//------------------------------// // The Right Twitch of Talon // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// Starstorm shifted through the ashen mess of debris atop the peaks of the Petrispines. With metal-laced talons, she lifted the handle of a charred axe, still-smoking. After letting loose a dull grunt, she dropped it back into a pile of likewise smoke-stained weapons. Ash and debris littered the remnants of pine trees below the blasted summit. “A stockpile.” Taking a breath, the Sergeant pivoted about to face the rest of the Talon. “Large enough to arm hundreds of bandits, terrorists, arsonists... you name it.” “Scratch out the 'arsonist' part,” Windburst muttered, pearched atop the smoldering remains of a wooden shack. “All of the explosives here went sky high.” “Yeah...” Raptr shuffled through the debris, waving a talon in front of his beak. “Not even any residual dredge dust remains. Thank Verlaxion.” “Who could have done such a thing?” Starstorm asked, gazing at the others. “Certainly, I can understand the bandits of this region wanting to cover their tracks. But there has got to be less flashy ways to go about it!” “Hrmmm...” Seraphimus tapped her beak, gazing across the Petrispines in thought. “It could very well have been an accident.” “Oh, it was no accident.” The other four turned to look. Keris picked through the debris with his good arm. “This was done on purpose. And I think we all know by whom.” Raptr took a deep breath. “The Rainbow Rogue.” “Yes, but what would be her goal?” Starstorm asked. “What else?” Keris remarked. One magenta hawkeye darted up. “To protect the ponies of this landscape.” “Hrmmmff...” Windburst snorted. “That's rather presumptuous, wouldn't you think?” “She could be wanting to ingratiate herself to the locals, perhaps,” Raptr said. “Curry favor after such a big bounty has been placed on her head.” “Or...” Keris shuffled through the group, carrying a wooden slab. “...she just likes explosions and ruining bad ponies' day.” He smirked under his beak. “After all, she's done it before. Back at Red Barge.” “Yeah, and why do it here?” Windburst gestured. “Why again?” “Because of a common thread.” Keris lifted the wooden slab in his grasp. A circular emblem barely survived a swath of burn marks. “The bandits who built this hideaway didn't exactly supply themselves.” “Hey...” Raptr squinted. “That insignia's familiar.” “The Shoreline Trade Consortium,” Seraphimus droned. The others looked at her. “Commander...?” Starstorm breathed. “These ponies were packing dredge coal from the most expansive corporation in the continent.” Seraphimus took a deep breath. “Curious, Lieutenant.” She swallowed. “But not exactly surprising.” “Anypony could have gotten their hooves on this sort of shipment,” Windburst said. “After all, there've been robberies and seizures of goods for months all along trade routes just like this one.” “Yes, but don't you think it's a bit too coincidental to ignore?” Keris remarked. His eyes traveled between the different griffons perched before him. “The Shoreline Trade Consortium has been known to funnel most of its raw ore from the materials dredged up in both Red Barge and South Barge.” “What about White Barge?” Starstorm asked. “Negative.” Keris shook his head. “That ended months ago.” He turned to look at the Commander. “After the likes of Elsaack and other top dredgers disapproved of the Corporate Executive's price gouging and intimidating trade tactics.” “Who's the Corporate Executive of the Shoreline Trade Consortium?” Raptr asked. Seraphimus looked at him. “Brye Chandler. The would-be Magistrate of the Shoreline Prefecture.” Clearing her throat, she looked at Keris again. “Where, precisely, are you going with this, Lieutenant?” “When I was in Red Barge, it's no secret that I... underwent great physical trauma.” “We know...” Starstorm sighed, eyes round and sympathetic. “And that's most unfortunate, Lieutenant.” “Despite my better training, I wasn't capable of hearing everything that Skagra and his lesser goons discussed. However... I did get the impression that they spoke often of an inside contact from the continent proper. A 'fat cat,' as they put it.” Keris looked at the Talon as a whole. “Supposedly, they were planning a meeting with this individual or party to discuss payment for transfer of the Rainbow Rogue.” “And we all know how that went,” Windburst muttered. “No, Sergeant, we don't.” Keris shook his head. “Many of Skagra's supporters fled west from Red Barge before I or any of the members of White Barge could apprehend them.” He sighed. “I fear they may have carried many secrets over the waves with them.” “Secrets of what?” Raptr cackled. “Some grand continental conspiracy about the handling of dredge coal and the Rainbow Rogue?!” “The rookie's right,” Seraphimus said. “There's far too little to go on. And I am not in the position to make any unfounded claims about the Shoreline Trade Consortium or its executive representatives.” “But Commander—!” Keris began. Seraphimus raised a calm talon. “However...” Her charcoal eyes narrowed. “...this is most certainly a distressing detail you've stumbled upon, Keris.” She gently took the plank of wood from him, studying the company emblem up close. “And if there is any truth to it... any truth at all... it only underlines how important our mission is in capturing the Rainbow Rogue.” She looked up. “She was far more cognizant of what was going on board the Rainbow Rogue than the Lieutenant was. If she knows any answers to Skagra's reach into our continent, then only she can inform us.” “From the look of things,” Windburst firmly spoke, “If she really did blow this place up... then she's probably trying to cover up the truth.” “Or...” Keris frowned. “She's simply trying to eliminate a threat when she sees one!” He gestured with his good arm. “One that we're unable to stop because we're too damn busy trying to bag ourselves a flightless pegasus!” “If she can do all of this while 'weak and flightless,' then she's more dangerous than we've anticipated!” Starstorm exclaimed. “That's not the point, Sergeant.” “Then just what is the point, Lieutenant?!” Windburst frowned. “With all due respect, we're just standing here, sniffing our own farts while the Rainbow Rogue hoofs it to Goddess-knows-where!” Seraphimus snapped at him. “Watch your tone when you address the Lieutenant, Sergeant.” Windburst took a deep breath. Finally, he bowed. “Yes, Commander. I'm sorry, Commander.” Starstorm gulped while Raptr shuddered. Commander Seraphimus stared at them all. “Now...” She breathed slowly. “I know that this hunt has been tough. We're low on sleep... low on food... and we've already spent countless months chasing down phantom terrorists who only seem to evade our every move.” “My apologies, Commander,” Lieutenant Keris muttered. “It was not my intent to sow discord and intrigue.” “Do not apologize, Lieutenant,” Seraphimus said. “These are all valid bits of information that we must consider. However—most important is the task ascribed to us by the Court.” After a deep breath, she pivoted about to squint across the spires of the Petrispines. “The sun is going down, and we could be here all week. I suggest we head straight for Kunmane.” “You... you really think the Rogue would have reached there by now?” Starstorm remarked. “It's nearly time for the Unification Day festival,” Raptr said. “It... it may be an even better place to hide.” “I think we've found the evidence we need to conclude that she's not here anymore,” Seraphimus said. “If she indeed caused this explosion, then I very much doubt the mare intends to stay. After all, she does strike me as the kind of pony who prefers to burn bridges behind her.” She looked over at Keris. “Would you concur, Lieutenant?” He nodded. “Absolutely, Commander. And to head anywhere east—” “—she has to pass through the Mist Cliffs,” Windburst said. “Blessed Goddess...” Raptr grimaced. “Heaven help us if she decides to venture into that.” “If the Rainbow Rogue descides to go into the Mist Cliffs, then heaven help her,” Seraphimus said coldly. She flapped her wings, lifting up. “To Kunmane, my flock. We'll position ourselves around the edges of town. Windburst, take the north exit... the one that leads into the Mist Cliffs.” “Aye, Commander.” FWOOOSH! “Raptr, take the west side of town. Starstorm, position yourself in the east.” “Yes, ma'am.” “Aye.” FW-FWOOOSH! “Lieutenant, you're with me,” Seraphimus said as she flew northeast. “We'll cover the heart of the village. The streets should be bursting with ponies by the time we get there.” “Allow me to guess...” Keris smiled calmly as he followed her. “You want me to lean on your shoulder in the state that I'm in?” “Quite the opposite, actually.” Seraphimus exhaled. “I am... not well versed in addressing a crowd, especially one as thick as a night like this one invites.” Her feathers crested back beneath her helmet. “I will undoubtedly rely on your natural... charm.” “Well then.” Keris breathed. “Is this a promotion?” “You've been inhaling too much of the muck, Lieutenant.” “I can respect that, Commander.” “As you should.”