//------------------------------// // The new squad // Story: Ponies of the old republic // by peak //------------------------------// The sun slowly crept over the horizon of the capitol planet, as the shuttle from the republic fleet landed at the spaceport. Due to the early run, it was mostly empty, only ferrying a few troops on leave. In addition to them where also a grudgingly rainbow maned pegasus, carrying her helmet under her foreleg as she strode out of the spaceport. “I can’t believe this!” she fumed to herself as she made her way towards the senate tower. This had all begun so great! The best mare in the academy, permitted admission to spec-force training, and, to crown her hard work, she was taken up into the best of the republic forces, the great Wonderbolt squad! Of course, destiny had laughed behind her back, so much was for certain. What was supposed to be a simple mission to show her skills for the leader, Major Spitfire, had slowly degraded into a complete mess. The squad had ratted out on the republic and now ended with her being the only member of the squad, and even worse, it appeared that she now was about to take the rap for it all alone. Still, she decided she had to make due, and here she was: outside the great senate tower. “Whoa…” Sergeant Rainbow Dash was breathless. While she had seen large buildings before, it was something special about the tower, it stood as a monument over every reason that she enlisted in the first time. She shook her head, regaining focus, and walked over to one of the senate guards, an unicorn stallion dressed in their traditional blue garb. “You wouldn’t happen to know where the military command is stationed? I have a meeting with one of the generals there” “They are in the western wing, first floor. Have a nice day, ma’am” came the reply, the guard barely looking at her in his straight posture. “Ok, thanks! And it is sergeant, not ma’am, you stuffed-up…” She replied, the last part barely a low grumble as she strode into the great hall, towards the doors leading westward. Walking through the tall corridors towards the generals office, Rainbow couldn’t help but shivering a little. She had, of course, been chewed out by an officer several times during boot camp. But never by a general, and for that matter, not for having her entire squad deflecting to the enemy either. It was a new experience, to put it mildly. The thought alone made her wings rustle nervously. Well.. She thought. Here goes nothing. She drew a deep breath, and stepped through the door into the general’s office. “Sergeant Dash reporting as ordered, General Smith sir!” She saluted, bracing herself. The gray-maned, green coated old general measured her through a strong gaze. “At ease, sergeant. We’r here to discuss more pressin’ problems than yer supposedly lack of mindreading abilities. Yer squad needs to rise again, and Ah hardly believe tha solution for that is to punish its sole remainin’ soldier.” A sly wink followed the last part of the sentence, and Rainbow dared to give herself a slight touch of hope. "The situation is still serious, tho’. We need ta make some swift decisions.” The earth pony rose from the chair, and started striding back and forth around the sergeant. “First thing first. Ah am promotin’ you to lieutenant. Congratulations!” Rainbow barely believed her own ears, and it took all her willpower to suppress a squeal as she saluted the general. “Thanks, sir!” she stumbled forth, trying to regain her composure. “Unfortunately.” The general continued, “The other general’s means yer too inexperienced for this. Ah don’t believe ya’ll find this the best of news, but yer need some trained help. So Ah’ve decided to transfer an officer to yer squad, at least temporarily. Ah am afraid this matter is not up for discussion. Please report at the trainin’ grounds, ya’ll find yer new teammate there. Dismissed!” ... As she walked out of the tower, towards the barracks, the newly promoted lieutenant where miffed. The new rank was nifty, but she felt cheated. First it looked like she got the CO title, but then she lost it just as quick. “Hello, I was supposed to report here?” She asked the drill sergeant in charge of the training outside the barracks. “Ah, the newcomer. Report to the colonel, she’s the pegasus working near the medical tent.” The stern earth pony pointed down the grounds with a hoof. Near the tents, true enough stood a pink haired mare and fuzzed over a private which apparently had walked into a door. Rainbow cleared her throat, and did a double take as the Pegasus apparently freaked out over the sound and jumped behind a crate of supplies. “Oh, I’m sorry... You just surprised me a little.” The meek voice was barely audible as she came out of hiding. “Wait, you must be my new teammate! Pleased to meet you.” Her voice carried better now, with her being in control of the situation. Rainbow saluted her: “Yes, thanks the same. I am lieutenant Dash, of Wonderbolt squad.” The colonel saluted her back. “I am colonel Fluttershy, combat medic. And this”, She gestured to a small white rabbit that had jumped onto the supply crate as they spoke, “is Sergeant Angel, your other new teammate” “What.” Her disbelief must been very apparent, since the rabbit replied by flipping her the bird. “Oh, it’s no joke. He truly is a sergeant, and he’s even geared for it.” This truly was no joke, as the rabbit was really, with a closer look, wearing a slim blue tinted chestguard like her, sergeant stripes included. In addition came, unbelievable enough, a weapon. Rainbow’s first impression of it was that it looked like a small rocket launcher. On a second gaze, it turned out to be a standard issue blaster pistol, with the handle removed and the trigger refitted so the wielder could actually use it. “Isn’t he a cutie?” Fluttershy beamed, all too blind of what Rainbow Dash already considered a little pest. “Just let me pick up my gear from the barrack, and I’ll brief you.” In an instant, she was gone, leaving Rainbow behind with Angel. “Well, if I suddenly am to get two new teammates instead of one, then is it at least a small comfort knowing I aren’t outranked by a freakin rabbit with a peashooter” She grumbled, mostly to herself. It couldn’t have been low enough, though, since the furball decided to plant a ‘pea’ next to her left hind leg as a reply. They never got to declare full on war at each other, since Fluttershy arrived at the same moment. Rainbow where amazed. Where her own blue tinted armor where created for mobility as much as protection, par the course for pegasi troopers, (although they still became too heavy for proper flying, no matter how thin it was, limiting her to extended jumping.) someone had forgot to tell Fluttershy that she was a pegasus. Her yellow tinted armor was clearly intended for an earth pony stallion, and a strong on at that. It was simply huge. Strapped to her back was a rig for the five medical probes she used, and resting in her forelegs where a large cannon. “What is that monster?” Rainbow where almost disappointed with herself. Shocked by disbelief trice in a single day and it weren’t even noon yet. “It is called a support cannon!” she cheerfully replied. “Unlike my sweeties, it can’t proper heal, but the plasma based energy beam it emits replenishes energy, alleviates pain and kick starts the natural healing processes, helping the targe.. I mean, patient, survive until help arrives or potentially avoid injury altogether!” The very idea of healing others appeared to flow happiness through her mind. “Your… sweeties…?” Rainbow where still not quite clear on how the colonels mind worked. “Yes, these.” She tapped a button on her support cannon, making two larger probe droids and three smaller detach them self from her back rig and start hover around her, as she started nuzzling one of the larger ones. “They are my little helpers, and we have so much fun together!” she squealed. Judging by the resigned expression on angel, Rainbow presumed this was rather common, albeit not very popular in the rabbit’s opinion. Rainbow cleared her throat again. “Maybe we should proceed to the briefing?” “Ah! That’s true, I had completely forgotten it, I’m so sorry! Well, according to my orders, I am first to make the rules clear, and then we are to visit the quartermaster before receiving orders about our first mission, if you would mind.” They sat down, and Fluttershy started. “Mainly, the general’s idea is that I am here for the sake of guidance. So despite me having a higher rank, I have agreed to let you have the command and the final decision. Although, it means that you should take my advice to heart, if that’s not a problem. Finally, it also means that, should I actually happen to give you a direct, explicit order, then you are to follow it without complaints. This is in order to ensure our survival should something really bad happen. I hope you wouldn’t mind. Oh, and you are stuck with Sergeant Angel no matter how much you’ll end up dislike each other.” Rainbow groaned as Fluttershy ended her speech with an innocent smile. --- Rainbow Dash’ mood improved considerably at the next point of their ordeal. They picked up her new weapon, a large rifle with steel stock, scope and a ribbed barrel shroud, at the armory, and where more occupied appreciate it than to actually pay any attention to the speccs read up by the quartermaster, a burly earth pony with a brown mane. “… 100 shot clip size, 50 gigawix pulse generator, fully automatic, optic scope, air cooler, integrated micro harpoon with 30 yard carbontread coil…” After a while, the quartermaster realized his half-hearted speech got no attention and resumed reading a magazine. Her new weapon giving her a mood neither the pesky sergeant nor anything else the next mission might entail could ruin, Rainbow Dash leaded her trio back into the senate tower, for the next mission briefing. … “At ease, lieutenant. Let’s keep this brief, as this matter is important for yer main mission, which is to end this whole Deflection incident before it escapes the covers.” The green coated general seemed riled up over something, as her phase in front of her desk was considerably faster than expected from a mare her age. “Two days ago we captured a smuggler ferryin’, among an impressive list of various illegal merchandise, two crates of materials that are highly rare and expensive, but more importantly, crucial to the creation of bombs like the one stolen on Ord Mantell. Given that the Empire does not have reason to believe in the existence of this prototype until recently, and the supposed destination of the smuggler, we believe there is a connection.” The general took a short break here, as the high speed on both walking and talking apparently had made her short of breath. She sat down behind her desk, and produced a datapad. “Here are all information regarding the smuggler and her arrest. Since Ah fear this place isn’t completely safe, Ah want you to interrogate her off world. In this moment, the smuggler is being transported onto the last ship belonging to the Wonderbolt squad. Yers to use freely, by the way. I want yer to head towards the capital ship ‘Timberwolf’, which currently is in orbit ‘round Balmorra, and interrogate the prisoner there. Since this is all happening off the record, Ah am going to trust yer better judgment and give ya free hoofs. Dismissed!” … About half an hour later the trio where walking into the spaceport, heading down toward the hangars reserved for the republic military. “What do you think about this mission?” The pink maned Pegasus asked, her voice carrying a slight concern. “I aren’t entirely sure myself, to be honest.” Rainbow Dash replied. “But I’m confident we can do this with reasonable means.” Anything else the two pegasi might have to discuss was quickly drowned out as their new ship, a BT-7 Thunderclap, appeared before them. Awestruck, Rainbow Dash slowly walked up the ship's ramp, carefully entering. “Greetings master, welcome aboard.” The trio jumped, startled by this disembodied voice, but quickly regained their composure. “I am the onboard ship computer, master. It is my duty and pleasure to keep this ship, and its inhabitants pleased. This is why I must ask you to check with the passenger in the cage in the cargo hold, she has expressed displeasure.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “I am not really in mood for that, please just ignore her for now.” They headed up to the bridge, starting to prepare the ship for the travel, and plotted in the coordinates into the navicomputer. The blue Pegasus broke into an exited smirk as the ship jumped into lightspeed. “Well, Fluttershy, the big adventure begins now!”