Lazy Company File - #001*
Some have commented that the military mind tends to expand work to fill, or overfill, available time. While I will not attempt to comment on the overall accuracy of said statement, it is most certainly the case in regards to our preparations prior to departure for my superior officer.
(A notion that certainly brings about a moment of brooding)
For Captain D-Range, this meant countless shopping expeditions, both in person, and by dragon fire tablet. As you will note in these chronicles, unlike many of his financial level, he was never reluctant to part with his money. In fact, when confronted by a choice of two items, he generally solves such a dilemma by simply purchasing both-a habit I found less than endearing as I was the one required to store and track such acquisitions.
Of course, his pursuit of equipment and wardrobe meant that other important chores tended to be neglected...such as conducting research on the situation which we had been thrust into. As is so often the case, I felt compelled to step into this void, in order to summaries what he will need to know in a short amount of time.
*You will forgive me, as there will be gaps where I have removed or withheld files which are either pointlessly caught up in petty minutia, or contain notions that would certainly lead to my own court marshaling, though I fear there isn't a fate worse that I can be committed to as compared to the (as I've learned) Lazy Company.
---
Camped in one of the airport's numerous snack bars, Downy was putting his dragon fire tablet to good use for the last several hours, tirelessly scratching in message after message with the assistance of his H.A.N.D.s**. Finally he signed off with a flourish and replaced the tablet into his saddle bags.
"Well, that's about all I can think of for now, Lot," he declared, letting loose a deep yawn. "The rest can hold until we've had a chance to look over our new home."
"Nice of you to curb your enthusiasm, sir, and it is Lotus, if you would." Lotus said dryly. "If it behooves you too do so, we can board our transport now, rather than later, as we should have done well over an hour ago."
"Oh don't worry about it." Downy started to finish his coffee, then set it aside with a grimace as the harsh stale taste of the cold brew met his tongue. Some things remained untouched by even magical means it seems. "It isn't like we're taking a commercial airship. This ship was hired specifically to transport us to Ponyville. I doubt it'll leave without us if we're a little late."
"Oh such confidence, how I wish I could share in it, sir. More likely the pilot will cancel the flight completely and make do with an early turn in for the day."
Downy threw a quizzical gaze to his companion.
"Certainly are the Gloomy Gus eh Lot? In fact, you've been a might dour ever since the court-martial. What's got your tongue crossed?"
The 1st lieutenant shrugged. "Let us say, I do not have the greatest faith in our military, as I once did sir."
"Example?"
"If I must, for one thing, there's this chartered flight. Considering the tight-fisted nature of the military, I find it a bit out of character for them to allow the added expense like this to take place, as opposed to us taking the usual mode of travel."
"Ah easy." Downy laughed. "They have an officer retiring, and figured it would be worlds easier to just ship us out quickly, than ta lollygag around with the locomotives."
"Oh certainly, and of all places, it is to Ft. Everfree, under the eyes of our newest princess, near Ponyville." Lotus replied grimly.
"My dearest lieutenant, are you trying to say you suspect that my promotion and subsequent reassignment are something less than a reward?"
There as an edge to Downy's voice that made the 1st Lt. hesitate before answering. While normally pleasant enough to deal with, Down Range was comparable to a river, one which you never knew where the white water rapids were going to be, and Lotus had no desire to become the focus of it. Still, they had an agreement of honesty between them, so with a little courage, she took the plunge.
"The timing is more than...questionable, considering the fact that you were being court-martialed at the time. if nothing else, their insistence for this was rather forced, which would indicate more than meets the eye."
"Mush," Downy growled. "I'm afraid that is a load of tosh. I don't think there's any question at all. This whole thing is a spot of trouble. Whatever I'm headed towards, it is definitely trouble, and of all places Ponyville, its a disaster of the day scenario, I'd be stupid to not see this as a way to get me to resign!"
Lotus felt a wave of relief wash over her. Downy was not as much of an idiot as she feared, but it led to a good question.
"Why am I still stuck with you than...if we are being honest, sir."
"That...don't know, probably mesh well, no one else really seemed to tag along with my ideas as much as you do, and honestly, your a great hammer when I need a little sense knocked in here and there."
"Then forgive me, sir. I should have realized you couldn't be totally unaware of the situation. it's just that you seemed abnormally cheerful for someone who knows he's being, as they say, set up."
"That's the thing Lot, I can either resign, curl up and cry, or stallion up and bite the bullet." Downy shrugged. "Think about it Lotus. Whatever's waiting for us there has got to be worlds better than a stockade. Besides.. I get to command a company!"
Downy squeed with anticipation as thoughts of heroic brilliance danced through his mind. iron Lotus found her self sighing as her own thoughts depicted slogging through mires, with manticores nipping at her heels.
"Still," Downy calmed down, "I do wonder why they didn't toss me into the brig, I mean it makes absolute sense."
"I think you would have preferred it." Lotus replied.
"Oh?" The reply was accompanied by a raised brow. "Is there something in the company's personnel records I won't like?"
"I am most assured there is." Lotus smiled tightly. "I've taken the liberty of transferring the summaries to your tablet. Rather easy to utilize it, than to delve through the hard copies. I do know you like your reading light when it comes to work. I can see you've yet to master the art of traveling light."
She gave a slight gesture to the porters standing by their luggage.
"Oh right! We've got a flight to catch!"
Hopping to his hooves, Downy gestured to the handlers. "Follow me boys. Time and flight waits for no pony. Roll out!"
---
"Captain D-Range?"
Downy grimaced at his new name, before offering a salute. "That's me." he acknowledged hastily. "Are we ready to go?"
"Yes, sir. As soo- the sun is that!"
The pilot spotted the caravan of porters wheeling multiple cart-loads of baggage with them.
"Oh, just our luggage...well mostly my luggage."
"Hey, wait a second! All weight for a flight has to be cleared in advance. You can't just trot up here at the last minute with a load like that and expect me to let you board! Half of that doesn't even seem regulation!"
Downy sighed inwardly. He expected something like this. Though the pilot is certainly one of the military's own, in the end the pilot was the final authority. Like a ruddy bureaucrat, this gave him an exaggerated opinion of his power. Fortunately Downy was a veteran of bureaucratic infighting.
"Well...Captain? As a fellow commander to another, you'll see that additional weight has been noted and covered in both fuel and cost. The luggage itself is actually lighter than the weight you were tasked with to begin with actually. Thus the balance more than favors you in the end, bringing a good shiny report of fuel conservation for those pencil pushers in your office. As well, if any extra poundage happened to come aboard, you can trust that expenses would be covered out of pocket."
"Look I was tasked with the set cargo allowed, the open weight is always there for any emergency, you can't expect me to-"
Downy dropped something onto the pilot's tablet. "Hey what are-"
"I suggest your study it carefully, Captain. I'm sure you'll see that everything's in order."
The pilot stared in silence, slowly lickinig his lips, which wasn't surprising. in fact, Downy found such a reaction as rather usual when a regular is suddenly confronted with a thousand-bit note.
"Well, must've been a clerical error and all," the pilot said, slowly shifting the tablet, and note, into his saddle. "surely they'll fix that later, so if you will, ship is ready for air to Ponyville."
"Good!" Downy nodded. "Now, if you can just show the porters where to stow my luggage, we can be under way."
Lazy Company File - #004
For those who would review my files, sometimes you may note, that I don't always regard my commander with stellar compliments. Please recognize that we are two separate ponies, with different modes of setting priorities. While we more than occasionally disagree, my noting of those differences is not intended as criticism, but rather an effort for completeness. Truthfully, I am the one keeping this record, which gives me certain advantages in stating my opinions and preferences, and while I shall do my best to keep my bias to a minimum, there is most assuredly a slanting where my own role in proceedings is concerned.
In truth, Down Range is just as extensive in his research as I am-once he actually gets around to it. Though my earlier concerns as a younger officer always bordered on worry with whether he was prepared to do his duty or not, I will note that he, surprisingly, will always plan time to keep himself ahead of the game as it were. As it were, the flight we are currently on allowed him more than ample time to complete his own preparations.
Speaking of time, you may have noticed that I hardly label the date and times of any event, as such things can become meaningless minutia, and that the news does a far more better job of recording any and all events, so be sure to check your local library or news archive if you wish for a much more succinct report.
Glancing up from his tablet, Downy noticed that Lotus had apparently fallen asleep in the ships bunk. In many ways, this wasn't surprising. There was rarely time to truly allow a soldier a moments rest, and when that time came, any good soldier took advantage of it, recharging their batteries as it were. Iron Lotus, for all the jokes Downy would make of her, he held the highest respect for her based upon her own experience, professionalism, and her honesty. Unfortunately, Downy found that he wanted to talk.
After a minor struggle with his conscience, he decided on a compromise.
"Lotus?" he said softly.
As fast as a whip crack, the nocturnes eyes split open, regarding Downy with their cat like gaze. It was a talent that always had Downy questioning whether Lotus truly ever slept.
"Yes, sir?"
"I hope it isn't a bad time."
"Certainly not, merely resting the eyes, sir. What can I assist with?"
Downy fought back a yawn, suddenly reminded of his own drowsiness. Leaning back, he massaged his temples gently.
"Just...talk to me Lot. Keep it formal too, no sirs here or anything alright." Downy regard Lot with a small smile. "I've been staring at these files for so long, they're starting to turn into a mish mash. What are your thoughts?"
Lotus sat up and began to mentally organize her own reaction to the assignment. It was far from the first time that Downy had asked for her opinion on key matters, though there was never any doubt as to who had the final responsibility for any action, or decisions. Still, Lotus did find it polite to know that Downy not only respected her counsel enough to ask for it, but would generally take heed of her advice."
"Ponyville is a rather self-sufficient town, numbering around a thousand ponies," she began slowly. "That in itself has little to do with our assignment, other than the potential of providing us with a bit of culture on our off-duty hours."
"What is most important is our need to tend to the Princess of Friendships tasks, as well as those of the element bearers," she continued. "There is also the general assignment of tending to the Everfree Forest, where we are stationed, and requires our general vigilance due to the menagerie of creatures contained within. Whatever the case may be, the army is actually required to travel beyond the perimeter of the forest once a week, which most of the creatures hardly ever tread near to begin with, thus creating a rather lax position. While it may sound like easy duty, I suspect that having that much free time on their hooves is not a good thing for the troops posted there."
"Which brings us to the subject of the legionnaires," Downy said grimly.
"Indeed," Lotus agreed. " it has never been a secret that with its rather open-door policy, the military is made up, to a large extent, of criminals who choose service as a preferable alternative to incarceration. After examining the personnel files of your command, however, one is forced to assume that this outpost has more than the expected percentage of...um..."
"Hard cases?"
"No. It goes well beyond that," Lotus corrected. "Even without reading between the lines, it is quite obvious that the company can be divided into two major groups. One, as you note, is comprised of those rougher elements who do not take easily to military life, regardless of what they signed up for. The second group is at the other extreme. if anything, they are pacifistic by nature, or choice-a trait which also makes them difficult or impossible to absorb into a normal military structure. I think, however, it is necessary to note that apparently all of your new command falls into one or the other of those groups. in short, it's my considered opinion that you've been assigned to a force comprised entirely of...well, undesirables."
"Myself included. Eh, Lotus?" Downy gave her a wry smile.
"Oh I would most certainly agree."
"I've gotta give it to ya for the analysis, but for one thing Lotty dear."
"Its Lotus, sir."
"Whatever, what is important, is that when you refer to them as falling into one of two groups...I'm not seeing any of the cohesion necessary for a group, either in the categories you mentioned, or in the company itself. It's a cluster of individuals with no sense of 'group', or of 'belonging.'"
"It was merely a label."
"Labels are a trap, Lot. One I can't afford to fall into. As near as I can tell, damned labels are what got the bulk of this pity party into a company labeled as a...what was that you said?"
"Undesirables."
"That! Losers, blighters, the whole lot. I get to put these hooves of mine into all that glop, and mold it the way I see fit, make them a group, a cohesive unit, and to do that I've got to see them as individuals first. Ponies, Lotus! It always comes down to people. Whether its business or the military, the ponies are the cogs that make this work."
"You do realize, sir, that not everyone in your command falls under the category of 'pony'" the butler commented pointedly.
"What, the nonponies? That's right, we've got three of em. Uh... they were...uh
"Two diamond dogs, and a yak."
Downy rubbed his chin as he spoke. "I'll admit, that of the nonponies, I'm surprised to find those two species in my command. I suppose it would have been too much to hope for a gryphon, or buffalo."
"The heavy hitters? I hear they are generally placed into the more hardy platoons within the army, you certainly won't see them out here."
All was quite except the sound of wind from outside, as the two ponies thought for a bit.
"Do you believe you can really pull this company together?" asked Lotus. "Do tell, sir, can such a collection of riff-raff come together as an effective unit?"
"It's been done before. Specifically the Devil's Brigade...the first Special Service force, which-"
"The Special Forces," Lotus finished. "I am quite familiar, if I might point out, I have an uncle there actually. Though that unit had a balanced mix of rejects along with crack fighting troopers, you are lacking the crack in your own unit."
"Touché." Downy laughed. "I figure it would be a mistake to argue military history with you." Okay. To answer your question, I don't know if it can be done, or to be honest, if it can be done by me. Come hell or high-water, I will give it all I've got though!"
"It is more than one could ask for, of you, or of anyone else." Lotus offered with a smile. "If there isn't anything else..."
Lotus allowed the question to drift in the air.
"Go ahead and get some rest Lt. Iron Lotus, I'm very thankful for your shared thoughts." Downy reached for his tablet.
Lotus eyed the tablet. "Should you not get some rest, sir? You'll want to be well rested when we arrive at Ft. Everfree."
"Hmmm? Oh. Sure...I'll get right on that once I do a little who's who checking on the settlement. I like to know what I'm up against, aside the obvious Princess, and Bearers of course."
Lotus merely shook her head, watching as Downy hunched over his tablet, digits scratching away at it. She knew all too well the kind of detail Downy required when researching business rivals-credit checks, educational background, family, police records- and assumed he'd settle for nothing less in this new campaign he was undertaking. It was sure to be weeks worth of work coming to the both of them, but she knew it was pointless to try and cajole Downy from his pat. She would do what any supporting officer would do. Offer support.
Still shaking her head, Lotus laid her self to rest, and dozed away the rest of the night.