//------------------------------// // Ch.8 - Carols // Story: The Line // by Sooks //------------------------------// The next morning, squads Three and Four returned from their exercises, happy to tally one day without an accident. As they set down in the middle of their camp, going over the results of their practice, a few of the ranking officers brushed past them. Half of them maintained their composure enough to ignore them entirely. The other half shot them glares that ranged from frosty to milk curdling. The seven veterans saluted properly, though Dewbead couldn't help but flash a challenging grin, and the newbies looked on in confusion. When they were sure the officers were out of earshot, they turned to their squad lead. “So what was that about, sir?” Moon Fang asked. “That was Lt. Firefly’s work, I bet.” Cinnamon Cane chuckled. “She has a way with the brass.” Just as he’d predicted, Firefly had made good on her word, and late afternoon found Cyclone Company loading up on their ships. They, along with a second battle group, were being deployed to Camp 28, designated Thunderhooves Pass. It was a narrow canyon between two sheer bluffs, less than a mile across. To a land bound party, it was the only way from the greater desert to the Equestrian side for fifty miles. The camp was situated at the top of one of the bluffs, with a heavy line of defenses through the canyon itself. Nothing was passing through without getting spotted, shot, skewered, and blown apart by powerful magic. With the arrival of the two battle groups, their defense in the air would nearly match their ground. With two full platoons moving in, the Foal Squad of Crescent Platoon expected the arrival of so many "hot shot airponies crowding up our ship" would lead the crew to blows within an hour. However, nothing brings ponies together like spontaneous song, and doubly so when drink is to be had. Captain Candescence was, for the first time any of them them had seen, red in the face with wine and laughter as she held Sergeant Fir Bough in a headlock. "Easy, ma'am," Rainbow Blaze tried to talk her down, "we want her alive for when we get to the pass." "Little Sticky's fine. We used to do far worse to each other when we were fillies." All the same, she released the indignant pegasus with a laugh. "I never would have expected to be deployed in the same group, though." "Stranger things have happened, Candy. How's the kid? I'm kind of surprised he isn't out here." "He's doing well. And he's not enlisted because I forbade it." The captain was smiling, but it was the sort of smile one makes for another. "He has good prospects for making it into the Science Academy, and I didn't want him ruining that chance out here." "That's Captain Candy for you." Fir Bough took a long drink of wine. "Even when we were fillies, she knew what was best for everypony. How about you tell ‘em all about that time we found a beehive in Frosty’s shed?” “I will have you keel hauled, Sergeant.” Well, it was interesting to see her so jovial while it lasted. Comet sat with Night Light, Rain, Moon Fang, and Willow, and together they worked through the second bottle of the filly’s “private reserve.” Other unicorns from the Magicorp would appear from the crowd for a time, chat with them, accept a drink, and disappear again. On the third round of singing, Willow Wisp declared he had had enough and offered to take drinks up to the CAG. Silver Raindrops, seeing the colt leave, departed with him to "help carry the cups." "The guy doesn't like singing?" Night Light looked puzzled. Comet and Fang could only shrug. In due time, ponies started to filter out and return to duties; as much as getting to know the crew was important, the ship wasn't running itself. "Hey Captain, how many more days to Thunderhooves?" "Two and a half, if the wind holds." Candescence levitated a notebook and leafed through the pages. "The bad news is, the flight path takes us almost directly along The Line. Sgt. Blaze, you have more ponies this time, correct?" "Aye, ma'am." "What say you to doubling the CAG?" Fir Bough hissed at her childhood friend, but Rainbow nodded in agreement. "Good. Relax, Sticky, those foals were running double CAG shifts on the way south, I'm sure you can manage half of what they did." And that's how all of Squad Four found themselves circled up on the deck in the middle of the night, watching the sky for signs of trouble. To his credit, Rainbow Blaze had volunteered to take the watch with them, but he seemed to prefer walking the deck over sitting around. Every few minutes, a cloud seemed to sprout leathery wings and a spiked tail, only to vanish again into the dark. The journey south had been through Equestrian territory; an attack was unlikely. Here, it was probable. Comet and Moon Fang, still wobbly from the wine, leaned against each other and sang bits of song when they came to mind. Cinnamon Cane half heartedly chided them on being prepared for a fight, but the rest of the squad seemed too amused to be annoyed. Night Light, being on the same shift, regularly stopped to make small talk with the huddled airponies. Comet was sure he was just looking for more wine, but when she revealed a distinct lack of the red beverage, he still stuck around. "If I didn't know any better, Lighty," Lily teased, "I'd wager you have a case of wing envy." She flapped her wings once or twice in, what is considered among pegasi, a provocative display. It bounced off the unicorn like water off a duck's back. "Not really," Night Light laughed, "though I do wish I could teleport. Ah well, not that gifted. I just... hmmm... Somepony I care about taught me the value of meeting new ponies. Getting out of my shell, y'know?" The indigo filly nodded to herself. "But hey, if you'd rather I be elsewhere..." The unicorn got up with a feigned huff and started off. Comet reached out and grabbed him. "No, stay, it's fine. It's fine, Night Light." The unicorn looked at the chiroptequus, then to the rest of the squad. Rainbow Blaze sat down with his airponies and patted a spot beside himself. They each nodded, and the unicorn made himself comfortable in the circle. Wren Song started up a conversation about the last Equestria Games, something Comet had paid less than no attention to. Night Light's golden eyes caught her attention, and she looked to see him grinning at her. "What?" she whispered. "That's the first time you didn't call me 'sir.'" His grin broadened when she started trying to write off her defeat. ~*~ The crew quarters were never entirely quiet, either from the groan of the ship or the snoring of its inhabitants. It was just something to get used to. It did get dark, but that was a trite concern for a chiroptequus. Comet lay in her bunk and stared at the ceiling. There was something she couldn't place her hoof on about the attack at the junction. It was too sudden, it was too small, it made no sense. She rolled on her side and bumped against something round. Reaching to the edge of her bunk, she found her strange contraption. Another puzzle to solve. She tried a few random twists of its surface, listening to its repeated clicks, but no change in sound revealed itself. A section could make a full rotation and not inhibit any other at any point. No markings had magically appeared. It was a toy, surely, and yet the filly felt as though something would pop out of it if she could just get the right combination. Comet wasn't sure when she drifted off to sleep, but the thought lingered when she woke for breakfast. She sat in the galley, her friends' conversation a dull hum in her ears, with the contraption and her notebook laid in front of her. "So what's the story with this?" Cinnamon Cane and Wren Song sat down beside her and looked over her scribblings. "I picked it up in Canterlot when we stopped for supplies," Comet said. "I'm not entirely sure what it does, but I feel like the right combination will activate it." She tried another series of twists, huffed when it did nothing, and noted the combination with an X in her notebook. "She's always been weird like that, pay it no mind," Sparky Bolts said. "Hobbies are fine," Cinnamon Cane said, "as long as you do your job. Rounds start in ten, Shimmer, don't be late." "Wouldn't dream of it, sir." Comet marked down another failed combination and tried again. Nothing had worked by the time she had to leave, and the filly ran to her bunk, slipped the contraption back under her pillow, and headed up. With the construct out of sight, she had little trouble getting her duties done. She and the other newbies noted how easy it was to do rounds now that they didn't have to wear their armor all the time. The air around Rainbow Blaze grew noticeably colder whenever he wandered near them. Firefly arrived from the Dauntless around mid morning to check in on the ship. Maybe it was for the morale, or maybe she honestly felt confident riding in a six ship battle group, but she had left her armor behind. She checked in with the captain, her leaders, a few others of the crew, and then stood on the bow and watched the clouds go by. If they didn't know where they were, and they didn't know her, somepony would think she was on a cruise enjoying the sun and the wind. It didn't escape the attention of the new guys. "So what's the lieutenant like?" "Shimmer, you know Lt. Firefly, right? What's up?" "How long have you known the lieutenant?" Never a rude question, but the rhetoric was clear: is our boss crazy? Comet had a hard time answering that; Firefly had drafted her as soon as she had seen her. Between that and the dragon attack, maybe she had a sixth sense for things, the filly reasoned. Still, there was something nopony could put their hoof on, not even the experienced ponies. "Look," Coriolis said, "Boss knows what she's doing. She's seen us through enough of Tartarus that I trust that. And that's all you really need to know." The hushed conversations lost their fuel shortly after, and everypony continued their rounds in relative silence until the third song of the day kicked up. "Oh sister of mine," Sun Ray said to her sister. The blue filly tied off a knot and looked up. "Do you know what I haven't heard in ages?" "What might that be, oh sister of mine?" They must have some psychic connection, Comet thought, since Moon Beam was already tuning. "Great, here we go again," Willow Wisp grumbled. I know a song they used to sing not so long ago When underneath a different sky with field far below In Summer's blaze and Winter's haze and Autumn's rays and Spring's young days From mountains high to open plains On the winds that soft song rose. In darkness and in cold we bore A weight too great to stand not tied to chain or rope or yolk but hearts across our land For as the snow began to creep Into our hearts, the cold did seep From hatred, blame and blood we reaped We would not understand Sun Ray and Moon Beam knew so many shanties, everypony was sure they were making them up on the spot most of the time. But almost everypony knew this song from deep in their childhood. It was an old tune, slightly different if you were a unicorn, a pegasus, or an earth pony, but everypony knew it. With time, our home could love no more Too weakened it became To care for those it raised from birth The storm could not be tamed We must fly, the ponies cried Or with our land, we'll surely die A safe, new home, we have to find And leave our old in shame A few dared to enter their voices, but what was most surprising was when Willow Wisp joined. Even Silver Raindrops seemed surprised when the first notes left him; the sound was stunningly beautiful. Each we three set out to find A home to call our own Against the storm and endless snow And winds that howled and groaned Against a storm of broken hearts Ponies each must do their part If they are all to find their start Or had that bird long flown. Miles out and on away To a valley came the lost With fertile land and clear blue skies A gift from Mother Faust At last they had found their new home A place that they could call their own Not knowing that the the storm they'd sewn Had not yet gone and passed. The ice that had entrapped their hearts Now closed around them all A thousand years of history In an instant, set to fall But spare the lives of loving three Who saw each other's qualities and from hate, drew forth harmony Their love brought forth the- A long, high shriek split the clouds and snapped the wind. Everypony looked to each other with wide eyes. Comet felt her blood run cold, though it was the tiniest of solaces that her veteran squaddies did not look much better. The only ones who were moving in those first seconds were the brilliant fuchsia mare and the lavender captain. "All hooves, battlestations. Condition One throughout the ship. Magicorps, ready on the top deck to repel assault, the rest of you get those weapons loaded-" "Where are they." It was barely a question. Firefly, Rainbow, and the CAG were scanning the horizon for what was to come. The mare patted the sergeant on the shoulder and disappeared to the Dauntless in a flash of fuschia and sapphire. Comet Shimmer spotted her c.o. heading below deck for his armor and zipped after him. The Adamant had never been so active; everypony had somewhere they needed to be, ballistae rocked in their births as heavy bolts were loaded and primed, hatches were opened, and supplies were stowed. It must have taken the crew weeks or months to learn to operate with such efficiency. They had trained in ship operation at Fort Hurricane, but only so far as to provide support if nopony else could. Their main job, their only job right now, was to suit up, stand on the gangplank, and put themselves between the ship and fire breathing balls of scaly death. Easy. Well, that was supposed to be their job. "Crescent, Dawn Platoons," a messenger called out while they were suiting up, "you're on standby until we get a better assessment of the enemy strength. Finish suiting up and get to launch positions, but do not jump until you get the signal." "Bucking Tartarus’ ugly mama, fine!" Slipstream, the Squad 3 lead, muttered an impressive string of curses under his breath while he fastened the rest of his armor. True to the drills, they were each suited and cleared by their wing pony within a minute and rushing back up the stairs. Walking onto the deck was like walking into an echo chamber. Every order reverberated through half a dozen voices, but otherwise not a sound was uttered save for the whipping wind. Due south, a dozen or so multicolored shadows were rushing through the clouds directly for their group. "Thirteen, strike, fifteen combatants," the lookout called, "all glimmerbacks. No markings to indicate lightning magic, but unable to verify." The ships slowed and formed a double decked line. The Adamant hung slightly behind and above its company, just as they had planned, and the platoons aboard could only watch as their comrades prepared to jump. "We hold here, ponies." Rainbow Blaze was no happier than any of his subordinates. Yes, they were safer on the ship. Yes, the dragons were a lethal threat. But their comrades, their friends, their loved ones were rushing into the fray. What made them so special that they shouldn't? "Don't jump until I say." He knew Firefly would be jumping with the Dauntless' platoon. She wasn't supposed to, but she would. Never ask of your soldiers what you would not do yourself, she would say. She had earned her rank and his respect, and she had told him to wait. So he waited. Five platoons of airponies fell from the ships in groups, feathered and leathery wings spreading against the wind and riding the warm desert air to meet their foes. It looked like the second company was holding a platoon in reserve as well. Over a hundred ponies against fifteen dragons would be no contest, right? "Calm down, Shimmer," Lily muttered next her. She hadn't meant to say anything aloud. "Those are all seasoned fighters. They know what they're doing." Comet reached over and ruffled Lily's mane where it poked out of the top of her helmet. The first call to fire came out from another ship entirely, but soon resounded across all three ships. Dozens of dark, heavy, metal spears burst forth on rushes of air and magic and sped for the oncoming dragons. Some managed to escape the volley, but some were not so lucky. Four fell like they had become the metal the spears were forged from, and the eleven remaining carried on without a care. The airponies had reached their defensive distance and stopped. The ships had a clear window for a second shot, and they made use of it with gusto. With more room to evade, only two dragons went down, but nine was a much better number to work with than fifteen. Roaring in fury, the dragons crashed into the line of ponies. They scattered to avoid the attack, whipping around to strike as the reptiles passed. Only a few struck blows, but it was enough to get the attentions of all the dragons. All save two. A long green and a rocky yellow with a broad wingspan charged for the ships as if the airponies did not exist. Even from a distance, Crescent Platoon could feel their anger. "Ma'am, shall we fire again," One of the cannoneers called. "No. If you miss, you could hit one of ours," Candescence cursed. "Crescent, Dawn Platoons, get ready to jump!" Rainow Blaze flared his wings and dropped his visor. He wasn't the comforting pegasus or the agreeable officer Comet had come to know; he was a glimmering tank, a red eyed wall of metal and spear. He was a vanguard. "Squad, keep close and don't bucking die," Cinnamon Cane grunted. "Don't you dare bucking die." Rainbow Blaze cried mighty thunder, and sixty six ponies hurled themselves from the ship at once. They fell only a second before catching a draft and rising to meet their foes. They were already close. Too close. You could count their teeth. So many teeth. No room to maneuver, no room to fly, no room to flank, no room to dodge, dodge, dodge, dodge- The green dragon snapped, nearly catching Willow Wisp between his teeth. He rolled at the last second, crashing into the beast's side and lodging his spear just above its shoulder. The yellow drake rolled through the line and continued straight at the Dauntless. It reared up to gaze upon the deck and opened its maw. Three unicorns on the deck drew their magic together and formed a broad shield, but the dragon suddenly whipped towards the stern and released a torrent of acid. The barrier fell to a single unicorn, who strained to keep his shield up against the deluge. Two blurs descended upon the yellow, cutting its sides like paper without slowing down. Dewbead and Skyline, sabres both, took either side and tore at the dragon's soft belly. Their vanguards came crashing in from behind, embedding their spears deep in the beast's back. The pain forced the dragon to stop its acid, and the unicorn collapsed to the deck, blood dripping from his nose. The twins followed their superiors in, stabbing the dragon through the neck on either side. The yellow monster struggled against them, but they only twisted the glaves harder. "Vomit now you giant," Sun Ray said, "ugly," Moon Beam added, "monstrous bastard!" Together, they ripped their glaves out, widening the wounds and ending any chance of the dragon's recovery. Comet rolled under the spiky green tail, holding on to her head with inches to spare. Completely surrounded and somehow angrier than before, the green dragon was thrashing in the air in any direction it could. The airponies orbited a storm of claws, teeth, and tail, all of which was spinning too fast to find purchase on. Crescendo, from the twins' squad, saw an opening and dove for a blow. As fast as it had appeared, it was gone, and the pegasus found his opportunity replaced with a whirling claw. He tried to abort, but the razor sharp bone found purchase in his side all the same. The pegasus flopped into the air, limp as a ragdoll, and began to fall. His wingpony, Pastelight, flew after him in a frenzied dive. "If we touch any part of that, we're finished," Moon Fang shouted. Not even a sabre could hit and run at those speeds. As they made another pass around, Cinnamon Cane rolled in front and led them up above the scene. Surf Crest's squad joined them. The ponies looked down on the dragon and saw what Cane had: its attacks were mostly lateral. It wasn't defending above. Thunder Clap started to dive but Berry Thrush caught him. "Better plan," he said and pointed at Cinnamon. The brown stallion had unhooked his spear and held it aloft in his forehooves. He pointed at his newbies and stopped them with his hoof. He pointed at the dragon, then his spear, at the dragon again, then them, and finished with a cutting motion across his neck. They nodded. When the hammer fell, eight spears were hurled directly down on the dragon. All of them hit to varying degrees of success, though none of them embedded themselves deep in its flesh. They did, however, cause enough pain and shock to slow the dragon's rampage for a moment. Just a moment, but the four were falling right behind the spears. In that tiny window, they drove inside its space and into its back, stabbing with all the fury and strength they could muster. Any inch that they could reach, anything that wasn't already bleeding, anything that was draconic, they attacked. With the real damage being done, the dragon's defense faltered, and the rest poured in to finish the job. When the beast died, nopony could rightly say, but it was skewered on so many spears that the throwers were able to retrieve their weapons while the others held it aloft. Comet quickly remembered, and right before they released it to the pull of the earth, she pried a scale loose with her glaive and tucked it in her pocket. Rainbow Blaze and Fir Bough called their platoons to form up and return to the ship. A glance southwards showed the others returning as well, not a dragon to be found. Three were being carried between their comrades to other ships. Firefly, neither cold nor furious, but certainly not happy, glided past and rounded up her platoon leaders. Comet could not hear what they said, but whatever she told the other four knocked the wind from their wings. She patted them each on the shoulder, formed up with Apex Platoon and returned to the Dauntless. Hollow faced, Rainbow led his ponies to the deck and removed his helmet. He surveyed the scene. Three of his ponies had not landed with them. On the Dauntless, a brave unicorn was being treated for over exertion of his magic system, a potentially lethal mistake. And as much as he saw everything on the deck, it took much longer to piece together in his head. He rolled his helmet in his hooves and concentrated on his breathing. "We lost Scrap and Cherry out in the main fight." Muted conversation spread through the airponies. The newbies had barely had the chance to meet everypony, but they were the minority. Crystal Lake stomped her hooves until Berry Thrush, Surf Crest, and Snow Veil had to pull her back to keep the boards from cracking. Wren Song quietly sat and stared at the deck. Billow Blast let out a choked cry and quietly excused himself to somewhere far away. "Blaze," Slipstream said, "we're still missing Crescendo, Pastelight, and-" "We need a medic!" Pinion and Pastelight rose up over the bow, carrying Crescendo between them. All the color had drained from his face. When they laid him on the deck, it took everything Comet had and then some not to retch. The pegasus's armor and side were torn to ribbons down the to the bone. Even his wing had been caught, though it was hard to say how deep through the feathers. Every breath was labored and weaker than the last. Pastelight held his head up and stroked his mane, Pinion waved the medic over, and the doctor set to work, and it was all anypony could do to watch and know it didn't matter. Crescendo's breathing slowed and stopped with a nearly indistinguishable sputter, and then he was still. Pastelight kept stroking his cheek even when Pinion tried to pull her way. "I was his wingpony," she whispered, "I was supposed to make sure this didn't happen." "You couldn't have stopped this, kiddo." Pinion eased the fallen pony's eyes closed and gently pried her away. "He went in too fast. If you'd followed, you'd be gone too." The doctor set a blanket over the body and pooled the blood with his magic. The rest of their squad bunched up around the two, and in silence they went below deck. Rainbow Blaze thumped his head against the wall and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Candescence was looking over the scene. "I'm sorry, Sergeant." "Thank you, Captain. How shall we proceed?" "There may still be more out there. Downgrade to condition 3, double CAG until we give the all clear." The pegasus saluted. "We keep flying. Isn't that right, Mr. Blaze?" "Yes ma'am, we keep flying." Blaze turned to Fir Bough. "Fir, can you go tell Boss that Airpony Crescendo was killed in action?" The green mare saluted and sped off for their lead ship. "Cane, how's your squad?" "Here and healthy, sir." "Coriolis?" "No problems, sir." "You two are on CAG. Dazzler and Ruby Rose are up next. Let's hope we get out of this space with no more surprises. The rest of you, dismissed." The airponies saluted and went about their ways. Content with her current place, Comet fell onto her side and opted not to move. Her legs splayed out beside her, her glaive wedged under her body, her helmet squeezing on her throbbing head -- none of it could compel her to get up. Her stomach was still threatening to upend itself on the deck and make a second mess. A second mess... She had done it. She had taken the jump, followed her leads, stabbed dragons and made a kill without a moment's hesitation. Her fears had fallen away, like they had said they would. But Rain was wrong, ultimately. She hadn't been ready for the real thing. It was as Rainbow had told them: no magic revival this time, no teleportation to safety. Dead was dead now. And it hurt. It was like someone had punched a hole in the fabric of her world and she could see through to the other side. She shut her eyes. She didn't want to see. When Moon Fang found her, she could not say for certain, but she pressed up against him as he lay down beside her. After a time, she dared a peek around. Cinnamon, Dewbead, Summer, and Wren had taken up the regular CAG perch with Coriolis and Easterly View. Billow Blast was still off somewhere to himself. The newbies of their squads remained spread out across the deck like flotsam. The twins sat against the bow, leaning on each other for support as if asleep. "...Hey, Sun Beam, Moon Ray?" "...Yeah?" They were too tired to even be upset about the names. "How does the song end?" She knew it. She'd sung it as a filly every winter. But she needed to hear something. Anything. The twins weakly hummed their harmony, and Willow and Rain huddled over when they heard. I know a song we used to sing In taverns and in dens On frosty nights with warming drinks In company of friends The darkest night brings brightest dawn And with it comes our wistful song Keep always warm the love we won When we found the snow storm's end.