• Published 9th Mar 2013
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Innavedr - Imploding Colon



A broken party of friends struggles to reunite. Rainbow Dash continues to fly east.

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On the Prize

Evening fell, casting a cold glaze over Shell's eye as he stared across the rubble-strewn street. Under the last glint of sunlight, enforcers and citizens alike wandered around, trying to salvage whatever valuables they could from the wreckage. On several city blocks of Blue Nova, ponies battled blazes, their bodies forming shadows against red-orange spotlights.

Evans had been standing in front of the Prime Enforcer Shell for the better part of three minutes before he finally had the nerve to speak. When he talked, the soldier still didn't look up. “The good news is that there were actually fifty survivors from the Blue Skimmer when it fell. Several stallions had taken to escape craft before the Searonese ships flew into them. As for the dead... well... I've already orchestrated a division of messengers to prepare discreet letters to their families.”

Shell took a deep breath. His exposed and battered forelimb hung in a sling. He allowed his gaze to wander across the block, past sundered bits of concrete and burning shapes.

Evans gulped and said, “However, no amount of careful salvage or careful work will change the fact that... th-that I failed in my duties, sir.” Despite his shivers, he stood straight and tall, speaking as firmly as he could muster. “I had hoped to have done more with my first command of an armada to make the forces of Ledo proud, and I failed to accomplish a single task. I... I-I allowed countless suspects to escape, and I lost many brave souls in the process.”

Shell's eye wandered towards a weary soldier who was shuffling limply across the sidewalk. He was a decorated enforcer, but it was hard to tell from his uniform rippling in tatters off his frame. He trotted listlessly across the wreckage of the Blue Nova junction, his eyes searching feverishly for something...

“Sir? Sir, I can understand your anger and resentment right now. But I need to know what's to be done next. I accept whatever punishment y-you have to give me, sir. However, at the same time, I am obligated by duty to inform you that there is a message to be delivered. The... uh... the Council of Ledo has apparently been trying to contact you over the past seventy-two hours. I just received a letter from them shortly after the destruction and salvaging of the Blue Skimmer. They're asking that you report to them immediately, either via manacommunication or directly in the Queen's Capital.”

Shell blinked. He watched as two tiny forms waddled out into the street. At first sight of the wandering soldier, the foals gasped and ran directly towards him. The soldier, once haggard and dazed, instantly brightened upon seeing them. He ran over, fell to his knees, and scooped both children up with one forelimb. The young unicorns cried with joy, nuzzling their father as he hid his tearful face into their soft shoulders.

A deep shudder ran through Shell's body, and his brow relaxed around a moist eye.

“Sir?” Evans fidgeted... then fidgeted some more. “Sir, please, I... I need guidance here. You've never failed to command me ever...”

In one blink, Shell lost sight of the father and his foals. “There is only one victory,” he suddenly said in a metallic voice. With a wince, he slowly got up and stood on three legs. “Even if we haven't reached it yet, it doesn't make it any less special.”

Evans winced. “But... sir! The city is burning! Hundreds have died! The Blue Skimmer—”

“Were all necessary casualties in the pursuit of justice.” Shell frowned at Evans. “Are you questioning my judgment, Evans?”

The younger stallion hung his head. “No, Prime Enforcer—”

“Good. Because that and only that would be your first true failure. You functioned professionally at the battle over the hangar. I have no doubt more lives would have perished if you hadn't done your best to evade the trap they had sprung.”

“But... but the target—”

“There's a reason why this city blew up from underneath us. Just an hour ago, I was informed by our central security detachment that there's a sequencing chamber inside Nightshade HQ.”

“We...” Evans' face grimaced. “We infiltrated Nightshade's Headquarters? In the middle of a warzone?”

“From what we had discovered in the Industrial District, there was no other choice. She was suspected of dabbling in affairs that risked Confederate security, and that suspicion was right.”

“So...” Evans' shoulders slouched with a heavy exhale as he shrugged. “What now?! I mean, I-I'm sorry, sir! I'm doing the best I can, but no protocol has ever prepared me for all of this chaos and... and—”

Shell placed his good hoof on the soldier's shoulder. “At ease, Evans. It is my own fault for not preparing you better for this. I have had my eye on the prize for a long time.”

“I absolutely will serve you with the best of my abilities, sir. But... b-but perhaps a more veteran officer would be better at—”

“No, Evans,” Shell said firmly. “I trust you. That's what really matters in all of this.”

Evans bit his lip but ultimately uttered, “And what of the Council of Ledo's trust?”

Shell took a deep breath. “I'll deal with that when it is necessary, not when it is convenient.”

“Sir!” An enforcer galloped up, his beret covered in soot. Several other soldiers accompanied him as he stood and saluted before Shell. “Sir, there's news from the northwest patrol! We found her, sir!”

“Found who?”

“Nightshade!” he said. “Her zeppelin had crashed into the mountainside. The entire crew survived. We have them all detained, sir!”

Shell's eye narrowed. “Did she put up any resistance?”

“None, sir. And get this...” The enforcer leaned forward with a bright expression. “Her zeppelin had a sequencing chamber too!”

Evans' lips pursed. He looked towards Shell.

Shell, however, was gazing across the street. The father and his foals could not be found.

With a deep breath, he turned towards the officer and spoke in a deep voice. “Bring Nightshade here... and take her to her headquarters. I shall meet her there.”

“Sir...?”

Shell limped off, his face becoming one with the shadows. “I think we've landed on something that's bigger than the Battle of Blue Nova.”

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