Bubblegum slowly opened her eyes to the rhythmic, metallic thumps outside her quarters. Sitting up on her bed and shoving the blankets off she fetched her uniform, putting it on before going out into the hallway, pausing to watch the armored pegasi walking it either direction.

After spotting one with a blue muzzle she went to him, noticing her they saluted with their wing, she spoke after returning it. “Sky Strike?”

The blue pegasus shook his head before pointing his wing down the hallway. “Haven’t seen her but her sister is in the armory.”

Giving a quick nod in thanks she trotted down the hall to the armory. Inside she found Raven with her rifle disassembled on the floor in front of her, looking up she dropped the dirty rag from her mouth before standing a saluting Bubble.

Bubble returned her salute before asking. “Know where Sky is?”

Raven pointed with a nod to the door beside her. “Shooting range, why?”

“Just wanted to know something about that mission.” she heard an ‘Oh.’ from her as she went through the door.

She watched a bright, blue glow flash then quickly disappear as Sky fired a charged shot from her identical gauss rifle leaving a blinding blue flash mixed with black smoke when it impacted. Sky glanced back at the door opening.

“Oh, Hey General.” Sky set her rifle down before turning fully to her with her wing to her forehead.

After quickly returning the salute she gave the room a glance before getting close to her. “Sky, did you get a chance to talk to that Dashite?”

Taken aback she stuttered a response. “Wh- no? Wasn’t the mission just eliminate? Did we fuck up?”

Bubble glanced at the door before returning her gaze. “No no. I’ve just.. been thinking. We’ve never been told to just flat out kill a pony right?”

Sky nodded before her expression hardened. “Now that I think of it, yeah. We normally just kill them if they try to go back topside or cause trouble.”

Bubble put her wing on Sky’s back. “Exactly, exactly. So I’m wondering what he actually did, or found. We haven’t even been sent after murderers right?”

Not finding the words, Sky just nodded.

“Right.” Bubble paused, going through her thoughts before being brought back by Sky.

“What.. do you think it was? What could the highers possibly think would require us to kill a random pegasus when the other deserters were spared?”

Bubble took a breath and withdrew her wing before responding. “I don’t know. I’m going to do some digging. Keep this between us, your sister is too talkative to know about this.”

After Sky nodded Bubble quickly left, ignoring Raven asking what she had asked about. She moved back to her quarters at a heightened pace, getting a few glances from those she passed in the armored halls.

After reaching and entering her quarters she flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling she let her mind start racing as it had started with Sky.

“What did he find? Do maybe? There’s been more Dashites recently, maybe it’s related.” She turned to look at the terminal sitting on her desk. The blank screen staring back at her with her own eyes. “I might be able to access something…. No. They'd know. I’d need Raven.. But..”

She sighed and smacked her pillow out of frustration. “Fuck.”

“No one else I guess. Fuck this better work.” She snapped herself out of bed and returned to the shooting range. Poking her head in she pointed a wing at Raven, who still looked confused. “You. come.”

With just a blank look of confusion she followed Bubble to her quarters, upon entering she locked the door behind them.

“Alright. So. I need your help and I need no one to know. I am taking massive fucking risk involving you over your sister so I highly suggest you keep it between us.” For emphasis Bubble pointed her wing at Raven. “Understood?”

“I-I yes?” She cleared her throat. “Yes, General.”

“Alright, How do I look through stuff without it leading to me?” Bubble sat down at her terminal and turned it on, the green lighting her pink face.”

Raven tilted her head. “What do you mean by stuff? Like terminal entries?”

Bubble just nodded.

Raven followed her. “Uhhh, I guess I could change its address to be like some random terminal. I can't make it not lead to the Clear Skies though. would have to be inside a city for that.”

Bubble tapped her chin. “Maybe I could work that out, not sure how I'll explain the random stop though. Idea, replacing the medical supplies we used on you. “ She gave Raven a small smile.

“Oh ha ha Bubbly.” Raven smiled back with an exhale.

Bubble smiled more. “Been a while since you’ve called me that, you, Sky and I should take leave together sometime, be like when we were home again.”

“Weeell I dunno, last time my superior denied my leave.” She gave Bubble a teasing smile.

With an eye roll. “Yeah, yeah. I told you why I had to.”

“I know, still going to mess with ya when I can.” Raven stuck her tongue out after responding.

“Haha. Now I think about it though, we didn’t really use enough to justify a resupply.”

“Yeah, maybe we could do a ration pickup or something like that.”

“We have about a month left, maybe I could justify that. I’ll talk to you about it again when we dock, alright?”

Raven nodded. “I’ll see you then.”

Author's Note

Shorter one so it's being released alongside 22