A Forgotten Trooper

by TheIronPone035


Chapter 38: A Listening Ear

The sun began to set, sending waves of color through the sky as it made its decent. It didn't take long before the moon replaced its position, shining down across the land.

The light of the moon reflected off of a small lake that Strider had stopped next to. He walked across a small docking area for row boats and sat down at the end, his eyes drifting across the water as he thought.

What now? His only way home was now destroyed, most of his equipment along with it. He was out of communication range with anything he had and was stuck on a planet that isn't supposed to exist.

"Maybe the Gunship still has enough parts to make a makeshift transmitter." Strider said to himself out loud.

Strider made a mental image of the Gunship's piloting bay and what he might be able to use. There was the Distress Signal, but he would have to make sure that it wouldn't get intercepted by any Separatist flag ships, not to mention hope that it wasn't destroyed completely.

As the Trooper went over the options he had, he began absentmindedly chucking stones that were on the side of the dock into the lake. The stones splashed as they made contact with the water, sending ripples throughout small parts of the lake. That was almost the only noise, besides the chirping of insects that surrounded the dock.

For awhile, that was the only noises that Strider heard as he continued to think. But he quickly made out another sound coming from behind him.

Strider looked over his shoulder to see Fluttershy trotting towards him from the other side of the dock.

The Pegasus halted, quickly realizing that she had been spotted. Fluttershy quickly moved her gaze to the dock, her right eye slightly hidden behind her mane.

"Sorry if I disturbed you. I can come back." Fluttershy said, not making any eye contact before beginning to leave.

"Don't worry, you didn't." Strider answered, looking back at the lake.

"Oh, well I came to tell you that the Cutie Mark Crusaders have been told their punishments. They accepted responsibility very well and have told us that they are deeply sorry and promised to never ever touch your stuff without permission." Fluttershy exclaimed, trotting over to the edge of the dock where Strider was sitting.

Fluttershy sat down at the edge of the dock next to the Trooper. She glanced at Strider, before looking out across the lake. Silence quickly overtook the area besides the occasional splash of stones meeting water.

"Are you ok?" Fluttershy questioned, watching a stone Strider threw splash into the lake.

The Trooper didn't answer, instead he just picked up another stone and got ready to toss it.

"Um, could I ask you a question?" Fluttershy asked, looking over at Strider.

"Fire away." Strider stated.

"What's it like? Traveling in space?" Fluttershy questioned.

Strider chucked another stone into the water, before glancing up at the sky.

"Well, to me it isn't much different then you waiting on a train to go somewhere. Nothing else really to do besides prepare for the battlefield." Strider exclaimed.

"Did you find any animals?" Fluttershy asked.

"Plenty, but almost any creature gets scared off once the battle begins. Heh, once on a mission to ambush a Droid Battalion, my brother Cosmo ended up having a Convor follow him for almost the entire trip." Strider said, grinning at the memory. "He was practically hollering at it the rest of the way to the ambush point."

"Cosmo?" Fluttershy questioned curiously.

"He was one of my brothers as well as one of my comrades in our squad. Cosmo could be a bit clumsy at times but his will always kept him on top." Strider explained, thinking about how Cosmo had never ever backed down from a mission, even when they involved climbing.

But the good memories of Cosmo quickly changed to the sounds of a plasma bolt striking the back of the Trooper and ending the fight for him. Strider's grin quickly faded as he recalled the battle that caused him to end up in the situation he was now in.

"And a good friend..."

Fluttershy quickly picked up on the change in Strider's tone and expression.

"Oh no, sorry if I brought up something uncomfortable." Fluttershy apologized.

"It's ok, you had no idea about what happened." Strider stated.

The Trooper looked out across the lake, watching the moonlight glisten across the water, before cracking a faint smile.

"You have a great team you know." Strider claimed, picking up another stone.

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.

Strider chucked the stone as far as he could, waiting for it to splash and sink into the lake before answering.

"Your friends, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. They're nice, determined, and seem to have each-other's backs." Strider explained.

The Trooper snickered, before chucking another stone into the lake.

"Reminds me of my squad."

Fluttershy glanced over at Strider; "Is that a good thing?"

"A great thing. It just makes me wonder if anyone else survived." Strider stated, his grin fading.

"If they are like my friends, then i'm sure they're alright and are searching for you right now." Fluttershy said.

Strider chucked one last stone into the water, before looking up at the night sky. Fluttershy also looked up, admiring the beautiful set of stars that had begun to appear within the darkness.

Fluttershy and Strider watched as a shooting star shot across the sky, along with several other stars sparkling and giving off the illusion of shapes forming between them. They were so distracted with the sight that neither of them noticed the filly that was behind them on the dock.

Apple Bloom looked at Strider with sorrowed eyes, mainly due to what she had overheard and how much of a horrible mistake she and the other Crusaders had made.

Not saying a word, Apple Bloom slowly set down Strider's helmet onto the dock. She had picked it up after being told what her punishment was by Applejack, which was a solid four full weeks without hanging out with the other Crusaders as well as doing an increased amount of chores around the farm.

Once Apple Bloom let go of the helmet, she trotted towards the direction of home. Halfway across the dock, she glanced over at Strider and Fluttershy one last time, before mumbling one last thing that was so quiet, even a mouse couldn't hear it.

"Strider...ahm so so sorry..." Apple Bloom whispered, before continuing on her way back home.