>"A new training regimen you say?" Shining armor inquires while he reads that paper you made.
"Yes sir. Added some twist to it. Ought to keep the recruits on their toes."
>"Is that so?" He ponders a bit and asks you " So the new recruits from yesterday then?"
"Sounds good to me sir. Is this--?" you ask
>"Approved." He puts it in his drawer and then hands you the list of your recruits. You were about to excuse yourself when another pony barges in at Shining's office.
>"S-sir! The Devil Dogs!" The  pony tries to say while catching his breath.
>"Well? Speak up,son!" Shining says as he stands up.
>"Outpost.." The pony stammers out.
>Spitfire comes running inside the office and looks very worried. "War Room right now. I'll fill you guys in on the way."
>Shining and you just trade looks and follow Spitifre out, leaving the other pony behind to rest a bit.
>"One of our forward bases came under heavy attack last night. We're still reestablishing communications but early reports point Diamond Dogs as the instigators," she concludes. "Another thing that strengthens our suspicions is that they've just pulled out all their diplomats just this morning."
>Shining seems to be startled on to what Spitfire has just said. "What happened to the peace talks?"
>Spitfire just shakes her head. "It seems that things didn't go as smoothly as we expect.
 
 
>The three of you arrive at a large oaken door flanked by two sentries. Spitfire gives the two a nod and they open the door.
>The door opens to reveal a fairly large room with a huge table in the middle. There were ponies already seated and a few more entered after you. Spitfire and Shining take their seats while you sit at one of the smaller chairs on the side of the room along with the aides.
>When most of the chairs were filled, a senior looking stallion stands up and clears his throat. "As you have been briefed, we are now virtually at war with the Diamond Dogs and.." He trails off as an aide hands him a report. "..the Griffon Kingdom since seven in the morning."
>There were a lot of surprised groans on the group and a lot of hushed murmurs.
>"Both parties proved to be unresponsive to pleas for peace and both already have pulled out diplomatic personnel from the capital. The Princess is bound to arrive any minute now to approve all military operations," he adds.
>As if on cue, Princess Celestia arrives and everyone stands up at attention.
>"Please, be at ease. Situation report, commander?" She asks the stallion.
>The stallion clears his thoat and reads another report. "We can mobilize ten thousand fully armed troops within two hours. We can also pull men from the Royal Guards to beef up the front line troops if needed."
>The Princess looks at the commander of the Royal Guards. "Shining?"
>"I can allocate a thousand troops to the frontline command. I believe a small detachment would suffice for castle duty." Shining Armor says confidently.
>Celestia then looks at you and gives you a thin smile. "I find it a bit embarrassing that our Earthly visitor has to see us in the worst of times. But as an army official, may I ask your inputs on our planned operations?" She asks as she beckons you closer.
>"Tell me Anonymous, has your kind been embroiled in such conflicts?"
>"Well ah, Your Majesty..we humans always strive for peace but," you stammer. "Regional conflicts are common with the reasons varying from religious to territorial disputes. On the last major war we had, sixty million people died." You add somberly.
 
 
>"Sixty million? I'm sure he's just joking!"
>"Losing hundreds of troops is already a terrible blow. But his kind is willing enough to lay waste to millions? Preposterous!"
>You cringe a bit as more surprised gasps meet your statement. So much for being truthful and open about things.
>The Princess just looks at you intently, her smile long gone. "Is it true,Anonymous?"
You just shrug. "Not all humans bear goodwill to their fellow beings and most countries act upon their national interest. The history of my kind has been marred by warfare and centuries of fighting has made war something akin to a surgical procedure. Swift and precise," you explain.
>She just nods at your answer soberly and looks at the map. "And how do you suppose we should act to make this war 'swift and precise' as you say?"
"My kind has always relied upon technology,not magic. I've worked on our flying machines but I cannot say much about the manufacture process," you say apologetically. "I can be of help on other things though. Mainly smaller stuff like explosives and the like."
>"Such as?" Another stallion asks.
"Simple bombs. I can make nonlethal and fragmentation types. Then I'm sure I can also do okay on chemical warfare."
>"Bombs?" Asks the now increasingly interested stallion. "And this..chemical warfare that you mentioned. What is it?"
"You guys have fireworks over here,right?" And that earns you a nod. "We can use the powder as propellant. As for the chemical one, I think I still have that book on how to make nerve agents such as mustard and chlorine gas."
>"Mustard as a weapon?" A pony asks incredulously. "What can a condiment do in a battlefield?"
"I-ah, it's the different sort of mustard,sir. This one would irritate your skin and eventually would kill you due to suffocation."
>"And such a weapon would afflict how many?"
"Depends on how large a weapon we would make. But possibly thousands if we field a big enough bomb to put it in." You explain.
>That sparks another round of hushed murmurs from the ponies. Princess Celestia is just looking at you intently.
>"And such weapons are foolproof?" He asks.
"On the bombs I can confidently say yes. But we might need to train the troops on its use since this would be the first time we shall field the weapon,yes? For the nerve gasses, it's a two edged sword. Wind can shift the fumes back to our lines and put our own troops in jeopardy."
 
 
>Your discussion gets interrupted by another messenger. He takes a scroll from his pouch and hands it to the commander.
>His face turns sour as he reads the dispatch. "Reports indicate that the Diamond Dogs are starting to amass troops near our nothern sector while there has been increasing sightings of flights of griffons at our southern sector."
>An aide clears the table and puts a large map on it. It had various markings denoting the location of your enemies and the location of your troops.
>"Now, where should we start? Anonymous?" The commander asks.
You look at the map and ponder a bit. "The griffons are mostly air-based while the Diamon dDogs confined to the ground, correct? I suggest we allocate more foot soldiers to our north while the bulk of pegasi and unicorns to the south."
 
"And these formations?" You ask while pointing to a blue mark on the map. "How do you plan on attacking them?"
>"We shall send probing attacks to see where they are the weakest. And once we do, we will crush them like bugs!" A pony beams.
You snap your fingers as you trace your hand on the map. "We keep the troops fighting stationary skirmishes them we'll have a bloody war of attrition. Do we even have reports on their personnel strength?"
>A mare clears her throat and looks at you. "With the Diamond Dogs and Griffons combined, they outnumber us by three to one."
"Can't we start on drafting more ponies to the army?" You ask.
>Shining shakes his head and leans forward. "We shall send out summons once casualties reach thirty percent of our available personel."
"No,no. Start sending them out now. We'll have more breathing space since training recruits takes some time."
>The others and Princess Celestia all nod in approval at your propositions.
 
>"Then what about if the Diamond dogs start to burrow underground and attack from the rear?" A stallion asks.
>Fuck you forgot all about that!
"We can burrow small tunnels at intervals. That way we can flood whichever sector the Diamond Dogs pop out."
>A mare leans forward and speaks out. "Fairly feasible but too labor intensive. We can just dig trenches on critical areas so we can have a dependable early warning system if they do burrow below us."
 
 
>"It's no use, sir. The path is completely blocked," Blue concludes. "We can still push thru with the mission though."
> _____ levitates a map towards Blue and you open your flashlight. Your group was roughly below the Changeling hive.
>You try to catch your breath while trying to size up your situation. On how things are looking right now, success and failure of this mission wouldn't better your chances of getting out of the cavern alive.
>______ takes notice of your grim expression and sits beside you.
>"Don't worry,sir. We'll follow you no matter what," ______ assures you while others nod in approval.
 
 
>"Too bad we couldn't get dem shiny medals they promised us back in Canterlot anymore." _______ chuckles
>"I'm sure they'll pin 'em on your chest before they close your box,though." ______offers.
>"If they find us, that is."
>If.
>The realization that death would be inevitable is starting to hit everyone hard. Silence fills the cavern.
>"Hey...watcha guys think Tartarus would be like?" Someone asks.
>"I will rise from the grave and punch Celestia herself if there wouldn't be a dozen mares waiting for me there," _____ says with a throaty laugh.
>"First thing I'll do is to look for Anon and kick him in the nuts for getting us into this shit!"
You laugh at that and look at _____. "Hey, you know what? I'd gladly present them if you do find me down there."
>Quiet laughter fills the room.
>"So, Anon...you think you'll end up..you know, in Tartarus too?" _____ asks. "I mean, you're not really from this world, right?"
You just grunt and lie down to make your last few hours as comfortable as possible. "I'd be darned if I know. Though I wouldn't mind spending the eternity with you guys."
"I'm sorry."
>"Don't be. You didn't do anything wrong, Anon." _________ tries to say in between coughs. "T'was a pleasure serving under you."
>"Sweet Celestia ________, still kissing butt even at the hour of your death?" _______ inquires.
>"After the crap I pulled back then, I need all the buddies I can grab in Tartarus."
 
 
>