Shining tried to make sense of all the machinery in the room. Coming from a household that had used magic extensively (he had once been grounded for trying to do his chores without magic... sort of), he had never really seen this kind of technology. The only encounter with any kind of modern machinery he had ever had, was once when he had aided in the arrest of a couple of con ponies with some kind of cider machine. And the train of course.
“So... are you going to explain any of this to me?” He said to Iron.
“Me? Buck no. I’m not even entirely sure how the wheels on a cart work, let alone a telegraph machine.” Iron scoffed.
“I don’t want to know how it works; I want to know how to use it.”
One green maned earth pony at a telegraph station turned around to face Shining. “If I may sir, you don’t really need to. That’s what we’re here for.”
Shining was straight faced. “I’m listening.”
“Sapper First Class Chatterbox-”
Shining cut him off. “Are, are you serious?”
“Sir?”
Shining raised an eyebrow. “Your name.... Chatterbox? And you’re a communications technician?”
“Due respect sir? You’re a Captain of the Royal Guard and your name is Shining Armour.”
Venture stifled a laugh, and Shining shot him a look, the pegasus acknowledged his partner’s death glare with only a shrug. Shining turned his head back to the technician. “Point taken, carry on Sapper.”
Chatterbox continued. “I can tell neither of you want to hear the tech babble, so I’ll just jump right into it. See that little stylus there? Every time you press it down, it sends a signal through to another telegraph. Tap it quickly, it sends a short signal, slightly longer, and it’ll send a longer signal. Here, I’ll send one to that other machine across the room.”
Chatterbox demonstrated, tapping the machine’s needle down with his hoof several times in succession.
“Now, Sapper Fiber over there at Station Three, is about to-”
“So does your mother, Chatter.” The Sapper’s comrade said casually. Shining gave Chatterbox a flat look, to which the Sapper shrugged.
“I told him that his sister said hi.... sir.”
Shining smirked. Engineers were known to be eccentric in the REA and these ones were so, in an endearing sort of way. A lot of officers would be highly off-put by the casual mannerisms of these Sappers. Shining didn’t care much however, they seemed competent enough. Results were what mattered, not means.
“So, mind telling me how you tapping your hoof a dozen times turns into an insult to your friend’s family honor?” Venture said.
Chatterbox turned to Iron Venture. “Well, the machine can only send the one signal, so what we do is create equivalent sets of long and short signals for each letter in the alphabet. It’s called Morse Code, so S is three quick signals or dots, A is a dot followed by a longer signal, or a dash, and B... well the whole thing is available at the library or with the Weather Control Bureau. Anyway, since it takes time to send a full message, we use a lot of the same abbreviations and acronyms that you’ll find in dispatches. If you want to know all of those, you can get them from the WCB, they developed... well, all of it.”
Venture looked a little puzzled. “Seriously? I was a Patroller for eight years, never saw one in all that time.”
Chatterbox shrugged. “As far as I know sir, it’d be at a higher level than the average Patroller. I’m pretty sure they used it so that observation and command posts could keep each other current on weather situations, and then the CP’s relay to their patrol teams what has to be done.”
Venture nodded, satisfied with the Sapper’s answer. Eight bucking years on the Patrol and he’d never been told that they had these damn things. Typical.
Shining spoke up again. “So, what you’re telling me Sapper, is that I don’t have to actually do anything and you and your friends will take care of all these high-tech non magical... things, for me?”
“Basically sir.”
“Soldier, stallions like you are the reason why they invented good conduct commendations.”
******
“Cobalt,”
“Yes dear?”
“I think we’re lost.”
“Yes dear.”
“Should we try to find a travelers way station or something?”
“Yes dear.”
“Are you listening to me?”
“Yes dear.”
“Cobalt!”
Cobalt Crescent stopped walking and turned around to face Sugar Heart. His wife’s red mane was a complete mess, and her fur, normally a beautiful soft green, was muddied up in a particularly bad way. Cobalts three foals didn’t look much better. This ‘camping trip’ had been an absolute disaster, as far as family vacations went, and any sane father would have been appalled at the very thought of an overnight in the Everfree Forest.
But then again, any sane father wouldn’t have chosen a career that forced him to lie to his family about ‘vacations’.
Cobalt had argued for three straight hours with his boss about this one. The raised voices and stamping hooves probably could have been heard all throughout Canterlot. “It can’t look suspicious Cobalt! You know that! A lone unicorn from the capital decides to just stroll through the Everfree Forest with his camera? You’ll be made in an instant! You need to bring them with you! If it’s going to be dangerous then take precautions, minimize the risks! That’s your job isn’t it?” His boss had ended with that. Not ‘I’m sorry I’m asking you to endanger the most precious thing in the world to you’. Not ‘everypony in Equestria is counting on you to do this without arousing suspicion’, not even ‘don’t worry we’ll have a cover team close by’. Just ‘minimize the risks’.
Minimize the risks. What a joke. It was as if nopony in Canterlot had even heard of the Everfree forest. Griffins weren’t the only problem; they weren’t even the most serious one. The real problem came from the beasts in the forest, Cockatrices, Manticores, Hydra, not to mention dangerous cliffs, ancient rope bridges, and the ever present dark energy that even a relatively magically-challenged unicorn like Cobalt could detect.
Thank the Goddess his family were all earth ponies, or their discomfort would extend well beyond some grime and fatigue. The whole forest just felt... wrong. He had heard the theory that it was the absence of magic in the area, that unicorns were just so attuned to being around magical energy that its absence was a discomfort, but it was a complete load. Cobalt had been to Zebraland, right before the war started. Not a unicorn to be found there and it certainly hadn’t felt like here.
The presence of magic in Zebraland (or rather lack thereof) had been liberating. It had felt almost as if one suddenly had much more air to breathe. Cobalt could only compare it to walking out of a crowded room and into an open field. The energy in Equestria (Canterlot especially) always felt stale, and used, while Zebraland had felt fresh and free. The Everfree forest was neither of those things. It felt more... tainted than anything else. Cobalt simply had no description for what was wrong with it, all he knew was the sum of his very limited magical instinct was telling him to leave this place and never look back.
But that just wasn’t the job.
Cobalt realized quickly that he had been staring at his wife for a good 20 seconds without saying anything. He was about to break the silence, when she broke it for him.
“Cobalt, we are unquestionably lost, and I do not like the look of this place.”
Cobalt rolled his eyes; the nagging was a part of marriage that even after nearly 20 years could still manage to irk him.
“Would you relax? I have a map right here in the saddlebag.”
Sugar rolled here eyes right back, annoyance seeping into her voice. “Well you’ve obviously not been reading it properly. This place looks nothing like what your friend described to you.”
“That’s because we’re not there yet, it’s still a good ways away.”
“‘A good ways’? What they hay does that mean?”
“Would you calm down?” Cobalt said, frustrated with her persistent complaining. “It means what it means!”
“Cobalt, I-” She paused for a moment and looked at the foals. She sighed and took a breath in. Sugar looked at him seriously, and spoke in a tone that implied a carefully repressed fury. “I need to speak to you alone.”
Cobalt looked aside for a moment and then nodded. “Alright. Kids? Your mom and I need to have a talk. So stay right here until we get back okay?”
Blue Moon, Cobalt and Sugars’s eldest colt, gave his father an understanding look. Blue was almost seventeen, and perfectly understood the ‘talk’ that his parents were about to have. Cobalt motioned with his head towards Blue’s two sisters, Sweet Heart and Rosebud. Though no words had been said between the two, the meaning was clear. Blue was to keep his sisters safe, and where he could see them. It wasn’t only because Blue was the oldest. Cobalt had a good deal of trust in his eldest foal. He was strong, and had been training in martial arts for five years now, and had seriously discussed with his father joining the Army Reserve, or one of the civilian police forces. Most of all though, he was smart and resourceful, and was the only member of the family who realized that his father was more than the ‘post office mail sorter’ he had claimed to be.
About two years ago, Cobalt had received a new model of pistol cuff. Just like his previous issue, he had brought it into the basement and proceeded to tear it apart to familiarize himself with its inner workings, and try and get a sense of how difficult the mechanisms would be to work with in the field. He had been so engrossed in the weapon, that he had neglected to lock the door, and Blue Moon had walked in on his father disassembling a lethal weapon. Blue had, however, had the sense not to mention it, and pretend like he hadn’t seen.
Blue responded to his father’s gesture with a nod, and turned to his sisters. “Come on girls, anypony want to play 20 questions?”
Cobalt watched as Blue led his sisters a few meters away. The unicorn then turned around and guided his wife through a relatively sparse bit of underbrush. He stopped in a clearing, where he still had a fairly good view of Blue and the fillies. Sugar looked at him and spoke firmly.
“Cobalt, this is a disaster.”
Cobalt tried to avoid eye contact, casting a nonchalant look at a particularly uninteresting piece of foliage. “You’re exaggerating, besides, you were the one that told me I need to spend more quality time with the family. Now that I think of it, I recall this whole disaster, as you call it, was your idea.”
Sugar glared at Cobalt. “Don’t you play that card on me! I wanted to go to somewhere nice! Like Manehatten, or the Gallopagos, or, or, anywhere!”
Cobalt looked at her and gave her a mischievous smile. “I heard an anywhere in there, this counts as-”
“Another word, just try it.” Sugar pressed her face up against her husbands, her forehead pressed firmly against the bridge of his snout. Her pupils were tilted up to maintain her death glare, and with her so close, it was incredibly difficult for Cobalt to continue evading her gaze.
“Come on, Manehatten? It would have been just like Canterlot except more beggars and pickpockets. And I don’t know how much you think I make, but a trip to the Gallopagos...”
“And I suppose you think we’re all having loads of fun right now hmm? Tired and dirty and lost. Sooo much better than relaxing on the beach or shopping in Longacre Square-”
“Again we encounter the money issue...”
“THAT’S NOT THE POINT AND YOU KNOW IT COBALT!” Cobalt’s sarcastic tone was beginning to wear on Sugar’s patience. He always did this in arguments, kept himself calm and witty, because he knew it infuriated her more than any measure of yelling and cursing ever could. As much as Sugar knew that her husband was trying to push her buttons, she couldn’t help but raise her voice.
Cobalt took a step back, a little surprised by the outburst. He shot a look towards the foals, all of whom were looking towards their parents wearing concerned expressions. He hated having fights in front of the kids, they always got the wrong idea. It took a lot of effort convincing them that Mommy and Daddy weren’t about to get a divorce over where Daddy had left his wallet or something stupid like that.
Cobalt took a moment to consider the situation. He knew his wife was right, but he couldn’t agree with her, at least not until he did what he had been sent out to do. But his family were tired, hungry, annoyed, and worst of all, potentially in danger. All Cobalt had in the way of weaponry was his very limited repertoire of combat spells, and the pistol cuff at the bottom of his left saddlebag; enough to frighten off animals or fainthearted bandits, but less than useless against a Manticore or Ursa Major.
Cobalt let the sarcastic smile fade, and did his best to make it a sympathetic one instead. As he did this, the anger in Sugar Heart’s expression melted away in short order, but was replaced by a pleading look.
“Cobalt, please,” Before she continued she sniffled a little, and Cobalt became genuinely concerned. He had misjudged the situation with his wife. He’d figured that she was just uncomfortable, and annoyed with her husband, but when he dropped the evasiveness and the sarcasm, he became attentive enough to notice that her eyes were watering.
Cobalt stared speechless at his wife of nineteen years as she struggled not to cry. The sight of her like this cut into him as deeply as any knife. He could take her being annoyed with him, being playfully frustrating was one of his favourite ways to show her he cared, and make sure she cared enough to point out that he was an idiot. But this, this was different. Cobalt couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this distraught.
She spoke again, her words broken by sniffles and light sobbing. “Cobalt I, I know what you wanted... what you tried to.... I... Cobalt this is just so awful. It’s not your fault, really, but we’ve been in here for three days now. Digging latrines to go to the bathroom, spending hours trying to make campfires to cook our meals, and hiking around aimlessly. I’m scared Cobalt! I really am! We’re lost in the Everfree Forest! And we have no idea how to get out! Doesn’t this worry you even a bit?”
Cobalt wrapped his foreleg around her and pulled her towards him. When she was close to him, he leaned in to her ear, and whispered in a soft tone, as reassuring as he could possibly make it. “Sugar, Sugar, listen to me. We’re going to be fine, alright? We’re going to be just fine. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know Cobalt, but, I-”
“Shhh, just, quiet for a moment. Let it out. We’ll be alright love, just... take a deep breath.”
As Sugar sobbed into his shoulder, Cobalt cast a look back at his foals. Despite Blue Moon’s best efforts, the two fillies looked absolutely terrified. Cobalt couldn’t blame them at all. This was all his stupid fault. It was time to end this gong show. Now.
Cobalt patted his wife on the back and pulled away a little, removing a topo- map which he had marked with four places he ‘wanted to see’ from his saddlebag. The family had arrived at three of the locations so far, but the fourth was at least a day’s journey. Cobalt looked at the map for a moment, contemplating his next move. He looked up and stared deeply into his wife’s pleading eyes. The sight of her like this turned his insides to lead, and in spite of all his training and emotional preparation, Cobalt felt sick with guilt.
He had followed orders, as any good agent was expected to. But those orders had neglected the safety, comfort, and well being of his family. There was only one ‘next move’ here for him.
Cobalt opened up his right saddlebag and levitated a handkerchief to his wife.
“Alright, dry your eyes, okay? It’s all going to be alright, let’s just go get the foals, and then try and find a way out of this mess.”
She looked at him gratefully. “So we’re finally going home?”
“Yeah,” Cobalt said. He dipped his head a little and looked at the ground, ashamed that he had taken this long. “Let’s go home.”