My eyes opened slowly and I let out a small yawn. Stretching my legs I noticed the lights were still dimmed.

“What time is it?” I mumbled, trying to wipe the sleep out of my eyes with one hoof, raising my other to check the time. 03:20. Why?

I laid back down. I still had a few hours to sleep.

Whumph

My eyes opened. What was that?

The silence was once again murdered with the agonizing scream of metal tearing, followed by an explosion that threw my rack and its inhabitants to the side. The racks head end was stopped by my locker next to it. I continued for a few more inches till my head smashed off the side of said locker, the weight of my lower body taking me to the floor after it.

Then something fell ontop of me. I rolled it off and stood, trying to shake away the pain in my skull. Once my vision cleared and the ringing in my ears died down I could hear the emergency alarm amongst the shouts and screams of the entire barracks. I looked down to see what had fell on me. His name was Down Pour I think. There was a large hunk of metal embedded in the back of his skull.

I looked up and saw the flames and bodies laying amongst the carnage. Something tore a hole through the wall and took plenty of the rooms inhabitants with it. Men were scrambling to get their gear and weapons on. The emergency lighting was on and the alarms were active.

I felt a hoof strike me across the face. I snapped to see who hit me and locked eyes with Quick.

“SARGE!” He screamed in my face.

“Im good! I’m good!” I yelled back. I turned and tried to lift my rack off my locker. The other racks had fallen like dominoes and I couldn't move them. Quick stepped up and lifted it up just enough for me to open my locker.

I grabbed my armor and began suiting up as Quick let the racks fall back. I think I might have broke a record for how fast I got in that thing. Snapped my rifles into place and slid my goggles over my eyes. All systems were good. “Lets roll!”

We started running down the main aisle towards the exit when a griffon flew in through the wound in the ship. He had some kind of belt fed machine gun and began spraying down groups of ponies with it. I slid to a stop to take aim, but the bird was thrown towards us after I heard the ‘fwoosh’ of Quick’s rocket launcher firing. The missile detonated right behind the bird. When his body rolled to a stop he was still gripping the machine gun. I was half tempted to pick it up, but deciding nothing other than my own enjoyment would come from it.

Drifting in through the gaping hole in the wall was the sound of gunfire and scent of ozone, signaling a battle was ensuing.

“C’mon Quick, we’re taking a different route!” I yelled over the commotion.

Quick gave a nod and I leapt into the air, flying out of the hole and into the early morning air. As soon as I was free of the ship I felt an intense heat on my right side. One of the ships main cannons was situated next to the barracks and was engaging a target. It spat massive bolts of red energy at a… Raptor?

“Enemy troops are being launched from the Nimbostratus! All units, intercept and engage!” The generals voice boomed in my headset.

Son of a bitch! I looked to Quick. “You ready?” I shouted over always present sound of battle.

He nodded in approval and I returned the gesture. I gave a hard flap and sent myself upward and away from him and the ship, turning to face the enemy ship. I’m coming for you traitor.

I sped towards the Nimbostratus and the hard to see cloud of enemies that were spewing from her launch bays and ports and one of my worst fears were confirmed. There were pegasi in black clad power armor of different variants. He had turned some of his own soldiers against the rest of the Enclave. I’d never wanted to have to kill one of my brothers. But we don’t always get what we want.

Small flashes came from the cloud, and just as quickly arrived the lasers and bullets that the flashes signaled. All missed, save for a few small caliber rounds that merely slammed into my armor and stopped there.

I was only a few seconds away from engaging the slew of enemies in close quarters. I craned my neck back to get a look behind me. I first noticed Quick, following close behind. Then I noticed the hundreds of troops flying in squad formations following close to us. I almost forgot I was heading into battle as I gazed upon such a powerful sight.

I turned back to face the rapidly approaching enemy. I bit down on my mouthpiece, sending four orange lasers into the masses. They each missed, and the swarm began to break away and separate into smaller cells.

I keyed my earpiece. “Unit on unit. We outnumber them so stack up on a single cell.” I heard a few affirmations, but I didn’t care. I was dead set on killing the enemy. The sooner I could get them out of the way, the quicker I could get to the ship, and the Colonel.

“Capt’n, on our six.” I heard Quick say cooly.

“Get behind ‘em, I’ll lead them.” I ordered, checking over my shoulder to spot the two heavily armored griffons tailing us. “Just don’t miss for Celestias sake!”

I spun around so my back was to the ground and drew my wings in close. I began to fall head first through the black night. I watched as the two griffons tried to catch up. I could see the fire in their eyes. So blood thirsty, and knowing one of them couldn’t take me alone, they both followed me, even after Quick broke away. Too bad for them.

I watched as Quick lined up his shot. The sudden plume of smoke next to him indicating a launch. I watched as the missile sped at the clueless pair of winged heretics. One of them, the one on the left, must have noticed something was off. Cause he turned around and spotted Quick and the missile. The latter too late. It hit him under his left wing, detonating against the thick barding he was wearing. Both birds were engulfed in a flash of flame, and after it died down, they weren't flying anymore.

I spun around and saw the ground rushing up to meet me. I opened my wings and jerked in the air, my decent slowing greatly. I began flapping hard to regain my altitude and join back in on the fight.

Red beams zipped past me as I went higher. I looked back to find a single trooper following me and Quick. He was wearing the same, standard issue recon gear as me. He was fairly new too, his shots were wild and he was approaching us way too fast. Thats why it was so easy for me to slow down and let him pass me up. Before he could break away to re-engage, my orange beams had already struck home, three of four hitting his back and wings. He disappeared with the wind.

I had just killed a brother. But he was trying to kill me. There was only one way it was going to end.

I looked up to the battlescape that the sky in between the two warships and saw mostly the flashes of lasers. It was brother versus brother. It was a horrifying thought, that such a thing could ever happen.

“Sar- er, Capt’n, look at that.” Quick hovered next to me and pointed at the back of the Nimbostratus, which was holding its position and we had flown up behind it unknowingly.

I could see the red light of the interior of a squad bay which had its doors open. “Good eye Quick, lets go get that son of a mule.”

He nodded and we sped off towards the opening.

*** *** ***

We briskly landed inside the squad bay, weapons ready to put down any opposition inside. Quick was on point, he had the heavy ordinance after all, and in a small squad bay would kill me if I were in front.

“Clear.” He said in a hushed tone, keeping an eye on the doors in the back.

“Taking point.” I moved towards the doors.

They slid open and I jumped into the hallway, ready to zap anything that moved. The hall was empty, though I expected there to be little to no resistance, seeing as how the ship should have launched every available fighter to take on the whole Victorious.

We silently moved down the hallway, deeper into the ship. I didn’t really know where I was going, seeing as how I had been stationed on a Thunderhead my entire career, never a Raptor. My instinct was to keep pushing till we found the bridge. How hard could it be?

*** *** ***

Turns out its pretty damn hard to find the bridge. We spent at least ten minutes searching rooms and corridors alike. We even started galloping. Seeing no enemies, we figured we were safe. We found absolutely nothing. No bridge, and all the rooms had been gutted of all electronics and equipment.

On an irregular pattern, you could feel the ship vibrate from a large cannon on the exterior of the hull. Some modification made to the ship recently, no doubt.

“Psst! Sarge-fuck! Capt’n, ” Quick hissed, “I found a stairwell goin’ up.” He was holding a door open. Next to it, on the wall, was a label that read “stairs”

I rolled my eyes and chuckled slightly. “Quick you can still call me ‘Sarge’, I sure as hell don’t have a problem with it.”

“Nuh uh, I gotta respect the rank.” He replied.

I gave a quiet snort and started up the short flight of stairs, Quick following suit.

We got up to the landing at the top and stacked up to go through the door. A sign next to my face read “To bridge”. Quick was behind me against the wall, and I was on point to enter first.

I opened the door. It lead to a catwalk that lead to another door, which I assumed lead to the bridge. The only problem was the heavily armored Balefire troop in front of the door, and he was looking right at us. His helmet was off, and his blue eyes locked on to mine.

“Fuck back!” I yelled as I threw myself back into Quick and back behind the wall. Just in time too, as a thick bolt of green plasma hit the door, melting it to goo. “Fuck us!”

“Come out and die with some dignity!” I heard the rough voice of the plasma slugging ass hole call over to us.

“Eat shit!” I yelled as I hopped out to get a few shots off. I jumped right back as I saw the green glow coming towards me. Thank Celestia plasma was slow!

We could hear his heavy hooffalls coming closer down the walkway.

“Shit, Let him come through the door. I’ll kill us all.” I heared Quick growl.

My mind was racing. How was I going to make it out of here? I couldn’t die. Not until the Colonel breathed his last at least.

“No, Quick, his heads exposed. Let him walk through and I’ll bag ‘em.” I said quietly. He nodded and I bit down on the handle of my Keigh Bar and drew it from its sheath. I widened my stance a bit and tightened my grip on the knife. I had my eyes locked on the space I expected his head to be once he passed the doorway.

Closer… Closer… I could hear he was almost at the door.

“Fine, lets do this the hard way, I’ll enjoy it eve-” His rough voice was cut off my the loud crack of a rifle and a split second later something heavy hitting the floor.

Quick and I stood there, frozen in stance, still waiting for the large pony to walk through.

“Quick? Captain?” We heard the meek voice of Misty call from outside the doorway.

I blinked. “Misty?” Quick ran past me and out the door way. It only took me a second more to do the same. As I stepped out I noticed the Balefire troop slumped down against the wall, crimson decorating the wall level with where his head used to be and pooling around his body.

I looked to my left to see Misty flying from another catwalk across from the one we were on. Then my eyes snapped to the door to the bridge. “We can all catch up after this is all over! Lets roll!” I shouted as I bound past Quick and charged the door.

The door was just open enough by the time I got to it that I could fit through. I obviously surprised the pony manning the controls as he was still sitting down when I came to a halt.

“Don’t-” I went to order a surrender but he drew his weapon. My orange lasers turned him to a pile of ash before he could even fully get from his seat.

I scanned the rest of the open bridge for the Colonel and any other hostiles, but found nothing. Shining Star was no where to be found.

I turned as I heard Quick and Misty enter. “Misty! Did you see anypony else in here? Brown coat, red eyes, gray mane!?” I asked spasticity.

Misty shrunk back. “N-no sir. No one but the big guy I shot.”

He wasn’t here. He probably never was. I sat down hard on my rump. Staring off, comprehending that simple fact. “Fuck…” Was all I whispered. I stood up and walked to the other end of the bridge. “Fuck. FUCK!” I spun and bucked the wall hard enough to hurt, but the rage coursing through me was enough to block out the pain. “Damn you!” I spat to the Colonel, wherever he was.

“Capt’n!” Quicks hooves gripped my shoulders. “We’ll get him. Not here, not today. But we will get him.” He tried to calm me down. It didn’t make the anger go away, but it helped bury it for now.

“Alright. Thanks Quick.” I sat back down as he nodded. I covered my eyes with my hooves for a minute before pushing the comms button on my headset. “Captain Thunder to Victorious, Captain thunder to Victorious. Victorious, do you copy?”

“We hear you Captain, go ahead.” The bridge called back.

“Nimbostratus is secure. I repeat, Nimbostratus is under our control. No sign of Colonel Shining Star. How copy?”

“We copy Captain. Wait one.” The comms officer was silent for a few second, most likely giving General Lightning Arc the information. “Captain, the General wants you and your unit to hold position until Salvage and Support units arrived to relieve you. How copy?”

“Solid copy Victorious. Captain Thunder, out.” With that I severed the link and breathed in relief. I looked over to Misty and Quick, who were sitting there awaiting my orders. “We hold here for a few.” They both nodded and seemed to relax a bit.

“Hey Misty?” I called over to her.

“Hm?” She turned to face me.

“Thanks for saving our asses back there. Quick was getting ready to kill us all.” I said with a smirk.

She seemed a bit shocked at that and turned to Quick, who tried to look innocent. He then shrugged and said, “It was the heat of the moment I guess.” Misty gave him a look. I don’t exactly know what kind of look, but Quick seemed to acknowledge it. “Hey, the Capt’n was ready to take that big bastard on with a knife!” He tried to defend.

Misty rolled her eyes and turned to me. “Your welcome Captain. That puts me at another headshot to tally on my rifle.” She said glancing at the single tally on her rifle. “All thanks to you.” She finished.

We all had a small laugh at that.

“How’d you get in here anyway?” Quick asked.

She blinked and looked from Quick to me then back. “Oh, I saw you two fly into a launch bay and followed you. But I lost you two when you started running around the place. I happened to find a set of stairs and I followed them up. Before I could get out onto the catwalk I heard the other pony yell for you guys, then I heard the Captain yell his usual profanity, so I quietly opened up the door, lined up the shot, and took it.”

“Well, you saved our asses. Once we get back to the ship, drinks are on me.” I laughed.

“Gonna take us to that fancy officers club?” Quick said between laughs. We all fell into a fit of laughter now. It was little moments like these that made it all bearable, honestly.

After I wiped the last tear from my eye, I asked a question. “Well, I honestly thought we might have died in there, so really Misty, thanks.” I was being honest.

“Shit, “Quick interjected. “Ain’t no way he was gonna get us. Ol’ Capt’n Thunder Wing had his knife out and ready to dance. You’re pretty handy with that thing Capt’n, I think we’d been fine.”

I gave a snort. “Well I’m glad I didn’t have to prove it.” Misty and Quick shared a hushed laugh. “Alright, seal up the doors until our relief arrives. I don’t want any unexpected guests barging in.

*** *** ***

After nearly forty minutes of absolutely nothing, our relief arrived and called over the radio.

“Captain Thunder Wing, ” A female’s voice came over the frequency. “Bridge support. Open up please.”

Misty stood across the bridge, rifle zeroed on the door incase our guests weren't friendly.

I grinned at tapped my earpiece. “Well, since you said please.” I said, trotting to the door controls and unsealing it.

The door hissed open and an orange mare walked in. She stopped and gave me a salute, which I returned.

“You can stand down Misty.” I said looking over my shoulder. I then looked back to the orange mare. “Who all did they send over?” I asked her.

“A salvage detachment, two security detachments, and us.” She said, moving past me. “You three are relieved and free to return to the Victorious.”

I nodded slightly. “Alright, we’ll be out of your way then.” I turned to Quick and Misty. “Lets go.”

We trotted across the walkway, and past the blood stain on the floor and wall. The body of the balefire troop seemed to had been removed.

We continued through the charred and melted doorway, down the stairs, and back into the hallway below. Farther down the corridor I noticed a familiar author. I trotted over to him, and upon noticing me, he snapped to a salute.

I returned it. “At ease lieutenant. Who’s in charge of the security operations right now?”

“I am sir.” He replied. He seemed far more comfortable now.

I nodded. “How can we help.”

He almost seemed to be taken back at that. “Uh, well.” He had to think a moment. “We haven’t sent a team down to the brig. I doubt we’ll find anything, but we have orders to check every inch of the ship.”

I nodded again. “And which way should we head to get there?”

He motioned to the doors behind him. Next to it was a sign that read ‘Brig’. I rolled my eyes and walked past him.

The automatic doors to a secure elevator opened up and we stepped in.

*** *** ***

Once we reached the bottom and stepped out we all took a few moments to breathe. The elevator was never meant to hold three fully armored and armed troops. Not to mention Quick was almost the size of two ponies.

“Alright, “ I breathed, “Lets get going.” I was still gasping for air.

Quick and Misty both gave a weak nod and started down the hall with me

The hall was pitch black, all the lights ceasing to work. The only light came at the end of the narrow hallway, from the main room of the brig. The only thing my mind could focus on though, was the coppery odor that hug in the air.

“Capt’n, you smell that right?” Quicks asked in a hushed voice.

We drew closer and closer to the main rooms. “Yeah, Quick. I smell it.”

“Misty, “ Quick started, I stopped before we reached the brig.. “Mind, staying back in the hall here and cover the elevator?”

She almost looked put off by that, but then nodded and turned around to aim down the narrow corridor.

Quick looked to me, as if to try and get an explanation across, but I turned away, not needing one. I understood. We continued into the brightly lit room.

Once our eyes adjusted, we could see the room was plain. Everything was in order, though there wasn’t much really to be out of it.

A simple desk towards the wall. Upon it a log book, quill, and an inkwell. To the left of it was the door leading to the one large cell that held all the detainees. To our left was the door that lead to an observation room with a one way mirror leading to the cell.

“Quick, get the door.” I aimed my rifles towards it as Quick walked behind the desk.

He pressed the button underneath it and the door gave a wretched sound like metal being torn. He tried two more times, being met with the same, terrible sound. “I can blow it open?” He offered.

“Negative. If anyone is inside, it would kill them.” I tuned and walked through the observation rooms doors.

The lights were dead in here as well. I removed my goggles and pressed my muzzle to the glass, trying to see if anything was in the cell, but the lights were off in there as well. After a few seconds of feeling around with my hooves, I found the buttons below the mirror.

I pressed the button and the lights came on. Quick threw up behind me. The only thing that kept me from doing the same was the lack of food in my stomach.

“Are you two okay?” Mistys worried voices called from the hall.

“Fine!” Quicks gasped. “Just stay out!” He pleaded.

I’d seen things I wished I could have forgotten back in General Whip Lashes cave. But this, this was far worse than even the sickest things my mind could conjure. It wasn’t the piles of bodies lining the room. It wasn’t the way their bodies were ripped and desecrated. It wasn’t the hardening gore that painted every inch of visible wall, ceiling, and door. It wasn’t even the flayed pony whose guts had been carefully lead out of him and bolted to the opposing wall. No, it was the fact that the pony was looking at me. Lungs visibly, though shakily, filling with and releasing air. His lips dripped bloody froth, indicating they had given him plenty of drugs to keep him alive till somepony found him.

I bit down as hard as I could, feeling enamel crack, drowning out my screams of rage with the crackle of my rifles, and sending orange beams in a flurry at the mirror. After a few seconds the ammo went dry the flow of energy stopped, so I stood there, eyes shut tight, teeth still clenched against the bridle of my battle saddle. I could feel the blood seeping from my gums. I finally sat down and opened my moist eyes, unlocked my jaw, and stared through the melted hole in the glass.

Freshly glowing ashes now sat, mixing with a pool of hardening gore.

Author's Note

Thanks to Silver and Flux for editing and correcting any and all errors I made. I think I got this chapter out in decent time. Right guys? Right? Guys...?