//------------------------------//
// Solemn Departures 
// Story: Eljunbyro 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

	"Sir..."  Captain Filta levitated a pair of binoculars down from his face and turned from the starboard side to look at Shell.  "Signalers are saying that they've lost sight of the target."

"Not for long, they haven't," Shell muttered, pacing around the siny, silver sarcophagus in the center of the Steel Wing's deck.  "All the reason for us to make swiftly with sending our captives away."  He turned towards the platform where Belle was being loaded—bound and speechless—to one of several mana-powered transports.  "Make for the facility without delay.  We'll be delivering the target shortly thereafter."  He paused, his gaze lingering on Phoenix.  He added with a wave, "Take him as well."

"Aye, sir," an enforcer nodded and started dragging Phoenix towards the platform.

"Wait... w-wait!"  Phoenix stammered.  "Wh-what do you mean take m-me as well?!  We had an agreement!"  He gulped dryly and struggled with the stallions hoisting him up onto the launchpad.  "I was to be g-given free passage to Franzington—"

"Soldier, you are a deserter, a traitor, and an accomplice of the Confederacy's most dangerous fugitive," Shell droned, turning to stare menacingly at him.  "Do not test my patience beyond the limits to which it has already been stretched."

"But... m-my family—"

"Are lucky that I haven't already sent a squadron of zeppelins to incinerate their Spark-forsaken farms to volcanic glass!"  Shell's brow furrowed.  "Do calmly take your seat on board a transport.  In case you haven't noticed, I'm in the habit of tossing idiotic ponies to their deaths today."

Phoenix bit his lip and shivered.  As he trudged up the steps to where a transport waited for him, he cast a forlorn glance towards Belle.

The mare's eyes were shut as she hung her tear-stained face to the hull of the vessel where she was seated.  Her every breath was a shuddering thing.

Phoenix hung his head and limped towards his fate.

As their transports took off and soared north on thundering thrusters, Shell turned around and inhaled the smokey atmosphere of battle.  "Now, then..."  His eye narrowed.  "Where in blazes is that monster...?"