Intercity Guard

"It has been our honor to serve in the defense of our Cities. Truly, being part of the Guard has given me deep pride in who we have become as a society, and all that we have accomplished, and the steps that we are taking to ensure our continual improvement. We may be stepping down today, but that does not mean that we as a people need to decline. No - we should continue to rise, stronger than ever, each and every one of us doing our share to make the sky a grand and glorious place!"

-Willowdrift, renowned guard, at her retirement speech

With the sky united and at peace, the need for an army is extremely minimal. However, the occasional sky-wide threats that have a need for specialized experience have given motivation enough for the creation of an army in all but name, a unit that continues to ensure the sky's protection to this day.

Composition

Manpower

The Intercity Guard is a roughly small force - about 210 pairs strong. They boast themselves on being the few choice elite of the sky. While the small number might mean a smaller force, it also ensure that the few who are chosen are the best of the best.
However, during the Draconic Invasion, the Guard did recruit 200 more pairs in order to ensure that the as little life was lost as possible. After the Invasion ended, these secondary forces became known as the Auxillery, and went about their daily life, though they are ready to be called upon at a moment's notice.

Equipment

Although the Guard rarely has to use it, they have (regulated) access to the sky's supply of Amthryllison dust, Rubynal nectar, and even a few sky compasses. They also have several hundred blasters, divided into six separate categories of breath weapons. Most of these are kept in warehouses in a few key locations around the sky. Of course, don't forget the usefulness of good old-fashioned rope.
Also available to the small portion of medics are basic healing supplies (bandages, poultices, medicine, etc) and some of the newest magical medical technology.
Armor in the Guard isn't used like it is on land. When up against burning hot fire straight from a dragon's mouth, not much can help a human. However, there are a few protective vests and underbelly padding available. Though they're not worn all the time, occasionally higher-ranking officers will wear their ornamented armor as both a symbol of authority and a statement that the extra weight doesn't bother them. Usually, the rest of the Guard wears flexible white uniforms (or in the case of the dragons, white sashes.

Weaponry

In the sky, almost all hand or claw-crafted weapons fall short of the breath weapons that all dragons naturally possess. However, the Intercity Guard has the widest variety of breath blasters and, well, just dragons that they also boast the largest array of weapons, having access to everything from regular fire to sedative mists.

Structure

The Intercity Guard is divided into four separate structures: cohorts, squads, battalions, and legions.
Cohorts are groups of ten pairs. They often work closely with each other, and complete most of their training together. They are headed by a Captain pair - two guards who have both achieved the rank of captain.
There are three cohorts in a squad, making for a total of thirty pairs, headed by a pair of Sergeants. Squads are often sent to help with larger police conflicts, but are also the go-to method of grouping in large Guard gatherings.
Battalions, made up of seventy pairs, are headed by Majors. They're rarely used as a whole, but instead train together during the period of training and assessments that comes along every two years.
Next come the legions. At 105 pairs strong, they're more like mini-armies, and were only even used during the Draconic Invasion. Headed by a Commander, they're also a way to provide quick transfer of information and assignments from the Assembly.

Training

"This position is not for the faint of heart. It will test your strength, your tenacity, and your intelligence time and time again. However if you manage to triumph,, the benefits far outweigh the costs - the honor to serve, the skills that you'll gain, and the kinship within your cohort...not to mention fame, prestige, and glory. So - are you ready to start?"
"Yes, commander!"
"Good. That's what I like to hear."

What the Intercity Guard lacks in numbers, it makes up for in skill. Each and every guard member is highly trained, passes a set of rigorous tests, and fulfills a series of requirements that insures that every single one of them is the best that the Cities have to offer.

Tactics

The Intercity Guards have a variety of formations that they practice, though they have almost never had to use them. Still, in the few instances where a practiced, efficient assault is needed, they are able to produce up to twenty different formations, including a diamond formation, and arrowhead, and a three-pronged assault. Often, during the Midwinter Festival, they will perform a complex series of aerodynamic acrobatics involving these different formations.

History

The Intercity Guard was created shortly after the turning of the 11th age (little side note from the author, I've got my ages all mixed up, but this is the most recent approximation, so I'll fix that all shortly). While the rigorous training of the recruits seemed a little excessive, the surplus of economic growth and pride in the sky was running high, so no one objected to it.
Shortly after the Guard's creation, the Draconic Invasion occurred, everyone became grateful for the Guard's hasty response and continual protection. It came at a time when debate for the necessity of the Guard was occurring, but that was swiftly shut down in light of recent experiences, and, as far as people can tell, the Intercity Guard will continue to operate as intended.

Type

Airborne

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Experienced

Logistics

Auxilia

Aside from The Auxilery, there are also two other factions separate from the main Guard - the medics and the logistics team, each composed of roughly twenty to thirty members, though the number fluctuates. Each of the thirty medics are assigned to treat a different Squad. Though they usually work separately, managing the medical supplies and capabilities of the Guard, they'll occasionally accompany a cohort on their occasional rescue missions into the Outer Realm, or place themselves on standby if important (and dangerous) policework is being done.
The logistics team is slightly smaller, with about twenty members. It's charged with sifting through the demands of the government, Charters, and police force, and determining the best actions for the Guard and keeping policies and training up to date. Representatives from them, along with a couple of medics, the Commanders, and a single Major, Sergeant, and Caption form the Assembly, the main governing body of the Guard.

Recruitment

Every two years, all those who want to hold positions in the Guard will submit their names and qualifications. They will be narrowed down to two hundred recruits, which, over the course of training and trials, that number will be whittled down to forty - twenty humans, twenty dragons (enough for twenty pairs). During the recruitment processes, though Bonds will often enlist together, there is no guarantee that if one of them passes, the other will. In this case, a human and dragon will be paired up based on their individual skills and ability to work together.