//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 - Worlds Collide // Story: Flurry in Time // by DuvetofReason //------------------------------// The locker room was quiet, with all the ponies from Swan’s squadron having cleaned up or still out there with the others, worrying about Last Shadow. It meant Swan Song had the place to herself when she trotted inside with Blitz hot on her hooves. Sightings of Last Shadow were already beginning to circulate through the aerie, which meant she didn’t have time to dawdle.  The scent of stale sweat, soap, and flight suits all mixed together in a heady aroma, the humidity from the showers making the air clammy. It had been such a fixture of her life that Swan found the odour oddly comforting; this was the beating heart of the Aerie. Each locker was like its owner’s stamp on the world, full of a haphazard collection of stickers, photos and pictures. It was against regulations, but rule books be damned—here, her ponies had a chance to express themselves a little and be individuals, not ranks or numbers. With everything going on outside, they were all equals there. Walking slowly, Swan passed by each one in turn, the flight helmets resting neatly atop each locker. Yet, when one of them died, some new pony would take their place. Perhaps, that was why her locker was bare, save for the name plate.  When I’m gone, it’ll be like I was never here. Just remove my name and that is that. Swan shook her head to try and dispel her morbid thinking. The reality of the situation hung in the air like a foul odour, always there in the back of her mind, tugging her down. She was going to die soon, and she accepted it. Swan was under no illusions about her chances; the stories that circulated about the mad alicorn made that depressingly clear. Last Shadow had killed hundreds of her tribe during the war, cutting a swath through the Republic’s best troops. Against numbers, firepower, and tactics, that mare had swept past it all like a terrible force of nature. Even now, the alicorn stalked the space lanes like some kind of vile revenant, going so far as to prey on her former allies with impunity. With only a meagre amount of combat experience to her name, how could she possibly prevail against that?  Even so, her mind was set, the doubts scratching in the back of her mind rapidly fading. Sacrifice was a part of becoming a blackwing, and if her dying brought that monster one step closer to justice, it would all be worth it. Straightening, Swan unclipped the helmet from her back and placed it on her locker before slowly unpeeling her sweaty flight suit. If she was going to die, she might as well feel comfortable while doing so. “Swan,” Blitz began, his voice hesitant. “Can we talk about this?” “Don’t, Blitz, I’ve made up my mind,” Swan replied, refusing to look him in the eye for fear that her resolve would crumble. “At least help me understand. I thought you didn’t buy into that ‘redeem yourself in glorious death’ crap they spouted at us back at flight school,” he said, taking off his own flight gear. “I don’t.” “Then tell me why!” he yelled, slamming his locker shut. “I thought we made an oath. How am I supposed to take down Merry if you’re dead?”  Swan turned and looked at him. “Because she is the reason I’m here, Blitz.” She flexed her black wings at him. “She took my life from me and made me into this.” “And how is her killing you going to change anything? Come on, Swanny, just think about this.” Looking away, Swan's eyes became fixed on the picture taped to the inside of the locker door. A happy, smiling family beamed back at her, locked in a happier time that seemed like a dream to her now.  It had been taken on the day of her brother Star Song’s graduation from the Academy. Swan had been six years old at the time, and it was one of the best days of her life. It had been a gloriously sunny day, soft shards of light filtering through the trees that lined the boulevard outside the Academy. The scent of tree sap and flowers played across her nose, the memory still vivid in her mind. Her brother sat in the centre, clad in his new uniform and grinning like an idiot, his forelegs hugging her tightly. Behind them, their mother smiled, tears of pride in her eyes, a wing draped across her brother’s shoulder. The only thing that was missing was her father, that portion having been torn off long ago.  The memory quickly became bitter as she glared at that missing piece, the image of his face still clear in her mind. The memories of what came after soured that scene.  The war. Disgrace. Merry Weather. She shuddered at the thought. “If it gets my family out of his service, then it’s worth it. Just… just look after the others, okay?” Blitz let out an angry snort while scratching his mane. “Damn it, Swan.” Trotting over to him, she placed a hoof on his shoulder. “And no more hitting on the ground crew, okay?” A melancholy chuckle escaped his muzzle. “If you think I’m letting you go solo in this then you’ve another thing coming.” “No, Blitz.” He shook his head defiantly. “If you’re going then I’m going; that’s what a wingmate is supposed to do.” Grasping her fetlock, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “That’s what a friend is supposed to do.” A soft smile played on her lips, putting her heart in her mouth for a moment. “Thank you.”  The words felt inadequate for how she felt, her heart swelling with pride. “Hey, we’re a team, You ain’t breaking up the band now,” he grinned, puffing out his chest. “So let’s go and kick this mare’s flank already, I’m starving!” Despite the hopelessness of their situation Swan laughed. If she was going to face a monster, she felt safe in the knowledge that a friend had her back. “Alright, you goofball,” she smiled. “Let’s get going.” They trotted towards the door and headed off to find Last Shadow. <=======ooO Ooo=======> Flurry Heart stood in the elevator, watching the slow procession of floor numbers creep up. A catchy tune involving a xylophone bleated into the cramped elevator car from an overhead speaker. Her eyebrow twitched, the urge to rip the damn thing out of the ceiling becoming more appealing by the second.  Not that the conditions were improving her mood any.   Between the four armoured equines, a prissy unicorn officer, and an irritable alicorn, things were decidedly cosy inside. Hemmed in from all sides by her escort, so close she couldn’t fluff her wings without hitting somepony in the face, Flurry’s mood was souring rapidly. The encounter with the technician down in the hanger lingered on Flurry’s thoughts. She was silently kicking herself for letting her guard down. Things had been going a little too well so far, what with the ease of getting onboard and her escort treating her somewhat amicably. It was only a matter of time before an encounter with the pegasi, though she had hoped to at least get out of the hangar bay first.  Her escorts were quiet, though their nervousness permeated thick and heavy in the air. The ponies in front would occasionally look back at her, only to snap their heads forward again when their eyes met. Those behind her were simply trying to avoid her wings and the swish of her tail.  Snow Drift, for her part, had chosen to not press the issue with her and was busy answering messages on her holo-brace. The unicorn appeared calm, showing off an impressive display of professional dispassion. Whammy was sitting still on her shoulder, his antennae sagging lazily off to one side, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Last Shadow. The merest mention of that name had her on edge, like somepony had walked over her grave. If the technician’s reaction was anything to go by, it was only a matter of time before somepony did something stupid. The nice fat bounty hovering over her head wouldn’t be helping matters either. Letting out an impatient grumble, Flurry checked her holo-brace again for what felt like the seventh time since she got on this elevator. Nyx only had seven hours left before the Orion’s life support failed. This was going to have to be fast. There was no time for posturing, so she was going to have to swallow her pride if this was going to get done. There was a gentle ping and the doors slid open, revealing a long corridor lined periodically with pressure doors. A thick blue line, similar in colour to Snow Drift’s uniform, ran along the wall at a pony head height. It was the only splash of colour in an otherwise dreary sea of grey.  Snow Drift stepped out first, along with the two guards in front of Flurry, who eagerly trotted forward with relieved sighs. Flurry followed slowly behind them, feeling a slight surge of relief to be out of the sardine can.  Snow Drift waited for everypony to exit the elevator before nodding to her and trotting down the corridor. As they trotted further, Flurry began to see signs of life. Through the plexiglass of the doors, she could see blue-uniformed ponies working away—the little cogs that were keeping this vast enterprise running smoothly. Their passage did not go unnoticed. As they made their way deeper into the command deck, Flurry could hear doors opening and nervous chatter behind her.  “That’s her! Flurry Heart!” “Check out those wings! That horn!”  “Get back in here before she sees you!” Tilting her head, Flurry could see a mixture of ponies peering out from open doors. Unicorns, earth ponies, even a few pegasi were chattering amongst themselves. Their reaction was something she was used to when travelling into the colonies, even before her recent career choices. Beyond Equus, seeing an alicorn up close was as rare as a houndrathi paying his tab at a bar. After the reaction to her arrival in the hangar, it was honestly a relief to be back to ‘normal’.  Flurry looked to Snow Drift, whose ears were flicking dangerously as the clamour behind them grew. Like a kettle coming to a boil, Flurry could see her temper rising, her mane bristling and the mare’s teeth clenching. Eventually, she stopped and looked to Flurry. “My apologies, Princess, I’ll be just a moment.” She then turned around, trotting behind Flurry and her escort. Taking a measured breath, Snow unleashed a tirade on the crowd.  “Are we having a convention out here or something?” The unicorn’s icy tones swept over the crowd like a gale from the frozen plains of Arazo. “Back to your stations, all of you!” the unicorn yelled, stomping her hoof. “Move it!”  The effect was instant, the chatter disappearing as ponies scurried back inside in the face of the fuming unicorn. It was like watching a matron at a boarding school catching foals outside after curfew.  Her subordinates now sufficiently quashed, the imperious unicorn turned around with an indignant snort.  “Nicely done,” Flurry commented with a grin. Snow Drift flicked her tail and eyed her. “I see your effect isn’t contained to just pegasi.” “Life’s hard when you’re a celebrity,” she replied with a modest shrug. “Indeed.” “Things must be tough here, working with the other tribes,” Flurry remarked as the unicorn joined her. “This is what Harmony is about. Though it has taken a little time for us all to adjust to each other,” Snow admitted. “Have you had much trouble?” “Some have adjusted better than others,” Snow Drift said, a little irritation slipping back into her voice. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, her body relaxing. “But we’re not here to talk about our staff. Come, the captain is waiting.” They veered left, down past a large double door labelled ‘C&C’ to a relatively secluded spot around the corner. At the end of the corridor was an unassuming door, emblazoned with a plain placard reading ‘Captain Oakheart’. Snow Drift trotted towards a control panel and pressed it with a hoof. “Yes?” A deep voiced stallion replied over the intercom. “Lieutenant-Commander Snow Drift with Princess Flurry Heart, sir,” Snow Drift announced. “Very good, send her in.” The door slid open. “After you, Princess,” she said, gesturing for her to enter. Swallowing, Flurry stepped inside and trotted right into an argument. “Captain Oakheart, why am I only now hearing you have the felon Flurry Heart on your station?!” an angry voice roared from the hologram of a furious earth pony stallion, his rage reverberating around the room like a thunderclap. Flurry had to admit, the office’s projectors were a quality setup; she could actually see the veins bulging out of the slate-grey stallion’s neck.  From the dark-brown uniform and the number of bars on his chest, Flurry guessed he was the commander of the Alliance flotilla outside.  Sitting behind a large desk of black plastic and polished glass was a middle-aged chocolate brown earth pony stallion, with a mane of even darker brown, cut to military length with aching precision. He was well-built, with a lantern jaw that was a hallmark of the colonial earth tribes. Flurry might have even called him handsome, were it not for his rather dour expression that seemed to have been chiselled onto his features.  The stallion cast a glance towards her, his dark olive-green eyes meeting hers and his brow furrowing.  “With respect, Captain Hayloft, Harmony station is a free port and it is not my responsibility to inform you each time we have a visitor,” Oakheart retorted calmly, as if he were addressing an angry guest at a hotel.  His hoof idly stroked along a long scar that ran from his brow down his right cheek. Flurry had seen enough wounds caused by Republic pinion blades to know the culprit. It was such a clean-cut, it was a miracle the stallion hadn’t lost an eye, or his life.  “She is one of the Alliance’s most-wanted criminals! I demand you hand her over to us at once!” Hayloft snorted, the hologram’s nostrils flaring in anger. “I’m aware of who she is, Captain, but Princess Flurry Heart is assisting us in an internal matter, and she has been granted amnesty for the duration of her stay,” Oakheart stated. “This is outrageous! Is Harmony station going to grant succor to any brigand and thief that passes through?!” Hayloft hissed through gritted teeth. “Captain, as an Alliance officer, you have a responsibility to—” “This station is under the jurisdiction of the Harmony Initiative, and as a signatory of the charter, the Alliance is beholden to its jurisdiction while on station,” Oakheart retorted. “Now, I ask that you respect our judgement in the matter. If you have a problem with that, you can report it to your superiors.” “You—” Hayloft began but was cut off before he could say any more. The hologram flickered off, leaving the room in silence. Oakheart let out a sigh as he turned his attention toward Flurry. “You’ve been here for barely thirty minutes and already you’ve got ponies baying for your blood. You certainly know how to make an impression, Your Highness.” “Please, just Flurry will do. We both know I’m no princess,” she replied. “Let’s get down to business, shall we?” “Very well, Ms. Flurry, please sit,” he said, gesturing to the seat cushions laid into indents in the floor arrayed before his desk. Behind him, on the wall, was a symbol made of coloured glass and metal. A trio of three hexagons tilted at an angle, one a lilac, the other yellow, and finally, a blue one below those. Flurry recalled spotting this symbol stitched on the uniforms of all the station’s workers she had seen. What drew her attention was a zebra tribal mask below it, sitting on a plinth.  It was carved from mahogany, sculpted to appear as a fearsome spirit from their folklore, bedecked with a feather plume. The mask’s features had been smeared in sweeping hoof-painted strokes of green, red, and orange, creating vivid contrasts of colour. These were traditionally painted on by the mask’s owner when they were accepted into a clan. Zebra masks weren’t something that were given away; it was a mark of their tribe, as much a part of them as their own flesh.   Which meant he earned it, she pondered. Such things were not commonly shown to outsiders, as it still carried a certain stigma in the Alliance. For him to display it so openly meant he considered his heritage as being an important part of himself. A closer inspection of the stallion revealed a zebra clan braid woven into a strand of his mane. You are a curious one, aren’t you, captain? Flurry mused as she sat down. Beside the plinth, a few books rested, stacked neatly in a row. They looked to be historical tomes, each bound in luxurious faux-leather covers. Real books! Flurry hadn’t seen a physical book in what felt like forever.  The captain then looked to Snow Drift, who had been waiting patiently. “Thank you, Lieutenant-Commander,” he said, giving his subordinate a nod.  “I’ll be on the link if you need any assistance, sir,” Snow Drift said, pointedly. “Thank you,” he replied, giving her a smile. “I’ll let you know if I need anything.”  “Yes, sir. The security detail will be outside to escort our guest back to her ship when you’re done.” “Aww, and I was so enjoying your company,” Flurry teased. “Indeed, it’s been an experience meeting you, Princess,” Snow Drift said, giving Oakheart a salute before trotting outside. The door closed and Flurry was left alone with the earth pony.  Silence hung in the air between them as the earth pony regarded her carefully. His eyes drifted to Whammy on her shoulder, an eyebrow raising questioningly as he gazed at the plushie. It made her feel like she was a filly again at the headmaster’s office or being confronted by her father, her every misdeed an open book to him. “I hope you realise the trouble you’ve caused to us,” he began. “Between the Alliance and your little stunt with the gate, we’ve already got our hooves full with damage control.” “Ponies’ lives are at stake and that’s what you’re concerned about?” Flurry snapped. This was how it always was with these types—ticking boxes and keeping their petty little schedules running, all the while ponies died. “I’m concerned about having a criminal barging her way onto my station, disrupting our operations,” he retorted, his voice hardening. “You’re lucky I haven’t tossed you in a cell yet.”  “I don’t care about your problems, Captain,” she snorted, folding her forelegs. “I only care about saving Nyx and her crew.” “And did it cross your mind that all this trouble is impeding our rescue efforts?” he countered, his nostrils flaring. “We need the Guild’s cooperation to use the gate, not to mention the pegasi and their—” He stopped himself as the anger in his voice began to rise. “What are you doing here, Ms. Flurry? What do you want?” “To help rescue my cousin,” she huffed. “I’d have thought that was obvious by now.” “The situation is well in hoof,” he responded, taking a measured breath. “Despite your interruption, a rescue team will be departing soon. We’re professionals, Ms. Flurry. Just let us do our job.” “What kind of escort are you sending with them?” she asked, impatiently. “Sufficient.” Flurry’s eyes narrowed. Oh, that’s how you want to play it. “Well, if what I saw coming in is anything to go by, you’re going to have to send a lot more,” she urged. “This isn’t a simple escort mission.” Oakheart bristled, his right ear flicking. “Insulting my troops isn’t going to improve your bargaining position.” Flurry frowned. “My what?” “You want a reward for the information you acquired, am I right?” he said, a wrinkle of disgust passing over his features. “That is how your kind operates out here, yes?”   Flurry bristled at the accusation. “I didn’t come all this way for money, Captain. I came here because my cousin is running out of time and you ponies are my best shot at saving her.” She tapped on her holo brace and sent the files over to his console.”You want the data? Here. Consider it an act of good faith.” Oakheart’s eyes flicked to the holo window on his console, quickly scanning the files.  “I’ll save you time,” she continued. “There’s an Elderberry class cruiser shadowing the Orion, filled to the brim with Syndicate mercs.” At his raised eyebrow, she put on a grim smile. “I did a little digging before I got here.” Oakheart tilted his head thoughtfully. “Are you familiar with them?” “Familiar enough to know that if you don’t go there prepared for a fight, you’re going to lose a lot of lives,” she answered, shuddering at the memory of past encounters.  “Former employers?” “Of course not,” she snapped. “I might be many things, but I am not a hired killer, Captain.” “I see,” Oakheart nodded, his eyes considering the sensor data. “My apologies.” Oakheart’s gaze settled on the silhouette of the cruiser.  “I need to revise my plans and make preparations,” he continued, letting out an irritated snort. “Merry Weather is going to love this.”  “Merry Weather?” “He’s in command of the pegasus mercenary contingent on the station,” he replied, tapping away on the console.  “You have mercenaries working here? I thought this was meant to be a professional organization, not some typical Dragon’s Head cabal.” It was Oak’s turn to grimace at the allegation. “Not by choice,” he muttered. “We were expecting a proper military unit from the Republic, not a bunch of sell-swords.” Explains why those fighters looked so old, she thought to herself. “The Republic has always been a bunch of cheapskates,” she said with a scowl. “I’m not surprised they stiffed you.” Oakheart let out a grumble. “This is going to get expensive.” “What about the Alliance?” Flurry queried. “You’ve got a ready-made fleet just sitting out there with enough firepower to take on half a dozen Elderberrys.” “I already enquired before you arrived,” he replied, a tiny tremor of anger creeping into his voice. “They said that delivering the station’s defence grid was their concern, not a rescue mission.” “Why am I not surprised?” Typical Alliance, only willing to stick their noses in when it benefited them.  “That, and your arrival here, has put paid to any support we can expect from the Alliance,” he said pointedly. “Which means we’re on our own.” Flurry straightened. “So, where do I fit in? I’ll help any way I can.”  “You don’t. You being here is only going to make things harder with the pegasi,” he said with a shake of his head. “It’s best you leave now before you cause any more problems for us.” She let out a snort. “Are you kidding? You need my help.” “No, we don’t,” he retorted flatly, making her gasp. “I’ve enough trouble commanding the pegasi without throwing a rogue alicorn into the mix. I won’t risk making a volatile situation worse. “You know what they call you,” he continued. “I’m sure word of your arrival is spreading like wildfire as we speak.” Flurry grimaced. If that technician’s reaction was anything to go by, there must be a full-blown panic by now. That damned name. “It’s only a matter of time before somepony does something foolish, which is why it’s best that you leave,” he urged, before his expression softened. “I understand that this is difficult for you, but please, let us do our jobs.” “I’m not leaving until this is done,” she said. “I can help you, Captain. I’ve been doing this sort of thing since before the Alliance existed. I know the region of space the Orion is marooned in like the back of my hoof. Admit it, having an alicorn at your back makes sense.” He let out a sigh. “I don’t doubt your capabilities, Ms. Flurry, but you must realise that the lives of my ponies come first. You’re as much a danger to us as you are to the enemy.” She stomped a hoof down. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “I’ve read your record. You have a chronic inability to follow orders, doing what you want without thinking of the consequences,” he began, his voice stern. “The war, your criminal activity, everything tells me that you’re a liability. Take that mess you caused at the gate—” “Oh that was harmless,” she dismissed with a wave of a hoof. “Nopony might’ve been hurt, but your actions have the Guild on our backs. This causes delays, negotiations, and an assortment of other things that distract us from the task at hoof,” he retorted. “A pony that only thinks of herself has no place helping us, and I won’t risk my ponies’ lives to your whims.” “My whims!? You…”  Flurry glared at him, her jaw clenching. What did he know? He had no idea what things had been like after the war, the sacrifices she had to make. It was so easy just to sit there and judge when he wasn’t looking up from the gutter. Yet, his words lingered in her mind, rattling around like a ball in a tin bucket. Flurry tilted her head and felt Whammy’s antenna brush against her cheek.  Her thoughts came back to Nyx. It would have been so easy to reach out to her at any time in the past six years. Instead, Flurry had used the Orion as an excuse to get involved again. A part of her had wanted to stick her nose in Initiative business and stir up trouble. Damn it, she cursed to herself.  “Fine, you’re right, Captain,” Flurry conceded. “I wouldn’t trust me either. My track record for problem solving isn’t exactly stellar.” She let out a resigned sigh, scratching her mane. “All I can say is that I want everypony to get back here safely, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. Give me any job, no matter how minor, and I’ll do it. Heck, I’ll mop the decks on your shuttles if you want, but you have to let me help. Please.” Oakheart sat there in silence, hopefully seeing her sincerity, when a buzz on the intercom interrupted them. “Yes?”  “Lieutenant Swan Song to see you, sir,” a stallion replied. Oakheart winced. “It’s really not a good time. Can you tell her—”  The door slid open anyway, and in trotted a cream-coated pegasus mare with a rather ruffled teal mane.  “Hey, you can’t—” the guard protested.  Beside her, a rust-coated stallion with a slicked back fiery orange mane stood, his eyes fixed on Flurry. They wore no uniform, but what drew Flurry’s attention were their wings—all their primary feathers were jet-black. <=======ooO Ooo=======> Swan Song gasped.  There she was. Last Shadow in all her terrible glory, the monster that had destroyed her life. The alicorn was a soft pink, like clouds at sunrise, her light violet mane with an arctic blue highlight cut short, almost like a stallion. The mare was well-built, taller than any normal pony, with long, slender legs and an enviable set of wings. What sent a shiver down Swan’s spine was that long, fluted horn jutting out of the mare’s head. It felt wrong to see both wings and a horn on a pony at the same time. Even after meeting the Director, Swan still couldn’t get over that feeling of seeing it as something wrong… alien. The alicorn was wearing a battered blue-green bomber jacket, with a patch of a pony clutching a scythe stitched into the shoulder.  A confused frown crossed Swan’s brow as she saw some kind of snail plushie strapped to Last Shadow’s shoulder. It was perched there like some gargoyle, its bobble eyes wobbling between them like it was looking at its next meal. Swan shook off her confusion and took a step forward. “Captain, what is she doing here! How dare you allow this murderer onto the station!” She jabbed a wing accusingly at Last Shadow, who simply gave a pfft in response. “Lieutenant Swan Song, excellent timing,” Oakheart said, acting as if this was the most normal situation in the world.. “I’m glad you came, I’ve been trying to contact your Lord for the past hour but got no response.” Swan glared at Last Shadow, who merely raised an eyebrow and looked towards Oakheart. What was going on here? Her confusion only fed into her growing anger. “What are you talking about? You have Last Shadow right here! She should be arrested!” “She is not the issue here, Lieutenant. We have much more pressing matters to contend with,” the earth pony curtly replied. “Of course she is the issue!” the pegasus yelled, flaring her wings out.  Swan tensed slightly as Last Shadow flicked her tail, her expression becoming an irritated scowl. The alicorn looked towards Oakheart as if expecting some kind of permission. So, they are in cahoots with each other! Damn dirt ponies have no shame, Swan thought to herself.  “No, Lieutenant, she isn’t. We have a vessel in distress and possibly under attack by pirates. I need you to inform your Lord that the station requires the use of his carrier,” Oakheart stated simply. “Lives are at stake here, and we’re short on time.”  Swan Song felt Blitz’s foreleg rest against hers. In the corner of her eye, she caught his silent warning.  “Flurry Heart has provided us with potentially vital information. As such, she will be treated as a guest of Harmony,” Oakheart continued. “I ask that you put aside your differences until this crisis is over.” Last Shadow just sat there, not even having the decency to look her in the eye. “Let it go, kid,” she muttered. “We don’t have time to waste on chasing ghosts. The war is—” Not allowing the mare a chance to finish, Swan lunged forward and slammed her forehoof into the alicorn’s face. Last Shadow staggered backwards, reeling as Swan pressed her advantage to land several more blows. Then, before Swan could continue her assault, Last Shadow flared her great wings, bringing a hoof down that narrowly missed crushing Swan’s head. The deck buckled under the blow, forcing her to quickly backpedal.  Such strength! The rumours about alicorns were true. “Stand down!” Oakheart yelled, but it was too late. “Stay out of this, captain,” Last Shadow said, spitting a globule of blood from her split lip onto the ground. “You want to die so badly, blackwing? For honour? For glory?” “You know nothing of those things!” Swan Song yelled, charging forward once again. Blitz was at her side, circling to her left to try and catch Last Shadow in a pincer. They barely made it three canters before the monster’s horn glowed in a golden light. The aura enveloped Swan’s neck, her breath knocked out of her as its grip tightened. Before she could react, she and Blitz were both wrenched into the air and slammed against the far wall. A strangled gurgle rose from Swan’s throat as she desperately flailed at the ethereal grip that was squeezing the life out of her. Her mind raced as she tried to comprehend what was happening. The alicorn’s abilities were far beyond that of any ordinary horn-head. The door hissed open and two armour-clad security ponies burst in. “Sir, we heard a commotion…” The stallion’s words died in his mouth as he saw Last Shadow there, his shoulder cannon swinging up instinctively.  With a flick of her horn, the ponies’ weapons were ripped from their mounts and crushed into scrap. The stallion and his companion were then swept up in her golden glow, dangling helplessly in the air. Swan let out a strangled groan, her hooves thrashing uselessly against the unbreakable grip around her neck. Blitz was in no better position, trying to beat his wings to escape his captor’s grasp to no avail. Last Shadow then stepped forward, her eyes fixing on Swan with an icy glare.  Despite her fear, Swan’s anger gave her resolve and she glared back defiantly at the alicorn. “Go on, you monster!” she wheezed out. “Kill me! Show everypony exactly what you are, a killer!” she spat, feeling the grip tighten, the blackness creeping into the corners of her vision.. This was it—the end. She would finally be free. “That’s enough!” Oakheart bellowed, rushing over to place himself between Last Shadow and Swan Song. “Everypony stand down! That includes you, Ms. Flurry. Put them down!” Last Shadow looked at him darkly, a deadly glint in her eyes. “You want to prove to me that you’re not a liability? That you can work with us? Then show me I can trust you,” he urged. “I know they attacked you, but spilling blood won’t solve anything. Put them down… please.” The alicorn’s brow twitched in thought, her ears swivelling to the plushie on her shoulder as if it were whispering something to her. After a tense moment, she let out an angry groan. “Fine.”  Swan gasped in a coughing fit as the force holding her in place was released, causing her and Blitz to flop onto the floor. The two security ponies plopped to the ground as well. “Lieutenant, given the extreme situation we find ourselves in, I’m going to overlook your actions here,” Oakheart declared. He glanced towards his security ponies. “That goes for everypony. This never happened, understood?”  The two guards nodded. “Good, you are dismissed.” “Umm, yes sir,” one of them replied before they scurried outside. Swan rose to her hooves and looked to Blitz, who was struggling to his hooves. She felt a surge of relief that he was okay, that her stupidity hadn’t gotten him hurt. Yet her relief was tempered by the stark reality of their situation: Flurry Heart was still alive and the other tribes weren’t going to intervene. She lowered her head and stomped the deck with a hoof in frustration. Oakheart turned to her and reached down, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “I know this is difficult for you, but—” “You don’t know anything,” Swan snapped, knocking his hoof aside. “The blood of those that died at Mulberry Ridge cries out for justice! So long as she is here, the Aerie will not aid you. I’ll see to it myself!” Swan looked to Last Shadow, who appeared almost regretful, a sadness in her eyes that only infuriated Swan further. “And you. Stay away from my aerie, understand? If you set hoof anywhere near them, I will kill you. Winds alive, I will find a way!” She turned and stormed outside, with Blitz hot on her hooves, ignoring the looks of those in the corridor with her as she hurried towards the elevator. “Swan, are you okay?” Blitz asked. “You’re not hurt, are you?” Her ears flattened and she looked away. “If you ignore the smouldering remains of my pride, I’m fine.”  He let out a sigh and place a hoof on her shoulder. “Come on, Swanny. We’re alive, aren’t we? Facing off against the Last Shadow and walking away from it is worthy of song, don’t you think?” Swan scowled. “She kicked our flanks, Blitz. She could have killed us any moment she wanted. We failed. At least if she’d killed us, it might have rallied the aerie to act, maybe even forcing Merry Weather to actually do something.” She scuffed the floor with a hoof. “Now we’ve got nothing. I’ve lost my only chance to make that monster pay for what she’s done.” Her eyes closed, the pain in her heart pressing against her chest like it would explode at any moment. Then, a wing draped across her back and she looked to see Blitz smiling at her. “Hey, this isn’t the Swan I know. You never give up,” he said with a grin. “We’re alive and that means we’re still in the game. What’s more, Last Shadow hasn’t left yet, which means we still may have a shot at her.” “But Merry…” The thought of returning back to Merry Weather with their tails between their legs twisted her gut in knots. She could imagine his reaction: the anger, the gloating, the everything. “Merry needs us, Swan. You’re the most experienced soldier he has, and if we’re going off to fight pirates, he’ll need you to lead the troops,” he said, giving her a gentle squeeze. “He’ll rub it in your face, sure, but he’ll still look to you to get things done. Just like he always has.”  She allowed herself a smile. “Since when did you become so wise and all-knowing?”  He chuckled and gave her a wink. “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.” With that, he trotted forward, spinning around and extending a hoof. “Shall we face the music together, Lieutenant?”  Despite everything rattling around in her head, and all of her emotions threatening to tear her apart from the inside, she actually felt a small spark of hope flicker from within.