Of Bounties and Alliances
by RavensDagger
Chapters
Arc One: Episode One: White Boxes
Take my bits. Take my band,
Take me where I cannot land.
I don't care. I'm still free.
You can't take sweet flight from me.
Leave the clouds; where they fly.
Weather teams can quit the sky.
Lost my job. Lost my dream.
You can't take sweet flight from me.
“This, is a bad idea,” Ardor said, wiping a dirty hoof on the lapels of his trench coat. He then used that same hoof to wipe his sweaty brow. Looking up, he could see the tiny forms of ships zipping by over the crowded marketplace. Hundreds of ponies, griffons and even some of the more exotic races lined the streets, peering over each other at the wares haphazardly laid out on rickety tables. Gang members strutted around, their clothes bearing the tags of their alliances as they kept undisciplined thieves at bay. There was even the occasional Alliance citizen in their finery, walking around as slaves held up dark umbrellas, keeping their masters cool. “Yeah, this is a really bad idea,” he said again, a brown hoof absently checking his guns before turning to his partner.
The griffon at his side grunted, digging an exposed talon into the dirty ground and shifting the weight of his holster from one large shoulder to another.
“Come on, Brief Wind,” said the dark brown earth pony, tapping the griffon on his shoulder. “We need to get going.” The entire market teemed with jovial life. Rich smells of cooking pastries were spun by the wind. More than one set of nostrils flared at the tempting smell. Everywhere he looked, Ardor saw smiling faces, but the eyes were sad, always glancing towards the nearby towers. Each tower proudly bore the banner of the Alliance sun.
Shaking his head, he rid himself of the thought and began walking forward, twisting to avoid a group of running foals as they scampered along, huge smiles adorning their faces as they screamed and yelled at each other playfully.
Brief Wind sighed, then shot a talon out, grabbing one of the foals by the scruff of his neck before throwing him onto the ground with a little ‘oomph’. A puff of dust rose as the foal struggled in the griffon’s hold.
Ardor looked behind him and sighed in turn upon seeing the usually gentle griffon pinning the foal to the roadway. “Brief Wind, this isn’t the time, or place, to go around beating ponies up, ‘specially not a kid...” Ardor’s eyes wandered to the nearest tower where an armoured pony sat, slumped against a rifle.
Ardor smiled sheepishly to the dozen ponies that had stopped and were now staring at the scene. Trotting forward, he slapped the griffon’s arm lightly, then helped the foal up. “You okay kid?” he asked, holding the young adolescent and inspecting him.
The earth pony child was scrawny and wore the ragged remains of a vest that reeked of mildew and urine. Amongst the rags was a dark, leather wallet, barely held by a thin strap sewn into the vest. “Um, kid,” Ardor began, smiling slyly. “Is that my wallet?” With a quick swipe of his hoof, Ardor snatched the wallet. Flicking it open he stared at an image of his own face.
The foal gulped, pulling uselessly against Ardor’s grip in a vain attempt to run away.
A smile crossed Ardor’s face again before he threw the foal onto the ground, raising his hoof in the air he prepared himself to punch the foal. “Why, you little ingrate son-of-a-whore, I ought to pummel you so hard your mother’s going to--” Ardor stopped as a clawed hand grabbed his arm. “What?!” he screamed into Brief Wind’s face.
“Captain Ardor, this isn’t the time, nor the place, to go about beating up ponies... ‘Specially not a kid...” The two locked eyes.
“He-he’s right sir! Don’t hurt me; I need the money for my sister’s operation...” The foal struggled around for a moment under the captain’s stare. “She’s only three, sir. Got a nasty disease, gonna die if we don’t get her a doctor.” Little tears speckled the corners of the foals eyes.
Ardor hesitated, his bright blue eyes locking with the foal’s muddy brown eyes. "That's a nice story, kid, so how about we pretend you didn't just try to take this?" Ardor pushed the foal away, letting him scamper to his waiting friends who cried out joyfully at meeting him. “Come on, Brief Wing, let’s get outta here...” The stallion turned and began walking away.
With a gentle flap of his wings, the large griffon followed. “Um, Captain, you know the kid emptied your pockets... right?”
“Son of a--” Ardor slapped his coat, feeling the lack of objects in them before confirming it by jabbing his hoof into his coat. “He stole my papers!” Swearing, he turned around, running a few meters before losing sight of the foals in the surging crowds. Frustrated, he kicked up a patch of dust that promptly fell in the still air. “Gah, nevermind. Let’s go Brief, we need to meet Shady.”
The griffon shook his head, gliding at the brown stallion’s side as the two made their way into the deeper parts of the ghetto. Nearby, the bustling marketplace ended, and a sea of tents began, all of it encircled by tall cracked, walls. Dotted along the fence were tall guard towers, most of which had the symbol of the Alliance sun on their sides. Across the fences, multi-level ship docks rose up into the sky, connecting to the richer and bulkier spacecraft as they cast thin, abstract shadows over the tent city where hundreds of ponies went about their business.
They fit in, thought Ardor; he, with his dirty trench coat and not-so-well-hidden guns, and Brief Wind, wearing his favorite bandolier with a trusty old assault rifle. Giving himself a tentative sniff, he concluded that they even smelled like the locals.
As they walked into the deeper parts of the tent city they met fewer ponies, most of whiom scurried away or inadvertently moved out of their path as they trod on the quieter and quieter roads. The only sound was the distant rumbling of ion-engines as ships came and went.
“We’re here,” said Ardor, pointing at a tent placed in the middle of a sea of tents. The tent itself was no different than all those around it. It was shoddily built, with holes in its tarp and wooden planksr with rusty nails of varying length to keep its sides in place. The one big difference was the rag-tag group of grunts hanging around its entrance, all of whom wore an impressive array of badly concealed weapons.
The griffon inspected the group from afar, raising his snout he took a great gulp of air. “Yeah, smells like Shady... You sure about this Captain?”
The captain wiped his forehead again. “Not much choice in the matter. Let’s get this over with.” He moved around the tent, boldly marching into view of the grunts.
“Hello, boys!” said Ardor, raising a hoof in salute. They turned to look at him, weapons zipped out of holsters and pointed towards the pair. Ardor smiled, noticing something very wrong with all of them. They were all mares. “...Girls...” Ardor coughed awkwardly. “I’m here to see Shady...”
One of them, a burly mare with more than one scar walked over from a nearby bench and shook her head towards the tent, grunting as she lowered her massive gun. “In there,” she said with a voice as smooth as sandpaper. She then trotted back to a bench, picking up a barrel and cloth and resumed the tedious task of cleaning three guns at once.
“Smooth, Captain,” said Brief Wind as he pulled the tent flap open for Ardor.
Grumbling, the stallion trotted in, and began choking on thick plumes of smoke that leaped out of the tent, lapping against his face with the intoxicating scent of cigar smoke, drugs, and mare’s perfume. “Goddess, whose in charge of cleaning this place?!” He backpedaled from the entrance, scuffing his hooves along the gravelly ground to remove some sticky substance of unknown origins from beneath it.
“I am,” said a gruff voice.
Turning, Ardor looked at the muscular mare who was still cleaning her gun. “You-you’ve done a wonderful job!” he exclaimed before gulping and running into the tent.
Brief Wing grunted before following the captain into the tent, his face twisting in disgust.
A ruckus of sound and smells assaulted them as they entered the dimly lit confines of the tent. Ponies, griffons, and even a few zebras sat around well-worn tables talking, bartering or sniffing substances of dubious legality. A few glanced towards the captain and griffon, then refocused themselves on their own business.
At the far end of the room was a bar, in front of which were a few rusty stools where even more patrons of the establishment sat, hunched over drinks as they spoke to each other in low hushes. At the end of the bar was a staircase, whose entrance was partially covered by a hatch made to look like a pile of crates.
“Well, this looks like a fun little hangout, doesn’t it, Brief Wing?” asked Ardor. The griffon grunted. “So... who should we ask?” Ardor scanned the patrons, all of whom looked like they had just walked out of a fight, and wanted more.
“Hey, you!” shouted a thick, heavy voice.
Ardor turned and pointed at himself while looking for the person who spoke. “Me?”
An enormous earth pony stepped up. “Yeah, you. The boss wants to see you. He’s waiting in the basement.” The pony leaned in. “Don’t make him wait.”
Ardor smiled sheepishly. “The boss man wants to see me, huh?”
A few chairs screeched as ponies got up suddenly. All of them stared at him as the room quieted down. The enormous earth pony spoke again. “You work for the Boss Man?” he asked, trotting nearer.
Ardor’s eyes wandered the bar before he raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, don’t you?”
The earth pony fumed. “Why I ought to--” The pony reared up, his hooves glinting as his spiked metal shoes caught the room’s lanternlight.
Ardor hopped backwards, his rump bumping into the tent cloth. “Brief Wind, what did I say wrong?” whispered Ardor from the corner of his mouth.
“Boss Man is the chief of a rival clan,” deadpanned the griffon.
“Calm down, Reaver. That ain’t no way to treat a guest.” A unicorn wearing what had once been a good-looking suit walked into the room, giving the various gathered creatures a gap-toothed smile. “Constant Ardor here has a reputation for having a quick draw; you wouldn’t have time to hit him before you’d be deader than mah ma’.”
The suit-clad pony smiled at Ardor. “I’ll let you pummel him if he doesn’t pay up, alright?”
Reaver smiled, flexing his impressive muscles at the pair. “Yes sir, boss. I’d enjoy that, boss.” He trotted back to a stool on the far end of the quiet bar. The bench creaked as it took his weight.
The boss clopped forward, extending a dirty hoof which Ardor shook firmly. “Nice ta meech’ya. I’m Shady Business. C’mon, let’s go someplace where it’s a bit less... crowded.” Shady Business turned, leading Ardor and Brief Wind across the room while the ponies gathered remained respectfully quiet, until he trotted down the steps and into the basement.
“Please, sit,” said Shady Business. He waved an arm towards two once-luxurious couches that were laid out in front of a thick steel desk. He then trotted around the desk, sitting on a rickety chair illuminated by the evening sun that poured through a crack in the wall. He began shifting the papers on the desk, his eyes peeking up from under his bowler hat, alternating between Brief Wind, Ardor, and the three griffons that sat nearby, slumped on comfortable chairs.
Ardor met his glance, then looked away, first at the three well-armed griffons at the back of the room, then at an old, well-maintained grandfather clock. After a few more moments he began tapping his hooves impatiently, while Shady Business was still shuffling through his papers. Brief Wind touched his arm, stopping his tapping for a few seconds as they both shrugged at each other.
“So...” the captain finally said, trying to break the awkward silence filled only by the ticking of the clock. “How are you doing, Busy?”
The pony at the desk looked at him through his eyebrows, never lifting his head. “Could’ya please call me by mah full name, Constant?”
“Oh, please call me Ardor...” Shady Business looked back down to his paper. “So... you don’t like it when people call you Busy?” Brief Wing gave Ardor’s shin a swift kick, causing the captain to grimace slightly.
Shady Business sighed, removing his glasses with his magic before rubbing the bridge of his muzzle. “Mah ma used to call me Busy.” A warm smile, filled with fond memories and nostalgic thoughts crossed his lips. “I killed mah ma.” He locked eyes with Ardor. “Shall we get on with business then...? Pun not intended.”
Ardor smiled sheepishly, tugging at his collar. “Right, let’s start...”
Shady Business shook his head. “I’m going to regret this,” he muttered. “Alright, what I wanch’ya to do, is simple. Your ship, the Serenity--”
“Swift,” interrupted Ardor.
“What?”
“My ship, her name is Swift,” he said, looking around uncertainly.
Shady Business levitated a sheet from his desk over to himself and squinted at it. “Hmm, stupid name either way. Anyhow, I want you and the... Swift, to carry something for me. Just a box. A fragile box.” Shady business walked around the desk, standing so close to Ardor that he could smell the unicorn’s cheap cologne.
Ardor backed into the creaky sofa, coughing lightly before he spoke.“I’ll need the dimensions of this box, and the address of where you want me to deliver it. I’ll assume that your ponies will bring it to my ship?”
“Everything will be ready for you. Ya just need an excuse to get off-planet, and over to Pheromone.”
Ardor nodded sagely. He’d done this kind of transaction before. “Would you mind if I carried passengers on board? Of course, I’ll make sure they don’t come anywhere near your... special cargo.”
“Hmm,” Shady Business tapped his chin in thought. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Maybe you’re not that stupid after all... How about I... encourage a few ponies to take your ship off-world, rather than somepony else’s?”
Ardor and Brief quickly glanced at each other. “Sure, that would be great... Now about the payment...” asked the captain, nervously running a hoof in a circle on the couch’s supple material, as he glanced at the restless griffons.
“Eight hundred thousand bits.”
Ardor coughed before shifting his position in his seat. “Well, that’s a mighty adequate sum. This cargo must be really important... Not that the cargo matters... What does matter is your ability to pay up.”
The unicorn began laughing and was soon joined by his griffon guards. Wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye, he stared at Ardor, removing the bowler hat from his head and throwing it on the desk with a splat before talking, “Doesn’t my reputation precede me? I always pay up, and if you don’t deliver... Well, then I make you pay me back. Now leave.”
Brief Wind and Ardor hopped off of the uncomfortable couch and were politely escorted out of the room by the griffon guards.The door to the cellar slammed behind them as they once more entered the bar. Reaver smiled at them, gently pointing towards the exit and making a shooing motion with a fore-hoof.
Few ponies glanced at them as they made their way outside. There, the burly mare had finished cleaning her guns, and was now loading them up, bullet by bullet. Ardor smiled at her, then grabbed Brief Wind’s shoulder and dragged him back into the twisting corridor of tents.
“This is bad,” grumbled the griffon as they started making their way back to the Swift. The sun was beginning to set as the roads slowly thinned out. Ponies and griffons alike were returning to their homes, or preparing to sell a different type of merchandise.
“But eight hundred thousand bits is a lot of cash... We could buy enough fuel for a year, or maybe find a decent mechanic...” Ardor mused as he trotted along the familiar path.
“Still, sounds like trouble.”
The captain looked at his friend from the corner of his eye. He sighed. “You’re right. You’re always right. Okay, let’s get to the Swift, fire it up, and get outta here before the sun sets... I heard that the Apple Corps have some business offerings up. Maybe we could nab a job with them?”
The griffon nodded as they kept walking, his bird-like eyes on the ground. Suddenly, Ardor grabbed his arm, pulling him into a nearby tent. When Brief Wind tried to question the captain a brown hoof was placed over his beak, effectively shushing him.
The captain poked his head around the cloth of the stinking tent’s doorway, soon followed by the griffon’s own head.
On the nearby roadway were three unicorns, all of them wearing the ensemble of rich Alliance citizens as they walked haughtily down the well-trodden path. Around them, earth pony guards and servants absently looked from tent to tent, their eyes practically glazed over in boredom as their masters spoke to each other in high pitched voices.
Ardor growled lightly. “Alliance shits, here to inspect the poor. Prolly makes them feel good to rub it in.” His hoof absently ground against the tent floor.
A ruckus came from further along the road as half a dozen foals ran along, their cheerful cries almost eerie in the evening sun. Ardor’s eyes narrowed as he recognized one of them. The foals ran past the lazy guards, one of them happily bumping against the noble ponies as they raced along in a incomprehensible game of youth.
A horn glowed, casting a greenish aura against the yellowed tents nearby. One of the children, the one who had stolen from Ardor floated up as a ring of magic appeared around his throat. The kid’s eyes bulged as he squirmed uselessly in the unicorn’s magic.
Ardor’s hoof strayed into his coat, the butt of his sidearm clicking quietly as the weapon clamped itself to his hoof. Brief Wind glanced down at his captain, placing a clawed hand on his elbow in a silent plea to stop.
The entire road became quiet as the unicorn gracefully made his way around the foal, a gleeful smile on his clean face. Not so far away the other foals watched, wide-eyed in trepidation. “Hello, impoverished child,” said the nobel, giving the suffocating foal a mocking half-bow. The other two citizens laughed uproariously. The glow on the unicorn’s horn doubled as a pristine gilded wallet flew out of the throng in the foals coat.
“You tried to steal from me,” he said apathetically, it was not a question. “I’ll give you something, how would you like that?”
The foal spat out feebly, the gob of brown spit landing at the unicorn’s hooves. “Interesting... I’ll give you something, the name of your killer.” The unicorn smiled as the foal’s eyes widened even more. “My name is Valient, remember it until you die.” As the wallet floated to a nearby servant a gun slid out of Valiant's coat, pointing itself at the foal’s gut as it did so. “You won’t have to remember for long.”
Bang
“Let’s go.” The unicorn stepped over the bleeding body of the foal, rejoining his friends and co-citizens as they made their way into the deeper parts of the ghetto, their train of guards and servants in tow.
Ardor ran out, slamming his gun into his holster angrily as he walked towards the inanimate foal. Biting back a fury of angry swears he reached into the foals coat, pulling out his now-bloody- papers and shoving them into his own coat. “We’ll be late,” reminded Brief Wind.
“Yeah, I’m coming,” he said as he began trotting along, head low in shame. Suddenly a thought came to him. Reaching into his coat with his head he found a spotted yet mostly clean handkerchief. Taking it with his mouth he ran back to the foal, gently placing it above his face before rejoining Brief Wind.
As they rounded another corner, Ardor saw the dead foal’s friends mourning around the body of their comrade. He began to walk faster.
“So, eight hundred thousand bits,” said Ardor, trying to rise up conversation in attempt to calm his nerves. “We could do a lot with that, food, fuel...”
“Captain.”
“Oh, and we really need a new converter, ours is about to go on the fritz...”
“Captain,” said the griffon a little more forcefully.
Ardor snapped out of his reverie. “What is it, Brief?”
Brief Wind lifted a taloned claw and pointed ahead of them. “It’s too late, Captain.”
Their cargo hauler the Swift was parked in front of them. Five of its six landing struts dug into the earth as the ship’s rear end touched the ground. At the fore, the control room jutted out, almost like an afterthought of the ship’s engineers. The rust red sides still had the faded markings of an apple transporter where real rust hadn't flaked it off yet. A gun turret sat atop the ship, welded on haphazardly by an obviously inexperienced hoof.
But Ardor didn’t notice any of this. What he did see was a crowd of twenty ponies milling around the base of the ship, some wearing over-stuffed saddlebags while others dilly-dallied around aimlessly. “Brief?”
“Yes, Captain?”
“What’s going on?”
“I think we have passengers, Captain,” he deadpanned.
Reaver appeared from amongst the group, a sly smile adorning his face. “Hello fellows, we have your package, and your passengers. Whenever you’re ready, we’ll be waiting right here... under your ship...” He smiled at them again.
“How did... How did you get here?...” Ardor looked back from the direction they came, pointing uselessly with a fore-hoof. “But you were all the way...”
Instead of answering, the huge pony pointed to a nearby cargo lift. “Oh...”
“Well then Brief, my friend. Shall we get to it?” asked Ardor, suddenly chipper as he began trotting forward. The griffon grunted and followed the captain.
A light blue mare walked out of the group and towards the captain, heavily weighted down by a pair of saddlebags. “Is this The Crusader?” she asked. “I was supposed to take a charter to the planet...” She twisted around and, opening one of her bag’s lapels, pulled out a holopad. Tapping it with a hoof she read the name, “...Pheromone?”
“Hun, this ship is whatever you want to call it, and it’ll bring you wherever you want to go... So, what’s your name?” Ardor’s eyes scanned up and down the mare’s body as she blushed furiously.
“My name’s Inky... Inky Scri--”
“Hey, Constant! How ‘bout you open her up so we can load this in?” screamed Reaver, who stood beside a large group of equally-large ponies. Inky huffed.
Sighing, the captain abandoned the confused blue mare and galloped over to his ship. The side hatch of the Swift was in much better condition than the rest of the flying wreck; he only had to kick it three times for it to squeal open on its broken and rusty hinges. Marching in, he ran through the dark ship, flicking on lights and powering on auxiliary controls as he made his way to the fore.
The control room was a messy affair. Wires dangled from the ceiling and many a button was missing from the consoles. Ardor sat in the dusty old command chair and began fiddling with the controls, all the while murmuring to himself. “Exterior pressure control, check. Fuel ignition, check. Lifeboat auxiliary systems... still don’t work. Ah, there you are, main cargo-bay door.” He mashed the button and waited.
The entire ship shook as the massive rear door slid down on old hydraulic pistons, colliding against the ground with a hard ‘thud’. Smiling to himself, Ardor patted the console before trotting out of the room, this time taking a different route through the ship’s many kerosene-smelling corridors to arrive in the main cargo hold’s upper ramp.
From his vantage point he could see the dozen or so uncertain new passengers as they cautiously made their way into the ship. “Hello, new passengers of the Swift. As your Captain for this journey I welcome you onboard, and would be overjoyed to present you to your quarters!”
“Where are our quarters?” asked one of the ponies, this one a unicorn in clean and proper clothing.
“If you continue down the main corridor of the ship, right before the engine room, you will find half a dozen small rooms, each filled with some of the things you need, and quite a few that you really don’t. Try to pick one that doesn’t smell like radiation.”
“Radiation doesn’t have a smell!”
“Exactly!” Ardor smiled down at the less-than-enthused ponies as he watched Shady Business’ workhorses carry a box into his ship. Curious, the captain climbed down the rickety steps of the staircase.
“You fellows need any help with that?” he asked politely.
Reaver, who was walking beside the group while carrying another, smaller, crate on his back, grunted a negatory. “Nah, we can handle it.” He turned to his ponies. “Leave ‘er right there, boys!” The ponies gently laid the heavy white box down with nary a thud.
“That’s the last of the passengers, Captain,” said Brief Wind from the entrance with his usual gruff voice. The griffon flew over, gliding into the ship with a few billowing flaps of his large wings. “Where we going to put the box?”
“You can leave it right here,” answered Reaver for him. “Now, I gotta ask...” The earth pony tucked a hoof into the folds of his coat. “What’re you going to do to the box during transport?”
“Nothing; I’ll leave it there ‘till whoever it is that you got on the other end picks it up,” said Ardor as he smiled at the passengers.
“You won’t open it?” Reaver frowned at him.
“Open it? Nah, ain’t no business of mine what’s in there. S’long as you pay, your cargo will be neat, tidy and well-kept when we deliver it. Now, about the pay part...” Ardor leaned in, placing an elbow against the heavy white box.
Reaver sighed, fretting around with his hoof until he pulled out a small black pouch. “Here’s your cash.” He tossed the bag towards Ardor who deftly caught it, jingling the contents with a sly smile before tossing it to Brief Wind.
“Shady said that you’d be ‘unfit for business’ if you asked about the box,” said the earth pony dismissively. Ardor gulped. Reaver bent over, dumping the other box that was on his back onto the ground. “These are provisions for the box,” he explained, opening the smaller package to reveal a dozen white squares. “Every day you take one of these...” He grabbed one of the squares, lifting it to show the captain, “...and do like this.” Trotting over to the much larger white box, he tapped on a small, square indentation. The indent hissed as it opened. Suddenly, a white square, identical to the one Reaver held, popped out and bounced across the floor. “Then you replace it with a new one.” The earth pony shoved his white square into the hole, shutting it with a click.
“Do this once a day, every day... or else.” He smiled at the captain. Turning, the earth pony began trotting away, his heavy hoof-steps ringing across the hold. “C’mon guys, let’s get out of this dump.” Reaver, along with the ponies that had come with him, ran out of the Swift, all of them smiling and laughing as they left.
When the cargo hold had became quiet again, Brief grabbed Ardor’s shoulder. “Captain, this is trouble.”
“I know, Brief, but what do you want me to do about it?” Ardor glanced around, staring at the passengers that stilled milled about.
“Look at the box...” Brief Wind’s eyes pointed to the white square.
Listening, Ardor glanced at the crate as nonchalantly as possible. “Crap, that’s a Sparkle Tech symbol isn’t it?” he said, motioning towards the six pointed star on the box’s side.
Brief Wind grunted before trotting to the edge of the door, tapping the controls to shut it. With a screech, the massive door began to lift, small pieces of rust crumbling off its frame.
“Hey, wait up in there, I’m not in yet!” screamed a gruff voice from outside.
Ardor and Brief Wind looked at each other, then shrugged. The griffon tapped on the controls again, reversing the direction in which the door moved, causing it to slam against the ground once more. Outside stood an orange pegasus, a scowl adorning his scarred face as he lugged two massive black boxes like saddlebags.
“Heh, about to leave without me, huh?!” He smiled as he climbed up the ramp, straining slightly under the weight of his baggage. “So, where you two heading to?”
Ardor furrowed his brow. “Well, we’re goi-”
“Somewhere that’s not here! Excellent, let’s go!” The stallion bucked the controls, getting the door to shut once more.
Brief Wind stepped up in front of the pegasus, blocking his path. “That wasn’t polite.”
The pegasus laughed. “Well, I ain’t the polite kinda guy...”
The griffon grunted, inspecting the would-be passenger. The orange pegausi mimicked his movements. “Big bags; what’s in them?”
“Guns. Lots and lots of guns... I like guns... Do you like guns?” The pegasus twisted his head to one side, looking at the griffon. “You don’t talk much, do you?”
Brief Wind grunted, shaking his head. “What’s your name?”
The pegasus looked around uncertainly, scratching the back of his head. “I’m... I’m er... Bolt Action, yeah, that’s a cool name. Call me Bolt Action!”
The griffon sighed, shifting his haunches on the cold metal floor. “You’re a pegasus.”
Bolt Action looked at him, surprised, then he began pointing things out. “Yeah, you’re a griffon, he’s a pony, that’s a box, and this is a space ship! Anything else you want to point out? I have four hooves? Wings? More wits than you?”
Brief Wind shook his head and turned towards the captain, his eyes questioning. “You have bits?”
Grumbling, the pegasus popped one of his boxes open, revealing half a dozen small guns all tucked together. As he twisted around to reach in, one of the guns fell out, clattering against the ground. His eyes widened as he scrambled after it, tenderly caressing it. “This one’s special, taken off the line by Pinkie herself,” he cooed before replacing it. “How much you need?” he asked, suddenly serious.
“The captain hummed to himself, seeing the clear opportunity to squeeze a few bits out of the pegasus. “Seeing as how we're already full up, and that we will have to reduce all our meals to compensate for you...” Ardor’s eyes glimmered. “Seventy-five bits.”
The pegasus stopped his searching to look at the captain. “Highway robbery... Fifty bits and I don’t test my guns...”
Ardor and Brief shared another look, before the griffon shrugged. “Yeah, sure. Let him stay, I’m already doing plenty of things I don’t want to today... Might as well add one more to the list.”
The captain trotted halfway up the ramp. “I’ll be resting. Think you can take care of the ship, Brief? Good... I need a nap. Wake me up when the ship crashes!” He walked out of the cargo hold, slamming the door behind him.
Big thank you to Burraku_Pansa for his wonderful help in editing this junk!
SALT for the pre-reading and the likes
This was practice in writing short crossovers. Specifically a crossover of Joss Whedon's Firefly.
Don’t worry, this is part one of the first arc.
All rights to whomever owns ‘em.
Arc One: Episode Two: Harmony
“Captain. Wake up sir, there’s trouble,” said a smooth, calm voice.
“Wake up, you two bit dumbass, or I’ll kick your ass!” yelled a gruffer, ruder one.
Groaning, Ardor opened his eyes and stared at Brief Wind’s concerned face. “Wha-what’s going on?” he asked as he began twisting in his cot. His thin covers slipped off his bare back as he climbed out of bed.
The griffon frowned. “Alliance, Captain; a base ship.”
Ardor rubbed his eyes then shook his head, looking into the griffon’s eyes. “You sure?”
Bolt Action popped his head into the small room. “Damn right he’s sure! Saw the thing myself! What do we do?”
“Well, first of all, you get your stinking head out of my room. Then, we’ll find out why in the hay we’re so close to an Alliance ship. The course we were supposed to take wouldn’t have brought us anywhere near one of them.” The captain looked up, his eyes sharp and aware. “What went wrong?”
“Don’t know. Somepony tampered with the controls. We’re off course.” The griffon fluttered his wings. “Now what, Captain?”
Rather than answering, the brown stallion clipped on his gun holster, and threw on his coat. “Come on,” he said, trotting out of the room with the griffon and the curious gun-toting stallion.
He headed forward, sure-footed despite the constant shivering of the ship as it flew. Soon, he arrived in the command room and quickly seated himself in the pilot’s seat. “Let’s see here,” he said, glancing over the controls. “Dammit.” The entire console vibrated as he knocked it with a hoof. “I’ll have to open the shutters. Scanner’s on the fritz, and I want to see what’s coming.”
Brief Wind gulped audibly, shielding his eyes with a wing. Bolt Action looked at the griffon, then at the covered-over front glass of the ship. Quickly, he tucked into a roll and dived behind the console.
As the shutters screeched upwards a blinding light filled the room, causing everypony and griffon present to squint. Then the light subsided. “Heh, darkening glass finally chose to work,” said Ardor, removing his hoof from over his face.
The room`s three occupants groaned as they looked outside the Swift. An Alliance space station stood motionless against the stark, star-filled sky. Hundreds of vessels that easily dwarfed the Swift flew around it, casting their multi-hued engine wake into the polluted space around the station. Three tall spires jutted out of a massive black base that comprised the station's core, all illuminated by hundreds and thousands of lights.
“Sweet Celestia,” said Brief Wind, his eyes wide as he stared at the massive vessel.
“Yeah,” agreed Ardor. “Let’s hope they won’t bother with us.” His hooves flew across the controls as the Swift began to steer.
“So pretty...” Ardor turned, staring at Bolt Action. The pegasus was staring ahead, his eyes glazed over.
“Bolt Action?” The captain waved a hoof in front of his face. “Bolt!” Furrowing his brow, Ardor looked ahead, following the pegasus’ gaze to the massive cannons that adorned the station’s sides. Ardor sighed, slapping a hoof to his forehead. “Brief, get this idiot outta here...”
Suddenly, the ship’s transmitter screeched to life. “Light cargo hauler Swift, this is Alliance base-ship Obedience. Please confirm distress signal.” The line went dead.
“Brief Wind,” said Ardor, turning to the griffon. “What distress signal?”
The griffon shrugged, calmly walking over to the ship’s rudimentary communications station. After a few seconds of tapping on the controls the griffon's head looked up. “There’s a distress beacon that went off in the passenger area... Should I block it?”
Bolt Action hopped forward, his face covered in small beads of sweat. “Yes, block it! Goddess... I’ll go get my guns.” The pony turned, galloping out of the room in a flurry of loud clanging hoofsteps.
Ardor watched at him leave. “Brief, did you scramble the signal?”
“No... He’s not the Captain...”
“Good. Don’t do anything; we’ll play this safe...” Ardor trotted over to the station, resting his hooves on either side of the console and closing his eyes in concentration. “Send an answer ping,” he ordered.
The griffon tapped a few buttons then stepped away, waiting. Seconds later a garbled voice filled the room again. “This is Obedience, awaiting response.”
“Hello Obedience, this is...” Ardor opened a nearby drawer, shuffling through the papers until he pulled out a permit. “This is Captain...” He titled the permit to one side, reading the scribbled on name. “Captain, Silver Platter, of the Swift.”
“Understood, Captain Platter... Your registration has been expired for... seven years...” The voice answered, the garble doing little to hide the annoyance.
“Haven’t passed a check in a while...” Ardor laughed.
“Right... Your ship will dock at gate number six--” Ardor slapped the console.
“I can’t do that!” he exclaimed.
“...Why not?”
“Er... there’s a sickness on board. Real nasty.” He began coughing, indicating with a hoof that Brief should do the same. “We’re really sick here. Maybe we should just be on our way... We wouldn’t want to give you anything!”
The comm was silent for a few seconds. “Section six will be under quarantine, extra soldiers will be dispatched to aid you along.”
Ardor swore. Breathing heavily he wiped sweat off his brow. “Um, we can’t maneuver, the... um... pilot’s dead.”
“...Why is the pilot dead, Mr. Platter?”
“Um, a gunfight, big bad gunfight. That... That’s what started the sickness! Can’t move the ship on our own, we're all sick. Best let us drift off in space to our deaths. That would be the right thing to do!”
“The distress signal came from a rank six Alliance member. We will do our utmost to help. Prepare the ship for minor impact in ten. A tug-ship is coming.”
Ardor flicked the communications device, switching channels. “Passengers of the Swift, I have some unfortunate news. We’re about to get boarded by raping, thieving space pirates. You're most likely going to die a horrible death. I’d advise that you arm yourselves as best you can, and remain in your rooms.”
Ardor sighed, shutting off the communications device. “That should win us a few seconds. C’mon Brief, we need to get outta here!” The captain ran to the entrance, poking his head back in when the griffon didn’t follow.
“Um, Captain, how’re we going to escape?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan!” Ardor disappeared around the corner.
The griffon groaned before following him. “This is bad.”
Ardor was running through the mess lounge when suddenly a hoof grabbed his arm. “Captain, is it true? Are there really space pirates?” asked a soft, scared voice. Turning his head, the captain looked at Inky’s blue face.
“Um, don’t worry hun, just stay in your room. I’ll get us outta here safe and sound!” The mare looked at him, her expression stuck between disbelief and fear. He gently pushed her hoof away and began moving again. “Oh, and if anypony tries to get into your room, buck their faces in!” He ran onwards, his hooves clanging loudly against the rusty metal grates.
Brief Wind flew into the room, rushing past the mare with a small ‘‘scuze me” before following the captain out of the room.
Ardor and Brief Wind both arrived in the cargo hold. “Now what, Captain?” asked the griffon.
“The box. We need to get the box off the ship.” Ardor galloped down the ramp, the room ringing with the sounds of his hoofsteps. “Don’t know what’s in it, but we can’t let the feds have it.” The earth pony reached the box and ran around it. Placing himself at the rear, he set his hooves at the base, grunting loudly as he strained his back lifting it.
Brief Wind caught on and, placing himself on the other side, began lifting it too.
Slowly, the two moved towards the back of the cargo hold, closer and closer to the hold’s door. Suddenly, a massive weight thumped on top of the box, making the eyes of both of its carriers bulge as the box banged on the floor, shaking the entire room.
Panting, Ardor looked above the box and to Bolt Action’s orange frame. The pony fluttered his wings, a forehoof toying with one of the many guns wrapped around him. “How are you going to get out of here?” he asked from atop the box.
Ardor frowned at him. “What in the hay are you doing on there?! Get off, we’re trying to get some work done!”
The pegasus shook his head. “Nope, not until you tell me how you plan on escaping from the Alliance.”
Ardor and Brief exchanged a look. “We’re not going to escape; we’re good Alliance citizens. We’re just making room for them to be able to walk in...”
“Bull shit!” he said, leaning towards the captain. “You’re going to escape, and I want to be with you when you do.”
Ardor’s frown deepened. “Maybe... Why would we want you with us?”
The pegasus reared his head, confused. “Well, I’ve got guns... Oh, and this.” Reaching back, he searched his saddlebag until he pulled out a small black pouch. Arodr’s eyes widened.
“Those are my bits!” he yelled indignant.
“Well, as far as I can tell, a sick pony like you won’t need ‘em... Now, if you let me go with you...”
Ardor and Brief Wind traded a look. The griffon shrugged. “Alright, we’ll let you come with us, but only if you help.”
Smiling, Bolt Action hopped of the case, landing on the ground with a thud and jingle as his holsters shook. “What do you want me to do?”
Ardor pointed at the box. “Help us with this. We need to get it to the door.”
“Alright,” he said. Ardor leaned against the box, shoving it forwards as it screeched along the metal floor. “Okay, move outta the way!” came Bolt's voice from his back. Ardor twisted his head to look behind him. His eyes widened.
“Brief Wind, duck!” The captain pushed away from the box, tucking into a roll as Bolt Action readied himself. The griffon’s head popped over the box, taking one look before hopping into the air, flying away as fast as he could.
The pegasus stood on his hind legs, a shotgun tucked against his arm. He aimed for the box, one eye closed and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.
Bang
The shotgun blasted the side of the metallic box, eating away at the soft metal and digging a hole into one of the hinges.
Bang
The pegasus fired again, ripping the other hinge apart as the box’s lid popped open with a hydraulic hiss.
“What the hay do you think you're doing?!” screamed Ardor, running up to the pegasus and slapping the gun away.
Bolt Action looked at his gun, then at the captain. “Hey, you could have hurt Buckshot!” He bent down, picking up the precious gun.
“You dumbass! That was important cargo!” Ardor reached into his coat, wrapping his hoof around his gun and whipping the pistol out. Jamming it tightly on the pegasus forehead while Bolt Action pumped Buckshot, poking the captain in the chest with the barrel.
“You said you were going to help me escape!” accused Bolt Action.
“I asked you to help us, not blow up my box, you idiot!” yelled Ardor.
“Um, Captain?” said Brief.
“Why, I ought to shoot you dead and escape on my own!” Bolt Action yelled louder, his gruff voice ringing around the cargo hold.
“You slow-ass twit, I’d like to see you try!” Ardor cocked his pistol. His eyes blazed angrily.
“Captain, you should see this...” Brief repeated himself.
A moan was heard, coming from within the box.
Ardor and Bolt Action stared at each other, then both of them slowly turned their heads towards the box. Brief Wind hovered above it, wide-eyed as he too stared inside the box. “Captain, you really should see this.”
Gently, Ardor removed his pistol from its position on Bolt Action’s head, the pegasus cautiously lowering his gun in turn. They both looked at each other then trotted over to the box. Both their eyes widened in surprise as they looked in.
“Well, um. That’s nice.”
“Oh, Shady, Shady, Shady... what did you get me into this time...?” Ardor groaned.
Inside the box lay the curled up body of a lavender mare. Her purple was mane cut in a short, neat hairdo as her chest moved up and down under a purple jumpsuit.
“Well, well,” said Bolt Action. “Not the prettiest of mares, but I’d do her.” He tapped Ardor’s shoulder. “I can see why you were so pissed that I shot the box.” He licked his lips. “Had I known it held such a pretty pegasus, I’da been more careful.”
“Unicorn, and she isn’t mine,” said Ardor, his voice absent as he looked at the box itself. “This box is weird; look at it, full of temperature controls and even a waste disposal system... You could throw this into space and it would still keep her alive... Somepony paid a fortune for her... or at least the box... Get her out of it.”
“Hehe, going to have fun with the pegasus gal already huh? You pig.” Bolt Action snorted, tapping Ardor’s shoulder again. “Can I have a go when you’re done?”
Brief Wind landed in between the pegasus and the mare. Lifting a clawed arm in the air he backhanded Bolt Action across the face, sending the pegasus sprawling across the dirty floor of the hold. “There’s a special place in hell for people like you, right beside the one reserved for ponies that stand up at the theater.”
Bolt Action flopped around, getting up on all four hooves before angrily trotting over toward the griffon. “Well save me a spot, cause your about to--”
“Bolt Action, shut up.” Ardor locked eyes with the pegasus who huffed, looking away. “Brief... hit harder next time. Now, what should we do about the unicorn mare?” He pointed over his shoulder and at the box.
“Pegasus,” mumbled Bolt Action.
“Why do you keep saying that? She’s clearly a--” Ardor turned around, coming face to face with the curious expression of the lavender mare. He looked up and down at her, taking in her youthful lavender eyes, large wings, and tall, spirally horn. “She’s... an Alicorn?!” he exclaimed.
“Hi!” she said, a big, silly grin on her face.
Ardor looked around, then back to the alicorn mare. “Um, hello? I’m, Ardor... Who’re you?”
The mare opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off as the ship shook violently, throwing the four ponies in the room against ground. “What the hay was that?” asked Bolt Action from the ground.
“Clamps,” replied Brief Wind.
“The tug ship. Dammit, we must be close to the Alliance ship!” Ardor got up, looking at the mare that was still dizzily shaking her head. “What do we do about her?” he asked out loud.
“Just leave her here,” mumbled Bolt Action, picking a few of his guns off the floor. “The Alliance will sort her out. I personally don’t care about her one bit...” He glanced at the mare’s flank as she tried to get up. “Well, maybe a few bits...” he relented.
“I don’t like you,” she huffed.
“Well, I don’t like you neither!” responded the gruff pegasus.
“You’re just a big, fat fake! Your name isn’t even real!” She said, blowing a raspberry at his reddening face.
“Wait, how’d you know...” Bolt Action shook his head, staring daggers at her.
Ardor watched as Brief walked over to the mare, sweeping her onto her hooves and winning himself a smile for it in the process. “Shady Business will pay us Eight hundred thousand bits to get her to Pheromone.” The captain paced some more.
“Four--” Bolt Action coughed. “We can’t just leave her here! The Alliance will do all sorts of cruel things to her!”
“Alright, alright!” said Ardor, trotting over to the mare. He looked her in the eye. “Do you understand me?” he asked.
“Is that coat made of leather?” she asked. “You do know where leather comes from right?”
“What?” Ardor pulled back. “Just answer my question!”
“In magic, magic–energy equivalence is the concept that the magic of a body is a measure of its energy content. In this concept, magic is a property of all energy, and energy is a property of all magic, and the two properties are connected by a constant. This means that the total internal energy E of a body at rest is equal to the product of its rest magic M and a suitable conversion factor to transform from units of magic to units of energy. Apple Einstallion proposed magic–energy equivalence in one of his Ponnus Mirabits papers entitled ‘Does the inertia of a body depend upon its energy-content?’ The equivalence is described by the famous equation: E=MC squared.”
Ardor looked at her slack jawed for a few seconds after she was done. “Yep, she lost her marbles. Brief Wind, carry her!”
The griffon rose an eyebrow at the order, but obeyed, grabbing the mare and dumping her on his back. “Fluffy griffon is fluffy,” she giggled.
Ardor looked at her and shook his head before he began trotting towards the front of the hold. “C’mon, lets get out of here.”
“Wait, where are we going?” mused Bolt Action as he galloped after the captain, shooting the mare a weird look as he did so.
“Outside, Bolt Action, outside. Little mare needs some exercise!”
“This was a bad idea,” said Bolt Action, uselessly trying to make himself comfortable by shifting around the interior of the suit.
They all heard Ardor's voice crackle, "I told you to leave the guns in the Swift...”
“Leave my precious behind? I’d rather die!” The pegasus spun a little, grabbing hold of another rung on the ladder. “Oh, I hate this... I need... sky and clouds and...” The pegasus continued to moan and whine as he held his eyes firmly shut.
“You might die anyway if you don’t shut up. Now keep radio silence.” Ardor sighed, lifting a hoof to the side of his helmet and flicking off the comm.
Four spacesuit-clad figures hung onto the side of the Swift as the ship slowly made its way towards the Alliance station. Three didn’t dare to look away from the ship and into the void of space, while one of them couldn’t turn her head away.
The small tug ship that pulled them was basically an engine with a cabin shoved on top. It forced the Swift into the quickly opening maw of one of Obedience’s many hangars. Inside was an enormous collection of clamps, ramps, and long mechanical appendages that surged forward, grabbing the small cargo ship as they began moving it deeper into the station. Ahead of them loomed a gigantic purple shield that rippled as the ship crossed it, revealing a room filled with hundreds of ships, all docked and ready to leave from some of the already-opened exits.
With a lurch, the Swift stopped moving. A closed-in ramp shifted, clamping itself to the backside of the ship, and blocking off the entire cargo hold door. Ardor looked around, and, with a push, floated upwards toward the top of the Swift. The magnetic clamps under his hooves were silent as they held onto the metal ship. Once there, he found one of the thickly-armoured windows that allowed him to see inside the hold.
“That little whore!” he swore to himself.
Within the hold, Inky, the blue mare, was saluting an Alliance officer as dozens of soldiers trotted into the room. Inky and the officer were standing near the open white box peeking into it, shaking their heads.
Wearing an angry frown, Ardor hopped back down to the others. Positioning himself between Bolt Action and Brief Wind he started fumbling for the comm controls, only to feel something tapping against his shoulder. Turning slowly, he peered into the alicorn mare’s smiling eyes.
She wasn’t wearing a helmet.
“What are you doing?! You’ll suffocate!” He yelled into his own helmet, causing his ears to ring loudly.
The mare grabbed his helmet and, with an expert twist, popped it off. “Hi Ardor!” she said happily.
Ardor touched his face in disbelief, unable to comprehend what had happened. “This room is ventilated, silly. The shield is an atmospheric inhibitor!” She smiled brightly at him, floating above the ground while waving her arms around merrily. “Can I take the suit off now? It hurts my wings!” she whinnied childishly.
“Yeah, I agree with her, these things weren’t made for the winged kind,” said Bolt Action as he removed his helmet with a hiss.
“Fine...” grumbled Ardor as he watched the mare undress back into her purple jumpsuit, “The ship is crawling with alliance. We’ll have to find another way off this station...”
“How about one of those?” asked Brief Wind, pointing a gloved claw towards one of the hundreds of ships dotting the hangar, most of which were twice as large as the Swift, some even more so.
Ardor smiled slyly. “Well, we could use a new ship, and if it’s stolen from an Alliance shipyard they’ll have to foot the bill... Actually, if we wait around they’ll probably chuck the Swift out like trash. We’ll be able to get it back and deliver our...” His eyes glanced to the mare. “...cargo, in time.”
“Alrighty then! Let’s go, boys!” The mare grabbed Ardor’s shoulder, flapping her wings as the two began to descend. Her horn glowed and enveloped the other two, making them follow along as well.
The four of them were forcibly guided along the bottom of the Swift, then back up as she began weaving between the many ships present.
“Ardor stopped struggling after a few minutes. Instead he looked around, his eyes searching for potential trouble and finding plenty. “Hey, random alicorn mare, you never told me your name...”
The mare smiled down at him. “It’s a secret,” she whispered loudly.
“Captain,” said Brief Wind.
Having learnt that it was always best to listen, Ardor twisted around, looking at the griffon that was also being dragged by the mare. “What is it Brief?”
“We’re being followed, captain.” The thundering sound of a gunshot, followed by the ping of a bullet against the hull of a nearby ship, accentuated the griffon’s words.
“Let me at ‘em! I’ll gut them, just- just give me my guns!” said Bolt Action, squirming uselessly in a vain attempt to grab one of his many weapons.
Another gunshot rang out, this one pinging much closer to the group. The alicorn twisted around, looking at the captain. “I’m very sorry, but I’ll have to drop you, Ardor. Those ponies are going against the forty-fifth protection protocol. It is my duty to stop them.” Her eyes glazed over as she dived downwards, carrying them with her only to let go of them in mid-air.
The three screamed as they dropped towards the ground, only to bounce off it with three soft ‘thumps’. “Oh right, no gravity.” Ardor facehoofed.
The stallions twisted around until their magnetic boots pulled them back towards the ground. Once there, Ardor tried to regain his bearings. They were under the ships; large ramps and small elevators rose up all around, each of them blocked by their own private shield. The few ponies around were onboard mechanical lifts, carrying passengers who alternated between staring at the three and up at the alicorn.
Boom
Ardor looked up. The alicorn mare was flying circles around a group of armoured Alliance pegasi, all of whom were desperately trying to shoot the mare down as she weaved between them. Suddenly the mare turned, her horn glowing to form a shield that rippled as bullets impacted against it. A small smile creased her face as her horn’s glow intensified. Twelve bolts of purple magic blasted out of her, hitting each soldier square in the chest and sending them rolling across the enormous room as the lack of gravity carried them away.
The mare twisted around, swooping back towards the three to land with a thud in the middle of them. “All done!” she proudly exclaimed, beaming towards the three .
Bolt Action picked his jaw up off the ground. “Well... nothing I couldn’t do with a good gun and a few minutes... But that was sort’ve impressive,” he admitted.
“Right,” began Ardor, shaking himself out of his reverie. “So, which ship do we... borrow? How about that one?” he said, pointing towards a sleek black cruiser.
“No. Not shiny enough,” said the mare.
“Wait,” Ardor took a step towards her. “Who told you that you could choose?”
She leaned in towards him. “You know how to hack through a tier nine security system?”
Ardor Grumbled, “Fine, which ship do you want then, Princess High-and-Mighty?!”
The mare laughed. “That’s not my name, silly!” She pointed to a ship held in the far corner of the hangar. “I want that one.”
“Captain, we should hurry. It’s kinda far, and I don’t think we've gone unnoticed...” Brief Wind pointed towards the small passenger ships that glided nearby. Almost every window was filled with the faces of ponies looking at them.
“Right, let’s get going. We’ll see this ship of yours.” Ardor Clung to the metal floor, preparing to give himself a strong push, when suddenly he was wrapped in a purple glow. In a blink, he appeared in the badly-lit corner of the hangar, his head spinning as he wobbled around.
“Don’t worry. It’ll wear off,” said the mare before trotting over to the ship’s ramp. The shield wrapped around the entire base of the ship, blocking off access . It glowed a faint purple that illuminated the name of the ship above it.
“Harmony?” read Ardor as the mare walked to the control panel set in the middle of the ramp.
“I know, such a shiny name! And it’s a real good ship too!” The mare began fiddling with the controls.
“Hey, Ardor, how ‘bout we take one of those ships? Heck, any of them would be better than this old wreck!” Bolt Action whispered loudly.
“Hey, don’t call her a wreck; she’s a good ship! She’ll surprise you! Ship like this will be with you ‘til you die!” The mare stared daggers at Bolt Action.
“‘Cause it’s a deathtrap,” grumbled Ardor as he looked at the Harmony. The ship was beyond old, and yet it had a certain charm to it. The armoured plating on its sides was clean and well-kept despite its age. The motor that was placed in the centre of the ship was cumbersome, but powerful. The cargo hold stretched from the far back all the way to the front, where it connected to the control station at the fore, making it almost look like a goose with two little thrusters sticking out like stubby wings.
“Fine, get us in there; this is just until we get back to the Swift anyway,” said the captain as he trotted up to the mare.
“Rargh! I can’t get this to work! They changed the override command codes!” The alicorn slapped the side of the console in frustration.
“Told you she’s going kook. Let’s go hijack one of those ships those passengers are boarding!” Bolt Action shifted on his hooves uneasily, his eyes looking towards the nearby transports being loaded up with ponies.
“Give me a second. I’ll try voice commands.” The mare pressed another button, then began speaking. “This is Twilight Sparkle, Sixth Element and champion of Equestria. By my order I unlock this system.” The shield pulsed a few times, then dissipated. “Alright guys, get in there quick!” she said as she began running up the ramp, then stopped when they all stared at her. “What is it?”
“What did you call yourself?” asked Ardor.
“Twilight Sparkle.”
“Why do you call yourself that?”
“Because that’s my name...”
The three stallions stared at each other. “Right, let’s talk about that later!” Ardor hopped forward, glancing at the mare suspiciously as he floated by her and into Harmony’s opening hatch.
Inside, he found the clean grey walls and floors of a large, empty cargo hold. “This is... nice...” he lied as the mare flew past him.
“Come on, we need to get out of here; the security system is about to activate!”
Nodding, he raced after the mare, trying to get used to the ship’s artificial gravity. With a hiss, the door began closing behind him, moments after Bolt Action and Brief Wind flew in.
“Whoa, much better than your old wreck,” commented Bolt Action as he also took in the ship.
“Bolt Action, shut up.” Ardor began trotting after the mare. The corridor she took led to a long hallway with rooms on either side, all of them accessible via floor hatches.
A lavender head popped out of the room at the end of the corridor. “Come on, we have to go!”
Galloping, Ardor arrived in the command room, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked around. “Wow, this is... nice,” he said, running his hoof over the surface of one of the ship’s consoles. The room, much like the rest of the ship, was speckless, well-maintained, and equipped with high quality --if old-- systems.
“Strap yourselves in, boys!” yelled Twilight, as she sat in the pilot’s seat. Ardor gulped and raced to the nearest bench, quickly securing himself down as the two others ran in and did the same.
The alicorn mare’s hooves danced across the controls as the ship rumbled to life underneath them. With the press of a few more buttons, the ship began to surge forward. Clouds of multi-hued smoke rose around as the vessel slowly began to rise. Ahead of them loomed the gigantic shield wall, still blocking their path as they made their way forward. Dozens of Alliance soldiers scampered away as the ship moved.
“Um... Twilight? Did you check to see if we had, um... an exit?”
“Oh, I forgot about that!” Twilight’s horned glowed and more buttons lit up, the entire communications unit beeping to life. For a few seconds it crackled, then popped into silence. “Done!” she chimed just as the shield in front of the ship warped in on itself, becoming more fluid as the Harmony pierced through it.
The ship rumbled forward with nothing but space ahead of them for a few tense minutes. “That’s odd,” said Twilight, breaking the silence. “I was expecting them to-- Oh, there ya go!” She smiled as she raced over to another station. A small screen slid out from the ceiling with a video feed of the back of the ship. “There, I knew they’d send at least one ship after us!”
On the screen, they could see a tiny ship rocketing out and away from the Alliance station. It followed in their wake, slowly catching up.
“Tha-that's the Swift!” shouted the captain. Trying to get up, he was pulled back onto the bench by his straps. “Why would they send that ship after us? This makes no sense! And why aren't they launching fighters? Or firing at us?”
“Well, I don’t know why they’d send that ship after us, but they wouldn't just fire at us like that... They could accidentally hit us. Then we would all die in the cold desolate vacuum of space.” The mare smiled wistfully.
Suddenly the Swift on the screen turned, veering off-course. “What are they--” The Alliance station’s guns fired. Huge shells, the size of a full grown pony, blasted through space, punching holes into the Swift’s sides and exploding. Tiny parts of the shattered ship hurtled around as the oxygen within the ship burned.
Editor:
Proofreader:
Millennial Dan
Author:
Ravens Dagger