//------------------------------// // Order and Actions // Story: Reddux the Tyrant // by PaulAsaran //------------------------------// Reddux the Tyrant Chapter X Order and Actions Fleur sat before the tent, her horn dimly glowing and her attention focused on the magic. She’d practiced the spell a half-dozen times, and was sure she had it down despite how complicated it was. Now she wanted to experiment and try to use it for a different purpose. Fine had encouraged it, but in truth she’d have done so even without his suggestion. She closed her eyes and tried to envision the magic. It wasn’t hard to do. The really tricky part was knowing how each individual sensation affected the spell and made it work… or otherwise. There were so many different parts to this one and seeing all of it was a challenge. Fine had shown her how to cast the spell, but knowing how to do so and knowing all the pieces of it were two entirely different things. There was a small sensation just at the tip of her horn, like a ball of energy was floating there. Invisible to the eye, she nonetheless knew it existed. The spell called for it to rotate slowly down to the base of her horn. What if she increased the distance from the horn? She tried this tiniest of adjustments and completed the spell. It was coming easier now. She opened her eyes. At first she thought the tent was gone, hidden behind the cloak of invisibility, but after a moment she realized that she could still see it… barely. It wasn’t invisible so much as transparent. Stepping forward, Fleur pushed her face through the veil and saw the tent on the other side, as normal as ever. Okay, so the circling ‘ball’ handled… transparency? Or maybe the strength of the spell in general? It seemed a little too simple to be something like that, for in changing the ‘ball’s’ radius from her horn she’d also shifted a few other things. How to know which element had caused this reduction in strength? Determined to learn more, Fleur closed her eyes and began to focus on shutting down the spell. Upon doing so, she noticed a tight sensation at the base of her horn. “Horseapples…” She let the magic fade, pouting at the faint image of the tent before her. She was at her limit already… Well, ‘already’ was relative. She knew she could last longer than most foals her age. She wished her hornguard would wear off already; most foals lost theirs by the age of thirteen. There was no other option but to rest and let the spell fade on its own. Fleur glanced along the wall, half hoping to see Fine Crime. As always, there was no sign of him. She started to look to the sun to determine time and promptly stopped herself. It felt like ages since he’d gone into the fort for more supplies. Her ears perked to an unfamiliar sound, like a distant rumbling. For an instant she suspected dragons and her heart began to pound against her ribs, but why would flying dragons make a rumbling noise? And the things certainly weren’t going to walk across the desert. So no, she reassured herself that it couldn’t be dragons. She glanced at the fort and saw nothing. She turned a circle, her vision following the horizon. Her gaze settled upon the barely-discernible roadway going north. In the distance was a cloud of dust. A-ha! Soldiers. With nothing better to do, Fleur sat just outside of the magical veil and waited. Time passed. The battalion approached at a slow pace, and Fleur rapidly grew bored. By the time the first soldiers appeared, she’d gone into the tent to eat some more bread. She returned to wait, at last getting a good look at the soldiers in the lead. She gawked at their armor; how could they march with that on in this heat? She could actually see the heat waves rising from the line of ponies. It was still some time before they were close enough for Fleur to see their faces properly. Most of the Earth ponies in the column wore somber, hard faces that were dripping with sweat. There was no disguising their weariness, despite their best efforts to maintain a disciplined appearance. Not a single pony wasn’t panting from exhaustion. A shadow passed, and Fleur looked up to find a squadron of pegasi flying over the fort wall. A trumpet sounded, alerting those within of the army’s arrival. Fleur couldn’t help but scowl at that; it took them this long to notice an approaching army? What if it had been an enemy? Then again, the only enemies they were expecting would be coming from the South. The battalion was marching past her now. Most of the soldiers ignored her, though a few eyes turned her direction. The majority were Earth ponies, though every now and then she spotted an unusually large pegasus amongst their ranks. Fleur was abruptly hit with a hard realization: most of these ponies wouldn’t be going home. Did they understand that? Were they at all aware of what would happen if a dragon actually attacked the fort? The thoughts sent a chill down her spine, and she abruptly felt helpless before her own comprehension. Yet she would say nothing to these ponies. It would do no good, for who would listen? In their eyes she would merely be an overexcited child, not to be taken seriously. So she sat there and watched them go by, heart heavy and ears low. It took some time for the soldiers to pass by. She tried to count them, but kept slipping up. She knew from listening to her uncle that a battalion held a thousand ponies. A thousand… That was a lot of tombstones. At last the unicorns appeared. She was glad to see them, if only to know that the battalion had almost completely passed her by. Her gaze danced among the faces of ponies who appeared far more rested than their armored and sweaty counterparts. Her eyes passed over something blue and white, and her heart leapt into her throat. She looked again and found herself staring into familiar blue eyes. Fancy had paused amongst the unicorns, letting the last of the battalion drift past him as he gaped at her. Soon the other soldiers had all passed, save for a pink-coated mare who now stood next to Fancy with a curious expression. Fancy approached, and Fleur sank a little at his ominous frown. She thought on the magical veil just behind her, but it was too late to take advantage of that, so she merely bowed her head and waited. “Fleur,” he said as he loomed over her, “what in Celestia’s name are you doing here?” She looked away and kept her lips sealed. “Do you have any idea how worried your uncle has been?” “Worried?” Fleur stood and glared up at him. “What does he have to be worried about, that I’m not there to warm his bed? Leave me alone!” “I can’t,” he replied, voice ever firm. “Fleur, you need to stay at the castle where it’s—” Fleur’s scream surprised even her: “How can you not see it?” She shook as she stared into his wide eyes, steam snorting from her nostrils. After a moment of silence, she turned away from him and glared at her hooves. “I…” Fancy’s voice faltered. “Fleur, what… what did I miss?” She groaned and pressed her forehooves against her face. “Just… go away.” “But you can’t stay out here on your own. At least let me—” “Go away!” She jumped forward, passing through the magical veil. She looked over her shoulder to see both Fancy and his quiet companion staring with wide eyes. She promptly retreated into the tent, not that she expected it to be much of a refuge. “That’s really impressive,” the mare said. “How old is this kid?” “Fleur! Please, this is ridiculous.” Fleur watched the tent flap with a scowl. “I’m not going back, Fancy. You can’t make me!” “It’s also irresponsible.” His voice was just outside the tent. “I’m not going to leave you to survive on your own. We can talk this out and—” “No.” She shook her head, despite the fact he couldn’t see her. “You’re just trying to trick me so that you can get one of those pegasi to fly me back to my uncle. Well I’m not falling for it!” “Fleur, please. Be reasonable.” “I’m going back over my dead body!” At last the tent flap opened as Fancy pushed his head through. He shot her a determined look. “Listen, young filly, I can’t claim to understand what your issues are with him, but I refuse to let you live out here in a tent! Even if you don’t want to go to the castle, you can at least find better lodgings.” Fleur pressed her back against the tent wall. “Go away.” “Fleur—” “Step away from my charge,” a new voice growled. “Now.” Fancy pulled his head out of the tent even as Fleur sighed in relief. “And just who are you?” Fine’s tone was like ice. “I’m the pony looking after the filly. That, Mr. Fancy Pants, is all you need to know.” Fleur pushed her head through the tent flap and spotted Fine standing off to the right, body lowered aggressively and his horn sparking. A couple bags of supplies rested on the ground just behind him. The filly left the tent and hurried to Fine’s side. “It’s about time you showed up!” He raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me if I had to take certain precautions.” “Excuse me,” Fancy snapped, “but what is going on here?” The mare raised her hoof with a deadpan expression. “I’d like to know too.” Fancy looked to her as if just remembering she was there. “Oh, Frosty. I thought you went inside.” She raised an eyebrow. “Thanks for making me feel welcome.” He blushed and scratched the back of his head with a grin, then shook himself and refocused on Fine and Fleur. “Answers, now.” Fleur ducked behind Fine, peering around him at Fancy. Fine glanced back at her with a glower before turning his attention forward. “The young filly has asked that I give her some lessons. I agreed to do so.” “Lessons?” Fancy cocked his head. “What kind of lessons?” “Not important.” Fancy bared his teeth. “She needs to go home!” Fine turned his attention to Fleur, his eyes sharp. She met his gaze and hesitated. Then she realized what he was after and frantically shook her head. The stallion growled and turned back to Fancy. “She doesn’t want to go back.” “I gathered.” Fancy rubbed his temple with a sigh. “I don’t know who you are, but I’m trying to do the responsible thing. Sir Deeds is worried sick! Fleur, think about—” “I don’t give Nightmare Moon’s hindquarters what Sir Deeds wants.” Fine stood tall, his horn sparking. “I have a job to do, places to go. Fleur wants to go with me. Either make something of it or let us be on our way.” Fancy’s horn sparked in turn, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t want to fight you.” “Whoa, whoa, time out!” Frosty jumped between the two of them. “Play nice, boys. Not all girls like it when you fight over them.” “I wouldn’t know,” Fine muttered in a blasé tone, “I’ve never had time for them.” “Ha.” She turned to Fancy. “I thought you were more level-headed than that, Fancy.” He cringed and glanced away. “If I might make a suggestion,” she continued, turning to Fine, “why don’t we let Fancy and Fleur have a little heart-to-heart right here, right now. You and I can stay over at the corner of the fort, too far away to hear but within sight so Fleur knows we’re not going to let Fancy just steal off with her.” Fancy turned on her. “‘Steal off’ with her? Why are you painting me as the villain?” “Because I think it’s pretty clear that, in her eyes, you are.” “That’s not true!” Fleur jumped out from behind Fine. “I like Fancy, I just don’t want him to cart me back to my uncle.” Fine promptly stepped back before she could retreat behind him a second time. “Then talk to him about why. Ah—” he raised his hoof before she could speak, “—do it, Fleur. It’ll be easier on everypony.” Fleur stared at him for a moment, then seemed to wilt. “B-but…” She chewed her lip and eyed Fancy. He sighed. “Please, Fleur. At least help me to understand.” She looked into his eyes, and suddenly her heart was heavy. A glance back saw Fine walking away, and he was soon joined by Frosty. There was no escaping this, was there? With her head low, she walked to Fancy. “I… I’m sorry. I get it, Fancy, I really do, and I know you mean well.” He lowered his head to be at her level. “Of course I do, but I’m so confused. Why are you afraid?” “I’m not afraid!” She stood tall and glared at him, but he countered with a raised eyebrow and critical frown. At his look she sagged. “Okay… maybe I am.” Fancy sat and gestured. “I’ll listen, Miss Purpurnyj. Whatever it is, I’ll help.” “You can’t help,” she replied, but sat before him anyway. “The only thing for me to do is learn to survive on my own. That’s what Fine can do for me.” Fancy’s ear flicked as he shot a dark glance over her shoulder. “And who is he, exactly?” Fleur winced. “I… don’t exactly know. He keeps to himself.” His eyes widened a touch. “You mean you trust a stranger you barely know?” “Fine taught me something to help escape my uncle,” she replied forcefully. “I don’t know how well I can trust him, but I know he at least cares enough to not want that bastard to get his hooves on me again.” Fancy’s expression grew dark as he considered this. “What did Sir Deeds do, Fleur?” She shivered and instinctually pulled her hooves between her thighs. “I…” Chewing her lip, cheeks red, she glanced away. “I don’t want to talk about it.” His eyes lowered to where her hooves had moved. He cocked his head with a perplexed frown… then gaped. “No, not Sir Deeds.” “And that’s another reason,” she snapped. “Nopony will believe me.” He stared at her for several seconds. At first he held an expression of loose-jawed alarm, but gradually his expression became more brooding. “So that’s what you were trying to tell me all along. I’m sorry I didn’t see it.” “You’re sorry.” She snorted. “That doesn’t change what happened. You were right across the hall, Fancy, and you didn’t even notice what he did to me the night we got back.” He shrank from her sharp gaze. “By Celestia’s mane. Fleur, had I known—” “That’s exactly the problem!” She threw up her hooves. “You didn’t know, and even if you did, you couldn’t have helped me! There’s no stopping my uncle, he’s too powerful. What would you have done if you knew? How would you have helped me?” “I…” He fidgeted as he fought for some kind of response. “I mean… I could have told the authorities.” “You’re an officer,” Fleur snapped. “You are the ‘authorities,’ and you work for my uncle.” He stiffened. “I could have told Celestia.” “And what would she have done, set up an investigation?” Fleur shook her head. “Daring Deeds knows how to cover his tracks. A hundred ‘witnesses’ will come forward to vouch for his noble character and how kind he has been for taking me in. There’s no physical evidence. Nothing will change.” Fancy’s shoulders sagged. “I see you’ve been thinking on this very carefully.” She bared her teeth and let out a small growl. “He’s been abusing me for years. Of course I’ve given it a lot of thought. My entire life has been focused on being free from him.” “I still want to help.” “You can’t.” She raised her head high and appraised him in his dashing uniform. “You may be inobservant, Fancy, but I am not. You’re a good stallion, who plays by the rules and expects the best. You follow the law, but the law can’t help me. The help I need comes from less noble stock.” He sputtered a bit before casting another scowl over her shoulder. “So you’re going to rely on a criminal?” Fleur leveled a hoof his direction. “Did you help me get out of Estéril Pezuñas?” He winced and said nothing, staring at her with a hurt frown. “No.” She pointed over her shoulder. “Fine did. He’s the kind of pony I need right now, one who is willing to break rules. It’s only by breaking rules that I can keep out of Deeds’ hooves.” Fancy continued to gaze at her, apparently at a loss for words. After a while he began to fidget and glance around, but his eyes were faded with thought. His lips worked beneath his mustache, unable to form any words. He looked… lost. The sight of him seemed to place Fleur’s heart in a vice. She watched him, wishing he would stop looking so pathetic. At last she did the only thing she could think of: she wrapped him in a tight hug that made him freeze. “It’s okay, Fancy. It’s not your fault.” “But… but I…” She pulled back and smiled for him. “You really are a good stallion. I wish I’d had somepony like you to take care of me all these years.” He sagged over her. “I’m so sorry, Fleur. I… I want to help. Please, tell me there’s something I can do.” “Nothing.” She nuzzled him even as the words broke her heart. “There’s nothing you can do right now, Fancy. Just let me go.” “I can’t.” He looked into her eyes imploringly. “I can’t let this go. I should have seen the signs, I should have known what was going on. There must be something I can do.” She touched his cheek and maintained her smile, though the sight of those eyes stung. “You already helped. You rescued me from the dragons, remember?” “That was di—” She pressed a hoof to his lips. “And now you can help by forgetting I was here. I’m going to leave with Fine. He’s going to teach me how to fend for myself. I’m out of your hooves, Fancy.” A pained sound rose from his throat. “Why don’t you understand that I don’t want you to be out of my hooves?” “I appreciate that.” She stood up to give him a peck on the cheek. “I really do. That’s why you have to let me go. The only way you can help me is by breaking the rules. Don’t do that, Fancy, please. I don’t think you’d be so good if you did, and I like you as you are.” He sniffed and rubbed his cheek where she’d kissed it. He kept quiet and pondered her words for a time. “Promise me something.” Fleur hesitated. “Like what?” Fancy reached down to take her hooves in his own, gripping them tightly. “When this is all over, if we’re both still alive… come and see me in Canterlot? Just to let me know you’re alright.” She smiled. “I think I can do that. It’s a promise.” “Good.” He smiled, though his lips trembled beneath his mustache. “Very good.” She gave him one more hug before stepping towards the tent, giving him a clear path. “Goodbye, Fancy, and thank you for caring.” He took a step, then paused and gave her a long, fretful look. She only kept smiling and refused to acknowledge how her heart ached. At last, without a word, he left. He didn’t look back, and he was soon joined by Frosty. Fine approached, his face impassive. “I hope you realize that there’s no going back now.” She sighed and turned to the tent. “I reached that point a long time ago.” Fancy stared at his hooves, letting the presence of Frosty be his guide to the gate. “Do you think she’ll be alright?” “Of course she will.” It sounded a bit too placating. “Did you talk to that stallion?” “A little,” she replied. “He wouldn’t say much. Who was that filly?” He sighed and glanced over his shoulder, but they’d already rounded the corner of the wall. “Lord Daring Deeds’ niece.” She shot him a wide eyed look. “Really? Why’d she run away?” Fancy chewed his lip, wondering if he should answer that question. How many ponies needed to know? Perhaps Fleur was right. Perhaps it would be better to let her disappear. “Fancy?” “Sorry.” He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. “Whatever her reasons, she wants to be with that stallion. I’ll respect her wishes… despite how worried I am.” Frosty glanced back. “But she’s just a foal. Are you sure she made the responsible decision?” He paused, leveling a hard expression her way. “Didn’t you hear? That foal was at Sueño.” She blinked at him with an uncomprehending stare, then gasped. “You mean she’s the girl that—” “Yes.” He trotted on, head held high and face firm. “She’s the other survivor. I don’t think she’d be keen on galloping into danger after surviving that nightmare, and I know she has trust issues. If she’s willing to believe in Fine, I will accept it.” Frosty considered this for a moment. “But who is he? He wouldn’t tell me anything.” “I wish I knew.” He cocked his head as they approached the fort’s gate. “Come to think of it, he knew my name.” “Maybe she told him about you,” Frosty ventured. He tried to accept that explanation, though it seemed just a touch too easy. Whoever he was, he’d apparently seen what was happening to Fleur, even though it was happening right under Fancy’s muzzle without notice. That thought made his stomach churn. If something like that was happening so close to him… what else was happening before his very eyes? How many things had he missed in his life? Was he really that inobservant? How many ponies he thought of as ‘good’ were actually monsters? Fleur had called him ‘too good’ to help her. Was such a thing even possible? Was he so blinded by the rules that he couldn’t see when they were holding him back? Could the rules even do that? He wasn’t all that innocent, was he? He defied his parents to be a soldier. That was something, wasn’t it? He abruptly started laughing, earning him more than a few funny looks from the resting soldiers that now surrounded him. Frosty raised an eyebrow, at which he only chuckled a little more. “I’m sorry,” he huffed, even as he quietly wondered just when it was that being good could be considered a bad trait. He resolved to ignore such ideas. Defying his parents might have been a good thing for him, but that didn’t make it a good thing in general. No, he wouldn’t let Fleur’s foalish words disturb him. Yet that thought in turn rapidly sobered him: if Fleur’s words had been foalish, did that mean her decision was foalish too? “First Lieutenant!” Frosty and Fancy promptly snapped to attention as Colonel Mander approached with his usual intimidating expression. Though he was sweating as much as the rest of the soldiers, he didn’t seem the least phased by the heat. “Where have you been?” “Dealing with a personal problem,” Fancy replied, not bothering to hide the bite in his tone. Colonel Mander’s eyes narrowed. “Did I give you permission to break formation?” “I’m not in the 8th, Colonel,” Fancy replied evenly. “I’m a guard for Guardia del Este, and you were foalsitting me ’til we arrived. Well, we’ve arrived, so I’m fairly certain I’m outside your jurisdiction.” Frosty gaped at him and took a step back. The colonel peered at him for some time, his face as rock hard as ever. Fancy refused to be intimidated; his recent talk with Fleur only drove him to stare down the taller stallion. He might get in trouble, but he could handle it. He hoped. Then, Colonel Mander did something Fancy hadn’t expected at all: he actually smiled. “You really do have balls, son.” He slapped Fancy on the shoulder with enough force to stagger. “You’re not the prissy rich colt I thought you were.” Fancy blinked and he heard Frosty release a long breath of air. “Uh, thanks… I guess?” Suddenly, the colonel’s hoof was under his chin and forcing him to stand on the tips of his forehooves. Colonel Mander looked into his eyes with an expression so fierce it made his blood run cold. “If you ever talk back to me like that in front of my soldiers again, I will knock that horn off your bucking head. Am I clear?” Fancy swallowed the lump in his throat. “Crystal.” “Good colt.” The colonel stepped back and pointed his hoof over Fancy’s shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going, Private Sundae?” Fancy glanced over his shoulder to see Frosty frozen in place, her back to them. She turned around and snapped a salute. “Back to my team, sir.” “Did you really think I hadn’t noticed you walking in alongside Fancy?” She cringed and kept silent. “He might be out of my jurisdiction now,” he cast a dark look Fancy’s way, “but you are not. You’ll be joining the guards on the wall promptly. With armor.” “Y-yes sir.” “That means now, Private.” “Yes sir!” As she trotted off, Colonel Mander turned his attention back to Fancy. “The Base Commander wants a word with both of us. Come on.” Fancy followed, offering a silent apology to Frosty getting her into trouble. There was a rustle of feathers as they approached the keep’s entrance; Captain Feathers landed beside Fancy. “Hello again, First Lieutenant. I see the march didn’t kill you.” “Hello again, Captain,” he replied as she fell in step beside him. “Base Commander wanted to see you too?” “Of course,” she replied with a grimace. “Big boys like him have to talk down to grunts like us. Makes them feel like they have big balls.” Fancy chuckled. “That better not be in reference to my flank, Captain,” the colonel grumbled without looking back at them. “Nope, I’m saving that for a real special one liner,” she replied with a grin. “Don’t worry, Colonel, I’ll think of something eventually.” He grumbled a little more but said nothing in return. They entered the fort and were soon out of the harsh sunlight. To Fancy’s chagrin, the fort was actually hotter on the inside. “Whew!” Oak flapped her wings a couple times, the tips of her feathers grazing the walls. “Yeah, I’ll be sleeping outside.” “Perhaps I should have had Private Sundae stand guard in here,” Colonel Mander mused as they passed through the next door. They moved on in silence, leaving Fancy to ponder the situation. No doubt the base commander wanted to lecture him about not receiving special treatment. It seemed the standard speech for ponies like him. They passed through a large doorway guarded by two burly Earth ponies, and suddenly the temperature dropped dramatically. Fancy shivered, easily recognizing the cooling magic that filled the room. They were still on the bottom floor… was the entire central tower cooled down? That would require at least a dozen mages. Though he appreciated the cooler temperatures, he thought it a rather wasteful use of energy that might be better reserved for the dragons. “Ah, Colonel.” A yellow unicorn mare in a dress uniform approached from some nearby stairs. “Welcome to Guardia del Este! I am Lieutenant Colonel Whinnie D. Arnold. We’ve been looking forward to your arrival.” The colonel gave a firm nod and accepted Whinnie’s hoofbump. “I understand the Commander wishes to see us?” “Indeed.” She turned and waved for them to follow. “Right this way, I’ll take you to his office.” Whinnie wasted no time with words, hurrying up the stairs. The three had to trot to keep up. “What’s the hurry?” Oak called after they passed several doors. “Oh, sorry.” Whinnie slowed down to a more manageable speed and shot a sheepish grin over her shoulder. “I’m kinda used to moving fast.” Fancy had no idea how many floors they passed before Whinnie finally took them through a doorway that looked like all the others. They passed through a few more halls before finally stopping at a set of double doors. Whinnie turned to them. “Now, please keep a comfortable distance. The commander has a thing about personal space. I know it’s odd, but… well, you get used to it.” Fancy and Oak shared curious expressions. Colonel Mander remained as stoic as ever. Accepting their silence as acceptance, Whinnie turned and knocked on the door before opening it. “Commander, the guests have arrived.” Fancy was the last to enter the room. The Commander’s office wasn’t particularly large or lavishly decorated. Compared to Sir Deeds’ office, it actually struck Fancy as rather humble. The desk was of a simple design of hard but common wood, the same as the bookshelves, and instead of chairs there were small cushions to lie on. “Welcome, welcome!” The base commander, a unicorn with mottled purple coloring, stood and spread his hooves wide. “It’s not often I get to host such a distinguished guest as the great Colonel Geri Mander.” All three saluted the commander. “Reporting for duty,” the colonel said in his typical gruff manner. “So serious.” The commander’s smile faded a touch. “Good. Just the kind of pony we need. I am Commander Sandy Dune. I hope your trip wasn’t too uncomfortable. Please, sit. Can I get you some water?” “That would be appreciated,” the Colonel said, sitting on one of the cushions. Oak and Fancy followed suit. “Have you heard about Celestia?” Commander Dune’s smile disappeared. “Yes, we learned just yesterday… or rather, I assume it was yesterday.” He cast a glance at sunlight streaming through the window. “We haven’t informed the troops. As far as they know, the sun’s standing still as a warning to the dragons of her power. It was my intention not to hinder their morale.” “They’ll know now,” Oak said with a scowl. “And you are?” “Captain Oak Feathers,” she replied with a quick salute. “Of the 42nd Squadron. The Red Wings are at your service.” Commander Dune nodded. “Good to have you. We’re short of pegasi here, and I suspect your patrols will be invaluable.” “We’ll keep a lookout,” Oak confirmed. “If the dragons head this way, we’ll know it.” “I have no doubt.” Commander Dune’s eyes turned to Fancy. “And you must be the insane pony who survived Sueño and chose to keep fighting.” Fancy grimaced, accepting a glass of water from Whinnie. “First Lieutenant Fancy Pants. And yes, I suppose that’s me.” “Don’t get me wrong,” the commander hurried to add. “I’m glad you’re here. It’ll be a big boost for the soldiers.” “I… see.” “Is something wrong?” Oak reached past Colonel Mander to pat Fancy’s back with a wing. “The First Lieutenant isn’t comfortable with all the rumors ponies are spreading about him.” Commander Dune frowned and turned his attention back to Fancy. “I understand it might not be pleasant, but to many of the ponies you are something of a hero. I encourage you to embrace that, or at least take advantage of it. With Celestia out of action, the troops will need encouraging stories like yours.” “Encouraging?” Fancy would have laughed if he weren’t so horrified. “There was nothing encouraging about Sueño, Commander. More like Tartarus unleashed.” The commander pointed towards the nearby window. “They don’t need to know that. Just let them think what they want. It’s not going to hurt anything.” Colonel Mander and Captain Feathers both turned to eye Fancy, who bowed his head with a long sigh. “I’m not sure I can do that, but… I will take your words into consideration.” Colonel Mander grunted and turned back to the commander, taking a quick sip of his water. “I hope you’re not relying on him alone to encourage my ponies to defeat dragons. We need to plan.” “But of course.” The commander clapped his hooves, and a moment later Whinnie appeared carrying a large scroll. “We can begin immediately, unless of course you want some rest.” “No rest,” the Colonel replied firmly. “No time.” “Very good.” Commander Dune waved to Whinnie, who began unrolling the scroll. Just as the scroll was set on the table, revealing it to be a map of the surrounding area, there came a frantic pounding on the door. Commander Dune scowled. “See who it is.” Whinnie rushed to the door, leaving the others to wait expectantly. Fancy turned to watch as Whinnie pushed her head through the entrance and whispered some words. A couple seconds passed, then the door opened and a pegasus limped into the room. Fancy stood, his eyes going wide at the burns on the pegasus. In an instant, the images came back; the charred bodies, the smoke, the shrieking. The burnt smell assaulted in his nostrils, and when he tried to close his eyes he was rewarded with the sight of hundreds of floating bodies, their black faces turned to him with leering, toothy grins. “Fancy!” He snapped out of the reverie. Hind legs giving way, he dropped to his haunches and fought the urge to vomit. Captain Feathers was at his side, a hoof to his shoulder as she watched him. “Stay with us, First Lieutenant.” “I’m o-okay.” He rubbed his temple and shook himself. “I’ll be fine. Just… took a hit, that’s all.” She hesitated, her eyes set on his face, but after a moment nodded. They turned to find Whinnie helping the wounded pegasus take Oak’s cushion. She was covered in sweat and rasping, clutching her chest with gritted teeth. A glass of water floated to her, and she gulped it down. Commander Dune’s voice was urgent, but soft. “Report, soldier. What happened?” “D-dragon,” she said, her jaw trembling. “A dragon hit Fuegos en las Rocas.” Colonel Mander muttered a curse. “How bad?” The pegasus’ entire body slumped, as if the last ounce of energy had finally left her. “B-bad. I barely got out with my hide. The f-fort’s gone.” Commander Dune leaned over his desk. “Survivors?” “I don’t know.” She shook her head. “The dragon was still… still there when I left.” Fancy tried to find his hooves, but his legs wobbled so he stayed down. “What color was the dragon?” The mare closed her eyes and shuddered. “Black. Black like… like c-coal, like a b-bucking demon.” Oak and Fancy shared a grim frown. Commander Dune noted their behavior, but focused his attention on the pegasus. “What’s your name, private?” “Ala Rápida.” “You did good, Private Rápida.” He offered her a smile. “Lieutenant Colonel Whinnie, get this soldier a hot meal and some rest. She’s earned it.” “Of course, Commander.” “I believe the 4th battalion was supposed to go to Fuegos en las Rocas,” Commander Dune said as she was escorted out. “They won’t arrive for at least another week.” “There was a black dragon with Reddux at Sueño and Estéril Pezuñas,” Fancy told him. “It’s probably the same one.” Oak nodded with a grim frown. “I can confirm that for the castle.” Fancy turned to the commander. “At the very least this suggests that Reddux hasn’t been able to get all the dragons on his side.” Colonel Mander sniffed and shook his head. “You’re too optimistic. We have to assume that another attack will come soon.” “That’s fine,” Oak replied, “but why did they wait this long to attack one fort? Why not come in en masse?” Fancy closed his eyes and shivered. “They don’t have to. One’s enough, they’ve already proven that.” Colonel Mander scowled. “Even if the tyrant can’t get any other dragons to help him, there are already three of them. That’s long odds, First Lieutenant.” “I know!” Fancy rubbed his forehead with both hooves. He could still smell the charred flesh. “I know that far better than you, Colonel.” Commander Dune leaned against the desk, his eyes set on the map. “We’ll need to send a force to the fort. We can’t leave potential survivors to die.” The colonel nodded. “Agreed. I’ll send a hundred to Fuegos en—” “A hundred?” Commander Dune eyed the colonel. “I want you to send seven hundred.” Colonel Mander’s eyes bulged. Captain Feathers actually launched off the floor. Fancy knew his gape rivaled theirs. “Seven… seven hundred?” Captain Feathers swung her legs in a denying motion. “That’s more than two thirds our infantry!” “And the 42nd will be sending a hundred fliers.” Her legs fell limp, much like her jaw. “B-but that only leaves twenty three of us to defend the fort.” The colonel still hadn’t managed to recover his expression. “Commander… you can’t just send our entire defensive force off to—” “Those ponies need help, Colonel,” Commander Dune declared. “The more ponies we send, the more lives we can save and the faster the job gets done.” Fancy finally found his voice. “But you’re sending the majority of our forces on a march across unprotected territory. If a dragon finds them, they won’t stand a chance!” The commander rolled his eyes and pointed to Captain Feathers, who was still hovering over them. “That’s why I’m sending pegasi. Scouts to warn them should a dragon approach.” “That’s not going to protect them!” Colonel Mander jumped to his hooves. “I protest this strategy. The risks aren’t worth the benefits. You can’t ask me to—” Commander Dune stood up, his eyes hard. “I’m not asking you to do anything, Colonel. This is an order.” The colonel sputtered and shook, his face burning as he struggled for some kind of response. Fancy took a cautious step back from the stallion, and Captain Feathers similarly floated away. The commander, on the other hoof, didn’t seem at all bothered by the colonel’s fury. “You will both assign your most trusted officers to lead the troops to Fuegos en las Rocas,” he announced. “Their orders are to assist in the rescue operations, recover as many soldiers as possible and return them to Guardia del Este.” Captain Feathers dropped to the floor on her haunches. “You mean we’re not even going with them? Those are our—” “Are we clear, Colonel?” Colonel Mander seethed. Fancy just knew the old veteran would leap over that desk and pound the commander. But, after several seconds of glaring and barely contained words, the colonel raised his hoof in a shaky salute, turned and stomped off. Commander Dune raised his hoof. “I did not give you permission to—” The door slammed closed with such force Fancy thought he heard the wood crack. The commander scowled and looked between Fancy and Captain Feathers. His eyes turned to the map laid out before him. “Well, we can’t plan the defense without him. You’re dismissed. Hopefully the colonel will smarten up soon. “A pity,” he muttered as Fancy and Oak shared wide-eyed looks, “I would have thought him more responsible than that.”