On Wings of Steel

Chapter 14

Flying reconnaissance within your own front was a relatively safe job.
Usually.
"Watch out!" Specialist Sharp called, turning to one side as a volley of magical projectiles bite past them.
"We're going up a bit." commanded Swift, diving into one of the clouds above them, "and now to the right!" To fly straight ahead within the cloud would be a mistake, and the magical projects that whizzed up where they had just been proved that he was right.
"Do the Wonderbolts have such difficulties too?" Ruby asked and looked under the clouds with the help of a persicope to test whether it was working properly before she passed it on to Artic. It was now his job to look out for whether they were being targeted.
"I think they have a harder time. They fight on the front lines while we are just scouting" said Swift and closed his eyes for a moment. His chest was doing better, but it wasn't quite healed.
"Thanks for that, Sergeant!" Lucky said with an honest smile, "That means that we don't have to do that strenuous work."
Everyone laughed, including Swift.
"Well, specialist, it's my job as a sergeant to keep my people in good health and alive. As soon as I am a lieutenant, that will change."
Everyone laughed again.

Electric paced up and down the engine room of the airship for a while. Since the airship was parked a little off the front line, she didn't really have to do anything other than wait for a few spare parts for simple maintenance. to her surprise, Twilight came into the engine room.
"Hey how are you?" she asked with a slight smile.
"I'm a little worried about Swift, otherwise everything is fine." replied Electric, walking a little further before stopping and looking at Twilight, "Anything new about the element we're looking for?"
Twilight smiled narrowly when she replied, "Yes. This time the sphere is much more active than the previous ones. I think we are really close."
"Well ... I don't want to be here any longer than we have to." Electric continued her rounds.
"Very good." Electric went towards the door, "I'm hungry, are you coming?"
"Yes very much." answered Twilight with a smile and followed her.
"Hey, are you going to the canteen right now?" asked a voice. Aks both to see who it was they were surprised to see Applejack. followed by Rarity and Fluttershy.
"We were just on our way there too." Rarity said with a very big smile, "Also I want to finally hear how the dates with Swift were! We had so little time on the way here."
In fact, everyone helped
Fluttershy continued to work in the infirmary while Applejack helped move the goods and also helped on the ground when it came to loading and unloading the ship.
Rarity had made it her business to fix the uniforms and work clothes, and when she was out of work, to help out in the infirmary.

When the date was mentioned, Blushed Electric said: "Oh, you know how it is. We had a lot of fun, but Swift can't cook."
All five started
"So you guys had dates?" Twilight asked with great interest, "How did it go?"
Electric raved about the dates a little until they got to the canteen and got something to eat. in place she continued to rave about.
"and? were you in bed together too?" Rarity asked with a knowing look as Electric turned bright red.
All the mares in the place started laughing as Twilight started coughing, which saved Electric from asking.

The hours passed and the Stormbreaker Squadron was flying home.
"That went pretty well." Ruby said with a smile. except for the occasional ground fire that came from the enemy line when they got too close, it had been a relatively uneventful flight.
"I can't wait to rest my wings." Lucky whined and rubbed the back of his neck, "Seriously, those flights over enemy territory are the worst."
Ruby gave a cough before she said indignantly: "Hello? I carry everything here! The heavy equipment, the medical supplies, ammunition and so on. All you carry is the light equipment!"
"But mare, look at you!" Lucky said with a laugh, "You're twice as much as me! You definitely have earth ponies in your ancestors! I wouldn't be surprised if ..." he got no further when a volley of magic spears broke out of the clouds below them and forced the whole group to evade ...

Still in the canteen, the mares jumped up when the ship's PA started. "Incoming wounded! Prepare infirmary! Incoming wounded!" The alarm went off.
The mares ran off, Fluttershy headed for the flight deck as first aider, along with Twilight and Electric, while Rarity and Applejack ran for the infirmary to make preparations.
"What season is it?" Electrick asked one of the sailors.
"It's the Stormbreakers." said the latter and began to prepare the landing deck.
"Oh no! Nononononononononono!" Electric looked at the sky in shock.
Where did they come from
"Over there." Twilight said in a low voice.
When electric looked she could see why.
six Pegasi had departed, but she could only see five.

As they got closer, the sixth member of the squad could be seen. Ruby carried it instead of her backpack.
On landing, Sharp tripped and Artic tripped over her. Swift chose a vertical landing, as did Night. both had cuts, but nothing serious.
"Quick, take care of specialists Lucky!" he called, but Fluttershy was already there, her wings spread out to detect the slightest vibration on her neck with her feathers.
"He is dead." she said softly, "I can't do anything more for him ..."
When Ruby heard this, she began to shiver. even though she was the strongest in the squadron, she couldn't hold her weight anymore and collapsed, crying openly as she hit her hoof against the deck again and again.

The other violations were less dramatic. Cuts, a battered flight membrane on Corporal Nights wing, and multiple holes in the metal of Swift's wings where he was hit.
They were taken care of when Commander Dash stormed into the infirmary.
"How could that happen?" she asked with wide eyes and an expression of anger and shock, "How did you get caught in anti-aircraft fire behind allied lines?"
Swift sighed, hung his head as Rarity wrapped a bandage around his foreleg, and replied, "I think we weren't paying attention and we flew over the border. It's all my fault ..."
"Damn right Sergeant!" shouted Commander Dash, "These are mistakes that shouldn't happen! You lost a member of your squadron due to a navigation error and the rest are in bad shape!"
"Yes ma'am."
"Don't you dare say 'yes-ma'amen' to me! I want a better answer!" her anger with Swift was as hot as a thousand suns, and he could feel it.
"Ma'am, I take full responsibility. For the navigation error, for the wounding of my squadron, and for the death of specialist Lucky Shadow." he looked at her with a blank expression, "I accept any punishment."
Rainbow Dash snorted, then looked away in her anger and took a deep breath.
"Darling, you shouldn't be too harsh on him." Rarity said in a calming tone as she continued to take care of Swift's injuries, "This stallion here is already blaming himself enough and will probably have nightmares about it for a long time."
"OK then." Commander Dash let out another snort, then sat down on the bed next to Swift.
And there she just sat. Silent, and staring ahead.
Swift barely responded to that. His thoughts on the last flight.
If only he had looked at the compass.
and if he had just made sure to play it safe.
He should have been fooling around less
He would have ...
A hoof on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts.
"Don't ..." Commander Dash said quietly
"Don't what?" Swift asked quietly
"Don't blame yourself." Rainbow looked at him, "This is a war. Losses are inevitable."
"Yes I know." Swift replied, "But ... this loss WAS avoidable. I just had to be careful where we were going."

In the evening the crew of the entire airship gathered on the ground next to a pyre.
Specialist Lucky Shadow was on top, in a fresh uniform, made up and cleaned. There was nothing to indicate that a magical spear had struck him in the chest.
In silence, swift looked up as Commander Dash stepped onto a podium.
"We lament the loss of our comrade specialist Lucky Shadow, who fell in the exercise of his service. He was a friendly stallion, helpful and kind. As a son of heaven, we burn his corpse, so he ascends into heaven and there for forever can spread his wings in Celestia's Sun. May his spirit help us keep the winds favorable, the clouds calm, and the rain soft. " she turned to light the pyre with a torch.
Thereupon she saluted, as well as the rest of everyone present.

Swift was still where he was when the pyre was lit. And he still looked at the smoking pile that was left over.
He felt the Electric approach him.
"Swift ..." she said gently, "may I keep you company?"
Swift just nodded and raised his wing to feel her as close as possible.
So she snuggled against his flank and put her head on his neck, where she felt his pulse with her eyes closed and with the help of her forehead.
That calmed her down too.
"When it was said that I was injured I was afraid for you." she said after a while, "I'm almost ashamed not to have thought of the others too."
Swift pressed her a little closer to him with his wing: "When I leave the ship, I only think of you." he confessed.

He sought her gaze, and when they met, he kissed her gently. she returned the kiss gently, too.
"No matter what happens, I should know that you are fine, I'll come back. And if you're not fine, I'll fly to Tarterus if necessary." he looked deep into her eyes.
No, he couldn't tell. Not after today.
That would only invite the misfortune.
But how much would he like to tell her that he loved her more than anything?
what if the next ceremony was his, his funeral?
or worse
what if next time it was Electric who died?
All of this made him tremble with fear.
Electric, being so close, sensed it immediately and made him look him in the eye with a hoof, "Listen carefully, Swift. Nothing will happen to me. And you make sure that nothing happens to you, understand?" "
Swift looked into those lovely blue eyes.
"Your eyes are as beautiful as the clearest day, as blue as the sky." he breathed with a tear in his eyes, "I will always do my best to take care of myself."
He kissed her again, this time with more passion.
no he wouldn't say it. not yet.

if there was one thing Commander Amber didn't like at all, it was arbitrary.
Everything had to be arranged as nicely as a crystal. A crystal was beautiful, elegant, hard and sharp.
But the Equestrians...
First she had seen the Stormbreaker sqaudron. According to the espionage service, this squadron was traveling with the Wonderbolts, who had such an important task that there were no written records, at least nowhere where the spies of King Sombra could go.
And with the exception of Princess Celestia's private chambers, it was almost everywhere.
No couriers or radio messages were intercepted from this ship. it was as if they were just moving around with no aim or point.
absolutely chaotic.
She dreaded it.
Nevertheless, she had to admit it to herself, the wonderbolts were excellent opponents. Commander Dash was brave and loyal, graceful in the air and strong on the ground.
To defeat her would be a great triumph.
But everything in its time.
And now, by injuring and shooting down the other squadron, she would surely get a chance to face Commander Dash. But it did not escape her that the lead pony in the other Squadron was probably this metal-winged stallion Swift. How would she like to talk to him again.
Teach some manners.
Well that had to wait. Now she had given this airship a blow that would break morale.
Oh how wonderful it would be if the two squadrons tried to take revenge on her!
It would make everything so much easier.
"Lieutenant, prepare my ship." she said as she watched the funeral of the fallen Pegasus with binoculars, "But quietly. We don't want to reveal our presence yet."