Author's Note

I know it's been too long - trying to write each chapter during two 15minute breaks and one 30minute lunch isn't easy to do. This chapter was slated to be longer - and it'll be coming in due course. But for now here we are.

ANGEL OF ATTACK

Training on the fields at the Lunar Guard Reserves had been a mixed bag of both amazing and annoying for me. Sure, I was away from Moon Shadow, but it was only a few hours at a time. Married life for us was wonderful; we had my home, I was on my way to being granted the status of Lunar Guard Reservist… and soon to be a sire!

“Trainee Icarus - Attend! Flight, Gemstone Formation; Speed Training Course! Launch In Three… Two… One… LAUNCH!”

Captain Oberth’s voice rang out across the grass training field, clear as always, and I barely had time enough to realize I was being left out of the flight rank. Turning about and ready to march over, a proud smile broke across my lips as I saw who was next to him, right at the launch-marks in the grass that started my career here those few years ago. I trotted over, breathing hard to cool my body after the workout time… and noticed something looked “wrong” with their poise.

With a formal trot-stomp-stop and wing salute at his enforced five-wings away, I answered, “So Ordered, Captain.”

“At Ease Trainee.” Captain Oberth was still an immense force of nature to me; with his eyes pointed just over the horizon he was always aware of who was around him, both trainees and others. Even with silver finally invading his tail to betray his age, his voice had never lost its self-amplified quality. And after hearing him giving out orders, it was hard to believe he could ever be casual in tone.

With my wing still up my smiling eyes turned to Obsidian Nebula. “Great to see you, Commander. Hope you’re well.”

In her usual All Business way she gave me a quick salute back to release me. “Captain, now. Good to see you too. I hear congratulations to be in order for you and your mare.”

Wow! Word travels fast through the crews I guess. I couldn’t help smiling proudly in appreciation… but my thanks and congratulations back stopped on my lips, noticing the way she was looking at me. Something just felt “wrong” and I couldn't put my hoof on why.

The Captain’s breath-draw stopped our conversation right there. “We Have New Orders For You.” He didn’t move his head, didn’t shift his wings, barely even shifted his eyes from watching the flight’s training pattern. Which, truth be told, isn’t at all unusual. His training style is notorious for being straightforward, exacting, no-nonsense, to the point, and without peer. If you washed out from his training, you were given a second chance at another trainer’s - usually without a black mark on your record.

I was allowed to be “At Ease”, but right now, after hearing what he said, the possibility of being so was ludicrously minor. I faced The Captain, composed myself to Formal Attention, and flapped one ear in silent acknowledgement.

Without so much as a flicker of his eyes, the Captain said, “Captain Nebula Will Be Coordinating Your Flight Training From Here Out.”

“...Sir?”

My mind raced - instantly replaying the words I thought I heard him say a dozen times before I could blink. I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. I’m washed out?! How?! WHY?! I was one of the best fliers in the Captain’s classes for the last few years! Maybe Nebula had been assigned to one of the other Reserves Barracks to be a flight trainer and I’m going with her? I mean - Nebula got promoted to Captain, wouldn’t it be reasonable for her to get reassignment at the same time?

The silence stretched out, peaking my anxiety.

The Captain finally answered, proving that, as always, he knew what was going on, ready to deal with every eventuality. Breath filled his barrel to explain. “After Some Discussion It’s Been Decided That You Will Be-”

“- there’s a personnel assignment that you might be uniquely qualified to fulfill,” Nebula broke in. “You have been reassigned.”

I swear my neck cracked as I looked back and forth between these two officers, massively confused. Nopony, and I mean NOPONY, interrupted The Captain. Not only did she, The Captain wasn’t at all phased by it; no change in his look or stance or eyes. Shouldn’t he have taken his eyes off the flight team and stared holes into her wings?

Wait… reassigned?!

“-- excuse me?” I never excelled at Surprise Training, so this was the best I could get out of my throat. All these spare weekends, all this time back and forth to learn from the best, taking time away from my family? Have I lost it all without so much as a warning?

There was a twitch in The Captain’s nose - I’d almost say it was annoyance, but that made no sense. “You’re No Longer Part Of My Team.” With a miniscule twist of his head in Nebula’s direction, he officiated, “Captain, Trainee Icarus Is Now Your Charge… As Ordered. May Luna Watch Over Your team.”

He… he just said, As Ordered?!?!

Now-Captain Nebula formally saluted, answering, “As Ordered, Captain. Luna watch over you.”

Sweet Harmony! Who gives The Captain orders where he'd say, “As Ordered” like a newbie?!

I was locked in place, trying to breathe, to think, to understand what I’d done wrong. How I’d lost all this work. How I’d explain it to Moon Shadow…

Captain Oberth, Senior Flight Trainer of the Lunar Guard Reserves, a walking monument of power and control, the closest thing to being a Living Legend to me, took his eyes away from the flight wing’s training and looked at me.

Sweet Merciful Harmony, he LOOKED at me! – nodded once, then turned his face back up to its normal observational position.

I could only blink, astonished! The closest any of us had seen him salute anyone was a nod, and usually barely even looking at the pony in question.

He’d looked at me and nodded?!

My shocked face turned to look at Captain Nebula’s, who had a flat, neutral expression on it. If she saw what just happened she’d hidden any reaction well. The opening of her lips and the tension in her neck warned me, even before she spoke, that she was now, formally, in charge. “Trainee - Wingpony Point. Eyes Front and Silent.”

“So ordered, Captain.” Sweet starfields! I felt like a trained pet answering automatically. She spun and marched us off towards the LGR Admin Building Complex. I almost took a spill into the grass as my hooves tried to catch up with her, finally making it to her right upwash point. In the air it was a fun place for me since I had to pay attention to my wing-lead, but here on the ground it felt like just a glorified trot with a heavy stumble at the start.

Her gait slowed just a bit, head turning slightly to my side as she half-whispered, “Listen up…” What could I do but exactly what she ordered? “You’re not washed out. We’re headed to where we can talk.”

I followed at the Wingpony Point, staying silent and curious. She had us through the glass doors of the LGR’s Main Administration Building, pausing to be checked in at the security desk, which they’d apparently changed out today. I always liked the one they had when I was first brought into the Guard. It was old wood with thick grained lines that told stories about the tree it used to be, if you knew where to read the stain colours. This new one? It just felt out of place - a new, brighter unit surrounded by the darker walls.

As we approached the sentry, Nebula’s gait changed, forcing me to match on the fly, which, might I say, I was pretty good at doing. She marched up and announced us formally to the On Duty Guard who, might I note, looked a bit older than the usual crowd of her rank - and in full uniform, no less. “Sargent? Captain Obsidian Nebula with Trainee Icarus, reporting.”

I kept my body still, eyes forward, and silent per orders. Which was actually tough considering how this is usually an informal checkpoint in the building. So informal that I don't know a time when somepony other than a Specialist-Grade Guardspony in minimal uniform was staffed.

The Nightwalker behind the desk flipped a few pages on her clipboard before answering as she made a mark in the log before she looked back up again. “So Noted, and congratulations on the promotions. Please head up to Large Group Instruction Three-Zero-One Alpha and Luna watch over you.”

This level of “Officialness” felt so out of place for me. The LGR may be a military group, but except for a few of the older officers it’s not usually this level of “stiff”. So very much NOT like my original trip through this building.

Captain Nebula held a beat pause before barking a clipped and heavily annoyed, “You ARE aware that a Subordinate Guard is obligated to salute an Outranking Officer, are you not?”

The Sargent cocked her head slightly and nodded, answering in a calm, patient voice, “One is aware.”

As the silence stretched out, I could almost hear Obsidian staring daggers into the–

“--what was that?”

Oh my FAH! Obsidian hadn’t even taken a breath in before that came out of her! She sounded terrified and I could see her dock tighten against herself!

The Desk Sergeant simply crossed her hooves and remained serenely silent, as if she hadn’t even heard the question. Not a change in her face, not a twitch in her eyes or lips; nothing that said she was reacting in any way to the situation.

It took all my training to not fidget as the effect on Obsidian was glaringly obvious to me; her wings had tightened at the joints so hard they’d turned white, while her tail, tight against her rump, was shivering in terror! “T…trainee… attend.” Obsidian’s voice was hardly over a breath this time. She’d always been the unflappable type; always! Yet her head was ram-rod high, neck muscles straining to keep it up….

What the Bucking Humping Harmony just happened?!