1465 replies and 13 files omitted.
>>141785"They do not have any cocooned ponies, so we may fire at will with our explosives. I did not see any MGs, only rifles, but they may have had one out of sight."
>>141786“I see. How do you know this is a Changeling position?”
>>141787"Hmm...I suppose there is chance, though small chance, this is group of ponies who have gotten caught in middle of this conflict. Earlier, it was reported that group of changelings arrived to reinforce existing changelings, before we attacked Whinnyton church. There is no way to be certain without testing one of them."
>>141788“Well then, what should we do?” He asks
>>141789"While it would give away our surprise attack if it really is changelings, I can go up by myself to try to see if I can convince one to come outside."
>>141790“You can try. But the Changelings would
love to take out another officer if they can. It would be very dangerous.”
>>141791"That it would be, which is why I would not ask any of you to do it in my place."
>>141792“It would only take a shot or two.” He says. “You are not in great condition.”
>>141793Silver shakes his head.
"No I am not, but I still would not ask another to do it for me."
>>141794“Well... your call, sergeant. If you do decide to go, alone, it might be beneficial to remind them of our larger weapons and numerical superiority. Still, they may jump at the opportunity, or even try to replace you.”
>>141795Silver nods.
"If that happens, you know what to do. I am going in."
Silver turns towards the grain elevator and marches, alone, towards it.
>>141746“Have you ever been to a city like this before?”
>>141797Miskobag:
“Like this? No. I’ve been to towns. But not like this.”
>>141805“Maybe we can have a look around, as long as we keep clear of changelings. An urban adventure might lift our spirits.”
>>141806“Maybe.” He moves his head around the confines of the small room.
“What is there to see?”
>>141807“I haven’t been to a city in some time. I’m not sure myself. I’m not even sure what is allowed to be in a city under changeling rule. But I’m sure there’s something fun to do, or everyone would run away.”
>>141808“If you can find something ‘fun,’ and I can do it, I’ll do it” he says to Spark, weakly smiling
>>141796>>141813Silver moves a little closer to the structure, which is dominated by concrete walls and the giant corrugated steel silos. An overly yellow tinted light shines down on a door on the square tower besides the cylinders. There are some windows on the higher levels and a walkway above the silos, but this door is central. The wind continues to carry its dry, freezing air down the valley.
>>141816Once he's gotten far enough away from the rest of his ponies, Silver calls out over the cold wind.
"If anyone is still in there, please, answer me!"
>>141817From above, a "clang clang clang." But in front of Silver, the flaking green-painted door opens, and Silver can see a muzzle poking out in part. It looks to be the white or yellow fur - hard to tell in this light - of a pony.
"And who are you?" A gruff voice answers
>>141818"Silver Sword. Pony. And you? Do you be pony, or changeling?"
>>141819"Pony. Corporal Burnished Row, armorer of the 332nd supply group. And how do I know you are indeed a pony?"
>>141820"Have you ever heard of test for changeling replacement? You shine flashlight in eyes, and if it is changeling their true eyes will show behind their disguise. I have used it to detect multiple disguised changelings, including 332nd's commander and pony in charge of telephone office. I am more than willing to submit myself to be tested, if you will allow me to test you in turn."
>>141821He is silent for a moment
"Sounds like hocus pocus. All I know for damn sure is someone cut the wires on two of our trucks, and there has been plenty of shooting all day."
>>141822"Indeed there has been, my platoon has been clearing Vale of changelings since this afternoon. Entirety of town has been secured, save for here. I assure you, I have plenty of experience with this."
>>141823There is more "clang clang clang" over the silence of the alleged pony. He opens his muzzle - slightly tinted blue - to speak
"Your platoon?"
>>141824Silver nods, and lights up his horn. The blue magic glow casts enough light to show his form clearly in the darkness. He braces himself for an impending shot.
"I am Silver Sword.
Platoon Sergeant Silver Sword, E Platoon."
>>141825Silver does
not feel a shot. He
does hear what sounds like a gun being grasped.
"And how do we know your group isn't the one destroying our vehicles and replacing our ponies?"
>>141826This is, at least, not a
terrible sign.
"If I was, I would not be here, in this position. I am out in open, with no cover, completely exposed and vulnerable, and from what I hear your friends have bead on me. This is very last situation Changeling Infiltrator would want to be in."
>>141827"And tell me, Mr. 'Sword,' if that is your name, what do
your friends have trained on
us? Exploiting trust is how the Changelings operate."
>>141828"Anti-tank gun, mortar, some MGs, and many rifleponies. We have really,
really delivered crushing blow to roaches infesting city, and their corpses litter their previous defensive positions. Despite that, I am here risking my life because there is chance you are not changelings. If you will not come out to me, I would ask you let me come over to you."
>>141829"Then come over." He answers
>>141830Silver nods, and trots towards the pony hidden behind the door.
>>141831The door - which opens inwards - opens slightly more.
Inside the area is almost surprisingly cramped, with steel grates, a steel staircase going up on the left, and what seems to be a sort of augur on the right. Burnished Row, in fuller light, seems to be a bluish grey colored unicorn in full, green, Equestrian uniform. But there is another pony with him, a white pegasus, who keeps a carbine pointed at Silver.
>>141832Silver remains calm, despite the situation. The fact that they haven't shot him already is a good sign in Silver's book that they might actually be ponies. He address the two ponies.
"Alright. I am going to use my magic to take my flashlight, and give it to Burnished Row so he may test me. Is that okay?"
>>141833Burnished Row:
"And how am I supposed to test, exactly?"
>>141834"You take flashlight, and directly shine it into eyes of one you are testing. It will either reflect back normally if it is pony, or reflect back like cat's eyes or let you see true color of changeling's eyes if they are changeling."
>>141836Silver slowly levitates his flashlight to Burnished Row, trying to keep his pegasus friend from shooting him.
>>141837Burnished row takes it rather quickly, looking at the flashlight, then turning it around. He unscrews the back end, pulls the batteries out, and then places the batteries back in, screwing it back together. Then, he turns it on, and points it at Silver's face, blinding Silver.
"Blue eyes" He takes a moment
>>141838Silver squints, but manages to keep his eyes open.
"Just like my normal eye color. Alright, now I will do you, with your permission."
>>141839He lowers the flashlight, and Silver can see he is gritting his teeth
"Alright." And he offers the flashlight back to Silver
>>141840Silver takes it, and uses it on Burnished Row.
>>141841He narrows his eyes.
His eyes are a bright yellow-gold, almost honey colored. The irises reflect back, but the whites remain white.
>>141842Silver lets out an audible sigh of relief. He turns the flashlight off.
"Thank Goddesses we checked...okay, everypony here is pony. We can all relax."
He looks over at the pegasus.
"Would you kindly lower that weapon, so I might tell my platoon to stand down?"
>>141843The pegasus doesn't seem to want to put the weapon down. At least not at first.
Burnished Row speaks:
"Is it... really so?"
>>141844Silver nods.
"It would probably still be good idea to check everypony left standing, just to make sure there are no stragglers...but yes, it is finished. Vale is liberated."
>>141845He breathes out
"Thank Celestia. I was worried there for a while. We didn't now who was who, or what was going on."
>>141846"We got lucky. We started testing our platoon after discovering they had sabotaged communications and found two of our own had been replaced. We confronted Captain Forrester, who had also been replaced, then fighting started. But seriously, I should give my platoon code phrase and tell them to stand down, we do not want this building coming down around us."
>>141847"Then do it, and I shall recall mine too" He says
>>141848Silver turns around, and shouts "KLUTZY" out of the doorframe into the darkness.
>>141849A lone voice responds
"Draconequis"
Which Silver recognizes as belonging to Amber Grain
>>141850"Stand down! They are ponies!"
>>141851There are some sounds of movement, and some shapes seen moving in the darkness, though not much can be seen from Silver's position
>>141852Silver turns back to Burnished Row.
"Alright, so what is full story with you? What happened during course of last night and today?"
>>141853"I was part of a section charged with making sure firearms and parts were in working order before final distribution, as well as heavier maintenance of returned non-functioning guns. We were set up in a few ranch houses in the east of the town.
I first noticed yesterday, a couple ponies were acting oddly. The ammunition distribution section... The ponies there, I knew them. Rather friendly. They were oddly off. Then Sergeant Circling Camp didn't seem to remember a shipment we received just earlier the same day. I went back with the Bakery group, who were set up here for dinner. then nightfall came. And things got
really weird. A couple of the ponies in my section fell ill and went to sleep early. Then a couple ponies who went deeper into town did not return.... I saw a door left open in a house. I had seen the ponies in there. Some locals who did not leave. The lights were on inside the house and the back door was wide open. I decided to take a couple ponies, and go join the bakery group. We knew the situation was off. We didn't want to go to the captain, so we went to the telephone office instead. That's when we learned that the wires were cut. So we left back to the grain elevator, and fortified ourselves here. We heard gunshots and crashes in the town. We sent out a pair to investigate. We decided we'd drive directly back to Wald to tell command. But the trucks had their ignition wires cut. These trucks had not moved from in front of the grain elevator all day! Then a pony in our group disappeared when he was tasked with flying out over the hill line. So we've remained holed up in here. We were sure the Changelings must know we were here since they probably captured our scouts. They’d come for us sooner or later. We fortified with what weapons we had.
We saw your group enter. It was reassuring that you came from the direction of Virtue, but down the valley and Benson were supposed to be pony controlled as well, so who knows if the Changelings just sent their own reinforcements around through the hills up north. That may have been where they came from anyways. Then we heard more gunshots and battles, and we had no idea if there were other hold outs being destroyed by the changelings or if the changelings themselves were being cleared out. Today, just a couple hours ago, we fixed the ignition on one of the trucks, so a couple volunteers left in it to go back to Wald.”
>>141866"That falls in line with other stories I have heard. You will be happy to know we discovered locations of your missing ponies. One changeling we managed to capture told us their locations, and we have since verified they told us truth. We could use your help freeing them from their cocoons and bringing them back to safe locations in town hall and courthouse, and I can see about getting help with fixing your trucks."
>>141867"That's very much a relief." He moves forward, and tries to poke his head out, but ultimately does not.
"Is it over?"
>>141868"I believe so. It is still good idea to travel in pairs or groups of three or more, but we cleared last pocket of changeling resistance when we assaulted dairy plant."
>>141869This time, he takes a peak outside.
"I hope so. I'll go tell the others."
>>141870"I will go back to my Platoon Guide, give him orders on what to do, then I will go and let Command know of what has transpired here."
>>141871"Yes sir..." He looks back to Silver
"Thank you, Sergeant Sword."
>>141872Silver looks at him, smiles, then goes back into the cold night air to return to his platoon.
>>141873Amber Grain is standing there, looking back at Silver Sword
"So?"
>>141874"They are ponies. They noticed their former platoon mates had started to act weird yesterday, then when changelings started capturing and replacing ponies last night sounds of fighting drove this group to take cover in grain elevator. They have trucks, but changelings cut ignition wires to keep them from escaping and alerting Command. If we can fix them, we will have more trucks and more ponies to help free cocooned ponies."
>>141875He lowers his rifle to his side
"Good. And good thing we did not fire. I am sending the truck through then, to Wald, if it is not likely to be ambushed."
>>141876"It is very good thing we did not fire. You should be well commended for giving that advice."
He looks in the direction of Wald.
"I will leave that decision to you, Sergeant. I have to give report to Command on what has transpired here. While I do so, I want you to direct teams to fix 332nd's trucks and recover cocooned ponies. Civilians are located in Whinnyton church and schoolhouse, members of 332nd are in courthouse and dairy plant, and there are others located in basement dwellings of abandoned ranch houses. If any civilians are encountered, instruct our ponies to verify they are ponies, then ask for any assistance with freed ponies if they can give it. I would also recommend setting freed ponies somewhere safe and warm. Town Hall and Courthouse, perhaps, or in front of fireplace."
>>141877There are a couple lights in the distance, though they belong to a farm house, and not a town or city. Though it is night, Silver can see the outline of fields, the river, the trees by it, and the mountains to either side, all under an empty, star-studded sky.
"Yes sir. We'll get to it right away."
Amber Grain moves off. And from the direction of the town, a truck drives, headlights shining, in the direction of Virtue and Wald.
>>141878Silver heads for town to get back to Town Hall, but he hopes he can intercept the truck before it passes him.
>>141879Perhaps if Silver waves it down.
Roll >>141881Silver waves down the truck before it passes by
>>141882Alright, what kind of truck is it, who is driving, and what do they have in the bed?
>>141883Green painted two and a half ton 6x6 general purpose truck, covered hear bed. Equestrian Army.
A pony in the drivers seat, and one in the passenger seat with a carbine. Both ponies look familiar, but Silver isn't sure he ever knew their names. They carry wounded ponies in the bed.
>>141886"Oh. Uh. Draganovic." The startled private answers
>>141887Silver sighs.
"Good enough. That was fast, Amber Grain sure works fast. Have safe trip to Wald, soldiers!"
>>141888"Yes sir!" He says, saluting. He drives away
>>141889Silver salutes them back as they leave, then continues on his way to Town Hall.
>>141890Silver arrives back inside. Some ponies have assembled in the main hall, while the wounded are in the dining area
>>141891Silver goes up to the switchboard room and knocks.
>>141892"Yes?" A voice calls back
>>141894The beige earth pony on the left - Primrose - looks up at Silver blankly.
The dandelion pegasus on the right - Thistlebrush - however, has an answer
"Draconequis."
>>141895Silver nods, and enters the room.
"Vale has been cleared of changelings. I could use your help at telephone office to contact Command."
>>141896Primrose
"Oh, thank Celestia"
Thistlebrush:
"If the wires are fixed, I can find the right signal."
>>141898Silver nods.
"Follow me. Oh, I also suggest you bundle up, it is cold outside."
>>141899This is done by Thistlebrush, who has a coat that she puts on. Primrose, however, has only a thin sweater with her. It's not that much below freezing, at least.
The ponies go outside and into the night
>>141900Silver leads the group to the telephone office.
>>141901The ponies go on their way down the street, passed on the road by another uniformed soldier. They arrive at the telephone office soon enough.
>>141902"I appreciate you agreeing to help. I would have no idea how to operate this on my own."
>>141903Primrose seems to smile, while Thistlebrush has a toothier, more awkward smile - though it may just be the cold.
Primrose:
"No problem."
The ponies arrive in the office, then in the back its telephonic equipment.
>>141904Silver goes in with them, as it's slightly warmer inside than out.
>>141905Thus Silver goes inside, with the two mares waiting
>>141906"Alright. Is there anything I need to do to assist?"
>>141907"Were you wanting to communicate with Command in Wald?" She asks
>>141909"Alright..."
Some wires are placed in slots, and she uses a rotary phone.
"Hello? Yes? Can you get me in touch with a higher ranking officer? This is coming from Vale. Vale, Cascadia. Yes. We have a report. To the Command of the 23rd Infantry Division. Yes."
She looks over at Silver, placing the phone partly down.
"Wait a moment. I think they will have someone for you."
>>141976Silver nods, takes the phone, and waits for someone to respond.