//------------------------------//
// Chapter 17 
// Story: Ace Combat Equestria: Shattered Clouds 
// by Cpt Celti 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 17


Though she lost Eight, and as I later heard, Seven, Six never openly showed her sorrow. She lost both of the Princes of Gryphnia, a huge blow to troop morale as I could understand, yet she didn't seem to show any sort of emotion towards their loss. Though I had gotten curious as time went on; I ended up finding her standing alone in the barracks trailer they shared. Seven had a baseball glove next to his pillow, and Eight had a ball. I had heard them talk about their prowess back home. They were actually selected for the Fyrick team before the war broke out, and they used their pilot's licenses to become fighter pilots.
When she felt my eyes on her, she said softly, "No matter what, they can blame no one but themselves. Tyr went up with his plane in disrepair, and Carde was already dragging as is and he chose to go back. Pilots are responsible for their planes."
She then went on about when they all first met. She spoke of when they were just a couple of hotshot princes, before she trained them personally, before they had become exceptional fighter pilots. Her words weren't particularly directed at me, but I was content to listen. 	Letting her speak seemed to be keeping their memory alive, giving her comfort at least.
Meteor Squadron's pilot turnover rate ran high after the deaths of Prince Tyr and Prince Carde. Rookies with little air time were transferred in whilst the veterans were sent to other squadrons to shore them up with more skilled pilots. So many faces I didn't recognize came in, whilst some I had spoken to in passing left, never for me to see again. I remember Six had sighed after she greeted the newest arrivals. They were ecstatic to be flying in Meteor Squadron, but acted nothing like the professional pilots did.
One night, Six posted a newspaper up on the board that had been faxed over from Fyrick. It praised an AEGIS pilot who had singlehandedly destroyed Sky Breaker, the Gryphon's weapon of mass destruction that had assured Gryphnia's air superiority in the entire region, and practically the whole continent. There was a large fighter on it, still flying, and it seemed to be holding two pilots. It looked familiar, then I remembered Six describing a fighter of this design having almost shot her down. The insignia on the tail...
"Look at this," she said as she sat down on the seat below it. Everyone turned to see the female gryphon sitting there, her eyes staring at the wall on the opposite side of where she was sitting. "This right here... is something worthy of praise, of respect. This... is the deed of a warrior. Even among the enemy, among ponies, there are pilots who are capable of this, capable of defeating us in grand displays of technique and prowess. This pilot... has earned my respect."
Murmurs and shocked whispers resounded through the bar before Six continued. "There are ponies who are able to triumph over the impossible odds we throw at them. Not all of them are despicable dweebs who rob our wings through cowardly sabotage." The barkeeps daughter, who was holding my shoulder as we listened, flinched ever so slightly, but I felt it through the tightening of her hand.
There was a rumbling outside the bar just then. I looked out and then went to the window. Through the driving and pouring rain, there were trucks going by. One had stopped and the back of the truck dropped down. A pair of gryphons wearing helmets with red crosses on them were helping some wounded soldiers out of the back and into the medical ward across the street. I heard shouting that the allies were making one push after the other, somehow finding some backbone. It was then that is was made very clear to me. If this was true, the allies were close.
The allies were on their way to Glacier...


Rhapsody's skin paled once more. "How bad?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Ditzy gasped and her panting increased. "N-not good," she whimpered. "It hurts... it... really hurts!"
Rhapsody looked back and saw Sprig inching closer to her fighter, flipping on its side. "I can just barely see it, Wraith, but damn it looks bad."
"We got to get her on the ground!" Amethyst called. "Does anypony know of any place we can land?"
"Think the Dragoons made it to Sky Breaker?" Sprig asked.
"Doubtful," Rhapsody replied quickly. "They aren't expected for another hour, and I don't have that much fuel left!"
"We know that, Wraith!" Mythic cried. "Panicking is not going to ease the situation any more. Sky Gazer, we need a place to land. We're low on ammo and fuel."
"Already working on," Scootaloo called back. "Just hang on for as long as you can!"
"We're trying!" Rhapsody shouted.
"Rhappy," Ditzy said weakly.
"Just hold on Ditz, we're gonna get you some help. Save your breath."
The Tomcat shook a little from the increase in speed, and Rhapsody needed all she could get, but she also had to remember that she was low on fuel. If push came to shove, she'd have to glide in. Sprig and Amethyst kept their hornets close, their wing tips mere feet away from Rhapsody's, and Mythic kept his eyes peeled on the skies around them, ever on the defensive. Her ears perking, she listened to every sound the Tomcat was making, alternately trying to keep her right wing from bleeding out.
The engines were starting to choke from fuel leaks, alarms were going off all over in her fighter, she had no way to defend herself, and the tail of her fighter was already shredded to the point she could barely maneuver. She swallowed hard, a gesture that made her wince due to the sheer pain in her wing. She could only imagine the pain Ditzy was in, so she muscled through it and focused on flying. Already the Tomcat was shuddering, desperately trying its own luck to stay aloft.
"Rhappy..." Ditzy murmured again.
"Save your breath, Ditz," Rhapsody called, "Focus on staying awake back there. Don't speak. Sky Gazer I need to know where we're going!"
"Just hold your feathers, Wraith! I'm trying to find a safe place for you all! I can't redirect a tanker to you since those that are in the air don’t even have enough for themselves."
Rhapsody hissed and looked towards Amethyst and Sprig. "Banshee, Phantom, you two can see better than me. How's she looking?"
As if on cue, Sprig flipped onto her left side and slid in close. The hornet managed to hover there, and finally, the Hibernian accent broke in through the crackling radio. "She's not too good, mate."
"And neither is your plane," Amethyst added quickly. "You're smoking bad out the back."
"Skies are still clear," Mythic reported. His fighter began wavering a little, and he swiftly added, "Not sure how much more fuel I have left. Might have enough to glide into base."
At this point, the pegasus mare's fighter began to rock a little. She looked back over her right shoulder, only to see it obscured by a large red blotch on the canopy. She swallowed hard, realizing how hard Ditzy was hit, by both shrapnel and cannon rounds that shattered on impact from the Terminator, and had to force herself to look away out the other side. Rhapsody could barely see it, but she could feel it. The rudders were hit hard, her engines were choking. The tomcat was giving her everything he could give her. She gritted her teeth and sniffed, hoping there was some kind of salvation soon.
"Finally! Ghost Wing! I have good news; we have found a place for Wraith to land and get Ditzy some help at the same time. There's also an emergency KC-10 filling its tanks right now for the rest of you."
Rhapsody let out a small cheer and a tiny smile. "Alright, just give us the coordinates and we'll-"
"Let me finish... the bad news... um..."
Rhapsody raised an eyebrow. "'Um'?"
Scootaloo huffed and spoke to somepony off to the side, possible Rumble, before returning to the microphone. "I think I'll let him explain," she added swiftly before the radio went silent for a few moments. 'Him'? Who was him? Anxiety took hold swiftly when Scootaloo shut her mouth and offered no further instructions. She held on with baited breath though, and waited for somepony to return to explaining this.
"Okay, sir. You're through," Sky Gazer finally said.
Whoever it was cleared their throat, and spoke clearly, with a broad southern Trottingham accent. "This is Rear Admiral Pippington of the HMS Midnight. Wraith, we've got a spot here you can land, but I'm not sure you're going to like it. Being Air Force, I doubt you've had this sort of training."
"Admiral, sir, it's an honor," Rhapsody said swiftly, at least trying to show a little respect in her dire situation. "Can you elaborate... even though... I have a hunch what you're going to say?"
"And you'd be right, Captain. Tell me... have you ever attempted a carrier landing?"
Silence was his answer, from all directions. Rhapsody swallowed again and tugged a little at her collar. "N-no sir. I haven't. I'm an air force pilot."
The Admiral sighed heavily from his side of the radio. He muttered, "This is why the Tomcat should have stayed with the Navy." He coughed again and spoke clearer. "I have a carrier in my fleet right now, HMS Fairweather, and we're steaming towards Saddle Arabia. Your AWACS has already informed me of the situation, Captain, and I'm severely hoping the tail-hook has not been removed from your fighter."
"After almost a year, sir? Never. Didn't want to bother maintenance crews."
"Then this just might work," Scootaloo piped in. "Ghost Wing, I'm sending the coordinates."
"Wait... we're actually going to... attempt this?" Rhapsody whimpered, already feeling doubts. She was air force! She was trained to land on gigantic strips of tarmac that go a mile, not floating driveways in the middle of an ocean!
"Wraith, we are choice-less!" Mythic cried. "You need to land that thing and get Ditzy some help!"
Sprig then added her own thoughts. "And ejecting is out of the question too, so don't even try it! Specter's body won't survive the strain of the push and you know that!"
Rhapsody grit her teeth. They were right, and she hated the fact they were all right. The Tomcat was designed as a fighter for the Equestrian Navy, but the Air Force was short on interceptors and requisitioned a large number of them, but they were swiftly replaced. As a result, there was no time to train the pilots how to make emergency carrier landings. The tail-hooks were still left on though and maintained. And now, Rhapsody was about to attempt one herself. 
The mare exhaled heavily, knowing that the only choice she had to save herself and Ditzy was the choice that could possibly kill her. Carrier landings were dangerous, especially for pilots not trained for such, and even for those who were. But the state her fighter was in, and the necessity of Ditzy's condition, she was once again hating the fact her only choice could be fatal if she made the slightest error in flight. And flying a wounded bird, the margin for error was almost- no- there was no margin for error. 
Swallowing hard and tugging at her flight suit's collar, she responded slowly, "Sky Gazer, confirming these coordinates."
Scootaloo spoke softly, probably to her partner in the AWACS, "She's gonna do it." She then cleared her throat. "Coordinates confirmed. Ghost wing, move out to the fleet."
"Wraith, we've got medical and emergency crews on stand-by on the flight deck. Captain Bowline will be instructing you on how to land. I'm sending word now to get the deck cleared for you."
Rhapsody once again swallowed as she started banking the wounded tomcat towards the sea, listening to the shaking bits of metal clinging to the airframe by threads, adding swiftly, "Admiral... you might want to get the fire crews ready, sir."
"Standard operating procedures, Captain. But let's pray to the Mother Mare we don't need them." 
Rhapsody was praying she wouldn't need them either, but it never hurt to prepare for the worst while expecting the best. The Tomcat was sputtering now, fuel practically gone now. If push came to shove, she'd have to glide in. Close by, the rest of Ghost wing began to show the strain of losing massive amounts of fuel. They kept airborne though, staying within range to guard their wing leader.
The mountain range they were flying over gave way to the beaches, and soon, to water. They had finally reached the ocean. The sun was dipping down low. Early sunset, as if the sun was just bringing the blanket called the horizon up to its chin to rest for the day. There was barely a cloud in the sky, as if they had all parted to give Rhapsody room to move, sensing her desperation. Banking again, the cockpit was given a beautiful glow from the setting light.
"It's... pretty," Ditzy rasped.
"It is..." Rhapsody agreed, wholeheartedly.
"Nice thing to see before... before I-"
"No," Rhapsody snapped. "You're gonna see a lot more like that. Just hold on."
"I... don't know how... much longer... I..."
"Just save your breath. Sky Gazer, how much further to the carrier? I'm running out of fumes to burn!"
Sky Gazer was quiet for a few seconds, checking their location. "A few miles, you should be able to see it from your location."
"Banshee here," Sprig cried. "I can see the Fairweather. Rhapsody, we're guiding you in."
"Thanks everypony... I mean it."
"Now don't get sappy," Mythic said blithely. "We're doing this 'cause we're wingmates. And I look after my harem."
Rhapsody let out a soft giggle, her first since the situation began spiraling out of control for Ghost wing. Tilting her control stick just a bit, she let out a deep breath as the carrier came into view. The tomcat staggered, but matched her movements and commands. It seemed her old warbird wanted to get out of the sky too. Rhapsody couldn't blame it. Her suit was getting soaked with sweat and more than enough blood. She had almost forgotten her right wing had been badly damaged and numbed. The sea green mare had been so focused on her plane and her co-pilot that she had forgotten about herself. Her vision had fogged a bit from her own blood loss, but the adrenaline was keeping her conscious she supposed.
Flipping a switch on her console, she was thankful it still worked, the landing gear began to lower. Exhaling once more, she flipped another switch for her tail-hook to lower as well. Rhapsody was really going to do this. The heavy panting behind her let her know this was her only option and she needed to do this flawlessly. The massive floating airstrip came into view, surrounded by the rest of the Rear Admiral's fleet. A total of ten ships made up the battle group, including the Midnight on the Fairweather's starboard side. She had never seen an aircraft carrier this close before, and she was now about to land on the damn thing. Giving her collar a tug, she began her descent. Even with her watering vision from the pain in her wing, she could see some sailors on the adjacent ships on their decks to watch her land.
"Captain, we've got a visual on your formation. On the port side is our spotter. He'll be holding a pair of lights. Whichever way he leans, you'll need to lean that way to correct your path," a Navy pony began saying. He must have been Captain Bowline. "There's four steel cables on the aft of the flight deck. You only need to catch one of them in order to land. When you get closer, we'll instruct further."
"Copy that, Captain," Rhapsody replied. She continued her descent. 
"You're coming in too fast, slow down a bit." Her ears suddenly twitched and swiveled back as she pulled the throttle back a bit. Her engine noise was getting softer, saving some fuel. The rest of Ghost wing broke off, giving her room. Already, the mare was sweating profusely, and in her opinion, she had every right to.
The controller began waving a bit for her to correct her path. Her rose eyes focused, and her tail hugging her body close, Rhapsody continued her push down, tilting the stick when needed and kicking the rudders. The tomcat groaned in protest, but she kept herself as stable as possible. She inhaled swiftly as the deck got closer and closer. Her coat stood on end beneath her suit, her skin paled, her throat dried immensely, her wings ignored their pain as they folded tightly to her back. "Easy, Wraith, easy," Bowline called again. Rhapsody's eyes began to shake, almost watering from the aspect of slamming into the flight deck. A good portion of the aircraft carrier's crew was heading to the flight deck, eager to see the landing. Almost immediately upon realizing this, the Wraith's mind went dark, projecting an image of a massive fireball in the shape of an F-14A Tomcat shooting across it. How many sailors would she hit?
What if she missed?
What if she came in too fast and overshot it and dropped into the ocean?
What if she was coming in too low and slammed the whole plane into the stern?
How many ponies besides her and Ditzy would she kill because she made a mistake?
The deck came closer to her nose. Her hands began to shake. Her wings hugged her back tightly, her tail wrapped around her leg, her ears swiveled back and clung to her helmet. Sailors began to get out of the way. She could see fire hoses off to the side prepared for use. The fireball image came again.
"Raise your nose!" Bowline yelled.
She did as ordered. Closer.
"Raise it more!"
Again she did. The deck was getting closer!
Closer!
CLOSER!
She was going to miss!
Her wheels hit the deck! The hook grabbed a cable! Her body was shoved forward! Every organ in her torso dropped down to her hooves!
"Throttle up! Throttle UP!"
Before she knew what she was doing. Rhapsody threw the throttle forward. What was left of her fuel poured into the remaining turbine. Her engine screamed, roaring out behind her. But... she wasn't moving. What had happened? The engines began to pop behind her, threateningly loud noises shooting out the back as the Tomcat jerked.
"Shut it down, Wraith! Shut it down! SHUT! IT! DOWN! NOW!"
Once again, she grabbed the throttle and yanked it back, then proceeded to power down the Tomcat. The fighter let out a shrill whine as the turbine slowly began to die down and weaken in thrust, before shutting down completely. She let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. He skin returned to its normal color as her body finally began to relax. Yanking off her oxygen mask and helmet, she panted heavily and ran a hand through her teal and cyan mane. She laughed and a small smile coursed her muzzle.
"Way to go, Wraith!" Amethyst cried.
"Knew you could do it," Mythic called out.
"Bang on, Wraith! Good show," Admiral Pippington called out. Cheers resounded through his radio into her ears. Nearby sailors were clapping for her. She smiled; she had done it! "Sky Gazer has already called for a tanker to carry your wingmates back to base. We'll fix you up quick and you'll be on your way as well by the week's end."
Rhapsody nodded. "Thank you sir."  She opened the cockpit just as the sailors began rushing over to her. Her rose iris's turning upwards, she saw the two F/A-18s and the lone EF-2000 fly overhead, heading for the fuel tanker that would take them back home. She would be joining them soon hopefully. She then looked back, saying "We're landed Ditzy. You can look now." She set her helmet aside and unstrapped herself from the harness and her seat. She was panting and sweating, and in desperate need of a - 
No response. Why was she so quiet? A carrier landing wasn't... so... bad...
"Ditzy?" She leaned back to look, and her skin paled once again.
The grey mare was slumped forward, unmoving.
"Ditzy?" Rhapsody called, her panic rising. Still no response, even after climbing over her seat and giving her a shake. "Ditzy!" Nothing. Her suit was covered in blood and sweat, her oxygen mask and cheeks had soaked from tears. Her wings had slumped in the seat and her head was hanging down. Helmet and oxygen mask were still tightly attached. Rhapsody began to pant rapidly again, shaking the grey pegasus mare fiercely. "Ditzy! DITZY!"
Nothing. Her chest wasn't even moving. There wasn't even a twitch. Ditzy's body was completely prone. She looked out at the group of sailor ponies rushing a ladder towards the Tomcat.
"CORPSMAN!"


The Typhoon's engines whined down as his delta winged fighter rested under its respective hangar. Opening his wings, Mythic Dusk jumped from his cockpit and landed squarely on his booted hooves as he watched Sprig and Amethyst's Hornet's taxiing behind his to their own hangars. The Saddle flight controller trotted up and ran a hand over the nose of the aircraft, namely over the dragon design he and Rhapsody had painted together at night.
"It's beautiful," she murmured. She was a charming mare, really. A soft pink coat under her full uniform hinted of a lithe frame with a darker pink mane and thinly cut tail. Grinning, she turned a soothing eye to the grey pegasus stallion. "What prompted this design?"
Mythic patted the canard-wing near the canopy. "I've got this pendant in my trunk on the C-130s that'll be landing in an hour. Also a tattoo on my back to match it."
The Saddle grinned and sidled a bit closer to him. He raised an eyebrow as she leaned back on the fuselage. "I've heard a lot about Ghost Wing. The daring pilots lead by the daring and dashing Wraith. What's he like?"
Mythic chuckled at her and leaned beside her on the delta wing. "'She' is currently on the HMS Fairweather awaiting repairs."
The Saddle pursed her full lips, folding her arms under her breasts. "Sounds like you might be the more skilled pilot." Mythic smiled at her, though he gave a forced grin as she sidled a bit closer to him. Her tail swayed back and forth as regarded him like a cat would a mouse. Mythic couldn't help she might be... "Can I see this tattoo sometime?" she asked innocently.
There it was.
"Well, maybe I can-" 
"Mythic!" The Saddle mare and the pegasus stallion leaned to the back of the hangar. A very peeved hippogriff was regarding them both. "When you're done fraternizing, Major Soarin would like to see us, if you can recall his message."
He did. Mythic huffed as the hippogriff strode off, her wings ruffling in obvious irritation. "Marefriend?" the Saddle asked. But instead of the soft innocence, her tone was replaced by one dripping with the venom of disappointment.
Way to wing-block, featherhead, Mythic thought bitterly. "She wishes," he replied with a groan. "But she's right. Gotta jet." He turned to leave, but not before pointing his helmet at her. "Catch you later though."
She grinned at him and winked. "Natina."
"Mythic Dusk." He returned the wink and headed off towards the back of the hangar as a pair of earth ponies ran by with tools to repair any damage he had suffered during their brief skirmish on the way here. He rounded the corner and was promptly blocked off from the door by a grey coated arm... attached for a very angry hippogriff. Her feathers were extended outwards, as if she had just been washed and dried. Every feather and hair on her head and neck was puffed out and her cheeks were beet red.
"'She wishes'?" Sprig seethed.
Instead of replying, Mythic held his grin and pointed with a chuckle. "You look really cute all puffy like that."
Mere seconds later, he was on the ground clutching himself while a seething, and very puffed up hippogriff stomped off to the other side of the complex.


"Thank you Admiral. I'd like her back here as soon as you can get her fixed up." The door opened and Soarin turned around. In strode the three pilots he had been wanting to see for a few hours now. Lieutenant Sprig Root came in smoothing out the feathers on her neck. Lieutenant Amethyst Karat walked in closely behind her, snickering like a filly that just stole a cookie and got away with it. Mythic picked up the rear. The grey stallion in question entered with a slight waddle. As the Admiral spoke, the Captain mouthed, 'What happened?'
'Don't ask', was his response. He tilted his eyes at Sprig, who shrugged innocently.
Nodding and leaving it at that, Soarin replied, "Yes sir. With respect, just as soon as you can." He hung up after the Admiral did and turned to the three pilots remaining of Ghost wing. He took a deep breath and began, "Well, I have good news and bad news. Which first?"
It was the lone Crystal Pony who spoke, giving Soarin a light start. She was usually the quiet one. "Good news first." When the others looked at her, she elaborated. "Usually makes the bad news hurt less."
"Fair point," the silver hippogriff agreed. Mythic merely shrugged and nodded.
"Alright then," Soarin once again started, "The good news is that Gryphnia's advances into Equestria, Hibern, Saddle Arabia, and the Crystal Empire have slowed to a halt in some areas, but the vaster majority they've been pushed back and we are on the offensive. There are four different areas where we've penetrated their border and are advancing and setting up outposts."
This was met with a light cheer, with the lone male adding. "Maybe the feather-heads have gone soft after we broke their best toy."
"Tsk. Can you blame them?" Sprig asked snidely. "They're all squawk and no strut when you step on their claws the right way."
Soarin chuckled a bit before clearing his throat. Mythic caught his move and frowned lightly. "Alright... bad news."
Soarin scratched the back of his head before giving a heaving sigh. He patted the phone on his, formerly Spitfire's, desk. "That was Admiral Pippington on the HMS Midnight. They're on their way to Saddle Arabia, a day or so out and then they'll arrive. Rhapsody is fine, a few wounds but they picked out the metal and wrapped her up. She'll be good to go in a few days and flying again in a week." He swallowed hard, putting everyone on edge. They asked the silent question of the condition of Ditzy, the wall-eyed mare who could probably see better than any of them could. He took a deep breath and murmured. "Ditzy wasn't so lucky."
Amethyst choked and leaned against Sprig, who held her tightly and was trying to keep her own composure. Mythic ran a hand through his mane as he gritted his teeth, unable to bear the truth even though it was right there in front of him, slapping his face. "But," he added quickly. This sparked a hope in them as they returned their eyes to their squadron leader. Violet, ocean blue, and gold irises pierced his very soul as Soarin continued.
"Ditzy had massive internal trauma, bleeding, large shrapnel wounds and her right wing was torn to shreds along with her arm and shoulder. The wounds are incredibly severe and they're not expecting her to be able to return to active duty for some months; if she'll ever be able to fly combat sorties again, or in general." Soarin scratched the back of his head. "Now Rhapsody, headstrong as she is, had to be ordered to receive medical treatment. She's barely left the sick bay since Specter was admitted in.
"Though the Admiral assures me she's getting the best treatment they have onboard, she'll be transferred to an actual hospital once they make port the day after tomorrow."
Sprig sighed and rubbed her eyes. "At least they're alright, eh?"
"But will Rhapsody be coming back?" Amethyst asked weakly. The youngest of the group, she was admittedly the most timid and emotional. So of course her concern is for others and never herself.
But Soarin answered with a nod. "She'll be back in a week, and when she is, she's going to need a new pony riding shotgun in her Tomcat once it's repaired."
"So," Sprig began, as she started to shift on her feet, "You're filing for a replacement? For Ditzy?"
"Well not... exactly... per say," Soarin began to fumble his words, then sighed. "Yeah, replacement."
The three pilots assembled before him huffed and sighed, shifting around as they looked between each other, sharing looks of mild contempt and even scorn towards their Captain. Soarin couldn't really blame them. He didn't like breaking in replacements any more than the next commanding officer. But if they wanted to continue their operations, Ghost Wing would need to be at full strength. Besides the Wonderbolts, Ghost Wing had become one of his top fighter wings.
Shoving his papers aside, Soarin shook his head and looked up again. Outside, the ground crews were shutting the hangars and the trucks were returning to their assigned lot. The base was essentially closing for the night. The military would head into town, relax, celebrate destroying Sky Breaker and the coming advances on Gryphnian held territory. There would be liberations left and right, and the AEGIS troops couldn't wait to stomp their hooves on Gryphons all over the battlefields.
"Head into town. Saddle locals love military because they have money, but they're some of the most hospitable and humble ponies you'll ever meet in your lives." The three merely nodded after being dismissed, clearly not liking the idea of a replacement. Soarin didn't either; he knew how stressful it could be. Hopefully the new kid he requests will know the difference between a prop and a turbine. But his eyes once again drifted towards the airfield itself. The last of the hangars closed, and he followed Celestia's sun towards the mountains, then to the north. To Gryphnia.
"Mother Mare, we still have much to do."