Halberd’s court martial was today. He had stayed silent since waking up in a jail cell. His mercenaries, however, were more than willing to blab about their many, many crimes. The mercenaries’ trials were hardly an hour each, and there were a lot of them. All together it took quite some time to get through them all. Then some wanted appeals, but those didn't last long either.
Purposely, we made Halberd’s trial last just in case there were any other charges we could lay against him. And it turned out that there were a fair few: intimidation, assaults, property damage, and a few more. Although the one that we were prosecuting him on was treason.
I was with Aurora in her apartment again. We were polishing our armor. A Captain was arriving in a few hours and wanted to see the compound before he passed judgment on Halberd.
“You missed a spot,” Aurora said, moving closer to me.
I looked down at my nigh-perfectly polished armor in confusion. “Where?”
I looked back up at her. She just used it as a distraction to get closer. She kissed me and put much of her weight on me at the same time. I put my armor down on the table to focus on the new activity.
We made out on the couch for a few minutes, before we had to stop for air. “It's a shame you only have a month left here. I think I'm actually gonna miss you,” she said, resting her chin on my chest.
I shrugged and draped a wing around her. “Yeah, well, it has to happen. Before we get found out.”
“I know. I also know there is another mare on your mind,” Aurora said, standing up and going back to her armor.
This was news to me. “What do you mean?” I sat back up.
Aurora rolled her eyes. “It’s painful that you’re that oblivious to your own desires. Snow, the partner you said you had during training. You don’t talk about her much, but when you do, the way you talk about her, it's obvious that you like her.”
“What? She's just kind, beautiful, thoughtful, good at her job, her smile—” I started.
“There!” Aurora said pointing a hoof. “Right there. You like how she smiles. If you didn't like her you wouldn't remember that. It's been what, five months since you've seen her? And I've seen your face when you read the letters she sends to you. Always smiling like a drunk idiot.”
“Well, I—” I stammered.
“Look me in the eye and tell me you haven't thought about her in that way,” Aurora interrupted, staring at me with her victory face.
I looked her in the eye. I couldn't help it when a stupid blushing grin grew on my face when I thought about Snow smiling. “Okay, fine, maybe you're right. Maybe I have feelings for her. But even if I do, what am I supposed to do? She's seeing a traveling banker.”
“She lied,” Aurora scoffed, putting on her armor. “All mares say something of the sort like that when the stallions they like say they are seeing somepony.”
I shook my head. “No, Snow doesn't lie.” I put my armor on as well.
Aurora just glared as she tightened her last strap. “Okay, live in denial. But from now on, since you’re leaving, you are staying in the compound.”
“I understand,” I said fiddling with the chest strap.
Aurora’s magic flared and telekinetically assisted with putting my armor on. “We made a deal about this when we started.”
“I know. I said I understand.”
“Just making sure. Stallions tend to be thick headed.”
“Which head you talking about?” I grinned.
Aurora blushed and laughed. “Okay, out!”
“Yes, First Sergeant,” I said jokingly, leaving her apartment.
The Captain that came to represent command was none other than Captain Shining Armor himself, and he had also arrived with an Equestrian Army security detail. These soldiers meant business, and their whole job is to take Halberd away to Earthcracker Prison. I stared in awe at the Captain of both House guards that protect the Princesses. He circled Halberd who was chained to the center of the floor with an inhibitor ring on his horn. Captain Armor had the stack of evidence floating in front of him as he walked.
“Sir, I can have my lead investigator explain everything if you’d like,” Aurora said.
Captain Armor didn’t even look away from the papers. “No thanks. I’m a fast reader. A trick I picked up from my little sister. But thank you for the offer First Sergeant.” After another few papers, he looked over at me. “Rechecking the property was your idea, Flame Strider?”
“More or less. Yes Sir,” I said, not moving.
“How’d you come to that? I wouldn’t have been able to draw the connection there had it not been for these notes,” Captain Armor said, flipping through the packet again.
I had a feeling I could leave out the unorthodox thought process. “It was a hunch, Sir,” I said plainly.
“Uh huh. Sure.” He looked over at Aurora. “You haven't promoted them to First Class Guards, yet have you?”
Aurora seemed to hesitate. “No, Sir.”
“Any way we can get on that? Like now?” Captain Armor said, hinting at the implied order.
Aurora looked over at the warrant officer in charge of that kind of paperwork. “Go. Do as he says.” The warrant officer saluted and hurried out of the room.
Captain Armor went back to the task at hand. “Okay Commander Halberd, if that is even your actual name. Charged with falsifying military documents, supplying criminals with military weaponry, trafficking in slave labor, planned murder of a guard, attempted acquisition of classified documents...”
Halberd seemed to be filling with pride as Captain Armor listed off the offenses.
“...and finally resisting arrest.” Captain Armor finished. “Oh, and lucky you. Every single one of those offenses can be proved with what I hold right here. Have anything to say before I reach a verdict?”
“I plead guilty,” was all Halberd said.
“Well, that’s that.” Captain Armor looked over to the soldiers standing off to the side. “He’s all yours, boys.”
They proceeded to unhook Halberd from the floor and lead him out of the room. I watched from my spot as best I could. Halberd was smiling. Why was he smiling?
I looked down at the Guard First Class pin on my formal uniform, and I couldn't help but feel some accomplishment. The last month had just flown by. KG and I had been busy with Sergeant Arrow training our six replacements. I also learned a great many interrogation techniques from Arrow as well, that I got to try on the replacements. That was a fun day.
We had also gotten a Captain to replace Halberd, Captain Stone Wall, a stone gray Earth pony. He was aged, but in no way elderly. He was a very hooves-on officer, never liked to be in his office unless he has to do some paperwork. Like now, going over the last of my transfer papers.
“After reading your accomplishments here Flame Strider, I can honestly say I'm disappointed to see you go. I could use a competent Guard like you,” Captain Wall started. “But I understand that you want to see other cities before you get stuck behind a desk like me.”
“Yes, Sir. First Sergeant Aurora said the next city I would be going to would be Baltimare?” I inquired.
Captain Wall nodded. “It is indeed. I hope you don't mind. But I sent a request along with your paperwork.”
“Sir?”
“My grandson. Stone. He’s a guard second class, and he’s a little slow on the uptake. But nearly everything he knows is how to be a guard. I sent a request to the Baltimare Guard Captain, that he’d be paired with you once he get’s out of the Baltimare Academy. He could learn a lot from a pony like you. Do make sure he doesn't get his head stuck in a trashcan or something. Will you?” he asked.
Wait, he already sent my papers on ahead? I could care less if he wanted me to watch some rookie. “I’ll do my best sir,” I answered, subconsciously puffing my chest up a bit.
“Thank you,” Captain Wall nodded. “Now as for your travel arrangements. Friday, you are going to be getting on the six-thirty train to Canterlot, then once it arrives in Canterlot you will be getting on the fifteen hundred train to Baltimare. Here are your travel papers, don’t be late,” he said, sliding a folder to me.
I took the folder and put it under my wing. “Thank you, sir.”
“Dismissed,” Captain Wall nodded and turned his attention to some documents.
I did an about face on my hind hooves and exited.
I only had a day left to get everything in order, as did KG. Fortunately, we hadn't really done much since coming here. I had all the letters I had received packed up and all my gear in their bags waiting for tomorrow morning. We even got the go-ahead to turn in our Tall Tale issue armor. KG and I sat in our room just sitting now.
“Hey, Strider?” KG started from his bed.
“Yeah?” I answered as I laid on my back, staring at the ceiling.
“What do you think command life is like?” he asked me.
“Paperwork,” I answered without thinking.
Even without looking, I could feel KG giving me his trademark glare. “Seriously.”
“I’d like to think that the job doesn't really change. You're just instructing Guards that protect civilians, and you protect your subordinates from the bureaucratic nonsense that they need not worry about.”
“So, paperwork,” KG chuckled.
I laughed. “Yeah, pretty much.”
“I don't think I’ll make it much farther than the sergeant rankings. From what I’ve seen Sergeant Arrow do, sergeants have more than enough paperwork to deal with,” KG said levitating his officer’s manual out and reading it again.
“How many times have you read that officer’s manual?” I asked.
“I’ve lost count. I found it one day as a colt in Fillydelphia. The foster system doesn't allow many personal items and this was the only book I owned so they had to allow it.”
I rolled over and sat up. “You were a foster foal?”
“Yeah. As soon as I was allowed, I tried getting into the Equestrian Army. It took me a few tries because of the fitness requirements.”
“So that is one of the only books you’ve been reading your whole life?” I asked baffled.
“Yeah, there are other things in here now though.” He levitated out some pictures and old, yellowed papers from the pages of the book, a small smile crossing his face. “Pictures of me and some of the other foster kids, scraps of paper where I recorded events of my life. Even the declined recruitment forms. I keep everything with meaning to me in here.”
I studied the little articles of my partner’s life. “That’s actually kind of amazing.”
“How is that amazing?”
“That excessively old officer’s manual is your entire life,” I stated.
KG closed it and looked at the tattered cover. “Huh, you're right. I just thought of it as a reminder of my rough childhood. But I suppose this thing did lead me to the life I have now.” KG sat up and looked at me, blinked a few times then jumped off the bed. “Come on. There is one last thing I want to do while I’m here.”
“What is it?”
“Just follow me for once.”
“Okay fine.” I got up off the bed and followed KG out of the compound.
He led me through the city streets, and Into the Lantern District. We passed restaurants. KG was moving quick and determined.
I had just watched an enticing group of mares pass by. “Where are we going KG?” I asked looking back at him.
He was talking to a vendor that had a phosphorus camera. “Two please,” he said and paid the pony.
“What are you doing?”
“You made me realize I'm nostalgic, so shut up and take the picture with me.”
I rolled my eyes and got in front of the camera. KG gave a salute to the camera. I put two feathers behind KG’s head and smiled.
The camera pony nodded and put his head behind the camera before shouting. “3,2,1. Smile!”