City by the Sea, Chapter 5: Replacements
“Okay, Lieutenant. Try to relax.”
“I’m really getting sick of this, Doctor…” Zip was restrained to an erect examination table, eye-level with the doctor.
Captain Cross, an officer and a doctor, had been pulled from division headquarters for a specific purpose: the army wanted to know what had happened with its new platoon leader. For the second time in the same year, Zip was under observation, but the circumstances were quite different than the last time.
It was Friday again. Zip had spent most of the week in detention. When not locked up, he was restrained to a chair, to a table… and by magic when a physical means wasn’t present. Zip, of course, had beaten to death another officer, Lt. Hoop. While it was clear his life and the lives of everypony present at the officers’ club on Friday night, the week before, were in danger, his manner in carrying out the killing was dubious at the very best.
Zip couldn’t remember much around the time Lt. Hoop had attacked him. He claimed little recollection, and Zip’s own noncom, Sgt. Amethyst Flare, whose opinion and experience they trusted immensely, confirmed he was telling the truth. She’d been appointed for most, if not all, of the battalion’s recent head-medicine concerns. She was a psychic, after all.
Not only did Zip not remember demolishing the former Equestrian Ranger, he’d gone ballistic in doing so. It was something nopony had seen before… but they’d heard of it. And there was only one way to figure out if the farfetched hunch was correct. That’s where Cpt. Cross came in.
“Now, Zip,” the doctor’s horn glowed as he consulted some notes, keeping his hooves free. “There’s a rather simple test to determine if my belief is right. I never thought I’d have to do it… I never even really believed it was real until I was told to consider it…”
Zip moaned, “On top of whatever weirdness just came out of your mouth… not another blood test? You’ve done so many you may as well stick a port in my leg…”
“Stop complaining, and deal with it, Lieutenant.”
A chuckle could be heard as the doctor left the room. Zip glared to the mare issuing it.
Amethyst shook her head, “I’m truly sorry you have to sit through all of this, sir. Please don’t hold it against me, if you can find it in your heart… They’re scared, Lieutenant. This hasn’t been observed for some time.”
Zip couldn’t tell if she was playing with him or not; he’d never hold this against his sergeant, but, “Amethyst, stop jerking me around if you are… it’s not helping.”
The Equestrian belle adopted a hurt look, “I mean it, sir. It’s not like I enjoyed picking your brain for them.”
It was hard for the mare to decide if Zip was changing in the time he’d spent there, or if they’d just seen more facets of his personality. He was finally showing some vulnerability… not irrational fear but some “normal” weaknesses. While he was good-natured and rather laidback, some ponies had come to view him as unflappable. Being gifted in head-magic, Amethyst knew otherwise; Zip wasn’t perfect, and she’d never thought him to be. Perhaps the week of being treated like a diseased lab animal was just finally wearing on his nerves.
Zip sighed, “I’m sorry, Amethyst. I know this isn’t easy for anypony. I don’t mean to be an ass… I want to get back. Still, I’m just glad you and Jacinta have managed to keep a hoof on things.”
Even without their leader for a week, 3rd Platoon was doing pretty well. Taking Jacinta’s and Amethyst’s advice not to worry and being then set up fairly well, things went on normally enough, and their productivity didn’t suffer. They missed their lieutenant, though. The thought of him being poked and prodded without explanation to them was not liked… even though he’d gone ballistic, and nopony knew why.
Amethyst had been told to keep her mouth shut, but she knew one of the two things the army so feared in Zip. Jacinta knew as well. Zip had been told and wasn’t ecstatic to hear it.
It didn’t take long, Amethyst examining Zip’s head, to figure out the first issue: Zip was a berserker. It was a trait seen less and less in ponies over the last couple millennia, as ponies globalized and saw a decrease in diversity, but it was a cocksure thing he was one.
The other issue the doctor had, he kept to himself. Amethyst decided to keep out of his mind; she didn’t want to know, but she had her own suspicions. Still, she was the kind of mare that worried less than some about possibilities and the unknown. Knowing less was often a blessing, and she never passed up an opportunity to remain ignorant.
In this case, it was a childlike fear of a confirmation. If her idea of what was going on was true, it would be a dream come true, if weighty and almost unbelievable. If she was wrong… it was another mark against something which she'd long believed.
Zip, naturally, had no idea what the other issue was. Hint: it was something Amethyst brought up to him half-jokingly; but his first encounter with his now good friend Amethyst wasn’t the thing at the forefront of his mind. He just wanted sleep and/or fresh air.
The doctor returned, taking yet another sample of blood and returning to the lab. Zip was now prone to be especially bored. He’d seen a few of his platoon come by, but they were on early duty that week. Any chance of seeing anypony other than those necessary to keep him in the loop would wait until before evening chow.
Amethyst’s apparent nervousness was palpable to Zip. He wanted so very much to ask her what had her this antsy, but he decided not to. Amethyst kept herself pretty closely guarded; whatever was bothering her wasn’t anything he was eager to hear about. It pulled him out of any boredom, but it was a high cost.
After a few minutes, the doctor poked out his head, “Uh… Sgt. Flare? I need you in here…”
The doctor’s look of obvious shock did wonders for Zip’s poise. Amethyst stood up, looking very oddly at Zip as she left the room. For a few moments, Zip was alone, but there was nothing to ponder over other than his being scared out of his wits.
The two unicorns returned. Zip noted Amethyst’s expression; it was deftly caught somewhere between disbelief and an innocent, star-struck wonder. Now Zip was definitely scared. She looked like a little filly on Hearth’s Warming Day who’d just found out she was a princess.
The doctor faced the now frightened Zip, “Lieutenant… this will be hard to believe… I don’t believe it. But I checked and rechecked; Sgt. Flare can back me up… she checked too. We found something in your lineage while looking at your bloodwork. When division told me to look into it, I thought they were crazy… but they weren’t.”
Zip was having a pretty lousy time, Oh, it’s cancer, isn’t it?! They’re gonna take my balls or something… but that can’t be right. Amethyst probably wouldn’t be squee-ing if he was dying.
“Lieutenant,” the doctor forced himself to say it. “You have Knollwing blood in you.”
It took a few seconds to register for Zip; he almost laughed, “Get the fuck outta here, Captain! Don’t screw with me… Amethyst! Tell me this is a joke.”
Amethyst gave an innocent, all-in shrug. No dice, Lieutenant…
The unicorn shook his head, “The test doesn’t lie, Lieutenant. Somewhere in the past, you have a Knollwing ancestor. It’s most appropriate you wear the Wings of the Dragon Slayer… You’re of the Knollwings.”
Zip thought this was so stupid, he couldn’t help himself, “I quit believing in that crap about Knollwings and Lady Commander Orni Valkea and that princess… whatever her name was.”
The doctor laughed openly, “I don’t know about any of that, but the Knollwings did exist. Their descendants are amazingly few, these days, but here you are.
Zip blew his mane out of his face, “Enough… Next you’ll tell me you believe in Windigoes.”
Amethyst couldn’t hold it in; she said with a little shit-eating grin, “I don’t know about Windigoes, but the princess you’re thinking of was Essenta of Dale, Lieutenant.”
“Oh, sure! There was some little Earth pony farmer princess, 10,000 years ago, that slew dragons and fought demons and who knows what else!”
Amethyst laughed at him, not unkindly.
The doctor prodded Zip, “Stop acting like a foal. Listen… you recall coming out of your state last week. When you woke up… how did you feel?”
Zip had felt normal, “I felt fine… I was a little sore from getting beaten up that day, and I had a little alcohol that made it into my system, but I was okay.”
“Well, if you were a normal Pegasus entering the berserker stage, even for the moments as you did, it should’ve rendered you near helpless for at least two days. But you were feeling normal after a couple hours. That’s a Knollwing trait. Having that ability with Knollwing ancestry… the odds are insurmountable. You’re one in ten million, Lieutenant.”
The doctor left Zip and Amethyst whilst he went to record this event in his lab.
Amethyst, usually never at a loss for words, was close to it, “Wow… So that happened. The berserker thing, I figured on; it’s why they’ve been restraining you. But Knollwing blood? This is a dream come true for me.”
She took on that girlish, giggly manner Zip had seen in her once or twice; even she let her guard down, sometimes.
Zip hung his head; he couldn’t believe this shit.
It took some convincing from Jacinta and Amethyst, but the doctor released Zip later that Friday, in the afternoon. Since he’d shown to not be a danger to himself or others, there was little reason to hold him other than the unusual circumstances.
Everypony was a little shaken up over the events of the last week. On top of everything else that happened, the battalion had a lieutenant that had literally gone berserk and was revealed to be of an ancient magic.
Regarding other events, thanks to the best efforts of their healers, some sent from division headquarters, Lt. Col. Red Spud survived what Lt. Hoop had unleashed upon him. But while his face now resembled what it had been, his eyes were very, very gone; he took a medical retirement, and nopony in the battalion would ever see him again.
Until a major or other lieutenant colonel could be placed in charge of the battalion, the unicorn Cpt. Basket Weaver, commander of B Company, would put on a “second hat” and command the “Wild Rice” Battalion in addition to his own company. The last time a captain had taken a battalion was in wartime.
Captain Stone Rig of A Company neither expected nor wanted the responsibility of command, so being passed over was dandy for him. Cpt. Jalapeño Jelly of C Company, on the other hoof, was sore: he’d been bucking for major the last two years and was thought a perfect fit by some for the position, with a definite possibility of promotion if he moved into such a position. But Cpt. Jelly was a former combat commander, while Cpt. Weaver was a longtime logistics commander. The choice had been easy for the division and higher up to decide. And until a new lieutenant could be lured or forced to go to Vanhoover, Lt. Hoop’s platoon sergeant would lead A Company’s 1st Platoon. He was more than capable; after all, he'd held things together during Lt. Hoop's reign of terror.
If this sounds messy... it was messy.
The last thing (and one of the few good things) Lt. Col. Spud had done as battalion commander before having his eyes boiled from his head, other than getting so drunk he could barely remember his face cooking, was sign an order to begin replacing or overhauling all of the outdated dock equipment in Port. The order was written up by Jacinta and Spc. Trip Wire. It still shocked Zip the colonel had given up as easily as he did when he had about as much respect for the mares petitioning as he had for what he left behind in the latrine, but Trip proved to be a most impressive little mare.
Most of the equipment they immediately needed was further inland at a distribution center. 18 new lifts had arrived by train the night before, and each platoon was given two lifts for their direct needs, and nine more lifts would arrive in the next couple weeks, with more to follow. The news was celebrated by everypony that had to work next to those deathtraps.
Zip was so happy to no longer be in chains, he practically skipped, Jacinta and Amethyst laughing as they tried to keep pace. They were going out to see their platoon.
While most of the company gave Zip a wide berth, his own platoon was happy as Hell to see him again. They cheered up a storm. Zip would’ve even let Trip give him a hug if it hadn’t been in front of everypony; her hugging him out of respect and love for her father was a special occasion.
It happened to be 16:15, so 3rd Platoon was done for the day. They had some organizing to do the next day, but it wasn’t until 10:00 Saturday they had to assemble. So, naturally, they unanimously decided (besides Jacinta) to blow off the Friday afternoon trot and evening chow and went into town to celebrate their leader’s triumphant return. Jacinta wasn’t exactly happy about it, but what could she do?
Zip knew, as an officer, that hanging out with his platoon in a leisurely fashion was still a little taboo, especially when the drink flowed. But Zip had no interest in going to the officers’ club… even if he was allowed; he’d been banned by the manager for killing another customer, it turned out. Still, the officers’ club had been more subdued in the last week. Without the colonel egging on the sickness and with Lt. Hoop gone, gone, gone, a slight degree of civility could be seen. It was no longer the huge den of sin for which it was long famous. Crazy things make for fast changes sometimes.
And if the idea of Zip’s platoon and those close to him seemed cool with the idea he demolished an elite soldier and had ancient berserker blood coursing through his veins is strange, they did live in a magical world… Really, ponies could see stranger things before breakfast given the right day.
Having never spent time with his platoon in leisure, Zip was unfamiliar with their manner. He knew some of them could party pretty hard given their condition the next day. Having become more playful than he’d given himself credit for in the past, he enjoyed waking the late-night revelers abruptly in their barracks. A trashcan lid with a stick did the trick.
Thankfully, everypony was out of uniform so they had that going for them.
After seeing a majority of the platoon make fools of themselves, a sober Zip led a drunken hoofful of them back to base. Among these were Jacinta, Amethyst, and Trip.
Trip was leaning on Zip’s shoulder, grinning blearily into the night, happy as a pig up to the eyes in mud. Zip had grown rather fond of his little specialist over the last week. While Jacinta, Amethyst, and a few others would visit him, mostly to keep him in the know about things, Trip had sacrificed her precious free time to visit him. She’d even snuck out pie to give him, which she had to feed him on one occasion when he was tied to the medical table. The foulmouthed filly could be a real chatterbox and was never short on amusing things to talk about.
Also, Trip had encouraged the platoon to keep up their trots and exercises; Jacinta was happy to lead the activities but may have had trouble without Trip's support. The platoon even behaved for her, giving her slightly less crap than if Zip was around. And on the more official side of things, everypony had worked hard to keep things running.
Zip, being rather inexperienced with mares, had been unsure if Trip was into him or not. He chose not to think so and was relieved when Amethyst told him she just admired and respected him; she was his friend. But it was hard to just cast such a thought aside when she doted on him so much.
Since coming to Port, Zip had probably learned more about the female mind than he’d known his entire life. The three mares with him had probably been the most helpful in this department. Zip at least felt less clueless about stuff. Amethyst never passed up an opportunity to enlighten him. To her, it was like having a teenage colt around to tease.
Amethyst had told him that night, after four or five beers, that she was “breaking the hearts of officer candidates when (he was) shitting in diapers”. Zip could’ve looked up her age in his files; it was there along with nearly everything else about her that wasn’t classified or falsified. She’d told him some stuff not in her file and had said, half-jokingly he felt, that his life wasn’t in any immediate danger if he kept his Goddamn mouth shut. Zip was playing a game with himself... trying to guess Amethyst’s age; therefore, he didn’t look it up. But a little more to drink, and it might come spilling out anyway of her. She really seemed to let her guard down when she drank, especially around him.
Presently, she was goading him over a townie that had been latched to him with hot sex on her breath; the little factory mare had really been putting it on heavy towards Zip. Amethyst may also have said something about the young mare ovulating, much to Zip's horror.
“Oh, Lieutenant, you really shoulda taken that filly’s address!” Amethyst all but crowed. “She was really into you.”
Zip continued to serve as Trip’s crutches as she stumped alongside him, “Amethyst… she was a-”
Zip noticed Jacinta glaring at him, daring him to say whatever he would; he’d been about to use the term “hussy”. Jacinta was a crusader about many things, including the gold-digging fillies and mares looking to marry a soldier being called foul things… even though she hated them too.
He decided on, “She was just interested because I’m an officer… nothing more… I don’t know how she knew I'm an officer…”
Trip piped up, “Everypony knows you, sir… and not just because you’re a hero. There aren’t too many Pegasi around here and with the way you carry yourself… officer! Plus, when one of us screams out ‘Lieutenant!’, I suppose that works too.”
Jacinta shook her head; she was rather sloshed herself but not quite in the same territory as Trip, “I really wish everypony would cool it when we’re out in civilian clothes. We’re still soldiers, even without the uniforms. And ponies can tell.”
Trip was belting out, ‘That’s what I’m saying!’, but she wasn’t heard over Amethyst, “Oh, take a chill pill, SSgt. Sourpuss. It’s Friday. Live a little.”
Jacinta could only grumble at this. Zip had seen Jacinta drink; she could easily outdrink Amethyst… or at least she did that night. But she wasn’t in bad shape. He supposed there were ponies that just got drunk instead of straight-up changing… or rather exposing what they were, deep down in the places they normally hid.
Zip listened, unable to hide the little half-smile at his noncom mares’ banter, as Trip was half-asleep against his shoulder, somehow still walking.
As they entered base, ponies began to split off to where-have-you. Zip decided to stop off at company headquarters. If he sat down and did the hour or two of paperwork he’d blown off to go to town, he’d have a clean slate in the morning. It was only 23:15 and he didn’t plan on getting up until 08:00. A couple extra hours in bed on a Saturday, on the rare occasions it was allowed, was one of the greatest rewards of soldiering.
Jacinta and Amethyst took charge of Trip; Jacinta smiled at him, “Well, goodnight, Lieutenant.”
Zip nodded back, “Goodnight. Take care of Trip.”
Zip entered headquarters while the mares shepherded Trip to the mares’ barracks.
By about 00:45, Zip had finished the paperwork he’d wanted to get out of the way. It must be said he was most thankful to Jacinta and the several others that had kept on the work he missed, being locked up. He’d relax a few minutes and then go to his quarters for some much appreciated shuteye. Eyeing the clock, he was pleased with the time he’d made. As the big hand moved towards the next number, Zip was about to lock up and make his way out.
His door slightly ajar, he heard an unsteady knock. Before he could even acknowledge, a pony made an entrance.
Zip was very surprised to see somepony, much less Amethyst, in company headquarters at 01:00, “Are you alright, Amethyst?”
As she stepped in further, it was apparent she wasn’t. The fur below her eyes was tear-stained with mascara; mares were allowed some makeup. Zip could smell it before he saw; she was a lot drunker than he’d seen her a few hours earlier. A nearly empty whiskey bottle levitated precariously in her wake as she cleared the doorway.
Zip couldn’t say he was shocked… Not much of anything shocked him, but it was distressing. Seeing the pony he knew to be a rock within his platoon this affected bothered him.
“Amethyst, please sit down,” he couldn’t think of much else to say; he had to wrap his mind around this.
She sat across from him, and to his dismay, she took a dram off the bottle before clumsily setting it near her edge of his desk. As hammered as she was, he could still see the lucidity in her eyes; she was drunk, but she was there… maybe. She looked ashamed.
“Sorry, Lieutenant… I was trying to sleep, but one of the mares in the big room was having nightmares. I couldn’t block it out…” Amethyst said solemnly. “I had to get away for a while.”
Officers had their own quarters near headquarters, but noncoms bunked in the same buildings as their enlisted ponies. And the mares’ company barracks was generously sized, given their numbers. Jacinta and Amethyst were the only two sergeants present, given their own little rooms. Cpls. Lily Hawk and Little Song slept in the general area with the few other corporals, Trip, and the other enlisted mares. And Zip knew there were only about 20 mares total in the company. Girls’ country was a small country in A Company.
The stallions were organized by platoon with at around 40 in each building, those that weren't married with a house or apartment somewhere.
Zip knew he didn’t need to tread all that carefully around Amethyst, “I suppose you need a clearer mind to have any chance of closing things off.”
She knew he meant no offense by it, and she took it as such, “That’s true… sometimes after a good bar night I just come here. Other than seeing you here, it’s always been empty.”
Considering the bottle, she went on, “Please take this, Lieutenant… I know you don’t drink, but if I keep it on me, I’ll polish it off. Nopony needs that.”
Zip took the bottle and set it in a desk drawer, “I wish you’d have just come here instead of drinking more…”
He said this out of concern rather than condemnation. Zip had seen what alcohol did to ponies and the reasons they turned to it, though he had no personal experience. Seeing Amethyst tear up, he hoofed her a few tissues.
She wiped her eyes, “I know… I should’ve just come here. I can make all the excuses I want, but it’s all shit, sir. Rest assured, it’s not a regular thing for me. What I felt tonight… it just hit a little close to home.”
Zip had a nasty feeling he was about to hear something unpleasant, but he wasn’t about to shut up his friend. He gave her a glass of water which she gratefully sipped.
Amethyst sniffled, “She was dreaming about her little filly—her filly’s fine—and we talk about the little one all the time. Her husband is out Canterlot way while she’s stationed here; she gets to go home in two weeks—for keeps. But she dreamt her filly was trying to reach her but couldn’t. She was chasing after, ‘Mommy! Mommy!’…”
Zip considered Amethyst as she wept anew; when she had mentioned a nightmare, he’d been expecting death and desolation or some awful thing she'd acquired in her years of working as she had. This was… just sorrow. It was sad… very much so. Zip hadn’t really thought of Amethyst as being a mother, but he was about to learn something. She was drunk, and he was in for some stuff.
“Whether you know it or not, Lieutenant, I’ve been married three times… My first husband… I mentioned something when we met about him ‘trying to ride my coattails’… He did try, but I’ve always said ‘no’… It was hard to turn him away, though. I met him when I was only 17. 20 years ago… It’s already been that long.”
That was the end of Zip’s game: his 1st Squad sergeant was 37.
“We got married as soon as I turned 18… and I moved to Canterlot where he was stationed. I was already pregnant a few months; it hadn’t shown quite yet. I was 10 months pregnant when he received his medical discharge; he hurt his leg so badly, he couldn’t soldier anymore. When she was born… my little Rho was tiny… She was weak. It was as if she were born asleep; I never even heard her cry… She didn’t last long, despite everything we did for her.
“My husband… turned into a real loser after all this. He couldn’t—rather, he didn’t—work and expected me to see him through. When he asked for another foal… I ran out on him. I couldn’t bear going through that again, not with him.”
Amethyst blew her nose and smiled hazily at Zip, “And then, of course, I was dumb enough to fall in love again. That didn’t last long… I’d worked up the courage to try having another foal, but… I couldn’t. Doctor didn’t immediately know what it was, exactly… My husband... he left me… He said it was all my fault…
“After that, I did the only thing I could think to do: I joined the army; I was only 21. I’ve had my gift my whole life, Lieutenant… It was too much to bear, oftentimes. The army was the first place I actually learned how to control my psychic powers… On my own I’d only figured out so much. If I’d learned when I was younger… I think my life would’ve been much easier. I didn’t mean to wind up in intelligence… and certainly never meant to sneak around killing stuff like some monster in the dark…
“I was… almost 30 when I met… Well… no… I think I’ll just shut up, sir… before I make a complete fucking ass of myself.”
Zip’s sergeant sat there, stoned and miserable. Sometimes, he was just unsure what to do.
Amethyst sniffled, choking up a moment, “Oh, Lieutenant… I’m so sorry. You just finished one of the worst weeks of your life, and I’m complaining to you about some other mare’s bad dream…”
Realizing Amethyst was so inebriated she’d likely not remember much or any of this, he patted her shoulder, “You have nothing to apologize for, Amethyst. I want you to go lie down and get some rest.”
Wiping at her eyes, smearing mascara all over her face, she nodded. Without another word, she tottered from his office. She had a little corner down the hall she shared with his other squad leaders. He watched her lean into the wall and pass out. Within a moment, she could be heard snoring softly. Zip went up, having pulled a blanket from the storage closet, and covered her up.
Heading back to his office, Zip decided to retire there for the night. He wasn’t worried about Amethyst drowning in her own puke or anything, but he’d at least be there if she needed something.
His office wasn’t tiny; it was quite lavish. Able to stretch out, he took prone position on the floor behind his desk. It wasn’t a bed or even a mattress, but at least it wasn’t moving. He’d be able to sleep, some. He just hoped his dreams were either pleasant or nonexistent for Amethyst’s sake, and they were as such. It would be a while before he would again dream of that terrible day his mettle was tested.
Tuesday morning brought about an event very much anticipated: the replacements the colonel had promised would arrive in Vanhoover. There were 19 of them, meaning Zip’s platoon would have a full roster again. Zip hadn’t even been notified of who was joining him, but it would be one more than he’d thought.
Monday afternoon, his platoon holding the early shift two weeks in a row, Zip had received a most unexpected message regarding Sgt. Sagebrush Trail, his 3rd Squad leader: the old stallion was offered early retirement with full benefits, straight up. Barely hesitating, he’d taken it and was retiring with his wife to Manehattan. Zip and the platoon were happy for the old-timer, but his squad would miss him. Even though they’d only known him a short time, there were few ponies they’d rather stand behind and follow. Zip took this as no insult; he’d learned of Sgt. Trail’s decorated history and could see why the former combat squad members all but worshipped him.
So, 3rd Platoon would be getting six fresh fish to reach 55. Pvt. Birch was still with the platoon, but he’d be saddled with paperwork for the next couple months. Zip wanted a full command of 54 at the docks, and he would receive it.
Since 3rd Platoon was working that morning, Zip called aside Jacinta, Amethyst, Trip, Cpl. Stardust Painter, and Cpl. Raspberry Jam so he’d have a representative from each squad present to welcome their new comrades. Zip had been told by the colonel and his captain he’d get the “choicest” of the new ponies, but as drunk and thoughtless as they’d been, he’d never counted on that. It was up to Zip and Jacinta who went where, but they’d consider the squads’ opinions.
Zip looked down the sheet he’d just received. Some of it was rather unflattering. Rather than an outline of the company, it very briefly summarized what he’d find in their files:
A Company
3rd Platoon
Replacements
Specialist (Spc.) Silver Duster
-Previously “Clementine” Corps, 4th Equestrian Army (Canterlot Headquarters)
-Unicorn; mare
-Quiet but short-tempered; history of discipline problems
-Good with numbers and organization; served administration at the corps level
---
Spc. Cocoa Butter
-Prev. 2nd Platoon, B Company, “Goldenrod” Battallion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, “Walnut” Corps, 2nd Equestrian Army (San Palomino Outpost #2)
-Earth pony; stallion
-Friendly; history of discipline problems
-Skilled mechanic; served locomotive maintenance
---
Private (Pvt.) Mercury Rise
-Prev. Classified
-Earth pony; stallion
-Classified
-Classified
---
Pvt. Blood Sapphire
-Prev. 1st Platoon, C Company, “Daisy” Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, “Hackberry” Corps, 3rd Equestrian Army (Dragon Lands Expeditionary Forces)
-Unicorn; stallion
-Unstable but affable; judged unfit to serve in combat capacity
-Demolitions expert; eliminated 13 dragons’ nests, 11 confirmed adult kills
---
Pvt. Linseed Oil
-Prev. 3rd Platoon, C Company, “Barley” Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, “Juneberry” Corps, 1st Equestrian Army (Baltimare Adjacent Research & Development Facility #3)
-Earth pony; stallion
-Antisocial tendencies; history of behavioral issues
-Knowledgeable botanist; former government forestry researcher
---
Pvt. Caramel Crunch
-Prev. 2nd Platoon, A Company, “Goldenrod” Battallion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, “Walnut” Corps, 2nd Equestrian Army (Appleloosa Outpost #1)
-Earth pony; mare
-Listless; requested transfer to Vanhoover
-Skilled machinist; machined emergency locomotive implements
Trip was looking over Zip’s shoulder, “Well, shit… what a bunch of winners these are.”
Zip didn’t want to think that, but the prospects were dubious at best. At officer candidate school he’d learned what the army meant by “discipline problems”. This didn’t worry him so much; it meant a pony was careless in their presentation or manner. A “behavioral issue” usually involved violent behavior, alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual assault and/or deviancy, etc. Pvt. Oil could be a problem.
Trip was rather excited to see a couple of ponies good with their hooves. Mechanics and machinists were always in short supply.
Amethyst put a hoof on Trip’s shoulder, “Trip… forget you saw this… understand? It's a little above your pay-grade.”
The little specialist stepped back, getting the message, “Yes, Ma’am.”
The others below the level of sergeant quit trying to catch a look at the sheet.
Specialist Duster was a confusing case. The specialist served at the corps level in Canterlot itself. She must have been good to land the position, but it wouldn’t have taken much to knock her out of it. Zip wasn’t about to voice it aloud, but the new specialist sounded a bit like Jacinta… if Jacinta was a slob.
And Pvt. Rise… Amethyst shook her head at this one. Only parts of her local files were marked classified… the reason for her transfer and her skill-set were omitted. If she was correct in her thinking, they were in for a strange time. But she didn’t know… she’d have to meet him first.
Jacinta voiced what they were all thinking, “Pvt. Rise’s ‘temperament’ and the reason he was sent here are classified? And we don’t know what he does?”
The others echoed in thought. Zip noticed Amethyst looking concerned. If she was concerned, perhaps he should be downright terrified. What could be “worse” than Amethyst?
It would be yet a while before the six ponies got to meet their newcomers.
Zip voiced his thoughts, “Amethyst… I hate to ask this of you, but…”
Amethyst smiled and cuffed his shoulder, “Don’t worry, Lieutenant. I have two open spots in my squad. I’ll take at least one of the crazies. We can all hoof-wrestle to see who gets the second.”
Zip laughed morosely at this. Jacinta also failed to see much humor in this.
Even before meeting the newcomers Zip, Jacinta, and the squad representatives had decided where five of them would go.
Amethyst, to the relief of everypony, would take Spc. Rise and Pvt. Oil.
Having been trusted by Sgt. Sweet Clover with the matter, Cpl. Jam selected Spc. Butter; they needed another mechanic.
3rd Squad needed another mechanic as well, having lost Pvt. Birch to chair parade, but Cpl. Painter agreed to take Pvt. Sapphire. His experience with combat soldiers and their chance issues was sound.
This meant Trip, trusted by Sgt. Treasure Trove, received Pvt. Crunch. Trip considered herself below average in machining and knew one the army called “skilled” would be helpful.
But this left Spc. Duster. They’d been unable to fully agree what to do with her, but at worst she could join 3rd Squad, if only to bring them to 13. But Jacinta had an idea. There was no regulation against a staff sergeant having staff; it’s why they had Pvt. Birch doing it. But another set of hooves, particularly those as skilled as Spc. Duster’s, might have been good to have. Zip and Jacinta could share her talents. It would save them a lot of paperwork.
Zip and his crew waited at the train station. As it turned out they were the only ones to go to the trouble of meeting their new platoon mates immediately. Cpt. Rig and his staff would square away the 13 ponies destined for the other platoons. A few of them were to serve as battalion level staff while they were dealing with the unpleasant aftermath of losing the colonel.
Zip thought it unnecessary, but Trip had made a sign from some box she'd found in the garbage: “A Company, 3rd Platoon” it read.
As the 19 ponies filed off the train, six of them made their way over.
Picking out which mare was which was easy; it wasn’t just one was an Earth pony and the other a unicorn. Pvt. Crunch had a pleasant, yet excitable manner about her. Zip decided the “listless” comment must have referred to her when she was bored. She looked like a ball of energy on amphetamines as she ambled to them.
Zip thought Spc. Duster… was pretty beautiful for a slob… not up there with Jacinta or Amethyst but at least as pretty as any other mare he’d seen in Port. She was even more petite than Jacinta, with runner’s legs. Her bright eyes were magnified behind a set of thick spectacles. Her mane was… a bird’s nest. Zip was amused at Jacinta’s reaction to Spc. Duster’s unkempt appearance.
At least one of the stallions was easy to pick out: besides being the unicorn among them, Pvt. Sapphire was one of the oddest-looking ponies Zip had ever seen. His eyes were wild and nervous, staying mostly hidden behind his dark spectacles. He had a feral look about him. In fact, there was no way around it: he looked like a stereotypical old crazy miner or some hermit. The difference was Pvt. Sapphire was only 20-years-old.
Zip could guess at the rest but decided to wait until they were introduced.
The lieutenant cleared his throat before the six, “Good morning. And welcome to Vanhoover. I’m Lt. Zip Jetscream of 3rd Platoon. You’re with us.”
Motioning to the five with him, Zip introduced his various leaders and said, “Now, if everypony will briefly introduce themselves, then we can begin.”
They stood in a row and simply started on one end. Zip knew the first two.
“I’m Pvt. Caramel Crunch. It’s a pleasure, Lieutenant.”
“Private Blood Sapphire.”
The third was one of the stallions; he had a sallow look about him. His eyes were heavy and looked rather dead. He slumped a little and barely looked anypony in the eye.
“I’m Pvt. Linseed Oil… You have some weird flora this far northwest…”
Okay, the six leaders thought as one.
Next, “Sir! My name is Pvt. Mercury Rise! It will be an honor to serve under the ‘Dragon Slayer’ and alongside all of you!”
Zip had never heard himself referred to by that nickname... to his face, at least. Pvt. Rise’s bold way caught the other 11 ponies off guard. It occurred to Zip… this was the one with the classified “everything”! But there was nothing remarkable about him, other than the fact he appeared to be a perfect specimen of a soldier. He looked ready yet relaxed… sure of himself but not arrogant… strong but pliable… and resolved but friendly. Pvt. Rise stood with a genuine smile on his face, neither expecting nor asking for praise.
It was something…
Specialist Duster raised a hoof, “Spc. Duster.”
It was all she had to say.
And finally, “Good morning, everypony. I’m Spc. Cocoa Butter. Call me ‘Butter’ if you like. It’s good to be here.”
Zip was unsure of what to make of Spc. Butter. He was reminded strongly of Cpl. Jam. Spc. Butter had the same kind of grin permanently pasted to his face and looked as relaxed as all-get-out. They could almost feel themselves getting stoned off the mellow vibes he gave off.
Zip got down to business, “We’ll have time to talk later. Our platoon’s shift ends at 16:00 today. I’ll tell you who to go with.”
The six ponies were sent with their squad leaders, except…
“Staff Sergeant Petals!” Zip said. “I need to discuss a brief matter with Sgt. Flare. Would you please see Pvts. Rise and Oil to 1st Squad? Sgt. Flare will be along in a few minutes.”
Jacinta knew what was up, “Yes, sir. I’ll see it done.”
With everypony else gone, Zip pulled Amethyst behind a large crate. He’d felt a little awkward around her the last couple days. He was unsure if she remembered Friday night or not. Either way, she gave no hint. Therefore, he tried not to think about it.
There were other things to worry about.
“Amethyst… thanks again for taking the two. Keep an eye on Pvt. Oil. I trust you with him. I’ll make sure to look up his file. And Pvt. Rise… I… don’t know what’s going on there.”
Amethyst hummed, “There are two or three things I think could be going on. I’ll need some time around him to get an idea if I’m right. I’m not sure, but there might be something more to see in his actual file. With your permission, I’d like to see it later. I’m sure you’ll want to look… probably even before you crack open Pvt. Oil’s.”
Zip nodded, with a rather nervous addition after his answer, “It’s yours to see when you want. And, uh… I don’t know how serious you are when you say the stuff about ‘if you told me, you’d have to kill me’ stuff, but-”
Amethyst openly laughed at him. It caught him by surprise, and she laughed all the harder.
“Oh, Lieutenant… there are some things that’s true for,” she gave him a positively wicked smile.
Zip felt his balls pull up; he hated that feeling, but it was now familiar, dealing with Amethyst and Jacinta. He’d come to realize it was fear more than anything else.
Amethyst cuffed him, “It would be true if I didn’t trust you. And even as drunk as I was the other night, I still wouldn’t have said all that if I didn’t trust you.”
Zip couldn’t believe her sometimes; it was like she enjoyed bringing his heart into his throat.
She smiled at him, rather forlornly, realizing she’d made his nuts disappear again, “Oh, please relax, sir. Don’t read too much into what some 38-year-old mare has to say. I’ll look at our newcomers, and we can talk later.”
The lieutenant couldn’t quite stop himself, “I thought you were 37-”
He clapped a hoof over his mouth, looking mildly guilty.
With the slightest smirk, she muttered, “I know what I said… my math was off; I was pretty drunk.”
Zip decided to move on, “As far as things go… thanks, Amethyst. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She simpered, “That’s another thing you don’t need to worry about, Lieutenant. I think I’ll go catch up with Jacinta.”
With that, she trotted towards her dock. Zip looked after her; she’d really helped him out the last week. As he'd began to come to terms with killing another pony, he’d been unable to stop himself from falling apart and crying. The vomiting was bad too. Worst of all were the nightmares, and Zip spent a little time every night reliving the Disaster.
And as he felt he was losing control, locked in holding or tied to a medical table, Amethyst had been there soothing his frazzled mind and hoofing him tissues for the endless stream of tears and snot. She’d even magicked a few to clean up his face when he was restrained. Her being there gave him more relief than he’d hoped for.
Without her… he may not have made it through that. He’d come to trust her immensely, and he was most thankful that trust had been reciprocated.
It was close to noon chowtime, so Zip headed back to company headquarters. Rumor was they’d get shepherd’s pie that day.
Much to Zip’s disappointment, he’d spent the better part of the afternoon stuck in his office. He’d looked through the files of the new ponies on top of some unexpectedly heavy paperwork.
The file on Spc. Duster didn’t concern him. She’d been labeled a little oddball but was good at her job. She’d been ousted because the general found a prettier, looser filly to do his paperwork for him… That was at least what was implied. Jacinta had been showing her things all afternoon, so Zip was confident he’d have another capable set of hooves to help him. Technically, the specialist was in 3rd Squad, under Cpls. Wire and Painter, but she would answer to Jacinta.
The files of Spc. Butter and Pvt. Crunch concerned him very little. The “discipline problems" and “listless” behavior were very minor things in his eyes. They were good at what they’d done but were perhaps a bad fit where they were. The two of them were from outposts; neither seemed to be the kind of pony to enjoy the desolation associated with these remote stations, but somepony needed to maintain the locomotives as they chugged across the continent. Zip certainly wasn't overly happy with such places either, having been stuck in two himself before ever becoming a real officer. Maybe he’d have luck with them in 3rd Platoon.
Zip was also unconcerned with Pvt. Sapphire. He’d gone a little nuts when he was trapped in a cave for a week following a collapse; they’d been trying to implode dragons’ nests. Deciding he’d cracked the army sent him to Port. The private had been “off” before that, but his record of success with killing dragons spoke for itself. Zip was confident his corporals would help him along.
The file of Pvt. Oil was… troubling to say the least. There was something he wouldn’t share with anypony… unless it became an issue… or if Jacinta or Amethyst wanted to look at his file. It wouldn’t surprise Zip if Amethyst knew what he was already. He wasn’t particularly dangerous, but on top of some downright weird behavior and inability to successfully mesh with any outfit he’d been a part of, he had an apparent taste for necrophilia.
Private Oil had been caught in a morgue in Baltimare… more than once, it was implied. Zip knew Amethyst could handle this guy, but the thought of him around Cpl. Hawk had his skin crawling. The army must’ve seen some reason to keep him around, but Zip couldn’t think of anything. It’s not like a botanist was that useful in Vanhoover…
And Pvt. Rise was still a mystery. His file consisted of little more than the sheet Zip saw earlier in the day. Name… the fact he was an Earth pony stallion… and nothing else. He’d really have to rely on Amethyst’s thoughts… perhaps his own as well.
Feigning paperwork, Zip stayed in his office while the platoon, 52 strong, went out for the afternoon trot. Only 52 were out because Amethyst was “indisposed”. So, being “ill”, she naturally reported to Zip. He was most eager to see what she’d learned.
Sitting down across from Amethyst, he saw a mixture of disgust and a very… “off-color” amusement in her.
“Lieutenant… give it here.”
He knew damn well what she was asking for; sighing, he hoofed over Pvt. Oil’s file.
Scanning his file, she irked Zip by breaking down, guffawing loudly as she found what she’d been expecting.
She shook her head, hooting with laughter, “Oh, that sick bastard, Lieutenant… I thought that’s what might have been going on. Cripes!”
Zip looked back to her; it was unpleasant for him too…
Taking on a mocking, pleading look, she inquired, “Sir… I don’t really need that many ponies in my squad. But I think your pair of corporals could use another… maybe send that cute, little, bespectacled filly my way?”
Reading through Pvt. Oil’s repellant file had all but killed Zip’s sense of humor, “Speak plainly, Amethyst.”
She barely hesitated, “He can’t be around mares, sir. I don’t trust him… and I don’t say that lightly. Plus… if I’m within a few yards of him... his thoughts are pretty fucked up. If you need me to keep a close eye on him, I will, but-”
He waved a hoof, “Say no more. I’ll talk to 3rd Squad… No mares there. You let them know as much as they might need to. And you can have Spc. Duster on your roster… She’s Jacinta’s, anyway.”
Amethyst could have planted a kiss on the officer young enough to be her son, “Oh, thank you… If you knew what a relief that was…”
“On to more important things,” Zip pulled out Pvt. Rise’s file. “Take a look.”
She did, “Just as I suspected, sir… nothing… Well, he’s actually quite the chatterbox. Says he was an orphan that joined the army when he was 18-years-old. He also says he served in the Griffinstone Expeditionary Forces.”
Zip was nonplussed, “The Griffinstone Expeditionary Forces still exist?”
Zip had served in the frontier bordering Griffinstone... and he was sure the old outfit was long gone.
Amethyst considered a hoof, “They do… on paper. He remembers it, as do the other ponies that ‘served’ in the Forces. But it’s all a farce, Lieutenant. We haven’t had that kind of presence there for two decades. The world believes we’re still there… and so do the soldiers that ‘served’.”
Zip was a little scared, “What are you saying?”
“There’s no obvious evidence—nothing that I can perceive—but his mind’s been tampered with… by somepony a lot more powerful than me. He believes—he knows—he served in Griffinstone… It all checks out, officially. False memories… Maybe even a false name… There’s no telling who he is or what he’s fully capable of or… how to ‘activate’ him. Diving deeper into his mind isn’t something I can just do; it’s like a steel trap.”
Zip leaned back in his desk, a little stunned, “Activate? What the Hell does that mean?”
Amethyst continued, “I thought he might be an agent, like me, that had his memory tailored. Then I thought he might just be a warrant officer… most of their files look about like mine. But he's far too young to have been through any of that... So…”
She petered off, mumbling.
Zip leaned forward; he had to know, “The door’s shut, Amethyst. Tell me what you will, if you see fit.”
She did see fit; leaning forward she took on a serious expression, “I’m not fucking around with you this time when I say this—and it goes for both of us: keep this quiet. Our lives do depend on it. Sir… Pvt. Rise is an experiment… a test subject… And he’s not even aware what he is… at least now.”
On pins and needles, Zip asked, “And what is he?”
“He’s… probably a super-soldier, Lieutenant.”
He looked back at her, “…What?”
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Ok first: I knew it! YOu just had to make him a Knollwing right? Good choice.
And now we have those special ones there, I have a good feeling about that. I smell a world in flames.... oh wait, I just forgot to get the cake out in time....
Have a good time!
And as usual, thank you for the chapter and your hard work!
Now get your Baumkuchen, chocolate-cherry cake, coffee, tea and Grog.
8893028
He had an ancestor, somewhere, is all. Thanks for reading. Your appreciation means a good deal.
8893121
Well, technically it still makes him a Knollwing. Thats enough for me to be confirmed that your jokingly foreshadowing was great.
Again, thank you for making those storys.
Firstly, you should remove the comment in () from the title. It just makes it look bad.
Next, when is the story going to start? I haven't read chapter 6 yet, but this is a lot of setup for what's supposed to be a war story.
8897708
Agreed. I don't know what I was thinking with the dumb crap in brackets. Gone, gone, gone.
As far as the "war" part of the story, it's coming soon enough. These things do take time to set up. In the story, as of Chapter 7, coming next, it's been only a month since the lieutenant joined his platoon.
8897708
In Larkspur Blossom, there are some mild spoilers for this story in Chapter 3. Nothing big enough to kill Company.
8901329
It's just a page for story notes and Zip's unit arrangement as it changes overtime and characters are introduced. I didn't even mean to release it until the next chapter came out. The "edit" and "publish" buttons are next to each other.
CAPTAIN RISARICA