//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 - Not the Reunion I was Hoping For // Story: Flurry in Time // by DuvetofReason //------------------------------// Nyx was safe! At last, the anxiety that had gripped Flurry Heart for the past twelve hours had found its release. She clung to her cousin tightly, finding comfort in the embrace even with all the pokey bits of Nyx’s armor trying their hardest to ruin it. A few relieved tears trickled down her cheeks, the emotions hitting harder than she expected. As Flurry held her, she could tell that not all was well. Nyx’s breathing was laboured and uneven. Her mane was slick with sweat, and her wings trembled slightly at her sides. It felt like hours of tension and exhaustion were radiating off her. “I just need a moment,” Nyx whispered. “Please.” Flurry said nothing and simply pulled her closer, letting Nyx’s chin rest on her shoulder. As captain, Nyx would have done all she could to present a stalwart and indomitable image, especially to her new crew. She would lead them by example, showing great courage and valor. Flurry knew her better. While all these were in fact her traits, no one, not even an alicorn, was unbreakable. In the brief moment of silence, time seemed to slow as Flurry lingered, soaking it in. Unspoken words passed between them, a reaffirmation of old bonds that had long since faded. Eventually, Nyx pulled back, her composure restored. Nyx’s cool gaze fell upon her, dousing the warm, nostalgic moment. The gulf between them began to reassert itself, six years of regrets manifesting once more like an impossible weight around her neck. Flurry decided to try and right things. She took a deep breath, then spoke. “Nyx, I… I…” Damn it, why is this so hard?  She opened and closed her mouth several times, the words refusing to come out. Flurry looked up to see Nyx scrutinizing her carefully, her stern gaze instantly taking Flurry back to the days when Nyx had overseen her lessons. “What happened to you?” Nyx asked with hints of worry as she tilted her head. “You sound terrible.” “Oh, I had to pop outside for a minute or two without a helmet,” came Flurry’s reply with a glimmer of hope that she could keep the conversation light-hearted. Nyx’s posture appeared to relax slightly as a tiny relieved sigh escaped her muzzle. Still, her ears were a bit down, giving her composure a glimmer of familial concern. “And your wings,” Nyx said softly, reaching to Flurry's side with a foreleg and gently stroking her jet-black feathers. “What have you done to yourself?” “Hey, you have no idea the trouble I’ve had to go through just to pull this off,” Flurry reacted with a nervous chuckle. Nyx gave her that sad and all-too-familiar disapproving look before shaking her head with an exasperated sigh. “Hold on,” Flurry quickly added, reaching out with a hoof. “You don’t think I—” “It doesn't matter,” Nyx said flatly. “We have pressing matters to deal with.” She began walking toward the barricade where Flint and his squad were quietly talking. Flurry felt a desperate anger rise in her chest as she watched Nyx leave. “But I—” “We’ll talk later, Flurry,” Nyx snapped, her wings bristling. Flurry winced at the irritation in her voice. “My crew needs us now. Both of us.” A deep pit formed in Flurry’s stomach. Her ears flattened and she hung her head. There would be no winning this, especially when she knew Nyx was right. Losing her temper would only lead to history repeating itself. “Okay,” she said softly as she fell in line behind the ship’s captain. <=======ooO Ooo=======> Swan sat beside Flurry, still in a daze over what she had just witnessed. Here, a prolonged battle was fought between Syndicate forces and Harmony’s finest soldiers, backed up by Orion security. Then, just two alicorns came and snuffed it out in mere moments. The few changelings that survived were sent scampering away in fear. Around them, a bustle of newly arrived security ponies and volunteers were busy securing the concourse. Finally, Swan was allowed a moment of clarity and rest. Her gaze drifted to the black alicorn, now huddled beside Flintlock and Bounty as they discussed the situation. She wasn’t sure what to make of this one. Those slitted eyes gave her the creeps, looking more like they belonged on a cat or dragon than a pony. And the fangs were just unnerving. Even from a distance, Swan noticed them every time the alicorn spoke. It also didn’t help that she had emerged out of the darkness clad head to hoof in weird-looking armor that had no business existing outside myth and legend. She looked more like a storybook villain than the captain of an enormous modern warship. “Your cousin is more than a little unsettling,” Swan remarked, her eyes still locked onto the black mare. When Flurry didn’t answer, Swan turned to notice that she seemed lost in troubled thought. It was a bit off-putting that suddenly now, after successfully rescuing this ship and her captain, Flurry carried the subdued appearance of having lost the fight. After all, wasn’t this their entire point in coming? Wasn’t this what so many of Swan’s aerie had died for? Ever since they had first met, Flurry seemed to have this unshakable optimism about her goal. Nothing, not even her branding as a blackwing, seemed to get in the way of it. Yet now, she was quiet, appearing more like a sullen child awaiting punishment. There was no sign of the haughty and notorious thief or the war criminal of legend. She seemed adrift, even periodically glancing at the vacant spot on her shoulder where her strange plushie once sat. “Those eyes and teeth,” Swan continued with a shudder. “You’re not hiding anything weird, are you?” “Sorry to disappoint, but no, Nyx is a… special case.” “She looks like she belongs in a theatre troupe with that armour,” Swan said. “You never heard of Nightmare Moon, I take it?” Flurry asked with a quiet chuckle. “Nightmare what?” “Kids these days don’t know anything,” Flurry muttered, shaking her head. “She’s the boogey-mare that tried to take over Equus once. Got a holiday named after her.” Swan frowned, the reference not ringing any bells. “What’s that got to do with Nyx?” “She is Nightmare Moon, or at least she was until… Never mind, it’s complicated.” Flurry shrugged. Swan wasn’t sure if the mare was joking or not. Her expression was unreadable, having returned to staring at her cousin. “You’d think she would be happier to see you,” Swan remarked. “You did come all this way.” “We had a bit of a falling out after the war,” Flurry said quietly. “She didn’t appreciate my recent career choices.” “I see,” Swan said, though she suspected there was far more to this than Flurry was admitting. “Flurry Heart, the family disappointment,” the mare remarked bitterly to herself. “Not that I helped matters… so stupid.” “I’m sure once we get back, you’ll be able to talk it out,” Swan tried. “Oh, like you and me?” Flurry’s question took her aback. She was surprised to consider that her hatred toward the mare hadn’t crossed her mind since they began their journey through the ship. Though she had to admit, she wasn’t fully at peace with the alicorn yet. “I…” Swan stammered. “Sure, I guess.” “Hey, what’s with you two?” came a voice from behind Swan. She turned to see Fire Hawk walking up to join them. “After all the ass we just kicked, you should be flying high! I know I am.” The kirin’s helmet had folded onto her back, revealing her voluminous mane as it spilled out over her shoulders. A look of contentment shone on her face as she slurped a can of Zoom through a straw. “Where did you get that?” Swan asked with a hint of envy. It wasn't like the Orion was overflowing with vending machines. “Oh, you’d like some? Here, have a whiff.” Fire Hawk levitated the drink closer to Swan’s nostrils. “Unghhh, you drink that?” she balked. The pungent concoction was like a hundred odours having a brawl for her attention. “Smells like it could strip the paint right off the walls.” The kirin paused in what looked like a moment of reflective thought. “Hmm, let’s try it!” “Let’s not! You might burn a hole in something.” “I burn holes in a lotta things, sweetie.” “There’s no accounting for taste, I guess.” The mare shrugged before sitting down with Swan and Flurry. “Keeps me topped up. Going nirik is a lotta work.” Flurry offered a forehoof to Fire, which was bumped in turn. “Haven’t seen a kirin fight in a really long time,” she said. “You did pretty good.” “Yeah right,” Fire deflected. “You and Nyx stole the show. But I gotta say, I’m really looking forward to seeing more of that!” “I’ll try not to let you down,” Flurry replied with a smile, the melancholy tone from a moment ago now brushed aside. “But I’ll need you to heat up the popcorn.” “It’s a date!” Fire chuckled, draining the last dregs from her bottle. “You’re in for a treat, pillow-stuffer,” she continued, turning her attention to Swan. “Captain Nyx is a living legend at the police academy. Got a statue and everything.” “Nyx always was the popular one,” Flurry joked with a lighthearted chuckle. “How does it feel to meet that legend in the flesh?” “Are you kidding? Did you see how many ferals she wasted?!” Fire Hawk whooped, practically vibrating with excitement. “And that wicked armour? Totally sold.” As Flurry and Fire Hawk exchanged enthusiastic stories, Swan began to see that there was a lot more to the alicorn than all the carefree bluster suggested. How many regrets and sorrows were hidden behind that cocksure smile? The mystery that was Flurry Heart tugged further at Swan’s curiosity. “Everypony listen up!” came the sharp voice of Flintlock, breaking Swan out of her thoughts. “We have a plan to take back the ship.” Swan joined the semi-circle of ponies that had gathered around Flint and Nyx. Only Priest held his position, keeping watch for intruders. “I’ve discussed the situation with Captain Nyx and Corporal Bounty,” Flint continued before giving a nod to Nyx and stepping aside. “Thank you, chief,” Nyx replied as she tapped a few commands into her holo-brace. An outline of the Orion was projected before the crowd. It highlighted a large area towards the stern of the ship labeled ‘Engineering’. A long and slender green zone indicated the concourse, several decks higher and a few hundred canters forward. This was the team’s current position. “Our objective is to take Engineering,” Nyx began. “Syndicate changelings seized it during the first stages of their attack, and captured most of the engineering crew.” A hard edge crept into the alicorn’s voice as she continued. “Having lost the concourse, they will be getting desperate as they retreat and regroup. We don’t know what has become of the crew in Engineering, but the sooner we strike, the more lives will be saved, and the quicker we take back the ship.” Before them, a thin blue line snaked through the projection of the Orion, joining the two locations together. “Flurry Heart and I will take point ahead of Alpha squad, moving down through the cargo deck. It gives us the quickest route to Engineering,” Nyx said, tracing the route with a wingtip. “As long as I don’t gotta miss the party, I’m happy,” Fire Hawk added with an eager grin as she glanced around to everyone gathered. Swan briefly wondered if something like solitary confinement would be fatal to the mare. “Don’t worry, Fire,” Flint replied. “You’ll get to do your thing.” “Awesome,” Fire Hawk murmured, a tiny giggle escaping her muzzle. “Echo, you’ll provide tech support if we need it,” Flint continued. “The rest of us will be fire support.” “You got it, boss,” Echo acknowledged. “Everypony remember,” Nyx intoned, the seriousness in her voice quelling the rising chatter. “Five hundred of my crew are still unaccounted for. Recovering them is our top priority.” At the mention of this, images from within the drone bay of the Syndicate cruiser flashed through Swan’s mind. A cold shiver ran down her spine, causing her wings to shudder. In her mind’s eye, she could still see those poor ponies mutilated, their brains being put into those— A gentle wing over her shoulder snapped Swan back to reality. She looked to her side to see Flurry offering a gentle smile before focusing back on the briefing. Flint was speaking again. “…the remainder of fire team Charlie is en route to the concourse to support Orion security in our absence,” he explained. “Now everypony check your gear. We move as soon as possible.” Swan blinked at the realization she wasn’t mentioned at all when the plan had been explained. Flint’s team had already begun donning their helmets and checking their weapons, while the security ponies moved to a defensive position, protecting the concourse. “Wait, what about me?” Swan asked.  “You stay here,” Nyx answered her. “We’ve got this covered.” “I can help,” Swan objected, hefting her changeling pulse rifle where Nyx could see it. The black alicorn glanced up and down Swan’s flight suit. “I appreciate the offer, and I’m grateful for what you and yours have done, but no. A pilot is not a soldier. I won’t have this operation jeopardized by a young pegasus with no infantry experience.” The alicorn’s words cut deep, that alien gaze raising all of Swan’s inadequacies with a single glance. Any indignation Swan might have felt was snuffed out in an instant, her protests dying on her lips. “Let the kid come,” Flurry said firmly. Swan looked to her with surprise. Flurry ought to be eager to ditch her now that she was reunited with her cousin. “She’s a liability,” Nyx replied coldly. “What happens if we get swarmed? You’d be too focused on her rather than the fight.” “Hey, if anypony can handle a swarm it’s this one,” Flurry retorted, returning Nyx’s glare. “She helped me get here in one piece. A lot of her pilots were lost out there saving this ship. She deserves some payback.” “Revenge…” Nyx sighed. “Not this time. Not when my crew’s lives are on the line.” Swan felt her heart clench. She had to say something, had to keep moving, otherwise everything that had happened in the last hour would come crashing down on her like an avalanche. “I can do this!” she insisted, staring directly into those predatory eyes. Her face became stone cold. “I need to do this,” she added. “I won’t let you down, and I’m not afraid to die.” Nyx kept her gaze in silence for a long moment while Swan held her ground. “No, I can see you’re not. Don’t get in the way and try not to shoot anyone.” “Yes ma’am!” Swan exclaimed, giving her a salute.  “And for goodness sake, somepony get this mare something to wear.” Swan’s spirits soared. She wasn’t quite sure what it was about having the alicorn’s approval. Perhaps it was everything that had been building up to this moment. All the expectations and the critical nature of their mission made her feel a part of something far more profound than her miserable daily life. And even though she’d have to go back and face an unhappy Merry Weather—even though she still may stare death in the face before this mission was over—for this moment, she was happy. A glance at Flurry showed the mare giving Swan a satisfied smile. The list of things she owed Flurry was growing almost by the minute. Just why was this alicorn going so far out of the way for her? Swan’s musing was broken as the hulking form of Princess stomped up to her. The mustang loomed over her, carrying a gatling gun that made her feel tiny and insignificant by comparison. “Alright, newbie, listen up. Chief says I need to foalsit you till you’re up to speed. You do exactly what I say, when I say. Any of my team gets hurt and it’s your fault… the bugs will be the least of your problems.” Swan swallowed dryly, nodding at the horse standing over her. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you down.” “Good,” Princess said. “Now check your weapon and don’t point it at anything unless you want to kill it.” <=======ooO Ooo=======> The sound of hoofsteps against metal echoed up and down the wide spiral stairwell as Flurry followed closely behind Nyx. Flint and the rest of his squad were broken up into three pairs, strung out not far behind them. The emergency lights were like small islands in the growing dark. They cast a bloody red hue on the ponies during their descent, throwing distorted shadows that danced across the walls. It was times like this Flurry wished she could see in the dark as well as Nyx. As she followed behind, the black alicorn deftly navigated the darkness like a cat on the hunt. From the gloomy pit, far below, came the steady reverberation of gunfire. It grew louder as they made their way down the metal stairwell, giving the sense that it wouldn’t be long before they found what they were looking for. “I’m picking up friendly radio chatter,” Echo announced. “Sounds like Delta team. They’re under fire.” Flurry’s gaze flitted to Nyx, who had paused at the landing of one of the decks, turning slightly. The conflict of whether to assist or press on towards Engineering flashed in her eyes. “What do you think, Nyx?” Flurry asked. Flint tapped his holo-brace, opening his comms for all to hear. “Delta, this is Alpha Lead, close to your position. Do you need assistance?” he asked. “Alpha, I copy. Syndicate attack is petering out,” a stallion’s voice crackled over the radio. “Just finishing off the last of them.” “Roger that, Delta—good to hear,” Flint replied. “Once you’re done there, proceed to the concourse on the command deck. We’re moving towards Engineering now.” “Copy that. Good hunting!” Flurry let out a sigh of relief that the Syndicate seemed to be running out of soldiers. She was suddenly thankful that she had blown their boarding tubes during the firefight outside, cutting off reinforcements. Soon, she and her squad would take Engineering and this would all be over. She gave Nyx a smile, which her cousin returned, albeit weakly. “Let’s keep moving,” Nyx said as she proceeded further down the stairwell. “They’re likely retreating to Engineering as a final stronghold.” “If they’re running, they must have gotten the news by now,” Flurry said, moving to follow. “News?” “That two alicorns are coming to kick their ass,” Flurry grinned. Nyx let out a dark chuckle. “You haven’t lost your sense of humour over the years, I see.” “Not on your life.” “We just have to be extra careful. They’ll be desperate now,” Nyx added as they arrived at the hatchway labeled ‘Cargo and Storage’. Flurry waited while Nyx scanned the area ahead with the sensors built into her armor. She let out a sigh, glancing at her crappy holo-brace with contempt. “I miss having all the fancy toys,” Flurry muttered with a hint of envy. “I’m reading nothing on the other side,” Nyx stated before giving Flurry a nod. “Get the hatch and be ready with a shield… just in case.” Nyx’s words sparked a hint of nostalgia in Flurry as she was reminded of the times they used to work together—when they trusted one another. The thought soothed her lingering agitation. With a quick telekinetic pull, Flurry wrenched the hatch open, revealing an inky blackness within. The emergency lights had failed, and the whole area was cloaked in utter darkness. The alicorns led the way through as small motes of magical energy, some indigo and some golden, hovered in front of their horns. One by one, helmet lamps lit up as Flint and his team filed in behind them. The shadows of forklifts and cargo trolleys flitted across the corridor like aberrant beasts of a fevered imagination. Along the floor, a thin haze lingered, and the air tasted of changeling nectar. “Reminds me of Silverspring,” Flurry remarked. “Dark caves full of rabid ferals waiting to suck every last bit of emotion from us…” “You can stop that any time you want, you know,” Nyx interrupted. Flurry chuckled. “You stank of rotten eggs for weeks.” Nyx let out a grumble, her tail flicking dangerously as they continued walking into the gloom. The corridors on this deck were wider, with curved ceilings and elegant arches that gave enough space for a pegasus to pass overhead if they wished. Flurry recognized the distinctly Commonwealth architecture, though such designs were rare out in the colonies. As Flint and his team spread out, Flurry caught sight of Swan Song walking alongside Princess at the rear of the squad. She seemed to be fitting in with the others, though it was still clear she was out of her comfort zone amongst infantry soldiers. Flurry lingered as the squad passed on by, allowing Swan to catch up. “You doing alright, kid?” “Sure. I mean, mostly,” she replied. “You’d think being comfortable in the blackness of space would translate to being comfortable in the blackness of a cramped metal labyrinth. It doesn’t. I feel like every shadow has a monster just waiting to pounce on me.” “You’re the one who wanted so badly to come along,” Princess reminded her. Flurry saw the irritated look on Swan’s face, though the mare bit back any response. “You’ll be fine,” Flurry assured with a smile before trotting away to catch up with Nyx at the front. “No sign of the enemy yet,” Nyx mentioned as Flurry slowed to walk beside her. “I half expected we’d run into a scout or guard by now.” “How close are we?” Flurry asked. “Not far. Engineering is off a parallel corridor, but we can get there quicker if we cut through storage up ahead.” “I gotta say, Nyx, it’s a really big ship. How’d you land this gig, anyway?” When Nyx didn’t answer, Flurry prodded a bit. “I mean, the last thing I expected this morning was to find you out here at all, much less in need of rescue, captaining a beast like this.” Nyx let out a heavy sigh, a sure sign Flurry had struck a nerve. “Flurry, be straight with me,” she began in a subdued voice. “If you had any inkling or heard any rumours that this was going to happen, you’d have found a way to warn us, right?” It wasn’t an accusation, but the implication was loud and clear. “Nyx, I didn’t even know this ship existed until a few hours ago, and even if you weren’t involved, there’s no way I’d let the Syndicate have their way with it,” Flurry replied, her tail flicking in irritation. “Believe it or not, the Syndicate ain’t exactly popular around here.” Nyx eyed her carefully, her stern gaze softening a bit. “I’m sorry, but I had to ask,” Nyx replied with a relieved tone. “It’s just that our route was meant to be secret. Setting up an ambush with a fake distress call, right in our path, means someone knew we were coming.” Flurry pondered this for a moment. “To be honest, this is far too big a fish even for the Syndicate. You do have a point. The fact they nearly succeeded is pretty suspicious. Still, there’s a lot of ears listening in Dragon’s Head, and the Syndicate has some of the sharpest.” “If I find out who is behind this, they’re going to pay,” Nyx snarled. “They knew right when we’d be the most vulnerable. This crew… they aren’t soldiers or even sailors. Most were just technicians assigned to get the ship fitted once we docked at Harmony.” “Then let’s get to it,” Flurry urged. “Lead the way, captain. I’m feeling pumped.” As they continued their way down the dark corridor, Flurry realized she felt more than pumped. She felt sharp and fresh like she’d just woken up after spending a night back on Equus. Last time she recharged this fast was after downing five cans of Zoom in the aftermath of a drunken TK-wrestling contest against more than a dozen unicorns. Painted on the deck was a yellow line which split off to the right and traveled beneath a doorway marked ‘Storage 1B’. Nyx paused at the door, checking her sensors once more before powering the locking mechanism with energy from her horn. The door then gave way with a slight hiss, revealing a room full of cargo crates resting on pallets. At this point, Flurry was feeling good enough to know that something strange was going on. She stopped to check her holo-brace, which showed her thaumatic energy at more than twice the amount stored up a half-hour ago. And it was rising. “Nyx, are you feeling like we just walked into a room full of narconium?” she asked. “So this is where they put it,” Nyx replied. “Anypony else feeling that?” Fire Hawk asked as the squad filed into the room. “Feeling what?” Flintlock asked. “A little funky.” Fire pawed at the ground, her ears swivelling. “We don’t have time for a bathroom break, Fire,” Princess grunted. “Just go in your armour,” Echo suggested, giving her a playful nudge. “Nice try. Not falling for that again,” Fire grumbled. “Alright, cut the chatter,” Flint barked. Nyx approached one of the storage crates and pried the top panel off, revealing it was full of reddish-tinted metal bars. Narconium. Flurry levitated one out, causing it to hover in front of her face. “You know what this is worth?” she intoned, looking Nyx in the eye. “Pretty,” Echo commented. “Are we meant to be feeling something?” “You wouldn’t,” Flint said. “I’ve seen this on most starships, but not in this amount. How much you got here?” “A better question is why,” Flurry added. “You planning on being off-world for an extra-long time or something, Nyx?” “There’s no time for chit chat,” Nyx asserted as she pulled several of the metal bars out of the crate, giving one to each member of the squad. “Tuck this away somewhere,” she instructed. “Narconium boosts the local Lifestream as well as a pony’s natural recharge rate. Important when you’re this deep in space. It won’t make a huge difference for you guys, but that’s because you’re not seventeen centuries old.” “Right on!” Flurry cheered as she stuffed a bar into one of her pockets. “Just be sure and give it back when we’re done, okay Flurry?” “Sure,” she grumbled. “Let’s go.” “How much further?” Flint asked. “Fifty-two canters past the cargo lift,” Echo replied. Soon, the squad came across a large elevator platform set into the floor, connecting the storage room with the hangar deck below. Beyond the lift, a blast door three canters wide was partially open with light streaming out from within. “That’s the core chamber up ahead,” Nyx stated. “I’m reading sketchy contacts beyond the doorway.” The alicorns crept forward, approaching the blast door from either side and taking up their positions while Flint held his team back. The gap in the door was just wide enough for one pony to walk through. Flurry stood on her hind legs with her back against the wall as she cautiously leaned over to peer inside. Flurry could see a lot of oversized equipment, backed by a row of enormous Nexus cores, which took up the rest of her sight. Without risking being spotted, she couldn’t see much else, though the frustrated chitters of several changelings were unmistakable. Flurry locked her gaze with Nyx. “Ready? On three. One… T—” “No!” Nyx insisted with a firm whisper. “We have to wait.” “What?” “My crew is in there somewhere,” Nyx explained. “I don’t want them in the crossfire.” “Got it. Crew dead bad. Now, what’s your Plan B?” Flurry asked. “Chief, does your team have any sprites?” Nyx asked over her radio. “Echo does,” Flint replied. “Good, send her up here.” Flurry kept her gaze locked on the limited view of Engineering while they waited for Echo to join them. “Chief said you need some eyes,” Echo whispered from directly behind Flurry, nearly making her jump out of her skin. “Inside,” Nyx replied, gesturing towards the large room beyond the door. “We need to find out where the crew are being held.” “Gotcha,” Echo nodded. From a compartment set into the back of her armour, a small drone, no bigger than a bumblebee, hovered out. It paused a moment as if to acknowledge its operator before darting away through the door. It wasn’t long before she described the scene. “On the far left, we’ve got the main entrance to Engineering. Looks like it’s been barricaded,” Echo stated. “There’s also a large turret emplacement off to the side. I’m not familiar with the model, but it looks similar to the Commonwealth GX-86. It has line of sight on both doors.” “Shit,” Flurry muttered. “Enemy headcount?” “You’re not gonna like this,” Echo replied before counting under her breath. “A hundred fifty-six armoured ferals. Seven controller changelings and four technicians.” “Any sign of my crew?” Nyx asked, anxiety slipping into her voice. “Nothing yet… Wait, I’ve got them,” Echo said. “Far end of the chamber, off to the right. Ninety-eight piled up along the wall. Thermals indicate they’re alive.” Flurry looked to Nyx, watching the gears turn inside her head. “We can’t risk a frontal attack,” Nyx stated. “The rest of the team wouldn’t make it ten canters past the door, plus the crew need to be isolated.” “I can cover the crew, but I can’t teleport in blind,” Flurry said. “There’s a maintenance stairwell that leads up through containment to the upper gantry,” Echo offered, pointing to the left. “Twenty-five canters that way.” Flurry gave the mare a quizzical look. “Okay, you didn’t even look that time,” she muttered. Echo calmly returned her glance as if wondering what Flurry’s point was. “We take the stairs then,” Nyx agreed. “Let’s just hope they don’t have it guarded.” She then gestured for  Flint to move his team in. “Bad luck for them if they do,” Flurry chuckled darkly. “I don’t see anyone up there,” Echo said. “You’re just determined to ruin my fun, aren’t you?” Flurry groused, fluffing her wings.