The Grand Expeditions
Chapter One
Relic Hunter was a very happy mare. As the dark blue earth pony with a violet mane read through the letter from one of the royal offices one more time she felt another ting of anticipation. Years of hopes and months of planning were finally coming into fruition. In her ecstatic jubilance she didn’t feel it necessary to tear her eyes off of it until she heard a knock on her office door.
“Come in,” she said “the door is unlocked.”
The gold handle of the dark walnut door illuminated in a bright green as it swung inward. The head archeological director for the University of Equestria in Baltimare made her way to the padded dark brown desk with her thick-rimmed black glasses set atop burgundy mane and a leather saddle bag obscuring her broken vase cutie mark.
“Good morning Professor Hunter,” Site Digger said “I came to see if you had gotten the good news.”
“Please Digger ‘Professor Hunter’?” she chuckled “I thought we were over that.”
“Sorry Relic,” Digger said “Official decorum has it’s was of sneaking in amongst friends after a while”
“Well, please just make yourself at home” Relic responded
Digger made her way on top if the bench and got herself comfortable. She then placed her glasses on her muzzle and opened her saddle bag.
“Relic,” Digger started “I want to tell you as a friend I’m very happy you’ve gotten permission from the Royal court to go ahead with your expedition.”
“Digger,” Relic interrupted “I sense a ‘but’ approaching.”
“Dear,” Digger said in her lowest most solemn voice “I can’t give you the go ahead with this budget”
Relic’s mind went blank in awkward silence before it managed a response of: “I…ah…wha?”
“Honey,” Digger responded “It’s roughly 100 thousand bits”
“But it’s all necessary” Relic Managed to squeak out
Digger pulled out a scroll and began to examine the contents.
“25 thousand bits for the rental 12 teams of pegasi and chariots, 50 thousand bits for rental equipment, and the list goes on like this dearie.” lamented Digger
Relic finally had the faculties back to look her friend and mentor in the eye. She took several deep agitated breaths in front of her and she pondered her response.
“Digger,” Relic said “do you expect us to canter on up through the Everfree forest or… or… catalog our finds with guesses.”
“I don’t, Relic. But we have to be careful with our money”
“Why is this a problem now? Pyrite approved budgets for quadruple this.”
Digger seemed to shake at the mention of the young stallion’s name.
“He’s not the director now, I am, and you know we haven’t had a ‘win’ in a while now”
Relic could hardly believe her ears. In all her years as a student, co-worker, and friend of Site Digger she had never heard her sound like such a… bureaucrat!
Relic jumped off her chair and paced behind her desk. Her breath had become hurried and hostile. Unfriendly thoughts came to mind.
“Is this a power play?” Relic accused “Hmm!? Only in the position for one week and your already having some power drunk fit?”
For the first time since she entered the room the Director raised her voice.
“How could you accuse me of such a foalish act?! Haven’t I done right by you since you were a student? Why would I try to ruin our friendship over such a thing” Digger exclaimed as her voice began to brake
Relic watched from behind her desk as tears weltered on Diggers eyes. Digger tried to wipe the stray droplets from her muzzle but, to no avail. Soon a torrent of tears fell from her eyes and Relic’s heart sank.
Relic took a napkin from one of her drawers and trotted to her friend with the napkin in her mouth. She placed it in her hooves before it was enveloped in Digger’s telekinesis. Relic took the time to wait for her friend to stop sniffling before she spoke
“Digger,” Relic said softly “Those were stupid things for me say. I know it’s probably not your fault. I didn’t mean any of it.”
“Oh,” Digger said as she wiped away the last of her tears “its noponys fault except for the foal Pyrite.”
Relic was taken aback by that statement. Their former director’s name had been spoken with such venom. It was a far cry from the compassion they used to speak of their comrade.
“What does he have to do with this?” Relic asked
“Everything dear”
“Could you explain?”
“What I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave this room, understood?” Digger said in an unusually stern voice
“Of course, if you don’t want me to I won’t” Relic responded
“That crook treated this department like his own private travel agency for the past two years. He had been going on a whim to the most obscure areas in search of trifles. Griffonia, Zebris, Mulas you name it. He even had the nerve to order the excavation of a Buffalo holy site. Despite what you may think dear the Buffalo people aren’t easily compensated for what they feel is an offence.” Digger shook her head at that silly stereotype.
Relic pondered at what an Equinepolgest would want to do at all these decidedly unequine locations.
“Oh it gets worse dear” Digger said “In order to hide these frivolous expenses he had ‘reallocated’ funds from other expeditions into his so it seemed all fine and dandy finance wise”
Relic was shocked that a colleague would use such deception for personal gain.
“But the worst thing is that when the foal was found out and they brought him to answer for all that they bought him to answer to me and the other department heads it was so outrageous we agreed to let everypony believe he was retiring early just to save face. In fact it was so outrageous we had to search his research notes just to make sure it wasn’t another one of his stunts.” Digger pondered for moments before getting interrupted by Relic.
“What was he searching for?” Relic asked
“It was such an inane obsession I’d hardly think you’d believe me”
“Try me”
Digger let out a soft chuckle before looking at her friend with a slight smile: “Humans”
Disclaimer: This is a fan-based work and is not for profit. Please support the official release.
Authors Note: As with any piece of art it is a work of passion but, your reviews and comments can help me direct that passion more productively.
