Chapter 186: Godspeed
Ranger
Chapter 186: Godspeed
By Wanderer D
Rainbow Dash yawned.
The Skyranger was hidden within a thick grove of trees, a few miles from the mansion, and so far, nothing of interest had happened. She had almost fallen asleep three times already, and the coffee was running low.
Maybe she should pick up her guitar again, playing some riffs would probably help her keep awake.
She wasn't going to let boredom knock her out, however. XCOM missions had a habit of going sideways and as much as she needed a nap right now, she didn't want to accidentally miss something important happening.
Still. Making sure to keep the emergency channel open, she fiddled around with her transmitter.
"Rainbow Dash?
"Hey Fluttershy," Dash said, smiling as she reclined on her seat, eyes staring into the stars above. "How are things going?"
"Well, I just woke up an hour ago, so not much is happening," Fluttershy replied on the radio. "We had some breakfast, and Jenny went out to join Angel and the others at the farms about two hours ago.
"Geez. I hate getting up at 6AM, and you make it sound like they actually enjoy it."
Fluttershy giggled, and it brought back so many memories, along with a deeper desire to play her guitar again. "So why are you calling so… um, late? Early?"
"Eh, it's about ten PM here," Rainbow Dash said, brushing her multicolored hair off her face. "The others are at a party… can't say much, other than I need to stay awake to pick them up when it's over."
"I see."
"Did you know Twilight went back home?"
"I heard, and I do wonder what kind of place it is? Didn't you say that there was a Rainbow Dash there and also one of me?"
"Yeah." Rainbow sighed. "And AJ, and Rarity, and Pinkie."
"Oh." Even though she couldn't see her, Rainbow Dash could hear the sad smile in that simple word.
"They're all horses though," she added. "Like. I think you and I have wings, and Twilight and Rarity have horns."
"Oh my, unicorns and pegasus., how cute!"
"Is that the plural for the flying horses?"
"You know, I have no idea, since there aren't any in this world, it never occurred to me to investigate that."
"I'll make sure to ask her next time I see her."
"Please! And also, please send pictures! I'm sure she looks adorable!"
"Yeah, sure," Dash replied with a laugh. She settled back, smiling at nothing. "This sure brings back memories."
"It does. What can you see right now?"
"Hmm… the stars. It's dark and quiet around here, I'm far away enough from the cities to be able to see all of the Milky Way. Not a ship, helicopter or satellite in view."
"That sounds lovely. One day you should stay the night here, it's very nice and calm as well, and the sea crashing on the rocks is very soothing."
"That sounds pretty cool," Rainbow Dash said, smiling as she lost herself in the stars. "Shy? Do you remember when we used to camp out at AJ's?"
There was a moment of silence. "Yes. She had a lovely farm. I used to love helping her and Big Mac tend to the animals… and the Crusaders used to make a lot of noise in their club house, even when they were supposed to be asleep."
"Heh, yeah." Dash took a deep breath. "I'd sneak in some whiskey, and AJ would say something about that not having a place in her house! Then she'd bring a bottle of applejack to drink, or hard cider." She laughed. "I used to tease her so much when I told her I was drinking her fluids."
Fluttershy giggled. "It was a very disgusting way of putting it, Dashie."
Dash laughed. "Oh yeah, I know, but she would get all flustered! Rarity would say something about me being uncouth and then Pinkie would bring the cupcakes…" she trailed off. "I really miss them."
"I know."
"They were taken away from us so quickly… so violently."
"I know."
Rainbow Dash swallowed. "I wish—"
"Dashie… you couldn't have known."
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, biting her lip. She clenched and unclenched her hands and slowly opened them, letting out a deep sigh. "I know."
"Dashie, I—"
A sudden, blaring sound startled Rainbow Dash, making her kick the console in surprise. She quickly sat up straight, and started turning on the systems. "Sorry, Shy, work calls."
"I understand. Take care, Dashie. Visit sometime, okay?"
"I will!"
The transmission cut off on Fluttershy's side, but Rainbow Dash wasn't paying attention to that now. She flipped switches as fast as she could, and the moment the motor was running hot, she pushed off the ground, twisting slowly as she faced the direction of the signal.
For the emergency signal to be used… shit had hit the fan a lot quicker than any of them had anticipated. They knew that the mission would involve combat of some sort, but they weren't supposed to make their move until much later, at least in the realm of a couple of extra hours.
"Avenger, this is Firebrand, copy."
"This is Avenger, report."
"Emergency signal went off, I'm on my way to pick up Menace, don't know the status of everyone, but given the lack of armor…"
"Understood, medical teams will be on standby."
"Roger, and thanks, over."
Rainbow Dash bit her lip, eyes scanning the area almost feverishly.
They had been somehow found out, and they had minutes at best to make it out alive. Standard procedure dictated that Rainbow Dash would hover near the area until the signal flare was activated. After that, she had seconds to be in position before the others were there as well, and she'd drop the ropes down as soon as the troops were in place.
However, as she approached, she noticed a lot of action outside. Several ADVENT troopers were shooting at the building, but no weapon's fire was coming from within. She hovered high, outside of view, trying to see if the gang had escaped from the back, or maybe onto the roof, but the familiar blue flare was nowhere to be seen.
She was about to do another turn around the mansion, when a sudden burst of light from the back of the Skyranger and several thumps and groans made her bank to the side. Whatever was behind her, rolled on the floor and hit the side of the plane, and then started cursing.
And Rainbow Dash knew that voice.
"Firebrand!" Central shouted, clambering up to the cockpit. "Stabilize this now!"
"R-roger that, sir!" Rainbow Dash said, doing just that. "How the actual hell did you get in here?!"
Central looked to the back. "That remains to be seen."
Rainbow Dash glanced behind, noticing Elena strapping an unconscious Jane to her seat, while an unknown man was already strapping himself up from a simple glare Laetitia was giving him.
"Sir? Where is Sunset?"
Bradford's jaw clenched, and he glanced angrily at the mansion.
Rainbow Dash felt her stomach grow cold. Not another friend…
The mansion's windows suddenly exploded and strange-looking ropes flew out, grabbing every bystander outside, dragging them violently in through the broken windows, doors and walls.
"Firebrand, I'm going to get my armor on and—"
"You will do no such thing."
Laetitia's voice sounded… different. More regal.
"Look, I don't know who the hell you are bu—"
"I understand your wish to save Sunset," Laetitia continued, "And I share it. She is family to me too. And means the world to my bonded. But this is not the time, we cannot fight her now and bring her back. At best, only a few of us would die… at worst… that would start her down a path of no return."
Central looked conflicted, there was real pain in those eyes. "Can she… can we bring her back?"
"I-I do not know," Laetitia, or whoever it was—Rainbow Dash was beginning to think it wasn't really her—shook her head. "But I do know that the answers will be with her book and notes… we must hurry."
"Dammit!" Bradford shouted, smashing his fist on the wall. "First Lieutenant, take us back."
"But… if Sunset…"
"She lives," not-Laetitia said, placing a hand on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "And our best chance of helping her is there."
Rainbow Dash shook her head, but followed orders.
'If this is the best course of action,' she thought sullenly as she turned the Skyranger around and engaged the engines, 'why is it that I feel like I'm leaving AJ or Pinkie behind again?'
"Because you're loyal, Rainbow Dash," not-Laetitia said gently, noticing her hesitation. "And I promise it will pay off."
Oddly enough, Dash believed her.
o.0.o End Chapter 186 o.0.o
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Luna-Laetitia can read minds now?
9269256
Psychic remember?
Also, Demonic Bacon Hair is going to go all godzilla for a few chapters isn't she?
9269256
Lætitia can from start, Luna can from bond.
Teleporting is technically in the Templar ability set, plus moon alicorn magic means yeah I can buy the teleport evac. THe mind reading seems a bit out of nowhere though.
So the squad managed to secure the VIP with no major injuries save for one soldier left behind MIA.
Mission Accomplished, Rating: 'Good'
It's nice to see Dash and Fluttershy talking.
When the mission goes so pear shaped you scream for the Skyranger and book it, scurrying off like a scared rat to reach the evac in any way possible. Had one of those in Enemy Within where my sniper was the only one that escaped, with 1 health. Pretty sure all he left behind was one wounded Ethereal at less than 5 HP, but I really didn't want a Code Black.
9269352
I take it that if teleporting is in the realm of possibilities for Templars, it would only be short range teleporting, that would fit into ground combat.
Teleporting an entire group instead of just yourself, plus it being inside a moving, flying aircraft instead of some stationary ground. This would be teleportation mastery beyond what anyone there could really believe was possible.
Long lived alicorns are truly dangerous and adept in even a limited magical world.
Well, if Luna is pulling of mass teleports, blind into the skyranger no less, she is packing a lot more magic might then pre-crazy Sunset or Twi did. It has to be in how she is doing it, using her bond to send her magic directly from Equestria.
Still, how long can she do this, before that body is used up? And what happens to Luna if she is still in it when that happens?
9269256
Could just as easily been an educated guess; based on empathic sensing, and knowing the mindset of Rainbow Dash's pony counterpart.
9269296
Oh I do want to see that and what happened to the warlock? Did he just get Turned into a fine red mist? Well good luck to his rebirth chamber tryng to put him together again.
Time to retreat, regroup, and rebut!
"unicorns and pegasus., how cute!"
"unicorns and pegasi, how cute!"
"closed her eyes biting her lip"
"closed her eyes, biting her lip"?
"and the moment the motor was running hot"
[looks at some images and video of Skyrangers]
Interesting; you're envisioning all of that as being driven by a single engine? Or as an engine system distributed throughout the vehicle, but still working as one? Or is "the motor" not literal?
"to pick Menace"
"to pick up Menace"?
"but given the lack of armors…"
"but given the lack of armor…"?
"an unknown man, was already"
"an unknown man was already"?
"simple glare Laetitia was giving her."
"simple glare Laetitia was giving him."?
So, from that ending... it looks like Luna can still use Laetitia's telepathy just fine in her body?
Hard to let a soldier, even more so a friend, behind, but the situation gives no choice.
Loved the interaction between Dash et Shy.
9269513
I think pegasus is intentional since RD ponits out if its the correct plural
MInd reading Templer, wouldn't be surprised if they could really do that. Close call, mission rating good
9269370
Especially if you‘re using the Long War mod.
9269497
Retreat, regroup and rebuild!
9269714
Never played Long War, but I'll take your word for it.
Imagining Flutters seeing a picture of herself and squealing with joy.
Luna over here reading minds. Or she is just really intuitive.
9269513 motor is not literal, and the pegasus/pegasi thing was intentional XD
Fixed the rest, thanks!
9269658
Ah, thanks.
9269942
And thanks, and you're welcome. :)
9269438
Well to be fair Templars can only 'swap' places with a target as their teleportation in-game. If we assume the target swap is needed as the targeting then as long as the target is in range (in-game it required line-of-sight) then I assume swapping with a moving target may be viable, gameplay wise this isn't addressed due to XCOM's turn-based nature.
So either Luna's magical know-how translates to psionic ability use as well, or some of the Skyranger cargo got swapped out.
I just hope it wasn't RD's guitar that got swapped.
It's hard when what seems best and what is best are different, moreso in times of war.
Being a leader is a fickly thing, when you have the power to influence who dies and who lives. Takes a toll on the mind.
9271342
Good writing would ruin the story? 🤔
Nothing like teleporting to expedite evac procedures. Now let's hope that there's something left of Sunset to save by the time they figure out how. Between the increasing ADVENT assaults and her own corruption, that's a race against two clocks.
9273878 My thought at the time was that given that Jane and Sunset had already been through hell and back together on several occasions, having a bitch-fight for 30 chapters wouldn't make sense. Jane was frustrated with feeling like her best friend didn't trust her, when she found the real reason, and also with Sunset's honesty, she was able to calm down and let it go. There's no point in having them be at each other's throats over that when they constantly need to be there for each other, or they might actually die.
10 bits that Luna has a connection to the Moon in this dimension.
Dash and Shy's talk was a nice breather before getting back to shit hitting the fan.
I've been in a rush reading these chapters, but Tirek's reveal was amazing, and Sunset's fall (for the moment) has been a pleasure to read, even if it is dark and haunting and I want everything to turn out well.
Damn... I guess Chrysalis fail safe comes out of the safe?
Sooo... What is Sunset doing inside her Gem?
We know part of her is active within...