Pony of Interest

Sickle got up from his chair and spoke "That will be the report for the month. If anypony has anything else they want to say please say it now..................Ok well I expect all finished products by the end of the week. Miss Spectra I have a few things to do, but you are free to take a look around the facility."

The ponies shuffled out of the room and Spectra was left alone. "If only Sickle knew or even Valkyrie could know." Spectra said to herself. She trotted over to a file cabinet a started going through them. Nothing. No security reports, no worker check ins, and no reports on an accident. The files were a dead end. Spectra figured that Sickle had them all in a more secure place. She then trotted out of the conference room and headed over to the area marked Lab 1A. Aegis was there with five other unicorns working hard on enchanting the piece of armor that's on the table. An aurora of different colors started forming around the armor. After another five minutes of continued concentration by the unicorn team the armor began to glow on it's own. Aegis started to trot over.

"It's harder than it looks you know." said Aegis.

"I'm just taking a look around. When I served my platoon didn't have armor since we were all pegasi. Have you ever considered making a more flexible armor for pegasi guards?" When Rainbow Dash served all she had was a jacket and a vest as armor. Most pegasi guards on the border didn't wear armor since it slowed them down in flight.

"Yes I have as a matter of fact." Aegis trotted over to a table and levitated a vest. "It doesn't look like much, it's not even enchanted, but it can withstand crossbow bolts shot from one hundred meters or more and most close range ballistic explosions. The only problem is that it dissolves if it gets hit with a chemical explosion."

"That's interesting. I'll keep this in mind. The pegasi guards have always needed better protection especially from archers. Anyway I heard that the company has moved before. How come and where was the original location?"

"Well I can't tell you much, but I can tell you this. Sickle used to run the project in the Canterlot Underground, but a rival company shared the same labs with them. It was when Project High Point began and we didn't stay in the underground for more than a year. Why do you need to know?"

"I see. Well thanks for the information. My company wanted a little more history on your project and that's why I asked." A little more history on the company could reveal what Sickle's involved in.

"It's not my project Miss Spectra, It's Sickle's" Aegis said.

Incredible. Spectra thought. Sickle seems to be enforcing his authority and dominance over the ponies in the facility. Somepony or someponies might want to rebel.

After visiting Aegis, Spectra trotted over to Lab 4A. She trotted inside and it was only Valkryie inside working on a crossbow on one of the tables. The table itself was a mess. Tools, papers, schematics, and parts were littered across the table.

"Hello Miss Spectra."said Valkyrie. She got up from her work and trotted over and motioned Spectra to her office. She then sat at her desk and glanced at a few new documents before looking back at her new client. "So how do you like the project so far?"

"I'm very interested in doing business with the company. Our guard in the sky have been stretched thin with borders and gangs and we need all of the help we can get." Spectra said and this was partially true. Cloudsdale was a hard place to defend from griffon border jumpers and some places in Cloudsdale were even harder to control with new gangs rising daily. " I understand that there was some kind of accident involving your lab. Is this why your the only pony working here right now?"

"No" Valkyrie stated. "Miss Spectra you're asking too many questions, but lucky for you I have some answers. You see Sickle is domination type of boss and he likes to show that he is the alpha in the group, but that's not all. He's up to something, but I don't know what. He knew that I knew too much and that's where I got this." She pointed to her scar running across her neck. "An assassination made to look like an accident. We were testing a new crossbow in the field and I was helping Flicker set up targets. The weapon 'misfired' and I almost died. I woke up in the hospital two days later and checked out the next day. To this day I carry a knife because I know he'll try to do it again."

"Why are you telling me this then? Shouldn't you go to the authorities?"

"That's the hard part. Sickle is the authority around here. He monitors everything we do inside and outside the facility!" Valkyrie was trying hard to stay calm. He could be listening right now. "Your the client. You can get the authorities in on this. You can stop Sickle!"

It was then when Spectra noticed a picture on her desk of a pony who seemed very familiar to her.

"Who is this?" Asked Spectra.

"What? Sorry I thought we were still talking about overthrowing my boss last time I checked."

" In order to have my trust I have to trust you and that means getting to know you better. So who is this?" Spectra said calmly. She really didn't need the answer for Luna's mission, but Spectra did need it for her mission.

"He's my brother Fletch. Before the project we both got drafted into different companies. He's...........missing in action, assumed..dead. He was the only one I had left." Valkyrie was trying hard to not cry, but she was failing.

"I'm so sorry. I know what it means to serve and lose everpony you loved."

No! Fletch was the only link back to Rainbow Dash. The one part that stayed in Spectra and the one part that will always stay with her.
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2 years earlier Equestria/Griffon border Outpost 15 (After assumed death of Fletch)

Rainbow Dash glided down towards her outpost leaving her dead comrad on the clouds. She didn't want to see him again, she didn't want to see anypony right now for that matter. She landed on a tower and trotted towards the courtyard.

"Shade report." Dash said flatly.

"Deadshot's gone and so is Spark. Three guards are severely injured and five are recovering from more minor wounds. Fletch also hasn't reported in yet chief." Spark reported. Spark kept his thoughts on the inside, something seemed wrong when Dash spoke.

"Fletch is gone Shade. I don't know where he is or if he's alive. I'm going to look for him tonight, he couldn't have gone far." At least that's what Rainbow Dash wanted to believe. That Fletch was somewhere out there, still alive.

"Good luck." Shade knew that without Fletch and Dash the outpost will be hell until one of them or both of them return. Shade then gathered all of the guards in the medical bunker and made the announcement of Commander Dash's leave.
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Present Day Canterlot Underground End of week 1 of mission 001

Luna was sitting down at a table reading a book as Spectra entered the main room.

"What have you learned from visiting Sickle's facility Spectra?" Luna asked.

"Sickle shows his dominance throughout the facility workers and he has made an example of one pony. Valkyrie Archer.....he tried to kill her, but failed. She's in danger and as well as the armor pony Aegis. It was hard to notice at first, but I saw hatred in his eyes when we were talking about Sickle and the facility."

"That's not the problem Spectra. I viewed his security reports and apparently there have been multiple griffon sightings recently around his house. Tonight you will go there and see what information you can get from the griffon dealer."

"I'll get my equipment." It was already noon and Spectra knew it would be a long night just as it was last time.

---------------Present Day Night time Royal Trade Gates One block from target's house----

The griffon and Sickle were talking on the balcony again, but this time the griffon had guards with it. The griffon
seemed more stressed than last time and it was carrying several weapons. Sickle went into his house and them reappeared with several cases. Through her binoculars, Spectra could see that there were four cases each marked from a lab in the facility. The griffon inspected the items and closed them. The guards then took them and the dealer began to take flight. Spectra began her ascension into the night clouds after the dealer.

Step 1: Take out guards

Spectra was well prepared. She came with her crossbow and wingblades as well as a muzzle knife she found in the underground. FWOOSH FWOOSH The guards went down fast and without even blinking, Spectra reloaded and aimed at her primary target.

Step 2: Immobilize the primary target

FWOOSH Right in the wing. The griffon cried in pain and shock. Within five seconds her two guards have gone down and now she was hit too. The griffon spiraled towards the ground and landed on a hill. She was too far to go back to her client and it was too risky Anyways. She looked at her left wing, it was broken and bleeding. Her only choice was to fight. She drew out her knife and loaded her crossbow. Then a shadowy figure landed five meters away. A pony shaped figure.

Step 3: Obtain information

"Who are you!" The griffon screamed. She could barely see even with the light of a full moon. The pony started to trot forward and the griffon pointed her weapon.

"A better question is why I kept you alive" Spectra said to the frightened griffon.

"That voice....No" The griffon whispered to herself. She eased on the trigger of the crossbow, but kept it pointed at the figure. It couldn't be, her base got over run when they rescued me. SWOOOSH The griffon was swept off her limbs and fell to the ground. While she was wrapped in her thoughts the pony had attacked! Regaining her focus the griffon stood up and saw that the pony was preparing for a second attack so she took a shot in the dark.

"Hello Dash. Long time no see." The griffon grunted.

Spectra looked at her. She stopped in her tracks, but not for too long. Spectra slowly trotted over pointing her crossbow at her target.

"So you did escape after all Gilda." Spectra's anger started to rise. She should be dead right now. Was the only thing that went through Spectra's mind. Right now she didn't really care about Luna's mission.FWOOSH

"Ahhhh damnit!" Another arrow pierced Gilda's body. Her left wing was bleeding and now her right thigh. Gilda limped over and leaned on a tree. She got a firm grip on her crossbow and hip fired it. FWOOSH A miss and there couldn't be room for error. Gilda dropped her knife. There must still a way out of this.

Spectra took out a lantern and lit it. She hung it on a tree and just watched the griffon slowly die. She enjoyed every moment of it. The light revealed multiple large scars on Gilda's body. One running along her left eye Spectra seemed to observe very closely. Then when she got too close, Gilda spat in her face.

"What are you looking at? You know why and where I got this." Gilda looked disgusted at Spectra. "Or do I need to remind you what happened last time we met?"

"Shut up Gilda! I'm not here about that." Spectra said as she remembered the real reason on why she was here. "Why are you doing business with Sickle?"

"C'mon Dash what does that have to do with Fletch?" BAM The blunt side of the wingblades hit Gilda's face and she started to cough up blood and fall on the ground. Spectra/Dash trotted over and hit Gilda again. The griffon was helpless.

"I'm going to repeat myself one more time. Why are you doing business with Sickle?" Spectra said. She then hit Gilda with the butt of her crossbow.

"Ack I'm still work with the army. Ack...They have an agreement with him."

"What is it!" Spectra demanded.

"We Ack get weapons and Sickle Ack gets gold and protection Ack."

"Protection from the griffon army?" Spectra asked. Gold was kind of obvious for somepony like Sickle, but protection. The Griffon Empire would never launch a full scale invasion on Equestria.

"Yea. Incase of a terror attack ACK he gets protected from it." Gilda knew she only had a few more minutes if this kept going on. Luckily it didn't.

"One more thing Gilda. I knew you were lying that day in the interrogation room. The fact that you never found a body was all a lie, but that doesn't matter now, what matters is if you know where he is." Dash said. She aimed her crossbow at Gilda and was ready to pull the trigger.

"What I tell you doesn't matter Ack I'm going to die anywayrigh---ACCCCHK!" Another bolt sailed and pierced Gilda's stomach. She was still alive, but barely. She coughed up more blood and clenched the bolt from her new wound. She couldn't get up and all she saw was Rainbow Dash.

"You're right" Spectra/Dash said. She bucked the lantern and let the fire spread along and around the tree leaving the down griffon screeching in pain. Spectra then took flight and left the burning hill.

Step 4: Eliminate primary target