Chapter 1 - Shipping Accident

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The sound of collapsing masonry echoed through the crumbling halls of Nightstone castle, thick dust falling from the ceiling like snow upon the panicked ponies racing to escape. Terrified cries competed with the groan of the castle keep as the weakened structure slipped, causing a tremor beneath her hooves.

Through the chaos, the brave hero Ultra-Mare raced deep into the keep, effortlessly deflecting falling stonework from the crowds with her magical power as she passed. She was not about to let something as trivial as a collapsing building stop her from saving the Prince.

Ripping the double oak doors from their hinges with her telekinesis, Ultra-Mare galloped into the audience chamber. As she entered, she heard a colt scream, spotting his small form as he stared helplessly in blind terror at a falling column.

With a blazing burst of speed, she appeared between the colt and the column, bravely facing down the massive collapsing structure. She was not worried; such things were nothing for a pony such as her. With contemptuous ease, she snapped the column in half, tossing the shattered pieces away.

The colt stared up at her, wide eyed, the danger forgotten as he gazed at her brilliance.

“W-who are you?” he squeaked.

Tossing her mane back, she flashed him a smile. “Don’t worry, kid, you’re safe now. Ultra-Mare is here.”

Suddenly, a strange voice seemed to boom from all around.

“…formal protest today at military manoeuvres carried out by warships of the Pegasus Republic,” a mare announced, her voice unfamiliar.

The world seemed to stop mid-motion, fragments of masonry and clouds of dust frozen in place. Slowly but surely, her surroundings began to evaporate away—first the walls, then slowly the floor.

Flurry Heart looked around, watching the world disappear before her eyes into a black nothingness. She quickly turned to the colt beside her. He was still standing there frozen, his big opal coloured eyes staring up at her in adoration.

"Wait!" she called frantically, as the ground beneath her hooves disappeared and she began to fall.

Flurry's eyes flicked open, frantically searching her surroundings as she sat up straight. The blackness quickly passed, giving way to the dimly lit flight deck of her ship, the Fleeting Dream.

Behind where she sat on her flight couch, the various crew stations sat empty, casting lonely shadows in the white light emanating from the edges of the floor. Ghostly shapes of familiar faces danced in her vision briefly before returning to her subconscious.

The room felt so cold and empty, and even with the droning of the news agent in the background, Flurry felt so very alone.

Something soft sat wedged between her chest and forelegs. A weak smile played at her lips as she looked down, remembering her ever-present companion in this otherwise solitary existence.

Staring up at her, with googly eyes and a permanent grimace on his face, was Whammy. The battered snail plushie bore all the scars one would expect from being nearly two millennia old. His brown body and green shell were pockmarked with hurriedly repaired tears and loose stitching. Flurry suspected that every part of him had been replaced at one time or another. Like a champ, he had endured it all.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked, groaning as she stretched her legs. She peered up at the ship's chronometer and let out a sigh of relief. "Oh good, I didn't miss them."

“Alliance warships sent to Dragon’s Head have been shadowing Republic moves along the nebula’s border during a tense five-hour standoff,” the news story continued.

It was the same old news. Things like this had been going on since the war ended six years ago. Both sides would rattle their sabres like a pair of yaks at a dinner party, stomping around trying to convince everypony that they were the most dangerous Yak on the block. In the end, one side would blink and the other went home and patted themselves on the back.

Just another day on the border, she thought to herself.

As she shifted on the couch, she felt one of Whammy’s antennae press against her.

She let out a sigh. "Yes, I had the dream again."

The plushie simply stared at her.

"You're not exactly the best person to be asking me about my mental health, you know," she scowled, pulling him close. "It was just nice to win for once."

Flurry's ears flicked as she glanced sideways at the plushie. "I'm fine, okay? I don't ask you what's going on in that fluffy head of yours."

Whammy's antennae bobbed slightly in rhythm with her breathing.

"Yeah, more complaints. Seriously, Whammy, you're starting to sound like a broken record," she huffed.

Her grip on him tightened. "I know, I'm glad somepony is."

She held onto him, rubbing her chin against his antennae. He had always been there for her. Even when everypony else had abandoned and turned their backs on her, he had stayed. Sure, he was cantankerous, forever on her case about something or other, but at least he cared. This was more than she could say about her fellow ponies these days.

"Just don't let it go to your head," she said, setting him down on a nearby console.

With a sigh, she looked up, gazing through the Fleeting Dream's curved viewport at the silvery field of rocks hanging silently in the void of space. They stretched onwards and upwards, forming a shining ring around the aquamarine gas giant beyond. Save for the gently spinning mirrorgate in the distance, the ring system was still, almost like a painting. It was in stark contrast to the churning maelstrom of the gas giant itself with its swirling white clouds shifting across its surface almost as if they were liquid.

It had been beautiful to watch—so beautiful she had evidently dozed off. This was why she hated waiting around; too much time standing still meant that things had a habit of sneaking up on her when she wasn't looking.

Flurry climbed off the flight couch and gave her legs a stretch, feeling her joints give some satisfying cracks. Her back gave a little protest as it always did these days, but a few stretches put everything back where it should be.

As she made her way about the ship’s bridge, there was a rattle as she kicked an empty soda can into the detritus that surrounded her like a besieging army.

"Damn it, Whammy, why are you always leaving your junk around for me to trip over?" she complained, gathering a few empty cans into a bag. Honestly, couldn’t a plushie be expected to pick up after himself?

Whammy simply lay on his side on the sensor console, his eyes gazing impassively at the floor.

"Oh don't be like that," she soothed. "I'll clean up both our messes this time."

As she gathered up some of the empty packets, the ship’s computer made a sudden announcement.

"Incoming transmission. Caller: Ambrosia."

“Amby? Put her through.” She grinned, dropping the bag and kicking it to the side as she stepped in front of the flight couch.

The view of the planet beyond flickered and vanished, replaced by the image of a scrawny female changeling in maintenance coveralls. Her work station was a controlled explosion of paperwork and data discs. Coffee-stained plans and schematics were littered across it, along with a myriad of parts which Flurry could only guess their purpose.

Ambrosia was quite a waif for a changeling. She had managed to make it work to her advantage, shifting into forms that could squeeze into crawl spaces and hatches most ponies couldn't hope to get into. This made her a highly valued technician on Broken Bow.

"Hey! And how's my favourite customer today?" Ambrosia greeted, her green translucent wings buzzing excitedly.

Flurry smiled. "Hey, Amby, what's up?"

The changeling grinned mischievously. "Oh, just a little courtesy call. The buyer of your last merchandise passes on his thanks."

"I live to please," she replied with a theatrical bow.

"I heard the Alliance had a whole battlegroup trying to catch you. That true?" Ambrosia asked, with a hint of concern.

"Just a flotilla of frigates cordoning off the gate," she dismissed with a shrug. "No big deal."

"You always manage to stir up a hornet's nest when you work," Ambrosia chuckled, though her expression shifted, becoming more serious. "You didn't hurt my baby, did you?"

“Come on, have a little faith. The Dream's fine," she assured. "Was a tight squeeze slipping through their cordon but nothing to worry about. You should've seen the other guy.”

The changeling let out a sigh. “And you felt you had to use the gate because…”

“What can I say, I like a challenge.”

“You know, if you’re not going to use that sweet piece of tech on your ship, I can probably get eighty-five million for it on the black market,” Ambrosia retorted with a scowl, crossing her forelegs.

“Don’t you wish,” Flurry shot back, wagging her eyebrows.

"Anyways, I have a little job for you if you're interested. Five hundred thousand…" Her tone practically laced the figure in honey.

"Doing what, exactly?"

"Briar Rose wants you for a simple cargo run, nothing complicated," Ambrosia replied innocently, putting on her best persuasive tone.

Flurry's expression darkened, her tail flicking with irritation. Ambrosia was fairly innocent, as fixers went, but the same couldn't be said for her clients, especially Briar Rose. ‘Cargo’ had a very broad definition of legality in Dragon’s Head: Guns, drugs… ponies.

"Nothing's ever simple with the ponies you work with," Flurry said, eyeing her suspiciously." Besides, I'm busy at the moment."

Ambrosia's blue eyes positively sparkled. "Oooh, anything nice?"

"Just a little favour for a friend," Flurry said. "Nothing special."

Ambrosia pouted, turning her nose up dramatically tossing her stringy teal mane back. "Fine, you keep your secrets. The job's not going anywhere."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Briar Rose would love to have you on her crew, you know," Ambrosia said, her eyes widening at the prospect. "Could make a lot of moneeeeey."

Her attempt at being enticing only served to irritate Flurry further. "I'm not interested, Amby," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"Okay, okay, forget I asked," Ambrosia conceded, rolling her eyes in defeat. Then, she paused, taking on a serious tone. "Flurry, I want you to watch yourself out there. I heard a rumour that the Pegasus Republic just upped the bounty on your head. I've already had a few shifty types asking about you."

Flurry tensed, her wings fluttering briefly. "How much?"

"Fifty million," Ambrosia said, a fearful awe creeping into her voice. "The Emperor himself put the order out."

Fifty million.

A pony could live comfortably for the rest of their lives with that much money. And there were plenty who would sell their own foals for a piece of that pie.

Flurry grimaced, her expression souring. "Of course he did."

"Are you okay?" Ambrosia asked tentatively.

This was going to make things a lot more complicated when she dropped off her cargo at Rynos. Her troubles with the pegasi were bad enough without having to worry about an army of bounty hunters lurking behind every corner.

Flurry put on her best smile. "Hey, it's me. When are ponies not trying to kill me? Now there's just a few more."

Ambrosia tilted her head skeptically, her wings now still. "This is different, Flurry."

"Mirrorgate activity detected," the Dream's computer announced suddenly.

Flurry hid her sigh of relief. "Looks like my supplier just arrived."

Ambrosia's wings buzzed for a moment. "Okay, you watch yourself out there. I don't want my baby all shot up."

"But fixing the Dream is your favourite pastime," she replied with a smirk.

Ambrosia let out an indignant snort. "I have a life outside of fixing your ship, I'll have you know." She jabbed an accusing hoof at her. "Oh, and I am not your personal mailbox. Stop giving random stallions my address."

"But you're such a good secretary," she replied with a grin, casting a glance to the Dream's sensors.

Ambrosia let out a heavy sigh. “Maybe if you just picked one and settled down, you wouldn’t need to.”

Flurry wasn’t even sure if her friend was being serious or not. “What, and retire?” she replied.

“I’m not saying that. Maybe there’s a guy out there who wouldn’t mind your particular lifestyle.”

She stared at the changeling’s image on the display, trying not to burst out laughing, but no words came from her lips.

"Fine, I take it back. Now, you’ve got a job to do. Stay safe, you idiot."

"Always." Flurry gave a salute with her wing, before the connection ceased.

Flipping the main display back to the ship’s external view, she just caught a ship emerging from the mirrorgate.

Her party guests had arrived.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The first ship to emerge from the mirrorgate burst forth like some kind of spectre, etherium wreathing its hull like ghostly vestments. The light-jade coloured gas quickly boiled away from the ship's hull, revealing the squat form of an Alliance Rose class frigate.

"See, Whammy, I told you they'd come here eventually," Flurry remarked with a triumphant grin at the plushie.

From the amount of etherium coating its hull, the ship had been in mirrorspace a while—perhaps a day or so, by her reckoning. An Alliance warship had little to fear from the inhabitants of the Dragon’s Head nebula, but the risk of political fallout from being discovered meant they still had to be careful.

Common practice was to make periodic jumps back into realspace so the etherium buildup wouldn't gum up the sensors. Restricted to gates, there were only a few places one could do this unseen.

Which had led them straight to her.

Flurry watched as a second frigate emerged from the gate, taking up position alongside its companion. The Dream's passive sensors lit up as a radar pulse radiated out from both ships. Methodically, the two frigates swept the area around the gate, their search radars like torches in the dark.

Flurry wasn't worried; the asteroids of the ring had enough metal in them to hide the Dream at this distance. Ambrosia's little additions to her hull would do the rest.

Satisfied the area was clear, the two warships took up a position on either side of the gate to await their charge. Soon, a massive form emerged, easily five times as long as the warships. As the etherium burned off, the lumbering form of a Centipede class freighter emerged.

"Looks like our intel was right on the money," Flurry said, licking her lips.

The war between the Republic and Alliance might have been over, but everypony knew it was only a reprieve. Both sides were preparing for a rematch, and Dragon’s Head was going to be the battlefield. Dozens of supposedly 'secret' bases and listening posts were scattered across the nebula, and these all needed supplies.

Supplies that Flurry just happened to need as well.

Behind the freighter, a third frigate emerged and quickly moved to join its compatriots. Together, they formed a broad wedge in front of the freighter, moving boldly forward.

"Getting sloppy boys," Flurry said with a predatory grin. "You think you're all alone, don't you?"

A formation like this might have looked nice during fleet manoeuvres, but it was hopeless when it came to defending their charge. Evidently, they weren’t expecting trouble all the way out here.

"Let's get to work, Whammy," she announced. "Computer: Engage silent running."

"Affirmative, Captain."

As she slid back into the flight couch, the Dream stirred into life. A low hum reverberated throughout the ship, signaling its core had powered down.

“Switching to internal CAPS storage. Excess heat diverted to internal sinks,” the computer intoned. “At current draw, venting will be required in fifty-eight minutes.”

A countdown appeared, which began to slowly tick down.

Plenty of time, Flurry thought to herself as she lay prone onto the flight couch. A golden shimmer glinted across her horn as she caused Whammy to hover over from where he sat, and unceremoniously squeezed him between her forelegs.

With a stretch, her legs sank into indents and slots in the side of the couch. A skeletal frame of silvery polished metal extended down from the ceiling, and she stretched out her wings to accept it. Her phalanges found their slots, liquid metal encasing them like a second skin.

She grimaced as the frame clamped down on her back, the cold metal sending goosebumps through her skin. As it reached her head, a small skull cap pressed down and several enchanted rings slotted onto her horn one by one.

"Link established," the computer announced, and Flurry took a breath to prepare herself. "Connection in three, two, one…"

There was a bright flash of light, and as it faded, Flurry found herself standing on the surface of the asteroid. Behind her, the distant light of the system's two suns cast long shadows onto the rocky surface, plumes of frigid gas lingering within them.

She looked around, her vision shifting through the electromagnetic spectrum as the Dream's sensors conveyed information to her. The temperature variations along the Dream's hull passed over her, causing a shiver. A few slow twists of her wings confirmed everything was functioning properly. She was the ship.

Flurry turned towards the approaching convoy, occasional radar pulses radiating out from them in waves. They looked quite serene, gliding above the surface of the rings like boats on a calm sea. Though as they got closer, Flurry was once again reminded of the unique design philosophy of the earth pony tribe.

The Rose class was not a pretty ship by stretch of the imagination—such was not the earth pony way. They were the ultimate expression of function over form, not a single curve or arch blemishing their utilitarian hulls.

At the bow, protected on either side by huge armoured wedges angled downwards, was the bore of the frigate's railgun. To say the ship was built around that gun was no understatement, as it ran along the whole ship's length, ending only at the enormous drive section. The stepped flanks of the ship were festooned with dozens of turrets and missile launchers, all thankfully idle. The hull was painted a dull olive drab, with only a zebra glyph on the ship's bow breaking its spartan form.

As Flurry surveyed one of the ships, something caught her eye that made her blood run cold. A sharp dorsal wing rose from the spine of the frigate like a jagged tooth, and attached on either side, were two unwelcome surprises: a pair of Tumbleweed class corvettes. These were designed to hunt and slay the fighters favoured by the Pegasus Republic. Blunt and simple, the Tumbleweed was a wedge covered in turrets in arcs that gave no ship respite from any angle.

"Looks like the Alliance is starting to up its game," she commented, zooming in to get a better look. Those things would be a real problem if she was spotted. Thankfully, they too sat idle, clinging onto their parent’s neck like sleeping children—very heavily armed children.

The frigates were large, with a crew of several hundred ponies and zebra each, but they were dwarfed by the enormous ship following in their wake. The box-shaped bridge of the Centipede class freighter looked comically small compared to the array of vast house-sized containers that clung to its segmented spine. These containers were all painted in the same olive drab as the frigates and stretched along for two kilocanters, all the way to the ship’s massive drive section at its rear.

Slowly, the escorts passed by, oblivious to her presence. They were close… so close the Dream and the asteroids around her were bathed in a blue light from their engine exhausts.

Above her, the freighter coasted along at its own leisurely pace, blissfully unaware of the predator hidden below and waiting to pounce.

With a thought, a light blue reticle appeared in Flurry’s vision, with a small icon of the ship’s tether launcher beside it. Although unseen, she could sense the launcher rising out of its bay and readying itself to fire. Slowly, she brought it to bear towards a section of containers.

Briefly, the turret became stuck, and she felt resistance through the link before it gave way and the launcher swivelled into position.

"One more thing for Amby to look at during my next visit," she grumbled.

She extended a foreleg out, taking precise aim at one of the containers straddling the massive ship’s belly. It was important not to hit the ship itself, as that would set off an impact alarm and alert everypony that something was up.

Once it was lined up and the range was set, she let loose. A silvery thread silently streaked up towards the freighter, the ‘remaining cable’ indicator on her display spooling rapidly down. She waited with anticipation for the impact and was rewarded with a ‘tether attached’ announcement appearing in front of her.

“Check it out, Whammy,” she said, grinning broadly. “Latched on with the first try. Maybe I should try fishing.”

She didn’t need to see him to know his response. She let out a sigh. “You’re such a downer, you know that?”

With a twitch from her forelegs, she released the landing claw that was holding the Dream to the asteroid's surface. Then, lowering her wings very gently, she watched as her hooves lifted off the surface of the asteroid with a puff of disturbed dust.

“Okay,” she said. “Let's reel this big boy in.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

E.V.A. always gave Flurry a bit of a thrill and was entirely different from the experience of piloting the Dream. The physical sensation of hard vacuum directly against her skin was something few ponies lived to tell about. But for jobs like this one, it was often necessary to personally secure her prize.

She tread carefully across the surface of a container, the magnetic shoes attached to her hooves slowing her progress to a crawl.

Slow and steady, she thought to herself as she neared the divide between one stack of containers and another.

On the enchanted air bubble surrounding her head, her remaining time slowly ticked away. She had already used up fifteen minutes reeling the Dream in and searching for a place to clamp on. Any time wasted now would increase her chances of getting caught.

Teleporting was out of the question, as such a sudden burst of magic would be picked on the freighter's thaumatic sensors. This meant she had to do things the earth pony way for a bit. At least she wasn't stuck inside an awkward pressure suit. Such were the benefits of alicorn physiology.

Turning off her magnetic shoes, she kicked off from the surface of the container, floating gently over to the next row. After gliding silently past the gap, she opened her wings, firing off a careful burst of flight magic to slow herself. Clicking her magnetic shoes back on, she gracefully set down.

"Alright, let's see what's inside," she muttered to herself. With a thought, she activated the spell matrix ring, which rested on her horn, causing it to begin scanning the container. As she moved over the cargo container, a cross section of its contents was displayed just in front of her face.

Stacked neatly inside, in rows of crates, was every toy a militant despot could ask for: pulse cannons, armour frames, zebra liquid metal ammunition tanks. This one container had enough small arms and explosives to equip a platoon of soldiers with whatever high-tech weaponry they saw fit.

Flurry could imagine Amby drooling at the sight of all this. Weapons such as these would bring in a fortune on the Black Market. It wasn’t only the major factions gearing up for war; everypony and their mother was stockpiling, making it the perfect seller’s market.

Shaking her head, Flurry pressed on, finding more containers loaded up with armoured vehicles, CAPS, fuel cells, and explosives—lots of explosives. It was no wonder the Alliance was being careful; there was enough ordinance here to level a city.

Eventually, her spell matrix highlighted several crates that glowed red in her visual overlay, indicating she had finally found what she had come for.

"There we are," she said, tapping on her holo brace to send a few commands to the Dream.

A hundred canters or so away, the Dream's cargo ramp opened up in response, like a ugly chick awaiting its meal.

Slowly, she climbed down to the container doors and got to work on the lock. The Alliance had evidently improved their security systems since her last raid. A few more complex spells had been added on top of the usual stout earth pony locks. This ate up several of her valuable minutes while she dispelled the enchantments and cracked open the physical locks.

With a slow telekinetic pull, she tugged one of the container’s massive doors open and made her way inside. The interior was frigid and dark, frozen oxygen crystals dancing about as she entered, making it feel like some kind of alien tomb. Light from her horn revealed rows of pressurized crates neatly stacked on heavy-duty shelving.

She quickly undid the cargo straps on one of the stacks and levitated a crate down. It was painted a drab green, the layer of frost coating its surface making it sparkle slightly in the dim light. With a swipe from her hoof, she wiped the frost away, revealing a script of zebra glyphs.

Flurry grinned as her spell matrix confirmed her discovery. "Gotcha."

The small countdown timer on her display now read twenty-seven minutes remaining. She was pushing it close, but there was still enough time to grab her spoils and drift away undetected.

With a portion of the container’s crates carefully grasped in her telekinesis, she headed back outside, cargo in tow. She could have taken more, but she had learned only to take what could easily be hidden.

Wings outstretched, she drifted around the container until she was perched on its side, level with the Dream off in the distance. It would have taken too much time to walk back the way she came, but she had planned for this. She quickly tapped on her holo brace and a small reticle appeared as it worked out the angles.

Taking aim, she gently tossed the first crate towards the maw of the Dream, throwing the rest of the crates one at a time until she had a steady convoy drifting slowly along. After all the crates were on their way, she glanced back towards the container door, locking it in place. She then released the magnets on her hooves and gently pushed herself off the container.

As she drifted alongside her captured booty, she gently tugged on each crate, slowing them down as they were swallowed up one by one in the Dream's open jaws. The last thing she needed was a mess of split open containers having smashed against the cargo hold’s far wall.

With all the containers settled ahead of her, Flurry drifted beneath the Dream’s sleek nose and into its open belly. Once inside, she brought herself to a stop, voicing a command into the bubble of air around her head.

"Computer, close cargo ramp."

"Affirmative," the computer replied, the ramp closing slowly behind her.

Despite having no sense of up or down in zero gravity, Flurry was experienced enough to orient herself so that her hooves were brought near the metal cargo deck. Soon, both gravity and air would be restored. After the ramp had finished closing, there was a slow hiss as the bay began to repressurize. She felt the rush of warm air passing over her feathers, causing a shiver to run down her spine. The contrast from the hard vacuum was still incredible no matter how many times she had experienced it.

The cargo bay’s lighting strips flickered to life, bathing everything in harsh fluorescent light. Her stomach dropped as gravity returned to normal over several seconds. That was probably the only part she disliked. It was like that disappointing feeling after taking off a set of hoof skates. Along with the gravity’s return, the crates of her newly acquired stash suddenly took on their own weight, producing a light tug on her horn. Gently, she eased them down into a semi-neat pile in the centre of the bay.

Sixteen crates in total.

Not a bad haul if I do say so myself, she considered. Thirteen for her job, plus a little extra if more were required.

Of course, all these crates would need to have their markings removed as well as any tracking enchantments that might have been cast on them. All that would have to wait until after she was safely away from here.

The familiar tangy scent of rust and plastic greeted her as the breathing bubble dissipated with a satisfying pop. Sighing in relief, she removed her collar and kicked off her magnetic shoes. With a good shake, she tossed her head back, ruffling her mane to get it in some form of order after its time in vacuum. A nice hot shower would be perfect once this job was over.

She checked the timer once more. Twenty minutes left, more than enough time. All she needed to do was cut loose and she was free and clear.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

When Flurry arrived back on the flight deck, she found Whammy just where she had left him, sitting comfortably on the flight couch.

"Any movement from our friends outside?" she asked, looking over to the plushy. "Good, the sooner we're gone the better."

As she lay down onto the flight couch, the computer suddenly announced, "Mirrorcom transmission detected."

Flurry frowned. "Is it going to the Alliance ships outside?"

"Negative, incoming transmission is encrypted using standard Commonwealth military protocols."

A Commonwealth warship? Out here? Equus hadn't bothered sticking its nose in colonial affairs since the war. Intelligence gathering, perhaps?

"Can we get a bead on the transmission origin?" she asked, feeling unease in her stomach. The transmission was weak so they must be close.

"Approximately ten light years away. Best estimation is the Huerth System," the computer replied, displaying the coordinates.

"Huerth?" she queried, tilting her head. Even stranger, there wasn’t even anything important out that way, as far as she knew, save for a few wrecks left behind from the war. Most of those had been picked clean years ago by scavengers. "Can we decode the transmission?"

"Encryption cypher or access key of General or higher required."

"What do you think, Whammy?" she pondered, her curiosity tugging at her. She wasn't even sure if her passkey still worked, it had been a long time since she'd needed it. Not to mention, she was technically a wanted felon.

Whammy's antennae bobbed in agreement as she levitated him up to her eye level. "Well, this is unusual. You don't usually take interest in other ponies’ business." A sly grin crept onto her muzzle as she decided to listen in. "Okay, begin decryption. Authorisation key: Thunderstreak."

"Standby."

While the computer processed the request, Flurry took the opportunity to link herself to the Dream’s neural interface and prepare the ship for departure.

"Access granted: Princess Flurry Heart. Decode commencing."

As she lay plugged into the flight couch, her vision once again taken over by the Dream’s various sensors, Flurry couldn't help but smile. In the sixteen years since she had left Equus, there was no chance the Princess Council would have missed cancelling her access codes. It meant one of them was watching out for her, and she had a good idea who it was.

"Thanks Luna," she whispered.

"Decode complete."

There was a shriek of white noise that assaulted her ears, a small vid window filled with static appearing in front of her.

"Apply filters. Let's see if we can clean this up," she said while readying the Dream to detach from the freighter.

"Compensating for interference."

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in her ears.

"This is the ECS Orion… requesting assistance… immediate… please respond."

Flurry's eyes widened, a tiny gasp escaping her muzzle. That was her cousin Nyx! Even through the static, she recognised Nyx's voice anywhere.

Suddenly, everything else fell by the wayside, and questions clamoured inside her head. What was Nyx doing on an Equus military ship, all the way out here? Was it a covert mission? Anything requiring Nyx to be a part of must be pretty serious.

Flurry's blood froze at a much darker thought: what if Nyx was coming after her? Did Nyx know she was out here? Was this just bait to lure her out?

The urge rose within her to simply cut off communication—to walk away and never look back. Yet Nyx was family, and she was in trouble. Even from this brief communication, her cousin's voice sounded strained and anxious. Nyx was the toughest pony Flurry knew; for her to call for help, it must be deadly serious.

Without hesitation, Flurry made her decision. Regardless of the consequences, she would never abandon her family when they needed her.

Swallowing to ease her drying throat, she hesitantly connected to the transmission. “Nyx, this is Flurry Heart. Are you receiving me?”

Flurry perked her ears, hearing only scant chatter between the Alliance ships. They were still none the wiser of her presence.

There was a long pause before the reply. “Flurry? Is that really… ” There was obvious surprise in her cousin's voice and what sounded like relief. The transmission faded away quickly and was replaced with static.

“Nyx?” she called, feeling anxiety grip her as the ship’s computer attempted to compensate for any interference that might be fogging the transmission.

There was a burst of unintelligible sound just before Nyx’s voice returned, much clearer this time. “…I’ve hooked myself up to power the signal directly. Can you hear me now?”

“Yes! I'll try and boost my receiver," Flurry said eagerly, making the necessary adjustments.

Gradually, the static began to clear, and the image of her cousin appeared.

The jet-black alicorn looked like she’d just come out of a bar fight with a pair of minotaurs and then been struck by lightning on the way home. Her deep purple mane was dishevelled, frazzled, and actually smouldering in places. Her whole body was covered in a sheen of sweat, and each breath came as a heaved gasp. In those turquoise eyes, Flurry could see the fight to simply stay standing, her muscles taut and twitching.

Flurry felt her heart begin to pound in her chest as she stared at Nyx’s image on her display. What could have done this to her?

A thick haze of smoke swirled around the alicorn, and her horn was wrapped in a flickering indigo light. Four golden spell matrix rings adorned it, each festooned with cables that ran down to the floor and out of sight. These magical interfaces occasionally arced with pulses of energy that made Flurry wince just looking at them.

"Nyx, are you alright? What happened?" she asked, anxiety slipping into her voice.

"I'm fine, but my ship is dead in the water. Main power is out and we're running off emergency reserves," Nyx replied, wincing as another jolt ran up her horn. "It's taking all I have just to get this message out."

"How long do you have?"

"Ten hours, at best. But that's the least of our problems." Nyx grimaced, turning to somepony off-screen. "Flurry, I need you to relay our distress call to Harmony Station. Tell them we are disabled and in need of urgent military assistance. I'm sending you all the information you need."

Military assistance? Then that would mean…

"Are you under attack?" Flurry asked, her wings bristling.

"Not at the moment. We managed to destroy a houndrathi pirate vessel, but we detected another contact," Nyx explained as the data packet was being transmitted. "They haven't answered any of our hails, and there’s no I.F.F. either, so we’re assuming it’s hostile. It's only a matter of time before they realise we're disabled."

"Nevermind Harmony—I'll come to you. We can face them together," Flurry volunteered, her expression souring. "You don't need those Initiative clowns. The Dream can take on your crew if necessary."

Nyx let out a weary sigh. "The Orion has seven hundred crew aboard. There’s no way you can fit everyone aboard the Dream."

Seven hundred! The Dream could fit fifty ponies at most, and that was cramming them into every available space. Even going as fast as she could, doing round trips, she could only save a hundred or so before the rest ran out of air. Even this didn't take into account the hostile ship, whoever they were.

"Flurry, I don't think I can keep this up for much longer," Nyx said through clenched teeth, beads of sweat running from her brow.

"Just hold on," Flurry urged, her thoughts racing as she tried desperately to find something, anything, that would extend her connection to Nyx. Running fast out of options, the desperate realization began to dawn on her that there was nothing she could do to maintain the link. "There's still so much I need to say to you."

"Warning, internal temperature reaching critical levels," the Dream's computer announced. "Stealth systems compromised. Ejecting heat sinks."

The Dream shuddered as the white-hot heat sinks were jettisoned from her wings, drifting away in a pyrotechnic display. Warnings flashed before Flurry’s eyes, but she tried to ignore them. “No no, not now.”

"Alert, hostile scans detected," the Dream's computer warned.

"What's going on there?" Nyx asked, her weary expression hardening.

"It's nothing," Flurry assured with a smile, trying to give a semblance of calm for her cousin.

Suddenly a bright light bathed the Dream, making Flurry gasp.

"Attention, pirate vessel: surrender your ship and prepare to be boarded," a stern stallion's voice boomed over a comm channel.

"Oh…"

She knew there was something she had forgotten.

Chapter 2 - Communications Breakdown

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"Flurry," Nyx asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Who is that?"

"Nopony important," Flurry replied, gazing up at the Tumbleweed corvette hovering menacingly a few canters off the Dream's bow. Glancing backward, she saw its partner had taken up position at her stern.

"Still up to your old tricks I see," Nyx sighed, her eyes narrowing.

"Nyx, I…" Flurry began but wilted under cousin's stern glare.

"It doesn't matter," Nyx replied, letting out a measured breath. "All that matters is that you get our message to Harmony. Please, Flurry, there are lives at stake here."

"I won't let you down, Nyx," she replied firmly. "Even if I have to go to Harmony myself and drag them to you."

"That's not such a good idea—"

A sudden shudder had Flurry wincing as one of the corvettes scraped its nose across the Dream's bow. It wasn't hard enough to do any damage, merely scratching the paintwork, but it did send their intentions loud and clear.

"I gotta go, the locals are getting antsy," Flurry said, looking Nyx in the eye. "I'll come and get you, Nyx. You have my word. I’ll head to Harmony as soon as I finish up here."

"Flurry wait! You need to—" Nyx cried but was cut off as Flurry cut the channel.

Flurry glared at the offending Tumbleweed while steadying her breathing to try and calm her nerves. It sat there, only a few canters off her bow, close enough that she could see its turrets choosing the most effective spots on her ship to fire upon.

With a flex of her wings, Flurry sent a silent order to the Dream. Her ship's engines let out a reverberating hum as its Nexus core began to power up.

"Core output at seventy percent and rising," the computer reported, a stream of information pouring at Flurry as the Dream came to life.

Flurry kicked off from the container which the Dream was clamped onto, causing her bow to glance off the corvette's nose and knocking it upwards to tilt almost straight up. As the Tumbleweed struggled to reorientate itself, Flurry spotted the opening she was looking for. With a downward thrust of her wings, she brought her engines to full power and headed towards the gap.

As she did so, the Dream suddenly jerked, a shudder passing through the ship. The Dream issued a low metallic groan, flailing against an unseen bond like a fish on a hook.

A red warning icon, showing the still-attached tether, began flashing before her eyes. Looking downwards, she zoomed in to see that the harpoon was still firmly lodged inside the container.

"Tether malfunction, recall failed," the computer announced.

"Now isn't the time for 'I told you so', Whammy," she growled, delicately increasing the thrust pushing down on the container.

The tether twisted, tearing at the skin of the container but stubbornly remained stuck inside. The screech of metal became louder, as did the vibration shaking the Dream.

"Damn thing."

"Pirate vessel, power down immediately or we will open fire," the corvette commander demanded. "This is your final warning."

"Okay, if that's how you want to play it," Flurry snorted, flexing her forelegs and bringing up a targeting reticle in her vision.

“Five percent should do it,” she muttered to herself, licking her lips as the Dream's weapons powered up.

Flurry took careful aim at the tether link before gently squeezing the triggers. From beneath the Dream's nose, white hot bolts of energy streaked out in rapid succession, striking the area around the tether.

The tether link disintegrated in a plume of molten metal and the bolts continued on, cutting through the container like it was made of tissue paper. Flurry felt her stomach lurch as the Dream surged upwards, now free of its bindings. Considering how badly she had shot up the container, it was a miracle it hadn’t exploded. Whoops.

"Energy spike detected," the computer cheerfully noted as the Tumbleweed in front of Flurry lit up in an angry red highlight.

Flurry hastily cast her shield spell, enveloping the Dream in a shimmering golden bubble.

I just need to hold on long enough to break out, she hoped as the Tumbleweed's guns opened fire.

The golden shield surrounding the Dream flared brightly under the hail of fire, its surface rippling like water in a downpour. The Tumbleweed’s companion added its firepower to the punishing barrage, eager to join in on the kill.

Flurry grimaced as a percentage meter appeared in her vision, showing her energy reserves steadily being chipped away at by the assault. Her shields would hold for now, but she wasn’t going to sit idly by while they slowly pummelled her into submission. She surveyed the situation, searching for an opening, or somewhere she could force an exit, but they were hedging her in on all sides.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash, a shockwave buffeting all three ships as the damaged container exploded. A jet of bright blue plasma erupted from the container, peeling the metal skin open like a banana. Shrapnel splayed out in all directions, peppering the Tumbleweed ahead of Flurry as well as the surrounding containers.

The beleaguered corvette tried to veer off just as the neighboring container exploded as well, causing several others to come loose from their moorings. Dozens of crates of valuable cargo spilled from the shredded pod, spinning off wildly in all directions and colliding with everything in their path.

Flurry could only watch in horror as a chain reaction of destruction rippled along the Centipede's length. More containers broke loose, while others spilled their contents into the void.

"Oh, damn," Flurry gawped awkwardly. "Well, gotta go!"

Bringing her wings down, the Dream raced forward as her engines roared to life. She danced through the mess she had caused, heading towards the freighter’s stern.

Flurry felt like a filly again, running from her teachers after she accidently knocked the head off Aunty Twilight's statue at school. She couldn’t help but let out a giggle as she deftly wove between the spinning containers, narrowly avoiding an armored battle tank that had broken loose from its container.

Looking back, Flurry saw a Tumbleweed attempting to give chase, its wounded compatriot retreating. Rather than trying to avoid the debris, the corvette charged forward like a raging minotaur, bulldozing straight through the detritus.

The Alliance frigates were holding fire for now. Flurry guessed it was to avoid adding to the chaos she had wrought.

As Flurry turned her gaze, she gasped as the hulking form of a frigate slid out from behind the Centipede's stern. Its two Tumbleweeds were already detached, speeding toward her like a pair of attack dogs being let off their leash.

"Not that way," Flurry cried, flaring her wings and grimacing at the sudden stress of g-forces assaulting her body. Fighting against the pull of momentum, she beat her wings, flipping the ship 180 degrees and bringing her ship's engines to full power.

Flurry's eyes widened as she looked ahead, seeing the other Tumbleweed still ploughing towards her through the debris in its eagerness to get to her, guns blazing as they tried to get a bead on her.

“Chicken is it? I’m game if you are!” Flurry grinned, aiming the Dream towards the charging earth pony ship.

They sped towards each other like jousting knights, both exchanging fire as they recklessly barrelled forward. A few lucky blasts glanced off the Dream’s shield while Flurry’s shots gouged molten streaks in the Tumbleweed’s armoured hull.

With proximity warnings blaring in her ears, Flurry slammed power into the vertical thrusters and rolled the Dream onto its back, letting the Tumbleweed pass above her. As the Tumbleweed raced by, she spun her ship to bring her guns to bear on the passing earth pony ship, firing into its exposed engines. The engine nacelles exploded in a bright flash, reducing the whole engine assembly to molten slag.

The wounded corvette continued onwards, desperately trying to regain control as it was carried away by its momentum.

"Missile launch detected," the computer announced, warning indicators appearing in Flurry's peripheral vision. Evidently, her pursuers weren’t giving up that easily.

Diving back into the sprawling debris field she had created, Flurry ducked and weaved to give the missile a hard time tracking her. Within seconds, she was rewarded with an explosion flaring behind her.

Even at this distance, the explosion was big enough to take a chunk out of her shield strength, throwing twisted debris out in every direction.

Flurry leveled out and sped towards the freighter’s bow at full speed. She wasn't going to be able to shield herself amongst the scattered cargo forever, and it was only a matter of time before those Tumbleweeds pinned her in. She was going to have to break cover soon.

Ahead, two of the frigates had turned, showing her their broadsides. So many targeting alerts appeared that she just turned them off. The earth pony warships were holding fire for the moment, obviously waiting for her to clear the container ship.

"This is Captain Inkwell of the Alliance warship Cloverleaf. You are surrounded. You have no chance of escape. Surrender or be destroyed!" an eager stallion's voice warned over the comm channels.

Flurry could just imagine the officer rubbing his hooves together in glee at the thought of catching her, his imagination full of dreams of promotions and accolades.

As Flurry charged forward, she cleared the bow of the Centipede and shot out into open space. The moment she cleared the freighter's vicinity, she was rocked by explosions as the waiting warships opened fire. Both of the massive ships were firing, their flanks almost a solid line of muzzle flashes, and flak bursts filled her vision as shells went off all around her.

Flurry ducked and weaved through the torrent, the Dream giving constant predictions of the incoming ordinance. Even the military hardware installed in her ship was struggling with the sheer volume of it, the red trails of the computer's predictions becoming a mad tangle before her eyes.

The Dream shuddered from a flak burst which detonated a little too close for comfort, penetrating her shield and peppering the ship with shrapnel. Pain lanced up Flurry's left wing as the ship's interface registered minor damage from the hits.

The two frigates had now formed a wedge, with their corvettes covering the top and bottom. Everything seemed to be firing at her, bolts shrieking past her face as she plunged deeper into the thick of it.

Then, the gunfire seemed to slacken. Flurry braced herself as she saw a dozen bright balls of light streak out from each frigate, grey smoke trailing behind each one as they approached.

"A little overkill, wouldn't you say?" She winced as the swarm of deadly projectiles sped towards her.

Flurry clenched her teeth and targeted the lead missile, firing a burst from the Dream's guns as it came into range. She was rewarded by bright flashes as a chain reaction ripped through the first volley of missiles, but it was not enough to stop more than a few.

Folding her wings, Flurry brought the Dream into a steep dive before suddenly climbing as the missiles dove to track her. The unexpected manoeuvre caused the remaining missiles to overshoot, streaking past her and arching away.

The lumbering form of a frigate filled Flurry's vision like a great fire-spewing mountain. Her path forward was blocked and the barrage resumed with renewed vigor. Flak bursts went off all around her, the constant explosions threatening to overwhelm her shields.

A glance at her energy reserves caused Flurry to gasp as the percentage dropped dramatically after a near-miss. Much more of this and she’d be screwed once she bottomed out.

A substantial energy charge channeled through her horn as Flurry readied herself for her final gambit. She raced towards one of the frigates, getting so close that it forced the other to cease firing in order to avoid hitting it. Banking away only a few canters from its surface, Flurry could nearly see the weld lines on the individual hull plates.

Hoping she had guessed the right vector, she closed her eyes and cast the spell. The ship’s Nexus core surged as it amplified the raw thaumatic energy she provided, generating a massive version of Flurry’s personal teleportation spell. A blinding light shone for an instant, enveloping the Dream as it blinked out of existence.

She reappeared again, now greeted with open space. In the distance, she could see the ring of the mirrorgate and sped towards it at top speed.

Flurry looked back to the Alliance frigates, now milling around the stricken freighter like anxious parents. Her sudden teleport had caught them off-guard, but they were swiftly coming out of their stupor. Already, the Tumbleweeds were beginning to head in her direction, their angry radar pings like the siren of an approaching police car.

At this rate, they were going to catch up with her before she could reach the gate, and she really didn’t fancy a rematch, especially with her energy reserves as they were. That meant there was only one good option left to play.

"Computer, activate jump drive. Let's get out of here," Flurry said, letting out a weary sigh as her body drew on the last dregs of adrenaline still coursing through her system.

"Affirmative, spooling jump drive," the computer responded, a low rumble reverberating through the ship. Flurry winced from the sudden draw on her dwindling reserves as her ship began its charging sequence.

In Flurry's mind, she prepared the spell that would breach the barrier between realspace and the dimension of mirrorspace. As the spell began to manifest in her mind, the hum grew louder, eventually reaching a fever pitch.

"Jump drive fully charged. Ready to engage," the Dream's computer announced.

With a slow release of breath, Flurry cast the spell.

The thaumatic charge from the jump drive rushed outwards, focused on a point in space a dozen ship-lengths in front of the Dream. A brief flash of light was immediately followed by an expanding hole in reality. The portal stabilised, revealing a vortex of undulating energy that tore a tunnel into the swirling mayhem of mirrorspace.

With slow, practiced movements, Flurry eased the Dream forward, towards the vortex. As she entered it, she felt the subtle pull against her body—it was like she was standing against the current of a river. Following the current, the Dream began to speed up as it crossed the threshold between dimensions. Normal space vanished and was replaced by an oily maelstrom of colours, coursing and swirling to their own chaotic beat.

Once she had passed through, the tear in the fabric of reality sealed itself behind her, taking the threat of pursuit with it. Slumping deeper into the flight couch, Flurry allowed herself to relax, the tension in her body finally easing. Only a fool would try to attack in mirrorspace—one slip up and you'd be lost forever.

A small smile crept onto her face as she imagined what was going on aboard the Cloverleaf's bridge right about now.

Better luck next time, she thought, letting out a relieved chuckle and basking in the afterglow of a successful escape.

Now that the danger was behind her, Flurry checked the Dream for damage. She could still feel a tingling pain in her wings through the link, as if somepony had plucked out one of her feathers. As information flowed in from the Dream's sensors, it revealed only superficial damage to the outer hull. Ambrosia would chew her out when she got back, but the changeling always did tend to do that whenever a job got fun.

Flurry's thoughts turned back to her cousin and the trouble she had found herself in. After checking the comms frequencies once more, it was clear that Nyx's transmission was gone. She felt a sliver of guilt settle in the pit of her stomach. What was it Nyx had been trying to say at the end there? What if that was the last time they ever spoke?

Flurry shook her head. There was no time to be worrying about the what-ifs. She had to move forward. Nyx had ten hours left before her ship lost life support, with maybe an hour extra before it became an icy tomb.

She considered her options. Broken Bow was close by at only an hour's flight time away.

"What do you think, Whammy? Are there enough ponies at Broken Bow who’d be willing to help us?" she pondered aloud while keeping the Dream steady in the maelstrom. "I've got a few favours I could call in. Shot Glass? Maybe even Pot Luck? They both have ships big enough to take on her crew."

Flurry grimaced as she thought about it further. "No. I doubt Nyx would be willing to part with her ship in exchange for the rescue."

Then there was always… Flurry blanched, dismissing the thought as quickly as it came. "Briar Rose is out too." That mare would likely ransom the crew back to the Commonwealth—if she gave them back at all.

That being said, Nyx could probably cut through Briar's gang like a hot knife through butter. ‘Use those who try and use you’ was a common saying in Dragon’s Head. The notion did carry a certain appeal, getting Briar out of her mane once and for all.

Flurry scratched the idea. Now wasn't the time to be thinking selfishly when ponies’ lives were at risk. In fact, all options at Broken Bow were unlikely to pan out. Money was the only thing that could buy loyalty out here, and she was sorely lacking in that department.

As much as she hated to admit it, those Harmony ponies were probably Nyx's best option right now. Still, Flurry wasn't about to blindly trust them to get the job done—not with Nyx and her crew's lives on the line.

"What do you say we pay Harmony a visit and get this rescue moving?" Flurry asked, feeling Whammy against her chest.

"My my, agreeing with me twice in one day?" she remarked. "What is this universe coming to?"

Chapter 3 - Masquerade of Manners

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Flurry closed her eyes, letting the rhythmic pulses of the hot shower wash across her body. She took in a breath, the thick steam carrying the scent of apricots from her shampoo. The weariness and strain of a frantic escape was being gently massaged out of her muscles, the warmth seeping into her bones like the welcome embrace of a lover on a cold winter's day.

This was her usual routine after a successful heist. But it was different this time. She would normally be wallowing in a pool of satisfaction right now, but instead, all she felt was anxiety clawing at her chest.

It had been two hours since Nyx had contacted her.

Two hours of silence.

Flurry had hoped Nyx would send another message out, but not so much as a distress beacon had shown up on any frequency. It was bad enough that she only had another eight hours before Nyx’s CAPS storage was drained, but what worried Flurry the most was that unknown vessel that was shadowing her cousin's ship.

Flurry’s only consolation was the fact that Nyx was the most capable pony she had ever known. A cunning starship captain and a formidable warrior, there was no pony better suited to defending the Orion. Of all the times they had sparred together, Flurry had only ever managed to last a few minutes against her cousin before tapping out. Any pirate attempting to board Nyx’s ship would be in for a nasty surprise from the former incarnation of Nightmare Moon.

Then again, they wouldn’t have to attack her head on. All they needed to do was wait and let time do its work. Wait for the oxygen to run out. Wait for Nyx to…

Flurry opened her eyes with a snort, shaking the water from her mane and forcing the unpleasant thoughts out of her mind before they could gain any more traction. She mentally chided herself for letting her anxiety take root.

In fact, if it wasn’t for Whammy keeping her grounded in reality, she might have lost all her focus and done something stupid. After receiving Nyx’s message, Flurry had nearly burned out her engines trying to get to Harmony as fast as she could. It had taken Whammy’s typically stern pragmatism to make her relent. A burned out drive core was not going to help Nyx’s situation at all, so now they were plodding along at a pedestrian pace—at least that’s what it felt like.

Flurry had also spent her time poring over the data Nyx had provided, trying to figure out who it was that was shadowing her. All she had was a fuzzy radar silhouette and scattered energy readings to go off, but it was a start. Naturally, since interpreting techie stuff wasn’t her forte, she had wasted no time calling Ambrosia up to set her on the case. If this was any ship known to Broken Bow, she could count on the changeling to find it.

This had left Flurry with nothing to do but wait. Whammy’s opinion was that she should be busying herself with minor repairs. She suspected this was mostly to distract her from worrying about Nyx and what was to come.

With a sigh, she turned the water off and let the shower’s auto-dry function do its work. Hot air blustered from the grating beneath her hooves, banishing the clouds of steam and billowing her short mane about. With her wings spread slightly at her sides, the airflow rustled her feathers, but even this simple pleasure felt numb in her current frame of mind.

Once she was dry, she trotted out of the shower, feeling a little more refreshed. Plucking a battered comb from her sink, she set to work trying to tame the monster that was her mane. Even cut short, her mane resisted any attempt to conform to style, a few locks of hair refusing to fall into line with the rest. Eventually, she conceded defeat, tossing the comb back into the sink.

Trotting out into her bedroom, she was confronted by the scrutinizing gaze of Whammy. He was perched on her oversized bed, nestled in disheveled silk sheets like a ship in a storm.

“There, all clean and presentable,” she announced, giving Whammy a twirl so he could inspect her efforts. “Wouldn’t want those Harmony snobs looking down on us now, would we?”

She had a feeling Whammy would have rolled his eyes if he could.

“You saw how they reacted when we sent off Nyx's distress call," she huffed. "I wouldn't be surprised if they try and shoot us down the moment we jump in."

Flurry stomped her hoof at the mere thought of that snobbish unicorn mare who had answered her call. All tarted up in that fancy uniform, that self-righteous sneer plastered on her face.

Whammy eyed her impassively as his antennae shook from her stomp.

She shook her head at his implied question. "No, holding onto Nyx's data is the only way I can guarantee they'll let me land. We're not exactly the most popular ponies at the moment, are we?"

One antenna drooped, questioningly.

“They confirmed Nyx’s signal was legit, didn’t they?” she said, weaving through the debris field that was her bedroom floor to get to her bed. “If the situation is as bad as I think it is, they're going to need every bit of help they can get."

Whammy chose to remain silent on that little point.

Ever since the Harmony Initiative had been announced, they had been nothing but trouble. Ostensibly, they were meant to help in the reconstruction of the worlds cut off in the Dragon’s Head nebula. Grand promises and dreams for the future were thrown out like candy on Nightmare Night. Then, the governments started to interfere. Supplies never arrived where they were promised. Construction projects never got off the ground. The same sad story was repeated across a dozen worlds. The only thing that changed was that a few planetary governors ended up with a new luxury shuttle or any number of flamboyant perks.

Then there was Harmony station.

The only thing Flurry knew was that it had drawn in every honest worker from Apas to Cuvuria to work on it. Though, in the four years since it had been publicly announced, she had seen nothing tangible out of them. The site had been sealed off to the general public ever since some civic-minded zebra had tried to blow up the place. Even the press had been kept out of the area, with only a few scattered stories lurking on the networks.

“Seriously, Whammy, I can’t believe Nyx expects these Harmony clowns to step up,” she complained, fluffing her wings and looking away from his jiggling eye. “Yes, I’m aware that Nyx trusts them, but that doesn’t mean I do.”

Her ears flicked, and she could almost hear his heavy sigh. She blinked in surprise, “Have faith? That’s the best you’ve got? Faith has kinda dried up around these parts, Whammy.”

She scooped him up with her telekinesis and hovered him at her eye level. His head flopped slightly to the side as he floated in her grasp, causing her to let out a sigh. “Fine, I promise I won't go in and tear up the place.” She then pointed a hoof at him. “But if I ain’t satisfied that they’re up for this, then the deal’s off and we do it ourselves. Agreed?”

The plushie floated over and bumped her hoof in acknowledgement. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna provoke anything. This is too important to be messing around.”

Her gaze drifted to the long nightstand that dominated one side of the room. It was adorned with picture frames, the photos spreading onto the silver walls like a living creature forged of holofilm.

Memories were hazy, intangible things without an anchor to hold onto, especially for an alicorn. Every alicorn had their own trick to keep hold of their treasured memories. Celestia had the Palace in Canterlot, with its paintings and statues, giving her a tangible link to her ancient past. Nyx preferred something simpler, a box of keepsakes, tiny reminders of precious moments in her life. But for Flurry, it was photos, along with her music and movies, that were her link to the past. Her ship was dotted with such places—little shrines of memory.

Her ears fell as she spotted an old picture of Nyx sitting with her when Flurry was just a filly. It was easily visible because it was standing tall amongst a group that had been lain face down. They were sitting together, Flurry in the forefront with a beaming smile on her face. Nyx was behind her, a weary smile on her face from what had been a frantic day trying to keep Flurry out of trouble,

The two hadn’t been that close in a long time, the past six years putting a real strain on their relationship. Flurry’s recent career choices never sat well with her more upstanding cousin, and they had barely spoken at all in that time, usually ending in heated words. The idea of meeting with Nyx again both elated and terrified her in equal measure.

Whammy simply bobbed in her wavering levitation field.

She managed a wry smile. “Saving her life is a good way of getting back in her good graces, isn’t it?” She drew him into a hug. “Maybe once this is over, we can talk a little. Provided I’m not arrested or anything… That’d be super awkward.”

Her words sounded hollow in her ears, and she pressed Whammy a little tighter.

A soft chime came before the computer announced, "Incoming transmission. Caller ID: Ambrosia."

"Put her through," Flurry said, her ears perking.

A small holo window appeared in her bedroom with the familiar face of Ambrosia.

"Hey, Flurry," Ambrosia greeted. "I did some digging on your little ghost. From what I can tell, it looks to be Alliance. Elderberry class, I think." Her face scrunched up as she examined her results. "Heavily modified from the looks of it."

Flurry frowned. "That thing must be fifty years old! What would it be doing out there?"

"Nopony we know has a ship that big," Ambrosia said gravely. "This is something new."

"Syndicate?"

"Probably. They're the only ones I know of with the pull to grab a ship like that," Ambrosia replied. "Explains what I heard through the grapevine. Somepony hired Rancoth and his crew a few days ago for a big job."

That explains the Houndrathi, Flurry pondered, rubbing her chin.

"Any leads on who?" she asked. Even a name would give her something to work with, so she’d know what to expect, or who to hunt down once this was all over.

"No, whoever was hiring used the local brokers to hide their identity," Ambrosia said, wilting slightly. "Sorry I couldn't get more."

"It's fine. Thanks, Amby, I owe you one," she said with a smile.

Ambrosia's wings buzzed slightly. "So you're going to Harmony station?"

"If it is the Syndicate, the rescue will need all the help they can get," she replied firmly.

"What if they arrest you?"

"They can try," she declared, fluffing her wings with a smirk across her muzzle. "I've at least got something they need."

"It's a big risk, Flurry."

"She's my family, Amby," she replied firmly. "I don't care what it takes, I have to try. Besides, what's a few hundred years in jail to me, right?"

Ambrosia went quiet, a sad smile on her face. "You be careful, okay? You owe me big, and I intend to collect."

"Just be sure to visit me in prison, 'kay?" she said with a wink.

"I might even bake you a cake," Ambrosia offered coyly, her wings buzzing.

"Now you're just taunting me." Flurry fluttered her eyelashes, earning a raspberry from the changeling.

"Attention: Avalon beacon reached. Navigator to the flight deck," the computer announced.

"That's my stop," she sighed. "Thanks again, Amby."

"Be sure to squeeze those Initiative foals for expenses!" Ambrosia said with a toothy smile before hanging up.

Looking down to Whammy, she steeled herself. "Okay, Whammy, let's get this show on the road."

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flurry gazed out at the expanse of mirrorspace through the Dream’s sensors. Indistinct clouds of energy swirled and churned all around her, motes of oily colour washing against the Dream’s hull as it ploughed into the eddies that surrounded the Avalon star system. She felt a glimmer of joy as the Dream rode the system’s gravity currents, the waves of energy dancing off her hull. In the distance, dark clouds of energy flashed and boiled with crackling bursts of light.

The Avalon beacon blinked invitingly, indicating the position of the Harmony station Arrivals gate, which orbited the planet Avalon 4. Flurry directed her ship to approach, anxious to finally get Nyx’s rescue underway.

A few hundred canters away, a jump vortex opened up, followed by an Alliance personnel shuttle jetting through, into mirrorspace. The ship paused, seemingly regarding the Dream before heading on its way. Flurry pondered what they must have thought, finding the dreaded pirate ship Fleeting Dream there waiting for them.

A small assortment of freighters and transports sat at the Arrivals beacon, patiently waiting for their negotiations with the Navigator’s Guild to finish before they could proceed. One of them backed away as she drew near, making her feel like a wolf amongst sheep. No doubt a few panicked calls were passing between them as she came to a stop alongside.

The irony was that she wasn’t the biggest criminal here.

An incoming call demanded her attention with the logo of a white unicorn head inside a golden circle appearing before her. After a moment of hesitation, she pressed her hoof against it.

An automated message in an irritatingly chipper mare's voice chimed in. “Greetings and welcome to the Avalon System Mirrorgate. The next arrivals activation will occur in eight minutes. If you have already registered your flight plan, please wait in the designated holding pattern.

"For unregistered vessels in your weight class, the fee is two hundred bits or trade goods of equal value. Please consult your Guild navigator or representative now. On behalf of the Guild, we thank you for your continued pa—"

Flurry cut it off.

Two hundred bits for a little ship like hers to jump back into realspace—even more for the bigger freighters. Thousands of bits changing hooves for something that cost a fraction of the value. Failing to pay your bill meant eventually being blacklisted from every port, and then being chased by the Guild’s bloodhounds the rest of your life. All of this done with a happy smile on their faces… and people called her a thief.

A wicked grin formed on Flurry's face. “What do you say we wrinkle a few Guild feathers, eh Whammy?”

Flurry took his lack of response as tacit support and turned her radio to the gate’s traffic control frequency. "Gate control, this is Foxtrot Uniform Zero One on approach. Clear sector twenty-seven by fifteen for an incoming jump point, I'm on approach in sixty seconds. Out."

She then hit her lateral thrusters just a bit to glide into position above the ships waiting for the mirrorgate. As she did so, she readied the Dream for her exit out of mirrorspace.

'Foxtrot Uniform Zero One," a stallion's voice replied, with the curt politeness one would expect from the Guild. "Your arrival is unscheduled, please…"

As his voice trailed off, Flurry eagerly anticipated the satisfaction of his next words.

"F-foxtrot Uniform Zero One, this is restricted space," the stallion stammered, quickly recovering. "Do not attempt to enter, I repeat, do not—"

Flurry hit her comms again. "To any ships in the vicinity of sector twenty-seven by fifteen: Jump point opening in thirty seconds, so you'd better move your asses."

"Jump drive fully charged," the Dream's computer announced. "Ready to engage."

With the gate controller still yelling warnings in her ear, Flurry triggered her jump drive, causing a flash of light to expand into the swirling colors ahead of her, adjacent to the queue of ships waiting for their turn at the mirrorgate. This vortex was bigger than the one she had used to escape the Alliance ships earlier—big enough to accommodate certain nearby cargo ships. Within seconds, she could see the familiar blackness of realspace expanding out of its center, complete with an assorted starfield and the crescent of a planet obscured by thick rusty red clouds, its edge just barely visible off to the right.

Casting a glance to the queue beside her, she opened a public channel. "To all ships waiting on Guild negotiations, feel free to make use of the aperture while it’s still open."

With her heart warmed at the thought of every Guild official in the vicinity collectively having a seizure, Flurry eased the Dream towards the rift. Letting the pull of the vortex take her, she guided her ship through and was quickly out into open space.

Looking back, she felt a tickle of amusement as an earth pony bulk carrier and a small Republic freighter snuck through the still open rift.

“Looks like somepony couldn’t resist a freebie, eh Whammy?” she observed, slowing to let the two ships pass her by. They then joined the myriad of ships that were waiting for their turn to be processed and assigned a docking route.

Nearby was the small gate control platform, a squat octahedron of polished silver with golden pylons on each corner braced with gilded struts. A cupola poked out from the platform's top, lined with windows to give the operators an unobstructed view of incoming and outgoing traffic passing through the paired gates.

Flurry wished she could have been up there to watch as the Guild officers scurried around like headless chickens in the chaos of her arrival. The thought made the journey worth it all by itself.

Cautiously, she broke out from the crowd surrounding the gate—no doubt to the relief of everypony there. She still hadn't been confronted by any police craft; busy gates like this should be swarming with patrol ships, and to not encounter any put her nerves on edge. Still, she pressed onwards.

Ahead of her was the planet Avalon 4, currently showing its night side to her. A dapple of faint lights twinkled across the gas giant's surface like glitter on a black velvet cloak. Each was a narconium mining platform sitting in the eye of its own artificial hurricane, sweeping up the valuable mineral from deep within the planet's cloud layers.

Flurry's gaze quickly focused on the cluster of bright lights moving along the planet’s equator. They were making their way toward the planet’s terminator, into daylight.

“So that's Harmony station?” Flurry commented. “You getting a good look, Whammy?”

From his perch at the front of the flight couch, Whammy had a front-row seat to take in the spectacle. She didn't want him to miss their approach.

Several minutes passed before the station’s orbit suddenly thrust it into the sunlight. A small gasp escaped Flurry's muzzle at the sheer scale of the sight before her. Her initial guesses proved to be way off; the station wasn't just big, it was enormous. Even the grand stations of Caelum or Thera were dwarfed by this gargantuan piece of engineering.

It reminded Flurry of those snow globe souvenirs she had bought during her childhood back on Equus. An entire city encased in a transparent sphere of reinforced omniglass, embedded into a sloping disc-like superstructure, like a jewel in a pendent.

It was certainly an odd design, the Republic and Alliance architecture styles both competing with each other within the same structure. The pegasi's insistence on wide viewports, sweeping arches, and open spaces clashed with the earth pony utilitarian ethos of platforms and extensions. Clusters of pylons and antennas seemed to sprout from everywhere on the disc's surface like copses of trees on a grassy plain.

Dominating one side of the station were two colossal docking pylons that were pock-marked with smaller gateways big enough to swallow the Dream whole. A framework covered in derricks and cranes connected the two pylons together.

Flurry gave an awed whistle, “That thing's a dock? You could fit a Republic super carrier in there with room to spare. These Harmony ponies must be expecting a lot of traffic to pass through here."

The initial wonder soon wore off, leaving only a bitter taste in her mouth. It disgusted her to think of all the riches that had been poured into constructing this place. All that money could have been spent helping Dragon's Head rather than building an enormous white elephant. She was sure the vultures of the Alliance and the Republic were already circling this place, just waiting for it to fall on its face so they could move in and take it for themselves.

Speaking of which…

Her blood froze as she spotted an Alliance cruiser surrounded by a flotilla of frigates. The cruiser was easily four times the size of its brethren. The bulging hammerhead bow held a cluster of gun ports, concealing the huge barrels of its railguns. The word Hyperion was stenciled onto the bow, a set of lights illuminating the name for those who faced down the barrels of its guns. Behind the bow, the hull was thinner and more conservatively armed than its smaller siblings. It had been daubed in an olive green with a positively garish white stripe down its flank. The frigates surrounding the massive ship huddled together like a group of foals would to their parent, sheltering under the protection of its huge guns.

“Why am I not surprised to see those idiots here,” Flurry muttered, swallowing to wet her rapidly drying throat.

The Alliance ships seemed to be in the middle of some kind of cargo transfer. Several tugs were working with EVA teams, moving large containers out of the cruiser’s ventral cargo hatch. Thankfully, the warships all seemed blissfully ignorant of her presence, continuing on with their work unimpeded.

Flurry's body tensed as she closed in on the gathered flotilla. One casual scan in her direction is all it would take, and she would have a real fight on her hooves. Her criminal instincts that she had honed over the past six years were screaming at her to turn tail, but she resisted the urge. Instead, she slowed her approach and tried to blend in amongst the station’s other traffic.

Suddenly, the ship’s comm system crackled into life. “Attention, unidentified vessel: this is Harmony Control,” a familiar mare's voice announced calmly. “Your arrival is unscheduled. State your business here.”

There was no visual, but Flurry recognized her hard, professional tone. It was the same mare she had spoken to earlier when she had passed on Nyx's distress message.

“Harmony Control, this is Flurry Heart of the Fleeting Dream. I have important information regarding the Orion.” Her eyes flicked warily back to the Alliance ships. She would have to be careful with what she said over an open channel. “I request permission to come aboard to discuss the matter in person.”

“Fleeting Dream, interfering with a directed distress message is in violation of interstellar law. You will surrender any data you have pertaining to the Orion at once," the mare demanded.

"In case you hadn't noticed, taking things that aren't mine is kinda my speciality," Flurry snarked. "Now we can sit here glaring at each other until one of those Alliance ships tries to shoot me down… Or you can let me dock and save yourself a lot of trouble, because I'm not leaving."

Flurry gave Whammy a nudge in satisfied jest, but she had a feeling that if the snail plushie had been able to move and had hooves, one would have been on his forehead just then.

A prolonged silence hung in the air between Flurry and the station. They had not severed the link with her, nor did there seem to be any reaction from the ships outside.

Her mind was already surveying the surroundings, plotting possible escape routes, lines of attack, and any cover she could use to her advantage.

Suddenly, her link crackled back to life, and the unicorn mare returned. “Fleeting Dream, permission to dock has been… granted. Hold position until your escort arrives.”

Flurry could practically hear the grinding of her teeth across the radio.

“See, Whammy. All under control,” she assured, her voice laced with self-satisfaction.

Whammy didn’t dignify her with a response.

It didn’t take long for four blips to appear on her sensors, coming towards her at high speed. She couldn't help but frown as they approached, their formation not being one she recognized. One was far ahead of the others, with the rest of them trailing behind in a line.

“What is this? Amateur hour or something?” Flurry grumbled. “This isn’t filling me with confidence, Whammy.”

Pegasus fighters usually stayed together to maximize firepower and to give mutual cover to each other. Stringing themselves out like these idiots meant they could be picked off one by one.

Flurry spun the Dream to face the oncoming ships, catching the glint of their canopies in the sun as they approached her. Much closer now, the elegant sweeping curves of these fast and nimble Republic Swallow fighters came into view.

The lead Swallow waited until the last moment to slow, the thruster veins in the ship’s wingtips glowing white as they brought the fighter to a sudden stop in front of her.

Flurry felt a tiny shiver down her spine as they sat nearly nose to nose. Not because of the manoeuvre, but because it was like coming face to face with a ghost.

The ship before her was a relic from the war, at least twenty years old and now very out of date. Seeing the long wings arched forward and characteristic bulge of the large golden teardrop canopy triggered frantic memories of hundreds of such craft charging against her and her allies during the war.

Flurry felt her leg twitching involuntarily on the triggers as the pair of gimballed pulse cannons under the fighter’s slightly pointed nose swung across to aim directly at her. Thankfully, the Dream's weapons were powered down, otherwise the ship outside would have already been reduced to vapour.

“Come on, Flurry,” she whispered to steady herself. “Keep it together.”

She felt Whammy shift against her forelegs as she squeezed him tightly.

Flurry shook off the feeling and eyed the fighter carefully. It was painted a bright blue, but its new livery couldn’t hide the hull patches and wear and tear on its frame.

Her radio crackled to life. “Attention: this is Rapier leader of the Harmony Defense Force. You are to follow us to docking bay two. If you deviate at any time, I have been authorised to use force at my discretion. Do you understand?”

There was an eagerness in the stallion’s voice, as if he was just begging for her to try something. Likewise, a part of Flurry’s mind almost wanted to oblige him.

The thought was quickly quashed by the reality of her situation. As fun as it would be to mess with these ponies, she didn’t have time to waste on such things.

“This is the Fleeting Dream, I copy,” she replied. “Lead the way, flyboy.”

He didn’t dignify her with a response. Instead, his companions moved into position above, below, and behind her.

The squad leader quickly brought her down beneath the station proper, where a long line of open hangar bays ran for at least a kilocanter, most sitting empty. Soon, they arrived at their destination in a remote section of the station where traffic was minimal. Flurry had to admit, after weeks in the black, the faint blue haze of the atmo-shield was a welcome sight.

The escorts stayed in tight formation with her all the way to the dock, only breaking away when she had no choice but to go forward. She quickly passed through the blue haze and felt the gentle breath of air caress the Dream’s hull.

The inside of the hangar was easily large enough to accommodate the Dream with room to spare. Large blast doors were closed on the left and right sides, partitioning her landing pad from the rest of Harmony’s hangars. Evidently, they didn’t want anypony to have any contact with their notorious guest.

Bringing the Dream down gently, Flurry set the ship onto the pad. She let out a sigh as her ship’s engines quietly spooled down. As the links to her ship faded, her awareness returned to the empty flight deck. Silence rushed in, filling the void left by the sudden disconnect from her ship’s sensors.

This time, it felt a little disconcerting. For the first time in a while, she felt… nervous. It had been a long time since she had cooperated with the authorities over, well, anything. With Nyx and her crew’s lives on the line, she couldn't afford to screw this up.

Flurry felt warmth between her forelegs and saw Whammy’s eyes bulging from the squeeze she was giving his tiny body.

“Whoops, sorry, Whammy,” she said, releasing her grip. “I guess I’m just a little apprehensive.”

Whammy’s head bobbed as his body returned to some semblance of normality once again.

“I know, weird, right? I’m the big bad Flurry Heart. Talking to some stuffy ponies should be foal’s play,” Flurry said puffing her chest out and trying to ignore the hollowness in her voice. Her bravado died quickly, making her ears flatten. “I’m worried, Whammy. What if they don’t believe me?”

She rose to her hooves and lifted Whammy to join her.

“That’s true, they did let us land,” she pondered. “At least they’re willing to hear me out.”

One of Whammy’s eyes jiggled in her telekinetic grip.

“Yes, yes, I promise I’ll hear them out as well,” she snorted with a wave of her hoof. “Let's get going. We don’t want to keep these Harmony ponies waiting, especially since they rolled out the red carpet for us.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flurry cautiously stepped onto the gantry and took a deep breath. The air tasted fresh—still tainted by oil and metal, but far cleaner than what she was used to. She was glad she had decided to wear her flight jacket, as it was decidedly chilly in the vast hangar bay. Beyond the blast doors, Flurry heard the sounds of work going on in other bays, echoing through the cathedral-sized space.

“You okay there, Whammy?” she asked, looking to where the plushie was strapped to her jacket’s shoulder.

The plushie remained still—perhaps, Flurry assumed, out of embarrassment. He looked like a tube of toothpaste that somepony had squeezed in the middle, his fluff bulging on either side of the strap, stretching his seams. It was not graceful or stylish, but it meant he could get a good view of what was going on.

“You look fine,” she nickered. “It's a good look for you.”

As Flurry trotted down the gantry, his antennae bobbed up and down, comically, only increasing her mirth. It was a silly thing, all things considered, but it helped stem the anxiety that was coiling inside as her hooves hit the deck.

Her attention was drawn to several figures emerging from a doorway at the far end of the hangar. There were five of them, four clad in jet black security armour and the last wearing a sky-blue uniform.

As she got closer, she could see that the others were three earth ponies and a zebra concealed mostly behind armour. Their shoulder-mounted weapons were currently holstered, making her think that they weren't here to arrest her… at least, not yet.

Standing at the center was a tall unicorn mare with a pristine white coat and deep-blue mane. It was styled in a neat practical bun, the mare exuding an aura of professional composure that would be the envy of a Canterlot Royal Guard. The silver epaulettes on the unicorn’s shoulders positively glistened in the light of the hangar, as did the command bars on her chest.

Somepony must have drawn the short straw, Flurry thought to herself.

What drew Flurry's attention, however, was the chain of small gems woven into a lock of the unicorn's mane. It was the signature of a knight of the Evocarum.

Wow, the Federation sent one of their best, Flurry pondered, eyeing the line of rubies and sapphires carefully. She must be here to guard their investment.

No doubt this mare had been sent down to make sure she didn't cause any trouble. Only a fool picks a fight with an Evocarii, and Flurry knew from experience to be wary of them.

The mare regarded her for a moment, those deep blue eyes looking briefly to Whammy then back to her, an eyebrow cocked.

To Flurry's surprise, the mare then bowed. “Greetings. I am Lieutenant-Commander Snow Drift of the Harmony Defence Force. On behalf of Harmony Station, I welcome you.”

Flurry raised an eyebrow. “Thank you. I admit, I wasn't expecting formality.”

Snow Drift lifted her head. “You are a guest of Harmony and will be given all due courtesy.”

“And those four?”

“Given your reputation, it was felt an escort was necessary to put our personnel at ease. Do not be concerned; they're here for your protection,” Snow Drift replied.

"I feel safer already," Flurry replied, trying and failing to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

“Now, if you'll follow me, I'll take you to see Captain Oakheart so we can conclude your business,” Snow Drift said, gesturing for her to follow.

“Oakheart? As in the Oakheart?” Flurry gasped.

“You've heard of him?”

“Who hasn't? He was a legend in the Alliance fleet during the war,” she replied. “How'd he end up here?”

“The Director recruited him personally. That's as much as I know,” Snow said. “Now, unless you have any more questions, we'll be on our way.”

A Spell knight of the Evocarum and a war hero from the Alliance… quite a setup they have here, Flurry pondered. They certainly had no shortage of capable ponies at the very least.

“Great. The sooner we get this done, the better,” she said while trotting beside the unicorn, their escort falling in on either side.

“Indeed,” Snow Drift replied coolly. “We're still picking up the pieces from your arrival.”

“Oh? Nothing bad I hope,” Flurry inquired innocently.

The unicorn's brow twitched slightly and her tail flicked. “Nothing we can't handle, we’re just dealing with some… difficulties with the Guild after your arrival.”

“I'm sorry to hear that,” she said, fighting back the urge to smile.

“I'm sure you are,” Snow Drift replied sternly, giving her a pointed look. “Hopefully, we can avoid any disruptions in the future, compensating the Guild navigators is an expense Harmony can ill afford.”

“We wouldn't want the Guild to be out of pocket now, would we?” Flurry commented.

Snow Drift worked her jaw. “Quite.”

Oh I'm going to have fun with you, Flurry thought with a mischievous chuckle.

Snow Drift exhaled slowly, and they continued on towards the doorway. As they neared the exit, there was a gasp and a sudden clatter of tools hitting the deck, making everypony spin to face the source.

Off to their right, standing beside a pressure door leading to another bay, was a lime-green pegasus mare, clad in a grease-stained technician’s uniform. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as they focused onto Flurry.

The mare shook visibly, her wings open and a foreleg raised. “L-Last Shadow! She's here?!”

Before anypony could stop her, she bolted away.

Snow Drift looked to Flurry with an eyebrow raised. Flurry merely facehoofed and let out a grumble.

This is all I need right now.

Chapter 4 - Last Shadow

View Online

Lieutenant Swan Song extended her wings, gently easing her Swallow fighter down onto the deck with practiced ease. The sensation of the landing gear touching the deck resonated through the link into her hooves as the fighter settled on the deck.

Ahead of her, a stallion in a yellow jacket with a pair of orange marshaling wands on his wings stood a few canters from her nose, his wings extended to the ground as they completed their duet.

As her engines began to wind down, Swan felt the brief disorientation of the links to her fighter being turned off, one by one. The readouts, artificial horizon, reticles, and sensor data all disappeared from her vision, and she was once again back to being a mere mortal pony.

As her wing braces retracted, folding themselves back into her cockpit, she was confronted by very organic sensations.

Her whole body ached from the tedious mission she and her squadron had just completed. Even worse than the stiff joints and dry throat, her buttocks felt like they had been turned to jelly, and her flight suit now felt like a soggy bag clinging to her body.

The Swallow was a lot of things, but comfortable, it was not.

Outside, the ground crew scurried around in a frenetic rush to secure her squadron's ships. A quiet chuckle escaped her muzzle as Swan saw crew chief Ratchet barking orders from atop an equipment trolley. The wizened steel-grey pegasus stallion coordinated his ground crew like a grizzly drill sergeant and with the bark to match. She winced from the safety of her cockpit as a fresh-faced stallion in an orange high-viz jacket dawdled just long enough to draw the chief’s ire.

Her ship shuddered as it was slowly led off the landing grid and towards its berth at the opposite end of the hangar.

“I’m glad that’s over with,” a stallion's voice buzzed over the squadron’s intercom. “Did you see that mess at the gate? Some idiot opened up an unauthorized jump point right in the middle of traffic. I’d hate to be in charge of untangling that!”

“Yeah,” Swan chuckled. “Those horn-heads are probably wetting their pants right about now. Somepony’s head will roll for sure. At least it won’t be ours, am I right?”

“Tell me about it,” Blitz replied.

Swan allowed herself a smile, casting a glance over to her squadmate’s ship, now waiting for the tow tractor to arrive. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes as her gaze drifted across his newly painted nose art.

An impossibly lithe, butter-coloured pegasus mare in mid-flight adorned the Swallow's nose. The mare's wings were outstretched, her bright green mane billowing out as she rode an invisible wind. The fantasy was coyly looking upwards towards his cockpit, her blue eyes quietly beckoning him to give chase. It always earned a bemused chuckle from Swan every time her squadmate got a new breath of inspiration.

“If I have to look at another rock again, I’ll go insane,” Swan commented as she worked the muscles in her neck, earning a soft pop. Six hours of guarding a dirt pony mining operation had been an exercise in patience and endurance for her squadron. Foalsitting a bunch of miners as they scratched around on some barren asteroids in the middle of nowhere was not what she called fun. If those ore thieves hadn't tried their luck with them, she might have died of boredom.

“I hear that,” he acknowledged wearily. “I don’t know how those earth ponies do it. They were like machines out there.”

Swan grudgingly accepted that it was impressive watching the dirt ponies go to work. Somehow, they had crawled around out there for hours without breaking a sweat. Humiliatingly, it was her squadron that had forced their expedition to return to base, thanks to a dwindling supply of oxygen in the fighters. She could just imagine those muckrakers laughing at them all the way back.

“Dirt’s drawn to dirt,” she grumbled, internally lamenting the fact that the carrier should have been there with them for such a lengthy mission. Not that ‘Lord’ Merry Weather, master of the stars, would risk his ship for something so trivial.

She quickly banished the thought from her mind before it could take root. The last thing she wanted right now was thoughts of him fouling her mood further.

Blitz chuckled, “Careful, Swanny. We’re supposed to play nice with the other tribes.”

Swan gave a derisive snort, the idea leaving a foul taste in her mouth. “If those ponies want to go rolling around in the dirt, then they can do it by themselves. Don’t go dragging us along for the ride.”

“It’s not like we have a choice, Swan,” Blitz reminded her.

She shook her head with a dismissive huff. “Makes me wonder how they ever fought us off.”

“Come on, Swan, isn't that the whole point of Harmony?” he said with a sigh. “Working together with each other?”

A scowl crossed her face, her expression souring. “Don’t tell me you believe the crap they fed us in those pamphlets.”

“What can I say, I’m an optimist.”

“The only way is up, eh?” she commented with a wry smile.

“Exactly!”

Swan glanced over to the rest of her aerie’s ships arrayed out across the far wall, stacked neatly atop each other in their individual bays. There were gaps for those out on patrol, but the vast majority were sitting idle. Some were still draped in the tarps they had been wrapped in when they first arrived on Harmony. A soft sigh escaped her muzzle when she thought of where most of those pilots were at this very moment.

The pilot's capsule slid backwards to rest upon a groove built into the fighter’s back. Gently, the gold-tinted canopy hissed open, releasing Swan from the confines of her cockpit. Disconnecting her helmet from the cockpit, she stood up on shaky hooves, stretching her weary body.

With a soft pop, her helmet collapsed itself before sliding back onto the brace on her neck. The rush of scent and sound of the hangar was overwhelming after the near silence of her ship. Oil, bare metal, and the acrid smell of freshly welded steel assaulted her nostrils, and she greedily took in the scent. Caelum this place was not, but it sure beat recycled air and the odour of her own sweat any day.

Swan clambered out of her ship and hopped down onto the cold hangar deck. The technicians, after waiting patiently for clearance, descended upon her ship like a pack of wolves, popping panels and checking gauges.

“Welcome back, Lieutenant,” Ratchet greeted, his gravelly voice bringing a smile to her face. “Any problems to report?”

"That damn gimbal jammed on me," she reported.

"Again?" he groaned, leaning underneath her Swallow's nose. After a few moments of tinkering and muffled curses, he peered up. "Yep, thing has completely seized. Looks like we'll have to pull the whole mount."

Without a word, two of his deck crew scurried underneath and began unbolting the gun mount.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"Nothing mechanical at least," she replied, rolling her shoulders. The motion caused her to wince as the ache at the base of her wings worsened.

He placed a hoof on her shoulder. “You’re pushing yourself too hard. How many sorties is this now? Three in the last thirty-six hours? Parts I can replace, but I can’t fix a broken pilot.”

Swan gave him a reassuring smile, shrugging off the pain. “I’m fine. Nothing a hot shower and a good meal won’t fix. Besides, somepony has to keep my aerie in order.”

She glanced over to Blitz’s ship. The stallion was currently perched on a wing, chatting with a couple of mares from the ground crew. He was grinning broadly, gesturing wildly as he regaled his audience with an exaggerated tale of their mission. The two mares giggled like a pair of school fillies at Blitz wiggling his eyebrows at them.

That stallion.

“Nice to see somepony still has some energy,” Ratchet commented, his frown hardening as his gaze followed hers. "Still, won't do your aerie any good if you collapse from exhaustion."

“Better out there than in here,” she said with a sigh, her ears flattening. “Did you go to His Lordship’s party last night?”

Ratchet fluffed his wings, his expression shifting to one of disgust. “Like I’d be seen dead in a place like that. Most of my crew feel the same way—not right to be treatin’ ponies like that, even if they are just blackwings.” He paled a little, clearing his throat awkwardly before his expression softened. “No offense.”

Swan fidgeted her discoloured wings uncomfortably and looked away. “None taken.”

He sighed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Listen, I heard from some of my crew about what you did for them a few days ago. Those dirt ponies from maintenance are always comin ‘round here pickin’ fights. Good thing you showed up when you did. So thank you.”

“Happy to put dirt ponies in their place,” she said, managing a smile.

He gave her a slight bow, doffing his cap at her. “It’s appreciated. Speaking of… scuttlebutt says there’s a big operation coming up.”

Swan frowned, raising an eyebrow. “Oh?”

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I got word from the top to have your whole aerie fueled up and ready to go. The other section chiefs have been called up as well, all hush-hush like. A friend in supply says there’s a lot of equipment on the move.”

Swan pondered, scratching her chin with a hoof. There hadn’t been any exercises or drills planned. Say what you will about the station’s dirt pony captain, but he ran a tight ship. Between him and his witch of a first officer, they were always given plenty of advance notice for important things.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll find out one way or another," he said with a reassuring smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and motivate my crew some more. You’d best tend to your flock, Mother Hen.”

He laughed at her scowl, giving her a pat on the shoulder before trotting off to oversee his workers.

Oh, how she hated that nickname.

“Hey, Swanny,” Blitz called, the grey-green stallion trotting up to her with his usual swagger. “The chief have much to say?”

Swan gave him a hard look that made him pause. “Only that he’d prefer if you didn’t hit on his deck crew.”

Blitz shrugged, giving her an easy smile. “Come on, if he had a problem, he’d have chewed me out by now.”

“Who says he isn’t going to?” she replied coyly. “I don’t want to have to drag your tail out of another fight with an angry husband.”

“That was one time!” he exclaimed, blushing slightly. “How was I supposed to know she was married? I can’t help it if mares want what I got.”

He puffed up his chest, doing his best heroic pose, like the ones from the recruitment ads.

“Uh huh,” she deadpanned, raising an eyebrow.

“Gotta unwind somehow, Swanny,” he said with a wink.

“Just keep your recreational activities off the flight deck, okay?” she said, shaking her head as she conceded defeat.

“Speedster’s honour,” he said, standing to attention and saluting with a wing. “But enough about work. How about we go and grab a bite to eat before hitting the showers? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

A grumble from her stomach announced her body’s approval of the idea. She was in the mood to eat something fatty and decidedly unhealthy after the day she’d had.

As usual, however, duty called. Swan saw the familiar forms of the rest of her squadron fluttering up to join them. Blitz straightened himself, taking position beside her as they approached.

“Best make it good for our little brood of chicks, eh?” he whispered.

Swan hid her scowl as they landed before her, arranging themselves like they were on the parade ground. They all looked weary, their eyelids drooping even as they stood before her. Even so, they all gave her a sharp salute as she regarded them.

They were all youngsters, barely out of their teens. Like so many in her aerie, this was their first posting off-world. She pitied them that this was where they had ended up: stuck with dirt ponies, horn-heads, and Merry Weather.

Still, they had jumped into their assignment with admirable fervour. She never had any shortage of volunteers when trying to fill her duty rosters. Serving a pony like Merry Weather had its perks at least—if you turned a blind eye to the disproportionate number of mares her aerie possessed.

“At ease,” Swan said softly. “You all did a great job out there today.” They slouched and a few gave relieved smiles. “But that doesn’t mean you get to slack off.”

She turned to a mint green stallion with a white mane, he tensed as their eyes met. “Nose Dive, you keep drifting out of formation. Make sure you pay attention to your surroundings.” She switched quickly to the purple mare on his right. "Spiral, you nearly collided with the mining platform during your patrol, I know dirt ponies are slow, but don’t let that distract you.”

They listened, replying with a quick 'Yes, ma’am!’ when she called them out. Most were only minor mistakes, hardly worth mentioning, but her younger squadmates listened intently. They were eager for any meagre wisdom their elder could provide. She knew that a blackwing rarely got much help from their instructors at the academy. If only she had more to teach than simple flying.

“Okay, that’s enough criticism for today,” Swan said with a soft smile. “We'll smooth down the rough edges with more flight time. Now go and get something to eat and get some rest. That’s an order.”

She gave them a salute, and they returned it with eager gusto. They then quickly took to the air, spurred on by the promise of hot food and a warm bed.

Blitz let out a sigh as he watched them fly away. “Damn, they make me feel so old.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, now that the Mother Hen has finished tending to her chicks, how about we go and relax ourselves?” he said, fluffing his wings with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Swan let out a tired sigh, her ears drooping, “I can’t. I need to deliver my report to Merry Weather.”

“Can’t it wait? He’s probably too drunk to read it anyway,” he grumbled, irritation heavy in his voice.

Swan shook her head, “In truth, I’m really hoping he is drunk.” She wasn’t in the mood to be dealing with his antics at the moment.

Blitz’s stance softened. “I’ll come with you if you’d like.”

“Thanks,” she nodded.

Together, they took to the air and headed towards the crew quarters. They passed through the hangar and out into the vast interlinked maintenance bays beyond. Divided into sections by enormous blast doors, the bays handled all the day-to-day maintenance of Harmony’s flotilla of ships. Looping around in a great ring, they made up the outer sections of the Harmony docks.

As they neared the pressure door leading off to the crew quarters, they noticed a large crowd gathered outside. She spotted her squadmates amongst them, along with other ponies from the maintenance division.

“What’s this all about?” Swan asked, getting a shrug from Blitz.

As they came in to land, she could feel a broiling tension in the air. Wings were bristled and ears swiveled or were flattened to ponies’ heads. A nervous cacophony of chatter emanated from the group, and more than a few paced nervously about with brows furrowed. The whole group looked ready to leap into the air in panic at any moment.

“Lieutenant!” came a familiar voice as Cinnamon Swirl fought her way out of the crowd to join them.

“Cinnamon?” Swan frowned. “Shouldn’t you be off-duty?”

The chocolate brown mare’s ears flattened. “I was, until I heard the news.”

“What’s happened? An accident?” Swan tensed, her thoughts running a million canters a minute.

“Worse. It’s Last Shadow,” Cinnamon revealed with a whisper, shrinking where she stood. “She’s here on Harmony.” The mare glanced back and forth as if speaking the name out loud might summon the mad alicorn right before her eyes.

Flurry Heart… Swan froze, her blood running cold at the mere mention of the name. Her pupils shrank, and she felt the breath catch in her chest. The hangar felt like it was spinning, the noise from the crowd becoming muffled.

“Are you sure?” Blitz asked skeptically. “Those colts in flight ops are probably just yanking your chains.”

“No way," Cinnamon said with a fervent shake of her head. "I heard there was a big commotion up in C&C. It looks like they're trying to keep this on the down-low."

That explained why Swan hadn't heard anything on the flight back. If word got out that they had let Last Shadow onboard, it would've caused a riot.

"Do we know what docking bay she's in?" Swan asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Two, I think," Cinnamon replied. "Raspberry said she saw Snow Drift and some security goons heading that way."

"Then let's go, I need to see this for myself," Swan said firmly, trotting towards the exit.

"Are you crazy?! What if she's there?" Cinnamon gasped, her wings trembling.

"At least we'll know for sure," she replied calmly. "It'll be safer if you both stay here."

"No way," Blitz said with an eager grin. "If she's here, I want to get a look at her."

"I guess I'm in too," Cinnamon groaned.

"You don't have to, Cinnamon," she said, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “This is my job.”

"No, you're my squadmate and we have to stick together," she insisted, swallowing and straightening herself. "I just hope if we catch sight of her, it's from really far away."

"Don't worry, we're only going to confirm," Swan assured.

Fighting comes later, she thought to herself.

They then made their way quickly down through Harmony's maze of docking pads and maintenance yards. Bay two was more isolated than the rest, meant for containment if they were forced to bring something nasty on to the station. Thus it made perfect sense as a cage for Last Shadow.

Swan felt a heavy sense of anticipation grip her as they approached the bay. To have Last Shadow so close after all this time, it was tantalizing. She wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.

They soon stood before the pressure door leading to docking bay two. Swan half expected the door to have been ripped off by now, given everything she knew of Last Shadow, but everything appeared normal. Two security earth ponies stood on either side of the door, coming to attention as she approached.

"I am Lieutenant Swan Song," she greeted calmly, giving them a salute. "I heard you have something special in there, and I'd like to take a look."

"Yes, ma'am," an earth pony stallion replied with a thick accent that made Blitz snigger behind her. "Though keep what ya see to yourself. The captain wants this all kept hush hush-like. Don't want to scare the civvies or the pill— the local pegasi."

The stallion gave an awkward cough and fell silent.

Swan simply gave him a bemused smile. "Thank you, corporal, I'll be sure to remember that."

Dirt ponies, she shook her head.

As they stepped through the door, Swan Song gasped at the sight of the ship sitting idle in the bay, a small cordon of guards surrounding it.

Resting on a trio of tall landing gear, it was slightly larger than a Skylark corvette in length, and nearly twice as tall. Its jet-black fuselage was long and broad, like the blade of a finely crafted Xiphos. A curved humpback ran along the ship's spine with a bulging cargo bay and ramp on the underside. A set of double delta wings arched gracefully from her hull, ending in two contoured weapons pods. Towards the rear were two massive triangular vectored engine nozzles, as well as a few devices Swan had never seen before.

There was no nameplate on it, but Swan knew this ship anywhere: the Fleeting Dream, a ship as infamous as the one who piloted it.

Blitz let out an awed whistle as he regarded the ship. "Damn, I never thought I'd see this ship up close like this. A lot bigger than I thought."

"It gives me the creeps," Cinnamon commented.

As Swan approached it, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, as if she were in the presence of a sleeping predator. She tried to shake it off, but irrational fear gripped her, drying her mouth. She had seen this ship so many times in her youth and had burned the image of it into her memory. The sight of it swatting Republic fighters out of the air during the war had horrified her as a child, and being so close to it now reawakened old memories and fears.

Even so, Swan felt the urge to reach out and touch this ship, as if to confirm it was really there.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," one of the guards warned. "That alicorn put some kind of field on it when she left with Lieutenant Commander Snow Drift. If you don't want to be put on your ass, no touchy." He then quickly added, "ma'am."

Swan chose to ignore the sarcasm thick in the guard's voice. "How long ago was that?"

"Ten minutes ago I think. We just got here ourselves," he shrugged.

Ten minutes! Last Shadow could be anywhere by now.

"Thank you," she said, briskly giving the guard a nod before turning to Blitz and Cinnamon. "We have to inform His Lordship about this."

"You really think he'll do anything against her?" Blitz grumbled, bristling his wings.

"He will," she replied firmly. "Because I'm going to make him."

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

There was a reason the officer’s mess and accommodation block had earned the nickname ‘The Palace’. The crest of the Pegasus Republic adorned every door—a pair of golden arching wings, clutching a starfield. The once bare metal corridors were draped with red sashes along with airy paintings of the skies of Caelum. It was a brave attempt to mimic the halls of the royal court back home. In the harsh artificial light of the corridor, however, it just looked gaudy and a bit pathetic.

As Swan and Blitz trotted through the corridors, they passed remnants of last night’s festivities. One of the crew of Merry’s carrier lay asleep on the floor, dozing off his excesses. Swan imagined the punishments she would have endured if she had been caught like this. Bile rose in her throat as she trotted past—the thought of these ponies wearing the Emperor’s uniform sickening her to her core.

Blitz had remained silent during their journey, trailing behind her. That alone told her that he was worried. Every time she looked back at him, his eyes and thoughts were elsewhere, a listless melancholy to his steps. No doubt he was thinking the same thing she was—just what was Last Shadow doing here? The alicorn had disappeared after the war, emerging only to prey on ally and enemy alike. For her to brazenly come knocking at Harmony’s door meant something big was going on. Worse still, Swan and Blitz both knew that they would be the first ones thrown into the grinder if things got messy. Though, in Swan’s case, that suited her just fine.

Eventually, they arrived at what was supposed to be the pilot's lounge. It had been taken as Merry Weather’s throne room, of sorts, where he and his crew whiled away the day with drinking, gambling, and worse. She hesitated at the doorway, casting a glance back toward Blitz. “Wait here, I won't be long.”

Blitz nodded, sitting down beside the door. “Be careful in there. You know how Merry gets when he hears unwelcome news.”

“I will.”

“Just call if you need me. I’ve got your back,” he assured firmly.

“Thanks,” she said, managing a weak smile. After a pause, she took a slow, measured breath and stepped inside.

The overpowering stench of burnt aerohol and incense, mixed with sweat, assaulted her senses. Swan let out a snort as the miasma tickled at her nose and fogged her vision. She tried in vain to cool herself with her wings, but it only served to move the hot, damp air around her.

The room was bathed in the flickering golden light of a dozen lamps that dotted the den. Shadows danced across the walls and through the gossamer white curtains that divided the room. A haphazard collection of brightly coloured floor cushions and pillows lay in clusters on the deck, surrounding shisha pipes billowing wispy, white smoke into the air. Ponies lay sprawled across them, some dozing contently while others lay in a dazed stupor with vacant, slack-jawed expressions on their faces.

Whispers and laughter soon found their way to Swan’s ears as the more alert of the throng became aware of her presence.

“Oh look, it’s our lord's favourite blackwing,” a stallion chuckled with amusement. “All geared up in that tight little flight suit. Maybe she is here to give us a show?”

“His very own toy soldier,” a mare giggled. “Perhaps she will do a little march for us?”

Their barbed words dug deep, but her years in Merry’s service had given her a thick hide. She focused on her goal, which lay just beyond this minefield of debauchery.

Soon, familiar faces emerged from the haze. She recognized several stallions from her aerie busy cleaning up the leftovers from the festivities. A few gave her a nod as she passed by, but most were dragging their hooves, fighting to stay awake after what must have been a long night.

Swan eventually reached the largest of the dens, that was reserved for the master of these sorry excuses for ponies. It was hidden behind thick curtains, like somepony had set a tent up in the middle of the room. The soft, hauntingly beautiful notes of a panpipe drifted out from within.

Swallowing, she cleared her throat. “My lord, are you… unoccupied?”

“Who is it?” Came a slightly high-pitch stallion’s voice that instantly grated on her nerves.

“Swan Song, my lord. I have urgent news,” she said.

“Oh?” Came a disinterested reply, followed by a snort. “Very well, you may enter.”

Doing her best to smooth out her sour expression, she passed through the curtain and into Lord Merry Weather’s court. There, the fat oaf sat on a cloud couch, his bulk sinking into the discoloured puff of cloud. He wore no uniform, his rusty brown coat and blonde mane always remaining perfectly styled regardless of what he got up to. At his hooves, lay three mares from Swan’s aerie, resting on purple, velvet cushions. Of the trio, two of them looked away, cheeks bright red with shame, while the third simply lay listless, gazing at her through half-lidded eyes.

Swan gave them each a soft, gentle smile and a supportive nod in their direction. She understood those feelings of shame and embarrassment all too well.

Sitting beside Merry was his shipmaster, Downdraft, lingering there like a bad odour. The dark-green stallion was meant to be directing flight ops, though the only orders he seemed capable of issuing lately were to ask for another bottle. He was the reason why Swan’s workload was five times what it was meant to be.

To the left, the composed form of Calliope stood, her wings outstretched, feathers drifting across the wind pipes before her. The purple mare could have been a songstress in the orchestras of Caelum, had she not been branded. Instead, Merry Weather kept her like a caged bird, constantly playing for his amusement.

“Ah, my dear Swan Song,” Merry greeted, his eyes carrying a predatory glint. “Such a shame you missed the party last night.”

“Forgive me, I had to plan for the next day’s mission,” she said, dropping to her knees and spreading her wings. “My lord, I have urgent news.”

“If it’s another dull report of you foalsitting dirt ponies, I’m not interested,” he said with a haughty tilt of his head “I’ve had that bore Oakheart pestering me for the past three hours over some trivial nonsense.”

Swan frowned but said nothing. Was this linked to the operation that Ratchet had heard about? Maybe this was all to prepare for Flurry Heart’s arrival?

“Has no pony told you?” she asked, her eyes darting between the others only to be met with shrugs.

“Told me what? Spit it out, would you?” he huffed, fluffing his wings.

“The brigand Flurry Heart has just arrived on station,” she stated grimly.

His ears perked, the colour draining from his face as he sat up. “S-she’s here?”

“Yes, I believe she docked some twenty minutes ago, my lord,” she replied.

“And you just let her dock unmolested?” Merry hissed, flaring his wings and making the mares at his hooves shy away.

At his silent command, the enchantments in Swan’s wings began to crackle with restrained electrical pulses. Her mind raced to find a way to still his wrath.

“I rushed here as soon as I had confirmed her arrival,” she said, adding enough earnesty in her voice to sound convincing. “Your safety was my first concern, my lord.”

“And if she had been here, would you have defended me?” he asked.

“With my life,” she said, slightly depressed that she actually meant it. If defending this fool meant she had a chance to take down Last Shadow, the blow to her pride was more than worth it.

Merry hopped down from his cloud and trotted over to her. “Yes, I have no doubt you would have. You’ve always been my most loyal pet,” he said fondly, his hoof running through her mane, making her body tense. She focused on the floor and tried to ignore the brush of his wings against hers.

“I live to serve,” she cringed, wishing the deck would give way and swallow her whole.

“The question now is, how do we respond?” Merry mused, talking more to himself than her.

"Lord Merry Weather," Downdraft uttered. "We should escape while we have the chance. If Last Shadow corners you here there’s no telling what she’ll do."

Merry Weather said nothing, merely humming in thought.

“My lord, we need more informa—” Swan began, only to have his hoof press her head down into the deck.

“Shh, I’m thinking,” he said, grinding his hoof into her skull.

Maybe if you actually read your damn mail, we wouldn’t be in this situation, she thought through clenched teeth. Have to bite the bullet or we’ll be here all day.

“Perhaps, if you allowed me to go and find out the intentions of the other tribes,” she suggested, feeling the pressure on her head ease while he considered. “They wouldn’t have allowed her to dock unless something serious was going on.”

Merry mulled over her proposal, his wings fluttering involuntarily as he thought. Gradually, a small smile crept onto his muzzle.

“A fine idea! Go then, find out what those dullards are up to," he said, lifting his hoof from her head. “Report back to me what you find.”

“At once,” she said, rising to her hooves as he waddled back to his cloud. She turned to leave, but the anger in her belly demanded she stay. “My lord, if I may, I have a request.”

Merry stopped, tilting his head backwards to regard her. “Oh?”

“If I encounter the brigand, allow me the honour of attempting her capture,” she asked.

“You?” he laughed. “A mere blackwing? I did not know you desired to leave my service so badly.”

“The Emperor demands her capture,” she said, fervour creeping into her voice. “We can’t allow an enemy of the Republic to flounce around unchallenged. We would shame ourselves as pegasi.”

Merry's smile widened like he'd just heard a funny joke. “You blackwings are up to your flanks in shame.” He lifted one of the nearby mare’s faces with a hoof, playfully stroking her chin. “A little more won’t hurt you. I will not provoke that monster, especially over something as trivial as a traitor's honour.”

Of course you wouldn’t, you coward, she thought bitterly. She would have to try a different tack with him.

“If we force Flurry Heart’s hooves, the other tribes will have to respond. Her capture would be assured,” she offered. “Imagine the prestige you would earn back home if you brought her back in chains.”

Merry’s eyes glazed over for a moment as he pondered the idea. “Yes, that does have a certain appeal,” he murmured almost to himself. She could imagine the idiot fantasizing his glorious return home. Then, his expression became more wistful. "It pains me to think I might lose you, my dear Swan. Finding mares as uniquely skilled as you is a hard thing these days."

Merry's eyes lingered on her before he let out a sigh. "No matter. Very well, you may proceed.”

“Thank you, my lord,” she said with a relieved sigh.

“Your actions will be given a favourable mention in my report home, should you succeed,” he said, sinking back into his cloud with a sigh. “Oh, and Swan Song?”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Be sure to die well,” he said with a grin before turning his attention back to his mares.

Swan trotted outside and let out a heavy sigh, a grim smile creeping on her face. What she was about to do was insane and suicidal, yet she felt strangely giddy, almost euphoric. It wasn’t often the pony that ruined your life fell into your hooves.

Chapter 5 - Worlds Collide

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The locker room was quiet, with all the ponies from Swan’s squadron having cleaned up or still out there with the others, worrying about Last Shadow. It meant Swan Song had the place to herself when she trotted inside with Blitz hot on her hooves.

Sightings of Last Shadow were already beginning to circulate through the aerie, which meant she didn’t have time to dawdle.

The scent of stale sweat, soap, and flight suits all mixed together in a heady aroma, the humidity from the showers making the air clammy. It had been such a fixture of her life that Swan found the odour oddly comforting; this was the beating heart of the Aerie. Each locker was like its owner’s stamp on the world, full of a haphazard collection of stickers, photos and pictures. It was against regulations, but rule books be damned—here, her ponies had a chance to express themselves a little and be individuals, not ranks or numbers. With everything going on outside, they were all equals there.

Walking slowly, Swan passed by each one in turn, the flight helmets resting neatly atop each locker. Yet, when one of them died, some new pony would take their place. Perhaps, that was why her locker was bare, save for the name plate.

When I’m gone, it’ll be like I was never here. Just remove my name and that is that. Swan shook her head to try and dispel her morbid thinking. The reality of the situation hung in the air like a foul odour, always there in the back of her mind, tugging her down.

She was going to die soon, and she accepted it.

Swan was under no illusions about her chances; the stories that circulated about the mad alicorn made that depressingly clear. Last Shadow had killed hundreds of her tribe during the war, cutting a swath through the Republic’s best troops. Against numbers, firepower, and tactics, that mare had swept past it all like a terrible force of nature. Even now, the alicorn stalked the space lanes like some kind of vile revenant, going so far as to prey on her former allies with impunity. With only a meagre amount of combat experience to her name, how could she possibly prevail against that?

Even so, her mind was set, the doubts scratching in the back of her mind rapidly fading. Sacrifice was a part of becoming a blackwing, and if her dying brought that monster one step closer to justice, it would all be worth it.

Straightening, Swan unclipped the helmet from her back and placed it on her locker before slowly unpeeling her sweaty flight suit. If she was going to die, she might as well feel comfortable while doing so.

“Swan,” Blitz began, his voice hesitant. “Can we talk about this?”

“Don’t, Blitz, I’ve made up my mind,” Swan replied, refusing to look him in the eye for fear that her resolve would crumble.

“At least help me understand. I thought you didn’t buy into that ‘redeem yourself in glorious death’ crap they spouted at us back at flight school,” he said, taking off his own flight gear.

“I don’t.”

“Then tell me why!” he yelled, slamming his locker shut. “I thought we made an oath. How am I supposed to take down Merry if you’re dead?”

Swan turned and looked at him. “Because she is the reason I’m here, Blitz.” She flexed her black wings at him. “She took my life from me and made me into this.”

“And how is her killing you going to change anything? Come on, Swanny, just think about this.”

Looking away, Swan's eyes became fixed on the picture taped to the inside of the locker door. A happy, smiling family beamed back at her, locked in a happier time that seemed like a dream to her now.

It had been taken on the day of her brother Star Song’s graduation from the Academy. Swan had been six years old at the time, and it was one of the best days of her life. It had been a gloriously sunny day, soft shards of light filtering through the trees that lined the boulevard outside the Academy. The scent of tree sap and flowers played across her nose, the memory still vivid in her mind. Her brother sat in the centre, clad in his new uniform and grinning like an idiot, his forelegs hugging her tightly. Behind them, their mother smiled, tears of pride in her eyes, a wing draped across her brother’s shoulder. The only thing that was missing was her father, that portion having been torn off long ago.

The memory quickly became bitter as she glared at that missing piece, the image of his face still clear in her mind. The memories of what came after soured that scene.

The war.

Disgrace.

Merry Weather.

She shuddered at the thought. “If it gets my family out of his service, then it’s worth it. Just… just look after the others, okay?”

Blitz let out an angry snort while scratching his mane. “Damn it, Swan.”

Trotting over to him, she placed a hoof on his shoulder. “And no more hitting on the ground crew, okay?”

A melancholy chuckle escaped his muzzle. “If you think I’m letting you go solo in this then you’ve another thing coming.”

“No, Blitz.”

He shook his head defiantly. “If you’re going then I’m going; that’s what a wingmate is supposed to do.” Grasping her fetlock, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “That’s what a friend is supposed to do.”

A soft smile played on her lips, putting her heart in her mouth for a moment. “Thank you.”

The words felt inadequate for how she felt, her heart swelling with pride.

“Hey, we’re a team, You ain’t breaking up the band now,” he grinned, puffing out his chest. “So let’s go and kick this mare’s flank already, I’m starving!”

Despite the hopelessness of their situation Swan laughed. If she was going to face a monster, she felt safe in the knowledge that a friend had her back.

“Alright, you goofball,” she smiled. “Let’s get going.”

They trotted towards the door and headed off to find Last Shadow.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flurry Heart stood in the elevator, watching the slow procession of floor numbers creep up. A catchy tune involving a xylophone bleated into the cramped elevator car from an overhead speaker. Her eyebrow twitched, the urge to rip the damn thing out of the ceiling becoming more appealing by the second.

Not that the conditions were improving her mood any.

Between the four armoured equines, a prissy unicorn officer, and an irritable alicorn, things were decidedly cosy inside. Hemmed in from all sides by her escort, so close she couldn’t fluff her wings without hitting somepony in the face, Flurry’s mood was souring rapidly.

The encounter with the technician down in the hanger lingered on Flurry’s thoughts. She was silently kicking herself for letting her guard down. Things had been going a little too well so far, what with the ease of getting onboard and her escort treating her somewhat amicably. It was only a matter of time before an encounter with the pegasi, though she had hoped to at least get out of the hangar bay first.

Her escorts were quiet, though their nervousness permeated thick and heavy in the air. The ponies in front would occasionally look back at her, only to snap their heads forward again when their eyes met. Those behind her were simply trying to avoid her wings and the swish of her tail.

Snow Drift, for her part, had chosen to not press the issue with her and was busy answering messages on her holo-brace. The unicorn appeared calm, showing off an impressive display of professional dispassion.

Whammy was sitting still on her shoulder, his antennae sagging lazily off to one side, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Last Shadow.

The merest mention of that name had her on edge, like somepony had walked over her grave. If the technician’s reaction was anything to go by, it was only a matter of time before somepony did something stupid. The nice fat bounty hovering over her head wouldn’t be helping matters either.

Letting out an impatient grumble, Flurry checked her holo-brace again for what felt like the seventh time since she got on this elevator. Nyx only had seven hours left before the Orion’s life support failed. This was going to have to be fast. There was no time for posturing, so she was going to have to swallow her pride if this was going to get done.

There was a gentle ping and the doors slid open, revealing a long corridor lined periodically with pressure doors. A thick blue line, similar in colour to Snow Drift’s uniform, ran along the wall at a pony head height. It was the only splash of colour in an otherwise dreary sea of grey.

Snow Drift stepped out first, along with the two guards in front of Flurry, who eagerly trotted forward with relieved sighs. Flurry followed slowly behind them, feeling a slight surge of relief to be out of the sardine can.

Snow Drift waited for everypony to exit the elevator before nodding to her and trotting down the corridor.

As they trotted further, Flurry began to see signs of life. Through the plexiglass of the doors, she could see blue-uniformed ponies working away—the little cogs that were keeping this vast enterprise running smoothly.

Their passage did not go unnoticed. As they made their way deeper into the command deck, Flurry could hear doors opening and nervous chatter behind her.

“That’s her! Flurry Heart!”

“Check out those wings! That horn!”

“Get back in here before she sees you!”

Tilting her head, Flurry could see a mixture of ponies peering out from open doors. Unicorns, earth ponies, even a few pegasi were chattering amongst themselves. Their reaction was something she was used to when travelling into the colonies, even before her recent career choices. Beyond Equus, seeing an alicorn up close was as rare as a houndrathi paying his tab at a bar. After the reaction to her arrival in the hangar, it was honestly a relief to be back to ‘normal’.

Flurry looked to Snow Drift, whose ears were flicking dangerously as the clamour behind them grew. Like a kettle coming to a boil, Flurry could see her temper rising, her mane bristling and the mare’s teeth clenching.

Eventually, she stopped and looked to Flurry. “My apologies, Princess, I’ll be just a moment.” She then turned around, trotting behind Flurry and her escort.

Taking a measured breath, Snow unleashed a tirade on the crowd.

“Are we having a convention out here or something?” The unicorn’s icy tones swept over the crowd like a gale from the frozen plains of Arazo. “Back to your stations, all of you!” the unicorn yelled, stomping her hoof. “Move it!”

The effect was instant, the chatter disappearing as ponies scurried back inside in the face of the fuming unicorn. It was like watching a matron at a boarding school catching foals outside after curfew.

Her subordinates now sufficiently quashed, the imperious unicorn turned around with an indignant snort.

“Nicely done,” Flurry commented with a grin.

Snow Drift flicked her tail and eyed her. “I see your effect isn’t contained to just pegasi.”

“Life’s hard when you’re a celebrity,” she replied with a modest shrug.

“Indeed.”

“Things must be tough here, working with the other tribes,” Flurry remarked as the unicorn joined her.

“This is what Harmony is about. Though it has taken a little time for us all to adjust to each other,” Snow admitted.

“Have you had much trouble?”

“Some have adjusted better than others,” Snow Drift said, a little irritation slipping back into her voice. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, her body relaxing. “But we’re not here to talk about our staff. Come, the captain is waiting.”

They veered left, down past a large double door labelled ‘C&C’ to a relatively secluded spot around the corner. At the end of the corridor was an unassuming door, emblazoned with a plain placard reading ‘Captain Oakheart’.

Snow Drift trotted towards a control panel and pressed it with a hoof.

“Yes?” A deep voiced stallion replied over the intercom.

“Lieutenant-Commander Snow Drift with Princess Flurry Heart, sir,” Snow Drift announced.

“Very good, send her in.”

The door slid open. “After you, Princess,” she said, gesturing for her to enter.

Swallowing, Flurry stepped inside and trotted right into an argument.

“Captain Oakheart, why am I only now hearing you have the felon Flurry Heart on your station?!” an angry voice roared from the hologram of a furious earth pony stallion, his rage reverberating around the room like a thunderclap. Flurry had to admit, the office’s projectors were a quality setup; she could actually see the veins bulging out of the slate-grey stallion’s neck.

From the dark-brown uniform and the number of bars on his chest, Flurry guessed he was the commander of the Alliance flotilla outside.

Sitting behind a large desk of black plastic and polished glass was a middle-aged chocolate brown earth pony stallion, with a mane of even darker brown, cut to military length with aching precision. He was well-built, with a lantern jaw that was a hallmark of the colonial earth tribes. Flurry might have even called him handsome, were it not for his rather dour expression that seemed to have been chiselled onto his features.

The stallion cast a glance towards her, his dark olive-green eyes meeting hers and his brow furrowing.

“With respect, Captain Hayloft, Harmony station is a free port and it is not my responsibility to inform you each time we have a visitor,” Oakheart retorted calmly, as if he were addressing an angry guest at a hotel.

His hoof idly stroked along a long scar that ran from his brow down his right cheek. Flurry had seen enough wounds caused by Republic pinion blades to know the culprit. It was such a clean-cut, it was a miracle the stallion hadn’t lost an eye, or his life.

“She is one of the Alliance’s most-wanted criminals! I demand you hand her over to us at once!” Hayloft snorted, the hologram’s nostrils flaring in anger.

“I’m aware of who she is, Captain, but Princess Flurry Heart is assisting us in an internal matter, and she has been granted amnesty for the duration of her stay,” Oakheart stated.

“This is outrageous! Is Harmony station going to grant succor to any brigand and thief that passes through?!” Hayloft hissed through gritted teeth. “Captain, as an Alliance officer, you have a responsibility to—”

“This station is under the jurisdiction of the Harmony Initiative, and as a signatory of the charter, the Alliance is beholden to its jurisdiction while on station,” Oakheart retorted. “Now, I ask that you respect our judgement in the matter. If you have a problem with that, you can report it to your superiors.”

“You—” Hayloft began but was cut off before he could say any more. The hologram flickered off, leaving the room in silence.

Oakheart let out a sigh as he turned his attention toward Flurry. “You’ve been here for barely thirty minutes and already you’ve got ponies baying for your blood. You certainly know how to make an impression, Your Highness.”

“Please, just Flurry will do. We both know I’m no princess,” she replied. “Let’s get down to business, shall we?”

“Very well, Ms. Flurry, please sit,” he said, gesturing to the seat cushions laid into indents in the floor arrayed before his desk.

Behind him, on the wall, was a symbol made of coloured glass and metal. A trio of three hexagons tilted at an angle, one a lilac, the other yellow, and finally, a blue one below those. Flurry recalled spotting this symbol stitched on the uniforms of all the station’s workers she had seen.

What drew her attention was a zebra tribal mask below it, sitting on a plinth.

It was carved from mahogany, sculpted to appear as a fearsome spirit from their folklore, bedecked with a feather plume. The mask’s features had been smeared in sweeping hoof-painted strokes of green, red, and orange, creating vivid contrasts of colour. These were traditionally painted on by the mask’s owner when they were accepted into a clan.

Zebra masks weren’t something that were given away; it was a mark of their tribe, as much a part of them as their own flesh.

Which meant he earned it, she pondered.

Such things were not commonly shown to outsiders, as it still carried a certain stigma in the Alliance. For him to display it so openly meant he considered his heritage as being an important part of himself.

A closer inspection of the stallion revealed a zebra clan braid woven into a strand of his mane.

You are a curious one, aren’t you, captain? Flurry mused as she sat down.

Beside the plinth, a few books rested, stacked neatly in a row. They looked to be historical tomes, each bound in luxurious faux-leather covers.

Real books! Flurry hadn’t seen a physical book in what felt like forever.

The captain then looked to Snow Drift, who had been waiting patiently. “Thank you, Lieutenant-Commander,” he said, giving his subordinate a nod.

“I’ll be on the link if you need any assistance, sir,” Snow Drift said, pointedly.

“Thank you,” he replied, giving her a smile. “I’ll let you know if I need anything.”

“Yes, sir. The security detail will be outside to escort our guest back to her ship when you’re done.”

“Aww, and I was so enjoying your company,” Flurry teased.

“Indeed, it’s been an experience meeting you, Princess,” Snow Drift said, giving Oakheart a salute before trotting outside. The door closed and Flurry was left alone with the earth pony.

Silence hung in the air between them as the earth pony regarded her carefully. His eyes drifted to Whammy on her shoulder, an eyebrow raising questioningly as he gazed at the plushie. It made her feel like she was a filly again at the headmaster’s office or being confronted by her father, her every misdeed an open book to him.

“I hope you realise the trouble you’ve caused to us,” he began. “Between the Alliance and your little stunt with the gate, we’ve already got our hooves full with damage control.”

“Ponies’ lives are at stake and that’s what you’re concerned about?” Flurry snapped.

This was how it always was with these types—ticking boxes and keeping their petty little schedules running, all the while ponies died.

“I’m concerned about having a criminal barging her way onto my station, disrupting our operations,” he retorted, his voice hardening. “You’re lucky I haven’t tossed you in a cell yet.”

“I don’t care about your problems, Captain,” she snorted, folding her forelegs. “I only care about saving Nyx and her crew.”

“And did it cross your mind that all this trouble is impeding our rescue efforts?” he countered, his nostrils flaring. “We need the Guild’s cooperation to use the gate, not to mention the pegasi and their—”

He stopped himself as the anger in his voice began to rise. “What are you doing here, Ms. Flurry? What do you want?”

“To help rescue my cousin,” she huffed. “I’d have thought that was obvious by now.”

“The situation is well in hoof,” he responded, taking a measured breath. “Despite your interruption, a rescue team will be departing soon. We’re professionals, Ms. Flurry. Just let us do our job.”

“What kind of escort are you sending with them?” she asked, impatiently.

“Sufficient.”

Flurry’s eyes narrowed. Oh, that’s how you want to play it.

“Well, if what I saw coming in is anything to go by, you’re going to have to send a lot more,” she urged. “This isn’t a simple escort mission.”

Oakheart bristled, his right ear flicking. “Insulting my troops isn’t going to improve your bargaining position.”

Flurry frowned. “My what?”

“You want a reward for the information you acquired, am I right?” he said, a wrinkle of disgust passing over his features. “That is how your kind operates out here, yes?”

Flurry bristled at the accusation. “I didn’t come all this way for money, Captain. I came here because my cousin is running out of time and you ponies are my best shot at saving her.” She tapped on her holo brace and sent the files over to his console.”You want the data? Here. Consider it an act of good faith.”

Oakheart’s eyes flicked to the holo window on his console, quickly scanning the files.

“I’ll save you time,” she continued. “There’s an Elderberry class cruiser shadowing the Orion, filled to the brim with Syndicate mercs.”

At his raised eyebrow, she put on a grim smile. “I did a little digging before I got here.”

Oakheart tilted his head thoughtfully. “Are you familiar with them?”

“Familiar enough to know that if you don’t go there prepared for a fight, you’re going to lose a lot of lives,” she answered, shuddering at the memory of past encounters.

“Former employers?”

“Of course not,” she snapped. “I might be many things, but I am not a hired killer, Captain.”

“I see,” Oakheart nodded, his eyes considering the sensor data. “My apologies.”

Oakheart’s gaze settled on the silhouette of the cruiser.

“I need to revise my plans and make preparations,” he continued, letting out an irritated snort. “Merry Weather is going to love this.”

“Merry Weather?”

“He’s in command of the pegasus mercenary contingent on the station,” he replied, tapping away on the console.

“You have mercenaries working here? I thought this was meant to be a professional organization, not some typical Dragon’s Head cabal.”

It was Oak’s turn to grimace at the allegation. “Not by choice,” he muttered. “We were expecting a proper military unit from the Republic, not a bunch of sell-swords.”

Explains why those fighters looked so old, she thought to herself.

“The Republic has always been a bunch of cheapskates,” she said with a scowl. “I’m not surprised they stiffed you.”

Oakheart let out a grumble. “This is going to get expensive.”

“What about the Alliance?” Flurry queried. “You’ve got a ready-made fleet just sitting out there with enough firepower to take on half a dozen Elderberrys.”

“I already enquired before you arrived,” he replied, a tiny tremor of anger creeping into his voice. “They said that delivering the station’s defence grid was their concern, not a rescue mission.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

Typical Alliance, only willing to stick their noses in when it benefited them.

“That, and your arrival here, has put paid to any support we can expect from the Alliance,” he said pointedly. “Which means we’re on our own.”

Flurry straightened. “So, where do I fit in? I’ll help any way I can.”

“You don’t. You being here is only going to make things harder with the pegasi,” he said with a shake of his head. “It’s best you leave now before you cause any more problems for us.”

She let out a snort. “Are you kidding? You need my help.”

“No, we don’t,” he retorted flatly, making her gasp. “I’ve enough trouble commanding the pegasi without throwing a rogue alicorn into the mix. I won’t risk making a volatile situation worse.

“You know what they call you,” he continued. “I’m sure word of your arrival is spreading like wildfire as we speak.”

Flurry grimaced. If that technician’s reaction was anything to go by, there must be a full-blown panic by now. That damned name.

“It’s only a matter of time before somepony does something foolish, which is why it’s best that you leave,” he urged, before his expression softened. “I understand that this is difficult for you, but please, let us do our jobs.”

“I’m not leaving until this is done,” she said. “I can help you, Captain. I’ve been doing this sort of thing since before the Alliance existed. I know the region of space the Orion is marooned in like the back of my hoof. Admit it, having an alicorn at your back makes sense.”

He let out a sigh. “I don’t doubt your capabilities, Ms. Flurry, but you must realise that the lives of my ponies come first. You’re as much a danger to us as you are to the enemy.”

She stomped a hoof down. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’ve read your record. You have a chronic inability to follow orders, doing what you want without thinking of the consequences,” he began, his voice stern. “The war, your criminal activity, everything tells me that you’re a liability. Take that mess you caused at the gate—”

“Oh that was harmless,” she dismissed with a wave of a hoof.

“Nopony might’ve been hurt, but your actions have the Guild on our backs. This causes delays, negotiations, and an assortment of other things that distract us from the task at hoof,” he retorted. “A pony that only thinks of herself has no place helping us, and I won’t risk my ponies’ lives to your whims.”

“My whims!? You…”

Flurry glared at him, her jaw clenching. What did he know? He had no idea what things had been like after the war, the sacrifices she had to make. It was so easy just to sit there and judge when he wasn’t looking up from the gutter.

Yet, his words lingered in her mind, rattling around like a ball in a tin bucket. Flurry tilted her head and felt Whammy’s antenna brush against her cheek.

Her thoughts came back to Nyx. It would have been so easy to reach out to her at any time in the past six years. Instead, Flurry had used the Orion as an excuse to get involved again. A part of her had wanted to stick her nose in Initiative business and stir up trouble.

Damn it, she cursed to herself.

“Fine, you’re right, Captain,” Flurry conceded. “I wouldn’t trust me either. My track record for problem solving isn’t exactly stellar.” She let out a resigned sigh, scratching her mane. “All I can say is that I want everypony to get back here safely, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. Give me any job, no matter how minor, and I’ll do it. Heck, I’ll mop the decks on your shuttles if you want, but you have to let me help. Please.”

Oakheart sat there in silence, hopefully seeing her sincerity, when a buzz on the intercom interrupted them.

“Yes?”

“Lieutenant Swan Song to see you, sir,” a stallion replied.

Oakheart winced. “It’s really not a good time. Can you tell her—”

The door slid open anyway, and in trotted a cream-coated pegasus mare with a rather ruffled teal mane.

“Hey, you can’t—” the guard protested.

Beside her, a rust-coated stallion with a slicked back fiery orange mane stood, his eyes fixed on Flurry. They wore no uniform, but what drew Flurry’s attention were their wings—all their primary feathers were jet-black.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Swan Song gasped.

There she was. Last Shadow in all her terrible glory, the monster that had destroyed her life.

The alicorn was a soft pink, like clouds at sunrise, her light violet mane with an arctic blue highlight cut short, almost like a stallion. The mare was well-built, taller than any normal pony, with long, slender legs and an enviable set of wings. What sent a shiver down Swan’s spine was that long, fluted horn jutting out of the mare’s head.

It felt wrong to see both wings and a horn on a pony at the same time. Even after meeting the Director, Swan still couldn’t get over that feeling of seeing it as something wrong… alien. The alicorn was wearing a battered blue-green bomber jacket, with a patch of a pony clutching a scythe stitched into the shoulder.

A confused frown crossed Swan’s brow as she saw some kind of snail plushie strapped to Last Shadow’s shoulder. It was perched there like some gargoyle, its bobble eyes wobbling between them like it was looking at its next meal.

Swan shook off her confusion and took a step forward. “Captain, what is she doing here! How dare you allow this murderer onto the station!” She jabbed a wing accusingly at Last Shadow, who simply gave a pfft in response.

“Lieutenant Swan Song, excellent timing,” Oakheart said, acting as if this was the most normal situation in the world.. “I’m glad you came, I’ve been trying to contact your Lord for the past hour but got no response.”

Swan glared at Last Shadow, who merely raised an eyebrow and looked towards Oakheart. What was going on here? Her confusion only fed into her growing anger. “What are you talking about? You have Last Shadow right here! She should be arrested!”

“She is not the issue here, Lieutenant. We have much more pressing matters to contend with,” the earth pony curtly replied.

“Of course she is the issue!” the pegasus yelled, flaring her wings out.

Swan tensed slightly as Last Shadow flicked her tail, her expression becoming an irritated scowl. The alicorn looked towards Oakheart as if expecting some kind of permission.

So, they are in cahoots with each other! Damn dirt ponies have no shame, Swan thought to herself.

“No, Lieutenant, she isn’t. We have a vessel in distress and possibly under attack by pirates. I need you to inform your Lord that the station requires the use of his carrier,” Oakheart stated simply. “Lives are at stake here, and we’re short on time.”

Swan Song felt Blitz’s foreleg rest against hers. In the corner of her eye, she caught his silent warning.

“Flurry Heart has provided us with potentially vital information. As such, she will be treated as a guest of Harmony,” Oakheart continued. “I ask that you put aside your differences until this crisis is over.”

Last Shadow just sat there, not even having the decency to look her in the eye. “Let it go, kid,” she muttered. “We don’t have time to waste on chasing ghosts. The war is—”

Not allowing the mare a chance to finish, Swan lunged forward and slammed her forehoof into the alicorn’s face. Last Shadow staggered backwards, reeling as Swan pressed her advantage to land several more blows.

Then, before Swan could continue her assault, Last Shadow flared her great wings, bringing a hoof down that narrowly missed crushing Swan’s head. The deck buckled under the blow, forcing her to quickly backpedal.

Such strength! The rumours about alicorns were true.

“Stand down!” Oakheart yelled, but it was too late.

“Stay out of this, captain,” Last Shadow said, spitting a globule of blood from her split lip onto the ground. “You want to die so badly, blackwing? For honour? For glory?”

“You know nothing of those things!” Swan Song yelled, charging forward once again. Blitz was at her side, circling to her left to try and catch Last Shadow in a pincer.

They barely made it three canters before the monster’s horn glowed in a golden light. The aura enveloped Swan’s neck, her breath knocked out of her as its grip tightened. Before she could react, she and Blitz were both wrenched into the air and slammed against the far wall.

A strangled gurgle rose from Swan’s throat as she desperately flailed at the ethereal grip that was squeezing the life out of her. Her mind raced as she tried to comprehend what was happening. The alicorn’s abilities were far beyond that of any ordinary horn-head.

The door hissed open and two armour-clad security ponies burst in. “Sir, we heard a commotion…”

The stallion’s words died in his mouth as he saw Last Shadow there, his shoulder cannon swinging up instinctively.

With a flick of her horn, the ponies’ weapons were ripped from their mounts and crushed into scrap. The stallion and his companion were then swept up in her golden glow, dangling helplessly in the air.

Swan let out a strangled groan, her hooves thrashing uselessly against the unbreakable grip around her neck. Blitz was in no better position, trying to beat his wings to escape his captor’s grasp to no avail. Last Shadow then stepped forward, her eyes fixing on Swan with an icy glare.

Despite her fear, Swan’s anger gave her resolve and she glared back defiantly at the alicorn.

“Go on, you monster!” she wheezed out. “Kill me! Show everypony exactly what you are, a killer!” she spat, feeling the grip tighten, the blackness creeping into the corners of her vision.. This was it—the end. She would finally be free.

“That’s enough!” Oakheart bellowed, rushing over to place himself between Last Shadow and Swan Song. “Everypony stand down! That includes you, Ms. Flurry. Put them down!”

Last Shadow looked at him darkly, a deadly glint in her eyes.

“You want to prove to me that you’re not a liability? That you can work with us? Then show me I can trust you,” he urged. “I know they attacked you, but spilling blood won’t solve anything. Put them down… please.”

The alicorn’s brow twitched in thought, her ears swivelling to the plushie on her shoulder as if it were whispering something to her. After a tense moment, she let out an angry groan. “Fine.”

Swan gasped in a coughing fit as the force holding her in place was released, causing her and Blitz to flop onto the floor. The two security ponies plopped to the ground as well.

“Lieutenant, given the extreme situation we find ourselves in, I’m going to overlook your actions here,” Oakheart declared. He glanced towards his security ponies. “That goes for everypony. This never happened, understood?”

The two guards nodded.

“Good, you are dismissed.”

“Umm, yes sir,” one of them replied before they scurried outside.

Swan rose to her hooves and looked to Blitz, who was struggling to his hooves. She felt a surge of relief that he was okay, that her stupidity hadn’t gotten him hurt. Yet her relief was tempered by the stark reality of their situation: Flurry Heart was still alive and the other tribes weren’t going to intervene. She lowered her head and stomped the deck with a hoof in frustration.

Oakheart turned to her and reached down, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “I know this is difficult for you, but—”

“You don’t know anything,” Swan snapped, knocking his hoof aside. “The blood of those that died at Mulberry Ridge cries out for justice! So long as she is here, the Aerie will not aid you. I’ll see to it myself!”

Swan looked to Last Shadow, who appeared almost regretful, a sadness in her eyes that only infuriated Swan further. “And you. Stay away from my aerie, understand? If you set hoof anywhere near them, I will kill you. Winds alive, I will find a way!”

She turned and stormed outside, with Blitz hot on her hooves, ignoring the looks of those in the corridor with her as she hurried towards the elevator.

“Swan, are you okay?” Blitz asked. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

Her ears flattened and she looked away. “If you ignore the smouldering remains of my pride, I’m fine.”

He let out a sigh and place a hoof on her shoulder. “Come on, Swanny. We’re alive, aren’t we? Facing off against the Last Shadow and walking away from it is worthy of song, don’t you think?”

Swan scowled. “She kicked our flanks, Blitz. She could have killed us any moment she wanted. We failed. At least if she’d killed us, it might have rallied the aerie to act, maybe even forcing Merry Weather to actually do something.” She scuffed the floor with a hoof. “Now we’ve got nothing. I’ve lost my only chance to make that monster pay for what she’s done.”

Her eyes closed, the pain in her heart pressing against her chest like it would explode at any moment. Then, a wing draped across her back and she looked to see Blitz smiling at her.

“Hey, this isn’t the Swan I know. You never give up,” he said with a grin. “We’re alive and that means we’re still in the game. What’s more, Last Shadow hasn’t left yet, which means we still may have a shot at her.”

“But Merry…”

The thought of returning back to Merry Weather with their tails between their legs twisted her gut in knots. She could imagine his reaction: the anger, the gloating, the everything.

“Merry needs us, Swan. You’re the most experienced soldier he has, and if we’re going off to fight pirates, he’ll need you to lead the troops,” he said, giving her a gentle squeeze. “He’ll rub it in your face, sure, but he’ll still look to you to get things done. Just like he always has.”

She allowed herself a smile. “Since when did you become so wise and all-knowing?”

He chuckled and gave her a wink. “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.” With that, he trotted forward, spinning around and extending a hoof. “Shall we face the music together, Lieutenant?”

Despite everything rattling around in her head, and all of her emotions threatening to tear her apart from the inside, she actually felt a small spark of hope flicker from within.

Chapter 6 - An Exercise in Trust

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“Well, that could have gone better,” Oakheart said, letting out a heavy sigh. “Are you okay?”

Flurry cricked her neck and wiped away a dribble of blood from her lip with a fetlock. “Oh, this is nothing. It’ll take more than that little love tap to hurt me.”

He nodded. “I was hoping we’d have more time before something like this happened.”

“There are always fools willing to die for their Emperor,” Flurry muttered, a hard edge slipping into her voice. “The pegasi are a proud tribe; they don’t like being reminded of their past failings.”

“I must admit, I didn’t think you’d back down,” he said. “I certainly appreciate your…” He looked down to the crumpled weapons on the floor. “Restraint."

"I'm not what you think I am, captain," she replied softly.

“What is this Mulberry Ridge she was talking about?” he asked. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“I expect you wouldn’t,” Flurry said. “You fleet types never did pay much attention to us ground pounders.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I must admit, I never quite believed it when your file said that you had enlisted in the Alliance infantry.”

“Best place I could do the most good,” she said. “I didn’t really fit in with how the Alliance fleet liked to do things.”

He gave a wry smile. “I can imagine. So you were there at Mulberry?”

Flurry felt a shudder pass through her as memories resurfaced. Bad memories. “Yeah, I was there.”

“What happened?”

“What do you think happened?” she snapped, her wings bristling as her temper flared. “We fought and a lot of good ponies died on both sides, just another pointless bloodbath amongst thousands. If you’re so interested in it, punch it up on your computer.”

Flurry let out an angry snort, though as quickly as it had come, a realization tempered her feelings. “I’m sorry. I forgot you fought in the war as well. Being an alicorn messes with your perception of time.”

He smiled softly. “I understand, I think.”

A reluctant sigh escaped from her muzzle as she recalled the event. “Our company was assigned to protect the ridgeline overlooking the local spaceport. The ridge was the lynchpin in the defense of Rosefall city and the Republic knew it. I was running air cover and medevac for the wounded at the time. Things were bleak, but we were holding our own.”

Flurry grimaced as the memories came flooding back. “And then the pegasi sent their infantry in.

“They just kept coming at us in waves, hundreds at a time, and we mowed them down over and over again. When the ammunition ran out, we fought them hoof to hoof with whatever we could find.” She swallowed, shaking her head. “By the end, over two thousand ponies were dead and my company had only twenty still standing.”

“Bloody ground,” Oakheart remarked solemnly.

“It’s where I picked up that damn nickname,” she muttered.

“Last Shadow?”

Flurry nodded, a sad smile playing on her lips. “It’s funny, for a while I kept the name, thought it was cool. I figured if they were afraid of me, they would stop trying to fight me.”

“And did it work?” Oakheart asked.

“No,” she said sadly. “Just painted a big target on my head. The more that came looking for glory, the more I had to kill.” She closed her eyes. “I felt like I was losing a part of myself to that name with every life I was forced to take.”

In her mind, she could see the mangled bodies of pegasi piled high beneath her blood-soaked hooves. She could still feel the pull of battle, the exhilarating feeling that no drink or drug could replicate.

Flurry shuddered, trying to shake off the sensation. “Wasn’t helped by the Alliance press proclaiming it all over the networks. I’m surprised you never heard of it.”

“My deployments meant I rarely had the time to catch much news, and even then, I barely paid much attention to them,” Oakheart replied, his gaze seeming distant. “We had our own battles to fight.”

“So, what now?” she asked, eager to change the subject.

“This could complicate things for us,” he pondered. “We’ll need their fighters if we’re going to pull this off, and the lieutenant made it abundantly clear that we’ll get no help from her. This will damage our chances.”

“Just what are blackwings doing on Harmony anyway? You know what they are, right?” she asked, feeling her anger return.

“Of course,” Oakheart snapped. “Believe me, Ms. Flurry, relying on slaves is not what Harmony stands for. The Director was furious when they arrived here from the Republic. Instead of trained military pilots, we received green youngsters serving a bunch of mercenaries.”

“Are you doing anything about it?”

“The Director is on Caelum right now, trying to get the situation straightened out,” he assured, though he seemed pensive. “Unfortunately, until it’s sorted, this is what we have to work with.”

“So let’s get down there and get things moving. Nyx doesn’t have time for any of this,” Flurry urged, trotting towards the door.

“Wait,” he called, trotting quickly to catch her. “The last thing we need is you going down there and stirring up more trouble.”

Her wings bristled. “Just take me to this Merry Weather, and I’ll have a word with him.”

Maybe break a few bones.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he said, standing between Flurry and the door. “This is Harmony business, so let me handle the negotiations with Merry Weather.”

“Negotiations,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Yes, negotiations,” Oakheart repeated. “The situation is delicate, and we do not need you barging in there and making demands.”

Flurry was surprised when she felt Oakheart's hoof on her shoulder.

“I know this is frustrating, believe me, but we have to be patient,” he said. “A confrontation is only going to slow things further, and delays are the last thing Captain Nyx needs right now.”

Whammy’s head bobbed to the side, making Flurry give him a narrow-eyed look.

Great, now they’re ganging up on me, she thought irritably.

“Okay, fine,” she said with a huff. “But this doesn’t help us with Swan Song.”

“I’m sure Merry Weather can find a replacement for her,” Oak suggested.”The other squadron leaders seem capable in her stead.”

“It’s not that simple,” she said with a shake of her head. “She’s the highest-ranking pilot, right?”

Oakheart nodded.

“That means she’s likely the head of their aerie as well,” Flurry surmised. “If we force her replacement, her fellow pilots will close ranks and you can forget them taking orders from you.”

Oakheart eyed her carefully. “You have a suggestion?”

“You deal with Merry Weather, and I’ll deal with Swan Song,” she said. “This is between me and her. If I do this alone, then it won’t reflect badly on you.”

Oakheart gave her a hard frown.

“Just to talk, I promise,” she assured. “Pegasus pride and duty aren’t enough to explain that kind of suicidal behavior, so I’ll need to get to the bottom of it.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Flurry looked to him with a sad smile. “Just a feeling.”

Oakheart gave her a quizzical look. “You continue to be full of surprises, Ms. Flurry.”

“I know pegasi, captain,” she said with a confident smile, fluffing her wings in emphasis. “They’re as much a part of my heritage as your tribe is. That, and I spent a few centuries in the Imperial Court of the Republic. I know how they think."

The earth pony pondered for a moment before nodding. “Good, we have a plan. I’ll contact Merry and get things moving. Before that, there is something we need to take care of.”

Oakheart opened the door and led her outside, where the two security ponies were regarding her anxiously.

“Where are we going?” Flurry asked as they made haste towards the elevators.

“To Security. In light of the information you provided, we need to discuss the situation with our security chief,” he replied.

“Great, a police station—just where I’d like to be right now,” she huffed.

“We won’t be there long,” he assured. “If we’re beefing up the escort for the Orion, I’d like some of our MAWS units to come along with us. Just in case she has been boarded and we need to clear unwanted guests.”

The doors to the elevator hissed open, and they quickly stepped inside.

“Good to hear,” she agreed as the elevator shuddered into motion. “How good are they? Syndicate mercs are no pushovers, you know.”

“We have some of the most well-trained personnel anywhere,” Oakheart replied.

“No offense, but they haven’t exactly impressed me so far,” Flurry grumbled.

“In their defence, alicorns aren’t exactly covered in basic training,” he said, eyeing her pointedly.

Flurry let out an awkward cough and looked away. She hadn’t exactly planned on having that confrontation. It had just kinda happened.

The whole situation was so frustrating. She just wanted to leave and find her cousin, and not be stuck here trying to curry favour. The scenario kept spinning about in her head, only to come crashing to the same irritating conclusion each time: she needed these ponies.

She looked back to Oakheart, who was tapping something on his holo-brace. She tried to gauge what was going on in his head. Deep down, that niggling distrust just wouldn’t go away. At any moment, he could turn on her and have the whole station come down on her head. Also, there was the question of what was to happen if they were successful. Just how long would their little truce last?

“I’ve been trying to contact Merry for the past few hours. Your arrival should have stirred him from that hovel he likes to wallow in,” Oakheart grumbled.

A ping interrupted his lament as the elevator doors slid open, revealing a surprisingly roomy foyer.

Flurry had seen her fair share of police stations over the years, and she found herself pleasantly surprised. Most colonial stations felt more like a military stockade, as opposed to a civic center that ponies would actually want to go to. Small trees lined the waiting area and several fountains filled the room with the gentle tinkle of running water. Several rows of chairs lined the foyer, all leading up to a wide desk where several receptionist golems stood, patiently waiting for the public. Above the main desk, hovered a glowing holographic sign, reading ‘Harmony Security’ along with the symbol she’d seen in Oakheart’s office.

Oak and Flurry quickly passed by the main desk and headed into the atrium beyond. It was far larger than she had been expecting, divided into several floors linked by elevator tubes. The thoroughfare was cluttered with equipment pallets surrounded by work ponies working around open floor panels.

The light chatter of a dozen different accents danced around the room. Flurry could make out a lot of them, but even she had trouble discerning them all. Thankfully, their passage had gone by mostly unnoticed, with only a few stopping to gawp at her as she passed.

Oakheart quickly led her out of the atrium and headed towards the central booking and processing area. Like the atrium, the corridors and interview rooms were mostly unfinished and still under construction. They eventually arrived at a large desk, mostly draped in plastic wrap, with a bored-looking unicorn stallion sitting behind it.

A pair of gruff earth ponies sat on benches nearby, their forelegs locked in hoofcuffs while they were being watched by an earth pony mare and pegasus stallion. The stallion had two rusks for a cutiemark, a rare sight amongst the blank flanks of the colonial ponies.

The pair straightened as Oak and Flurry approached, the mare’s eyes widening while the stallion had paled considerably.

“Check it out, Rusk, that’s Flurry Heart!” the mare gestured to her colleague.

“Not now, Ivy,” the pegasus replied, giving a stiff salute to Oakheart as they approached. “Sir, umm ma’am.”

“Detective Rusk,” Oakheart acknowledged, returning the salute. “Is the chief in his office?”

“Yes, sir, he’s been bouncing off the walls since…” the pegasus cringed, his eyes darting to Flurry. “Since our guest arrived.”

His companion stifled a chuckle, earning a glare from the pegasus.

“I’d best get to him before he hurts himself. Thank you, detective,” Oakheart said, giving him a salute before they continued on their way.

As they moved away, the mare burst into laughter. “You should have seen your face!”

“Oh shut up.”

Flurry chuckled to herself and looked to Oakheart. “You have many ponies from Equus here?”

“We’ve ponies from everywhere, though we’re thankful to have so many volunteers from Equus in the crew,” he replied.

Her brow furrowed. “The ponies of Equus have always been generous. Too bad the same can’t be said about their leaders.”

Oakheart wisely chose to stay silent and led her into the offices beyond. There were rows of desks, some with ponies busy tapping away at their terminals, though most were empty. Flurry couldn’t help but feel a hint of nostalgia at the smell of days-old coffee and doughnuts.

The good old days.

They passed by the rows, barely getting any acknowledgment from the busy ponies as they headed towards a closed-off area at the back of the room. The door was labeled ‘Chief Flintlock’ making Flurry pause.

“It couldn’t be…” she mused.

Oakheart opened the door, revealing a darkened room lined with security monitors, showing various locations around the station. Flurry’s eyes had to adjust to the lower light in the room before she could make out the figure sitting behind a desk.

“The moment I heard you arrived, I had a feeling you’d end up at my door,” a familiar voice called.

Flurry’s eyes widened as she stepped inside. “Flinty, is that you?”

“The one and only.”

Standing up from his desk was an older thestral in his late forties, his slate-grey coat and dark-grey mane now dulled with age and silvery hairs. He wore the same blue uniform as everypony else, only marked with a green stripe on his shoulders.

As he eyed her, a wide grin formed, revealing a set of vicious fangs that were a hallmark of his secretive tribe.

His face was weather-beaten and scarred in places, a lingering mark of his eventful life. One of his long ears had a nick cut out of it, and his leathery wings had a few holes in their membranes.

Even so, the warm amber of his eyes sparkled with the fire she always admired, those slitted pupils now wide with happiness.

Flurry didn’t say anything, she simply closed the distance and pulled the old bat pony into a bone-crunching hug.

“It’s good to see you’re still a master at causin’ trouble, you old firecracker,” he said with a laugh.

“Who are you calling old? You wrinkly coot,” Flurry said, finally releasing him from her hug.

Questions flooded her mind as she looked upon her friend—so many, she wasn’t sure where to start.

“And there’s Whammy,” Flint grinned, bopping the plushies eyes. “Wouldn’t be the same without him. Still trying to keep her out of trouble, I see?”

“Trying and failing,” Flurry chuckled. “He’s happy to see you too.”

The middle-aged thestral let out a laugh but was interrupted by Oakheart clearing his throat. He turned and straightened, giving the earth pony a salute. “Sorry, captain,” he said, giving an awkward cough. “Caught up in the moment.”

“Quite all right, Chief,” Oakheart said with a bemused smile. “Today has been a day for surprises. So how do you two know each other?”

“Oh, the princess and I go way back,” Flintlock said with an easy smile. “We served together during the war, Major Cornfield’s Reapers. Pulled my flank out of a lot of rough spots.”

Flurry let out a chuckle. “Only because you were such a hothead.”

“Just followin’ your lead, princess.”

“Well, this makes things easier,” Oakheart said. “Speaking of which, I’ve got a job for you, Chief.”

“I’ve been hearing rumours of some big op coming up,” Flint commented, his ears swivelling forward. “I assume it has got something to do with galaxy’s-most-wanted over here?”

“Somewhat. I need you to select twenty of your best, full weapons loadout. They’ll need to be EVA certified and prepped for zero-g combat. We have a possible assault and hostage rescue on our hooves,” Oakheart replied.

“Who are we going up against?”

“Syndicate, I think,” Flurry added quickly, earning an annoyed glance from Oak.

The grizzled thestral rubbed his chin, his frown creasing his brow. “That means changelings or mercs for sure. Numbers?”

“If they match the troop complement of an Elderberry class, a hundred, possibly one-fifty,” Oak stated. “Will that be a problem, Chief?”

Flintlock sat on his haunches. “My boys can handle mercs, but we have a problem. Our shuttles are currently being shipped over in pieces from the Hyperion.”

Flurry could see the gears turning in the old thestral’s head before he spoke. “You’re still flying the Dream, right?”

“Of course,” she replied.

“Great! Problem solved. Feel like jumping some ground pounders across space?” Flint suggested.

“I think I can manage that,” Flurry said with a grin.

Oakheart frowned and slowly rubbed his temples, an exasperated grumble dying in his throat.

“Come on, captain,” she insisted. “My ship is right here. I know you’ve been trying to figure out what to do with me. This is it.”

“I’ve got ponies with experience of operating from the Dream. And she’s a damn sight better than anything we’ll get from the Alliance,” Flint added.

Oakheart let out a resigned sigh, like a father being persuaded by his children to go to a theme park. “Okay, fine.”

“Great! Just like old times,” Flurry grinned, fluffing her wings.

“On one condition,” Oakheart said, bringing her enthusiasm crashing to a halt.

“Call it the price of admission,” he said, allowing her to exit the door before him.

This doesn’t sound good at all.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

“No,” Flurry said flatly, her voice echoing in the vast empty space of the hangar.

“If you want to come on this mission, then you’re going to have to,” Oakheart replied coolly.

Behind him, a crew of technicians and golems waited anxiously like a flock of vultures looking for their next meal. They all shied away and tried to hide behind Oak as Flurry’s angry gaze fell upon them.

“We’re wasting enough time already, and you want to dismantle my ship!” she yelled before taking a calming breath. She then rubbed her temples, stifling the mother of all tirades. “Look, I think I’ve been extremely patient with the way you do things here. But this is too much.”

“Just a quick service,” Oakheart assured. “While we’re waiting for Merry Weather to respond, we might as well make the best use of our time. Merry Weather is deliberately dragging his hooves to make us act rashly, so any mistake will cost us in the long run. Once we have his cooperation, we will have to move fast, and I don’t want your ship impeding that.”

“The Dream is ready to go whenever you are.”

“I don’t like unknowns,” he said, holding her gaze. “And you and your ship are a cornucopia of unknowns to me. If you’re going to come with us, I want to be sure your ship isn’t going to be a liability.”

“The Dream is perfectly fine, peak efficiency,” she huffed. “It doesn’t need your ponies putting their hoofmarks all over it.”

“You’ll forgive me if I’m a bit skeptical,” he retorted.

His eyes drifted to the long line of frayed tether cable, trailing along the deck and up to the broken remains of the Dream’s harpoon launcher.

Flurry scowled, letting out an unladylike grumble, not helped by Whammy’s mirth over the situation. The plushie’s googly eyes hadn’t stopped moving since they got here.

“This isn’t funny, Whammy,” she hissed.

Oakheart’s eyebrow raised as he looked to the plushie before shaking his confusion off.

“I’m not asking for this out of spite, Ms. Flurry,” he said. “My crew’s lives are important to me. If I’m sending them into combat, I want to give them the best I can offer. Their safety is paramount, as is yours.”

His voice carried an earnestness that only served to irritate Flurry further, mostly because she knew that he was right. If their roles had been reversed, she wouldn’t want a ship that she couldn’t rely on, flying with her into a combat situation. That had bitten her in the flank too many times in the past, and she wasn’t inclined for a repeat.

“Alright, fine,” she conceded with a sigh. “You win. Just give her a buff and polish would ya?”

Ambrosia is going to kill me. The thought of the changeling’s reaction made her cringe.

“Great. Now if you would, please?” he said, gesturing to the thaumatic field currently enveloping the Fleeting Dream. “My crew chief would appreciate being able to work without being electrocuted.”

Flurry gave him a dirty look before turning to her holo-brace. “Retract defensive measures.”

“Affirmative, defensive measures have ceased,” came the reply, and the field enshrouding the Dream fizzled away, leaving the ship naked and vulnerable.

“Alright, let’s get a look at this baby!” an older, grizzled pegasus yelled from behind her, striding purposefully forward towards the ship. His boldness seemed to encourage the other service ponies, and several rushed forward to join their comrade.

Flurry couldn’t help but feel an anxiety grip her heart as the crew chief fluttered onto the Dream’s starboard wing. These were strangers, after all, and she didn’t like the idea of them picking over her baby’s hull, looking for faults. She resisted the urge to hover over the work ponies and manage them herself.

“Can you tell them to be careful with her,” Flurry asked, feeling heat rush to her cheeks at the quietness in her voice.

Oakheart gave her an amused smile. “I wouldn’t worry, Chief Ratchet is one of the best. He’ll treat your ship with the utmost care.”

A loud clang from above one of the Dream’s wings made Flurry wince, and she gave a sheepish pegasus technician a death glare.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Twenty minutes later, Flurry peered anxiously towards Oakheart and Chief Ratchet as the pegasus delivered his report. They were standing close to one of the Dream’s landing legs, far enough away that she couldn’t hear them. She felt like a parent, waiting for the doctor to be finished talking about her foal.

Oakheart’s expression was a deep frown, which only added to her anxiety. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was anxious at all, Oakheart’s concerns, while valid, did not really affect her participation. She could leave any time she wanted, simply go to Nyx and fight it out with her. The fact was, she had made a promise—a commitment to help these ponies get to the Orion.

Flurry shook her head at the thought. The idea of relying on other ponies once again felt strange to her. In her mind, she kept going over possible tricks or traps they might be planning against her. Even now, she was imagining Ratchet’s ponies sabotaging her ship or planting something to screw her over.

She shuddered and tried to dismiss these feelings. If they were going into combat together, she was going to have to trust these ponies implicitly. They would be relying on her as much as she was on them.

Flurry hadn’t had this feeling since the war.

Within minutes of Oakheart’s little gang of vultures descending upon the Dream, Flintlock arrived, approaching the quite-anxious Flurry. She briefly wondered if Oak had deliberately sent him here to keep her from interfering with the maintenance effort.

“Don’t worry, princess,” Flintlock said, giving her a pat on her shoulder. “The captain is a good stallion; he won’t let you down.”

Flurry gave an exaggerated shrug, putting on a flippant tone. “Pffft, why would I care about what he thinks? He's got a stick so far up his ass, I'm surprised he doesn't need someone to work it so he can speak.”

Flint chuckled. “Deny it all you want, but he’s impressed you, I can tell.”

She felt a little heat creep into her cheeks. “He’s certainly different from the other officers I’ve run into lately.”

“You’ll find he’s not your average Alliance officer—that stick has got some play in it,” Flintlock said before his expression hardened. “Speaking of, what happened to you? Last I heard, you punched out an admiral and went AWOL.”

Her ears flattened as she looked away from him. “Bombing civilians in their homes didn’t exactly sit well with me.”

“Right,” he said slowly. “So that made you decide to become the galaxy’s most-wanted?”

“It helped a bit in that regard, yeah,” she replied with a sly smile, which faded as she noticed his sad expression. She looked away again, shaking her head. “I couldn’t put my faith in the Alliance anymore, or anypony for that matter. Everything was just so broken.”

He stayed quiet, a soft frown on his face that made her feel uncomfortable.

“So, what about you? How did you end up here?” she asked, eager to change the subject.

Flint took the hint and let out a sigh. “Me? I’ve always been a cop, even before the war. It’s all I know. This place seemed like a fresh start, away from all the crap going on in the core worlds.”

He straightened. “Besides, I like the idea of this place. Ponies working together for something greater—it’s a nice dream.”

“You always were a romantic,” she chuckled. “Speaking of, are you still together with Peanut?”

He gave a proud smile. “Still going strong, we had our fifth foal a year ago.”

“Five now!?” she exclaimed with a grin. “I’m happy for you, my friend.”

“Thanks, if you hang around long enough, maybe I can introduce you.”

“I’d like that.”

He smiled at her before his attention was drawn away. “Ah, here come our reinforcements.”

Flurry turned to a troop of burly earth ponies and zebra's arriving on a cargo elevator. They were standing around a large trolley loaded with body armour, weapons, and other gear. It was an odd mixture of old hardened veterans, with stares that could cut through steel, and young recruits that followed behind them like a trail of ducklings. She frowned as she saw a kirin mare amongst them, a rare sight out here.

“Princess, I’d like to introduce you to Harmony’s Magic and Weapons Squad,” Flint said, gesturing to the gathered ponies.

“Is that who I think it is?” the kirin asked, but was soon hushed by the others.

They all gathered in a line before the thestral, stomping a hoof to attention as they did so.

“Alright, fillies and colts, listen up! I know some of you are itching for some excitement, and it looks like you got your wish!” Flintlock announced. “We have a potential pirate invasion on our hooves, so I want to see your game faces for this one.”

There were uncertain murmurs from the gathered squad.

“Finally, some action!” the kirin exclaimed with a hoof pump.

“Shh,” somepony said.

“This might involve some EVA work, which is why Princess Flurry Heart has generously offered her ship to haul your sorry flanks there and back,” Flint said.

“Ummm, sir, aren’t we supposed to be arresting her?” came a timid voice from one of the younger recruits.

“The princess is a guest of Harmony for this operation, so I want you all to be on your best behaviour while you’re aboard her ship,” he said. “I’m looking at you, Fire Hawk.”

“What did I do?!” the kirin exclaimed.

“What didn’t you do,” an earth pony mare chided, earning chuckles from the others.

“All right, that’s enough,” Flint ordered. “Let’s get this equipment stowed, no lollygagging!”

“Or I’ll set Whammy on you,” Flurry warned, with a vicious grin. “He loves fresh pony.”

They all swallowed nervously, the younger marines paling visibly as they came to their own conclusions on what ‘Whammy’ was.

Flintlock cast a glance to her, concealing his obvious mirth before looking to his squads. “Let’s get to work! Now, princess, would you do the honours?”

Flurry grinned and tapped on her holo-brace.

With a slight groan, the loading ramp of the Dream slid open. At that moment, she was glad Whammy had gotten her to move those cargo crates somewhere out of sight. That would have been super awkward.

“Alright, I want this gear prepped within the hour,” Flintlock barked. “You’ll be getting your briefing in transit, understood?”

“Yes sir!” they roared in response, their shout echoing through the hangar bay.

“Good, now get to it!”

“Oh, and try to keep to the cargo bay. Whammy gets cranky if strangers go wandering around,” Flurry warned, managing to keep a straight face as she did so. “I wouldn’t want any of you disappearing on your first trip aboard the Dream.”

Even the older ponies gave an earnest nod at the warning, which only added to her high spirits. It brought her a feeling of nostalgia as she watched them work—the banter that went between them, good-natured insults, and Flintlock at the heart of it all.

“You enjoyed that,” Flintlock said, once he was out of earshot of his squad.

“Give a girl her pleasures,” Flurry said with a wink.

They both caught Oakheart coming towards them and straightened. He wore a heavy frown on his face as he approached, his tail flicking slightly as he walked. Flurry was beginning to wonder if that frown was a permanent feature or simply a reaction to her presence. Either way, it brought a small smile to her face.

“Are we good?” she asked.

“So it would seem. Despite appearances, your ship is in adequate condition for our needs,” he said.

Adequate? I’m going to have words with that mechanic, she silently fumed.

“I’ve ordered Chief Ratchet to do as much as he can in the time we have to fix any issues he’s found,” he continued. “A bit of a rush job, but we’re short on time.”

“So, are there any more conditions I need to be aware of?” she asked warily.

“None,” Oakheart said flatly. “Making sure your ship was ready for the mission was the priority.”

Flurry blinked, feeling a little out of sorts by his answer. She had been expecting some more strings attached to this ‘help’ but none were forthcoming. “Thanks, I guess, but why the sour face? I thought you’d be happy things were going to plan.”

“Lord Merry Weather has finally deigned to grant me an audience,” he said, his expression souring further. “And Lieutenant Swan Song is with him.”

“Then I’m coming with you,” she said. “They’re already together, so there’s no point in us splitting up.”

“I’d still prefer you wait here until I’ve given my proposal to Merry Weather,” he replied firmly. “Remember, you didn’t want to rock the boat, making it look like we’re working together.”

Flurry let out an indignant snort. “They already know I’m here, captain. If they see I’m not out to spill blood, it might calm things down.”

“Or make things worse.”

“It’s a little late for that, captain. If I can get a chance to talk to Swan in private, I might be able to get to the root of her attitude and get the mission back on track. You need to trust me,” she said, giving him a pointed look.

He let out a heavy sigh. “I see your point. But you follow my lead in there. You’re just an observer.”

“Then lead the way, captain,” she said with a grin.

“I’ll go and get the riot gear,” Flintlock remarked with a grimace.

Oakheart gave him a hard look. “Don’t joke about that.”

“Who said I was joking?”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The goblet of wine slammed into Swan Song’s head before skidding across the floor of Merry Weather’s court.

She had just finished recounting her encounter with Flurry Heart, and Merry Weather had sat there like a kettle slowly building up steam.

His reaction was predictable.

“Incompetents!” the stallion roared, his wings flaring as he rose up to stand on his cloud. The mares at his hooves shrank in fear as the stallion raged.

Swan Song knelt low, her wings outstretched, staring at the floor and trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her skull. The cherry-scented wine trickled down her mane and face, blurring her vision and burning in her eyes.

“You! You come skulking back here with your tails between your legs?!” Merry Weather snorted. “All that bravado that you’d take her or die trying, and you ended up being just as cowardly as the rest of your filthy, traitorous family!”

Swan clenched her teeth and fought back the anger building in her gut.

“My lord,” Blitz said from beside her. “There was nothing the lieutenant could have done. Last Shadow was just too strong. She subdued us both as well as the security detail guarding her before they could even get a shot off.”

Swan cringed at the memory of it, shame twisting like a tendril inside her. That abomination in the guise of a pony, the light rippling from that monstrous horn on her head, that fierce anger burning in those opal eyes. She could have killed them all in an instant if she had wanted to.

Her thoughts had raged like a storm-tossed sea as they limped back to report their encounter. Even now, with Merry Weather’s wrath hovering over her, the question lingered in her mind.

Why? When you killed so many others. Why let me live?

“Be silent, welp,” Merry snorted before sending a silent order to Blitz’s enchantment, triggering a jolt of electricity that erupted from his wings. Blitz cried out, writhing in agony for a few seconds before Merry relented.

Blitz lay crumpled on the ground, the stench of ozone wafting up from his twitching body. He then struggled to his hooves and knelt before their tormentor once more.

“Please, my lord,” Swan begged, raising her head to look Merry in the eye. “We had no choice. Flurry Heart was a guest of Harmony. I… I tried to convince them, but they wouldn’t listen to me. I was only thinking—”

Merry Weather raised a hoof to silence her.

“Tell me something, my dear,” Merry Weather began, his eyes like a hawk that had just spotted a rabbit. “Have I not been lenient with you? Did I not raise you above the filth I found you in? Brought you above your station as one of my most trusted lieutenants?”

Her ears flattened and she looked away. “Yes, my lord.”

“Did I not love you?”

You don’t love anypony but yourself, she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. You don’t even know what love is!

“Yes, my lord,” she said simply.

He hopped down from his cloud and moved swiftly to her, slapping a hoof across her face in one swift motion. She fell to the floor and could only look up at him as he loomed over her.

“Then why do you seek to shame me?! You are a pegasus of the Republic, my property! You chose the dirt ponies and horn heads over your vows to the Emperor!” he hissed.

“No! I—”

She felt her cheek swelling, and her eyes swam with tears as she tried to regain her posture. Then, a hoof savagely slammed into her gut, knocking the wind out of her and sending her sprawling onto the deck. As she struggled to her hooves, Merry pressed down on her back, grinding the edge of his hoof into the tender flesh between her wings.

Blitz made a move to stop him, but she met his gaze and she mouthed a ‘no’ through clenched teeth. His eyes pleaded silently at her, his ears alert and his weary body tensing to leap to her defence.

No. This was her mistake and her punishment. She wouldn’t let him get himself hurt on her behalf.

Swan held his gaze until he relented, his body sinking to the ground with a desperate snort.

She managed to give him a small nod of thanks.

“You blackwings are all the same. You won’t even die when you’re supposed to,” Merry continued, pressing his hoof down before trotting back to his cloud. He wiped his hoof on the robes of one of his attendants before letting out a heavy sigh. “And now I have that dirt pony coming here to foul this place with his filthy peasant stench.”

He paced from side to side for a moment, his wings fluttering as he pondered.

Then, to her surprise, Merry Weather began to laugh. “Still, you did bring me a particularly delicious piece of information. The Orion, eh?” His voice drifted off for a moment before he smiled. “Perhaps I can salvage something from this debacle after all.”

Curse her heart for allowing a tiny sliver of hope to enter her mind. Perhaps she and Blitz could still get out of this somehow.

“But that still leaves the question of your failure, my dear,” he said, looking to her. “This simply cannot go unpunished. What kind of message would it send to the others of my aerie?”

Her ears flattened as that tiny spark of hope was snuffed out. “I will accept any punishment you deem necessary, my lord. All I ask is that you spare my wingmate, as he was only obeying my orders.”

Merry smiled softly. “In honour of your service, I will grant your request, my dear.” He then turned to Blitz. “You may go.”

“May I remain here and wait for my flight leader, my lord?” Blitz asked.

A sinister glint flashed in Merry’s eye and his smile widened. “You may, as it is not a proper punishment without an audience. The same goes for the rest of you blackwing filth.”

There were a few chuckles from his cronies, many of whom were gathering to watch the spectacle like vultures over a carcass.

He cleared his throat. “Lieutenant Swan Song, for the crime of cowardice in the face of the enemy, I hereby strip you of your rank and the privileges bestowed upon you. Your flight status has been revoked, you will no longer hold any position within the aerie, nor will they associate with you. Your shame will add to that of your traitorous line.”

Swan Song’s eyes widened in horror, and she staggered to her hooves. She felt like somepony had just torn her wings off.

There were audible gasps from a few of Merry’s servants, though these were quickly silenced.

Merry smiled, looking to Blitz. “Consider this a promotion.”

In a daze, Swan staggered forward towards Merry. “Please, my lord. I can still fight. Don’t… don’t take my aerie from me.”

She knew it was a mistake. Appealing to this pony’s better nature was impossible.

Merry’s eyes narrowed. “A soldier who cannot die when commanded to is useless to me. Useless things get replaced.”

He stepped forward, tilting her head with the tip of an extended wing. “And your aerie? They are mine to do with as I please.” He let out a sad sigh. “It seems I have indulged you too much. I fear a lesson is required, so I impress on you my disappointment.”

He pulled his wing away, and with the slightest movement, activated the enchantment in her wings.

Pain blossomed from every muscle as electricity pulsed through her body. She screamed in agony, falling to the floor and writhing in pain while everypony watched.

Merry had a terrible look of euphoria on his face, his eyes half-closed as he watched. It was the same expression he wore when she had first entered his service. Her age had not stopped him then, and nothing was stopping him now.

Swan caught laughter over the crackle of the enchantment as grinning faces spun around her in a dizzying blur of motion. Nopony stopped him, why would they? The ponies of her aerie knew better than to resist by now.

She wasn’t sure how long he chose to torment her, probably only a minute or so, before the agony ceased.

Swan lay there, gasping for breath, her muscles still painfully clenched and the stench of scorched fur now permeating the room.

Merry then knelt down, reaching a foreleg to her and gently stroked her mane. “Do not fear, my little Swan. I will not abandon you,” he whispered, almost lovingly into her ear. “Things will be like they were before. You will be my toy once again. Oh, the fun we’ll have together! We will make these dreary corridors sing with your cries of passion!”

His eyes shone with dark intent as his wicked imagination ran ahead of itself.

Her body wouldn’t obey. She wanted to struggle, to run, to do something. Instead, she just lay still, trying to shut out his presence.

“I’m surprised I hadn’t thought of this sooner,” he purred. “You always were my favourite. Honestly, you were wasted as a pilot, especially when you have so many wonderful attributes.”

He rose to his hooves once more, looking to Blitz. “You, whatever your name is, get her out of my sight. I will attend to her later. And somepony do something about this smell! I want things to be perfect when the dirt pony comes to visit.”

Swan tried to get to her hooves, but her muscles refused to cooperate and ached from the exertion. She let out a frustrated snort at her wobbling legs as she tried and failed to even sit up straight.

Suddenly, she felt something grasp her, and she tried to struggle away.

“It’s okay, Swan, it’s me, it’s Blitz. I’ve got you,” he said softly.

She swallowed and tried to speak, but no words came forth as he hefted her onto his back.

As she lay draped across his back, Blitz barged past the crowd that had gathered. Their sniggers and backhoofed comments blended into a terrible drone. Outlines of ponies merged into a confusing blur. The only thing she had that she could trust was the sensation of Blitz’s soft fur.

Her grip tightened on him.

Swan felt a terrible hollowness form inside her like her guts had been torn from her body, leaving an empty, broken shell. Tears blurred her eyes, but she would not give them the satisfaction of letting them fall.

They were halfway down the corridor outside when the dam she was so desperately shoring up began to crumble. A tiny sob escaped her lips as her last emotional bulwark fell and she wept.

Chapter 7 - The Enemy of my Enemy

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The corridors leading towards the flight bays had been decorated in a gaudy attempt to show off somepony’s money. Fine silk sashes and tacky paintings adorned the walls in golden ornamental frames. Flurry found herself surprised that somepony hadn’t yet wallpapered over the very bulkheads themselves.

Murmurs followed behind every hoofstep as Flurry and Oakheart trotted towards Merry Weather’s sanctum. It had begun the moment they had stepped off the elevator, following their steps like the buzz of an angry swarm of bees.

The pegasi had come in ones and twos, and soon the crowd began to swell as ponies came from everywhere. The crowd seemed to be a cross-section of station staff, pilots, officers, and ground crew all milling together, whispering amongst themselves.

As Flurry and Oakheart walked, she regarded the stallion carefully, trying to gauge what his thoughts were as they made their way towards the lion’s den. She had to admit, he had quite the poker-face, his expression betraying nothing of any possible concern. His posture and body language were calm and confident, exuding an aura that radiated off him and into the surrounding crowd.

Flurry wasn’t sure if it was her presence or the stallion’s assured confidence, but the mob of pegasi parted for them as they walked. It was quite a sight to see the fearful and angry crowd quail before him, parting like a wave off the bow of a ship.

The crowd ebbed and flowed as more ponies tried to get a look at what was going on. They mostly kept their distance, ears flattened, their jet-black wings trembling at their sides. A few braver souls stood at the head of the mob, wings flared and heads lowered like they were facing down a manticore in their midst.

As Flurry walked, she caught a flitter of angry and frightened whispers darting between the mob in hushed voices, lest they draw the attention of the monster that walked amongst them.

Her eyes swept through the gathered pegasi, searching for the familiar cream coat of Swan Song. She expected the fiery young pegasus to come barging through the crowd like a rampaging minotaur to get up in her face again, but she was nowhere to be seen. It meant Swan was either waiting for them at her lordship’s side or was off making plans to carry through her threat, neither of which would be good for Nyx’s rescue mission.

Swan Song. The name felt familiar to Flurry, yet she couldn’t place where she had heard it before. She had never met Swan Song before now, but the Song name resonated with her for some reason. It was frustrating, like hearing a tune but not knowing its name.

They eventually neared a pressure door labelled ‘Officer’s Mess’ emblazoned with the Republic seal as well as other decorations.

This Merry Weather is definitely a noble of some sort. A career soldier wouldn’t have bothered making the effort, Flurry pondered.

Oakheart paused and tapped his holo-brace. “Chief, do you read me?”

“Loud and clear, sir,” Flintlock’s voice buzzed from the brace. “Everything okay?”

“So far. We’re about to enter Merry Weather’s… sanctum,” he said with a hint of displeasure in his voice.

“I copy. Any trouble, just give two taps on the comms and we’ll be there.”

“Copy that, chief,” Oakheart replied.

“Good luck.”

Oakheart turned to Flurry, his expression hardening. “Remember to follow my lead in there, understood?”

“This is your show, captain,” she replied, flicking her tail impatiently. “Let’s get this done so we’re not wasting any more time.”

“Remember, I’ve stuck my neck out for you. Try and exceed my expectations by not making this whole situation blow up in our faces,” he warned.

“Captain, I am known for my measured response to situations,” she replied with a shrug.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he said, ignoring her sarcasm and straightening his uniform.

The door slid open, and she was confronted by a waft of air carrying a scent that reminded her of a brothel rather than a military office. Sweat, booze, and incense all mixed together in a pungent stench that made her want to gag.

As she and Oakheart stepped inside, they were confronted by more pegasi that lined each side of the room. Also present were Merry Weather’s little gang of lackeys, made obvious by their more ostentatious attire. Beside them stood more young blackwings, their heads lowered as they held trays of drinks and hors d’oeuvres out for the fat pigs to gorge themselves on. Flurry had seen enough of this in the Imperial Court of Caelum. It sickened her there, and it wasn’t doing her impression of them any favours here.

Flurry quickly scanned the crowd for Swan and was surprised to see she wasn’t here either. Oakheart had said that the mare was here with her master. As head of the aerie, it made sense she would have been here to confront a threat. So where was she?

This whole situation was getting on Flurry’s nerves. You would have thought that after swearing to kill a pony, Swan would have had the decency to show up when said pony came knocking on their door.

At the end of the room was the pony she assumed was Merry Weather, perched on his expensive cloud chair. The stallion was wearing a rich red coat with a high collar that strained against his bloated belly. He had a mop of thinning, greasy, blonde mane and plump cheeks. As they approached, he grinned like a seagull that had just eaten your ice cream at the beach.

“Ah, Captain Oakheart with the infamous Last Shadow in tow,” the stallion greeted, waving away the assortment of attractive mares at his hooves. “My dear, rumours of your beauty don’t do you justice.”

He licked his lips as his eyes slithered over every inch of her body. “Mmm yes, very nice indeed.” The stallion’s eyes glazed over slightly, his smile becoming dreamy.

Flurry glared at the pegasus, hoping the purulent blob would catch fire by sheer will alone. Her wings bristled at her sides as cold fury coursed through her veins. It took all her willpower to resist the urge to punch him through the bulkhead.

Merry blinked out of his stupor. “Where are my manners? Would you like some refreshments?”

With a flick of his wings, a stallion stepped forward with a tray resting on his back, bearing silver goblets loaded with a cherry-scented wine. Both Oak and Flurry shook their heads at the offering.

“Mr. Merry Weather—” Oakheart began.

“Lord Merry Weather,” he corrected. “Let us not forget ourselves, captain.”

Oakheart’s jaw clenched by a tiny, almost imperceptible amount. “Lord Merry Weather, I trust you are aware of the reasons for this meeting?”

Merry leaned back in his cloud. “Something about you requiring the use of my aerie and carrier for a rescue mission?”

“Yes, the Orion has encountered a hostile force en route here and requires assistance,” Oakheart said. “Time is critical, Lord Merry Weather, as there are hundreds of lives at risk aboard the Orion.”

“I fail to see why I should risk my precious ships on a matter that is, frankly, none of my business,” Merry Weather replied with disinterest. “I have been contracted to protect Harmony, not participate in operations outside the Avalon system. I apologise—my heart goes out to those poor souls, it really does, but I must think of the safety of my aerie.”

He tried to sound sympathetic, but the sarcasm in his voice was palpable. Flurry snorted and took a step forward, the movement enough to make several present recoil backwards.

How dare he dismiss Nyx’s plight like it was somepony else’s problem! If he wasn’t going to help willingly…

Flurry felt something block her foreleg and saw Oak’s own foreleg there. She looked to him incredulously but was met with a calm, wordless nod. The gentle pressure on her foreleg assured her of his feelings on the matter. As much as her emotions were screaming to intervene, she reminded herself that she was just an observer in all this. With resignation, she stepped backwards.

“My my, captain, I am impressed! It seems the wild alicorn can be tamed after all. You must tell me your secret!” Merry laughed.

“Lord Merry, this is no laughing matter,” Oakheart said, his voice carrying a harder tone. “I need your ships to conduct this mission, and you are going to give them to me. Under the Harmony Initiative, which your Emperor signed, you are obligated to provide aid when it is required.”

“Don’t take that tone with me, captain. I was only ordered to defend the Avalon system, and I will not disobey my Emperor,” Merry retorted before taking on a more pleasant tone. “Now, if there is a misunderstanding, you may contact my government and we can get this sorry mess straightened out.”

Oakheart remained silent. They both knew any response would be days in coming, Republic bureaucracy being what it was.

“Why don’t you ask your dirt—” Merry caught himself, to the mirth of those gathered. “Forgive me, your Alliance friends for help? I’m sure they can be of assistance.”

Merry’s voice dripped insincerity, his eyes glinting with delight. He had them both on a string and he was just waiting to reel them in.

“The Alliance won’t be providing any assistance,” Oakheart stated flatly.

“That is a pity, but expected. Your Alliance has never been the most forthcoming when offering aid,” Merry said, his eyes turning to Flurry. “Of course, I could offer my help… for a price.”

Flurry looked to Oakheart, waiting for silent permission to begin her version of diplomacy, but none came.

“Has the Republic fallen so far that you won’t aid other ponies without the promise of a reward?” Oakheart sighed.

“Honour is well and good, but there are realities we must face. You of all ponies know this, captain,” Merry replied matter-of-factly. “Pilots can be replaced, but my ships? I need guarantees.”

Flurry swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat, her tail flicking unconsciously. Merry was a typical noble alright, putting self-interest before the lives of his ponies.

“The Director has authorised me to offer some generous incentives for your help,” Oakheart assured. “Political as well as monetary.”

The thought of dangling rewards in front of this fool like a carrot turned Flurry’s stomach, but if it was necessary in order to save Nyx, any sacrifice would be worth it.

Merry scratched his chin and leaned forward. “Oh, I was thinking of something a little more substantial.” His gaze turned to Flurry as he licked his lips, pointing one of his wings. “I want her, Last Shadow, to become one of my blackwings.”

“This is a joke, right?” Flurry bristled. “If you think I’m going to—”

“Lord Merry Weather, I suggest you take this situation more seriously,” Oakheart interrupted, stepping between her and Merry.

“Oh, I am deadly serious, captain. She is an enemy of the Republic, and I have the opportunity to bring her to justice,” he said, flexing his wings as he climbed down from his cloud, which was about as graceful as watching a building collapse. “Her reckoning has been in arrears for far too long.”

His self-righteous bluster did not match the perverse elation in his eyes. He was clearly relishing the situation.

“You would risk my cousin’s life just to capture me?” Flurry growled, the obvious anger in her voice making Oakheart cast her a worried glance.

“Come now, Princess. You of all ponies must know that nothing in this world is free,” he grinned. “My reputation would be ruined if word got back that I consorted with an enemy of the Republic. This is my price.”

He trotted forward with a smirk, oblivious to the faint smell of ozone building in the air. As he neared Flurry, the smell of cheap cologne fogged her senses, nearly making her gag. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Don’t be concerned, my dear, I always treat my pets well, and you are the most exquisite specimen I have ever seen. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll positively beg for it.”

Flurry’s pupils shrank to pinpricks, her wings flaring open as rage swept over her like a brush fire.

“Lord Merry Weather—” Oakheart warned, but it was too late.

Her horn aglow, she wrapped her telekinetic grip around his throat, lifting him bodily into the air and slamming him against the wall. Blackwings and cronies were swept aside and scattered in terror as Flurry approached, oblivious to Oakheart’s pleas. Whammy bobbed frantically in step with her, but it was to no avail.

Merry flailed in her grip, gasping for air as her grasp tightened around his throat.

“Let me give you a new deal, you pompous slug. You give us what we need, or I take away your breathing privileges,” Flurry snarled, her voice deepening as powerful magic surged through her.

“Ms. Flurry,” Oakheart called, his calm voice cutting through her anger.

“No,” she snapped. “We don’t have time to waste on this scum. He dies and this all gets solved,” Her gripped tightened on him, making his eyes bulge as he reached for the invisible tendrils squeezing the life from him.

To her surprise, through his gasps, Merry Weather managed a chuckle. “Oh were… it… so easy,” he gasped.

She eased off slightly. “You have some final words? Your turn to beg, for a change?”

He gasped as a sliver of air returned to his lungs. “You think I’d have blackwings in my service without insurance?” He managed a smile. “My carrier’s drive system has a startup code. Without it, it’s not going anywhere.”

“Then give it to me.”

“Hmm, no, I don’t think so,” he said between coughs. “If you don’t put me down this instant, I’ll activate the enchantments of every blackwing on the station. You won’t get very far with everypony bleeding to death, will you?”

He would do it, of that she was certain. The sadistic glee in his eyes removed any shred of doubt as to his intentions.

“Ms. Flurry, I understand you’re angry, but this isn’t going to help Captain Nyx,” Oakheart said softly, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You gave me your word that you’d let me handle this. You want trust? Then trust me.”

Flurry looked to him for a moment, her emotions pulling her in multiple directions. The suspicious part of her was screaming at her to get out of there and cut her losses. Yet, if she backed out now, all the headway she’d made would be lost, and Nyx would be lost too.

She hissed out a breath and let her magic fizzle out, causing Merry to slump to the ground.

“So, you can be obedient with the right motivation,” Merry Weather chuckled, rubbing his throat. “This is going to be fun.”

She glowered at him, fighting the urge to stomp his head into paste. The judgemental weight of Whammy felt heavy on her shoulder, his impassive glare silently urging calm.

“I’m going to look for Swan Song,” she said quietly, taking a breath as she looked to Oakheart. “I’ll leave you to negotiate here.”

Oak let out a relieved sigh. “Very well.”

She looked down at Merry Weather, who was now being helped up by the mares of his little harem. Her anger cooled as she met their fearful eyes, revealing the desperation of one simply trying to get by from moment to moment.

“Aww, have you finished already?” Merry taunted. “And after such a spirited start.”

Once Nyx is safe, there is going to be a change in management around here, she swore silently to herself.

“Where is she?” Flurry asked, trying to keep her voice level.

“Oh, probably recovering from her punishment. She always has been such a delicate thing,” he grinned.

“What did you do?” Flurry hissed, anger creeping back into her voice.

“Oh, you’ll see.”

Her tail flicked dangerously, but she simply trotted towards the exit, quietly hoping one of Merry’s cretins would be stupid enough to try and stop her.

“Oh Flurry Heart,” Merry Weather called, making her bristle. “If you find my Swan, do be gentle with her. It would ruin the plans I have for us if you were to kill her.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flurry wandered directionless through the corridors of the pegasus habitation block.

Damn that stubborn mare for being so hard to find! Flurry didn’t have time to be wasting like this. Everypony she tried to ask had either bolted the moment she spoke or simply shunned her all together. Her mood was already shot after her encounter with that pudgy snake Merry Weather, and now, all this leg work wasn’t helping.

Whammy had chosen to sit still during her search. She really wasn’t in the mood for his preaching right now anyway, and besides, for once he didn’t have a leg to stand on.

That arrogant piece of shit, she seethed internally, the mere idea of surrendering herself to his attentions making her sick to her core.

Flurry checked the time on her holo-brace for what felt like the eighth time in as many minutes. She had been fruitlessly searching for only ten minutes, but every minute wasted was one she couldn’t use to help Nyx. She couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

Seeing no other direction to go, she followed the signs leading to the pilot locker rooms.

As she rounded a corner, she spotted another group of pegasi, this time in flight suits, gathered around a pony she recognised.

The stallion that accompanied Swan! What was his name?

From the looks of things, what he was telling them wasn’t good news. His expression was grim, a hard frown on his brow and his eyes saying that he’d rather be doing anything but this. Those gathered all had flattened their ears and a few had their wings drooped dejectedly down.

She would rather not wade into the group at a time like this, but she’d have to for any hope of finding Swan.

Okay, Flurry, happy face, she thought, putting on her best non-threatening smile.

“Ahem, excuse me, might I have a word?” she called, trotting forward.

The stallion’s head snapped up and his eyes narrowed. “You. You’ve got some nerve coming here, Last Shadow. Haven’t you done enough damage already?”

“What are you talking about? I barely touched you,” she retorted, ignoring the dirty looks from the gathered pilots. “I’m looking for Swan Song.”

He flared his wings, stomping forward. “As if I’d let you get anywhere near her. The only reason I don’t kick your sorry tail is that you’ve got the dirt ponies watching your back.”

“You tell her, Blitz!” a chocolate brown mare with a creamy mane added before facing Flurry herself. “Just leave her alone!” she added with attempted bravado, though her trembling wings made her hard to take seriously.

“Whoa whoa, back up,” Flurry said. “She was fine when she left Oakheart’s office.” She then winced. “Well, okay, not fine fine, but she wasn’t hurt. Has something happened?”

“Don’t pretend like you're concerned!” Blitz yelled, his companions glaring daggers at her.

Flurry eyed him carefully. Swan wasn’t hurt, so this was something else entirely. He was frustrated, as were the rest of them, and it wasn’t just because she was here.

“Listen, I have no idea what's going on, but I’m not here to hurt anypony,” she said, putting as much sincerity into her voice as she could. “I’m here because I need your help.”

He gave a bitter laugh. “You’ve done enough, Last Shadow. Just leave us alone.”

“Please, hear me out! You know about the crisis with the Orion, right? They are desperate for help, and I—I can’t help them by myself,” she admitted, her ears flattening. “Please, don’t let your hatred of me cost hundreds of innocent ponies their lives.”

Blitz hesitated before looking away. He paced for a moment then let out an exasperated groan, ruffling his mane. “Winds curse me, I… Fine! Say your piece.”

“Great,” she said, eager not to let this tiny nudge of headway slip by. “I need to speak with Swan. She’s the head of your aerie, right?”

“Was,” Blitz said.

“What?”

“She was the head of the aerie, but Lord Merry stripped her of her rank when she failed to take you down. He even ordered the aerie to turn its back on her,” he said with a snort.

Flurry blinked. Just what did Merry Weather expect when he sent only two ponies after her?

“I had a run-in with your lord, the pompous prick,” she muttered. “I assume you’re not going to follow his orders?”

Blitz smirked briefly. “I’ve never been good at taking orders. Swan is our leader; nopony is taking her from us.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“So will you take me to her?” Flurry asked. “What’s going on between us is going to jeopardize the rescue mission if we don’t deal with it right now. I’m just going to talk with her, I swear.”

Blitz eyed her carefully, his obvious mistrust weighing on his thoughts.

“Okay,” he sighed. “You’d best follow me, though. I can’t guarantee she’ll even see you.”

“Thank you,” Flurry replied softly.

“Hey,” he shrugged. “I don’t think we’d be enough to stop you even if we tried. At least this way, nopony gets hurt.”

His companions looked to him, and he gave them a nod. “I’ve got this. You three can get going.”

“No way, Blitz,” the chocolate brown mare said with a shake of her head. “We’re coming too.”

The other two nodded adamantly.

“You’ll get in trouble if his lordship finds out,” he warned.

“Like we care what that pig thinks!” one of the other ponies exclaimed. “Swan needs us now, and we’re not going to leave her alone with her.” She jabbed a hoof in Flurry’s direction.

I’m right here, you know, Flurry groused internally.

Blitz shook his head. “You idiots. Alright, let’s go.” He then looked to Flurry. “Follow me.”

They trotted briskly, heading away from the habitation block and deeper into the station.

“Aren’t we going to her quarters?” she asked with a frown.

“We are,” Blitz replied simply.

“Right…”

They led her further into the bowels of the hangars, filled with warehouses and storerooms. A few roughly painted signs adorning the walls hinted at signs of civilisation where none should be. A laundry line had been strung across the wide corridor between two entranceways, and the odour of cooking food hung in the air.

As they walked, Flurry’s ears caught the chatter of ponies coming from within the open doors of warehouses. It all hushed as they passed, the hatches closing behind them as they walked by.

Looking at the squalor that these poor ponies lived in only served to infuriate Flurry further.

That asshole couldn’t even be bothered to give them decent quarters? she thought. The list of painful things she was going to do to Merry grew by the second.

No pony said a word as they walked, though Flurry could hear the slight tremble in their breath with every step.

“Swan is fortunate to have such loyal ponies,” Flurry commented, growing tired of the silence. “I can tell she means a lot to you.”

Blitz eyed her suspiciously.

“What? I’m just making conversation,” Flurry said. “If I’m going to be flying with you, I’d like to at least know your aerie’s dynamic.”

“She’s… always been there for us. Especially the younger members of our aerie,” he replied with a sigh. “In case you haven’t noticed, our lord has certain tastes that make life hard for newcomers.”

Flurry let out a sad sigh. “How long have you known her?”

“We met at flight school,” he replied, wincing slightly. “A load of us newly branded fledglings were tossed out of our homes and into training. Despite carrying the weight of these wings, Swan stood up for us, encouraging us when nopony would.” He smiled despite himself. “That damned pride of hers, she never let anypony fall behind.”

His expression softened, his gaze becoming distant. Flurry’s practiced eye caught a few flickers of something else in those eyes—a warmth that told her this was more than mere respect for a friend.

As he noticed she was staring at him, his cheeks reddened and he looked away.
Flurry chose to remain silent on this little revelation as they neared their destination—a dreary looking door with what looked to be a hoof-drawn symbol of the Republic taped to it. A sad smile played on her muzzle as she looked at it. Even when they had nothing, they still wanted to show they were loyal soldiers of the Republic. Pegasus pride at its finest.

“Here we are,” Blitz said, swallowing.

“You take the lead and I’ll follow,” Flurry offered.

He gave her a nod before turning to his companions. “It’s best you wait here so we don’t crowd her.”

“Okay, Blitz. We’ll be here if you need us,” the chocolate-coloured mare said, giving Flurry the stink-eye.

“You won’t have any trouble from me,” Flurry said. “I swear by the Winds.”

The mare blinked, taken a bit aback. “R-right.”

The door slid open and Blitz gave his companions a solemn nod before stepping inside.

Flurry had to stoop as she followed, the ceiling not being quite tall enough for her increased stature. Inside were rows of collapsible bunk beds arrayed in a line. A set of hooflockers lay beside each, marked with its owner’s personal touches of stickers and scrawls. A pair of fluorescent lights hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in a harsh light. How anypony was expected to sleep in here was hard to imagine.

The air was humid, and the thick aroma of sweat and drying clothes hung in the air like a cloying fog. Given the state of her room back on the Dream, at least that was familiar. Still, Flurry would have expected something like this from a temporary billet, not a permanent posting.

Her ears perked as she heard sniffling from the far end of the room,

“Swan, it’s me,” Blitz called. “There’s somepony that needs to talk to you.”

There was a shift in a mass of blankets, then a face peered up from the furthest bunk. Swan Song looked terrible, her coat and mane a sodden mess and her eyes puffy and moist. A fresh bruise had blossomed on her face, and others dotted her body. To see that fiery pegasus brought so low hit Flurry harder than she expected.

Swan’s eyes widened, but her movements were slow and listless. “What’s she doing here, Blitz?” There was a tiny spark of anger in her voice, but it was the only sign of emotion from the pegasus.

Blitz went to speak, but Flurry held out a forehoof, shaking her head.

“I made him bring me here,” Flurry said. “You and I need to talk.”

“Have you come just to rub it in my face? See the uppity blackwing be put in her place?” Swan growled. “Well, you got what you wanted.”

Flurry took a few tentative steps towards her. “I never intended to hurt anypony.”

“Don’t give me that shit!” Swan hissed, moving to meet her on shaky legs. “This is what you do, Last Shadow. You hurt ponies everywhere you go. That’s all you’re capable of.”

Flurry felt her temper flare up. “Enough with this Last Shadow crap! That was a long time ago. The war’s over!”

“Not for me! Not for the families of all those pegasi you butchered,” Swan spat.

“The only pegasi I killed were trying to do the same to me! Do you think I’m proud of that? You think I enjoyed it?” Flurry retorted. “It was war. Ponies died all the time, no matter what we did to try and stop it.”

“Like you cared!” Swan yelled. “Don’t try and hide what you did behind some noble sentiment. You’re a murderer, plain and simple. I saw it in your eyes in Oakheart’s office!”

“Hey, you attacked me,” Flurry spat, jabbing a hoof at her. “All to get your precious honour back. That’s all you pegasi care about! Your damned honour!”

“It’s all I have left!” Swan retorted. “Not that you would know anything about that! Betrayal is second nature to you.”

Swan’s words cut deeper than Flurry would have liked. She felt her anger begin to rise.

“Don’t presume to lecture me, kid. You, a mere child whose only experience of war is watching it on holovids. You’ve no right to sit there and judge me when you weren’t there,” Flurry growled. “Is that what this is about? You lost somepony in the war and you want to blame me for it?”

Swan seemed to deflate, sinking to her haunches. She looked down, her whole body trembling with emotion.

“You ruined my life!” Swan cried. “You took everything from me! Because of you, my family’s reputation was ruined. Because of you, we’ve all had to suffer… because of you…”

The mare wiped tears out of her eyes, a ragged sob escaping her lips.

Flurry was silent, her mind racing to think of anything, any event where she might have caused a family to be shamed. Dying in combat against one of the Emperor’s greatest foes was considered the highest honour a pegasus could aspire to. She had lost count of the number of pegasi that challenged her to single combat during the war.

“What happened, Swan? Help me understand,” she said finally. At Swan’s obvious reluctance, she pressed. “Please.”

Swan Song wiped her eyes, fighting the tremors of emotion sweeping her. It took a moment, but the mare gradually brought herself under control.

“The Song family have always been soldiers of the Republic. We can trace our roots all the way back to its formation,” Swan began. “So when my brother Star Song enlisted, we were all so proud, especially my father.”

She looked away. “Then the war broke out. He went to Mulberry and never came back. You… you killed him there”.

Flurry’s ears flattened as the mare recounted her tale.

“My father was devastated. He changed before our eyes and then he…” her expression darkened. “He betrayed our Emperor! He betrayed us all, and my family was judged for it. Disgraced! Cast down and forced to…”

Her whole body shuddered, and she rubbed a fetlock unconsciously.

Warsong. Now Flurry remembered why Swan’s name felt so familiar. This stallion had dared to stage a coup against Emperor Stratos in protest over the war. The aftermath had swept through the Republic like a brushfire, dragging in hundreds of families that had shown the slightest hint of lack of commitment to the war.

“Your father was a brave pony,” Flurry said thoughtfully. “It takes someone special to take a stand against everything they believed in for what they think is right.”

“Don’t talk to me like you understand! You were favoured by his Highness, given honour, titles, and then you turned on us!” Swan hissed. “Just like he did!”

”Are we talking about me or him?” Flurry pressed.

“He was a traitor! It’s all his fault! It’s…” Swan brought a hoof to her muzzle, tears running freely down her cheeks. “Oh, Winds I…”

Her head slumped, a tiny sob escaping her lips.

Flurry reached out with a hoof and gently rested it on Swan’s shoulder. The mare shied away from the contact, perhaps mostly out of reflex. Her eyes held so much fear. It looked alien on the proud pegasus.

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you,” Flurry said softly, gently pulling her into an embrace. Swan resisted at first, but Flurry moved slowly and gently, like a mother with a frightened child. “I’m sorry, kid. I’m sorry that my coming here has caused you so much pain.”

She gently stroked the mare’s back as quiet sobs wracked her.

“I would give my life a thousand times over if it would bring all those lost ponies back,” Flurry sighed. “I tried so hard to fix what had been broken, but the damage is done. Now I have to live with the consequences.”

She gently released Swan and backed away. “I promise you, Swan. Whether you decide to help me or not, I’m going to help you and your aerie any way I can.”

“How do I know I can trust you? That you’re not just making promises because you need us,” Swan asked.

“Nothing I say can make you trust me. I only ask that you let my actions prove my sincerity,” she replied. “So, will you fly by my side?”

“I can’t,” Swan said, lowering her head. “He’s taken my aerie away from me. They won’t follow me. I’m a coward.” She swallowed bitterly. “It runs in my family.”

“What are you, a plucked chicken or a pegasus?” Flurry challenged. “Since when do you let yourself be told who you are by someone with his head stuck up his ass? They’re your aerie. Your family. Are you going to just give up on them because he tells you to?”

“But…”

“Stop looking at the floor. A pegasus should always be looking to the sky,” she said. “There are members of your aerie outside right now worried about you. Do you think they care what he says you are?”

“I…” Swan stammered. “You don’t know what he’s like. My resolve to fight this is so much less than it was.”

“Listen, don’t let Merry or those black wings define who you are,” she said. “You came to face me with nothing but your will to win. That takes guts, or stupidity, but it’s my kind of stupidity.”

Flurry rose to her hooves, an idea forming in her mind. She couldn’t just leave things as they were. She had made a promise to this pegasus, and she intended to keep it. It wasn’t just because she needed them, but because here, she had a chance to fix some of the damage she had caused. Maybe after this, she could let Last Shadow finally rest, if only on Harmony. All she had to do was give up her freedom for a little while.

That thought alone made her hesitate. Her freedom was one of the few things she still had to her name. Being caged at the whims of a perverse toad was not what she would call appealing. Yet, she could feel her confidence growing inside her.

Merry Weather might hold all the cards regarding the Orion, but Flurry could use that to her advantage if she played on his hubris. She was certain she could break the blackwing enchantment—after all, she was an alicorn. She only needed to play along until everything was settled. After that, she and Merry would be having a long and painful chat.

Flurry grinned maliciously as she thought of the shock on Merry’s face once he realised her enchantment was gone. Maybe a little accident with an airlock might be in order?

One thing at a time, Flurry, she mentally chided herself.

Flurry regarded Swan, feeling her resolve growing as she gazed at the poor broken mare before her.

She could do this.

“Just think about it,” she said. “You are more than you think you are. It’s in your blood.” She smiled softly before trotting towards the exit.

“Where are you going?” Swan called.

Flurry looked backwards. “Oh, off to do something incredibly stupid.” At Swan’s confused expression, she winked. “I’ll see you on the flight line.”

She trotted past Blitz, who smirked and shook his head at her before heading outside where the others were waiting. “She’s ready to see you now,” Flurry said as she passed by, a satisfied smile growing on her face as the others rushed inside.

She looked to the plushie on her shoulder. “What do you say, Whammy? Ready to do something crazy?”

His antennae jiggled slightly with the motion of her trot. “My, you’re awfully positive all of a sudden. A good feeling? This is a first.”

Clearing her mind, she readied her teleportation spell. The image of her destination formed in her mind, and with a spark of power, she reached out.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flurry reappeared back in Merry Weather’s hovel with a pop and a waft of displaced air. There were a few panicked gasps as she straightened herself.

Oakheart simply stared at her, an eyebrow raised. She wondered just what it would take to surprise this pony.

“Ah, Last Shadow,” Merry Weather said, trying to conceal his surprise. “Such an extravagant entrance!”

“Have you made any headway?” she asked Oak, pointedly ignoring the pegasus.

“The captain has made an interesting proposal, but as much as I’d love a position within the Imperial Court, I have my eyes on a much more valuable prize,” Merry grinned. “I assume you’ve considered my offer, yes?”

“I have.”

Flurry tried to ignore Oakheart’s worried expression as she pondered her options.

She felt herself hesitating, her mind searching for any other options but finding none. She wanted to just punch the smug stallion’s head off, but she knew that any satisfaction to be had from it would be temporary and wouldn’t help her situation. If she was going to help Nyx and her crew, she was just going to have to swallow her pride.

“I’ll do it. I’ll become your little slave in exchange for using your ship to rescue the Orion,” she declared. “But, I have conditions.”

Merry’s eyes widened with joy. “Marvelous! Please do go on.”

“Let’s talk about Lieutenant Swan Song…”

As she spoke, she spared a few glances to Oakheart. His eyes had widened, and a look of genuine shock had crossed his features.

So, I can surprise him after all.

Chapter 8 - Price of Admission

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Flurry Heart impatiently checked her holo-brace for the umpteenth time. She had four hours and twenty minutes to get to Nyx before the Orion's life support failed and they would begin to suffocate. On top of that was the ever-increasing chance that they were under attack already. The thought made her heart clench, and she fought to keep her emotions from running out of control.

She didn’t have time for this nonsense. She needed to be out there helping Nyx! Why was she here, waiting on this fat, preening oaf and his ridiculous need for theatrics? Dark thoughts of snapping the idiot’s neck played in her mind, but she did not indulge them. She couldn’t afford to cause any more delays, regardless of how satisfying the idea was.

Flurry let out an irritated snort at the thought of surrendering herself to the disgusting slavemaster. The mere idea made her skin crawl. Still, this was a small sacrifice if it saved everyone’s life on the Orion. Playing along to keep Merry happy would buy her enough time to complete the mission. Once she got back, she would crack the command spell and then introduce Merry to an alicorn’s version of justice.

Her gaze drifted around the hangar in which she stood, across the nervous faces all looking at her. Every pegasus under Merry Weather’s command had been gathered here, from the lowliest mechanic to the most august of Merry’s inner circle. It didn’t matter that they all had work to do; the sleazy low-life would have his spectacle. He wanted everypony to see his moment of triumph—Last Shadow brought to heel.

This show had been part of the deal for his help after all.

Her gaze fell upon Oakheart, prominent for being the only earth pony amongst the crowd. He looked concerned, almost anxious. She hadn’t consulted him on her decision, and now, events were out of his hooves. He was just a spectator, and he was clearly unhappy about where this was headed.

Flurry still hadn’t seen Swan Song, though she spotted Blitz and his wingmates in the crowd. She gave him a nod, which he at least acknowledged.

“Attention!” a well-dressed stallion barked, making everypony stand straight. “May I present his lordship, Merry Weather!”

A reluctant stomp of applause rippled through the crowd as Merry Weather’s procession emerged. Twenty or so of his cronies surrounded him, barging their way past anyone too slow to move out of the way. They were all decked out in their red dress uniforms, covered in polished medals, striding forward like strutting peacocks. They all looked ridiculous amongst the oil-soaked coveralls and patched flight suits of those gathered, but none more so than Merry Weather himself.

His gold-accented jacket strained to keep his bulk contained, the front clasps valiantly fighting against the tide of fat. His chest jingled with tinny-sounding medals of all shapes and sizes, all polished to an impossible golden sheen. His mane looked almost solid with all the styling grease he had applied, bobbing heavily with each step he took.

Swan Song walked alongside him, a long ornate staff of black oak held under a wing. She appeared shell-shocked, her eyes listless and unfocused. The poor mare was evidently still processing everything that had taken place in the past few hours. As she caught sight of Flurry, she stopped for a moment, a frown crossing her brow. Flurry could see that Swan’s mind was racing, trying to comprehend everything that was happening.

The whole thing began shaking Flurry’s resolve, a sliver of doubt chipping away at her confidence. This was her last chance to back out before she was fully committed. She quashed the thought with a reminder that this wasn’t merely to help Nyx, but to hopefully achieve something profound for the slaves present here.

The procession came to a stop before Flurry Heart, and one of Merry’s officers motioned for silence. The stomping of hooves trailed off, leaving the hangar silent.

“You took your time,” she huffed. “What, did they have to butter you up so you could fit through the doors or something?”

Merry Weather simply smiled. “My, what a foul mouth. Is that any way to speak to your new master?”

“I’m not yours yet, cream puff,” she said.

He chuckled and leaned in close, the stench of his cologne almost choking. “Not to worry, I’ll soon find something to keep that mouth busy with.”

Flurry merely bared her teeth and snapped her jaws together, causing a few of the nearby stallions to wince.

Merry offered a smirk, pulling back and opening his wings as he turned toward the crowd. “My dear subjects! I have wonderful news to share with you all!” he called. “We find ourselves welcoming an auspicious new member into our ranks of blackwings.” He then gestured towards her. “The infamous killer known as Last Shadow… Flurry Heart!”

There were gasps of shock from the crowd, murmurs rolling through them like a wave.

“Some of you may have longstanding grievances against her, but let it be known that it is only because of her generosity that the coward Swan Song rejoins your ranks,” he said, earning a gasp from Swan herself. “She will be leading the blackwings in the coming operation.”

Swan looked to Flurry with wide eyes, her shock turning to confusion. She blinked away tears, her shoulders sagging in relief. Flurry simply smiled and winked at her before turning to look back at Merry. He seemed to be keeping up his end of the bargain, at least for now.

Merry then turned to Swan Song. “Now, my dear, I give you the honour of branding the newest member of your aerie.”

Swan Song’s gaze flicked between Merry and Flurry for a moment, hesitation freezing her to the spot.

“Well?”

“Yes, my lord,” Swan murmured, drawing the staff and clutching it in her hooves.

Closer now, Flurry could make out the details of the staff’s headpiece. It was two pegasi carved into the wood, their heads held low while their wings were stretched upwards, supporting a flat base marked with arcane runes. Dark magic pulsed from the runes and made her bristle as her senses brushed against it.

This was the staff of judgement, whose power would bind the recipient to their new owner until they were released. During her time in the Republic, she had seen it being used a few times, back when it was only meant to punish criminals. What was once a simple system of repaying society for your crimes, was now twisted into a cruel slaver’s tool, somehow sanctioned by the Republic.

Swan reluctantly took to the air and hovered over Flurry’s head.

“By the Emperor’s judgement, you are condemned for your crimes against the Republic,” Swan choked out, barely able to speak.

Merry’s eyes were shining with glee. “May your shame mark you, blackwing.”

He nodded to Swan Song, who hesitated, drawing a frown from Merry. “Do not make me regret my decision, my dear Swan.”

Flurry tilted her head and looked to the hovering pegasus. The mare’s eyes were wide, the staff shaking in her hooves. Despite Swan wanting her dead mere hours earlier, the branding was obviously far more personal to her. “Hurry up, kid. Get this over with; we’ve no time to dawdle. It’ll be okay.”

Swan nodded glumly, bringing the staff down to touch between Flurry’s flight muscles along her back.

Flurry winced as she felt something cold dive into her core. It was alien and sickly, coiling around her flight magic like a living thing, enveloping it whole. She let out a gasp as her wings went numb, and looking back, she saw speckles of black appear on her primary feathers. Her wings flapped involuntarily, the lack of sensation sending her body into a panic. The numbing coldness crept up her spine, heading towards her horn. She tried to hold it back, but it slipped through her defences like smoke. The dark blotches grew as everypony watched, until it swallowed the last of her natural colour, leaving her wings jet-black.

Merry looked like he was about to explode with joy at the sight.

Flurry tried to light her horn, which only produced a few sputtering sparks of light. All of her senses were dulled, distant sounds becoming indistinct, and she could no longer feel the air currents in her wings nor the pulse of magic in her horn.

Oh this isn’t good.

She barely held back her body’s growing panic as she tried to reach out to her senses, only to be met with empty silence. Her breathing increased, and sweat began to form on her brow as her heartbeat rose to a crescendo.

It took all of her will to hold her body in check. She couldn’t afford a full-blown panic attack now, not in front of him.

Focus.

She swallowed and glared at him. “Remember our deal, fatso, I get my powers until the Orion is docked.”

“What’s the magic word, my pet?” he asked in a sing-song voice.

Her teeth clenched and she bit back an insult. Just play along—he’ll get what’s coming to him later.

“Please.”

He flapped a wing, and a jolt passed through her like somepony had just shocked her with a stun rod at maximum setting. She clenched her teeth and bore the pain in silence. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of showing everyone how much it hurt.

“We must work on your etiquette, but all in good time,” he said with a sigh, flexing both wings in a complicated series of movements.

The change was immediate, like a shawl had been lifted from her eyes as her magic returned. Though now, there was a weight that wasn’t there before, like a cancerous blob coiled around her power.

“As agreed. Remember, my pet, you have twenty-four hours to return, otherwise the enchantment will kill you,” Merry warned. “I suggest you don’t be late.”

He let out a happy sigh. “Now, you all may return to your duties,” he announced before trotting away. “I shall prepare for your triumphant homecoming. Ta ta.”

Flurry simply scowled as he trotted away, laughing with his cronies.

As she turned, she saw the crew chief trot up to Swan, who was still clutching the staff tightly. She looked like she was going to be sick.

“Welcome back, lieutenant,” the old stallion said, giving her a salute. “Not an easy thing you just went through. You did well.”

It took a moment for Swan to recover before she straightened and returned the salute. “Thank you, Ratchet.” Her voice trembled with emotion, but she held it mostly in check, earning a small smile from the chief.

He patted her on the shoulder. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do.”

He then turned to his work crews. “Alright you sorry lot, show’s over!” he yelled over the rising chatter. “We’ve still got ships to load onto the carrier so move it! The clock is ticking, ponies!”

The work crew fluttered off, heading towards the neighbouring hangars to begin their duties, leaving only a few blackwings remaining.

It was much quieter when Swan finally spoke.

“Tell me why, Last Shadow. Why did you do this?” she asked. “You just gave up your freedom. Everything. Why? I-I don’t understand.”

“I need Merry’s ship, and I need you to lead your aerie. Not to mention, I promised I’d help you,” Flurry replied, matter of factly. “I keep my promises, kid.”

“You don’t understand. You just sold your soul away,” she said, looking to the staff she held with revulsion.

“He might have my body for a while, but he doesn’t own our souls, kid,” Flurry replied. “Or should I refer to you as ma’am now? You technically are the head of my aerie.”

Swan’s tail flicked, and she let out a sigh. “Just Swan will do, Last—”

“Flurry Heart. My name’s Flurry Heart,” Flurry interrupted. “Last Shadow is dead. She’s been dead for a long time.”

Swan nodded grimly. “Fine, but you should know, this doesn’t change anything. I’m not your friend, and when this is over, I’m going to settle things between us.”

“I understand,” Flurry said with a sigh. “Look, I’m not expecting you to just sweep everything under the rug like it never happened. It might not have been my original reason for coming here, but I do want to help you, Swan. If you’ll let me.”

“You’re only doing this because you need us for your mission,” she said. “Once it’s over, you’ll weasel your way out of it, somehow, and leave us behind. Don’t try and pretend it’s for anything more than that.”

“Trust doesn’t come instantly, but it’s a start, right?”

“I suppose it is.”

Flurry gave her a weak smile as Oakheart joined them.

“Lieutenant,” he greeted Swan, giving her a nod. “I know things have been hectic for you the past few hours, but you should know that we’re departing within the hour. Sabre, Rapier, and Falchion squadrons are coming with us. Could you inform your pilots?”

“Yes sir,” Swan replied, giving him a salute before turning to leave. She stopped, her ears flattening as she looked back to the black-winged alicorn. “Flurry Heart?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.” And with that, she was gone.

Flurry smiled and flexed her black wings. “This is going to take some getting used to.”

“Care to tell me what you were thinking?” Oakheart demanded, his voice creeping up in volume.

She waved a hoof dismissively. “Relax, we got what we wanted, and now, Swan is joining us. Two clouds with one kick.”

He shook his head. “Ms. Flurry, I don’t think you understand the gravity of what you’ve done.”

“I understand perfectly, captain.”

“No, you don’t!” he said with an emphatic stomp. “You undertook the blackwing enchantment voluntarily. Harmony’s laws won’t be able to protect you.”

“It’s alright, captain,” she replied softly. “It’s sweet that you’re worried, but I’ve got this, I just need to…”

Her horn glowed as she reached down to the coiling black mass that infested her magic. It was like several balls of string merged together, the enchantment’s various components a mad tangle of strands. It would only be a matter of removing the right ones to give the impression it was still active.

First things first, she mused, reaching for the strand that acted as the control mechanism for the enchantment. Disabling that would stop Merry from shocking her whenever he pleased. She was going to need it gone if she was going to move on Merry once this was over.

The effect of her magic touching the enchantment was instant. Reacting to her intrusion, the spell quickly summoned a jolt of electricity from her core. It coiled around her body, rippling through her nervous system in agonizing pulses.

“Ms. Flurry…” Oakheart called, his voice suddenly distant.

The pain was intense, like a vice had clamped onto her horn. Her body convulsed as the jolts grew in intensity. She quickly resorted to tugging at the mass wholesale, hoping to rip it out. Yet for each piece she ripped away, a new piece appeared.

She staggered as pain began to flood her senses, her wings and legs tensing unbearably from the electricity pulsing through her body. Her focus was slipping as her body screamed at her to stop.

It was hopeless. She was no magical prodigy like… like Twilight. Brute force was all she knew, and it wasn’t working.

Eventually she had to stop, staggering into Oakheart as her muscles relaxed.

“Ms. Flurry, are you hurt?” he asked, bracing himself against her weight.

“Oookay, this might be a problem.”

Chapter 9 - On the Brink of the Abyss

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The elevator ride down to the station’s lower docks was quiet, with neither Flurry nor Oakheart willing to break the silence.

Her failure to disable the enchantment hung in the air between them like a bad odour. She had been running the whole event through in her mind since they had left the hangar, trying desperately to come up with a solution to her quandary.

Magical theory had never been Flurry’s strong point. One of the benefits of being an alicorn was that you didn’t usually need to learn finesse when the magical equivalent of a sledgehammer normally did the trick. Poking around and figuring out how it worked was usually Twilight’s schtick, and that was the last mare she wanted to be thinking about right now.

Flurry tried to calm herself and think, but her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest. It had all seemed so simple in her head, but now she was stuck, possibly for a very long time. Worse still, she was no closer to helping Swan or her aerie. Until they got rid of this enchantment, they were all screwed, metaphorically as well as literally.

She cast a glance to Whammy, who had been conspicuously silent as everything had fallen apart. It had been his encouragement that had made her go ahead with this crazy plan in the first place. Was this his way of punishing her for being dragged into all those heists?

She shook her head before the idea took root; she couldn’t be second-guessing him now. He had never led her astray yet. She just needed to think.

Nyx.

That’s right! Nyx will be able to get her out of this, Flurry thought, a thin shard of hope cutting through her fear like sunlight through a storm cloud. Nyx always had a plan, a strategy, and most importantly, good connections. If anypony could find a way to release her, it would be her cousin.

If she’ll help, that is. They hadn’t exactly parted on good terms before the war.

The thought made Flurry waver, but she didn’t linger on it. Once they rescued Nyx, they would come up with a plan to stop Merry. She just needed to focus on the mission for now and keep her head on straight.

Oakheart seemed irritated. He had borne Merry’s company with barely a grimace, but now, he had an expression that could sour honey. His tail swished from side to side, and his ears flicked in annoyance.

“If you’ve got something to say, just say it,” Flurry said, growing tired of the charged silence.

His mouth twisted, probably considering and rejecting several choice epithets. “Why didn’t you come to me first with your plan?” he finally asked.

“We were running out of time and needed his ship. How was I supposed to know the blackwing staff had crazy-strong defense mechanisms?”

He turned and jabbed a hoof at her chest. “While you’re on this station, you’re my responsibility, Ms. Flurry. It’s my duty to keep those under my command safe, not stand by while they sell themselves into slavery.” He let out a sigh and looked away. “Now you’ve taken it out of my hooves.”

Flurry allowed herself a smile. “There wasn’t much you could have done, captain, not in the time we had.”

“I could have done something,” he said with an angry snort. “Harmony is about building trust and helping those that need it, not exploiting others for personal gain. If I allow this to go through, then I will have failed in my duty.”

“So, it’s professional pride then?”

“It’s principle, Ms. Flurry,” he replied sternly.

“And here I thought you cared about little old me,” she said, putting on a tone of mock hurt.

“You’ve caused me enough headaches in the past four hours to last a lifetime. Believe me, getting you free and off my station is going to do wonders for my blood pressure,” he said with a wry smile.

“Come on, captain, your impression of me must have changed ever so slightly by now,” she probed.

Oakheart pondered for a moment before speaking. “A little.”

“Wow, you really know how to throw a girl a bone,” she grumbled.

“Don’t get me wrong, Flurry. You’re still reckless, insubordinate, and don't belong in any uniform,” he said firmly before his expression softened, a smile playing on his muzzle. “But I can see now the compassion for others that drives you. It is… quite the force of nature.”

His smile quickly disappeared as he noticed she was watching him intently, causing him to look away, suddenly finding the elevator controls very interesting.

“Why captain, I didn’t know I was having that effect on you,” she said with a wolfish grin. “I’ll have to watch myself around you in the future.”

The doors hissed open, and she trotted outside with a little swish of her tail and a sway of her hips. “Are you coming? Or are you just gonna keep staring?”

“This mare is going to be the death of me,” he muttered with a shake of his head.

Flurry chuckled as they came around a corner to a corridor lined on one side with large glass windows, looking out onto one of the station’s massive external docking pylons, as well as a spectacular view of the planet Avalon in the background. Outside, there was a clear view of the berth where Merry Weather’s ship was docked.

To say she was surprised would have been an understatement.

“We’re going in that?!” Flurry exclaimed with an incredulous gasp.

There was nothing structurally wrong with the ship. It was a perfect example of pegasus design, resembling some exotic flying fish you might find in the oceans of Mamba, equally at home in the sea or the sky. Two long, curved wings arced elegantly backwards from the large contoured main body of the hull. The ship’s drive section at the rear was concealed beneath yet more gently curving panels of hull plating.

No turrets or antennae blemished its surface, as no self-respecting pegasus would ever let such things ruin the aesthetic. They were hidden away in recessed bays until they were needed. Even the launch tubes for her fighters were concealed behind hatches on the wing’s leading edge. The only blemish was the gaping docking bay on its bow, a necessary compromise for the ship’s intended role.

No, the ship itself wasn’t the problem.

It was the choice of colours that Merry had the ship painted in that was the problem.

The carrier was painted in the same crimson red as all Republic ships. The offense here was that he had decided to add golden feathers across the ship’s wingspan, along with every intake and contour lined with golden flowers and leaves. Worse still, there were paintings of pegasus mares cavorting across the wings and bow, adding to this offence against art. The ship looked like it belonged on a stall in some flea-ridden houndrathi bazaar for gullible tourists.

The name “Glorium” was illuminated on the ship’s bow as if the owner had any idea what that word even meant. If Flurry had encountered this ship in the wild, out in any other part of Dragon’s Head, it probably would have made her thieving senses tingle. It simply screamed “I’m rich, please rob me,” and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for its poor crew.

The carrier had been kept hidden underneath the station proper as if everypony was ashamed to even see it. Ponies in EVA suits were busy loading cargo onto it, and the last of the aerie’s fighters were being shuttled aboard.

The Dream had already been loaded aboard, as per Oakheart’s instructions. He didn’t want the Alliance ships outside catching wind that she was departing, lest they try and stop them.

It was strange that the usual anxiety about her ship being in other ponies’ hooves was gone. She hadn’t felt like this in a long time—trusting others.

“Merry Weather has some unique tastes, but it’ll serve our purpose,” Oakheart said.

“Urgh, Nyx is never going to let me live this down,” Flurry said. “I hope the damn thing will actually work.”

“I should hope so, given the price we—well, the price you paid for it,” he grumbled. “Let’s hope Merry’s crew is at least competent.”

It had surprised Flurry when she learned that Oakheart would be in command of the mission. She could only imagine the resistance Merry put forth when Oak demanded it. Though she suspected the fat pegasus took some glee in the idea of it being a cruel joke, considering the trouble an earth pony was going to have getting around inside the ship.

Soon, they were walking through the main space bridge connected to the Glorium. The passageway was full of pegasi, flitting to and fro as they made preparations for departure. Most were too busy to notice, but those that did all stopped to gawk at them as they passed by.

After passing through the main airlock, they boarded the Glorium, entering the expansive corridors of the carrier proper.

The ship was broken up into several large atriums that led to the various decks. The corridors were wide with tall arched ceilings that were hidden behind projections of blue cloudy skies. A gentle breeze wafted through the open spaces, dancing across her feathers as she walked. She hadn’t felt this sense of space aboard a starship in a long time.

Unfortunately for Oakheart, there were no elevators or stairs connecting the decks. Such things weren’t needed when your entire crew had wings.

They came to the atrium that served as access to the carrier’s flight deck far below. Pegasi were busy flitting between the levels as they rushed to get the ship ready.

Oakheart’s expression narrowed into a scowl, and he let out a snort as he stood on the precipice, staring into the chasm below. "They were supposed to have made this ship earth pony-accessible before they came to Harmony.”

“You didn’t really think they expected an earth pony to actually want to come aboard, did you?” she asked.

“We all must adapt sooner or later, Ms. Flurry,” he replied before swallowing nervously as he eyed the drop.

“You need any help?” she asked, holding back a chuckle.

“I need to get up to the bridge,” he said reluctantly, looking up towards the top of the atrium. “So yes, I’d appreciate it.”

She grinned, taking to the air and hooking her forelegs around his to lift him up off the deck.

“Comfy?”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Oh absolutely,” she said with a devilish grin, arching her body so they headed towards the drop.

“Okay, gentlyyy!!!!” he cried as she soared off the edge and into the open space.

A few pegasi stopped to watch the ridiculous display of an earth pony being hefted up by Flurry’s forelegs like a filly’s teddy bear. Looking down, she could see his eyes were tightly closed as he muttered something to himself over and over again.

She was half tempted to pretend to drop him, but that would’ve been cruel to the poor stallion. His pride was already taking a hefty hit as it was.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the platform that led to the bridge. There, she recognised the dark-green stallion who stood beside a set of blast doors. It was one of Merry’s cronies from earlier. He gave them both a bemused smile as she came in to land.

She gently set Oakheart down onto the platform, where he immediately let out a sigh of relief at being on solid ground again. He then straightened his slightly crumpled uniform and composed himself.

“You okay there, cap’n?” she asked with a smirk, earning an unamused glare from him.

“I don’t like heights,” he said.

“You can ride on my back on the way down if you’d like,” she offered with a sly smile. “Or maybe I could hold you in my forelegs like a swooning maiden being rescued by her dashing knight.”

His tail flicked. “I’d prefer you just dangle me like a sack of potatoes.”

“Aww, you’re no fun.”

Satisfied his uniform was presentable, Oakheart trotted forward to the waiting pegasus.

“Ah, Captain Oakheart, a pleasure to see you, and may I say, such a graceful entrance,” the pegasus stallion said, his mocking tone immediately ruffling Flurry’s feathers. “My name is Downdraft. I am the shipmaster of our esteemed Lord Merry Weather, and I will be your liaison during this operation.”

“Thank you, Downdraft.” Oakheart said, any residual signs of discomfort disappearing under that professional mask. “What is our status on loading?”

“Loading is seventy-five percent complete. We were just securing our new pet alicorn’s ship,” Downdraft replied, offering a smug look in Flurry’s direction.

Oakheart subtly side-stepped to place himself between them. “Estimated departure time?”

“Twenty minutes, depending on how quickly your soldiers load their equipment,” Downdraft said, opening the door to the command deck. “If you’ll come this way, I’ll show you the bridge.”

Oakheart trotted inside, following Downdraft’s gesture. Flurry moved to follow but found her way blocked by an outstretched wing. “The bridge is for officers only, blackwing—learn your place.”

Flurry glowered at him and was about to retort when Oakheart intervened.

“Shipmaster, Ms. Flurry Heart is here under my invitation. I suggest you let her through,” he said sternly.

“I will not foul the bridge of his lordship’s carrier with the likes of her,” Downdraft sneered, raising his nose haughtily at her before returning his gaze to Oak. “And you will know your place as well, dirt pony. You’re only here because of his lordship’s gener—”

“Enough of this!” Flurry exclaimed, her patience finally giving out.

With a fluid movement, Flurry slammed her hoof into the bulkhead behind the shipmaster’s head. With a startled jerk, Downdraft stumbled against the wall, turning a fearful eye toward the looming alicorn.

“Now you listen to me, you pompous sycophant,” Flurry growled, leaning in close to him. “The only reason you’re still able to eat solid food right now is that the captain here doesn’t appreciate me removing your teeth in his presence.” She looked over to Oakheart and gave him a sly wink. “I suggest you cooperate and let me through, so we can get underway. And if I hear you haven’t been following his orders, I’m going to be extremely upset. My enchantment has no restriction at the moment. You would be wise to remember that.”

Downdraft gulped as the implication sank in. “O-of course, r-right this way.”

He scurried past Oakheart and disappeared into the bridge.

“Welcome to the Flurry Heart style of negotiation,” she announced proudly, fluffing her wings.

She had been playing nice for far too long, so it felt good to let off some steam. If Merry’s cronies thought she was going to just roll over for them, they were in for a nasty surprise.

The earth pony gawked at her with a raised eyebrow. “You never cease to amaze me, Ms. Flurry.”

She smiled. “I aim to please.”

The bridge was a large dome, covered in projectors that were currently giving a panoramic view of the outside. Several open balconies on the upper levels wrapped around the dome, each dotted with crew stations. At the rear of the bridge was the navigator’s station, where an imperious-looking unicorn mare sat glaring at them.

There were two flight couches on the port side, currently occupied with crew members preparing the ship for departure. Impressively, it only required these two in order to get this massive ship moving. There was no need for the rows of flight couches and consoles like those seen on Alliance ships.

On the starboard side, the room was dominated by an enormous captain’s chair that was more like a throne than a tactical command center. Marble sculptures of pegasi mares sat near either side of the chair, heads bowed in reverence with golden vines and plants wrapped around the throne. A plethora of cushions festooned the seat to ensure its bloated master was comfortable.

Behind this throne was the heart of the carrier’s flight operations. Holographic projections would relay all of the carrier’s sensor data, as well as the information gathered from their flight group, creating a three-dimensional view of the tactical situation.

A few more officers stood, glaring at Flurry and Oakheart as they approached. She recognised a few from her branding ceremony, their styled manes and embellished uniforms unpleasant reminders of the event. She felt her gorge rise just looking at them, and her eyes narrowed as her gaze shifted from one to the next.

“Shipmaster, why have you allowed one of our lord’s pets on the bridge?” a stallion asked.

Flurry eyed Downdraft carefully as the pegasus swallowed and adjusted his collar.

“S-she has permission to be here. She is part of Captain Oakheart’s staff,” Downdraft stammered, hurriedly trotting over to his compatriot.

“That dirt pony?” the stallion sneered, only for him to pale considerably as Downdraft whispered something in his ear. He then cast a nervous glance at Flurry and gulped, his wings trembling. “U-um I mean, welcome aboard the Glorium, Captain Oakheart.”

“Thank you. I hope that we can all work together amicably during this mission,” Oakheart replied.

“Or else,” Flurry added.

“Of course, captain,” Downdraft replied, getting vigorous nods from the others.

“Excellent. I’d like to review the navigation schedule before we depart,” Oakheart said, a slight smirk cracking that professional mask as he trotted up to join them.

“Why captain, are you enjoying yourself?” Flurry chuckled to herself as she stepped up to join him at the tactical plotting table.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Swan Song gazed out of the viewport into the swirling immaterium as the Glorium ploughed its way through Mirrorspace at a steady pace. The flight control office at the bow of the ship gave her a front-seat view of the etherium building up on the Glorium’s bow like a slowly creeping frost. The room itself was, thankfully, quiet.

When operations were in full swing, this place would be bustling with activity, handling the launches and landings of the carrier’s air wing. While the ship was underway and their ships were all parked up, it was quite peaceful, the consoles and control stations lying empty. It was one of the few places a blackwing could walk without drawing the ire of the nobles.

Their launch from the station had been an unremarkable affair, not even drawing the attention of the Alliance flotilla that was parked outside. The warships had no idea what notorious cargo they were carrying and had done nothing to impede their ship’s passage.

Riptide and his squadron had escorted them for as far as they could before returning to their patrol route around the station. The stallion had been stuck on patrol outside of Harmony when the Fleeting Dream showed up, and he had been chomping at the bit to get involved. Unfortunately, somepony had to stay behind to maintain the patrols around the station while she and Blitz were away.

A smile crept onto Swan’s muzzle as she remembered him waggling his wings at them before he had to turn back. She would have to grab a few rounds of drinks from the distillery for them when they got back.

Swan let out a sigh, feeling weariness tugging at her, both emotional and physical. She hadn’t had any respite in the past eighteen hours, and she was exhausted. And on top of that, ever since Flurry Heart had arrived, she had been jumping from one crisis to the next without even a moment to recover.

She still couldn’t decide what she should make of this whole thing. All at once, everything had been ripped away and then restored again by the same mare, who now had given up everything herself to buy their involvement for this mission to save her cousin. Was it simple expedience or perhaps something more that motivated the strange mare?

Without a doubt, when she had looked into the alicorn’s eyes, she could see an earnest desire to help. Those were not the eyes of somepony who was faking it for a short term gain. In her heart, Swan wanted to believe that Last Shadow—no, Flurry Heart would help them. Still, forgetting all that history was a whole other problem.

She scratched her mane with a hoof, letting out an angry groan. The effort of trying to figure this whole mess out made her head ache. Eventually, she realised that the only way she was going to find any reprieve would be to speak with Flurry Heart again.

The door slid open, and Swan turned to face the newcomer.

“Hey, Swan, I’ve been lookin for ya,” Blitz called. “We’ve been called in for a briefing. The rest of the squadron leaders are there as well.”

Duty calls.

“Okay, let’s see what rock-brained plan our dirt pony captain has come up with,” she said with a sigh, taking to the air with a gentle flap of her wings.

“Come on, Swan. He’s been pretty straight with us so far,” he said with a sigh.

“I know, I know,” she conceded. “He’s not as bad as Merry or Downdraft, that’s for sure. But it’s the principle of it. A dirt pony in command of pegasi?” She shuddered at the thought.

She was still trying to figure out how Oakheart had managed to convince Merry to go along with him taking command. Earth ponies had little grasp of pegasus tactics, as they preferred to huddle up behind their guns. They had no instinct for flight. An Alliance ship was not so much flown as it was a heavily armored building that was moved about in zero-G.

Still, anypony was better than Downdraft.

“Earth ponies, zebras, alicorns? Who else is going to join this mission?” Blitz exclaimed with a chuckle as they headed down towards the hangars.

“I know what you mean. It’s been a hell of a day,” she said as she worked her neck. “I’m not sure I can take any more surprises.”

“Speaking of…” he began, scratching his chin. “What’s the plan with Last Shadow? Some of the others have been asking about it.”

Swan let out a heavy sigh. “We play along for now. We need her just as much as she needs us, at the moment. What happens after that? I guess we’ll have to see.”

“Last Shadow in our aerie… I’m still wrapping my head around it,” he said, a playful smile forming on his muzzle, which gave Swan a bad feeling. “Still, she seems nice after you get past the ‘mess with me and I use your head as a bowling ball’ vibe she has goin’ on at times. And she ain’t hard on the eyes, if you catch my drift.”

He waggled his eyebrows at her.

“Really? Last Shadow joins our aerie—the most wanted mare in the Republic—and that’s your first thought?”

He shrugged. “Our lives are short, Swanny. Gotta enjoy it while you can, and besides, I’d love to get my face trapped between those thighs.” He gave a lurid grin before abruptly looking away. “Though, she ain’t a patch on you, Swan.”

“Come on, don’t even joke about things like that!” she said. “I need your head in the game, not off chasing tail.”

His ears tilted back. “R-right,” he stammered, but the confidence quickly returned to his voice. “Don’t worry, it won’t be a problem. Something to aim for though, right? A guy’s gotta have hope.”

“Keep dreaming, stud,” she said.

“Yeah,” he sighed, his ears going completely flat. “Keep dreaming.”

Swan shook her head, and they continued on until they arrived at one of the Glorium’s briefing rooms.

“Best faces for the chicks, mother hen,” Blitz said as they landed outside the door.

“Urgh, will you stop calling me that?” she groaned.

“After that reaction? No way,” he said before opening the door and gesturing for her to go inside first. “After you.”

“Thanks,” she said, giving him a scowl.

Inside, her chosen pilots were already sitting on the tiered cloud chairs with her most experienced flight leaders seated at the front. Twenty four in total, these were the best combat pilots her aerie had to offer.

Most gathered here were ponies she had known since flight school, but she had rarely seen them since coming to Harmony. Because the more experienced pilots had to be spread out to act as flight leaders for the younger members of the aerie, they often missed each other due to their shifts. One benefit of this mission was that she could pool them together once again.

Any lingering doubt she might have had about their feelings towards her evaporated as they all rose and saluted her in unison.

She returned the salute. “At ease. It’s good to see you all together again, my friends. Thank you all for volunteering.” She gave them a bow, feeling her heart swell.

In truth, she had been a little frightened when she had asked her aerie to join her on the mission. There were still a lot of mixed feelings about Last Shadow joining them. And considering her own failings with the alicorn, she wasn’t sure how many of them would still follow her after being so soundly humiliated.

“You know, Swan, I’m a bit insulted you didn’t ask any of us to join you on your little bout against Last Shadow,” Contrail called from amongst the bomber pilots at the back. The steel-grey stallion with a wispy white mane made his way down to join her.

He was the leader of Tomahawk squadron, the aerie’s bomber group, and had been asked to join them at Oakheart’s insistence. Swan was curious what kind of threat needed that amount of firepower, considering this was just a rescue operation.

“Well, next time there’s a certain-death mission on the cards, I know who to call,” Swan said, giving him a hoof bump.

He laughed. “It’s a date then. Somepony has to pull your tail out of the fire, and it sure won’t be Blitz.”

“Hey!” Blitz cried.

“Heard you got your flank spanked, Blitz. By a mare as well. I didn’t think you were into that kind of thing,” Contrail grinned, fluffing his wings.

“Pfft, please, as if you could have done any better,” Blitz dismissed with a hoof wave.

“That a challenge, Blitz?”

“Like you have the balls to accept even if it was,” Blitz growled as the two stallions squared up.

Swan just rolled her eyes. They were always like this when they got together. While those two were washing down the decks with testosterone, she trotted over to the others.

After spotting Cinnamon Swirl waving at her, Swan trotted over to join in. Beside her sat a purple stallion named Wind Whisper, her wingmate of several years now. He gave her a typically quiet nod as she approached.

“Hey, Swan,” Cinnamon said, shifting nervously in her seat. “Thank you for asking me to join the mission. I know I’m not the best—”

Swan placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I wouldn’t have asked you if you weren’t good enough, Cinnamon.”

Cinnamon gave a weak smile. “Are you okay? You’ve been through a lot today.”

“I’m fine,” she replied. “Well, as fine as can be expected.”

“If you need us for anything, Swan, we’re here,” Wind Whisper said quietly.

“Thank you both,” she said, giving them a warm smile. Looking up to her gathered friends, she saw nods of encouragement and smiles. In that moment, she wondered how she ever doubted her aerie.

Suddenly, the door hissed open, making everypony look to the entrance.

“We’re finally here! Those pillow-stuffers really know how to make a convoluted ship layout,” a kirin mare announced as she strode confidently into the room at the head of a group of earth ponies and a zebra.

Swan had heard of the Kirin race in one of the many strange stories about Equus during her academy years, but she had never seen even a picture, let alone one in the flesh.

The mare towered over them, her legs and body bulging with taut muscle. Her chestnut coat was mostly hidden beneath a figure-hugging black undersuit, her voluminous rusty red mane encompassing her head and practically bursting from the chest of her suit. Her tail was longer, more like a lion’s than a pony’s, and it swished around like a whip. Yet probably the oddest thing was a strip of what looked like green scales running along her snout! Her horn also wasn’t like a unicorn’s; it was smooth and black, curving up her head and splitting into two points at the top.

“These are the bunch that are going to be watching our flanks out there? Celestia save us!” the kirin mare said with a contemptuous snort.

“Indeed,” a snooty orange earth pony mare said from behind her, brushing her permed purple mane with a hoof.

Swan let out a snort. “You got something to say?”

She trotted right up to the kirin, standing almost snout to snout despite their size difference. Blitz and Contrail attempted to join her but were promptly intercepted by the other members of the kirin’s squad.

“Looky, looky, the little pillow-stuffer has some bark,” the kirin said with a laugh. “Hey, I know you, you’re the little filly that got her tail whooped by Flurry Heart.”

Swan blushed, but held her ground. “Yeah, that’s me, though last time I checked, you security pukes didn’t fare any better.”

The kirin raised an eyebrow for a moment, before letting out a bellowing laugh, a tiny spark of flame dancing above her horn, “You’re alright, kid.”

“Come on Firey, stop bullying the poor mare,” Chief Flintlock called, stepping between them and giving the kirin a look. “Or else I’ll tell everypony your real name.”

The kirin bristled. “There’s no need for that, chief.” She reached out and gave Swan a light pat on the shoulder that made her stagger. “See, we’re all good.”

The thestral gave an easy smile. “Sorry, Lieutenant Swan, I hope these idiots haven’t been giving you too much trouble.”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” she replied, giving him a salute.

She’d had a few run-ins with the security chief in the past after some fights with the earth pony work crews had gotten out of hoof. A level of bias towards the earth ponies was to be expected, but the thestral had shown himself to be a fair and reasonable judge in their encounters thus far.

“Let me introduce you to the Magic and Weapons Squad. This is Fire Hawk,” Flint said, gesturing to the kirin beside him. “Don’t let her attitude fool you. She’s a good pony, just… don’t get her angry. Seriously don’t, it’s a real pain trying to buff out the scorch marks.”

Fire Hawk grinned devilishly, her tail flicking from side to side.

Scorch marks? Swan gulped.

“The prissy one over there is Princess,” he said, pointing to the tall mare with a white coat speckled with brown, who was currently examining her hooves with disinterest.

“Who are you calling prissy,” Princess huffed haughtily.

“Just ignore her,” Flint said.

“Yeah, daddy hasn’t given her her allowance yet,” Fire Hawk teased, earning chuckles from the other ponies of their troop.

“Screw you, tinderbox,” Princess hissed.

“Any time, anywhere.”

A smaller strawberry roan coloured earth pony mare giggled at the two mares squabbling, her scruffy blue mane seeming like an untamed animal.

“That’s Echo. Take a wild guess what her talent is,” Flint said.

Swan looked to the mare with a frown. “Surprise me.”

“Surprise me,” Echo repeated, her voice a perfect match of Swan Song’s.

“Whoa!” Blitz exclaimed as more of the pilots came down to inspect the newcomers.

“I do cutiemark parties on request,” Echo grinned, giving a subtle bow, her accent not one Swan was familiar with.

“Cutiemark? Oh! One of those butt stickers you Equus ponies have,” Blitz grinned, his voice switching to the style Swan was familiar with whenever he saw a mare he liked. “So what’s yours?”

“Maybe I’ll show you some time,” Echo chuckled coyly.

Does that stallion have any self-control at all?! Swan lamented internally.

Flint sighed and pointed to the last of their group, a stoic zebra stallion with several golden ear clamps. “That over there is Priest. He’s the spiritualist of our little group.”

The zebra bowed his head, uttering something in a strange dialect.

“What’s he doing?” she whispered to Flint.

“Giving you a blessing,” Flint replied with a shrug. “Or he could be... we’re never quite sure. It’s sorta like a good luck charm for us.”

Swan gingerly nodded her head, wondering just what she had accepted. “Umm, thanks.”

The zebra smiled gently. “I hope fortune favours our mission together. I am proud to have you watching over us as we go into battle.”

“We won’t let you down,” she assured, and she meant it. These ponies were relying on them as an escort, and she wasn’t going to disappoint.

Swan looked to see other squadron leaders chatting with the new arrivals. It surprised her how quickly they warmed to Flint’s squad, ranks and positions forgotten.

Suddenly, Flint gave Swan a nudge and gestured towards the door.

“Squad, attention! Officer on deck!” Flint yelled, making everypony snap to attention out of reflex.

Swan followed his gaze toward the door, where Oakheart and Flurry Heart were standing. She straightened, giving them a salute, which the earth pony then returned.

“Thank you, chief,” Oakheart said. “Now, everypony take a seat.”

They all scurried back to their seats while Flint’s squad stared bemused at the cloud chairs.

“How am I meant to sit on this?” Princess grumbled.

“Just sit your plot down, would you?” Fire Hawk hissed as the lights fell and a large holographic projection appeared in front of them.

Swan watched as Flurry Heart sat down amongst the marines, giving a few hoof bumps to them as she did so.

Above the audience, a holographic image formed, taking up most of the room. It was a three-dimensional representation of a dense asteroid field, with a very unusual looking capital ship at its centre. Swan had never seen this class of ship before, and her first thought was that it seemed out of proportion with the scale grid overlaying the scene. In addition to this ship were multiple points of interest, most notably the icon of a nearby wreckage field as well as a cruiser-class contact some distance off to the side, with an arrow indicating it was off the view at this magnification.

“This is the ECS Orion,” Oakheart began, his voice booming across the room. “She’s a Commonwealth vessel en route to Harmony station, where she will be outfitted for an extended classified mission. From the data packet we have been provided by Ms. Flurry Heart, the Orion stopped in the Huerth system to answer a distress call from a civilian mining operation. It turned out to be a houndrathi ambush. While the Orion successfully destroyed the attackers, she blew out her Nexus cores in the fight and is now running on CAPS with only four hours remaining before total life support failure. She’s now completely disabled, and there are over seven hundred personnel aboard counting on us. Those are the stakes, people.”

Everypony straightened to listen, and what little chatter was in the air quickly faded to silence.

The holographic view then zoomed out until the previous field of view was a tenth its former size. At this scale, the cruiser contact came into view. It was marked, “Unknown: Elderberry.”

“You’ll notice this cruiser on the scene, sitting outside weapons range. Sensor analysis concludes this is an older Alliance Elderberry-class cruiser, possibly modified. The cruiser has not answered hails, nor does she bear an IFF signature. With her intentions unknown, we have to assume the worst until we can get proper intel. We’ve been trying unsuccessfully to raise the Orion on Mirrorcomm, so it could be she’s being jammed.”

“Honestly, they didn’t even have the power to send out a proper signal,” Flurry pointed out. “Nyx had to hook herself directly to the transmitter just for us to talk. There’s no way you’re going to get a response at this point—especially this far out.”

“Right. So with time against us,” Oak continued, “phase one of the operation will involve only our fastest ships. Sabre squadron will escort the Fleeting Dream to where the Orion is disabled. Your insertion point will be here.”

The tactical display zoomed in close to the Orion again, where a green reticle hovered nearby in space.

“Once you arrive on-site, the Fleeting Dream will serve as a communications relay back to the Glorium. At that point, we will direct the engagement from here.”

“With respect, sir,” Swan interjected, “we only have one capital ship. Even if the fighters could get there first, we’d be stuck in Mirrorspace until you arrive to jump us out. And I also need to point out how hazardous it would be to open up a jump point right in the thick of this mess,” she expressed while waving a hoof around the room. “We’re likely to slam straight into an asteroid as we exit.”

Oakheart deferred to Flurry Heart, who was standing beside him at the front of the room with that creepy plushie still clinging to her jacket like some kind of misshapen parrot.

Flurry cleared her throat and took a step forward. “Don’t worry, I’ll thread the needle for us nice and safe. I’ve done this plenty of times,” she stated.

“If you think you can, then fine, but what about the missing capital ship? Are you going to tell me that pirate ship of yours has its own jump drive?”

After a pause, Flurry glanced around the room at nothing in particular while nodding her head slightly. “Um, yes, I… suppose that’s correct.” She then locked her gaze directly on Swan’s, a slight smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

Murmurs spread around the room at the revelation that a corvette-sized ship was actually jump-capable.

This was absurd. Swan could feel her ears heating up. “What? And when exactly were you planning on telling us this, L—Flurry?”

“It’s not something I’m fond of sharing,” Flurry remarked casually.

“Yes, so… the Fleeting Dream will lead Sabre squadron on the quickest route through Mirrorspace,” Oak quickly resumed. “Additionally, and I need you to be prepared for this, Sabre’s objective is a one-way trip until the Glorium arrives for refueling. We have calculated the optimal launch window so that you have enough fuel. Once you arrive, you will have to hold your own until we get there some thirty minutes later. This shouldn’t be a problem versus a cruiser. Just stay outside her point-defense flak zone and make sure she doesn’t get any fighters out—mercs have been known to strap a few onto anything with a secure hull.

A commotion roused among the Sabre pilots. “Are you kidding me?” somepony said. Swan’s emotions boiled to the surface.

“Sorry, what? Now you’re expecting us to put our lives in the hooves of— to trust that she can get us to the right spot, a half-hour ahead of the Glorium, jump out of Mirrorspace in one piece, and hold our own against who knows what opposition while running on fumes until you all show up? Am I hearing this right?”

“I understand your concerns, lieutenant,” Flurry stated calmly while looking Swan straight in the eye. “But time is our enemy here, and we can’t afford to wait for the carrier to make her way to the Orion. We must act as soon as possible. I have a lot of experience with this type of thing. I’ll get us there in one piece, I swear by the Winds.”

Swan wanted to reject her proposal outright, but there was something in the alicorn’s eyes that made her pause. It was a confidence, a conviction she had rarely seen in another pony. Her whole body practically radiated it. This was not merely her opinion; it was practically a statement of fact.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said. “Continue, captain.”

“Thank you, lieutenant,” Oak said with a nod. “After jumping in, Sabre squadron will secure the space around the Orion and attempt to make contact with the cruiser to verify her intentions. You’ll provide cover to ensure Ms. Flurry Heart is able to deliver Chief Flintlock and his squads, who will then secure the ship from the inside. It’s quite possible that she’s already been boarded.”

“What kind of hostiles might we find aboard the ship, sir?” Fire Hawk chimed in.

“We suspect Syndicate, so most likely mercs and feral changelings,” Oak replied. “This is why you and Princess are there with the big guns.”

“I am the big gun,” Fire Hawk quipped, stirring up random chuckles among her squad.

“Depending on the level of resistance,” Oak continued, “once the Glorium arrives, we’ll deploy Falchion, Rapier, and Tomahawk squadrons. The bombers will take out the cruiser’s weapons, should she prove hostile, with the interceptor corvettes providing cover in case any supporting ships have arrived on the scene.”

“Seems a bit overkill,” Princess commented. “You sure this much firepower is even necessary? A Houndrathi ambush and an obsolete Alliance cruiser… Feels like amateur night, to be honest.”

“The Director was unwilling to take the risk, corporal,” Oak replied. “Recovering the Orion successfully is of the highest priority to her, and recovering her captain is a very high-value rescue.”

“A very high-value rescue,” Echo repeated, matching his tone in a way Swan found a touch creepy.

“Once everything is secure, we will conduct emergency repairs and the Glorium will provide auxiliary power for the Orion’s life support while she is towed back to Harmony. I’m sending deployment data to your holo-braces, so I suggest you review it when you can.”

A soft beep from Oakheart’s holo-brace drew his attention, and his shoulders stiffened slightly. “Now, an important guest wishes to say a few words.”

Everypony straightened in their seats, and any murmurs that had been passing between Swan’s pilots were quickly snuffed out. The hologram of the asteroid field vanished and was replaced by a projection of a well-dressed pony, standing near the central podium.

There was an audible gasp from the front of the room, and all eyes turned to see Flurry Heart, whose wings trembled uncontrollably at her sides. Her eyes were wide as saucers, transfixed on the image before her.

“May I introduce you all to the Director of the Harmony Initiative, Twilight Sparkle.” Oakheart announced.

Swan had only seen this elusive alicorn once, when she and her aerie had first arrived on the station. She seemed like an ordinary pony at first—ordinary, until one took in the wings, the horn and that subtle feeling that she wasn’t quite a pony any longer, but something more.

Swan Song remembered her meeting with this alicorn vividly. The mare had been warm and welcoming, like the first sun after a cold night. She had an energy and enthusiasm which could only inspire those around her.

Yet, the alicorn that appeared before them today was different. Her ears were flattened and she looked hesitant as she gazed across the presentation stage to where Flurry Heart stood, bristling with emotion.

The air became thick as the pair locked eyes with each other, an unspoken conversation passing between them in those few seconds. The effect on Flurry Heart was immediate. She jumped to her hooves, her wings outstretched, like she was about to lunge at the image before her. Her whole body trembled with rage, raw energy emanating out of the alicorn, causing everypony’s ears to pop from the change in air pressure. Swan could even feel a vibration pass up her body through the deck as the very room trembled.

Then, as quickly as it had started, the room calmed down as Flurry Heart appeared to relax. She looked to Twilight one last time, giving the mare a snort before trotting outside, leaving the alicorn visibly shaken.

Twilight swallowed, her composure returning swiftly. “I apologize for that. My niece and I have a bit of bad blood between us.”

“A bit more than bad blood,” Fire Hawk commented.

“Can it, Fiery,” Flint warned.

“Quite alright, Chief Flintlock,” Twilight said with a sigh. The alicorn took a breath before continuing. “Now, I’m afraid my time is limited, so I’ll simply say thank you. Thank you all for undertaking this mission, not just as a Director, but as a mother afraid for her daughter.”

Emotion rolled off her voice like a wave, her lips trembling as a slight crack formed in her mask of composure. “It brings me great pride to see so many ponies of different tribes and nations, working together to help their fellow pony.” The alicorn bowed her head. “My prayers are with you all, and I know you won’t let me down. Good luck.”

And with that, her image disappeared and light returned to the room.

A somber silence blanketed the briefing room, with nopony willing to break it.

Chapter 10 - Suffering the Wait

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The hangar of the Glorium had fallen quiet after the frenetic activity of earlier. Swan’s fighters were gathered around their respective launch tubes, while the others sat waiting to be moved into position.

The Dream sat ostracized from the rest, close to the outer hangar doors. A few of the deck crew trotted by, but most gave the ship a wide berth.

From her perch atop the Dream’s starboard wing, Flurry gazed out at the expanse of the hangar bay with disinterest. She had been sitting up there for the past hour, trying to distract herself from the shock of what she saw in the briefing room.

Twilight.

Just the thought of that mare was like hot coals being dropped onto her heart. Flurry’s wings bristled uncontrollably at her sides, and she could feel the familiar searing rage lingering beneath the surface.

Flurry had wasted all this time playing Twilight’s games, no doubt being watched and reported on by her stooge Oakheart. How could “the director” just hide away in the shadows while Nyx, her own daughter, was in trouble? Why all the secrecy? Why did Oakheart play along with this charade?

The questions kept repeating in her mind over and over again, feeding her frustration. She should be resting for the battle ahead, but her restless mind gave her no respite. There was, of course, an obvious answer, but she didn’t want to admit it to herself.

Whammy lay in front of her, his body tilting to one side with the curve of the wing.

“Nopony asked your opinion,” Flurry grumbled, resting her head on her forelegs.

The plushie simply sat there.

“Don’t defend her, this is exactly how she likes to do things,” she snapped. “All smoke and mirrors while she pulls at the strings from the shadows. She must be laughing her ass off at me right now.”

At Whammy’s impassive stare, she relented. “I know she’s got to be worried about Nyx, but she had no right messing with me like that. If she had just let me do my thing, we’d be with Nyx by now.”

She sighed. “You’re probably right—if I was Oakheart, I’d have been wary as well.” She let out a snort as she looked into his expressionless bobble eyes. “Okay! Fine! I admit it. If I’d known Twi was involved, I would have caused more trouble for everypony and slowed everything up.”

Whammy seemed satisfied, at least. One of his antennae shifted in the breeze flowing through the hangar, suggesting he was.

Damn that plushie. He always takes their side, she grumbled to herself.

Still, he was right. She couldn’t let her feud with Twilight get in the way of saving Nyx. For now, they were enemies with a common goal.

The thought brought a sad smile to her face. Just like me and Swan Song.

She looked down to see a few of Swan’s aerie mingling with Flint’s marines on the flight deck below.

The mission to help Nyx had brought together quite the disparate bunch of former enemies and even volunteers from Equus. Perhaps there was something to this Harmony business after all.

With the mission planning over, and all their individual roles studied, there was little else for either side to do. The deck crews had all their ships ready while the marines’ equipment was checked and prepared.

In the end, curiosity had gotten the better of the younger pegasi, and in ones and twos, they had gathered around the open ramp of the Dream. Even Swan Song had eventually joined them, watching while her partner engaged the kirin in a friendly hoof wrestle.

Flurry could have gone down there to join them, but she wasn’t in the mood for more fearful stares. She hadn’t exactly made a great impression with her little display in the briefing room, and she really needed some alone time. It was better to just watch from up here.

Things were getting a bit lively down there, with both groups rallying around their prospective contender.

“Come on, Firey, you’ve got him!” A magenta-coloured earth pony shouted excitedly, her strong Manehattan accent easily recognisable over the crowd. “Show that pillow-stuffer who’s best!”

“Come on, Blitz! I’ve got twenty bits on this!” One pegasus shouted.

Blitz was straining, sweat running from his brow, while the kirin had a predatory grin on her face. Her tail was coiled around his hind leg like a snake, evidently trying to throw him off his game.

Flurry couldn’t help but smirk at the mare’s ploy. She would have to remember that one next time she visited Broken Bow.

“Looking a bit red-faced there, champ,” Fire goaded.

“You think your little tricks are going to distract me, but you’ve got another thing coming!” Blitz growled, making another attempt to force the mare’s foreleg down.

“Aww, I do so love it when stallions try their best,” Fire taunted, her tail creeping up higher.

Blitz tensed and then let out a tiny squeak before a dreamy expression formed on his face. His grip slackened, and with a victorious whinny, Fire slammed his hoof down to cheers from the crowd.

“Hey, that’s cheating!” Blitz cried.

“You enjoyed it didn’t you?” Fire asked, sticking her tongue out.

“I-I want a rematch, no tricks,” Blitz demanded, his cheeks a bright shade of red.

“I can do this all day, stud.”

Flurry’s eyes turned to Swan Song, who had been watching the spectacle from a distance. The pegasus had been talking quietly with her pilots during most of it, huddled together, away from the main group. Given the fearful looks that drifted up in Flurry’s direction, she had no doubt what their talk was about.

She sighed softly, looking down at Whammy. “One step forward, two steps back, eh Whammy?”

Her little display had no doubt spooked everypony present, the pegasi worst of all. Getting them to see beyond Last Shadow and trust her was always going to be an uphill battle, and now she’d gone and made the climb that much harder.

Swan Song looked up to her and their eyes met, the pegasus wearing a deep frown on her face. There was uncertainty, maybe even a little fear in those eyes—the worries of an officer going into combat. Flurry had seen it a hundred times on the eve of a hundred battles. She flashed the pegasus a smile, but the mare simply looked away.

“She’s a stubborn one,” Flurry commented, only to scowl at Whammy. “Shut up, we are not alike at all. I still don’t know if she’ll try and put a bullet in my skull once this is over. I’d like to think not, but ponies always find a way to disappoint you.”

She rested her chin on her forelegs. “She’s been through a lot—they all have—they deserve a little helping hoof.”

Whammy simply sat there.

She grinned mischievously. “Oh, bringing Merry Weather down a peg or two is the icing on the cake. But first, we have to deal with the immediate problem.”

Her gaze drifted back to her black-stained wings. Even now, she could feel that invisible mass pressing against her magical core.

“Nyx’ll be able to crack this spell, I know it,” she continued. “And once she has, we can help everypony else.”

She shifted, knocking the plushie onto his side and rattling his googly eyes.

“If she can’t, I’ll just have to improvise,” she muttered, letting out a snort. “And no, I’m not asking Twilight for help.”

Her eyes narrowed. “It’ll be a cold day in Tartarus before I ask her for anything. I’ll sort this out myself, one way or another.”

Whammy’s eyes eventually settled and fixed on her.

“If nothing works…?”

A cold shiver went through her body at the mere thought of being at that bloated fool’s mercy, paraded around like some mystical beast to entertain his lackeys before being offered up on a plate to the Emperor of the Republic. Face to face with Stratos, after all this time? She shuddered at the thought. Then there’d be the nice public show trial for the holo-vids, followed by execution. Maybe they would get Swan in to pull the trigger.

Flurry shook her head and dismissed those dark thoughts. “It won’t come to that. Nyx will fix this, I know she will.”

That was, of course, if the mare would even speak to her. Nyx wouldn’t hesitate to help any other pony in need, but helping her? A part of her doubted the alicorn would be so generous.

A thick knot of anxiety formed in the pit of her stomach at the thought of meeting her cousin again. Her emotions rose up and crashed against her like storm-driven waves beating against a cliff.

She reached out and pulled Whammy close. “What should I say to her, Whammy?” She squeezed him tightly. “It’s not like I can turn back the clock to how things used to be.”

She felt a soft tear trickle run down her cheeks before chuckling to herself. “You’re right, we’ve still got to help rescue her first. There’s plenty of time for worrying about all of this once everypony is safe and sound.”

Wiping her eyes, she arched her back and stretched her wings.

“You know, maybe you’re right. Moping up here isn’t helping me right now,” she stated, fluffing her wings. “Maybe I should get in on the hoof wrestling action? Stir the pot a bit between Swan and Blitz, am I right?”

Whammy’s antennae were still partly pressed against his head by the force of her hug.

“Pfft, you’re no fun.”

She was about to hop off the wing of the Dream when she felt a change within the carrier. The gentle rumble of the engines shifted pitch, becoming deeper. That meant the ship was speeding up.

Her ears perked as the ship’s PA system crackled to life and a stallion’s voice boomed over the hangar. “Action stations, action stations, set condition one throughout the ship. This is not a drill. I repeat…”

The quiet calm of the flight deck was shattered in an instant by the alert. The effect on the crew was instantaneous, the pegasi leaping into the air and heading to their ships and stations. Swan and her pilots rushed to the fighters and began donning their flight gear.

What had happened? Was Nyx under attack? A hundred questions fought to be heard inside her head, and a hundred terrible scenarios spawned from them. Her heart began to pound in her chest as fear of the unknown threatened to overtake her.

She had to go. She had to go now.

Flurry rushed towards the forward airlock of the Dream and went inside. Lights flickered on as the ship stirred from her slumber, the automated systems reacting to Flurry’s presence.

“Prepare for departure,” she ordered, tapping a few commands into her holo-brace.

“Affirmative. Beginning Nexus core ignition sequence,” the Dream’s golem responded, a faint hum beginning to reverberate through the ship. “Pilot link established.”

She felt the slight pull on her thaumatic reserves as the ship’s Nexus core began drawing power from her horn. Her body moved on autopilot, going through the same motions she’d done a thousand times before. At least by focusing on preparing her ship, her emotions were kept in check, though they were still screaming from the back of her mind.

As she trotted down the corridor of the upper deck, her holo-brace buzzed.

Tapping on it, a small window appeared before her eyes with Oakheart at its centre. In the background, she could see the bridge crew already at their battle stations.

“What’s going on, captain?” she asked.

“We finally picked up the Orion’s distress beacon a few minutes ago,” he said, his voice calm and professional. “But it was cut off almost immediately.”

“And?” Her voice trembled with emotion.

“The signal was very weak, but we received a data packet indicating they’re under attack,” he replied grimly. “The communications officer is currently trying to clean up the sensor data for us, but it’s heavily corrupted.”

“Then I’m preparing the Dream for launch,” Flurry announced, heading quickly towards the flight deck.

“Ms. Flurry, wait.”

“No. No more delays. I have to get there now,” she said, desperation creeping into her voice.

“I understand, but we’re still an hour from our launch point,” he explained. “Sabre squadron won’t—”

The display vanished as she cut off her connection with Glorium comms, a frustrated hiss escaping her muzzle. She couldn’t just sit here while Nyx was under attack! She had given up so much already, and now, she was about to lose everything just when her cousin was within reach.

Flurry cycled through the squadron comms channels she’d been given, prior to the briefing, until she found the one for Swan Song.

“Lieutenant, do you read me?” she called.

There was a brief delay before Swan Song responded. “Yes, I copy.” She sounded surprised, a mixture of fear and anticipation in her voice as she spoke.

“How long before you’re ready to launch?” Flurry asked, keeping her own voice level so as not to alarm the pegasus.

“Wait, I thought we had over an hour before we were supposed to launch.”

“It’s just…” Flurry began, trying to sound innocent. “Something’s come up. Oakheart said we need to leave early. Can you make it happen?”

“What? No. We’ve got just enough flight reserves for the trip plus a half-hour engagement at best. If we leave early, we’ll be running on sparks when we get there and be useless if there’s a fight.”

Damn it, Flurry cursed to herself. “Alright. Thanks anyway, Swan. I’ll be in touch. Flurry out.”

She slammed a hoof into the nearest bulkhead, her wings bristling as her frustration boiled over. It was just one thing after another with these ponies! Now physics was conspiring to get in the way of her machinations!

She cast a glance at Whammy, whose eye wobbled in disappointment.

“Oh, shut up,” she grumbled.

Flurry pointedly ignored the frantic flashing on her holo-brace as she silently fumed.

“Ms. Flurry, please answer your holo-brace,” the muffled voice of Oakheart reverberated from the Glorium’s PA system outside.

She looked down at the accursed device for a second, letting the stubborn earth pony stew for a moment before answering. “What.”

“Ah, have you got it all out of your system? Or should I wait a few minutes and we can try again,” Oakheart asked with the weary tone of a parent taking their filly out of time-out.

“I’m listening.”

“I may have a solution to our launch window problem,” he said. “If you’re willing to wait and let me explain.”

“Fiiiine.”

“I’ll be down in a few minutes,” he said before adding, “Once I find the elevator.”

Flurry let out a sigh, feeling some of her anger subside. She still wanted to blow a hole in the Glorium and speed off towards the Orion, but the urge was less pressing. She cast a glance at Whammy, whose pupils had finally stopped spinning in their plastic sockets.

“Are you happy? I’m waiting for him, okay?” she huffed.

Whammy sat there smugly on her shoulder.

“Okay, okay, I’ll call Swan again,” she grumbled.

“Lieutenant Swan, do you read me?”

Another delay and then the comms clicked on with an angry sigh. “I copy. What is it?”

“I just spoke with Oakheart. He has an idea that could buy us some more time. Can you get the deck chief on the line? Also, can you have him bring Rapier squadron up to ready status as well? I’ve got a bad feeling we’re going to need them with us.”

“Did you actually speak with him this time?” came Swan’s sardonic response.

“I overreacted, okay?” Flurry said. “Listen, they’ve picked up the Orion’s distress beacon. They’re definitely under attack. I don’t think we can wait.”

“Yeah, but Flurry, we need to know what we’re up against. You know that.”

“Oak says the comms team is working on it. But he seemed pretty sure we can launch early. Can you be ready?”

“Yeah. I mean, no. I mean… Flurry, I’m sorry but it’s just not going to work. You saw the launch window. You know we just don’t have the CAPS for that kind of operation.”

Flurry wanted to blurt out some kind of irrational reason why it would work, but she knew Swan was right.

“Let’s… okay, let’s just assume that Oak has found some miracle that can make it work. Can you be ready?”

More hesitation. She could hear Swan speaking softly with somepony nearby for a moment.

“Okay, Flurry. I’ll do it, but this had better not be another one of your games,” Swan warned.

“This is legit, I promise.”

“It had better be. Swan out.”

As she trotted down to the cargo bay, she realised that her anxiety had faded—not gone completely, but it was more manageable. Her heart was still racing, but it was no longer trying to escape from her chest.

As she opened the door to the Dream’s cargo bay, she heard Flint’s voice barking orders to his squad.

“Alright fillies and colts, get the lead out! We’re on the clock here!”

Flurry spotted him standing on a crate, clad in a slim suit of armour she wasn’t familiar with. She had been expecting a full exosuit, similar to the ones they had used during the war. Instead of thick armoured plates completely enclosing his body, the dark-blue armour was made up of a large carapace, covering his body with smaller segmented plates over a black augmented bodysuit. It looked advanced and sleek, but it felt like he’d accepted a joust with a Yak, wearing a tutu.

“Hey, Flurry, I just got the word from the captain,” he said as she trotted up to him. “Don’t you worry, we’ll be ready when the time comes.”

“Wearing that stuff?” she commented dismissively as she looked over his attire. “What, Harmony going cheap on your equipment or something?”

He chuckled. “We’re cops first, not soldiers. Besides, I don’t think those Orion folk would appreciate an armoured division tearing up their ship, now, would they?”

She gave him a skeptical look.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not the hardware but the pony using it that makes the difference,” he said with confidence. “Besides, the corridors on the Orion will be tight, and I’d like some room to maneuver.”

It made sense. Exosuits were not what you would call restrained by design. They tended to make their own entrances onto starships, regardless of collateral damage. With civilians in the way, she understood the need for something a little more subtle.

“Besides, you know what a cautious fellow I am,” he grinned, motioning to the small pulse cannons folded away on each of his shoulders. The rifle holstered at his side looked equally formidable—definitely military issue. “Don’t you worry, Flurry, we MAWS ponies are ready for anything.”

“We’re the problem-solvers, right Chief?” Fire Hawk grinned, adjusting her armour.

The kirin’s armour was different from the others, probably due to her unique physiology. A long series of vents ran down her spine, and the armour plates looked to have an extra layer of ceramics to handle a lot of heat. She had no weapons to speak of, but if there was any truth to her bragging, she didn’t need one.

“If you’ve got time to make jokes, Fire Hawk, you’ve got time to help the others,” Flintlock said. “Whoever is last has to do a lap of the station in full kit, so move it!”

The threat had the desired effect, as the few that had been slacking found a new burst of energy while their squadmates rushed to help.

“Just like old times,” Flurry commented. “I just hope it goes better than most of the battles we had back then.”

She pawed at a rusty old red stain on the decking that no amount of scrubbing had been able to get out. A deep pit formed in her stomach at the thought that a few of these ponies might not be coming back from this mission.

Flint’s brow furrowed slightly, but he gave a gentle smile. “I wouldn’t worry about that. We all volunteered for this. When we signed up with Harmony, we knew what we were getting into.”

She felt her heart swell at those words. It had been a long time since she had been amongst ponies willing to risk themselves for something more than a reward.

“Thank you, my friend,” she said humbly, bowing her head to him.

“Just doin’ my job. Now you just need to get us there in one piece,” he replied with a modest shrug. “And preferably with my breakfast still in my stomach. I know how you fly.”

“I’ll leave some sick bags out if you’d like.”

He let out a sigh, his eyes drifting back to his marines. “Now, neither of us has time for a chat. We’ve got a ship to save. I’m going to go and motivate these ponies some more.”

“Have fun.”

He grinned before trotting over into the mass of ponies. “Come on, you fillies! You’re embarrassing me in front of Flurry Heart! Officer Gum Drop, are you wanting to stay behind?”

A lime green stallion barely out of his teens straightened. “Sir, no sir!”

“Good, Flurry is getting twitchy and she might just feed your sorry flank to her pet monster if you take any longer!” Flint growled before giving her a wink.

Some things never change, she thought to herself as she headed to the flight deck.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

“Where did you get that thing?” Flurry remarked as the deck crew was heaving a long metal box with blue arcanite crystals arranged in rows along its top into the Dream’s cargo hold. It was trailing a long line of cables behind it like a grisly streak of entrails.

“It’s the Glorium’s reserve battery,” Oakheart replied.

Flurry gave a whistle. “Damn, how’d you convince them to part with this?”

“The usual way,” he snorted. “I bought it.”

“Should have told me, I’d have ripped it out for you,” she commented as the technicians hurriedly connected the CAPS bank to a tangled mess of wires. “Now, not to sound ungrateful or anything, but why are you giving this to me?”

“We’re connecting a recharge emitter onto the Dream’s dorsal section. It will allow Sabre squadron to refuel in-flight,” he explained, ignoring her angry frown from seeing ponies messing with her ship without her permission. Again.

Flurry walked slowly around the new addition to her cargo bay. This close, she could feel the hairs of her coat stand on end with the energy in the air.

“Also, we managed to clear up what we could from the beacon’s data.” He tapped on his holo brace, and a hazy image appeared. “It seems to be some kind of drone.”

The image was a blur, with most of the frame broken by static, but Flurry recognised the silhouette of a drone streaking by the camera. It was roughly conical in shape, with a bulging drive section towards its rear. Although most of the details were lost, it sent a chill down her spine.

“We’re going to need more ships,” Flurry uttered.

“Ms. Flurry, from the size of the ship, it looks to be barely a threat,” Oakheart assured.

“You’re wrong, that’s a Syndicate Shuriken,” she warned. “Those things are fast, and worse, there’ll be a lot of them. We’ll be outnumbered and outgunned. We need Rapier squadron to even the odds for us.”

“And how do you expect them to do that? This CAPS bank here will be barely enough to recharge one squadron, let alone two,” he said.

Flurry paused to think for a moment. With at least an hour between the fighters arriving on-site and the Glorium showing up with reinforcements, they were going to need every last spark of power. More power had to come from somewhere… Flurry glanced around her cargo hold, her mind racing. Suddenly, it came to her.

“I can help with that,” she declared with confidence. “Have the technicians hook the CAPS bank up to the Dream’s Nexus core. I can top everyone up when we arrive as well as during the fight.”

“Hold on, isn’t that going to be too much of a drain on you?” he asked with a concerned frown. “This is only a corvette sized ship.”

“Oh, I’m a big girl, captain. I should have plenty in my tank to keep them going,” she said, flashing him a confident smile despite her apprehension.

Of course, she hoped to have as much power in reserve as she could for the mission. Experience had taught her to always be prepared when going into a fight. She just hoped it would be enough.

“Very well,” he said. “Now, I need to get back to the bridge. I need to brief Lieutenant Swan on this new development.”

“Need a lift?”

“No, thank you,” he replied, wincing. “I managed to find the elevator.”

“Aww,” she grinned, as he trotted away.

Flurry looked over to Flintlock and his squads, currently trying to stay out of the way of the technicians and the large piece of equipment sitting in the cargo hold.

“Are you going to be okay sitting in with this thing?” she asked.

Flintlock shrugged. “Shouldn’t be a problem. Our equipment is shielded, so it won’t hamper the mission.” His tone hardened as his gaze fell on Fire Hawk, who was currently reaching a tentative hoof to prod the new arrival. “Provided somepony doesn’t start poking at it.”

“Tingly,” the kirin murmured before being dragged away by her squadmates.

“I’d best get up to the flight deck and get us ready,” Flurry said. “Might as well see what these techies are doing to my ship.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

They were ready.

In the Dream’s hold, Flintlock’s marines were lined up, now fully armed and armoured, their faces and manes hidden beneath pressure-sealed helmets. Only the cutie marks or personal insignia painted on their flanks distinguished one pony from the other.

Flintlock was going through a final briefing with them before they set off. The airlocks and other entry points to the Orion were covered again and again, to ensure everypony knew exactly what to do.

Flurry watched through the Dream’s cameras from the flight deck as they went over their plans. Now linked to her ship from the flight couch, she could see everything, inside and out. She hoped to go aboard the Orion herself with Flintlock’s marines when they docked, but it all depended on how much resistance they faced. As much as she hated it, she was just a glorified bus driver for this job.

Flurry flicked to the exterior sensors to watch what was going on outside. Swan Song and her flight were waiting in their ships, their engines idling on their launch catapults. Behind them, the rest of her squadron as well as Rapier waited for their turns. The air rippled with heat coming from their propulsion systems, and the whine of engines was deafening.

All preparations were made, and now, all she could do was wait for Oakheart to set them loose.

She checked the clock. It had been twenty minutes since Oak had signalled the alert. Her heart was screaming at her to just launch now, but she held it in check. This was a group effort now, and everypony had a part to play.

Suddenly, the comms system lit up and Oakheart appeared before her.

“Have you heard anything?” she asked, the hope and fear in her voice surprising her.

He shook his head. “We’ve not been able to raise the Orion.” There was an edge to his voice, and his jaw clenched. “We’re now cruising fast through highly compressed space between stars. From here, you can take your pick of several routes if you know the way. You’ll take off along with Sabre and Rapier squadrons and get to the Orion as fast as you can.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Relax, captain, I know Dragon’s Head like the back of my hoof.”

“The Glorium will continue at best possible speed, but you’ll be on your own out there until we can catch up,” he continued.

She smiled. “I’ll try and leave you something to do when you arrive.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he said, smiling slightly. “Good luck and good hunting. Launch when ready.”

He gave her a sharp salute, before the window closed and she was left alone once again. She felt elation to be finally setting off, but it was tempered by the uncertainty of what she would face when they arrived.

Outside, the ground crews were clearing out of the Dream’s path as the carrier’s bay doors began to slide open.

She spoke into the intercom, and her voice crackled over the cargo hold’s PA system. “Okay, everypony… we’re launching now, so sit back and enjoy the ride. Our inflight entertainment involves staring at the sparkling box.”

Flintlock looked up to one of the nearby cameras and gave a nod before hunkering down with his ponies.

With a gentle beat of her wings, the Dream lifted off its landing gear and angled itself towards the Glorium’s open maw and mirrorspace beyond.

“Here we go, Whammy,” she said, tilting her wings and bringing them down slowly, earning a deep rumble from the Dream as its engines roared to life.

The docking bay streaked by and was soon replaced by the swirling, inky mass of mirrorspace. She pulled away from the carrier, getting a fair distance before turning to face it.

Flurry watched as Swan’s fighters roared out like missiles from ports in the leading edges of the Glorium’s wings. It was like watching a flock of birds preparing for migration as each ship formed up in a broad V formation behind her. They were soon joined by a second wave launched from the Glorium, making for an impressive sight.

Twenty-four Swallow fighters gathered in two parallel V formations. For a bunch of semi-green pilots, it was quite a feat of precision flying. Swan had taught them well.

“Sabre lead, this is the Fleeting Dream, do you copy?” she called over the radio. She might as well keep things professional.

“I copy,” Swan Song replied, her helmeted face appearing in a small vid window. “Sabre flight, form up around the Dream. Rapier flight, take up position behind us.”

Flurry spun the Dream around, turning to face their distant destination. Even at this distance, she could feel the faint ripples in mirrorspace from the nearby star systems. She quickly cycled through the gravitational data held in the Dream’s navigation golem, selecting the steady pulse linked to the Huerth system’s star.

Now, all she had to do was plot a course. It was very much like navigating an ocean covered in whirlpools, each one generated by a star. She would have to be careful to keep her distance, lest they get caught in the gravity wells and lose speed. They couldn’t afford any delays.

With her trained senses, she felt every ripple and current, seeking out the winding path of highest compression between stars, which would shorten their travel distance.

She swallowed. “I’ve found us a path. I’ll take the lead and start correlating nav data for the Glorium.”

“I copy,” Swan replied.

With a quick beat of her wings, she pulled to the head of the formation and set a course for the Huerth system, following the star’s steady heartbeat. The Dream surged forward, the deep rumble of the engines rising to a higher pitch. Her ship felt lighter and more responsive than before, a sign of the work they’d carried out on her. One engine was no longer slightly lagging behind the others, and a vibration that had been bugging her for weeks was gone.

“Not bad,” she commented, keeping herself off the radio. “Looks like Amby has some competition. Just glad I’m not footing the bill for it.”

She could almost feel an ‘I told you so’ emanating from Whammy.

Through her sensors, she could see Swan and her group lagging behind. “Best hurry up, slowpokes.”

“Damn, I didn’t think that rust bucket was that fast,” Blitz said through the comms.

“Don’t let her looks deceive you,” Flurry replied. “She might be old, but the Dream still has some legs on her.”

The Glorium was soon lost in the gloom as their formation ploughed on into the murk. There was only a flitter of nervous chatter amongst the formation, with everypony focused on traversing the immaterium as quickly as possible. Mirrorspace was a dangerous place, especially for a ship with no means of getting out again, so they stayed as close as they could to the Dream.

As they neared the Huerth system, her sensors began to pick up faint gravity shadows in the currents of mirrorspace. To the untrained eye, these shadows were a blurred mess of flickering peaks and troughs, but to a navigator, these were planets and moons.

Lighting up her horn, Flurry sifted through the data, creating an image of what lay beyond in realspace.

There were several massive shadows, each creating whirlpools of energy which she knew to be the planets that made up the Huerth system. Nyx’s distress signal had originated from within a dense patch surrounding the fifth planet of the system. Stretching her senses, she could feel the crowded asteroid field up ahead, like grains of sand in her hooves, shifting in the current.

And sitting right in the middle of it all, was the Orion.

The Orion was certainly massive, creating a far deeper shadow than most of the surrounding asteroids. Flurry tried to sense the other ship which Nyx had mentioned, but the readings weren’t clear enough to find it. The smaller ship would be easily lost amongst the turbulence created in the asteroid field.

Now that she knew where the Orion was, she just had to find a safe place where they could jump in.

This was what separated your average guilder from a master. With her trained senses, she could feel the faint current passing between each rock. It was like looking for stones hidden beneath the surface of a river before jumping in, with only the water’s flow as a guide. Most navigators spent all their time stuck to gates or open space because of the risks of collision, but Flurry wasn’t your average navigator.

“So… Flurry Heart, you’ve done this a lot, right?” Blitz asked.

“Sabre Two, stay off the line,” Swan warned.

“Come on, it’s our necks on the line here,” he retorted, a little trepidation in his voice.

“Oh, I’ve done this plenty of times and into places a lot more crowded than this,” Flurry assured. “Why do you think I’m so hard to catch?”

“And it’s never gone wrong?” he continued.

“Nope,” she lied.

“That’s a relief,” he said with a sigh. “The sooner we’re out of here the better.”

“Maybe if you stopped distracting her, we’ll get out faster,” Swan grumbled. “And preferably not with a face full of asteroid.”

“Oh ye of little faith,” Flurry replied, with a smirk as she found what she was looking for.

There it was. A decent sized gap sat between several asteroid shadows, maybe fifty kilocanters wide in realspace, a fair distance from the Orion. More than enough for the squadrons to slip in.

She carefully catalogued her readings before transmitting the tactical situation back to the Glorium.

“Okay, everypony, come get yourselves topped up before we jump in,” Flurry announced. “Momma cow is waitin’ for ya.”

“Form up into groups of four,” Swan said. “We’ll refuel one group at a time. Remember, we’ve got a limited amount, so take sips, not gulps.”

There was a chorus of acknowledgements from her wingmates, and soon they were maneuvering into position around the Dream.

It was awkward at first. They had to get close to be in range of the recharge emitter, but they quickly got the hang of it, and soon, things were moving smoothly. Flurry winced as she felt the CAPS bank begin to draw energy from the Dream’s Nexus core.

Soon, every ship had completed its refueling, and they once again moved back into formation.

“Okay, opening a jump point now,” Flurry said, focusing her thaumatic energy into the Dream’s jump drive. “Keep clear of the jump point—I don’t want any of you getting sucked out when the vortex opens.”

“Jump drive charging,” the Dream intoned, the hum growing until it reached a fever pitch. “Ready to engage.”

There was an extra draw for a moment through her link as the drive drew more energy from the ship’s core. This time, keeping the jump portal open long enough for other ships to pass through would require a fair bit more energy than she was comfortable spending.

As the energy buildup reached critical mass, she channeled it to a point a few hundred canters in front of her ship. The spell finished, and a tear opened up in the fabric of mirrorspace, showing the black expanse of realspace beyond.

Thrusting forward, the Dream streaked through the rift, and Flurry found herself deep within the asteroid field.

Immediately, proximity warning alarms filled her displays as a veritable mountain of rock loomed ahead of her. It was almost completely black, cloaked in shadow as it barreled towards her.

Throwing the Dream into a skid, she felt the slight tug of G forces as she fired off her reversing engines to slow her forward momentum. Her eyes widened as she saw the clouds of dust and ice being kicked up by her jets.

She let out a sigh of relief. “That was close, eh Whammy?”

“Sabre flight, brake as soon as you exit,” she warned. “So long as you come out slow, you should be fine.”

“We’re coming through now,” Swan responded.

From the portal, the first six fighters emerged, clouds of evaporating etherium billowing off their wings like steam from a vent. They quickly spun and used the thrust from their engines to slow themselves down.

“You weren’t kidding when you said it was close fit,” Swan commented, pulling up beside the Dream. “Remaining Sabre ships, you’re up.”

It was a tentative thing. like a herd of animals crossing a river. Their fighters came through carefully in groups of six. Meanwhile, Flurry maintained the energy output necessary to keep the jump point open.

As Rapier squadron was making its way through, Flurry kept her eyes open for any company in the surrounding area. They were at their most vulnerable as they were filtering in, which was why she had jumped in behind cover. Even so, somepony could have easily picked up the energy spike by now, and yet nothing came to confront them.

Flurry was thankful for that, as it gave them the time needed for the last of their ships to jump in. Soon, every ship was through, and they gathered in the shadow of a large asteroid.

“Rapier flight, you hang back while we go and check out the area,” Swan ordered, her voice clear and level. “Fleeting Dream, you’re with us.”

Nerves haven’t got to her, that’s good, Flurry mused.

“Right with you,” Flurry said, giving a gentle beat of her wings to join the rest of the squadron as it crested the top of the asteroid.

“Should we try and raise the Orion?” came a mare’s voice that Flurry recognised from the briefing—Cinnamon something.

“I doubt they’d have enough power to respond by now even if they wanted to,” Blitz replied.

“Keep your eyes and ears peeled,” Swan warned. “Whatever attacked the Orion has got to be close by.”

In the distance, off her port wing, the green marble of a massive gas giant loomed in the starry sky, partially illuminated by the sun’s harsh light. It looked almost inviting with its puffy white clouds scattered across its surface.

Several large asteroids obscured their view of the path ahead. A particularly large one had a massive hole bored right through it. The hole was easily big enough to fit an Alliance frigate inside with room to spare. The bore hole was too circular to be a meteor impact, and strange patterns rippled from its edges where the rock had been melted and then quickly cooled. The inside of the hole glistened with shards of black glass, the stone crystallized by whatever force had done this.

Flurry had seen the aftermath of enough battles by now to recognise the effects of an energy weapon, but something of this scale was unheard of, even in the Federation. It had to have come from the Orion. What kind of monstrosity was she commanding, and why?

Surrounding the asteroid was a glittering cloud of metal fragments, mostly hoof-sized or smaller, with only a few substantial chunks no bigger than one of the Swallow fighters. She began to recognise structures within the debris as they approached the field. A portion of outer hull, buckled outward by the explosion. An array of shattered gas cylinders, clinging to a twisted internal bulkhead. Some pieces still sparked faintly with electrical power from dying batteries.

“Sabre Lead, picking up residual radiation sources from the debris—definitely a ship,” a stallion commented, his voice quiet, almost a whisper. “It’s too big to go around. We’ll have to pass through it.”

“I read you, Sabre Four,” Swan acknowledged, her voice a bit shaken at the scene. “Looks like this is what’s left of the Houndrathi ship. Keep it slow and be careful you don’t let that crap clog your thrusters.”

As they passed through, it was like going into a hail storm, only with bits of metal rattling against their canopies and fuselages. Some of the larger pieces were corroded and didn’t even seem to have come from the same ship. This was typical of a houndrathi’s ramshackle starship construction—just a collection of whatever they could find, welded together. Flurry almost felt pity for them being pitted against her cousin like they had. The only solace she had was that the destruction was total and the creatures’ deaths had been swift.

“By the Winds, what do you think did this?” one of the younger pilots gasped.

“If you’re lucky, I’ll introduce you to her,” Flurry joked.

“A pony did this?”

“She’s related to Last Shadow so anything’s possible,” another commented.

Flurry winced. She really hoped they wouldn’t tar Nyx with the same brush as her, especially given Nyx’s… unique appearance.

“Sabre squadron, we’re getting close. Make sure you’re ready for anything,” Swan called out as the field began to thin.

“Copy, Sabre Lead,” came a chorus of replies one by one.

They circled around the asteroid, and Flurry wasn’t alone in gasping audibly when the Orion came into view. Flurry had glossed over some of the schematics prepared for the briefing, but she still wasn’t ready for the sheer size of the ship before her.

The Orion was massive, making even the Centipede bulk carrier she had ‘borrowed’ from earlier seem small in comparison. It was of a radical design, far different from anything she had seen before throughout the colonies.

The bow of the ship was a flattened wedge, connected to the main hull of the ship by a long, slender neck. Three huge forward swept wings flared out from the main fuselage at equal angles, a dorsal wing sitting atop a superstructure with the other two angled down at her sides.

A pair of sleek engine pods were nestled on either side of the rear of the dorsal wing, with another two on the lower hull. Like Harmony, Flurry could recognise the touch of each of the three tribal styles on her, only far more refined. The practical earth pony construction of the hull blended seamlessly into the more dramatic and aesthetic nuances of the pegasus and unicorn tribes.

One feature that drew Flurry’s eye was the aperture built into the Orion’s bow. It was easily wide enough to fit a train car through, and from the empty mountings around it, there was more than enough room for additional weapons to be installed.

Flurry pushed her questions aside as she focused on the Orion’s condition. There were no running lights on the massive ship, and the Orion simply hung haphazardly in space, rotating slightly around its centre of mass. Flurry could see impact dents on sections of the hull from asteroid collisions, but there was no serious damage on the hull. Her drab grey hull was missing sections in places, likely meant to be installed after she arrived at Harmony.

Flurry felt a surge of relief at what appeared to be minimal damage. This quickly faded when she saw something move out from behind the Orion. It was only a fraction of the size of the massive ship, and at first glance, it looked to be the Alliance cruiser they were expecting.

Then, she saw the strange blue-green growths encrusting the cruiser’s boxy hull, giving the vessel a bloated, ungainly appearance, like it was infected with cancerous growths. The cruiser was latched onto the Orion by a multitude of umbilical tubes, shooting into the disabled ship’s hull like the proboscis of some spacefaring parasite.

A swarm of Shuriken drones buzzed around, circling the Orion like a pack of wolves around a wounded animal.

They’ve already started boarding her! Flurry gasped.

For the moment, there were no hostile scans in their direction. Now, if they could only—

“Attention, unidentified vessel: This is Harmony Security patrol,” Swan announced on open comms. “We are responding to a distress call. State your intentions or you shall be considered hostile. Acknowledge.”

Flurry winced as she watched the cruiser’s sensors stir to life and scan in their direction.

It was times like this she hated siding with the good guys.

Chapter 11 - One Hell of a Furball

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Even while hooked up to her flight couch, Flurry managed to connect her hoof to her face over the utterly amateur move. Swan’s actions felt more like something you’d find in a pilot’s training manual—Encounters 101—than what any sane instructor would have trained her to do. The enemy ship had definitely noticed them.

There goes our element of surprise, she noted.

Worse, local comms chatter between the squadrons had suddenly taken on a very distorted quality.

“Localized jamming detected,” the Dream announced.

Well, that explains that. Apparently, they didn’t want anyone calling in for reinforcements. Flurry could still make out what the fighter pilots were saying, but what concerned her more was whether she’d be able to maintain comms with the Glorium. Jamming tended to be more effective at blocking long-range communications, after all. Something about generating an alternating gravity field that acted like tossing a rock in a pond on the Mirrorspace side. Problem for the bad guys is that they’d be cut off as well.

The turrets atop the cruiser’s upper superstructure were suddenly highlighted red as they began rotating in their direction. LIDAR targeting pulses began radiating from the cruiser as its guns found their range. From its bloated belly, bright blue lights were spat out in ever-increasing numbers.

“Sabre Lead, multiple launches detected,” one of Swan’s flight said, fear creeping into the stallion’s voice.

The Dream’s sensors focused Flurry’s vision on the small pinpricks of light. They twitched and shifted, swirling around each other in a growing spiral of light. It was almost beautiful, like a stirred up nest of fireflies, though it troubled her that her sensors struggled for a moment to lock onto them individually.

They were definitely Shurikens. She could recognise that dart-like profile anywhere, and now that they were closing distance, she could make out every detail after managing to lock onto one.

The long, cone-shaped nose and fuselage were almost jet-black, save for a blue stripe running down the side. There was no canopy or signs of a cockpit, for they held no pilot, at least not in the conventional sense. The bulbous engine pod at the rear trailed a bright-blue ion trail as the ship bobbed and weaved erratically.

In amongst the formation were several larger fighter craft. Drone controllers. These would have actual pilots flying them. They were the same colour and configuration as their smaller companions, only with a jagged armoured prow dominated by two ball turrets. Within seconds, they had already begun corralling their wayward pack of drones into order, creating a wall between Flurry and the Orion.

“Flurry, what am I looking at?” Swan asked.

“Shurikens, for sure,” she stated calmly, though she hid her growing unease. “Definitely Syndicate.”

“Syndicate?” Blitz asked. “Isn’t that one of the local pirate groups?”

“Yeah,” Flurry confirmed. “They’re the most organized changeling faction outside the Conformity. Trying to take the Orion is pretty ambitious, even for them. Though I can see why they’d want her.”

“Changelings? I thought they were supposed to be friendly.”

“Not these ones,” she replied sourly. “They’re the worst kind of scum operating in Dragon’s Head. You’d best pray they don’t take you alive.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because they’re the ones that see ponies as their next meal,” she replied grimly. “These ferals will drain you dry and then plug what’s left of your traumatized mind into one of those drones.”

“Oh…”

“I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with them over the years. Ever since the war, they’ve been getting bolder. Almost all their tech is stolen. Opportunistic trading-up is how they like to do things. They won’t care what happens to that carrier if they can bag the Orion.”

“And imagine what they could do with a ship like that,” Swan added.

Flurry rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck in preparation for what was to come. “Make no mistake, these aren’t your average pirates.”

They had some serious balls trying to grab a Commonwealth battleship like this. The planning needed to arrange this little ambush must have taken months. Flurry’s only solace was that they were in for a nasty surprise when the boarding party ran into Nyx.

Flurry's thoughts were broken by a sudden silence falling over the comms channels, and she instantly regretted her words. These kids didn’t need horror stories rattling their cages right now.

“Sabre Lead, w-what’s the plan?” One of the pilots asked, a tremor rolling off her voice.

The swarm was swelling in size as more fighters joined the swirl. The changelings knew they had the advantage and were taking their sweet time, letting fear seep into the pegasus squadrons. This would make them all the easier to chase down and capture.

“We can’t beat that!” Cinnamon cried. “We’ve gotta get out of here!”

“Hold, Sabre Three,” Blitz ordered. “Sabre Lead, do we engage or retreat?”

“I…” Swan stammered, stunned shock overtaking her voice.

The swarm spun to face them in unison, having swelled to an intimidating size. It was like a huge spiked beast turning its gaze on a beleaguered challenger for its prize.

“Winds preserve us,” a pilot gasped.

Flurry let out a snort. She hadn’t come this far and given so much for it all to fall apart now. A plan quickly formed in her head; all she needed to do was motivate the right pony.

“Sabre Lead, form up behind me. We’re going to punch right through them,” she said.

She brought her wings down slowly, increasing the thrust to the engines gradually and easing the Dream forward.

“F-Flurry, what are you doing?” Swan asked, her voice shaking off some of the stunned stupor.

“I’ve got soldiers to deliver,” she replied. “I’ll put up a shield in front of us to make a wedge and crack their centre.”

“But it’s suicide!”

“Way I see it, you’re each worth ten of those bugs out there, meaning we’ve got them outnumbered!” she countered. “Question is, are you pegasi of the Republic or the frightened foals they think you are?!”

There was a short pause as the swarm began to surge forward in a torrent. Flurry’s threat indicators went wild as the eye of the swarm focused on her.

“We can beat this, Swan, but I can’t do it alone,” she urged.

“Sabre squadron,” Swan said, taking a breath. “Form up behind the Dream, as tight as you can.”

“Alright!” Blitz whooped. “You heard her, Sabre, it’s showtime!”

There was a chorus of acknowledgments from the others as they quickly formed up in a tight V behind the Dream.

Flurry allowed herself a smile.

“Rapier Lead, do you copy?” Swan called.

“Copy, Sabre Lead.”

“We’ve got a hornet’s nest of trouble bearing down on us and we wouldn’t want you to miss the fireworks,” Swan said, her voice becoming firmer with each word. “When we break their lines, you hit them in the flank and we’ll catch ‘em in a crossfire.”

“We’ll be there in sixty seconds, Sabre Lead.”

“Great,” Swan said. “I just hope we last that long.”

The swarm split into a broad X shape, the tips streaking outwards like a grasping hand. They would be in firing range in a matter of seconds.

“Keep your eyes open for any heavy fighters among them. Those are the controllers,” Flurry said. “Don’t let them isolate you.”

Drawing all the magic she could muster, Flurry threw a golden field out from the nose of the Dream. Sweat ran from her brow as the field began to coalesce in front of them. It stretched across and over the trail of fighters behind her, earning awed gasps from the pegasi.

Flurry cast an eye to her magical reserves. She wouldn’t be able to keep this going for long, but this should be over quickly.

Drawing in a breath, she brought her crosshairs into the centre of the swarm and pressed down on the triggers. Not quite a glorified bus driver after all.

Pulses of golden energy erupted from the Dream’s nose, striking the lead Shuriken and causing it to explode in a bright ball of blue flame. Shuriken drones were barely more than an engine with an attached gun—certainly not enough to withstand a hit from the Dreams guns. Flurry kept her triggers held down, the flashes of light and eruptions of flame almost mesmerizing.

Swan and her fighters joined in, the red tracers from their cannons tearing into the mass of ships. They matched the Dream’s moves as they raked the changeling formation with fire.

The changelings responded with an onslaught of their own. Blue darts of laser fire glanced off Flurry’s shield as the tight formation of fighters charged into the maw of the beast. The changeling drones fired at them from all sides, the shield rippling as each salvo fell like rain over it. Clenching her teeth, it took almost all her focus to keep the shield intact. If it wavered for even a moment, Swan’s flight would be lost.

Flurry winced as the percentage total of her personal magic reserves dropped in ever-increasing increments. It had plummeted substantially in a matter of seconds, and the drain showed no signs of slowing. She could feel the pressure building up at the base of her horn from using so much energy so quickly. She would have to cut her shield if she wanted enough left for the rest of the mission.

The ship shuddered as they charged through the flaming remnants of the changeling drones, chunks deflecting off the front of the shield like snow off a plough.

Then, as quickly as it had started, the swarm parted, the centre disintegrating under the fusillade of fire. Sabre squadron emerged from the explosions of the dying ships and out into open space.

Panting, Flurry let the shield drop, the golden field dissipating quickly. As it lowered, she could hear dings and scrapes rattling her hull as the debris from the battle ricocheted off.

The cruiser loomed ahead like an angry storm cloud, hurriedly spitting out more drones to replace its losses.

“Fleeting Dream, try and get those marines aboard. We’ll keep them busy,” Swan Song called, the fear now gone, replaced with the adrenaline-fueled excitement of battle. “Sabre squadron, follow my turn.”

Swan spun and her wingmates followed, turning their noses to face the swarm like knights preparing for their next joust. Their engines glowed brightly as they brought their continuing momentum to a stop, only to race away rapidly.

For a bunch of green kids who were nearly wetting their flight suits a minute ago, they had recovered well. Swan Song’s voice led the charge as the rest of her aerie fell in line to face the challenge with confidence.

Casting a glance behind her, Flurry saw the changeling swarm mirror their moves, turning to face them once again.

Suddenly, several drones detonated as red tracers tore into them from behind. Rapier squadron streaked into view, firing into the mass of ships as they did so. The swarm’s cohesion began to break down as individual groups broke ranks to pursue their chosen quarry.

Chatter exploded over the comms channels as both forces clashed, devolving the battle into a mass furball. Save for the distinctive red and blue flashes of their weapons, it was almost impossible to make out individual ships as they bobbed and weaved through the maelstrom.

Flurry wanted to join in and help Sabre squadron, but she had to get Flint and his marines offloaded quickly. There was no telling what was going on aboard the Orion, but she knew Nyx was going to need all the help she could get.

The shrill cry of alarms drew her attention upwards just in time to see three shurikens barrelling towards her.

Throwing the Dream into a skid, she felt the press of g-forces against her body as pulse laser fire streaked by. The shurikens had misjudged their speed and would soon overshoot her.

It was the last mistake they’d ever make.

The flight couch made it as natural as if she were actually flying through the air with her own wings. Responding to her movements, combined with the neural link, the Dream’s maneuvering jets fired wildly. Flurry spun the Dream around, bringing her nose in line to where the shurikens would pass by. Squeezing down on the triggers, she sent a stream of golden pulses into their path. Before they could react, they disintegrated in blue flashes of flame, one after the other, leaving wisps of glowing molten metal in their wake.

Flurry’s heartbeat fluttered in her chest at the exhilaration of the kill, the old thrill of combat stirring her spirit despite the danger all around her. For once, there were no ambiguities, no regrets, and no need to hold back. These changelings had threatened her family, and she would make them pay.

Her eyes hungrily scanned for her next target when a voice sounded over the ship’s intercom.

“Flurry, do you copy?”

She blinked, pulling out of her reverie at the sound of Flintlock’s voice.

“Oh, umm, yes I copy,” she replied with an awkward chuckle. “How are you colts and fillies doing down there?”

Even behind that helmet, Flurry could still see his grin. “Clinging on, no thanks to your driving. We’ve got twenty ponies here who are trying not to throw up in their helmets. I think Easel has already lost his lunch.” He glanced off to the side in sympathy. “Can I get a sitrep?”

“Looks like we got a ton of changeling drones to wade through. You and your ponies ready for a fight?” she asked, throwing the Dream into a steep climb to avoid a quartet of shurikens.

“Always. What’s the plan?”

She frowned as she surveyed the situation. There were too many fighters buzzing around to risk docking. As good as his marines were, her ship would be riddled with holes before they cleared the bay.

Looks like she was just going to have to improvise.

“Docking is a bust, so new plan,” she said while rolling the Dream onto her back, then down into a dive to stay below the cruiser’s guns. “I’ll make a pass on the Orion as slow as I can so you ponies can make the jump. You able to handle that, old-timer?”

“Why is it that every time I fly with you, it ends with me jumping out of this tin can at high speed towards imminent death?” he asked, shaking his head.

“Force of habit,” she smirked. “You ain’t the first cop I’ve tossed out of my ship.”

“That makes me feel so much better.”

“I’ll be making my run soon, so you’d better get yourself ready,” she said, her voice softening. “Watch your tail out there, you old coot.”

“Stay safe, firecracker,” he replied, giving her a loose salute.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flintlock cut the channel and walked over to his waiting ponies. They were huddled in a group, crouching low to reduce the effects of the g-forces on their stomachs. Even with the Dream’s gravity spells and inertia dampeners, he could still feel the ship thrash violently from the maneuvers Flurry was putting it through.

At times, he worried the CAPS bank would break free and crush them all. Periodically, it would spark and hum as it drew in more energy from the Dream before falling inert again. This indicated an opportunistic friendly craft was flying in formation with them for a moment to get a quick top-up before darting away again.

What worried Flint was that the intervals between each recharge cycle were getting shorter. Whatever was going on outside wasn’t good.

“Alright ponies, listen up!” he announced, making their heads snap up to look at him. “Change of plans—we’ll be making a zero-g jump onto the Orion, so check your gear.”

There were a few gasps and grumbles amongst the gathered marines. The strongest ponies amongst the teams began donning their Attitude Assist Modules while the rest attached their thruster units. Meanwhile, Preacher was busy muttering prayers in that weird language of his.

Fire Hawk hopped in place with excitement. “Here I was thinking this was going to be boring!” she exclaimed giddily. “Are we really going up against feral changelings?”

“Yes, so make sure your TEI is working, I don’t want any friendly fire in there,” he said as he made his way towards the loading ramp.

Fire Hawk chuckled, gleefully mashing her forehooves together. “I run into one of those bugs, there’ll be plenty of fire and none of it friendly,” she muttered.

“Everyone be sure to check your targets—we’ve got a lot of civvies in there,” Flint said, eyeing the kirin. “That goes doubly for you, Fire.”

“Don’t you worry, chief, only things that need to worry are those bug boys,” she said.

There were a few eager nods from the other squads. They had picked up some of the chatter from the pegasi fighting outside and were ready to do their part.

“Okay, fire teams,” Flint announced. “Alpha will secure the bridge and command deck. Bravo Fire Control, Charlie and Delta the hangar bays. Understood?”

Each team leader gave him a nod and turned to their teams of four other ponies.

“Drop leaders remember, the rest of the team is dependent on you to get them down to the surface,” Flintlock said, pacing between the squads as they hooked up together. “It’s not going to be pretty out there, but follow your training and you’ll make it down safe, understood?”

“Yes, sir!” They yelled in unison.

The ship’s intercom buzzed and Flurry’s voice boomed across the cargo bay. “Alright, colts and fillies, I’m starting my run. Stand by, sixty seconds.”

“Everypony ready?” Flintlock called. “We jump by teams. Delta, you’re first, ending in team Alpha.”

The three earth ponies and two unicorns that made up Delta team stepped up towards the ramp. A faint hissing signalled the cargo bay beginning to depressurize.

Through his helmet displays, Flintlock could see the air pressure slowly creeping down to zero. The silence of vacuum was broken only by his own steady breathing through his respirator and the vibrations through his armour.

Flint had long since conquered the instinctual terror equines suffered from being enclosed inside a pressure suit. That primitive part of the pony psyche was not prepared for space and needed iron discipline. His only regret was he couldn’t stretch his wings in this thing. For thestrals, and pegasi especially, the lack of wind on their wings was stifling.

“Thirty seconds,” Flurry announced as a pair of spinning, red hazard lights flared to life on either side of the ramp.

Flintlock trotted towards his team, currently hooked up to Princess. The muscular mare was the best rated amongst them to handle the drop down to the Orion.

“Mag boots on,” he ordered, his suit’s onboard spell golem already activating the necessary enchantments. His feet soon felt heavy as the magnetic plates in his boots activated.

The ramp silently lowered, revealing a violently pitching starfield. In the distance, explosions and tracer fire lit up the space around them as the silent battle unfolded. Tiny motes of light, brighter than the stars that made up the backdrop, streaked across the sky, ending in the occasional blue or red flash.

Flint’s stomach dropped at the sight, trying to fight off the niggling queasiness brought on by the constant movement.

“Are you actually going to point us at the Orion anytime soon?” Flint asked.

“Relax, it’s me,” Flurry assured.

The nose of the Dream levelled out, the thrusters on her nose firing off periodically to adjust her course.

“Coming up on the Orion in ten seconds,” Flurry Heart’s voice buzzed through his helmet radio. “I’ll get as close as I can for you.”

The bow of the Orion appeared, moving perpendicular to the direction of the Dream. The imposing sea of jutting superstructure, antennas, and turrets gave the distinct impression that they would soon be smashed into or be impaled by them.

Flintlock had to admit, time hadn’t dampened Flurry’s skills. They must have been barely a hundred canters away from the Orion, so close he could practically see the weld lines.

He walked carefully to the edge of the ramp.

“Okay ponies, it’s now or never,” Flurry called.

“Delta, go!” Flintlock shouted, pointing towards the open ramp.

Together, the team leapt from the ramp, clumped around their drop leader, their momentum carrying them forward along the Orion’s hull. With efficiency born of experience and training, each team jumped off the ramp and into the expanse. A few ponies hesitated, naturally, but they were a team and nopony was going to let their squadmates down.

Eventually, only Flint’s squad remained.

“Best for last, eh chief?” Echo chuckled as they walked up to the ramp’s edge.

“Somepony has to keep an eye on you lot,” he said, giving her a pat on the shoulder.

They were each tethered onto Princess, who stepped forward with resolve.

“You’ve got this, Princess,” Flint assured as he hooked himself onto her harness.

“Yeah, probably the only thing you’re really good at!” Fire Hawk chuckled as they shuffled towards the drop.

Princess said nothing, already deep in concentration for the drop ahead.

Taking a breath, Flint mentally prepared himself, experience numbing the fear clawing in the back of his mind.

“Ready?” Flint asked, getting nods from them all. “Go!”

Leaning back, they killed the spell on their boots and leapt from the ramp.

“Okay, Flurry, all teams away,” he called, looking back at the retreating Dream spinning on her axis. Her engines glowed white-hot as she narrowly avoided a burst of flak from the cruiser’s turrets.

“I copy, watch your tails down there,” Flurry replied.

Turning back, his heads-up display showed the trajectory of his plummet. Thin blue lines marked the path they were following, with a distance-to-target indicator appearing on the right side of his HUD.

“Get ready to fire braking thrusters,” Flintlock said.

“I copy,” Princess replied, firing off periodic jets from her thruster pack, gently adjusting their trajectory.

The Orion’s hull was already rushing up to meet them as they plummeted towards its surface.

“Detach in five,” Flint announced, as the proximity sensor rapidly ticked down. “Echo, you’re first.”

“Copy, chief.”

“Four.”

Princess rotated her thruster nozzles and fired off a prolonged burst to slow their forward momentum, the vibration from the motor running through their tethers. With careful precision, she began to spin their group.

“Three.”

Everyone reached for the release clasp on their harness. Their timing would have to be perfect, otherwise they’d slam into the hull or be tossed out into space.

“Two.”

Flint looked to his squad one last time, giving them a nod.

“One.”

Barely thirty canters from the deck, they released themselves from the group one by one, the jerk of each release slowing Princess’ spin.

The rest of his team disappeared from view, being replaced by blue outlines on his HUD.

Breathing in long deep breaths, he focused on keeping himself between the guidelines while relaying the information to Princess. It was a lot like flying in a way, the attitude thrusters on his back mimicking his wings while jets on his hind legs acted as a rudder. The big difference was the lack of wind whistling in his ears and brushing against his face. All he could hear was the thumping of his heart, so loud now, in the silence of the vacuum.

Something streaked past him so fast that his eyes barely even registered, causing him to bank away out of reflex.

“Easel, there’s a drone coming right at you!” a voice belonging to a mare in fire team Charlie yelled over the radio.

“Where, I don’t—” The stallion’s voice was suddenly cut off.

Flintlock cursed in frustration, but there was little he could do. Getting down was the priority now, and the main body of the Orion was getting closer and closer by the second.

Firing off the jets on his back, he leveled himself out and aimed for the landing point where the rest of his team was touching down. He approached it rapidly, at a speed that caused warnings to flash inside his helmet. The slightest miscalculation now would send him tumbling off into the void.

As Flint approached the landing point, he angled his body, bringing his hind legs to face his direction of travel. Firing off measured bursts from the jets in his legs, he began to slow his momentum.

“Warning, thruster malfunction,” the golem in his helmet announced, the jets on his legs spluttering before failing completely.

“Chief!” Echo called, as he swept past the drop zone and began a precarious transit over the Orion’s port wing.

Easy, don’t panic, remember your training, he reassured himself, trying to calm his rocketing heartbeat. He checked his suit’s systems quickly, testing his remaining jets to ascertain which ones were still working. His hoof-mounted thrusters were gone, but the ones on his back still functioned.

Okay, I can work with this, Flint thought, angling his thruster jets forward and firing off a prolonged burst, pushing him closer and closer to the wing. That might have solved the height problem, but he was still moving down the wing at a rapid pace.

Only one thing for it, he lamented. This was going to hurt.

Reaching out with his hooves towards the hull plating streaking past, he activated his hoof magnets, pulling him down to connect with the hull. He clenched his teeth as the jerk from the impact threatened to pull his legs out of their sockets. He skidded across the hull, sparks arcing off his boots as his body scraped across the Orion’s wing.

For a brief moment, his hooves left the deck, his body tumbling for a second before the magnets found their grip again. Eventually he finally came to a stop, his body coming to an ungraceful halt in a heap on the wing.

Flintlock let out a groan as he gave his limbs a few tentative flexes and was thankful that he hadn’t broken anything. He wouldn’t be tap dancing anytime soon, but he could at least move, which meant he was still in the fight.

The radio crackled to life, causing Flint’s ears to perk as Fire Hawk’s voice came through. “Hey, chief? You still alive?”

“You ain’t getting off that easy,” Flint replied, groggily clamoring to his hooves.

“Echo and Priest are with me at the airlock. Can you see us?” Fire Hawk asked.

He looked up to the stepped superstructure leading up towards the Orion’s enormous dorsal wing. Nestled in an alcove, he could see a blue strobe light blinking and a few distant figures.

“I got ya. Headin’ there now,” Flint said, aiming himself towards them and pushing himself off the hull. “Is Princess there with you?”

“She’s hulking her way over as we speak,” Fire chuckled.

“That’s a relief, I’ll be there soon,” he replied.

Why do they have to make these ships so damn big! he grumbled to himself as he moved across the wing, periodically giving himself a short push now and again to keep himself orientated.

“Alpha Lead on the move,” he announced. “Team leaders, sound off.”

“Delta, all landed safely.”

“Bravo, all safe.”

There was silence for a moment before the commlink crackled to life once again. “Charlie here. Easel and Rosebud are gone. Changeling drone got Easel, and Rosebud misjudged her landing.”

Charlie’s team leader, Honeydew, an earth pony mare of some experience, sounded hollow over the radio. Her voice cracked as she spoke. Their unit had barely formed, and they were already down two members.

“Charlie. Regroup with Delta and back them up,” Flint said softly. As much as it hurt, he had to keep them moving.

“Copy, Alpha Lead,” Honeydew responded, her voice levelling to a degree. “We won’t let you down.”

With grim resolve he continued along his path, the dorsal wing of the Orion looming above him like the tower of a fortress.

“Chief, you’d better get that wrinkly old flank moving. It looks like you’re about to have some company,” Fire Hawk said, the concern in her voice enough to spur him on.

Flintlock glanced upwards and saw the glint of blue metal from a changeling Shuriken barreling down towards him from above. He broke into a sprint, hopping across the Orion’s hull in long jumps with the aid of his one working thruster. Staying out in the open was suicide; his weapons just didn’t have the punch to deal with this attacker. He needed to get to cover and fast.

As he jumped, a torrent of searing blue pulses fell silently around him, breaking up into showers of sparks as they struck the hull. He skidded to a stop, the stream of bolts running ahead of him as a trio of Shurikens swooped overhead.

“Move your flank!” Princess urged. “They’re making another pass!”

He couldn’t help but smile—even at work, there was always a mare telling him what to do.

Scurrying towards the alcove of the airlock, he spotted Princess frantically waving to him. Echo was crouched by the airlock controls with Fire Hawk and Priest on either side.

Panting, he cast a glance upwards, scanning the space above him for his pursuers, and sure enough, he saw them banking in for another run.

As Flintlock looked back, he saw Princess emerge, spinning up her gatling cannon.

“I’ll cover you!” she shouted, bracing herself before letting loose a stream of blue bolts over his head.

He didn’t dare look back as he rushed towards the shelter of the alcove.

Flintlock barely made it to safety before the blue rain fell once again. He and Princess dived back into cover as bolts struck all around them, glancing off the hull plating like water. Even with its shields offline, the Orion’s armour was evidently formidable.

“Any progress with the airlock, Echo?” he panted, pressing his back against the alcove’s wall.

Echo had already plugged a mini-CAPS cell into the door’s panel and was furiously tapping away on the schematic projected by her holo-brace.

“I need two minutes, boss. The panel’s dead and I need a cold reboot to get it running,” the mare replied, not looking up from her work.

“We ain’t gonna last thirty seconds at this rate,” Princess huffed.

“You could go out there and be a distraction, waving that big cannon around for ‘em,” Fire Hawk joked.

“I could offer you a prayer if you like,” Priest said with a tone that somehow felt sincere and mocking at the same time as he took careful aim at the drones.

“I swear when this is over…” the earth pony mare snorted.

“Enough, all of you!” Flintlock snapped, rubbing his chin with a hoof then feeling awkward when it merely thumped against his helmet.

Princess was right, of course. All it would take is one of those things finding the right angle and they were done for.

They’d need a little help.

He gazed upwards to see several of Swan’s fighters dueling with their foes overhead.

“Alpha Lead to any friendlies, my team is pinned down by the Orion’s port airlock near the base of the dorsal wing. We need support on my beacon,” he called, switching frequencies on his suit’s radio. “Could really use some help down here.”

Flintlock looked up towards the Shurikens lining up for another run. “Right now would be good.”

Damn it, Flurry, where are you? he thought, pulling his rifle from its holster and clasping it in his forehooves. Might as well scratch their paintwork a bit before I die.

“Let’s give these bugs a warm reception,” he said, getting nods from the others.

Flintlock poked his head out of cover and carefully took aim. He quickly fired off a few bursts and was disappointed to see them glance harmlessly off the drone’s hull. Princess and Priest joined in as well, with Princess liberally spraying the space in front of them while Priest took his time.

The zebra slowly took aim with his DMR, leading the target before squeezing off three shots in rapid succession and was rewarded with one of the drones veering wildly off, trailing smoke behind it before impacting on the port wing below.

“Show off,” Fire Hawk grumbled. Having no weapons of use at that range, the kirin simply chose a torrent of expletives, a tiny lick of flame bursting from her suit’s vents.

“Focus your fire!” Flint ordered, picking the lead ship as his target.

They opened fire in unison, pulse laser blasts striking all around them as the changelings returned fire. Flintlock recoiled as his vision was blinded for a moment by a flash of light from a bolt landing a little close for comfort. His helmet’s visor barely reacted in time to filter out the flash.

The changelings were now aiming to wipe them out, getting closer and closer as each second passed.

As the drones closed in for their final run, a flurry of red tracers tore into the changeling formation, the first exploding, while the second spiralled off trailing black smoke.

They caught the welcome sight of a pegasus Swallow as it streaked by overhead, the pilot performing a corkscrew before pulling up sharply.

“Alpha Lead, Rapier Six, your skies are clear for now.”

Looking up, Flintlock grinned. “Thanks for the assist, Rapier. Drinks are on me when we get back.”

As the Swallow pulled up, Flint gasped as he saw more Shruikens sweep up on the fighter from below.

“Rapier Six, you’ve a trio of bogies coming up behind…” his voice trailed off as he saw them open fire.

The Swallow pitched and tried to avoid its pursuers, but it was too late. A bolt struck just behind the cockpit, causing the ship to lose power and spiral out of control.

The drones fell on the wounded ship like jackals, getting as close as possible and riddling the defenceless fighter as it drifted. It exploded shortly after with a blue flash of flame, the pilot’s scream lost in a final shrill of static over the radio.

“Damn,” Princess muttered quietly, lowering her head. “They’re really getting torn up out there.”

“All we can do is keep moving,” he said grimly, looking back. “Echo, how’s the door coming?”

“Just another… and got it!” she exclaimed, the pistons springing open one by one.

The thick outer hatch of the airlock swung open with a waft of ice crystals. Fluorescent lighting flickered on, revealing a pristine white airlock, like it was fresh out of the packet.

“Okay, ponies,” he said, kicking off the side of the alcove and drifting inside. Their hooves suddenly connected with the floor as the welcome pull of gravity took hold. “Now, the easy part is over. Let’s get to work.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Swan Song breathed heavily into her helmet, fighting to get more oxygen into her weary body. Her flight muscles burned, desperately screaming at her for respite from their ordeal. The rapid, desperate thumps of her heartbeat pounded in her ears in an almost deafening cacophony.

The weariness of the last forty-eight exhausting hours was only being kept at bay by the steady dose of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Her ship wasn’t faring much better. The engines whined at an ever-increasing pitch, a heavy vibration rippling through the battered airframe like the convulsions of a dying animal. Through her links to the ship, she could sense numerous tears in the fuselage and failing systems beneath. She didn’t dare look at the plethora of warning indicators flashing incessantly in the corner of her eye.

They both needed a short respite, her to catch her breath and her ship to cool down before it shook itself apart.

Swan couldn’t say how long it had been since Flurry had led the charge towards the Orion. Time had become a mad blur of flashes of light and sound. All she could cling to now was the forlorn hope that the Glorium would arrive soon to relieve them.

Around her, the battle was still raging, with ships streaking by in a desperate dance for survival. Red and blue tracers flashed across her view, punctuated by explosions that filled the space around her. She had only seen such a sight in the news vids from the war. To be amongst it was both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

“Sabre Lead, I’ve got three drones on my tail!” Cinnamon Swirl cried, her voice desperate and laced with fear. “I can’t shake them!”

Swan shook her head to clear the daze.

“Hold on, Sabre Three, I’m on my way,” she replied, scanning the battle and spotting the desperately jinking Swallow fighter trying to escape its pursuers. “Sabre Two, let’s get to it.”

“Copy, Sabre Lead,” Blitz replied. “Right behind you.”

Swan banked towards her embattled friend, urging her wounded ship to full speed once more. Blitz took up position to cover her as she dove into the chase.

Cinnamon’s Swallow was heading close to one of the asteroids on the periphery, hoping to lose her pursuers amongst the debris. They had followed, like a pack of sky mantas chasing down a cloud whale. They were toying with her, firing a few bursts periodically to keep her jinking, wearing her out for the kill.

As Swan closed in, she spotted a larger fighter following behind the drones. Maybe three times their size, it looked like a jagged dagger, its profile broken by serrated edges running up its top. Towards the tail was a large engine nozzle, spewing a stream of blue light from its exhaust.

Was this one of those controllers Flurry had spoken of?

It seemed too focused on the chase to notice her pulling up behind it. Unlike its smaller brethren, this ship’s movements were slower and less frenetic. It was almost casual, moving only to avoid the occasional stray chunk of rock drifting into its path.

“Hurry Swan, I can’t keep this up much longer!” Cinnamon’s desperate cry begged over the radio.

“Don’t worry, Cinnamon, I’ve got them,” Swan said.

She squeezed the triggers as soon as the enemy drifted into her crosshairs. Red bolts of charged arcane energy streaked towards their target, creating glowing slags of molten metal on its hull as they impacted. The controller lurched, a plume of grey smoke trailing behind it.

The controller attempted to spin on its axis, trying to bring its nose turrets to bear on her, but it was a fatal mistake. As it spun, it exposed its broadside to her and she took full advantage. Raking the fighter with several shots, a blast hit just behind the section connecting the main fuselage to the engine. Swan watched with satisfaction as the controller’s engine sheared off, its engine zigging wildly for a few seconds before exploding.

The three remaining Shurikens jerked and then spiralled away lazily like their guiding strings were cut. She and Blitz finished them quickly before another controller ship could claim them.

“Sabre Three, are you okay?” Swan asked, her eyes scanning for any more threats.

“I-I’m fine, thank you,” Cinnamon said shakily.

“Where’s Sabre Four?” Swan asked.

“He’s gone, Swan. He tried to keep them off me and—” Cinnamon’s voice cracked and fell into a gentle sob.

Swan clenched her teeth and bit back a curse. Another dear friend gone and she hadn’t even heard his cry. This battle had cost her more friends and comrades than she dared think about. Every final cry she had heard over the radio had been like a stake driven into her heart. These were her precious ponies, and she’d led them into a massacre.

“What’ll we do, Swan? There won’t be anypony left at this rate,” Cinnamon asked, desperation now in her voice.

Swan closed her eyes, feeling anger well up inside her at her own impotence. She was their Aerie leader; her ponies looked to her for answers, but she had none to give. This was so far beyond her experience.

She let out a sigh. “Form up behind me, help is coming—we just need to hold on.”

“How long until the carrier gets here?” Cinnamon asked.

“Twenty minutes,” Blitz said.

Twenty minutes! How many of us will be left by then? Swan asked herself.

That was, of course, if the carrier was even still coming at all. With comms being jammed, that piece of shit Downdraft would likely order them to retreat if he thought things were going badly enough. He was probably halfway back to Harmony by now, inventing a heroic lie to hide his disgrace. They would not be receiving any reinforcements.

“How is everypony’s fuel levels?” Swan asked, shaking off her morbid thoughts.

“My CAPS are nearly spent,” Blitz replied.

“Mine too,” Cinnamon whimpered.

Swan checked her energy gauge and saw it blinking a warning at her. At this rate, they would run dry in the next few minutes.

“Has anypony seen the Fleeting Dream?” Swan asked.

“I-I haven’t seen her since we got scattered,” Cinnamon replied.

“Damn it,” she cursed.

What had been a simple covering maneuver had devolved into a dozen smaller dogfights. Nothing in her academy training had prepared her for this, and now she had lost sight of the ship they were dependent on for recharging.

The alicorn had likely dropped her marines off before joining them aboard the Orion. Getting to her cousin had always been her top priority. Flurry had gotten what she needed from Swan and her blackwings, and now they were being left to die. In the end, despite all her big talk, Last Shadow had left them just like everypony else.

Swan swallowed. “Let’s get back into the fight. We need to regroup with the others.”

She banked her ship upwards, charging back into the maelstrom.

“Right behind you, Sabre Lead,” Blitz called.

“I’m with you, Swan,” Cinnamon said shakily.

Swan spotted two more of Sabre squadron engaged with at least a dozen Shuriken drones and headed there as fast as her wounded ship would carry her.

“Sabre Ten, we’re coming to assist, at your four o’clock low,” she said.

“Where… I see you!” Came a frantic reply, the mare’s voice frayed. “We’ll try and bring the fight your way.”

“Sabre Two, you try and outflank them, Sabre Three stay on my wing,” she said, picking out her targets. “Watch your tails.”

“Same to you, Sabre Lead,” Blitz said, banking away.

“Cinnamon, just stay with me, okay?”

“I copy, Sabre Lead,” Cinnamon said with fragile determination in her voice.

Swan allowed herself a small smile as they dove in together. They might be outnumbered and surrounded, but her ponies weren’t going to go down without a fight.

The drones were moving in groups of six, trying to pin her pilots down in a crossfire. She could see her fighters ducking and weaving, trying to cover each other as they moved.

“Sabre Three, we’ll make a quick pass, try and get as many as we can,” Swan said, picking out her targets.

“I copy, Sabre Lead.”

She urged her ship up to full throttle, feeling her wings protesting as her ship accelerated. The vibration increased once again, and she briefly fought with the controls to keep herself steady.

In the corner of her eye, she saw her energy levels drop to critical.

Come on, just hold together, she prayed.

They closed in, just as one of her flight made a roll and dived low.

A clump of drones were in the process of following them when she and Cinnamon struck. Firing in carefully controlled bursts, she picked off two drones before they even realised they were under attack. Cinnamon managed to get another two as they spun to react to the new threat. Blitz came barreling in from the other side, guns blazing, aiming for those trying to escape the trap.

The hunters quickly became the hunted as the pack of Shurikens found itself hemmed in from all sides. The Swallows that Swan had rescued now joined the attack on their beleaguered foe, causing the changeling formation to collapse as more and more were picked off.

“They’re running!” Blitz cried as the survivors cut and run, joining their controllers in a dash back to the cruiser.

“Thanks for the assist, Sabre Lead,” Sabre Eight said.

Their elation was short-lived as their scanners lit up with yet more contacts coming their way. At least eighteen new drones and their controllers were heading their way from the cruiser.

This is endless, she thought.

The Shurikens formed into a broad X, gathering the survivors of the previous fight into its ranks.

“Damn, they really don’t like us,” Blitz commented. “Probably sore from their flanks getting whooped.”

Swan allowed herself a smile. She could imagine him stomping his hooves and flaring his wings defiantly at the approaching enemy.

“Let’s get ready to give them a warm welcome,” she said.

“Now you’re speaking my language,” he replied.

Blitz and Cinnamon came up to join her on either side, with Sabre Seven and Eight taking up position behind them.

Despite his words, she knew he was running on empty just as much as she was. She could hear the faint pant in his breath and the weariness hidden in his voice. Neither of them had much left, but she felt comforted to have him and what was left of her squadron at her back.

A series of warnings lit her vision as the drones began to close into gun range.

“It’s been an honour,” she began.

“Sorry kid, gonna have to ruin your little moment,” a voice interrupted.

An explosion behind the drones rendered six of the Shurikens inert, the now lifeless drones spiralling out of formation. From the fire, the Fleeting Dream burst forth with several Swallows following behind her.

The remaining drones spun to face their new threat, but Flurry Heart effortlessly wove through the formation with the grace of a dancer. Swan didn’t think it was possible for such a large ship to move as it did. The Dream arced and pirouetted through the drones, swatting them down with casual ease.

Swan could only watch in awe as the alicorn laid waste to the gathered horde. Flurry hadn’t abandoned them!

“I picked up a few stragglers around the Orion and brought them here,” Flurry said.

“Good to see you, Sabre Lead,” Rapier Lead said, coming in above them with the remnants of his squadron. “After we merged with the enemy, everypony got separated. If Flurry hadn’t helped us out…”

“She helped you?”

“Of course I did,” Flurry interrupted. “You’re my comrades. I wasn’t going to leave my aerie hanging now, was I? You’d best recharge while we have a lull in the action.”

Their advantage now broken, the changelings retreated back to the cruiser, but this time did not return. The drones circled their mothership, as if pondering their next move. Regardless, Swan welcomed the reprieve.

The Fleeting Dream took position between them and the Orion. Flurry’s ship now bore a few new scorch marks on her hull.

Swan breathed a sigh of relief as the energy transfer began, slowly replenishing her Swallow’s CAPS cells.

“Sorry for the wait, it took me a while to round everypony up,” Flurry said.

“I’m just glad you’re here, we were on our last spark,” Blitz said, relief heavy in his voice.

Flurry’s voice was calm and determined, the voice of a veteran of countless battles. There was no hint of weariness there. In fact, she seemed almost eager for the next fight. Despite her fears and doubts about the Glorium, Swan couldn’t help but feel reassured by the alicorn’s words. The fact that she was still there fighting alongside them was enough, all by itself, to restore Swan’s confidence.

“Okay everypony, let’s get ready to—”

Several explosions rocked their formations as flak bursts from the cruiser erupted around them. The ship had turned broadside onto them and was now showering them with shots from its dorsal batteries.

Swan let out a gasp as her ship was rocked by a near-miss. Red hot shrapnel peppered her ship, sending a sharp pain through her wings as the link registered impacts. An outline of her fighter appeared with several sections of the wing now glowing red.

The drones reformed in a broad wall formation, now bolstered by new arrivals from the carrier. They waited just outside the flak zone for anypony to dare a breakout.

“Looks like they’re done throwing their drones at us,” Flurry snorted.

“We can’t stay here!” Blitz cried. “Those guns will tear us to pieces.”

“And go where? They’ll chase us down if we try and run,” Swan retorted, frustration seeping into her voice at being unable to hit back at their foe.

There was a flash and a cut off cry as one of her ships exploded from a nearby flak burst.

“Swan, I need you and the rest of your ponies to make a run for the big asteroid close to the houndrathi debris field,” Flurry said. “Make it look as disorganised as you can.”

Another explosion rocked her ship, and Swan gritted her teeth. “No problem doing that,” she snorted sarcastically. “I assume there is a plan?”

“Hey, it’s me… there’s always a plan.”

Chapter 12 - Two Bad Decisions Later

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Oakheart squirmed awkwardly in his seat, the luxurious cushions on the bridge of the Glorium feeling more distracting than comfortable. The Alliance warships that he had served on felt more at home with their spartan furnishings than this gaudy mobile palace.

“Comms, have we had any word from them yet?” he asked, casting a glance towards the communication station.

“Nothing yet, sir,” the stallion sitting at the station replied.

Oakheart clenched his teeth, a silent sigh of frustration seeping out. It had been over a half-hour since they had heard anything from Flurry Heart or the strike team. They had lost contact only moments after they had jumped into the system and found the Orion. Anything could have happened since then, but all Oak could do was sit and wait while the Glorium trudged through Mirrorspace far more slowly than he would have liked.

When he had commanded an Alliance cruiser, he was part of the action, together with his crew. He felt connected to events, just as those under him were, but here, he was detached and adrift. It frustrated him to no end, but he did his best to hide it from the carrier’s crew.

“Thank you, petty officer. Let me know the moment anything changes,” he replied, giving the officer a nod.

“Aye, sir.”

The difference between the officers and the rest of the crew on the Glorium was startling. While most of the bridge officers moped around their stations, chatting or even sleeping, their underlings sat dutifully at their posts, paying keen attention to their instruments.

The lack of discipline shown by these officers in front of their juniors turned Oakheart’s stomach. They were meant to set an example for the rest of the crew. Instead, they lounged around like they were on a pleasure cruise.

“You know, captain, you should really learn to relax a little,” came a slightly slurred voice from the seat beside him.

Then there was this fool.

Oakheart looked over to where Shipmaster Downdraft sat slumped in his throne-like chair. The pegasus was idly drawing in another gulp of aerohol from his shisha pipe, surrounded by a thin haze of smoke.

Downdraft was a perfect example of everything Oak hated about the pegasi—their preening arrogance disgusted him. When they had first arrived on Harmony, Oakheart had done everything he could to just not deal with them. All the delays, the negotiations, and the petty ignorance had been tolerated only because he had hoped that it would be temporary. Now that he was in amongst them, he felt an old anger gently simmering like a dormant volcano.

“Shouldn’t you be more concerned?” Oakheart asked. “Not a word from your squadrons for thirty-five minutes and you’re just sitting there?”

“Why should I care? This is your show, captain,” Downdraft sneered. “I’m just here as a liaison. You should be grateful to even be here.”

Oakheart narrowed his eyes, resisting the urge to knock the arrogant pegasus right out of his chair. He idly wondered if Flurry Heart was beginning to have a bad influence on him. While unconventional, her methods cut right to the point and were extremely effective. Unfortunately, without her around, Downdraft and the rest of the officers were beginning to find their backbone again.

“I wonder,” Downdraft continued. “Why are you suddenly so concerned about our blackwings? It’s not like you bothered with them before.”

“They’re under my command,” he replied. “It’s my job to make sure everypony gets back safe, blackwing or not.”

“My, how quaint, the war hero showing concern for his former enemy,” Downdraft mocked. “Maybe when this is over, I can send a few to your quarters to show their appreciation. You seemed quite interested in our little Swan.”

There were a few stifled chuckles from his inner circle.

“Of course I am—she’s the only capable officer amongst you,” Oakheart retorted, giving his best polite smile.

Downdraft let out a snort, nearly choking on his aerohol. “You insolent—”

“Present company excepted, of course,” he lied.

Downdraft fluffed his wings, muttering something under his breath.

Yes, Flurry is definitely a bad influence, he thought to himself.

As much as it irked him, there was a sliver of truth in Downdraft’s observation. He’d had little contact with Lieutenant Swan Song since her arrival, hearing only reports of the odd scuffle with the deck crews. At the time, he had thought her just another rowdy pegasus causing trouble. Even after hearing the rumours of how badly Merry had treated them, he had done nothing, simply wanting them off his station.

Then, he had seen their living conditions.

He was beginning to see what drove the young pegasus—a strong desire to protect her own. It wasn’t far removed from his own tribe’s feelings towards clan and kin.

“Umm, sir,” a voice broke Oakheart from his chain of thought. “We’re getting a weak signal from the flight group.”

“Put it on speakers,” he said, straightening himself.

“Sabre Seven, watch your tail, he’s coming around again!”

“I got it, I got it!”

“Five more coming in, five o’clock high!”

“My engine’s out! I’m losing control—”

A myriad of panicked voices echoed across the bridge of the Glorium like the wails of the damned. In an instant, everyone’s ears were perked and alert, even the officers taking notice.

Oakheart felt his chest tighten. They were under attack, and it sounded like things were getting desperate. He had to find out what was happening.

“Put me through to Sabre Lead,” he ordered.

“I’m trying, sir, but the signal keeps cutting in and out,” the comms officer stammered, rattled by what he had just heard.

“The Fleeting Dream then,” Oakheart said. “We have to find out what’s going on.”

“…captain?” came a garbled response from Flurry Heart.

“Clean that up!” he said, a little louder than he meant to.

“I must have hit something important. Can you read me?” Flurry called, now a little clearer.

“Yes, we read you, what’s the situation?” Oakheart asked.

“Flintlock and friends are away, but we’re getting cut to pieces out here,” she replied. “You boys had better be comin’ soon or there won’t be anyone left to greet you.”

“We’re coming, just hold on,” he assured as a stream of data poured onto several holo-windows.

The situation was dire. Sabre and Rapier squadrons had already lost over half their number to enemy drones, and there was still that cruiser to deal with.

Oakheart felt no shortage of disgust as he stared at the grainy images of the former Alliance cruiser on the view screens. To see a proud earth pony ship desecrated and corrupted like that sickened him to his core. It was an insult to the brave ponies that once crewed her.

Although the whole bottom of the ship was corrupted, it still possessed a formidable armament, which it was now putting to terrible use.

“Tell Sabre Lead to have her ships withdraw outside the range of their flak batteries,” Oakheart said. “Limit your attacks until we get there. Our ETA is twenty minutes.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve had an idea, I’ll fill you in when you get clos—” Flurry was then cut off by a loud shrill of static and then dead silence, the signal lost once more.

He looked over to the comms station, where the crew was working frantically.

“Can you get her back?” he asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

“No sir, we lost the feed,” came a fearful reply. They winced as if they were afraid he would come over and beat them.

“Damn it,” Oakheart cursed. “Divert as much power to the engines as we can. We have to get there faster.”

“That’s quite enough, captain,” Downdraft announced. “You’ve had your fun, but now I’m taking command.”

Downdraft staggered from his seat and straightened his uniform. “It’s obvious the battle is lost. I will not risk any more of my lord’s equipment nor the safety of his flagship.”

“Your pilots are dying out there!” Oakheart retorted, gesturing to the data streams.

“And?” Downdraft replied with a shrug. “Harmony will compensate us for lost equipment. Do not fear, captain, the Republic can always send us more blackwings. When we return to the station, I will be generous in my report of your conduct. Set a course for the Avalon syst—”

“Belay that,” Oak interrupted, earning a few gasps from the crew. “I was given full authority by your lord for this mission. We continue on course.”

“Lord Merry suspected you’d do something foolish, so he ordered me to intervene if I felt it was necessary,” Downdraft snorted. “You are relieved, captain.”

Downdraft gestured to two of his officers, who fluttered down to either side of Oakheart.

Oakheart thought fast. He was decidedly outnumbered here, so resisting was pointless. He was going to have to get creative.

“And what will you tell your lord upon your return, having lost his new ‘pet’, Flurry Heart? Do you think he would approve of your abandonment of his most prized blackwing because you had concerns for your ship’s safety?” Oakheart asked, feeling his chest tighten from exploiting the mare’s predicament.

Downdraft paused, swallowing hard. “His Lordship doesn’t need to know the details. All I need to say is that Last Shadow was lost because of your insistence that she launch early.”

“You could… But this data says otherwise, doesn’t it?” Oakheart said, tapping on his holo-brace to transfer the data. “And I will be giving Lord Merry and the Director a full report.”

“You wouldn’t…”

“Now, we can stand here arguing, or you can help me save those ponies out there. Then, when we return to the station, I will be generous in my report of your conduct,” he said as a slight smile crept onto his lips. “But mark my words, if the Director learns you abandoned her daughter and niece out there, she’ll pin your balls to her wall.”

“You…” Downdraft gulped, the conflict almost visibly rattling inside the stallion’s head. His wings fluttered, a heavy frown forming on his brow.

“The clock is ticking, shipmaster,” Oakheart pressed. “We don’t have time to waste.”

Eventually, Downdraft’s efforts to weasel out of his predicament were exhausted and the pegasus let out a frustrated sigh. “Very well, we will continue as planned.”

Turning away from the defeated pegasus, Oakheart looked to the stunned faces of the crew, a few of them giving him a cautious smile of approval.

“Continue on our course,” Oakheart ordered. “Best possible speed.”

He let out a sigh, feeling his blood pressure beginning to rise at the mere thought of what that insane mare had planned this time.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

“So, are you ready for the fireworks?” Flurry asked after switching comms off the Glorium’s channel. The carrier had finally gotten close enough that their signal could overcome the Syndicate’s jamming, and Oakheart had been fully briefed.

“This is insane and suicidal, but yes,” Swan conceded.

“That’s the spirit!” she said with a grin, maneuvering the Dream to point towards the exit of their makeshift shelter.

Huddled together inside the borehole of the asteroid Nyx had carved open, Flurry and the survivors of Sabre and Rapier squadrons prepared themselves.

They had powered down to both conceal their energy signature and preserve what little power they had left. Those who were running on empty had recharged from the Dream up to fifteen percent. Looking back, Flurry could barely make out their thermal outlines within the stark shadows of the asteroid. Battered and weary, they all readied themselves for one final push.

“The Glorium arrives in six minutes. Go go go!” Flurry urged.

One by one, the Swallows came to life once more, their running lights like bright stars in the gloom.

“I’m amazed that dirt pony managed to convince Downdraft to come,” Swan commented.

“Yeah! Merry is going to be pissed when he hears about this!” Blitz said with a laugh.

“Never underestimate the stubbornness of an earth pony,” Flurry said. “That Oakheart isn’t somepony you want to take lightly.”

“I hear that,” Swan agreed. “Is everypony ready?”

“Are you ready, Whammy?” Flurry asked, feeling the comforting weight of the plushie pressed against her chest. “Let’s go do something stupid.”

With a downward thrust of her wings, her engines roared into life. The Dream burst from the asteroid like an arrow shot from a bow, streaking back towards the Orion.

Behind her, Swan and her comrades formed up into broad V formation around her once again. It was a repeat of their first charge at the changeling cruiser, only this time, things would be a little different.

They dove down deeper into a cluster of asteroids, approaching the Syndicate cruiser from below. With all that gunk and hangar space, it made for quite the blind spot to attack from. At the very least, they wouldn’t have to deal with much flak as they approached.

Flurry gazed upward, the Dream’s sensors quickly highlighting the cruiser and the Orion above them. Even at this distance, the Orion was huge, dwarfing everything around her. The massive ship’s broad wings glinted in the sunlight, looking majestic. Now, all they had to do was clean off all the junk clinging to her.

Circling both ships was a reinforced cluster of drones along with their controllers. They buzzed around like a swarm of angry hornets that’d just had their nest kicked.

Flurry felt a smile creeping onto her muzzle as she looked up at them. All she needed to do was annoy them enough so they would give chase. It was a good thing that annoying people to distraction was one of her special talents.

Suddenly, a blizzard of angry-red threat indicators lit up her vision. It seemed that their dance partners had spotted them.

“Okay, stick to the plan,” Flurry said, fighting her rising excitement. “Make one pass and run like hell. I’ll deal with the rest.”

“You heard her,” Swan said as the formation pulled up together to begin their run on the cruiser.

“Right behind you, Sabre Lead,” Blitz said.

Flurry brought the Dream’s engines to full power, a deep rumble running through the ship as she accelerated. She wove around and between the smaller asteroids, hoping to confuse the cruiser’s targeting sensors.

They were soon met by thick puffs of exploding flak ahead of them as the cruiser turned what guns it could on them. She could see the muzzle flashes from within the growth along its belly.

The Dream rattled briefly, a tiny blossom of pain running down Flurry’s side as if she had brushed against a thorn bush. The shrapnel from the flak burst mostly bounced off her hull like hail during a storm, but it would be enough to rip straight through one of Swan’s fighters.

“They’re getting mighty close,” a worried voice buzzed on the radio.

“Steady, Rapier Four,” Swan replied, though she sounded a bit rattled too.

The flak eased, only to be replaced by an avalanche of drones as they dove down to meet them. Red and blue tracer fire lit up the space between them as both groups charged into each other.

Flurry wove through the mass, picking off anything stupid enough to get in her way. Swan and her fighters continued onwards with her, this time not breaking off to engage the drones in another melee.

Their move took the changelings by surprise, the drones slowing as their quarry raced past them.

A chorus of launch calls went through Swan’s group as they let loose nearly all their missiles into the belly of the cruiser. White contrails streaked into the bloated growths, satisfying explosions tearing into its twisted form. It wasn’t enough to do any meaningful damage, but it served its purpose.

Glancing back, Flurry saw Swan’s fighters breaking away and making a run for the shelter of the asteroid field. That just left the Dream and the cruiser.

She flew as close to the cruiser’s hull as she dared, weaving in between the forest of gun emplacements and hull-mounted equipment. She quickly picked out the boarding tubes that had impaled themselves into some of the Orion’s docking hatches.

With carefully aimed bursts from her guns, she cut them open one by one like a gardener pruning a bush. As one burst apart, a host of black figures spilled from it, a screaming feral changeling bouncing off the Dream’s nose as she flew through them.

Flurry’s fun was short-lived as angry blue tracers streaked by her face. Glancing back, she could see a blizzard of threat indicators fill her vision.

“Looks like they’ve taken the bait,” Flurry said with a grin, spinning the Dream and quickly powering off into the open space around the Orion.

As she sped away, something caught her eye. Stretching from the cruiser to the Orion was a series of thick cables. With her attention focused on the boarding tubes she had missed them before, but now the soft glow was hard to ignore. A blue light pulsed in a rhythmic beat through them and into the Orion.

“What are you up to…?” Flurry mused before a blue bolt streaking by her face brought her back to the moment. “Oookay, never mind.”

She ducked and weaved as the swarm of drones pursued her, now seeing her as the more important target.

“Now for the finishing touch,” she chuckled, throwing the Dream into a spin and fluctuating her engine’s output.

Spinning and seemingly out of control, she quickly formed a shield around the Dream. The drones surrounded her, pummelling her mercilessly with their guns.

“Okay, Oakheart, I’ve set the table. Are you ready?” Flurry asked.

“In position,” Oakheart replied. “Just one small issue to take care of. Stand by.”

“Wait, what?”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

“What do you mean you won’t jump the Glorium into realspace?” Oakheart asked, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.

Standing there, garbed in the purple robes of the Guild, was a middle-aged unicorn mare. She was tall and slender, her blue coat and pink mane both well styled. The bracelets on her forelegs chinked together as she raised a hoof in protest.

“With respect, captain, to attempt a jump here is suicide.”

“I am well aware of the risk, navigator,” he replied sternly. “You have the jump data Flurry Heart sent us, don’t you?”

“Of course, and while the data is… impressive in its accuracy,” she began, the admission sounding forced. “Without something like a physical beacon to lock onto, any ship making the jump risks colliding with an asteroid or even the Orion herself when they emerge. And even then, everything drifts in space, captain—you know that. Those coordinates are likely already compromised.”

“Not to ruin your little tea party, but I’m being bloody shot at out here!” Flurry yelled through the comms channel, her voice making some of the crew jump. At that moment, Oak realised he had left Flurry hanging. He quickly tapped his holo-brace to resume transmitting.

“Our navigator is refusing to jump in with the coordinates you gave us,” Oakheart stated, glaring at the navigator. “She’s demanding an active beacon signal if you’ve got one.”

“Kind of in the middle of a fight here. Nothing I launch would last two seconds,” came her reply. “Just tell her to use her damn brain. Read the gravity shadows, find the gap, and go.”

Oak simply looked back to the navigator, who seemed taken aback at Flurry’s recommendation. She shook her head with a scowl.

“I… don’t think she’s gonna go for that, Flurry.”

There was an unladylike snort from Flurry. “Fine, you want a beacon? Target the jump point on my exact position.” Just then, a light flashed on the navigator’s console confirming a lock-on.

“What?!” he gasped. “You’ll be killed!”

Even Downdraft perked up at this, a look of blind panic in his eyes.

Oakheart did his best to compose himself. He couldn’t let the others see him losing his cool. Even so, he felt his chest tighten. He had already lost too many ponies today, and he couldn’t afford to lose her as well.

“There’s no way you’ll be able to escape the vortex aperture in time,” he said. “There must be another way.”

“You let me worry about that, captain,” she replied. “Relax, I’ve done dumber things than this. Just make sure that amateur doesn’t botch it, okay?”

Oakheart allowed himself a smile. “I’m sure not exploding is sufficient motivation for her.”

He wasn’t sure what it was that made him believe she could do it. The fact she was an alicorn? Was it simply her reputation? Whatever it was quelled the storm that had swept through his emotions.

“Now, will this suffice, navigator?”

The unicorn stood there like she had just swallowed an angry bee.

“It will suffice,” the mare said simply.

“Good, now return to your station and begin jump preparations,” Oakheart ordered.

The mare went to sit down but then glanced over her shoulder. “Just so you know, the Guild will not compensate you in the event of a mirror jump related accident.”

Of course, he thought darkly. One must always think of one’s reputation.

“Duly noted,” he replied, glancing over towards Downdraft, who now looked like he was going to be sick.

Everypony else on the bridge seemed to be looking in the shipmaster’s direction as well, expecting an objection, but the pegasus remained silent. Instead, he consoled himself with long drags from his shisha pipe.

“All stations, prepare to jump,” Oakheart said. “All squadrons ready to launch on my mark.”

“Opening the portal in ten seconds,” the navigator stated, beginning to count down.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Swan Song had to admit when Flurry Heart had told them her plan, she never believed the alicorn could pull it off. Even harder to believe was that Oakheart, that lump of pony-shaped granite, had agreed to go along with it.

Yet now, from their vantage point in the asteroid cluster, she watched as Flurry Heart drew the changeling drones to herself.

They quickly surrounded the Fleeting Dream, now lazily spinning, her engines spluttering. The drones began mercilessly pummeling the drifting ship, yet no shots landed. The Dream was enveloped in a golden bubble that rippled with every impact.

“Shouldn’t we help her?” Cinnamon asked nervously.

“No, this is part of her plan,” Swan replied, though she had to admit, she didn’t like just sitting back and watching either.

“Last Shadow had better hurry; the carrier is going to be jumping right on top of her!” Blitz said.

Swan’s sensors lit up as they detected a magical energy surge right where Flurry was still sitting. It was the hallmark of a mirror portal being opened, and sure enough, a tiny pinprick of light appeared. The changelings must have detected it as well, for they began to scatter in every direction in a desperate attempt to flee.

The pinprick suddenly exploded outwards as a tear into mirrorspace formed, the energy waves ripping into the changeling ships. Several simply vanished as the massive outflow of thaumatic energy tore them asunder.

The Fleeting Dream remained still, right up to the point the vortex overtook it. Then… it was gone. Swan could have sworn her sensors showed a flash of golden light at the last instant.

She gasped and frantically checked her readings again, only for the Dream to suddenly appear in front of her in a burst of magic. Her eyes widened as the ship pulled up alongside her.

“Phew, close one there,” Flurry said with a relieved sigh. “Nearly didn’t make it.”

Swan’s mind spun with a myriad of questions over what had just happened, but they were swept aside as the Glorium emerged from the jump vortex. Never had that ostentatious hunk of scrap looked so beautiful as it rammed through the surviving drones. They smashed against the Glorium’s hull, exploding in bright balls of blue fire as it swept them aside.

“Welcome to the party!” Flurry whooped over the radio. “Splattered a few bugs on your windshield when you jumped in!”

Swan had never seen such a sight in her life. It went against everything she had been taught at the academy. Carriers were meant to hang back, outside the battle, not plough straight into the middle of it.

Trust a dirt pony to use their ship like a cudgel, she mused.

From the Glorium’s dorsal launchers, several volleys of missiles roared upwards, streaking vertically before heading towards the cruiser. In the chaos of counter-missile fire, the four hulking shapes of Falchion squadron’s corvettes streaked out from their launch bays like blazing comets.

They were swiftly followed by the torpedo bombers of Tomahawk squadron. The large and distinctive frames of Heron torpedo bombers were easy to distinguish, even from this distance.

“Sabre and Rapier squadrons, return to the carrier,” Oakheart’s calm voice boomed in Swan’s ear.

She had never felt more grateful to hear that dirt pony’s voice than at that moment.

“You heard him, everypony head to the carrier, and be careful not to get hit in the crossfire,” she said, watching the Glorium make a wide arcing turn to starboard.

“You kids be safe now. I’ve still got work to do out here,” Flurry said, roaring off once again.

Swan focused on shepherding the remnants of her unit towards the Glorium, which was currently trying to stay ahead of the cruiser’s long-range guns. She watched with satisfaction as Falchion’s corvettes dove onto the cruiser, strafing its gun turrets. Now that the drones were cleared, it was up to them to clear the way for the bombers.

“Glorium, we’re coming in. We’ve got a lot of wounded birds, so be ready for us,” she said.

“We copy, Sabre Lead, deck crews are standing by,” the flight control officer replied. “Landing bay is open.”

Swan felt a glimmer of relief as she watched her squadmates landing one by one. But the fact that they were exchanging one type of danger for another weighed heavily on her mind. The Glorium was currently engaged in a knife fight with something far better armed than itself. Death was just a lucky hit away.

It was all down to Falchion and Tomahawk now.

“Tomahawk Lead, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Swan called, gazing at the formation of bombers.

“Hey, Sabre Lead, you fillies and colts rest up; we’ll take it from here,” Contrail replied, his bombers splitting off into pairs.

“We’ve cleared out the drones, so that cruiser can’t have many left,” she remarked.

“Quite a party you had here,” Contrail said. “We were worried none of you were going to make it.”

“You don’t get out that easy, Tomahawk Lead,” she chuckled.

“Let’s all have a drink when this is over,” he said. “Okay, Tomahawk squadron, Mother Hen is watching. Let’s make it a good show.”

The first two bombers started their runs as Falchion’s corvettes raced ahead to suppress the flak batteries. It was something even Merry’s cronies had prepared them for, the only difference being this wasn’t the Alliance they were fighting.

Swan knew she should have landed with the rest of her squadron, but instead, she brought her ship to a stop outside the carrier. Her wingmate, Blitz, stayed at her side.

“You coming?” he asked.

“In a moment. I want to watch the rest of the aerie finish the fight.”

The first two Herons went in, idle puffs of flak going off around them. Once they were in range, they loosed their torpedoes, the fighter-sized rockets roaring away from their launchers.

It was a textbook launch, and Swan watched as they headed towards the cruiser’s main long-range cannon. She waited for the flash as the torpedoes struck the target…

Only to watch them detonate harmlessly, thirty canters before impact.

“What? What happened?” Contrail gasped.

“No impact, Tomahawk Lead,” his wingmate said.

Swan frowned. Had they been given defective torpedoes?

Then she saw the familiar energy trails of drones buzzing close to the cruiser.

“What? I thought we bagged them all!” Blitz growled.

“Evidently not,” Swan grumbled, watching as two more torpedoes were shot down before impact.

The Shurikens were hugging the cruiser, only emerging to intercept incoming missiles. At first, there were only two or three, but their numbers were growing.

It was impossible. The cruiser couldn’t possibly have any more drones left!

A bright flash broke her train of thought, and she looked up to see the Glorium’s starboard wing ablaze. The cruiser’s dorsal guns had finally found their mark, tearing at the thin-skinned carrier.

“What’ll we do, Sabre Lead?” Blitz asked. “If those torps can’t take that gun out, the carrier is done for.”

“And we can’t get close enough to clear out the drones,” Swan replied. “If we could just…”

Her voice trailed off as she focused on the cruiser’s drone bays. Shurikens were periodically launching from the bay in groups of ones and twos. The launch tube looked just big enough for...

“I have an idea,” she said. “I’m going to make a run for the cruiser’s drone bay and try to get inside the hangar.”

“Swan, are you insane? You’ll never make it,” Blitz exclaimed.

“Hate to side with Blitz, but he’s right,” Contrail said. “You’ve no idea if you’d even fit or if your ship will get stuck once inside.”

She let out a sigh. They were right, of course. She had no idea if what she was planning was even possible, but she had to try something.

“If we don’t do something soon, the Glorium won’t last ten minutes,” she said bluntly. “If I can damage the launch bay, it might give us a fighting chance. You know I’m right.”

“Then I’ll do it,” Blitz said, the anger rising in his voice.

“No, I have to. You said it yourself, there’s no guarantee it’ll even work,” she said softly. “I won’t order any of you to do this. It’s my plan.”

“Swan…”

Swan had never heard that shift in his voice before, a dejection that struck at her heart.

“Sabre Two, this is a direct order, you are to provide support until I complete my run, then return to the carrier, understood?” she ordered, feeling like her heart was about to burst.

“I… yes, Sabre Lead, I understand,” he replied, his hesitation fading.

“I need somepony to take over if I don’t make it,” she said. “I need you to lead the aerie out of this mess. You’re the only pony that can do this, Blitz. Are you with me?”

There was silence for a moment, and she looked back to his fighter trailing on her right. She hated putting this on him, but there was nopony else the others trusted.

“Okay. Sabre Lead, what’s the plan?” he said reluctantly with a heavy sigh.

“Thank you, Blitz,” she said before clearing her throat. “How many missiles do you have left?”

“Two.”

She had two as well. She just hoped that would be enough.

“Falchion Lead, I’d like you to make a dummy run towards the rear of the cruiser. Hopefully, it’ll distract the flak batteries long enough for me to slip inside,” she said. “We’ll approach from below and use the Orion for cover on my way in. Fleeting Dream, have you been listening?”

“I copy, what do you need?” Flurry replied.

“Can you give me some extra cover?”

“Sure thing! This sounds like my kind of crazy!” the alicorn chuckled. “Just don’t get yourself killed, we need to have a talk, and I don’t fancy having it with a bowl full of ashes.”

Swan smiled to herself. Here she was, relying on the infamous war criminal, Last Shadow, to keep her alive. Fate had a strange sense of humour.

“Okay, everypony, let’s do this,” she said, gunning her engines once more and diving down into the shadow of the Orion. “Falchion Lead, let me know when you’re in position.”

“Copy, Sabre Lead.”

With most of the Shurikens protecting their ship, it was relatively quiet beneath the Orion. The bulk of the massive ship hid the battle going on above.

Blitz was with her, his presence at her side reassuring as she mentally prepared herself. There was so much she wanted to say to her friend, in case the worst happened, but nothing came. Any words she had for him died before they reached her lips.

“So how are we going to do this?” Blitz asked.

“We fire off our missiles together at the launch bay. Hopefully, it’ll punch a hole through anything that might be covering the launch tube,” she explained.

Assuming their hangars are similar to the ones on the Glorium, that is, she thought morbidly. Otherwise, I’m a pancake.

“Okay, I’ll make sure your exit is clear when you’re done in there,” he said, then added in a softer voice… “Just be careful, Swan. We’ve still got to take down Merry, remember?”

She smiled. “Always, my friend.”

“Sabre Lead, we’re making our runs now,” Contrail said. “Good hunting, and may the Winds be forever at your back.”

“I copy, Tomahawk,” she replied, letting out a breath. “Let’s go, Sabre Two.”

With a thrust of her wings, her ship roared upwards, the bulk of Orion rapidly growing larger as she raced towards it. The whine of the engines screamed in her ears as her wounded ship gave everything it had left to her.

Blitz was right beside her as they crossed over the Orion’s starboard wing and into the battle. She could see Contrail’s bombers heading in from various directions, supported by the corvettes from Falchion squadron. Already, they were engaged by the cruiser’s remaining flak batteries, now struggling to cope with so many targets at once.

Flurry Heart did her part as well, reminding the beleaguered changeling ship that there was still a rogue alicorn on the loose.

As they raced along the Orion’s hull, they saw the swarm of fighters thinning away from the launch bays. They had their opening.

“Making our run now,” she said, pulling her fighter into a steep climb.

The cruiser was rapidly approaching as she toggled to her missiles. With a few eye movements, the reticle glowed red as it locked onto their target.

The missiles screeched off their hardpoints and spiralled towards their target, joined by Blitz’s salvo. Several Shurikens that had just emerged outside were caught in the blast and disintegrated in the growing fireball.

Swan eased off on the throttle and diverted energy into her braking thrusters, feeling her stomach lurch at the g-forces pressing down on her. The fireball cleared, revealing a gaping hole torn into the organic-looking shell surrounding the launch bay. Wisps of gas hissed from the wound they had torn into the bay.

“Okay, here I go!” she winced as she angled her ship to fit through the gap.

There was the sound of metal scraping against metal and a shower of sparks as she surged through the hole.

She fired every thruster she had as a ribbed ceiling of blue-purple chitin greeted her, the Swallow narrowly missing the hangar ceiling as it came into a hover.

The rush of air escaping carried away a thick, purple-hued fog that took anything not bolted down with it. This ended quickly as the hull breach sealed itself, the fog soon returning.

Inside was a vast chamber that looked to have been cut through several decks. Several vertical conveyors lowered Shuriken frames down from above. Mechanical arms whirred furiously as they descended, welding components and panels onto the drone. Sparks from the arc welders fell down continuously like golden rain onto the deck below.

This isn’t a hangar, it’s a factory! Swan realized.

A blue light pulsed periodically from the walls, highlighting tunnels seemingly carved into the growths. She watched as several figures that looked like pegasi at first glance scurried into them.

A long line of drones ran from the assembly towards the launch tubes, but it wasn’t this that drew her attention. Mounted in a circular conveyor beside each drone were glass tubes filled with a glowing, bright blue fluid. Within them bobbed what looked to be…

Swan’s eyes widened in disbelief. She fought off the urge to vomit as she gazed into the empty eye sockets of a pony skull floating in the fluid. It still possessed its spinal column, and thin veins of blood vessels and nerves splayed out from it like roots. It periodically convulsed as if seeking out its body now lost.

It was still alive! The thought sent a new wave of revulsion through her, her body heaving with dry wretches.

When Flurry had idly mentioned what the Syndicate did to you if you were caught, Swan dismissed it as hyperbole meant to put a little fear into her squadrons. She never imagined it was literal fact. How could they do this to another living being? It was wrong, so terribly wrong.

Her sickness was replaced by furious rage that surged up from her core. This had to stop. This mockery of science had to stop!

Tears forming in her eyes, Swan squeezed the triggers on her Swallow’s pulse cannons. Red tracers tore at the horror scene in front of her, reducing it to molten vapour. She spun her fighter, raking everything she could see with shots, seeking to wipe the scene clean from her eyes.

Drones shattered, and the machines exploded in a shower of sparks, their carcasses tumbling to the deck. Bright blue explosions ripped through the factory, reducing everything to molten piles of wreckage. Still, she kept firing, a wordless scream on her lips.

Then, the firing stopped, snapping her out of her trance. A red light blinked in front of her, alerting that she had depleted her weapons reserves. The safeties had left her CAPS just enough charge for a bit of life support and flying. She gazed at the scene of destruction before her, panting heavily.

Black smoke choked the room, billowing from a hundred sources. The fire suppression system hissed white gas to try and smother the flames, but they continued to grow.

Suddenly, a large explosion at the far end of the factory tore through the wreckage. Swan fought with her controls as a debris-filled shockwave rocked her fighter.

An audible groan of tortured metal reverberated even through Swan’s canopy. The whole interior of the ship began to rock as more internal explosions erupted around her.

Time to go! Swan’s mind screamed.

She quickly maneuvered her Swallow to go back the way she came. As she readied herself, she found her way blocked by rapidly hardening sealant covering the hull breach she had made.

No choice, now or never! she thought to herself, glancing over to see a wall of flame approaching her.

With a panicked beat of her wings, the Swallow’s engines roared to life. Her fighter ploughed back down the hole she had created, scraping and tearing as she went.

The sealant offered a slight resistance but was quickly torn open as Swan Song made her escape.

Looking back, she saw a bright blue explosion gush from the ship’s launch tubes. The cruiser buckled from the detonation, her outer plates rippling from the shock wave.

A satisfied smile crossed her face as she watched the changeling fighters scatter.

It was ripped away when her ship lurched and pain shot through her right wing as she saw a chunk of her ship break off.

Eject! Eject! Her displays urged as she reached for the handles on either side of her cockpit. The g-forces turned even this simple effort into a struggle.

“Swan!” she heard Blitz cry as her canopy’s explosive bolts fired and she was launched out into space.

She was disoriented from the link with her ship severing so abruptly. She spun on her flight couch, fighting against her rising panic as she watched her ship explode. All she could do now was hold her forelegs up as chunks of debris raced towards her.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flurry Heart grinned as she watched the explosion rip the guts out of the changeling cruiser. It strained against the cables that held it to the Orion, desperate to cling onto its prize. As it reeled from rippling secondary blasts, torpedoes from the Glorium’s bombers struck it from all sides. The deadly guns finally fell silent as plumes of black smoke billowed out from its buckled hull.

The kid had done it!

“Told ya, Whammy, the kid’s got skills,” she remarked, spinning the Dream around so she could get a good look at the fireworks. “Yeah, her aerie is lucky to have her.”

Flurry’s jubilation was soured at the thought of Merry Weather claiming all the glory for Swan’s work. They all deserved to have their blackwing brands removed, but would he?

Then there was Flurry’s own blackwing problem.

She shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to be worrying about it. The battle around the Orion was a mopping up operation now. All they had to do now was clean out any bugs Nyx hadn’t already dealt with and it would be over.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Blitz’s frantic calls over the radio. “Flurry! Flurry! Do you copy?”

“I read you, Blitz. What’s wrong?” she asked, a concerned frown crossing her brow. He sounded worried, scared even.

“It’s Swan! I think… I think…”

“Slow down, tell me what happened,” she said calmly, though the panic in his voice was enough to make her tense.

“She blew up! I-I didn’t see her eject. I think she’s gone!” His voice continued on, but it faded away, becoming a distant murmuring. She could hear him over the radio, desperately asking her what he should do.

Flurry slumped in her couch, her ears flattening.

Swan couldn’t be dead. That mare had given her word!

No.

With a upward beat of her wings, she spurred the Dream on and headed towards the changeling cruiser, still wreathed in flames from its burning launch bays.

The area around the cruiser was filled with wreckage and debris from the battle. Inert drones drifted about like scattered toys, being slowly picked off by the corvettes.

“Give me her last known position,” Flurry said flatly.

“But she’s—”

“Just do it, Blitz,” she insisted.

Flurry had to know. She had to see it with her own eyes to be sure.

As she neared the location, she spotted the wreckage of Swan’s fighter, now little more than chunks of twisted metal. They had spread out like a shotgun blast, still travelling along Swan’s final course.

“Scan for pegasus thaumatic signatures,” she said with a sigh. “Wide angle.”

“Affirmative. Stand by.”

If Swan had been in the ship when it exploded, then there would be residue left on the fragments. Flurry didn’t want to think the worst, but it wasn’t looking good.

“Signature detected. Distance: Thirty kilocanters and increasing,” the Dream said, a blue circle appearing in the bottom right of her vision.

Zooming in, she could see a Swallow’s flight couch assembly, a prone figure still strapped to it as it spun.

So she did eject! Flurry thought to herself, releasing the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. Despite her relief, she knew she couldn’t relax just yet. The fact that Swan hadn’t tried to contact anypony meant her equipment had failed, or she was too injured to respond.

Flurry maneuvered the Dream, carefully nursing her speed so she could approach Swan without splattering her across the ship’s nose.

“Warning, signature decreasing,” the Dream announced suddenly.

A knot of worry formed in Flurry’s chest as she saw the thaumatic signature flickering like the embers of a dying fire. Something was wrong. Even detached from the ship, the Swallow’s flight couch was designed to sustain a pilot for at least twelve hours.

As Flurry closed in, she could see a thin gout of gas coming from the flight couch.

It must have been damaged when she ejected! She thought to herself. Damn it, no time to pick her up—she’s fading too fast!

“Continue pursuit of target,” she said, disengaging her link to the Dream and clambouring up from her flight couch. “I’m going outside. Have all data linked to my holo-brace.”

“Affirmative.”

Flurry scrambled to find an air bubble collar, teleporting to the airlock and putting it over her head with haste. She then looked out through the thick omniglass window of the outer hatch to where she saw the dim form of Swan’s flight couch, rotating in the void. With over a thousand years of experience in judging such distances, she focused the proper amount of energy through her horn and jumped.

An instant later, she reappeared just in front of Swan.

Grasping the couch in her telekinesis and extending her wings, she began to arrest the spin using her own flight magic.

Swan lay prone in her couch, her head slumped to one side. Flurry grimly observed the massive crack in Swan’s faceplate, her precious oxygen having almost completely bled away into space. There was no time to lose; the mare would be dead in just a moment.

“Warning, cardiac arrest imminent,” flashed before Flurry’s eyes as she unbuckled the pegasus from her couch. There was no time!

Flurry swallowed, there was only one thing she could do, and it was going to hurt a lot. Letting all the air out of her lungs, she pulled off her bubble collar, ignoring the warnings it gave.

She had experienced full vacuum a few times in her life, and every time it sucked. Her body might be able to handle it, but her face, not so much. Her eyes burned as the temperature and pressure change hit her like a freight train. Icy tendrils clawed at her throat and lungs as the last wisps of air drifted out her nostrils and crystallized into frozen dust before her.

She hurriedly slid the collar over Swan’s head as her vision blurred and her body began to succumb to the vacuum.

With the bubble formed over the pegasus mare’s head, Flurry gently removed her broken helmet. Swan instinctively took deep gulps of air, her chest rising and falling in a reassuring rhythm. Flurry would have smiled if it didn’t hurt so much.

Now, she had to get out of here. Her chest was on fire as her body cried out for oxygen. She unbuckled Swan from the flight couch and pulled her into a hug. Looking around for the Dream, everything was a blurry mass of vague shapes and bright lights.

She saw something large and immediately reached out for it. Grasping onto Swan, she teleported, aiming for the centre mass of the object. Even with her vision shot, she should be able to land them right inside the Dream’s cargo bay.

Appearing once more, she was again confronted with the icy vacuum of empty space.

Her mind raced, where was the Dream? She knew she had jumped the right distance!

Her body was starting to convulse as her vision began to fade. She grasped onto Swan tightly, unwilling to let her go. It took all she had to just grasp a moment of clarity to think.

If it wasn’t the Dream she had been aiming for, it must have been the Orion. She could reach it with another teleport, but she had no idea of the Orion’s internal layout. If she botched it, they both could rematerialise inside a bulkhead or worse. Still, it was that or suffocate to death.

Her blood now boiling and her body screaming for relief, she focused her thaumatic energy one last time, and jumped.

Chapter 13 - And You Thought it was Over

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Flurry could hear something at the edge of her perception calling to her. Muffled blurs of sight and sound taunted her cold and numb body, every sensation so distant it felt like she was watching from the afterlife.

She was lying on her back as far as she could tell, her wings splayed out against cold metal.

The vague outline of a pony appeared in her vision, nearly lost in the blinking lights casting bloody shadows over them.

“What’s going on? What happened to you?” a voice demanded.

It was a mare’s voice, familiar somehow. Where had she heard it before? It was somepony important, but she couldn’t remember. The voice was full of confusion and fear, but why?

“Damn it, Flurry, snap out of it!”

Something hard struck her face, jostling her out of her daze. The world of sound fell back into sharp, painful focus, though the blurry colored shapes refused to behave. Flurry fought for clarity as her mind began to catch back up with her body.

Her muscles convulsed as she drew a ragged breath into shrivelled lungs. Pain blossomed across her chest, her heart pounding so hard she felt it was about to escape her ribcage. She clamped her eyes shut out of instinct, rolled onto her side, and retched, her whole body quivering from the effort to take each breath.

“Oh, thank the Winds!” the mare said with a relieved sigh. “That’s it, just one breath at a time.”

Every time Flurry exhaled, it set off another bout of wet, gurgling coughs. Her throat felt like she had swallowed a hive of bees wrapped in sandpaper. After a long fit of coughing, she finally managed to calm down enough to stop being a convulsing mess.

On top of that, her eyes itched like crazy, and she grimaced as she tried to open them again. Everything was still a disorientating blur, but with each painful blink, the world gained a little more focus.

Swan Song was sitting on her haunches beside her, a hoof gently stroking Flurry’s back. The mare’s eyes were wide, her ears pinned, though a look of relief fell onto her face. She was still wearing the air bubble collar, which was draped over her neck, a faint shimmer over her head showing it was still engaged.

Flurry managed a weak smile.

“Hey… Swan,” she croaked, immediately regretting it as each word caused pain to shoot up her throat.

“Try not to talk,” Swan replied, reaching for a small pouch at her waist and drawing out a survival hydration pack. “Here, drink this.”

A straw was thrust into Flurry’s face, and she gingerly grasped it in her mouth. Her lips were cracked and split, fresh pain blooming across her face as she held the straw. It took extraordinary effort to take the first sip, her battered insides straining from the effort. The water felt so good going down, she wanted to gulp it all at once.

“Take it slow,” Swan said gently.

For a short while, silence reigned. Flurry slowly drank while Swan held the pack in place. Her cheek throbbed for some reason, and she gingerly gave it a rub.

As Flurry drank and her body began to calm down from its initial panic, rationality began to return. She could remember now how they’d ended up here—wherever here was. She had been aiming for the Dream, but this was definitely not her ship.

Eventually, Swan withdrew the empty survival pack.

“You were a mess when I came to,” she said finally. “You were covered in ice. Your eyes… they were frozen! What happened? The last thing I remember was my ship exploding.”

The pegasus mare slumped, her wings drooping at her sides. She raised a hoof to the collar around her neck. “This is yours, isn’t it?”

Flurry nodded slowly.

“But how…” Swan’s words trailed off, realisation dawning in her eyes as she ran her hoof along the collar. “Y-you rescued me. I don’t understand.”

Flurry gingerly reached a hoof to hers.

“Helmet… cracked… no… time,” she rasped, the pain forcing a pause between each word.

Swan’s eyes widened and her lip trembled. “But why? You got what you wanted from me. Why risk yourself?”

Flurry smiled softly, though it might have looked more like a pained grimace, she wasn’t quite sure.

“Promise,” she said simply, hooking her foreleg around Swan’s to give it a squeeze.

Swan looked down at the gesture like it was some foreign, alien thing. Flurry could see the mare trying to process what she had said, a heavy frown crossing the pegasus’ brow.

Swan’s eyes glistened, and she wiped away a tear.

“I don’t understand. That can’t be the reason,” Swan said, shaking her head. “You want something. Everypony always wants something from us.”

Swan looked away, her shoulders shaking as she fought to keep her emotions in check.

Flurry shook her head. What could she say to a mare that had spent her adult life being used and discarded by others?

She swallowed and prepared herself. This was going to hurt, but Swan needed to hear it.

“Don’t… want anything. Just… for you… to be…” Flurry began, having to take a breath between words. She began coughing again as her scratchy throat overcame her effort to speak. There was a pause as she collected herself.

“Be what?” Swan asked.

“Free.”

Swan looked back at her, desperate hope in her eyes overriding the ever-present suspicion. Flurry simply smiled. There wasn’t much else she could do while lying on the floor.

“Damn you,” Swan said. “Why do you have to make this so hard?” She paced away, her wings fidgeting at her sides. “Why can’t you be like Last Shadow from the stories? Then I could hate you without question. Now I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel.”

The pegasus mare shook her head, wiping her glistening eyes and letting out a heavy sigh. “I want to trust you, Flurry, but it’s hard. Hard to let go.”

Flurry gave her an understanding nod. As a grand master of holding a grudge, she knew how hard it was to let go. This was something that would take time to heal.

She moved to stand, but her legs wobbled for an instant before giving out. She flopped down with a grunt, trying to will her limbs to steady themselves.

“Here, let me help you,” Swan offered, walking to her and extending a foreleg.

Flurry eyed Swan for a moment. The pegasus was looking away, trying to seem nonplussed about it, but the significance of the gesture was not lost on her.

She reached up and hooked her foreleg around Swan’s.

“Okay, one, two, three!” Swan grunted, bracing herself and tugging as Flurry rose to her hooves.

Flurry staggered, and Swan moved to her side, leaning against her. At first, even standing was difficult, but her legs soon began to steady.

“You really shouldn’t be moving around, but trying to talk sense into you is pointless,” Swan said.

Flurry chuckled, though the effort made her wince. She felt like an old mare being taken back to her room by her caretaker.

“Let’s focus on getting out of here,” Swan said, tugging at the bubble collar. “Can you turn this thing off?”

Flurry grinned and nodded, gesturing for her to turn a little. Tapping gently on the control jewel, she dispelled the bubble. Swan then took in a breath and slowly let it out.

“Thanks. For this and also for helping me,” Swan said, her voice quiet. “I just wanted you to know before we continue.”

Flurry gave her a nod in reply. There was a lot she wanted to say, but with her larynx feeling like someone had taken a cheese grater to it, she elected not to give it any more reason to hurt.

“Anyway, let’s go,” Swan said sheepishly as the pair began hobbling away.

Flurry found her eyesight improving past the next doorway. She could see Swan clearly, but everything beyond a few canters was still a blur. Within that blur, she could just make out a dark corridor and the vague shapes of signs on its walls lit by the pulsing red emergency lighting.

“Are you able to get any communications with that?” Swan asked, gesturing to Flurry’s holo-brace.

Flurry tapped away for a few moments, shaking her head when she could only get a burst of static from the brace. “Can’t get a signal,” Flurry said, her raspy voice making her wince. It was still a marked improvement over her bullfrog voice of five minutes prior. “Then again, this cheap piece of crap ain’t got much of a range.”

Flurry glanced around the corridor, her brow furrowed in thought. “I think we’re on the Orion.”

“Wait, you think this is the Orion?”

“Well, it was the biggest thing I could see when I teleported,” Flurry shrugged.

“How can you see in space without a helmet?”

Flurry thought for a moment. “You saw my eyes. Take a guess.”

“Yeah,” Swan acknowledged. “The cruiser. That’s pretty big.”

“We’d be up to our flanks in rabid ferals if it was. Or, you know, burning to death in that little mess you caused.”

Swan shivered. “Let’s not talk about that, please.”

“Oh, and we also could have materialised inside one of the Orion’s bulkheads. That would have ended all our problems right there.”

“Okay, stop. Sorry I asked,” Swan spat out. “You know, for someone with a wicked sore throat, you don’t seem to mind making the effort to be a smartass,” she added.

“I aim to please,” Flurry snarked—before paying the price with a small coughing fit.

“So, where are we anyway?” Swan asked, scowling.

Flurry tapped up the schematics of the Orion she had stored on her holo brace, generating a basic outline of the ship. Judging from where she was when she picked up Swan, the most likely area within her teleportation range would be somewhere near the crew quarters.

Her top priority was finding Nyx, and she would probably be where the fighting was thickest. Flurry pointed a hoof up towards the dorsal wing and the bridge.

“So we need to find an elevator?” Swan asked rhetorically.

Flurry nodded.

Swan’s wings shifted irritably. “If this was a pegasus ship, we could just find an atrium and—”

“And most ponies don’t like plunging to their deaths down a big hole in their ship,” Flurry countered.

“Not my fault they weren’t born with wings,” Swan grumbled.

Flurry rolled her eyes at the lieutenant’s irritation before trying to walk past her. Swan quickly moved to her side, and they hobbled along together, passing through a series of interconnected rooms. Most were empty, the walls down to bare metal with exposed linkages and outlets for equipment yet to be installed.

Swan took the lead, guiding Flurry as they limped along together. After a few minutes, Flurry could feel the strength returning to her legs, but her blurry vision and itchy eyes made things difficult.

After a while, she was walking without help, but not before Swan’s head began bobbing like she was fighting off sleep. It seemed all the mare was running on was a heady cocktail of adrenaline and stubborn pegasus pride. Flurry would have offered to carry her if she was confident her legs wouldn’t give out and put them both on the floor. It was enough of a challenge just walking in a straight line.

Up ahead was a wider access corridor. As they entered, Flurry noticed the air becoming thicker. With it came a familiar sickly sweet smell, like overripe fruit left out in the sun.

“What’s that smell?” Swan asked, staggering slightly. “I feel… great?” She started to giggle under her breath.

Flurry could feel it too, a wash of happiness, joy, and contentment all swirling into her mind through the aroma. She could feel fragments of emotions dancing at the edges of her perception where memories should have been. These weren’t her emotions, but somepony else’s.

Flurry let out a snort, wiping her nose with a fetlock as she asserted control once again.

She looked over to Swan. The mare’s eyes had glazed over, and a silly smile was creeping over her muzzle. She had stopped completely, staring in fascination at her own hoof.

Flurry quickly reached over and hit the activate button on Swan’s bubble collar, the enchantment flickering on in an instant.

“Wha…?” Swan murmured as the bubble forced out the contaminated air. Flurry guided her to sit down and let her head clear.

After a few moments, the pegasus shook her head, her face a little flushed. “Urgh, what was that? It’s like I just downed a whole tank of aerohol.”

“It’s a nectar bomb,” Flurry said. “The ferals must have tossed one around here somewhere. I’ve seen this trick before. A few more minutes and you’d have been unconscious in your own private paradise.”

“Nectar? What?”

“Changelings make it. Think of it like bee honey, only packed with the emotions they’ve gathered,” she explained.

“Will you be okay breathing it?”

Flurry let out a chuckle. “Oh, this is nothing. You should try eating a nectar stick, those’ll knock you on your ass.”

“You ate that stuff?” Swan said, a look of revulsion on her face.

“Really tasty,” Flurry grinned nostalgically. “I stole some from one of Nyx’s friends when I was a kid. I could get you some. I know a guy.”

A disgusted scowl crossed Swan’s face. “No thanks.”

Flurry calmly weathered the angry mumbling about back-alley alicorn drug deals, her mirth fading as they made their way down the corridor and began to see signs of combat. Scorch marks ran across the once pristine walls, and a lot of the lighting panels had been shot out.

“Stay close to me,” Flurry whispered, readying her shield spell.

They cautiously moved forward, keeping to the sides of the corridor and any cover they could find. It was quiet, but that didn’t mean there weren’t enemies out there. The emergency lighting wasn’t helping the situation either, as it cast deep shadows in the areas between the small beacons of light. Flurry could feel the tension in Swan’s body as they walked.

“There’s something up ahead,” Swan whispered, her voice tight and her ears perked and alert. To Flurry, everything was still a blur beyond a short distance—lots of vague shapes and shadows shifting as they walked.

Getting closer, Flurry made out the slumped form of a pony, surrounded by several changeling bodies. These were much larger than usual changelings found in the Conformity, their bodies swollen with muscle. Their wings had atrophied down to tiny stumps, and their wing cases were now solid chitin. The set of fangs that all changelings had were grown into sabre-like teeth, nearly twice the length of an average changeling’s.

Swan let out a gasp, her wide eyes staring at one of the bodies like it was going to leap up and bite her.

Flurry gave it a kick with a hoof. “I assure you, it’s quite dead.” She continued limping along while Swan stood staring at the bodies.

“Bastards,” Swan growled, her body quivering.

“Easy, kid,” Flurry urged softly. “Take that anger and use it, just don’t let it control you.”

“You don’t understand,” Swan hissed, clenching her teeth. “I saw what they did to those poor ponies on that cruiser. Butchered them and used them like spare parts! I won’t just sit by and let that happen!”

Flurry watched the mare seethe, giving one of the corpses a stomp before pacing away as her wings bristled at the wave of emotions threatening to consume her.

“Swan,” Flurry called, but when the mare didn’t respond, she repeated in a much firmer tone.

“Swan!”

“What?” Swan snorted.

“I know, okay? It’s rough seeing that stuff for the first time. You just want to lash out at everything,” she said, her voice softening slightly. “But I need you to focus. I can’t have my walking stick wandering off shooting up the place.”

“But—”

“Easy, take a breath,” she said, giving her a gentle smile. “We’ll get through this and make those responsible pay for it, but getting yourself all flustered isn’t going to help us. Besides, getting angry and doing something dumb is my job, and you’ve filled your dumb quota for the day.”

Swan’s ears flattened before her lips curled into a slight smile. “Okay.”

She then wrinkled her nose as she took a closer look at the feral bodies. “So this is what changelings are like? Roided up monsters?”

Flurry gave her a wry smile. “Never seen a changeling before?”

At Swan’s lack of a rebuttal, she continued. “They’re not all like this. Most are the size of a regular pony and wouldn’t hurt anyone. Just a little different.”

“Then what are these?”

“These wretches are what most ferals eventually end up like,” she said. “They feed and feed until it ends up destroying their minds. There’s nothing left of who they were now—just instinct. They’ve all been turned into weapons that kill on command.”

“By whom?”

“The galaxy is a dark place. There’s always somepony looking to exploit the weak,” she said, pointedly looking at her. “In a way, they should be pitied, or at least put out of their misery.”

Swan lowered her head, pawing lightly at the deck.

Flurry sighed, turning her attention to the slain pony before them.

It was an earth pony stallion with a light blue coat and teal mane hidden beneath a black security helmet. He looked to have been part of the Orion’s security detail—just some poor pony caught up in all the chaos. The stallion was splattered with blood, slumped against the wall. Attached to one of his forelegs was a pulse pistol, spent CAPS cells scattered around him. He had evidently given a good account of himself before being overwhelmed.

“Harmony awaits you, brave stallion,” Flurry whispered, bowing her head to the fallen guard. “Please forgive me, there are ponies that need this now more than you do.”

Gingerly, Flurry removed the pistol and its mount from his foreleg, checking the cell’s charge. It was still about half full—not fantastic, but better than nothing.

“Swan, take this,” Flurry said, levitating the pistol over to her.

Swan numbly looked at the weapon as it plopped in her hooves. The mare’s eyes were distant and unfocused as she stared at the dead guard.

“It’s funny, I’ve been taught to hate dirt ponies my whole life,” Swan murmured softly. “Why do I feel so hollow inside?”

Flurry placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Because you’ve seen them as they are, not how the Republic wants you to. They’re ponies, just like you. The war made everypony forget, that’s all.”

“Did you forget?”

“For a while, yes,” Flurry said softly, her ears flattening.

They both stood there quietly until Swan finally spoke.

“Was that how you became Last Shadow?”

Flurry let out a sigh, her wings fidgeting at the bad memories.

“I got so focused on trying to stop the stupid thing that I didn’t see I was only making things worse,” Flurry said, looking away. “I don’t hate the pegasi, Swan. Fighting against them was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But I had to try and stop it because Thunderstreak never wanted war.”

“Wait, you knew the crown prince of the Republic?” Swan asked with a frown.

“Give me a little credit, I was a princess, you know,” Flurry replied.

“What was he like?” Swan prodded, curiosity in her voice now.

“Hopelessly naive, but in a good way,” Flurry said softly. “He saw the potential in us all to be better. A rare thing these days.” She shuddered. “And then some bastard killed him.”

Swan’s ears flattened. “Were you two close?”

“You could say that.”

Flurry rubbed her eyes, feeling wetness on her fetlock. This was good, right? It meant her eyes were getting better.

“This gas must be getting to me,” she said. “Can you use that thing?”

She gestured to the pistol in Swan’s hooves.

“Yes, though I haven’t used one since the academy,” Swan replied, strapping the weapon to her foreleg.

Flurry cast one last look down at the fallen stallion.

“We’ll make sure he’s honoured once this is over,” she said softly. “But we need to keep moving.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

They hadn’t encountered any further signs of changeling or pony as they made their way deeper into the ship. Not knowing when or where an enemy would appear was playing havoc with Flurry’s nerves. She wasn’t exactly in the best condition either.

Their trek paused as they began to hear broken chatter over Flurry’s holo-brace.

“…fall back to… cut off…”

It sounded like one of Flint’s squads, but it was difficult to tell how the fight was going. The fight against the cruiser outside may have been won, but the outcome within the Orion itself was still in question.

“Can you get through to any of them?” Swan asked.

“The signal’s still too weak,” Flurry replied with an angry flick of her tail. “Anything could be happening and we’re stuck wandering around.”

“Could you teleport us?”

“Remember what I said about how we got lucky not to materialise inside a bulkhead? I’m not going to tempt fate again.”

“Yeah, let’s not do that,” Swan said, quickly abandoning her idea. “So even you have limits.”

“Don’t go telling everypony, but alicorns are just like anyone else—just with a few more tricks,” Flurry said, tapping her horn.

They neared an intersection with the word “MEDICAL” stencilled in large blue letters on the wall.

“Finally some luck,” Swan commented. “Hopefully somepony can fix you up.”

“I hope so,” Flurry said, her aching body agreeing with the idea of medical attention. “And we could use a bit more firepower on our side as well.”

Their hopes were dashed as they made their way closer and began to see signs of a struggle.

Trolleys and cabinets had been piled up into a makeshift barricade. They looked to have been swept aside when the changelings attacked.

Large windows were inlaid into the walls, looking into the medical bay. It was well-lit in contrast with the rest of the ship. Flurry guessed it had its own power supply separate from the main energy grid to keep it going in an emergency.

Inside, she could see alcoves for beds, but most of them were missing. There were a few plastic-wrapped packing crates piled up inside.

As they crept closer, their ears perked at a loud crash from inside the room. Glass shattered and Flurry could hear the guttural chittering of feral changelings.

They looked to each other and crouched low, trying to keep out of sight as they made their way towards the entrance.

Swan peered inside and let out a tiny gasp before shrinking back into cover.

“What is it?” Flurry asked.

“T-they’ve lined up bodies in the far corner,” Swan replied, her voice a hushed whisper, her wings trembling at her sides. “Lots of bodies.”

“How many changelings are in there?”

Swan remained silent, slumping against the wall.

“Swan,” Flurry urged. “How many changelings?”

Swan blinked and swallowed. “Three. Two are dragging bodies at the far end, while the other is rummaging through some storage bins.”

“Are any of them armed?”

“One has what looks to be some kind of rifle,” Swan replied.

Flurry nodded, pondering their options. Close combat was still off the table. She was still not great on her hooves, and her poor eyesight was going to hinder precise use of magic. She’d have to fall back on the classic ‘hit them with something large’ approach.

Quietly, Flurry checked the magical reserves gauge on her holo-brace. Thankfully the teleports hadn’t taken too much out of her, as she still had a decent amount left.

“Okay, I’ll go in first and draw their attention. You stay by my side and be my eyes. I’ll deal with the two on the far end while you take out the one with the rifle,” Flurry explained.

Swan nodded, her movements rigid.

“It’s okay, Swan,” she said softly. “I know this is a lot to deal with, but I need you now. I can’t see anything past about three canters. If anypony is still alive in there, I don’t want to risk hurting them.”

“Okay,” Swan said, taking a breath. “I’m with you.”

The pegasus primed her pistol, the gentle hum as it powered up seeming to give her some comfort.

“Go on three. One… Two… Three!”

Flurry moved quickly into the room, flaring her wings to make herself the bigger target. Swan moved beside her, sheltering under her wings.

“Eleven o’clock!” Swan cried, making Flurry snap her head in that direction.

The black, blurry blobs in that direction let out a hiss and buzzed their wings in involuntary surprise. Around them was scattered medical equipment that had been pulled out of packing crates: cabinets, trolleys and a gurney.

Flurry wrenched the gurney off the floor and into the air with her telekinesis. With a broad swipe, she knocked the two blobs across the room like ragdolls. Their bodies smashed against the windows before tumbling to the ground.

“Four o’clock, gun!” Swan yelled.

Her shield spell flared to life as the third opened fire, the energy blasts splashing against her shield.

There was a flash from Swan’s pistol beside her, the first shot missing, but the second slamming into the feral’s chest, knocking it down.

A groaning chitter emerged from behind the medical tables, which Flurry silenced with the repeated application of gurney to the head.

“Are we clear?” Flurry asked, keeping her shield up as she surveyed the room.

“Yes, I think so,” Swan replied with a relieved sigh.

“I’m going to check on the crew,” she said, giving the pegasus a pat on the shoulder before they separated.

The bodies of the crew had been collected and neatly lined up along the far end of the medbay. They were mostly wearing white orderly uniforms, with a few others garbed in grey work pony overalls.

Flurry knelt beside a pink unicorn mare, observing the gentle rise and fall of her chest. The mare’s eyes were half-lidded, a goofy smile on her muzzle.

“They’re alive?” Swan asked, trotting back with the changeling’s rifle slung on her shoulder.

“Looks like the gas got to them,” she said grimly. After tilting the mare’s head back, Flurry noticed a pair of puncture marks on her neck.

“What is that?”

“Those fangs aren’t just for show. They inject a psychotropic venom which enhances the effect of the nectar,” she explained. “Keeps them under.”

“Please tell me you didn’t drink or smoke that stuff as well,” Swan asked sarcastically.

“Of course not,” Flurry replied, looking away sheepishly.

“Are they going to be okay?”

“They should be. Ferals want to keep you alive,” she said, gently setting the mare down again.

“That’s reassuring,” Swan muttered. “Let’s grab any supplies and get—”

“Umm, excuse me,” came a muffled stallion’s voice from behind the line of bodies. “I assume you’re Orion security? I require some assistance.”

Flurry and Swan exchanged glances. Swan readied her newly acquired rifle, taking aim towards the voice.

It was coming from a cabinet underneath a workstation. The changelings had moved a lot of equipment in front of it to make room for their gathered prey. The cabinet was small, barely large enough for an adult pony to fit in.

“Not exactly. We’re part of a rescue mission from Harmony station,” Swan said. “I’m Lieutenant Swan Song of the Imperial Navy, and with me is citizen Flurry Heart.”

“Oh great, a colonial,” the voice huffed with a derisive tone. “I should have known by the accent. And the brigand ex-princess. Fantastic. My, they must have been desperate to call you in to help.”

“We can leave you in there, you know,” Flurry snorted.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t,” he replied, his voice a little more agreeable.

Flurry began levitating equipment out of the way of the cabinet. “Who are you?” she asked.

“Oh, my apologies. Being stuffed in this box is affecting my manners. My name is Dr. Doppel. I’m Harmony’s Chief Medical Officer,” he announced.

Flurry looked to Swan.

“We don’t have a Chief Medical Officer yet,” Swan stated, her eyes narrowing.

“Obviously,” he said with a sardonic snort. “I was held up by the wonders of Commonwealth bureaucracy.”

“How did you end up here?”

“Captain Nyx generously offered me passage aboard her ship,” he explained. “Then all this kerfuffle happened and I ended up in here. I can show you my credentials once you’ve got me out.”

Flurry levitated the last piece of equipment out of the way. “There, you can come out now.”

“Thank you, but I must ask that you please don’t overreact when you see me,” he said, causing Flurry and Swan to exchange glances.

“Sure, no problem,” Flurry said.

Gingerly, the cabinet doors opened, and an ordinary-looking changeling in a white lab coat flopped onto the floor. His stringy blue mane was trimmed, though it was a bit dishevelled from his time cooped up. His black chitin had been polished and carried a slight blue tinge.

He blinked, his slitted amber eyes darting warily to Swan’s rifle, which was aimed squarely at his head.

Swan, for her part, had a look of disgust etched on her brow. The pegasus’ eyes were fixed on the jagged horn protruding from his forehead.

“You’re a changeling!” Swan hissed.

“Very observant,” he deadpanned, unfazed by the gun pointing at him.

Flurry gently reached over to Swan and eased her gun down.

“It’s okay, Swan,” she said.

“How can we be sure? He might’ve been working for them!” Swan retorted angrily, her wings bristling at her sides.

“Because it would’ve been easy for him to pass himself off as one of the crew,” Flurry explained. “Besides, he wouldn’t have locked himself in a cabinet.”

“Exactly!” he said. “Those ruffians shoved me in.”

“On the other hoof,” Flurry began, her voice laced with suspicion. “Syndicate changelings are known for staying undisguised. Ferals won’t attack them then.”

“That’s absurd,” Doppel retorted. “We all can detect other changelings, disguised or not.”

“Ferals can’t,” Flurry countered. “You could be Syndicate.”

Doppel huffed for a moment before placing a hoof to his chest. “It’s a matter of pride that I never hide my form, with my patients or anypony else. And in case there is any doubt…”

He rolled up his sleeve and revealed a holo-brand from the Conformity. He tapped it gently, and the image of the good doctor appeared with a slew of personal information. “You should know that every changeling of the Conformity has one of these.”

“Could be fake,” Swan suggested.

“Hmm.” Flurry gave it a closer look after rubbing her itchy eyes. “That’s a legit Conformity brand. No way that’s getting faked,” she said.

“I trust that is enough for you?” Doppel asked while eyeing Swan, who simply grumbled.

“It certainly explains why they put you in there,” Flurry commented.

“I don’t think they knew what to do with a non-Syndicate changeling,” he said, rising to his hooves and brushing himself off. He looked over to the crumpled body of one of the ferals, still smouldering from Swan’s shot. “Giving themselves over to their base instincts.” He shook his head with a scowl. “Savages.”

He trotted past them and towards the line of unconscious crew, his expression softening. “Alas, I don’t have anything that can help these poor folk. At least they haven’t been fed upon yet.”

“Lucky them,” Swan muttered.

“Swan—” Flurry began, before breaking into a fit of coughing.

“That doesn’t sound too healthy. Are you injured or sick?” Doppel asked with a concerned frown as he walked over to her.

“I just had a little touch of hard vacuum, but I’ll be okay,” she replied through the coughs.

“I have too many questions I don’t think I’d like the answer to,” he said as he checked her pulse. “If I may, I’d like to accompany you. I can’t do anything here, and the rest of the crew may need my help.”

“We’re not taking him with us,” Swan declared with a firm stomp of her hoof.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a say in the matter, Lieutenant,” Doppel snorted, glaring daggers at her. “I go where I’m needed. So either shoot me or step aside—I have work to do.”

Flurry couldn’t help but smirk as he trotted past them with fiery determination in his eyes.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

With the power out through most of the ship, they couldn’t rely on elevators to make their way up to the bridge. Thankfully, despite Dr. Doppel’s muttering, they managed to find some emergency stairs leading up and were soon on their way.

The stairwell spiralled upwards, just like the ones inside the old castles where Flurry grew up, only this one had a wider open space in the centre for pegasi to fly unhindered. Along the way were hatches leading to other decks and maintenance crawlspaces. It was dark, with only the dim red glow of the emergency lighting allowing them to see.

Swan had taken the lead, trying to keep as much distance from Dr. Doppel as she could, while he and Flurry stayed together.

Thankfully, Flurry found flying to be easier than she expected, which was a good thing since there were eight decks they needed to ascend. Dr. Doppel bobbed alongside her like a giant bumblebee, the buzzing of his wings echoing up the shaft.

“Can you keep that down?” Swan hissed from above. “Last thing we want is your bug friends finding us, or worse, security mistaking us for one of you.”

“And what would you have me do? Cut my wings off?” he retorted.

“Swan,” Flurry interjected before the pegasus could reply. “Can you check the hatch to the command deck?”

Swan looked like she was about to say more but simply nodded. “Sure.”

“I fear she doesn’t like me,” Doppel commented.

“She’s lost a lot of friends today to the Syndicate,” Flurry said quietly. “Try not to take it to heart.”

“Don’t worry, I’m used to it,” he said grimly. “But my hope is to prove the majority of my kind are not savages.”

Flurry had seen enough goings-on in the Alliance and Republic to understand what he meant.

They both landed at the level for the Command deck, finding Swan waiting there for them.

Flurry checked her holo-brace again for any friendly radio chatter but was still only getting garbled signals. It couldn’t be down to a lack of range now. Were the radios being jammed still?

“I’ll go first,” Flurry said. “If we get shot at, I can protect myself.”

Swan nodded.

Flurry readied herself and gently eased the hatch open.

A bright light burst forth, followed by a flurry of energy pulses that made her duck quickly back. They eventually ceased and she could hear distant panicked breathing coming from within.

“Whoa whoa, friendly!” she cried, though she wasn’t about to stick her head out just yet.

“Orion security. Throw any weapons out and step out one at a time,” a stallion shouted from behind the hatch.

She looked to Swan, giving her a nod. Swan looked reluctant to obey, clinging to her rifle for a moment before finally relenting. She tossed her rifle and pistol out the hatch with a sour look.

“We’re coming out,” Flurry said, readying her shield spell just in case. “We have Dr. Doppel with us. He’s a changeling, so hold your fire.”

She stepped out into the light, squinting in the brightness. Behind a makeshift barricade were five ponies aiming rifles at her. Only one was wearing body armour, while the others were wearing engineer jumpsuits or uniforms. They all looked frightened and weary from their ordeal, ears flattened and guns shaking in their grasp.

Doppel stepped out next, a few of the ponies tensing as he emerged. He merely let out a tired sigh, eventually sitting on his rump and holding his forelegs up.

Swan Song was last, her head held high, defiantly striding forward. “First Lieutenant Swan Song, Imperial Navy serial number BW4578670.”

The mare rattled it off like she was entering a prisoner of war camp.

“TEI confirms they’re not hostiles,” a stallion behind the barricade announced.

“I can see that,” the earth pony in body armour snorted. “They have an alicorn with them for Celestia’s sake.”

He trotted forward from the barricade and gave a salute. He was middle-aged, having a pale-grey coat with a steel-grey mane poking out from under his helmet. “Corporal Bounty. My apologies, but you can understand our precautions. I must admit, when Captain Nyx said you were coming I didn’t quite believe it.”

“Understandable, corporal,” Flurry replied with a smile. “What’s the situation?”

“Bugs are pushing us hard. We’ve got a lot of ponies missing. Chief Flintlock went through with his squad half an hour ago, but we haven’t heard much since,” Bounty said before his eyes went to Doppel. “No offence.”

“None taken,” Doppel replied with a sigh.

“And Captain Nyx?” Flurry asked, feeling her chest tighten as she waited for his answer.

“The captain has been out leading the fight since we were first boarded,” he said.

A gentle sigh of relief escaped her lips. “Can you take me to her?”

“Yes ma’am,” he said, before looking to Doppel. “You’ll have to be detained until the situation has calmed down.”

Doppel bristled. “For pity’s sake, at least let me check your wounded.”

“I don’t think—”

“Have someone watch me if that’s what you want, but I won’t sit by while lives are at risk,” Doppel snapped, squaring up to the earth pony.

“Fine,” Bounty relented, gesturing for one of the other ponies to stay at Doppel’s side.

“And before you go, let me tend to your injuries,” Doppel added, turning to Flurry.

“Come on, Doc…” Flurry protested.

“No arguments,” Doppel interrupted. “Honestly, you soldier-types all think you’re invincible.” He looked to Bounty. “Officer Bounty, was it? Could you get me a first-aid kit, please?”

Flurry gave him a nod, which seemed to be enough for the earth pony. He trotted away, only to return a minute later with a first-aid kit on his back.

“I’d prefer to examine you properly, but this should help boost your recovery rate at the very least,” Doppel said, retrieving an auto-injector and a vial of blue liquid. “No substitute for bed rest and common sense, but we make do with what we have.”

Flurry extended her foreleg, and Doppel gently positioned the injector. She winced as the needle pierced her skin, a gentle hiss coming from the injector as it activated. The pain faded quickly as the device emptied its contents into her system, a coolness spreading up her leg and into her body.

“Thanks,” Flurry said, giving her foreleg a rub. The constant pain that had been niggling her since they arrived began to fade, becoming a tolerable ache. Her eyes and lungs tingled slightly as the healing accelerator began to take effect.

“Lieutenant?”

“Don’t count on it, no way in hell I’m letting that thing touch me,” Swan huffed with a scowl before trotting away.

“She grows on you,” Flurry said with a shrug. “See ya around, Doc.”

Doppel simply rolled his eyes before they parted ways. Flurry gave the pegasus a stern look as she passed.

Bounty led them past the bridge of the Orion, through cramped corridors filled with ponies. Many of the side rooms had been co-opted to hold the displaced crew.

In the dim lighting of the corridors, they were like zombies, their expressions vacant and lost. The air tasted stale, but at least it was free of the ferals’ nectar gas.

“When they started boarding us, we lost contact with most sections of the ship. Then we started getting infiltrators,” Bounty explained, his voice trembling as he recounted it. “Lost a lot of ponies before we could respond.”

The corridors echoed with a dozen conversations, all of which died down as they passed. Flurry gave them reassuring nods as she walked by. These ponies needed all the encouragement they could get.

“Have you heard anything about the battle outside?” Swan asked.

“We’re still entirely cut off from the outside,” he replied. “The techs have been trying to get external communications back online since the power went out. Even within the ship, the bugs have been jamming everything other than short-range comms.”

“I see,” Swan said sadly, her ears flattening.

Flurry turned and placed a hoof on Swan’s shoulder. “They’ll be okay, Swan. If you like, you can head back to the bridge and wait for word there. Shouldn’t be too long.”

“No,” she said firmly. “I don’t want to be sitting around doing nothing. Maybe I can help in some way.”

Flurry could see in Swan’s eyes the desperate desire not to be left behind. For some reason, it seemed Swan was looking to her for approval.

“Alright,” she said with a smile. “Looks like you get to meet two alicorns in one day.”

Bounty led them away from the bridge and deeper into the ship. As they got closer to the fighting, the steady staccato of pulse rifle fire grew louder and louder. Flurry could discern the higher pitch of changeling weapons opposed by the deeper rumble of the defenders. Shouts, screams, and the animalistic screeches of the ferals filled the air.

They trotted past a grim line of wounded ponies, limping back from the battle. Dr. Doppel was going to have his work cut out for him before this was over.

Flurry could make out familiar voices amongst the chaos: Flint, Fire Hawk, and the rest of his squad. She was overjoyed to know they had made it here safely and that she would soon be joining the fight with them.

Swan was quiet, trotting close beside Flurry. The pegasus was doing her best to hide her fear, but Flurry could see her wings trembling at her sides. Even so, Flurry admired the kid’s spirit. Swan was no marine, but she was still stepping up to the fight, just like her brother had done before her. Only this time, they were on the same side and Flurry was going to do her damndest to make sure she made it back to her aerie.

As they rounded a corner, they were both confronted by a scene of absolute chaos. The area had been a broad concourse leading to different sections of the ship, but now, it was a battleground.

She spotted Flint’s ponies fighting over a makeshift barricade of equipment. Flint and Echo were crouched together, firing off bursts over the barricade periodically. Priest was lying prone, his rifle resting on a bipod as he fired through a gap. Meanwhile, Princess was crouched low, the barrels of her gatling cannon glowing red hot. At the centre was Fire Hawk, now ablaze in her Nirik form, white fire billowing from her hooves and mane as she fought off the ferals clambering over the barricade.

Spent CAPS cells littered the ground, and every wall was marred and blackened by energy weapon impacts. The thick scent of blood and ozone hung in the air along with the sickly sweet scent of feral nectar.

“Captain Nyx was here the last I heard,” Bounty said before turning to head back the way they came.

“You’re leaving?” Swan asked.

“Somepony needs to organise things on the bridge,” he replied. “Good luck to you both.”

With that, he galloped away, back towards the bridge.

“Stay close to me now,” Flurry said, looking to Swan, who was giving the withdrawing stallion a sour look. Swan gave her a nod, and they crouched low while scurrying over towards the barricade. After reaching it, they ducked in beside Flint and Echo.

“You’re late,” Flint said, not looking up from his rifle’s scope.

“Sorry, had to pick up a stranded pegasus along the way,” Flurry said with a smirk aimed in Swan’s direction.

“See! Told you she’d be here!” Fire Hawk whooped, knocking another changeling from the barricade. “You ponies all owe me thirty bits! Hey, pillow-stuffer, glad you could join us!”

“Wasn’t going to miss this, tinderbox,” Swan shot back.

“See, I knew I liked you,” Fire chuckled, her flames billowing with mirth.

Flurry turned to Flint. “What’s the situation?” she asked. “Where’s Nyx?”

“The captain’s off takin’ the fight to them. We managed to get a message from her about fifteen minutes ago,” Flint replied. “As for us, we’ve got them held here, but more keep coming.”

She’s close, Flurry thought, resisting the urge to jump over the barricade and go looking for her.

“Got another wave, chief!” Fire Hawk shouted before ducking back below the barricade.

Flurry peered over and saw a blurry mass of armoured changelings scurrying along the walls and ceiling towards them. Then, from behind the wave came a fresh fusillade of pulse fire that ricocheted off the barricade, making everypony duck down.

“Don’t they know their cruiser has been taken out?” Swan yelled over the noise.

“I don’t think they care,” Flurry replied, tensing her body and charging her horn for the fighting to come.

Flurry peered over the barricade to get a better look at the situation. Suddenly, things went dark at the far end of the concourse. It wasn’t so much like the lights went out but that they were swallowed up by an inky veil of darkness.

Much of the weapons fire coming towards the ponies stopped. Then, sounds of gunfire erupted from behind the changeling position. The ferals leading the charge had stopped in their tracks, looking back to where they had come from. They began chittering with one another before retreating.

“Weapons hold!” ordered Flintlock, the thestral taking a sudden keen interest in the evolving situation.

From within the darkness, bright indigo flashes were accompanied by cracks of thunder. Flurry watched as smoke and flying debris were revealed briefly by the flashes and then just as quickly returned to an inky black. Otherworldly screams of the feral changeling horde echoed up the concourse, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

Flurry’s heart began to race. This was it. She was reminded of her childhood where she sat at a campfire in the dark of night, listening to legends of the infamous Nightmare Moon. Over seventeen centuries later, it was like it happened yesterday.

She had sat on a thick log, huddled together with her friends as the tale unfolded. Then, a pause. A feeling of sheer dread overcame them as the ambient chatter of the nighttime forest suddenly fell silent. It was like the darkness itself had become alive and at any moment, it would consume them all. Shadows fled, leaving nothing behind but stark terror. Then…

The beast was upon them! Terror gripped their young hearts for the briefest of moments as the dreaded mare of legend pounced, her horn crackling with deadly magic.

The memory faded as Flurry snapped back to the present moment.

The changelings down the concourse were being slain in droves as the most feared pony in thirty centuries tore into them. Flash after flash along with the sound of rending metal and shattering chitin filled the scene.

It was then that Flurry saw her.

The darkness relented and Nyx strode out from the haze behind the changeling position, her horn crackling with arcane energy. She was clad head to hoof in armour of polished silver, the deep blue kite shield of her cutie mark emblazoned on her chest. The style was ancient, from an older, simpler time, but beneath the old exterior were modern ceramics and impact-resistant fibres.

Floating at her side, in the grip of her telekinesis, was her sword, the blade glinting in the dim light.

Nyx stomped a hoof, baring her fangs, her slitted eyes narrow with fury. The black alicorn flared her wings in a challenge at the horde before her.

The ferals lunged at the alicorn, abandoning any concern for the pitched battle they had only moments before been putting their entire focus on.

Five came at her and were felled almost instantly, Nyx’s sword slicing through them in a blur of motion.

Nyx then walked forward in a slow and purposeful manner, directly into the mob.

Enough waiting! Flurry wasn’t about to let Nyx face them down alone.

She leapt over the barricade with one downward thrust from her wings. Racing forward, she quickly caught up with the retreating ferals, soon overtaking the stragglers. She then brought her forehooves down onto an unfortunate feral’s back, knocking it to the ground with a crunch of shattered chitin.

Flurry fought her way in, battling hoof to hoof against the now pincered feral horde. As weakened as she was, she was still more than a match for even these specialized soldiers.

She vaguely heard shots behind her and caught flashes of light, but she paid them no mind. Never once did she take her eyes from her cousin, fighting in the midst of the mob.

Within moments, it was over, and Flurry found herself face to face with the black alicorn.

Nyx regarded her coolly, her breath coming in slow, steady pants. She gave her sword a flick, swiping away the coating of blood before burning the stain off with cleansing fire and sliding it back into its sheath.

“You made it,” Nyx said with a sardonic lift of her eyebrow. “It’s about time you got here.”

The dreaded mare of legend would pounce, her horn crackling with deadly magic. Then, Nyx would laugh, tossing candy. Rather than a gruesome death, her cousin showered everypony with affection.

Flurry took a few tentative steps forward before rushing to her and hugging her tightly. Nyx hesitated for a moment before returning the embrace. It didn’t matter what came at them now; nothing was going to rob this moment from her.

Chapter 14 - Not the Reunion I was Hoping For

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Nyx was safe!

At last, the anxiety that had gripped Flurry Heart for the past twelve hours had found its release. She clung to her cousin tightly, finding comfort in the embrace even with all the pokey bits of Nyx’s armor trying their hardest to ruin it. A few relieved tears trickled down her cheeks, the emotions hitting harder than she expected.

As Flurry held her, she could tell that not all was well. Nyx’s breathing was laboured and uneven. Her mane was slick with sweat, and her wings trembled slightly at her sides. It felt like hours of tension and exhaustion were radiating off her.

“I just need a moment,” Nyx whispered. “Please.”

Flurry said nothing and simply pulled her closer, letting Nyx’s chin rest on her shoulder.

As captain, Nyx would have done all she could to present a stalwart and indomitable image, especially to her new crew. She would lead them by example, showing great courage and valor. Flurry knew her better. While all these were in fact her traits, no one, not even an alicorn, was unbreakable.

In the brief moment of silence, time seemed to slow as Flurry lingered, soaking it in. Unspoken words passed between them, a reaffirmation of old bonds that had long since faded. Eventually, Nyx pulled back, her composure restored.

Nyx’s cool gaze fell upon her, dousing the warm, nostalgic moment. The gulf between them began to reassert itself, six years of regrets manifesting once more like an impossible weight around her neck.

Flurry decided to try and right things. She took a deep breath, then spoke.

“Nyx, I… I…”

Damn it, why is this so hard?

She opened and closed her mouth several times, the words refusing to come out. Flurry looked up to see Nyx scrutinizing her carefully, her stern gaze instantly taking Flurry back to the days when Nyx had overseen her lessons.

“What happened to you?” Nyx asked with hints of worry as she tilted her head. “You sound terrible.”

“Oh, I had to pop outside for a minute or two without a helmet,” came Flurry’s reply with a glimmer of hope that she could keep the conversation light-hearted.

Nyx’s posture appeared to relax slightly as a tiny relieved sigh escaped her muzzle. Still, her ears were a bit down, giving her composure a glimmer of familial concern.

“And your wings,” Nyx said softly, reaching to Flurry's side with a foreleg and gently stroking her jet-black feathers. “What have you done to yourself?”

“Hey, you have no idea the trouble I’ve had to go through just to pull this off,” Flurry reacted with a nervous chuckle.

Nyx gave her that sad and all-too-familiar disapproving look before shaking her head with an exasperated sigh.

“Hold on,” Flurry quickly added, reaching out with a hoof. “You don’t think I—”

“It doesn't matter,” Nyx said flatly. “We have pressing matters to deal with.” She began walking toward the barricade where Flint and his squad were quietly talking.

Flurry felt a desperate anger rise in her chest as she watched Nyx leave. “But I—”

“We’ll talk later, Flurry,” Nyx snapped, her wings bristling. Flurry winced at the irritation in her voice. “My crew needs us now. Both of us.”

A deep pit formed in Flurry’s stomach. Her ears flattened and she hung her head. There would be no winning this, especially when she knew Nyx was right. Losing her temper would only lead to history repeating itself.

“Okay,” she said softly as she fell in line behind the ship’s captain.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Swan sat beside Flurry, still in a daze over what she had just witnessed. Here, a prolonged battle was fought between Syndicate forces and Harmony’s finest soldiers, backed up by Orion security. Then, just two alicorns came and snuffed it out in mere moments. The few changelings that survived were sent scampering away in fear.

Around them, a bustle of newly arrived security ponies and volunteers were busy securing the concourse. Finally, Swan was allowed a moment of clarity and rest.

Her gaze drifted to the black alicorn, now huddled beside Flintlock and Bounty as they discussed the situation. She wasn’t sure what to make of this one. Those slitted eyes gave her the creeps, looking more like they belonged on a cat or dragon than a pony. And the fangs were just unnerving. Even from a distance, Swan noticed them every time the alicorn spoke.

It also didn’t help that she had emerged out of the darkness clad head to hoof in weird-looking armor that had no business existing outside myth and legend. She looked more like a storybook villain than the captain of an enormous modern warship.

“Your cousin is more than a little unsettling,” Swan remarked, her eyes still locked onto the black mare.

When Flurry didn’t answer, Swan turned to notice that she seemed lost in troubled thought.

It was a bit off-putting that suddenly now, after successfully rescuing this ship and her captain, Flurry carried the subdued appearance of having lost the fight. After all, wasn’t this their entire point in coming? Wasn’t this what so many of Swan’s aerie had died for?

Ever since they had first met, Flurry seemed to have this unshakable optimism about her goal. Nothing, not even her branding as a blackwing, seemed to get in the way of it. Yet now, she was quiet, appearing more like a sullen child awaiting punishment. There was no sign of the haughty and notorious thief or the war criminal of legend. She seemed adrift, even periodically glancing at the vacant spot on her shoulder where her strange plushie once sat.

“Those eyes and teeth,” Swan continued with a shudder. “You’re not hiding anything weird, are you?”

“Sorry to disappoint, but no, Nyx is a… special case.”

“She looks like she belongs in a theatre troupe with that armour,” Swan said.

“You never heard of Nightmare Moon, I take it?” Flurry asked with a quiet chuckle.

“Nightmare what?”

“Kids these days don’t know anything,” Flurry muttered, shaking her head. “She’s the boogey-mare that tried to take over Equus once. Got a holiday named after her.”

Swan frowned, the reference not ringing any bells. “What’s that got to do with Nyx?”

“She is Nightmare Moon, or at least she was until… Never mind, it’s complicated.” Flurry shrugged.

Swan wasn’t sure if the mare was joking or not. Her expression was unreadable, having returned to staring at her cousin.

“You’d think she would be happier to see you,” Swan remarked. “You did come all this way.”

“We had a bit of a falling out after the war,” Flurry said quietly. “She didn’t appreciate my recent career choices.”

“I see,” Swan said, though she suspected there was far more to this than Flurry was admitting.

“Flurry Heart, the family disappointment,” the mare remarked bitterly to herself. “Not that I helped matters… so stupid.”

“I’m sure once we get back, you’ll be able to talk it out,” Swan tried.

“Oh, like you and me?”

Flurry’s question took her aback. She was surprised to consider that her hatred toward the mare hadn’t crossed her mind since they began their journey through the ship. Though she had to admit, she wasn’t fully at peace with the alicorn yet.

“I…” Swan stammered. “Sure, I guess.”

“Hey, what’s with you two?” came a voice from behind Swan. She turned to see Fire Hawk walking up to join them. “After all the ass we just kicked, you should be flying high! I know I am.”

The kirin’s helmet had folded onto her back, revealing her voluminous mane as it spilled out over her shoulders. A look of contentment shone on her face as she slurped a can of Zoom through a straw.

“Where did you get that?” Swan asked with a hint of envy. It wasn't like the Orion was overflowing with vending machines.

“Oh, you’d like some? Here, have a whiff.” Fire Hawk levitated the drink closer to Swan’s nostrils.

“Unghhh, you drink that?” she balked. The pungent concoction was like a hundred odours having a brawl for her attention. “Smells like it could strip the paint right off the walls.”

The kirin paused in what looked like a moment of reflective thought. “Hmm, let’s try it!”

“Let’s not! You might burn a hole in something.”

“I burn holes in a lotta things, sweetie.”

“There’s no accounting for taste, I guess.”

The mare shrugged before sitting down with Swan and Flurry. “Keeps me topped up. Going nirik is a lotta work.”

Flurry offered a forehoof to Fire, which was bumped in turn. “Haven’t seen a kirin fight in a really long time,” she said. “You did pretty good.”

“Yeah right,” Fire deflected. “You and Nyx stole the show. But I gotta say, I’m really looking forward to seeing more of that!”

“I’ll try not to let you down,” Flurry replied with a smile, the melancholy tone from a moment ago now brushed aside. “But I’ll need you to heat up the popcorn.”

“It’s a date!” Fire chuckled, draining the last dregs from her bottle. “You’re in for a treat, pillow-stuffer,” she continued, turning her attention to Swan. “Captain Nyx is a living legend at the police academy. Got a statue and everything.”

“Nyx always was the popular one,” Flurry joked with a lighthearted chuckle. “How does it feel to meet that legend in the flesh?”

“Are you kidding? Did you see how many ferals she wasted?!” Fire Hawk whooped, practically vibrating with excitement. “And that wicked armour? Totally sold.”

As Flurry and Fire Hawk exchanged enthusiastic stories, Swan began to see that there was a lot more to the alicorn than all the carefree bluster suggested. How many regrets and sorrows were hidden behind that cocksure smile? The mystery that was Flurry Heart tugged further at Swan’s curiosity.

“Everypony listen up!” came the sharp voice of Flintlock, breaking Swan out of her thoughts. “We have a plan to take back the ship.”

Swan joined the semi-circle of ponies that had gathered around Flint and Nyx. Only Priest held his position, keeping watch for intruders.

“I’ve discussed the situation with Captain Nyx and Corporal Bounty,” Flint continued before giving a nod to Nyx and stepping aside.

“Thank you, chief,” Nyx replied as she tapped a few commands into her holo-brace.

An outline of the Orion was projected before the crowd. It highlighted a large area towards the stern of the ship labeled ‘Engineering’. A long and slender green zone indicated the concourse, several decks higher and a few hundred canters forward. This was the team’s current position.

“Our objective is to take Engineering,” Nyx began. “Syndicate changelings seized it during the first stages of their attack, and captured most of the engineering crew.” A hard edge crept into the alicorn’s voice as she continued. “Having lost the concourse, they will be getting desperate as they retreat and regroup. We don’t know what has become of the crew in Engineering, but the sooner we strike, the more lives will be saved, and the quicker we take back the ship.”

Before them, a thin blue line snaked through the projection of the Orion, joining the two locations together.

“Flurry Heart and I will take point ahead of Alpha squad, moving down through the cargo deck. It gives us the quickest route to Engineering,” Nyx said, tracing the route with a wingtip.

“As long as I don’t gotta miss the party, I’m happy,” Fire Hawk added with an eager grin as she glanced around to everyone gathered. Swan briefly wondered if something like solitary confinement would be fatal to the mare.

“Don’t worry, Fire,” Flint replied. “You’ll get to do your thing.”

“Awesome,” Fire Hawk murmured, a tiny giggle escaping her muzzle.

“Echo, you’ll provide tech support if we need it,” Flint continued. “The rest of us will be fire support.”

“You got it, boss,” Echo acknowledged.

“Everypony remember,” Nyx intoned, the seriousness in her voice quelling the rising chatter. “Five hundred of my crew are still unaccounted for. Recovering them is our top priority.”

At the mention of this, images from within the drone bay of the Syndicate cruiser flashed through Swan’s mind. A cold shiver ran down her spine, causing her wings to shudder. In her mind’s eye, she could still see those poor ponies mutilated, their brains being put into those—

A gentle wing over her shoulder snapped Swan back to reality. She looked to her side to see Flurry offering a gentle smile before focusing back on the briefing. Flint was speaking again.

“…the remainder of fire team Charlie is en route to the concourse to support Orion security in our absence,” he explained. “Now everypony check your gear. We move as soon as possible.”

Swan blinked at the realization she wasn’t mentioned at all when the plan had been explained. Flint’s team had already begun donning their helmets and checking their weapons, while the security ponies moved to a defensive position, protecting the concourse.

“Wait, what about me?” Swan asked.

“You stay here,” Nyx answered her. “We’ve got this covered.”

“I can help,” Swan objected, hefting her changeling pulse rifle where Nyx could see it.

The black alicorn glanced up and down Swan’s flight suit. “I appreciate the offer, and I’m grateful for what you and yours have done, but no. A pilot is not a soldier. I won’t have this operation jeopardized by a young pegasus with no infantry experience.”

The alicorn’s words cut deep, that alien gaze raising all of Swan’s inadequacies with a single glance. Any indignation Swan might have felt was snuffed out in an instant, her protests dying on her lips.

“Let the kid come,” Flurry said firmly.

Swan looked to her with surprise. Flurry ought to be eager to ditch her now that she was reunited with her cousin.

“She’s a liability,” Nyx replied coldly. “What happens if we get swarmed? You’d be too focused on her rather than the fight.”

“Hey, if anypony can handle a swarm it’s this one,” Flurry retorted, returning Nyx’s glare. “She helped me get here in one piece. A lot of her pilots were lost out there saving this ship. She deserves some payback.”

“Revenge…” Nyx sighed. “Not this time. Not when my crew’s lives are on the line.”

Swan felt her heart clench. She had to say something, had to keep moving, otherwise everything that had happened in the last hour would come crashing down on her like an avalanche.

“I can do this!” she insisted, staring directly into those predatory eyes. Her face became stone cold. “I need to do this,” she added. “I won’t let you down, and I’m not afraid to die.”

Nyx kept her gaze in silence for a long moment while Swan held her ground. “No, I can see you’re not. Don’t get in the way and try not to shoot anyone.”

“Yes ma’am!” Swan exclaimed, giving her a salute.

“And for goodness sake, somepony get this mare something to wear.”

Swan’s spirits soared. She wasn’t quite sure what it was about having the alicorn’s approval. Perhaps it was everything that had been building up to this moment. All the expectations and the critical nature of their mission made her feel a part of something far more profound than her miserable daily life. And even though she’d have to go back and face an unhappy Merry Weather—even though she still may stare death in the face before this mission was over—for this moment, she was happy.

A glance at Flurry showed the mare giving Swan a satisfied smile. The list of things she owed Flurry was growing almost by the minute. Just why was this alicorn going so far out of the way for her?

Swan’s musing was broken as the hulking form of Princess stomped up to her. The mustang loomed over her, carrying a gatling gun that made her feel tiny and insignificant by comparison.

“Alright, newbie, listen up. Chief says I need to foalsit you till you’re up to speed. You do exactly what I say, when I say. Any of my team gets hurt and it’s your fault… the bugs will be the least of your problems.”

Swan swallowed dryly, nodding at the horse standing over her. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you down.”

“Good,” Princess said. “Now check your weapon and don’t point it at anything unless you want to kill it.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The sound of hoofsteps against metal echoed up and down the wide spiral stairwell as Flurry followed closely behind Nyx. Flint and the rest of his squad were broken up into three pairs, strung out not far behind them.

The emergency lights were like small islands in the growing dark. They cast a bloody red hue on the ponies during their descent, throwing distorted shadows that danced across the walls. It was times like this Flurry wished she could see in the dark as well as Nyx. As she followed behind, the black alicorn deftly navigated the darkness like a cat on the hunt.

From the gloomy pit, far below, came the steady reverberation of gunfire. It grew louder as they made their way down the metal stairwell, giving the sense that it wouldn’t be long before they found what they were looking for.

“I’m picking up friendly radio chatter,” Echo announced. “Sounds like Delta team. They’re under fire.”

Flurry’s gaze flitted to Nyx, who had paused at the landing of one of the decks, turning slightly. The conflict of whether to assist or press on towards Engineering flashed in her eyes.

“What do you think, Nyx?” Flurry asked.

Flint tapped his holo-brace, opening his comms for all to hear. “Delta, this is Alpha Lead, close to your position. Do you need assistance?” he asked.

“Alpha, I copy. Syndicate attack is petering out,” a stallion’s voice crackled over the radio. “Just finishing off the last of them.”

“Roger that, Delta—good to hear,” Flint replied. “Once you’re done there, proceed to the concourse on the command deck. We’re moving towards Engineering now.”

“Copy that. Good hunting!”

Flurry let out a sigh of relief that the Syndicate seemed to be running out of soldiers. She was suddenly thankful that she had blown their boarding tubes during the firefight outside, cutting off reinforcements. Soon, she and her squad would take Engineering and this would all be over.

She gave Nyx a smile, which her cousin returned, albeit weakly.

“Let’s keep moving,” Nyx said as she proceeded further down the stairwell. “They’re likely retreating to Engineering as a final stronghold.”

“If they’re running, they must have gotten the news by now,” Flurry said, moving to follow.

“News?”

“That two alicorns are coming to kick their ass,” Flurry grinned.

Nyx let out a dark chuckle. “You haven’t lost your sense of humour over the years, I see.”

“Not on your life.”

“We just have to be extra careful. They’ll be desperate now,” Nyx added as they arrived at the hatchway labeled ‘Cargo and Storage’.

Flurry waited while Nyx scanned the area ahead with the sensors built into her armor. She let out a sigh, glancing at her crappy holo-brace with contempt.

“I miss having all the fancy toys,” Flurry muttered with a hint of envy.

“I’m reading nothing on the other side,” Nyx stated before giving Flurry a nod. “Get the hatch and be ready with a shield… just in case.”

Nyx’s words sparked a hint of nostalgia in Flurry as she was reminded of the times they used to work together—when they trusted one another. The thought soothed her lingering agitation.

With a quick telekinetic pull, Flurry wrenched the hatch open, revealing an inky blackness within. The emergency lights had failed, and the whole area was cloaked in utter darkness.

The alicorns led the way through as small motes of magical energy, some indigo and some golden, hovered in front of their horns. One by one, helmet lamps lit up as Flint and his team filed in behind them. The shadows of forklifts and cargo trolleys flitted across the corridor like aberrant beasts of a fevered imagination. Along the floor, a thin haze lingered, and the air tasted of changeling nectar.

“Reminds me of Silverspring,” Flurry remarked. “Dark caves full of rabid ferals waiting to suck every last bit of emotion from us…”

“You can stop that any time you want, you know,” Nyx interrupted.

Flurry chuckled. “You stank of rotten eggs for weeks.”

Nyx let out a grumble, her tail flicking dangerously as they continued walking into the gloom.

The corridors on this deck were wider, with curved ceilings and elegant arches that gave enough space for a pegasus to pass overhead if they wished. Flurry recognized the distinctly Commonwealth architecture, though such designs were rare out in the colonies.

As Flint and his team spread out, Flurry caught sight of Swan Song walking alongside Princess at the rear of the squad. She seemed to be fitting in with the others, though it was still clear she was out of her comfort zone amongst infantry soldiers.

Flurry lingered as the squad passed on by, allowing Swan to catch up. “You doing alright, kid?”

“Sure. I mean, mostly,” she replied. “You’d think being comfortable in the blackness of space would translate to being comfortable in the blackness of a cramped metal labyrinth. It doesn’t. I feel like every shadow has a monster just waiting to pounce on me.”

“You’re the one who wanted so badly to come along,” Princess reminded her.

Flurry saw the irritated look on Swan’s face, though the mare bit back any response.

“You’ll be fine,” Flurry assured with a smile before trotting away to catch up with Nyx at the front.

“No sign of the enemy yet,” Nyx mentioned as Flurry slowed to walk beside her. “I half expected we’d run into a scout or guard by now.”

“How close are we?” Flurry asked.

“Not far. Engineering is off a parallel corridor, but we can get there quicker if we cut through storage up ahead.”

“I gotta say, Nyx, it’s a really big ship. How’d you land this gig, anyway?” When Nyx didn’t answer, Flurry prodded a bit. “I mean, the last thing I expected this morning was to find you out here at all, much less in need of rescue, captaining a beast like this.”

Nyx let out a heavy sigh, a sure sign Flurry had struck a nerve. “Flurry, be straight with me,” she began in a subdued voice. “If you had any inkling or heard any rumours that this was going to happen, you’d have found a way to warn us, right?”

It wasn’t an accusation, but the implication was loud and clear.

“Nyx, I didn’t even know this ship existed until a few hours ago, and even if you weren’t involved, there’s no way I’d let the Syndicate have their way with it,” Flurry replied, her tail flicking in irritation. “Believe it or not, the Syndicate ain’t exactly popular around here.”

Nyx eyed her carefully, her stern gaze softening a bit.

“I’m sorry, but I had to ask,” Nyx replied with a relieved tone. “It’s just that our route was meant to be secret. Setting up an ambush with a fake distress call, right in our path, means someone knew we were coming.”

Flurry pondered this for a moment. “To be honest, this is far too big a fish even for the Syndicate. You do have a point. The fact they nearly succeeded is pretty suspicious. Still, there’s a lot of ears listening in Dragon’s Head, and the Syndicate has some of the sharpest.”

“If I find out who is behind this, they’re going to pay,” Nyx snarled. “They knew right when we’d be the most vulnerable. This crew… they aren’t soldiers or even sailors. Most were just technicians assigned to get the ship fitted once we docked at Harmony.”

“Then let’s get to it,” Flurry urged. “Lead the way, captain. I’m feeling pumped.”

As they continued their way down the dark corridor, Flurry realized she felt more than pumped. She felt sharp and fresh like she’d just woken up after spending a night back on Equus. Last time she recharged this fast was after downing five cans of Zoom in the aftermath of a drunken TK-wrestling contest against more than a dozen unicorns.

Painted on the deck was a yellow line which split off to the right and traveled beneath a doorway marked ‘Storage 1B’.

Nyx paused at the door, checking her sensors once more before powering the locking mechanism with energy from her horn. The door then gave way with a slight hiss, revealing a room full of cargo crates resting on pallets.

At this point, Flurry was feeling good enough to know that something strange was going on. She stopped to check her holo-brace, which showed her thaumatic energy at more than twice the amount stored up a half-hour ago. And it was rising.

“Nyx, are you feeling like we just walked into a room full of narconium?” she asked.

“So this is where they put it,” Nyx replied.

“Anypony else feeling that?” Fire Hawk asked as the squad filed into the room.

“Feeling what?” Flintlock asked.

“A little funky.” Fire pawed at the ground, her ears swivelling.

“We don’t have time for a bathroom break, Fire,” Princess grunted.

“Just go in your armour,” Echo suggested, giving her a playful nudge.

“Nice try. Not falling for that again,” Fire grumbled.

“Alright, cut the chatter,” Flint barked.

Nyx approached one of the storage crates and pried the top panel off, revealing it was full of reddish-tinted metal bars. Narconium.

Flurry levitated one out, causing it to hover in front of her face. “You know what this is worth?” she intoned, looking Nyx in the eye.

“Pretty,” Echo commented. “Are we meant to be feeling something?”

“You wouldn’t,” Flint said. “I’ve seen this on most starships, but not in this amount. How much you got here?”

“A better question is why,” Flurry added. “You planning on being off-world for an extra-long time or something, Nyx?”

“There’s no time for chit chat,” Nyx asserted as she pulled several of the metal bars out of the crate, giving one to each member of the squad. “Tuck this away somewhere,” she instructed. “Narconium boosts the local Lifestream as well as a pony’s natural recharge rate. Important when you’re this deep in space. It won’t make a huge difference for you guys, but that’s because you’re not seventeen centuries old.”

“Right on!” Flurry cheered as she stuffed a bar into one of her pockets.

“Just be sure and give it back when we’re done, okay Flurry?”

“Sure,” she grumbled. “Let’s go.”

“How much further?” Flint asked.

“Fifty-two canters past the cargo lift,” Echo replied.

Soon, the squad came across a large elevator platform set into the floor, connecting the storage room with the hangar deck below.

Beyond the lift, a blast door three canters wide was partially open with light streaming out from within.

“That’s the core chamber up ahead,” Nyx stated. “I’m reading sketchy contacts beyond the doorway.”

The alicorns crept forward, approaching the blast door from either side and taking up their positions while Flint held his team back. The gap in the door was just wide enough for one pony to walk through. Flurry stood on her hind legs with her back against the wall as she cautiously leaned over to peer inside.

Flurry could see a lot of oversized equipment, backed by a row of enormous Nexus cores, which took up the rest of her sight. Without risking being spotted, she couldn’t see much else, though the frustrated chitters of several changelings were unmistakable.

Flurry locked her gaze with Nyx. “Ready? On three. One… T—”

“No!” Nyx insisted with a firm whisper. “We have to wait.”

“What?”

“My crew is in there somewhere,” Nyx explained. “I don’t want them in the crossfire.”

“Got it. Crew dead bad. Now, what’s your Plan B?” Flurry asked.

“Chief, does your team have any sprites?” Nyx asked over her radio.

“Echo does,” Flint replied.

“Good, send her up here.”

Flurry kept her gaze locked on the limited view of Engineering while they waited for Echo to join them.

“Chief said you need some eyes,” Echo whispered from directly behind Flurry, nearly making her jump out of her skin.

“Inside,” Nyx replied, gesturing towards the large room beyond the door. “We need to find out where the crew are being held.”

“Gotcha,” Echo nodded. From a compartment set into the back of her armour, a small drone, no bigger than a bumblebee, hovered out. It paused a moment as if to acknowledge its operator before darting away through the door. It wasn’t long before she described the scene.

“On the far left, we’ve got the main entrance to Engineering. Looks like it’s been barricaded,” Echo stated. “There’s also a large turret emplacement off to the side. I’m not familiar with the model, but it looks similar to the Commonwealth GX-86. It has line of sight on both doors.”

“Shit,” Flurry muttered. “Enemy headcount?”

“You’re not gonna like this,” Echo replied before counting under her breath. “A hundred fifty-six armoured ferals. Seven controller changelings and four technicians.”

“Any sign of my crew?” Nyx asked, anxiety slipping into her voice.

“Nothing yet… Wait, I’ve got them,” Echo said. “Far end of the chamber, off to the right. Ninety-eight piled up along the wall. Thermals indicate they’re alive.”

Flurry looked to Nyx, watching the gears turn inside her head.

“We can’t risk a frontal attack,” Nyx stated. “The rest of the team wouldn’t make it ten canters past the door, plus the crew need to be isolated.”

“I can cover the crew, but I can’t teleport in blind,” Flurry said.

“There’s a maintenance stairwell that leads up through containment to the upper gantry,” Echo offered, pointing to the left. “Twenty-five canters that way.”

Flurry gave the mare a quizzical look. “Okay, you didn’t even look that time,” she muttered.

Echo calmly returned her glance as if wondering what Flurry’s point was.

“We take the stairs then,” Nyx agreed. “Let’s just hope they don’t have it guarded.” She then gestured for Flint to move his team in.

“Bad luck for them if they do,” Flurry chuckled darkly.

“I don’t see anyone up there,” Echo said.

“You’re just determined to ruin my fun, aren’t you?” Flurry groused, fluffing her wings.

Chapter 15 - Exactly the Reunion I was Hoping For

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Swan pressed up against the cold bulkhead of the stairwell, trembling slightly from her frayed nerves. The rifle strapped to her foreleg felt unnaturally heavy, even though she knew it was mostly in her head. Beside her, the rest of the squad waited, holding their positions. All eyes were on the narrow maintenance access doorway leading onto the upper gangway of Engineering.

“How am I gonna fit through that?” Princess whined in a whisper before Flint shushed her.

Compared to the experienced soldiers around her, Swan felt out of place. What was she even doing here? A cocksure pegasus pilot, leader of her aerie, she had boldly charged into desperate odds and come out alive somehow. Now, she felt like a fresh recruit all over again. The thought crossed her mind that maybe she should have stayed back at the concourse like she was told.

“Things are gonna get weird, so be ready and don’t freak out,” Nyx whispered.

The doorway leading out of the stairwell opened silently, revealing the vast chamber beyond. Some distance from the door, three changeling guards stood on a platform along the upper wall, watching the scene below.

Just then, a black void flowed out from Nyx like water, plunging the length of the gangway into total darkness.

At that moment, Nyx’s darksight spell kicked in just like she had described. Swan practically tripped over her own hooves at how disorienting it was at first, her wings opening instinctively to keep from falling.

Everything was pitch black… but not. Nothing had any texture, not even her own hoof in front of her face. What she could see, and vividly, were the edges of things. The other ponies appeared like ghostly outlines of themselves, their contours glowing and wafting around like they were underwater.

Before the three changelings could react to their lack of sight, Nyx withdrew a set of thin knives from her armour and telekinetically sent them flying toward their prey. The blades deftly maneuvered through the air, slicing throats with precision before swiftly returning to their resting place.

Swan swallowed dryly, trying to suppress feelings of intimidation at what she had just witnessed. Even in the total darkness, the detail in her vision was incredible. She watched the guards fall where they stood, blood dripping onto the solid metal catwalk.

“Follow me and stay quiet,” Nyx whispered. One by one, the squad filed through the access door, beginning with Flurry and ending with Princess, who struggled to squeeze through. Soon, they had all settled into their positions.

Swan crouched low with the rest of Flint’s team as they waited atop the gangway which ran the full length of Engineering’s upper deck. All eyes were on the situation below, watching it like a hawk—particularly the pair of alicorns who accompanied them.

Below them was a vast chamber, easily over a hundred canters long. Across from her position, on the deck level, was the blast door they had encountered earlier. Swan could see figures moving around—feral changelings, big ones in heavy armour, and far too many to count.

Dominating the center of the room were eight huge cylindrical machines topped with copper domes, laid out in two rows of four. Each was inscribed with indecipherable arcane runes and diagrams. They were the ship’s Nexus cores—the heart of the vessel’s power.

Only these were clearly destroyed. Their tops were cracked and blackened, cables spilling out like mops of hair. Two had split down the side and violently thrown bits of arcane technology out into the room, leaving scorch marks along the walls.

Her eyes couldn’t help but focus on the large turret which the changelings had set up. It was clearly a serious anti-infantry weapon for defending hardened positions. Whatever the Syndicate was doing in Engineering, they did not want to be disturbed.

“The crew has been immobilized and placed along the far left wall,” Nyx whispered.

“We ran across the same thing on our way up through Medical,” Flurry added, making brief eye contact with Swan. “Maybe twenty they gathered from around the ship and piled up. Nothing like this, though.”

Nyx’s horn crackled with fury, her eyes narrowing as she looked down below.

Swan felt queasy at the thought of where these poor souls would have ended up. She wiped the cold sweat from her brow and tried to calm her breathing.

“Your anxiety levels just peaked, Swan. Are you okay?” Echo asked quietly.

“I’m fine. It’s just… I was in that cruiser’s drone bay, and I saw what these monsters did to ponies,” Swan replied, her lips trembling. “We’re in way over our heads.”

“Don’t you worry, Swan,” Flurry assured with confidence. “We’re about to crash this little party.”

“What’s the plan, captain?” Flint asked.

“Simple. Flurry and I are going to go down there and kill them all,” Nyx said, the fire in her eyes making Swan shudder. “Your squad will give us fire support from up here.”

“Aww,” Fire Hawk moaned. “On the bench again.”

“Don’t worry, you’re in for a show,” Flurry grinned. “Hey Nyx, how much insurance does this ship have?”

“Most of this will have to be scrapped anyway, so you can have your fun,” Nyx replied, a slight smile creasing her muzzle. “Just make sure your shields protect the crew.”

“Gotcha. Just like Antares V?”

“Only with fewer explosions, I hope,” Nyx said.

The raw confidence of the pair of alicorns was like a breath of fresh air. The overwhelming odds stacked against them had no effect on these two. Swan even felt her own fear begin to fade as their conviction rolled over.

“Would it help if their attention was at the door?” Echo asked. “I can help in that regard.”

“Anything that gets them away from my crew would be great,” Nyx said, giving her a nod. “Okay, everypony get ready—we move on your go, Echo.”

Swan swallowed, the anticipation making her feel like her heart was throwing a rave party in her chest.

“Stay close to me, newbie,” Princess said. “And pick your targets carefully with that filly’s pellet gun you got.”

“Okay,” she replied, steadying her shaking forelegs as they all got into position.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Echo, who drew in a breath and let out an eerie chittering call.

The effect was instant. The ferals below began to let out angry chitters of their own, rushing to reinforce the barricade. One of them hopped onto the turret, aiming it at the door which Echo’s call appeared to come from.

“Guess that’s my cue,” Flurry grinned. Suddenly, she vanished from the gangway in a burst of golden light. Air rushed into the void where her body was, causing a loud clap with the crackle of discharging energy.

Before Swan could spot where the alicorn had gone, Nyx leapt from the gangway.

As the black alicorn fell, the black void cast out from her once more, enveloping the room below in a shroud of darkness. Despite the lack of light, Swan’s darksight kept her aware of what was happening.

The changelings below quickly fell into disarray, crashing into each other while those in flight scattered every which way. Nyx dove through the mess, small flickers of telekinetically gripped blades leaving twin trails of death in her wake.

Swan gasped at the display and only then noticed a shimmering distortion covering the area where the fallen crew had been gathered.

“Showtime, kid,” Princess said, spinning up the barrels on her chaingun.

Nyx flowed through them like water, her blades slicing through the scattered ranks like a bloody whirlwind. Even the armoured forms of the ferals offered no resistance as heads and limbs were sent flying with each slice.

If Nyx was a tornado, Flurry was a hurricane, ripping whole workstations from the wall and crushing groups with each swing. When the workstation disintegrated, Flurry simply plucked ferals into the air with her telekinesis. Their struggling forms were then smashed into their colleagues until they too fell apart.

Swan could only watch in awe, her rifle forgotten in her hooves. Seeing Flurry tear ferals apart with overwhelming magical prowess reminded her of how differently the fight in Oakheart’s office could have gone.

Just then, the squad around her opened fire into the darkness below, snapping her out of her reverie.

The two alicorns continued to fight through the darkness, moving towards each other as they carved a bloody swath through any feral unfortunate enough to be in their path.

Swan managed to pick off a changeling that was firing blindly into the commotion while hiding behind a metal crate. At that moment, she noticed detail and color begin to return. Nyx’s void-casting spell had worn off, revealing the alicorns near the centre of the room.

At least half of the enemy had been cut down, leaving many of the survivors looking for cover once they could see. The larger ferals, however, held no firearms. These brutes mindlessly charged at the alicorns, their hoof-claws scraping at the decking as they ran.

Nyx and Flurry stood back to back, flowing around each other like ballroom dancers. With each movement, the other reacted with a sword thrust or shield. Bodies soon piled at their hooves as they continued their bloody dance.

It abruptly ended when the turret opened fire, causing a hail of plasma bolts to slam into Flurry’s hastily erected shield. The golden shimmering sphere which surrounded the alicorns rippled and pulsed with each hit, making Flurry grimace as she struggled to keep it intact through the onslaught.

With Flurry occupied, Nyx tossed a blade at the turret’s operator, causing the changeling to jerk back in a spray of blood. Swan’s eyes widened as she saw Flurry telekinetically wrench the turret right off the deck to which it was bolted, then use it to pummel nearby changelings into a sticky, broken mess.

Swan was so enthralled she didn’t notice Princess shouting at her until a hoof knocked her to the ground.

“Stop daydreaming! We’ve got company!” Princess yelled as pulse blasts from enemy weapons streaked into the space she’d just occupied.

Blinking in surprise, she followed Princess’ chaingun as it swung around to meet the oncoming wave of armoured ferals charging across the catwalk.

Two were felled in rapid succession with shots from Priest, but still the remainder surged forward.

Swan took aim and fired. One of them jerked backward, only to be carried forward by the sheer momentum of its brethren.

Before she could fire again, a cry rang out from behind.

“Chief’s been hit!”

Swan looked to see Flintlock knocked to the ground, smoke billowing from his chest plate.

Suddenly, she felt a rush of heat wash over her as Fire Hawk burst into flame. The ferals halted their charge as the white and yellow flames in equine form took to the forefront.

“Balcony’s closed!” Fire Hawk roared, her flame sweeping over them in a rolling wave.

All other sound was drowned out in the roar of the fire. The ferals on the gangway either disappeared or were turned into living torches. A few leapt over the railing, desperate to escape the fire consuming them.

“Hey, I made some fireflies,” Fire Hawk chuckled darkly as her flames died down.

“Enough of the quips and help me!” Echo called, holding onto the writhing Flintlock.

Swan dropped her rifle and rushed over to them, pinning down the groaning thestral.

“You’ll be okay, chief,” Echo assured, pulling an auto-injector from her pack and carefully inserting it between Flintlock’s armour plates.

“We got this, pillow-stuffer,” Fire Hawk said, dropping out of her nirik form to assist Echo. “I need you to get out there and cover us while we patch up the chief,” she ordered before looking down at Flint. “Damn it chief, you’re making me miss all the action.”

Fire’s complaining was soon lost as a loud metallic crash echoed through the chamber.

Swan grabbed her rifle and leapt from the balcony. With a few flaps of her wings, she quickly found herself a hiding spot where she could provide cover for Flint and Echo.

Down below, the fight had devolved into a few scattered pockets of ferals firing at the two alicorns from whatever cover they could find. The ground was covered in broken bodies and crumpled equipment. Some ferals lay draped across overhanging pipes, their bodies twisted in unnatural directions.

Standing side by side were Nyx and Flurry, now splattered in gore like terrifying apparitions from legend. Shots glanced off the golden shield projected in front of them as they advanced towards the last of their enemy.

Swan almost felt sorry for the ferals as they desperately tried to fend off the two approaching alicorns. Her pity swiftly died as she remembered what they had done to those ponies on the cruiser.

She took aim, firing off several bursts at the cowering changelings. Most glanced off the cover around them, but one feral peered up at the wrong time and caught a bolt to the head.

As the others tried to react, a section of railing and a ladder shot by, impaling two and driving them against the far wall. The last were cut to pieces as Nyx swept over them, leaving nothing but bloody corpses in her wake.

And then everything fell quiet.

Swan gingerly landed amongst the carnage, trying not to step in anything squelchy.

“Hey, Swan!” Flurry grinned, her mane and coat splattered with feral blood. “You okay?”

Swan hesitated for a moment, a sliver of fear creeping down her spine. Before her stood the infamous Last Shadow in all her terrible glory, looking as she must have after the battle of Mulberry Ridge.

And yet, Swan’s fear faded just as it appeared. The mental image of Last Shadow was gone, revealing Flurry Heart, the pony that had saved her life.

“Yeah, but the chief’s been hit,” Swan replied. “Echo’s with him now.”

A look of worry crossed Flurry’s features, and she quickly teleported away, leaving Swan alone with Nyx.

Swan gingerly followed after Nyx as she approached the bodies of her crew.

They were in the same state as those they had found in Medical, lying limp with blissful expressions on their faces. They seemed to have survived the battle unscathed.

Swan heard Nyx let out a gentle relieved sigh.

As they checked the crew, they found some ponies whose eyes gazed blankly into space. They were alive, but they didn’t respond as Nyx gently nudged them. The alicorn lowered her head, her ears flattening and her wings drooping as they found a few more like this, piled like tinder.

“What’s wrong with them?” Swan asked, tentatively.

“They’ve been drained of their emotions,” Nyx said softly. “All that’s left is a shell—an empty husk where once there was a pony full of life and personality.”

Swan could hear the deep sadness in Nyx’s voice, the alicorn’s eyes glistening.

“There are still hundreds more missing,” Nyx added. “We’ll need to find them.”

“I’m sure most have found a place to hide,” Swan offered, yet the hollowness in her voice made her wince. “Though on the cruiser, I saw… I…”

“I know what you saw,” Nyx stated.

Silence hung between them as Nyx stood there, her jaw clenched tight and her wings bristling. “I’m sorry,” Swan offered before leaving the alicorn to her thoughts.

Flurry touched down on the lower deck, carrying Flintlock. She set him down to rest near the crew as the other members of the squad arrived.

“How is he?” Swan asked.

“He’ll be okay,” Echo replied as Flurry helped the chief get comfortable. “I had to dope him up for the pain.” Flurry then walked to where Nyx was getting a closer look at her crew, lying on the deck nearby.

“That’s a relief,” Swan replied. Considering the history between Flurry and the thestral, she didn’t want to imagine the additional fury which could have been unleashed.

“It’ll take more than that to take out the chief,” Echo said with a soft smile.

“Damn straight,” Fire Hawk said, giving an awed whistle at the devastation around them. “Those two really did a number on this place. We’re talking weeks in dry dock and a very unfortunate cleanup detail.”

Swan spared a glance at Flurry and Nyx, standing away from them and talking quietly amongst themselves.

“Everypony start gathering up any weapons,” Echo ordered. “We don’t want to leave any lying around. You too, Swan.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Swan replied.

It was as she began her search that a light on an instrument panel caught her eye.

“Hey, I thought the ship had no power,” Swan said, gaining Nyx and Flurry’s attention.

Nyx trotted over and wiped away blood and shattered glass from the terminal as though she had an invisible squeegee.

“Impossible,” she muttered. “According to this, ship CAPS are at eighty percent.”

She quickly tapped a control on the terminal, looking expectedly off to her side. With a clunk and whir of mechanical servos, a partition along the nearby bulkhead slid back. Rows of enormous CAPS cells were revealed, standing several canters high and glowing a bright sky-blue with magical energy.

“I don’t understand,” Nyx continued. “Where did all this power come from?”

“The Syndicate cruiser had some kind of umbilicals attached to the Orion earlier,” Flurry mentioned as she approached the enormous power cells. “Spotted them when I was blowing their boarding tubes. They must have been feeding power into the Orion. Probably so they could make off with her.”

“Something doesn’t add up about that. We should have been able to see the energy transfer from the bridge,” Nyx muttered, turning her attention back to the console. “Ah, here we go. Power conduits have been physically cut to most of the ship, including engines.”

“That makes no sense. How can they steal the ship without engines?” Flurry pointed out.

“Oh. Oh no…” Nyx murmured. “All the power is being fed forward, down the neck, to the bow of the ship where Forward Fire Control is located. They’ve also left conduits to all three amplification pylons on the wingtips. The main cannon could fire.”

“Wait, is that the thing that cut the ginormous hole in the big asteroid we hid in?” Swan asked.

Nyx nodded solemnly.

“They might be trying to take out the Glorium,” Flurry suggested. “This thing could easily one-shot the carrier. They wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“No!” Swan exclaimed. “We’ve got to warn them!”

“Ship comms are still completely down. We don’t know anything for sure, but we have to find out and fast,” Nyx declared. “Echo, are you in command with the chief down?”

“Yes, captain.”

“I need you to secure Engineering and get help for my crew. Whatever the enemy is up to here, you can bet more will be showing up before long. Flurry and I will head straight to Forward Fire Control and find out what’s going on.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Echo said before turning to face Swan. “You and Princess head back to the concourse and bring back help. With luck, you’ll find Delta team already there.”

“Aww, why me?” Princess groaned.

“Because you’ve whined the most since we got here,” Echo replied, earning chuckles from Priest and Fire Hawk.

“When you get back, I want your team to join us at Forward Fire Control,” Nyx added. “I don’t like this at all.” She then turned to Flurry. “Come on, we don’t have time to waste.”

“Keep your eyes open for Bravo team,” Echo called out as they trotted away. “Fire Control was their drop point, so they’ve probably already secured it for you.”

“Will do, thanks for that,” Nyx affirmed.

Flurry looked to Swan. “No rest for the wicked. See ya around.”

“Be careful,” Swan said.

“Hey,” Flurry said with a wink. “It’s me.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Flurry and Nyx briskly trotted back through the darkness of the abandoned corridors. With luck, they’d get through without any significant obstacles in the fifteen hundred canters of ground they had to cover before arriving at Forward Fire Control.

Most of the journey would be a straight run down the long, slender neck of the ship, which had no sneaky hiding places for an ambush or other trouble. While that would be exhausting, the slow part would be getting to the neck in the first place.

Flurry soon found herself short of breath, her lungs still not fully recovered from her time in hard vacuum. Nyx was trotting ahead, not looking back, as Flurry started to slow in order to soothe her aching muscles.

What’s more, Flurry could see signs in Nyx’s body language that the mare was about to lose it. Her stiff gait, her bristled wings, and her constantly flicking ears all told Flurry that her patience was at an end.

The rush was for a good reason—to save the Glorium and everypony aboard—but something was niggling at the back of her mind.

“Nyx, hold up,” she urged.

Nyx looked back to find Flurry had slowed to a walk, an irritated expression crossing her face as she turned and waited for her to catch up.

“What is it?”

“Does this situation make sense to you at all?” Flurry asked while catching her breath and hacking out a few coughs.

“It seems pretty clear to me. Do you want me to get some coloured markers and explain it to you?” Nyx snapped, her tone sharp and cutting.

Flurry bristled but didn’t bite back. “Come on, Nyx, think about it. That cruiser had been feeding the Orion power before the Glorium even got here. Why?”

As Flurry caught up, Nyx let out a sigh. The two began a brisk walk, resuming their course.

“It would take a long time to send that much power over. What’s your point?”

“They had no idea we were coming,” Flurry explained. “I don’t think we were the target.”

“What else would be the target, Flurry? The cruiser? Put it out of its misery?” Nyx shot back, the edge in her voice beginning to get under Flurry’s skin.

“Okay hear me out. That big gun of yours… is it on a turret?

Nyx eyed her skeptically. “No, the bow needs to be pointed directly at the target.”

“And the engine power is cut, right? So the ship can’t even so much as steer.”

“Right…”

“So the Glorium would have to be parked right in front of the Orion. On top of that, they’d have to completely ignore the power buildup, right?” Flurry cringed for a moment as she remembered the bridge crew. “Granted, Downdraft might… but Oakheart is no fool. There’s no way he’d line himself up for a perfect shot like that.

Nyx went to speak, then paused, her jaw working.

“You have a point,” she conceded. “But why, then?”

“Well, I… I don’t actually know,” Flurry admitted. “I thought I was on to something, but it still doesn’t make sense. At least we know everypony on the Glorium is safe, right?”

Nyx narrowed her eyes, her tail flicking from side to side. “For now, yes, but we still have to find out what’s going on.”

“I know. But can we at least slow down a bit? I need to catch my breath,” Flurry pleaded gently.

“Alright,” Nyx relented, moving on at a more relaxed pace, though the stony silence and her pinned ears said that she was not happy.

Their route took them past the ship’s central computer, down a maintenance shaft to change decks, and then past the research laboratories as they made their way forward. Flurry followed along behind Nyx like a dog on a leash, only stopping when Nyx had to check her map, sometimes grumbling to herself.

“What’s with you anyway? You’re not usually this sullen,” Flurry asked.

“Over a hundred of my crew are dead or in need of serious therapy,” Nyx spat. “So forgive me if I’m not in the best of moods right now.”

“And this is helping? You won’t even talk to me. It’s like you’re on a mission all by yourself. We’re a team, Nyx.”

“A team,” Nyx laughed bitterly.

“Yeah, a team,” Flurry pressed. “You know, when we work together, rather than you stringing me along and using me like a cudgel.”

Nyx stopped in her tracks and pivoted around to face her. “That’s rich coming from you!” she snapped.

Flurry felt herself losing her cool. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Always jumping in head first, damn the consequences or what anyone around you thinks. Because of course, you know better.”

The venom in Nyx’s voice made Flurry take a step back.

“How could you?” Nyx pressed, her tone growing even more derisive. “Is getting back at Mom so important to you that you drag our whole family through the mud?”

“What?! I—”

Nyx gestured to Flurry’s black wings. “What was it, for kicks?! To pay off a debt? Is your ‘master’ lying in a ditch somewhere, or is he tied up in that hovel you call a ship?”

Flurry felt tears sting her eyes, every barb, every accusation cutting deeply.

“I did it for you, alright?!” she yelled. “I got these wings because that was the only way to get the rescue going. All because I love you, the only family I give a damn about anymore!”

Flurry looked away, a ragged breath escaping her muzzle. “I know what’s waiting for me back on Harmony, Nyx. I’m not a fool.”

She turned her back, wiping tears from her eyes and taking a breath to calm herself. “Maybe I am a fool, thinking this would change anything between us.”

“Flurry, I…” Nyx’s voice suddenly sounded so hollow.

“Forget it,” Flurry ended. “Let’s just get this over with so I can get off this stupid ship and out of your mane if I’m such an embarrassment to you.”

Suddenly, she felt Nyx’s forelegs reach out and pull her into a tight embrace. A part of her wanted to resist, but she was too emotionally exhausted to put up a fight.

“I’m sorry,” Nyx murmured. “All I ever hear of you is what they say on the news. I had no idea… and now I’ve said such awful things. Forgive me.”

The sadness and regret in Nyx’s voice touched Flurry’s heart in a way she wasn’t prepared for. Could this finally be over? They had been estranged for so long, it felt like she might never have family again.

“We’re really bad at this reunion thing, aren’t we?” Flurry chuckled awkwardly.

“Yes, we are,” Nyx replied. “And once this is over, I want you to tell me everything that’s happened. I’ll do whatever I can to help you,” she assured as she released Flurry to face her. “But you’re still going to get a lecture, so prepare yourself.”

“Hmm, getting enslaved by a moronic pegasus noble or receiving a patented Nyx lecture… tough choice,” Flurry quipped with a smile, wiping her eyes.

“Come on, I don’t think the changelings are going to wait for us to sort out all our family problems,” Nyx said, giving her a nudge.

“Sure.”

Moving onwards, Flurry felt her spirits were lifted, finally being able to talk with Nyx. Things were far from settled, but it was a start.

It wasn’t long before a distressed voice sounded from the distance up ahead.

“Hello? Is anypony there?” It was a mare’s voice, timid and frightened, coming from an open doorway.

Their ears perked together, and they broke into a brisk trot.

“Can you help me? I’m trapped in here,” the mare called.

The voice emerged from within a large storeroom, past a set of heavy sliding doors that were wide open. Flurry came to a stop just at the edge, shining light from her horn into the gloomy space within. All her instincts were tingling as Nyx also stopped beside her, peering inside.

Flurry looked to Nyx, who gave her a knowing nod.

“Honestly, do they really expect anypony to fall for that trick?” Flurry whispered.

“You did.”

“Only that one time,” she huffed, giving Nyx a pout. “So what’s in there?”

“Golem storage,” Nyx said, walking slowly inside. “They supplemented the living crew for the voyage, but we ordered them into storage when the power went out.”

“TEI showing a lot of baddies?”

“Eyup.”

“So how do you want to play this?”

“Easy. We take them up on their offer,” Nyx whispered before clearing her voice and calling out. “It’s okay, we’re here to help!”

“Oh, thank goodness! I was so scared,” came the reply. Flurry had to admit, it would be fairly convincing to the inexperienced. She warily peered into the darkness, barely making out several rows of golem recharge cages stacked atop each other.

The interior was far larger than Flurry had been expecting, with enough space for a hundred recharge cages at least. In the centre of the room, the cages were arranged in rows two abreast, flanked on either side by more stacked against the walls. There was no sign of any crew, their only company being the powered-down golems, slumped in their cages.

These were civilian utility models. Roughly pony shaped, their chassis were painted a bright orange, marked with yellow and black chevrons. A large black lens dominated their sharp-angled heads, with ear-shaped auditory modules sitting atop.

She stayed close to Nyx, who was sniffing the air, her ears swivelling warily.

“There’s at least a doz—” she began but was interrupted by the sudden metallic screech of the entry doors being forced shut, leaving the room in darkness, save for the light from their horns.

“Oh no. A trap. What a surprise,” Flurry said sardonically.

From a multitude of hiding places in the storeroom, the ferals pounced at them.

Two minutes later, there was silence.

“So, how’d you rate it?” Nyx asked as she pried the entry door open, stepping back out into the corridor.

“Meh, I’d give ’em a five out of ten. Bonus points for the flashy attack at the end,” Flurry replied, tossing a shattered golem leg aside.

“You like using expensive equipment as a club, don’t you,” Nyx observed.

“I have expensive tastes, what can I say?”

Nyx let out a weary sigh and sat on her haunches. She pulled her helmet off and wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Want me to go and find a mobility scooter for you?” Flurry asked, giving her a smug grin. “Looking a bit shaky there.”

“I’ll be alright, but you’re just lucky the Orion’s doorways are so wide, given what a snack fiend you are,” Nyx smirked, giving her a poke.

“Voluptuous is the word you’re looking for,” Flurry countered, shaking her flank.

“More like volumptuous,” Nyx shot back, blowing a raspberry at her.

Flurry let out a slightly annoyed huff. “Don’t you have somewhere to lead us? Age before beauty and all that.”

They both glared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. It was only fleeting, but for that moment, it was just like all those years ago. They were family again.

Sadly, the moment passed.

“Alright, fun time’s over. We’re almost there,” Nyx said, donning her helmet once more.

“And here I was enjoying wandering around every dark hallway your ship has,” Flurry commented, letting out a weary sigh as she prepared herself.

Soon, the corridor showed signs of a battle. Blood and scoring from weapons were streaked across the walls, with a few changeling bodies scattered here and there.

The pair of alicorns came to a stop at a section of twisted rubble on the far side of an intersection. It was peculiar, like something had scooped a portion of the bulkhead and ceiling away, crumpling it into a heap which blocked their path.

“This doesn’t make sense,” Nyx said. “The changelings wouldn’t have any equipment capable of doing this. Would they?”

Flurry thought for a moment. The Syndicate were a tricky bunch, but this was starting to paint a picture that was pretty far outside their standard troublemaking.

“I doubt it,” she replied. “Better question is why?”

“I’m not sure, but everything’s pointing to them wanting to keep us away from Fire Control. Look at this mess. It’ll take us a while to find a way around. Dangit, I can almost see through to the other side.” She gave the heap a telekinetic tug, resulting only in the reinforced steel material creaking in protest but remaining in place.

“Or we could teleport,” Flurry offered, grinning smugly.

“Or we could do that,” Nyx said, rolling her eyes.

“Shall we then, captain?” she offered, extending a foreleg.

Nyx grasped it, and with a flash of golden light, they reappeared on the other side of the blockage.

“Show off,” Nyx commented before continuing on.

A short distance beyond where they appeared, a sign indicated they had arrived at the midpoint tram station. Opening the door, the vast darkened tube of the tram greeted them. The welcome sight of a tramcar sat on the edge of the platform, light streaming out from inside the cabin.

“Great! No more walking!” Flurry whooped, eager to rest her aching hooves. “Wait, what if they booby-trapped it?”

“Scans don’t show any explosives,” Nyx stated, consulting her holo-brace. “And the forward track has power as well.”

“Should we wait for Echo and the others?” Flurry asked.

“There’s no time,” Nyx said as she stepped aboard the tram. “They can catch up.”

As Flurry stepped inside, the fresh smell of new upholstery filled her lungs. After all the blood and smoke, it was a tiny glimmer of normality. A pleasant tune hummed from the speakers as the tram made its way into the dark tube along the ship’s neck.

“Motorized travel is so underrated,” she said with a contented sigh as she melted into one of the comfortable seats.

“You never did like walking, even as a filly—always begging me to carry you,” Nyx chuckled, settling in herself.

“I like to travel in style.”

“Always so high maintenance,” Nyx grinned, shaking her head.

After a pause, her voice took on a more serious tone. “Flurry?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for coming all this way to help us—to help me. I haven’t been the best cousin as of late, so I want to make it up.”

“I don’t know, my feelings are still pretty hurt,” Flurry said with a gleam in her eye. “It might make me feel better if you could part with some of those golems.”

“Bah, you’re incorrigible!” Nyx rolled her eyes.

“Seriously though, you’re my family Nyx,” Flurry added with a sincere smile on her muzzle. “I’d never leave you hangin’.”

Nyx returned the smile, and Flurry felt an old warmth stir in her heart.

“Now arriving at Forward Fire Control. Please stand clear of the doors and take all your belongings with you,” the tram announced, breaking the reverie.

They could see the tram station ahead, fully illuminated like an island in the dark. It was little more than a gantry platform sitting atop several massive pony-sized conduits. They, in turn, clustered around three huge railgun barrels that extended out of sight.

Flurry tensed, expecting the windows to explode in a fusillade of fire at any moment. Then, the tramcar came to a stop, barely making any noise as it slowed. The doors hissed open.

The platform was empty, with not even a barricade blocking the station exit.

“Well that’s… unexpected,” Flurry remarked. “I almost feel insulted.”

Nyx warily made her way to the tram exit, her unsheathed sword hovering at the ready. As they stepped onto the platform grill, Nyx’s armored hoofsteps clanked loudly on the deck, making Flurry wince.

“TEI is clear. I was sure we’d be in for a fight,” Nyx commented.

Flurry gingerly stepped out onto the platform, feeling a slight breeze waft through her mane from the vast tunnel.

A narrow doorway inlaid into the wall beside the platform was open. Above the door was stencilled: ‘Forward Fire Control and Sensor Arrays’.

“Bravo team was assigned to come here,” Flurry mentioned. “They probably already secured the place, which explains our lack of a welcome party.”

“Bravo team, this is the captain. Do you read?” Nyx spoke into her holo-brace. They waited a moment to see if the squad would reply, but nothing came.

“They might be further in,” Flurry suggested, though she kept her doubts to herself. “Radios are a bit dodgy with shielded bulkheads throughout the ship.”

Nyx nodded, her ear flicking a bit—a sure sign to Flurry that she didn’t buy that explanation.

Everything seemed normal. The power was on, the lights shone cleanly, and there was even the faint hum of power flowing through the massive energy conduits beneath them. Nothing showed even so much as a blast mark on a wall or a spent CAPS cell on the floor. Everything was normal, and yet Flurry’s fur was standing on end.

As they reached the platform exit, a pungent, coppery scent wafted into Flurry’s nostrils. Nyx must have smelt it too, as she balked, her whole body tensing.

They exchanged glances and cautiously moved forward. Nyx passed through the doorway first, though she came to a stop almost immediately within. A tiny gasp escaped her cousin's lips as she stood stock still.

“What is it?” Flurry asked, stepping in to join her in the corridor. As she looked forward, her eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before her.

A large blast door had come down ahead of them, yet it was torn open like tissue paper. The thick plates of spell-forged alloys that could withstand tremendous forces were rent and buckled inward.

Even worse was the sheer amount of blood.

Pools of crimson soaked the decking leading up to the door. The walls had been splattered with it, dripping from pipes and fittings.

Bloody hoofprints were smeared against the blast door, scattered in a frantic pattern. It told the story of a desperate, futile last attempt to stay alive.

Most ominously of all, there were no bodies—just a bloody smear leading further in.

“Well, this isn’t good,” Flurry gulped, gazing down the corridor at the carnage within.

Just then, the distant sounds of gunfire erupted from beyond the doorway.

Chapter 16 - One of the Team

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The dark corridors weren’t as intimidating this time around. Swan figured it was partly because she had been here before, but it was most likely because the alicorns had come and taken charge in a rather forceful way. Engineering, at last, was secure. Now, it was just a matter of escorting all these twitchy technicians and mechanics so they could get the ship working again.

Despite this, the errand was far from enjoyable for her. For starters, they had to track down the bug named Doppel, as he was the most qualified to treat the chief’s injuries. He also claimed to be able to stabilize the crew that had been fed upon. As unpleasant as it was to accompany this creature, Swan found she was more irritated by the large mustang, who seemed equally disgruntled to be with her.

With Swan and Princess taking up the rear, the five ponies of Delta team marched along at the front. They displayed the usual caution that Alpha team had shown, though Princess had assured them that the way was clear. The team tolerated the hushed whispers darting amongst the jittery group of civilians behind them, but they still periodically shushed them in an effort to keep the clopping of hooves to a minimum.

Swan was relieved that she hadn’t heard any sounds of combat since they had left. Perhaps the worst really was over, and now it would simply be a matter of mopping up stragglers. Her thoughts drifted to the alicorns. She still could scarcely believe what she had witnessed. It gave her pause as she remembered her long-standing bitter hatred for Last Shadow, now known to her as Flurry Heart. Just earlier today, she had actually believed on some level that she might prevail and either capture or slay the evil mare. Now, all she could think of was how foolish she was.

As much as she hated to admit it, she had actually begun to warm up to the alicorn, though it was still a complete mystery to her why Flurry had gone out of her way to save a lowly pegasus slave. Not only that, but her repeated goodwill entirely contradicted everything Swan knew to be true about this mare.

Thinking about Flurry helped but ultimately failed to distract her from dwelling on what awaited her return to Harmony station… or the sheer tragedy of so many in her aerie who had been lost today. Her ears flattened and her heart clenched in her chest as she thought of all of the dear friends and comrades that she would never see again.

Swan fought off a whimper and wiped her blurring eyes.

“What’s up with you?” Princess asked.

“Nothing, I’m fine,” Swan replied.

“Sure,” Princess snarked, an unladylike snort escaping her muzzle. “This is just what I need—stuck with a bunch of eggheads and an emotional pillow-stuffer.”

“I have a name, you know,” Swan snapped, a bit harsher than she intended.

Princess shrugged.

“What’s your problem with me?” Swan asked, feeling her patience growing thin. “You’ve been like a grumpy old mare ever since we set off.”

“My problem? I’m stuck here foalsitting some newbie when we could be out there putting down the rest of those bugs!” Princess grumbled, ignoring the dirty look Doppel was giving her.

“This isn’t exactly my first choice of places to be, either,” Swan huffed, looking away.

“Oh, of course. I imagine you’re missing all the booze and drugs you get at your wild parties back on the station,” Princess replied. “Don’t give me that look. I’ve heard the stories.”

Swan’s wings bristled at her sides. It was as if she had been slapped in the face. “What? You can’t possibly think any of us enjoy that.”

“With all the laughter and drunken revelry that goes on down in the hangars? I’m told the sounds of ponies pumping fur can sometimes be heard echoing down the halls all through the night. So I’d say that yeah, it sure sounds like somepony is enjoying it.” Princess shook her head. “It’s disgraceful.”

“Listen up, you oversized dirt pony,” Swan hissed, opening her wings and gesturing to her black primaries. “You see these? It means I’m somepony’s property. And the same goes for my entire aerie. We don’t get a choice, so every time you hear the sounds of ‘pumping fur’ just remember some mare or filly is probably wishing she were dead just about then.”

The look on Princess’s face actually surprised Swan. First, silenced shock. Then, confusion and maybe a bit of anger. Finally, regret.

“I… I had no idea.” Her ears had fallen flat as they continued on their way through the darkened corridors.

Swan felt time stretch as the moment lingered and she tried to sweep a hundred terrible memories back into the deep recesses of her mind. She let out a heavy sigh and looked away.

“So, Merry Weather owns you?” Princess asked tentatively, sounding bewildered by the concept.

“Yeah,” Swan muttered.

“Damn. What a creep. Can’t you do something? Fight back, maybe?”

Swan considered the risk of admitting what she and Blitz had privately hoped for. Princess didn’t seem the type to rat her out.

“If only,” she said finally. “It’s an enchantment only he can remove. He tortures us if we disobey or even for the fun of it. He could kill us all if he wished. But I swear by the winds, I won’t stop looking for a way to be rid of him.”

“Right. Well, I sure have a whole breakfast of eggs on my face now, don’t I?” Princess commented.

“It’s fine—just forget about it,” Swan dismissed. “Besides, I should thank you for saving my life.”

A puzzled look crossed the horse’s muzzle. “I don’t follow.”

“On the catwalk. You knocked me down just before one of those bugs would have shot me.”

“What, that? No, that’s just—”

“I owe you a debt as a matter of honour,” Swan pressed.

“Hold on, gonna stop you right there,” Princess interrupted. “You don’t owe me anything. I’d have done the same for anypony in the squad. Besides, if you’d gotten yourself shot under my watch, the paperwork would be a bitch.”

Her playful tone brought a small smile to Swan’s face. It was an odd but welcome change coming from the gruff mare after she had been so prickly and standoffish.

“Oh, so that’s how it is,” she chuckled. “And here I thought you dirt ponies loved filling out forms.”

“Mustang.”

“Dirt… mustang pon—”

“Do I look like a pony to you?” Princess reared up, gripping her chaingun while bracing her rear hooves apart. She had to duck to avoid her head hitting the ceiling. She then resumed her stance on all fours as they continued following behind the others.

“I… well, no wings and no horn usually means dirt pony,” Swan shrugged.

“A mustang is not a pony, you idiot. Don’t go lumping me in with those earth ponies,” Princess huffed, her tail flicking from side to side.

Swan had to admit she had no idea what that meant. “Are you from Equus?”

“Yep. Born and raised on the open plains,” Princess said with a smile, though there was a hint of sadness in her voice. “You won’t find many of us out here in the colonies. We tend not to like all this fancy technology. I’m sure my family is wandering aimlessly across old Equestria somewhere as we speak.”

“So, you’re nomads then?” Swan asked, earning a nod from the mare.

She was reminded of the old legends her mother had told her when she was a filly. The aeries of the pegasi would follow the winds across ancient Equus. The thought of simply travelling from place to place with her family brought a smile to her face.

“Sounds nice,” she commented.

“Nice? I hated it,” Princess snorted. “Imagine constantly moving yet never getting anywhere. You watch the world grow, expand, and change while you’re stuck in the same routine year after year, generation after generation. You stay strangled by tradition that tells you progress is evil.”

Princess glared at a few technicians that were listening in.

“Evil?” Swan asked.

“Technology is a sin and only brings misfortune,” Princess uttered, disdain thick in her voice. “Of course you ponies have your magic, so I get it. Advancing is in your nature.”

“You don’t have magic? Like, at all? Even dir— earth ponies can do some crazy things with their hooves.”

“I can pick up my gun,” Princess replied.

“Huh. Okay, so how did you end up here?” Swan asked tentatively. “In the colonies, I mean.”

“Soon as I got the chance, I was outta there,” Princess said. “Of course my dad was furious, as was the rest of my herd. But the stars were calling me.”

Swan stared at her, slack-jawed. The thought of turning on your family, let alone your aerie, was absolutely unthinkable. It had been drilled into her since she had first learned to fly. The aerie was life. Without one, a pegasus was nothing.

“I could never do that,” she said, her ears flattening.

“Trust me, when your father is already picking out a suitor for you, and your mother is talking about how many foals you’re going to have, it’s time to blow that joint,” Princess replied.

Swan fell silent. That sounded just like what had been expected of her before she was branded. It was true she could serve the Republic in the military, but her suitor would have been chosen for her, for the sake of her House. She never even considered the notion that it was wrong.

“You and my dad would’ve gotten on well together,” Princess continued. “You pegasi love all that honour and duty stuff.”

“Yeah, probably,” Swan replied, though the bitterness towards her own father soured the thought.

“How’d you end up with that blackwing thing anyway?” Princess asked carefully. “You’ve got too much fight in you to have been born into it. Was it an honour thing?”

Swan hung her head low. “In a way, yes. I was thirteen when they came for me. Dragged me out of my classroom and branded me right there in the school courtyard.”

She tried to hide her glistening eyes by shifting her gaze to the side. “They called me the daughter of a traitor. One pony’s shame is their family’s shame.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Princess exclaimed.

“It’s the way things are,” Swan said with sadness. “Only through servitude can we atone. Eventually, there is freedom. Or death, which is essentially the same thing.”

“And how exactly does that make sense?”

“For some, our master can decide to free us after a time. Others might redeem themselves in the service of his majesty. Often, a great deed will earn our freedom, or at least, our master’s favour.”

“So that’s why you went after Flurry Heart,” Princess concluded. “But surely you didn’t think that would actually work.”

“I hoped,” she said, though the mere thought was ridiculous now. “I had to try; I had personal reasons.”

Princess nodded. “But that being the case, why are you so chummy with her now?”

“We’re not chummy.”

“Oh yeah? You were trailing behind her like a lost puppy earlier,” Princess said, a slight smile playing at her lips.

“She saved my life. She also…” Swan’s words trailed off, her emotions tugging her one way then the other. “I don’t know what it is. I have every reason to hate her, but… but every time I turn around, she’s done something which makes me feel like everything’s gonna be alright. Somehow.”

“Sounds like trust to me,” Princess said.

Swan looked to her with incredulity for a second, before her words sank deeper. Trust Last Shadow? It was impossible, ridiculous! And yet, she couldn’t deny that Flurry had not once done anything to earn it—even to the point of putting her own life on the line for the aerie.

“Well, this has been a productive session,” a stallion’s voice announced, breaking her out of her thoughts.

In front of them was Dr. Doppel, wearing a smug grin as he glanced back.

“You’ve both made some real progress today,” he continued. “I’ll give you both a sticker when we get back to Harmony. Shall we meet same time next week?”

Swan felt heat rush to her cheeks as her own words got caught on her lips.

“Get moving, you stupid bug!” Princess snapped, herding the chuckling doctor away. “Come on, Swan. Let’s get these foals to where they need to be.”

It took a moment for Princess’ words to properly sink in before a warm smile crossed Swan’s face.

“Right behind you.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The civilians all breathed a sigh of relief as they approached Engineering with its well-lit interior. Then, that relief turned to gasps of horror as they realized that they had just walked into an abattoir.

Swan and Princess knew what they were returning to, of course. But nobody else expected the sheer amount of carnage from the alicorns’ rampage. Blood, viscera, and scattered limbs lay all around the core chamber. Smashed machinery and debris littered the room. A few of the civvies looked like they were going to faint, and some of them vomited on the spot, only adding to the sticky mess.

Delta team split up to cover the entrances, including the catwalk. After coming to terms with the scene, everyone else got to work. Earth pony mechanics began sizing up the physical damage to the room while unicorn technicians examined the equipment and terminals. Meanwhile, Echo led Dr. Doppel to Flintlock, who was still lying near the crew who had been victims of Syndicate changelings.

For her part, Swan had done what she was told, and now, she had that awkward feeling of being adrift with nothing to contribute. Princess had rejoined the rest of her team, reminding Swan that she was still a stranger among these ponies.

Her thoughts drifted to Blitz and the close friends from her aerie. If he were here, she knew he’d be chatting up every mare in sight. Just thinking about it gave her a slight chuckle.

Swan wandered over to where Flint was lying on the floor, being tended to by Doppel. In her time on the station, the chief was one of the few non-pegasi who she encountered regularly. Usually, it was over some trouble with the local dirt ponies, so she had gotten to know the thestral just a bit. His unusual way of looking at the world was something she had found strangely comforting in the past. And now, with everything going crazy, she could really use his insight again.

As she approached, Swan tried to keep her distance from Doppel, resisting the urge to shoo him off the fallen chief. As much as she hated it, this bug was the only one that could help.

“How is he?” she asked.

Doppel glanced up enough to acknowledge her. “What, no snide bug-related comment? Do I detect a small degree of tolerance coming from our pegasus guest?”

“It was a simple question.”

“Well, to be honest, I’ve been asked that so many times, I was thinking of putting up a sign for ponies to read,” Doppel grumbled as he worked on the chief’s wound. He then let out a sigh. “He’s stable, mostly. His armour took most of the hit, but he’s still got a nasty burn and a cracked rib from the impact.”

“Can I talk to him?”

“Talk all you want, but he’ll be under sedation for the next few hours. Until then, I wouldn’t expect much of a dialogue.”

“Right,” Swan said, her ears flattening.

Doppel gave her what could have been a sympathetic smile before turning his attention to the crew laid out nearby.

“Can you help them?” she asked tentatively as she followed his gaze.

The changeling frowned. “The ones with smiles on their muzzles will be fine once the nectar wears off. Nothing to do but wait. These ones, though…”

He stopped to regard a mare with a look of abject horror on her face, her eyes wide and ears pinned. Doppel clopped his hooves together in front of her face, to which there was no response. It was like she was catatonic, lost in some awful nightmare.

“I can help her, but it’s going to be a slow recovery. Active feeding does a lot of damage to the victim’s psyche.”

“Active? As opposed to what, exactly?”

“You really don’t know much about changelings, do you?” he frowned at her.

“I know what I’ve seen today, which says quite a lot, thanks,” she replied, trying to keep her tone level.

“We’re supposed to passively feed off the emotions you ponies emit into the Lifestream. Call it discipline if you will, but I couldn’t imagine doing this to somepony. Most of us would rather starve to death than eat the very seed of joy out of someone. We have lived among ponies in this way for countless millennia. Still, some of our kind don’t care about the harm they cause if it can get them a far more satisfying meal—or so I’m told.”

“The Syndicate.”

Doppel nodded. “Their kind is a blight on our race’s public image. But the Conformity has extremely strict rules. You needn’t worry about us, Lieutenant Swan Song.”

Doppel walked slowly, tending to each pony with such gentleness it took Swan by surprise. He didn’t use any instruments, simply lowering that crooked horn on his forehead to them. Whatever he did seemed to ease the look of terror on many of the ponies.

“What about this one?” Swan asked as Doppel closed the eyes of a stallion lying there with a completely blank look on his face.

“Sadly, there’s nothing left to save. He’s been fed upon quite aggressively, by many ferals. He’s just a husk of his former self now—wetware to be plugged into a Shuriken drone, but nothing more.”

A rising anger threatened to break free within Swan, but she held it in check. This was the precursor to what she had seen on the cruiser.

“I see,” she said, swallowing dryly.

Swan followed closely behind the doctor, partly out of lingering distrust, but mostly out of morbid curiosity. Watching him work made her resentment and revulsion fade a little. She could tell that he genuinely cared for these vulnerable ponies and took his job very seriously.

Suddenly, Doppel came to a stop next to a stallion dressed in a technician’s uniform. It was a soft-brown dirt pony with a mop of blond mane. He was lying catatonic, like so many before, only Doppel wore an angry scowl on his face as he regarded the pony.

“You can get up—you’re not fooling anyone,” he commanded.

When the stallion didn’t move, Doppel kicked him in the gut.

“—oof! Alright, alright,” the stallion said, suddenly becoming animated and alert. He rose to his hooves, appearing no worse for wear.

“Lieutenant, you have an impostor posing as one of the crew. This is a changeling, possibly a feral.”

Swan brought her rifle up instinctively, making the stallion wilt and take a few steps backward.

“What’s going on?” Echo asked as the members of Alpha team came to check what the fuss was about.

“I believe we have captured one of the feral raiding party,” Doppel explained.

Swan felt her face heat up as her anger rose. She took aim at the stallion’s head, clenching her teeth.

“I ain’t a feral,” the stallion whimpered.

Doppel let out an indignant snort. “I suggest you drop this charade immediately. Honestly, show some decency when you’ve been called out.”

The stallion opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it, giving a sullen nod.

A flash of green fire enveloped the stallion’s body, causing Swan to squint for just a moment. Then, right before her eyes, his form solidified, his fur and mane having vanished, being replaced with a black lattice of thin chitin plates. His eyes were green with slitted irises, and he bore fangs and a crooked horn, exactly like Dr. Doppel.

Swan’s eyes widened. He had been one that had butchered all those poor ponies! He was going to pay for what he had done. Swan flipped her weapon’s safety, causing it to emit a faint whine as it charged up. She felt her hoof pressing down on the trigger.

“Stand down, soldier,” Echo barked, snapping Swan out of the moment.

“But—” Swan began.

“He’s our prisoner. Got that?”

Swan went to protest, but Princess put a heavy hoof on her shoulder. Looking up, Swan saw the mustang shake her head gently.

They were right, of course. Executing prisoners was something Alliance grunts did, not an officer of the Republic. As much as she wanted to tear the changeling apart, she was going to have to let it go.

“Now,” Echo began. “How about you give us some answers. What’s going on here? Why did you attack this ship? Talk fast before I change my mind.”

“Okay okay, just keep that pegasus away from me, alright? She’s makin’ me queasy,” the changeling begged with a gulp.

“Swan, give him some room,” Echo called, gesturing for her to back away.

Swan shot him a look before flicking her safety on and backing off.

“Now talk,” Echo ordered. “If you cooperate now, it might help your case when the justicars come for you.”

Swan had no idea what that meant, but the mere mention of the name was enough to make the changeling go pale.

“R-right,” the changeling stammered, his wings buzzing. “The boss told us a juicy prize was passin’ through Dragon’s Head. Somethin’ that could replace that hunk a junk we were usin’,” he said.

“And how did you know about that?” Echo asked, her voice calm and non-threatening.

“No idea,” he shrugged. “The boss never tells us where she finds this stuff out.”

Swan watched Echo closely. The mare was stone-faced, not giving anything away.

“Continue,” Echo urged.

“So, the Houndrathi would bait this beast in, playin’ all wounded like,” he continued. “The boss said the cap’n alicorn wouldn’t leave nobody in the lurch, ’specially in pirate territory. Then they’d get blown away for their trouble after they attacked.”

“Your boss knows about Nyx?” Swan growled, flicking her rifle’s safety off once more. “Say the wrong thing, please…”

“I- I…” the changeling stammered. Echo gave Swan a serious look, prompting her to ease off so their prisoner could talk.

“We knew the big gun ain’t calibrated for alicorn power yet. All we needed to do was bait her into a single shot and she’d be dead in the water,” he blurted out. “Once the Houndrathi got wasted, we’d watch for a while to make sure she was offline, then we’d take ’er.”

“And how do you know so much about a top-secret ship, nevermind her route to Harmony?”

“I just do what I’m told. It pays to not ask questions,” the changeling said with a shrug. “But the boss knows a lot about it.”

“There’s just one problem with your story,” Echo said, her tone growing serious. “If you were trying to steal this ship for yourselves, why is the power cut off from the engines?”

“I don’t know,” the changeling said, shaking his head. “The relays were all torn out when we got here.”

Echo rubbed her chin with a hoof. “Show me.”

Swan followed behind as the changeling led them to a vast junction box at the base of one of the Nexus cores. She looked to Princess, hoping the mare would have some insight, but she was met with a shrug.

They all watched as Echo and the changeling peered inside an open panel. The pair of them were soon exchanging a series of technical jargon with each other.

Swan and Princess leaned forward, trying to get a better view of inside.

“What are we looking at?” Fire Hawk asked.

“The bug is showing Echo something,” Princess replied. “Nerd stuff.”

“Oooh,” Fire Hawk intoned, the note in her voice at odds with her confused frown.

Their pondering was broken as Echo stood up, a perturbed look crossing her features.

“Don’t keep us in suspense, Echo. What’s going on?” Fire Hawk asked.

“These cables are made from a spell-hardened lattice weave, practically unbreakable. They’ve been ripped out like they were nothing,” Echo said grimly. “It wasn’t random damage from the fight. This was quite deliberate.”

“If they were going to capture the ship, then why intentionally sabotage it?” Swan queried, feeling her confusion grow as more was revealed.

“I don’t know, but all the clues point to Forward Fire Control, where the power is going,” Echo said, looking to her squad. “We need to get there ASAP to support Nyx and Flurry.”

“What makes you think they need our help?” Fire Hawk asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Call it a bad feeling,” Echo replied. “All of you, check your weapons and get ready to move out.”

Princess and Fire Hawk nodded before walking away, whistling for Priest to join them.

“What should I do?” Swan asked.

“The technicians are going to try and get ship-to-ship comms working again,” Echo said, checking her own rifle. “With luck, you’ll be able to get in touch with your pilots in no time.”

Swan felt her spirits soar at the prospect of speaking with her aerie. Yet, something made her hesitate.

Her thoughts shifted to the alicorn that had saved her life, then to the ponies of Alpha team, who she was beginning to grow close to. They had tolerated and even trusted her, despite her inexperience. She couldn’t just abandon them now.

“I’d like to come with you,” she said quietly, her resolve growing by the moment.

“You’ve done enough for us already, Swan,” Echo urged. “This could be quite dangerous, and neither Flurry or the chief would forgive me if you got yourself killed.”

“I understand,” she replied. “But I want to see this through to the end.”

Echo looked unconvinced, her ears flicking and her jaw working.

“The kid’s good,” Princess suddenly chimed in, earning puzzled looks from both Fire Hawk and Priest. “Besides, we might need a pony with wings.”

Swan looked to the mustang with wide eyes. Princess simply nodded in response.

“Well then, that settles it,” Echo said, patting Swan on the shoulder. “Since the chief is out of action, we’ve got to fill our diversity quota for flying ponies. Looks like you’re with us for the duration.”

“Thank you,” Swan said, giving a humble bow.

“Don’t thank me yet; there’s no guarantee we’ll come back with our heads intact,” Echo said as a smile played at her lips.

“Hey, glad you’re stickin’ with us,” Fire Hawk grinned, walking over to join her with the others in tow.

“Looks like you won’t be getting rid of me just yet,” Swan replied.

“Lucky us,” Princess groaned, though her accepting expression gave her away.

“Did someone kidnap Princess when we weren’t looking?” Priest chuckled. “Maybe the Doc can check and see if she’s a changeling.”

“Yeah, yeah, very funny,” Princess grumbled.

Swan checked her rifle, feeling a strange sense of fulfillment swell in her heart. These ponies might not be pegasi, but maybe they weren’t so different from her after all.

“Alright team, let’s move out,” Echo announced. Soon, they were trotting into the gloomy corridors, leaving Engineering behind. “I just hope my hunch is wrong.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

“Sounds like it’s coming from the main weapons chamber,” Nyx announced. “Let’s go!”

Flurry followed behind Nyx as the two stepped through the large ragged hole in the blast door. She only hoped they could get to the fight before somepony got hurt.

On the other side, they found themselves inside an abandoned security checkpoint. Shattered furniture and scanning equipment littered the small room, and smeared blood decorated the floor and walls. Still, there were no bodies, causing a shiver to run down Flurry’s spine. What had happened here?

Nyx’s holo-brace buzzed to life just then, and a stallion’s voice came through the comms, mixed with static.

“Bravo Lead to whoever just arrived on the tram. Stay away! Repeat, stay aw—”

The voice was cut off by a horrific scream of pain, followed by a wet gurgle. Flurry could actually hear the muffled cry coming through the walls, from the chamber beyond, while it sounded sharply from Nyx’s radio.

The gunfire had paused for a moment. A few distant voices of anguished disbelief filtered through, and then the sound of weapons fire resumed in earnest. It had a reverberating effect to it, almost like it was coming from a cave or an empty concert hall. Oddly, Flurry could hear no changeling weapons in the exchange. It all seemed very one-sided.

Her blood boiled with determination, she had to get in there. In a swift telekinetic blast, Flurry shoved the broken equipment away from the far wall of the security station, clearing the way to another door.

This one was round, with a seam down the middle where it would part when opened. The door was more like a bank vault than a standard blast door on a starship. Its face was jet black with golden runes engraved into its outer edge in a circular pattern. Guild tech.

“Shit,” Nyx muttered as she worked the security access panel. “I’m locked out.”

Having smashed through many a door in her lifetime, Flurry readied her formidable telekinetic strength to batter down yet another.

“Sorry about your ship, but we’ve gotta get through.” At that, the door groaned and protested loudly as its reinforced frame shuddered in her grip.

“No no, don’t do that!” Nyx urged. “If you break the mechanism, we’ll really be stuck. I have to run a bypass.”

Flurry watched impatiently as Nyx connected a thin cable from her holo-brace to the locking mechanism.

“Why do you have Guild tech on your ship?” she asked.

“Lots of top-secret stuff in there,” Nyx replied as she worked. “The mirrordrive and half the weapons in there are Unicorn Federation technology. The main cannon? U.F. prototype, custom-built for this ship. Almost nopony outside its design team even knows how it works.”

A million questions raced through Flurry’s mind about this ship and Nyx’s mission. The Federation didn’t work with anyone. What was Nyx really doing out here and why was she captaining a ship that, by all accounts, contradicted everything Flurry knew about the pony factions?

Another terrifying scream sounded from the chamber beyond. The gunfire was undisciplined and panicked, with continuous full-auto blasts. It was everything Flurry could do to not risk a blind teleport. Nyx needed to hurry.

The battle seemed to be moving towards the far end of the chamber as the sounds of weapons fire became even more muffled.

“Any day now,” Flurry complained.

“Got it!” Nyx shouted as the arcane mechanisms moved a whole lot of unseen pistons in unison, releasing the door’s locks. With a final hiss, the halves parted, revealing the large chamber of Forward Fire Control beyond.

Flurry bolted through, unfurled her large wings, and hurtled towards the sound of gunfire with Nyx right on her tail. The room was like an enormous stretched oval, nearly large enough to park the Dream in. It matched the shape she recognized from outside as the bow of the ship. Despite having no time to look around, she could tell the room was full of advanced technology the likes of which she had never seen before.

As Flurry sped forward, she rapidly closed on the far wall. The sounds of gunfire were now coming from an open door set into its far-right edge.

Another terrible scream erupted from within. It sounded not so much like fighting but like a pony being tortured.

The alicorns landed at a gallop. At this point, Flurry only heard the sound of one automatic weapon firing beyond the door. Still no sign of any changelings—not even a body. Something wasn’t right.

On the far side of the door, an armored figure spotted the alicorns approaching.

“Oh thank goodness!” a mare’s voice called out, practically hysterical. She ran blindly towards them, her armoured hooves pounding on the decking. It was no disciplined retreat; this pony was desperately running for her life.

From the looks of her body armour, she was definitely part of Bravo team, having been assigned to this area of the ship. She had abandoned her rifle, and her shoulder guns lay limp in their mounts.

Just before she reached the doorway, the open hatch slammed shut so hard the thick metal bent from the impact. They were cut off.

“No!” the mare cried out from behind the door, sobbing as her hooves pounded against it. “Open the door!”

“We’ll get you out, hold on!” Nyx shouted as she clenched the door in her telekinetic grasp. Instead of being ripped off, the door held and Nyx jerked her head back in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” Flurry asked.

The black alicorn frowned, spun around and gave the door a solid kick with both rear hooves. Still nothing. The metal buckled but held firm.

“Let me try,” Flurry offered quickly, just as a crash sounded from the room beyond.

“Please open the door!” the mare cried in terror. “Oh Celestia, it’s coming!”

Flurry put everything into her telekinetic strength. The door should have been wrenched right out of its frame, but now she knew what Nyx had reacted to. It was like pouring her energy into a void. Rather than connecting with the door, her power simply vanished without a trace.

“Hold on!” Nyx yelled. Both alicorns began beating on the door with their bare hooves, pushing, pulling, and kicking uselessly against the barrier. There was the sound of internal door mechanisms shattering, but it refused to yield even to their combined strength.

“I got a glimpse of the room,” Flurry said, backing up a couple steps. “I’m gonna teleport in.”

A golden flash came from Flurry’s horn as the space around her body compressed for a second before snapping back, leaving her where she stood.

“What the hell?”

Just then, the mare tried to cry out for help again, but her voice became a blood-chilling scream. The agonized cry was followed by the sounds of metal and flesh being torn. Her scream carried for a few terrible seconds before becoming a horrible gurgling. Then, there was silence.

Both Flurry and Nyx stood before the doorway, wide-eyed and stunned. Only their panting breaths broke the eerie quiet that descended over the room.

Flurry backed up to give the door another kick, but Nyx stopped her.

“She’s gone, Flurry,” Nyx said softly, her ears flattening.

“Damn it! We were right here!” Flurry hissed through clenched teeth. “Did you hear her, Nyx? She was terrified.”

“I know,” Nyx replied softly.

“What’s with this thing!” Flurry growled, slamming a hoof into the door.

“It wasn’t mechanical, that’s for sure. But what I felt shouldn’t be possible. You felt it too?”

“You mean like dumping power into a bottomless pit?” Flurry grumbled.

“Yeah, that. It felt like something was just… erasing our thaumatic energy. It goes against every law of arcane dynamics,” Nyx stated, the uneasiness in her voice adding to Flurry’s growing anxiety.

“What could resist two alicorns?” she asked, the implications of the answer making her shudder. “I didn’t see or hear anything. Where are all the changelings?”

“TEI wasn’t picking up anything either,” Nyx said, swallowing. “It’s like there wasn’t anything at all in here except Bravo team.”

“Well they were shooting at something,” Flurry said, fluffing her wings. “Something that scared the hell out of them and wiped them out.” She paused to summon her resolve. “Which means we gotta get in there and kill it.”

Nyx gave her a firm nod, and together, they focused their telekinetic power on the door. Flurry looked to her with a frown at how easily she was able to grip it now. Bolts popped and flew off before the entire frame crumpled with a screech of rending metal, finally giving up the door as it was tossed aside.

Without the door to support it, the armoured form of the unknown mare flopped to the ground before them as a thick stench of fresh blood assaulted their noses.

“Shit, look at that!” Flurry gasped, gazing down at the massive hole torn into the back of the mare’s armour.

The heavily reinforced spine of the suit had been ripped open from the neck down to the tail. It was like something had simply unzipped the armour, spreading it open to get at what was inside.

Of the mare, there was no sign, just splatters of blood and viscera clinging to the jagged edges of the armour. Her helmet’s visor was cracked, dripping crimson onto the decking beneath it.

Flurry had never seen anything like this, even in all her years. Even light armour such as this was still spell-hardened plating. It would take a heavy weapon to crack it, let alone simply tear it apart.

“What did this? Where is she?” Flurry asked, panic slipping into her voice as she stepped into the room.

Nyx said nothing, simply staring at the bloody mess in morbid astonishment.

Just then, something moved across the edge of Flurry’s vision. By the time she turned her head, she could only catch a glimpse of a large, leathery wing as it shifted out of sight behind some banks of equipment.

A thestral?!

She instantly lunged forward in pursuit, only to hit an invisible shield barrier. She turned to Nyx in frustration.

“What are you do—”

Nyx shushed her. “Could you just… not rush in without engaging your brain this time?” she urged.

“There’s a thestral, and a big one from the looks of it.”

“Flurry, think. No thestral could have done this.”

“Well, what do you think it is then?”

Flurry waited for an answer but then saw the look on her cousin’s face. She was frightened, and there were very few things in this galaxy that could frighten Nightmare Moon.

“Windigo,” she whispered.

Flurry’s blood ran cold. “No. No way. Nobody’s seen a windigo in person. You telling me you’ve seen one?”

“I haven’t, no. But some have. There’s not a lot of data—a few scattered accounts here and there. Most of what we know is from the Alcora.”

“The Alc— those fuckers can’t be trusted, you know that,” Flurry shot back, angrily. “Nyx, they killed your—”

“Don’t,” Nyx stopped her. “I can’t think about that right now. We have a situation we aren’t prepared for, and we can’t just rush in without a plan.”

“Fine. But the only thing anyone knows about them is their ships… as in, stay the hell away from them. What are we supposed to do now?”

“We get a better look. Come on.” Nyx stepped out into the open, making her way along the narrow room towards where the creature had gone.

“Nyx, wait.”

“It’s okay. It went back into the main chamber. Come on, I want to get a look at what we’re dealing with.”

Flurry was confused. “You better not be saying it can teleport. We had it pinned in here.”

“There’s another doorway on the far end. Leads back out.”

Flurry felt the urge to put her hoof to her face. “A second door. Where the hell are we, anyway?”

“This room is the primary focusing station for the main gun. Out there are workstations for just about every weapons system on the ship, as well as the mirrordrive. The only ponies even allowed in here are those specially trained in using the latest weapons hardware.”

“Hence the security room.”

“Yeah. Now come on.”

Nyx approached the doorway on the far port side of the ship’s bow, leading back into the massive Forward Fire Control chamber. There, she crept forward silently with Flurry right beside her.

Having time to take a better look at the chamber, Flurry realized just how big it was. It had to be six decks tall at the centre, sloping in all directions like a giant ellipsoid which had been stretched till it was three times as long as it was tall. The bottom level exposed multiple large, rounded shafts. These were the railgun barrels she had seen running below the tram station, extending all the way to the rear of the ship, nearly two kilocanters aft.

Huge power conduits ran along these barrels, flowing into the room beneath their hooves. Everything had that state-of-the-art polished look which was so typical of Unicorn Federation technology. And yet, the layout of the entire place was pegasus-friendly. Truly a Commonwealth design if she ever saw one—still clinging to the hope of tribal unity.

And then, she saw it. A large creature lurking at a workstation on one of the lower levels, across the gap from where the alicorns stood. It was facing away from them. The beast was roughly equine in form, quadrupedal with hooves. It had hairless bluish-grey skin and was very bony and gaunt looking. On its back were the large, leathery wings Flurry had noticed earlier.

Flurry’s instincts told her she needed to get out of here—right now.

“It does kinda look like a thestral,” Nyx whispered.

At this, the creature turned slightly and looked straight at them.

“Okay, maybe not.”

Flurry could feel Nyx tense up, ready to leap at any moment. The monster’s head was like a distorted skull of a mustang. It had two curved horns coming out of its forehead, and a faint greenish glow coming from a pair of eye sockets which trailed into further curved horns that wrapped around its head. Oddly, it had no mouth and was missing a lower jaw. A small tuft of wispy hair hung from the spot where its chin would be.

The creature and the alicorns stared at one another for a long moment before the thing simply turned back to what it was doing at the workstation, seemingly unconcerned about them.

“I guess we know how Bravo team survived until just now,” Nyx said.

“What do you mean?”

“Remember what Bravo Lead said on the radio? They heard our tram coming. I’m guessing they were pinned down in this room after losing one or two ponies to the thing earlier. One of them probably opened fire after hearing the tram, trying to make a break for it.”

“You telling me that thing is impervious to bullets?”

“I don’t know, I just work here,” Nyx replied. “Hardly anything is known about these things. Just…”

“What?”

“It’s just rumour, really. Maybe. Either way, this is gonna hurt.”

Flurry swallowed dryly. “Thanks for that comforting thought. Now are we gonna go kick its ass or what?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.”

Chapter 17 - Monster

View Online

The beast seemed oblivious to them as it busied itself with some task at one of the workstations. Flurry took the opportunity to look around and commit the chamber’s layout to memory. There would be plenty of room to fly or teleport if needed. Her eye caught a few metal crates and tools scattered about that she could probably use as weapons—just in case.

Beside her, Nyx was quietly bending a steel bar that hovered at her side while she stared at the intruder with vengeance in her eye.

“What are you doing?”

“Testing a theory,” Nyx replied. “My mother once proposed that an energy-sink might be possible. Like a reverse Nexus core. If that’s what this thing is doing, I want to know its limits.”

“And taking it out on a metal bar helps how?”

Nyx shot her an annoyed look. “Even at this range, I can feel a tenth of the effort is lost. It’ll be worse as we get close; we’ll have to push to beat this thing.”

Beating it sounded like a good idea, and Flurry was anxious to get on with it.

Looking back, she saw that the windigo had moved to the side of the workstation, giving her a better view. It was like staring at death itself. The creature gave off an essence of decay, filling her with dread and tapping into some deep, irrational part of her brain.

Its segmented hairless tail swished back and forth as it shifted its weight, drawing Flurry’s attention to the rather large curved stinger at its tip. It then grasped something with a set of reptilian talons where she expected a forehoof to be. They reminded her of the talons of a hippogriff.

Nyx bumped Flurry’s shoulder. “Do you see that? It’s messing with the terminal.”

She was right. The creature had attached some kind of device to one of the terminal’s data ports. The object was vaguely organic-looking, cone-shaped with a pulsing green light at its tip.

“Nyx, what’s a windigo doing on a Syndicate warship?” Flurry whispered.

“Hmm?”

“Our ugly friend. No way they’re working together. Maybe it’s, you know, a disguised changeling or something.”

Nyx rolled her eyes. “Flurry, no thestral or changeling could do what this—”

Just then, an alert klaxon echoed twice through the chamber’s walls, accompanied by the calm mare’s voice of the ship’s automated systems.

“Warning: Main cannon safeties disengaged. Amplification pylon alignment at negative five percent deviation.”

“Oh no,” Nyx murmured.

“What’s that mean?”

“I know what it’s doing now. There’s no target out there. The target is the Orion herself.”

“What, you mean like turning the main gun inward or something?” Flurry asked.

The black mare nodded slowly, filling Flurry’s heart with dread.

“Wait, they came here to steal the ship. Now they wanna blow it up? Talk about sore losers.”

“Flurry, I think that was the plan all along. We have no time to waste.”

Okay then. Showtime.

With that, Flurry felt the familiar onset of Nyx’s Darksight spell, which would allow her to see through the upcoming darkness. The monster might be as scary as your worst nightmare, but Nyx was the Nightmare. This thing would never know what hit it.

Both alicorns leapt from the platform, extending their wings as they sped across the gap. The beast didn’t even turn to ready itself. It was too easy. Any moment now, Nyx’s void-casting spell would kick in, ensuring they held the advantage as she readied to beat the monster senseless.

Blindness struck, but not in the way she expected. The black void spilled out from Nyx just how it should have, but now Flurry could see nothing. She became disoriented mid-flight and tumbled hard into a railing on the edge of some lower platform.

She hung on by her forelegs, scrambling to get over the edge. Above her, Nyx’s voice cried out in pain, followed by the heavy flapping of her wings. What had happened?

“Cancel it, I can’t see!” Flurry called out, her voice echoing through the chamber.

The darkness lifted, revealing Nyx two levels above her, off to the side and sitting on her haunches. Flurry glanced quickly toward the windigo, seeing that it had resumed working at the terminal. She then launched herself into the air to get up to where Nyx was, only to find that she had to rely mostly on the aerodynamics of her wings to fly at all.

Reaching the platform where Nyx sat, Flurry took a moment to catch her breath.

“What the hell…”

“Sorry, I didn’t expect it could do that,” Nyx grunted, wincing in pain. The plate armour on her left shoulder had been completely ripped off, revealing a three-claw gash in her flesh, dripping blood down her leg.

“The darksight didn’t work. I went completely blind,” Flurry complained.

“Same here,” Nyx echoed as she examined her wounded shoulder. “Damn, this hurts.”

Flurry cast another glance back at the windigo, which was still ignoring them. “Look at that thing. It doesn’t even have the decency to put up a fight.”

Nyx placed a hoof on a nearby railing, severing a length of steel and bending it in her telekinetic grip.

“Still doing the thing?” Flurry asked.

Nyx nodded. “Good news is it’s faded a bit.”

Now, the monster had produced another device and was preparing to connect it with the workstation.

“Hang on, I’m gonna try something,” Flurry stated as Nyx stood back up. The beast was still some thirty canters away, but Flurry reached out with her telekinesis, straining to be precise as she grabbed the object from the windigo’s claws.

Nyx took the opportunity to send a pair of thin knives zipping towards its neck.

“I’ll take that, thanks!” Flurry snarked triumphantly as she pulled the object away from its owner.

Instantly, the creature reacted, pivoting to snatch the stolen device out of the air with its other claw. Flurry jerked backwards as her grip was snuffed out.

Nyx’s blades reached their target, only to disintegrate into metallic dust, scattering against its hide. The windigo didn’t seem to notice as it then proceeded to calmly attach the device to the console.

“Oh, come on!” Flurry lamented. This thing was really starting to piss her off. It was time to charge in.

“Wait,” Nyx said, stopping Flurry in her tracks. “We do this together.”

Flurry nodded. “I think it’s time for a war spell. I vote for Death Blossom.”

“I’m too dry for DB,” Nyx replied, deflating Flurry’s hopes of watching the beast explode into meat-confetti.

“Something simple then?”

“I’ve got enough for a Night Lance.”

Nyx spread her hooves in a wide stance and lowered her head, her horn crackling with indigo lightning.

“This is gonna take most of what I have left,” Nyx said through clenched teeth as a shaft of obsidian energy formed above their heads. “Just be ready to back me up.”

As the shaft solidified, the windigo stopped what it was doing and turned to face them. It was then that Flurry noticed the odd gash which ran down the creature’s entire neck and chest. The folds of ragged flesh were splattered with blood and gore. Apparently, someone from Bravo team had scored a decent strike before falling.

It bleeds, Flurry thought as she raised her shield in preparation for what was to come.

Nyx finished her war spell, and with a cry, she loosed the bolt like an arrow from a bow. It streaked forward, producing an ominous howl as it parted the air.

Her aim was true. The Night Lance struck the beast in the chest, exploding with a deafening crack of thunder. Flurry’s shield rippled as the shockwave passed over them, their manes billowing in the displaced air.

As the smoke faded, they both stared slackjawed at what they saw. Unscathed from the blast, the creature simply stood there. At the point of impact, the monster’s skin shined a cold blue that pulsed through its body. The deck which it stood upon glowed a faint red from the heat before beginning to fade back to normal.

Nyx slumped against Flurry, her chest heaving as her horn fizzled and sparked weakly.

“Are you kidding me?!” Flurry gasped. “That spell could have taken out a tank! What does it take to kill this thing?”

“I think we’re wearing it down,” Nyx panted.

“Oh yes, at this rate, he’ll burn out just after we do.”

“Well, at least it’s not messing with the weapons console now,” Nyx noted as the windigo stared at them in silence. “We seem to have its attention.”

The creature took slow, deliberate steps towards them, sending chills throughout Flurry’s body. It took everything she had to fight off the terror and maintain her focus.

Nyx stood up once more, her expression that of cold fury as she drew a pair of short swords from her armour. Her fluid movements held back on a razor’s edge, Flurry could feel the tension about to release. Then, like the moment when a cat pounces, the black alicorn lunged forward with Flurry at her side.

Contact. The opposing strength of a hundred mortals collided in an instant. Hooves pounded into flesh, talons ripped at armour, and heavy wings lifted impossibly strong bodies, positioning to the advantage of each. But unlike most encounters, all three quickly found that resolution would not come easily.

With centuries of experience fighting together, the alicorn duo knew exactly how to perform an assault without getting in one another’s way. Each leapt and twisted, performing their deadly dance as they sought to bring down an avalanche of punishment onto the creature.

It wasn’t as elegant as Flurry had hoped. All their thaumatic strength, including flight itself, felt muted, taking extra effort. The telekinetic blasts were only a fraction as effective as they should have been, but they were still enough to rough the beast up. Flurry attempted to wrench the creature’s head off but only succeeded in giving it a chiropractic adjustment. Nyx swirled about, slashing with her blades as Flurry moved to land several heavy kicks with her rear hooves into the monster’s ribs and face. With every blow, a strange pain built up in her hooves and legs.

When the beast did strike back, it took Flurry’s breath away. Its wings flapped twice, rearing up before swiping Flurry with its vicious talons. She reacted by rising into the air herself, but it was too late. The blow landed on the back of her neck, near her withers. The pain was overwhelming.

Nyx had thrust both of her blades fully into the monster’s back, stabbing multiple times, but if the windigo felt any pain, there was no sign. Flurry soon found herself flipped onto her back, trying to get her bearings and ignore the aching in her neck and hooves.

The creature’s barbed tail whipped down, intent on burying the stinger into her heart. Before she could react, she felt her body sliding along the cold metal decking as Nyx telekinetically dragged her away. They needed to get some distance or this fight would turn to shit very quickly.

With Nyx standing over her, Flurry focused on a platform two levels up on the opposite side of the chamber. Her horn fizzled as the teleport failed. She cursed under her breath, realizing her bag of tricks was nearly empty.

“Try again,” Nyx urged. Flurry spared a quick glance at the windigo, seeing it flinch a bit before refocusing on her with its spine-chilling gaze. Each step closer caused her muscles to lock in place as she was overcome with dread.

It lunged forward to strike, only to meet empty air.

Both Nyx and Flurry appeared on the far upper deck in a flash of golden light, aching but alive.

“What have we learned, oh dear cousin of mine?” Flurry asked, panting and wincing in pain.

“I must have stabbed it a dozen times,” Nyx admitted.

“Nyx, your blades…” Flurry stared wide-eyed at their jagged and dulled edges, now useless. They looked as if they had been left in a vat of acid overnight. “What the hell?”

“Shields!” Nyx yelled, her horn glowing in an instant as her whole body tensed.

Out of reflex, Flurry flipped over, righting herself just in time to see the windigo flying across the chamber in pursuit of its prey. The instant it collided with Nyx’s wall of energy, Flurry added her own to reinforce it.

At the top of their game, Nyx and Flurry’s all-time record was just barely achieving a class seven shield, working together. Nothing short of the amplified weapons of a starship could breach it. Flurry watched nervously, knowing that she and her cousin were currently not at the top of their game. That and the windigo was using dirty tricks, making it anyone’s guess what would happen next.

The monster slashed and kicked at the barrier for a moment before giving up and alighting on the same platform as the alicorns. It then calmly folded its wings, found the exact edge of the shield, and simply stood there unmoving, staring directly at them.

“Great,” Flurry snarked in annoyance as she considered their predicament. “Looks like we have it right where it wants us. Time to spring your masterstroke, right, Nyx?”

There was no reply except for her cousin giving her a panicked look.

Flurry’s head slumped. “Winging it. Gotcha.”

“I think its energy sink is about tapped,” Nyx noted. “The shield held.”

“Hey, skinny! Go do something else, will ya?” Flurry yelled at the monster. “Unless you want a real ass-whooping,” she added.

The creature remained, silently watching her.

“Wow, you sure told him,” Nyx remarked with sarcasm.

“Gah, that thing’s gaze creeps me out,” Flurry said. “Okay, we can’t just sit here. You’re the brains—got any ideas?”

“Why is it you only admit that when we’re about to die?” Nyx asked.

Flurry stared at her cousin for a moment, working her jaw for a comeback. Finally, she wagged a hoof at Nyx. “You… have a smartass remark coming, as soon as I can think of one. Remind me when this is over.”

“Oh, I will. Just don’t strain yourself.”

“Hey, I wasn’t the one who blew a Night Lance. How much juice you got left anyway?”

“Not a lot,” Nyx admitted. “I’ll be honest, this isn’t looking good for us.”

Flurry glanced around the chamber, looking for ideas. Her eyes fell on the power conduits below, feeding the main weapons system. “We’ve got all this power coming in; it’s a shame we can’t plug you into it or something.”

There was a long pause where no one spoke. Curiosity got the better of her, prompting Flurry to walk up to where the windigo remained standing, just beyond their shield.

“My goodness, you are shockingly ugly,” she muttered. She got a good look at the long gash extending down the creature’s neck and chest. The splatters of blood and gore along the ragged folds of flesh seemed out of place, given the bloodless wounds Nyx’s blades had caused elsewhere on its body.

“I have an idea,” Nyx called from a few canters behind her. Flurry turned and trotted back to where she stood.

“Good, I was getting bored,” Flurry quipped. “You find a way out of this mess?”

“Maybe. See that terminal over there?” Nyx gestured to a workstation one level down, near the aft end of the chamber. “I need to spend some time there undisturbed, which means you need to distract our friend for a while.”

“For how long?” Flurry asked as her skepticism began to rise.

“As long as you can give me… sorry.” She gave Flurry a sympathetic look. “I’ll keep a shield ready, just in case, but you need to make yourself more of a threat than I am. When I give the word, you need to get the windigo to the centre of the bridge and keep it there.”

Flurry glanced over the edge of the railing, looking down. About three decks above the bottom of the chamber, a walkway connected the fore and aft sections. Halfway across, the bridge widened into a circular observation platform, able to see the entire chamber from one spot.

“Alright, go!”

The shield fell. Flurry held her gaze on the windigo, which turned its head to follow Nyx as she flew off. Just as the beast was readying to give chase, Flurry slammed her body into it, knocking them both over the platform railing to plummet down towards the bottom of the chamber. Wings thrashed as both tried to right themselves, barely slowing as they slammed into the lower deck, just above the railgun barrels.

Every point on Flurry’s body that had come into contact with the creature now ached with a dull, throbbing pain. It was as if her very flesh rebelled against its touch.

She quickly scrambled to her hooves, avoiding a swipe from the windigo’s barbed tail. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the tail in her telekinesis and yanked hard, causing the creature to be whipped like a rag doll into the air and then slammed down onto the metal decking nearby. It then righted itself and stared hard into her eyes, apparently forgetting all about Nyx.

“Okay, ugly. Let’s dance.”

Flurry flung herself into the air in a spinning rear-hoof kick, landing squarely on the thing’s face, right below its eye socket. Before it could regain its balance, she reared and punched it repeatedly with her forehooves, kicking its neck and ribs as it twisted around. She then wrapped her forelegs around its neck, flapping her massive wings to raise them both into the air before diving hard, back down to the bridge level. At the last instant before crashing, she slammed the creature hard into the deck then teleported herself upward to buy some space.

“Command authorization accepted,” the ship’s computer announced through the chamber.

The complete silence of the monster as it took the punishment was unnerving. Flurry pondered whether or not she was even hurting it. No matter—she just needed to keep it busy while Nyx did her thing up at the workstation. With a quick glance around, she summoned the metal tools, crates, and other objects she had spotted earlier to come flying at her target from all directions.

Flurry swooped down to take advantage of its distraction, only for the windigo to reach up and grab her foreleg tightly, using her own momentum to right itself. In the same move, it reached its other taloned claw around to grasp right next to the first.

A crack echoed in her ear, followed by shooting pain as the windigo snapped her right foreleg, breaking the cannon bone right below the knee.

Heavy metal objects fell out of the air around them as she cried out. Nyx shouted from somewhere above.

“Flurry! Are you okay?”

She was tempted to teleport up to where Nyx was, but she couldn’t risk messing up whatever her cousin was working on. To make things worse, she could feel herself running on empty, so teleporting wasn’t really an option anyway if she was going to keep up the fight.

With deadly precision, Flurry swung a nearby heavy wrench hard into the windigo’s head, causing it to let go of her and stagger back for a moment. Soon, a torrent of tools and various nearby debris came raining down on it. She scrambled back, keeping her broken foreleg held close to her body.

“Looks like my usual approach of hitting it till it goes away is a bust,” she called back to Nyx. “I hope you don’t need much more time.”

The creature swung at her repeatedly, each time being blocked by something held in Flurry’s telekinetic grip. At that moment, her rear hoof tripped on a pipe, causing her to slip. Seeing an opportunity, it charged. She tried grabbing it by the head, causing the beast to lose its balance and roll sideways over her, pinning her broken foreleg against her chest.

“Aaahh!!”

At that moment, something struck her head. Hard.

Flurry had been in many drunken brawls in her life which had resulted in heavy objects getting slammed into her head. But nothing was even close to this. Her vision spun, and she saw stars. The ringing in her ears drowned out Nyx’s cries of concern, her ears barely picking up the ship’s computer acknowledging commands.

No! Flurry thought. I’m not going out like this.

Through the pain, she forced herself to remain conscious. Then, she was backhanded again. And again. The monster didn’t seem to be trying to kill her at this point. It was more like it wanted to pummel her into submission.

“How you holding up?” came Nyx’s distant voice, which almost sounded underwater at this point.

“Just peachy,” Flurry spat out, along with a gob of blood. “I think all these blows into my head are starting to tire him out.”

At that, she blacked out for just a second, then came to with the creature standing over her while she lay on her back, its talons sunk deep into the flesh of her shoulders.

Then, Flurry saw it. That blood-soaked gash running down the monster’s neck and chest. It wasn’t a wound at all. It quivered and slid until the folds of ragged skin peeled back. The monster’s whole chest and underbelly split, revealing rows of crystalline teeth and a fetid stench of decay. It then leaned forward, its unnatural maw spreading wide, eager to devour her.

Oh shit.

Flurry could hear screaming, and it took a moment for her to realise it was coming from her. Raw terror the likes of which she'd never felt before raced through her body as those jaws flexed. A clear fluid dribbled from its mouth onto her belly, the liquid sending a cold burning sensation up her body.

It's drooling on me! Flurry's mind screamed as long, fleshy tongues reached for her. No no no!!

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Swan paused to catch her breath as Alpha team arrived at the forward tram station.

“And there’s the car. I told you,” Fire Hawk teased Princess as they approached.

“That would have been nice,” Princess replied. “My hooves are killing me.”

“And who here believes Princess would have fit through the tramcar door?” Priest pointed out. There was an awkward cough, but no one replied.

“Yeah, screw you, stripes,” Princess shot back at the zebra.

The long trot through the central corridor along the neck of the ship had finally come to an end, and Swan was wondering how much further they had to go before they caught up with the alicorns.

“We’re nearly there, right?” she asked Echo, hoping for some good news.

The mare nodded. “I’ll try and reach them.” Echo tapped her holo-brace, bringing up her communication interface. “Bravo team, this is Alpha Lead. Do you copy?”

There was a pause, causing Swan’s stomach to tighten up.

“I say again, Bravo team, do you copy?”

An electronic click sounded, followed by a mare’s hushed voice. “Alpha Lead, this is the captain. We have a bit of a situation here. You may want to hold back and let us handle it.”

“Copy that, captain. Are you sure?”

A pause. “Uh… no, not really. Sorry, I have to go.” At this, the channel went silent.

“What the hell?” Fire Hawk asked.

“That sounded like an invitation to me,” Princess added. “What do you say, Echo?”

“We go in. Carefully,” Echo replied.

The team of five made their way past the tram station into the corridor leading to Forward Fire Control.

“Oh… oh hell,” Fire Hawk said. “Are you serious?”

The blast door was painted in blood and had a giant hole ripped straight through it. What had they stumbled into? Swan swallowed dryly, trying to keep her nerves in check.

One by one, the team made their way into the next room. Before they could even look around, a horrified scream echoed in from beyond the next door, chilling Swan to the bone. What frightened her even more was that she recognized the voice.

“Flurry!”

The team rushed through a circular doorway, entering a vast chamber several decks tall and lined with metal platforms. Everyone paused to try and make sense of the situation.

In the dead centre of the chamber was a bridge, two levels up. And on that bridge was… something.

Swan’s mind locked up for a moment. What was she seeing? Whatever it was, it set off every instinct the mare had to fly away and hide. Flesh. Claws. Wings. Teeth—lots of teeth.

What she did recognize was Flurry Heart, screaming in terror as she fought against some kind of monster that was trying to eat her. Flurry had her hind legs pressed up against it, using them to hold its maw open. At the same time, she had a thick steel cable looped around its neck, pulling back with her telekinetic power as it strained to engulf her.

“Check your fire!” Echo ordered from the front. “We don’t want to hit Flurry.”

Swan watched in horror as Echo was ordering the team to look for a way to the upper platforms. Flurry didn’t have time for that. Any moment now, and she would be overwhelmed. The pegasus fought off her urge to flee, building the resolve to do what she had to do. There was only one flyer among them. It was up to her now.

“I can get it off her,” Swan blurted out to Echo.

The earth pony glanced back at her, eyes falling on her wings. She gave a quick nod. “Go.”

With that, Swan darted upward, passing beyond the first two levels until she came to a hover a short distance above the bridge, off to the side a bit. From here, she could see that Flurry was not doing well. The alicorn was covered in gashes and bruises, with far too much blood staining her coat.

The pegasus took careful aim with her changeling pulse rifle while hovering in place, praying she wouldn’t end up shooting Flurry by accident. Her hoof pressed against the trigger, causing a triple bolt of energized plasma to strike the monster’s back. It didn’t react.

Flurry’s eyes darted to notice her for a split second before returning to the creature on top of her.

“Swan! Get out of here!”

Another burst came from Swan’s rifle, striking the beast’s neck.

This time, the monster did look up to notice her. Those glowing empty eye sockets sent chills of terror down her spine as she instinctively backed away, still hovering in place.

Suddenly, the horror abandoned Flurry, opening up its disgusting leathery wings to give chase. Swan turned and fled as fast as her wings could carry her, upward to the far reaches of the chamber. Her heart rate doubled as her adrenaline-fueled panic carried her higher and higher.

Nearing the ceiling, she banked to the left, looking around the chamber to plot her course back down. Her peripheral vision caught sight of the pursuing beast on her tail. She was definitely faster in the enclosed space, but she knew she couldn’t keep this up for long. Shouts filtered into her ears from below as her team urged her to escape.

Below, she spotted Nyx on one of the platforms, keeping half an eye on the chase while she was flipping through a holographic interface. Swan guessed whatever Nyx was doing was important enough to keep her out of the fight, so she needed to keep the monster away from her.

After her second loop around the upper deck of the chamber, Swan plunged down, weaving beneath platforms and keeping the monster on her tail. It was like a sparrow being chased by a hawk—one false move and she’d be done for. Her wings were aching now. She just needed to keep this up a little longer.

Passing down below the bridge now, she darted beneath it and then swiftly dipped to the ground level. She flared her wings, banking sharply and causing the pursuing beast to fall behind a little way as its agility could not match hers. Swan’s flight ended as she alighted amongst her team with the beast landing nearby.

Princess was ready. Her rotary cannon was already spun up and aimed. The monster charged at them in eerie silence, only to be met with a hail of bullets and flying bolts of plasma. Echo stood in front of the team, her own rifle trained on the monster as she fired constantly. Princess held position beside Echo, her massive gun firing bursts of hot death in the beast’s direction.

The creature made no sound as it quickly banked away, dodging and weaving. Swan watched from behind Princess, wondering if the thing was even being hit. For all their efforts, it kept flying around erratically as if trying to get them to waste their ammunition.

Princess ceased firing as everyone watched the monster’s movements. A moment later, it ducked below the first platform, speeding along the ground level in a fast, wide arc that would bring it directly to them.

“There it is! Fire!” Echo shouted at the unexpected move, swinging her rifle around. Swan could hear Princess’s big gun spinning back up, but it was too late.

Echo landed several direct hits before the monster swooped in and snatched her away at full speed.

“No!” Swan yelled in horror as the thing landed some distance away on the opposite side of the chamber.

Fire Hawk went ablaze and galloped towards the creature. Everyone else held their fire, watching helplessly as Echo was clutched in place, in front of the beast, blocking their shot.

At this, the monster’s whole torso opened up, revealing a gaping maw filled with enormous teeth and stretchy ligaments. What looked like long tongues quickly wrapped around the mare, pulling her inside. The jaws clenched shut, and Swan heard a sickening crunch.

Fire Hawk reached her target, leaping onto its back for only a moment before flopping onto the ground herself, wailing in pain. “Ahh!! I’m burning!” The kirin extinguished herself, running off to the side as smoke billowed from vents in her armour.

Then, the monster shook its head, flinching oddly. The maw opened once more, spitting Echo’s body back out onto the metal decking. Princess took aim, but Swan pushed at the gun just as it opened fire, throwing her aim off.

“Look!” Swan shouted. Echo was moving, trying to stand up. She was still—

Then, the beast grabbed Echo by the head with its talons and ripped it right off her shoulders before discarding it on the floor.

Time stopped for what felt like a lot longer than two seconds.

“Nooooo!!” Princess screamed suddenly as she sent an endless deluge of bullets at the horror. Priest also fired off several shots with his sniper rifle, trying to hit the now moving target.

The sound was deafening, but Swan didn’t care. She opened up full-auto with her pulse rifle, trying to track the monster as it flew off to hide amongst the upper platforms. The rifle soon fell silent as its CAPS cell went dry. Swan tossed the weapon aside, quickly running towards Echo’s broken form at the forward end of the chamber.

The rest of the team followed, stopping in front of the body. Fire Hawk fell to her knees, a look of anguish on her face. Priest muttered words quietly to himself. Princess was clearly struggling to contain her rage as they all saw what had become of their friend.

Soon, the monster swooped down once more in an attempt to grab another victim, only for Princess’s chaingun to awaken, sending the beast scampering for cover. The mustang kept her glistening eyes on the upper decks, watching for any movement.

For the moment, there was silence.

Swan looked down upon Echo’s body, lying in a slowly expanding pool of blood. The head lay nearby, eyes open and vacant. She had to look away, holding back a sob. Echo and her friends had shown a side of life she had never been exposed to before—to be more than mere property of a cruel and abusive master. It didn’t matter that she was a dirt pony. She had accepted Swan despite her inexperience. For a brief moment, the pegasus had felt a taste of a different and better life. And now, all that was rapidly fading away.

A click sounded from the holo-brace attached to Echo’s foreleg, followed by a familiar voice.

“Alpha Lead, what’s the situation?”

Swan put a hoof to her lips. It was Nyx—she didn’t know. Swan glanced up, unable to see the alicorn as she would be several decks directly above their position. She glanced at Fire Hawk and Priest, unsure if she should… They nodded.

Approaching the body, Swan reached out and tapped the holo-brace, bringing up the comms interface.

“Nyx, we… We lost Echo.” Swan could barely speak the words.

A pause and another click. “Oh… Oh, I’m so sorry,” came the somber reply.

“Nyx, we don’t know what to do here. What’s happening?”

“Listen, the windigo is going to be very hungry right about now. You have to avoid it,” Nyx warned.

“Windigo? That’s a windigo?”

“Yeah. Do not engage, understand?”

Holy shit, holy shit, Swan thought. Of course, she knew about the windigo; they had randomly terrorized all the pony colonies for centuries. But only rarely, and only their ships had ever been seen. Even then, few had survived to tell about them.

“Princess is covering,” Swan replied. “I think she has it pinned a couple decks up.”

“Copy that,” Nyx said. “I can see it from here. It’s watching your position very carefully.”

“What do we do?”

“I’m nearly finished. I have a plan, but it relies on Flurry. Swan, can you check on her?”

Swan swallowed nervously. “Maybe.”

Priest walked up and gave her an auto-injector. “Give her this,” he said.

Princess spoke up, her eyes still glued on the upper decks. “You go on. I got you covered, kid.”

With that, Swan leapt into the air towards the bridge above. Her eyes darted all around, searching for the monster that hunted them. She alighted on the bridge, not far from Flurry.

At first, Swan’s heart sank, unsure if the alicorn was even still alive. From what she saw, Flurry’s body was not in much better condition than Echo’s. She was a bloody, broken mess, far worse than Swan had guessed from seeing her earlier. Blood had caked onto her coat around numerous deep gashes that looked like knife wounds. Her face was swollen and badly bruised. A mixture of black and white feathers lay scattered about from the scuffle she had endured, and her wings lay limp and twisted awkwardly. Strange red welts had also formed on the inner parts of her forelegs and chest.

Suddenly, a torrent of bullets whizzed by as Princess fired upwards from the ground level. Swan turned her head just in time to see the windigo break off its attack and fly back to its hiding spot. She had nearly just been picked off like Echo. That was two she owed the mustang now.

Pausing to give her heart a moment to calm down, she approached the alicorn lying before her.

“Flurry…” Swan spoke softly, prodding her shoulder a little. “Flurry, wake up.”

To her relief, Flurry sucked in a deep breath through her nostrils, wincing in pain before opening her eyes to meet Swan’s gaze.

“I won’t ask if you’re okay. But…” Swan shook her head in astonishment. “But how are you doing? I mean, where are you hurt?”

Flurry looked away, to the side. “It would be easier to describe where I’m not hurt,” Flurry mumbled weakly before wincing again. “That way, I wouldn’t have to say anything.”

A smartass even near death. Swan held back a chuckle.

“Swan,” she continued, looking back into the pegasus’ eyes. “I’m… I’m happy to see you,” she said.

Swan smiled. “I’m happy to see you too, Flurry.”

“But, I’m sad… because now we’ll both die.”

“Don’t say that,” Swan urged. “You’ll think of something. You always do. Last Sh— Your reputation as the uncatchable mare? No way some ugly monster can get the better of you. Not after all that.”

“I appreciate that, thanks. But we have no hope of beating this thing,” Flurry replied. “I’m about spent. Maybe five percent. Seven if I’m lucky. Eventually, Princess will run out of ammo, and then it will kill us all.”

“What about Nyx?”

“You should have seen her, Swan,” Flurry said as she closed her eyes. “The assault she put that thing through…”

Swan had about enough of this talk. She grabbed the injector Priest had given her and pressed it against Flurry’s neck. A slight hiss sounded as the device pushed some pink fluid into her bloodstream.

“Not to change the subject, but I’m not ready to give up just yet,” Swan insisted.

“Oh wow. Where did you get that?” Flurry asked as she moved her head back and forth, eyes now blinking open and alert. “Feels like some of that sweet zebra go-juice I haven’t had in years.”

“Okay, so how do we beat this thing?” Swan asked with urgency.

Flurry tried and failed to sit up. “Ow. The windigo needs to eat,” she explained. “It dawned on me while I was staring down that thing’s gullet. When we first started the fight, it just ignored us. After it took a lot of damage, that’s when it tried to eat me. Must be how it regenerates. Swan, if it eats at all, there’ll be no stopping it.”

“Mirrorspace navigation parameters set. Ready to engage,” the ship’s computer announced.

“What the hell? Did Nyx get the engines working?” Flurry asked.

“Not possible,” Swan stated. “We found a changeling technician after you left. The power lines to the engines are physically ripped out. I’m guessing the windigo did that.”

“Swan, is Flurry okay?” Nyx called out from above.

“Not really. She’s awake though.”

“It’s time. Flurry knows what to do,” Nyx stated.

Swan glanced up to notice Nyx leaning her head over the railing, watching the bridge below.

“Prop me up, Swan,” Flurry grunted as she shifted and struggled.

Swan got behind the alicorn, pushing behind her shoulders until she began to shift upright.

“Owwww… watch the leg!” Flurry whined. “Just a bit more.”

With Flurry resting against her chest, Swan held her upright enough that she could see in front of them.

“Now we just have to get our buddy to come join us. Do you think he’d come down if I gave him a sexy dance?” Flurry asked while gritting her teeth in pain.

Swan looked around the chamber. She knew the windigo was watching, and the only thing keeping them alive was—

“Hey, Princess,” Swan called out loudly.

“You alright up there?” came the distant reply from below.

“Yeah. Can you do me a favor? I need you to step back against the wall, below the forward platform.”

A pause. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Swan,” Princess replied. “I can’t cover you from that angle.”

“You sure about this?” Swan quietly asked Flurry.

The alicorn nodded.

“It’s okay. Trust me,” Swan called back before speaking softly to Flurry. “Now we find out how smart this thing is.”

Swan sat with Flurry, watching the platforms above. Then, it happened. The windigo leapt down at them, eager to claim its next meal. There was no fire support from below.

A golden glow shone from Flurry’s horn as the windigo was snagged in midair and slammed hard down onto the small circular platform at the centre of the bridge. Swan could feel Flurry’s body tense as she held the mare up to make sure she had a clear view.

The windigo thrashed and fought against her grip until the steel cable Flurry had been using before wrapped itself around the creature’s talons. Flurry grunted and strained, her horn now shining brightly.

For a moment, Flurry’s power sputtered, and the windigo looked about to break free before she managed to regain control.

“Hold it right there!” Nyx urged from above.

“I’m gonna burn out soon!” Flurry called out.

“Just a few more seconds. Hang on to something!”

“Jump point activated,” the ship’s computer announced.

An impossibly bright flash appeared directly on the bridge, just beyond where the windigo was pinned. The familiar sight of a swirling mirrorspace vortex appeared inside the ship, only this one was much, much smaller than every other vortex Swan had seen in her life.

With a sound like a wild Caelum hurricane, huge volumes of air emptied into the maelstrom beyond. Flurry’s horn went dark, releasing the monster into the heart of the storm.

The creature had nearly vanished when its great talons dug into the metal decking of the bridge. Slowly but steadily, it clawed its way back out.

Oh shit.

In an instant, the vortex collapsed, returning the area fully to normal space. A portion of the bridge was simply gone… as was the rear half of the windigo’s body, cleanly cut where the breach into the realm of mirrorspace had been.

The front half of the monster lay still. It was over.

With this, Flurry slumped loosely against Swan’s body, passing out cold.

Chapter 18 - The Mad Scientist

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The brave hero Ultra-Mare charged through the halls of Nightstone Castle as rubble and masonry fell all around her. She wove a familiar path through the chaos, deftly deflecting falling debris away from the throng of terrified ponies that were clamoring to escape.

The ground shook as a tremor ran through the dying structure, columns crumbling and splintering as they succumbed to gravity once again.

Soon, only she remained as she galloped towards the heavy oak doors guarding the audience chamber. The cries of the fleeing crowd died away until all Ultra-Mare could hear was the groan of crumbling stonework. The corridors were like a labyrinth, but she pressed on, following the path she knew would lead to her prince.

Rounding the corner, she skidded to a halt. Five guard ponies were struggling to remove a fallen column from the doors leading to the throne room. As she approached them, she could see a kirin, a mustang, and a zebra working together.

The hero blinked for a second at the unexpected sight. There shouldn't be any guards here; the entire castle had been evacuated.

“Thank Celestia you’ve come,” a grizzled thestral officer greeted. “The prince is just beyond this door. Can you help us?”

For a moment, she hesitated, the confusion giving her pause. Then, clarity—this is what she was here for.

“Of course. Step back, I’ll handle this!” Ultra-Mare roared, wasting no time as she threw the huge column aside and ripped the doors off their hinges.

Without waiting for the guards, she leapt into the audience chamber, her eyes fixed on the raised plinth where the young colt cowered.

“Look out!” One of the guard mares yelled as several menacing figures emerged from the shadows.

Windigo!

They quickly blocked her path, flaring leathery wings in defiance. For a moment, a cold shiver passed through the hero as she gazed into their glowing, lifeless eyes.

“Leave them to us!” the thestral yelled as he and his team readied themselves. “Save the prince!”

All charged forward, yet the moment the brave squad met the windigo, they were overwhelmed.

“No!” she cried as they were ripped to pieces.

She tried to reach them, but the windigo blocked her path again. Ultra-Mare kicked and punched with everything she had, but it was not enough. For each windigo she beat down, more took their place.

A final agonized scream from the guard ponies cried out, followed by the head of a mare, rolling along the floor and coming to a stop between the alicorn’s forehooves, her anguished face staring up into the hero’s eyes.

“You cannot win,” the head spoke.

Alone, she faced an encroaching circle of windigo, when suddenly the colt’s cry struck at her heart like a thunderbolt.

“Don’t let the monsters get me!” her prince cried out as more windigo moved towards him.

“Stay there, I’ll save you!” she yelled, opening her great wings to launch herself into the air. As she leapt, an icy claw grasped one of her hind legs, pulling her to the ground.

She glanced back, kicking at her captor, only to see the front half of a bisected windigo clinging to her leg as the others closed in.

The colt screamed as he fell into shadow, out of sight.

“No, come back!” the hero cried, trying to drag herself towards her prince.

She thrashed and flailed, but it was hopeless. Her eyes widened in horror as the windigo’s chest split open revealing its gaping maw.

They all fell upon her, ripping and tearing. Despite the pain, she kept reaching for her prince until the world dissolved into black.

Flurry’s eyes burst open, her body flailing as panic gripped her. She looked around, but there were no windigo to be seen. Instead, she appeared to be lying on a medical cot, an intravenous line sticking out of her foreleg. Somewhere, she could hear a heart monitor beeping wildly.

She blinked, her fear turning into confusion as her body began to calm down. Her bed was surrounded by privacy curtains, making it unclear where she was. Only a gentle light from above illuminated her bed.

It was a dream, just the dream, she assured herself as a tiny sob escaped her lips.

Soon, her eyes fell upon a familiar form sitting on her bed.

“Whammy?” Flurry gasped, reaching out and drawing the plushie to her chest. “How did you get here?”

She gave him a deep hug, tears of relief running down her cheeks.

“What do you mean, you have always been here? I’m not in the mood for games, Whammy,” she said, raising him to her eye level and giving him an annoyed scowl.

The plushie simply sat balanced on her hoof, his googly eyes coming to a rest.

“It’s good to see you too,” she said, letting out a sigh. “But where are we?”

“I might be able to help you with that,” a familiar voice spoke. The curtain parted, revealing a black alicorn standing before her.

“Nyx!” Flurry said with a relieved sigh which turned into a pained grimace as she shifted on the bed, accidentally leaning on her broken foreleg.

“Easy, you’re pretty banged up,” Nyx said softly, sitting beside Flurry’s bed. “You had me worried there for a while.”

“Please, it’ll take more than being punched into the decking by a cosmic horror to put me down,” she grinned, only to wince in pain again from the action.

“I had hoped that Nightstone would be the last time I saw you like this,” Nyx added before leaning forward to give her a nuzzle. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Flurry smiled warmly at the gesture, even if the sensation was a bit dulled. Her face felt like someone had stuffed it full of cotton balls and her body felt heavy.

“I suppose it did come pretty close,” Flurry admitted. “How’d you fare?”

Nyx flexed her wings slightly. “My armour’s going to need some work, but apart from that, just a bit roughed up. Nothing a long bath and a few days’ sleep wouldn’t cure.”

Only as Nyx leant back did Flurry notice she was out of her armour. There were a couple bandages on her forelegs, as well as healing salve on numerous gashes along her side. The only real casualty seemed to be Nyx’s appearance. Her coat was an uneven mess, still caked in changeling blood in places, and her normally full and elegant mane was now matted and frizzy, tied in a rough ponytail.

“I won’t be casting any spells for a while,” Nyx continued, tapping on her holo-brace and revealing a painfully small energy reserve.

Flurry nodded, the throbbing pain in her head making her doubt she could cast much of anything without risking a burnout. What she needed was a day or two back on Equus, or perhaps she could borrow some of those narconium bars they found on the Orion for a while.

As Flurry tried to adjust her position, she felt a terrible numbness from her wings. Looking back, she saw her right wing bound up in a medical sling to keep it from moving. Her flight muscles were sore and swollen, and she could see black bruises showing from under her coat.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Nyx assured, following her gaze. “You managed to tear some muscles during the fight, not to mention breaking a few bones. They’ve all been fused, so you should feel better in a few days.”

“Looks like you’re stuck with me,” Flurry said with a wry smile.

“At least I can keep you out of mischief for a while longer,” Nyx chuckled.

“You know, since I got your call, I’ve been shot at, blown up, spaced, stabbed, used as a punching bag, and some asshole turned my wings black,” Flurry moaned. “Mischief has a habit of finding me, even if I don’t go looking for it.”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” Nyx countered. “That’s what, an average weekend for you?”

“Very funny,” she replied sourly, letting out a groan and flopping her head back on the bed. “I feel like a minotaur decided to have a tap-dancing lesson on my face.”

“If it’s any consolation, you look like a minotaur tap-danced on your face,” Nyx snerked.

“Your bedside manner is terrible,” Flurry grumbled, huffing into her pillow.

“Better I tell you now than you finding out yourself.”

“The things I do for family,” Flurry said, giving her legs a tentative stretch.

“Well, if it means anything, I don’t think I ever properly thanked you for your help,” Nyx offered, straightening herself. She then gave a small, humble bow. “So, on behalf of myself and my crew, thank you, Flurry Heart.”

Flurry felt heat rush to her cheeks and looked away. “It’s nothing. You’re family, and we’ve always looked out for each other. You would’ve done the same for me.”

“Even becoming a blackwing? I’m serious, Flurry. That was no small gesture. Even if it was incredibly dumb.”

“Yeah, well… uh,” Flurry stammered. “You’ve already got black wings, so now we’re a matching set!”

As Nyx was rolling her eyes at the bad joke, Flurry glanced around the room for something to distract from her awkwardness. Arrayed out from her bed was a row of similar beds, each with an injured pony lying in them. The beds were set partially into individual alcoves, penned in by a pair of golden columns, curving into the arched ceiling. In the open spaces, even more ponies lay on stretchers, wherever they could fit, tended to by pegasus orderlies.

“This isn’t the Orion, is it?”

“We’re aboard the Glorium. Most of our critically injured were transferred here once the battle was over,” Nyx sighed, her ears flattening.

Flurry looked to the wounded, her heart aching as her thoughts drifted to her comrades. “How are Swan and her aerie doing?” she queried, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

“Licking their wounds, so to speak,” Nyx replied. “After we took Engineering, Delta team and what was left of the aerie were dispatched to secure the Syndicate cruiser. I think it helped to give them something to do while they waited for the all-clear on the Orion.”

“Last I saw of the cruiser, Swan had nearly blown it up with that crazy stunt,” Flurry commented.

“Yeah. Swan and I went in together to wrap things up after the windigo was killed. We had an interesting conversation with the Syndicate boss.”

“Ooh, I wish I could have seen that. Did you do the Nightmare thing?” Flurry asked, wagging her eyebrows and hoping to hear a juicy story.

Nyx rolled her eyes. “Let’s just say the boss was sufficiently intimidated. We got what we wanted and put them all in custody down below.”

“After what they did? It must have been hard to resist the urge to space the lot of ‘em,” Flurry muttered.

“We managed. Swan and I had a long talk while we were over there. She’s a good kid.”

“Yeah, she is.”

“She told me about Merry,” Nyx managed, though the sudden melancholy in her eyes was evident.

Flurry felt her heart sink at the mention of the name. “Yeah,” she said softly.

“She seems to have taken a liking to you,” Nyx added, perhaps to get her mind off the slaver. “After we got back, she wouldn’t leave your side until she practically collapsed from exhaustion.”

“You should have seen her when we first met,” Flurry commented, though it surprised her to hear Swan had stayed with her after the fight.

“Wanted to kill you, I imagine,” Nyx quipped.

“How’d you guess?”

“Thought so. And now she cares for you.”

“I have that effect on people,” Flurry replied with an innocent rolling of her eyes.

“You certainly do. There have been days when I didn’t know whether to hug you or strangle you,” Nyx chuckled.

“Like yesterday,” Flurry noted.

“Like yesterday.”

“That’s why I’m your favourite cousin,” Flurry poked with a mischievous grin.

Nyx shook her head and they shared a laugh, though it didn’t last long. She seemed distracted by a distant thought, at first staring off at nothing in particular, and then her expression falling. Flurry had a fairly good idea of what was on her mind.

“How are things back on the Orion?” Flurry asked.

“It isn’t pretty,” Nyx said, her wings bristling at her sides. “Far too many dead. Doppel is tending to the crew that were taken by the changelings. He’ll be sending for therapists from the Conformity to help them recover. Overall, a deep cost in both lives and trauma. On top of that, the ship herself will need to spend months in repair, and that isn’t even counting the final outfitting.” She sighed heavily. “Hardly an auspicious start to the Orion’s career, is it.”

Nyx looked away, her shoulders slumping.

“Seems a tough ship. Survived me, didn’t she? And I hear she has a good captain, though she really needs to stop beating herself up,” Flurry said, giving Nyx a wink.

Nyx perked her ears and eyed her, a ghost of a smile on her lips. “And where did you hear that?”

“From a notorious but devastatingly attractive acquirer of goods. Quite a reputable source, so I’ve heard.”

“I see,” Nyx chuckled. “Well, you must give this source of yours my thanks.”

“No problem. So, what happens now?”

“We’re towing the Orion back to Harmony for repairs. We entered mirrorspace about an hour ago,” Nyx said, giving her holo-brace a few taps.

“I see.” Suddenly, Flurry’s eyes widened as her battered brain caught up with events. “Wait, did somepony pick up the Dream? I kinda left her adrift after the battle.”

“Don’t worry, your ship is squared away on the flight deck,” Nyx assured, chuckling at Flurry’s sigh of relief. “How do you think Whammy got here?”

“Oh. Of course. I hope he didn’t scratch the paintwork when he brought her in,” Flurry commented.

Nyx gently rolled her eyes as she stood up. “For someone with no arms or legs, he did fine. Though you have no idea the trouble I had getting aboard.”

“Oh? Why’s that? The ship knows who you are.”

“Some of the officers came up to me and said that the Dream was Lord Merry Weather’s property and I had no business with it,” Nyx snorted. “Of course, I persuaded them of their error.”

Flurry chuckled, imagining the scene, though the motion caused her to wince in discomfort. “I would like to have seen that. Sorry about those goons, Nyx.”

“Honestly, this blackwing mess is getting out of hoof,” Nyx declared. “We’ve got to figure out how to get you out of it.”

Flurry sighed, looking at her vandalized wings. “Easier said than done.”

The look on Nyx’s face shifted to a far more serious expression. Suddenly, the overhead lights flickered, and the room appeared to grow darker as her gaze hardened considerably. Flurry had seen this before whenever the dark mare loosened the substantial control she had over her emotions.

“If Merry Weather thinks he’s going to get away with this,” she snarled, her voice turning fierce with smouldering anger.

“Uh, Nyx…” Flurry began.

Nyx continued. “To think he would use my life and the lives of my crew as a bargaining chip to get what he wanted. Makes me want to—”

“Nyx, the thing. You’re doing it again.”

Flurry felt the black edges in her peripheral vision fading away as Nyx blinked, the fire in her eyes settling down. She let out a subtle sigh of relief.

“It’s stupid how you jump headfirst into things, Flurry,” she continued, though her voice had become more gentle. “Still, I’m glad you did. We don’t always see eye to eye, but… Sometimes, there’s a place for crazy, I guess.”

“Sometimes you just gotta roll your dice and hope for the best,” Flurry replied.

“I’m not really a fan of leaving things to chance.”

“Hey, chance and I are on a first-name basis,” Flurry snarked. “If I didn’t let him do his thing, I’d probably never get anything done.” She then glanced at Whammy, whose blank expression stared at her in contempt. “Yes, you help out a lot too, Whams.”

“Speaking of chance, were you planning on rolling your dice with Merry Weather?” Nyx asked. “How are we gonna get you out of this mess you’ve gotten yourself into?”

Flurry huffed in irritation. “To be honest, I already tried getting it off before the mission. I really figured it’d be straightforward. But my usual brute-force thaumatic technique didn’t cut it this time. What do you say, Nyx? You get this damn enchantment off me and you can be best-pony for the day.”

“I can try, but I’m not exactly at my best,” Nyx stated with doubt in her eyes, her horn glowing gently.

Flurry felt a tingle inside as her cousin’s subtle energies worked their way into her body.

“It has a very clever thaumatic code,” Nyx murmured while focusing her efforts. “Not only has it latched onto the root of your own thaumatic core, but it’s invaded your nervous system as well. Even if I was at full strength, I doubt I could scratch the surface on it.”

Flurry felt her heart sink. “Damn it,” she muttered, more to herself than anyone. Now what was she supposed to do? Anxiety crept up her spine as she realized just how much hope she had placed on Nyx’s strength being her ticket out of this predicament. She couldn’t just accept being Merry’s plaything for the next thirty-forty years. There had to be a solution.

Nyx’s ear flicked a little as she seemed about to say something.

“What… I know that look, Nyx. Spill it.”

“Oh, well, I was just thinking what you really need is an expert in arcane dynamics. You know, if we—”

Fire blazed through Flurry’s emotional core, shoving aside all rational thought. “No. No way.”

“She’s your best shot, Flurry. Do you know a more accomplished thaumaturge than Twilight?”

“I said no, Nyx. I’d rather let that letch have me than be anywhere near her,” she hissed through gritted teeth, her hooves digging into the mattress of the bed.

Nyx let out a sigh, reaching out to place a hoof on her shoulder. “I know you two don’t see eye to eye, but she’s your only hope right now.” Though her tone carried a gentleness, it only deflected off Flurry’s anger like water off the bow of a sailing ship. “Please, Flurry, all I ask is you put your feelings aside for now. Let her help you.”

“Help me?” she hissed. “Do you have any idea how many ponies died the last time I asked her for help? I swore I’d never rely on her again.”

“You might not have a choice,” Nyx said softly. “I can’t force you, but just for once will you let go of that stubborn resentment of yours?”

Flurry closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. The fading anger left her drained, the pain in her head returning. Nyx’s words rang in her mind. Was she really out of options? Would she truly end up being sent to the Republic for trial? That is, unless that pig decided to just keep her as a pet, which was starting to seem the more likely outcome.

A cold sliver of fear went down her spine as she imagined it. She could fight and lose, or hope to simply endure it until he died naturally, ending up like those poor mares at his feet. And would she want to carry that experience around for millennia to come?

With a heavy sigh, Flurry felt resigned to abandon her loathing, at least long enough to get out of this wreck of a predicament. If enduring Twilight for a time was the price she had to pay to avoid that fate, then… Then so be it.

“Okay, you win. She can fiddle around however she likes, but that’s all,” Flurry said sternly. “Just keep her off my back, will you? I already feel like crap, and I’ve got no patience for a lecture.”

Nyx smiled softly. “You could, I don’t know, try talking with her.” Then, at Flurry’s serious glare, she relented. “Fine, fine. I won’t push it any further.”

“Thank you.”

“So, are you ready?” Nyx asked.

“Wait, what? She’s not…”

“She’s already onboard, yes. We made a rendezvous about thirty minutes ago.”

“Hold on, did you arrange this without even—”

“No no,” Nyx interrupted. “She has other business here. Honestly, Flurry, not everything is about you.”

“Fine. So I suppose we have to do this right now?”

“No time like the present,” Nyx said with a smile.

“Not even gonna give me time to think about it? Maybe talk some sense into myself?”

“Okay, up you go,” Nyx declared, offering a mild telekinetic lift on Flurry’s aching body. “Just lean on me. You’re still really banged up, so take it easy.”

“Wish me luck, Whammy,” Flurry pleaded to her bedside companion. “You know I’ll need it.”

She grimaced as she pulled herself off the bed, earning a few worried looks from the nurses in the bay. Nyx helped her remove the intravenous lines and monitors before her hooves touched the ground.

A dull pain rose from her weary body as she stood, like she had been dipped in ice and fire at the same time. She let out a soft hiss, her body protesting at being roused before it was ready.

She then staggered, slumping against Nyx, who braced herself to take the added weight. Her legs wobbled, and it took a moment to steady herself. With Nyx at her side, she took her first shaky step forward, becoming steadier as she walked.

“This feels just like when I woke up after Nightstone,” Flurry chuckled darkly through clenched teeth. “And I had a meeting with Twilight then too.”

“Let’s hope it goes a bit better this time around,” Nyx offered as they made their way to the exit.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The ship bustled with activity as pegasus work crews rushed about in a frenzy. While they busied themselves making repairs, the stench of burned and melted plastic hung in the air like a noxious cloud. Flurry had been in situations like this many times over the centuries, though on more than a few occasions, she had been the cause. The only thing missing was the shouting and the gunfire.

Trying to tangle with the changeling cruiser had left the Glorium with a few scars for her trouble. Some of the atriums were sealed off, and nearby corridors had become a jungle of exposed cabling and open ductwork.

On the positive side, the crew being so busy meant they were too distracted to care about the pair of alicorns that hobbled on by. Flurry winced as she limped along on three legs, putting most of her weight against her cousin’s steadying telekinetic field.

No words were spoken between them as they made their way to wherever Twilight was. Flurry knew that Nyx knew this was the last thing she wanted to be doing right now—especially since she was in such a vulnerable state.

Flurry hadn’t spoken with her aunt in what seemed like forever, and she had done her damndest to stay as far away as possible. Now, with the inevitable conflict moments away, Flurry’s bitterness and anger boiled endlessly in her mental cauldron.

“So what’s she doing here anyway?” Flurry groused. “And if Twilight really cared, you’d think she would have visited.”

“How do you know she hasn’t?” Nyx remarked. “You’ve been out cold for hours.”

The scowl on Flurry’s brow deepened as she battled internally over which scenario made her more uncomfortable.

“You can’t really blame her,” Nyx continued. “But since you asked, she’s here because of Echo.”

“Echo? They knew each other?” Flurry asked. It was curious that the director of Harmony would make a special trip to pay respects to one of her fallen security staff.

“Yeah. She seemed pretty insistent about having access to the body.”

Flurry gave an indignant snort. “What would she want with Echo’s body? Is this something to do with the windigo trying to eat her?”

“I don’t know. But the windigo thing is… complicated,” Nyx replied with hesitation.

“It is, isn’t it!” Flurry fumed. “Twilight wants to study her body to learn about the windigo. That mare has to make everything a damn science project.”

“Flurry, we already have intel on the windigo that is top-secret,” Nyx said.

“Okay… What is it?” Flurry insisted.

“I really shouldn’t say.”

“C’mon, Nyx. You know you can trust me. What do you know?”

Nyx let out a heavy sigh as they made their way slowly down the corridor. “You remember what we noticed during the fight? How it ignored us until we wore it down enough.”

“Yeah, then it tried to eat me. So they eat to regenerate. That’s top-secret?”

“I actually didn’t know that part,” Nyx clarified, lowering her voice as some ponies passed on by. “But what we did know was that when a windigo eats, the victim remains in conscious torment, feeling everything until they are entirely consumed. It’s said that then, they actually devour your lifestream signature. Apparently, that’s a big part of their life cycle.”

“Great. So they can eat your soul.” Flurry shuddered, considering how close she had come to this fate. “Also… It’s said? By whom?”

“The Alcora,” Nyx revealed.

“The Alcora?! What the hell is the Commonwealth doing talking with them?” Flurry grumbled. This was all starting to smell very fishy. Why would the most powerful and enigmatic race in the galaxy be sharing obscure secrets about the Windigo with the ponies of Equus?

“That’s classified, Flurry. I’m sorry. I’ve already said more than I should.”

“Great… So Twilight is here to run experiments on Echo’s body for data collection.” Flurry fumed in silence for a moment. If she needed even more reasons to be frustrated with Twilight, they never seemed to be in short supply.

“I honestly don’t know, Flurry. But you could try giving her the benefit of the doubt for once. Maybe it has nothing to do with that.”

“You watch, Nyx. It’s that or she’s here to collect the windigo’s body and slip off with it. What did you end up doing with that thing anyway?”

“They put it on ice as soon as the Glorium docked,” Nyx said, lowering her voice again as another pony passed by. “Though it started decomposing pretty much immediately after we killed it.”

“There’s a pleasant image,” Flurry said, wrinkling her nose. That damned thing managed to find new ways to disgust her, even in death.

Eventually, they made their way to a repair bay that sat adjacent to the main hangar. Peering through the window were ponies from Swan’s aerie, accompanied by curious members of the deck crew. Flurry recognized Blitz among them.

“Hey, Blitz,” Flurry called. “What are you all doing here?”

“Well hi, Flurry!” Blitz replied after turning to face her, his expression almost joyful. “Three alicorns on the ship at the same time? I had to get a look. Rumour is, she’s a real science nerd. You know, a lotta stallions find…”

Just when Flurry was narrowing her eyes in disgust, the pegasus changed the topic with an awkward chuckle.

“Hey, y’know, it’s great seeing you up and about, Flurry,” he tried, his smile spreading. “Swan told us things were pretty dicey for a while there.”

“Well, if by dicey you mean nearly getting eaten by a cosmic horror, then yeah, you could say that,” Flurry agreed, happy to get the focus far away from the potential topic of her aunt’s sex-appeal.

“I think it’s safe to say you and your lovely cousin here carried the fight,” he continued without missing a beat. “So thank you for looking after Swan in there. From all of us—it means a lot.”

At this, several ponies behind him nodded, offering weak smiles and murmurs of agreement.

“All for the aerie,” Flurry replied, earning an approving nod from Blitz.

“And you must be Nyx,” Blitz swooned in admiration as he shifted his gaze onto her. “A pair of alicorn beauties before me at the same time. I must be blessed.”

A few of the aerie rolled their eyes and walked away.

“You’ve not caught us at our best,” Nyx said.

“Nonsense,” he replied with an easy smile. “If that were true, then I have underestimated your splendor.” At this, he extended a hoof like a noble stallion at a dance.

Flurry tried her best to hold back a chuckle as she watched the pegasus attempting the impossible. Nyx eyed him cooly, her expression neutral.

“Perhaps you could regale me with the story of defeating the windigo,” he charmed, the little sparkle in his eye making Flurry soften, feeling a little tingly in her nethers. She did love the confident ones.

“Oh, I’m sure my cousin would love to,” Flurry offered with a sly grin.

Nyx gave him a polite smile before darting an unamused glance in Flurry’s direction. She then reached out and gave the stallion’s hoof a dainty shake with her own, pulling away before he could move to kiss it.

“I’m afraid we are too busy for chit chat,” Nyx stated, putting just enough regret into her voice to be convincing. “Flurry and I have a meeting to get to. If you’ll excuse us.”

Blitz blinked as Nyx stepped past him, tail clamped, and opened the hatch to the repair bay.

Flurry patted the stallion on the shoulder. “A worthy effort—seven out of ten.”

“From you, that is high praise,” he replied, recovering quickly.

“I can tell you all about the big bad windigo later if you’d like—” she began

“Flurry…” came Nyx’s stern voice from up ahead.

“Fine, I’m coming,” she groaned before hobbling off to join an impatient Nyx, who was holding the hatch open for her.

“I see you haven’t changed when it comes to stallions,” Nyx whispered sharply.

“Neither have you,” Flurry retorted, blowing a raspberry in protest.

The first thing Flurry noticed as she shambled into the repair bay was the weird odour in the air, almost like those old changeling bio-research stations from before the Griffon war. The pungent smell faded as her sinuses adapted, leaving the entirety of Flurry’s attention to focus on the baffling sight before her.

Scattered through roughly a quarter of the repair bay was an assortment of advanced medical equipment which had been hastily set up. Flurry’s jaw hung slack as her eyes fell on Echo’s headless body, suspended upright in a sling beneath the bay’s heavy-lift gantry. Twilight was standing nearby, monitoring some equipment. Her back was to them as she hummed a gentle tune to herself.

Flurry was at a loss for words. She nearly stumbled, forgetting her own injuries as she took in the scene. Coming out of the ragged stump of Echo’s neck were an assortment of flexible tubes, hooking her body to various nearby machines. Among these was clearly a CAPS power line that was quite plainly pumping thaumatic energy in through the neck.

As if the scene could not get any weirder, she then spotted Echo’s severed head propped up in a mechanical cradle on the workbench right next to Twilight. Similar to the body, various tubes and definitely a power conduit were hooked up to the base of the skull. Through the tubes, Flurry saw blood, or what looked like blood, flowing in and out beneath the head.

What the hell?? Flurry thought as she tried to process what her eyes were seeing. I’m still dreaming.

No. This freakshow of an alicorn was trying to gather data from the windigo attack, just as she suspected. But nothing, not even that, justified the absolute desecration on display here.

“Okay, she’s taking the mad scientist thing way too far," Flurry spat out. She pivoted around in disgust, ready to shuffle all the way back to the med-bay with or without Nyx’s assistance. Just then, a voice chimed in from off to the side.

“Hey, that’s what I said! Didn’t I say like, almost those exact words?”

It was Fire Hawk. She was sitting on a floor cushion beside Priest and Princess in the corner of the repair bay. Flurry stared wide-eyed at the kirin in absolute confusion while Princess offered a friendly wave to the alicorns.

“What… what’s going on here?” Flurry asked. “What is wrong with you people? You couldn’t just give her an honorable funeral and lay her to rest like any normal person would?”

“I’d rather they didn’t, if it’s all the same,” another voice spoke. That was Echo. Flurry whipped her head around to see that the voice had come from a small speaker sitting on the workbench. Additionally, Echo’s eyes were now open and looking directly at her.

What kind of trickery was this? Now Twilight had reanimated the dead? Flurry felt dizzy between her injuries and the absolute absurdity of what was going on here. She half-collapsed onto her haunches, Nyx rushing to steady her.

“It’s okay, Flurry,” Princess tried.

Just then, Twilight turned to face her. The lavender-colored alicorn let out a sigh as she looked upon Flurry. Her appearance was just as Flurry remembered, as if time had stood still between them. She was wearing a boring navy-colored business suit, her mane tied up in an equally dull-looking bun. Grace and poise were not attributes that Twilight had gained in the past centuries. Flurry used to find it endearing, but now it just irritated her.

“Hello, Flurry,” Twilight said, her voice hesitant. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I just fell down a flight of stairs made out of anvils and then landed on the set of a horror movie, how do you think I’m feeling?” she snorted in reply.

“Flurry,” Nyx warned.

“What?” Flurry shot back.

“It’s fine, Nyx,” Twilight said, a weariness creeping into her voice. “I probably should have told you about Echo a long time ago.”

“Told me what, exactly?” Nyx asked before Flurry could fire off a spiteful accusation. “What are you doing with her body?”

“She’s repairing me,” Echo’s voice said from the speaker on the workbench.

“Repairing you?” Nyx queried, an eyebrow raising.

“Echo is a golem,” Twilight stated simply as she levitated two floor cushions for them to sit on. “She’s one of a kind.” The mare positively glowed with pride in her revelation, giving Echo’s head a smile. The head returned the gesture.

A golem, Flurry thought to herself. She was no stranger to golems of all types, of course. They had been a staple of pony society for centuries, helping with menial tasks, especially in sparsely populated colonies.

“Hold on,” Flurry protested, wishing she could be more animated without hurting herself. “I was with Echo during the mission. I fought alongside her. Golems are simplistic artificial creatures, barely alive by even rudimentary standards. Echo was not a golem. This is some kind of trick. A golem made to look like her maybe—an expensive one at that.”

“Flurry,” the machine spoke.

“What?” came Flurry’s exasperated response as she turned to face the speaker, then the head.

“Come see.”

Flurry limped over to the headless body and peered into its neck.

“Hmm.”

She spent a few seconds poking around a bit with her telekinesis, gently moving tissues aside. “Okay, fine. Not many ponies have a titanium spinal column.”

“Complete with a power conduit and high-density thaumatic relays,” Twilight added.

“That too,” Flurry admitted, firing an annoyed glare at her.

“Satisfied?” the golem asked.

“I’ve seen a lot of golems,” Flurry stated, her skepticism rising. “The single-purpose mechanical jobbies are my favourites. The pony-shaped ones though… the way they move, the way they speak, everything about them lacks that spark of life which a real pony has. Even the advanced ones are uncanny when you talk to them. You can always tell nobody’s home. They are property. Things. Certainly not people. So we put them to work doing crap jobs.”

Flurry shuffled around the body, giving it a closer inspection. She tapped one of its forehooves, causing the dangling foreleg to sway back and forth. “Waitress… Point of sale…”

After a few more steps, she ran a hoof gently down its spine. “General labour… Supplemental crew…”

From behind the body, she lifted its tail with a hoof, getting a good look at what lay beneath. “Sex bots…”

“Hey, do you mind?” the golem asked.

“I have to give you credit, Twilight,” Flurry continued, ignoring its protests. “It’s an impressive machine. But Echo was a real live pony. I can tell the difference.”

“Flurry,” came Echo’s disembodied voice again.

With a sigh, Flurry looked into the golem’s eyes if only to humor it.

“You remember just before the fight in engineering when I walked up behind and accidentally startled you? I sent the sprite off to gather intel. Then I had a bit of fun with you, pointing out a number of things a normal pony wouldn’t have noticed. That was just a bit of harmless levity, you know?”

Flurry’s jaw hung loose as her mind processed what was just said. Then, a small gap appeared in the flesh between the body’s shoulders, letting a single tiny sprite drone loose, zipping out silently before hovering alongside the golem’s head.

“It really is me,” Echo said.

“Impressive,” Nyx muttered.

Flurry’s mind was spinning. “But a golem only acts according to what is inscribed on its thaumatic core. Like, there’s no way Twilight programmed you to lead a tactical team.”

“Echo is different from other advanced golems,” Twilight stated, now in full lecture mode. “She can adapt and blend her conversation, learning from those around her and making her own decisions. I didn’t even give her a sense of humour—she picked that up all on her own. It was slow at first, but in time, she learned to understand the nuances of equine emotions.”

“You taught her?” Flurry asked.

“Yes, there is no substitute for experience,” Twilight stated simply. “Like a mother teaching a foal.”

“A foal,” Flurry repeated, staring at Echo. “Huh. So let’s get this straight—you built Nyx a sister?”

“Sister is a bit strong,” Echo said.

Flurry let out a chuckle, looking back to Twilight. “You know, only you would build yourself a child. You couldn’t just find a stallion and make one the normal way, could you?”

Twilight’s cheeks became slightly flushed. “It wasn’t like that.”

“So what was she doing on Harmony? Spying on everyone?” Flurry asked, giving her aunt a hard look.

“Of course not!” Twilight exclaimed.

“I joined MAWS of my own volition,” Echo said. “Preserving life and helping others is what all sapient beings desire, isn’t it?”

“Some,” Flurry muttered.

“Is that real flesh and hair?” Nyx asked, her voice thick with curiosity.

“It is,” Twilight confirmed with a nod, the tone of an upcoming lecture making Flurry’s eyes glaze over. “She has a suite of life-support functions to sustain her biological components, but all her critical systems are artificial.

Great, nerd talk, Flurry grumbled internally. She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. It seemed the drugs were starting to wear off, and all of this weirdness wasn’t helping.

Fire Hawk and the others carried on without her, conversing energetically with Echo’s head and Twilight. Things couldn’t possibly get more surreal.

Flurry was staring at the repair bay’s entrance, wishing she could be back in her bed when a hoof tapped her on the shoulder.

“Nyx tells me you have quite the enchantment on you,” Twilight mentioned, breaking Flurry out of her thoughts.

“About time,” Flurry replied sourly. “That’s quite the setup you’ve got going on Harmony with the pegasi. Would’ve cost Nyx her ship and crew if I hadn’t done this.” She then flexed a black wing out slightly to draw attention to it.

“It wasn’t what any of us wanted,” Twilight countered. “I’ve spent weeks trying to get this situation fixed, but the Republic’s bureaucracy never does anything quickly.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Flurry groused. “So, can you get this stupid thing off me or what?”

“Let’s see,” Twilight said, taking a shaky breath.

Flurry felt the warmth of Twilight’s thaumatic energy brush against hers, reaching down towards where the black mass of the enchantment lay. Though she’d never admit it, she could tell it was far more potent and nuanced than Nyx’s attempt.

“Hmm, the spell has buried itself very deep,” Twilight murmured, more to herself than to Flurry. “Surprisingly complex.”

Flurry jerked as a jolt of electricity shot through her system. “Ow! Be careful!”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting it to be so reactive to intrusion.”

Flurry grumbled but said nothing more, knowing it was in her own best interest to avoid breaking Twilight’s focus.

The sight of Twilight’s frown deepening, as she continued, only added to Flurry’s misery.

Finally, the sensation of her tinkering faded, and her horn returned to normal.

“I can see why this has caused you so much trouble,” Twilight said, her tone much softer than Flurry was expecting. “Whoever designed it knew what they were doing; it’s uncommonly elegant. There’s even a degrading spell lock placed on it to allow the bearer to operate outside the caster’s area.”

“Are you trying to remove it or ask it out to dinner?” Flurry grumbled. “Can you get rid of it or not?”

“Doubtful,” Twilight stated, earning an angry snort from Flurry. “I’ll need a week at least, just to properly study it.”

“We don’t have a week, Twilight.”

“This is a brutally potent spell, Flurry—one mistake and it could kill you,” Twilight warned.

“Great, maybe you can send me the solution while I’m stuck in Merry’s sex dungeon,” she groused, anxiety creeping into her voice.

“I won’t let that happen,” Twilight replied.

“Where have I heard that before?” Flurry retorted, the scorn in her voice making Twilight wilt a little.

“I… I’ll think of something. I’m sorry, Flurry.” Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder for just a moment before walking away.

Flurry sat there, alone in her thoughts as she contemplated her predicament. It was bad enough that her hope in Nyx’s strength had fallen flat, but to bury her feelings enough to let Twilight anywhere near, only for that to also fail? It was too much.

Now what was she supposed to do? If Twilight couldn’t free her, she had no choice but to accept whatever miserable existence Merry imposed on her. It wasn’t supposed to go this way. She had only accepted the spell so she could rescue Nyx. Then, she’d break free and rub Merry’s stupid surprised nose in his failure as she once again evaded capture. It would have been quite the story to tell over drinks at the Broken Bow. Now, the only drinks Flurry was likely to encounter would be the ones she served to Merry’s guests, just before they—

“Flurry?” It was Nyx, coming to sit alongside her.

“I’m screwed, Nyx,” Flurry lamented. When her cousin didn’t reply, it only served to confirm her fate.

They sat together for a moment before Nyx spoke again. “Flint called. He says he’s unlocked the Syndicate data core we brought back from their boss. Says we’re close to breaking the conspiracy behind capturing the Orion.

“Congratulations,” Flurry muttered. “Make sure whoever is responsible gets spaced for me, will ya?”

“Flint is holding a conference in a half hour to discuss it. I’d like you to come.”

Flurry sighed. “What do you need me for, Nyx? I’m just a pirate. Scratch that… A blackwing.”

Nyx placed a wing around Flurry’s shoulder as they sat together. “You’re my cousin, Flurry. My family. That’s reason enough for me.”

Chapter 19 - Traitor

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“I’ll see you soon,” Nyx said as she turned to go.

“Thanks, Nyx,” Flurry said, watching the black mare trot off to take care of some last-minute things before their meeting. The pair had just made their way across the ship to the conference room Flint had reserved, first stopping by Medical to pick up Whammy.

Turning around, she regarded the entrance. It was a solid wood door, marked ‘Conference 2’ in large letters. A small window was set into the door, revealing the dark, unused room beyond.

Flurry breathed a weary sigh as she let herself in. The silence inside was comforting, affording her some respite from the unending bustle that had been her life since the previous morning. Rather than turn the light on, she simply closed the door behind her, taking a seat on a floor cushion near the centre of the large conference table that dominated the room.

The only thing breaking the darkness was the soft shaft of light streaming in from the corridor through the door’s window. It fell upon the polished cedar in a slightly distorted rectangle, directly over where she had placed Whammy.

It occurred to Flurry that this was the first moment she truly had to herself since this whole debacle began. From the time she first heard Nyx’s distress call, she had been pressed by some kind of nonstop urgency or struggle. Now, she simply melted into her seat, finally able to think without the threat of some new disaster happening if she didn’t make a snap decision or put her life at risk.

Flurry’s emotions soon became a tangled mess. The crushing weight of it all pressed heavily onto her heart as events played back in her mind’s eye. How? Why? Did it even matter at this point? A single tear fell onto the table, and she tried hard not to let out a little sob, refusing to give fate the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

The story of my life, she thought to herself. Punished for doing the right thing.

“I don’t know what to do, Whammy,” she said finally, turning her gaze onto the plushie. He wouldn’t want her wallowing in self-pity, but she had never been in this kind of trouble before. She reached out and pulled him close.

“Of course I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice cracking slightly. “Can you imagine what they’ll do to me?”

His worn velvet pressed softly against her chest as she held him.

“I know.” She sniffled wetly and wiped a tear from her eye. “It’s just so hard to believe that right now. I mean, look at me. I’m a wreck. I really thought that once I got to Nyx, everything would be fine.”

Flurry composed herself and placed Whammy back on the table where he was before. “I even gave Twilight a shot at it. Nothing. Can you believe it? Look at these things.” She flexed a wing and regretted it as pain shot through her torn muscles.

The thought of her aunt only served to upset her more. Heartache turned to anger as she sat there, fuming for a long moment before finally thumping a forehoof on the table in frustration. Whammy’s antennae bobbled from the sudden jolt.

She stared at him for a moment as his googly eyes settled down. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”

He only sat there, silently judging her.

“No, she doesn’t deserve any slack, Whammy,” she retorted, feeling her irritation rise. “I know she said she’d think of something, but do you really believe it? You know her promises don’t mean shit.”

One of Whammy’s antennae drooped a little as he began to slowly list like a sinking ship.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about. Or have you forgotten?” she hissed. “You know how many died that day. And damn if I’ll forgive her for that.”

Whammy flopped onto his side.

“Oh you’re no help,” she snorted. “You always take their side.” A soft sigh escaped her muzzle. “Of course Nyx trusts her. They’re family.”

She looked away from his passive gaze. “Not to me, Whammy. Not to me.”

As she stared into the darkness, something shifted near the far end of the conference table. It was so faint she had to look at it sideways until her peripheral vision picked up the outline. Someone was there!

“Oh don’t stop on my account,” came Flintlock’s voice as he tapped his holo-brace, causing it to throw just enough light to see him by. He was sporting a compression wrap around his chest from where he had been shot. “If you need some more time…”

“No,” Flurry replied with some annoyance, feeling heat flush into her cheeks. “I think we’re done for now.”

Damn thestrals.

“I came early to enjoy the dark solitude,” he explained. “Sorry for intruding on your… moment.”

Flurry nudged the light switch on the wall, brightening the room just enough to see clearly. “Me too, actually.” She then gave Whammy a brief death glare for letting her think they were alone.

Flint remained silent, and from the look he was giving her, she suspected he might soon be recommending her to the psychiatric ward. Not that Flint was a stranger to her and Whammy—she just knew it worried him more than he’d ever admit.

Looking around, Flurry could now see even more gaudy décor that was scattered around the room. The walls were painted a deep red, with gold filigrees weaving their way around paintings of Merry Weather and prominent members of his family.

She knew a little of his father from her time in the Republic before the war. Lord Fair Weather was one of those middling nobles in the imperial court, though he was still held in high regard. Flurry had to wonder how the stallion could tolerate such a son—though perhaps that was the reason Merry was on Harmony in the first place.

The painting of the old stallion seemed to glare down disapprovingly at all corners of the room. It perhaps showed that Merry held some reverence to his father… or perhaps he simply lacked the spine to remove it.

Flurry guessed the latter.

“So,” Flint began, looking Flurry square in the eye. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Talk about what?”

“You and Twilight,” he said calmly.

“What’s there to say?” she snorted. “When I needed help, she wasn’t there. Simple.”

“Nothing with you is ever simple, Flurry,” Flint replied.

Flurry regarded the thestral for a moment. Their history went way back, even to fighting alongside one another in the trenches of Bloodbriar. She knew he had every reason to want to help. It was just that Flurry preferred to keep this one to herself.

Finally, she let out a sigh and resigned herself to dredging up the details once more.

“What do you know about Pharos?” she began.

“Not a lot,” he replied. “That’s the world the Republic scoured with climate converter bombs, right?”

Flurry felt another headache coming on, from her injuries or from the memory, she wasn’t sure. “My crew and I were there when it happened,” she spoke, her voice haunted with grief. “The hurricane engulfed nearly the entire planet.”

“Damn,” Flint commented, shuddering despite himself. “What happened?”

“We stopped off there to catch our breath after a run-in with an Alliance frigate,” she continued. “Cookie had family there and wanted to check up on them. Heard there was some kind of attack coming.”

“Cookie, I remember him. Short one with a lisp,” Flint said, rubbing his chin. “Couldn’t shoot to save his life, but the best damn galley chef anywhere.”

“That’s the one.”

Flint’s expression sank. “Did he and his folks make it off in time?”

Flurry nodded. “The pegasi gave the civilians a day to evacuate before unleashing the storm,” she said. “I shoved him on a transport myself. Problem was, there weren’t enough ships. Tens of thousands had been left behind.”

“One day really isn’t enough time to muster an evac,” Flint commented.

“No,” she agreed, shaking her head slightly as she stared through the table. “We managed to scrape up two other transports by calling in some favours. There was a habitable world just over an hour away—suitable enough for evac, at least temporarily. We had them making round trips nonstop for hours. Thing is, they’re not a third as fast as the Dream but can hold a thousand if you cram them in tight enough.”

“So, how does Twilight fit into all this?” Flint asked.

Flurry took a breath, stifling her churning emotions. “Xani and I did the calculations, and there still weren’t enough transports. Pretty early on, I made the call and asked Twilight to rustle up some ships from the Commonwealth to help with the evacuation.”

Flint whistled. “That’s a stretch. Equus doesn’t get involved in colonial conflicts.”

“Oh no, she said she’d help. That wasn’t even the problem. She said she’d have them there in time for the final push. Equus might be neutral, but helping civilians wouldn’t have jeopardised that.”

Flurry recalled that spark of joy she felt when Twilight had agreed to send help—a spark which had since turned to a flame of pure bitterness in her heart.

“What happened, then?” Flint asked.

“Things were tight but going smoothly. Xani and I were coordinating the final effort to get everyone to the launch site when the time came to take another load of refugees in the Dream. I told her it was time to go, but she said she’d stay behind to help with the last of the evacuation and would catch the next transport out.”

“Wait…” Flint interrupted. “Are you saying the ships never came? Is Xani gone?”

Flurry hesitated at the question before pressing on. “I was nearly to the dropoff point, the Dream stuffed with ponies, when I got the Mirrorcomm call. It was Xani. She said she had contacted the transports that were due any time now. One of the captains replied, saying they hadn’t even been given the assignment. No ships were coming.”

Damn it. Flurry wasn’t going to do this, but she could already feel the tears forming in her eyes. The quirky zebra had been a member of her crew for nearly five years. She was a skilled medic and probably the best friend Flurry had during the war.

“The storm was nearly upon them. She said the winds were already picking up and they didn’t have much time. I told her she needed to take shelter. To call around. To find some way out of there. To—”

“There was nothing you could have done, Flurry,” Flint said, softly.

“I tried,” Flurry said through gritted teeth. “Both transports were still unloading. One was spooling up its jump drive to leave, but there was no way they’d get back in time. I dumped my passengers on their tails and shot back to Pharos at best speed for one last haul. Was only twenty minutes away when the storm wiped out the evac site. We were still on comms together when it happened. She… she told me to tell her family she died with honour.”

“I see,” Flint responded, his voice filled with sadness. “And you hold Twilight responsible.”

“Of course! She promised the ships were coming,” Flurry shot back, somewhat irritated that Flint hadn’t grasped the obvious.

“You’ve talked about it with her?”

“I tried to. I’ve never seen her so evasive. She gave some excuse about how the Commonwealth couldn’t risk being seen as escalating their presence in colonial space. That sending ships into warzones would make an ‘accidental skirmish’ too likely.”

Flint bore a puzzled expression on his face. “And what did you say to that?”

“I said she was full of shit,” Flurry spat out. “The Republic guaranteed safe passage for civilian ships.”

“Did she have anything further to add?”

“No. She said that what she told me is all she can say. A cop-out if I ever saw one. Xani was my friend, Flint. Your friend. A part of my crew. Over seven thousand ponies were left to drown on Pharos, and Twilight didn’t even have the guts to tell me why. How can I forgive that?” Flurry’s wings were trembling at her sides.

Flint walked up and sat beside her, placing his wing around her shoulder. She leaned into her old friend, an odd relief flowing through her in waves. It caught her by surprise how it felt getting that burden off her chest.

“I appreciate you sharing that,” Flint said, drawing a deep breath. “And I’m really sorry for what happened to Xani. It helps to know where you’re coming from, and for what it’s worth, I’d like to know what happened as well. But for now, I just need you to play nice with her, okay? It’s been a lot of years and we’ve got pressing matters to deal with.”

Flurry let out a sigh. “Fine. I won’t cause a scene.”

“More than you already have, you mean,” Flint added with a wink.

“Yeah, that. So, where is everyone, anyway? Aren’t we supposed to be having a meeting?”

“We are. And you’re gonna be very interested in what I’ve found,” Flint replied. “Everyone I can trust is coming. Nyx is coordinating so that it doesn’t look suspicious. Oakheart has been caught up in post-op business while trying to keep Downdraft and his cronies off our scent. And Twilight is wrapping up a personal project down by the hangar.”

Flurry rolled her eyes. “I saw. Are you sure she needs to—”

“Flurry…”

“I know, I know. Well, at least Oak is coming.” The thought of him made her smile. “I need to thank him for pulling our asses out of the fire. Jumping the carrier into a gun duel with a cruiser was ballsy.”

Flint let out a chuckle. “His reputation is well deserved.”

“No wonder they’re late,” Flurry added with a grin. “Oak’s probably trapped on an atrium ledge somewhere.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. You might be right.” He winced in pain from laughing with a chest wound.

“You need to take it easy there, you old bat,” Flurry added, gently nudging him in the shoulder.

“Yeah, it’s bad enough I’ll have to explain to Peanut how I ended up getting shot.”

Flurry gulped. “I think I’d rather face the windigo again than face the temper of that mare when she finds out.”

“You know it!” he snarked, though the smile on his face showed he was eager to get back to his love.

“Is she happy with you being Security chief on Harmony?” Flurry asked.

“It was that or me walking the beat on some colony,” he shrugged. “At least here I’m doing something meaningful.”

Flurry considered his words. “Meaningful, huh? You never struck me as an optimist.”

“I take the good where I can find it,” he said with a grin.

Just then, the door opened and Nyx stepped through. She acknowledged them both with a nod before taking a seat opposite Flurry.

“Twilight finish her science experiment?” Flurry asked with mild disdain.

“Yes, as far as I can tell. Echo is still immobile, but her life support systems are back up and running.”

“Glad to hear it,” Flint said, giving her an appreciative nod.

“So you knew what she was?” Flurry queried, giving him a frown.

“I wouldn’t be a good security chief if I didn’t know my officers,” Flint replied with a wink.

The next to enter was Oakheart. The stallion greeted Flurry with a tight smile that spoke of his continued displeasure with Pegasus ship design.

A sly grin crept onto Flurry’s muzzle. “Hey, captain. Did you get off the bridge okay?” she prodded.

The earth pony bristled, working his jaw. “I found an elevator.”

Flurry chuckled to herself until Twilight stepped through the door, causing her good mood to sour.

For a moment, there was an uneasy silence in the room as everyone waited for a reaction. Neither of them seemed willing to make the first move.

Twilight looked pensive, her ears flattening. She let out a long sigh and straightened herself.

“I never got a chance before to thank you for saving my daughter,” Twilight said. She looked over to Nyx with a relieved smile. “So, thank you for helping to save her.”

“And your expensive ship,” Flurry added.

“And my expensive ship,” Twilight said with another sigh.

“Director, why don’t you take a seat and we can get started,” Flint offered.

Twilight blinked. “Oh yes, of course.”

Oakheart gently ushered Twilight around the table where the two of them sat at either side of Nyx.

Twilight’s horn lit up briefly and a pulse of thaumatic energy swept forth, encompassing the room.

“There, that should give us some privacy,” Twilight announced. “Now, we can get down to business.”

Flintlock tapped his holo-brace, causing the room to darken while a projector emerged from the centre of the conference table. Soon, a holographic images of the Orion and Glorium appeared, the latter sitting at the zero-coordinate on the display. It was a replay of the battle from the carrier’s perspective.

He gave a couple taps, speeding things up as they watched the events unfold until a massive explosion gutted out the Syndicate cruiser’s underbelly. Here, Flint paused the replay.

“After a daring move by Sabre Lead, the cruiser was disabled, ending the fight. The ship’s reactor overloaded, and her guns remained silent. From here, the Glorium cautiously monitored the situation, waiting for word from the Orion. When ship comms were finally restored, Oakheart dispatched Delta team to board and secure the cruiser, sending in the majority of the blackwing aerie to assist.”

On the display, several marked figures were shown approaching the disabled Syndicate mothership.

“After Captain Nyx and Lieutenant Swan Song brought Flurry to the Glorium for medical treatment, they boarded the cruiser to aid in securing her captain and crew,” Flint concluded.

Nyx cleared her throat, taking her cue to speak. “Swan filled me in on the mission op and overall tactical situation,” she said. “We made our way to the bridge, where we confronted the Syndicate ‘boss’. She surrendered the ship’s data core, which I then passed on to Flint.”

“The boss just gave you the data core?” Twilight asked.

Flurry looked over to Nyx, giving her an approving smile. “She did the Nightmare thing.”

Nyx coughed awkwardly, earning an amused look from Twilight.

Flint tapped the replay forward until a cloud of tug drones could be seen deploying from the Glorium and securing themselves up and down the aft section of all three wings. He then paused just as one of the carrier’s shuttles departed the cruiser.

Oakheart chimed in at this point. “Shipmaster Downdraft advised that we scuttle the cruiser to prevent opportunistic raiding. I thought this was a wise idea, which you can see here.”

The recording then showed the shuttle’s return to the Glorium followed by the cruiser exploding in an enormous fireball, soon fading into nothing more than a debris field.

“Downdraft did something useful? Colour me surprised,” Flurry commented.

“Yes, he became pleasantly cooperative once the tactical situation was resolved,” Oak replied. “He’s currently ‘helping out’ with the Syndicate prisoners, making sure they are kept secure in Storage-A below the hangar deck. Probably wants me to say something nice to Merry on his behalf when we get back.” He rolled his eyes in contempt.

“Sounds like him. I hate the sycophant types,” Flurry grumbled. “I’m not looking forward to being on the losing end of dealing with him in the future.”

“On that front, you can be sure we’re working on getting rid of the Merry problem,” Oak offered.

It was a nice gesture, but Flurry knew it wouldn’t help her dilemma at all. Or Swan’s or anyone else in the aerie.

“You do realise that even if you were able to evict Merry off Harmony, all the blackwings would simply be taken with him,” Flurry pointed out, extending her good wing this time and jiggling her black primaries to underscore her point.

“We are quite aware of that fact, Flurry,” Oak stated. “Why do you think we have been biding our time with him?”

“This is only a first step,” Twilight said. “I’ve just returned from meeting with Emperor Stratos of the Pegasus Republic, trying to make progress on this very issue.”

“How did that go?” Oak asked.

“As expected, he was appalled to hear of Lord Merry Weather’s antics. He assured me that it was never his intention for such a character to be sent to Harmony. Suffice to say, he intends to look into the matter personally,” Twilight said, rattling off her reply with all the passion of a secretary golem.

“Yeah right,” Flurry grumbled.

“The problem is, according to Republic law, Merry Weather has committed no crime. The blackwings sequestered to him are…” her voice hardened, “…his property to do with as he sees fit. Meaning we can’t simply take him into custody while we wait for the Emperor to order him home.”

“Are you surprised?” Flurry snorted in disgust. “That stallion sent a million blackwings to their deaths in the war. Do you think he cares that a few more are being mistreated by some corrupt noble?”

“This is politically awkward for the emperor,” Twilight continued, ignoring her outburst. “He has made very public commitments to the Harmony Initiative. If word of this gets out, it’ll be an embarrassment. Stratos will want this dealt with quietly before it becomes a public scandal.”

“That may be true, but it doesn’t help Flurry’s predicament right now,” Oak pointed out.

“Thank you,” Flurry said with a bit of sassy irritation.

“Fortunately, Flint has found something that might speed that along,” Nyx pointed out. “It seems Lord Merry Weather has given us the rope to hang him with. Chief, if you could?”

“That’s right,” Flint said, straightening himself. A hint of pride spread across his face. “I’ve cracked the security on the data core. This is why I brought you all here.”

The holographic ships disappeared and were replaced with a split-screen image of Merry Weather in the middle of a Mirrorcomm discussion with a rather emaciated but otherwise normal-looking civilian pony. It was an earth pony stallion, a flat tan in colour, his face gaunt and ribs showing like he hadn’t eaten in two weeks. Despite his appearance, he did not seem uncomfortable but was speaking with Merry as if in a trance, his eyes distant and unfocused.

“Our… clients will be ready soon,” the earth pony said to Merry in a monotone voice as if he had no opinion whatsoever on the matter. “They expect to deploy within the hour.”

“Yes yes,” Merry confirmed, smiling graciously. “I am transmitting the course and departure time now, as well as the crew compliment.” He rubbed his forehooves together. “This information was not easy to acquire. I trust you have my payment?”

“My associates are most pleased with your cooperation,” the earth pony replied. As he said this, a windigo stepped forward from the shadows into view, towering over the pony. Judging from Merry’s reaction, it was the first time he had seen one. “The funds have been transferred as per our agreement. You are a friend to us, and we do not forget our friends. We may call upon you in the future.”

Merry positively beamed. “Of course! If there is anything else I can do—”

The image disappeared and the room brightened.

“He’s been playing us this whole time!” Flurry fumed, slamming a forehoof on the table. “That smug prick. All the theatrics and stalling. Getting me to… Oooh if I ever…”

“Breathe, Flurry,” Flint said calmly.

“Playing both sides, apparently,” Nyx pointed out, her ears pinned back and her eyes menacing. “I did not expect this.”

“No wonder Downdraft was so insistent on aborting the mission,” Oak added. “Merry would have told him to make sure it failed. The only way I was able to gain control was to blame him for the loss of Flurry Heart in front of Merry once we got back.”

“That figures,” Flurry scoffed. “Merry would have his head if he ended up responsible for losing his lordship’s greatest prize. I guess I really am the most wanted mare in the galaxy.”

“Ironic that Merry’s lust for owning an alicorn was ultimately the reason the rescue succeeded,” Twilight said. “At least we have enough evidence to convict him now.”

“You’re all heart,” Flurry jeered.

“I didn’t— I mean we have him now. There’s no way he is getting away with this,” Twilight responded.

“And we’re sure this is genuine?” Oakheart asked. “We’re dealing with changelings after all.”

“The transmission had Republic military encryption and the same signature as the Glorium,” Flint said. “Merry must have made the call from the carrier, thinking no one would ever see it.”

“You found this on the Syndicate data core?” Flurry asked. “Sounds like the boss was listening in.”

“That and more,” Flint replied. “Seems the windigo shared the signal with the Syndicate at the start, but the boss hacked the signal, keeping it open after Merry was off the call.”

“There’s more? Play it,” Flurry said.

“Trust me, you don’t want to see this,” Flint warned. “That windigo standing behind the pony? It ate him after the call. Its neck split right down the middle and swallowed him whole. Blood everywhere. I’ve never seen anything so horrible.”

“I have…” Flurry muttered. “And no, I’d rather not see it, thanks. Poor guy was just a mouthpiece.” Flurry shook off a cold shiver that ran down her spine.

“So all along, the windigo promised the Syndicate they’d get to keep the Orion.” Nyx stated.

“Then sabotaged her mid-heist,” Flurry added. “Lame.”

“We need to decide what to do with Merry,” Oak interrupted. “The evidence is damning. How do we proceed?”

“I can signal Harmony to have him detained,” Flint suggested. “I’m not the only one in the precinct that is itching to see him taken down.”

“We can’t,” Twilight said with a sigh.

“Why not?”

“The blackwing spell has a failsafe built into it,” she replied. “One command from the keeper of the enchantment and everyone is punished or even killed.”

Flurry shuddered at an unpleasant memory. “Oh… I saw that happen once during the war. It wasn’t pretty.”

“This complicates things,” Oakheart said grimly. “You know he’ll use the lives of his blackwings as leverage if he can. Especially your life, Miss Flurry.”

“We won’t let that happen,” Nyx said, her wings bristling.

“No argument there, captain,” Flint said, giving Flurry a reassuring smile. “But he’s holding a lot of cards at the moment. Maybe we can just shoot him in the head without warning?”

“That’s no good either,” Flurry said. “If he’s killed, the enchantment will auto-activate. You’d be mopping blood off the floor for weeks.”

“This thing is a real bitch of a spell,” Flint grumbled. “I take it you can’t just crack it?”

“Nope,” Flurry said, giving Twilight a pointed look. “How about I just punch him in the head when he's not looking? If nothing else, it’d at least be satisfying.”

Everyone’s silence on that point told Flurry they were all feeling about the same. Flurry’s usual brute force approach had never failed in so many ways in such a short period of time. She felt like flipping the table and storming out of the room, but her eye caught Whammy, still sitting there staring at her.

She looked away with a hiss of frustration. There had to be something they could do that wouldn’t result in having to face Merry every day with this noose around her neck. She looked between Twilight and Nyx, but their concerned frowns only made her feel worse.

“Is there a way to delay the trigger?” Flintlock asked, drawing everyone’s attention. “I don’t understand all this thaumaturgy stuff, but that thing is basically a remote bomb, right?”

“Essentially, yes,” Twilight replied.

“I’ve seen the bomb disposal guys use all sorts of gadgets to interfere with a bomb’s detonator so they can move ’em to somewhere safe. Could we do something similar?”

Twilight’s face lit up. “Yes, of course!” She then focused on Flurry’s body, probing around with intricate energies. “Yes, this could work.”

“Hey, do you mind?” Flurry asked, recoiling from the invasion.

“I might not be able to dispel the enchantment, but I can inhibit what triggers it,” Twilight said as her nerd gears began to turn. “If I can get really close, I can temporarily prevent him from activating punitive signals or the kill command.”

“For how long?” Flint asked.

“A few minutes at best—hopefully long enough for us to get him someplace thaumatically insulated,” Twilight replied. “Then I can focus on cracking the enchantment for good.”

“Hold on, you said you’d need weeks,” Flurry objected.

“Yes. Five, maybe six.”

“And what happens after twenty-four hours when the enchantment’s timer expires? If he doesn’t reset it each day, we die.”

Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “Does Merry personally reset everyone’s enchantment? That would take up a lot of his time. Maybe he has a mechanism for it.”

Flurry took a moment to search through the cluttered thoughts swimming around in her head. She then recalled Swan mentioning something about having to all pass through a room after missions.

“I bet it’s that staff,” she said finally.

“There’s a staff?” Twilight asked. “If that’s true, it would greatly increase the odds of breaking it.”

“Yeah, the staff is what makes someone a blackwing. No doubt he keeps it in a safe place.”

“Okay then. We’ll need to lure Merry away from his entourage,” Oakheart said. “Perhaps we can host a private party in his honour?”

“The prick would love that,” Flurry grumbled. “Especially if I’m there.”

“I’ll come too,” Twilight said. “Lord Merry has been upfront with his desire to enjoy time with me.” She gave a shudder, seeming to shake off the putrid thought. “But we can’t try this if he’s got support nearby—even the blackwings, who might come to his aid. There would be no way to get him isolated in time.”

“Great. So we lure him into Oak’s office or something,” Flurry said. “I distract him while Twilight casts the inhibitor spell. Then we whack him on the head and bundle him into a cell?” She knocked her forehooves together for good measure.

“Pretty much,” Oakheart continued. “Meanwhile, Flintlock and security will move to detain Merry’s officers. If we’re swift, the whole sorry operation will come tumbling down all at once.”

Flurry drew a deep breath, considering everything she had just learned. It wasn’t ideal, but it was something. Now, if only the plan didn’t involve Twilight, she might actually feel good about it.

“Well, I’ve heard all I need to hear, I think,” she declared. “I need to get some air.”

After some effort and wincing, she managed to stand while the others watched.

“Flurry?” Nyx asked. “Are you okay?”

Flurry gave her cousin a weak smile. “Just one thing before I go…”

She then hobbled over to the painting of Merry Weather hanging on the wall. She stared at it, imagining all manner of horrible endings for the stallion. Reaching up, she pulled it from the wall and cast it to the ground, stomping a hoof through the canvas.

“There. Much better.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

A sad clatter of hooves reverberated down the docking umbilical as the blackwings marched off the Glorium in single file. Some were still wrapped in blood-stained bandages, limping along as best they could. With the mission over, it was now time to return to the status quo of their existence—not even their injuries would grant them reprieve.

It had begun the moment they docked with Harmony Station. An announcement blasted throughout the ship, ordering all blackwings to assemble in Harmony’s squadron hangar so their enchantments could be reset.

Time for their master to tighten his chains for another day.

Flurry walked amongst the procession, following the sorry line as they slowly disembarked from the ship. Meanwhile, Nyx and Oakheart were off coordinating the easing of the Orion into her berth. Twilight was off doing whatever she was doing, and Flint was readying his part of this mad plan. At least Whammy was still with her, sitting on her back between her wings. He was a small but welcome comfort in this depressing march of the damned.

A few officers and guards from the Glorium milled around the corridors to watch the line move forward. Now that the mission was over, these cockroaches had crawled out from under their rocks and were eager to reassert their authority.

“Keep moving, grubs!” one of them jeered, earning laughs from his comrades. “You don’t want to keep his lordship waiting!”

One would normally expect that returning from a dire mission intact would have forged some kind of bond, however small. As it was, Flurry’s opinion of these pretentious scum continued to plummet. She pondered maybe snapping a neck or two just to take the edge off, but she didn’t need Whammy to tell her that was a bad idea. As much as it irked her, there was nothing she could do right now.

She hadn’t seen Swan or any of her aerie since she joined the line. Perhaps the pegasus had gone ahead of the rest in order to give her report to her bloated master.

Merry Weather.

Just the thought of that snake made Flurry’s blood boil. The fact he’d been playing them this whole time only served to piss her off more. It must have been showing in her expression, for none of the officers even dared cross her like they did the others.

Harmony’s hangar bay was still the same spacious array of endless docking platforms and scattered maintenance equipment she had seen when she first arrived, but today, it felt different. Before, Flurry had marched through here with fire in her heart and a mission on her mind, ready to move the galaxy if she had to. Now, it felt like a prison for her along with over two hundred inmates.

Most of them were crew from the Glorium, who kept their distance or gave her dirty looks. Flurry tried to ignore it, focusing instead on finding Swan and her aerie among them. As the blackwings continued to file in, they began sorting themselves into their respective divisions. The blur of bodies and voices made her head spin, not helped by the stench of stale sweat from far too many ponies in desperate need of a shower.

There was no sign of Merry Weather yet, but she expected the worm was lurking somewhere not far off.

As she scanned the crowd, Flurry quickly realised a void was growing around her, a mob surrounding her on all sides. Murmurs and whispers passed through the crowd as her gaze was met with angry glares.

“That’s her!”

“What is she doing here?”

“It’s her fault.”

Flurry let out a sigh. “Are we really doing this now?”

A stallion with a mottled brown coat, a bloodied bandage over his right eye, hobbled forward, his grey overalls speckled with blood stains.

“You’re not welcome here, Last Shadow,” he growled, his wings bristling. “We lost a lot of good ponies in that battle because of you and that damned dirt pony.”

A ripple of agreements went through the crowd as they began to close in around her, ready for a brawl.

“I don’t want to hurt any of you,” Flurry warned.

“You should have thought of that before you dragged us into that fight,” he retorted.

“Merry will kill you, you know that.”

“What's one more dead blackwing if it shows everyone who you really are?” he hissed.

Flurry took a defensive posture, lowering her head with pinned ears, flaring her wings, at least as much as she could before wincing in pain. There hadn’t been time to recharge, so this would depend on just how enthusiastic these ponies were feeling about their need for revenge.

“That’s enough, all of you!” A familiar voice yelled. Flurry was surprised to see Blitz land in front of her. What’s more, he wasn’t alone—the rest of the pilots had joined him as well. “Flurry Heart fought alongside us for an hour out there while you lot were safe and sound on the carrier. If you want her, you’ll have to go through us!”

Flurry was astonished to see the aerie gathering around her like a shield. Strangely, she couldn’t see Swan among them. Had she asked them to protect her?

“Stay out of this, Blitz,” the stallion warned. “It doesn’t involve you!”

Blitz shook his head. “I get it, you’re angry. We lost friends out there too. But if you want to blame someone, blame those Syndicate assholes that attacked us.”

Flurry bit her tongue, fighting off the urge to mention who was really responsible.

“She brought this on us! We should never have been on that mission.”

“That’s the job!” Blitz retorted. “Your wings are black, so you do what you’re told. Just like me. We don’t turn on each other if we don’t like how it turned out.”

“But she’s not one of us, Blitz!”

“Her wings are the same as ours!” the mare named Cinnamon yelled.

The crowd began to look more uncertain as Blitz and the aerie held their ground.

“Listen, we’re all tired and hurt. How about we settle this later?” Flurry offered.

The stallion looked to his comrades, who were beginning to back off. “Fine. You’ll fit right in with the whores.”

The mob began to break up, giving Flurry a final contemptuous look before returning to their groups.

“Thanks for the save,” Flurry said quietly.

Blitz fluffed his wings. “Hey, I wasn’t lying with what I said. Without you, probably none of us would be here right now. Doesn’t matter what you were before. You’re one of us now, and we look after our own.”

“Did Swan put you up to this?” Flurry asked.

“No, but I know it’s what she would have wanted,” Blitz grinned, placing a hoof on her shoulder and getting warm smiles from the others.

“Thank you,” Flurry said with a smile. “I hope this doesn’t cause trouble for you in the future.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Blitz assured. “Swan would give ’em hell for messing with her aerie.”

“Where is she anyways?” Flurry asked, peering around the group but still not seeing her amongst them.

“Merry wanted a report,” Blitz said with a frown. “But she should have been back by now.”

“Do you know what all of this is about?”

“No idea. We don’t have meetings like this very often.”

“Maybe he’s baked us a cake,” Flurry muttered.

Blitz chuckled, then all eyes suddenly turned to a raised platform that had been hurriedly constructed from bits of hangar scaffolding.

It was Downdraft, raising his voice for all to hear. “Attention everyone! Announcing the arrival of his lordship!”

In unison, the chatter from the crowd was snuffed out, with everyone quickly arranging themselves in neat columns as they saluted with their right wings. Everyone but Flurry.

Instead, she sat down, holding her head high while those around her lowered theirs. She gave Downdraft a snort of disdain as Merry Weather marched to the head of the gathering. He looked as ridiculous as ever, wearing a red sash bedecked in medals that jingled as he walked.

Beside him, a subdued Swan Song walked, clutching the branding staff that she had used earlier under her wing.

“Ah, my crew,” Merry exclaimed. “My dear Swan Song was just informing me of your diligent work.” He glanced to her with a warm smile that made the mare flinch. “And though some of your number have died, it warms my heart that they died in my name. Rejoice! They are one step closer to redemption.”

“Redemption my ass,” Flurry muttered.

“Flurry!” Blitz hissed. “You’ve got to keep your head down. Do you want to get shocked?”

“I’m not showing any reverence to him—not now, not ever,” she replied, glaring at the buffoon grandstanding before his slaves.

“And now, as a reward for your sacrifices, I grant you a two-day reprieve from your burdens,” Merry announced, snatching the staff from Swan’s grasp. “All work details are cancelled for this time, as we have much to celebrate!”

Flurry imagined that Merry would probably foist all the repair work onto the Harmony crew.

A surprised murmur rippled through the crowd at the announcement. Merry then clutched the staff in practiced movements, resetting the entire room’s blackwing enchantment for the day.

Flurry felt dizzy as her strength and senses diminished. Her wings felt leaden at her sides, and a fog formed in her mind, blocking her thaumatic core. Finally, she felt her energy snuffed out, replaced only by a terrible emptiness like she had just lost a limb.

“At ease. Give thanks for your lord’s generosity!” Downdraft announced, stomping a hoof.

The crowd began to stomp their hooves in applause, earning a smile and a wave from their oppressor.

“You may return to your dorms,” Downdraft shouted, after which the crowd started to break up.

Flurry watched as Merry began heading towards her with Swan and Downdraft following behind on either side. She could smell him long before he got close, the gallons of cologne he’d doused himself with making him especially pungent.

“Ah, and there is my treasure!” Merry crooned. “Safe and sound. Oh, I was so worried about you.”

“I bet,” she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm and her expression filled with contempt.

A frown crossed his face as he examined her. “Wait, what’s this?” His gaze turned to Swan Song. “You didn’t say that my treasure had been bruised!”

“My lord, I—” Swan stammered.

With a gesture from his wing, Swan’s enchantment flared. She cried out, her knees buckling, quickly followed by the rest of her aerie as well.

“Stop! They’ve done nothing but fight valiantly and put their lives on the line. If torturing ponies gets you off, then do it to me,” Flurry challenged, stepping forward. “Haven’t they done enough for you?”

Merry eyed her and relented. “You have a point. I suppose they did help somewhat in the battle.”

Flurry hurried over to Swan Song and helped steady the battered mare.

“To see such care for your fellow blackwings… Ah, it brings a tear to my eye,” he mocked, pointing a wing at Swan. “Especially her. Now you’re two peas in a pod. Friendship is a beautiful thing, yes?”

“As if you have any idea what that word even means,” Flurry growled.

“Such a dirty look from such a beautiful mare,” Merry muttered, licking his lips. “Perhaps you need some instruction before your debut.”

He took a step forward with a predatory grin, pausing when Swan spoke up.

“My lord, we must hurry if we’re going to be ready for the celebration in time,” she said softly, still on her knees.

Celebration? Has Twilight already contacted him? Flurry pondered. If Swan was also invited, that would complicate matters.

“Hmmm? Oh yes, of course!” Merry exclaimed, clapping his hooves. “My guests will be arriving soon; we must be on our way.”

Guests… This wasn’t good.

Just then, two mares fluttered in from his entourage to join them. One was pink, and the other a gaudy magenta—probably not her natural colour. Their manes were extravagantly styled with matching braids, while their ears and necks were adorned in jewelry. They both reeked of perfume, and their faces were covered in thick eyeshadow and cosmetics, making them seem more like dolls than living ponies.

“Make sure she is perfect for her debut,” Merry ordered, his nose wrinkling. “And give both her and my Swan a proper bath. I won’t have them ruining my party with their stench.”

Of course he has a pair of attack stylists, Flurry groused. She opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it as she noticed the dried changeling blood crusting her fetlocks.

“At once, my lord,” one of the mares said, her accent thick, possibly Ravadian.

“Now, I must go and prepare myself,” Merry announced, positively beaming before his eyes fell on Whammy. “And get rid of that ridiculous foal’s toy. It’s embarrassing.”

With that, Merry walked away with Downdraft in tow, quickly disappearing into the shadows.

“Are you okay?” Flurry asked.

“Yes,” Swan panted, letting out a groan as she struggled to her hooves. “How are the others?”

“We’re good, Swan,” Blitz assured.

“Okay, so what’s this party he’s talking about?” Flurry asked, feigning ignorance.

“Oh, it is your debut of course!” The mare with the magenta coat answered with a joyful smile. “Members of the Navigator’s Guild and even the Alliance will be there. They’ll hear how you came to be in our lord’s service. We don’t have a moment to lose!”

Flurry blinked. Oh, this isn’t good. So much for getting Merry alone.

“Absolutely! We must prepare a bath at once,” the mare’s companion fussed, moving behind them both and shuffling them towards the exit. “Come along, we’ll have you both stunning in no time!”

“Blitz, help the others back to the barracks, okay?” Swan called.

“Sure thing, Swan!” He shouted back.

“Hey Blitz, take care of Whammy for me,” Flurry said, levitating the plushie off her back and gently tossing him to Blitz. It was depressing how much effort even that took in her shackled state.

“Just ignore anything he says about me. He loves spinning tales.” Flurry continued, giving him a wink.

Blitz caught Whammy and examined him carefully, a confused frown crossing his brow. “Um, yeah, sure.”

“Thanks.”

As they were herded away from the aerie, Flurry looked to Swan, who was focused on the path ahead.

“Thanks for the save back there,” she whispered.

“You shouldn’t act out against him,” Swan said, her ears flattening. “The more you fight him, the worse it gets.”

The pain in Swan’s eyes and the way her body tensed told Flurry this wasn’t just an idle warning. How long had this mare endured that monster’s attentions?

Flurry wished she could tell Swan of their plan, to give the mare a glimmer of hope, but she held her tongue. There was no way to tell how the pegasus would react if she found out Merry had sent them all out to die in a conflict that was his doing.

“Come along, you two!” one of the stylists called. “We’ve got so much to do and so little time!”

Being eaten alive by a windigo was starting to look more appealing by the minute.

Chapter 20 - Pretense Malfunction

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Flurry took a long unladylike swig from her bottle before letting out a loud belch.

The bar she had found herself in was a classy place on the edge of the station, overlooking the pair of enormous docking pylons where the Orion was now nestled. The big panoramic windows, taking up nearly the entire rear wall of the lounge, gave a fantastic view of the ship as she rested in her berth after an eventful first voyage.

A gentle tune danced through the air from hidden speakers into the mostly empty bar. The lights were dim but not dark, and a faint incense wafted by, probably jasmine, trying but failing to uplift her mood.

The rest of the bar was an odd mixture of new and old. The booths were lined with rustic oak trim and padded with comfortable leather seats. Paintings hung on the walls, depicting various scenes from the colonial pioneer days, right next to inlaid holographic displays of alien vistas. Near the front of the lounge, a long bar counter was nestled in the far corner, protecting a substantial display of bottles of all shapes and sizes.

After two hours of being poked, prodded, washed, and measured, Flurry had finally managed to escape the clutches of those two fashionista hellions. She felt a measure of pity for Swan, who was still in the middle of the ordeal. It crossed her mind that the pegasus had no doubt endured this preening routine countless times.

Flurry couldn't help but fidget with her mane, now tightly woven into a bun secured with jewel-encrusted hairpins. What’s worse was that despite the humiliation and discomfort of it all, it paled in comparison to what was coming later, after the party.

Thoughts of her upcoming ‘debut’ fought their way through the foggy haze of alcohol. She planted her head on the table and closed her eyes, grumbling to herself as she awaited her fate. At least for the moment, she was able to sneak off and get a bit of privacy, as she really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now.

“Excuse me, customer,” a pleasant-sounding mare's voice intoned. “Consumption of beverages not purchased in this establishment is prohibited under section twenty-one, subcode fifty-seven of Harmony Station law.”

Flurry cracked an eye open to see an earth pony mare with a light-green coat and a mane of the same colour but mixed with cream peering down at her. She was wearing a neat brown uniform, identical to the other waitresses of the Sunspot Lounge.

“Leave me alone, I’m not in the mood right now,” Flurry groaned, taking another morose swig from her bottle.

The mare—or more accurately, the golem pretending to be a mare—was unfazed by her rebuttal.

They were easy to spot with their rigid stance, impossibly chipper disposition, and lifeless eyes. All were dead giveaways. Or at least, they used to be.

“Tell me something, do you have dreams? Do you like being a waitress here?” Flurry asked. “Is there anything going on in that head of yours that someone didn’t put there?”

The mare twitched. “Invalid input, please restate your inquiry.”

“That answers that then,” she shrugged, rubbing her temple to soothe the headache she felt coming on.

That damn Echo had her questioning her own judgment regarding golems now. She had enough on her mind without pondering the philosophical line between pony and machine.

“If you continue your actions, I will be forced to call station security to remove you from this establishment,” the golem warned, having recovered from her earlier confusion.

“That won’t be necessary,” Oakheart's familiar deep voice intoned. “The princess is a special case.”

Flurry looked up to see the earth pony stallion walking up to her booth.

The golem stared at him for a moment before straightening. “Understood. Have a pleasant day.”

Flurry watched it walk off, returning to its position to await the next customer it could bother.

“What are you doing here?" Oakheart asked. “I’ve had Merry on my back to find you.”

“Oh, you know… drowning my sorrows. Booze and painkillers make for a wonderful combination,” she chuckled darkly.

“Now isn't the time for this,” he stated firmly.

“And when is a better time for it?” she replied with a bitter laugh, gesturing to the dress she was wearing. “Like the dress? I think Merry Weather’s pair of divas really captured the ‘whore on a street corner’ look.”

Her dress, if it could be called such a thing, was made of a pearly white faux silk with a flowery pattern of roses and lilies printed upon it. It clung tightly to her, emphasising every curve, and was so short it barely reached her tail.

“They even got rid of most of my bruises… though I suppose they get a lot of practice with that,” she commented, absently gazing at her filed and polished hooves. “Probably have a few more by the end of the day.”

“Miss Flurry,” Oakheart snapped. “We have a plan, and you seem to have forgotten your part in it.”

“Going to be a bit hard to grab Merry with both the Alliance and Federation representatives watching,” she interrupted. “Not to mention all his goons will be there. Somehow, I doubt he’ll be in the mood for a private meeting tonight.”

Oakheart raised an eyebrow. “So you’ve heard?”

“Those two wouldn’t shut up about it,” she replied with a weary groan, the mere reminder making her feel tired. “Looks like Merry wants to rub everyone’s face in it.”

“You have my sympathies,” he replied as he sat in the booth with her. “We may have to make some adjustments, but you need to trust that we’ll figure it out.”

Flurry let out a heavy sigh, returning her head to the table and looking up at him sideways. “I am just so over this, Oakheart. Merry Weather has no business being this much of a pain in my ass. Is it too much to ask for a smooth takedown?”

Oakheart stared at her silently for a moment, appearing hesitant to add a point of detail.

“Oh great… There’s something else, isn’t there?” Flurry guessed.

“It’s probably nothing,” Oakheart muttered, looking away.

“Come on, the way my day is going, you might as well spill it.”

“Fine. The Syndicate boss was found dead in her cell on the Glorium. Apparent suicide.”

Flurry’s eyes widened and she straightened herself. “How? I thought she was under guard.”

“Supposedly, a riot broke out among the other changelings, drawing the guards away," he replied, his eyes narrowing. “And we were all in our meeting. They must have got to her then.”

“Looks like Merry is tying up loose ends,” Flurry commented with a scowl. “I was wondering why Downdraft had been so cooperative. Do we still have the data core?”

“Thankfully, yes. The chief got it off the Glorium the moment we docked,” Oakheart assured.

“Well, at least there’s that.” She rubbed her forehead some more to ease the misery. “It’s not just about me getting out of this, you know. I’ve got the lives of those kids to look out for. If this goes badly, Merry won’t hesitate to put their lives on the line to get his way.”

“I won’t lie, it’s not going to be easy to ensure their safety,” Oak admitted. “With everyone in the same room, Merry will largely be in control. We’ve got to get him isolated somehow. But we are taking it seriously and won’t make any moves that would jeopardize their safety… or yours.”

“I’m not as much worried what you all will do. More concerned about screwing it up myself, to be honest. I don’t do so well with the pretending thing—tend to be blunt and transparent in my emotions.”

“You don’t say…”

“Very funny. But I’m serious, this isn’t going to be easy playing along.”

Oak nodded in understanding. “Don’t just play along, Flurry. He’ll suspect something’s up. Just put enough of your personal style in it to be convincing. You’re going to have to be flexible.”

“Flexible? This coming from an Alliance fleet veteran? What has the world come to?” she chuckled. “Though I’ll give you credit for surviving your first command of a Republic carrier.” With that, Flurry reached over and patted him on the shoulder like a dog who did the trick well.

Oak rolled his eyes. “Ugh, don’t remind me. If I never again set hoof on that ship, it’ll be too soon.”

Flurry chortled, shaking her belly, which promptly reminded her she still needed to take it easy. “No, seriously, I do have to thank you for coming in for us. It takes guts to bring a carrier into a gun duel with a cruiser. You really saved our hides back there.”

“Tactics are tactics. You do what you can with what you’ve got. But don’t overlook your own actions, now. Your valor and the teamwork you showed with the aerie was exemplary. I have to admit, I was wrong about you, Flurry. It seems you’re not so bad after all.” He offered her a gentle smile.

The sincerity in his words impacted her more than she expected. It took her a moment to respond, and even then, she found herself nearly at a loss for words.

“What’s this? A compliment? Why, Captain Oakheart, you spoil me so,” she said with a sly smile.

“A deserved one,” he said. “I know you have trouble trusting others, but just know that you’re not alone in this. We’ll get through it together.”

“I’ve been alone for a long time, captain. I’m sure that won’t be changing any…”

As her words trailed off, Flurry thought about the ponies she had been forced to work with through this ordeal and what they had come to mean to her. Perhaps it was the booze, or perhaps there was some truth in the earth pony’s words.

“Actually, maybe you’re right,” she said finally. “Together.” She raised her bottle toward him in agreement before finishing it off.

Oak smiled at her before tapping his holo-brace. “We’d better get going. The party is probably in full swing by now.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The faux sun of the Harmony sphere was beginning to stir, the starscape of space beyond giving way to the pink skies of early dawn. It was slow and gradual, feeling almost natural. They had even imported real birds to highlight the effect. Most of the artificial daylight systems Flurry had seen on other stations were about as subtle as flicking on the lights. Here, she might have paused to admire the view if she wasn’t so pressed for time.

Flurry stood in the plaza outside the entrance to the Fairbright Hall with a disgruntled scowl on her face.

“Do we really have to do this?” she moaned, gazing up at the wide stairs that led to the entrance. “Maybe I should grab a few more drinks before we go in. I’d rather not do this sober.”

“Come on, no time for jitters,” Oakheart advised. “His lordship has a full day of celebrations planned.”

“I bet he does,” she scowled. “Blackjack and hookers. Only I’m the hooker.”

“I’m sure even he has more sense than that,” he said. “It’s not like he’s going to host an orgy with all these high-profile guests present.”

“No, that comes later.”

“Not if I can help it,” Oakheart said, with a determined expression. “Now remember the plan. Let the director steer Merry towards the trap.”

“You do realise Twilight isn’t really known for her people skills,” Flurry pointed out.

He pointed a hoof at her chest. “Just remember, best behaviour now.”

“Yes, dad,” she groused, rolling her eyes.

Oakheart cracked a grin at that. “Shall we?” He said, extending a hoof to her like a proper noble.

“I suppose,” she sighed, though a smile found its way onto her face as she accepted the gesture.

With a sigh, Oakheart looked over the elegant marble columns that flanked the wide glass doors of the Fairbright’s entrance. “Such a shame, this place had only just been completed recently. I was hoping its inaugural event would’ve been something a little more agreeable.”

“It still could be if we play our cards right,” Flurry grinned.

“That’s the spirit,” he replied.

As they walked into the shadow of the wrought iron marquise, their hooves echoed on the polished marble floors. There was no one else around to greet them, save for a smartly dressed concierge standing beside the door.

“Ah, Captain Oakheart and Her Highness, welcome. I’ll inform Lord Weather of your arrival,” the stallion said with a bow, ushering them inside.

It was like the first time Flurry’s mother had taken her to a formal gathering. She had hated it then, too.

They entered the foyer and were quickly escorted past the front desk inlaid into the wall and then on towards the entrance to the hall itself.

The marble floors quickly gave way to rich red carpet as they approached the hall entrance. All along the walkway were busts of famous ponies in their own alcoves, each individually lit from below in a soft light. The walls were covered in intricate carvings and filigrees chiselled into the cream-coloured stone.

It reminded Flurry of the Royal Palace in Canterlot with all its finery. Even so, this place felt more like an imitation of the real thing. There was no history behind these walls—just a fancy front and nothing more.

They soon arrived at a set of ornate wooden doors flanked by two attendants. Flurry’s ears perked as she heard the gentle harmony of an orchestra coming from within.

As the doors opened, the music grew louder but was now mixed with the murmurings of the gathered guests. The scent of aerohol and a myriad of mouth-watering aromas wafted out. All manner of foods, fried, boiled, steamed, and marinated silently beckoned her inside. A gurgle from her stomach reminded Flurry that she hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday.

She looked to Oakheart, who gave her a nod before they both stepped through.

The hall was huge, lined on all sides by arching columns that reached up towards the domed ceiling. Artificial sunlight streamed in through large circular windows to supplement the ample lighting. The hall space itself was so big it could easily have held a gathering five times what was present.

Walking past the initial banquet tables, Flurry resisted the urge to snatch samples for herself. They hadn’t been noticed by the guests yet, though she was already getting stares from the servers filling plates as they passed by.

Up ahead, in the centre of the space, several large tables had been laid out, each covered with a platter of food. Around them were at least two hundred guests, standing about and chatting while others sat on a forest of cushions that had been carpet-bombed around the tables. Pegasus mares clad in silk and lace flitted about above the crowd, following the beats of the small orchestra that was seated at the opposite end of the hall.

“Merry has been busy,” Flurry commented. “Imagine if he’d put this much effort into the rescue. We’d have had half the Republic fleet with us.”

“Don’t remind me,” Oakheart grumbled as they approached the gathering. “He’s been all over Harmony grabbing ponies for this farce.”

“At least the food looks good,” she said, eyeing a platter of simmering rainbow skyrays.

As they neared the tables, Flurry could make out a lot of officers from the Glorium, all in dress uniform, chatting, laughing, and taking long draws from shisha pipes. Busily dancing around them were their blackwing servants, carrying trays of entrees and drinks. A few mares sat beside their masters, laughing at their jokes and refilling their glasses when empty.

Cloistered together like a coven at one of the tables was a group of unicorns garbed in the purple robes of the Navigator’s Guild. There were also a few bright whites of the Unicorn Federation mixed in amongst them. All were haughtily sticking their noses up at the pegasi gathered around them, clearly not thrilled with being invited to the event.

The unicorns were exceeded in this sentiment only by a group of distinctly unimpressed earth ponies dressed in Alliance uniforms, sitting at the opposite end of the party and eyeing everything with disdain.

Everyone’s here then, Flurry thought.

It didn’t take long for Captain Hayloft to spit out his drink, looking like he was about to burst a blood vessel when he recognized Flurry. He rose to his hooves and quickly stomped towards them, nearly knocking over some poor servant that had strayed into his path.

“Captain Oakheart!” Hayloft huffed, addressing Flurry’s escort. “You can’t hang up on me this time. I demand you explain this farce at once!”

Oakheart straightened himself. “It is as Lord Merry Weather has announced. The princess has joined his blackwings.”

“And you’re going to allow this to go unchallenged? This outlaw is wanted on over a hundred charges with the Alliance!” Hayloft growled, eyeing Flurry dangerously.

“A hundred and fifty, last time I checked,” Flurry added, earning a warning look from Oakheart.

“I demand you turn her over to us immediately!” Hayloft said. “She needs to be in a cell, not whoring it up in some pillow stuffer’s harem.”

“If it’s any consolation, I’d have preferred to be in your custody too,” Flurry offered, earning a snort from the stallion. “Busting out of an Alliance cell would have been a lot less hassle.”

“This is a disgrace!” Hayloft said, jabbing a hoof at Oakheart’s chest. “Alliance Command will hear of this, mark my words.”

“Good,” Oakheart replied coolly. “Then maybe you can tell them how you ignored a ship in distress. I’m sure Command will love to hear how you let the PR coup of rescuing a Commonwealth capital ship slip out of your hooves.”

Hayloft’s jaw worked wordlessly, his nostrils flaring as a murderous look crossed his features.

“I’ll be sure to pass your objections to the director,” Oakheart offered. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a prior engagement.”

With that, Oakheart gently ushered Flurry away from the fuming stallion.

“I’m beginning to wonder which of us is the bigger troll here,” Flurry whispered.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Oakheart commented innocently.

Soon, Flurry spotted an uncomfortable-looking Twilight sitting at Merry Weather’s table near the back of the gathering, close to the orchestra. The alicorn was sitting right beside Merry, who was engaging her in a very animated conversation. Twilight was all fake smiles, as usual, keeping up a facade of interest while deflecting the pegasus’ lack of regard for personal space.

Swan Song was seated behind Merry, looking more like a pet than a person. She had undergone a similar transformation as Flurry, her face covered in blush while her eyes were darkened with eye shadow. Her mane had been tied up, looking far more lustrous now that it wasn’t caked in grime. She looked pensive, her eyes flitting between Merry and his mob of officers.

Flurry let out a heavy sigh. “You’d best go rescue your director before Merry’s drool begins to stain her clothes,” she grumbled.

“Indeed. Now pucker up and let’s get this over with,” Oakheart said, giving her a nod.

They made their way through the mass of ponies, generating whispered gossip as they passed by.

“There she is, Lord Merry’s latest.”

“I hope he’s willing to share the bounty.”

“Yeah, maybe he’ll share her with us.”

“Too much mare for you to handle.”

Given the ponies she dealt with at Broken Bow on a semi-regular basis, this bunch of crooks were amateurs. The main difference here was these ponies hid behind titles and fancy clothes. Flurry had to wonder how many of them even knew of Merry’s conspiracy against the Orion.

As Flurry neared Merry’s table, her eyes met with Twilight’s and she felt her chest tighten instinctively. She had to keep telling herself to ignore Twilight and focus her hate towards the ridiculous pony sitting next to her.

“Ah, there she is, the mare of the hour,” Merry Weather said with a smile, rising to his hooves. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”

“Oh I was,” Flurry replied. “I thought getting drunk before this farce of a party might ease the pain of being in your company.”

“Don’t you worry, by tonight’s end, you’ll be much more comfortable in my presence,” Merry leered, licking his lips. “I must say, you look absolutely ravishing—truly befitting a mare of your breeding. Is that not true, director?”

There was an almost imperceptible twitch in Twilight’s wings, but she remained silent.

Merry’s expression soured as his gaze fell on Oakheart. “Ah, captain, my shipmaster has been telling me of your exploits,” Merry began. “I suppose I should thank you for returning my ship mostly intact. I wasn’t expecting such flair from you; you’re surprisingly creative for a dir— an Earth pony.”

Wow, Flurry thought to herself. Almost a compliment.

“Thank you,” Oakheart said with a slight bow of his head. “Though any praise must go to Lieutenant Swan Song and her pilots. It was a difficult fight and they performed well.”

“I expected nothing less of my Swan,” Merry smiled, giving her an affectionate look.

“I’ve made sure to include commendations for those lost in the battle, Lieutenant,” Oakheart said to her, a touch of warmth gracing his usual flat tone.

Swan looked surprised, quickly stammering. “Thank you, sir.”

“Yes, yes,” Merry said, with a dismissive wave. “Dying bravely in battle is their job. You waste your time giving honour to the honourless.”

“You’re all heart aren’t you?” Flurry snorted.

“You wound me, my dear,” he said, placing a hoof dramatically to his chest. “Of course I cared for my Swan. The mere thought of losing her grieved me deeply.” He extended a wing and gently ran it beneath Swan Song’s chin. “You’re both precious to me.”

“Uh-huh,” Flurry scowled.

“Oh don’t look that way, I held this celebration in your honour!” he chuckled before looking to Twilight and adding swiftly. “And for the safe return of Captain Nyx and the Orion, of course.”

“Of course,” Twilight said, nodding graciously, a nigh imperceptible eye twitch an indication of her real thoughts.

Merry extended a wing, gesturing towards the table. “Now, come sit by my side.”

It didn’t matter that the seat was currently occupied by Downdraft—a stern glare from Merry was enough to send his lackey scurrying off.

Flurry looked towards Swan and gave the mare a sympathetic smile before sitting down beside Merry, with Oakheart taking a seat close to Twilight.

Merry wasted no time running a wing down Flurry’s back, making her bristle. He leant towards her, so close she could feel his fetid breath on her ear.

“Now behave, my pet,” Merry whispered. “It would be unfortunate for my Swan if you were to cause an upset.”

Flurry glared at him but nodded. Of course, he already knew of her connection to Swan. She shouldn’t have been surprised he would find a way to exploit it. Glancing again to Swan, the pegasus looked away with her ears flattened. Meanwhile, Merry had resumed chipping away at Twilight with small talk.

“I was just saying to the director, it’s a shame that Captain Nyx is unable to join us,” Merry said with a sigh. “Rumours of her fierce beauty have reached even the hallowed halls of the Imperial Court.”

Somewhere, Flurry imagined, Nyx just threw up.

“Yes, she offers her apologies for being unable to attend, but matters on the Orion require her attention,” Twilight explained, looking slightly relieved her daughter wasn’t here.

“Captain Nyx is dedicated to her duty—very commendable,” Merry said. “I do hope we can prise her away from work at some point so I can congratulate her in person.”

Flurry mused that the only congratulating Nyx would be giving him was the ‘you picked a fight with the wrong family, dumbass’ award before tossing him out an airlock. A smile pursed her lips as she imagined the scene.

“I’m sure she’ll be looking forward to it,” Twilight said pleasantly, no doubt swallowing some bile as she did so.

Merry took a long drag from the shisha pipe sitting at the centre of the table. “No matter. I’m sure I’ll bump into her at some point. Perhaps we can go on a little outing on my new private yacht which I recently acquired. Though it will need a new paint job first.”

Flurry narrowed her eyes, biting back a retort on Merry’s ambitions for the Dream, deciding instead to focus her attention on piling food onto her plate. If she was going to be miserable, she might as well do it on a full stomach.

“That sounds splendid. I’ll be sure to pass on your offer to her,” Twilight said with a smile.

Merry’s face was filled with joy over his good fortune, turning Flurry’s stomach multiple times. He then stood, giving one of the servants a nod. Soon the music was silenced, the dancers ceasing their cavorting and the chatter dying out through the hall.

“May I have your attention,” Merry announced. “I must say what an honour it is to be in such prestigious company. My friends from the Federation, I do trust you are enjoying yourselves. And…” He fought back a chuckle. “My esteemed colleagues of the Alliance. Thank you for attending.”

The unicorns raised their goblets while the earth ponies simply glowered at him.

“As no doubt you’ve heard, I have been doubly blessed today,” Merry continued. “I have recently done what the Alliance with all their ships could not: I have captured the notorious and famously uncatchable outlaw… Flurry Heart!”

After the applause died out, he twisted the knife. “In addition, my blackwings have executed a flawless rescue of the Commonwealth ship Orion after she had fallen prey to an unfortunate Houndrathi pirate ambush. You can never be too careful with the raider factions of Dragon’s Head.”

Flurry wanted to throw up. The Houndrathi? He couldn’t have undersold the situation more if he tried.

There was a ripple of stomps and cheers from Merry’s officers, which no doubt inflated their master’s ego beyond measure.

“So please, enjoy the festivities!”

The music began again in earnest, his cronies raising their glasses before continuing the banquet.

“Nice speech,” Flurry remarked sarcastically.

“Thank you, my dear,” Merry replied with a grin. “You must forgive me for wanting to gloat just a little to our Alliance friends.”

“They look to be taking it well,” she said, watching as Hayloft stormed out the room.

“Such a terrible thing when ponies won’t help others,” Merry noted, shaking his head as he sat down a little too close to Flurry for comfort.

She felt a questing forehoof stroke her thigh before letting out an angry sigh. Before she could protest, she was quickly cut off by Twilight.

“Yes,” Twilight added hastily. “I must thank you for your aid in this matter. Without your ships, we would not have been able to conduct the rescue.”

“A small thing for our friends in the Commonwealth,” Merry said.

“It has certainly shown that we need closer coordination in the future—something I have been rather remiss over in the past,” Twilight stated, regret creeping into her voice. “I hope you will forgive me, Lord Merry.”

Flurry rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to gag.

“Of course of course, presiding over this grand station must take a lot of your time,” Merry replied. “We must get together more often. I would enjoy us having a closer relationship.”

He gave her a look that made the alicorn squirm uncomfortably in her seat.

“I was actually hoping we could discuss the matter later tonight… among other things,” Twilight said, glancing briefly towards Flurry.

“And what would those other things be?” Merry asked.

“Your future plans. Since you have captured Flurry, no doubt it will open up many opportunities for you,” Twilight stated. “I am curious where Harmony lies in your plans.”

“Ah, I had a feeling that would be on your mind,” Merry grinned, blowing out a puff of aerohol into the air. “Or, perhaps we should discuss your attempts to undermine me in the Imperial Court?”

Adrenaline shot through Flurry’s system. If he was onto their plan…

Twilight did not show an outward sign of surprise, though her silence spoke volumes.

“Come now, one does not survive within the Court by wits alone,” he continued, his eyes gleaming in triumph. “Your every move was reported to me the moment you arrived on Caelum. Please, director, I’m hurt you think so low of me.”

Flurry grimaced. Of course he would have spies keeping an eye on the comings and goings in the Imperial Court, especially Twilight’s.

“Rest assured, it won’t be long before some new distraction diverts His Majesty’s attention and all will be forgotten,” he continued, grinning like a cat who got the cream as he glanced towards Flurry. “Especially when it becomes known who I have in my possession.” Merry’s tone suddenly took a much darker turn. “So you see, I won’t be going anywhere and I will not give my Flurry back.”

He let out a triumphant sigh. “There, that saved us some time, didn’t it?”

“You assume that’s what I wanted to discuss,” Twilight said simply.

“Oh? Please do share your ambitions with us if I have somehow misjudged you.”

“I would have preferred to keep this matter private,” Twilight sighed casually, her hoof idly tracing the rim of her glass of wine. “But I feel we can both profit from your recent good fortune.”

Both Merry and Oakheart cocked an eyebrow and Flurry had to admit, she wasn’t sure where Twilight was going with this.

“The Emperor was not as forthcoming with his support for Harmony as I would have hoped,” Twilight continued. “If we were to deliver Flurry over together, he would have no choice but to give me what I need.”

Wait just a damn second, Flurry thought as a haze of confusion swept over her. This wasn’t the plan at all.

“And what would I gain in return?” Merry asked, his polite voice returning.

Twilight smiled. “You’ll find that the Commonwealth can be incredibly generous to its allies, Lord Weather. Who knows, perhaps your name might even reach the ear of Celestia herself.”

Flurry’s eyes widened as Twilight’s words sank in. White-hot fury engulfed her, and she slammed her hooves onto the table. She glared at Twilight’s uncaring expression, a flood of old memories threatening to engulf her.

“So that’s it then?” Flurry hissed. “You were using me this whole time?”

“Grow up, Flurry,” Twilight shot back. “This is how the game is played. Why do you think I ordered Captain Oakheart to allow you here in the first place?”

Oakheart gave Twilight a questioning glance but remained silent.

“Why director,” Merry gasped joyfully. “I appear to have underestimated you.”

“A common mistake amongst you colonials. You’ll find I can be quite shrewd when working with nobility.” She then gave him a subtle honorific nod.

“Don’t forget machiavellian and treacherous,” Flurry spat out.

Twilight shrugged, ignoring Flurry’s outburst and Oakheart’s bewildered expression. “So, I assume you’re interested, Lord Merry Weather?”

“This is low, even for you,” Flurry seethed. “If you think I’m going to—”

Twilight tilted her head towards Flurry. “And what can you do?” she countered. “Your powers are neutered, and… you seem to be forgetting something.”

Flurry’s blood boiled as she realized Twilight was right. She was in no position to fight this.

After glancing back towards Merry, Twilight continued. “Lord Weather, if you would? It seems she needs a demonstration of her predicament.”

Merry blinked before nodding with a smile.

In an instant, Flurry felt her muscles clench uncontrollably as a jolt of electricity coursed through her body. She slumped onto the table, her whole body quivering under the onslaught before it finally ceased.

“Bitch,” Flurry groaned, glaring daggers at Twilight. Every muscle in her body ached from overexertion. If she needed a reminder of how much danger she was in, this was it.

“I was hoping to avoid your training until you had recovered from your injuries,” Merry remarked, gently stroking Flurry on the head like a dog. “But there’s no reason we can’t start your education now.”

There were a few sniggers from the gathered party guests.

Laugh it up while you can, Flurry fumed to herself, turning her gaze to the nearest table and making its occupants look away immediately.

“My niece has always been a willful mare,” Twilight said. “Nothing we tried could ever tame her. Frankly, she has become an embarrassment to our family. Perhaps you, Lord Weather, can succeed where we have failed.”

Her words cut deeper than Flurry would have liked. As much as she had loathed Twilight for years, her simmering bitterness only needed this to renew its vigor.

“I certainly look forward to the attempt,” Merry chuckled, his eyes passing over Flurry’s curves.

“I would be willing to offer my assistance in regulating her powers before her training begins,” Twilight offered. “She can be incredibly dangerous if left unchecked. We wouldn’t want you injuring yourself now, would we?”

“I would be most grateful, director,” Merry said, giving her a slight nod, his face seemingly locked into a permanent lecherous grin. “You are, of course, welcome to join us if you wish.”

“Alas, I must decline,” Twilight replied, grimacing like she had just swallowed a frog but offering him a diplomatic smile nonetheless.

“You should count yourself lucky I can barely move,” Flurry snorted, managing to raise her head in defiance. “Because if I could, I’d put you both down.”

Merry let out a laugh. “My dear, soon you’ll be begging for my attentions.” He looked over to Swan Song. “Is that not right, my love?”

Swan paled, a resigned frown creasing her brow. “Yes, sire.”

There were laughs from the gathered crowd, and Merry gave Swan what passed for a sympathetic smile. “Don’t look so depressed, my love—you still have a special place in my heart.”

He turned to his gathered cronies. “My friends, it seems we have one more thing to celebrate today!”

There was a cheer and the drinking began in earnest. The party continued in full swing for two painful hours with Merry’s attention flitting between Twilight and Flurry.

Flurry simply sat glowering in her seat, thoroughly miserable. She had been to worse parties—the kind that ended in a gunfight—but this was excruciating. Even Twilight’s old lectures on arcane dynamics were preferable to this disaster.

Normally, in a situation this appalling, she would get blindingly drunk to endure the agony. Oakheart was right, though. She needed to keep a level head. Besides, the wine was watered-down rubbish and Merry was hogging the aerohol to himself, leaving her depressingly sober.

Flurry’s anxiety coiled inside her like a spring waiting to be released. She needed this to be over with so she could knock that idiot’s jaw off. Her only consolation was imagining the moment Nyx got her hooves on him.

Through the party, Oakheart did his best to weather jokes at his expense. He was a resolute rock in the sea of drunken debauchery around him. Occasionally, he would glance towards Flurry, offering a measure of sympathy, but he otherwise ignored her.

Twilight did her best to butter up Merry, walking a fine line between stroking his ego and avoiding his lecherous advances. Nothing she said even remotely resembled their ‘plan’ to get Merry alone, which left Flurry feeling more and more dejected.

Eventually, the party was beginning to wind down. Merry and Twilight had apparently fostered a significant rapport with one another. Now would be Flurry’s last chance for any hope in avoiding a seriously unpleasant evening.

“Well, this has been most enjoyable,” Twilight announced. “But my time grows short, I have many things I must attend to. I appreciate your time and attention, Lord Merry.”

“Ah, a pity,” Merry sighed.

“It would be good for us to discuss the terms of our new arrangement. Perhaps somewhere more private?”

Flurry’s ears perked forward.

“Certainly, but first a toast to my guest!” he exclaimed, pouring out a goblet of wine. He raised it towards Twilight with a smile. “I’m not easily surprised, and you have surpassed my expectations.”

“Thank you, Lord Weather,” Twilight replied coolly, raising her own goblet. “I hope this is the beginning of a profitable arrangement.”

“Indeed,” he said before guzzling his wine greedily, the excess spilling down his chin.

“Shall we, then?”

“Mmm, no I don’t think so,” he replied, with a chuckle. “It has been amusing watching the lengths you would stoop to free your niece. But it’s time to end this little charade.”

Flurry looked to Twilight, her blood running cold. What had just happened?

Her aunt frowned slightly. “I’m not sure what you mean, Lord Weather.”

He gave her a dismissive wave of his wing. “Please, do you think you can do anything on this station without my knowledge? I know you’re moving to have me arrested.”

There were a few gasps from the gathered officers. Twilight remained still, not showing any outward signs of surprise, but a tiny flick of her ear told Flurry volumes.

They were in trouble.

“What? No denial? No desperate deflection?” Merry taunted, rising to his hooves grandly. “To think you’d try such a pathetic attempt at deception, though I must admit, you almost had me for a moment there.”

“Nice to see I haven’t lost my touch,” Twilight replied coldly.

Merry smirked. “Tell me, what did you hope to accomplish? Were you thinking you’d hold me on some trumped-up charge? I have broken no laws, director. My deal with Flurry Heart was perfectly legal under Republic law, as is the treatment of my property.” He jabbed a hoof at her. “Arrest me, and you undermine everything your precious Harmony stands for.”

Flurry could barely hear him as he continued to berate Twilight and Oakheart. Her heart sank and it felt like the floor had fallen out beneath her. If she didn’t do something soon, she was going to be stuck with this piece of shit for years. She had made a promise to help Swan and her aerie, and she couldn’t do that while trapped in a cage.

She had to do something.

“…Legally, you have nothing on me. I have a hundred ponies that can vouch for me. What do you have, director?”

“You leaked the Orion’s flight path to those pirates,” Flurry blurted out before she could stop herself.

A silence fell and Flurry kicked herself. Now you’ve done it.

Merry looked to her slightly flabbergasted. He coughed, shaking himself out of his stupor. “Oh? And pray tell, where did you find this stupendous piece of fiction?”

Flurry looked to Twilight, who was shaking her head frantically.

Too late to hold back now, Flurry thought to herself as she stared at the stallion.

“We have footage of you making a deal with the Windigo,” she declared.

A ripple of surprise passed through the gathered guests. Some laughed at the absurdity of it. The Alliance ponies stood up while the unicorns whispered amongst themselves.

“Do you see how desperate they are? Making up falsehoods to besmirch my good name!” Merry proclaimed. “The Windigo of all races? Are any of us actually meant to take this seriously? I will not stand here and allow outright lies from ponies so desperate that they’d resort to old mare’s tales and fantasy.”

“You’ll eat those words when you see the encryption used on the recording,” Flurry shot back. “Word to the wise: don’t transmit from your own ship when making shady deals, dumbass.” A smug satisfaction fell over her as she watched the colour drain from his face.

“My, what a vivid imagination you have,” He replied, anger creeping into his voice. “It would seem you require some more discipline.”

“…I am transmitting the course and departure time now, as well as the crew compliment,” Merry’s voice sounded from a holographic display that had just appeared near the centre of the gathering. “This information was not easy to acquire. I trust you have my payment?”

Silence fell as the recording continued, pausing just as the windigo stepped into view.

Flurry looked around in confusion until her eyes fell on Oakheart with his holo-brace raised. Already, the comms channels were buzzing with activity from Flint’s teams.

“Nyx and I fought and killed that thing as it tried to sabotage the Orion,” Flurry spoke to the crowd. “We almost didn’t make it. Merry takes credit for solving a problem he created!”

Merry’s eyes shifted to his officers, who were staring in disbelief at him. “My friends, surely you don’t believe this fabrication.”

A few had the decency to turn their backs on him, but many held his gaze. The Guilders looked to him with disgust while the Alliance ponies finally had something to appear happy about.

Merry fluffed his wings. “Enough of this, we’re leaving. I will not stand here and be insulted.”

“It’s over, Lord Weather,” Oakheart said simply. “Surrender now and spare yourself any further humiliation.”

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Merry shot back, flaring his wings. A brief yelp sounded from a nearby servant, her tray of drinks shattering on the floor as she fell. Twitching uncontrollably, her body spasmed into an unnatural position as blood hemorrhaged from her eyes, ears, and nose, pooling on the floor.

Gasps of horror sounded from many as the entire gathering stared transfixed at the dead blackwing.

“That’s enough, all of you,” Merry growled, eyeing Twilight warily. “If I see a single spark from your horn, I’ll send the kill command to every blackwing on this station.” He looked down at Flurry. “And then, if necessary, my precious Flurry Heart.”

“What do you want, Merry?” Twilight asked calmly, slowly standing as all the other blackwings stood wide-eyed, frozen in fear.

“I want a clear path to my ship, no guards and no spells,” he said. “Oh, and I’ll be taking my new pet with me.” He gestured towards Flurry. “My dear Swan, if you would escort Flurry Heart.”

When she did not respond, he turned to find Swan Song standing in his way, her wings trembling at her sides with barely controlled rage.

He reached out with a hoof to her. “My dear.”

“No!” Swan cried, batting it aside. “How could you just stand there, treating my friends’ lives like they were nothing when this whole mess was your doing?”

“My love, surely you don’t—”

“Don’t you ever call me that again,” Swan hissed through clenched teeth. “You abused and humiliated us, calling us traitors and honourless. We gave you our lives, our bodies, our blood, and you just tossed them away for money? For leverage?”

Flurry edged closer to Merry as Swan seethed, tears of anger running down her face.

“Of course,” Merry said. “That’s what you blackwings are for.”

Swan’s eyes widened and she grabbed a knife from the table. “You’ll pay for what you did. For the lives of my friends!”

With that, she lunged at a stunned Merry, who was unfurling his wings to strike the mare down. Swan was fast, her wings carrying her forward with an impressive burst of speed.

Merry’s eyes widened as she swiftly closed the distance. There was no time to stop the vengeance-driven mare, her knife thrusting forward to his neck like a spear.

Flurry moved quickly, tackling her mid-lunge and knocking them both to the ground. The knife clattered across the floor, coming to a stop at Merry’s hooves.

Swan met Flurry’s gaze, tears running from the mare’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, Swan, but if he dies, you all die,” Flurry said softly.

“No, no!” Swan cried, struggling pitifully against her grip. “You don’t know what he did to me! To all of us! He deserves to die for what he’s done! Don’t take this from me!” Her voice cracked as she broke down in tears.

Flurry held the weeping pegasus tightly. She then hushed her voice, mindful of who was listening. “I promised I’d save all of you, but you must trust me, Swan. Your aerie needs you now. This isn’t over.”

Swan simply clutched tightly to her, each breath coming in ragged sobs.

“You saved me,” Merry muttered in disbelief.

“I did it for her, not for you,” Flurry snapped, looking back up at him.

“Yes, you seem protective of my Swan,” Merry said, “I should flay her alive for what she’s done, but I will stay my hoof if you cooperate and follow my orders.”

Flurry wanted to tell him where to stick it, but both their lives hung in the balance now. She just hoped Twilight and Oak could find a way out of this.

She released Swan and stood before him. “Fine. Nopony else needs to die today.”

“Then let us leave,” he said, tapping his holo-brace. “To all crew of the Glorium, return to the ship and prepare for departure.”

Twenty or so ponies saluted and hurried out of the hall while nearly all the blackwings bowed and joined his side. The rest simply stared as the group began to head towards the door.

“Remember my warning, director,” Merry glared at her.

“You have my word,” Twilight said, looking to Flurry with concern.

Merry cast a glance at Swan. “Come along, my dear Swan. I will forgive your outburst.”

“No,” Swan said simply, taking a breath. “I’d rather die here than live another second under you!” She then spat in his face, taking Merry by surprise.

“Then die here alone,” Merry replied, wiping his face. “Such a pity.”

Chapter 21 - Anticipation

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Silence lingered in the wake of Merry Weather’s departure, all eyes fixed on the broken body of the serving mare and the slowly expanding pool of crimson. Glazed, empty eyes stared back at Swan Song as the mare’s mouth remained frozen in an eternally silent scream.

She could hear the voices of her fellow blackwings calling to her, but she could not find the will to speak to them. Five had chosen to stay behind—all from her aerie. She would have been proud of their gesture if not for the folly of it.

You brave, loyal fools, Swan thought sadly. You’ve chosen death.

Part of her wanted to deny it—to believe that with Merry gone, she could find a new life without him. Thoughts of Princess and Flint’s tactical squad reminded her of how much more there was to life than what she had known as a slave. Now, none of that mattered; her own fate lay bleeding out on the floor at her hooves.

Such was the outcome for many a blackwing. She had seen it several times growing up. Those who could not work, or who spoke out against their keepers, or simply said the wrong thing at the wrong time were all made an example of.

The sight of it no longer shocked Swan as it once had. It seemed, in many ways, a blessing. With death, one was finally free of this waking nightmare. A part of her envied the fallen mare for that.

She was so tired of it all. She just wanted it over with.

Swan lay down and rested her head against the cool floor. All of her strength seemed to have abandoned her. Tears stung wet on her cheeks, but she didn’t care. Her rage, her despair, both had faded away into nothing, leaving her an empty husk.

Time seemed to come to a stop. She wasn’t sure how long she had been lost in the sea of emotions before a flicker of movement caught her attention.

Still standing beside Merry’s table, the director was talking into her holo-brace. Swan wondered how anyone could appear so calm despite everything that had just happened. Twilight wore a slight frown as if this was all some minor inconvenience and not the disaster that it was.

“What do you mean you’ve lost them?” she suddenly whispered, probably louder than she intended. “Alright, I’ll handle it.”

She finished her call, pausing for a moment of thought.

“May I have your attention,” Twilight announced, all eyes turning to look at her. “I must ask you all remain here for your own safety until the situation is resolved.”

A murmur spread through the guests for a moment until louder voices rose up among them.

“This is preposterous!” one of the horn-heads sneered. “We will not be prisoners here!”

There was a chorus of supporting yells from both delegations.

The alicorn merely raised a hoof and the baying crowd fell silent.

“This is a Harmony Security matter,” Twilight replied curtly. “Captain Oakheart will answer any questions in my stead. Now, I must leave to tend to an important matter.” She then gestured to the stallion standing beside her.

“And where are you going?” one of the Alliance ponies asked in frustration.

Twilight looked in his direction but said nothing. She then whispered something to Oak, who nodded and replied quietly to her.

“I’ll take care of it,” he said.

With that, the alicorn vanished in a bright flash with an audible gust of displaced air.

Everyone fell quiet as they waited for Oakheart to make a move. The stoic stallion wore a mask of professional dispassion, his hard stare cowing even the more vocal delegates.

“It may be some time before the situation is resolved, so I suggest you all get comfortable,” Oakheart said finally, his head bowing slightly. “Rest assured, I will keep you updated as the situation develops.”

A torrent of questions rained down on him. Soon, the bickering devolved into an argument between the two parties as the horn-heads and dirt ponies turned on each other.

Oakheart watched the squabbling like a disappointed teacher looking over his unruly class. He then calmly walked away from Merry’s table towards the body of the fallen mare. A plethora of emotions fell over his face as he gazed at the body: anger, disgust, and even sadness?

With a heavy sigh, he glanced around until his eyes fell on an unoccupied table. In a swift move, he ripped the sheet off it. The clatter of smashing plates and wine glasses echoed through the hall like an avalanche.

Swan could only watch dumbfounded as he returned to the mare’s body and gently closed her eyes before covering her with the sheet.

The whole room watched him intently in utter silence.

“A mare has just died here. Show some respect,” Oakheart said finally.

It was surreal to watch this stern Alliance stallion act with such care towards a pegasus, never mind a blackwing.

Oakheart’s gaze then turned to Swan, the intensity of his eyes making her shrink. As he walked towards her, a myriad of questions began forming in her mind.

Her reflexive instincts took over for a moment as she considered his intent. Was he coming to gloat? To revel in a disgraced pillow-stuffer getting what she deserved?

The thoughts evaporated as suddenly as they had come. Yes, he was a dirt pony, the enemy, after all. And yet, she found her prejudice and fear swept away like leaves in a strong gale when he spoke.

“Are you hurt, lieutenant?” he asked, the gentle concern in his voice surprising her. “Can you stand?”

“Just leave me here,” she replied, looking away in shame. “The floor is where broken things belong.”

“I can’t do that,” he said. “You’re a part of my crew and that makes you my responsibility.”

Responsibility, Swan thought. Like her and her aerie… Still, she couldn’t bring herself to stand.

He turned to the other blackwings gathered around, each currently looking as bewildered as Swan felt.

“Help me carry her somewhere more comfortable,” he said, his voice surprisingly gentle, bearing none of his usual stern authority.

The other blackwings looked to each other, but none chose to stop the stallion. Instead, they numbly helped him lift Swan onto his back.

Normally, she would have resisted with every fibre of her being. Carried around on a dirt pony’s back? A few days ago, she would have died of shame at the mere idea of it. But now? With her pride lying broken on the floor with her body, she had come to a point where she didn’t care anymore.

Oakheart carried her over to a pile of discarded floor cushions and gently laid her down before sitting beside her.

“I’ve sent for a nurse,” he assured. “Just in case.”

Swan looked away, her thoughts becoming a jumbled mess in her mind. Eventually, a simple question compelled her to speak.

“Why?” She asked. “Why are you helping us now? You never cared before.”

Oakheart let out a sigh. “Could I speak to you in private?”

She numbly nodded, gesturing for her aerie to give them some space. They shuffled off to sit at an empty table and talk amongst themselves while Oakheart remained quiet, his expression thoughtful. It felt like an eternity had passed before he finally spoke.

“You’ve been on Harmony for what, six months?”

“Eight,” Swan corrected.

“Yes, eight. In all that time, I only saw you pegasi as trouble. You were everything my tribe saw you as: arrogant, aloof, pretentious…” He shook his head. “I was content to wait for the director to send you all back home. But I was wrong. I should have done more to help you. I’m sorry it had to come to this.”

He was… sorry? Swan looked at him dumbfounded.

As he sat there beside her, a slight smile played on his lips. “It’s funny. It took that bulldozer of a mare to make me see what was right there in front of me. You were all suffering, and I had chosen to ignore it.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Swan asked, the quietness in her voice surprising her. “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to see that you and your aerie aren’t alone—that Harmony hasn’t abandoned you,” he said firmly. “And I want you to be respected as valued members of the Harmony defense force, not as disposable mercenaries.”

Swan’s gaze followed his, to the young fliers gathered around their table, occasionally glancing at her with concern. They looked to her with frightened eyes, desperate for something to cling to. For someone to tell them it was going to be okay.

“That’s going to depend on whether or not we live through this,” Swan pointed out quietly. “What’s happened with Merry? I heard the director saying…” She couldn’t finish the sentence, though Oak confirmed what she already knew to be true.

“We appear to have lost him for now,” he admitted with a sigh. “He has proven to be surprisingly capable.”

“Lost him?” she repeated in surprise. “Isn’t Flurry with him? She’s not hard to spot.”

“Flurry…” Oak suddenly appeared self-conscious, almost embarrassed. “We thought we knew where she was. It seems Merry has put out a decoy. Flint recovered her holo-brace.”

Swan’s ears flattened, and she looked away. “I guess we’ve all underestimated him.”

A gnawing indignation rose up within her. This was more than underestimating. He had used them. Thrown their lives away, not for honour, not for the Republic, but just to line his own pockets and satisfy his carnal desires. Her wings bristled at the thought of him.

“I must say, you showed some real courage standing up to him like you did,” Oak remarked. “I know that couldn’t have been easy for you.”

“I don’t know what happened. It felt like the floor was falling beneath my hooves,” she said, closing her eyes tightly. “The next thing I know, I’ve grabbed a knife and I’m lunging at him. If Flurry hadn’t stopped me…”

Her eyes opened wide as realization hit her like a sledgehammer. “Oh winds, what have I done?”

“Truthfully? I can’t say I blame you,” he said softly. “All that pain—all that rage had to come out at some point. Trust me, I know how that felt. I understand.”

“How can you understand? How can you when you’re just a…” Her words trailed off.

Oak regarded her thoughtfully. “May I tell you a war story?”

Swan flinched internally. Her father’s involvement in the great war had left her wary of hearing what any Alliance soldier had to say about it. At any rate, she gave a subtle nod, prompting him to begin.

Oak’s expression grew pained as if he was struggling to drag long-buried emotions to the surface.

“It was shortly after the war began. The Black Twelve left so few of us alive,” he said quietly, his jaw tightening. “After the dead were counted and our ranks replenished, I swore vengeance against the pegasi for what they had done.”

Swan winced inwardly. All she had ever seen of the war was from the vids. What the Alliance called the Black Twelve was a swift and glorious victory for her tribe. It never occurred to her how the other side felt about it. An unsettling pit formed in her stomach.

“I’m sorry,” she said without thinking.

“War is war,” he replied with a sad smile. “Anyway, trust me that I know what it is to hate. Back then, I only thought your tribe capable of treachery and brutality. Before long, I had fallen into a reckless obsession that only grew worse with each passing month.

Swan’s ears perked forward in surprise. She barely knew this stallion, but she had a hard time imagining him as anything but honourable.

“What happened?” she asked.

“A few years into the war, I was tasked with hunting a Republic carrier that had been hitting our convoys. It was bad. Dozens of shattered vessels, completely gutted. We never found any survivors, not even escape pods,” he began.

“But a pegasus would never stoop so low!” she exclaimed before catching herself. “Oh, sorry.”

“By the time we caught up with her, we were all hungry for blood. The carrier was using every trick and ploy to escape us,” he continued. “Consumed by my obsession, all I could think of was destroying that damnable ship. When we finally engaged them, the captain of the carrier hailed us before even a shot was fired. He wanted to surrender.”

“Surrender?” Swan asked. This story seemed familiar somehow, but the memory flitted about in the back of her mind, refusing to reveal itself.

“Indeed. He made all the proper overtures, but I wanted him dead. I ordered my crew to open fire with everything we had,” Oak said, lowering his head. “If my XO hadn’t stopped me right then…”

He let out a sigh and paused a moment to collect himself. “Turned out the captain of that ship had been rescuing survivors from the Alliance convoys he destroyed. When we finally caught up with him, his ship was badly damaged and he was afraid for their lives. Imagine that.”

Swan put a hoof to her lips. She was positive she had heard of this. But it wasn’t in any of the vids, she knew that much.

The bitterness in Oak’s voice struck a chord with her. Had he achieved his vengeance, many of his own would have died. The parallel to her own actions this day was not lost on her.

“Your rage then turned to shame,” Swan speculated aloud.

Oak nodded solemnly.

“How did you get over it?”

“One day at a time,” he replied. “All you can do is pick up the pieces and press on. Which is what you need to do right now.”

“What’s the point? We’re dead,” she lamented.

“Not yet, you aren’t. You are only ever truly lost if you believe you are,” he said. “A good friend taught me that.”

Swan looked to the earth pony and saw the sincerity in his eyes. A strange feeling rose in her; it reminded her of her father.

“Don’t focus on the future. Focus on the now,” he added.

“But if Merry escapes—”

“Rest assured, lieutenant, my crew are doing their damndest to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said as he stood up. “And I know Ms. Flurry won’t give up, so you can’t either.”

There was a faint challenge in his voice. It jabbed at the smouldering remains of her pride, breathing life into the embers. She let out a shaky breath as she dug into her last shreds of strength. If she was going to die, she would do it as a pegasus and not as a slave.

Oakheart gave her an approving smile. He offered her one of the cloth serviettes from a nearby table. “Here… to help you clean up. I fear this commotion has made a mess of all that makeup.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said, giving him a weak smile. “Is there any way we can help?”

“For now, it’s best if you stay here and wait with your aerie,” he replied. “Merry can still kill any of you at will, so even if you managed to find him, you’d only give him more hostages.”

“But Flurry needs our help!” she exclaimed, surprising herself with the intensity in her voice.

The thought of Flurry out there at the mercy of that monster sent a shudder through her body. The alicorn was tough, but no mare should have to go through what Swan and the mares of her aerie had suffered.

“Actually, there is something you can do,” Oak mentioned, rubbing his chin.

“Sir?”

“Merry’s guest delegations…”

Swan followed Oak’s gaze as he took another glance at the tables of quietly bickering ponies across the hall. She wouldn’t be surprised if they started flinging food at each other.

“They grow restless,” he continued. “Security is all tied up looking for Merry, so I could really use some help making sure they stay put and behave themselves. It would allow me to help coordinate the search.”

Swan turned to face Oak again and straightened herself. To think… blackwings policing esteemed faction representatives? She didn’t have to ponder it long.

“It would be my pleasure, sir!”

“Very good,” he smiled, giving her a salute. “Carry on, lieutenant.”

“Thank you, sir. We’ll get on it right away,” she said, returning his salute as well as his smile. It surprised her how natural the action suddenly felt.

Oak looked again to the quarrel and let out a sigh. “Now, I’ve got to explain to our new friends here who will be in charge of them while they wait. Stay strong, lieutenant! I’ll have someone keep you informed if I hear anything about Merry.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said.

The earth pony gave her a smile before walking over towards the coven of unicorns.

Closing her eyes, Swan Song took a breath before returning to her aerie mates.

“Swan, are you okay?” Cinnamon asked, her voice laced with worry bordering on panic.

“What’s going on?” came another voice.

“Why is the dirt pony helping us?”

Swan gave them all a gentle smile to calm their nerves. “Okay okay, settle down,” she soothed. “I’m feeling much better now. Thank you, my friends.”

The blackwings were tentative but each put on a brave face. It was more than she could have asked for, given that they could all be dead by this time tomorrow.

She wished the rest of her aerie were here. They had probably all been recalled to the Glorium by now. Would Merry spin a tale for them that Swan had betrayed him? Who would guide them now, without her? Swan’s stomach tightened at the thought.

“Do they know where Merry is?” Poppy asked, her voice still carrying an edge of anxiety to it. “We need to find the branding staff!”

“He’s still on the loose, but Captain Oakheart has his best ponies on it. He will let us know as soon as they know more.”

“We should be out there looking then. If we don’t find that staff, we’re all—”

“No, Poppy,” Swan interrupted. “We have to stay out of the way and let security do their job. Listen, do you trust me?”

“Of course. We’re with you, Swan.”

“Then hear what I have to say. For right now, you are no longer blackwings.”

Quizzical glances shot back and forth between them, prompting a subtle smile to creep onto Swan’s muzzle.

“If we die today, we die as Pegasi of the Republic,” Swan continued. “Regardless of what happens, they’ll know we acted with honour. And by the winds, I swear it will not be in vain. I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

Swan was relieved to see her aerie mates nodding in agreement, their posture straightening.

“What happens now?” Cinnamon asked.

“We have a job to do,” Swan proclaimed with a smile, her head held high. It was obvious they were confused, but her budding optimism seemed to be rubbing off on them as she tried her best to keep them from sinking into despair as she had.

After explaining what Oak wanted them to do, Swan watched as her friends set upon the Federation and Alliance delegates. Over the next half hour, there were several times when someone attempted to get up and leave, only to be ushered back to their respective tables and told to sit quietly.

Swan had to admit, she took a certain perverse pleasure in watching those Alliance fools squirm. All their bluster did them little good now. It all helped distract her from what was going on beyond the hall. There had been no word from Oak or Flint regarding Merry or Flurry. What was going on out there?

“Hey, Swanny!” A familiar voice called out to her suddenly.

“Blitz?”

It was! Swan quickly turned to see the stallion flying towards her.

Her heart leapt as he set down beside her. A flood of emotions overcame her, and before she knew what she was doing, she had thrown her forelegs tightly around his neck, tears filling her eyes.

“Oh, thank the winds. I thought I’d never see you again,” Swan admitted, swept away in the moment.

“Whoa, easy there, Swanny,” Blitz gasped as she tightened her grip.

Swan felt his wing gently stroke her back, making her overly aware of the affection she was giving. She quickly released her friend, wiping her eyes with an awkward chuckle.

“Blitz, why aren’t you on the Glorium? We heard Merry giving the order to prep and depart,” she asked as a series of questions flooded her mind.

“We, uh, we almost did,” Blitz replied. “The entire aerie was scrambled code alpha—no time to even finish a sandwich. All the fighters and bombers were spooled up and ready to fly when I heard the radio chatter. The Glorium was undocked, awaiting the Icarus, and prepping to jump. That’s when I ordered the aerie to power down. Something big is going down.”

“I bet that went well,” Swan remarked.

“Glorium comms went ballistic. We were called traitors and told we would be left behind to die unless we docked with the carrier that instant. That’s when I asked where you were. They said you had already betrayed his lordship and were staying behind. No way we were going to abandon our mother hen, so we’re all still on station.”

Swan looked away, feeling fresh tears form in her eyes. “You idiots.”

“Learned from the best. So what’s happened here, Swan? Security is tearing the place apart looking for Merry.”

“No time for that, Blitz,” Swan stated, wiping her eyes again. “Do you know if the Icarus has departed? If Merry—”

“Easy, Swanny. I don’t have any info on that. I was on my way to CIC when Commander Snow Drift practically crashed into me. She said I needed to come here and escort you to Medical right away. Swan… Flurry’s been shot.”

Swan’s blood ran cold as her mind raced. What?

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The faint crackling sound and occasional whiff of ozone coming off her wings were enough to remind Flurry that she best not do anything stupid. Up until this point, Merry Weather had been an annoyance. But she had just seen him kill a mare in cold blood without a care. It was the kind of psychosis normally reserved for pirate lords and megalomaniacs. What madness had brought this stallion to lead Harmony’s air group?

Shortly after leaving the Fairbright Hall, Merry and his officers had led the entourage of thirty or so blackwings down a staircase into the maintenance access tunnels beneath what passed for the ground level of the city. The bright and crisp facades of the upper buildings were now replaced by the hum of utility services, claustrophobic bundles of overhead pipes, and the echo of many hooves clattering through bare metal corridors.

“Who trusted you with the codes to the utility zones?” Flurry asked as she was prodded forward by Merry’s officers.

Merry stopped and regarded her for a moment. “My dear, do you honestly think I had not planned for such a contingency? I know I am not well-liked by those in power on this station. It was only a matter of time before we would need to make a swift and unceremonious exit.”

At that, he grabbed Flurry’s foreleg, examining her holo-brace. “This won’t do. You there…”

A softly dappled grey mare turned to face him in surprise. “My lord?” Flurry recognized her as one of the musicians from the party as well as in Merry’s lair, earlier when she and Oak had first confronted him.

Merry undid the buckle on Flurry’s holo-brace and then took the grey mare’s foreleg, fastening it to hers instead.

“Fly for me, my darling. Set the authorities on a wild chase throughout the station while we make our escape.”

“I- I can’t,” she stammered in fear. “Please do not ask me to leave your side.”

A stern anger briefly crossed over Merry’s face before he composed himself once more. “You will do as I say.”

The mare’s wings crackled slightly, causing her to flinch. “My lord, I will die without you! Please… I have shown my devotion. If only—”

Merry’s voice became soft, like a parent comforting a child. “Shh, there there, my loyal servant. Consider it a privilege to help ensure your master’s safety. You will not be forgotten. And if you are successful, I may even be able to have your family freed.”

Tears formed in her eyes as she silently pleaded for him to change his mind.

Merry’s eyes, however, grew impatient. “Now go!” he demanded.

The mare yelped as she stumbled nearly to her knees from a far more severe jolt before recovering and running back up the stairs to the surface.

“Do you always make a habit of killing your blackwings?” Flurry asked.

Merry got right in her face where she could smell his stinking breath. “Pray you do not find out the answer to that too soon, my pet.” And with that, they were again on their way into the depths of the station’s underbelly.

Before long, the corridors led to an underground service rail running alongside a silent and empty platform. To Flurry, it felt sterile and barren, much like everything else on this station. There were none of the usual scents of sick, sweat, and urine that clung to places like this. The walls were unsullied by graffiti or posters advertising the local brothel. There wasn’t even a hobo or drunk waiting to ask for credits or trying to mug them. She watched as Downdraft busily tapped commands into his holo-brace to summon the train.

“Your getaway vehicle?” she inquired.

Merry ignored her as a slight breeze picked up from out of the dark maw of the tunnel. Soon, she saw the lights of the subway, and then the train itself spilled out into the well-lit station.

After everyone was herded aboard, Downdraft commanded the train to dive into the blackened tunnel on the opposite side of the station.

Here in the utility district, the harsh and intermittent lighting bore no resemblance to the glorious artificial daylight visible to the city proper. The loud rhythmic clacking of the metal wheels on tracks reminded Flurry of a deep mining colony she had once worked for centuries ago. It lacked all the comforts of the Orion’s tram and especially Harmony’s aboveground monorail which ferried ponies back and forth in near-luxury.

A nagging feeling wormed its way into Flurry’s gut. Merry wasn’t merely an annoying idiot who lucked himself into a prominent position on Harmony Station. He was apparently quite well-connected—well enough to have acquired override codes for the maintenance subway. She wondered what else he was prepared for and what they’d have to do to keep him from boarding the Glorium before it was too late.

For now, Flurry’s only advantage was that Merry seemed to put great value on her. She was, simultaneously, both Merry’s greatest leverage and his greatest liability—not a chance he would follow through with his threat to kill her if they tried to stop him. But then, he talked almost as highly of Swan, and Flurry had just witnessed how that turned out. If pushed, would he just flip the kill switch on her as well?

Flurry’s mind drifted to Swan Song as the train moved through the blackness beneath the city. It had all happened so fast with Swan suddenly threatening Merry’s life, the look of anger and betrayal burned into her glistening eyes.

She had robbed Swan of her chance to strike out at the monster that had enslaved, humiliated, and violated her. It had to be done, of course. Had she succeeded, they would have all been killed. Aside from that, she couldn’t help but wonder how Swan was doing, left behind to die with no hope of righting all that was wrong in her life.

It was good to just sit. Flurry’s body still ached from her fight with the windigo, despite the expert medical attention she had received. It reminded her that whatever happened, she was in no condition for a fight.

Glancing down the aisle of the train, she got a better look at the ponies along for the ride. Many were Merry’s officers, keeping a close eye on the bewildered and terrified blackwings amongst them. Flurry felt nothing but pity for the poor wretches. Their world was collapsing before their eyes, and they were desperately clinging to what they knew as well as the will to live.

Notably, of all the blackwings here, none were from Swan’s aerie. It impressed on Flurry the level of loyalty that mare truly had inspired among the young pilots—even to the death.

Immediately to Flurry’s left sat Merry Weather, looking smug and confident. He casually draped a wing over Flurry’s shoulder, making her want to retch. She glared daggers at him but said nothing.

“There’s no need to be so petulant, my dear,” Merry offered. “You played your hoof and you lost. Honestly, what did you expect?”

“Oh, I don’t know… maybe someone getting a savage beating followed by cocktails,” Flurry replied with a flippant shrug.

A grimace took over Merry’s expression as he thrust a forehoof into her face, pulling her until their eyes met. “Once we’re away from here, I may just take you up on that offer. You’ve caused me no end of trouble.”

“Come now, Merry… causing trouble is my specialty. I thought you knew this,” Flurry replied, giving him a smile. “I suppose I can’t blame you. One look at my fine ass would make just about anyone lose himself.”

“And what a prize you are,” Merry chuckled. “After I’ve had my fun breaking you for a few years, your bounty alone will set me up for life.”

“Assuming you make it off the station. And you’re a fool if you think the emperor will just welcome you back to the Republic.”

“Such little faith in your master,” Merry mocked. “Everything is already in motion, my dear. Soon, we will be safely whisked away and your new life will begin. And don’t worry your pretty head about His Majesty… He won’t be around forever. Change is coming.”

Flurry pondered that for a moment. Stratos was old but not that old. How deep did Merry’s treachery run? After a pause, she thought she better change the subject.

“I have to admit, it takes some real guts to deal with the Windigo,” Flurry remarked. “And even more to double-cross them. Or maybe that’s just stupidity.”

Flurry chuckled as she clenched her teeth to endure the expected price for that comment. Her muscles ached after the painful jolt subsided. Worth it.

“My lord,” Downdraft spoke. “The Glorium reports she is prepped and underway. Umbilicals cleared and awaiting our arrival. She is ready to jump on your command.”

“You wouldn’t,” Flurry murmured, knowing if the carrier jumped this close to the station, the jump vortex would rip the guts out of Harmony’s underside.

“Oh, my dear, do not worry. I have no intention of starting an interstellar incident. Though you have to admit, it would provide an adequate distraction for our escape. The captain is merely putting some distance from the station to ensure a prompt departure once we dock.”

Flurry’s mind spun around looking for any way she might throw a spanner in the works, but the blackwing enchantment gave her nothing to work with. She could still feel the wretched spell using her own natural strength to keep her as weak as a mortal.

“Now arriving at: Harmony Space Terminal,” an automated feminine voice announced. “Please make sure to take all of your belongings with you as you exit the train.”

“Come along, your chariot awaits,” Merry invited, his haughty voice making her want to throttle him as they all stood to disembark.

As Merry and Downdraft led the way, a pair of officers behind Flurry prodded at her, trying to herd her along. Of course, she wasn’t making it easy for them with her snarling and threatening glares. Despite being in no condition to resist, she found it satisfying to see them flinch.

The blackwings were led into a corridor, leaving the station behind as Downdraft worked out the route and led everyone toward the docks. Eventually, he came to a stop in front of a locked door, a puzzled look on his face. “This hatchway leads to the docking bay housing the Icarus. I’m not able to override it for some reason.”

The flustered shipmaster tapped at his holo-brace as Flurry watched Merry’s confidence begin to slip.

“Problem?” she asked. “Too bad I don’t have my comms. I could probably even get an escort for you.” Her innocent expression only served to irritate him further.

“We can carry you back unconscious to the ship if you’d like,” Merry offered. “I advise you not to convince me that you are more trouble than you’re worth.”

“That’s everyone’s view of me anyway. This is news to you?”

Merry did his best to ignore her though she could see with some satisfaction that she was getting to him.

“I have an alternate,” Downdraft reported, leading them further down the corridor.

Eventually, they all stood before a large double door marked ‘Docking Bay 45’. Before the stallion even issued the command to open it, the hair along Flurry’s withers began to stand on end. A feeling of dread crept into her gut for just a moment until she recognized what was causing it. Glancing briefly over her shoulder, she could see that quite a few of their entourage were also becoming jittery.

The doors parted, revealing the brightly lit shuttle hangar and an old industrial tug docked on the opposite end with the name Icarus marked on its side. It must have been over a century old and in quite a state of disrepair. Flurry shook her head in disbelief. How long had this been parked here with no one suspecting its real purpose?

Merry strode forward with confidence towards the wreck of a ship. “Hurry along, we have no time to waste!”

Once everyone had stepped into the hangar bay, the doorway closed and a dark greenish fog formed all around them, blotting out the bay. It quickly grew so thick as to make it impossible to see more than a few canters. What was more, all the normal background noises of the hangar had faded away, replaced with an eerie silence punctuated with the sounds of feral creatures off in the distance. Flurry could make out the musky smell of rotting wood and moss. Somewhere, a coyote howled, adding to the creepy ambiance.

Flurry was loving it. She hadn’t seen theatrics this convincing since her childhood when Nyx was in charge of the haunted house attraction. The only thing missing was…

The eyes. Flurry caught sight of a pair of gleaming eyes piercing the fog. Then they were gone. She looked around, trying to see what was happening, only to hear the thump of a pony being kicked to the ground and dragged off.

“My lord, where are you?” came Downdraft’s voice. Flurry moved in that direction.

Blackwings froze in fear, clustered together while the officers in charge of them were thinned out one by one. Occasionally, Flurry saw a dark shape snatch them away with a yelp or a scream. One stood his ground in defiance, only to fall with the crack of broken limbs and a muffled cry before vanishing into the swirling darkness.

“Show yourself!” Merry demanded. “Or half this group dies right now.”

Everyone glanced back and forth until the fog peeled back just enough to reveal what appeared like the spectre of death directly in front of Merry Weather. The tall, utterly black alicorn stood before them, cat-like eyes gleaming and nostrils flaring in anger. Her lips were snarled back, exposing sharp fangs while her horn crackled with energy, ready to strike down her next victim.

“I suspected you might be the compassionate type,” Merry mused. “Seems I was right. You share your cousin’s weakness in valuing the lives of these blackwings. Now back away, slowly, unless you wish for one of these to bleed out before you.”

Nyx said nothing, merely locking eyes with him while holding her posture and taking two steps back.

“Oh ho ho! Will you have a look at that. Even the wrath of the mighty Nightmare can be tamed”, Merry gloated with a cocky, overconfident lilt in his voice. “Yes, I’ve heard of you, though most of it I suspect is fanciful legend.”

It wasn’t, of course. But Nyx held her tongue, waiting for Merry to make the next move. Meanwhile, Downdraft crept off to the side while Flurry trailed behind him, not wanting to lose him in the fog.

“Now stand aside and we’ll be on our way,” Merry demanded.

Flurry watched from behind Downdraft as Merry groped around half-blind, trying to regain his sense of direction. It was then, while Nyx’s attention was fully on Merry, that Downdraft placed his right foreleg into a satchel. There was a click as a mechanism grasped his leg.

Oh no you don’t… Flurry thought as her heart quickened.

It was the brace of an assassin’s rifle. She knew that sound anywhere.

Downdraft carefully withdrew his foreleg from the satchel, sporting the slender muzzle that extended out from the weapon. The trigger plate rested alongside his fetlock within easy reach of his left hoof. He reared onto his hind legs and took aim at the back of Nyx’s head.

Flurry lunged, wrapping her forelegs around Downdraft’s neck and tackling him to the ground.

“My lord!” Downdraft yelled, gasping as he fought against the increasing pressure.

His stinking breath washed against Flurry’s face as she held her grip firm. He was quite strong—at least that was her impression before remembering why blackwings were sapped of their strength while not on a mission. Leveraging her weight against him, she tried her best to wrestle his aim away from Nyx while he writhed against her, twisting to get out of the chokehold.

His cries seemed to shake Merry’s focus away from taunting Nyx, causing his anger to flare. The stallion flexed a wing, his expression furious.

“Fool!” he yelled, but it seemed muffled and distant.

“No! Wait, she’s too close!” Downdraft cried, his voice straining against her grip.

Flurry tried to prepare herself, but there was little she could do. Pain blossomed throughout her body as a powerful surge of electricity coiled around her, sending her muscles into a spasm. Her grip on Downdraft tightened as he screamed in agony alongside her. Merry was not holding back this time as flashes of lightning arcing over both their bodies lit up the fog surrounding them.

Flurry could feel the muscles and sinews of Downdraft’s neck being compressed. He reached up, desperately trying to break her grip, but she couldn’t stop even if she wanted to.

Downdraft writhed in her grip that was now growing ever-tighter on its own accord. Suddenly, there was a wet snap, followed by the single report of his weapon firing. His cries were cut off, his body growing limp.

Whoops.

Merry’s onslaught ended, and Flurry slumped to the ground, the stench of singed fur wafting into her nostrils. Her muscles burned, but now a new pain erupted as blood flowed out of a hole in her chest.

“Flurry!” Nyx cried.

“No, you idiot!” Merry yelled at the now-dead stallion.

Blackness played at the edges of Flurry’s vision, but she struggled to fight it off.

“Enough!” Merry yelled at Nyx. “One more step and I kill every blackwing!”

Nyx ignored him and rushed to her side.

“Flurry, hold still—you’re hurt,” she gently instructed.

Flurry wheezed, each breath a struggle, her lungs burning.

“My dress is ruined,” she croaked.

Nyx smiled despite herself, but it was short-lived. She looked sternly upon their assailant.

“It’s over, Merry. Surrender now and I might overlook what you just did to my cousin.”

“Oh thanks,” Flurry muttered.

“Well, you did just break his lackey’s neck.”

“It was an accident!” Flurry protested. “The dumbass electrocuted me!”

“Didn’t you hear me?! I’ll kill every blackwing!” Merry yelled, clearly tired of being ignored. “Perhaps you need another reminder of my power!”

He opened his wings, his eyes filled with the expectation of watching more innocents die before his eyes. Only this time, nothing happened.

“What?!” Merry gasped.

It was then that Twilight emerged from the fog, stepping in front of Merry, her horn aglow in a soft light.

“Oh, you won’t be harming ponies anymore,” she stated.

“Mom, Flurry’s hurt. We need to get her out of here,” Nyx urged.

Twilight gasped and rushed over to the wounded alicorn.

“Hold on, Flurry. I’ll teleport us to the hospital.”

“No way,” Flurry snorted, shrugging off her aunt’s attempts to help. “I’m not missing out on this!”

“Now’s not the time to play tough. Nyx has this,” Twilight insisted.

Flurry met her eyes. How could she explain what she was feeling? Was Twilight even capable of understanding? If only for once she just…

It was then that Twilight let out a sigh, her eyes becoming soft as she looked upon the battered mare.

“You’re sure?” she asked.

Flurry winced and nodded.

“Alright then. Girls, do as you wish—but remember you don’t have much time.”

“You- you can’t do this! I have my rights!” Merry stammered. He then shut his mouth, swallowing as he looked back towards a looming Nyx approaching him with rage in her eyes.

Nyx’s kick was so fast he didn’t even have time to flinch. He was sent sprawling backwards, blood erupting from a now thoroughly broken nose.

Flurry struggled to her hooves, the action taking all of her strength. Every breath was agony, her chest feeling like she was driving a spear into it. By all accounts, she probably should just lay down, but she wasn’t about to miss this ass-kicking.

“Surely, we can come to an agreeable—” Merry whimpered before he was cut off.

Another kick sent him onto his back, ribs audibly cracking as he hit the floor, a massive hoof-shaped welt forming on his cheek.

“Hey fatso, if you do me a favour, I’ll call her off,” Flurry offered.

“Anything!” Merry cried, falling to the floor.

“You see, some asshole put this enchantment on me, and it’s been a mite inconvenient,” she stated. “You wouldn’t be a pal and remove it, would you?”

“Noooo, anything but that…” Merry whined before his body was tossed in an arc like a ragdoll and smashed against the floor. He cried out sharply as several more of his ribs shattered.

“I- I…” Merry stuttered, reluctance in his voice.

They all watched as Merry’s sense of self-preservation battled with the desire to hold onto his trump card, his face anguished with the decision.

They didn’t have time for this.

“Nyx,” Flurry said coldly.

Her cousin nodded, grabbing Merry’s foreleg and snapping it like it was a twig. Merry screamed in agony, making Twilight grimace beside them.

“Is this really necessary?” Twilight asked.

“Oh yes,” Flurry and Nyx said in unison.

Merry clutched onto his shattered foreleg, looking up at them with tear-streaked eyes.

“Tick tock,” Flurry continued. “Nyx is running out of patience and you’re running out of bones.”

When Nyx moved to grab his other foreleg, Merry relented.

“Fine, fine!” He yelled. “Just keep her away from me!”

Just then, Flurry felt something uncoil deep within her body, her senses and strength suddenly sharpening. Looking over her shoulder, she watched as the blackness on her wings bled away, returning them to her natural colours. She felt invigorated, despite her many injuries, as her thaumatic energy was freed. Still, her lungs burned as she was still painfully aware of the gunshot wound to her chest.

“How much time do we have?” Flurry wheezed.

“Another minute maybe,” Twilight replied, looking at her worriedly as the glow in her horn began to fade.

“I imagine a motivated person could cause a lot of damage in that time,” Nyx said.

“Yeah, it’ll do,” Flurry said, giving Merry an ominous grin.

They all watched as Merry desperately tried to drag himself away.

With a flick of her newly returned telekinetic prowess, she pulled him whimpering back to her.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since we first met,” Flurry purred.

She then reached out with her telekinesis, gently moving down the whimpering stallion’s belly until she finally found what she was looking for.

Chapter 22 - A Promise Kept

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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.

Chapter 23 - Flurry, the Space Pirate

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“I knew this was a bad idea,” Nyx groaned as the alert beeped in her ears.

The black alicorn was hooked up to the flight couch of the Fleeting Dream, piloting the ship. Flurry was still in no condition to fly, so she was seated nearby, at bridge tactical, going over sensor readouts.

“Who knew they’ve been scanning for us this whole time,” Flurry complained. “It’s been a whole week. Besides, I’m a hero now. Didn’t they get the memo?”

“What’s this ‘us’ you’re talking about?” Nyx countered as she deftly slid the ship through the sensor shadows along Harmony’s exterior. If she could avoid the Alliance scans, they might just get out of here without a confrontation.

“You can’t really expect they’d give up trying to catch you, knowing you’d have to leave the station eventually,” she continued. “What in the world did you take from them, anyway?”

“It’s not really what, more like how much and how often,” Flurry replied nonchalantly.

Nyx let out a heavy sigh. She had been doing that a lot since Flurry’s return.

“Warning: hostile scan locked,” the Dream announced.

Damn it, I thought we’d get a bit further, Nyx silently cursed.

“Pirate vessel, power down your engines and prepare to be boarded,” a stern male voice sounded from the ship comms.

“Good grief, we haven’t even gotten past the Harmony traffic pattern. Do you need me to drive?” Flurry asked.

“Just let me handle this,” Nyx shot back before engaging comms.

“I’m afraid you have the wrong ship,” Nyx answered the Alliance transmission in an authoritative sounding voice. “This is Captain Nyx of the Commonwealth vessel Orion on a special mission. Stand down, I say again, stand—”

“That isn’t going to work this time, Fleeting Dream. I repeat, surrender your ship immediately.”

This time?

“I… may have faked my identity with the Alliance a few times in the past,” came Flurry’s sheepish voice.

If Nyx had her hooves free, she would have put one on her forehead. Instead, she came to a stop along the station’s hull, cooling her power output. Just then, four Tumbleweed corvettes dropped into view, surrounding her with weapons trained and locked in. Nyx felt a slight drain on her power as Flurry engaged her shields.

“This may not be enough,” Flurry called out. “Nyx, do some kind of Nightmare thing. Anything to throw them off. I have an idea.”

“Why don’t we just call in an escort from Harmony?” Nyx suggested.

“No,” Flurry said flatly. “I’ve caused them enough trouble already. I can see it now: ‘Harmony aids in theft of Alliance property’. That would go swell at the negotiating table.”

“I didn’t know you cared.”

“You know, one day you’re going to give me the benefit of the doubt,” Flurry remarked. “Maybe today.”

Don’t hold your breath, Nyx thought. This whole thing was a mistake. She never should have agreed to come on one of Flurry’s unsavory adventures.

Fine. She would do it again. It was always a risk tapping into her dark self. Someone could get hurt who didn’t deserve it. She could go too far. Things could get messy.

She had already lost count of how many times she had done this during the Orion’s rescue. Too many.

Here goes, Nyx thought before clearing her mind and channeling herself deeper into the ship’s systems. The effect would soon be amplified by the Dream’s Nexus core and cast through its powerful emitters to affect every ship in the vicinity.

Nyx then allowed her mind to sink back in time, recalling her ancient past, even further than her time growing up on Equus as a child. Back then, dozens of centuries ago, she was simply the Night. Images of blood and death and vengeance flitted past her consciousness. She had been the Night far, far longer than she was Nyx. It was in this form she preyed upon and joined with the unsuspecting Luna. Together, they had slaughtered thousands.

That was enough. Nyx brought her conscious mind back to the present moment, only to hear Flurry shouting in a panic.

Through the Dream’s sensors, Nyx had been dimly aware of the wispy black cloud forming against the backdrop of stars. It appeared in an open sector not too far from Harmony station. Within the cloud, fierce lightning silently crackled, and from within, a harbinger of death itself emerged.

It was a Griffon Imperium Thunderbird battlecruiser. And any sane captain would swear up and down that there was no way it could be here, not now, not at Harmony. But sanity had fled from the Tumbleweed corvette pilots. They knew as well as anyone that the only way to survive this encounter would be to have an entire fleet of warships at the ready… or run.

And run they did, scurrying along the hull of the station towards their flotilla of ships some two hundred kilocanters away.

Nyx wasted no time flying the Dream in the opposite direction, towards the line of civilian ships queued up to use the jump gate.

“You okay over there?” she asked Flurry, her vision still overridden by the flight couch and its sensors. She tapped into a bridge camera, which showed Flurry sitting wide-eyed at her station, looking like she had just survived a brush with death.

Flurry shook her head to snap herself out of her stupor. “Uh, yeah. That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.”

“Good to know I can still surprise you,” Nyx commented as she switched back to the external sensors. The Griffon warship was lazily making its way in the general direction the Tumbleweeds had fled, but the illusion was already breaking down. Within moments, the ship would have faded away entirely, the Alliance pilots left knowing they’d been had. The same trick would not work on them twice.

“I think we lost them,” Flurry stated as she tapped at her console. “Time to blow this joint.”

“What are you working on over there?” Nyx asked out of curiosity.

“I’m scanning gate traffic. If we get there soon, we can clamp onto a bulk freighter and just sail on out with the rest of the merchants.”

Flurry’s tone indicated she had done this before, perhaps more than a few times. Soon, a green reticle popped up in Nyx’s vision, indicating the target Flurry had chosen. She steered the Dream towards it while keeping an eye on the wayward corvettes.

“Keep her slow and steady,” Flurry said. “Cutting main power in ten. After that, cold jets only.”

This time, it was Flurry who did the unexpected. Only a moment after Nyx finished adjusting her vector, there was a feeling like her wings had been dipped in ice water.

“Silent running engaged”, the ship’s computer announced. “Switching to internal CAPS storage. Excess heat diverted to internal sinks. Venting will be required in forty-two minutes.”

The hulking freighter loomed huge about four kilocanters directly in front of them, slowly lumbering along towards the mirrorgate behind an assortment of smaller craft. With its array of freight containers stacked on its back like a Vyzani sherpa, the freighter had plenty of nooks for the Dream to hide in.

Nyx watched as the analytics displayed the class and tonnage in her vision, along with various other statistics on the craft. An approach vector displayed as well, showing her exactly the corrections she would need to make.

She poked her tongue out slightly as she coasted the Dream towards their target. Already, the Tumbleweeds had turned around and were quickly making their way back while furiously pinging the area with LIDAR and search radars. There wasn’t much time.

Puffs of cold propellant burst from vents along the Dream’s wings, guiding the ship gracefully around the large drive section at the rear of the freighter. From here, she rolled the ship ninety degrees and was lined up to slip into the gap between two stacks of containers.

"That’s it. Nearly there," Flurry said.

Tilting her wings, Nyx gently eased the Dream into position, keeping her thruster use to a bare minimum. She soon felt the pressure against her hooves as the Dream touched down on the freighter's hull, clamping on with the magnetic pads of her landing gear.

“And locked,” Flurry said. “Nice flying. Glad to see that sitting behind a desk hasn’t made you lose your touch.”

“Thanks,” Nyx groused. “Now hopefully they won’t close off the gate and search every ship.”

“Oh believe me, they’d never get away with that. No love lost between the merchants and the Alliance military," Flurry assured. “Not when their departure window at the gate is on the line. Time is money. Besides, what’s the Alliance going to do, threaten to fire on anyone who ignores them? Half the ships here are supplying Alliance goods as it is.”

Nyx grimaced, recalling her encounters with some of the freighter captains delivering supplies for the Orion’s repairs over the past few days. She had never met a more stubborn or independently-minded people in all her life. It was no wonder Flurry was at home out here.

“Besides,” Flurry continued with a hint of bitterness on her voice, “you really think the Guild is going to listen to some Alliance fools rattling their sabres?”

Nyx opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again. She reluctantly had to admit that her cousin had a point. You’d have better luck getting blood out of a stone than cooperation from the Guild if it might disrupt gate revenue.

Flurry let out a relaxed sigh. “All we need to do now is sit back and let our friend here carry us out.”

“Provided someone doesn’t look out a window and spot us,” Nyx added.

“Oh ye of little faith,” Flurry said, a subtle smugness coming through in her voice. “See? What did I tell you?”

Nyx looked up to see a pair of Tumbleweeds rocket by, racing along the slow line of traffic. Already, a stream of angry chatter was warbling over the comms.

“I’ll still feel better once we’re away from here,” she muttered, anxiously keeping an eye on the Dream’s passive sensor readings.

“Relax, I’ve done this a hundred times,” Flurry assured. “Never fails.”

And she was right. After convincing Nyx to decouple herself from the flight couch, the pair of alicorns sat behind the curved omniglass bridge viewport and watched the queue of traffic make its way through the gate.

All the while, the Tumbleweeds flitted around, furiously scanning for them like frantic parents searching up and down the aisles for a lost colt at the supermarket. Ten minutes after they had given up, the freighter and her unknown additional cargo slipped through the local departure gate into the swirling maelstrom of mirrorspace.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Nyx gazed at the steaming cup of something and blanched. “Flurry actually drinks this stuff?” she muttered to herself.

The packet had assured her it was ‘coffee’ but this cup of brown sludge was not coffee. She took a cursory sniff, wrinkling her nose at the absence of anything resembling the treasured beverage.

With a hint of desperation, she checked the shelves again for anything else to drink. Alas, all Flurry had in her galley cupboards were various half-empty bottles of alcohol and an assortment of dubious beverage cubes.

She let out a sigh and took a sip, resisting the urge to spit out the insipid fluid.

“The things I do for family,” she muttered, grasping the cracked cup in her telekinesis before walking over to the couch.

At least she no longer had to cross an obstacle course of detritus in order to walk around. The bomb site that Flurry had called a galley was once again fit for equine habitation. The dishes were washed, and the piles of magazines and empty food packages were cleared away.

Some hours had passed since the Dream had detached from its host, and now they were on their way to Rynos. With the ship on autopilot and Flurry taking a nap, Nyx was left with nothing to do but think… and clean. It had been a nice distraction to keep her mind off the misadventure that her cousin had dragged her on.

On that note, Nyx was tempted to head down to the cargo bay and take a peek inside Flurry’s ill-gotten containers. Just what had she taken from the Alliance, and why? It had been a military convoy. Surely, Flurry wasn’t an illegal arms dealer?

No. Ultimately, she decided she was better off not knowing and left it at that. Flurry could deal with her own conscience about it later, after Nyx was back on Harmony. Dragon’s Head had a way of corroding one’s morals, and Nyx wanted no part of it.

At least there was Rynos. It had been a century, perhaps two, since Nyx had last vacationed there. As she relaxed on Flurry’s couch in the lounge, a warm memory wriggled its way to the surface when she thought of the resort world nestled on the edge of the old border between Republic and Alliance space.

Rynos had always been a classy place, filled with expensive hotels and beachfront property. But with the war turning most of the Dragon’s Head nebula into lawless space, she imagined business was probably scarce for the pegasi who called it home.

During the war, there had been scattered reports that filtered back to the Commonwealth. Apparently, there had been an occupation for a while, before the local pegasi staged a four-year insurgency that eventually drove the Alliance off their world.

Nyx’s train of thought was broken by the sound of a door opening and a hurried clatter of hoofsteps.

She turned to see Flurry stagger frantically into the room, her mane disheveled and her eyes wild and unfocused. Her breathing came in short, panicked breaths.

Flurry rummaged through one of the cupboards and quickly pulled out a bottle, unceremoniously yanked the cap off, and guzzled most of it down in one long draw. She didn’t seem to care that some was dribbling from the corners of her mouth and down her neck.

Eventually, she pulled the bottle away and took a long, trembling breath. Her shoulders sagged, wincing as she flexed her injured wing.

“Bad dream?” Nyx asked softly.

Flurry said nothing, only giving a weak nod as she wiped her muzzle with a foreleg.

“The windigo, right? I’ve had a couple of those myself,” Nyx sympathized. Ever since the fight, that damn thing always seemed to be lurking in the shadows of her subconscious as she slept.

“No, nothing like that,” Flurry replied weakly.

Nyx pondered for a moment. There was only one other thing she knew of that rattled Flurry like this.

“It was Thunderstreak, wasn’t it?” she asked gently.

A pained grimace flashed across Flurry’s features as she looked away.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Nyx asked carefully. It was a volatile topic, though some years had passed and perhaps she’d be ready to face it.

“I…” Flurry hesitated. “No, I’m fine.”

Putting up those walls again, Nyx thought sadly. Just like six years ago, with the last time she had tried to get her cousin to talk about it—right before she had taken on a pirate’s life. At this point, Nyx felt like she was picking at an old wound. She would have to choose her next words carefully.

“Have you thought of asking Luna for help?” she offered. “With the dreams, I mean. I can ask for you if you’d like.”

“I’ll… think about it,” Flurry said, taking another swig from her bottle before putting it back in the cupboard. She looked at all the neatly arrayed bottles and shook her head with a tired chuckle. “Making yourself at home, I see.”

“Someone had to. I’m surprised this place hasn’t set off your biological hazard alarm yet,” Nyx teased.

Flurry sat down opposite Nyx. The action brought a tiny hiss of pain, her brow furrowing as she tried to get comfortable.

“All that partying catching up with you, I see,” Nyx remarked. “Next time, you should listen to your doctor.”

“Well, you know I’ve never been good at following orders,” Flurry countered.

“They really should put your picture beside ‘disobedience’ in the dictionary,” Nyx chuckled. “Dr. Doppel looked like he was going to burst a blood vessel.”

“I consider myself the perfect stress test for those Harmony folk. If they can handle me, they can handle anything,” Flurry remarked before her expression became wistful. “I’m… going to miss them.”

“Miss them? You’re not going back?” Nyx queried.

“Nah, once I drop you off, I’m gone,” Flurry replied. “It’s easier that way.”

“What about Swan and her aerie? They’ve all become quite attached to you.”

“They’re smart kids, and I know Oakheart will help them,” Flurry said. “They need to find their footing by themselves.”

She really was going to just walk away, wasn’t she? Nyx could hardly believe it after all they’d just been through.

“What about Blitz?” Nyx pressed. “The way you were talking, it sounded like you two were an item.”

“Oh, him?” Flurry remarked, before shaking her head. “That was nothing serious. Just scratching an itch, you know?”

Nyx sighed, considering how nice it would be if Flurry would just find a guy—any guy at this point—and settle down. “Only an itch?”

“If I recall, he hit on you first,” Flurry smirked. “But yeah, we were just having fun. Besides, his heart is set on another.”

“Wait, really? Who?” Nyx asked, her curiosity piqued.

“That would be telling,” Flurry said coyly.

“Oh come on, you can’t just dangle that in front of me and not spill it,” Nyx complained.

“Alright, alright. She’s just a certain lieutenant who is about as receptive to male advances as you are.”

Swan? Nyx had to admit, she didn’t see that coming. Swan will have come with lots of baggage. Blitz’s virtue must be patience.

“You know, I’ve really missed… this,” Flurry said. “Simply shooting the breeze with you. It’s just been me and Whammy for a long time.”

Nyx smiled softly. As much as her cousin had a habit of causing her problems, and for all the chaos Flurry brought into her orderly life, it was these moments that she treasured.

Looking around a bit, she spotted the discarded coffee ration packet on the countertop and levitated it over before cutting neatly around its brand logo and tucking the scrap away in her personal bags.

“Really?” Flurry remarked with a note of sarcasm as she watched. “You’re keeping that as a memento?”

“Why not? I want to remember the pleasant company and the terrible coffee. Also… I’ve missed you too,” Nyx admitted. “Though I could do without this headache that seems to appear every time I’m in your vicinity.”

“That just means you care,” Flurry chuckled.

“I’m glad we’re going to Rynos together,” Nyx added. “You know I wasn’t thrilled about this trip, but it’s good to spend some one-on-one time catching up. Remember our last trip there?”

“Oh yeah,” Flurry said. “You were in the dumps because that loser ran off on you. What was his name again? The one with the dimples.”

Nyx winced. Why did she have to remember that detail?

“Silver Pen,” Nyx stated.

“Silver Pen! That was his name. That guy was such a dork,” Flurry chuckled. “I always said he was a bit flighty.”

“Yes you did,” Nyx confirmed with a sigh. She wasn’t sure what was worse, remembering how she had been dumped or Flurry going out of her way to draw attention to it.

“But you enjoyed our little trip didn’t you? Flurry to the rescue!”

Nyx recalled that day in her mind’s eye. She had been wallowing in misery, gorging herself on all things unhealthy. Flurry stopped by, finding her a mess, and so she suggested a holiday to get away from everything. To catch some sun, sea, and sights. She had even ditched a royal banquet on Equus to drag Nyx to Rynos. It had not been completely selfless on Flurry’s part, but her heart was in the right place.

“You wouldn’t give me any respite that whole week, would you?” Nyx commented as she played back the day in her mind.

“I wasn’t about to leave you all miserable and alone. It was my cousinly duty to make sure you felt better,” Flurry stated.

“And I certainly appreciated it,” Nyx said. “Maybe I can do the same for you on this trip. Though I’m still not happy coming along on one of your pirating ventures.”

“I know. I just want you to see what has been going on out here with your own eyes,” Flurry replied. “That way, you can make an informed decision on how you regard my lifestyle.”

It wasn’t lost on Nyx that Flurry was willing to expose herself in such a way, especially knowing how unlikely she was to approve of anything illicit that Flurry had gotten herself involved in.

“Okay,” Nyx conceded. “I’ll play things your way. But if things get dangerous, I’m taking charge.”

“Fair enough,” Flurry said with a relieved smile. “Oh, and one more thing… did you ever go back to Rynos after that day?”

“I wanted to, but I never found the time,” Nyx replied with regret. “I heard they had it rough because of the war, but no, I haven’t been back.”

Flurry’s expression fell, a sadness forming in her eyes that filled Nyx’s heart with dread.

“I see,” Flurry said simply. “You know all those memories you have of Rynos? I suggest you bury them deep down where nothing can reach them. Otherwise, you’ll only get hurt.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

As the Dream sailed through the vortex into realspace, Nyx took in the scene. Up ahead was the Rynos beacon, but the jump gate was gone.

“Well that explains why the gate wasn’t responding,” she noted. What was going on here?

“Yeah, the Guild decommissioned it years ago,” Flurry replied with irritation in her voice. “At that point, scavs and junkers were most of the traffic anyway.”

Nyx’s mind raced, trying to comprehend the situation. Then, her heart sank as she turned the ship, putting the planet into view.

In that moment, her expectations were shattered. In her mind, she still held the image of Rynos, a beautiful blue orb that was the jewel of Dragon’s Head, its two large continents and plethora of islands a verdant green that beckoned visitors from throughout the colonies.

Now, what she saw up ahead was a ruined husk by comparison. The shallow oceans had been turned a sickly brown as if someone had poured the wrong paint into a perfect blend of blue. The terrain itself had been littered with enormous heavy-impact craters, spewing soil and rock hundreds of kilocanters in all directions, flattening the once lush landscape.

“But…” Nyx stammered. “How?”

“The Alliance being sore losers,” Flurry commented. “Locals put up a fight and drove them off, so they flattened their world.”

As the minutes passed on their approach, the shock of it transformed into a combination of despair and anger in Nyx’s heart. She thought of the millions of ponies that must have died here.

“Were you here when it happened?” she asked quietly.

“No,” Flurry said. “A few years passed before I was able to make it back and see for myself. Wasn’t much left by then. Head for Ryalia. The drop off is there.”

Ryalia lay on the southern continent and was just on the daylight side of the terminator. It would be morning there.

On approach, Nyx saw a faint sparkling ring circling the world. As she flew closer, it glinted in the sunlight like a fresh snowfall. Soon, her sensors showed the ring to be a vast debris field made up of millions of bits of twisted and pulverized metal, orbiting silently around the world.

It could only be the remnants of the Blue Diamond orbital elevator. It had been the primary starport for the system, and had been full of luxury hotels and casinos. When the station hit the nightside, it would light up like a great neon chandelier, inviting travellers in. Nyx hoped they were able to evacuate before the Alliance destroyed it.

As the Dream kissed the upper atmosphere, Nyx idly scanned the radio frequencies. Normally, the airwaves would dance with radio traffic, but she was met with only static.

Was this why Flurry had come here? A dead world, far from prying eyes, where she could make her drop off in secret.

Soon, she felt the caress of wind against the Dream’s hull as they slowed and dropped into the lower atmosphere. It was a sharp contrast from flying in space, where the sensation of motion was more muted and disconnected. Now, she could feel the tug of air currents pulling on her feathers, passing through the strands of her mane and tail. It was a pleasant distraction from the depressing sight below.

After minutes of flying over ruined landscape, they finally neared the city itself. The monolithic orbital elevator complex loomed on the horizon, the huge muzzle of its thaumatic transport cannon now fallen and shattered as it lay across the city like the trunk of an enormous metal tree.

A few residential towers still stood, but they were fit to be demolished. These had been the homes away from home for the super rich. Starlets, famous actors, and tycoons flocked here, providing a never-ending stream of gossip, scandals, and sordid tales. Now, they were just empty shells, most of their facades ripped away and leaving only the structural frames behind.

The suburbs surrounding the elevator had not fared any better. Bomb craters dotted the city, upheaving great tracts of land and reducing everything to rubble. Most of the smaller buildings were buried under a layer of sand and dirt, forming dunes that shifted endlessly in the harsh wind.

Even the city’s harbour was ruined, the wrecks of multiple cruise liners half-submerged in the bay. Nyx recalled travelling on one of these during her stay here. Now, the sight of their rusting, upturned hulls only served to further dampen her mood.

A waypoint popped into her vision, snapping her attention to the task. She checked her navigation instruments and quickly spotted an open patch of ground by what was once a shopping plaza. Before long, the Dream was engulfed in a blizzard of sand as her landing thrusters brought the ship to rest on the ground.

“Well, here we are,” Flurry announced as Nyx powered down the Dream’s engines. “We’d best get going soon. They’ll have seen us coming in.”

“They?” Nyx asked as she uncoupled herself from the flight couch.

“The locals,” Flurry replied.

“You mean people still live here?!” Nyx felt that uncomfortable feeling in her gut return. The wrongness of the situation had her instincts on overdrive.

“Oh yes, and no doubt they’ll be annoyed that I’m late,” Flurry replied, walking towards the bridge exit.

“I’ll grab my armour,” Nyx said.

“No need,” Flurry insisted. “You simply being here will already be enough to put them on edge. Dressing like you’re off to assault the Razor cliffs by yourself isn’t going to be helpful.”

“Hold on—you know I don’t like going into situations like this unprepared.”

Flurry had that look again, begging for Nyx to trust her.

Nyx let out a resigned sigh. “Fine, but I’m at least bringing my helmet and sword.”

At this, Flurry only rolled her eyes as she turned to go.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

When Nyx walked into the cargo bay, Flurry was already waiting for her. A neat stack of olive green containers had been piled onto an old Mk2 ‘mule’ hover cart that probably dated several centuries back to early colonial times.

“We really need to update your armour,” Flurry said, raising an eyebrow. “You look like you just came off the set of the latest Monsters and Mayhem movie.”

“You’re just jealous. Where’s your armour anyway?”

“It’s around here somewhere,” Flurry replied, gesturing around her with a wing. “Got too badly shot up and I couldn’t get it fixed.”

It surprised Nyx to hear Flurry being so flippant about such an important thing. Their respective sets of armour dated back to the Houndrathi rebellions. They both had as much history as the Dream did. Every dent, every scratch told its own story.

“Give it to me. Once we’re back on Harmony, I’ll get it fixed up for you,” Nyx offered.

“No thanks. The less I see of it the better,” Flurry said with a shake of her head. “Too many bad memories.”

“I see,” Nyx said with sadness.

She slowly walked past Flurry’s containers, taking note of the bare patches of metal on their exteriors. Any markings or numbers denoting their former owners were gone.

“Not taking any chances, I see,” Nyx commented.

“These people don’t need that kind of complication,” Flurry said as she powered up the mule.

“I don’t doubt it.”

As the Dream’s cargo ramp lowered, Nyx was hit with the hot wind of the planet’s atmosphere invading the ship. Even the weather on Rynos had changed—likely the climate control systems having been smashed… or stolen.

Flurry then made her way down the ramp, the mule following along behind her like a loyal old dog.

Taking a breath, Nyx stepped outside onto the dry, barren soil, squinting up at the harsh sunlight beating down on them.

“It’s this way,” Flurry said, pointing towards a gap in the ruined buildings. She then looked back towards the Dream. “Computer, full defensive systems.”

“Perimeter defences online,” the Dream replied, closing the ramp behind them.

“Expecting trouble?” Nyx asked.

“You leave anything expensive out here and the scavs will have it stripped within half an hour,” Flurry said. “I’d rather not walk home.”

“Charming,” Nyx said, walking to join her cousin.

“Life is hard here,” Flurry said. “Anything worthwhile has already been looted.”

Before long, they entered the ruined plaza. The streets were half buried in sand dunes and littered with wreckage. Everywhere Nyx walked, she saw signs of the resistance the ponies of Rynos had mounted against the Alliance occupation. The walls were scrawled with graffiti ranging from a relatively benign ‘dirt ponies out’ to much more colourful remarks.

As they walked, Nyx had a strong feeling they were being watched by multiple ponies. Subtle noises, shuffling, and whispers betrayed their position to her experienced senses. Still, she took no chances and had a firm telekinetic grip on her sword as it rested in its scabbard at her side.

Up ahead stood the entrance of a ruined shopping mall. It was four stories tall, clearly once an opulent and bustling market district, now utterly silent.

“That’s far enough,” a young stallion’s voice sounded from behind the twisted metal frame of a sales kiosk not five canters from the barricaded mall entrance.

At this, Nyx froze, her ears perked forward as she focused on the exact position and weight of her sword. Were they being ambushed? Or…

The figure of a pegasus stallion, cloaked in a combination of scavenged armour bits and leather scraps, emerged from behind his cover. Strips of cloth masked his face, either to conceal his identity or to protect him from getting sand up his nose—Nyx wasn’t sure which. A long rifle hung at his side that looked like it had seen better days.

This must be Flurry’s dodgy pirate contact, Nyx considered. She spared a glance at Flurry, who at least didn’t appear concerned.

The stallion approached, coming to a stop when he got a better look at them.

“Hey, it’s Flurry!” A small pony suddenly poked his head out from a hiding spot on the third floor window above them and waved, only to be pulled back inside.

“Shhh!” Another voice warned from above.

Nyx blinked, unwilling to believe what she was hearing. These were the voices of small children! She looked to Flurry, but her cousin’s gaze was on the stallion.

“You’re late,” he declared with an edge of aggression. “Not only that, but I’m seeing you covered in bruises while standing next to some stranger dressed for a fight.”

“I don’t want any trouble,” Nyx stated simply.

“It’s a bit late for that, dearest. Now you best be letting Flurry go if you know what’s good for ya. We’ve got sharpshooters on every floor aimed at yer head.”

Nyx rolled her eyes. Of course he was bluffing. They had a pair of little kids on third and nobody on the others or she’d have heard something, judging from the rather amateur effort they’d put forth so far.

“Hey, Rain Dancer!” Flurry greeted. “Long time no see! Still got that stick up your ass, eh? Mares don’t like uptight guys, ya know.”

This earned a chorus of giggles from up above.

“Don’t start with me, Flurs. I’m being serious,” he warned, though he was beginning to sound a little flustered.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Flurry replied, gesturing with a wing. “This is my cousin, Nyx. We had a bit of a family emergency, so she’s tagged along with me to help out.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds fishy to me,” he scoffed. “I mean look at her. She’s got cop written all over her.”

“Wow, look at that helmet!” a small colt’s voice commented from above.

“That’s so cool, I want one!” came his companion’s reply.

“Quiet!” the stallion yelled, exasperation heavy in his voice now.

It did no good. The pair of small children leapt out their window perch and fluttered down to where the alicorns stood. Both were dressed in rags and scraps like vagabonds and must have been only eight or nine years old. They each had bandoliers of ammunition draped over their small bodies. Nyx wondered who would raise kids in such a terrible place.

Nyx spared a glance at the stallion, who had put a hoof to his face in resignation while Flurry chuckled and greeted him with a hoofbump. They seemed to have history together, though he was clearly trying to put on a tough-guy act. He pulled down his mask, revealing a youthful face with a navy grey coat and amber eyes.

“You brought the stuff?” Rain Dancer asked, lowering his voice as his eyes darted over to Nyx in suspicion.

“Everything you need, plus a little more,” Flurry replied in a relaxed tone. “I promised I’d come through, didn’t I?”

Nyx cringed as she tried to ignore the fact that she was standing right in the middle of a pirate exchange. What was it, drugs? Weapons? Why were little kids here for it, carrying ammo?

She spotted Flurry and Rain exchanging something, but she couldn’t see what it was. Their conversation was soon lost in the background as the children began their chatter. Nyx looked away, trying to distract herself from whatever kind of deal Flurry was making.

Looking down, the young children stopped fawning over Nyx’s wings long enough for two sets of bright eyes to lock onto hers. Their expressions were priceless, even though Nyx had seen it thousands of times before. Slack-jawed and wide-eyed, little children were always fascinated by Nyx’s dragon-like eyes, though more often than not, they had reacted in fear.

“She has a sword!” the colt exclaimed, his green eyes growing even wider.

“Careful!” the filly next to him squeaked, her voice muffled behind a mask of rags. “She’s an alicorn too. I heard they’re real dangerous. Except for Flurry, of course.”

Nyx knelt down to their level, as was her custom when greeting children for the first time.

“Hi there. I’m Nyx. What are your names?”

“I’m Jury Rig,” the colt said, pulling away the cloth strips and revealing a muddy brown face. He offered a hoof to her.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jury,” Nyx chuckled softly, giving his hoof a gentle shake.

“I’m Clearwater,” the little filly next to Jury said, her deep blue eyes sparkling in wonder despite her timid voice.

“That’s a pretty name,” Nyx said, offering her a hoof.

The filly tentatively reached out, only to suddenly break into a fit of coughing. She coughed and spluttered, the sound painful to listen to.

"Are you okay, little one?” Nyx asked, leaning towards the filly.

“She’s got the cough. Almost everyone has it,” Jury explained.

“The cough?”

“Wait, are you here to fight the bandits?” Jury asked, ignoring her question while leaning in, his eyes once again bright with excitement.

Bandits… Nyx wasn’t sure what to make of this, nevermind how to answer him. Was Flurry here to tip the scales in a conflict? What were they doing here? The question gnawed at her mind once more.

“Someone is causing you trouble?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Jury said, sighing and kicking the sand. “They come around every so often. We used to be able to make them leave by giving them junk we found, but these days it ain’t enough.”

“Well well, you’ve met the terrible twosome, I see,” Flurry announced, grabbing the floundering colt and giving him a noogie.

“Flurry!” Jury cried, trying to wriggle free.

“You be careful with this one, Nyx. When we first met, he was trying to pull the turbine blades off the Dream.”

“They looked really expensive!”

“Yeah, they were,” Flurry said, releasing her squirming prey. “If I hadn’t caught you, I reckon you’d have stripped my ship down to the frame.”

Flurry glanced to Nyx. “Whammy has a restraining order on these two. That’s why he’s hiding on the Dream. Come on, let’s get this stuff inside.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The interior of the shopping mall was an enormous circle, though Nyx only knew this because she had seen it from the Dream on their descent. Once inside, the outer layer of the circle was a vast curved corridor which went around the whole structure. On either side of this were the remains of various shops. Now, many had been converted to housing, while others had been looted and sat vacant.

The corridor had a wide gap on its ceiling, revealing a repeat of the architecture for three more levels up. This was an entire town that had taken residence inside the shopping mall. There had to be hundreds of pegasi living here, making the best of what shelter had been spared from the bombing.

It clearly was anything but an easy life, however. Of the ponies Nyx could see, most seemed sick and malnourished. From behind the closed doors of many living quarters, she could hear coughing and wheezing similar to what Clearwater had sounded like.

Speaking of…

“Shouldn’t you be back home, Clearwater?” Nyx asked the little filly at her side as they walked. “You sound like you could use some rest.”

“I’ll be alright, thanks,” she replied with another cough.

“Aren’t your parents worried?”

Clearwater didn’t answer, though her face told the story plainly enough. Something had happened to them.

“I’m sorry,” Nyx said.

“We both lost our parents when the big tower fell,” Jury explained.

Rain Dancer led Nyx and Flurry further in, towards the centre of the structure. Beyond the outer layer, suddenly the entire building opened up into an enormous glass-topped atrium, within which were many large trees and hanging gardens suspended off the interior balconies. Throughout the centre of the atrium were concentric arrays of hydroponic gardens being tended to by dozens of pegasi.

“They have to grow food the old way,” Flurry stated. “All it would take is a small Nexus core and they’d have enough energy to triple their food output.”

Along the side wall of the atrium was an open vault door that looked to be a former bank. Rain Dancer followed behind Flurry as she walked in. The interior room was filled with large racks like a warehouse, most of which were piled with scavenged parts and wreckage. Nyx watched a trio of teenagers placing what looked like a CAPS module and a box of grenades onto a shelf before running off again.

“Thanks, Flurs,” Rain said as they unloaded the mule, stacking the crates next to a storage rack full of junky-looking weapons. “You know how much this means to us.”

Nyx could no longer ignore that uneasy feeling which had been building up inside her for the last half hour. She had to say something.

“Okay, I can’t be a part of this,” she declared. “Weapons dealing? Are you serious, Flurry? I get it, these are probably nice people, but you raided an Alliance convoy. For this?”

Nyx gestured at the shelves full of random junk, mostly parts and weapons.

“Hey, calm down,” Flurry replied. “You have to trust me.”

“I did trust you, Flurry. I went along with your little pirate delivery. What am I supposed to think of all this?”

“Well, why don’t you open a crate and then tell me if you want to be a part of it,” Flurry stated simply.

Nyx paused, glancing down at the stack of crates they had delivered. She let out a heavy sigh, telekinetically releasing the latch of the nearest one and opening the lid.

Inside were row upon row of glass vials, each filled with some kind of liquid. Drugs?

“Come here, Clearwater,” Flurry said to the little filly. She took a vial from the crate and attached it to a medical injector that was also from the same crate. Flurry then took the filly’s foreleg and pressed the injector against it.

Clearwater winced as the contents of the vial was emptied into her leg. Within moments, a bright smile spread over her face and she embraced Flurry in a tight hug. “Thank you,” she said.

“I told you I’d be back, didn’t I?” Flurry said to the child. “I always keep my promises.”

“Medicine?” Nyx asked. For the cough.

Flurry nodded.

“All of it?”

“Well, there’s also this.” Flurry opened another crate, revealing a complex looking machine consisting of a twisted mass of steel pipes and thaumatic crystals.

“A zebra field potion synthesizer?” Nyx had seen the Alliance military grade device before. They were rare and expensive.

“They were dying, Nyx. This will give them a chance.”

Nyx’s heart clenched. Had this been Flurry’s motive all along—a mission of mercy? Why didn’t she say anything?”

“What happened here, Flurry? Why is everyone sick?”

“The locals put up a good fight. They finally drove the Alliance off their world. So then they bombed the planet from orbit with mass drivers, just to spite them. Now, the air is toxic. The bombardment kicked up something in the soil nobody expected. After a few years, when enough settles into your lungs, it’s eventually fatal.”

“Winds bless you, Flurry,” a voice sounded from the doorway behind them. Nyx turned to see a middle-aged mare dressed in a nurse’s outfit. “I heard you had arrived and I had to come see for myself. It’s a miracle.”

Nyx watched as the mare gathered dozens of vials into her backpack before bowing to Flurry and leaving the way she had come in.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Nyx asked. “Why hide it?”

Flurry pulled out a vial of medicine, passing it over.

Nyx carefully examined the vial’s ingredients. She recognised some of the chemicals involved.

“Vixophen…” she murmured under her breath.

“Yep. Half a dozen of the more profitable narcotics are made from this. All you need is a good chemist. If I had simply told you the truth, would you have really believed me?”

“I…” Nyx hesitated, her ears flattening. “No, probably not.”

“You had to see for yourself. To understand.”

“But why, Flurry?” Nyx asked. “Why not simply ask someone for help?”

“I tried asking,” Flurry said. “When the war ended, I begged and pleaded, used every contact I had. But they all turned their backs. Eventually, I got tired of asking. And there’s a lot more need out there than just this world.”

“You could have asked me for help,” Nyx said.

“And how was I meant to do that?” Flurry said, eyeing her. “Just show up and say, ‘Hey, Nyx, want to go rob some people? Don’t worry, it’s for a good cause’. You and I both know how that would’ve ended.”

“I… yeah,” Nyx conceded.

“You’d already made up your mind and nothing I could have said was going to change it,” Flurry said. “I mean, look how you were when we met back on the Orion.”

“Okay, fine. I understand, even if I don’t quite approve of your methods. I might be able to pull some strings to get these people more help. Or better yet, get them off this world.”

“We don’t want that,” Rain Dancer chimed in. “This is our home. Even if it’s a bombed out wasteland now, we belong here.”

“Yeah it’s not that easy, Nyx” Flurry said. “They’re cut off from the Republic now without the jump gate. They might as well be on the frontier. Nobody brings an expensive jump ship to Rynos anymore. You’d be crazy to do that.”

“We did,” Nyx replied with a wink.

Flurry let out a chuckle. “That we did.”

“You know, Jury Rig mentioned bandits. I’m guessing they’d be very interested in this medicine.”

Nyx knelt down again to speak with the little colt beside her. “Jury, tell me about the bandits you mentioned. Why did you ask if I was here to fight them?”

Jury gave her a quizzical look. “Because you’ve got a sword and helmet, of course!”

Of course… Only a child would come to that conclusion. It gave her an idea.

“So Flurry, do you suppose these bandits could be persuaded of the error of their ways?”

A broad grin spread over Flurry’s face. “Now you’re talking my language. Maybe we should pay them a visit. Perhaps enact some justice?”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The soft hum of the Dream’s engines soothed Nyx’s ears as she lay sprawled out on Flurry’s sofa in the lounge. It would be a few hours of travel through Mirrorspace before they’d be back on Harmony. Meanwhile, Nyx decided she’d had enough excitement for a while and was looking forward to getting back to the Orion.

“That was fun,” Flurry said from within her pile of poofy floor cushions.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” Nyx replied.

“It would’ve been even more fun if I could have participated. Still, it was good to have the bad mares back for one more romp. Do you think you’d ever want to play the good-cop role when we do this? I’m the one with the reputation as a pirate after all.”

“Nah, it doesn’t fit your look,” Nyx replied. “Between the two of us, how am I supposed to make you look like the unstable intimidating one?”

“You do have a point.”

“Nobody mentioned their leader was a houndrathi,” Nyx noted.

“Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. It makes sense when you think about it. The look on his face was priceless.”

“Yeah, they’re definitely rethinking their life decisions now,” Nyx said with a slight chuckle. “I’m glad we went. Though I’m not happy you did it for pay, you know?”

“Pay? What do you mean?”

“I saw you exchanging something with Rain Dancer.”

“Oh, that. Want some?” Flurry offered. “It’s the finest booze in Dragon’s Head.”

“Booze?”

“It’s a pegasus pride thing,” Flurry explained. “They don’t want to be a charity case, so they felt they needed to pay somehow. We agreed on some of their home-brew liquor. Fancy stuff, too.”

Nyx let out a soft laugh. “No thanks. You keep it.”

“More for me and Whammy, I guess.”

Just then, a soft chime sounded from the ship, indicating comms activity.

“Oooh, I bet that’s news about Merry,” Flurry said. “I asked for a call when the Charon was inbound.”

“Yeah, that was today, wasn’t it? One less creep for the universe to deal with, I guess.”

“You got that right. Computer, transfer call to the lounge.”

“Rerouting incoming transmission. Caller: Ambrosia,” the ship’s computer announced.

“Amby?” Flurry muttered to herself.

The video transmission popped up on a small swivel console built into the table in the centre of the lounge. It was facing Nyx.

“Hey, Flurry, where have you… uh, wait.”

On the display was a smallish changeling with an expression of awkward surprise written all over her face.

“O-oh, this isn’t Flur— My mistake,” she stammered as her wings buzzed in confusion. “I-I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Hold on,” Nyx said quickly, pivoting the display to face Flurry, who was still lost in her pile of floor cushions.

“Amby, hey!” Flurry greeted as she thrust a hoof into the air. “Don’t worry, that’s my cousin, Nyx.”

“Since when do you entertain guests?” the changeling asked with a note of indignation. “She looks like a cop.”

“Hey!” Nyx objected. Good grief, that’s twice in a matter of hours.

“Also, it’s been over a week!” the changeling continued. “Do you even check your messages?”

Flurry sat up quickly, looking embarrassed as she rubbed her neck with a hoof. “Um no, not usually. How are things?”

“How are things? The whole of Broken Bow is up in arms over the uproar you caused.”

“I caused?” Flurry feigned innocence. “What makes you think I did anything?”

Nyx scooched over so she could see the display better. Just then, a tactical image of the fight to save the Orion was revealed. The Dream was plainly shown in the fray, beams ablaze, and flying alongside several Swallow fighters.

“Oh…”

“I guess you made nice with those Harmony folks after all. Listen, Flurry, that Elderberry you found? That was the Syndicate’s bread and butter. You basically took them off the grid as a viable force in the nebula.”

Flurry gave a nervous chuckle. “Well, I didn’t much like them anyway.”

“This is serious, Flurry. The balance of power is shifting all over the place in Dragon’s Head. With the Syndicate out of the picture, many of the smaller groups are vying for influence to fill that power gap.”

Nyx wasn’t sure what to make of all this. The changeling was obviously one of Flurry’s pirate contacts. Though she had to be honest in that none of this matched her imagined vision of the pirate world, which was a lot more colourful, with ridiculous melodramatic accents, and a distinct inclusion of parrots. For Flurry’s part, she was intently listening to everything the changeling revealed.

“Like who, Amby?” Flurry asked with urgency.

“Your favorite. Briar Rose has overstepped protocol on Broken Bow. She’s been swallowing up turf left and right in the K-Star region. A lot of folks here are concerned she’s gone too far. Rickshaw and his boys have gone quiet, and I know Snag Tooth and Red Sash have sided with her.”

Flurry put a hoof to her face and let out a pained sigh. “Those double-crossing…” She almost looked as if she was going to turn the ship around and head right over there to deal with it. Then, she caught herself, taking a deep breath.

“Listen. Can you deal with this without me for a bit? I really have some things to take care of.”

The changeling paused, regarding Flurry thoughtfully. “Sure thing, Flurry,” she said in a soft tone. “I thought you should know.”

“Thanks, Amby. Was there anything else?”

“You’re kidding, right?” the changeling asked, her entire demeanor becoming avid. “You have to tell me what went down with that Elderberry. All the juicy details, please. I need bartering gossip.”

A sly grin crept onto Flurry’s face. “Oh I have a story for you. But first, two things.”

“Anything,” Ambrosia said as she leaned forward in anticipation.

“First, is this line secure?”

“Give me some credit,” the changeling scoffed. “What’s the second thing?”

“The more juicy bits I have to clear first and you’ll have to wait till I see you in person. A lot of it is probably going to be confidential. Some major shit is going down, Amby. You have no idea.”

Ambrosia’s eyes actually sparkled. “Don’t tease me like that, Flurry. Okay, tell me what you can.”

“The whole thing was a setup. The houndrathi were the bait and the Syndicate were the muscle. We also had a scumbag on Harmony who leaked critical details. But you’re not gonna believe who was pulling the strings behind the whole thing.”

Ambrosia was practically salivating as she stared into Flurry’s eyes. “Who?”

“The Windigo,” Flurry stated, simply.

Nyx rolled her eyes and gave Flurry a glare. Did her cousin have no concept of secrecy?

“What… she was gonna find out anyway,” Flurry said.

“Windigo?” the changeling stammered. “That can’t be right. The Windigo aren’t exactly like a faction who does deals and makes strategy. They’re more murdery and no-survivors in what they do.”

“Well, apparently that’s not exactly true. Though this one was quite murdery as well, I’ll grant you that,” Flurry commented.

“The Windigo haven’t hit anything in years, and especially never anything high profile. Granted, it’s always a big thing, and it’s also always weird shit. Remember that time they took out that colony that had the unicorns? Not strategic at all. They were just families.”

“There were also earth ponies and pegasi there, if I recall,” Flurry pointed out.

“Oh, I know! Maybe the families were developing an anti-windigo weapon!” Ambrosia suggested, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’m serious, Amby, you can’t tell anyone. Not for a little bit anyway. Something big is going on and the Windigo pulled all the stops to take down the Orion. The fact that they failed may have consequences.

Amby stroked her chin. “Fine, I’ll put some feelers out and see if I can get a clearer picture. Still doesn’t make sense to me. Why would they try and take out Nyx’s big ship?”

“I’m afraid that’s classified,” Nyx chimed in.

“Oh you’re barrels of fun, I can tell.”

Nyx snorted in indignation.

“I have to go,” Ambrosia said suddenly. “You watch your tail out there, Flurry.”

“Aww, your concern for me is getting me all misty,” Flurry chuckled. “You watch yourself too. You never know when Briar might make a move you can’t back away from. And if you can help it, don’t do anything that might attract the attention of the Windigo.”

“Roger that. I’ll keep in touch.”

With that, the comms went silent, followed by a new chime from the computer.

“Message received from Harmony Station,” the ship’s AI announced. “The Charon is now inbound, six hours until arrival.”

Chapter 24 - Endings and Beginnings

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A satisfied smile crossed Flurry’s face as Nyx disengaged from the Dream’s flight couch. The neural link retracted into the ceiling while the black alicorn sat up, giving her body a stretch.

It had been an uneventful trip back to the station. Even the Alliance warships had given up and gone on with their business elsewhere. The only curiosity was that they had been escorted to hangar forty-seven, under special instruction, far from where Swan’s aerie normally launched from.

“You know, I could get used to this,” Flurry chuckled as Nyx sat down beside her at Tactical. “We should do it more often. The Dream handles your piloting well.”

“You say that as if I’ve never flown her before,” Nyx pointed out.

“Yeah… but it’s been a long time. It’s good to see she still likes your touch.”

Flurry was feeling good. The rescue was a success. The blackwings were freed. Even her Rynos job went off without a hitch. Only thing to do now was be there so Merry could see her face as he was loaded onto the Charon. She wanted him to remember her as she was now, free and happy.

After heading down to the ship’s cargo bay, the pair of alicorns stood waiting for the large door to descend into its ramp position. Midway through the process, Flurry’s eyes grew wide upon seeing an unexpected visitor waiting for them just past the reach of the ramp.

Luna.

Flurry’s stomach twisted into knots. She hadn’t seen her great-aunt in years—not since her recovery after the castle bombing.

Nyx took a step forward, offering a respectful bow to her old mentor. Luna’s gaze was difficult to read; she was a pony of deep emotion but equally profound self-control. She had been the only one of the Equus alicorn council which Flurry still felt any sort of kinship with—even her own mother.

A flood of memories threatened to overtake her. The bombing. The tribunal. Her decision to abandon everything. There had been times when Flurry wondered if Luna was somehow keeping an eye on her, spymaster that she was. But whether by choice or by circumstance, the midnight-blue alicorn had remained out of Flurry’s affairs. And now, for the first time in as long as she could remember, Flurry felt a jab of shame as she considered what Luna must have thought of her.

Flurry swallowed dryly as Luna turned her head to regard her. A tentative step forward, and Luna responded in kind. Soon, she found herself in an embrace, a tear running down her cheek.

“I have missed you, young one,” Luna said quietly.

Young one… It surprised Flurry to be referred to in this way, though it was not unexpected.

“Kynlady,” Flurry responded. She took a step back. “What brings you to Harmony?”

“Scandal,” Luna said simply before pausing to look both Nyx and Flurry in the eye. “I have come to uncover the truth behind what happened with the Orion. I have also learned that you were instrumental in the rescue effort.”

Flurry felt her cheeks flush. How much had Luna heard of the events of the past week? “Oh. Well, if you want that, I’m sure Captain Oakheart has a well-written report and—” she stammered.

“Do not think I have come for that which can be read, my dear. We must speak in private.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

“Where were you hiding that?” Nyx asked, her expression a mixture of surprise and faux indignation.

“Hey, I don’t normally drink tea,” Flurry replied as she levitated a steaming cup to both Luna and Nyx.

Luna had made herself comfortable on one of the large floor cushions in Flurry’s lounge. The exceptionally casual home environment clashed somewhat with the near-perpetual air of mystique that surrounded the venerable alicorn. Even after over nine centuries, a part of the Fleeting Dream would always feel like it still belonged to Luna.

As they sat together, ancient memories made their way to the surface of Flurry’s mind. The context had changed so much now, in Kynlady Luna’s presence, that she almost forgot what kind of life she had been leading since the war.

“Thank you for inviting me aboard,” Luna said as she took note of Flurry’s various décor. “It has been a very long time. I trust she has served you well in recent years?”

“Yes, thank you,” Flurry replied, grateful that these walls couldn’t talk.

“Let me begin by saying how sorry I am that this has happened to you both,” Luna continued after a pause. “I am aware you fought and killed a windigo. That would be a harrowing experience one would not soon forget.”

Flurry coughed. That was putting it mildly.

“Having come quite close to being eaten alive, I recommend never doing that, if you can avoid it,” she stated. “Truthfully, Nyx and I were outclassed, even working together. We got lucky… we shouldn’t have made it out of there.”

Flurry could not recall many times when she had seen Luna at a loss for words. This was one such time.

Luna paused to regard both younger alicorns for a moment. “It is not often we are reminded of our potential mortality,” she said finally. “You both have my deep respect for overcoming this threat. I must ask, if you do not mind—what was it like?”

“Like being on the receiving end of the Nightmare, only worse,” Nyx said simply. After a beat of silence, she added, “It is anti-life. Palpable terror combined with nearly unstoppable strength and the ability to consume whatever thaumatic energy you throw at it.”

“And it drooled on me,” Flurry added.

“I see,” Luna said. “When I return to Equus, I will inform the Council. I am so very glad to see you both alive and well—that is, at least recovering.” She directed a subtle smile towards Flurry, noting her injuries were not yet fully healed. What nagged at Flurry, however, was what Luna might know about these things and what they wanted.

“Do you know why the Windigo were trying to destroy the Orion?” Flurry asked.

Luna was about to speak but then held herself. She glanced at Nyx, nodding subtly to her.

“The Orion was built to be able to withstand a Windigo attack,” Nyx stated. “You can imagine they don’t exactly want us having that kind of capability.”

“Well, no,” Flurry replied. “That’s why she has the weird armour, I take it?”

Nyx nodded. “The Alcora grew it for the project.”

At this, Flurry nearly sprayed the alcohol from her own teacup. “What? The Alcora don’t do anyone any favours,” Flurry countered. “Why would they agree to this?”

It was Luna who replied to that question. “We told them we were trying to develop the means to fight the Windigo, although they believe the Orion will only cause incidental damage. We have not revealed her true purpose.”

“And what purpose is that, exactly?”

Luna regarded Flurry for a moment, not answering but not evading the question either. Her silence confirmed there was still more going on than they were willing to tell her.

Great, more secrets, Flurry thought to herself.

“They think we’re wasting our time with all this but were willing to help only because we’re pointing the guns in the right direction,” Nyx interjected. “But that’s another topic entirely. The important thing here is that the Windigo knew we were en route to Harmony and knew exactly how to take us out. They would’ve needed a lot of inside intel to pull that off.”

“This is why I have come,” Luna said to Flurry. “My investigation has uncovered many parties conspiring together under the direction of the Windigo. We must exercise great caution, as they no doubt have spies among us. I have only recently pieced together the plot to sabotage the main weapon of the Orion.”

“Sabotage?” Nyx asked. “Our technicians said the upgrade failed. It’s why I blew out the Nexus cores firing the gun.”

“Indeed,” Luna said. “I tracked the fault down to the Unicorn Federation engineer who signed off on the upgrade. The original specifications could handle unicorn levels of power only. That… is precisely how it remained. The upgrade never happened.”

Nyx was visibly shaken. “That’s not possible. I spoke with him myself prior to launch. He assured me everything was ready to go. Luna, I know his family—he can be trusted. What did he say to you?”

“His body was discovered a few days ago,” Luna stated. “It had been shoved into a storage crate and was only found because of the stench. Nyx, he’s been dead for weeks.”

“Dead?” Nyx asked, her voice now soft, her face pained. “That can’t—”

“A changeling,” Flurry blurted out. She had seen this trick done centuries ago, but the Conformity had ways of keeping their people in check to prevent such things now. “He must have swapped places with the unicorn, working as a spy and saboteur.”

“Precisely,” Luna confirmed.

“The Syndicate?” Flurry suggested, knowing they’d gladly pull off a job like this if the money was good enough.

“Please… Do you honestly think petty faction pirates could infiltrate the Commonwealth shipyards? This was a professional. Regrettably, he has managed to evade me.”

Rogue changelings, Flurry considered. The Conformity’s system was pretty effective, but it wasn’t perfect. Comply with the system and there’s no need to live off the love of ponies for survival. Almost all changelings went along with it, especially in the colonies. After all, it wasn’t hard to find yourself starving out here. Flurry had known many who tried to get by that way, but it almost always wasn’t worth it.

A chime from the ship’s systems sounded, alerting Flurry that someone was snooping around outside the Dream. That, combined with all this thought of changeling spies, caused her to startle.

“Proximity alert. Defensive systems active,” the computer announced calmly, causing all eyes to fall onto the holographic display hovering over the table in the centre of the lounge. A single red dot appeared next to the ship’s outline, moving slowly along the starboard side towards the ship’s bow.

“Computer, external camera,” Flurry said. At this, the swivel monitor on the table showed an earth pony apparently admiring the ship’s form as he strolled along.

“Oakheart… What’s he doing here?”

“Could be business with the Orion,” Nyx said. “I’ve been off comms since we left for Rynos. I’ll go find out.”

At this, Nyx stood up from the couch and made her way down to the cargo hold, leaving Flurry alone with Luna.

Silence lingered in the air for a short while, with Flurry unsure what to say.

“Luna, I…” she began. “I’m sorry for not visiting for so long.”

Luna’s gaze turned, her eyes locking onto Flurry’s.

“Visiting?” she asked gently. “My dear, you may be candid with me. Speak your mind.”

There was something about Luna’s posture, no, her very presence which somehow cut straight through Flurry’s calloused exterior. It exposed something deep within her that she had long lost touch with. There, a glimmer of that rambunctious little alicorn filly shone through, innocent and pure, long before she went to the stars on that first colony ship so many centuries ago.

“I’ve really screwed up,” she admitted. “Made such a mess of my life.” She looked away, deeply ashamed.

“Is that so?” Luna asked simply, her voice soothing like a lullaby.

“Well look at me,” Flurry said with a sniffle. “I’m a space pirate. I consort with low-lifes and thieves. Done things an alicorn should never do. Ruined my personal life and any chance of being part of civil society again.”

A soft chuckle sounded from Luna. “Do not worry, young Flurry; I am well-acquainted with shame.”

Of course. The Nightmare, Flurry thought. “If I may ask, how did you bear it?”

“By dwelling on the bigger picture,” Luna replied. “There are much larger forces at work, much higher callings than wallowing in self-pity.”

“Self… I suppose you’re right.” Flurry sighed. “What happens next, is the question.”

“You are being prepared for something,” Luna stated with confidence. “Something that will require much character growth—much fortitude.”

Flurry blinked. “That doesn’t sound like me, Luna. How do you know this? If I’m being prepared, who is behind it?”

“That, I do not know. But someone is. At my age, one notices patterns in the universe. Hoofprints on things. As for you, I know because of what you have been through so far.”

A tear fell down Flurry’s cheek, and she wiped it away. “I’m broken, Luna. It doesn’t feel like any of what you’re saying is possible.”

“Time will heal this wound as well. I think you are off to a good start, do you not?” Luna asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You gave your life for a slave. I cannot think of a more profound act of love.”

Flurry’s cheeks flushed. “You heard about that?”

“I hear many things, Flurry… one of which is two sets of hoofsteps approaching.”

Flurry heard them too. It was the slow clip-clop of hooves on the decking down the hall.

As each hoof fall slowed, she found herself feeling dizzy. She shook her head, blinking several times as the steps grew deep and far apart, reverberating in her mind. The final impact of hoof on metal sounded like an orchestral drum beat, giving way to silence.

Along Flurry’s peripheral vision, parts of the lounge appeared to shift and reorient themselves. Looking around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, though now other parts of the room shifted. It was like a child playing a prank just beyond where she could see, only nobody was there. Perhaps it was just fatigue, or maybe the alcohol.

“Luna, is—” she began, glancing back to her guest sitting silently in the corner, watching her.

“You carry a deep burden, dear one,” Luna said, her voice now impossibly gentle and soothing. What was she talking about?

At this, Luna’s gaze shifted, first up to the left then the right, noting the many photos which adorned the walls of the lounge and surrounding galley kitchen area.

Flurry stood and looked over her shoulder at a wood-framed photo, a frown crossing her brow. Instead of the reluctant smile of her old friend Longshot, a new face greeted her. His red-chestnut coat, blond mane, and caring green eyes were unmistakable.

Thunderstreak?

There he was, in his formal regalia, posing with a Republic ambassador at some diplomatic function. Flurry blinked, trying to make sense of the photo, only to notice, after looking around, that all the photos now depicted the young pegasus. Some were of various moments in his childhood or even as a bright-eyed foal. Where had these all come from?

As Flurry collapsed to her knees, her eyes wet with tears, Luna’s voice beckoned. “You hide your struggle, Flurry,” she said. “But you must find a way to let him go.”

Flurry looked directly at Luna, her piercing eyes impossible to avoid. “I- I can’t, Luna. If I did, he’d be lost forever.”

She looked back to the framed photo, lingering on the young stallion’s features. She had been so proud of him. If only she had been allowed to raise him herself.

A crashing sound like a collapsing building caused Flurry’s head to snap around. Her eyes locked onto the swivel monitor on the coffee table in the centre of the lounge. There, a recording was playing like some kind of an action-thriller movie.

On the monitor, a brave and heroic alicorn charged through a collapsing castle in a desperate attempt to save a small colt with a red-chestnut coat and blond mane. The all-too-familiar scene played out just how it had a hundred times before, only to arrive at the point where the child was lost—or on rare occasion, saved. Here, the image on the monitor paused, the hero reaching out with a look of desperate anguish chiseled onto her face.

“Ultra-Mare?” Luna asked with the slightest hint of humour on her face.

Flurry blushed, offering only a nervous chuckle in response.

The look on Luna’s face shifted, becoming sympathetic, her voice firm yet tender. “This whole scenario has become burned into your subconscious, Flurry. You have constructed it in order to reconcile the fact that you could not save him. Instead, you have become trapped here in this moment. It is time to let go, Flurry—time to start living again.”

Flurry’s lungs tightened up, her breathing becoming ragged as she broke down, sobbing quietly. The grief she had buried was now exposed where she had no choice but to confront it.

“He was my son, Luna. Nobody even knew,” she managed to say.

“Thunderstreak knew.”

“I… I guess that’s true.”

“It is what matters, is it not? He knew who you were, even from afar. My question to you is whether you believe he would approve of this way in which you keep him alive.”

Flurry quieted herself, coughing a bit to clear her throat. “I don’t know, Luna. Besides, does it even matter? I’m not the same person that he would even recognize any more.” She sniffled wetly, grabbing a tissue from across the room to blow her nose.

“In my experience, few avoid such changes for long. You must now ask yourself if you want to remain as you are.”

Flurry paused to reflect on Luna’s words. “I really don’t want to lose him, Luna. You know how alicorn memories are; if I lose this, he’ll be gone.”

“There are options, Flurry. I would like you to come to Equus. Visit the memorial. I believe this will help you heal without letting his memory die.”

Equus. Flurry hadn’t been there in years. What would everyone think if she just showed up one day?

“I… I don’t know, Luna. There’s quite a complicated mess waiting for me back there.”

“You may be surprised, dear one. Do not wait too long to decide, for this has eaten away at your soul too long as it is.”

A sigh escaped Flurry’s lips. “I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks, Luna.”

At this, another heavy hoofstep reverberated through Flurry’s mind, just as before, showing that time had only slowed within this dreamscape. Flurry’s eyes were on the doorway, listening as the steps grew more frequent and normal sounding until they came to a stop.

Just then, the door leading out of the lounge opened, revealing Nyx with Captain Oakheart in tow. The brown earth pony seemed captivated with the Dream’s interior, to the point of distraction.

Flurry blinked several times, still flustered by what Luna had said as the pair of ponies made their way in. She wasn’t sure what to think of Oakheart being here. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but Ambrosia had been right in that Flurry was not in the habit of entertaining guests. And now, she had several.

“You never cease to impress, Flurry,” Oakheart said as he greeted her.

Flurry nodded, acknowledging him while composing herself and restoring her usual countenance. “I have a good maid. She’s like family.”

“I didn’t expect you to dock in this hangar, or I would have come sooner,” he continued. “There’s actually a very peculiar unregistered ship right across from us. I’ve been trying to figure out…”

His words trailed off into silence as his eyes locked onto the corner of the lounge, where Luna sat, silently watching him. The look on his face was a combination of surprise and possibly fear, surely from not being prepared to encounter yet another alicorn. Flurry amused herself as she imagined him internally scrambling for the appropriate diplomatic protocol.

Luna spoiled her fun by taking the initiative and rising to greet him.

“Captain Oakheart, I presume,” Luna spoke evenly, offering a subtle nod.

“Yes, um, I apologize—I was not informed of your arrival,” the stallion stammered.

“This is Kynlady Luna of the Equus Commonwealth Council of Alicorns,” Nyx said, introducing Luna properly. “She is here to assess the situation with the Orion.”

“Yes, of course. Welcome to Harmony Station. I’ll see to it your needs are attended to.”

“My needs are already attended to, Captain. But I thank you, all the same. Please, join us.”

Nyx and Oakheart both took a seat in Flurry’s lounge, which was now beginning to get a little crowded.

“So this is the infamous Fleeting Dream. Cozy,” Oak commented. “I’ll be honest in that I’ve never seen a design like this.”

“She’s one of a kind,” Flurry said with pride. “Used to be Luna’s ship, actually, when I was a lot younger.”

“A lot… I’m sorry, but this is quite alien to me,” Oak admitted. “I’m not very well versed in ancient his…”

At this, Oak actually blushed slightly, the stoic earth pony becoming flustered with his own words. Flurry was internally enjoying seeing him thrust into her world, a reverse of when they had first met.

A pause. “It is quite alright,” Luna said. “I sometimes have trouble relating to these youngsters myself.” She gestured to Nyx and Flurry, a subtle smirk playing at her lips.

“Youngsters,” Oakheart echoed. “I was under the impression they were far older than typical ponies.”

“That is correct,” Luna confirmed.

“If that’s the case, then that would make you…”

“Seventy-one.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you were all a lot older.”

“Centuries.”

Unable to hold it in, Flurry let out a chuckle as Oakheart’s ears fell back in astonishment. For her part, Luna was playing it perfectly straight, though Flurry could tell she was also enjoying herself.

“I suddenly feel like I have effectively no life experience,” he admitted in a soft tone. “I’ve been so wrapped up in the fleeting dramas of the Alliance and the Pegasus Republic, I have been entirely unaware that civilizations and in fact individual ponies go back so far as to make our entire lives seem like recent events by comparison.”

“A pony with perspective,” Luna said with a grin. “I like that. It is far less common than you might think.”

“How can we help you, Captain?” Flurry asked. Surely this isn’t just a social visit.”

“Quite right, Flurry. I’ve come to let you know the Charon has arrived. Merry Weather has been made ready for transfer. You said you wanted to be there when it happens.”

“Oooooh, yeah you better believe I wanna be there for that,” Flurry sang, rubbing her hooves together.

“Count me in,” Nyx agreed. “His imprisonment is long overdue.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Hangar forty-seven was about the same size as the one Swan’s aerie flew out of, but it felt much bigger without all the military hardware. Instead, this hangar was used as a cargo bay, adorned with various heavy-lift cranes and loaders. On the far end, a single courier ship sat docked, its crew busy unloading dozens of containers onto the deck. Flurry watched them idly while they waited.

The sound of opening double-wide sliding doors echoed through the bay, marking the arrival of Security Chief Flintlock, accompanied by four guards Flurry did not recognize. Flint strode forward, his gait professional and disciplined. Directly behind him, between the guards, a large hover chair silently made its way forward, matching his pace.

Something twisted in Flurry’s gut when she saw Merry Weather strapped securely to the chair, his bulk awkwardly contrasting with the way the device gently glided along. Was it from the knowledge of all the misery he had caused the pegasi of Swan’s aerie? Or perhaps it was how close she herself had come to being a permanent member of his lascivious collection. Either way, Flurry felt a degree of satisfaction at seeing his disposition—that of all four hooves bound securely, his face muzzled to prevent him from speaking.

Following behind Merry were two mares. On the left was one Flurry had seen but whose name she couldn’t recall. Judging from the tear streaks down her face and the look of contempt in her eyes as she glared in Merry’s direction, she had had quite a trying day. To her right was Swan Song. She and Flurry noticed one another at about the same time, Swan’s expression shifting quickly from bitterness to warmth as they approached.

“You made it!” Swan elated as she broke ranks and headed towards the alicorn. After a brief embrace, she looked up into Flurry’s eyes, breathing the sigh of a free mare. Only one final unpleasant duty was yet to come—one that would close that terrible chapter of her life.

It was then that her eyes wandered slightly to catch sight of someone standing behind Flurry. Her expression faltered a moment, uncertainty creeping onto her face. Flurry glanced to her side as Luna stepped forward.

“It is good to meet you, Lieutenant,” Luna greeted. “Today is a good day, is it not?”

Swan stared at Luna for a moment, her face showing a look of awe mixed with a little bit of fear at the new alicorn. Then, she relaxed, nodding subtly. “Yes. Yes, it is. I’m sorry, but have we met?”

“I am Luna of Equus,” Luna said, simply.

“Oh… oh of course. Apologies, Kynlady.” Swan then gave a courteous bow before returning her attention to Flurry.

“You’ve come a long way, kiddo,” Flurry stated.

Swan chuckled. “Just last week, I would have looked at all of you with disdain. The Republic was my whole world. I can hardly believe how much has changed.”

“I’m happy to have been your practice dummy through the process,” Flurry joked.

Swan let out a soft chuckle before taking a serious tone. “Won’t you stay with us? I would love to have you here. You’re still a member of the aerie, after all.”

Flurry tightened her lips, shaking her head slightly. “I can’t. I’ll be back though, don’t worry. You don’t really think I’d leave Oakheart to run this place unmolested forever, do you?” She offered a wink.

A snort of protest sounded from nearby, Flurry turning to see Oak standing off to her left with an indignant expression on his face. “As long as you don’t cause any further trouble, you are welcome back any time,” he said. “Now, shall we get on with the main event? I’m sure Merry is anxious to get aboard his new home.”

Everyone present expressed some form of affirmation. Well, nearly everyone.

At this, Chief Flintlock tapped his holo-brace, opening a comms channel. “Captain Reeds, we are go for your arrival. Please lock onto Harmony beacon forty-seven.”

Not ten seconds had passed before a very large jump point formed less than three hundred canters off the hangar entrance. Flurry watched as the swirling maelstrom of energy blotted out the stars, dominating the view through the air shield that protected the hangar from the vacuum of space.

Just as the jump point stabilized, what could only be described as a giant metal skyscraper on its side, over a kilocanter in length, thrust itself through the vortex into realspace. The Charon had arrived to retrieve her damned passenger.

After the Etherium boiled away, Flurry could see that this ship was the essence of Alliance style construction, comprised of thick armoured panels joined together at ninety and forty-five degree angles throughout. The forward eighty percent of the ship resembled a squarish shape extruded into a very long box, the sides of which were scored with hundreds of parallel indentations in a crosshatch pattern.

Glancing to the aft end of the ship, Flurry whistled in admiration at the bulk of the drive section. This part of the ship was wider and more nuanced than the main body, consisting still of flat armour panels, but at more creative angles than the rest. If Nyx’s information was right, the Charon actually had not one but two separate jump drives, allowing her to reenter mirrorspace almost immediately after a jump without the usual recharge.

“They built her out of an old Alliance Rokh battleship chassis,” Oak commented, the admiration evident in his voice. “You see those lines along her hull? Each outlines a detachable cell pod.”

Soon, Flurry knew what he meant. After the ship had come to a stop and the jump point collapsed, a small industrial tug no larger than a bomber detached from the top of the Charon and made its way along the hull before finally coming to a stop along her side, facing the station. Here, what looked like six legs unfolding beneath a large insect extended outward from the tug as if waiting to catch prey of some kind.

Everyone in the hangar waited, watching the scene unfold in space just beyond the air shield. A puff of air escaped from the ship’s side, crystallising as it froze and drifted away. Then, a tiny squared-off portion of the ship’s hull emerged, sliding out until it was caught up in the tug’s grasp.

“I will need the prisoner brought to Equus for interrogation,” Luna stated firmly to Oakheart as they watched the tug make its way towards the hanger, the prison cell clamped securely beneath it.

It was the first time Luna had made mention of Merry, and not even by name. She hadn’t even so much as glanced in his direction, as if he was merely a package rather than a person. It crossed her mind that Luna could, if she chose, plant a nightmare deep inside Merry’s mind that would have him waking up every night for the rest of his life, screaming. While Flurry would approve of such measures in Merry’s case, petty vengeance was not Luna’s style… usually.

Shaking the amusement off, Flurry glanced at the bound pegasus, noticing his reaction to Luna’s words. He did not seem to be taking the thought of being interrogated very well, squirming in his restraints, his eyes wide with fear.

As the tug approached the hangar entrance, Oakheart replied. “You’ll have to clear that with the Charon. Merry will be out of our custody momentarily.”

“I will arrange it. Thank you, Captain,” Luna replied. “I would escort the ship to Equus myself, but I must remain on Harmony for a number of days to clear the staff and crew as part of my investigation. Your people may experience odd dreams in the coming nights. It is nothing to be concerned about.” The alicorn then tapped away at her holo-brace for a moment.

A slight chill went down Flurry’s spine as she understood the gravity of what Luna was here for. All of the perpetrators must be found, and this was one of Luna’s many specialties. She thought for a moment about the Charon departing for Equus. It presented an opportunity, not the least of which was to visit the memorial as Luna had recommended. Maybe it was time to close a chapter in her life as well.

The tug slipped through the air shield wall of the hangar, causing the deep throbbing sound from its thaumatic levitators to suddenly echo throughout the chamber. The ship set Merry’s prison cell down on the deck with a heavy clang of metal, heralding the impending and permanent confinement of one Merry Weather.

A lift platform extended from the tug to descend down the side of the container, which sat beneath it, still in the grip of the tug’s metal legs. On the lift stood a gruff earth pony stallion wearing a pair of old-style aviator goggles on his forehead and dressed in engineering coveralls stained with oil.

“Pleased to meet ya,” the stallion said, speaking to the group as a whole as he appeared unsure who was in charge. He then noticed the bound stallion on the hover chair. “This here the pris’ner?”

Flintlock stepped forward, offering a hoofbump to the pilot. “I’m authorised to transfer custody. Do you accept?”

The pilot then raised his own holo-brace near Flint’s while they tapped over control of the hover chair. It was less formal than one might expect, but the paperwork would have already been filed between Harmony and the Charon anyway.

“Anyone got any last words they’d like to say?”

“I do,” the mare next to Swan said as she stepped forward. She approached Merry Weather, dried tear streaks still marking her cheeks. After a long pause, she spat right in his face before returning to where she had stood.

“Popular guy. Anyone else?”

No one said anything. Luna seemed positively uninterested in Merry as she tapped further on her holo-brace. Swan comforted the mare at her side, and Flurry stood next to her cousin, neither offering a word.

“That’s it then. Come along, cupcake,” the pilot said as he guided Merry’s chair into his prison cell, its thick armoured door now slid open.

“Wait,” Flurry said, causing him to pause and glance in her direction.

“I’d like to escort the Charon to Equus,” she continued. Everyone looked at her. “Well, Luna’s staying here, so I figure someone ought to.”

The tug pilot regarded Flurry for a moment, looking her up and down with that gaze so many stallions have when they see an alicorn for the first time. A slight smile played at his lips.

“Do we look like we need an escort, hun?” he asked, not in a snide way but more playfully.

“Well, no, but you could probably use the company,” Flurry replied, taking a step forward and hoping to appeal to his better nature. “Besides, I was thinking of heading to Equus anyway.”

Flurry stole a glance over her shoulder and caught Nyx rolling her eyes.

“I’ll let the captain know,” the pilot said, his voice becoming more agreeable by the moment. “If that’s everything, we’ll be on our way.”

With that, the stallion tapped his holo-brace, causing the cell door to slide shut. Flurry stood beside Nyx and Swan, her head held high and a relaxed smile on her face. Just before the door closed, she offered a farewell wave to Merry, who was glaring daggers at her from within the cell.

The prison cell door clanged shut with the hollow sound of fate being sealed.

“Well, that’s it then,” Flurry said to no one in particular as the tug powered up and lifted off the hangar deck, its cargo firmly secured by the insect-like gripper legs. She watched the small ship sail through the air shield and into open space, making its way towards the enormous Charon, looming in the background.

Beside her, Swan now had tears in her eyes. It was finally over. Flurry placed a wing over the mare’s shoulder and held her close. She knew it would take her a while to heal, but at least she could start fresh now, putting that nightmare behind her.

“Why did you really volunteer to escort them?” Nyx asked.

Flurry looked back to Nyx, seeing her eyebrow raised as was usual when she knew Flurry hadn’t been fully upfront about her intentions.

“I figure I might be able to flush out more guilty parties,” she replied. “I’m betting we’ll be trailed, and I want to catch whoever might be taking an interest in the transfer when we get to Equus.”

“I thought you had been avoiding Equus,” Nyx pointed out.

“Luna convinced me I should go,” Flurry replied, glancing briefly at the older alicorn.

To this, Luna nodded. “Flurry is correct. It would be wise to watch for anyone trying to interfere with the transfer.”

Nyx straightened. “In that case, I’m coming with you. Besides, I might be able to help with the interrogation. I’d very much like to find out what Merry knows and how he got involved.”

Flurry’s face brightened. “Really? I’d love that.”

Nyx nodded with a slight chuckle. “On one condition. You stop by the market and pick up some proper coffee.”

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Once again, it was just Nyx and Flurry relaxing in the lounge of the Dream. Only this time, the coffee was much better.

They had been underway for six hours already before Captain Reeds opened up a secure comms channel to let them know they’d be picking up a prisoner from the Holcolm IV maximum-security detention centre. It was a standard-fare request of the Charon when returning to colonial space, she was told. Lots of bad guys waiting to get put away, out of someone’s mane. He mentioned there may be one or two more before they reached Equus.

The last half-hour was spent by Flurry trying to convince Nyx to rejuvenate her love life. She even suggested Nyx have a chat with this Reeds fellow to get to know him. Responsible type with a no-nonsense attitude. Just like Nyx. They had met briefly on a holo-vid call shortly after departing Harmony. He had a strong, square jaw with a rugged don’t-screw-with-me look about him. Nyx said she’d think about it, which Flurry counted as a success.

“So you still haven’t leveled with me, Nyx. What are you doing out here?” Flurry asked while she made some popcorn in the kitchen. The smell of freshly melted butter filled the lounge with the anticipation of snacking pleasures as she sat down across from her cousin, levitating over a large metal bowl of fluffy goodness.

“I already told you, I want to be there for the interrogation,” Nyx replied with a confused expression on her face.

“No no, I mean out here in Dragon’s Head. The Orion? The ‘honestly just an exploration mission’ you are ostensibly doing for potentially years to the outer rim?”

Nyx had a rare flustered look that showed she was hoping not to have to talk about it. Her left ear flicked and she scratched behind her neck with a hoof.

“I’m not sure what to say,” she offered.

“You could just be straight with me, Nyx. After everything with the rescue and the Windigo, aren’t you sure you can trust me yet? Why is the Orion decked out to pick a fight with those monsters? Why did you work with the Alcora to build her?”

“Just the armour,” Nyx clarified. “Even the weapons system was Unicorn Federation tech. The Alcora wouldn’t give us any, or we’d be far better off.”

Flurry just glared at her. How many layers of secrets were there?

“Oh, don’t be that way, Flurry,” Nyx said. “This is some very high-level shit. You have no idea how important it is.”

That actually struck a chord with Flurry; Nyx rarely swore, at least since they were much younger. Flurry knew she was serious.

“Okay,” Flurry said before taking a deep breath. “Just at least think about how this looks to me for a moment. You’re going out to the rim ‘exploring’ and the Alcora think you’re going to be picking fights with the Windigo. This is a horrible idea that could very well get you killed. Why are you risking your life to poke a dragon that isn’t really that big a problem? How many Windigo attacks have there been in the last five centuries? Twenty? Thirty? All in obscure places. Do you even know how widespread they are out there? What if you bring the full force of their attention down on us? Because that’s how it looks to me right now, Nyx. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.”

“Fine,” Nyx said. “The Windigo are a serious problem. You’re not going to like it.”

“I’m a big girl, Nyx.”

“So their goal seems to be to create chaos and keep the tribes fighting. They are probably behind most of the conflict between the factions.”

“What? Why do they care?” Flurry asked.

“We don’t know, but this would include the Alliance-Republic war. Our sources say they likely have their claws sunk deep in at least one, possibly multiple major governments.”

“Behind the war? No, Nyx. I was there for the start of that. I know all about what was behind it.”

“Yeah, I know. I told you you weren’t going to like it. You never found the bomber, did you?”

Flurry shook her head, trying to keep her emotions from boiling over. “I will, though. And when I do, I’m gonna tan his hide and hang it on my wall.”

“Right,” Nyx said, eyeing her carefully. “I guess what I’m saying is that the Windigo were tracked making moves just prior to the castle bombing. They are connected somehow. Other government officials are compromised as well, we’re just not sure who. Luna is looking into it. The Orion plot has already shed light on some of them.”

“Oh great. So the bomber was also a Windigo agent? That doesn’t change what I’m gonna do when I find him. Only difference is the Windigo and I also have a personal grudge to settle.”

“Sorry, but don’t you already? One tried to eat you.”

Flurry shrugged. “Priorities. So you’re gonna go out there and set some of this right then, I take it? I still think it’s suicide and you need to reconsider. What we need to do is get everyone together and go kick their asses.”

Nyx shook her head. “We’re not going out to pick a fight with them, no. We just don’t know enough about them to assess their true threat. But evidence suggests ponykind is wholly unprepared for a full-on confrontation.

“Okay, so if you’re not out there to shoot Windigo… tell me the real reason why you’re going to the rim.”

Nyx was silent for a few beats before letting out a sigh. “Alright, Flurry. We’re going out to find Stargazer.”

Flurry’s jaw hung slack for a moment. “Wait, what? Are you serious?”

Nyx nodded as Flurry’s heart raced.

“Wow, really?! After all this time?”

“Yeah.” Nyx was smiling, like genuinely hopeful. Flurry hadn’t seen that spark in her for a long, long time.

“That’s amazing. I’m really happy for you, Nyx,” she elated. “Do you really think you can find him?”

“We have some good clues. A few races on the frontier have reported some very strange things that sound like they could be the wild alicorns. We’ll start our search there. I told him to always remember me. I’ve got to believe he’d keep his promise—that he would leave a trail of clues for me to one day find him.”

“So this isn’t at all about poking the Windigo?”

Nyx shook her head. “We have to go through known Windigo territory, though. No exploration ship sent in there has ever returned.”

“Wow.” Flurry’s mind spun as she tried to reorient her entire impression of what Nyx was up to. “I mean, I know how much you’ve missed him, and I’m really happy for you, especially if you do find him. But Nyx, this is such a risk. What if you run across the others?”

Nyx paused, poking at her popcorn for a moment before speaking.

“You’re really not going to like the rest of the plan,” she stated darkly.

“Oh no…” Flurry said, her gut tightening. Flurry was no stranger to crazy ideas, but Nyx’s crazy ideas were usually the stuff of nightmares.

Nyx chuckled uncomfortably at that. “You see, it’s not just Stargazer. We’re going to try and make contact with any wild alicorns we can find… and bring them back.”

At this, Flurry’s blood ran cold. She shook her head. “No… No, you can’t do that, Nyx. This is even more insane than starting a war with the Windigo! Like, a hundred, no a thousand times more insane. I just… you know that I’d do anything to help you bring your son home. But there’s just no way this is your actual plan.”

“It is, Flurry.”

“But why? Every wild alicorn arising on Equus has brought an end to pony civilization and dozens of centuries to rebuild. Have you gone mad? Don’t you remember the extreme measures Celestia and Luna took to make sure we didn’t finish our transformations? What could be so important that even remotely justifies that risk?”

“Calm down, Flurry. I know how this sounds.”

Flurry became aware that her wings were actually flared a bit. Her heart raced, and drops of sweat trickled down her back. She forced herself to settle. “I’m listening,” she said finally.

“First, you need to know that this is highly confidential. This must not get out. I am trusting you immensely. Can I count on you not to tell a soul? Billions of lives depend on it. Possibly our entire race.”

What the hell?

“Nyx, what’s going on?” was all Flurry could think to say.

“A war is coming, and we need to be ready for it,” Nyx stated.

“War…” Flurry echoed.

Nyx nodded. “The wild alicorns are our only hope to free ponykind from the Alcora.”

“The Al—” Flurry couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the absurdity. This had to be a prank or something. To her credit, Nyx had played it pretty straight.

“I’m serious,” Nyx said with a touch of annoyance. “You have no idea the grip the Alcora have on us. Particularly on Equus.”

“Nyx, the Alcora are nothing more than enigmatic self-absorbed freaks. They do what they want, but they’ve shown almost no interest in our culture or our race.”

“That’s because they’ve written off the colonies, Flurry. Not a shred of care whether you all live or die. Though they have agreed to hear us out and see if the tribes can get along off Equus. An experiment, if you will. They’ll be sending an emissary to neutral space.”

Flurry’s eyes went wide. “Harmony Station.”

Nyx nodded. “Twilight headed up the project in the hopes to foster an understanding with them. To show them that the colonial ponies have some… value.”

Flurry snorted. That struck a nerve. “Those shitbags!” she blurted out. “And now Twilight is working with them?”

“Look, if you’re going to be reactive, we can’t have this talk,” Nyx warned. “The whole reason you’ve been kept in the dark is because we can’t afford you doing… well, the things you usually do when your indignation rises. So it’s your choice.”

Flurry sighed. “Continue.”

“Alright. So, the Council has been working for centuries to piece together the clues of what’s been going on with the Alcora. Very hush-hush stuff. Everything from obscure texts in the Great Library to relics from ancient Equus dig sites. Alien cultures have given us some insight too.”

“Ancient Equus? Wait, they’ve visited Equus before our time?”

“Yeah. The Alcora’s history on Equus goes back further than anyone can pinpoint. The most ancient manuscripts on Equus suggest they predate the very first alicorn, between thirteen and fifteen hundred centuries ago. For some reason, they’ve never set up a permanent occupation—we figure because of the wild alicorns. They finally came back when they noticed we developed mirrorspace technology.”

“That’s when I heard they showed up, yeah. I always thought that was first contact. So, what’s the threat? What are they doing that’s so bad you need to risk the end of everything just to stop them?” Flurry asked.

“All our data points to them working on some kind of experiment with ponykind, dating back pretty much to the beginning. And from what we can tell, they’ve nearly finished.”

“Experimenting on ponies? If they finished, wouldn’t that be a good thing?”

“Again, this is all extremely confidential. Nobody can know that we are aware of this. Equus is one giant project for them. And when that project is done, well… let’s just say the only reason our race even exists still is because they need us desperately.”

“Need us for what?”

“We’re not quite sure,” Nyx stated flatly.

Flurry scowled. She didn’t like the idea of giant floating jellyfish determining the fate of ponykind.

“And you’re confident you can talk to the wild alicorns? I mean, what if they just slag your ship on the spot?”

“I know my son,” Nyx stated gravely. “I believe he can bridge the gap between us.”

Flurry gave it some thought for a moment. “And the decision is set? You’re sure the wild alicorns are the only option?”

Nyx nodded. “The Orion was built specifically for this mission, Flurry. Believe me, a lot of thought has gone into it. Celestia made the final call nearly a decade ago.”

“Well, I suppose there’s a certain poetry to the fact that the Alcora sponsored and endorsed the very mission that will ultimately screw them over. Anything else I need to know?”

“Just this: Literally no head of state, no mortal pony, and no other races are aware of our true plans. Not even my crew or officers will know until we are underway. Only the Commonwealth alicorn council is aware. And now, with you, all the alicorns.”

Flurry grabbed some popcorn and leaned back on the sofa. “Fun times,” she said with sarcasm. Now she really needed an aspirin.

Hours passed as Flurry’s thoughts remained troubled. She and Nyx played games, watched movies, and had dinner together. But she couldn’t shake that nagging feeling that her life was never going back to the way it was.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

The beeping was relentless.

Stop it, I’m trying to sleep, Flurry thought before finally rousing. She and Nyx had both fallen asleep in the lounge after sharing stories both funny and tragic. It was good that Nyx had decided to come with her on the run to Equus. So many valuable memories drifted back to the surface that Flurry had forgotten, she almost didn’t want to go back to her solitary life after this.

Opening her eyes, she pinpointed the source of the offending beeps. It was the comms console on the wall.

“Who is it?” she mumbled. Fortunately, the ship’s AI had enough experience with Flurry to recognize her way of accepting the transmission audio only.

“Hello? This is the Captain Reeds calling the Fleeting Dream. Hello?”

“Yes yes,” Flurry said, rubbing her eyes. “This is Flurry. What’s up?”

Sprawled out across the large beanbag chair, Nyx stirred as well.

“I’m just calling to let you know we’ve arrived at Holcolm IV and will be taking up a parking position as we await final orders. Estimate is fifteen minutes to jump in.”

“Copy that, Captain,” Flurry acknowledged. “We’ll be ready. Oh, while I’ve got you here, what’s the story with this new passenger?”

“Bio-terrorist,” Reeds said. “Charming fellow. Attempted genocide of a small colony.”

Flurry cringed. Was this typical? She thought it best not to ask. “Alright, well, we’ll be here if you need us.”

“And Flurry,” he added, “thanks for the navigation route. You saved us at least two hours.”

The comms went silent just as Nyx finished waking up. Flurry threw a kernel of popcorn at her from the nearly empty bowl sitting on the table.

“You just missed a call with Captain Hotstuff,” she scolded. “Honestly, Nyx, you’re going to have to be more proactive than this.”

Nyx rubbed her eyes. “What?”

“Nevermind. Anyways, we’ve arrived. Time to get down to business.”

Soon, Flurry stepped onto the bridge of the Dream with Nyx following behind her and taking a seat at Tactical. Flurry lay down in her usual position at the flight couch, spreading her wings and slotting her limbs into the various receptacles as the neural link lowered itself onto her neck and back.

“Disengage autopilot,” Flurry said as she took manual control of the ship. From her point of view, she could see the Charon parked ahead of her in Mirrorspace. An augmented indicator hovered just in front of the prison ship, showing the beacon they were supposed to lock onto.

She listened to the comms chatter between the Holcolm ponies and the Charon. It sounded like they were quite relieved to be rid of their prisoner. Pulling up the stats on the colony, Flurry could see the data scrolling by in her vision. It was relatively small and situated fairly deep in Alliance space, not far from the Commonwealth border. Thirty thousand ponies, mostly miners and their families. Not the kind of place really equipped to deal with a terrorist. At least they caught the bastard.

“We’re jumping now,” Flurry called out to Nyx before remembering that her cousin would also be listening to the comms channel.

The jump vortex opened up, prompting the Charon to sail through. Flurry manually piloted the Dream to follow directly behind the much larger ship and was soon caught in the blizzard of etherium that followed. She took the opportunity to distance herself as the exotic particles quickly annihilated, evaporating into nothing.

They had taken position in a low orbit above a greenish-brown world with many small seas. Her augmented vision highlighted the colony below, not far from an open pit mine that was at least as big as the settlement itself. Surface temperature was pleasant, though pressure and gravity were high. It would be comfortable for earth ponies, but pegasi and unicorns would not enjoy it here.

Flurry watched the tug detach from the top of the Charon just like it had when they picked up Merry. Part of her attention was on the full suite of sensors that provided a flood of information about her surroundings. It was something all pilots grew accustomed to when plugged into a flight couch. There was the background sensory data coming from the local sun, magnetic fields of nearby planets, the pull of gravity from everything, and the positions of distant stars in the background, confirming the ship’s exact location.

An important part of it was the comms channels. This included local broadcasts, both open and encrypted. At all times, there was the Mirrorcomm feed, relayed through the microscopic jump point that was always active within the comms receiver. Even if there wasn’t anything being transmitted, the Mirrorcomm carrier wave was always there, acknowledging the pilot’s connection with the rest of the interstellar community.

That is, until now when Flurry could no longer sense it.

Perhaps the receiver was on the fritz. It wouldn’t be the first time. She’d have to check after they got to Equus. Still, something nagged at her gut, telling her this wasn’t just a malfunction. A chill of pure instinct ran down her back.

A patch of stars had gone missing. Flurry glanced up, seeing some of the stars actually wobbling and refracting in the same way objects at the bottom of a swimming pool do when viewed from above. An ambient energy reading on the corner of her vision spiked to impossible levels.

No.

In that moment, an intense light shone from the centre of the patch of strangeness in the sky. Coming out from this point, a narrow beam of deep violet energy appeared, striking the bow of the Charon from above and drawing quickly down her midsection, cleaving the ship in two as a sword would if drawn through soft butter.

The flash of exploding Nexus cores blinded her vision for a moment as she instinctively dodged rapidly approaching debris. Alarms were blaring. Nyx was shouting something. Flurry fought to maintain focus in the surge of chaos.

From the corner of her eye, she saw that a huge object was pushing its way into Realspace, the wobbling starfield parting, almost tearing as it gave way to the newly arrived terror.

“Silent running engaged,” the Dream announced. Flurry hadn’t even given the order, but the ship had certain defensive protocols already in place for times when she was completely outmatched.

Limited to cold-gas thrusters, Flurry had to think fast. Must move. Must hide. A chunk of debris larger than the Dream itself was approaching at a reasonable vector. She tilted her wings subtly, shifting her course and rotation to match. Soon, the landing gear extended, magnetically joining her to what had, only seconds before, been part of the aft drive section of the Charon.

A metallic thunk reverberated throughout the ship as if marking the moment when Flurry could process thoughts normally. The first thing she became aware of was Nyx’s sharp voice relaying tactical suggestions.

“Good good,” Nyx said. “That should buy us some time. Roll fifteen left, pitch seven forward. Keep her steady and don’t expose our topside.”

Flurry realised she had caught nothing which Nyx had said up to this point. She executed the maneuvers effortlessly, halting the slow tumble of both her ship and the debris while leaving in a slight roll so as to be convincing in case anyone was watching for that.

It was only then that she could consider the broader picture. The Charon had been destroyed.

No, not entirely. Flurry saw the two halves of the prison ship still relatively close to one another with most of the superstructure still intact, apart from being bisected.

By now, the attacker had fully emerged. It was ugly, but more than that, it was terrifying. She couldn’t decide whether it more resembled a living thing or a vessel. The total size was about two-thirds that of the Charon. Its bow consisted of thorny protrusions jutting forward partly like mandibles of a giant insect and partly like claws made for grasping or impaling. Further back, the slender foresection gave way to a more bulky abdomen of sorts, covered in an array of rib-like ridges.

The hull, if it could be called that, consisted of a black rough-textured outer layer that was punctuated by dozens of slats and holes, exposing a glowing red layer beneath it. The parts that glowed did so in synchronization, pulsing from fore to aft and resembling a throbbing machine or the heartbeat of what lay unknown beneath its surface.

At each side of the vessel’s thicker abdomen section jutted four enormous jagged spikes, one atop the next, at about ten degrees separation from one another. These resembled bony fin-like protrusions, extending about half-again further than the ship body was wide.

Flurry was speechless. In her entire long life, she had never seen anything like this. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what to do. She thought of the ponies on the Charon.

“Is… is anyone out there still alive?” Flurry asked, a lump forming in her throat. “Come in. Come in, anyone.”

She listened on all the comms channels, hoping for any signs of life.

“Anyone?”

“You just about gave me a heart attack,” Nyx said. “I thought you actually broadcast that.”

“I’m desperate, not stupid,” Flurry replied.

“Do you need me to fly?”

“No no, I got it. We just need to help them.” Flurry checked comms status. The entire area was jammed, so no one could have heard her anyway.

“Flurry…” Nyx said.

The attacking ship pivoted, gliding over the two halves of the Charon and parking directly above them.

“Surely, there are ponies still alive,” Flurry mumbled to herself only barely aloud. “The bulkheads would have sealed. Yes, they definitely would have—”

“Flurry!” Nyx repeated.

“What?” Flurry finally shot back.

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Flurry admitted. What could she do?

Several minutes had passed, and to her horror, the hostile ship had begun dissecting the Charon with smaller cutting beams mounted on the forward-facing thorny parts. She could barely see the shimmer of tractor beams preventing the pieces of the prison ship from drifting away.

“Doesn’t look like they’ve seen us,” Nyx commented after a long silence.

“Yeah, seems that way. We’re still alive, after all,” Flurry replied.

“I guess we hold here till they leave? I can’t think of any other way. What do you think?”

Flurry estimated they were about two kilocanters from the enemy and holding relative position. Their roll was about two revolutions per minute with the Dream’s nose facing the wreck of the Charon. “We should be fine sitting here. I’d really like to leave though; this scene is making me sick to my stomach.”

“Then can I make a suggestion?”

Flurry’s gut tightened up. Whatever it was, she already knew she wasn’t going to like it.

“Come join me,” Nyx said, her voice now soft.

Flurry didn’t want to, of course. It would be like giving up. But what could she do? If they tried to help, they’d be cut down. If they tried to run, they’d be chased and killed. If they teleported or jumped away, they’d be followed and still killed. The only option left was to sit… and watch.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Windigo.

They were the stuff of rumours and legend—hushed whispers of things glimpsed in Mirrorspace, usually dismissed as drunken myths and delusions. Flurry had heard the occasional story among the denizens of the Dragon’s Head nebula, but no one ever had any hard facts or evidence.

Until now, that is.

Windigo attacks have always been said to be very rare but utterly devastating. They leave no survivors—no witnesses. Why? Who knows. Their motives were as obscure as those of the Alcora. About the only thing that Flurry was certain of was that these two races have been at war since time immemorial.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Flurry murmured. It had been ten minutes since she unplugged from the flight couch and joined Nyx, sitting in the bow-nook of the bridge. It was a small patch of floor at the frontmost position, directly behind the large curved omniglass window at the bow of the ship.

Flurry had installed a comfortable floor cushion right into the decking, as she often enjoyed sitting here, watching the stars with her own eyes. Today, she was just grateful to be here with family, for the view beyond the glass was heartbreaking.

“Me neither,” Nyx said as they sat together, side by side. “Everything I know about them is second-hand, mostly what the Council has been told by the Alcora. I never imagined seeing them would be like this.”

The pair of alicorns sat quietly as the Windigo ship continued to methodically cut apart pieces of the Charon. They were taking their time, which made the process all the more agonizing to sit through. Occasionally, there would be an explosive decompression as yet another chamber was breached, marking the deaths of more ponies, thankfully too far away to see without magnification.

Flurry leaned into her cousin, resting her head on the black alicorn’s shoulder. This feeling of helplessness, especially after things were looking up, was more than she could bear. Her eyes wandered, tracing through the starfield off to the side until she spotted something moving in the distance and at quite a pace from the looks of it.

Someone new on the scene? She had to warn them.

“Computer, transfer HUD and command to my position,” she stated quickly. “Analyze latest arrival in the tactical theatre and prepare an FSO comms channel.”

The ship was rapidly closing on their position, which had Flurry all the more worried the newcomer would be attacked next. But when a magnified view of the ship was superimposed on the glass, that concern evaporated. It was a second Windigo ship.

Flurry sighed, cancelling the comms request as her shoulders slumped. Their troubles had just been doubled.

Less than half a minute had passed when the new Windigo ship was close enough to identify visually. Another few seconds later, as it closed within a kilocanter, something almost audible shook her very soul like the cry of a griffon on a chilly moonless night in the ancient Nevharan outskirts. If asked to give an account to someone, she would not have been able to articulate the experience; it was simply an impression of palpable terror.

Flurry’s gut tightened up as the vessel raced past them, thankfully without noticing, and headed towards the planet.

Towards the colony.

Flurry put a hoof to the glass in front of her as she leaned forward, watching the alien horror continue on its way, only to come to a stop and rotate itself in place. On the glass, she brought up two semi-translucent magnification windows, one showing the Windigo ship and the other, the colony below, while the real visual, as seen with her own eyes, remained unobstructed.

No. No no no… Flurry stood up, her breath quickening. Beside her, Nyx stood as well.

The long bony fins jutting out of the sides of the Windigo ship moved apart, fanning out until all eight tips formed a complete circle. Then, Flurry’s worst fears were realised. Bright orange beams of energy shot out from the tips, converging a short distance in front of the ship before making contact with the planet’s surface as a single much heavier beam.

“You AB-”

“SOLUTE”

“FUCKERS!!”

As Flurry cried out, she repeatedly struck her forehooves hard against the glass, which was in no danger of scratching, nevermind breaking.

Even without the magnified view, the devastation was clear. On the surface, enormous expanding flames were visible where the beam had struck, even from the Dream’s position in orbit. The beam slowly raked across the colony in a circular motion, tracing the outskirts first. Then, after completing a round, the continuous beam spiraled inwards, ensuring no one would escape as it gradually consumed the entire colony.

On the window showing the colony, everything was engulfed in fire and destruction. Buildings were toppled into heaps. After several minutes of constant onslaught, nothing remained but burning rubble.

Flurry’s knees buckled, forcing her back down as she wept. “Thirty thousand souls,” she lamented. Families.

Looking up to Nyx, her cousin’s face was hard, a resolute expression of barely contained rage. Nyx was ready to kill someone.

The Windigo had finally switched off their beam after all signs of the colony on the surface were erased. Flurry wiped her eyes as she watched the alien vessel return its fins to their original position. The background starfield then appeared to wrap itself around the ship, engulfing it in wobbling stars until the only thing to be seen was a slight refraction and then stillness.

Meanwhile, the first Windigo vessel had been continuing its work dismantling what was left of the Charon as if absolutely nothing notable had just happened.

“You realise this will become yet another attack with no survivors to report it,” Nyx pointed out. “An unsolved mystery.”

“Not this time,” Flurry declared. “I’ve got a record of everything in explicit detail. Provided we make it out of here alive, everyone’s gonna know what these bastards have done. Just think what it would do for the colonies to have a common foe! We might even see some major peace treaties signed this year.”

“Flurry… No.”

“What do you mean ‘No’, Nyx? Don’t you think the colonies need to see what the Windigo have done?”

“And then what, Flurry? We all go to war? You saw what one ship did to one of the most well-defended capital ships we’ve got. Do you want to provoke a vicious retaliation? It’d be a slaughter.”

“I don’t know, Nyx, I think if they were ready to kick our asses, they’d already be doing it. Why all this cloak and dagger shit?”

“I don’t have the answers to that. But these things are quite alien. Their motives aren’t like ours. The only choice is to bring it before the Council.”

“I’m not ready to deal with them,” Flurry stated firmly, her wings bristling. “You can deal with Celestia and Twilight—count me out.”

Nyx sighed. “Fine. But promise me you won’t tell anyone until after I get the Council’s advice. We don’t want to jeopardize…”

Nyx’s voice trailed off as her gaze fixated on something outside. Now what?

Flurry looked where Nyx was staring.

“They’ve stopped,” Nyx said, her voice filled with curiosity.

“Computer, magnify hostile ship,” Flurry ordered.

An enlarged view of the Windigo ship took up the entire forward window. They had indeed stopped cutting apart the Charon. Now, a single chunk of the ship sat directly in front of the alien spacecraft.

“What a mess,” Flurry commented, noticing the thousands of pieces of jagged debris that drifted about near the Windigo ship. Unfortunately, they could also see the tiny frozen bodies of quite a lot of ponies speckling the debris field like motes of dust. “How much you wanna bet it’s Merry’s prison cell that’s got their attention?”

“Seems they’ve finally found what they’re here for,” Nyx said.

“If he gets away, I’m gonna be pissed.”

“What are you going to do about it, exactly?” Nyx asked. “We’re not really in an advantageous position here.”

Flurry fumed. This day just kept getting worse. And after such a good start too.

Fifteen long minutes ticked by as Flurry and Nyx watched the scene from their safe perch. Flurry was starting to get impatient. Then, the tractor beam stopped shimmering and the wreckage drifted away from the bow of the Windigo ship where it had been held for some time.

And with that, the enemy ship was swallowed up in a distorted patch of space, leaving behind only the carnage they had wrought.

“Now what?” Flurry asked. “Time to go?”

“We’re going to have to check out that wreck,” Nyx said.

“I was afraid you were going to say that. I’d rather not fly the Dream over there, if it’s all the same. If they show up again, we’re toast, so we’ll have to EVA.”

Nyx groaned. “Fine.”

They made their way down to the Dream’s airlock, where Flurry began rummaging through a cabinet drawer that was set into the wall.

“What are you looking for?” Nyx asked.

“Aha! These,” Flurry replied, pulling out a pair of air collars. “I knew I had a spare in here somewhere.”

Nyx stared at her collar, a dubious expression on her face. “You don’t have any EVA suits, do you?” she asked flatly.

“No time for that. Also… no, I don’t. Just consider it part of the thrill.”

“Freezing my nethers off in hard vac isn’t my idea of fun.”

“Sorry,” Flurry grinned sympathetically. “You get used to it.”

Flurry helped fit the collar onto Nyx’s head and pressed the activation button. Immediately, the nearly invisible shield bubble formed, providing a sphere of breathable atmosphere.

“I’m gonna bring a search and rescue kit,” Flurry added before pulling a large backpack off the wall and strapping it onto her back.

“You expecting they’ve left survivors?”

“This is the Windigo, Nyx. I don’t know what to expect.”

Now that they were ready, Flurry looked out the airlock window towards the wreckage. Two kilocanters… She had checked the exact distance before leaving the bridge, but this was going to be tricky.

“Ready to get chilly?” Flurry asked as she grasped onto Nyx and focused a fair bit of thaumatic energy through her horn.

There was a bright flash, followed by the familiar tingle of hard vacuum directly on her skin.

Beside her, Nyx was tumbling, flailing her legs and wings awkwardly with nothing to grasp onto as they hung in empty space.

“Hey hey, steady there,” Flurry said as she gave her cousin a telekinetic nudge.

“Sorry, I don’t normally EVA,” Nyx said. “You seem rather used to it.”

“I do this all the time. It… well, it comes with the job.” Flurry grinned sheepishly.

“Uh. Huh.”

It was then that Flurry took in the scene, her jaw slack in awe.

They were right at the edge of the Charon’s debris field. It was huge, making her feel incredibly small compared to when she was flying the Dream. About a fifth of the ship had still not been completely dissected, its bulk drifting about six hundred canters away. But everything else was an unbelievable sight, the scale of devastation threatening to overwhelm her. Bits of shredded steel filled the area, glinting in the sunlight as far as she could see in any direction. And then there were the bodies, drifting gently in the icy tomb of space. Some were crew and some were prisoners. She felt pity for both.

“There’s the section we’re after,” Flurry said, pointing straight up above her head. “Come on.”

Flurry spread her wings and pushed, letting the thaumatic energy that made the pegasi distinct flow through and push her along. Looking over her shoulder, Nyx was struggling like a filly learning to use hoof skates.

“Wow, you really don’t EVA, do you? Take your time, you’ll get the hang of it. Remember, aerodynamics is out. It’s not all that different from piloting a ship.”

Nyx calmed herself and looked up towards where Flurry was floating. She stuck her tongue between her lips slightly, spread her wings wide, and gently pushed back, sailing forward in the process.

“Yeah, see? You’ve got it.”

The hull section was a lot bigger than it had looked from the bridge of the Dream. Most of it was jagged, twisted steel, but the side that had been the outer face of the ship was still intact. Flurry could see the indentations that were the divisions between individual prison cells. It was a grid of nearly twenty cells in a five-by-four arrangement with a couple corners missing.

What was strange were the holes in each cell. As she approached, she realized that the Windigo ship had punched holes in every prison cell with its energy beam, deliberately killing the prisoners within. That is, every cell except for one.

“I’m reading air inside,” Nyx said after checking her holo-brace. “It’s leaking out over here, see it?”

Flurry looked where Nyx was pointing. It was inside one of the empty cells. She tilted her wings slightly, gliding over to the opening.

The sheer power of the Windigo weapons hit her in that moment, as her hoof made contact with the face of the Charon. This was vardite alloy—not the best, but pretty close. It was at least as thick as her foreleg was long, and the Windigo beam had slagged a hole straight through it like it was nothing.

Flurry went in first. She folded her wings and used her legs to climb through into the ruined prison cell.

Nyx followed right behind her, lighting her horn after getting inside, as it was completely dark without power.

“No sign of the prisoner,” Nyx said. “Probably sucked out through the breach.”

“Or vaporized if he was standing in the wrong spot,” Flurry pointed out. There were bits of recently molten vardite splattered all through the cell.

“Found the leak.”

It was the far wall of the cell, where the cutting beam must have touched briefly but not fully penetrated. It looked to Flurry like the Windigo were actually using great precision to avoid breaching the internal hallways.

“If there’s air inside, we should try and keep it that way,” Nyx suggested.

“Agreed.” Flurry pulled out a device from her backpack and placed it near the gaping hole. She then tapped her holo-brace, activating the small shield projector that created an airtight seal near the breach. The survival tool then began releasing air, which soon filled the room. Both she and Nyx deactivated their collars.

“Now we just have to get in,” Nyx said as she placed a hoof on the thick metal door. Sparks flew out from beneath her hoof as she tried cutting her way through, but after a while, she saw that only scratches had appeared.

“This is tough stuff,” she said.

“We’re in a prison cell,” Flurry pointed out. “Try something a bit more than what a typical earth pony can do.”

Nyx snorted. “Stand back.”

Nyx backed up and held her hooves wide, her horn lowered in a combat stance. Indigo swirls raced around within her horn, which soon glowed too brightly to look at.

A pulse of thaumatic energy released, directed at the door, which was blown clear off its mounting and slammed into the wall on the other side of the hallway.

“Yeah, like that,” Flurry remarked before walking through.

That’s when the smell hit her. It wasn’t old and stagnant—not enough time for that. But she knew that smell anywhere.

Blood.

It was everywhere—walls, floor, and ceiling. Whatever crew that had been trapped in this section apparently tried to fight back, but it was in all vain. Flurry couldn’t help but wonder why the Windigo had bothered boarding in the first place. Hopefully the answers were in that solitary intact cell.

Nyx led the way through the corridor, floating along in zero-gravity, the light from her horn casting harsh shadows on the structure. It wasn’t long before they could see a prison door that had been left open up ahead. Flurry gripped a comms terminal with a hoof and gently shoved off, gliding towards the doorway until she could finally see inside. Nyx was right behind her.

Oh… Oh my.

Flurry had to make an effort not to throw up. It was definitely Merry’s prison cell, as his hover chair was still here, smashed and shoved into a corner. As for Merry himself, it was exactly like what had happened to Bravo team on the Orion—what had nearly happened to Flurry herself.

Merry Weather had been eaten by a Windigo.

Not all of him. Little bits were smeared on the walls, chunks of viscera and blood coating the room. Flurry saw a wing with half its feathers missing, ripped off his body and floating near the far end of the cell.

Why, though? Wasn’t he in league with them? She had thought for sure they were here for a prison break.

Then she remembered… Merry had betrayed them by sending Flurry and the aerie on a hopeless mission to rescue the Orion, inadvertently foiling their entire plan.

All for the sake of some hot alicorn tail.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

It had taken three teleport jumps to get back to the bridge of the Dream.

Flurry was spent. Nyx was busy uploading all the photos she had taken to the ship’s computer. She at least had the stomach to thoroughly document the scene. Flurry just wanted to get out of there.

Nyx had also collected a number of biological samples from Merry’s cell, using gauze from Flurry’s search and rescue kit to wrap them up for transport. One piece in particular was a patch of hide with fur matching Merry’s colour and a thick bundle of mane still attached. It was definitely him.

Flurry prepped the ship to jump. There was nothing left to see here.

“This is what I don’t get,” Flurry said. “The Windigo went through all this trouble, destroyed an extremely well-defended maximum security prison ship and all souls aboard. Then slaughtered thirty thousand ponies, an entire colony, just to get revenge on Merry Weather?”

“Seems rather extreme, doesn’t it?” Nyx replied. “I honestly don’t think ponies are ready for this threat. But there’s some solace in that things were not as bad as they could have gone for everyone who died today.”

“Not as bad?!” Flurry echoed with incredulity.

“Yeah. Their deaths were quick. Merry’s was not. If the Windigo had come to harvest, they would have brought a larder ship and everyone would share Merry’s fate.”

Flurry cringed. “No wonder the Alcora want to destroy them. You’d think they’d be nicer about working together. Enemy of my enemy and all that.”

Nyx looked at Flurry with an eyebrow raised. “You know better than that.”

Flurry sighed. “I know. I just hope things don’t get worse because of what we’ve done. Have we provoked them into moving earlier than they’d planned?”

“I think we still have time,” Nyx said. “But not much. Remember, it’s still important to them that they leave no witnesses. If that changes… then worry.”

Flurry turned her head to glance once more out the main viewport. Even from orbit, the raging flames were still visible, cremating the remains of the Holcolm IV colony.

“What have we awakened, Nyx?”

Nyx put a hoof on Flurry’s cheek, turning her head away from the viewport. She looked her cousin in the eye. “We’ll get through this,” she said. “If anything, it makes the Orion’s mission all the more important.”

Flurry offered a weak smile. “Don’t forget how good it will feel to see your son again.”

“That thought has never left my mind, cousin. And you’ve got some thinking to do as well. Do you still want to go to Equus?”

Flurry nodded. “I had a talk with Luna while you were out with Oakheart. I’m going to visit the memorial. It’s time.”

Nyx leaned forward, pulling Flurry into an embrace. “I’m happy for you. Don’t forget to visit old friends while you’re there.”

“We’ll see,” Flurry replied. We’ll see…

Flurry in Time

by DuvetofReason

Chapter 1 - Shipping Accident

Chapter 2 - Communications Breakdown

Chapter 3 - Masquerade of Manners

Chapter 4 - Last Shadow

Chapter 5 - Worlds Collide

Chapter 6 - An Exercise in Trust

Chapter 7 - The Enemy of my Enemy

Chapter 8 - Price of Admission

Chapter 9 - On the Brink of the Abyss

Chapter 10 - Suffering the Wait

Chapter 11 - One Hell of a Furball

Chapter 12 - Two Bad Decisions Later

Chapter 13 - And You Thought it was Over

Chapter 14 - Not the Reunion I was Hoping For

Chapter 15 - Exactly the Reunion I was Hoping For

Chapter 16 - One of the Team

Chapter 17 - Monster

Chapter 18 - The Mad Scientist

Chapter 19 - Traitor

Chapter 20 - Pretense Malfunction

Chapter 21 - Anticipation

Chapter 22 - A Promise Kept

Chapter 23 - Flurry, the Space Pirate

Chapter 24 - Endings and Beginnings