonel sighed; “Not when we haven’t fully consolidated our position yet. The most important thing that you must do now is keep the spirits of everypony up. Make sure that their hearts remain undefeated by our environment. Do whatever you have to do to maintain morale.

“Make no mistake though,” Col. Pummel’s eyes revealed a glint of restrained anger; “When we are at full strength, we will give those diamond dogs a lesson they will never forget. We WILL teach those bandits to respect the rule of the Princesses, like the rest of their kind..... You’re dismissed. See to it that our injured are given the best care possible.”

Silver couldn't help but shiver as he saw that glint in the Colonel's eyes. This pony could be pretty scary, thank goodness Pummel was on Equestria's side! "Understood, Sir. I'll see what I can do to lift spirits and see if I can get the injured treatment as soon as possible." the armor clad unicorn promptly turned around and before heading out the door he vocally wished the colonel to have a good day before leaving.

After a long walk back into harsh daylight that beat down on the fort, Silverheart proceeded down to the troops below. HE saw many ponies were heavily injured, it was admireable that they made it all the way back. Seeing the leader of the platoon from before approaching it's leader Novaya," Command Sergeant major Novaya, could you bring me up to speed about what happened to your squad?" The stallion sighed as he looked at Punk Walker on the stretcher, he wasn't sure how he gotten such severe injury but the stallion definitely needed some help whether he'd gotten themf ooling around or in the line of duty.