Chapter 22 - A Promise Kept
Swan’s frantic heart pounded in her chest as she flew alongside Blitz on their way to the hospital complex. All the while, her mind raced, trying to make sense of what she had been told.
Flurry’s been shot.
Blitz’s words echoed in her thoughts. It made no sense when she tried thinking about it. The alicorn had been through so much worse, even since yesterday, and still come out smiling. She and her creepy cousin had mowed down hundreds of feral changelings and even taken on an impossibly powerful cosmic horror. All of this, Swan had witnessed with her own eyes. She had experienced the alicorn’s sheer strength literally from the moment they first met.
So, what in the world could have happened that finally put her in the hospital? Was it a lucky headshot? Who had shot her, and why? Had she tried to escape? Why hadn’t Merry done more to protect his most valued possession? And most importantly… would she survive? The questions spun around Swan’s mind like enemy fighters, making her dizzy with worry.
It wasn’t long before her black wings ached, reminding her that she and her fellow blackwings were all fettered. Then it hit her. Flurry was as well. The cruelty of the blackwing enchantment was that it used your own strength against you.
How much of an alicorn’s resilience was due to their thaumatic strength, she wondered. How much was just sheer physical toughness? Swan had no idea, but she supposed it was likely that Flurry was now every bit as frail as a typical mortal pony.
Swan’s own anxious feelings surprised her. Not twenty-four hours ago, she would have done anything to see the alicorn dead, even to the point of sacrificing herself for it. Yet somehow, the mare had wormed her way into Swan’s heart in often the most annoying of ways. It wasn’t exactly consistent with her reputation as a notorious space pirate and war criminal.
This was perhaps the most frustrating thing about Flurry, the fact that she recklessly put herself in harm’s way to help others. Would Swan have spaced herself to save someone? Would she have voluntarily enslaved herself to a disgusting pig of a stallion who would abuse her without pity for years? What was it about Flurry Heart that motivated her, anyway? The questions gnawed at Swan’s mind relentlessly until the two pegasi finally alighted at the hospital entrance.
Happily, she wasn’t alone. Blitz’s presence was no small comfort as he gave her a reassuring nod.
Inside, the spacious foyer echoed their hoofsteps as they passed by waiting ponies, some with assorted ailments. A pair of earth pony mares sat behind the reception desk, both dressed in white nurse’s uniforms. One was busy speaking into her slender headset with some unseen client. The other was reading paperwork of some kind. Neither seemed to notice the pegasi as they stopped in front of the desk.
Swan fought off the frantic urge to grab one of the mares and demand to know where Flurry was. Instead, she took a breath to calm herself. It was, perhaps, a test of patience she would not have passed had she not been pressed and tested so much since the alicorn’s arrival.
“Excuse me,” Swan began, waiting a moment until finally one of them acknowledged her. “I was told Flurry Heart was injured and brought here. Can you tell me where she is?”
The nurse studied her holo-screen, paging through files of patients. “Your name?” she asked without taking her eyes off the monitor.
“Lieutenant Swan Song.”
After a brief pause, her eyes went wide. “There’s a note here from the station director. She asked to be notified the moment you arrived. Please have a seat.” She gestured towards a row of grey plastic seats lined up against the wall behind them.
“What about Flurry? Is she okay?” Swan pressed.
“The director will be with you shortly. She’ll answer any questions you might have,” the nurse assured, giving her a professional if impersonal smile.
That only served to kick the nest of hornets in Swan’s mind. Why had the director asked to see her personally? Was Flurry okay? What has happened with Merry? A heavy weight cramped within her chest, her heart feeling like it was about to explode.
A foreleg came to rest on her shoulder, prompting her to look back to see Blitz, his expression one of concern for a friend.
“Come on Swanny, let’s take a seat,” he urged. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a rest anyway.”
Swan opened her mouth to speak then closed it again when she saw his eyes pleading with her to relax. She let out a sigh, turning to face the nurse behind the desk once more.
“Alright, thank you,” Swan said, giving her a nod.
Blitz smiled and guided her to a seat near the corner of the room where an entertainment vid was playing on the holo-screen. They both sat down, absently watching the well-known but gaudy romantic drama play out.
Swan had seen this show before. It reminded her of the last time she had come to the hospital, as the same series was playing then as well. Only that time, Merry had given her a broken jaw after one of his parties had gone too far. The memory was months old now, but it still stuck in her mind like a shard of glass.
“Hey Swan,” Blitz said, breaking her out of the bad memory.
“Hmm?” She turned her head to find him reaching into his backpack. He then pulled out a familiar green and yellow plushie.
“Can you take this?” he offered, setting it in her hooves.
“Whammy?” Swan queried with a raised eyebrow. “Why do you…”
“Well,” Blitz hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. “Flurry asked me to keep him for her while she was, you know, occupied with Merry. I thought if she was hurt she’d want him back.”
“Right,” Swan said as she held the snail-shaped object.
Then he leaned closer and whispered, “Besides, that thing was starting to creep us all out.”
“Oh yeah?” she remarked. “Don’t tell me you tried talking to it.”
“Of course not,” he replied, his cheeks reddening.
She examined the plushie closely. It looked and felt like a foal’s toy that had seen better days.
As Whammy nestled in her lap, it seemed to gaze up at her, almost expectantly.
“If you think I’m talking to you, think again,” Swan muttered. “Flurry can keep her crazy to herself.”
To be on the safe side, and for her own sanity, she turned him so he was looking away from her.
Swan settled herself and let out a sigh. At least the weird plushie in her lap was distracting from the anxiety somehow. He seemed to have a soothing effect on her, like he knew things were going to be alright. Of course, he could just be telling her what she wanted to hear.
Wait, what?
Swan shook her head, rattling her brain to regain her focus when her attention was drawn to a security officer walking towards them.
She gave Blitz a nudge, and they both stood up together. As the guard approached, she hurriedly hid Whammy by plopping him into her own backpack.
“Lieutenant Swan Song?” the unicorn stallion queried, his accent sounding foreign to her.
“Yes, that’s me,” she replied.
“The director has asked me to escort you in,” he said.
“Do you know if Flurry Heart is okay?” Swan asked.
“Sorry, I wasn’t told,” he replied, motioning for them to follow as he proceeded back down the hallway.
Passing by several patient rooms, Swan snuck a glance through some of the door windows, curious why the patients were under guard. She was surprised to recognize some of the injured ponies as crew and associates of Merry Weather.
Swan and Blitz both exchanged looks. What had happened to them?
The escorting stallion spoke up. “Word is, Captain Nyx apprehended them, in case you’re wondering. Would’ve loved to be there to see that,” he said with a hint of awe.
“Yeah, me too,” Blitz added, causing Swan to roll her eyes. “Nothing finer than watching a mare kick some ass. And that mare has a fine one as well.”
“That she does,” the stallion remarked before letting out an awkward cough as he noticed Swan glaring at him.
“She is way out of your league,” Swan said to Blitz.
“Probably, but that just shows I have high standards,” Blitz countered with a grin.
Swan rolled her eyes as they kept walking. Blitz being Blitz was a nice distraction to the apprehension building in her stomach. If some of Merry’s crew had been captured, what of Merry himself? She just hoped the director had some good news.
Eventually, they reached a set of double doors with the words ‘Thaumatic Containment’ and a hazard symbol of a horn-head shooting sparks.
This doesn’t look good, Swan thought to herself.
The entrance was protected by a metal bulkhead etched with sigils, much like the nexus core chamber on the Orion. A plethora of warnings covered the doorway, warning of ‘thaumatic discharge’ and ‘No thaumatic devices beyond this point’.
“What is this?” Blitz asked with trepidation.
“If a patient is considered a high thaumatic risk, they get treated here,” the stallion replied, tapping his horn. “Can’t have a sudden outburst of energy affecting hospital equipment.”
“Oh, right,” Blitz gulped.
Swan’s curiosity grew. Why were they keeping Flurry in such a place? Was it because she was an alicorn?
Beyond the entrance, there was a waiting area marked for visitors as well as another reception desk where the escorting stallion spoke with an older mare attending the station. On the opposite side was a single heavily reinforced doorway coated in runes and thaumatic wards. The place felt like a creepy prison for witches and warlocks, like the ones in the movies.
The mare behind the reception desk buzzed an intercom. “Director? We have Lieutenant Swan Song and Wingleader Blitz to see the patient,” she said in a flat, professional tone.
“Very good, thank you. Send in Swan, please,” buzzed the reply.
Swan swallowed and stepped forward. Blitz moved with her but was stopped by the guard at the door.
“Just the lieutenant,” the guard said. “Only one at a time in the patient’s room.”
Swan looked back to see the concerned frown on Blitz’s face.
“It’s okay, I’ll be right back,” she assured, doing her best to hide her own anxiety. “Someone has to give Whammy back, right?”
“I’ll just be a shout away if you need me,” Blitz said.
“Thanks, Blitz,” she replied before turning to the guard. “I’m ready.”
The door slid open, revealing a small padded chamber with barely enough room to stand before leading to a second door, very much like a ship’s airlock. The chamber was bathed in green light at first, but as the door at Swan’s tail locked, the green light flipped to red, accompanied by a loud clank.
As the door in front of her slid aside, Swan’s eyes widened, her heart rate doubling instantly as adrenaline surged through her body.
Merry Weather.
Swan had been expecting to see Flurry on a bed, in critical condition and barely hanging onto life. Instead, here lay the stallion who had been the source of her misery for far too long—the stallion who she had spat in the face of mere hours earlier, declaring she would rather die than serve him any longer. The better part of her had been convinced she would never see him again.
Merry looked like a dragon had used him as a chew toy. Most of his body was encased in bandages and various casts, some supported by wires from a complex contraption over his bed. His face was bruised, puffy, and swollen, barely recognizable. His snout was crooked, with blood stains on his nostrils where his nose had been broken. His bloodshot eyes met hers, and the look in those eyes… it was a look she had never seen him give her before. It was a mixture of contempt and fear.
In blind fury, Swan lunged. What was left unfinished in the banquet hall would be finished here. She leapt onto Merry’s broken body, punching and kicking until she found herself throttling his neck, squeezing the life out of him. With a ragged gasp, the slavemaster’s futile struggling finally came to an end, his head falling limp.
At least that’s how it went in her imagination. Swan recalled the words of Oakheart regarding obsession and hate. She held herself back, remaining where she stood, and it was then that she noticed the others in the room.
Alicorns. Three of them, in fact. Swan immediately calmed herself, noticing Nyx and Flurry seated in an alert pose like sentinels on either side of Merry’s bed. Twilight sat on a floor cushion off to the side. All had their eyes on Swan.
It was Nyx who had caught the glimmer of rage in the lieutenant’s eye, her intimidating dragon-eyes meeting Swan’s and causing the pegasus to swallow dryly. They were not angry, merely firm and carrying a gentleness—an understanding, somehow—that she had not expected from this mare. The black alicorn nodded subtly, acknowledging Swan’s anger as she herself kept it in check.
Flurry offered Swan a smile like what one’s friend gives after a brief absence. Her chest was encased in a compression bandage, covering where her gunshot wound must have been, along with a plethora of other medical dressings. But most notably, her wings were not black. They had been restored to her natural color. Flurry had been freed.
“What’s going on here?” Swan asked, her voice barely above a whisper as a strange mix of emotions stirred within her. “I don’t understand. We heard you’d been shot.”
“You should see the other guy,” Flurry remarked.
“Why was I brought here?”
“Well, you see,” Flurry began, “Nyx and I had a bit of a chat with old fatso here, a negotiation, if you will.”
Flurry leaned against him, earning a pained whimper from the stallion. “Long story short, we decided that you and your aerie have served him for long enough.”
Swan’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Merry, if you would do the honours,” Flurry goaded, the stallion wilting like a dying flower under the combined glares of the alicorns.
Even so, he hesitated, his eyes fixed upon Swan. A myriad of emotions flickered in them as she watched him process the situation.
“I suggest you get on with it,” Flurry cooed. “And remember, no funny business. Anything happens to her and that beating you got in the hangar will feel like a gentle massage by comparison.”
Merry let out an almost childlike whimper before waving a hoof pitifully back and forth as it hung from a sling.
With a surprised gasp, Swan felt a great weight she had forgotten even existed lift from her wings. She gazed wide-eyed as the blackwing enchantment evaporated away, her whole body feeling suddenly strong and invigorated.
“You’re free, Swan,” Flurry announced, smiling softly and tossing her a wink. “Told ya I’d sort it out, didn’t I.”
“I…” she stammered, her lip trembling as waves of conflicting emotions crashed over her.
“And soon every other blackwing on the station will be too,” Twilight said, standing up to gently touch her shoulder. “You’ve endured much, but your hardships are over now.”
Swan’s legs gave out and she sat back on her haunches. “I don’t know what to say.”
She looked to the gathered alicorns, tears streaming down her cheeks as the emotions overwhelmed her. She dropped to the ground, bowing her head, her voice breaking. “Thank you.”
Swan felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder and looked up to see Flurry smiling at her.
“Get up, Swan. You’ve spent far too long on your knees,” the alicorn said, offering her a foreleg and pulling her back onto her hooves. “Time to look to the skies again.”
<=======ooO Ooo=======>
“She took a beating, didn’t she, Whammy?” Flurry said, shaking her head as she knelt on the Dream’s starboard wing where it joined to the fuselage in a sloping arc. The long gash of slagged metal had nearly penetrated to the internal structure, which would have been unpleasant to say the least. Structural repairs were far more costly and few ports these days had the parts or the knowhow to fix such an ancient ship. Fortunately, Flurry knew her inside and out.
It had been two days since Merry Weather was captured, and Flurry was finally out of the hospital. While she wasn’t in top condition, she was at least rid of the blackwing enchantment and enjoying the feeling of being able to stretch her legs and wings.
Drawing a hoof slowly along the thick armour plating, she finished her cut. The slagged portion fell for a split second before being caught in her telekinetic grip and lifted out. Now, she only needed to cut the replacement stock armour to fit the missing section and weld it in place.
Leaning back to wipe the sweat from her brow, Flurry slid her protective goggles back onto her forehead. It was then that she noticed a pegasus mare standing on the wing next to her.
“I thought only earth ponies could do that,” Swan said with a note of curiosity. “You alicorns are full of surprises.”
“Hey, Swan,” Flurry greeted with a light smile. “What brings you down here? Figured you’d be busy celebrating with your aerie.”
“Oh we have been,” Swan replied. “I just thought I’d stop by, you know, to see how you’re doing.” Her eyes were wandering now, unable to make contact with the alicorn.
Flurry chuckled. “Stop by and watch me fix up my ship? You’re even worse at hiding your emotions than I am. What’s on your mind?”
Swan’s face flushed. “That obvious, eh?”
Flurry nodded, standing up. “Wanna come in and talk?”
“In… in there?” Swan gestured to the ship’s main fuselage.
“Come on, I’m sure I can dig up something in the galley for us to drink,” Flurry offered before leaping off the wing and gliding down to the open ramp beneath the ship’s bow.
A moment later, the pegasus lighted down to the hangar deck behind where Flurry was. She stood there as the alicorn made her way up the ramp and then glanced over her shoulder.
“You coming?” Flurry prompted.
Swan remained where she was, tentatively pawing at the ramp. The mare looked up into the ship’s open cargo bay as if it were the maw of some giant beast ready to swallow her whole.
Eventually, she steadied herself, taking a breath before following the alicorn into the ship.
They headed up to the crew deck and entered a small kitchen. Flurry noticed Swan’s eyes darting around, obviously taking in the fact that Flurry lived in what could be best described as the aftermath of a controlled explosion.
Empty bottles and containers holding dubious concoctions littered the workspace. Flurry rifled through her cupboards looking for something she could serve to her guest. Packs of opened cereal boxes and other detritus tumbled about as she searched.
“I’m sure it’s around here somewhere,” Flurry muttered as she rummaged.
“Interesting place you’ve got here,” Swan said as she ran a hoof along one of a myriad of old arcade machines which sat in a small lounge beside the kitchen. The lounge had a number of inlaid floor cushions and was brimming with a collection of various knick-knacks Flurry had gathered over the years.
“You have a lot of photos,” she commented, examining one of the bulkheads that was plastered haphazardly with pictures.
“Oh, those,” Flurry replied. “That was my old Alliance unit during the war.”
Swan held a fascinated gaze as she moved from picture to picture. “There are so many,” she said with a trace of awe in her voice.
Fishing out a few military-issue coffee rations from the cupboard, Flurry did her best to ignore the expiry dates. The dull brown cubes plopped into their cups, the inbuilt enchantments doing their thing.
“Hayfield’s Hellraisers,” Flurry said, a smile playing on her muzzle as old memories came bubbling to the surface. “I was with them from the beginning. We survived a lot of tough scrapes together.”
Flurry stepped up to where Swan was standing, staring at a framed group photo. There were a hundred smiling faces with Flurry at the center. “This was just a small part of our regiment. So many more were never recorded—so many that won’t be remembered.”
“What happened to them?” Swan asked hesitantly.
“Mulberry happened,” Flurry replied, her eyes flitting between faces. With every face, she knew a good friend’s life had come to a gruesome end. Their voices whispered in her ears, desperate pleas as they lay bleeding out.
“I never realised,” Swan said quietly. “They never told us anything about the battle, only what we lost.” There was no scorn in the mare’s voice, no jab aimed at her, just quiet understanding.
“How many of them made it out?” Swan asked.
“Too few,” Flurry replied solemnly.
“There are so many, why do you keep them here?”
“They were my comrades, my friends,” Flurry stated. “I didn’t want them to be a name on a plaque in some forgotten cemetery.”
Swan paused as she found another group of photos. “You have pegasi here too?”
“Of course. I had a lot of friends in the Republic before the war,” Flurry said, swallowing a lump in her throat. “And I had to kill a few of them before it was over.”
“I’m sorry,” Swan said, her voice quiet.
“Yeah, me too.”
The two of them fell silent, Swan lost in her own thoughts while Flurry tried to bury the old feelings. She was thankful when a sharp ding resounded through the lounge.
“Coffee’s ready,” Flurry said softly before walking over to the kitchen. She levitated the two cups, bringing them to her. With a long, slow inhale of the faux coffee, at least it smelled like the real deal.
“Grab a seat, I’ll be right out,” she called.
When she returned, Swan was sitting on one of the floor cushions.
“Here, be careful, it’s a bit hot,” she said, walking back to the lounge and levitating a cup to Swan.
The pegasus gingerly grasped the cup but didn’t drink it, instead nursing it in her hooves. A heavy frown crossed her brow, like she was trying to figure out some complex puzzle.
Flurry eyed the mare, who was now fidgeting on her seat. There was no doubt a lot was eating at her; she had been through so much in the past few days.
Flurry sat down, letting out a contented sigh as she sank into an actual comfortable seat for once.
“It feels strange being here,” Swan said quietly, almost as if Flurry wasn’t there. “When I was at the academy, I kept hearing stories about this ship. The Ghost, they called her. No matter what they did, what traps they laid, she always slipped away.”
Flurry bit back the urge to boast, instead letting Swan process her feelings.
“I hoped that just once I’d be able to see her. To test my skills against her and see if she deserved the legend,” Swan continued. “And now, here we are, drinking coffee aboard her. Strange, huh?”
“The galaxy is full of really strange things. Unexpected things,” Flurry remarked, as she regarded her guest.
“Tell me about it,” Swan said. “Today I spent my day talking with Oakheart about my future. An earth pony, can you believe it?”
“He’s not so bad,” Flurry replied.
“It’s been hard. I was raised to look at them as the enemy. When we came here, I tolerated them, but only because I was ordered to,” Swan said, taking a sip from her coffee. “Then you came along and everything turned on its head.”
“Sometimes you need an outside push to stir things up,” Flurry said with a smile. “Just a little rescue, fighting against feral changelings and cosmic horrors. No biggie.”
“And an alicorn,” Swan added. “The ultimate wildcard.”
“I guess.” Flurry shrugged.
“I feel like such a fool,” Swan admitted. “I hated you so much. I thought that if you were killed, it would somehow make up for what my father did to us.” Her ears flattened. “You asked for my help and all I could see was Last Shadow.”
“Breaking through that thick skull of yours took a while,” Flurry remarked.
Swan gave her a weak smile. “You only had to space yourself.”
“Yeah, and it sucked,” Flurry groused.
“No one had ever risked themselves for me, for any of us, but you did,” Swan said softly.
“What are friends for?”
Swan smiled gently. “Yes, friends. I could never be friends with Last Shadow, but I can be friends with Flurry Heart.”
Swan reached out a foreleg which Flurry accepted, giving it a shake. “And I’d be proud to have you as part of the aerie.”
Flurry felt her heart swell. It was a true sign of trust for Swan to welcome her into the mare’s family.
“You sure?”
“I’m sure,” Swan replied firmly. “You’ve done so much for us. I know you won’t be staying for long, but I want you to know you’re always welcome with us here.”
“Thank you, Swan,” Flurry said, bowing her head solemnly. “The honour is mine.”
“And Whammy too, if he wants.”
Flurry cast a glance to the plushie. “I think he’d like that.”
Swan leant back in her seat and let out a sigh. “What a crazy few days it’s been. I feel like my hooves have barely touched the ground.”
“Freedom will do that to you,” Flurry said with a wink.
“Last time I was free, I was still a filly. And even then, I had my parents. This is the first time I’ve ever not had someone lording it over me. It’s really strange.”
Flurry pondered what such a life must have been like. “I can only imagine. And that’s after being a blackwing for a day—under Merry Weather, no less.”
“I still think that was incredibly foolish what you did,” Swan remarked.
“Hey, I’ve got a foolishness quota to maintain,” Flurry grinned. “If I didn’t do at least one stupid thing a month, how could I keep my reputation?”
Swan chuckled quietly, prompting Flurry to continue. “But in all seriousness, Swan, I have to admit I was really starting to worry I wouldn’t be able to get out of it. Not at first, but after the rescue, it nearly broke me.”
“I suppose being an alicorn under Merry would carry pretty high stakes.”
“It would have put a pretty big mark on my life history for sure,” Flurry admitted. “And that’s assuming the bastard didn’t get me killed along the way. He planned on eventually turning me in to the emperor, you know.”
“You do have a rather big reward on your head,” Swan commented.
“Yeah but what Merry never knew was the reason. The emperor and I go way back. When I first met him, he was only an idealistic colt. I still remember his face the first time we met at a diplomatic dinner. So full of dreams. I think I intimidated him a bit.”
Swan blinked. She seemed at a loss for words. It was probably a bit strange to hear about the grand and mighty emperor of the Pegasus Republic as a child.
“But enough about me and my dusty old past. What about your future? What will you do now, Swan?”
The pegasus cleared her throat, quickly gathering her thoughts at the question. “Oh, right. Well, Oakheart and the director met with the whole aerie earlier today. They offered us the opportunity to stay here on the station as permanent members of the Harmony Defense Force.”
“I had a feeling they might,” Flurry said.
“I’ve never had a job before. They started talking about salary, benefits, and even my own quarters,” Swan said, a frown forming on her brow. “It was a bit overwhelming.”
Flurry gave her a sad smile. For most people, that would all be par for the course when starting a new job. To Swan, so many normal things were foreign concepts: not living in squalor, being properly fed, and even having a normal social life.
“Quite a step up, eh?” she commented.
“You have no idea. I’ve never been paid for work before. It’s hard to even imagine.”
“I’m sure it is,” Flurry said gently. “Are you going to accept?”
“I don’t know,” Swan said quietly, her ears flattening. “Most of us are barely pilots at all, and what if only a few of us stay?”
“You kids still have a lot of growing to do, sure,” Flurry stated. “But your aerie has endured far worse already, and you held them together. Have faith in them and yourself.”
Swan mulled over her words, gazing intently into her coffee as if it would give her the answers she needed. Eventually, she spoke, her voice tentative. “So, you think I should accept?”
“There are worse people to work for,” Flurry admitted. “I mean, even though you’d have to deal with Snow Drift and Twilight every day.” Flurry blanched. “You’ve all earned it, but it’s going to have to be your decision.”
“I just,” Swan began, hesitance heavy in her voice. “If I do this, I won’t be a Republic soldier anymore. I’ll be a mercenary with no pride. I’ll have lost a part of myself.”
Flurry held back a scowl. To see the mare talk so highly about the Republic that had enslaved her was a twisted irony.
“Well,” Flurry offered. “You’d still be representing the Republic to the other powers. And if this Harmony thing works, it’s going to mean a lot to the people out there.”
“You’re right,” Swan said. “At least I’d still get to fly.”
“Yep,” Flurry said with an encouraging smile. “You’ll be out there bothering me in no time.”
“I look forward to it,” Swan replied with a slight smirk on her face.
“Oh, I see how it is,” Flurry joked. “Still think you can take me on, eh? Get a job and now you think you’re hot stuff.”
“Only one way to find out,” Swan said with a chuckle. It faded quickly, her voice becoming more solemn. “But in all seriousness, thanks for the encouragement. It means a lot to me.”
“Anytime. But you should know my advice doesn’t come cheap and I charge by the hour,” Flurry quipped, giving her a wink.
“You’re charging me now?!” Swan gasped incredulously.
“Hey, helping ponies is an expensive business,” Flurry said with a shrug. “That coffee isn’t cheap, you know.”
“But wasn’t it Nyx who got Merry to release us? Way I see it, I really owe her,” Swan retorted defiantly. “Besides, that coffee was awful.”
Flurry smiled broadly. “See? You catch on quick. You’ll be just fine.”
They shared a laugh together, the tension of the serious topics fading like smoke in the wind.
Swan stayed for what felt like hours, the two sharing stories of all kinds until eventually Swan rose to her hooves. “I suppose I should get going. I’ve got a lot to think about.”
“Sure thing, but don’t think too hard on it. You kids need to enjoy your freedom,” Flurry said.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to help us with that.”
“Oh, absolutely!”
They both walked back towards the loading ramp before stopping on the threshold.
“Thank you, Flurry, for everything,” Swan said, giving her a gentle hug.
“Anytime,” Flurry said, before stepping back. “Go on now, get some rest; you’ve earned it.”
Swan stepped off the ramp and opened her teal wings, casting a glance back to her friend before taking to the air.
Flurry lingered there, watching the pegasus disappear around a distant corner of the hangar bay. With a soft smile, she trotted back inside and closed the ramp.
<=======ooO Ooo=======>
The pulsing beat of music coming from the Sunspot Lounge was like a siren song, luring Flurry in long before she saw the neon sign that hung outside its entrance. Her wings ruffled in anticipation of a night of fun and relaxation, socializing, and assorted pleasures she’d not likely remember in the morning.
The cacophony of voices washed over her in a wave. The scents of perfume, alcohol, and food all merged together in an intoxicating cocktail. All the while, the dulcet notes of the piano dancing in the air melded everything together into a wonderful medley of pleasure.
Flurry was in her element.
The lounge was full of off-duty officers and station staff looking to relax after a long shift. This was the kind of place where rank and seniority meant nothing and everyone was equal. In the stuffy world of the military, it was a haven from the toil of the outside world.
As she scanned the room, she noticed a figure waving her over to a table. Her eyes lit up as she recognised Princess. The mustang towered above the crowd like a grand old oak. With her, the other members of Alpha team were sitting together around one of the lounge’s broad tables.
“Well well, fancy seeing you here!” Fire Hawk yelled, raising a large tankard. “Come and join us!”
“Don’t mind if I do,” Flurry said with a grin. Four days had now passed since their fight with the windigo, and she was looking forward to catching up with these new friends.
The others nodded eagerly and moved over to make space for her. She ended up sitting beside Princess with Fire Hawk, Echo, and Priest sitting opposite.
“Hey Echo, do the thing you showed us earlier,” Fire Hawk asked, giving her friend a playful nudge.
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Echo protested, looking sheepish.
“Come on! It was just getting good,” Fire Hawk begged, giving her the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster.
“Oh fine,” Echo conceded with a roll of her eyes. “So, who should it be this time?”
“Let Flurry pick!” Princess bellowed.
All eyes turned to Flurry.
“Pick?” Flurry asked, unsure what the game was.
“Impersonations,” Fire Hawk said. “Pick someone for Echo to mimic.”
“Oh… Okay then. Princess Luna,” Flurry said.
Echo pondered for a moment and then spoke with flailing hoof gestures to match.
“Cor blimey! When I looked around, some geeza had half-inched me crown!” Echo began, in an almost pitch-perfect imitation of the Princess of the Night, save for the Trottingham twang. “Off with ‘is ‘ead! I yelled. Made sure ’e really came a croppa.”
Everyone broke out into fits of laughter at Echo’s completely inappropriate version of Luna.
“Okay okay, Celestia next!” Princess said.
Echo once again straightened herself and took a breath before putting on her best sultry voice.
“If you’re looking for a mare that can give you a good time, call Tia at 0800-SUN-BUTT,” Echo said, giving the Sun Princess a scandalous tone. “Or come by the Royal Palace and I’ll make sure to keep you up all day and night.”
The image this brought to Flurry’s mind made her howl with laughter. And it was only the first of many as the golem-turned-pony had many hilarious impressions to share. Was it even possible Flurry might be warming up to seeing her as a real living person? It amazed her that the machine had blended in so flawlessly with a group of friends in a club setting.
“You’re good, I’ll give you that,” Flurry chuckled, finally getting control of her breathing. “If you ever get tired of security, there’s always a career in show business.”
Echo replied silently with a modest bow and smile.
“At least there, she’d be sure never to lose her head!” Fire Hawk added, giving Echo a playful nudge.
“Har har, very funny,” Echo deadpanned.
“Echo’s not the type to lose her head under pressure,” Priest added, earning more chuckles from the others.
“Come on, it’s not funny—it really hurt you know!” Echo protested. “Next time, you get to be eaten by the unstoppable monster.”
“Hey, that’s no joke,” Flurry said. “Nyx says a windigo can eat your very soul.”
Everyone cringed but quickly moved on, goofing around and laughing, teasing one another over an assortment of strong drinks. It reminded Flurry of her old team, the memories washing over her again.
“Say Flurry, I heard you gave Merry a special going-away present, if you know what I mean,” Princess said, waggling her eyebrows.
Flurry chuckled darkly. “Yeah, you could say that,” she teased with a pause. “You know, they say if you crush organic matter hard enough, you’ll get a diamond. They lied. You can get a gelding, though.”
“Oooh,” Priest cringed aloud, followed by a mixture of unsettled laughter from everyone at the table. “Remind me never to piss you off,” he added.
Flurry shot him a sly wink in response. “Speaking of, have you managed to catch all his cronies yet?”
“A fair few have gone underground,” Princess replied. “It’s a big station, so we’ll prolly be rounding ’em up for weeks.”
“Remember that one we found hiding in Waste Reprocessing?” Priest added.
“Urgh, I still haven’t got the smell out of my coat,” Princess groaned, her face contorting into a grimace.
Flurry reveled in the atmosphere of the room while the team exchanged stories with her. She almost regretted that she’d have to leave them all behind soon.
Her reverie broke with the sound of a familiar voice greeting those seated at the table. Turning around, her eyes brightened at the sight of her cousin approaching from behind.
“Hello everyone. Mind if I join you?” Nyx greeted. She was dressed casually, which was a pleasant switch from the armoured or formal military attire the alicorn had worn since the rescue of the Orion.
“Sure thing, the more the merrier!” Fire Hawk said, raising her tankard.
Everyone scooched over to allow Nyx to sit with them.
“A rare thing to see you in a place like this,” Flurry commented.
“Well, someone has to keep an eye on you. I heard there was a bit of a ruckus last night,” Nyx replied, eyeing her.
“Hey, I was just helping the former blackwings enjoy their freedom a bit,” Flurry said, nonchalantly. “One certain rusty stallion in particular.”
“You didn’t,” Nyx remarked, her eyes widening. “That guy you were flirting with before. Blitz, was it?”
“I did,” she said with a triumphant grin. “You really missed out, Nyx.”
“What was he like?” Fire Hawk asked eagerly as Princess leaned in slightly to listen.
“Let me tell you, that tongue of his can do more than sweet talk,” Flurry replied, earning a few knowing chuckles from them.
Nyx let out a sigh while Priest seemed to be pondering his life choices in the corner.
“Come on, Nyx, you should loosen up a bit, otherwise we’ll need an archaeology team to dig up the remnants of your sex drive,” Flurry joked.
“My sex drive is just fine, thank you,” Nyx huffed, a slight hint of red forming on her cheeks.
“Oh really, so when was the last time?” Flurry pressed.
“We are not doing this.”
“Nyx, as the daughter of the Princess of Love and your cousin, it’s my sworn duty to get you laid,” Flurry replied, placing a solemn hoof on her chest. “It’s like my job.”
“You are the last person I want setting me up for a date,” Nyx warned. “Remember that one on Tosu station?”
It was Flurry’s turn to grimace. “You had a face like thunder, do you blame him for getting nervous?”
“He hid under the table!”
“You’re an intimidating mare—perhaps my greatest challenge,” Flurry replied with a sly grin. “But somewhere out there is your perfect match, and if we have to go through every stallion in the galaxy to find him, we will.”
“Well, thank you for your cousinly concern,” Nyx said with a forced smile.
“All in a day’s work.”
“So where’s Swan Song?,” Echo asked. “I’m surprised she let you anywhere near Blitz.”
Flurry let out a sympathetic sigh. “She’s got a lot on her plate with getting everyone settled and negotiating the aerie’s new jobs with the station, but she seems distracted. I think she’ll be happier once Merry is dealt with. What’s going on with him anyway?”
“The trial ended today,” Nyx said. “With the evidence against him, it was pretty much an open and shut case.”
“Sooner we’re rid of him the better,” Fire Hawk groused, folding her forelegs.
“There’s still sentencing, but I heard he has a cell waiting for him on the Charon,” Nyx commented.
“Damn, the Charon?” Flurry said, shuddering at the mere mention of the notorious prison ship. “They’re really pulling out all the stops.”
“Wait, what’s the Charon?” Fire Hawk asked, a puzzled look crossing her face.
“You never heard of it?” Flurry rolled her eyes. “Kids these days don’t know anything. It’s an old Armadillo class freighter converted into a prison ship a couple hundred years back. Modular cell system. Dual jump drives. Armour as thick as an Alliance battleship.”
“Dual jump drives?” Fire Hawk repeated in wonder, stars almost appearing in her eyes.
“Ship nerd alert,” Priest groaned, rolling his eyes, but Flurry could see that the kirin was intrigued.
“Yep. She can jump twice without a cooldown,” Flurry continued. “Even I couldn’t pir— well, let’s just say she puts the max in maximum security. Stays in mirrorspace almost constantly. Pops back to realspace just long enough to blow off the etherium buildup and then goes right back in. Absolutely no one knows where she is at any given time.”
“Seems a bit excessive,” Priest commented.
“This is Merry Weather. Would you want him in a cell on the station?” Flurry asked.
“If I had the choice, I wouldn’t have him anywhere,” Fire Hawk said. “If you get my meaning.”
“He’s wanted for questioning,” Nyx chimed in. “There’s an investigation into the ambush, and interested parties will want to find out what he knows.”
“Ooh, I bet I know who ‘interested parties’ are,” Flurry said with a grin. “How is—”
A stern glare from Nyx cut off Flurry’s commentary, present company not having clearance for such information—a detail Flurry almost habitually forgot.
“We should just turn him over to the Houndrathi and let them fight over his carcass,” Princess grumbled. “Justice served quick and clean.”
“He’s made a lot of enemies in this stunt to acquire Flurry,” Nyx added. “The Syndicate won’t be happy, having lost their mothership thanks to his ‘rescue team’. And never mind the windigo. Who even knows how they deal with betrayal.”
“Popular guy,” Fire Hawk muttered, taking a sip of her drink.
“I’ll be glad to see the back of him,” Nyx said, flagging down one of the waitresses. “Yes, this one. And could you bring the bottle?”
The waitress nodded and quickly headed towards the bar.
“A whole bottle? Not like you to indulge yourself,” Flurry inquired with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s been a long day. We finally finished surveying the damage to the Orion,” Nyx grimaced.
Fire Hawk gazed out the large window into space, where the Orion hung in her berth. “Doesn’t look too bad from here. I don’t even see a scratch on that armour.”
“It’s all internal,” Nyx said. “We’ll be stuck here for another six months at least, while we wait for repairs. Engineering was pretty much slagged, and Forward Fire Control is all shot up. The worst is the Nexus cores, which will have to be specially built on Equus.”
“Damn, all that from firing that gun?” Fire Hawk gasped.
“Well, it wasn’t originally designed to handle alicorn levels of input,” Nyx muttered quietly, her left ear flicking. “They had originally designed her for a unicorn captain. I was a recent addition.”
“So why you?” Flurry asked. “I’ve read the official spiel on the Orion, and I don’t buy it.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not an explorer, Nyx. Going hundreds of light years from home isn’t you,” Flurry pointed out, regarding her cousin carefully.
“It came up recently. Mom and the others felt an alicorn might help the mission, so I volunteered,” Nyx said, though the slight waver in her voice added fuel to Flurry’s suspicions. There was no way this was the real reason.
“We would have asked you to come along,” she continued, “but you were galavanting around out here, not exactly reachable.”
“Me?” Flurry gasped.
Nyx gave her a knowing smile. “You’re the best navigator there is. Who better to explore the great unknown reaches?” She shifted in her seat. “You still can if you want—I’d feel safer knowing you were with us.”
That comment was genuine, Flurry could tell. The earnestness in Nyx’s voice caught Flurry off guard. She had to admit, it was a tempting offer, to have the bad mares team back together once again. Yet, something inside her made the idea cool rapidly.
“I can’t, Nyx. Thank you for the offer, it means a lot. But I’ve still got a lot I need to do here,” Flurry said sadly, her heart tugged to one side, then the other.
If her cousin was hurt, she didn’t show it. In fact, her eyes seem to brighten slightly.
“What, like robbing more Alliance convoys?” Nyx joked, her tone playful.
Her cousin’s words stung more than Flurry would have liked. The others at the table wisely chose to nurse their drinks and watched them both warily.
“It’s not like that,” Flurry retorted, then winced. “Well it is, kinda, but… it’s hard to explain. There’s a good reason for it.”
“Oh I’m sure,” Nyx said. “Galaxy’s Most Wanted and all that.”
Nyx’s words were beginning to get under her skin. She could feel her irritation growing. It might be in jest, but it was hitting too close to the mark all the same.
The problem was, they had argued about this numerous times after the war ended. Nyx had a moral line she was unwilling to cross, and it was that simple. In her eyes, what Flurry was doing was unjustifiable.
Still, Flurry pondered. If I could get her to bend a little.
“Why don’t you come with me on my dropoff at Rynos?” Flurry blurted out, the inspired idea surely able to break through their years-long stalemate. “Come and see what I do for yourself.”
Nyx narrowed her eyes. “I’m not going pirating with you, Flurry. Oakheart is getting daily demands that you be turned over to the Alliance.”
“It’s just a delivery, nothing more. I’m already running late as it is, and I’m still not in any condition to fly the Dream,” Flurry explained. “And you do kinda owe me.”
Nyx worked her jaw but said nothing.
“If you don’t like what you see then you can arrest me right there and then,” Flurry added.
Nyx eyed her warily. “No tricks or last-minute hijinks?”
“I swear,” Flurry said, bringing a forehoof to her chest.
“Okay, fine, I’ll go.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” Nyx grumbled.
Flurry grinned as a bottle of wine was set down on the table before them. Nyx immediately grabbed it and downed a large glass full.
“Alright! Now where were we?” Flurry announced, the brightness in her voice making their companions perk up.
“I’m getting too old for this,” Nyx groaned.
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10828425
It's because Merry knows people don't like him and will eventually find a way to get rid of him. It might be unclear when but it's inevitable.
I thought this was going to be the final chapter for 3/4ths of it. Seems like there are mysteries to unravel, though. There’s still the questions of Nyx’s original mission and whatever Twilight’s up to now.
In any case, I really enjoyed this chapter. After all that buildup and tension, it’s nice to see the main cast earn a well-deserved reprieve and celebrate with each other. I’m surprised that Flurry and Blitz hooked up, though...I assumed that he had his eye on Swan this whole time.
10828902
Oh he does, but until Swan will actually responds to his advances, he must look elsewhere.
I have a quote that sums up Blitz
'If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with'
Looking forward to the next adventure.
Good work.
Interesting, sounds like that shipment Flurry stole was not simply to sell on the black market.
I find Merry Weather's comeuppance to be quite satisfactory, his slaves are freed, he's gotten a taste of his own medicine, and he is totally and utterly ruined. I wonder if Harmony station will also be taking possession of the Glorium?
Charon certainly sounds damn near escape proof... but if anything could track down and attack a ship hiding in Mirrorspace it would be the Windigos... and Merry is now a loose end they'll be wanting to tie up, preferably before he can talk.
Oooh, the dynamic duo together again! Alicorns2! This gonna be good!
This chapter was as wonderful as I expected and I'm looking forward to more!
10828946
Do we sense another B5 reference coming on the horizon?
10828902
In the original draft, this was the end. (technically, section 2 was the end with Swan/Flurry)
But we've extended it just a bit to wrap up a couple important things in a more satisfying way. Particularly, one thing the fan base has been saying from the start has prompted us to add a couple chapters. We're nearly done!
10829137
I would be disappointed if there were not more references inbound, B5 really is something special among Science Fiction TV shows.
But even if i was not aware of all the lethal shenanigans the Shadows could do with Slipspace in B5, the setup here with the Charon just screams that it will be attacked once Merry is brought aboard.
10828609
I mean, "get rid" doesn't necessarily need to also require a getaway plan that allows him to elude the authorities; could be simple as "do my thing until my contract is up/until I'm recalled, at which point I'll leave with little fanfare". Won't deny such an escape could be a smart plan if he accounts for the possibility of making a mistake when riding the edge of what is legal, though.
10829616
Right. And even though he claimed to have broken no laws, he was also clearly lying. He literally made a deal with an alien species, giving top-secret information that he knew would result in the capture of the Orion. Merry has no qualms disregarding the laws of others for his own benefit, and he will lie about it if it will help him not get caught.
10829642
Sure, but a hypothetical Merry who didn't plan on betraying the Orion (and didn't conspire to commit high treason) but still ended up on Harmony could arguably be equally repulsive to station management, but likely wouldn't need such an escape route.
I don't quite remember where I originally was going with this, to be honest; I suppose it's just a further sign that Merry never intended on being as straight-laced as he claimed, as you pointed out.
I suppose they're lucky that Merry isn't a pony for which spite isn't a huge driving factor. Sure, he may suffer a lot if he kills Swan, but he gets one final win out of it.
That's a really neat ability to give earth ponies! Wonder just how far that ability could be pushed.
Also, I really hope Swan wasn't watching that directly (assuming you have the same safety problems as with plasma cutting/welding). Otherwise, ouch.
Wonder if there are training weapons, or barring that, training sims. If the former, just borrow a fighter from the Glorium, refit it (because it's just snap-and-go, right? Right?), and go out for a quick sparring match. What could possibly go wrong?
I think this was the first time Swan used "earth pony" instead of "dirt pony" when thinking of/talking about an earth pony. Progress!
I think "Swan's aerie learns how to life" \[sic\] could be an entertaining set of vignettes.
Also wonder what's going to happen to the other blackwings. Could imagine them all potentially getting a place on Harmony depending on how busy it gets, but until then they might be a bit much for the current population.
This feels like an ending sentence. I was quite pleasantly surprised to discover that there was more!
Whaaaaat, a trial against a (formerly?) well-connected and powerful person wrapped up in just 4 days? Impossible
I wonder whether the windigos still consider Merry useful enough to burn an (presumably) extremely valuable method on breaking him out, or whether he has those kinds of connections himself.
Well, this is quite interesting. Curious to see what's in those crates (as well as Nyx's opinion of those three bonus crates), as well as why Flurry thinks this job might change Nyx's view.
Great chapter, as always! I'm absolutely loving the character interactions. A few particularly wonderful snippets stood out; I'd ask to steal them for my own stories, if I could write.
10828946
This reminds me of the Purgatory from Mass Effect 2, and would still have the same flaw. No matter how advanced your ability to hide is, if you get someone aboard (either as crew, officiant, or customer) then it's just another ship and it's crew dies just as easily as any other. And Changelings have a habit of getting into where they don't belong.
10830430
That too, but for the Windigos it is likely to be even simpler still. Unless they have a specific reason to take Merry Weather alive, my money is on them either destroying the Charon inside of Mirrorspace; or jumping the Charon as it's about to reenter Mirrorspace, and doing to it what the Shadows did the the fleeing survivors of the Narn taskforce at the battle of Gorash VII. Collapse the jump point so it sucks in and utterly obliterates the Charon and everyone in it.
^ Relevant part starts at 2:28
10830539
Granted that is indeed a possibility, that tactic still does not negate the Charon's greatest defense. Secrecy. No one knows where it is or when it will need to jump in/out of Mirrorspace at any given time. Thus showing that its biggest weakness will still be someling in the right place, the insider threat is always the hardest to defend against.
Probably not, because unlike Flurry, you're not an alicorn and thus would probably not come out as healthy on the other side as Flurry would.
Also--you're saner. That's an important point, too.
Well, lots of things, but one reoccurring trait I've noticed in her line of thought is that she knows she's an alicorn, and thus assumes she can thereby do the impossible without too much risk to herself or others...because alicorn.
That was her justifications when she spaced herself...and voluntarily enslaved herself...and--look, you get the point. Flurry might bank a little too hard on her alicornness to save her butt for her most of the time.
See, that's how I can be so confident that your level of sanity is generally higher than Flurry's, Swan--Flurry wouldn't have had that level of self-control.
Because she's Flurry. That alone should be explanation enough on that.
That said, however, I'm betting it's not actually Flurry who's the patient of focus inside.
Now see, that's better than the zinger I was thinking of myself, so all the better I didn't actually commit to typing it.
Honestly, I'm surprised Merry is even conscious at the moment, considering how the...negotiations...had been going earlier. But so much the better, because this has definitely waited long enough already.
Heck yeah!
And that's the other thing that motivates Flurry--she is that outside push, more often than not. And she's totally owns it, too.
Yeah, the vacuum of space is funny that way.
The only thing still worrying me about all of this is the nagging fear that there's still another shoe about to drop unexpectedly about all of this...
After everything that’s happened, a chapter where characters just sit down and shoot the shit Is greatly appreciated. Seeing Merry Weather beaten and loosing everything is extremely satisfying and knowing the black wings are now free is a joy to behold.
I lost my shit when it seemed like Flurry get with Blitz (I was somewhat rooting for him to get with Nyx lol), cos that was hilarious, along with Flurry delaying that she needs to get Nyx laid was great.
Something that I find extremely interesting is the implication that Whammy seems to actually has some form of effect on people. Could it be discord magic, a lost soul bound to the item, or maybe Flurry’s insanity is just that infectious. Really wanna know the story behind this lol.
Great chapter guys, can’t wait for the next one
I should not of put reading this off, I let it sit until it had enough chapters to be worth investing time in and even after 22 I just want more.
10/10, more please <3
This was a good binge. I have to say that a pro of reading fan fiction is the true cliffhanger ability of the stories. Normally, most YA Fiction and really all published stories have a somewhat base formula for each story and it’s respective genre. Dystopia is it’s own beast, but at the end of the day you know that someone is likely to die in the main cast, it’s just who. So, what I’m trying to get at is for the nice surprise of Echo being alive, and the evil scientist vibe from Twilight, you had me floored. I completely believed that Twilight was going to do something like that, because why not, you have no reason to act like a normal published
To get to the point, I guess what I’m getting at is you’ve kept me thoroughly entertained for twenty something chapters. Please continue expanding your universe and fleshing out the characters. I really hope that I haven’t boarded this train too late, because I’m here for the rest of the ride. However hopefully long it will be.
10941220
Welcome aboard! Click here for the forum where you can follow along with the ongoing universe.
Flurry in Time is nearly finished (no, really). I know it's been a particularly long wait since the last chapter, but we've had some major obstacles to overcome both in real life and in wrapping up the story. The plan has changed multiple times in terms of exactly how the next chapter should go.
Duvet has written an extremely detailed journey which Nyx and Flurry have taken to complete Flurry's job which was introduced back in chapter 1. The trip to Rynos ended up becoming far too long, however, becoming its own legitimate story within Flurry in Time. After much discussion, we decided that this wasn't appropriate because it just does not blend well with the FiT narrative to go on a 15,000 word journey that adds so much new content to a story which is trying to wind down.
We've attempted just skipping the Rynos journey entirely, going straight to the finale. But that didn't flow well either. Rynos happens as an event in the universe. There's no point in trying to pretend that it doesn't. We even tried setting up for the Rynos dropoff to happen after the FiT finale. But that didn't flow well either because the way FiT ends is so dramatic and impactful to the characters that it would entirely change the tone of their trip to Rynos, which means we'd have to rewrite that whole thing under a whole new context.
The current plan, which I'm working on now, is to write a far more concise version of the Rynos visit while not making it entirely terse at the same time. This is no easy task, believe me. I've had to pick and choose which character moments to keep and which ones to toss. A lot of it is being condensed, and I'm trying to get the entire thing under 8000 words where it has a tidy conclusion and is clear to the reader that this won't be dragging on into further chapters. After the Rynos chapter is complete, then the finale comes. The plans for this are good. It just remains to be seen how it will turn out in actual practice.
So all of this is to say that I definitely am working on it. Nearly every day, in fact. Duvet's part in it has finished, so it's in my hands now to wrap things up, hopefully as quickly as possible. Thanks everyone for your patience.