//------------------------------//
// Chapter 34 
// Story: Bad Future Crusaders 
// by TonicPlotter 
//------------------------------//

        “How’s Pinstripe?”
        Sandback’s wings shot erect with surprise and he almost choked on the mouthful of breakfast bagel he had been dopily chewing on in a half-asleep stupor. It was that special time in the morning when it was too easy to lose yourself in a mindless stare and Sandback was the kind of pony to leap out of bed, splash water on his face, and glide sloppily to headquarters with his breakfast in his mouth raining crumbs down onto the street below. “Good, sir,” he said amid loud chomps as he tried to get the mouthful down, “It missed his bones and pierced his deltoideus. He should be up and about in a few days, but I would recommend keeping him on the ground until it heals completely.”
        Crimson Sky nodded, pretending he knew what Sandback was talking about when in reality he knew little to nothing about anatomy or medicine beyond basic first aid. Sandback was the expert; although fairly young he had training as a nurse prior to enlisting, making him an already knowledgeable field medic despite having little experience, and as Pinstripe’s friend he had spent most of his time taking care of the rookie since the injury. Sky had allowed him to skip work for it, knowing that moral support from a buddy was what the kid needed most. “He gets as much time as he needs,” said Sky as he filled a pot of water and dumped it into the coffee maker, “He… will recover fully? This won’t leave him crippled or anything like that?”
        “No, sir,” said Sandback, “All things considered he was quite lucky.”
        “Looks that way,” said Sky as the inky black source of power diligently filled the coffee pot. Although he wouldn’t consider running into a pony like Silver Spoon and taking an arrow to the shoulder on one’s first mission lucky in any shape or form, he was just relieved to see the kid’s career didn’t come to a screeching end right then and there. Especially with how the kid had stood his ground like he had; that took serious guts.
        Not like the lieutenant at all, ditching her injured wingponies to chase Twitch’s killer for herself.
        “Sir?” said Sandback, “Is something wrong, sir?”
        Crimson Sky realized he was frowning and glaring at the wall as he thought about it and shook his head. “Just tired. Been up all night and haven’t had my coffee yet.” He swatted the machine to jiggle free the last lingering drop of coffee and poured the contents into two matching travel mugs which each bore the R.E.A.F. logo. He waggled the empty pot at Sandback, offering to start a new one, but the young medic shook his head and tapped what was left of his bagel. “Where did you get that thing anyways?” said Sky hungrily, “Don’t tell me they’ve started making good food at the mess.”
        “Are you serious, sir?” said Sandback, “I’m still thoroughly convinced the mess food is ponies. I think I found a tooth in the scrambled eggs last week.”
        The old captain laughed low in his throat as he took the two cups, nodded to Sandback, and made his way through the still empty headquarters to the commander’s lounge. It was still early, well before curfew, and most of the unit was still at home sleeping or was Sandback and had shown up early for whatever possible reason he could have. Of course when they heard the news, that Twitch’s killer had been captured, Lightning Dust had squatted in the commander’s lounge to wait patiently. She had first dibs on the killer once Her Highness was through with questioning the prisoner and was content to sit without sleep or food waiting for the chance. Merrilay had been even less patient; after leaving her comrades behind and following Stormfront she had hung around the holding cells just to mock the killer once she came to.
        And what kind of wingpony would I be if I went home to snuggle with my darling while those two were here stewing?
        He sat one of the coffees on their brand new table and took his place on the leather sofa. Lightning Dust was hovering in the corner staring at the dull filtered morning light that managed to bleed through the frosted window with her forelegs crossed and raw, fierce determination engrave into her face. She was fully dressed in her best flight suit, her load-webbing with a full load-out of GP bombs plus two, and of course the dog tags. Her intention was clear: no doubt she intended to use Twitch’s killer for target practice. Without breaking her concentration she slowly drifted to the table and seized her drink, produced a stainless steel flask from her suit and emptied as much as she could into the cup, and downed a good half of the cup’s contents in one admirable gulp. She abruptly let out a pained hiss and a cough, wiping at the small bit that had dribbled down her lip.
        “Careful, it’s hot.”
        “No kidding,” she said with a single humorless laugh.
        Crimson Sky tried to respond but a loud yawn escaped his mouth instead. He bit his hoof lightly and nodded to her, and then took a gulp of his own coffee. Like he so often had said to Twitch every time his motives for wanting to leave the R.E.A.F. and join the guard were questioned, he really was getting too old for this. Gone were the good old days of youth where a good day or two without proper sleep was nothing. With that in mind he was actually rather impressed by Lightning Dust’s determination; though he had a solid fifteen years on her at least, she was by no means a young pony and yet showed no sign whatsoever of being tired. There weren’t even bags under her eyes.
        “Sky,” she said in a surprisingly understanding tone, “You understand you don’t have to be here, don’t you? Twitch was your friend too, but the killer is mine. You don’t get a slice of this one, so you might as well—”
        “I’m staying,” said Crimson Sky flatly.
        “It’s your call,” she said with just a hint of annoyance in her voice, “for now, at least. Once Merrilay gets back I’m gone to give the killer what-for, and you’re going home to get some sleep. That’s an order, not a request. As soon as Merrilay returns you’re home until tomorrow.”
        “Fine, Major,” he said sarcastically.
        “Good, Captain,” she said back with a smirk.
        He opened his mouth to speak and hesitated. He had planned to keep his concerns to himself, at least for now, but he had also expected Dust to be in a bad mood. She only called him by rank in public or when they had one of their little exchanges like that, which was something she only did in a good mood. It seemed she had been savoring her revenge all night and was excited about it like a foal on her birthday. “Lightning Dust,” he said in the professional tone of a businesspony, “About our new lieutenant, we made a mistake I think.”
        “Well, technically I made the mistake, Sky,” said Lightning Dust passively.
        “I mean it, Dust,” said Crimson Sky, shrugging off her obvious uncaring sarcasm. “Leaving injured comrades behind in front of a threat? That crow doesn’t caw with me.”
        The Major took another swig of her drink and made another pained hiss. “Oh, come on, Sky. Her comrades took one blow each; if they needed backup after that then they’re a couple of pansies. I don’t recruit pansies, Sky. Merrilay was eager to complete the mission, and I like that.”
        “I don’t know, Dust,” he said as he took a drink of his own coffee, “I’m just not sure she’s right for this. We don’t even know anything about her other than the sparse info in her file.”
        Lightning Dust took a slow sip of her coffee, eyeing him up and down as she did. “What are you getting at, Sky?” she said sounding somewhat intrigued as she looked over the rim of her cup at him.
        “I don’t really know. Just too tired, I guess. Something about her just rubs me the wrong way,” he paused for another sip, “And I trust my gut.”
        “Yeah, but what do you expect? The kid has a messed up past. Most of us do, Sky,” said Lightning Dust in a troublingly proud tone, “Why else would we do this job? The unit was built on the backwash and throwaways of Equestria, and it attracts more of the same. Look, I get that you’re ticked she left her comrades behind, but she’s new at this and had revenge on the mind so I can let it slide. It’s not healthy to bottle up those feelings, Sky. Remember when I went after the old man?” She landed and reared onto her hind legs, using her wings as counterweights to hold the stance, and threw a few quick jabs, a parry, and finished with a jump kick that made her bombs rock and clack against one another ominously. “How satisfying that was? All those years he was on me and then BAM! POW! Gave him back so much he’ll never fly again! Ha ha, gets me all fired up just thinking about it!”
        Crimson Sky had more to say but bit his tongue; he knew this was an argument he wouldn’t win. Although he normally felt revenge was a waste of time at best, he nodded in agreement to his partner’s reminiscing. He found foal abusers particularly disgusting and if her father was even half as bad as she claimed, the rather savage beating she gave him was well deserved. She continued to shadow-box, loudly vocalizing her attacks, while he finished his coffee and sat back in a stupor fighting to stay awake.
        The door flew open and their new lieutenant stormed in, still carrying that bow and quiver she had taken from the target in Loamstone Valley, and marched diligently across the room to slump against the wall and brood. Lightning Dust lit up with a cruel sneer. “All done, I trust? Did you have your little moment with her? Alright. Sky, go home,” she said happily, “I’ve got a play date I don’t want to be late for. Merrilay, you want to watch? It’ll be real educational.”
        Merrilay fidgeted with her bow as she fitted it to her hoof; apparently she had already gotten her hooves on a set of shoes designed to carry and nock her weapon. “Don’t bother,” she said angrily, “you can’t have her.”
        “What?” said Lightning Dust in a calm tone that radiated pure buried rage.
        The lieutenant attempted to nock an arrow but clumsily dropped it from the little hook on her shoe. “The Dink.”
        “What of her?”
        “First she tried to offer her a job,” said Merrilay in the spiteful tone of a spoiled child, “Then she ordered her execution tomorrow morning.”
        “Are… you… KIDDING… ME?!” roared Lightning Dust between enraged breaths. “That spell tossing little—!!! After all I’ve done… after everything I’ve given them…” she growled, only pausing to suck air through her clenched teeth, “She goes ahead and takes away the gun-waving little jack-off that killed my friend?!” She landed in the center of the room and thrust her hooves under the new table. “ALL I ASKED FOR WAS TO TAKE THE LIFE OF THAT ONE PONY AND BLOW IT TO THE MOON!!!” she hollered at the top of her lungs as she braced herself—
        “Dust!” yelled Crimson Sky as he leaped from his couch and pinned her forelegs with his. “Two tables in a week?”
        She fought and writhed against him but his strength and the weight of the table won out. She clenched his foreleg with her hooves and glared up at him. “I… hate… that little brat. And I thought Celestia was a crappy princess. Just think: one day that little cyclops will step up and take the throne.”
        Crimson Sky nodded in agreement, if only to calm his partner down, and shot a glare at Merrilay. The lieutenant didn’t really seem to care even in the slightest about any of this despite her prior brooding; she was still preoccupied with trying to get a feel for that blasted bow she had picked up.
        “I need to calm down,” growled Lightning Dust, “I need to let off some steam.” She unbuckled her load-webbing and carelessly threw it at the little wooden rack designed to hold it, knocking it over and sending a chilling crash through the room as the bombs it held all bounced and rolled onto the tile floor. “The Dizzitron,” she said as she marched to the door, “Throwing the rookies on the Dizzitron at its highest setting’ll do them some good and cheer me up— Featherweight!”
        The sudden change in her tone caught Crimson Sky off guard and even managed to catch Merrilay’s attention. Featherweight had been standing outside the door; no doubt the little coward could hear the cacophony of Dust’s tantrum even through the soundproofing and had either been waiting for her to calm down or had been trying to muster up the courage to enter.
        “Featherweight, you slimy little weasel,” said Lightning Dust in an appreciative tone, like she was complimenting him, as she easily scooped up his spindly little frame and carried him to a seat at the briefing table. With a jump and a flap of her wings she cleared it and took her own seat across from him. “You always bring good news. Featherweight, I need good news here.”
        “Yes, I, well maybe. Perhaps,” he said sounding somewhat confused as she gave a nod of acknowledgement to Crimson Sky. “Perhaps I will let you be the judge of that, Dust. You see, one of my sets of ears heard something, um, peculiar. Unusual. Strange place, strange conversation. Two ponies near the ruins of Ponyville and a conversation that may interest you. Among other things they spoke of elements and your old friend Rainbow Dash.”
        Lightning Dust’s eyes lit up and her ears laid flat like a cat ready to attack. “You don’t say…” she said hungrily, “Tell me more. Where are they headed?”
        “They are travelling by hoof. Their most likely bearing is Winsome Falls.”
        “And I bet I could get there just in time to meet them if I really wing it. I just—”
        THWACK!
        “Merrilay!” spat Lightning Dust at her wingpony who had finally succeeded in nocking an arrow, only to fumble and launch it into the wall across the room, “Must you do that in here?!”
        “Eh-heh, in any case…” said Featherweight as he uncomfortably locked eyes with Merrilay who only shrugged and began practicing with her arrows once more. He produced a small envelope from his jacket. “Here is a transcript of their conversation—”
        “Yeah, not interested,” said Lightning Dust as she slapped the envelope to the table. “Tell me about these two ponies. Tell me everything.”
        “Unfortunately…” said Featherweight uneasily, “they could not get close enough for a proper description. Not enough cover. One, as it seems, wore a cloak that covered head to hoof, and that is all they could get.”
        Lightning Dust simply scoffed at the thought. “Well, whatever. I’ll find out when I get there. Now, Featherweight. Old buddy old pal. You… didn’t tell anypony else about this? Not that tub of lard inspector…?” she said as she gave a brief poisonous glare at Crimson Sky, “Not the guards? The Princess? Nopony? I’m going to be real ticked off if I get there and find Rumble and his unit there.”
        “Would I do a thing like that?” said Featherweight with his signature creepy grin that showed off his jagged teeth and faded quickly when he got no response. “No. The answer would be no. Just for you. I can’t very well pass the information along if it were… lost along the way, can I?” With a flick the envelope slid from the table and landed a few feet away from Crimson Sky who snatched it up and carefully read the contents.
        “Featherweight, you’ve done it again,” said Lightning Dust as she soared over the table and landed behind him, planting her hooves on his shoulders, “Don’t ever change, and I mean that. Now, why not stick around for a bit? Merrilay over there is going to go put the rookies through the Dizzitron. Want to give it a try too? It’s a real rush. Just the rabbit setting; it’ll grow the fur on your chest.”
        Featherweight only chuckled and smirked at Merrilay who looked up with a frown from being passive-aggressively volunteered for the job. “No, that is fine. Thank you, but no. Things to do, places to be. Paperwork, there is always miles of paperwork. Busy busy busy.”
        “Well, I’d best not keep you then,” said Lightning Dust politely as she flew him back to the door. “Thanks again, old pal. I don’t know what we’d do without you.” As the door closed behind him her smile became sinister; she had that little pegasus wrapped around her little hoof and she was well aware. “This is just what I need, Sky!” she said happily as she unwound the dog-tags from her load-webbing and draped them around her neck beside her own.
        Crimson Sky finished reading the transcript and looked his partner dead in the eyes. “Dust, this sounds like serious stuff.”
        “I know,” said Lightning Dust as her demeanor became serious for a moment. “Even dead, Rainbow Dash finds ways to irritate me from time to time. It’s time I closed that little chapter forever. Don’t you worry about what they were talking about, Sky, I’ll settle it. I won’t mess it up twice.”
        “You should take a full squadron with you,” said Crimson Sky, “At least bring us along for support.”
        “You said you trust your gut, Sky,” she said as she patted his shoulder, “I trust mine. This is something I need to do so I’m going alone. And I mean that; if anypony in a gray flight suit shows up there will be trouble. You are going home and getting some sleep. Tell the missus I said ‘hi’.” As usual she didn’t give him the chance to argue or debate; she hurried out the door and slammed it shut before he could get a word out.
        Crimson Sky stood and stared at the door, lost in thought. He did trust his gut, and his gut was telling him this had bad news stamped all over it. He just didn’t know what he could do about it.
        “What was that all about?” said Merrilay as she stood beside him, “Who is Rainbow Dash?”
        “Ancient history.”
        “C’mon, spill.”
        The old stallion sighed, not wanting to think about that night but relented quickly. She was his fellow wingpony now, after all. “It was our first mission. Official mission, anyway. Our orders were to capture two ponies and bring them to her Majesty. Except we botched it, and Dust never got over it. Rainbow Dash was the one who wouldn’t surrender and went down fighting. The other one escaped. And the filly…”
        “Filly? You said there were two.”
        “There was a filly with them,” he said, feeling the all too familiar pinch as the memory bit into the back of his neck like a thousand needles. “She looked old enough to fly so I ignored her when she fell. I didn’t realize she couldn’t until… it was far too late. Couldn’t find hide or mane of her, and believe me when I say I looked. The river must’ve swallowed her up.”
        “Aw, don’t feel bad,” said Merrilay softly as she patted his drooping shoulders, “Sounds like natural selection just doing its thing to me. I mean, what good is a pegasus that can’t fly anyways?”
        Crimson Sky took a deep angry breath and pulled away from her ‘comforting’. “Round up the unit,” he said darkly. “Three hours of PT, three hours of ISBU training, then Dizzitron until supper. I have some things to do.”
        He took a lesson from Lightning Dust and stormed out the door, slamming it behind him before his fellow wingpony could even respond.