The Last Holdouts - A Conversion Bureau Story

by Aedina

Winging It

The Last Holdouts

By Aedina

A C o n v e r s i o n B u r e a u S t o r y

Chapter Nine

Winging It

Artie was helping Paul into his parafoil* pack with one hand, and clutching the cyclic** stick with the other. Maneuvering was tight, and the storm made the process even more challenging. The lights kept flickering, making everything surreal, as if they were in some sort of strobe puppet show. All attempts to locate their Potion had failed, and time was running out. Bailing was now their only option. That, and prayer. After all, without the magical purple nano-fluid, survival was pretty much out of the picture for the long-term. Only if they could make it to the ship below would they stand a chance; surely that nice mare would have 6 ounces to spare.

"Talk about going out with a bang, guess that old saying was wrong, huh?" quipped Paul

"Which one was that, then? " Artie asked, already knowing the answer.

It was just chatter, he knew, words to fill the hole of fear both of them were feeling. The cavern that quaked in the depth of Artie's gullet made him want to curl into a fetal position. But it would be such an unbecoming way to meet one's fate. Besides, cannon-balling didn't mix well with parachutes.

"An old author, called T.S. Elliott.", said Paul. "Elliott said that the world would end, not with a bang but with a whimper." Paul gasped out this last part as the copter took a momentary nose dive.

They changed positions, one last time. Paul taking back his customary seat with difficulty, due to the bulkiness of his chute. "I'd say this is one Hell of a Bang!" he shouted, over the noise of Artie opening the pit door.

"Seems like!" Agreed his co-pilot, his own chute on and ready to go.

Paul wrapped his seat's safety strap around the shaft of the cyclic, buckling it securely to the arm of his seat. Their hope was that this would buy them enough time to dive without the copter following in their wake. Anchoring the gas petal to the floor had been accomplished with the help of a spare helmet and some serious application of duct tape. They'd done their best to pass the Bonne Chance, yet stay in line with Her course. The wind would most likely work in their favor, unless it shifted suddenly, but the strength of the storm was going to make guiding their chutes difficult, at best.

Somewhere over his shoulder, Artie was preparing to jump. Almost wishing he were a more religious man, Paul made due with murmuring the Princesses' names in a hushed petition for aide. "Luna, Celestia, Luna, Celestia, Luna...."

Paul saw the very last of Artie's helmet disappear out of the view from the door frame, as he rose to take his own leap of faith. Echoing in the now vacant cockpit, despite the noise of wind and storm, was his shout as he took to the air.

"E Q U E S T R I A !"

Marina was a mare on a mission. There were several decks to descend before she could reach Mr. Heskin. Her main difficulty was not to trip, as she galloped down the stairwells between each deck. While it was true that Mr. Heskin had commissioned special construction on his Yacht, equipping it to accommodate pony sized bodies - stairs were still stairs. Marina had spent most of her time on the bridge and upper decks, even when she was off duty. She hadn't practiced much on stairs, not on four legs!

So, "Potion... Potion was a must", she thought. Her first stop would have to be Sickbay. What else would they need? She arched her neck, and grabbed some saddlebags hanging from a hook beside Florrie's nurse station. She hoped she'd be forgiven for borrowing them without asking, given the circumstances. "Rope would be good!", she declared. How she wished she could somehow send an inflatable life raft, or a dingy. Marina gave another stomp of her outraged hoof as she shook her head, impatiently. She HAD to think straight. Lives were on the line and the clock was ticking. Grabbing whatever came to hoof wasn't the way to go about things.

A few deep breaths, and she was out of Sickbay, and back on track. Rounding a corner at full speed careened her into a startled stallion. Chain reaction almost collided him to the unicorn mare, behind him, blanketed in a sodden wrap.

"Careful There, where's the fire?", was his rejoinder, as he protectively blocked Marina from barreling into the wet Newfoal.

"Sorry, Sorry," Marina blurted as she spied the shivering pony behind him. Realization widened her eyes, "Doctor? Is that you, Doc?"

The mare's eyes were wide with terror, clearly she was in shock. "That's her, alright, but she's not up to talking, just now", explained the stallion. "I'm seeing her directly to Sickbay, if you could step aside, please?"

Marina compressed herself, apologetically, to the side of the passage, as though trying to shrink into the wall. The two ponies passed her. A backward glance was all she could spare as she once more began to race to the aft deck.

Oliver stood on the storm swept stern deck. The enclosing Barrier was a huge bubble that completely filled the horizon. He had half a mind to order the Captain to come to full stop - no matter where they were, now, they'd be crossing over. Equestria was all there would be. Closing his eyes he took a moment to remember the sad Earth, the few wonders that had been left to view as he bid her goodbye. He'd been one of the lucky ones, he knew that, his whole life he'd known that. When the Good Families had tried to fight the inevitable, he'd been banished from their midst for daring to speak the truth.

"Wealth won't matter, not for very much longer. What are you going to spend it ON?", he'd shot to the assembled committee. "Power? You're delusional, there's only two real sources of power in Equestria, and if you think the Princesses are going to let you run rough-shot, you've got another think coming!" Their stupid contract, ensuring their continued humanity - they had no concept what it really meant. It was just another prison sentence pretending to be something it wasn't. Philanthropy had been expected, attempts at atonement, even regret - all these he'd been prepared to see - but those who ruled donned blinders and began to plan their cozy little rebellion on the other side. It was ridiculous, futile! Storming out of that meeting turned out to be one of the most satisfying moments of his life. And the freedom it gave him! To not Care anymore about what Anyone thought. He'd seen the light. He was going pony!

Pounding hoof-beats brought Oliver back from his reverie. As he turned with an a cocked ear to see what the fuss was, Marina impacted his withers with an "Umph!" of expulsive breath. "Whoa there! You alright?" he asked, as he planted his weight, grateful for the ability to lock knees and the strength that his impressive new frame afforded him.

Marina, saddle bag in muzzle, first shook her head, then tossed it up and down. Both her winded state and her full mouth prevented her clear response. Franticly pantomiming, one of her fore-hooves shot to skyward pointing urgently as she nudged at him to turn around. Oliver was caught between concern for his very obviously distressed First Mate, and confusion at what she so anxiously was trying to convey. He followed her hoof, turning to survey the sky.

Above them, he could make out the dim outline of the helicopter. Two small forms were dropping from it, barely visible as their chutes opened. Clouds of colorful parafoil blossomed behind them, suddenly, making their positions much easier to track. Oliver felt the weight of saddlebags being settled between his wings. Now able to speak, Marina's voice shook in passion, "They saved you, they need help!"

Realization hit Oliver like an anvil, those two brave souls would die if they couldn't manage a safe drop onto the Bonne Chance. Even then, they'd need something soft to break their fall, and potion on hoof, just in case. For those vague shapes in the storm-tossed air seemed very bipedal, at present. Could he manage both, as passengers? His back was broad, and he'd already proven his strength by carrying Netta to the ship. "LIGHT!", he shouted, hitting the com button with his muzzle. "Captain!" he commanded, not giving Smollette a chance to acknowledge, "I need a searchlight, NOW! Aim it high, and we need one more pegasus on deck, two, if possible. Where is Everypony?"

"Marina!", he continued, as he turned to face her once again, "Thank you! Yes, I see. I've got it! You head back to the bridge, but rouse everypony you can find on your way, let's get this rescue together fast!" As Marina galloped back up the stairs, Oliver spread his wings, reared, and kicked off. The effortlessness of flight, the Princesses' gift, was a true boon to him, he required no more than the slightest twitch of his feathers to steer. As the ship's searchlight lit the sky, he gave powerful pumps to his outstretched wings and began to climb, silently thanking the Sisters for their foresight.

Greenwind took a moment to admire the purple cloud in his wake, as Florrie's magic vanished the recalcitrant casks to reveal the life-changing elixir. His wing was sore, but not much beyond that. He let the rain hover for just a second more, for dramatic effect and appreciation, but also to be sure that everypony was under it. With a conscious closing of his eyes, he released his influence, and turned to land beyond the cluster of mattresses. Florrie was watching him, her horn's light fading as she smiled. The crowd barely had time to applaud the rain, as transformation sent them puddling into undulating masses of goo. Their shouts of joy were silenced as mouths became mere lines. It was truly an awesome sight. Greenwind had never seen the process, and was torn between horror and fascination as he watched Florrie survey it from a much more practiced and practical perspective.

"Did it, then, Miss Florrie, yer a genius, ma'am." His admiration was reverential, his tone hushed. Usually so exuberant, since his own conversion, Greenwind felt subdued by the sight before them. Writhing gelatinous blobs were springing out hooves, ears, and long, graceful limbs. Soon the plumes of mane and tail would sprout to complete colorful new coats.

"I couldn't have done it without you," was the nurse's response. "How's that wing?", she inquired.

"Not too bad, considerin'," he replied. The pegasus stretched his bandaged right wing, flexing it experimentally, before he folded it back into place with only the smallest of winces. "Seems ta' be ship-shape!", he smiled.

Florrie circled the metamorphosing Newfoals, double checking that all was well and as it should be. Practically itching to be on the bridge, Greenwind fidgeted. "That colt certainly has a lot of energy", Florrie thought. It was almost a pity to keep him from departure, but she was uncertain if his help wouldn't be needed again. All pondering was put aside at the approaching pound of heavy hoof-beats. Marina arrived in an almost literal lather, looking around the room with wild eyes, until they rested on Greenwind's wings.

"Need pegasi!", she announced. "Aft deck, emergency, hurry!" she commanded her Second Mate. Before he could even open his mouth in answer, the mare was turned through the door and heading up the stairs. Greenwind risked a quizzical look towards Miss Florrie - torn between the call to duty and the knowledge that he was still officially on the wounded list.

"Go, go!", Florrie's permission snapped him into action, his muscles moving him before he could even think. Wishing she could know more of what was going on, Florence Nightingale, nurse and unicorn returned her attentions to where they were needed most.

"So much for things going smoothly", she sighed - It seemed that even the best laid plans of mice and mares had, indeed, gone awry.

*Parafoil- A specific type of "ram-air" parachute, designed to be more like a paraglider, allowing for control and steering.

**Cyclic Stick - The main control device that steers a helicopter. It looks a bit like a joystick, but bigger. It comes out from the floor.

Comments

[Chatoyance]

This was a wonderful, action-packed chapter. I really loved the references to my story Human In Equestria, and the Good Families. I also enjoyed some of the bits of alliteration... I enjoy alliteration. I also liked that you clearly did your research, as evidenced by the footnotes. Wonderful!