"In many ways Blackstone was a turning point in the war. Not only did it show the Tlak'khan that we weren't just going to roll over and die for them… it proved to us that we actually had a chance to win.

While I don't doubt that we bucked 'em hard… this war is far from over.

I fully intend to put everypony who took part up for some kind of award for bravery. They all earned it after everything we've been through."

-Excerpt from the journal of Twilight Sparkle

Chapter 13

It Was You Who Began It

Tlak'khan Sector Headquarters

Blackstone Fortress

Blackstone

The shock from the sudden, and violent, destruction of the main gate wore off as Tlak'khan warriors picked themselves up from where they were thrown. It was clear the enemy had breached the gate rather dramatically, but they knew what they needed to do.

Taking up defensive positions, the Tlak'khan watched the smoke cloud for anything to kill. Staff weapons pointed forward, tips open and ready, the warriors growled in anticipation. Soon… figures emerged. Several of the horned, energy manipulating equines in a line abreast formation, horns glowing as they generated an energy barrier.

Topaz energy lanced out from the Tlak'khan and splashed against the shield, probing for a weak point when something else emerged from the smoke that caused the warriors to cease their attacks… and look up.

A large, reptilian head towered over the equines as a creature unlike any the warriors had ever seen soon revealed itself. It was easily several times larger than the equines, and had a pair of wings on its side. Riding on its back was a smaller figure with similar features and wearing armor.

"Attack my world huh?" the smaller reptilian sneered. "We attack you right back. FOR THE DRAGONLANDS!"

The larger creature reared its head back, took a deep breath… then unleashed a vicious torrent of fire from its mouth at the warriors, right over the horned equines and their shield. It was then that the warriors who didn't instantly panic realized what was going on. The horned equines were shielding the beast!

Colonel Mitchell watched in awe as the Dragon just unleashed a literal firestorm into the fortress. Any shots that got past the Unicorn Shield Wall were shrugged off by the creature's natural armor, although it did react to any that came too close to its head. The rest of SG-1 was just as awestruck as allied forces pushed into the fortress.

"Holy… wish we had one of these during the Ori Crusade," Mitchell said as he checked his P90.

"Indeed..." Teal'c agreed.

"I've never seen a dragon in action before," Sunset Shimmer admitted. "Met one, but… he was kinda in the form of a dog the first time. Long story."

"Does Twilight know Princess Ember snuck through the gate?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You gonna argue about it?" Vinyl Scratch asked.

"Nope. She's pretty awesome… but… we're twenty percent cooler."

Sunset shook her head, trying not to laugh as she lead both EG-1 and SG-1 inside. With the Dragon causing havoc, locating the control center should be easier as the defenders would be dealing with a veritable living siege weapon lighting the place on fire. As they continued, it was clear that each species from Equus was making its presence known, as a Gryphon in SGI gear familiar to Rainbow Dash plowed into a warrior with talons extended, ripping the unfortunate warrior to shreds. She had seen Gilda angry before, but this was a whole new level. Zebras were not only using Arc Casters, but flammable potions that Mitchell compared to something called grenades. Buffalo were plowing through barricades, and Crystal Ponies were setting up barriers of their own as sections were cleared of hostiles. The Humans were just as destructive to the Tlak'khan, showing their experience in warfare as they systematically cleared hall after hall.

It wasn't long before the two flagship teams came across a heavily fortified door. Applejack placed a hoof on the door as she examined it while Rainbow Dash and Vinyl Scratch looked for any way around it. SG-1 took up defensive positions. Sunset, being the more technically inclined member of the team, noticed the control panel to the side, reared up, and planted both her front hooves to either side of it so she could get a better look. Just as she started to use her magic to try and pry the panel loose, the sound of hooves slamming against metal was heard. Applejack had just tried to buck the door open, only succeeding in leaving a pair of hoofprints embedded in the material.

"Dang… that hurt," the farm pony said as she shook her back legs one after the other. "Thought ah could knock it down. Guess ah was wrong."

"Well… they know we're here now," Vinyl Scratch said. "We did knock… and you left your mark on the door!"

"Very funny..." Applejack drawled as she adjusted her hat in thought.

After a moment to focus, Sunset pried the panel off, revealing the inner workings. Unfortunately… she didn't see anything she recognized. There were several crystals rather than circuit boards and wires. In her early days in the Human World, Sunset got a knack for hotwiring things, specifically vending machines. Until she was able to support herself financially, she stole food just to survive. After her rehabilitation, Sunset did keep up her technical skills, only hotwiring one particular vending machine at Canterlot High when it ate her money. She swore not to use her MacGyver skills for evil. But this… this was alien tech. Tapping her headset, she not only turned on the light, but activated the radio.

"Odyssey, Echo Gulf One Lead. We got a locked door down here and… I have no idea what I'm looking at."

"Patching into your camera now," Carter's voice came over the open channel.

Bridge

USS Odyssey

Samantha Carter narrowed her eyes as she looked at the video feed from Sunset Shimmer. Twilight Sparkle looked on as well in hopes of being able to provide any kind of help as well.

"It looks like a variation of the crystal technology we've seen in the past used by the Goa'uld..." Carter mused. "If I'm right… rearranging the crystals might release the lock. If that doesn't work… maybe taking one of the crystals and bridging two others might do the trick."

"You're the expert. Just walk me through it. I'll use my magic to highlight crystals you point out," Sunset replied before one of the crystals started to glow. "Start with this one?"

While it would have been faster to just remove one of the crystals and patch in with a tablet, Carter wasn't down on the ground to do that, and any technicians planetside were busy. Drawing from her experience with Goa'uld, Ori, and Ancient technology, Carter tried to walk Sunset through the process of hotwiring the door through trial and error. While it was a little disorienting to see crystals levitating rather than a hand reach in, it also made it a bit easier as her view wasn't obstructed by said hand.

The camera view suddenly shifted to look at another member of EG-1 banging against the door with her back hooves.

"AJ… save your strength. I don't think we're gonna break this door down," Sunset said.

"Just a little frustrated Sunset," Applejack replied as she stood down. "Ah was never one t' jus' sit back an' do nothin'."

"I understand."

The camera view returned to the panel, and the fire maned mare went back to playing technician. At one point she accidentally bridged two crystals, causing sparks that made her recoil. Carter reassured her that everything was fine, and that Sunset was actually safe as she wasn't physically touching the crystals.

Hallway

Blackstone Fortress

Sunset stuck her tongue out the corner of her mouth in thought as she examined the crystal in her magic grip. Carter's advice was helping, but they were getting nowhere fast. Taking a deep breath, Sunset just grabbed all the crystals and pulled them out. After a moment she started arranging them in such a way as to be able to take a couple and bridge as many as possible. She was hoping that causing some kind of overload might release the lock. On the other hand it might just fry the panel and they'll have to destroy the door.

Touching the two bridge crystals to the others caused a shower of sparks… and the door slid to the side a bit. Not even bothering to close up the panel, Sunset moved to help cover the door as SG-1 shifted towards the new opening. Applejack placed her front hooves on one side while Sunset did the same on the other. With a nod, both mares started to pull the door open.

"Cam… if this is the control room… let my team take point," Sunset said.

"You got it Captain," Mitchell replied before pulling out a flashbang. Before he could toss it, however, several bolts of energy flew out, causing SG-1 to scatter. EG-1 pressed themselves against the wall as a couple Tlak'khan came out. As the warriors engaged SG-1, Sunset and her team slipped in behind them.

"You!"

Sunset reared up as several topaz bolts slammed into the ground in front of her. Rainbow Dash instantly adopted the traditional Pegasus Aggressive Posture while Applejack and Vinyl Scratch braced in a ready stance. Standing in the center of the room was the important looking Tlak'khan Sunset remembered from Ikana.

"Lord Thok Mok I presume..." Sunset said in a neutral tone as she lowered herself back down onto all fours.

"You think you've won Equine?" Thok Mok growled. "Your world will burn for this, and I will relish every moment of its end."

"Thok Mok, you are under arrest for crimes committed against the Kingdom of Equestria," Sunset declared, even though she knew he wouldn't surrender. His posture said as much. He was going to fight to the death.

"You think I would surrender to inferior creatures and slaves?" Thok Mok spat as he spun his staff in his hand. "You, however, have been a thorn in my side since Ikana. I would like to know your name… before I kill you."

Sunset pawed the ground, lowering her head a bit and glared at the Tlak'khan leader.

"Captain Sunset Shimmer, Equestrian Royal Guard, Stargate Initiative. You started this war… and I will take you out of it."

"Then we shall settle this like warriors… Captain. Mak'Gora. You have proven yourself to be a worthy adversary. I will have the honor of killing you myself."

Again, spinning his staff in his hand, Thok Mok stepped to the side before grabbing another staff and tossing it in Sunset's direction. Catching the staff in her magic, she realized what was going on. He had challenged her to a duel. Most likely to the death. If she fell, she knew the rest of her team and SG-1 would take him out.

Spinning the staff in front of her, Sunset stepped forward before looking back at her team. Some of the very ponies who helped to make her feel welcome back in Equestria after spending so much time in the Human World. Rainbow Dash started to move to help, but Applejack held her back with a hoof. The Earth Pony understood this was about honor. Sunset had to fight alone. After a moment, Rainbow Dash stood down, but the twitch in her wings made it clear she wasn't happy about it.

Turning back to face Thok Mok, Sunset again pawed the ground as she shifted the staff into a ready position. She had no experience with a staff, but did have a plan. She just needed an opening.

Thok Mok growled before charging at Sunset, swinging his staff right at her head. Using her smaller size to her advantage, Sunset ducked under the swing and slammed her staff into his chest like a battering ram in an attempt to drive him back. The advantage Sunset had besides size was that she wasn't limited by arms to swing the staff around. Gritting her teeth, Sunset charged.

Rainbow Dash bit her lip as she watched Sunset duel the now obviously skilled Tlak'khan. She felt that Sunset didn't stand a chance with how each of her strikes were getting deflected after the initial blow. But Applejack held her back. It was then that Rainbow Dash noticed something. Applejack had shifted her stance to be able to use her Arc Caster. With a nod, the rainbow maned Pegasus made a show of just looking at her own weapon while in reality making sure it was ready to go. Vinyl Scratch… could be asleep standing up for all she knew because of those ever present shades. The only indication that the DJ was awake was her ears would shift every once in a while as if she was listening for something.

Sunset reeled back as Thok Mok got a lucky strike at her head. The staff in her magic dropped to the floor as she backpedaled, bringing a hoof to her face. She pulled her hoof back and found some blood. The larger Tlak'khan laughed as he started to point the business end of the staff at her, the tip splitting open to reveal the barrel of the energy weapon. In an act of defiance, Sunset reared up on her hind legs, brought her Arc Caster up and lined up on Thok'Mok. Just as she fired, Thok Mok fired as well.

A topaz bolt slammed into Sunset's chest, throwing her back off her hooves and into a wall, where she collapsed. Thok Mok stood there for a moment… before dropping to his knees and falling face first to the ground. The rest of EG-1 ran over to check on Sunset. There was a large burn… on her dragonscale vest. Sunset gasped as Applejack touched her with a hoof.

"Ya alright?" Applejack asked.

"That hurt..." Sunset replied as she pushed herself up to her hooves again. "Did I hit him?"

Applejack looked back at the fallen body of the Tlak'khan.

"Ah'd say so," she drawled as Rainbow Dash and Vinyl Scratch supported Sunset.

"At least you took it all in the vest this time," Rainbow Dash said.

"Yea..." Sunset said with a wince before looking over at SG-1.

Colonel Mitchell walked over, picked up Thok Mok's Staff, and held it out to the fire maned Unicorn. Sunset took it in her magic and nodded.

By the end of the day… Equestrian and SGI banners were flying over Blackstone Fortress.

The Battle of Blackstone was over.