Chapter 6

It was wonderful to glide through the cool evening air. Every now and then he flapped his wings to keep up with the airship, but otherwise it was very quiet. after a while, Swift was even able to see the little light the night patrols had on their hind legs. If he still had the correct schedule in his mind, the Batpony would still be there.
Swift flapped his wing to pick up some speed and slowly approached until he was level with the Batpony. to his astonishment, the batpony had closed his eyes.
"Specialist, what are you doing?" he asked
"I am listening." was the short answer
"On what? It's pretty quiet" Swift couldn't hear anything when the batpony opened its mouth again and uttered a shrieeeek that was quite loud.
Then the batpony was silent again.
Swift didn't know what to make of it until he remembered. Bats used echosound to orient themselves in the dark. Obviously it was similar with Batponys.
"Ah i understand." he said softly, "Does it bother you if I fly a little aside you, specialist ... what's your name?"
The Batpony gave a small sigh, then said: "My name is Night Watch. Please don't laugh."
Swift couldn't help but grin when he said, "So ... did you choose the job by your name or did the job come to you?"
Night Watch gave a humorless laugh and said, "oh yeah that's so funny ... The name goes oh so well with the job. It just has to be that this is one big bucking joke."
"Specialist Watch, I really didn't mean to offend you. I apologize." said Swift, remembering very well every time he was called an earth pony, "I was just here to see if I could help. Or do you need something?"
"Coffee ... in large quantities ..." was Night Watch's answer.

To get to know Night Watch better, Swift had actually brought him coffee. The night shift on such long flights was something that few could or would do. Daytime attacks were more common, after all, and being up all night beforehand was no fun in a battle.
"Thank you." said Night Watch and took a sip. "Hmm, even warm."
"Of course. I don't want to be known just as the terrible new sergeant. I want to be there for our squadron." Swift said with a smile. From the documents he knew that it was the Stormbreaker Squadron. He had left out all other documents. He wanted to get to know the ponies personally under his command.
"Well, we were surprised when we were told that you were coming to us from a testing brigade. We couldn't imagine why." Night Watch said, then looked over at Swift, "But then it became obvious. It must be terrible to lose your wings."
"is it." Swift confessed with a very sad expression on his face, "Actually, I shouldn't allow myself to do something like this. So just fly around. I should lie down and let the MCUs charge so that I'm ready to go."
"But you had a nightmare." Night Watch said for sure.
"How do you know that?" Swift asked alarmed.
"I suspected it. No matter what it was that cost you your wings, it will surely still haunt you." Night Watch cracked his neck, "my shift will be over in three hours. You should go to sleep."
Swift looked at him, laughed and played a salute: "Yes Sir, General Sir!" he still grinned: "Then I won't bother you any further. Good luck and a clear sky."
"You too, sergeant Swift." said Night Watch and saluted, "clear sky and good rest."
With these words and a salute, Swift tipped over and fell back. He landed gently on the wooden deck of the airship when he heard faint hoofsteps.

Electric came up to Swift slowly and sleepily, asked in a tired voice. "Swift? What are you doing so late out here? You should sleep and not fly around."
Swift chuckles, then saw how tired Electric actually was and stood next to her to catch her as she fell asleep while standing.
"You're not the blooming life either, are you?" Swift said with a grin, as Electric snuggled up to him and sighed softly before she replied, "I'm worried about you. Your mission is not easy, we have this terrible war and I've seen ponies die. More than that, I have See you almost die and I realized how important you are to me. " She yawned heartily before continuing, "I realized at that moment that I have probably fallen in love with you for the last few months. You are grumpy at times, but you've never given up. And when you are not grumpy, you are really Fun and full of Laughter and Loyal to your Friends. I admire that." She leaned her head against him and almost fell asleep again.
She couldn't see Swift blush.
He might be a battle-hardened soldier, but that was unexpected.
He pulled his wing out between Electric and himself, and put it over Electric, so she was even closer to him, and said quietly. "You're so tired you're talking crazy stuff. Come on, I'll take you back to bed." He led the sleepwalking mare back to her cabin, led her to the bed, and was just about to leave when he felt her hoof wrap around his and pull him towards her.
"don't go." she said sleepily
"okay ... for once I'll stay." Swift replied and went to bed with her

In the morning Electric woke up again, but felt a little heavier than usual. When she opened her eyes she could see why. Swift was in bed with her, still asleep it seems, with one wing over her, the other hanging down and touching the floor, probably as a counterweight.
She started to blush.
Electric only vaguely remembered yesterday that she had observed Swift on a night flight. She remembered how beautiful the wings had shone in the moonlight when he leaned at the right angle, and she still remembered that he looked thoughtful.
"are you finally awake?" Swift asked with his eyes closed and a smile on the muzzle.
"I ... uhm ... yes i am awake." replied Electric uncertainly.
"Good ... good ... Can I have my hoof back?" Swift opened his eyes and smiled at her.
At first she didn't know what he meant until she saw that she was holding his hoof with her hooves.
She blushed even more as she let go of the hoof.
"So-sorry!" Electric was very ashamed.
"doesn't matter." Swift replied, "I have to admit I slept better than before. Now that I knew you were safe."
To Electric's surprise, he put his forehead to hers and looked deep into her eyes, "I had a nightmare, you know. I dreamed that something bad happened to you. After that I couldn't sleep anymore."

"You dream about me?" Electric asked in a high pitched voice, her face completely flushed.
She didn't expect that. Not a bit.
Then she felt the wing rise over her and Swift climb out of bed. As he stood there, Electric noticed that he was still wearing his everyday uniform, like she was wearing her overalls. Only her saddlebag with the tools hung over the chair.
With an audible creak, Swift stretched and turned almost every joint.
"Yes from time to time." he said then, "Unfortunately, it is mostly nightmares in which something terrible happens to you. After that I usually wake up and can no longer sleep."
"I'm sorry." said Electric and looked ashamed to the ground,
Swift gave a small smile, then said, "It's not your fault. I just care a lot for you."

Both came a little late for breakfast. The bigger mistake, however, was showing up together.
"I see you and Electric spent a bit of the night together, huh?" Commander Dash asked with a sly grin as she poked her elbow in his side.
"Possibly." Swift said, "maybe she just picked me up because I overslept, I was with Specialist Watch on patrol last night and brought him coffee."
"Ah yes? Really?" Rainbow Dash still had that Sly smile on her face.
"Aye." Swift said, "And even if there was nothing wrong with that. She's a civilian, I'm in the military. Now, would you please let your jealousy rest so I can have breakfast?"
That made everyone laugh, even Commander Dash.
"Okay, I'll admit it was a good counter." she said, "For that you only get 10 laps around the airship, sergeant."
Swift smiled, "Commander. But I'll make it 20 laps."
Commander Dash was about to ask how he was going to do it, when Swift stole her dessert and galloped out of the canteen, an angry Rainbow Dash behind him.

After the 30 rounds, Rainbow had no joke about her dessert, Swift was in the airship's workshop. Electric had set up a kind of station for him that he could lie on with his stomach, and brackets that held the wings.
It felt so good not to feel the weight and not have to do anything but be present.
"Any problems with the wings?" Electric asked as she opened the service hatches, both the top and bottom.
"no not recently." Swift said relaxed, "this place is great. Thanks Electric."
"With pleasure." said Electric and got to work.
Simple maintenance, nothing earth-shattering.
Still, Swift saw out of the corner of his eye how Electric reached for her mouth. and then she stuck some gum inside his wing.
"I saw that ..." he said and looked at her nervously.
"Don't worry, it's only supposed to hold two cables together. My father did that many times. Sticks better than any super glue. And I don't have any more zipties." Electric answered with a grin.
"Comforting ... really comforting ..." Swift smiled.
He trusted her.

A little later there was also a medical check, where Swift first met Fluttershy in the infirmary. In her role as a doctor, she seemed to be much more open than in private, if only a little.
"Any pain?" she asked just as she examined Swift.
"my back hurts from time to time. The bed I have is not really comfortable with the wings on my back." said Swift.
"I see ..." she examined his back and pressed lightly against it. a small plop was heard as a vertebra shifted back into position, as well as a gasp from Swift.
"oh wow, that feels better! thank you very much!" he beamed down his back.
"That's the least I can do." said Fluttershy. you could tell by her that she was trying not to see the wings.
Swift sighed, then stood up and stretched.
"Oh yes, much better" he said and trudged a little on the spot, "I feel better than I have in a long time."
That brought a smile to Fluttershy.

According to the schedule, Swift wasn't on patrol until the evening, so he used the time to rummage through the library that Twilight had brought to the airship. He was sitting with a book on one of the much more comfortable armchairs and was reading comfortably when a flame came through the window and flew to Twilight.
"What is this?" Swift asked alarmed. So many books and then fire too?
"This is a message from Princess Celestia! Probably an answer to my Daily Reports." Twilight said with joy.
Indeed, the fire turned into a scroll and Twilight began to read it.
"Yes, it's from her and she thanks for the update. But she also asks that we all behave in a friendly manner, that we all rely on each other, no matter what. That is a somewhat strange request."
Swift thoughtfully looked out of the window through which the fire had come and said: "It doesn't sound bad at all. A troop that knows each other, who knows how the other thinks, is ready to knock on the gates of Tartarus. All just to to protect the friend fighting by his side. I like that. " he turned back to his book.

The evening patrol was as smooth as it was.
But they also moved parallel to the front line and tried to avoid contact. He was flying with Sharp Wing a little higher than the airship when Sharp pointed forward. Swift saw it too.
A friendly airship flew the other direction and signaled with light signals that they had received the radio message.
"I wish radios were small enough to carry." Swift said with a smile, "That would save us a lot."
Sharp just nodded with an mmmhmm and kept her eyes open.

When Swift landed, Night Watch was on his way to patrol. "Clear skies and calm flight, specialist." said Swift and went back inside. He noticed that Sharp Wing stopped and talked to Night Watch longer. He seemed happy about it.
Swift would keep an eye out, but he was far from intervening.

The last point of the day was a debriefing with the found elements, sergeant Swift, the two civilians Twilight and Electric and the captain of the airship and his first officer.
"We have a rough direction." reported Twilight, "The route we made that day gave us some rough calculations, but the more we fly the more precise it gets. It seems like our first stop is Manehattan."
There was a loud shudder from everyone.
"That's more than a million ponies there. How are we going to find a mare there?" asked Commander Dash.
Nobody had an answer.
"let's build this bridge when we get to the cliff." Electric said after a while, "We have good news too."
Twilight nodded: "Oh yes we have. Electric and I are working on flight packs for the non-Pegasus crew. In case the ship has to be abandoned. Or if we want to set up an outpost and have a unicorn or two with us." She proudly presented a prototype. "There are also horseshoes that I have provided with magic, so that these unicorns can stand on clouds."

Finally some free time.
Swift went back to Twilight's library for this. to his surprise, he met Electric, Applejack Fluttershy and even Commander Dash there.
"As I can see it's mare's evening here. I'll come back another time." Swift said smiling, but from inside came a "no, stay!" It seemed to come from Electric, but she sank deeper into her chair, her crimson cheeks.
"We were just talking about you, Swift." Rainbow Dash said with a cheeky grin, "What did I hear from Electric? You're a real gentlecolt. You keep your wing open to protect her from the rain ... let her sleep under your wing."
"Yeah ... well? I owe her so much." Swift asked, standing next to Electric and wrapping his wing around her, "I mean, I couldn't do this without her. So she deserves it."
"But Swift." Electric continued with bright red cheeks, "Fluttershy and Rainbow say Pegasus only do that with their ... partners."
"Yes ... and? Didn't you tell me your love on the flight deck this morning?" Swift asked with a big smile.
Electric squeaked and hit the hooves over her eyes so she wouldn't have to see anything.
The other mares laughed and generally thought it was funny until Swift leaned over and whispered in Electric's ear, "You're the wind under my wings, Electric. If you want it ..." he kissed her gently on the forehead, "I would be an idiot to say no. "
Electric looked at him in surprise and then beamed, feeling his neck.
They didn't care that the others applauded. Both enjoyed finding something in this war that has become very rare.
"But you two will hold back, won't you?" Dash asked, "Not that the airship is being shaken properly here." she gave a smugface.
"I do not promise anything." Swift said with a cheeky grin.

Author's Note

Stormbreaker Squadron

Members:
-Sergeant Swift Specter (Leader)
-Specialist Night Watch (Night patrol/ Fighter)
-specialist Sharp Wing (Scout/Fighter)
-specialist Arctic Bolt (Scout/Fighter)
-specialist Lucky Shadow (Support)
-specialist Ruby Rain (Heavy Support)
-Private Amethyst Fire (greenhorn)

Role and Equipment:

The Leader:
The leader carries a signal pistol and several smoke cartridges with him, as well as binoculars. He is armed with a simple spear or with two blades mounted on the gauntlet.

The Scout:
Scouts carry lighter equipment with them. The body armor is somewhat reduced in favor of mobility. The binoculars are standard equipment here too, the spear is a shorter, lighter variant

The Support:
Supporters are those who serve as medics in the field and, if necessary, distribute the heavy supporter's spears. They also carry water and food with them should the mission go further.

The Heavy Support:
Heavy supporters usually carry equipment such as extra spears, spare binoculars and a field camp. They also carry all medical equipment and supplies with them.

Greenhorns:
Exactly where the term greenhorn comes from is unknown, but they are new to a squadron and have no specific role yet. Their equipment is based on that of the common soldiers until they decide on a specialty.