Operation: Swordbreaker

Chapter 4- Dining With The Enemy

Swordbreaker had long since given up trying to convince Steel Rider of his not wanting to impose on him and his family, but the Pony easily deflected his arguments with his quick and easy clever stubbornness. Eventually Nathan just had to admit he was getting fed tonight, which in itself wasn't a bad thing, after months of the hard, uninteresting, military cafeteria food, the promise of a home cooked meal was alluring.

Swordbreaker managed to convince Steel to let him walk alongside him instead of being pushed uncomfortably, they came to a corner and Sword noticed a house that was slightly larger than the ones near it, sporting a yard with a charming oak tree in the front. The house itself, while it was a two-floor building rather than the usual one-floor layout, it shared the dark-shingled, mahogany-wooded style that Trottingham had.

Steel Rider lead his guest over to the house, pushing the front door open unceremoniously and calling out.

"Mother! I'm home! And we have a guest!" While Steel strode confidently into his own house, Nathan inched inside, already feeling the inherent sense that he didn't belong as he always did when entering someone else's house, Steel Rider noticed his hesitation and that grin of his spread onto his face yet again.

"Come on in, don't be shy!" As slick as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, the Pony wrapped his leg around Swordbreakers shoulders and pulled him into his lair, closing the door behind him.

Inside the house was made of the same mahogany wood as the outside, but was covered in a lush, thick carpet that ran through the hall, Steel Rider quickly took off his scarf and saddle bags, removing the latter just as a mare stuck her head out of the kitchen, she was clearly Steel Riders mother.

She had a beige coat like her son, although a few shades lighter, her mane was a darker beige, bordering brown and put into a motherly looking braid, her eyes where a pleasant orange.

"Steely, you must stop simply dragging random Ponies off the street and into our homes, at least without telling me." She said.

"So sorry mother, but Swordbreaker here had no where to stay and he's been travelling long."

"I suppose that's alright" the mare turned her warm smile to Sword "It's always nice to have guests, it's good to meet you p, Swordbreaker was it?" Sword decided to keep it safe and simply act respectful.

"Yes ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you too and thank you for taking me in." The mare gave off a giggle.

"Knows his manners this one, it's no trouble dear, and just call me Honey Heart 'ma'am' makes me sound like such an old thing." Honey Heart looked back at Steel Rider.

"Why don't you go show Swordbreaker the washroom? Let him clean up for dinner, I've made a good hearty stew for tonight." Her son nodded and gestured for Swordbreaker to follow him. The Pony brought him down to a smaller room with a low-lying basin with a built in water pump, Nathan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the primitive plumbing implement, he wondered if the pump was a standard for the level of technology that the Ponies possessed.

Never the less, they took turns pumping water into the basin and washing their hooves clean of dirt before heading into the kitchen, inside was a simple table with three bowls placed on it, one of which already had steaming stew inside, Honey Heart was ladling some into the remaining bowls, expertly holding the spoon in her mouth.

"Sit down you two, and tuck in." She said, placing the pot and ladle on the counter, Steel Rider eagerly sat down and quickly began shoving stew into his mouth, Swordbreaker was more slow about it, despite having practiced using utensils like this he still didn't want to spill hot stew on himself. As he had practiced, Nathan used his forearms oddly Human like flexibility to grip the spoon in a joint towards his hoof, almost like he was holding it with his wrist.

Honey Heart sat down as Swordbreaker spooned some stew into his mouth, savouring the delicious taste of the vegetables.

"So Steely said you have been traveling a while dear, are you heading anywhere particular?" Nathan paused in his eating to think about that, during his briefing they had theorized that the castle was the capital of the land however they didn't know that for sure, he decided to play it safe.

"Well I'm thinking of heading to the capital." Swordbreaker said calmly, hoping it didn't turn out that Pony society didn't include capital cities.

"Canterlot huh? Well it's a glamorous city after all, are you just sight seeing?" Honey asked, but Nathan almost missed her question because he was too busy keeping all signs of giggling of his face, the name 'Canterlot' was almost too much for him. He managed to keep a thinking face on as he calmed down.

After which Nathan considered the risk of stating his intention to enlist, one of the more prominent risks would be that the Ponies had no organized military force to speak of, so his words would seem like madness. Or maybe their military was a corrupt group and those who desired to join them where outcasts, or maybe they would report him to the government and he would be kidnapped and questioned! Or maybe...

"Well... I'm thinking of enlisting." Swordbreaker said with a shy smile, this got Steel a Rider to look up from his gorging, a wide smile coming to his features while Honey Heart's warm smile was lost and replaced with a slightly worried and disapproving frown.

"A fellow future cadet eh?" He said happily "I want to join up too! Adventure, respect, rank, not to mention a cool uniform! What's not to love!" Nathan genuinely smiled at that, he sounded like most new recruits while an over glorified idea of military life, he was in for a rude awakening. Swordbreaker looked at Honey Heart again, still with that somber frown on her face.

"Mrs. Heart? Is something the matter?" She looked up from her stew-which she had barely touched-and gave Swordbreaker a weak smile.

"Oh it's nothing, I just don't think that the Royal Guard is the best path for Steely." The conversation broke off into an awkward, tense silence. Obviously this was a touchy topic between them, Sword cleared his his throat to break the tension.

"But enough about me, what do you do Mrs. Heart?" He asked, her warm smile returned filling Swordbreaker with a strange feeling of home and safety.

"It's just Honey, dear." She said "I mix Honey and sell it in a shop, some are sweeter, some are thicker, but all are made with love." The mare had a ethereally happy expression as she talked, clearly she was very passionate and into her work.

Swordbreaker looked at Steel "What about you Steel? What do you like to do?" The colt gave his easy grin.

"Well usually I help mother in the shop, but in my spare time I like to practice my special talent."

"And what might that be?"

"Sword fighting of course!" Steel exclaimed excitedly "It's my true passion! Actually... Is that your talent too? That's what I guessed from your Cutie Mark." Nathan raised a mental eyebrow at the name 'Cutie Mark' logically he deduced that Steel Rider was was referring to the mark on his flank. Steel Riders mark was that of a winged sword, Swordbreaker himself had an image of a simple sword, and Nathan had noticed Honey Hearts Cutie Mark; a Jar of honey that had a heart surrounding it.

Nathan just went with it "Yep, that's right, I've been practicing the art since I was a colt." Not a complete lie, Nathan had been trained extensively in sword fighting while a Pony.

"Maybe we can spar sometime?" Steel said, Swordbreaker smiled and they lapsed into silence again but a more comfortable silence. Soon they emptied their bowls of stew, Honey Heart taking their dishes and placing them on the counter, Steel Rider and Swordbreaker nursing cups of tea that Honey had made for them.

"Your welcome to stay the night Sword." Honey said from the sink "We have a guest room, you can stay here until tomorrow and catch the morning train to Canterlot."

"Oh I wouldn't want to impose further on you Mrs. Heart."

"Nonsense! Your our guest for tonight."

"But Mrs. Heart.."

"It's Honey Heart dear."

"I should really..."

"Steely dear? Show Swordbreaker to the guest room."

"Of course mother." The stallion got up and started pushing Sword out of the kitchen and down the hall.

"Are you two always like this?" Swordbreaker asked in defeat.

"Pretty much, you get used to it." Sword sighed and allowed Steel to push him down the hall and into a small room to the side, in the room was a bedside table with a candle and a decently sized one-man bed.

"You'll be comfortable in here, if you need anything just ask." Steel turned to leave before Swordbreaker stopped him.

"Wait!" Steel Rider looked back at him "Thank you, for offering me a place to stay I mean." That easy grin came back to the beige Ponies face.

"Anything for a friend Sword, goodnight." He said, before gently closing the door.

Nathan sighed and headed over to the bed, blowing out the candle he slipped into the bed, staring at the dark ceiling.

"Sunray, this is Swordbreaker, over." He said softly, there was a pause before he got his response.

"This is Sunray, go ahead corporal." Commander Ellise's voice came from the darkness.

"I've entered the town, which is called 'Trottingham' and made contact with some of the natives, they have kindly offered me a place to stay before I continue to the castle, which has been confirmed as the capital, called 'Canterlot' I plan on utilizing a train to arrive at Canterlot and enlist in the Ponies armed forces, apparently called 'Royal Guards.' "

"Furthermore, I have made note of the technology level of the Ponies, as I said they mentioned a train so they at least have steam powered vehicles, but it seems other public utilities such as plumbing are rather unadvanced, using water pumps both public and in house pumps, I don't know about weapon technology but I have evidence that supports the fact that the Ponies still utilize swords."

"Good work Corporal, you've done well, continue on with your objective. However you are advised to avoid such informal interactions with the natives."

"Sir?" Nathan asked, a bit confused.

"You heard me, unless necessary do not interact with the natives, do not form attachment, and do not draw attention to yourself, they are potential enemies of the U.I.A.F and you will treat them as such."

"...Yes sir." Nathan said submissively, not willing to argue with his CO.

"Good, now the rift will close for at least twelve hours, we will notify you when it opens again so we can communicate again."

"Yes sir, understood."

"Good, Sunray out." The link was broken and Nathan was left alone to stare into the darkness, he thought about the Commanders words, about not forming attachments. It seemed extreme, from what he was told the main plan was to negotiate with the Ponies without conflict, this operation was simply a precaution put into action by the paranoid High Command of the U.I.A.F, to label the Ponies as enemies or even potential enemies was close minded and frankly wrong.

But Nathan was bound to his orders, however Ellise had no way of telling how much contact Nathan was having right? Besides it would appear suspicious to the Ponies if he avoided all contact, especially seeing as they appeared to be a friendly bunch.

What Commander Ellise didn't know couldn't hurt him right?