A Danger in the Stars

Chapter 7

Sitting on the cold metal floor, I looked out of the small port window of the vessel to see the deep void of space. Stars flashed by in high speed, becoming steaks of bright light, as we travelled at a speed faster than light. It was kind of funny on how I wanted to go to space to see the beauty of space, the stars, planets and all, but the only time I was able to look out the window and enjoy the view was during interstellar travel. Meaning all I could see was a mash of light, as the vessel’s engines brought it to high speeds. This gave me nothing to view but streaks of light that created an abstract image that I didn’t enjoy.

The dream I had inside me was to see the far reaches of spaces, to see the mysteries and majestic sights it has. But right now, I was seeing none of that. Military vessels didn’t have the luxury of giving a pony the scenic route. Travelling at high speed and trying to view the stars was equivalent to staring at a bowl of noodles.

If I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to fulfill my dream here, then I would never had signed up. Well, it’s too late for that now. Besides, I would have ended up here anyways, seeing that the conscription decree exempts nopony.

I just wished the vessel could stop for once, while I’m sitting in front of window, so that I could see the beauty outside. Too bad the only time the Lunar Express stop was when we were going on a drop or a recovery mission. Most of the time, the vessel was moving, heading to its next destination.

This left me nothing to view but streaking stars, as the Lunar Express headed towards a new planet, for us to conduct a new mission. A new mission where we through ourselves against the line as we fight off the enemy. This meant more lasers and plasma, with the addition of me screaming my lungs out.

This reminded me of an observation I noticed in which ponies act during before and during combat.

Before combat, the ponies in my company, if not the entire force, seem to hate the idea of fighting. They complain, they whine, and try to forget everything about fighting.

Although they try to look tuff all the time, they seem to resent the idea of dropping to a planet and risk the chance of getting killed. They seemed to be scarred and try to forget about the war, by busying themselves with a limitless amount of other duties, like writing letters home, doing chores, entertaining themselves, or just resting on their bunks.

But once they got in the drop pod, their attitude immediately changes. They suddenly act as if they were warmongers, with the love for the taste of blood. They talk about fighting and crushing the enemy, as if they were invincible to enemy fire. They fight, as if they forgot their resentment of war.

Once the mission was over, and the drop shuttle attached to the main vessel, they go back to normal, forgetting about the battle below. It was rare to hear somepony talking about the latest mission when they were on board.

The sudden change always puzzled me as I pondered for the cause. I concluded that it was their way to hide their fear, by acting that they want it. They act as if they want the war and were willing to fight, but deep inside they were just as scared as me and want to escape it.

But then again, I could be wrong. I’m no psychologist or anything, so I can’t form any proper hypothesis in the way they act or think.

Sitting in this empty room, I often think about things like that. Wondering about the ponies in my company, recalling memories of home, and thinking. Thinking seemed to be the only thing I could do to pass the time and this empty room was the perfect place to do it.

Our quarters, were all of our bunks were located, was always a noisy place, making it impossible to think, as ponies waged on bets and joked around. Each company had their own quarters, which was basically a large room filled with bunks and filled to the brim with ponies who wanted their own share space within the large room. This created a noisy environment, where the sounds penetrate your ears and enter your head. With that, I decided to find a place to do my thinking, exploring the vessel to find a nice peaceful spot.

We were usually allowed to roam around the vessel, as long as we didn’t enter restricted areas and interfere with the crew. So I decided to try and find a place in which I could claim as my own. I went through halls, checked rooms, and even got lost at one point. But I wasn’t going to give up till I find the perfect place.

That was when I stumbled upon this room. Now, I didn’t know what this room was supposed to be, my guess was it was an unfilled storage room, but what I do know is that it wasn’t off-limits.

Its white walls provided seclusion, while its small window provided me a view of the space outside. Although I would hardly call it a view, since all I see were the streaks of the star’s light. Also the floors were cold and I could end up freezing my rump as I sat there, but I tried to ignore it.

Despite its flaws, it was the only place I could think. The only place where I can be alone.

So I chose it as my fortress of solitude, in which I can concentrate and relax, away from the noise and pressure of the other ponies in the ship.

I always felt unwanted under their presence, so I don’t think they would mind if I suddenly disappeared. Although they were the ponies I was supposed to work with, till my honorable (Or I wish it was honorable) discharge or death, I always felt different. I never thought I was a part of their group and always think that they would never accept me.

But that was fine, for I didn’t want their acceptance. All I wanted right now was survival.

“Hey, rookie, do you mind if I join you or do you want to keep that loner act of yours?” A voice asked behind me.

Turning my head around I saw a red pegasus, Ruby, standing by the open doors. It was a good thing that our suit’s hid our fur or she would have stood out in battle.

“Well…uh, no, sure.” I said, jumbling my words. “You can come in.”

She gave me a small smile and trotted forward, taking a seat next to me. I felt slightly awkward as she sat so close to me, as I didn’t know what she was trying to do. Sure, it’s not like we were complete strangers to each other, in fact she seemed to be the only one who acted friendly to me, but it felt like she was interfering with my personal space. Even if there was enough space all around me.

“Well, I see you’re enjoying the view here.” She said, as she looked through the window to see the streak of light.

“Yeah, well there isn’t anything better to do in here…” I said, sighing.

“Well why don’t you join us, back at the company’s quarters I’m sure there’s a lot of entertainment there for a mare like you. If you want, I can teach you how to play poker.” She offered.

“I already know how to play poker.” I said.

“Well, yeah, but you don’t know how to play it with the company’s special rules.” She said with a sly grin.

“Special rules?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah….I think I’ll pass.”

“Are you sure, because that’s what I said when I first came here and I don’t regret my decision on learning the game.” She said, still smiling.

“Yup, positive.” I said with a nod. Whatever those special rules were, I didn’t want to find out.

“Well we could always try…” She began again, but I cut her off before she could finish.

“No, Ruby, I don’t want to try anything that involves gambling and ‘special rules’. All I want to do right now is be alone, till the next mission comes.”

“Aww…but, why?” She whined. “If you don’t try interacting with us, then how do you expect to be part of the group?”

“Be part of the group?” I asked, staring at her, our eyes meeting. “Last time I checked, everypony in the platoon was eager to see how I die.” I told her, remembering the conversations before the drop. Sure they said it in a joking tone, but the stinging felt all too real.

“Oh, do you honestly think they were serious?” She said, brushing it off. “That’s what we do to you rookies, we joke around and try to scare them, it’s just how it works. Besides, I think you’ve proven your self today, being able to come back alive and in one piece.”

“Yeah…” I said, blowing away a portion of my mane, as it covered my face. “…well tell that to the Sergeant. He seemed well too eager to tell me my flaws and how bad I did.”

Right after the mission, after everypony in the platoon removed their suits and put them in their respective storage areas, the Sergeant called me out and begun yelling at me again. Being a small pony, despite my earth pony heritage, and him being a tall and buffed unicorn, all I could say that it was frightening at the time.

To make things worse, he didn’t limit the pain to words, as he went physical on me. Let’s just say that it wasn’t a fun experience, seeing that my neck still hurts while some parts of my body still feel sore. It’s funny how I manage to go through the mission unscratched, only to be beat up once I got back. Maybe that’s what Sergeants were supposed to do, to insure nopony in the platoon remain uninjured.

“Oh, he does that to all new members.” Ruby told me, putting a hoof on my shoulder. I shuddered a bit, not expecting the move and feeling a slight pain, as that area was still sore, from her touch. “It’s his way of making sure that everypony knows his or her place. He thinks being a hero causes death to you and your comrades. So he doesn’t like show offs.”

“But it was an accident!” I yelled.

“Works the same way, since now you will think twice before panicking during a battle, unless you enjoy the feeling of pain.” She said. “Besides, when he beat me up, he used a chair on me. A chair! The pain of getting hit by one is unimaginable. But it ensured that I wouldn’t repeat my mistakes.”

“It doesn’t seem to be an ideal way of teaching somepony.” I said frowning. I felt that the military was just here to kill me, whether it would di it slowly or quickly, only Celestia knows.

“Ideal or not, it works and in the end, that is all that counts.” She said.

But when she saw the frown on my face, she sighed and closed her eyes, thinking.

“Listen, I know things here look harsh, but it’s just how thing go. This how we do thing and I doubt it if it would change. Now there are two things you can do, which is either join us and adapt to our way or stay as a loner and forever feel tormented and miserable. Trust me when I say that the second option would bring you to the loneliest and saddest time of your life, I know from past experience. So what do you say?”

I looked towards her, staring at her eyes. The expression on her face was neutral, as she waited for an answer from me.

“Well I guess you’re right…” I said looking down. “…it’s not like I can avoid you all forever.”

“That’s the spirit!” She said, patting me on the back with her hoof. The pat was a little forceful and I winced at the pain, from the contact of her hoof.

“Now come on, like it or not, I’m going to teach you how to play poker with our ‘special rules’.”

I gulped. Maybe I should have chosen the other option.

“We would be dropping in with Alpha 1 and would be assigned to secure their left flank.” The Lieutenant said, as he stood in front of us, a map was lit up on a screen behind him, showing the drop zones, objectives, and positioning of each unit.

We all sat in the Company Briefing room as we listened to the Lieutenant as he explained the E.S.F’s grand plan to rescue the Elements Bearers. From what we were currently told, it was a rushed plan that would use all the available resources in the area. But as I looked at the map, looking at the unit marks, I noticed that despite it being rushed, it involved at least eight battalions, making it a large scale operation. Pretty impressive for a plan that was thought up and approved in twelve days.

The plan called for Alpha 1 to land near the enemy facility, which was a tall mountain located in the middle of a flat landscape, in which they believed the Element Bearers were being held. The other battalions were supposed to form a perimeter and secure the surrounding area. They would hold off any attacks, till the mission was accomplished.

My battalion was assigned to a special job. For we were to land next Alpha 1 and support their assault on the facility. We would help them breach the mountain facility and help secure the area as well as help locate the Element Bearers.

We needed to conduct this under a time pressure, for we knew that an enemy counter-attack would be imminent. When their counter-attack comes, it would be swift and powerful. We were risking a lot for this, but all for a good price.

For since the Element Bearers must be rescued at all cost. Who knows what the enemy could do when they absorb the power of the elements. The balance of power in the war was at stake and whoever controls such a power could turn the tide for their side.

“Consider this as an honor…” The Lieutenant continued. “…for we would be working closely with Alpha 1. But I want you all to concentrate on the mission. Alright, platoon commanders; I want you to memorize the location of the objectives while the rest of you unload the map to your suit’s system. This is a vital operation in which we must not fail.
Company dismissed.” With that, the Lieutenant walked off and out of the room.

“Well, rookie…” Ruby said, as we moved out of the room. “…it looks like you’re about to experience your first battle and a real battle too, not just a skirmish.”

I felt nervous as she spoke. Skirmish or not, the battle before felt all too real and scary already. Now that this would be a large scale battle, I don’t know how I’ll perform, but I doubt it that it would be good.

Well, good luck to me.