The Cayden Chronicles: Cloudsdale Cloud Kickers

The air whipped past the cabin of the transport as the repulsor engines propelled it through the atmosphere.  Clouds rushed by, breaking apart as the vehicle soared high above the planet, heading towards a large city stretching out around a small harbor, several steam-ships moving into the docks below.

"Captain, bring us in slow and low, adjust angle of descent to 27°, bear 7° to port.  I want to land just outside the city.  From there, you and I will take a carriage to the facility," Cayden smiled, staring out the viewport as the pegasus mare in front of him piloted the ship.

"Aye aye, sir,” the captain replied, making the necessary adjustments.

“We should be planet-side within minutes.”

"Thank you, Arianna, for helping me with this..."

"Not a problem at all Cayden," she responded, smiling.  The black, white, and yellow pegasus mare looked over at the stallion seated next to her.  "I know how important this is to you. I'm just glad that you brought the rest of your family along too."

Several voices can be heard in back, several colts and a filly are playing a game which, from what the two adults can determine, involves one pony stating the color of something and the other two trying to guess what item the chooser picked.  The giggling of a young foal can be heard over the voices of the older children.

"I couldn't leave them behind... Not for two months.  Especially not Comet... I want to raise him properly..." the olive brown stallion stated, closing his eyes with a gentle smile.

"I'm proud of you, sir.  You're doing your best to be the best father you can be.  I know Comet, Omega, Moore, and Midna will all appreciate it," Arianna smiled, looking ahead through the clouds. "Baltimare is coming up.  Best get ready, Cayden."

"I'm always ready Arianna,” he smirked, heading into the back of the transport.

"Look alive kids, we're almost there!"

A young, red, pegasus mare with a papoose strapped to her chest turned towards him with a smile.  "About time Dad… Comet is getting restless being cooped up on this gunship."

"Him and I both sweetheart..." the stallion sympathized as the young blue colt in question crawled over and tapped his leg, giggling.

Cayden looked down and smiles, picking the foal up, cradling the little colt in his hooves.

"Almost there, little buddy..." the foal's father replied, giving the him a gentle nuzzle. Comet giggled happily, nuzzling his father back.

"Da!  Da!" he cooed, patting his small forehooves on the larger stallion's chest.

"You're so adorable, Comet," Cayden chuckled and smiled wide, ruffling Comet's mane.

The young mare watched her father and baby brother, smiling softly. Her ear twitched as she heard a soft groan from behind her.

"Come on Omega!  Move your piece!" a blue unicorn colt exclaimed. Omega sat across from him, looking down at the dejarik board, considering his options.

"Relax Moore... War isn't won by being impatient..." the olive-brown colt replied, pressing several keys with his hooves.  A blue creature moves two spaces on the board.

"No, but it does go faster when you make quicker decisions," Moore said, pressing a few keys as a red creature moves a space.

"And that's why the Empire lost to the Rebellion. They didn't assess the situation carefully before committing," Omega stated, looking at his brother.  "That's also why most other governments fell to the

Republic during the Reunification War." Cayden watched the colts, smirking.

"That's not why they fell... They fell because the Republic possessed

superior technology and numbers," Midna countered, walking up to the two colts.

"Actually, you're all wrong," Cayden started, trotting over slowly.

"The Republic succeeded because everypony else was predictable.  By using battle maps from past engagements from each faction, Republic Naval and Army Commands were able to effectively formulate attacks, counter-attacks, and defenses capable of not only suppressing the enemy, but also pushing them back."

"So it was by sheer tactical knowledge and skill that led the Republic to victory?" Moore asked, looking at his father.

"Exactly,” Cayden smiled.

The intercom on the transport stuttered to life. "ETA five minutes, sir.  And quit telling your kids that you won by tactical knowledge.

It's no secret that it was all dumb luck," Arianna's voice spoke over the speakers, a slight giggle following.

Cayden grumbled a bit, looking at Midna.

"... Get your brother, sweetheart..." Midna smiled, giggling slightly, and saluted.

"Aye aye, dad!"  She looked around before scooping the one-year old colt up into her hooves and places him into the papoose.

"Mi'na!" Comet exclaimed at being picked up, giggling as he touched her chin with a hoof.

Midna giggled again, nuzzling the small hoof happily as the transport shuddered slightly, touching down outside of the city.  The side door slid open and a ramp extended down to the ground.

"Captain, go ahead and take the transport to the facility,” Cayden said, looking outside he smiled before slowly walking down the ramp.

“We're going to take a walk through town for a while."

"Aye aye, Commander.  You guys have fun," Captain Blaire replied, watching Omega and Moore hurry down the ramp after Midna and their father.

The ramp slowly retracted before the transport began flying back up into the air and heading towards the south-side of Baltimare.

"Where to first?" Cayden asked, smiling.

"Well, I'm not sure about you dad, but Comet and I are starving..." Midna stated, Comet's stomach growling in response.

"Us too!" Moore chimed in, bouncing up to his sister with Omega. Cayden grinned and nodded.

"Alrighty... Food it is.”

The group of ponies started walking into the city, hooves clacking against the cobblestone pathway as they passed the first few buildings. Several carts laden with food or trinkets sit scattered on the side of the main roadway. Midna trotted over a cart with Comet, looking things over.

"Look Comet, they have your favorite, apple fritters!" she smiled, reaching a hoof into her saddlebags and took out her bit bag. Comet's ears perked up at the mention of delicious fritters and smiled wide, babbling a bit. Midna giggled softly before ordering two, placing down several bits before taking the bag holding the food. Comet's hooves sprang into action at the sight of the food-laden bag and started grabbing at it.  Midna noticed the tiny hooves moving and quickly placed the bag on her wing, giggling again.

"Not yet Comet... We've got to see what Omega and Moore get so we can rub it in their faces," she said mischievously, giggling more.  Comet slapped his hooves onto the sides of the papoose and pouted, tail swishing about anxiously against Midna's chest.  She patted the young colt on the head, then resumed walking down the road, looking around for their two brothers.  "Speaking of those two... where did they go?" she asked, trotting closer to her father.