//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 // Story: A Man and an Army // by Saffron //------------------------------// ---------------------------------- The Commander ----------------------------------     I continued forward towards the direction my ship was in. Slowly I walked in the dark of the forest occasionally hearing things in the distance. The trees themselves looked ominous as if they were alive but frozen in time.     “I am bored.” I sighed.     “There is nothing I can do about that.” Jane replied.     “Yeah well… I don’t know… play some music.”     “I am not an iPod.” Jane replied indignantly.     “I can tell. iPods don’t talk back.” I laughed.     “I think you should reconsider your occupation. You would be better as a comedian.” Jane replied sarcastically.     “Maybe. How much longer until I reach the ship?”     “At your current pace, approximately forty minutes.”     “I think I will get there much faster.” I replied.     “I doubt that.” Jane responded.     “You want to make a bet?” I asked genuinely curious about what she wanted.     “A bet?” Jane was curious.     “I bet you I can make it to the ship in twenty minutes, without teleporting.”     “Interesting, what are you betting?”     “I dunno, do you want anything.”     Jane was silent for a minute before replying. “I would like a body.”     “You know it is against regulations and galactic law for A.I. to have a body.” I replied.     “So I guess there are no stakes?” Jane seemed disappointed.     “No, I accept it.” I laughed. “The council can shove it for all I care.”     “Really?” Jane seemed surprised.     “I trust you enough with my ship, one that has planet destroying weapons. Do you really think you could do more damage with a body?”     “Looks like we have a bet then.”     I continued walking at the same pace in the same direction. I went on like that for roughly ten minutes before I heard the sweet sound of victory. In this case it was actually the sound of a jeep.     “Looks like victory is approaching my dear Jane.” I laughed.     “Clever.” Jane replied. “I was looking forward to having a body.”     “Meh, I will still make you one.”     I continued walking until the jeep got closer. I stopped as it approached and it to stopped, once it was next to me.    “Commander?” Captain Richards asked surprised. “What are you doing out here?”     “Well I decided to talk a bit of a walk but now that you are here.” I paused. “Do you have Black Jacks sister?”     “Yes, she is in the back.” Richards replied.     “Excellent.” I opened up the back door of the jeep to be greeted by Crystal, Albert, and Kirsten. Also inside was Black Jacks sister. “Hello there little one.”     “Hi.” The filly answered nervously.     “I have some good news for you. We are going to see your sister.”     This brightened her spirits. “Really?”     “Yes.” I entered the back of the jeep and sat across from her. “But first I need to ask you a few questions.” The jeep started back up and we continued toward the ship.     “Like what?”     “Let's start with something simple. What is your name?” I asked.     “My name? It’s Spade Heart.” The filly replied somewhat shy.     “Hello Spade Heart.” I put out my hand and we shook. “It is nice to meet you.” ---------------------------------- The Ship ----------------------------------     “Looks like the necessary paperwork has been filed. Your request to visit the nearby town of Ponyville is approved.” Lieutenant Hans handed Sergeant Fulks a requisition form. “If you need to bring any equipment with you make sure to fill this out with the Arms Master.”     “Will due Lieutenant.” Fulks left and headed to talk with Jericho.     Hans sat down at his desk and sighed. “Maybe I should fill out those day leave forms as well. Check out that castle.” Hans said to himself.     Hans turned to his computer and got to work confirming Fulks leave. After he was finished with that he began working on filling out other personal requests for day leave. At least half of the personnel on board had already filled out forms applying for the leave. It was Hans’s job to accept or deny any and all requests. It was the boring side of the job but he prefered it to combat.     “Lieutenant Hans do you copy?” Sergeant Zuco called over the radio.     “Yeah, I’m here.” Hans replied.     “Princess Celestia and Luna are here.”     “What? I’ll be right down.” Hans got up from his desk and began walking through the corridors of the ship until he reached the exit.     It was dark outside but the makeshift lighting that was put up around the ship made navigating easy. Hans made his way over to the main gate were Zuco was currently stationed. He saw both Celestia and Luna talking to Zuco by the time he had arrived.     “Is there anything I can help you with princesses?” Hans asked as he approached the alicorns.     “We want to know what caused that light in the sky.” Celestia responded as she turned towards Hans.     “That was the Commander. He was just stretching.”     “What?” Luna seemed shocked. “What do you mean?”     “If you really want to know, you can ask the Commander when he returns.” Hans sighed. “But the issue is nothing to be concerned about.”     “Nothing to be concerned about?” Luna scoffed.     “That is correct.” Hans replied.     Luna was about to say something else but Celestia stopped her. “We will wait for the Commander.” Luna was not happy but she stayed silent.     “Great, he should be back soon. If you need anything while you are waiting. Just ask the Sergeant here.” Hans motioned to Zuco. “If that is all. I will be heading back.”     “Very well.” Celestia replied.     Hans left the two alicorns with Zuco and made his way back to his office. When he returned to his computer the previous number of leave forms had doubled. “How in the hell… I was just gone for five minutes.” Hans muttered to himself. He sighed and got back to work. ---------------------------------- The Commander ----------------------------------     “We are approaching the front gate Commander.” Captain Richards said from the driver's seat.     “Jane how long was the trip?” I asked already knowing the answer.     “Just under eight minutes. You win.” Jane replied.     “Looks like I won.” I laughed. “So did you. I’ll get working on your request when I have the time.”     “What is she talking about sir?” Albert asked curiously.     “We made a bet. I won but I am still giving her what she asked for.”     “What did she ask for?” Albert continued. “I can’t see an A.I. wanting or needing anything.”     “I need to know something first, from all of you.” The seriousness of my tone grabbed everyone's attention. Spade Heart noticed the shift as well. “Who are you loyal to? Me or the council.”     The question asked was not to be taken lightly they knew that. For me it was a turning point for them it was their lives on the line. How they answered would determine a lot of my plans on Equus and trust was paramount.     “I am with you sir.” Captain Richards was the first to speak.     “Me to, commander.” Albert followed.     “I would follow you to hell commander.” Crystal was the next to respond.     “Always.” Kristen was the last to answer.     “Good.” The jeep stopped and I noticed Celestia and Luna outside through one of the side windows on the jeep. “Now you guys stay here. I do not want those two to see her.” I motioned to Spade Heart. “Keep her here until I deal with these two.”     “Yes sir.” Richards replied.     I got out of the jeep and the rest of the soldiers remained inside.     “What can I do for you princesses?” I asked walking over to them with a smile.     “What was…” Celestia turned around and stopped talking.     “Celestia what's wrong?” Luna asked. She looked at me and also froze. “Your armor its...”     I looked down to see the massive amount of mostly dried blood covering my armor. Shit…     “I had to deal with… a small issue.” I replied     “What did you do?” Celestia asked worried.     “I dealt with Black Jack and her crew. They are all dead.” I said coldly my demeanor changed.     “Why? Why would you do that?” Celestia asked angered.     “Because they killed one of my men!” I snapped and I was furious, how dare she question me. “Death was a mercy for them.”     Celestia stepped back hearing my anger. “I understand your anger, but violence only breeds more violence.” Celestia responded angrily.     “I know that all to well.” I felt my anger begin to subside. I did not want to hurt them. “I have some information for you. About the griffons it is important.”     “What?” Celestia asked still angered.     “They were the ones behind the attack. They used Black Jack as a proxy.”     “What?!” Luna finally spoke. “What do you mean?”     I turned my attention to Luna. “They knew about the convoy. They used Black Jack to attack so they didn’t need to get their own claws dirty.”     “How do you know this?” Celestia spoke this time.     “I interrogated her. Found out they took her sister Spade Heart and forced her to attack otherwise…” I paused. “They would have killed her.” My tone softened.     The two princesses saw my demeanor change. “You didn’t kill her.” Celestia said.     She saw through me. I could deny it but that would just cause trouble later mainly trust issues. “I will be honest with you. I did not kill her and she is here.”     “She is here?” Luna looked surprised. “Where is she?”     “She is not your concern. What is your concern however is the griffons. They are obviously not afraid to go to war. Otherwise they would not have been so careless.” I looked at Celestia. “You need to deal with this.”     “You are right, but we need Black Jack.”     “Why? Most if not all her operations are shut down. Not to mention I can make sure there will be no rescue attempt by either the griffons or her own people. She is safer here and you know it.”     “Do you really think that we…”     “He is right Luna.” Celestia cut off Luna.     “You can’t be serious.” Luna was a little pissed.     “He has a point.” Celestia sighed. “She will be safer here and we need to deal with the griffons.”     Luna wanted to argue but Celestia was right. The griffons needed to be dealt with and Black Jacks custody could be argued at a later date. After all she was not going anywhere.     “Fine.” Luna was mad at Celestia even though she was right.     “Thank you for this information Commander.” Celestia said before walking of with Luna forgetting to bring up the original reason for their visit.     “Jane what the fuck. Why didn’t you tell me the princesses were here?” I asked angrily once Celestia and Luna were out of earshot.     “Their arrival was not reported.”     “Looks like someone is not following protocol. Figure out who it is. I will deal with them later.” I replied.     “Yes Commander.”     “Now I need to handle my new pets.” With that I headed back to the jeep.