//------------------------------// // Ch.12 - Victory // Story: The Line // by Sooks //------------------------------// The search took hours to complete. When pegasi fall, the winds can knock them about and carry them hundreds of yards from where they were last seen. Combine that with the fire and the meat eating tendencies of dragons, and confirming somepony’s death could be nearly impossible. The sun was setting as the last parties settled in for a landing on their respective ships. Luckily for Crescent Platoon’s Squad Four, Summer Seas had fallen near to a unicorn squad on the ground. They had been able to cut down a few dragons that smelled roast pony and pulled him back behind the line to be seen to. The most cursory of glances told them how bad it was. His lower body was mostly deep burns, not a hair to be found. Most of his secondaries and a few of his primaries had been scorched away. He was in a fitful sleep when Moon Fang and Sparky Bolts found him; all he could do was howl and groan in pain when he was awake, so the medic had given him something. Dewbead looked over the medic's report when the pair returned with the arguably good news. She bit at her lip as she reread the words a few more times. “Summer Seas’s wounds are too severe to fly with for the foreseeable future,” she told them. “A return party is being put together to take the critically wounded back behind The Line. He’ll be going with them for treatment… He likely won’t be back.” She threw the sheet away. “That’s if they can get him home safe. Good job finding him, you two.” Her jaw was quivering out of control, and she barely managed to spit, “Dismissed.” The two colts just managed to exit the tent before they heard the first nearby object shatter against the floor. Squad Four’s second search took much longer. They did not locate Pinion until well into the afternoon; the pegasus was busy collecting his own squad. He did not see it directly, but all signs pointed to Cinnamon Cane’s end: the firebreathing glimmerback, the positioning, it all added up. The jet of flame left nothing to recover. No body, no tag, no confirmation; Squad Four’s leader had to be reported as “missing in action.” A tendon bulged in Rainbow Blaze’s neck when they reported it in. “There’s no way to be sure? Nothing?” He was walking with a limp courtesy of a wayward dragon claw, but it was nothing that kept him from doing his job. “Sorry, sir. Pinion reported the glimmerback’s fire was hot enough to obliterate his glaive. If it hit Sergeant Cane straight on, then there’s… nothing.” Wren Song held eye contact with her superior, but it took everything she had. The blue stallion pinched the bridge of his nose. “Ok.” He racked his brain for anything they could try, any other option for finding his missing squad leader, but there was only one thing to do. “With Sergeant Cane missing, presumed KIA, Lancer Song, you are hereby the leader of Cyclone Company, Crescent Platoon Squad Four and promoted to the rank of Wing Sergeant, first class. With Lancer Summer Seas critically injured, Lancer Dewbead will be your wingpony until new orders come down. Is this understood?” “Perfectly, sir.” “Good. Have a sit.” Wren Song’s butt hit the dirt hard enough to form a small dust cloud. Rainbow sat beside her and stroked her back. The cream colored mare stared at the ground in front of her until the dam finally broke into a thousand pieces. Hot, angry tears rolled off her muzzle as she confessed her guilt, but her C.O. only stroked her back in silence. There was a hollow ring to her voice when she broke the news to the remaining five members of her squad an hour later. With every word, she expected the air to grow cold around them. She had been Cinnamon Cane’s wing. He had been so focused on keeping them all safe, but it was her job to watch his back. But she had flown off, and now he was gone. It was her fault, no matter what Rainbow Blaze said. Surely her squad would see that -- they wouldn’t follow her into battle to die too. “Are there any questions,” the mare finished. With Dewbead at her side, the question largely fell to the four younger ponies. “None, Ma'am,” Sparky Bolts said for the four of them. She waited for them to leave, to spit at her feet, to… growl, glare, anything, but they stood, unmoving, as expressionless as the day could allow. She stole a glance at her new wingpony. Dewbead’s eyes were red and glossed over from her tantrum, but as cool and collected as they had ever been. They watched her, waiting for an order. She took a deep breath. Alright, something easy to start with. “Let’s head up to the Adamant, then. They took some damage during the fight, and we should lend a hoof to the repairs if we can.” They nodded and followed her into the air. Dewbead banked in dangerously close, nearly clipping her lead’s wing, so that she could whisper. “Come on, Statue, stiff upper lip. We can’t let our foals get downtrodden, can we?” Glancing at the marine blue mare, Wren saw how defeated her new wingpony truly looked. Her eyes were sunken and puffy, her mane and feathers were ruffled, her coat was unkempt and dirty. She was a mess from head to tail. But she was still here, and if she harbored any ill will towards the new squad commander, she did not show it. “Right.” Wren Song snorted in thanks. “And you’re getting a bath asap. You look like Tartarus.” “Gee thanks. You’re not so hot yourself, you know.” ~*~ While the Adamant was not so well equipped, the magic showers had been set up down in the ground camp. Comet stood in the stream of warm water and motionlessly let it cascade over her. All day, she had been caught between feeling wonderful and awful. Their victory was a true, gainful one, the first she had experienced. Fires burned in the camp and lanterns winked on the ships. The dragons knew where they were already -- they might as well enjoy their evening a bit. And she wanted to, she really did. But part of her could not forget what it had cost them. Summer Seas was leaving, Cinnamon Cane was gone -- she’d been so worried about her own squad, she had yet to find out where the rest of the company was. The thought stirred her to motion; like a golem coming to life, she slowly scrubbed herself down and rinsed. Her back ached to the point of locking her down, but she managed a good enough job. The filly dried herself and put a new cold press on her back, sighing as the wrap eased her pains. As she stepped out of the tent, the atmosphere of calm euphoria threatened to claim her, but she had a mission. Rainbow Blaze sat on a row of crates with the other platoon leaders, sharing ciders and recounting their exploits in the battle. When Comet walked up, Ardent, Apex Platoon’s lead, scooted over and patted for her to sit down. A fresh, or possibly just abandoned, mug was sitting nearby, so she grabbed it and filled the cup from the barrel. “Evening, sirs,” the filly said as she sat down. “How are we doing?” “We’re good, Shimmer,” Rainbow Blaze said as he waved his bandaged hoof, “we’re good. How’re you?” She thought on her answer, but when nothing all encompassing came to mind, she instead took a long pull from her mug. “Yeah, that sounds about right.” “So how’d your bookworm do out there, Blaze?” Fir Bough had clearly gone through a few already. The minty green pegasus wobbled in her seat. “You get any good kills, kid?” “Well, I got struck in the back and blacked out for a minute,” Comet said and pointed at her bandaged back, “but yeah, Nimbus and I did get a few. I’m sure yours were a lot more impressive, though.” The senior ponies all shrugged. “Sir, where were you out there? Once we cut around the back, I didn’t see you for the rest of the fight.” “Squad One and I got pinned holding a few lizards off the Starfall.” Rainbow swirled his drink. “It got pretty bad, but we didn’t lose anypony. Small blessings, right?” “Anypony hurt?” “Clear Morning and Pastelight took some claws, but nothing dangerous.” “Don’t forget your heroic battle wounds, Corkscrew,” Ardent said and jabbed the pegasus in the side. Fir Bough chuckled and took a drink. “What about you, kid? How’s your squad?” Comet set her mug down beside her and fiddled with her tail. “...Two.” The smile vanished from Fir Bough’s face. “Summer Seas is alive, but his burns are bad enough that they’re going to pull him behind The Line. And Sgt. Cane.” She shook her head. Ardent sighed. “Sorry, kid. He was a good stallion.” The four pegasi raised a toast to his name. Comet raised her mug. “He was.” Sure, he was hard as a rock a lot of the time, but he was her squad leader. He'd seen them through more battles than she cared to count, all safe on the other side. That he, of all ponies, had died, seemed impossible. If he could die, what chance did she have? The cider had lost most of its taste when it reached her lips. “Sorry, here I am killing the mood.” “Nothing to be sorry for, airpony.” Ardent went to refill her mug. “I would have heard about it sooner or later, and I hate finding out from reports. Too heartless. Still, can’t believe this did him in.” The pegasus hopped back up on her crate. “Eight months, he was out here with us, facing all kinds of hell. Haha, hey Blaze, you remember when Lt. Firefly made him a squad leader?” “Bastard was shaking like a leaf. He took it so seriously, like the whole war was riding on his shoulders.” Rainbow sipped his drink. “Real shame, that was.” “What,” Comet said, “his promotion?” Rainbow Blaze frowned. “Not surprising he didn’t tell you.” “On his fourth mission as a squad lead,” Fir Bough explained, “he lost half his ponies to a broadwing. The bucker spat a cloud of acid; as soon as it hit them, there was just nothing to be done. He said the charge was his order, and he’d gotten them killed.” “After the third night of him screaming himself awake, I was sure we were gonna lose him too,” Ardent said. “He kept calling for them, sobbing for them to come back. They were gonna ship him home, I was sure of it. But Boss took him aside and told him something, no idea what, and he came back. We balanced his squad for a while until you newbies showed up, and you know the rest. “Honestly, kid? I think he’d be content knowing the rest of you made it off the field.” Ardent raised her mug. “Bucker always worked so hard to earn those wings. So does that mean Song’s your lead now?” “Mhmm.” “She’s a good pony and a good flier,” Rainbow said matter of factly. “Sure, but is she a good leader?” Ardent frowned. “Good enough. She’s got Dewbead backing her up-” “And that’s a plus?” The silver mare’s vote of confidence was awe inspiring. “And her squad can improvise. She doesn’t need to micromanage.” Rainbow looked at the chiroptequus. “I trust the six of you will look out for each other?” “Without fail, sir.” Comet nodded. Rainbow Blaze leaned back. “See? Not worried.” Ardent shot him an unimpressed glower. “I don’t see how.” “There’s enough shit to worry about already, is all.” Rainbow finished off his mug. “I should go see how the Adamant’s coming along. And Shimmer, since I’m guessing you came to ask, Crescent has six wounded, two critically, and one dead. And there’s some concern about a counterattack, so you might want to see to your armor.” The pegasus eased off the ground and disappeared beyond the firelight. “I will never understand that pony,” Ardent muttered. “No,” Comet said, “but I trust him.” “And why’s that?” “Because after I enlisted, he was the first pony to tell me things were going to be ok.” Comet rolled her lip under her fang. “And I have to believe he was right.” ~*~ Night Light groaned as he returned to the world of the living. He was sure someone had left a boulder on his head, but when he tried to rub the throbbing away, his limbs refused to move. A test of his magic system sent a white hot lance of pain past his eyes and down his spine, and he howled like a stallion possessed. The medic was by his bed in a heartbeat. “Easy, sailor, don’t try to move. You overtaxed your magic out there. Well, you and a lot of others. You’ll be fine in a few days, just take it easy.” The earth pony tucked his blanket under his chin. “You hungry at all?” Night Light nodded weakly. “That’s a good sign. Wait here, and I’ll get some soup brought in.” "Thanks, Doctor." His mouth felt oddly foreign to him, but he willed himself to use it. "How long have I been out for?" "All day. It was a little touch and go for a while, but you seem to have scraped through with no permanent damage. Any more output and you could have killed a nerve, and Celestia knows how much that could cripple your magic." "What about the ship?" "Still flying, thankfully. I don't have an exact count of casualties -- I only see what comes through here for the most part, but the Air Guard did a good job of holding the line against those monsters." The medic checked over his charts. "If it helps, you weren't the only one to burn out. Twenty three cases in all, with twice as many cases of exhaustion." "Celestia forbid we have to do that again, then." "I should hope not. Now, enough questions. Get some rest and I'll see about that soup." The medic disappeared through the door, leaving Night Light alone with his headache. With nothing else to do, the unicorn eased into his pillow and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, a bowl of soup was sitting by his bed, still steaming. Captain Candescence was talking softly with the doctor. She nodded a few times as he went over the list of patients, muttered something to the earth pony medic, and turned to face the cobalt unicorn. "Glad to see you're awake, crewpony." "Glad to be awake, Ma'am," a twinge ran through his skull, "mostly. If you don't mind me asking, Ma'am, how are we doing out there?" Candescence tilted her head from side to side. "No serious damage, no exceptional loss of life. Nothing that will cripple us, but still, more than I would like. The worst of it is here, though." About half of the medical quarters were filled with incapacitated unicorns, the rest with the injured crew. "A few are resting in their bunks; we had to prioritize the medical beds for the critically injured." The captain sighed. "I knew the risks when I gave the order. I knew some of our unicorns would risk harm, channeling that much power, but I didn't see an alternative. If we hadn't thinned the enemy's numbers-" "Our flight wings wouldn't have won," Night Light said for her. "For what it's worth, Ma'am, I think you made the right call." Candescence smiled. "Thank you, Arcanist. Oh, actually," she pulled a small box from her pocket and opened it for him, "I believe it's 'Magister' now, correct?" "Y-yes, Ma'am." Night Light was almost sure he was dreaming, but he decided to enjoy it while it lasted. "If I might ask why, Ma'am." "For the stalwart holding of your post in a time of need, and the defense of your crewmates against an opponent of considerable danger." She said it like it was so obvious. Maybe it was to somepony whose brain was fully functional. "I'm honored, Ma'am, I am. Though, if I might be so bold, it sounds as though you're confiding in me." "Am I not allowed to confide in my crew, Magister?" "Of course you can, Ma'am. It's just, well, isn't that normally what your first mate is for?" The Captain's mood soured. "He's down in one of the beds near the end. He took a pretty heavy dose of that smoke before he got smacked by a blasted tail." She let out a heavy breath. "He's alive, and likely will continue to be, but it's not over yet." "I'm sorry, Ma'am. It was rude of me to bring it up." "You didn't know." The captain shrugged. "I'd consider making you acting first officer if you weren't down here too. Enjoy your soup, Magister Light." Candescence excused herself and left the room. Night Light caught himself just before he tried to levitate the soup over. Feeling was starting to return to his forelegs, and very carefully, he eased the bowl closer. Seeing the nurse arrive to help him was in the top five for best feeling he had ever felt. Thoughts of number one, her purple mane wrapping around her snow white neck, eyes sparkling just for him, helped him to sleep that night. ~*~ Stratus Drifter woke to the sound of soft, metallic clicks tapping a steady beat. He thought it had been a dream the last three times they had drifted into his consciousness, but now he was assuredly awake, and the clicks remained. With the groan of one who has been out of the waking world for too long, he looked around as best he could. He was in one of the larger, mud brick colored tents, lying on a cot alongside two dozen or more other ponies. Some of them had bandages wrapped around part of their faces or on their exposed legs. Various bags of fluids were connected to some by thin tubes. It was not hard to figure out where he was, but it was strangely hard to remember why. Beside his cot sat Comet Shimmer and Stargaze, the former absently twisting her contraption while her mind was elsewhere. How she had held on to that thing through everything they had seen was beyond the charcoal pegasus. Their attention came back around when they heard him stir. “You’re awake,” she said with a smile. “Take it easy, Drifter. I’ll get the doctor.” No complaints there. She vanished for a minute, the clicks disappearing as well, before she returned with a mare dressed in a medic coat. Stargaze patted his wingpony on the foreleg. “Hey there, pal. What do you hear?” “Nothing but the rain,” Stratus laughed weakly and closed his eyes. “You ok?” “Fine, fine. Don’t you worry about me. How do you feel?” “...Dizzy?” He shifted a bit under his blanket. “And really dry.” “Speaking’s good,” the medic said without looking up from her notes. “You took a blow to the head, Airpony, a pretty bad one. We got the swelling down in time, it seems.” “Oh.” Well, that accounted for his memory. “Um, is it bad?” “It doesn’t look like you lost any function, no. You can move all your limbs, yes?” The pegasus gave each limb a flex. They did not move much, but the rustling of the blanket was enough. “Good. Voluntary movement is always a good sign.” The medic levitated a cup of water over. “Slow sips, Airpony. You’ve had a rough day. Your memories should come back just fine, but let me know if anything's still hazy after a few days.” The liquid was like ambrosia running down his throat. Before he could get any more, though, the cup floated away. The medic turned to Comet and Stargaze. “You two are in his squad?” “He is, Ma’am,” Comet said, “I’m in his platoon.” “We’re going to keep him here through tomorrow, I think. If his condition hasn’t worsened by the evening, we’ll release him, but he’s not to fly for a week. I’d give him more, but I know we can’t afford it. At that point, he’s to return to us for evaluation. You get all that?” “I did, Ma'am. I’ll report it right away.” Comet patted Stargaze. “Stay with him, yeah?” “Will do, Shimmer. Thanks.” The purple pegasus smiled. The filly nodded and slipped out of the tent. “Good. As for you, big guy,” the medic said as she tucked Stratus in, “you should get some more rest. You need to let your body recover.” Stratus looked to his wingpony pleadingly. “Stargaze… our squad. Are they alright?” The colt nodded. “They’re safe, pal. I saw them all earlier. You need to rest. We’ll keep the skies clear for you.” He gave his hoof a squeeze through the blanket and sat beside the bed. Stratus sighed. The tent was still in the evening darkness, and all the charcoal colt could hear was the sound of his own breathing. There was nothing else for it, he supposed. Might as well rest a little longer. ~*~ Comet found Rainbow Blaze in Firefly's tent. Fir Bough and Duster were there as well. Ardent brushed in past the filly and passed something to the lieutenant. "If this is another request from somepony for something we don't have, Ardent, I'm going to send it back shoved up your nose." Firefly glanced over the paper. "Decent news for once." She passed it to her platoon leaders. "Strike Force Three captured a sizable roost out east. That makes three, including ours." "Lieutenant, Ma'am," Comet saluted in the doorway, "I have a message for Sgt. Blaze from the medical tent." "What is it, kid?" Firefly said. "Airpony Drifter has woken up, sir. They're going to hold him for a day, and he won't be airborne for at least a week." "At least he's awake," Rainbow sighed. "I was sure he was a goner." "We'll need everypony we can get, even if they're bedridden. Thank you for the news, Lancer." Firefly's gaze remained fixed on her maps and charts. The filly waited to be dismissed, but no order came. She risked a glance at the fuschia mare, then at her lead, but they were on to other things already. "Until Strike Forces Seven and Nine report success, we can't push forward without leaving this mesa open for capture." Rainbow Blaze pointed at the other forces' targets on the map. "I don't think we're moving soon, Ma'am." "They can't be far behind us, though." Ardent checked her copy of the plan. "Even if we got ahead of them, it can't be by more than a day. We should hear from them before week's end." "If there's anypony left to hear from," Duster muttered. "Thank you, Sergeant Cynicism." Firefly scribbled a few notes. "Is it too late to change his nickname, Boss?" "Yes. Duster's right, though. We need to know what's going on around us, not just what should be." She paced around the table. "We need scouting parties, one for each strike force. They head out as far as the force should be, check up and down the path, and head back. Should take, what, two days?" "Three, Ma'am. It's a day's flight each way and a day's searching," Fir Bough said. "Fine, three." Firefly finally took notice of Comet still standing in the tent opening. "The buck are you standing there for, Lancer?" "I-" Firefly hated robots, she remembered, "just listening in, Ma'am. I was trying to get a sense of our standing given the victory today." She straightened to attention. "That said, I volunteer myself and Lancer Nimbus for the scouting mission." "Denied, filly. Get in or get out." The filly scampered in. "I need every airpony that I know isn't useless. That means you stay here, even if you’ve got a damn pillow strapped to your back. Those new foals, some of them are fine from what I hear. I figure we'll give them a chance to prove their worth." "You sure their company leader is going to be alright with you giving them orders, Ma'am?" Firefly chuckled. "I don't see how they can turn down a captain's orders." The pin still sat in its parcel, nearly forgotten. "Congratulations, Ma'am," Comet said. Firefly shrugged. "Corkscrew here got bumped up to Junior Lieutenant." She patted Rainbow on the back. "So yes, if we say go scouting, they damn sure will. As for us, we're going to hold this rock for the time being. Until we have the clearance to move on, this is our new base. Ardent, send somepony to go find out what the good Colonel Redwood's planning. Fir Bough, Duster, take stock of who's in fighting form, and I don't mean just physically. Blaze, you checked in with the Adamant already, yes?" He nodded. "Head up to the other four and see what the captains are up to." She watched her underlings leave, leaving her alone with the lancer. "Walk with me, kid. It'd be best if I made the order face to face." Firefly looked over Comet's armor as they walked. It was scratched in a few places, dented in as many, and scuffed everywhere else. The back plate was bent horrifically, like she'd crashed into a tree. The scale mail that guarded her haunches was dusted in dirt and soot, but there didn't seem to be much blood, and none of it was equine. Her sabres dangled over her shoulders. She could see long gouge marks under the rubber guards where the metal had met the tips of scale and bone. The filly's mane had grown back in; it resembled what Firefly vaguely recalled from that night at the pub a lifetime ago, but it was dirty and uneven. Dark bags sat under her eyes, she still had grime on her face even after a shower, her fetlocks were growing long, and her wings twitched as she walked. It was not the first time the pegasus mare had seen a pony so run down, but that did not make it any easier. "How are you holding up, Shimmer?" There were better questions to ask, Firefly knew, but it might be better to let the filly start things off. Comet gave her commanding officer an incredulous look. "Ma'am, I haven't had a good sleep in three days. I'm wearing the same filth I picked up this morning, I'm amazed I can still use all my legs, and my back feels like a buffalo is sitting on it. My friends cycle in and out of sick beds like shifts at a job. And to top it all off, my squad leader is dead." She groaned internally as she realized what she was saying, and reigned it in with a look skyward. Still, she could not hold back her sarcasm. "I feel wonderful, Ma'am." "Well apparently you picked up a bit of a mouth somewhere, too." Firefly shook her head. "I know it's been rough, kid. The crap we've seen out here, nopony deserves to see." She stopped. "I wanted to tell you, so I know you know, I didn't draft you so you'd be out here. I put in the paperwork to have you assigned as a runner for our company, back when we were still at Dodge. They sent it back with a big 'denied' stamp -- too many support staffers already, they said. Every fresh soldier was getting sent to combat. How bucking stupid is that, wasting good talents on spears? "There's nothing that makes this war fair, kid. Fair doesn't exist out here. It isn't fair where we get assigned to. It isn't fair that somepony lives while somepony else dies. It isn't fair that we win here or the dragons win there. There's only what is. And we keep flying." "We keep flying..." Comet's gaze fell to the ground. "I don't blame you, Ma'am. If anything, I'm glad I'm here with Cyclone Company, with my friends from Basic and the friends I made once I arrived. I don't think anypony would have tried as hard as Sgt -- Lt. Blaze to keep us all in the same unit. If anything, I should be thanking you. You looked out for me, for us, like you said you would. "I just... I promised myself I would do everything I could to keep my friends safe. I don't want to lose anypony else. I told myself that when we left the Pass a week ago. One week. And now Sgt. Cane is dead, Lancer Seas is all but gone..." Comet sniffled. "What am I doing? What was that promise worth in the end?" Firefly sighed. War is no place for sentimental foals with big hearts. "You did what you could, Lancer. Like I said, there's no fair out here. You don't save everypony just because you don't want them to die. Some will, you might, I might." She added under her breath, "Rainbow might," before looking back to the filly, "and the living will still need to fight on, no matter who's lost. Wren Song needs her squad to be strong, especially given your numbers. Are you going to let her down?" "Of course not, Ma'am." "Good." Firefly resumed walking. Comet briskly caught up. "It won't get easier, kid. But you find ways to deal with it... How many ponies do you think have died under my command?" "I... I'm not sure, Ma'am." "Forty seven now. The needle was wavering on forty eight until Drifter opened his eyes." Firefly closed her eyes for a moment. The faces of her ponies whirled by, some blurrier than others, but all of them watching her. "We lost nineteen before your lot showed up. We've lost almost twice as many since then, now that we're facing heavier combat. And one... one was in a training exercise before the war even began. He lost control in a turn, hit a tree, and that was it. "Accidents happen sometimes. I didn't blame myself for him, not especially. I cursed and spat and had to rewrite the letter to his family a couple times, sure. But the first time ponies died because of my orders?" She snorted. "I damn near turned in my wings. But the brigade leader, the same one that made me Cyclone's lead, wouldn't let me. I slammed my wings on her desk, shouted obscenities in her face, told her I had no right to be in command of anypony, and you know what she did?" Comet shook her head. "She got up, pinned the wings right back on my collar, turned me around, and walked me out of her office. 'We'll talk in the morning,' she told me." "But you didn't quit?" "Never managed to. She controlled herself so perfectly on the field, in her office, wherever she was. I couldn't stand to lose my calm in front of her again. So I broke a few bottles, went berserk on a fence, sobered up, wrote the letters, and showed up the next day determined to do better. And every day since, I get up with that goal." She flashed a sideways smile at the younger filly. "I hope you quit the Guard after this is over, Shimmer. It doesn't suit you. But whatever you do, I hope you face life instead of backing down. Does that make sense?" "I think so, Ma'am." Firefly snorted. "We'll see. Come on, the sooner we get those newbies scouting, the better." ~*~ Two squads of pegasi launched before the sun was up the next morning; one group flew east, the other west in hopes of finding the other strike groups alive and victorious. Willow Wisp watched them from the Adamant's top deck. Silver Raindrops leaned against him. She was not asleep, of course; anypony caught sleeping while on CAG rounds would be harshly reprimanded, but they could still relax a bit with so many on watch. Every so often, one of their wings would brush against the other's. It had become their little thing to do - - it was impossible to sneak any time for something more intimate. The lemon yellow colt thought on how bizarre his life had become since joining the Air Guard. He'd traveled to the far end of Equestria. He'd learned to crew ships, clean armor, and kill enemies. He'd slain dragons. He'd watched his friends and comrades get hurt and die in front of him. And in the midst of it all, he'd fallen in love with a classy girl from Baltimare, and she even loved him back. Given the chance, he would spend every day of a very long life with her. If the dragons had their way, he would spend every day of a very short life with her. He almost hated her for the pain each deployment caused him. Every time they jumped, a voice in his head screamed that he might lose her. Every time they left together, they risked coming back alone. Already, he had been sure that had come to pass. The memory of that panic, of scanning the chaos for any sign of her silver mane or her red wings, of joining up with the rest of his squad while his gut was screaming to break off and look, gripped his heart painfully. Part of him wanted to end it before that pain became permanent. However much that hurt, it would be nothing compared to losing her forever. But he did not. Curse his coward heart, he never could. She was too warm, her smile was too serene, her laugh was too melodic. And she always had a smile for him, no matter how bad things got around them. Did she know what that did for him? She must have. The night after Gale Force died, sleep had tormented Willow. The grey pegasus had not been the first to, but he was the first of the group from Fort Hurricane. The chunky grey pegasus seemed to know every card game ever made, and once they had gotten him out and about, he was always finding ways for them to have a little fun. His passing made everything seem inescapably more real. As much as he craved slumber, whenever his eyes did close, nightmares would wrench them open with cold sweats and threats of vomit. He lay shivering in his bed and listened to the pouring rain, hoping for release, but none came. He must have wimpered or made some kind of signal, because Rain suddenly appeared by him. He looked up at her with eyes that begged for mercy. And she'd smiled for him. He could tell she'd been crying. Even in the dark, it was clear. Despite their best efforts, she had still been hurt, and he knew how much those claw marks made every exertion painful. And still she smiled for him. He sat up and put a hoof on her cheek. She leaned into it. He kissed her. It was a quick kiss, a wordless missive. She gave him one too. He held on to it. She climbed into his bed. He laid the blanket over both of them. They lay there, warming each other with each other, listening to their heart beats and their breathing. He stayed awake until he was sure she'd fallen asleep, and then he finally found peace in the darkness as well. No, Willow Wisp could not bring himself to leave Silver Raindrops. If he somehow emerged on the far side of this war with his spirit intact, he knew it would be entirely by the grace of the beautiful, brick red pegasus who saw something good in him. Silver stirred a bit against him -- maybe she had dozed off for a second. "What are you thinking in that head of yours, Wisp?" He replied with a soft kiss through her mane. She giggled. Faust, it was like bells after a rainstorm. ~*~ Some detail was going to be overlooked. Everypony knew it, but nopony could predict it well enough to call it out beforehoof. With every roost the ponies forced the dragons from, more scaly monsters were left roaming the desert at random. Sometimes only one or two, sometimes a dozen or more, the beasts would wander near the captured mesa. Whenever they did, the smell of familiar ground drew them close, and the sight of the conquering equines called them to aggression. Hope began to dwindle for the scout parties. In two days, eleven engagements had occurred. Combined, they did not compare to the largest fights Cyclone Company had experienced, but what would a single squad of ponies do if half a dozen dragons found them out there? At home, the rosters were not looking great for the air groups. Cyclone company was down twenty KIAs and eleven injured since departing from Dodge Junction. One of those wounded would not be returning to flight status. It was too many to compensate for, but not enough to pull them off the line, especially with nopony to replace them. And Comet's group had thought it was bad when only a few empty bunks had haunted their quarters before -- now most of them found excuses to be elsewhere. It just so happened that that was why Comet was down in the armory with Thunder Clap, counting rounds for the ballistae. Despite the losses, Candescence had reworked the duties on the ship to leave the Air Guard with almost none. They needed to be ready to fight, she argued, but that meant a lot of empty time, and Comet needed to be doing something. "If you're that desperate," the green behemoth said, "why don't you go offer to organize Cpt. Firefly's tent? Celestia knows she could use it." He glanced over at the filly. He had never paid that much attention to her, but without her armor on, she looked thinner to him than she had before. The pegasus logged the thought for later. "And face her wrath when she can't find anything anymore? No thanks." "Who says she can find anything now?" "Good point." Comet sighed. "How're things on your end, Ogre?" "I've... been better." Thunder Clap checked off a box on his sheet. "Snow Veil got hurt in the last skirmish, and Firefoot's coming down with something. 's just the four of us left good to fly." "You're not grounded with so few?" "Who'd replace us?" The mammoth pegasus shrugged. "Can you imagine those bastards at the Junction? Constant rotations, fresh supplies whenever they want it, fortifications a mile deep. I bet they don't even know how good they got it." He checked off another box, leaving two blank. "I'm done over here. How does your side look?" "Sparse." Comet's sheet was short four boxes. Their ship was down 30% of its ammo. She frowned and slapped a stack of the dark metal shafts. "But it's in order. Come on, let's check it in." Thunder Clap walked in silence as they made their way back to the duty office. He kept glancing at her, waiting for the opportunity, before finally he said, "Surf Crest told me about Sgt. Cane. I'm sorry, Egghead." She shrugged weakly. "It happens, right?" She caught herself on the last word, but it was too late to recall them. She knew Gale Force still followed Thunder around, silently standing and smiling that sheepish smile he always had. "Sorry, I didn't mean-" "I know, dork." Thunder Clap sighed. "You're right. Shit happens." He leaned against a wall. "You know what's really the dumbest part?" Comet shook her head. "I know Gale wouldn't want me to do anything stupid. He'd want me to look after our squad for him. And I am, as best I can. But I... I feel like I should do something for him, like there's something I can do to make it right." Comet's first thought was to give Thunder a nuzzle. She never thought, since the first time he'd shoved her out of the way in Basic, that she would see him show any sort of attachment. But miracles do happen, it would seem. The filly frowned; Gale was not the first, and he would not be the last. Snowdrift had warned her what hanging on the dead would do. So she strangled that show of comfort, sighed, and patted him on the shoulder. "Clap?" "Yeah?" "Don't go looking to die a hero, alright?" She started down the hall again. "We need you alive." He nodded to her back and fell in behind her. Mentally, he pinned a note to tell Lily Nimbus on his observation. ~*~ Four more dragons. Two of them had looked pretty young, though nopony knew what defined a "young" dragon. The way they flew, the way they took stock of their surroundings, there was just something more youthful and inexperienced about it. They died the same, though. Moon Beam set down just behind her sister and ripped her helmet off. Her handling of Sun Ray's helmet was much more caring: she gingerly plucked it from the yellow filly's head, laughing at how it always made her ears pop out, before setting it on a bench. Then she undid each buckle, checking for cracks or dents, before sliding the whole construction off and setting it aside. Then they did the same in reverse, though the yellow sister had to collect Beam's helmet. "At least we get to fly a lot, sister mine," Moon Beam said around a belt as her sister checked the stitching. "That we do, sister mine, though hauling around forty pound suits of armor hardly constitutes 'flying' if you ask me." "Well, I didn't ask you." The snowfall blue filly stuck out her tongue. Sun Ray gave her a smack upside the head. "And at least we're out seeing the world." "Soaring the skies that beg to be soared." "Surfing the winds." "Seeing the sights." Their conversation was becoming another musical number. By anypony's count, it was the fourth this week. The problem was, no one pony was ever there for all of them. "Every day, a thrilling chase," "A new, wondrous place." "A whole new world~" "Oh. Will. You. Two," Willow Wisp wrenched out of Silver Raindrop's grip and turned on them, "shut up for five minutes! Every day, it's more shit out of you two, and I'm so sick of it!" The twins stared at him, aghast. Moon Beam shrunk back, but Sun Ray had always been the defensive one of the inseparable pair. "And what's wrong with a little song, lover boy? It's not like the rest of us have much to enjoy out here. Maybe we just need something to smile about, hm?" "Yeah, well you're driving the rest of us crazy with it." The other members of the platoon picked that particular moment to disappear from the tent, some of them with armor still half strapped to their backs. Silver Raindrops put a hoof on Willow's shoulder, but he shrugged it off. "Oh buck you, Cheerleader." "What did you say to me?" "I said buck you." Sun Ray's wings flared in anger. "Or are you getting enough of that from your sweetheart!?" "You try bringing Rain into this, and so help me Celestia-" "Celestia's not here, big guy. So what are you gonna do?" She and Willow started circling each other, wings flared up. "Come on, Wispy. What are you gonna do?" He charged her. They were within a feather's breadth of each other before Silver and Beam grabbed them and pulled them apart. "That's enough, sis!" Moon Beam hollered at her flailing sister. Faust, she forgot how strong Sun could get when she really got riled up. Rain, being a fair deal taller than Willow, had an easier time holding him down. "Sun, calm down! You're done, it's done!" Still, the pegasus tried to break free. Grunting with frustration, Moon Beam reached around and prodded a spot on Sun Ray's belly. Since they had been little fillies, that spot had always shut the yellow pegasus down in a fit of giggles no matter what mood she was in. Her sister referred to it as the "Emergency Sun Shutoff Switch." She had a similar spot, she had discovered, and had managed to hide it from her yellow twin for all of two weeks. Almost instantly, Sun Ray slumped in her sister's forelegs, panting and giggling weakly. With her out of fight, Willow Wisp slowly cooled off. The four of them sat in the empty tent, slowly venting off the desire to rip each other apart. Silver nuzzled her colt, whispering in his ear and occasionally nibbling the skin. "Willow?" He pressed his head against her neck to say he was listening. "Could you go get us some mugs? I'll join you in a minute." He nodded and stood with the all the energy of an old stallion. He gave himself a quick dustoff, pecked Rain on the head, and left the tent. Moon Beam slouched against her sister. In her grip, Sun Ray was finally coming back to them. "So what was all of that?" Moon Beam directed at Silver. The brick red filly frowned. "This stays between us, understood?" The twins nodded. "Willow... Willow sings. He's incredibly talented, actually." When the twins thought on the rare instances they had heard him, he had been, in truth, better than either of them. "He was going to go to a university on it, the Canterlot Academy of Music if I recall. He had a full scholarship, but he came here..." "So why does he hate us singing? Is he really elitist or something?" Sun Ray grumbled. Her sister patted her back to keep her calm. "I think he's trying to keep his life back home separate. He doesn't want anything from here to ruin that for him," Rain whispered, "'mostly.' He made it sound like, if he remembers everything out here whenever he sings, he won't be able to anymore." She looked to where Willow had left. The last thing she could bear was for the colt to lose something so precious to him. She felt a hoof on either shoulder. Moon Beam gave her a melancholy smile, while Sun Ray was still all frowns. "Great. Now I have to be all apologetic and crap," Sun grumbled. "She's really bad at apologizing," Moon said. "So bad." "Very bad." "The worst." "Which why I'm always there to help." The twins grinned at each other, that same stupid grin they always had just for each other. And Rain realized, as they went to find the lemon yellow pegasus with the voice of an angel, that it was not some strange quirk they shared. It was a promise. ~*~ Comet's helmet sat heavy on her head as she sat against the Adamant's bow. Another night of watch duty, another circle of cards, more stories in the dark. At least they only had the first of the three night shifts, this time. Night Light was finally well enough to be up and about, and decided to spend his evening with them. His magic was still sluggish, but everything seemed in order. It was good to see his dumb smile. She shifted in her seat, trying to get her back plate to stop poking her. They had done what they could to straighten the metal out, but it was still bent enough to rub her back uncomfortably. "So you're telling me the captain threw, literally threw a dragon around like a rag doll?" Moon Fang guffawed. "Swear on my cutie mark. I've never seen anything like it. Of course, I passed out before it was over, but let me tell you, those few seconds," Night Light wiped a tear away, "were a once in a lifetime moment." "That was quick thinking, turning the shield teams into magic cannons. Um... Crescents." Wren Song challenged Dewbead's hoof of cards. The sky blue mare shook her head. "Damn." Another card to her own hoof. She was going to be over the limit soon. "It was, no question, but I won't be jumping to do it again." The unicorn was still barred from heavy magic use. "Honestly, I'm lucky to be jumping." "Were any of the others...?" Night Light glanced at Comet and frowned. "Three, yeah. They might be able to recover, in time, but for now their magic's shot. Little to no use." None of the pegasi could imagine losing their wings. Was that anything like a unicorn losing a horn? "I'm really sorry, Night Light." Comet hung her head. "Not your fault. You guys did a good job, taking on so many dragons. We were just doing our part." Night Light raised his coffee tin with his hoof. "This beautiful tub keeps flying all the same." Comet nodded and pulled her contraption out. When they weren't fighting, eating, sleeping, or doing some sort of maintenance, the filly seemed to be toying with the little sphere. It got to the point where ponies just associated her with the little clicking noises automatically, like she was the one making them. For Lily, it was not so amusing. She did not mind the clicks, but rather the frequency. Comet was her wingpony; they were each other's responsibility. So when the chiroptequus toyed with her contraption when she was supposed to be asleep, when she sat in the galley twisting it instead of eating, when she would sit in the armory for twenty minutes after a skirmish, spinning it in circles, Lily Nimbus noticed. The clicks started up again, quiet and even, and most everypony ignored it. But they rattled inside Lily's skull. Each one, each snapping of the gears and struts buried in that little piece of crap was a problem. And she wasn’t the only one to notice. Rain, Moon Fang, even Thunder Clap had come by to tell her something seemed off about Comet. She caught Wren Song's attention and quietly motioned at the chiroptequus. Wren nodded and waved the filly away. "Shimmer, can we talk?" That, of course, got the attention of the others. "Down, ponies. Just technical stuff about the last sortie. Drink your sludge." With a deficit of enthusiasm, Comet pocketed her contraption and followed the pegasus away from the circle. They were well down the deck, out of earshot from anypony, when Lily finally turned around. "Shimmer... Comet, what's going on?" "What do you mean, Nimbus?" Had her gaze always been so unfocused? "Look, we both know I don't really do subtle, so if you don't want to admit it, I'll be blunt." Comet just gave her a blank look. Lily growled. "Fine. You're always playing with that damn ball." "It's fine to have a hobby. Everypony knows I have it, it's not contraband." "Yeah, but you play with it instead of sleeping, and eating, and washing. And I don't think it's because it's just the most interesting thing you've ever found. I found your little notebook with all the combinations, Comet. You haven't added anything to it in weeks. You're just twisting it." "I don't think it's going to open. I just gave up on that train of thought, that's all." "Comet don't give me a load of crap, please." She tried to put a hoof on Comet's shoulder, but the chiropteuus backed away. "I trust you with my head, you know that. I want to help." "I don't need help, Nimbus." Lily paused. "When did you start calling me 'Nimbus?'" "You're reading into things. It's nothing, really." "Comet-" "Drop it, Nimbus." "Drop what? Is there something to drop?" Lily advanced another step. "Why won't you talk to me?" "It's fine, Nimbus, I'm fine. We should get back." Comet turned to leave. "Comet don't give me that crap-" "Lancer Nimbus, I said to drop it and I bucking meant, drop it!" Comet's pupils shrank to slits. In the mostly dark, her irises really did seem to glow. Whatever Lily was going to say next froze in her throat under that glare. Comet spun on her hoof and made for the circle. Lily returned from her shock to see Comet walking away again. She had warned that she was blunt, and in doing so, she felt that she had given proper notice and could not be held accountable for her actions. Lily Nimbus tackled Comet Shimmer to the deck. Neither of them knew who was shouting more, Comet from surprise or Lily from anger. Lily was not going for blows, but simply pinning the slightly taller filly to the floor. Comet shouted at her wingpony and struggled to get up, but Lily was wrapped around her like a snake. She tried headbutting the pegasus, but could not get a good shot in with their position. "Nimbus, what is your problem!?" "My problem!? What is this, Comet? Why the buck won't you talk?" Comet continued to struggle. "Something is clearly eating at you, and it's wearing you down more than any of our fights. But you don't want to bucking talk about it because you're such a Faust damned know it all." "Go to Tartarus!" "Been there, you mule!" Lilly wrenched Comet back under her as she nearly slipped free. "You probably think you're so smart, you can handle everypony's problems and your own and be completely fine. Poor Lily Nimbus, she's so dumb, I should give her a shoulder to cry on. I don't need one because I'm such a bucking genius!" "Buck you!" And Comet really did buck. The force threw Lily into the air, but her grip on the indigo filly held, and with a beat of her wings, they both slammed back to the deck. "Just let me go, you wretched monster!" "Not on your life, Comet. If I have to pin you down all night, you're going to bucking tell me why you won't say what's killing you from the inside out-" "Why tell you what's wrong if you'll be dead in a week!?" All the tension under Lily suddenly vanished like a balloon popping. Comet slumped to the deck and curled up as best she could in Lily's grip. The pink pegasus got off of her wingpony and lay down beside the prone filly. "What's the point, if you're going to die too?" "Who says I'm going to die?" "Why wouldn't you? Cane, Gale, we've lost almost thirty since we got to Thunderhooves. They're just gone. Every time we go up, it seems like somepony doesn't come back. It's not just you, it's..." "Comet..." Lily wrapped her wingpony in a different kind of embrace. "You can't shut yourself in. You'll go nuts. I think you already are." That was the wrong thing to say, if the jab in the gut was any indication. "Ow, right, okay. Comet, I've been worried about you. You're not getting enough sleep, and you're not eating well. Anypony can see it. If you try to fight like this, you won't make it back. How am I supposed to explain to your smoking hot brother that I let his little sister die? "You're there for me when I need you, Comet. Let me be there for you. Talk to me, please." Lily squeezed her closer. "Don't fight this war alone." She risked a glance at the indigo pony. A sob was threatening to break free, but something pulled it back at the last second. On the way back to its prison, it wracked Comet's frame with another series of shivers. "I've been having nightmares." Comet curled tighter. "I-I'm falling, and my wings won't work. And then, something flies in front of me, and it's so dark, like a shadow's shadow, but it’s green too, somehow. And it opens its mouth, and right as the jaws snap shut, I wake up. And..." Her breath was raspy and labored. "Recently, I see ponies falling with me. Cinnamon Cane and Gale... and Summer Seas... and Rose Petal." She added when Lily clearly did not remember, "One of the unicorns from the Adamant. "They're falling, and I shout to them, but they don't respond. They just stare... I ask them what they want, but they're completely silent. They just stare at me as the shadow comes and swallows us. Why don't they say anything? Why don't they stop staring at me?" Comet was shaking like a leaf. Lily hugged her close and stroked her mane, whispering reassurances that it was all a dream when she knew that was hardly the problem. When Comet spoke again, it was barely more than a whisper. "I want to go home." "I know, Comet. I do too." Lily sighed. "Come on. I think you need to sleep." "But the CAG-" "Is staffed with two squads, plus the other four ships. I think they'll manage." When the two of them returned to the circle, the others were all hovering on the edge of their seats, watching them intently. Moon Fang had already gotten up at least once, if his toppled mug was any indication. Wren waited for them to speak. "Lancer Shimmer isn't feeling well, Ma'am. It’s my opinion that she should not be flying in combat in her current condition. With your permission, I'd-" "Go, Nimbus." Wren smiled a bit. "Make sure she's ok for the night. We'll handle things up here." Night Light offered to head to the sickbay and get a dose of the sleeping draught he'd been drinking like cider. They met him down in the crew quarters; Comet was already in her bunk, but accepted the vial with mumbled thanks and downed its contents. Lily stroked her back as the filly started to nod off. "Lily?" Comet murmured. "What is it?" "I'm sorry about before. I shouldn't have..." "It's ok, Comet. Just talk to me next time, alright? Now get some sleep." "Ok... But, what if I fall again?" Lily patted Comet on the back. "Then I'll catch you, you idiot. That's what wingponies do." The sleeping draught knocked Comet out cold. Where nightmares had plagued her, only a warm, comforting darkness met her. She slept through the horn that called them to action late that night. Promises to sleeping ponies or no, Lily had a duty to her squad. She was armored up and ready to go right with the rest of them. Lily Nimbus crashed onto the deck of the Adamant ten minutes later with rivulets of blood trailing along a cut in her left haunch. The pain whited out her vision, but a dozen stitches, a wrap of gauze, and "the best pain potion ever invented” later, the usually rowdy pink pegasus hovered her way back to her bunk right under Comet's. The indigo filly was still sound asleep. And as much as her leg was killing her, the knowledge helped Lily Nimbus find sleep herself. Stargaze’s bunk remained empty.