Fallout Equestria: Storm Protocol

Written by: Thundercloud

Edited by: Mcmiky3332210 and Solstice

("..-All aboard, we ain't goin fishin'. Bunker down, and pass the ammunition and we'll all stay free-..")

Location: City of Ralneigh, Grand Pegasus Enclave

Time: 05:46 Equestrian Military time

I awoke with a start. Vague nightmares that I didn't quite remember were forced away as I squinted at my Pipbuck's bright green light, illuminating the dark room. Five forty-six in the morning? I hadn't remembered falling asleep, and was not supposed to be up for another hour and a half, give or take, but I decided to get up anyway.

I shifted on the couch. Misty stirred as I moved out from under her head and gave me a sleepy smile. I smiled back and kissed her on the muzzle, before heading into the bathroom.

My uniform was still lying haphazardly in the washer that I’d apparently forgotten to start. I grabbed a cup of detergent with my wing, dumped it into the slot, then closed and started the machine.

I turned to look at myself in the mirror, sighing as I did. The bandages covered my many cuts, scrapes, and bruises that I had received during the fighting, but I could still feel the throbbing presence of them as I took extra precautions to lightly comb my mane where the rocket hammer had hit my helmet. I still managed to hit the huge bruise there and wince in pain. Misty had swarmed all over me with a household medkit disinfecting my wounds, and the entire house when I told her about the swamp, and bandaging them up. All the while, Storm asked an entire class's worth of questions on how I had received them. Curious foals and all.

I checked the bandages. While not the magic-imbued ones like the Enclave used, a weak healing potion combined with them did the trick. I decided to just take them off, as they were useless even when they were applied. One thing I could not shake was the growing urge in the back of my head for Med-X. Did I feel… jittery? It was a very strange sensation to say the least, mind you one I had been feeling for the better part of yesterday. I looked down at my Pipbuck and tabbed over to a menu labeled "Status".

A plethora of red-tinted popups appeared, detailing the wounds on my body. They all had some sort of report that ended with "Bruising, Sore, Cut, Abrasion, or Crack", and I winced every time I read one. Despite the great healing powers of actual chems, and my wife being anal about every single wound on my body, I still had a fair bit of healing to do. The one alert that made my heart sink was at the bottom of the seemingly never-ending list, labeled as "Minor MED-X addiction".

"No. You aren't addicted at all. You just need it for your leg pain." A small voice in the back of my head said, before reinforcing the statement with a jolt of pain from my leg.

I rubbed my leg and squinted. Yeah… I had seen and arrested enough junkies. I was not about to become one. I made a mental note to go by the medical bay and almost could hear the screams as the addiction voice was pummeled by the tiny Thunderclouds in my head.

I showered, finished up in the bathroom, stretched my wounded leg for a minute or two, then walked back into the living room. Misty was up and in the kitchen now, and I could smell the welcome scent of brewing coffee. Storm was another story. He lay on his stomach, one leg under his cheek coated in drool, and the other three in various positions on the couch he occupied.

I chuckled and shook my head, then grabbed him in my hooves and flew him up to his room, tucking him into his bed. He murmured a bit in his sleep as I went to leave. I took a look around his room as I went. His dark blue walls were tacked with various pictures and posters, most of which were his comic book characters or Wonderbolt posters. I looked over his toy box, desk, and shelves, all dotted with knick-knacks and personal belongings. His prized Red Racer BB gun sat squarely in the middle of them all.

He had begged us for the better part of last year to get one, citing it as a "training opportunity" or "learning experience". I had broken down after a week, but Misty had not. She seemed to believe he would shoot his own eye out if he got one for Hearth’s Warming, though she finally relented and ordered one from a catalog book. We had made a small firing range out in the tiny backyard of our flat with trash from the junkyard on new year's eve to test fire it. He now insisted on using it at every of his marks-ponies tournaments. His first competition being the most special, bringing home the first of many trophies, and his newly appeared Cutie Mark, depicting a silhouette of a pony drawing back a bow and arrow.

I looked at Storm again, knowing it would be a while before I could see him again, and silently closed his door. Returning downstairs, I sat down at the table, opposite Misty, and drank my coffee.

"So... You are going to be gone for how long?" Misty said, a twinge of anxiety in her words.

I sighed. "I'm really not sure. I suspect it may be a week or two like I said, though I hope it isn't much longer."

Misty stared at her cup for a moment. "Do you actually have faith in those savages on the surface?"

The word felt alien now. Sure, I had used savage until about yesterday to describe the non-pegasi races, but it just felt horrible now. I drew in a long breath. “I didn't tell you two about this as it is very traumatizing, and I still am getting over it myself, but I almost died yesterday, Mist…"

Misty froze as if she did not understand. She looked at me with renewed fear and anxiety.

"The only thing that allowed me to sit here now was that zebra, Anakvad. As well as Bullion and Blackwood. I have learned that their ways of life are very different from ours, but they still put aside their differences sometimes to help others. They… hate us down there Misty. I heard Blackwood's foals repeat some of the things he had said about us, though I am sure he regrets saying it now. Savage.. doesn't seem right to label three non-pegasi who saved my flank. It would seem more apt to label them as brothers."

Misty stared at her Coffee. "I-I worry about you Thunder… What would Storm do if you- "

The words hung in her mouth. I understood fully where the train of thought was going. Truth be told, I thought the same exact thing a lot yesterday.

"Look Misty. You cannot lie that death does not come with the job. Hell, it is entwined with it. But I would not, ever, do something or invite some-pony without my one hundred percent trust. Plus, I will be on a ship for the journey. Just pop to the location, do what I need to do, then pop back. You know? It will be no different from the times you were on deployment with your Raptor."

She seemed to agree, then rose and walked over to the sink. She placed her empty cup in the basin, then switched on the small radio mounted on the wall.

The last notes of some instrumental melody echoed out into the kitchen, replaced by a mare's soft voice.

"And that was Flight of the Pegasi, you are listening to Ralneigh Enclave Radio. Serving the greater metropolis. This is Snowberry and this next song is the Battle Hymn of Equestria. Showing that, even in the darkest hours, Equestria still lives on. Waiting for us to reclaim and heal her."

The first notes started. Misty had walked over to the small pantry and began to pull out ingredients for oatcakes. I rubbed a small bruise on the back of my neck and hummed along to the patriotic tune. Enclave radios were usually presented in the same ways. A hardy mix of old-world patriotic music, pre-war popular songs, and news from all over the Enclave’s territories.

I checked my Pipbuck to see what time it was. 6:15 a.m. The smallest glint of sunlight began to catch the kitchen, making the window yellowish in color.

I rose, and went to stand next to my love. I draped a wing over her, and watched the oatcakes sizzle in the pan, pondering what my new friends did for breakfast.

Breakfast had been quieter than usual, besides my alarm going off upstairs. I had walked up to turn it off, and returned downstairs to find Misty packing some food into a small military knapsack she had bought after she got out of the Navy.

"Listen hon'. I have packed some snacks for the journey. Sweet rolls, Hay chips, stuff like that. She said as she placed it on the counter.

I chuckled. "Wouldn't want me getting skinny now, would you?" I half-heartedly flirted as I sat back down to finish my breakfast.

She chuckled and placed her plate in the sink. Deep down, I was boiling over with anxiety. This was uncharted territory for me and my squad, and the real idea of something going wrong perpetrated my thoughts.

I finished up my food, grabbed the snack bag and a canvas bag full of spare clothes, then gave my uniform a last iron and donned it. "Mist’, I’m heading in early. I want to tend to some things and check on Cloud before we ship out."

Misty popped her head out of the kitchen. "Thunder, call me when you get ready to leave. Please… Be safe, and come back. I love you."

"I love you too Misty. I promise I'll come back." And with that, I blew my mare a kiss and headed for the unknown.

===***===

It was a blur catching the train, checking in, and heading first to our ready room. As with every squad stationed at the base, we had our own ready room. Nothing more than an octagonal, light-purple colored room. Lockers ran most of the wall, each labeled with Omega Squads names and ranks. At the far end of the room, facing the door, our armor, minus the helmet, sat suspended in a yellow maintenance cradle, one for each set. I made my way in and stored my bags inside my locker. I then headed to the hospital facility. Star had said first thing in the morning, but I needed to check on Cloud. Weather had said he would be fine, but I wanted to see for myself.

I walked out of the main admin building and onto the covered walkways perched atop the top cloud layers towards the medical campus and flight line. A few Vertibuck's took off for some training and sped over the buildings, causing a gush of wind. Show offs…

A group of, mostly lower enlisted, parted and snapped salutes as I passed. I returned their salutes and wished them a "Good Morning” as I entered the swinging doors of the base's hospital complex, and made my way up to the desk nestled in between the supports for the upper floors. A few Nurses sat within the cubicle, idly talking. Only a few noticed me as a sea green mare, with a dark purple mane styled into two braids, seemed to lead the others on in a conversation.

I rang the bell, and they turned to look. One of them greeted me with a "Hello Captain, my name is Mocha. How may I help you today?".

Mocha, a dark chocolate colored mare, with a vanilla striped brown mane, sat down at her desk, and pulled up something on her terminal. The others resumed their loud conversation behind her.

"Yes, I am looking for the addictions treatment ward. I have a nasty one currently. Also, I am looking for a patient who came in yesterday. One Second Lieutenant Cloud Buster. I need to check in with him."

"Oh, addictions is on level two, room two-fifteen. And one moment with Cloud Buster." She hummed an unknown melody as she typed and searched through what probably was a patient archive. After a good three minutes, she piped back up. "Found him. He ‘s in ward four, this level. Bed number four-o-five." She said as she looked up to me.

I wished her thanks and made my way to the ward. After a few minutes of trotting down the dull white corridors, I finally found the ward that Cloud was being treated in. Alongside five other pegasi, one of which was bandaged from head to hoof in a full body cast. The only tell-tale sign of her color was the mahogany fur around her burgundy eyes that trailed me to the rear of the room where I could see Cloud Busters rear half.

I knocked a hoof against the metal of the divider curtain to Cloud's pod. “Can I come in?” I asked jokingly as he stirred.

Cloud Buster shifted out from under the dyed blue cloud-blanket and attempted to sit upright in bed. The blanket fell away down to waist line and exposed his barrel, wrapped tightly in bandages emitting a pinkish glow. “Don't see why not”, he joked back as he smiled faintly.

I snorted, and sat down on a small chair next to the bedside. “How are you feeling?”

He shifted, then winced. “Eh, it could be better. The bandages are helping a lot, and I have enough MED-X on demand to keep ten pegasi sedated, but it could be better.” He said, then smirked. “Say, why don't you go call that cute nurse down at the desk. The one with the dark purple mane. She has a cute smile and an even nicer flank. That would make me feel back up to one hundred percent, Cap’. ”

I winced when he said MED-X, and a little voice in the back of my mind snickered. But I shook my head and smiled. Joking was good. I quietly filled him in on what happened after he was wounded, and what my plan was.

After wrapping everything up, he drew a long whistle. “Damn. So.. I guess we’re shoving off today? I thought I would at least get some time to recuperate.”

I sighed and shook my head. “We’re supposed to be transported by Cloudship. I put in an impromptu requisition form to Star, so it really depends on what the rest of the council says. I would surmise that that's what this meeting is for, or something of the sort.”

Cloud nodded, and pursed his lips. “What about those grounders? What were their names? Blackwood and Bullion?”

I nodded. “Yeah, what about them?”

“Do you trust em’ Cap? After all, they aren't Enclave.”

“Wouldn't take them if I didn't. Besides, Star cleared a promotion to field agent for the lot of them. No worries, you can still boss them around if need be.” I smirked a tad bit at that. “Anyway, I need to get going. Briefing is in…” I looked at my Pipbuck’s clock, “-twenty-five minutes. So I am going to head on up to the Ops room. I will pass along the word to clear you for discharge, so pack your stuff.” I said as I glanced around his small pod. The only thing he owned was his jumpsuit, hung on one of the hooks mounted to the wall behind him. “Catch you later, Cloud.” I added as I headed back out the door. Cloud called out in goodbye.

First things first. Addiction removal. I hung right, then followed the path towards the atrium until I hit an elevator door, which I called. Stepping on, I hit the button for the second level, and felt the elevator rise. I felt jittery again, though I pushed the thought back into the deepest part of my mind. Not doing it… I thought.

Addictions was really a part of one of the outpatient clinic labs I assumed the campus had. I knew only of one more, the one I had my blood drawn for documentation when I moved to Ralneigh and started work at the base, but that was on the opposite side of the campus entirely. Regardless, I opened the door and stepped in.

The room was small. To the left, two bays with drawable curtains filled with one chair, a cart, and stacks of pull out drawers containing everything for lab work to be fulfilled. To my right was a small, circular waiting room with a few chairs, tables, and a magazine rack filled with magazines. In front of me sat a few lab techs at a lunar-shaped desk, watching me enter.

“How can I help you?” The smaller of the two, a yellow pegasus with a blue mane, asked as I closed the door behind me.

“I have an addiction from overuse of MED-X. Not entirely my fault. But, I have it. Do you have anything up here that can fix me?” I asked, a tad bit ashamed.

“No need to be ashamed, sugar cube. We get soldiers in here all the time with some sort of addiction.” The other one, a slightly chippy orange mare, with a striped orange and yellow mane, said as she stood up, and motioned me to follow her to the rear-most area of the lab bays.

She motioned me to sit in a chair that sat in front of a window overlooking the front of the campus, facing the road, then turned around and began to rummage through one of the carts, pulling out various needles and associated supplies. I, very awkwardly, fiddled in the chair, being I had a phobia of needles. Quite funny in retrospect as I was, usually, the first to get shot at, and meaning I was first to be healed or stuck with some needle.

“Ah, found it.” The orange nurse said as she pulled out… A very, very large needle-tipped syringe filled with a purple liquid. Well, fuck me…

I glanced at my Pipbuck, fifteen minutes till I had to meet with Star Chaser. A small burning sensation took my attention back. I looked over to see the nurse spritzing my left forehoof’s shoulder off with a wing-held bottle , most likely filled with the same medical grade alcohol in everything else here. She then grabbed the syringe with a wing and brought it closer.

I fucking hate today…

The needle hurt going in. I could feel the rush of whatever potion that was previously in the vial enter my body. Instantly, besides the big ass needle stuck in my arm coming out very rapidly, a certain clarity entered my mind. I felt normal again, though I had not even noticed I felt different.

To her credit, the orange mare gently removed the needle, and quickly slapped a gauze pad over the prick, and tapped it down. Eh, a waste of gauze for such a small wound, but whatever.

I bid the mares farewell, and backtracked down the elevator, out the lobby, and towards the office building. I also took that time to take off the gauze, and dump it in the nearest trash can.

As per usual, the ground floor was buzzing as I stepped in. Though, maybe a little too much. I looked around quizzingly as I walked to the hallway that held the elevators. Something strange was going on, though I settled to ask Star Chaser after our meeting. I checked my Pipbuck one last time. Five minutes to go. Right on time. The elevator closed, and began to rise. I stepped off after the doors opened, and took a right to the large briefing room. I could see Star Chaser inside through the window on each side of the double doors, so I just let myself in. The room was very large, bearing strong resemblance to the lecture halls of Neighvarro's college where I studied. The downward sloping seats terminated at a round center situated at the back of the room. Large monitors were hung in a semi-lunar orbit around the rear walls.

Star Chaser acknowledged my presence with a nod in greeting, before motioning with a wing to get closer.

I obliged, and walked down the carpet covered stairs to where he stood.

“Morning Captain. The other councilors have not joined yet, so we have a few minutes.” He looked around a second, before continuing. “Where is Lieutenant Shady?”

I was about to open my mouth, when Shady opened the door in a rush, panting and wheezing as he quickly trot down the stairs.

“Sorry, Cap’, got held up at security.” He said while trying to catch his breath.

I nodded. “Quite alright. The other councilors haven't joined the call yet. In the meantime, have you packed? I don't know when the ship will arrive, so best be prepared.” I finished, looking expectantly at the General, and hoping that he would fill in that blank space for me.

No dice. Star Chaser shook his head. “No idea. I'm sure we’ll find out though.”

After a few minutes of apprehension, a small red button glowed, signifying a call coming in. I tapped it, and formed the connection. Automatically, the lights dimmed, and the screens were lit up, showing multiple pegasi. As well as their names, ranks, and origin of the call.

Most councilors of every Enclave city followed the same structure. Three civilians and one general, though there were exceptions in certain places. The multitude of major Enclave settlements, bases, and cities were spread across the monitors. I recognized most of the councilors, as I had seen them on the TV when they were debating some issue. Though a few stood out. I was able to recognize Straight Stream, one of my friends while I was at the academy of Neighvarro during my training, so I gave a small nod to him. Apparently, he had been recently promoted to leader of the Military training city. The middle screen held another group of pegasi. One stallion, and two mares from the Ralneigh government building. Comet Blast, Star Sapphire, and Minty Breeze all sat around a half circle desk inside the city hall's private auditorium. I nodded at them as well in turn.

Star Chaser greeted the Pegasi. Then quickly got to the point. “Good morning, every-pegasi. Our first order of business is attached in the document sent to your terminals. You may open it now.”

A collection of tapping sounded from every monitor, as the Pegasi opened the documents on the terminals before them, or on their Pipbucks. I caught a few surprised sounds and looks as they quickly skimmed the synopsis of the mission.

“Is this some kind of joke, Star?” Said one of the councilors. I hadn't caught who, as I also went to open the briefing.

“Do I look like the kind to joke about, Dusk?” Can the witty retort of the one-eyed pegasus.

Hearing it caused me to snicker, then catch myself and cover it up with a cough. The counselor, Dusk Bolt from the settlement of Galeward, shot Star a piercing look. Then cleared her throat.

“So.. This is about the Windigo. Please.. Spare me the joke. Those are old-foals tales, even before the Last Day. This, Captain… Thundercloud. I assume he is the stallion next to you?”

I nodded. “ Yes Ma’am. And I can support my claims. I have intel fro-”

“From a “Slaver Airship”. Do you really think we should believe that the savages on the surface can aspire to repair more than a crudely fashioned pool-cue?”

“Scroll down to the next page…” I shot back. Yup. I had detected the bitch in the group.

She scrolled one down, then shot me another look. “So I am mistaken.”

The next page held pictures of the airship. Crashed, and pulled from my helmet footage as Shady and I had boarded it.

"As you can see, this so-called "Slaver Army" is organized, and also interested in seeking them out. Now, Slavers are usually not my first choice of info. But, they had an entire group looking for these creatures. I feel like we should at least humor the idea that they are still out there. Not only for the continued protection of the Enclave, but to ensure that we have an Equestria to reclaim."

My college public speaking professor would be proud…

"Thunderhead agrees with the Captain's statement.." Came the voice of Councilor Stargazer.

Great news. Neighvarro and Thunderhead are the largest influencers in politics, so if I had one, maybe the other would follow suit.

"Neighvarro is currently undecided on the matter. What other info can you give us on the matter, Captain?"

Damn. "Bits and pieces from the leader of that expeditionary force. A unicorn named Geiger. He had mentioned that it was top secret from another, a pony named Red Eye. I claimed his tablet after he was dispatched, but have yet to comb through it. It could lead to valuable intel regarding the matter."

Straight Stream and the other councilors of Neighvarro displayed worried looks, and began discussing something in hushed tones, then turned to face the screen again.

"Neighvarro agrees to the mission, but only temporarily. Should nothing be found within two weeks, we shall recall our vote. In addition, we ask you to carry out a side objective when the time comes."

I gave him a suspicious look, but resigned myself and smiled, performing a small bow with my head.

"Now. About a Cloudship for the good captain." Star Chaser said as he turned to face a projector console. A blueish hologram of a much smaller vessel appeared on it, and began to rotate slowly. "This is the Prowler Eye of the Storm. She just came back online after a lengthy repair break, and her crew is eager to have something to do besides patrol."

The Eye of the Storm looked very much like a shrunken Raptor-class Cloudship. The typical maritime style of ship hull allowed it to be used as a maritime vessel, as well as a Cloudship. Though with some distinct changes. Along the keel, a smaller bulbous protrusion extended downward. At both port and starboard of this inverted tower sat the outlines of ball turrets.

Towards the top deck, the bow had two similar looking cubes coming outward, one on top of the other. The port and starboard held two large anvil-shaped clouds, with a runway on the top of each. A large hangar door also allowed access from these strips. The stern was relatively normal, though having a strip cut out at the back, just under the deck plating. The large propeller modules sat atop one another, port and starboard. In total, four propellers provided thrust for movement through the air.

"How many are crewed aboard?" I asked, not taking my eyes off scanning the small model for anything else.

"Fifteen. It mostly runs off an old AI module fitted to it during the Great War, but needs a skeleton crew to round out the other tasks. The Captain is one Cloud Skimmer."

Turning to the other councilors, "All in favor of deploying the Eye of the storm ?"

A mass of "ayes" came through all the monitors, though some passed the vote.

"Motion carried. The Eye will be routed to Ralneigh, and should arrive later today and into tonight. Thank you Captain. Collect your stuff and team. Then pick up the small terminal pad you recovered from my office. Then, you may go home and get some rest. You are going to need it. I will alert you once the Eye is near the docks."

I snappily gave a wing salute and nodded for Shady to follow me out. First step is getting our gear and stuff, then probably going home and resting for a while until our ride is here. The door closing behind us allowed the next matter to be briefly heard.

"Now… Matter two. Councilor Sky Striker, what is the update on that "Security" pony…

===***===

The hoof-held terminal pad was laying on Star Chaser's desk. I grabbed it and stowed it into one of my smaller saddlebags. "Why don't you follow me home, Shady. We might want to see if this thing has any useful information regarding the Windigo."

Shady shook his head in agreement, then followed me out into the hall.

It was quieter than usual. Not much traffic like a bustling E.I.A. office should have. This was very strange. I managed to catch sight of a green pegasus, with auburn hair, walking along an intersectional hallway, so I stopped him.

"Hey Corporal. Where is every-pegasi?"

He looked at me for a second, then responded. "No idea, sir. Above my paygrade. I just file documents."

With that, he continued along his way, probably towards the archive room.

I frowned. Something strange was happening, and I was out of the loop of what it was. I hated being out of the loop as my squad was the one Star called upon almost every time if something needed to be done or some-pony needed their heads cracked. Resolving my internal struggle to just ask him when the ship arrived in port, I motioned for Shady and I to head out.

Aside from a napping elderly stallion, a mare looking overstressed and overworked, clinging to two bags of groceries, and a group of young cadet colts, the train was lightly populated. Shady and I took a seat on the far end of a general occupants car, not wanting to walk back to the military car.

The train jerked, and moved out of the station, heading for the first of ten stops it had to make before arriving close enough to where we could fly back to my house.

I watched out the window to the left of me as the city gradually moved past. My mind raced. Why hadn't I been told what was happening? I ran the strange events back. First the busy office space, the lack of workers on the admin floor, and the mention of a security guard?

“Hey Shady?” I asked my friend as we zipped by a factory.

Shady was engrossed in tinkering with some sort of electrical doodad that he had, apparently, produced from his saddlebags. I swear, he either sees everything as useful, and perpetually carries various tech around with him at all times. Or he is a robot sent from the future.

Probably not the latter…

“Hrr?” He half heartedly replied from behind a screwdriver in his mouth.

“Did you notice anything… Strange, in the office?”

Shady looked up from his tech, thought still held the screwdriver in his mouth. He sat it down by him, and squinted. “Not sure. I guess there were more workers on the ground floor today. Why?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.” I went back to staring out the train window.

I heard Shady make a confused noise, but then go back to messing around with his trinket.

“What is that thing, anyway?” I asked, clearly intrigued.

“”Eet iihhs..” he said through the screwdriver, before laying it back on his side. “That homing device that Despoena had.”

I lowered my eyebrows. “Why do you have it?”

“Well. I saw when I picked it up, it is nothing more than a radio that has been boosted. Sort of like a wired telephone or our armors com-link system. It not only can transmit the location, but connect to other devices connected to it.” He looked at me, I guess to make sure I was understanding where he was going.

“Which means-” I started. “We can tap into others' signals with the thing.” I was taken aback. We could listen in to the Slavers broadcasts or messages. “Great Skies, Shady. Remind me never again to poke fun at your collecting.”

He smiled. “Now, if I could only get past these problems. First problem is that it took damage. I think a bullet hit it, so some of the wiring is broken. Very, broken. Which leads to problem two. It had some sort of failsafe. I am fairly certain I can revoke that program though. It wouldn't make sense to permanently delete the operating system of a very rare, and expensive, device. I just need to tinker with it.” He said, as he spun it around with a wing, inspecting the internal wiring.

“Hmm.” I knew a bit about electronics, but had no idea how to aid him in recovering the programs. Still, this could be big if he could get it running again.

The train pulled into my home station, and we dismounted. Flying down the street that held my apartment, I landed on the doorstep, and unlocked the door.

Misty heard the door unlock, and had popped her head out of the kitchen. She looked very surprised to see me and Shady here.

“Mission not go through?” She asked, while drying a plate with a wing.

I shook my head. “No. We’re waiting on a Cloudship to arrive. We have some time to kill.” I said, holding the door open for Shady, then closing it behind us and locking it.

She popped back into the kitchen, probably to finish drying off dishes. Storm was sitting on the couch, eating cereal and watching a cartoon. I tousled his mane with a wing as I passed him, heading up the stairs.

“Hey Shady! Where ya’ going dad?” He asked between mouthfuls of Cloud Puffs, the frosted wheat cereal he enjoyed.

“To my study. Shady and I need to go over some plans.” I said as we made our way up the stairs.

Shady said hello back to Storm, and followed me up the stairs. My study was little more than a small walk-in closet. It held a desk, a small lamp mounted to the back wall over said desk, and some filing cabinets and bookshelves that held books, documents, and likewise. Not just for my service, also for more mundane tasks as, well, taxes.

I sat down, then motioned Shady to pull up a small rollie chair I had in the corner. He sat on it, then flapped his wings and propelled himself over. I gave him a side eye, but continued reaching for the terminal pad in my bags.

I laid it on the desk, then had a thought. I may have just let a bomb into my house, with my family in it…

“Shady.. Can you verify that this thing is not going to either explode or fry itself if I boot it?”

Shady leaned down, then started messing with it. Picking it up, looking at it, peering into the charging port. He then produced a scanner of some sort from his belt, running it over the device. Where had he stashed that?

“Nope. looks clean. Plus, General Chaser probably had it checked out.”

I nodded, then pressed the button. It blinked, then started to make a whirring noise, displaying code on a green background. I scooted back, making sure to shield myself if it did blow up. After a moment, it stopped whirring, and displayed a home screen. A collection of picture files, and a folder marked “Mission” were the only tabs on the tablet.

I tabbed over to missions. Only one document appeared in the lineup, and upon clicking it, opened to reveal a message.

-Master Geiger, you are to locate and find a previously lost facility, belonging to the Ministry of Arcane Science. The coordinates are attached. Upon doing so, secure the facility and the experiments inside. The images attached are pictures of the facility, and the test chambers. The key to our vision of a rebuilt Equestria is hinged on preserving and completing the research performed there. With regards, ~RE

I reread the message again, still visibly confused. It had no evidence to shed light upon the “Storm Protocol” I had read aboard the airship, nor anything concerning the “Asset” identity. Just great… In fact, it opened up more questions.

“So..” Beginning out loud. “Geiger was dispatched by RE. Doesn't take a genius to know that's probably that Red Eye character. But there was another called Shackles? I think. Despoena had said as much."

I pondered for a moment, then continued. "I need to look him up and see if we have any info about him. So, we have Geiger and Despoena, working for Red Eye and Shackles? And they all hail from “The City”.” I put mocking extra finesse into the last words, then cracked a smirk.

“So, here is a full timeline as I see it. This Red Eye fellow sends Geiger, and Shackles sends Despoena to find a facility owned by the MAS, holding the Windigo, and researching something about Storm Protocol. The convoy goes missing, aided by an inside pony. She then goes and claims our GPE shipment. The cache ends up in Sugar Grove overnight, where Blackwood and Bullion find them. The slavers must have triggered the security lockdown, and forced our earthen friends to leave. We come in, reclaim the weapons, meet Despoena and her squad.” I finished, then looked at Shady.

Shady held a wing under his chin for a moment. "Coordinates? They don't just know about the Windigo… They know where they are, and probably how to get to them."

The moment of realization hit us like a truck. "We dodged the first bullet, but that now places an even larger target on our and Sugar Grove's backs.” I said, looking back at the tablet.

“That means it will be a race.” Shady said.

I nodded. This whole situation went from bad to worse. I was banking on maybe they had no idea where the facility was, just that it existed.

I tabbed the picture files. One of two mares, standing outside of a large door. One clearly of the Windigo, with both of the ghostly equine's faces facing a grainy and staticky photo. (I couldn't help but feel a very primal and unplaced fear, as a shiver rippled up my spine) One of the guard posts, at the bottom of a hill with a road leading up to what I could guess was the facility. One of Ministry Mare Twilight Sparkle, floating a large set of scissors above a recently cut ribbon. And one that looked taken from very far away. I could make out a large steel building, protruding from the base of a snowy mountain range.

After a moment of deliberation, I determined our next step. We needed to talk to an “Old Friend”. “Shady, let's you and I go talk to our friend, Despoena.”

Shady grumbled something about, “We just came from there”, but relented and followed me back down the stairs.

“Misty? Shady and I need to go take care of something. We may be back.”

Misty turned on the couch and bid me goodbye and blew me a kiss. Storm managed to get something that sounded like “bye dad” out from behind a mouth of cereal, which prompted Misty to glare at him for talking with his mouth full.

We skipped the train this time, instead flying over the large city to the base’s gate, where we re-checked in and headed to the main building’s elevator. From there, we took the ride down to the lower portions of the facility.

Now, say what you will about the architecture of cloud cities, but no-pony can deny that lightning rods, and the fear of falling to your death some ten kilometers away makes it so that undesirables cannot break in or out of a major military base.

The elevator opened with a ding, revealing the cold steel of the reinforced strong room, underneath the HQ. In the event of a balefire bomb going off in the city center, the room was designed in a way to function similar to that of how a Cloudship levitates, though with a large amount of drag and sluggishness. Still, it could maneuver out of harm's way and safely land.

I walked up to one of the guards, situated behind a reinforced glass guard booth. “Captain Thundercloud and Second Lieutenant Shady Skies requesting permission to interrogate the griffoness Despoena.”

“May I have your IDs?” The guard said, as he typed something into the terminal in front of him.

I dug around in my breast pocket, before producing my wallet, and extracting my ID card, which I then placed alongside Shady's into a small tray that slid out from the wall. After a moment of the guard running it, he slid the tray back.

“You’ve both been logged into the system. Good luck getting whatever you’re after out of her…”

I nodded, and replaced my card into my wallet, and it into my breast pocket. Then continued through a hermetic door. The prison was a collection of steel catwalks and small, square cells. Once again, lightning rods and death by hitting the ground too hard.

The towers of cells, connected by catwalks and stairs, were suspended below the strongroom. The entire thing was covered by layer three of the many-layered cloud curtain. A zapping sound signified one of the protruding brass lightning rods discharging some static electricity. In the event of a breakout, they could be activated and, well, fry the escaping convicts. As long as they stayed in their insulted cells, they would be fine… maybe. Asd we passed the first set of force fields, that acted as the doors to the cells, they produced an electrical sound, almost like crackling. No doubt trying to connect with our bodies' natural static electricity.

We made our way to the center of the complex, a large control tower, suspended from the underside just like the cell stacks. The faded blue steel of the tower started as a column from the bottom of the strongroom, then reached the large bulbous overlook windows, then returned to a column, stretching down to the “floor’ of the facility.

One of the guards, a mare, in her power armor exited the tower and walked met us halfway down the bridge. “Good Morning Captain. Which of the prisoners do you need to speak with?”

“Despoena. She is a griffoness that was brought in yesterday.” I replied.

The guard clicked her teeth from behind her helmet. “Ah. Yeah, she is a problematic one. Follow me.” She spread her wings, and flew off the catwalks down towards the bottom. Once we had landed, she walked towards the last cell on the north cell stack.

“Get the fuck up Prisoner. You have guests…” She yelled, beating the steel siding with an electrified baton.

I stopped next to her, and peered into the cell. Through the blue-ish hue of the field, I could see Despoena’s face go from annoyance, to that fucking creepy smile.

“Thank you. We can take it from here.” I said to the guard, not taking my eyes off the slaver griffoness.

The guard saluted, holstered her baton, and returned back to the tower.

We stood there in silence, seemingly locked into a staring contest. Despoena finally lost, and broke the silence.

“Well, well, well. Miss me so soon, spooky?”

I snorted. “Couldn’t pay me all the bits in the Enclave to spend more than twenty minutes with you.”

She giggled. “Then leave. I was enjoying the fresh air before you began stinking it up.” She reclined back on her cot, closing her eyes, and interlocking her claws behind her head. “All of you “Intelligence” pegasi have the same rotten smell.” She said, exaggerating the intelligence by unlocking her claws and performing air quotes.

“Unfortunately for you, we’re going to have a nice chat. Now, what can you tell me about Storm Protocol? Don't play dumb either, I have the files from your airship that I downloaded before popping the fucking thing like a birthday balloon…”

Not opening her eyes, she sighed and rubbed her temples. “"I told that fucking idjit to shell the town, make it easier for us to get the fuck out of there and onto better things, but noooooooo, some-pony had to be a fucking smartflanks..." She ended the rant by spitting at the forcefield door. Some things never change I guess.

“On with the point.” I retorted.

She snorted, then waved a claw in a dismissive motion.

"Look, we can all play nice and you can tell us what we want to know, or we can play rough and I can beat it out of you," Shady added.

Shady's demeanor was usually that of carefree in nature, so hearing him getting pissed was concerning.

"Hey, spooky. Why don't you collar your chihuahua?” Despoena retorted in a mocking tone. She then stretched and yawned very loudly, and most likely falsely. "It’s about time for my nap. Which means yall need to get the fuck out of here."

I could tell we were getting nowhere with this questioning. "C'mon Shady. Leave the Interrogators for this one."

I turned around and began flapping up into the air. As I lifted off, Despoena called out again. "Have fun with what comes next, spooky pookie. Cause' it will be something I'm not gonna miss."

More words from the condemned. I couldn't wait for her to be marched up onto the gallows…

===***===

Location: City of Ralneigh, Grand Pegasus Enclave

Time: 13:42 Equestrian Military time

Lunch had found us in the base’s mess hall. Weather, Racer, and Cloud had joined Shady and I at a small table, near the rear of the large room. In between eating, I explained the situation, and let them poke around at the terminal pad. Midway through our lunch, I had received a message on my Pipbuck that our new home for the next week was nearing Ralneigh, and to be ready as soon as possible.

“I, for one, hope we get there behind them. I would love to get some action.” Racer said.

“Don't count on it. They’re tougher than you think, Racer.” I added, before placing my empty tray in one of the depositories.

“Anyone can be labeled tough. Though I didn't see any tough ponies when we landed, only scum and cowards who wanted to kill innocent foals and mares. Racer replied, depositing her tray on top of mine.

I nodded in agreement, though I still recalled being near death twice yesterday. “C’mon. Let's go get our things and kit.”

As usual for this time, the armory was bustling with activity. After waiting in one of the lines, we as a group approached one of the armorers, a purple-colored stallion.

“Omega Squad checking out our armor and weapon systems.” I said as I got to the till. The stallion typed something on the terminal, then buzzed us in.

I walked over to my locker and opened it, grabbing my canvas bag, snack bag, and then after a moment of thought, removing a taped picture of my family and I from the inside of the door. I opened the bag, and made sure it still held my items. I then stashed the terminal inside the bag, slung the bag over my barrel, and relocked the locker.

My armor looked almost brand-new, save for some dings and scratches. Reaching around with my teeth, I lifted the canvas bag off my midsection and placed it onto a steel bench, before walking up to the diagnostic cart, attached to my unoccupied power armor.

Tabbing through the terminal readouts with practiced skill, I confirmed a clear and clean read of my armor systems. Satisfied, I disconnected the plugs connected to my armor, and lowered it.

I began to strip, laying my uniform and officers cap inside the open bag, then donned the under-barding for the armor. Walking around to the back of my armor, I first inspected the small valve-like structure, just behind the shoulder plates. Making sure the main power core of the armor, a yellow cylinder basically operating like a miniaturized spark reactor, was at full power, before then twisting the valve clockwise. The armor hissed, and separated slightly, allowing me to pull open the back panel and step inside. Shifting until I got comfortable, I confirmed the seal of the armor from my Pipbuck, now interfaced through a connector specifically built for a Pipbucks receptacle. The armor once again sealed, and I turned to don my helmet, placed on a steel shelf near the repair cradle’s.

“Back in the saddle,” I mumbled before launching the programs built into the armor. I grabbed my bags and uniform, and slung them across my back, fastening them to the hardpoints using the telekinetic spell. I flexed my armored wings and cracked my neck, attempting to alleviate my body's soreness, then maneuvered into the doorframe to let my friends finish gearing up.

Out of all of us, Shady had packed the most. Three large canvas bags, filled with trinkets and scrap he had collected over the years most likely, plus his utility bags.

“Hey Cap’? When did we enlist a pack mule?” Racer said, halfway through booting her armor.

“Ha. Ha.” Shady said mockingly from behind his helmet. “Keep laughing Racer. All of this stuff is tech gold. What happens if we need something that hasn’t corroded from two centuries of exposure?”

I chuckled. “Don't make me turn this chariot around, foals.”

“Aw c’mon Cap. You could have let us know before-hoof. I would’ve packed more.” Racer said as she shouldered a small carry-on.

“I would have chucked it off the gangplank. Let some waster get lucky with your fifty pounds of makeup.” Shady said as he clunked his way over near me.

“Tssh, as if. I don't need makeup when I have a sparkly uniform and one-hundred fifty pounds of black titanium protection.” She said as she drew in a breath. “You all know Mares can't resist a uniform, especially if there are curves to go with all that brass.”

Cloud snorted, before slinging his ruck and joining us. “If you find any, let me know.”

“That makes two of us.” Weather said as he waited on a bench. Medical personnel did not need the bulky mass of power armor, so just like yesterday, he was wearing his shadowed combat barding and helmet with a large medical corps emblem painted across the extra plate, fused to the helmets “forehead” region. His medical saddlebags and plasma defender, a smaller and easier to handle version of the plasma pistol Mk.1, sat beside him.

Never hurts to be ready to take a life, to save a life, right?

Racer snorted, then walked over to join us.

I checked the time to find it was Fourteen-twenty four. "Alright guys, c'mon. Our chariot awaits." I said as I turned. As a whole, we made our way back through the checkpoint and out the front of the armory into the open sunlight.

The navy cloud dock was at the very end of the facility, at the back of a separation between the facilities grounds and the Ralneigh industrial district. I took off, followed by my squad, and together in formation we flew to the dividing gate of the navy dockyards.

Similar to that of an actual sea-faring or river-faring vessel port, the separation formed something akin to a river. Deep enough to allow a pegasi to look down from the fluffy, white, top layer of the cloud cover, to the gray, uneven, and swirling middle layer of the cover. I believe it was layer two of five? I was no cloud manufacturer, though I could see them across the expanse coming in and out of the cloud factories on the far side. Almost on cue, an alarm sounded on the far side, before a rumbling sound signified the expulsion of new clouds. The blueish pipes poking just barely out from the underside of the top layer let out a swarm of new, swirling, clouds. They were then guided by worker pegasi in white jumpsuits to where-ever the cover needed patching.

The actual navy ports, numbering about fifteen open spots and twenty in total, were arranged side by side. Large docking cranes and gantries occupied the divider between each port. Three empty ports from the entrance, then one occupied. A Raptor sat stationary in the space, looking like it was undergoing repair due to the gash in the armor caused by whatever in goddesses name could penetrate that armor. From there. Empty spaces and occupied spaces were sparsely organized.

A thrum of engines sounded, as well as a general readiness alarm. I looked behind me to see a familiar bow part emerge from a large cloud. It hovered a moment in the opening to the dockyard, most likely communicating with air traffic control, then proceeded to a space between a Corvette and Raptor a little farther down the row. As it passed, I could see the stencil engraved on the bow reading Eye of the Storm. The General was right, it did look like it had just come back from repair. The armor was dinged, missing, or battered in most places, but it looked overall fine. No reason for wasting materials to just make a ship look brand new.

"That… is the "Eye"?" Racer said as she was clear to proceed through the checkpoint and walked up next to me. "What a piece of junk." She said after staring for a moment.

"Don't say that too loud, I’d rather we start off on good terms with the crew." I replied, before watching as the rest of my friends filed through the checkpoint. Shady had the hardest time, with the guards giving him side eyes as they checked through his bags filled with scrap.

As we approached the prowler, two pegasi flew off the bow and secured the small warship to a mooring anchor on the pier, then retreated back onto the deck. The left side hangar door opened with a decompression noise, allowing a group of two ponies to emerge from the hangar space and make their way across one of the supporting storm clouds that held a runway. Because it was docked so that the large cloud was level to the pier, we could just step onto the ship without the need for a gangplank.

“Captain Thundercloud I presume?” A gray stallion, with a cobalt colored mane, reached the end of the runway cloud, then stepped off onto the divider towards us.

“Indeed. To whom do I owe the pleasure?” I asked in return, extending a wing to shake.

“Captain Cloud Skimmer. And this is my second in command, First Lieutenant Lavender Mist.” He said while shaking my wing. Lavender ruled up to her name, being a lavender color, with a light blue mane accented with a yellow streak starting from her right side, and running all the way to the back of her mane.

I shook Lavender's wing as well, and greeted her. “This is my Second Lieutenant, Shady Skies. Second Lieutenant Racer, Second Lieutenant Cloud Buster, and our combat medic, Second Lieutenant Gutsy Weather. Omega squad requesting permission to come aboard, sir.” I ended with a snappy salute. Even though Cloud Skimmer and I were the same rank, it was customary and tradition to request to come aboard a warship. Being selected to crew a large navy ship was easy, but being given command of one was a great honor and privilege. It also never hurts to be polite.

"We aren't getting any younger. Granted. Let's get this road trip underway." He said happily, before returning my salute and spinning around. "C'mon, I'll let you meet my wife." He laughed a deep laugh. "Old joke. I am talking about the Eye."

I snorted. "Alright you lot, let's not keep adventure waiting."

We followed Lavender and Cloud Skimmer into the hangar. It was extremely small, even for a hanger. Barely fitting two Vertibuck's arranged side by side, a bombing chariot, and a sky tank. What you could call the rear wall of the hanger, if you were in the bridge, held a caged in alcove that held the all to infamous large light gray Enclave shipping containers, more commonly known as "mane pullers". Who knows how they got coined this, but they certainly live up to the name, being a pain in the flank to move, unlock, and unpack.

Cloud Chaser nodded to an orange bodied, yellow maned stallion and mare, both gathered around the far Vertibuck making repairs.

We were led through a door in the wall, into a corridor. As usual with all navy ships, every inch of space was used to its full extent. Smaller crates sat next to pipe works, which were on a bordering wall shared with a metal table and seating. Down the corridor, we reached an X junction, and took a left corridor. This led to an elevator, which Cloud called. Surprisingly enough, the car was large enough to fit every pegasus comfortably. I assumed it was a cargo elevator of some sort due to the gear we were all carrying.

The car started steadily arising. “The Eye has five decks. We are heading to three currently to get all of you settled. Unfortunately, you will need to bunk with a roommate per room.” He turned to Racer next. “Mares with Mares, Stallions with Stallions. That is the foremost rule onboard. And.. No funny business. If you have feelings, be it homo or hetero, keep it under check. This is a warship after all, not a hotel. This goes for all of you, understand?”

I nodded. “I speak for my team when I say, nothing like that will happen on this ship. I trust you all will agree?”

A general collection of “Yes Sir” echoed around the car as it halted and the doors opened. A long corridor held doors to the left and right. Peaking into one as we passed, it resembled a college dorm room. A small common area with a steel table in the center of the room. The wall had insets to hold a fridge and kitchenette. I also could see two very small rooms to the left and right sides of the wall, which were large enough to hold a bed and an inset shelf. A bathroom and shower was placed inside a room on the far wall of the room.

I followed until we stopped at a bulkhead door. Cloud opened it with a metallic squeak, and we proceeded through. Another living block corridor met us. We proceeded until just before the next bulkhead door, where Cloud turned to us.

“Aaaaand, these are your quarters. I’ll let you decide who is bunking with who.”

“Shady, you and I will share a room. Weather, you and Cloud Buster take the other one.” I said as I pushed open the room door fully with a back hoof. I backed in and dumped my pack on a small sofa, previously obscured by the door. Shady dumped his bags on a bed, thereby claiming it for his junk empire. We would worry about unpacking when we got underway.

Back into the hallway, I saw Racer enter the last room on the right.

“Here you are, Lieutenant Racer. You will have this room to yourself for the time being. Every pegasus here already has permanent living accommodations.” Cloud said as he watched her enter.

I nodded. “Alrighty Captain. Let's see the rest of your home here.”

He chuckled. “Goddesses, I should have cleaned. This next part is my favorite.” He said as he opened the next door. We followed him into a very spacious cafeteria and common room area. The area was mostly packed with the metal mess tables common on all navy ships. The lunch line sat on the back left wall, wrapping around in an inverted L shape. Behind this, a small kitchenette followed the same path. On the far right wall, a few TV’s hung from the ceiling, while a jukebox, pool table, and some couches all sat atop a patterned carpet. What I assumed to be the cooks sat in this area, leisurely playing a video game.

Cloud pointed with a wing. “The white one is Coconut Sky, our head cook. The dark green one is Soaring Apple, and the purple one is Mango Striker. Best to stay on their good side, lest’ you want a loogie in your chow.” He said with a chortle.

Out through the door on the far wall, we reached another corridor, this time holding rooms mostly for storage, but with the exception of a sick bay and planning room. Beyond that, the corridor ended with an elevator shaft, and stairwell.

Taking the elevator up, we reached deck four. We stepped out into one corridor this time. The large cavernous space ran bow to stern, with circular rooms positioned two towards the bow, and one to the stern.

To our left and right, circular passages curved in an L shape back towards the bow, leading to a mostly glass ball turret, holding four magical energy miniguns per turret. A set in the middle allowed the user the ability to control the turret manually, if the option for the automatic targeting systems extended to the stations.

As we trot slowly down the bulkhead, Cloud Skimmer pointed out this and that. The Eye had three dorsal mounted heavy arcano-laser cannons, all of which extended downward to the second deck, and allowed access to the internals from the circular rooms. Walking in a crescent shape around the turret rotor, we came to midship. This held what Navy crew call a plotting room. The space was mainly occupied by a large holo-table, displaying all sorts of things from capacitor charge, to the feeds of the large cannons.

A few weapon tech's greeted the Captain with a cheerful smile or greeting, followed by a salute, but most were busy typing away on mane frame terminals gathering whatever readouts they were after.

The port and starboard of this room held large, barn like steel sliding doors. Except instead of sliding to the left or right, they slid upwards, revealing large battery clusters, capacitors, and other tech needed for the weapons.

"That room there holds the scorcher's capacitors." Cloud Skimmer said, nodding to an open room more resembling a small chariot garage.

"She has a scorcher?" I asked bewildered.

The DSEW-21 Static Energy Weapon system, more commonly called the scorcher, was the same large energy cannon that Raptors and Thunderheads use. Albeit unable to fire unless the bow was pointed to the target, they are devastating to anything caught in the business end of it. Firing a superheated beam of energized magical plasma like my beloved plasma-casters did, the beam has an effective range of about fifty kilometers, and is able to pierce heavy armor, dragon scales, or underground material.

"Sure does. The Eye is one of three who has it. We had to ditch the pinion missile pods for it though. Draws too much from the reactor if both of them are firing." Cloud said as he made his way out of the plotting room, around the stern cannon, to a door.

"This is the rear cargo deck and lifeboat room." He said as he opened it with a wing. The storage area was filled with strapped down shipping crates of various sizes.

Along the port and starboard walls, small orange five-pony life pods sat stacked two high. These were reminiscent of the offspring of an egg and submarine, and could be flown by one pilot when the small cloud generators were engaged, and the single propeller at the back of the craft was active. Very slow and sluggish to control, but it beats dieing.

We backtracked, and rode the same elevator up another floor. This opened to a short tower like structure, situated behind the midship cannon. It was furnished in dark-tan wood, probably pre-war, and sported a large dining hall table. Three-fourths of the walls of this room were floor to ceiling reinforced glass, providing a gorgeous view.

"And this is the Great Room. If you would like, I want to throw a big welcome party here tonight. Welcome you and your friends aboard." Cloud said as he walked out in front of us, then turned to face us.

"I am sure Omega squad would be happy to join your crew." I answered back.

This made Cloud Skimmer smile, before heading back into the elevator. "Wonderful. I am heading back to the bridge so we can get underway."

I nodded, and we filed into the elevator. I chose to follow him, instead of retiring to my room like the others. We backtracked back through the mess hall, and into the cargo elevator at the back. Riding it down past the hangar level, to reach the bridge.

Like many Cloudships, the bridge was mounted on the bottom, what could be referred to as the keel. We turned left after a short walk down a corridor, and I got my first look at this AI core that had been mentioned. More or less a large collection of data banks, terminals, and such embedded into the starboard bulkhead. We passed by a small seating area, unoccupied as of now, and stepped onto the bridge. The large bubble canopy curved upwards from the floor, and was a light teal in color. Behind it, was a large helm station.

The wheel was mounted to a table with many monitors, buttons, panels, and switches. A velvet colored pegasus mare, with a pale silver mane, sat behind the wheel. Busying herself with some readouts on the console.

"Captain on deck!" Lavender sounded from our right. The left and right sides of the room held similar consoles to the helm, though terminal monitors were mounted above them on the walls.

"At ease." Cloud said with a wave of a wing. He turned to me, and pointed to the control center on the left that was closest to the wall, and began listing the centers off going clockwise around the room. "That's damage control. The position is held by Second Lieutenant Caramel Twist." Almost on queue, the chair spun around to reveal a caramel coated, chocolate maned, mare. "Hey Captain. Hello Sir." She greeted us in turn, before swiveling back to her console.

"Sensors and utility. Occupied by Second Lieutenant Cloudless Sky." A light blue mare, with a white mane, waved in our general direction.

"Helm is owned by Velvet Rain, the drama queen." Cloud said with a chuckle. The Velvet mare turned in her seat, and stuck her tongue out at Cloud Skimmer playfully.

"Comms is occupied by Breezy Cookie." I thought for sure the seat was vacant, the occupant visiting the head located past the turn to the bridge. I was wrong. What I first thought to be a bright pink colt, with a deep purple mane, stood up in his chair and propped himself up on the back with his forehooves.

"Is that… A foal?" I asked, a little taken aback.

The room went silent, then roared with laughter. All except Breezie Cookie, who wore a look similar to that of Storm Cloud being denied a cookie for dessert.

"I'm thirty-five, not a foal. Also, I prefer "party sized"." Breezy said, sounding more annoyed than angry. This caused the room to go more towards hysterics.

My face went red with embarrassment. I felt like an idiot.

Cloud slapped my back with a wing, still trying to contain his laughter. "Don't sweat it Thundercloud. Breezy gets it all the time. Doesn't make it any less hilarious though."

"Maybe for all of you.." Breezie said, as he turned around and sat back down at his station.

Cloud finally was able to regain his composure, though with sparse giggles, and pointed at the final seat where Lavender sat. "And that's weapons. Anything that goes pew pew, Lavender controls."

I nodded. The Eyewas definitely proving itself as an effective tool.

"But enough jawing." Cloud said as he made his way to the Captain's chair in the middle of the room, and sat down. "Miss Velvet? Do we have departure clearance?"

"Aye sir." Velvet said over her shoulder with a hoity-toity accent. She would have fit well with the old Canterlot upper class.

"Take us out. Captain, would you be so kind as to upload the coordinates of your mission? General Star Chaser didn't give us any more details other than transit your squad."

I nodded. "I can do you one better. I cannot stress this enough that what I am about to tell all of you is very classified."

Aside from the dull thrum of propellers spinning, the room went quiet. I tried to piece together some response that didn't make myself look batshit insane, but decided to tell the story as a whole, sparing no detail. Describing from the initial mission of retrieving stolen cargo, to discovering Despoena's team, to the battle over Sugar Grove.

Once I had concluded, I fell silent, waiting for the barrage of questions. Cloud wore the look of some-pony who had seen not just one ghost, but an army of them. Wide eyed, he opened his mouth, searching for words.

"Yes, Windigo are real. And yes, we are going to make sure they stay just as a foal's tale." I said, cutting him off.

"Normally, I wouldn't believe anything you just said. Claimed you hit the bong or had gone loco. But.. This is from the council." Cloud said. He raised both wings, and began massaging his temples. "Fuck. What have I got myself into?" He asked no pegasus in general.

"Just another nightmare from the old world I'm afraid." I said, then shook my head. After a moment, I walked around to the helm, connecting my Pipbuck to it.

I tapped a few keys, and brought up the GPS marker for MAS facility delta. The connection shared the relevant transit info to the ships onboard computer, and a holographic HUD appeared, splashed across the windscreen and on the holo-table as a 3D model. I walked over to the table and stood over it. A map of the land loaded, claiming the old world name for the area Ralneigh was over was called the "Appleachian Mountain range."

I scanned the map, watching as it was filled out in dark green holograms. Funnily enough, Ralneigh and Sugar Grove were represented on the map as their name, and a small icon of the Enclave Symbol, and a building symbol.

:ERROR. ERROR. UNABLE TO LOAD GPS. PLEASE RELOCATE AND TRY AGAIN: The terminal presented in large, blocky lettering.

"The hell?" I said out loud, then refreshed the loading bar. It displayed the same message again.

"Looks like it cant render the flight path this far up. It’ll probably right itself when we get below the cover." Cloud said, studying the map as well.

"Probably. It’s somewhere in this general area." I said as I adjusted the map towards the bordering mountain ranges to the north.

"Hmm. That’s going to take a bit to reach. Maybe a few days top." Cloud said as he scanned the map.

"Yeah. We're in it for the long haul. But first things first. I need you to drop down here." I pointed to Sugar Grove. "Dispatch a Vertibuck when we arrive, I'm going to pick up three additional operatives. A unicorn, a zebra, and an earth pony."

Cloud recoiled slightly in his chair, and gave me a confused, yet resigned, look. "This is definitely an odd group of troops you are collecting."

"Don't discount them. They are good fighters. As for the zebra, Anakvad. I don't want to hear anything that could be remotely prejudiced against him. He has had a hard life, being a slave will do that to you I'm afraid. In other words, I want him treated as another brother in arms. Can you make sure of that?" I asked Cloud, with a small dagger in my voice.

"You don't need to worry, friend. I’ll make it crystal clear. My crew isn't a bunch of hardcore, prejudice-holding racists like you get from time to time." He said.

I breathed a sigh of relief. My friends would be treated well, I was positive.

"Miss Velvet? Have we exited the restricted zone?" Cloud said, swiveling back around to face the window.

"Yes Cap'n. We are away."

"Excellent. Put us into a twenty five degree nose down. Let's take her down slowly so as to not upset her new parts."

"Answering two-five, nose down. Aye Sir." Velvet said as she made corrections to the trajectory.

"Part issues?" I asked.

"Nothing of note. The Storm is an old girl, so she is running out of functional replacements in tip top shape. She should be fine. As long as we don't hit anything rough, We'll be right as rain." He said as he checked something on one of the LCDs, mounted to the arms of his chair.

===***===

Him and his big fucking mouth…

About an hour into descent, a large raindrop splattered against the window, then one became a light drizzle. Then a light rainstorm. Then a Goddess-damned torrential downpour. "What was that about not hitting anything-" Velvet called from the helm.

"Yeah yeah. I know. Save it." Cloud cut her off as fast as the question came.

Visibility was near zero, no thanks to the drastically darker landscape under the cloud cover. Heavy, non-stopping rain coated the windscreen at every second. The wipers situated above the helm didn't even make a dent in the oncoming downpour. On the plus side, the Storm apparently possessed high-powered flood lights that were situated in the hull. They were able to make the atrocious flying conditions about point zero zero zero five percent better.

The darkness was lit up with a vibrant yellow for a second, as lightning flashed in front of us, not close enough to be dangerous, but close enough that we squinted at the blinding light. A large crack of thunder sounded, the shockwave rattling the Stormaround more than it was currently.

“Helm, right rudder twenty degrees. We are being blown off course.” Cloud said, watching the computer rendered location of the ship drift off course from Sugar Grove.

The next hour consisted of precise alignment and fighting hard against the harsh windsheers, pounding rain, thunder shockwaves, and blinding lightning, until I could just make out the aura of Sugar Groves yellow lighting in the distance, hidden almost by the dark and looming swamp trees that surrounded it.

I pointed a wing at it. “There it is. I am heading down to the hangar. Ready a transport for me please, We'll be here and gone in a jiffy.” I said as I started out the door.

“Already on it. Meet Firefly and Sunshine in the hangar. They will get ya’ taken care of Thundercloud.” Cloud said as he watched me go.

“Much obliged Captain Skimmer.” I said as I exited the door.

I rode the elevator up one deck, then stepped out and followed the corridor back into the hangar. The orange mare and stallion I had noticed when we had boarded met me halfway down the hangar deck, saluting as they approached.

“How ya' doin' Captain. I'm Firefly. This is my wing-pony, Sunshine. We'll be your chauffeur today.” The Stallion said.

Both Firefly and Sunshine wore typical dark gray flight suits, almost like under-barding for Power Armor. The key difference is that they were padded for insulation, with an optional detachable oxygen mask hanging from a ring on the collar. They both wore a helmet, with a bulging visor over their eyes, and I could just make out the dark green glow of a hud from within.

I returned their salute. “I’m doing well. Has Captain Skimmer told you what your mission is?” I asked.

“Yeah. Going to gather some HV-Tee’s for you. Didn't say much other than that.” The mare, Firefly, responded as she turned back towards their Vertibuck.

I followed them back, and we mounted the craft. I noted the custom artwork on the nose of the flying machine as I flew up into the crew compartment. 'Thunder from the Sky' was written over the silhouette of a pegasus with a lance. A lightning bolt arched out from the tip of the lance.

I sat down on one of the troop seats situated on the rear wall, and made sure to pull the over shoulder seat belt tight. Raging angry thunderstorms plus small Vertibuck equals not fun flying conditions.

Sunshine turned partially around in her chair, and gave me the unique radio code for the Storm. I tapped it into my Pipbuck, then sealed my helmet. The staticky noise was replaced with Firefly's voice.

"Firefly to Hangar. Requesting permission to taxi." Firefly said lazily while he flipped switches and pressed buttons on the console.

"Hangar control to Firefly. Doors are unsealing now. Proceed to cloud way One-L. Be careful out there." Came the response from the overhanging hangar pod, suspended on the roof of the hanger.

"Taxi One-L. Firefly out." The connection to the hangar cut. "Alright Mares and Gentle-stallions, this is your, uhhhh, pilot speaking, uhhhh."

Sunshine punched him in the arm, and he cut the impression. "Enough. Look good infront of the Captain, not like an idiot."

"Aw c'mon Sis, you know I am just messing around." He replied in a tone feigning innocence, but wore a teasing smile.

That would explain their striking resemblance. Sunshine and Firefly were siblings. Not unheard of in times of peace to have family stationed aboard the same ship.

The roar of the propellers jumpstart sounded, and we began steadily crawling across the floor. The slapping of the high winds and rain against the relatively thin armor of the transport carapace placed some anxiety in my mind.

We reached the runway, then rotated left. The propellers revved loudly to full power. All at once, we rocketed off the pad, dropped about a yard, then steadily climbed into the stormy sky. I slowly maneuvered out of the divot I had made in the leather seat from hunkering down against the gees.

"Tartarus's terror." I said, feeling like I had just rode a rollercoaster times one-hundred.

"Eh. You get used to the catapult after a while." Sunshine said from the radio.

I had heard mention of some Cloudships having steam powered catapults for faster takeoffs from smaller runways, but had never experienced being slung in what was essentially an eleven ton metal bird before. It felt like the dizzy-tron training course from boot camp all over again, only so much worse.

"At least give me fair warning next time, please…" I said, annoyed.

And at that moment, the worst sound I could have ever wanted to hear made its debut. The cackle of electricity signified lightning was about to be released. On queue, a blinding yellow streak ripped across the sky in front of the Vertibuck.

"Fuckin Skies. I hated this kind of scenario in the sim-pods." Firefly quipped as he banked hard right to avoid the bolt.

The Vertibuck missed the bolt by a few yards or so and releveled, then shook violently as the shockwave caught it. The spotlight mounted on the ventral part of the nose barely shed light on the dark masses of trees under us as the small craft re-leveled once again.

The lights of Sugar Grove grew brighter and brighter, until I could see the town itself. The Vertibuck nosed up, and slowed rapidly, before we came to a soft landing in the center of town.

"Alright Captain, we’ll wait here until you return." Firefly said as he revved down the engines, letting them grow silent.

I thanked them, then unsealed the troop door on the left side. I slid it open, only to get greeted by the pounding rain. Without my armor, it probably would have hurt to be hit by the torrential downpour. Dropping down, I landed in what once was part of the dirt path, now turned to dark brown, sloshing mud.

I grimaced about having to clean this crap off my armor, but dizzily trudged on anyway to the familiar large residence of Blackwood. I knocked on the door, then stepped back.

A cream mare, with a walnut colored mane, opened the door. Probably Blackwood's wife. "Oh! Hello.. uhh.. Trooper? How can I help you?"

"I am looking for Blackwood. Is he in?" I asked.

"He is. Not sure what trouble he has found himself in now…" She said, giving the concealed interior a side eye.

She turned, and called upstairs. "Woody! There's an Enclave Trooper at the door wanting to see you."

"Hol'on. I’m’ma coming." Blackwood's gruff voice called from upstairs. He came trotting down the stairs and approached the door. "What c'n I do fur'ya, Trooper?" He asked, looking puzzled at the seemingly random Enclave trooper calling on him.

"You can let me in for starters, Blackwood." I said behind a sly smile.

His eyes went wide, and a smile spread across his face. "Dad'gum that wus fast. S'okay Walnut, ah' know this'un."

The mare, now identified as Walnut, opened the door wider and stepped aside to let me in. I graciously nodded to her and unsealed my helmet inside the… foyer? Not sure what Wasteland house entrances are called.

"Well well well well well. I see a-little-silhouetto-of-a Captain." Came the smooth and joking tone of Squeezer. The teal stallion sat in a wooden chair in the kitchen slash dining room area of the shack. I felt a tad bit more relieved he was able to stand up and leave the wheelchair I had last seen him in. The wonders of modern past medicine. Still though, he wore a wrapping of healing bandages around his barrel, but seemed otherwise alright.

"Feeling alright Squeezer?" I asked in greeting.

He made a series of thinking faces, then cackled. "Indeed. Indeed. Like I said. Nothing, a few bottles of wine and some healing bandages can't fix."

I chuckled. "Where's Anakvad?" I asked, not finding my striped friend present on the ground floor.

"S'upstairs with the colts. Blackwood said as he shut the door against the rain and wind. "He's real gud at keep'in them entertained with'is games."

I smiled, knowing he was probably reminded of his filly. I nodded and began heading upstairs, but was stopped by Blackwood.

"Hol'on buckaroo. Don't track mud through Walnuts' clean house now. Squeezer, show'em your trick if ya'feeling uptah'it."

I blinked in surprise. Cleanliness wasn't something I attributed to the Wasteland. Nor was the cryptic remark of Squeezer's "new trick".

Squeezer concentrated, then shut his eyes. He seemed to strain as a teal aura surrounded his horn. I took one step back, seemingly the target of a spell. My body was surrounded by the same teal aura, then in a flash of light, the mud was gone.

"Woah. Neat trick." I said, impressed. I admired my clean legs, looking fresh off the factory. I looked back at Squeezer, panting and coughing.

"You okay?" I asked, concern creeping into the forefront of my mind.

"Yeah yeah. Magic’s not a strong suit of mine. Still working on that." He said through sipping some water from a glass on the table.

"But… I saw you levitating a bunch of stuff yesterday?" I asked. This was confusing at best.

"Ah, yeah yeah. Figured you wouldn't know a lot about unicorns. Well, telekinesis is… like, the basic-ist spell we know. Hell, we don't even have to learn it. We just know how to do it from birth. Just. Hey Mam’, look. I can fly.” He cackled again.

I gave him a blank stare, still trying to process the magical equivalent of advanced trigonometry and how unicorns can fly.

Squeezer, probably using his ooga-booga unicorn magic, predicted the latter question, and headed it off. “Yeah. Did that, probably too much. Mom and Pops probably thought I was a Tartarus spawn with how many times I decided to levitate my hind-hooves into the air. One minute, I would be in my crib, the next, I would be slowly floating across the den. I’ve got fond memories as well of me losing my grip and going headfirst into the wall or floors.” He cackled again.

I chuckled, though I was still trying to wrap my mind around unicorn magic. I decided to ignore the question, and head on up the staircase, followed by Blackwood.

His upstairs was mainly a hallway that ran parallel to the staircase. There were two rooms that made up the second floor. One with the door ajar just enough to reach the conclusion it was Blackwood and Walnuts’ bedroom. The other had its door all the way open allowing light to come into the hallway. I could hear Oak and Birch laughing inside, so I continued on.

Looking into the room, I couldn't help but chuckle. Anakvad was wearing a blindfold and earmuffs, and attempting to blindly and soundlessly find Oak and Birch, both of which were perched inside a white cabinet above a counter type structure, facing a bunk bed. They both turned to look at the newcomer inside the doorway, and got big smiles on their faces upon seeing me.

“Yup. One’a his games. He’s pretty gud’ at keep’in em’ occupied whil’ Walnut’n ah’ go about with damage repair.” Blackwood said behind me.

I laughed again, then leaned against the doorframe, watching the sight unfold. Due to Anakvad not stopping, I could reasonably surmise that the earmuffs were sound insulating, so I decided to get his attention another way. I grabbed a piece of balled up paper from the wastebasket by the door, and tossed it with a wing. Hitting Anakvad in the head with a thump.

“Ah! My small friends, I told you. No throwing things.” He said, rather annoyed. He reached up, undid his blindfold, and removed the earmuffs. Then looked down at the paper, then tracing it back to me. He smiled big, walked over to me, and gave me a tight hug.

“Thundercloud, my friend. You have returned.” He said through squeezing the life out of me.

Now, I am not a big hugger, and pegasi are generally not ones who like to be confined in one way or another, so this hug was… Uncomfortable at best.“Anakvad. Please let go, you are strangling me.” I croaked out, before breathing normally again as he let go with a sheepish grin.

“I apologize, my friend. I assume the reason for your return means we are departing?” he said, with a twinge of sadness in his voice.

I looked back at Blackwood's' colts, still staring at me with goofy smiles etched onto their faces and understood the reason for sadness. I assumed he saw a bit of Melaka in them in one way or another.

I nodded “Right now in fact. Grab your kit and meet us downstairs.” I turned and began making my way downstairs, listening to Blackwood scolding his foals for staring and how it “Wasn’t nice”. I laughed a silent laugh and made my way back into the kitchen, where Squeezer had already gathered two large rolling travel suitcases, and an old Equestrian Army duffle bag. The latter was open, and Squeezer was humming a tune to himself as he stuck his nose almost inside, moving around what looked to be junk and scrap with his teal magic. I guess it was an easy spell after all.

“What'cha' got there Squeezer? I asked, moving over to him. I also caught a glimpse of something I hadn’t noticed until now, his cutie mark depicting a trio of gold bars, loosely stacked atop each other.

Still not coming out of his olive green canvas cave of wares, “Bartering stuff, junk, scrap, and such. You know about Bottle Caps right?”

I remembered that Bottle Caps were the primary source of currency for the Equestrian Wasteland, though a fact I had learned as recently as yesterday just before boarding the Vertibuck to travel to Sugar Grove. “Yeah. Not sure why Wastelander's use them for currency though. Seems a bit primitive in my professional opinion.”

“Ah, no no no no no my winged compadre. See, Caps are used because there is an overabundance of bits found almost anywhere. Now, these are also worth something, but holding a lower value than Caps. See, these little Sparkle~Cola and other drink branded caps cannot be made. Therefore, setting a fixed rate on them.” He said, still messing with whatever junk he was moving in the bag.

That made… Perfect sense in my mind. You can't make the caps. That means overprinting is not a thing. Counterfeiting is probably rare at best, but it wouldn't look like the pre-war stamped caps. “So, does any-pony down here still barter with Bits?” I asked again. I must admit, I was fascinated with Wasteland economics at that moment.

“N’yes.” He cackled, though I was not sure what was so funny about the response. He finally withdrew from the bag, seemingly at peace with whatever he was doing inside. “Settlements, from as far as I know, around the Equestrian Wasteland still do take Bits, though they are worth..” He looked into the air, probably running some sort of math in his head. “About a ten to one ratio. They are better suited to be smelted back down and used to repair anything that uses conductive components. My colt-hood home still uses them in fact.” He finished.

“Where do you come from, Squeezer?” Now interested in where he grew up.

He waved a hoof. “Not really a place I like to remember. Let's switch back to Squeezers first love, bartering and money.” He cackled again.

“Isn’t that two things?” I asked, confused.

“Hmmm. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t.” He cackled.

I could see Walnut look at me and shrug. I resided myself to just chock it up to Squeezer being, well, Squeezer, and let it slide.

Blackwood and Anakvad came clunking down the stairs, followed by Oak and Birch. Anakvad had changed back into his mechanics jumpsuit, now looking tailored and sewed back together. A small sash with a variety of pockets now was attached to his barrel, ending in a holster for his small pistol. I made a mental note to get him a better weapon when we were back aboard the Eye.

Blackwood passed by us, and went into his office. I could hear beeping from within, most likely an electronic gun safe that somehow still worked, and returned with Whisper in the dark, and a combat rifle, handing the latter to Anakvad, who seemed surprised.

"Know how'tah use this?" He said, as Anakvad took it.

"Yes. It is similar to the Type-93 rifles we had from the homelands." Anakvad said as he slung it across his neck.

"Don't those shoot incendiary rounds?" Squeezer asked as he slung his bag, and levitated the two suitcases into the air.

"Not all. They can be modified with a pyromancy or any other elemental talisman to enchant the bullets." He responded.

And, learn something about Zebra weaponry. Check.

"Welp. Best not to doddle any longer. Do all of you have your things?" I asked, pushing the departure time along.

All three of them looked at each other, and at me, confused. Blackwood was the first to voice their supposed collective thoughts. "We're goin' now n'this down-pour?"

I blinked, then shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Well.. Yeah? We have a deadline to keep after all."

"Wha' don't we wait ‘till the rain stops?" Blackwood questioned in return.

"What he means is, why are we walking all that way in one of Appleachia's favorite pastimes, monsoon?" Squeezer clarified, then cackled.

"Ooooh, no no no. We aren't walking. We have a Cloudship requisitioned for us for transit."

Silence… It may be a virtue, but this was the type that left doubt in a pony's mind.

"Uhh. We're fly'in in yur fly'in machines? Whatta call'em?" Blackwood asked, with a look of apprehension on his face.

Oh… This was going to be a fun outing.

"That Vertibuck outside is our taxi. We land back in the Eye of the Storm and travel to where we need to go."

"I think I speak for all of us to say that flying isn't a thing Zebra and ground-ponies do regularly. In-fact. I believe I read something about…Pegas, pe-guh, uh…" Anakvad said, trying to work the word out.

I decided to help him along. "Peg-A-Si, but go on Anakvad." I said warmly, sounding out the word for reference.

"-That pegasi are so very different from even Zebra." Anakvad finished.

"Well… There is no other way we can get to where we need to go without flying." I argued.

"Ah'know, Ah'know." Blackwood said dismissively, then sighed. "Alr'igh. Let's get'goin." He said as he picked his bags up with his mouth.

Walnut went to his side, and held his face in her hooves for a moment. She smiled, then kissed his forehead. "Please be safe, Woody. I love you."

Blackwood sat his bag back down briefly and returned the kiss. "Aint' nothin' to be worried about, Walnut. Ah' got Squeeze and Thunder to watch me."

I smiled just a tad, seeing a mirror-like image to Misty and I. I glanced around the room as the heartfelt goodbyes were exchanged between Blackwood and his family. Squeezer was hanging around in the corner, also watching the departure. A part of me wondered if Squeezer had a special some-pony somewhere in the hells of the Wasteland that awaited us.

I moved my gaze to Anakvad, and my heart sank. He wore a sad expression on his face, one eye shedding a tear. I moved over to him, and gave him a reassuring smile. He sniffed, wiped the tear, and returned a half-hearted smile.

I gave him a pat on his shoulder, then turned for the door. "Alright you lot. Let's get moving."

I opened the door, nodded to Walnut with a "Ma'am, and we as a party stepped into the howling rain. When I reached the Vertibuck, I slid it open, then popped the deployable staircase to allow easier access to my non-winged brethren.

Squeezer was first on board, choosing to sit in the crash seat that backed Firefly. Anakvad and Blackwood joined me in the rear crash seats.

I pointed to the overhead cargo nets, not just to show them where to safely stow their luggage, but to get their attention to don one of the sets of flight headsets strung into the netting.

"Hoooo-lee shit. Now there is something I never thought I'd see. Welcome aboard mateys. I'm Firefly, and this lovely assistant beside me is my co-pilot slash sister, Sunshine." Firefly said from behind his flight visor.

"How'da turn this thang on?" Blackwood said from behind his already active mic.

"It's already online. Just buckle yourselves in." I answered, as I sealed my helmet.

"Oh, uh. How'yall doin? Ahm Blackwood. This here is Bullion Squeezer and Anakvad." Blackwood asked while tightening the straps around his shoulders.

"I do not fly. I do not fly. I do not fly." Anakvad kept repeating to himself as he sank lower and lower into his seat.

I reached over and helped him secure his straps, before doing the same to my own. I banged the roof of the troop bay with a hoof, making a clunking noise. "We are green back here." Telling the sibling duo.

"Roger that, Sir. Beginning take-off procedures." Sunshine said, as she went about turning on the systems to the dragonfly-like transport.

The blades coughed to life, and gained momentum. We lifted off the mud soaked ground, and into the air.

"Oooooooooookay-. Squeezer is not having fun. Nope. Not at all." The eccentric unicorn said, grabbing ahold of his seat straps with his hooves.

"Aw. Soo precious." Sunshine quipped, then giggled.

"I was wondering what their reactions would be." Firefly said with a chuckle. He looked again at the mirror, mounted onto the windshield. He began to laugh. "Look at the Orange one Sun'. He looks green now, oh."

Firefly regretted his statement instantly as Blackwood puked onto the steel floor of the Vertibuck.

"Fuck bro. Why on my nice clean deck?" Firefly said, and clicked his teeth. " I'm gonna be smelling that for the rest of the return trip."

I had to temporarily disable my microphone due to the school foal giggling I was producing, although feeling sympathy for my non-winged friends.

Though the Eye had moved closer now, it still took about fifteen minutes to reach the relative safety of the flying mothership. Anakvad had kept mumbling in his native tongue, keeping his eyes shut wide in an attempt to be blind to the ravaging maelstrom we were flying through. Squeezer continued to hold on tight, letting his form sway and rock with each maneuver and correction as we played dodge the lightning bolt. Blackwood managed to only throw up the once, though he certainly had moments where he covered his mouth tight with a forehoof in an attempt to deny the vomit its exit. Only when we cleared a large cloud, did he perk up a bit. He and Squeezer both stared in astonishment at the Prowler.

"Land sakes… Look'it tha size of that thang…" He said, enamored by the dark silhouette of the Eye, contrasted to the dark and stormy sky.

"That's the Prowler I was talking about. Our new home for our journey." I said, trying to keep him distracted from vomiting again.

"Why's it small? The only-un I've seen is larg'r than that." He asked, still studying the approaching form.

His question caught me by surprise. Ground Ops involving Cloudship support was not a thing at all, instead delegating the aged warships to defense and patrol. "What do you mean "the only one I've seen?" When have you seen another ship?"

"Ther'sa crashed one close ta’ mah’ hometown. Got brought down during tha last day maw-maw always said. Large'un at that. Whaddya call'em?" He looked at me, waiting for me to answer the question.

"If it's large. Chances are it's a Raptor." I answered.

"Ri'gh. Well. This Raptor is'n two about an ha'rs trot from where ah grew up. Nopony liked goin' up that way. Said it wus haunted or summin."

Probably the security system protecting from unauthorized intruders. Ghosts were just, scientifically, not real. Every soul moves on to purgatory when they pass, just a fact. Still, good to know that parts for Cloudships were close by.

We came to an abrupt halt, and taxied up towards the bay doors, which had begun to part and retract. "Alright. Please note that most pegasi vessels have clouds as external walkways and that support the ship. We can walk on them. You all cannot. Do not walk on the clouds, even if you see pegasi doing so. Okay?"

It felt silly to need to state the obvious, but was nonetheless met with a collection of yes in different forms.

"Outstanding. Let's get you guys settled in." I said as I disembarked. Most of my companions waddled out from the transport, looking shaken and sea sick. I knew they would get used to it eventually, at least I hope they will.

All three of them gaped at the intricacies of the Cloudships architecture as we proceeded. As we came to the elevator, Cloud Skimmer stepped out.

"Ah. Welcome aboard. I'm guessing you are Captain Thunderclouds friends? I am Captain Cloud Skimmer, Captain of the Eye here."

I stepped aside, and allowed my friends to introduce themselves. Once formalities were out of the way, we rode the elevator up to the barracks floor, where Cloud placed Anakvad in the room to the left of Mine, and Bullion and Blackwood on the Right. I then left them to settle in and entered my room, and was immediately greeted by Shady's rear hooves dangling down from the door seal.

"Lieutenant, What… are you doing?" I asked cautiously as I leaned my head in.

"Trying to rig this old speaker to connect to the broadcaster." Shady said without greeting. He continued to flap in place, and poke around with a half deconstructed speaker system.

"Uh huh… And you decided to take apart Captain Skimmer’s ship… Why?" I said as I closed the door behind me.

"See Cap', if I can rig this broadcaster to connect to the speaker, we can listen to it without needing to crowd around that little table. Plus, the speaker is fully busted. Can't replace that thing."

Alright…. I decided to let Shady tinker around, hopefully not setting the system to ship wide. I pressed the button on my Pipbuck with a wing, and allowed the armor to decompress and open, where I then stepped out of it and stowed it in one of the very small armor cradles supposedly placed there by Shady or a crewmember.

I then made my way to my bed and flopped down on it. I brought my Pipbuck up to my face, and scrolled until I had the number for home. It rang once, before being picked up.

"Cloud Residence, this is Misty Days speaking."

"Hey Hon. We are away." I said, smiling slightly at my wife's voice.

"Well good. What's it like down there?"

"Raining heavily." I said with an upwards glance out the very small port hole above the bed. "A huge storm. But I am confident that We'll be fine." I added, predicting the worrying questionnaire from Misty.

"I hope so. Storm is off in the living room playing his game-buck. Let me put you on speaker for him." Misty said. I heard the tone of the call switch to broadcast, before Storm called out in greeting. "Hey dad! Are you on the ship?" He called excitedly.

"Yeah, I am. Shady and have a room to ourselves." I replied, watching as a bit of wire sailed from the roof past my ajar door.

"Cool. What kind of ship is it? Is it a Raptor?" He asked, with a level of enthusiasm in his voice.

I chucked. "No no. It is a Prowler. A little ship."

"Ooooh, okie dokie lokie. I hope I get to captain a big Cloudship one day, sorta like what Mom was stationed on. Then, I can fly all over and protect every-pegasus." Cloud said, rather eagerly.

"Keep your grades up and you may, bud." Giving him the all time oldest parental encouragement saying.

"I know Dad. Goodnight, love you."

"Love you too bud." I replied, then waited for the call to be taken off speaker.

"How's Shady and the rest?" Misty asked from the other end.

"Ah, you know. Cloud is healing nicely, Racer is itching for a fight, and Gusty is seeming apprehensive, at best. Can't blame them to be honest. As for Shady-"

Right on schedule, Shady could be heard loudly shocking himself, and flopping to the floor. "'M’good Cap' " He called out.

"Being Shady…" Misty said, with a betraying tone of amusement.

"You got it." I said, watching him jump up and shake himself off, then flapping back into the air to engage in round two of hoof-o-cuffs with the speaker system.

"What'd he just do?" Misty chuckled.

"He is convinced that taking apart a speaker system will allow us to repair a device we have. In doing so, he shocked himself." I replied, a smile across my face in amusement.

"Not my fault this stuff is two-hundred-ish years old Cap'." He called in a huff.

She laughed sweetly. "Alright you too. I'll let both of you settle in. Shady? Make sure to keep him out of any trouble." She jokingly said.

"Yes Ma'am." Shady called, while still fighting with the speaker.

"Alright babe. Love you." I said. She wished me a goodnight and I hung up the call.

I checked the time on my Pipbuck. Eighteen-thirty. Great timing. Cloud had said for dinner, so I assumed the feast would be around nineteen-thirty, the usual time the mess opened for dinner.

"Hey Shady." I called into the common room. "Go round every-pony up and tell'em to get freshened up. Cloud has invited us to a dinner party. I'm going to hit the showers while you do."

"Alright-o Cap'. Just 'gotta get this one… Wire…." Shady said, still stressing over the speaker. I heard an audible spark, and music filled the cabin.

"Oh my sweet frauline, down in Flankfurt town. Makes my heart start to yearn. And my Kirin doll, down in ole' Pyreprong. Waits for my return."

My ears perked at this. This was old world music, albeit broadcasting with a static-y overlay, not Slaver transmissions. I rose from the bed, and meandered out into the common room. Shady was watching the broadcaster with curiosity, probably pondering why Slavers had an old world radio station running on an encrypted channel.

"Did you tune it right?" I asked him.

"It's the same station it was dialed to when I got it." He said, taking his gaze off the radio to look at me.

"Woah, I'm a travelin Buck. Yes, I'm a travelin Buck. Yes, I'm a travelin Buck. Woah, I'm a travelin Buck."

The music died out, replaced by static. Shady "Hmph'd" in frustration, and walked over to the resurrected transmission.

"GOOOOD EVENING FILLYDELPHIA. NOW ITS DAY NUMERO DOS FOR THE NON-STOP BROADCAST OF DJ PON3. WOOO! RED EYE CAN'T STOP THIS DISC JOCKEY FROM PLAYING IN HIS BACKYARD"

The hell? I shushed and stopped Shady as he grumbled and tried to turn the dial.

“AND HOW GOOD IT STILL FEELS. THAT LITTLE STABLE MARE REALLY DOES WONDERS IF IT COMES TO TECH. AS USUAL, OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE QUOTE UNQUOTE WORKERS, OF THAT DAMNED CITY. YOUR PLIGHT IS NOT FORGOTTEN. NOW, SOME NEWS. THE FIRES SPOTTED OUT IN THE BACK END OF THE EVERFREE FOREST HAVE, INDEED, BEEN PUSHING ALL SORTS OF THE LOCAL FLAVOR OF DANGEROUS COAT FLAYING WILDLIFE TOWARDS MORE CIVILIZED AREAS. SO BE WARNED IF YOU ARE IN CENTRAL EQUESTRIA.

I listened intently to the news report. This DJ definitely didn't work for Red Eye, and really didn't have a strong opinion about him either. That Stable Mare mentioned must have hijacked the broadcast the slavers were using, and put his show on the air. Clever on their part, but really hurts ours. I quickly left the broadcast, and headed into the hallway, where I rapped on Anakvad’s door, then Bullion and Blackwoods, telling them to follow me as I headed back for my room.

“What’cha need?” Blackwood asked after a moment of standing in silence, aside from the radio broadcast in the background.

“Listen” I said, annoyed.

“Tha’ broadcast? We hear that all’tha time.” Blackwood said after a moment.

“This is on a slaver station though.” I questioned. Surely this Pon3 didn't have that big of a radio empire. Fillydelphia was over a thousand kilometers, give or take, from Ralneigh.

“Yeah. Ahm impressed the DJ got throu’. S’been static since ‘ah can remember. But Pon3 has always been tha’ big fish on tha’ airwaves. All’them white towers carry’is voice and music from that Tenpony tower in Manehatten ‘ah think.”

Now that piqued my curiosity even more. “White towers? What do you mean?” I asked, head tilted slightly.

“Ah dont’know what they were. But the DJ always bounc’s his signal off’a them towers. Most’of ‘em are down’n the heartland. Manehattan, Hoofington, Friendship City, and Fillydelphia tah’ name a few.``

I gave thought for a moment, before reaching a conclusion. “These towers wouldn't stretch up all the way to the cloud cover, right?”

“Ye’h. They do. Why?” He asked, cocking his head to the side.

“Those are S.P.P. towers. Er, Sustainable Pegasus Project. They help keep the cloud cover formed. They are Enclave property, and I don't really like the idea of a random Stallion being able to access them.”

He huffed for a moment, before laying his ears back. “Never’got stopped be’fur. Way’s I see it, yall abandoned them.”

I waved a wing dismissively at him. “Probably never tripped the sensors. Regardless, a problem for later. Captain Cloud Skimmer wants us to join him for a banquet soon, so go freshen up and put on some nice-ish clothing if you have them.”

“Oooo, goodie. Food is always a route to my heart.” Squeezer said, then cackled.

I swear, he really needs to tone back on those glasses of wine.

With a collection of affirming statements, my earthy friends returned to their quarters. I closed the door, then got Shady's attention. “I am going to freshen up. Keep monitoring that channel for anything useful.”

“Aye Sir.” Shady said with a nod, then sat down at the desk, offloaded some scrap from his bags, and started tinkering.

I quickly made my way into the small bathroom unit of the quarters, showered off, brushed my mane and teeth, and donned my clean dress uniform, now nicely ironed by myself. Shady and I switched places, and I took charge of radio duty while he got ready.

“~There's just so much I have to tell. She's just the way I want her to be. Her spells burn hotter than T-N-Teeee. Megaspell baby, little, Megaspell.”

The upbeat melody ended as Shady stepped out of the bathroom, wearing his uniform.

“That DJ really likes oldies, doesn't he?” Asked as he passed by me, heading for his bunk.

“Looks to be that way, yes. I must say, he does have a great selection of songs.” I finished. I rose from the seat, and tucked it in behind me. “Let's get going, I’d rather not be late.”

Shady followed me out into the hallway, where I gathered every-pony. We rode the elevator up, and stepped out into the great room, which had been furnished with extra seating around its large wood table. Lit candelabras sat atop a white tablecloth, while a second table held covered silver platters and associated dining utensils.

Blackwood drew a long whistle as he stepped out, then commented “Fanc’ee”. Bullion had spotted one of his loves, a rich cloudberry wine stock inside an ice bucket, and had walked over to “investigate” it. Anakvad stood agape at the large hall.

“This reminds me of Mayflower Field’s town hall.” He said as he took in the sights.

I nodded, but realized he was not going to reminisce about his ransacked home. The elevator dinged softly behind us again, revealing Cloud Skimmer in a pressed Uniform. “Ah, Captain Thundercloud. So good of you to make it.” He said, smiling warmly as he sauntered up beside me.

“Wouldn't miss a free buffet for all the bits in the Enclave, Captain.” I jokingly replied. “Where is the rest of your bridge staff?”

“Ah, they’ll be along soon. We’ve decided to moor for the night, so Velvet is being anal on finding the right cloud we can dock too. After that, put on the auto-target function, and close up shop for the night. I suspect we are going to do this a fair bit in the coming days.” He answered as we walked towards the table.

“You don't have a relief crew on board?” I snorted, in agitation towards Enclave command. “Figures. It's whatever though. Do you have some-pegasus on watch?”

He nodded. “Neon Lights is on watch tonight. She is down that ladder on the bridge deck. It leads down to a small walk-about positioned in the hanging tower. I may assign you and your friends and squad-mates to watch one night. Wouldn't want a shithead Wastelander tripping on whatever chem they snorted, shooting a rocket at us while we sleep after all.”

That was a real possibility, especially for the previous events the day prior. Not wanting to dwell on the morbid subject any longer, I decided to ask Cloud Skimmer about his personal life.

“Well, that isn't really a lengthy story. But alright, I'll bite. I was born in High Cloud, graduated, stationed in Neighvarro, given command of the old mare here, and that's about it for backstory.” He laughed heartily. “I’ve got a wife, Starry Dawn, and two fillies, Ocean Breeze and Starry Night. Yourself?”

“Eh, fought in the Griffon Skirmishes back a while ago. As for family, I've got a wife, Misty Days, and a foal, Storm Cloud. I was born in Neighvarro. Mom and Dad always wanted me to join in the family business. Mom was a Navy techie, Dad did Infantry. They moved with us to Ralneigh when I was transferred.” I stopped, and thought about Mom and Dad for a second. They were close to Misty and I’s house, and always made the trip for Hearth's Warming Eve. “That's… Really all. Contrary to popular belief, I am no secret agent or Wonderbolt.” I chuckled.

“And here I thought you were some Golden Eye descendant. Sent from Elysium above to steal documents and get **all** the Mares.” Squeezer said with his trademarked insane cackle as he joined us, bottle of wine in his teal-colored tow.

Cloud Skimmer adopted a look of surprise on his face at the sight of Squeezers beverage of choice. “Oh? A Stallion of class I see. Tell me, have you ever had Cloudberry Wine before?”

Squeezer squinted, obviously confused. “Cloudberry? I’ve never heard of that before.”

Cloud Skimmer nickered, then produced a slim smile across his muzzle. “You’ll love it. See, crops are really hard to grow in the sky, spoiler alert. Well, aside from the rare instances where buildings poke out above the cover, we pegasi have had to germinate special types of produce that can grow from water-rich clouds. It's… Sorta like irrigation? You could say. Here.”

Cloud Skimmer reached across the table, and grabbed the bottle in a wing. Uncorking it with his teeth, he slid a glass to each of us, including Blackwood who had just sat down at the prospect of learning about the intricacies of cloud farming, and poured a bit of the purple liquid from the bottle into each.

“I propose a toast.” he said aloud, scooting back his chair and tapping his full glass with a wing-held spoon. “To the health of Thunderclouds friends, new and old. And to the success of the mission we have partaken in.”

A chorus of “Hear hear” responded, me included. Though my flightless friends did not seem to understand the tradition. I will admit, it was beginning to feel less like a deadly mission to Celestia knows where and more like your typical end-of-year dining out ceremony, where cadre of the Enclave would meet for promotions, awards, things like that.

Mostly to get drunk from the endless stock of booze…

I swirled the purple drink, then courtly sipped from the glass, enjoying the overly-sweet and bitter taste. Squeezer was a different story. Taking one sip, he puckered up, then proceeded to try and not spit it back out. Upon seeing there was no other way, he swallowed painfully, presenting a queasy smile.

“Mmm, yeah. That’s… Uh. That's a… Taste alright.`` he said, trying to be reassuring. I caught the final motions of Blackwood and Anakvad “accidentally” knocking their glasses over.

I stifled a laugh as Cloud Skimmer shot all three of them with a dirty look. “What.” He asked. “What's wrong with it?”

Squeezer shifted uncomfortably in his chair, before coming up with his only available answer to the wine based interrogation. “It's shit. No disrespect to you Captain’s, but it tastes like a dung-covered hoof that was dipped in sweaty sock juice.” He chortled, then produced a bottle from his coat with his magic.

He lay the bottle upright on the table, and twisted it to produce the label. The golden label read the words “Refined Taste presents, Muscadine Red.” In accordance with the label, the liquid inside was a deep, dark red.

Cloud Skimmer leaned over the table to get a better look at the presented bottle, almost like a king examining tribute. “Hmm.” He said after a moment. “Let’s give it a taste test then.” He said as he regained his signature slim smile.

“Ah, good choice, Sir. One serving, coming up.” Squeezer joked with, you guessed it, a cackle.

Why has the conversation changed to wine tasting…

Squeezer popped the cork, and with a hiss, poured the drink into the now empty glasses. Cloud Skimmer regarded the wine, and took a cautious sip. He smacked his lips, then looked deeply at the glass.

“This is the best wine I have ever had.” Cloud said with a nod and a grin. “Where did you get this? I could get used to drinking this for celebrations.”

Squeezer grinned widely. “Now that's a funny story.” He twisted the bottle to show the label again. Pointing at it with a hoof, “Refined Taste. That's my great great great great great grandfather.” He listed the greats in one breath, while staring at the ceiling. “Don't really know much about him, other than he lived here in Appleachia before the bombs.”

“Your grandfather times five has great taste.” Cloud said while swirling the filled glass with a wing. “What about the rest of your family? Where does Bullion Squeezer come from?”

I attempted to interject, knowing all too well about Squeezer’s lack of want to disclose his past, but he beat me to it.

“The ground.” He cackled gleefully.

Cloud Buster furrowed his brow. “No lie?” He retorted sarcastically, then snorted. “Where on the ground I mean.”

“Squeezer… Does’nt lik’ tah talk’about his past.” Blackwood said hesitantly from across the table. “Never could get anything out from’em.”

Squeezer nodded. “My past is my own, and it shall remain as such. The only thing that matters now is finishing this exquisite bottle of wine.” He whinnied.

Cloud huffed in resignation. “Then what about you two? An earth pony and zebra must have some tales to share.”

“I would rather not talk about my past as well. It possesses unhealed scars.” Anakvad said with a sad tone.

Cloud Skimmer nodded solemnly. “I understand. Mr. Blackwood, care to share?”

“Uh’, ye’h sure thang. ‘Ah lived in’a settlement up’till about three weeks ago. Mah home decided to expand a’bit, so they wanted me’n Squeeze tah scout fur’ a location, as Mom’s the Mayor of Flatwoods. Walked three days ‘till we got chased by some radigators. We took shelt’ur in what’s now Sugar Grove.”

He paused for a moment, then continued. “Well, Squeezer’n I agreed that it’d be a great location. Raised elevation outt’a tha’ swampy shit, good soil fur’ plantin’. Radio’d back tah my home, sayin’ we found a great location. Flatwoods sent’a huge caravan comin’ and we got’a nice town started.” He sighed before continuing. “Figur’d our luck was too good tah be true. The guards on duty kept complain’in throughout tha’ night ‘bout some noises’n strange shadows. Thought it’d be best if we investigated. Found some strange boxes with tha’ letters G P E on ‘em in tha’ command center.. Imagine our surprise when they were filled with M E Dubbiyuhs. Ri’ght as we picked’em up, the place went crazy. Had’tah leave fast. Tried’tah reenter, but couldn’t. Three hours’ later, them fly’in machines yall have were land’in on our lawn. Rest is history.”

Cloud shook his head sadly. "Any Casualties?” He asked Blackwood with a sad look.

Blackwood’s ears drooped at the question. “Twenty-four.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. It’s never easy losing ponies you care about.” Cloud said after a moment.

Blackwood nodded, and said “We’ll manage.” His commitment to his town, as always, unwavering.

Dinner banter got progressively more lighthearted as the night drew on. The Eye’s crew came up shortly after the sad conversation, and we tucked into a nice meal of pasta, which was apparently much better in taste for my earthen friends who had never grown accustomed to cloud-grown foods before. We talked and enjoyed a jukebox’s selection of old-world songs throughout the night. Around one after midnight, we finally departed for our quarters. Shady and I bid goodnight to our friends and were welcomed to DJ Pon3’s broadcast, softly echoing around the cabin. I wished Shady a goodnight, and gently closed my room door, locking it. Sloughing off my uniform, I climbed onto the soft bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

===***===

A shell streaked near me, hitting the closest shack and enveloping it in a large fireball. I took cover as another shell sung its deadly whistle, and attempted to rise after it hit, but was met with a field of death. I took a few steps back, glancing from corpse to corpse. Orange earth pony, teal unicorn, zebra, tan pegasus. Everywhere I looked, lay the bodies of my friends. I turned and ran as another shell came screeching down nearby. Sprinting through the dark and thick fog, punctuated by dark trees and swampy mires, I skidded to a halt and began to tremble at the new sight. Misty and Storm’s limp bodies lay on the blood soaked couch.

Why couldn't you?” My wife’s cadaver asked.” Why couldn’t you save us?”

“It's what a soldier does, Anakvad.” My disembodied voice stated, sounding like it was coming from all around. “It's what a soldier does, Anakvad.” “It's what a soldier does, Anakvad.” “It's what a soldier does, Anakvad.” “It's what a soldier does, Anakvad.”

I fearfully backed up, and backtracked through the swamp, all the while being berated by my own words. All of a sudden, the dark fog was lit with a putrid green light, and filled with a freezing temperature and ear splitting roar. I gazed with dread at the green mushroom cloud, and watched as ghostly equines, colored the same horrific green as the cloud, emerged from the rapidly rising spell. The world burned, and froze at the same time. “It's what a soldier does, Anakvad”

This is the way the world ends.

===***===

I woke, with a gasp, and almost fell out of bed. I was covered in a cold sweat, and trembling without control. I glanced at the time displayed by my Pipbuck, squinting in the green light. 3:01 a.m. In order to calm my nerves enough to at least let me get back to sleep, I drew long deep breaths, listening to the, once-again, pouring rainstorm outside.

It felt… So real. The image of my friends and… No. I shouldn't think about the couch. I could now remember, clearly, what my dream the night before held. Not much had changed from it.

After an hour of attempting to forget the horrific nightmare, I finally drifted back to a, thank the goddesses, dreamless sleep. I slept until around eight am, as I was not present to come into work in the morning.

Shady gave me a worried look as I emerged, finally, from my room. “Mornin’ Cap’. You alright?”

“I’m fine.” I mumbled, scratching the back of my head with a wing. “Why?”

“It's just… I heard you last night, crying. You were mumbling about Misty and Storm.” Shady said slowly.

I waved him off with a wing and changed the subject. “I am going to the mess, do you want anything?” He gave me another worried look, and scratched his bedraggled mane. “If they have muffins, get me two.”

I nodded and before he could continue his line of questioning, exited the cabin. The mess hall was crowded with the usual technicolor of pegasi, though Blackwood, Anakvad, and Squeezer sat alone at a far end table, nibbling on oatmeal.

Blackwood waved in greeting, which I returned with an uneasy smile. Yeah… Not in the mood right now. I grabbed a tray and claimed a bowl of oatmeal, two large waffles, and two of Shady’s desired muffins. I also grabbed two cups of coffee and a Sparkle~Cola. Rather than joining my friends, I opted to go back to the room and eat.

I opened a door with wings, still balancing the steel tray in the grip of my mouth, and was greeted by the radio’s melodic sound.

“Would all this be true, if I didn't care, fooooor yooooou?”

Dammit radio. Don't make me sad again. Rather than the deep voice of the stallion that owned the station, the final notes of the old-world song were replaced by the starting notes of a mare singing.

“As I lose myself to time, I can’t help but stop and feel. How the time has gone, since I’ve seen you go on.”

In silence, we ate our meal while enjoying the song. I could tell Shady wanted to continue the previous talking point, but didn’t know how to approach it, or how I would react.

“I believe in you, I believe in your mind. With the knowledge you’ve moved on without me. You’ve moved on with life, and your memories stay, oh, without me there! I believe in you, I believe in your mind. Though it’s been a whole year since I’ve seen you. I stay here, for you. Though the time piles on, oh, I wait for yooooou! In all my memories, oh, I believe in yoooouuu.”

The song ended, and was replaced this time by the voice of the DJ. “AND THAT HARMONIOUS MELODY WAS OUR OWN SONGBIRD FROM STABLE TWO, VELVET REMEDY. BIG THANKS TO HER FOR RECORDING IT FOR US. NEWS FLASH FOALS, SOME STEEL RANGERS HAVE BEEN SEEN MOVING ALONG THE ROADS TOWARDS PONYVILLE. STEER CLEAR OF THAT ROAD FOR A WHILE, LEST’ YOU WANT YOUR TOASTER FORCIBLY REPOSSESSED AT MAGICAL ENERGY CANNON POINT. IN OTHER NEWS, SECURITY CONTINUES TO CLEAN THE HOOF UP. REPORTS SAY SHE WIPED ANOTHER MANTICORE NEST CLEAN OUT. IF ONLY SHE WOULD DO THE SAME OUT HERE. NOW, HOW BOUT’S SOME MUSIC, MY LITTLE PONIES? HERE IS CIVILIZATION, A GREAT REMINDER OF WHAT WE NEED TO ASPIRE TO REBUILD.”

I swallowed the last bits of the meal, and sat the spoon back in the bowl, which I then replaced onto the tray. The news segments were interesting, though I wasn’t sure what the Stallion meant by Steel Rangers, Security, or the Hoof. Perhaps code phrases? Regardless of the nonsensical meanings behind the reports, I rose and began to return the tray to the cafeteria.

“Hey Cap’, Can we talk?” Shady tenderly asked from in between his second helping of muffin.

“Shady.” I started with a warning tone. “If it’s about last night, I don’t want to talk about it. Anything else, I’m free game.” I said over my shoulder. I had no idea why the Stallion wanted to talk this much about a nightmare.

“Oh…” He said with a defeated tone. “Never-mind.” Seemingly still wanting to attempt to pry the subject out, he rose and followed me out, separating from me and heading over to where the rest of my party sat and exchanging worried looks and whispering my way.

I ignored them, and returned the trash filled tray to the mess. I attempted to return back to my room, but was intercepted by a pink mare, with an auburn mane.

“Captain Thundercloud? Captain Skimmer requires your presence at once.” She said snappily.

I nodded. “Alright. Tell him I am on my way.” I said, resigned. No rest for the weary. I had just enough time to change into a fresh uniform, before exiting once again… To bump right into Shady’s new emotional support group.

“I nodded in greeting to each one, but explained I had to go. Apparently, that now meant, “follow and bug the Captain about his mysterious dream.” Nevertheless, I rode the elevator down, accompanied by my friends, and stepped off onto the bridge.

Cloud Skimmer was turned towards the door, fore-hooves leaning against the map table in front of him. He seemed agitated, and was studying the map like a college student reviewing for a final. “Captain Thundercloud reporting as ordered.” I said as I drew to a halt on the other side of the table and gave him a snappy salute, which he returned without much energy.

He drew in a long breath, and cut his focus on the hologram. “I have good news, and bad news I’m afraid.” He said with a disappointed tone.

Fuck. “What might those be?” I asked slowly. This couldn’t be good.

“Well…” He started, protracting the word. “The bad news is we got scammed. The techies attached a heavily damaged spinner to engine number four. We could, usually, fly on this no problem. But here is where Discord decided we were fun play things.” He pulled up a readout of the engines, with number four being portrayed as red. “Got hit by… Something, last night. No fire, thanks to this damned rain, but we still have an issue. Can't fly on it. Even if we could, climbing above the cloud layer would risk total strain on the system, which could cause more damage. So, we have two choices.”

He held up two pinions of his left wing. “Option one. There is an Enclave supply outpost about five hours away. We can definitely make this, but at a much slower rate.”

He lowered the first feather, and continued. “Or, option two. We can tuck our tails between our legs and return to Ralneigh for repairs. This could take a long time, but cuts down on the chance for field repair to just be like putting a fresh coat of paint on a Wasteland wreck. I thought I should get your opinion on the matter as it is your mission, Captain.”

I looked at him, then to the map. I huffed in anger, though directed at no pony in particular, and started to weigh my choices. Though that's when Blackwood decided to speak up.

“Tha’ way ah’ see’it, we actu’lly have three.” He said, stepping forward.

Cloud Skimmer and I both raised our eyebrows at him, but I motioned for him to continue.

He looked at me. “Remember that story ah’ told’ya on’tha ride here?”

I nodded in agreement, recalling him talking about his town, though I wasn’t sure where he was taking this train of thought. Then, it dawned on me. A raptor crashed near his home, and parts were interchangeable enough to warrant production of only one type or so. He must have seen my eyes widen in understanding, as he pivoted to face Cloud Skimmer.

“Captain Cloud Skimmer, wou’d yall be able tah’ salvage parts fr’um a larg’r Cloudship?” He asked, pointing a hoof at the Stallion.

“Hypothetically. Why?” He asked with the smallest hint of suspicion in his voice and squinting of eyes.

The orange earth pony smiled slyly. “Ah’know where ya’ can get sum’ parts…”

The flight was not long at all, despite flying very slowly to avoid unduly engine strain. About two hours later, around half the time it would have taken to get to the supply base, we caught the first glimpses of Flatwoods. We parked right on the outskirts of the pre-war town, which was set in the valley of two, scenically framed, mountains on either side. Most of the defenses of the town consisted of large sheets of the same dark-gray armor, obviously salvaged from the obvious silhouette of a raptor, off east from the town into one of the steep mountain’s bases that concealed the small town. The large wall wrapped and defended three sides of the town, with a fourth being impossible to erect due to the very large and wide river, snaking its dark and murky waters far deeper into the mountain terrain. Though the town had a large pre-war bridge spanning the river’s banks situated inside the walls, interestingly enough, the town had a functioning wharf, where some repaired paddle steamers and smaller boats sat moored or shoving off. I could also just make out the silhouettes of ponies of all colors, as well as griffons and zebras, mounting the walls in response to the ominous flying warship, mooring high above the town.

I chuckled as I left behind my power armor, opting just for my uniform, and hopping aboard the sibling’s Vertibuck, sitting next to Anakvad, Squeezer, and Blackwood. This felt all too similar to yesterday. We landed, and dismounted in a small clearing which was apparently an apple orchard, as Blackwood informed us. Together, we walked towards the town.

Despite the hiccups, the mission was coming along well…

LEVEL UP! PERK OBTAINED. FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC, RANK ONE! YOU HAVE BEFRIENDED THREE DIFFERENT RACES TO YOUR OWN, AND HAVE GAINED THE PERK AT LEVEL ONE. YOU NOW HAVE +10 RESISTANCE TO ALL DIFFERENT RACES BESIDES YOUR OWN, AND NOW LOOK LESS LIKE A PEGASI SUPREMIST IN THEIR COMPANY.

Author's Note

Authors note : Well well well, been a while huh? I guess life has a way to see that you are enjoying doing something, then proceeding to say “fuck you” and throw as many speedbumps your way as possible. I guess that's just life though, and I have rolled with the punches.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter, and are excited to see where Thundercloud and co. (Trademarked) are going to end up next. As usual, I would like to shout out the people who keep me strong in this effort. Williams, Squeezer, Xythis, Silent, and Sharps. And my absolutely 20% more awesome editors, Solstice and Miky, who scream, yell, and beat me when I misspell a word or snort too much moondust on an idea. Yall are the best! And finally to Kkat, Somber, Heartshine, and all the other writers who work tirelessly to keep this fandom fueled with more tales from the Wasteland. Yall are the best! Until next time. Thundercloud; Out!