//------------------------------// // 20. Wishes on a Wheel // Story: Planet Hell: The Redemption of Harmony // by solocitizen //------------------------------// Planet Hell Solocitizen 20. Wishes on a Wheel 12th of Planting Season, 10,056 AC It was late into the noon hour by the time the Spitfire began its long glide from space to the surface of the third planet. Throughout her decks and her halls her crew fell into a slower rhythm of work and toils. There was still work to be done and battles to be fought, but not right there and then. Their landing preparations had been completed, and their course plotted. Moments ago Thunder Gale had congratulated the bridge staff on what was turning to be another smooth landing, and told them to take five if they needed the break. The holographic table in the center of the bridge remained unlit, and the only the amber tones of the world beyond the blast shutters lighted the room. He fastened himself into the command seat beside central holographic table and watched the rest of the staff while he rested his hooves. Most feigned work and quietly reflected in the alcoves of their stations. Aurora Dancer, the marine at the communications controls, took her earpiece out and closed her eyes to the holograms surrounding her. Even XO Lightning Fire had relaxed enough to sit down and pick up where she left off in the book she kept on her datapad. The two security ponies standing guard at the door, Corporal Medley and Private Drizzle, whispered to each other. “We’ve come so far to help a bunch of ponies we’ve never met, and you still think the magic of friendship is dead in the galaxy?” Medley asked. “I’m not standing guard here to rescue a bunch of scientists from themselves,” Drizzle said, “I’m doing it for the selfish reason that we have a system, and if I want to stay a part of that system I have to do what it tells me.” “But we live on a marine gunship; you can’t argue that it’s a matter or ignorance or convenience when you live here. You wouldn’t be a part of said system unless you believed in what it was doing, even if it’s just a tiny bit.” “Okay, maybe a little. I don’t want the Major to think we’re slacking off, let’s drop it for now.” “I hate to break it to you, but the XO is reading fan fiction right now.” Thunder Gale listened to their banter, and observed the rest of the bridge. Pony watching, even for mundane scenes such as those, helped him keep his eyes off the hoofrest of his command chair and the datapad on it. He hazarded a glance down, and the words “No New Messages” glared back at him. He navigated over to his sent messages folder just to make sure that Special Snowflake’s latest letter to Cherry Pit was still flagged with a check mark as read. “Come on, please reply,” he whispered to himself. Halfway across the bridge, on the bulkhead to his left, the door between Drizzle and Medley opened and Breeze Heart peeked her head out. When he caught sight of her, Thunder opened an old message on his datapad and glued his face to a fifty-page report on their waste reconsitution system. “Good afternoon, Doctor,” Medley said. “Is there anything I can do for you, ma’am?” “I, uh, just finished taking inventory of our supplies.” She rubbed her two front hooves together. Her eyes were still adjusting to the low light of the bridge, and she looked right past Thunder’s chair without spotting him. “I’m on my lunch break and I thought, as long as my presence wasn’t a burden that I might be able to speak with Major Gale for a minute? I wouldn’t take up any more of his time.” A pocket of turbulence swayed the ship and Breeze threw her hooves down to brace against it. The rest of the marines simply swayed with it as it passed. Thunder Gale watched her from across the table and leaned into his report on the long-term consequences of negligent waste disposal protocol on the ship’s GM model number-twelve protein assembler, ready to glance back into it at a moment’s notice. “Non-authorized personnel are not permitted on the bridge.” Drizzle opened her wings and stood at attention, but kept her gaze distant and didn’t acknowledge Breeze directly. “We could easily make an exception,” Medley said. “Those are our standing orders, but let’s be honest the ship is flying itself right now and nothing is happen up here for her to interrupt anyway.” “Yeah, but I don’t know if that set’s a good example.” “Excuse me.” Breeze pushed her way between them. “I know I’m not a marine, but I’m just as much a member of this crew as anypony. Since I started serving on this ship I’ve never once asked to speak with the Major during his duty shift.” “I don’t know,” said Drizzle. “Just let her through.” Thunder Gale spoke up and drew their attention from across the room. “Yes, sir!” The two security ponies stepped aside and let Breeze Heart through. Thunder jumped out of his chair and met her halfway at the corner of the unlit table. For a second, neither of them said anything. They just glanced around at their hooves and tried to read each other’s intentions without risking eye contact. “So, what can I do for you, Doctor?” Thunder scratched the back of his head. “I got your note and I wanted to ask you something.” Breeze Heart checked over her shoulder; half the room was watching her out of the corner of their eyes. “I wanted to ask if Special Snowflake meant what he said. Is he really going to leave the front and come back to Cherry Pit?” “Yes, he is. He’s a bit confused right now, and really uncertain about the direction his life’s heading in, but the one thing he’s sure about is that the happiest he’s ever been was during the time he spent with Cherry. He’s decided that he’s not going to waste any more time, and is coming back to her. He’s really sorry about missing Hearths Warming Eve, too.” “What about the Cloudsdale Legion and the war with the Crystal Empire?” she asked. “Isn’t he worried about what will happen to them if he abandons his post?” “He’s just one pony in a big war.” Thunder Gale glanced around at the ponies throughout the bridge; most had stopped eavesdropping and were returning to their duties or were otherwise spacing out or chattering amongst themselves. “He’s confident that the world will keep spinning in spite of him. He recognizes the chance he has at happiness, and he’s going to take it. Besides, he’s got more soul than soldier in him.” “I suppose that Cherry Pit will write him a letter as soon an opportunity presents itself,” Breeze said. “She wants to let you— Special Snowflake know that she’s sorry about running out on him. She was angry.” “It’s okay.” Thunder took a deep breath. “So what about us? Are we okay?” “I’m sure that Cherry Pit and Special—” “No, not Cherry Pit and Special Snowflake.” He looked at her directly until she met his eyes. “I’m sorry for about yesterday. I’m sorry about everything I’ve put you through. I don’t want to wait any longer. This planet is the last stop for me. After this, if you still want to, I’d like to build that life together like we always talked about.” “I believe that was what we were implying with our dialogue about Cherry and Special, but do you have any idea of where we might go?” “Sorry, I just needed to hear it—it's been a long night." He chuckled nervously. "I haven't given it any thought, but I don’t think it really matters as long as we’re together, and as long as wherever we end up has an atmosphere. First chance we get, let’s take it. No more waiting.” “Okay.” She tipped her head in and lowered her ears. “I’d like that.” Thunder reached for her hoof and she grasped it in her own. Holograms turned red and the floor beneath their hooves rumbled. When Thunder turned to his left a power conduit beside the door sparked over Medley and knocked her to the floor. A siren sounded and yelling erupted all over the bridge. “What the hell is going on?” Lightning Fire flung her datapad away and dashed up to the front of the table. “Status report!” “Electromagnetic storm!” Aurora Dancer dived out of the comm station and into ops. She waited for the holograms to boot up before continuing. “I’m detecting some sort of energy build up on the planet’s surface!” Thunder stood still, clutching Breeze’s hoof, while he tried to recall the correct protocol. He blinked; the next thing to do was take manual control of the ship. He opened his mouth to bark the order but Lightning Fire beat him to it. “Disengage the autopilot!” She galloped over to the helm station and wrapped her hooves around the controls. “Forward me the descent trajectory. I’m putting her down myself.” Breeze started toward Medley, but Drizzle was already at her side with a medical kit. She felt the tug of Thunder’s hoof on hers, and paused. He was still standing there and watching the ponies yell and dash and scramble around him. He wasn’t even aware that he was still holding her hoof. As bad as the situation was, his crew had it under control. “Thunder, are you okay?” Breeze shook his leg. “Thunder?” He looked back to her, smiled, and opened his mouth to speak. Before he did, the hairs of his coat and mane stood up. Sparks flashed between his body and the metal surrounding him. Then, he vanished and left nothing but black smoke behind.