My Little Operator

Jets thundered overhead and seconds later the pressure of the sound barrier being broken washed over the crowd. Standing on the back of a strapping young rainbow maned and tailed pegasus stallion was an equally scrappy filly with matching mane and tail. Rainbow Dash watched the Wonderbolts spectacle on the back of her father, the Everfree Shadowbolts Captain, as her mother performed with her flight as Captain of the Wonderbolts.

They were flying the latest in jet fighter technology the Equestrian Arsenal had to offer: the F-15 Thunderbolt. The F-15A Thunderbolt designed and produced by North Roper and Douglas Fir Aeronautics was the epitome of the term "fighter jet," boasting the first ever twin afterburning turbofan engines that dish out 65 kN of thrust each, one nose mounted hex-barreled 25 mm Vulcan Autocannon, and able to carry up to sixteen missiles. Now, Rainbow Dash only being a three-year-old filly did not know what all the words her mother said meant, but her mother always seemed happy whenever she talked about it, so it made Rainbow Dash happy.

Her mother's flight of four was preparing for the grand finale of the show and were climbing high and fast. When they began to nose dive, no one batted an eye, but when they started to flip, tumble, and spiral out of control, panic waved through the crowd. Seconds, minutes, hours, an eternity later for Rainbow Dash, and she saw four fireballs rise from the ground. Screams and cries echoed and rippled through everypony in attendance, not only for the four lost souls but because of the massive cloud of black that blocked out the sun.

Rainbow Dash found herself standing all alone in complete darkness. The Changelings swarmed around her. A loud roar bellowed behind her, and when she turned around, she saw the gaping maw of a giant Changeling swooping down on her, ready to devour her whole.

She sat up in bed, heaving loudly, her lungs desperate for oxygen, her heart slamming against her chest. A cold sweat covered her cyan coat and rolled down her spine. She laid back on her side and curled up into a ball. Losing both parents in one day is traumatizing to any foal, that she still had nightmares about how weak and hopeless she was infuriated her. She may have been a filly, but she could have still done something, right? After twenty years, she still beat herself up about not being of help.

Outside, the sky was still dark as ink, and the red glowing face of the clock told her what she already knew: it was early. Throwing the covers off her, she rolled out of bed and headed to the shower. A cold shower always made her forget the nightmare. She shook herself dry, not bothering with a towel. After ten minutes of stretching, she zoomed out the window and headed for the track.

Captain Spitfire and the rest of the squadron saw Rainbow Dash on the track early in the morning; it never meant something good. Captain Spitfire knew better than most the reason her top Lieutenant was exerting herself early in the morning. As much as she wanted to comfort her as a sister, Spitfire knew that Rainbow Dash would rather be alone right now, and she gave her the space she desired.

After trying in vain to run away from her past monsters, Rainbow Dash went to her hangar to marvel at her next-gen fighter jet, "Blazing Blue," a newly-out-of-prototype-development F-18 Bird of Prey. This wondrous beast of aeronautical engineering was twice the size of the recently retired F-15's and boasted double the stats of its predecessors. With two internal hex-barreled 25 mm Vulcan auto-cannons hidden in the left and right wing roots, with housing for twenty-eight missiles, and still able to carry an external fuel drop tank, the jet was practically a tank with wings. Twin afterburning turbofan engines that delivered 120 kN of thrust each made sure the behemoth had speed to go with its fangs.

As much as the author wishes to go into more detail over this majestic aircraft, and gush about all of its hidden technology, the reader has to be made aware that enemies could be reading this and that revealing all the secrets of the F-18 Bird of Prey would more than likely lead to copying and would be considered treason. The author has been allowed to say that the F-18 Bird of Prey boasts many secret and innovative stealth capabilities.

Rainbow Dash laid on the left wing of "Blazing Blue" with her tail dangling off the leading edge. She stared up at the rafters of the hanger with sullen fuchsia eyes. Her gems pooled with tears which threatened to flood down her cheeks. She will avenge her parents, she vowed; a vow she made daily, a vow she intended to keep. She was no longer the helpless filly twenty years ago.

Name: Rainbow Dash

Callsign: N/A; Blue Wing Two, "Rainbow Crash" (airforce)

Rank: Lieutenant Rainbow Dash

Age: 23

Place of Birth: Cloudsdale

Height: 5' 4"

Weight: 247 lbs.

Background: Rainbow Dash was born into the airforce with her father and mother both being Captain of the Shadowbolts and Wonderbolts, respectively. Captain [redacted] and Captain [redacted] both perished in the Cloudsdale Invasion. With such high ranking and renown parents, Rainbow Dash was taken under Cloudsdale's Excellent Pegasi System. Unfortunately, the true intentions of CEPS weren't discovered until ten years later. The raid found Rainbow Dash and several dozen other Pegasi in large chambers held in suspended animation. Luckily, the clones were easily distinguishable from the real foals, and she was rescued while the clones were humanely dealt with. She was placed within a real foster home, where she and Captain Spitfire grew up as close as sisters. Rainbow Dash joined the Cloudsdale Airforce at eighteen, and within three years, she made her way to the prestigious Wonderbolts Fighter Squadron. She quickly became the world's best pilot.

Psychological Profile: Rainbow Dash is brash, arrogant, boastful, and loyal. When faced with a challenge, she usually takes it personally. Rainbow Dash may have narcissistic tendencies, but she is a team player and follows orders diligently. She is very loyal to her friends.

Training: CEPS [redacted], Cloudsdale Airforce, Wonderbolts

Relevant Experience: Three years inactive service with CAF, Two years inactive service with Wonderbolts

Notes: Plagued with nightmares and waking nightmares; suffers from insomnia (which does not seem to affect her performance)

Grey Vulcan returned the file into his briefcase. The wind blew his navy blue windbreaker against his black coat, and his steely mane danced on the breeze. Twilight was talking with the guard at the white guard booth in front of the Wonderbolt's Academy gates. The metal chain linked fence rattled when the guard opened the gate. Twilight beckoned Grey over with a smile. He heaved a sigh and followed after her with a grim countenance. Maybe she wouldn't remember him?