Chapter 1
Night Hawks
It was the darkest time of the night, that hour just before the dawn. Soon Princess Celestia will awake and raise the Sun to welcome a new day. But for the moment Princess Luna kept an ever watchful eye over Canterlot as the Night Royal Guards patrolled the city's outer limits. A white stallion with blood red crisply trimmed standard Guard protocol mane and tail march smartly down the darkened palace hall way. His sharp gray eyes scanned everything in sight, piercing the darkness as if it was day. Despite having a white coat, this stallion blended almost perfectly into the night, for he was dressed in a black stealth suit that cluck tightly to his well muscled body. A white insignia of a hawk with it's talons out stretch was stitched neatly onto his suits flank. The stallion did not wear his stealth mask, for he did not wish to cause any of the patrolling palace Night Guards a scare.
Nothing seemed amiss as the stallion turned to enter the Royal Guard barracks. The heavy oak door bore the same insignia as the stallion's suit. Tilting his head just slightly, the stallion focused on the door knob. His horn glowed a light red, causing the knob to turn slowly opening the door inward. Ponies in similar stealth suits sat on neat rows of circular padded beds. "Office on Deck!" Called out the nearest pony. At the announcement every pony dropped what they were doing and crispy snapped to attention. "Night Hawks, form up!" Ordered the stallion. Ponies scrambled to the center of the small barracks to form a platoon three rows deep and five ponies across.
The first row's squad leader, a sliver mare with a black mane, snapped a crisp and speedy salute, "Lieutenant Commander Clashing Swords, Night Hawks' Black Squad reporting all present and or accounted for, Sir!"
The second squad leader, a blue stallion with a green mane, saluted as soon as the first squad leader one dropped her's. "Sir, Night Hawks' Grey Squad reporting all present and or accounted for, Sir!"
The third squad leader, a gray mare with a sliver mane, straighten and saluted. "Sir, Night Hawk's Silver Squad reporting all present or accounted for, Sir!"
In between each of the reports, Clashing Swords had returned the salute and had ordered the squad leader to put his or her squad at ease. After the final report he smiled to himself, he was proud of his ponies. The Night Hawks had been commissioned by Princess Luna as a special force to help patrol the night. Due to the increased strength of evil at night, the Night Hawks were the best of the best and could be called at a moments notice. Princess Luna had hoof selected Clashing Swords to train and lead the night hawks. He eyed the assortment of ponies before him, it was a good mixture of both mares and stallions with each squad representing one of the three pony races of Equestria. Black Squad was made up solely of Earth Ponies, Grey Squad was made up of Unicorns and finally covering the best of the air, Silver Squad was made up of pegasi.
Growing serious, Clashing Swords puffed up his chest preparing to give his next command. "Squad Leaders convene for mission reporting, the rest of you get some well deserved sleep. I want you all rested and prepared for tomorrow night. Dismissed!"
"Sir, yes, sir!" Responded the platoon, all at once in a crisp movement, they took one step backwards and did an about-face. "Night Hawks Soar High!" The ponies scattered talking among themselves and the squad leaders gathered in a semi-circle waiting for Clashing Swords.
"How did your missions go?" Clashing Swords asked as he sat down completing the circle.
"Sir," The gray mare from Silver Squad stretched her wings and puffed her chest proudly. "My squad, drove off the dragon sited near the city perimeter."
"Well done, Brave Heart." Clashing Sword nodded and then turned towards the blue stallion. "Strong Horn, how did the mapping of the city shielding grid go."
Strong Horn's horn glowed a light green as he produced a virtual 3D map of Canterlot. Green lights indicating strategic points glowed brightly. "As you can see, Sir the crystals are all in place and now all we need is for the Day Royal Guards unicorns to charge them and the city will have an automatic shielding system for emergencies. The system has been set up so that is can activated by any of the officers or any one of the princesses. It will be fully operational by tomorrow night."
"Excellent Strong Horn, the system is a perfect replacement for Captain Shining Armor's shielding magic." Clashing Swords swung to face the silver mare. "Shining Star, report."
"Sir, Stealth Recon, Directive Evergreen Forest went off without a hitch. There is nothing new to report about the forest or it's inhabitants, we hope to find something more useful and informative tomorrow night." She said her face pulled into a grim frown as if she was disappointed.
He nodded, thinking it over, there was hardly a night that they did not learn something new from the Evergreen Forest. "Dooley noted," Clashing Swords began to stand. "Excellent work all of you, get some well deserved rest."
"Sir, what about you, sir" Shining Star said raising with him.
"Don't worry about me. I only need four hours of sleep and I will get that later." Clashing Swords turned towards the barracks door. "I am going to report to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. Shining Star, you have first watch, I will return in time to take second watch." Looking back once to ensure his orders were being followed, Clashing Swords marched out the door and turned down the hallway.
Morning light streamed into the windows causing Clashing Swords eyes to water a little as they adjusted. "Good Morning, Lieutenant!" Flash Sentry's voice bounced off the walls accompanying the jangle of his golden Royal Guard armor.
Clashing Swords snapped to a halt at attention, "Good Morning, Captain!"
"Easy there, this isn't the Night Hawks, you know you don't have to be so formal with me." Flash Sentry's white smile seems to standout when compared to his golden coat, dark blue maine and eyes. The relaxing of guard code was only the hitch Clashing Swords had in his liking of Flash Sentry. But to Clashing Swords, it was a big hitch, it made Flash Sentry seem a little too inexperienced to be in command. But it couldn't be helped, Clashing Swords reflected, Flash Sentry had been chosen to replace Shining Armor as Captain of the Day Guards once he and Princess Cadance had become the rulers of the Crystal Empire.
"Clashing Swords," Flash Sentry sounded surprisingly serious for once, "Captain Night Wing, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are all waiting in the palace throne room. They want You and your Night Hawks to report effective immediately."
Clashing Swords froze, outside of reports the Night Hawks or even himself for that matter had never had a full audience with both Princesses and the Captains at the same time. This must be serious! Collecting himself, Clashing Swords nodded. "Thank You, Sir, we will be there in less than ten minutes." Without waiting for a response, he did an about-face and galloped away.