I woke up with a sad smile on my face, contempt with the words I had recieved in my dream, but still carrying the fact that the Captain was gone. I turned my head to look at the clock. It was 15:02. I had a little under five hours to get my gear back to the barracks, get cleaned up, and get Steel.

Before I could stand up the door opened. In walked Doctor Shin Splint. His eyes widened a bit in surprise, seeing me sitting up in my bed.

“Well look who's awake. We were beginning to worry.” He stated with a smirk.

I looked at the clock again. 15:04. I’d slept for almost eight hours, what was he talking about? “What?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He gave a slight snort. “How long were you asleep?” He asked me.

“Uh, eight hours?” I said, starting to doubt my answer.

He gave a small chuckle. “Try thirty-two. We thought you had slipped into a coma” He walked over and sat next to my bed.

That didn't register with me right away. I sat there, like I did so many times in school during math, counting. “I slept through all of yesterday!?” I nearly shouted.

He looked at me flattley. “You should be dead sergeant. No one knows how you and the others weren't vaporized in the blast. It’s a Celestia given miracle.”

I hadn’t had the time to consider that. I was surrounded by ordinance. I should have been a pile of ash in the wind. I shook my head to clear it. I didn’t have time to think about any of that. There was too much on my list.

“So whats on the schedule doc?” I asked.

“Ah yes, today's main event: breaking your wing back into place.” He said.

I swallowed. I was lucky the first time. i was unconscious when it broke the first time. But now I was fully awake and aware. I was gonna feel every bit of pain this would bring. I swallowed again and nodded to the doctor.

“Lets begin. Lay on your side, facing away from me.” He motioned with his hoof to roll over. I did so and he place both hooves at the base of my wing, and grasped the mid section above the break with his teeth. Around my wing he began counting down. “One… two-” He wrenched the wing up and over, resulting in an inaudible but very physical pain screaming throughout my body. I never screamed so loud in my life.

After a few minutes of nearly passing out from the mind searing sensation of my wing being ripped from my body, I finally spit out a ‘thank you’.

“Would you like a painkiller?” I was about to beg for it, but then thought of what i needed to do. I shook my head and waved my hoof. “Well, let me attach the cast, and if you don’t need anything else, you’re free to leave sergeant.” With that, he placed the two halves of a wing cast on my wing, sealed it, then left the room.

I looked to the clock. 15:30. I stood up and walked to the locker at the wall. I opened it and inside lay all my gear. I quickly checked my armor. Good. The KeighBar was still there.

I began removing my gear and setting it on my back. I had four and a half hours to get my gear back to my rack, shower up, and surprise Steel.

I heard the door opened, and when I turned to look at it I saw Quick standing in the doorway. “Hows the wing?” He asked casually.

“Eh, a little sore.” I said with a smirk. “What about you? You don’t look any worse for wear?” I asked.

“Had a dislocated shoulder. They popped it back in, good as new.” He said with a shake of his front right leg. “Let me help you with that.” He walked over and shouldered my gear.

“Thanks.” I gave with a nod. “Hows Misty?” I asked. Figuring he’d already been to see her.

“Great. All healed up. They even cleared her for combat.” He said as we left the room.

I rolled my eyes. “Just as I'm cut from it.” We both gave a slight chuckle and began the quick walk to the barracks.

*** *** ***

I gave my head a slight shake, trying to get the remaining water from my ears. I needed that shower, I thought as I trotted towards the medical wing. After an hour of scrubbing I finally got all the debris from my mane and coat. I felt a little uncomfortable wearing my service uniform, it was a bit too itchy for me, but decided to look my best.

I arrived outside the medical wing and checked my watch. 19:56. I took a seat on the bench next to the main doors.

I looked over at the taped off ruins of what used to be the Security wing. Charred and blackened, it was now just the lower half of the building. A dead husk. There were no bodies to get out, I'm sure, as they were probably turned to ash in the blink of an eye. They only thing I could do is hope it was painless. They had to take troops from combat duty and give them guard shifts to patrol the Victorious.

Combat duty…

I looked back at my wing with a slight frown. I wouldn't be allowed back into the fight for at least a week. I gave a sigh. I needed to get back down there. I had to find Rod and kill Shining Star. I wasn’t mad. Well, I was, but I wasn’t letting it run the show. If I wanted to get to him, I had to have a clear head. I had to calculate my every move. He wasn’t suspecting it, but I still had to be careful none the less.

I heard the doors open and looked to the left. Out stepped a white mare with her black mane pulled back into a messy ponytail.

“Fancy seeing you here.” I said with a grin.

She turned around, eyes wide in surprise. “Thunder? What are you doing here?” She asked.

I slid off the bench and walked towards her. “Well I didn’t want to miss our date.” I said with a grin.

She looked slightly worried now. “Thunder, do you know how long you were out?”

I rolled my eyes in mock thought. “I know, but I'm not late by that much. Just a day.”

Her worried look quickly vanished as she caught up with my game. “Right. Just a day, not late at all.” She wrapped her hooves around me. “We were starting to worry.”

I returned the embrace. “I was just tired, thats all.” We released each other. “So, shall we head to the club?” I asked.

She blinked. “I hadn’t known you were coming so I didn’t do my hair or anything. I’m not very presentable.” She almost seemed to be pleading.

“I beg to differ.” I gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I think you look great no matter what.” I gave a grin.

She gave me a flat, slightly amused look. “Well I can assure you, you’re the only one.”

My grin only grew. “good, cause my opinion's the only one that matters, c'mon.” I motioned for her to follow.

With a sigh of defeat she started walking with me.

*** *** ***

I held the door to the SNCO club open and Steel walked in. After her I fallowed. As I stepped in the scent of food floated to my nostrils like a cloud. But it wasn’t the scent of the usual bland slop they served in the chow hall. No, it was the scent of something… well something better.

I led Steel over to, coincidently, the same table we’d sat at a few nights ago. I pulled her chair out.

“Glad to see the blast didn’t knock any of the gentlecolt out of you.” She said with a smirk as she took her seat.

I gave a snort in return and took my seat across from her.

Almost as soon as my flank hit the seat the waitress was over to take our orders. Surprisingly it was the same waitress from before as well. To my surprise yet again she set two menus down in front of us.

“What can I get you two to drink?” She asked, same song-bird tone as before.

Steel ordered while I nudged the menu open. “I’ll have an appletini.” I coughed to stifle my laugh.

“And you sir?” She looked to me.

I looked up from the menu and cleared my throat. “I’ll have what ever whi-” My words died in my mouth as a thought struck me and I changed my mind.

“Sir?” She asked. A puzzled look on her face.

I snapped back to reality and smiled. ‘You wouldn’t happen to have any Silver Mane would you?” I asked her.

Her cheery grin reappeared. “Yes we do.”

“On the rocks please.” I said with a nod.

“Alright! I’ll go get you your drinks while you two look over the menu!” She said then turned and trotted towards the bar.

I went to look back at my menu, but caught Steels questioning raised eyebrow.

“What?” I asked with a slight grin.

“Scotch? Isn’t that for…” She seemed to ponder for the word. “Brass?”

I gave a slight snort. “I will, somehow, take that as a compliment.” I said as I looked back at the menu.

“And I didn’t know they served food here.” She said.

“The Altostratus brought it for a prolonged stay and the general okayed some of it to be served in the clubs.” I didn’t really know, but I figured my educated guess was good enough.

She shrugged and began scanning her menu. “Are you serious?” She almost shouted. “You can’t actually be serious about paying these prices.”

I simply looked up at her with a flat look. After a few seconds of no response or outburst I looked back at my menu with a slight grin. I swear, if they charge this much and the foods no better than the usual chow, im gonna start throwing hoofs…

I noticed our waitress trotting back over, our drink on a tray, balanced on her back and wings.

“Here you two go!” She said as she slid them of her back and onto the table. She reached into her aprons main pocket and pulled out a notepad. She set it down on the table and proceeded to pull out a pen. “Have you two decided on what to order?”

I nodded to Steel to go first.

She put on what I can only assume as her paying-to-much-for-this-shit smile and began to order. “I’ll take the carrot salad.” She hold her menu out for the waitress to take.

“Mmhm.” The waitress said as she jotted it down. She then set her pencil down and took the menu, placing it in her apron pocket. “And you sir?” She looked to me.

“I’ll have the hay burger and hay fries please,” I said and handed her my menu.

She stored everything back in her pocket and took our orders to the kitchen.

“So hows the wing?” She asked, then took a sip of her drink.

“Sore, but fixed.” I said as I looked over at it and moved it a bit.

She nodded a few times and took another drink. She looked a bit uneasy.

“Everything alright Steel?” I asked her, a bit worried myself.

“Yeah, its just…” She stopped and seemed to think over her next words. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Well… What are the griffins like?” She asked carefully, as if the question would cause me to snap into a rage.

My mouth hung slightly open as I leaned back in my chair. I gave a hearty laugh. “For a second you had me thinking something was wrong, but all you wanted to know was that?” I gave another laugh.

She looked almost offended now. ‘Well sorry. I didn't know how you would react to the subject.” She said defensively

I waved my hoof. “No, no. Its alright. Just had me worried. Anyways,” I began. “They’re mean bastards thats for sure. Sharp, deadly talons with beaks to match. Pretty big. Good fliers. Stubborn too. I try to avoid close quarters, but it doesn't always work out in my favor.” I pointed to the scar on my cheek and she winced.

“How many have you killed?” She asked, but quickly covered her mouth. “Oh Celestia, I'm so sorry Thunder. I didn’t mean to ask that outloud.”

“No, its alright.” I said. I stared at the table. Trying to get a tally. I didn’t want to remember these things, but I would for her. “Honestly,” I looked into her eyes. “I can’t remember. Too many.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright. Curiosity isn’t a crime.” I said with a smirk.

“Rude of me none the less.” She said.

“Hey, rude can be sexy ya know.” I said with a sly grin.

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink. “Right, cause that was so sexy.”

“Well I sure think so.” The grin never leaving my muzzle, and the flat expression never leaving hers.

Before I could say anything else the waitress arrived, carrying our food on her back again. “Here you fine folks go! Just call if you need anything!” She said with her cheery voice as she slid our food onto the table.

“Thank you.” Steel and I said in unison.

With that we took our food and began eating.

I took a bite into my burger and almost cried. Still tastes like shit. But at least seasoned shit.

“Hows your salad?” I asked Steel after swallowing my food.

“Its the best salad I've ever had.” She said with a smile.

I wasn’t sure if she was just saying that or not, but I believed her. “Good. Bits well spent then.”

Over the next hour we ordered another few rounds of drinks and finished our food, casual conversation moving from topic to casual topic. By the end of our meal we were both a little tipsy.

“Check please!” I called over to the waitress, a little too loudly.

Steel giggled. “Shh! Too loud!” She whispered.

I started laughing. “My bad!”

The waitress trotted over. “Here ya go!” She happily said as she set our bill onto the table.

“Thank you. So much. This means a lot.” I said, my words slightly slurred.

She gave a happy giggle and went back to work. I slid the bill over so I could read it. Well, try, to read it. All the lines were smudges and illegible. “Ah buck it.” I muttered. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a sack of bits and tossed it onto the table. “Shall we?” I asked Steel.

“Let's.” She said as she stood, fell back into her seat, and stood again as we giggled drunkenly.

“Here, let me help.” I stood next to her, helping her stay balanced.

“Thanks.” She let out a giggle again.

We began making our way to the door. Each step slow and planned as to not fall over. we eventually reached the door and I pushed it open for us to walk out into the cold night air.

“Mmm warm.” Steel said as she nuzzled my neck.

I gave a chuckle. “C’mon lets *hiccup* get you back to your quarters.”

*** *** ***

After what seemed like a mile long walk through and under the medical wing, we arrived at the entrance to the medical staff quarters.

“I had fun tonight.” She said, eyelids half closed, most likely out of drunkeness.

“Good, I would have hated to be the only one.” I said with a grin I hoped looked sly.

“You know something?” She asked, almost falling over.

“hm?”

“It’s a long walk back to your barracks.” She said with a smirk.

I looked back the way we had came. “Yeah, it is isn’t it?”

“And I have a room all to my lonely self.” She gave a pout.

“Oh? Well it would be quite uncouth of me to leave you to be lonely.” I said with a smirk and chuckle.

With that she gave me a peck on the lips and turned around. She began walking away, letting her tail flick under my jaw. I followed suit, grinning ear to ear.

Author's Note

Finally got around to finishing up chapter nine. I hope you all enjoy it. I'd like to thank Silver, Flux, and countless others for editing and invaluable feedback. Thanks for reading and any feed back you, the reader, may have is well appreciated.