Without a Shadow of a Doubt
The click of a light switch resonated around the empty hallways. Old fluorescent lamps flickered into life overhead, shining a path through the shelves like a spotlight on a catwalk. A person stepped from the shadows, and paced the shelves, lined with dusty cardboard boxes and cryptic labels. Project “Oversight”, Operation “SHARD”, Experiment “Thor”. The man walked past the endless shelves of boxes, until he came to an abrupt halt. He eyed the shadows suspiciously, almost as if someone was there, before pulling a box off the bottom shelf in front of him. He wiped the dust off the label, grunting in approval as he picked a file out of the box. Carefully pushing the box back onto the shelf, he pulled a walkie talkie from his belt.
“Homestar, this is Jackal. I confirm acquisition, Project “Kronos”, dated 1948. Date of acquisition-” He looked at his watch. “-19 March, 1992.”
Stardust awoke to the sounds of birds chirping outside his window. A typical morning call for the average inhabitant of Equestria. In spite of these peaceful sentiments, this amber pony was not one who would be satisfied with the ordinary alone. He moved to Ponyville a year ago, not due to his desire to meet and live near a princess, but rather for the regular matters of carnage that would sweep through the town. He first heard of it from the parasprite invasion, and started saving up when a sonic rainboom occurred. By the time he got there, by coincidence a new princess had been crowned.
He rushed through his morning routines, eager for another day out. Mane messily combed, teeth hardly brushed, hay and water shoved down his throat. Upon finishing, he put a hoof on a pegasus feather he hung over the door, and wished. That feather came from an incident in school, where a pegasus filly tried making a tornado in the school grounds to prove his worth. Unfortunately, it went a little too well, and quite a bit of damage was done. Stardust was the only one who enjoyed the little tumble in the tornado, and kept other terrified fillies strung together. Alas, a unicorn pulled them out, and got the praise for saving the day. However Stardust got something for his efforts too. His cutie mark, the top view of a spiralling twister.
Having spent most of his money going to Ponyville, he had to find work, a way to earn a living until chaos came through the town again. With no options for the adrenaline-loving pony, he took on the job of helping ponies to skydive. An odd job for an Earth pony, but one fitting of his style.
Heading out, he trotted through town, heading to meet Sugarhoof. She was a penpal turned friend when he moved to Ponyville, working with him as a safety officer on the flights due to her wings. Stardust never eyed her as one for romance, even though the mere mention of her name would elicit thoughts of a romantic relationship. Being a unqiuely pink pegasus did not help.
“Hey Sugar,” Stardust said, slapping her back with a hoof.
Sugarhoof tottered a little from the unexpected hit.
“Hello Stardust….I hope you are doing well today,” She answered, blowing her mane out of her eyes. “Ready for work today?”
Stardust could only roll his eyes at her. “Do you have to be so formal all the time?”
“Not always,” She answered. “Another group today, completely new. Do go easy on them.”
Stardust laughed, “I always go easy on people. Since when was I ever harsh?”
Sugarhoof didn't know what to say in response to that, considering his definitions of things are always a little different from the average pony. She sighed a little, having seen him freak out a previous group with his nonchalance.
With that, they both walked off to instruct another group of eager ponies.
“Now, be careful, alright? Wave to me if you need help on the way down!” Stardust said, adjusting the straps on a terrified stallion.
All he could do was nod. When they approached the altitude, the light turned green. The ponies in the aircraft shuffled uncomfortably to the edge of the plane, looking at Equestria laid out in front of them. The staillion’s eyes widened as he looked at the dizzying drop, and fell back onto the mare behind him. She gave him a dark glare, before Stardust went over to help him up.
“You know you dont have to do this. You can sit in the plane until it lands.” Stardust said, holding the stallion with both fore hooves.
“But…..I want to face my fear of height…” He whimpered.
Stardust tapped on his shoulders, and said, “I can help you with that, but you gonna have to trust me and you gotta face the fright. So are you really really sure, before we get going-” He glanced at the nametag, “Clover?”
He just nodded.
A crackling voice came over the intercom, “Go!”
Stardust echoed, “Go!”, and grabbed Clover, leaping out of the plane with him in tow.
As soon as they left the plane, Stardust turned on his back to look at the rest leaping(or being pushed) off the plane, and turned back to face Clover, who was yelling and spiralling in the air. He glided over, and straightened Clover out.
“Just stay calm, Clover! Relax and enjoy it!” Stardust shouted, swinging over to lie on his back, and cross his hooves as they continued to fall.
Clover took a look at Stardust, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
“That’s the spirit!” Stardust said.
They fell through the air for some time, until it was time to pull their parachute cords.
Stardust turned to Clover and said, “Clover! Its time for the parachutes! Clover! Clover!”
But Clover did not seem to be paying attention, preferring to continue his glide through the air. When he opened his eyes, and saw the ground coming up fast, he panicked again, putting himself into a helpless spiral.
Stardust rolled his eyes, and dived towards Clover, grabbing him and pulling his own parachute. The parachute took some time to unfurl, and slowed their descent just before hitting the ground. They both kicked the parachute away, and Stardust helped Clover back onto his hooves.
Clover bowed his head, and said, “Im sorry-”
Stardust pulled his head up and said, “What is there to be sorry about? You faced a fear. Sure, you were very panicky and all, but look at you! You are still here! Lasting a flight down like that, heck, I’ve seen Royal Guards more panicky in their skydiving training then this!”
Clover looked up at him hopefully. “You have?”
“Alright boys, break it up,” the mysterious mare said, walking in on the conversation. She uncaringly shoved her way in between Star and Clover. She turned to glare at Clover.
“Clover, wasn't my explicit order not to break your cover?”
Clover looked at the floor once again. “I….I didnt Ma’am….”
Stardust’s ears perked up, and he went forward to ask, “Wait….what cover? I was just talking to him how he fared better than some Royal Guards…..” His voice trailed off as he made the connection.
The mare turned to look at him. “Junior Lieutenant Whirlwind. I see my paranoia has led to me being the leak.”
Stardust could only stammer, “W….wh..why?”
Whirlwind sighed and said, “Training. Regulation states we cannot use military aircraft for training, since the Princesses signed the doctrines preventing militarisation. So we have no choice but to use civilian means. Too expensive to build and maintain civilian models alongside military ones. Why we train is none of your business.”
Stardust’s expression changed to that of an inquisitive pony, determined to find out the answer.
“It sure is. There is a reason why you lot are on my plane, and a reason why you are keeping a tight secret on things. This wasnt coincidence. You are preparing for something, are’nt you?”
Whirlwind stepped up to him, her muzzle almost touching his.
“This isnt your place to question a Royal Guard Officer about classified information, Citizen,” emphasising the last word with distaste.
Stardust pushed his muzzle up against hers, and and stared as fiercely as he could. “Classified information? We are not in those chaotic days anymore. Information belongs to the people in peace. Unless you are saying of course, war is coming. Im sure that would be the news you want to hear!”
Sugarhoof heard the heated debate as she settled down the last pony on her end. She eyed Stardust, and the turquoise pony that was in her group muzzle to muzzle, with a lethal glare in each of their eyes. She flew over to the pair.
“What is the commotion about?” She asked.
However her delicate voice was not heard by the pair. She tried shaking them, but they only swayed, not easing their glares. Afraid the two would begin to fight, she took a deep breath. Then flying some distance away, she flew right into the pair, tackling them and toppling them.
Whirlwind quickly rolled back onto her hooves, training paying off as she expertly dived at Sugarhoof, pinning her down and drawing her sword at her.
Stardust shouted at her, “Murdering an innocent civilian now, Lieutenant?! Leave my colleague out of this! This is between you and me!”
Upon hearing that, Whirlwind looked at the terrified Sugarhoof she tackled, and the sword she brought to her neck. Her look softened, and she threw her sword to the side before tumbling onto her flank beside Sugarhoof.
Whirlwind got to her hooves again, and helped a frightened Sugarhoof up. Sugar looked apprehensively at the hoof, before taking it, trembling. At this point, all the other ponies gathered round them, all determined to hear the explanation. Whirlwind began,
“I cannot believe this. I’ve become so paranoid in the course of my officership. Two major incidents accredited to my name in the span of...what, 10 minutes.” She gave a dismissive wave of her hoof to Stardust.
“Go on, report me. If you dont, one of my team will. Its their duty to report negligence. Nothing will save me from a court martial and time in the brig.”
Sugarhoof went up to her and patted her.
“One thing will. Tell us your true story, so we can all know why this happened.”
Whirlwind looked up at her and snorted. “Sure, why not? Im going to the brig and lose my officership anyways, another regulation wont hurt.”
“There is a department in the Royal Guard called the Security Intelligence Division. I was appointed to train new recruits into the force. The intent of the division is to develop new training methods and technologies to help safeguard Equestria. This came especially after the changelings, showing how the conventional Royal Guard were pathetically incapable of stopping dangerous threats. We simply cannot stress the royals that much with the protection of Equestria. Its down to us citizens.”
Stardust moved in a little closer, only to be stopped by Sugarhoof sticking out her hoof. He asked,
“So what’s with all the secrecy when your aim is good?”
Whirlwind started checking things off her hoof. “Panic. Worry. Fear. Secrecy. We cannot just tell everyone as the average citizen would panic when they find out the leaps and bounds we have advanced our technology. How the Division gets it is beyond my knowledge. For example,”
She pulled out her ceremonial armour, and put a black fibered one next to it. Whirlwind picked up her sword, and thrust at the ceremonial armour. A clatter of metal on metal was heard, and the sword pierced through the enitre suit armour. She withdrew the sword and did the same to the black armour. This time, the sword’s tip barely buried itself into the armour, leaving only a small cut in the fabric.
Sugarhoof’s jaw hit the ground.
“This…..this is amazing! This new fabric would save countless people! I dont see why it should be a secret, everyone should have one! Sure would make my job a lot easier.”
Whirlwind had a grimaced look on her face when she heard the statement. Stardust came close upon seeing Whirlwind’s reaction, staring at her with eyes both inquisitive and fiery. No words were traded by the two, only glances of recognition and confirmation.
Author's Note
First time im actually publishing my writing, of any kind. This is just a....test of the publishing waters so to speak. Do say what you think. It will help a lot. Thanks!