“Really? You want me on maternity leave already?” I say, blinking in shock. “I’m three months into an eleven month pregnancy.”

“To which we know almost nothing about on Earth. Light duties is one thing, but we recommend you take time off. Take the foals, Blaze, every pony here has been so stressed out with mission after mission.” The General says softly, “I’d like to suggest taking a few months off, collect yourself. Take the unicorn club with you.”

“You’re kicking us off base?” I say, shaking my head.

“No, your homes here will be reserved, we will cover the upkeep. We are giving you a temporary deployment. Go to the Apple Farm, to Lightning Dust’s farm, to England.” The General smiles, “Relax, take some time to come to terms with everything.”

“But we do all have to leave the base?” I say, lowering my head.

“Group vacation, you can’t find what you need here.” The General says, stroking me behind my ear, “And don’t worry about new ponies, if any unicorns show up, we can see about sending them to wherever you are. If you want to keep teaching new unicorns that is.”

“Come on, Fleetfoot’s still working.” I protest, perking my ears forward hopefully.

“Fleetfoot’s working with over forty pegasi. They have their own cloud barracks and they work with earth ponies and unicorns. It gives them time, and a chance to remember their culture. Something you, Sugarberry, and Ballad are really missing out on.” Nodding, he smiles. “You just need time off with the girls where you aren’t being shot at, or trying to save ponies.”

“Not Cipher?” I say, noting he left her out.

“Cipher is strange… She didn’t want to go back to Equestria because of bad WiFi, poor cell reception, and lack of good coffee. She could REALLY use some time off too but, I’m pretty sure all she’s going to do with it is terrorize Minecraft servers. In any event, she’s going with you too. I’m not breaking up your… herd.”

“What if they don’t want to go?” I find myself trembling a bit.

“Unfortunately even Cipher is getting the order to go with you. They are there to help protect you. Just take the time, relax, and learn with them.” Nodding once he smiled. “Sugarberry and Ballad haven’t really been following their special abilities here. Ah-Pee has, but it will give them a chance to explore themselves.”

“Special talents?” I say and blink, looking back at my cutie mark.

“Ballad’s been working so hard on her engineering course with Prime Power. Though the instructors have noticed, she gets lost sometimes when she’s looking at musical instruments. She hasn’t figured out her special talent with instruments as of yet, and somewhere inside her, it’s seriously bothering her. I think ponies have a problem with that, if they don’t understand their cutie marks, it weighs on them.” The General nods slowly.

“You’ve been watching the show a lot, haven’t you?” I say, looking up at him. “In some ways it seems like you understand me, understand us, better than we do.”

“I have more than a few ponies under my command, its best to understand them, their nature. To understand their needs, hopes, dreams, and callings.” Smiling softly, he strokes my face, eliciting a blush from me, “I will do whatever I can to make your kind feel accepted, both in the military, and in life.”

“Thank you sir.” I look down.

“And part of that is your mental health and wellbeing, I’m not saying you must have a military job that follows your cutie mark, but at the same time, you’ve all just been ponies for a few months. I want you to have a chance to explore the meaning of those marks. I need you to help them. Just like I need them to help you.”

“And now you sound like Princess Celestia.” I giggle.

“Nope, unlike her, I can hold my own in a fight.” The General says with a smile, “I am still a Ranger, after all.”

“Yes sir, thank you sir.” I say smiling, then stand and head out of the office.

“Stay safe… My little ponies... use your friendships and follow your hearts.” He says with just the slightest Celestia style smile.

*** US/Mexican Border = 32.5413893,-117.0479739***

The AN/TPS-80 system had been set up to track and spot small aircraft and drones. Cartel members and drug lords often use small planes to fly goods across the border. Recently, though, drones carrying twenty pound packs, or ultralights with up to two hundred pounds have been spotted.

The radar, however, is only the first line of defense. Scanning the sky, it detects a track, a low flying target, hardly a hundred feet off the ground, trying to get lost in ground clutter. Even though the signal is intermittent it is enough to trigger a response.

Instantly the system locates the closest of the tower mounted cameras. Used to track illegal immigrants trying to cross into the USA, these towers contain cameras with standard optics, zoom, low light, and even thermal imaging. Receiving the alert and information from the radar, the camera spins on its mount, locking on to the target. Following its course, or predicted course that is, the computer begins its recording.

Storing the film for legal use, an alert is sounded at the border control monitoring station. Almost instantly, a real time image is put up on the screen as well as radar track information. Now it’s the tech’s turn to handle the issue.

“Sir, she’s crossing again, we have her in sector two this time, camera fourteen got her.” A tech calls out, putting a picture of the pegasus up on the screen.

“That’s the fourth time this week.” The supervisor says, shaking his head. “Ok, call the 520th and let them know we have an intruder.”

Nodding slowly, the controller hits a button on his console. “520th, this is border control station two, we have an unidentified pegasus illegally crossing back and forth from Mexico to USA. We request an intercept, the pegasus is not carrying a transponder.” Tapping on his keyboard, he adjusts his headset. “Uploading flight track information right now.”

“Ok sir, they said they are vectoring in a police officer to catch her.” The tech responds.

Mumbling the supervisor goes back to his desk, “Damn pegasi, they are more trouble than they are worth. Why don’t they just let us start shooting them for illegal crossings?”

*** Sugarberry ***

Henry lay on his side, stretching out a bit. The carpet is soft and plush, so he doesn’t need the sofa, giving lots of room for Sugarberry to lay snuggled to his belly. Gently he strokes Sugarberry’s side as he looks at her. Her mane flows around her face.

“I don’t want to go.” Sugarberry says softly.

Shaking his head Henry smiles gently, “I’m taking some time off to go with you. They gave me a big holiday bonus for forcing me to be a unicorn. I think they are trying to avoid a lawsuit or human rights vs. pony rights claim. I don’t care really, it will be nice to have some down time with you.”

“How can you live without saving ponies and the world and punishing those who mean to do harm?” Sugarberry says with a giggle and nose boops him with a hoof.

“Yep, just relaxing, maybe skiing if there are hills, I don’t know. If we do Montana, might try horse… back…” Henry stops and looks at Sugarberry.

Sugarberry has one eyebrow raised and a strange cute smile on her face, “Go on… horseback what?”

“Umm, yeah, I never tried that, and now I don’t think I want to, it just hit me.” Henry says, shaking his head.

“Oh? Which? Are picturing me in a saddle and halter? Or yourself wearing them?” Sugarberry smiles evilly.

Henry shudders and shakes his head, “That has dirty implications, but at the same time… Yes, I’m thinking of me in pony form wearing the saddle being forced to walk around. I think I’ll skip the horse stuff.”

“Yeah, it might be best.” Sugarberry says with a giggle, “Ugh, if we go to England what then?”

“Well the area has LOTS of gems, so you will get a chance to practice a ton.” Henry thinks for a second, then he smiles, “I’ll bring a raincoat, buy you a rain cloak and maybe some rain boots. And I’ll definitely need a coat.”

Sugarberry gives him a light kick with a hind hoof, “Jerk.”

“Face it, Twilight and Cipher have had tons of time to play with their magic, their special talents, but you and Ballad haven’t.” Henry says softly, rubbing her chest and ribs. “You need to find and get back in touch with the real you.”

Sugarberry pouts, turning her head away, “Like you do?”

Sighing softly, Henry shakes his head, “You know, I wasn’t born a pony, so this is the real me. I’m in touch with being a human.” Rubbing his nose against hers, he smiles, “I guess my stars never aligned. I have no idea why I have this cutie mark in the first place.”

Hugging him tightly, Sugarberry sighs, “I know, I just wish you were sometimes.”

“If I was, then I’d have been cursed to and we might never have ran into each other.” Henry says, smiling. “As it is I’m in a relationship with the best unicorn in both worlds. So I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

Sugarberry smiles hugging him tight, her ears and cheeks blushing hard at his statement.

***

“Wind, this is Fire Streak, target sighted at six o’clock low, vector zero one two, range six mikes.” Fire Streak adjusted his goggles looking down.

Wind sighs, shaking her head, “Fire, I’m right beside you, you don’t need to pretend you’re still in a fighter.”

“Hey, unlike you, I like staying in practice. Who knows, someday they might make a fighter for pegasi to fly.” Fire says and banks, rolling into a dive on the target pegasus.

“Yeah right, I prefer my own wings.” Wind shakes her head, rolling into a dive as well.

The target pegasus is flying very low to the ground, if there were trees, she’d likely be under them, but this is town and open land, she is flying just above the rooftops of lower buildings, trying to keep from being seen.

Fire and wind aren’t fooled though. They aren’t dependent on radar, they have her visually, and to them, she stands out like a beacon. The brightly colored pegasus over drab grey and black rooftops, especially to their eyes.

“Well she’s not a speedster, what would you put her at? Five wingpower?” Fire says, lining up on the pegasus.

Wind shakes her head, “four and a half, at best.”

“You want to go in and girl to girl it? Or should I go in and hard cop it?” Fire says.

“Last time you went in, we had a runner that took us an hour to calm down.” Wind called back, narrowing her eyes.

“I deny that.” Fire says, looking aloof.

“Oh BS, they lead us half way around San Diego.” Wind says as she scowls at her partner.

“Nope, they flew, there was no running involved.” Fire states in his own defense, puffing out his chest.

“Stallions.” Winging over, Wind dives on the other mare to pull up beside her. Rocking her wings side to side as she flaps, she smiles at the younger female.

The pony is a creamy pink, with darker pink mane and tail. Her cutie mark says it all, a bright red heart with a smaller red heart beside it. It isn’t the mark for a speedster, a weather pony, or such. It isn’t the mark of a traditional occupation. It is her heart, she shares it with those she meets. At least that’s how Wind reads it. She is an empathetic or emotional pegasus. Wind knows she will have to be very careful.

“Hello there, mind if I fly beside you?” Wind asks, matching the smaller mare’s speed.

Looking around in a panic, the little pink pegasus starts panting hard. Her eyes go wide as she lays her ears flat back, “No! Yes! You can’t!”

“Wait, what?” Wind asks as she sees the pegasus try and speed up more. She’s flapping her wings in a panic as fast as she can.

Shaking her head vigorously, the little pegasus starts trying to zig zag through ground clutter, Wind can see she is desperately trying to lose her. The little pegasus is giving it everything she has, trying with all her heart to get away.

Wind sighs softly, she is both a trained combat pilot and a Wonderbolt. The little pegasus has no chance. Wind can easy match any of her maneuvers, out corner, turn, bank, and run her. This is about as fair as a Model T trying to get away from a Jeep. Yet Wind can see that the little one giving it everything she has. She seems so desperate, “If she keeps going like this she could have a heart attack.”

Wind backs off a bit to let the poor thing slow down, and maybe calm down a little. “Fire, keep an eye on her, but give her lots of breathing room. I don’t want her hurting herself, or having a panic attack.”

“What’s going on?” Fire asks looking down and climbing a bit, to give them more room.

Wind gives the other pegasus a good lead again, but looks her over. “I’m not sure, she doesn’t have a transponder, but she has what looks like a GPS tracking or monitoring band strapped to her leg. She’s got saddlebags strapped onto her. I think someone’s using her.”

“Try moving in again and speaking Eponese. Don’t fly beside her, but in formation above and to the side. But stay in earshot.” Fire says over the radio, “Next block, you’ll be able to make your move.”

“Good idea.” Wind says, “For once.” She adds with a giggle.

Fire watches from his position, coasting lazily a few hundred feet up. He can see both of them from his position, but he also keeps an eye out for other air traffic. With one final check, he calls out over the coms, “Now.”

Making her move, Wind quickly moved up above a row of roof tops so she is close enough to talk, but at the same time has some screening from roof tops. She’s only about twenty feet from the other pony but it is still far enough that they don’t look like they are flying together.

“Now it’s harder to see me, what’s wrong?” Wind whinnies out in Eponese, gracefully dodging a satellite dish.

“I can’t talk.” The pegasus says, trying to not look at Wind.

“There aren’t any other ponies around, and humans don’t understand Eponese. Is someone after you?” Wind asks, then ducks under a clothes line. She glances back, blinking, who hangs panties and bras on their roof?

“If I get caught they will…” The pegasus stops herself, quickly shaking her head, “I can’t tell anyone.”

“Who said? You’re not in trouble, and we won’t stop you, but we want to help.” Wind says as she vaults over a TV antenna.

Lowering her head a bit, the pegasus sighs, “I’m Pink Hearts, my sister is Patches, they are holding her to make sure I do what they say.”

“Who’s holding her? Where?” Wind says, her tail flaring in anger.

“I’ve said too much, if they find out, they will kill her. If I miss my delivery or am seen talking to others they will kill her.” The pegasus closes her eyes for a moment, “Leave me alone, please.” She whines.

Blinking, Wind pulls up hard to avoid impacting into Rainbow Dash’s butt. Looking down at the Comic con billboard with the My Little Pony logo, Wind can’t help but smile as she keeps climbing up to meet with Fire. “Someone’s holding her sister hostage. She’s being forced to run drugs I think.”

“Great, just what we needed. It’s your call.” Fire growls.

Wind hums and nods, “Let’s climb up an extra five hundred feet and follow. We can take turns shadowing her back, the problem is since she’s coming from Mexico they are likely holding her there.”

“Yeah and the Federales don’t care too much about ponies.” Fire says, shaking his head, “And a rescue operation and assault across international lines is…”

“Hey, I have a day off. I’m sure White Lightning will understand.” Wind says and winks.

“I’ll let her know on scrambler.” Fire says with a smile.

***

The camp is a mismatch of creatures, zebra, thestral, and a few odd griffins, who had escaped from South Africa, a few earth ponies had filtered in as well. All in all, their numbers have slowly grown to nearly two hundred.

A well has been dug, and several cisterns built at the edges of the cliffs. The thestrals have been able to pull clouds in to fill them with rain water. Some crops have even been planted and are already starting to grow. For the first time for many of these refugees, their lives are looking up.

Shelters have been built with what is available, cloth from the air drop, metal from the trucks and vehicles. To most westerners, it isn’t much to look at. There is almost a post-apocalyptic feel to the place, but to the ponies, it is the first place they can really call home.

For many, it is the first time they don’t have to run or hide. They don’t have to fear having things taken away from them. They don’t have to worry about kidnappings or raids. They can sleep safe, work, and make a life.

“What do you think?” Strepe says, looking up and smiling.

Nightshade sighs and shakes her head, “I’m not sure what to think. I’ve never seen or had this much without someone trying to take it away.”

Strepe nuzzles up to the thestral, “Don’t worry, no one will try. We have Kara here to protect us.”

“Strepe, it’s not fair to place all our hopes on Kara. She doesn’t want to defend us. She just wants to be left alone.” Looking up at the top of the mountain that is Kara’s home, Nightshade sighs, “I wonder how old she really is.”

“Twenty-five, that’s all that matters for now.” Strepe says, nodding. “She’s twenty-five like all the rest of us.”

As the shadow passes over, it sends a shiver up Nightshades back. It’s rare for Kara to be out flying at this time. Looking up, she sees the dragon circling for a landing. Nightshade wants to sound an alarm, she wants to warn the ponies, but at the same time, the look from Stepe says it all.

“Hi Kara!” Strepe says, bounding up. “What’cha got there?”

“I… um…” Turning her head a little shyly Kara, lays down a chunk of metal and glass scraps. “I wanted to clear my head. I was flying down the coast a bit and found debris from an old freighter. I cut and ripped off a few of the sheets of metal that were on the side, and managed to pry out some of the windows that weren’t too badly broken.”

It is trash, garbage that no one else would want. It is rusted scraps of bent metal. It is dirty, salt stained glass, there is some old fishing net mixed in with the mess. It smells of the sea and most would have just left it for the sea to reclaim.

“It’s PERFECT!” Stepe says, smiling brightly, “Oh Kara I could hug you. I’m sure we can sand scrub the metal down and use it for roofing for some the larger community buildings! The net is all nylon, we can separate it out and use the parts for rope. And real glass, we can have real windows!”

The little foal bounds around the dragon so excited and happy that Kara can’t help but smile. “Thank you Stepe. You have helped me more than you know.”

Turning to the sky, Kara takes flight back up to her ledge where she can watch over the valley.

*** Quantico ***

“Fleur? Fleur!!!”

Fleur stops, blinking and looks back at Anthony as he runs down the hall of the CID wing. Slowing to a walk, he moves up beside Fleur, looking at her.

“What’s up?” Fleur asks, starting to walk again.

“Not here, White Lightning wants to meet you, unofficially. They are waiting by the pond south of the building.” Anthony looks around, “Jet Stream gave me the message when I was walking in from my car.”

Fleur blinks at the idea of a secret meeting. “Well let’s get going.” Turning, she starts to head for the exit, then she stops, “Are you coming?”

Anthony shakes his head, “I was told it was pony business, only to tell you.”

“You’re coming. You are my partner and support, after all.” Lighting her horn, Fleur grabs his hand and starts walking, pulling him behind her.

“Okay, okay, let go.” Anthony laughs and jogs up, walking beside her.

The parking lot backs up onto the pond, and pond is all you can really call it. It’s about fifty meters across and a hundred meters long. Just on the far side of the pond at the edge of the wood line, Fleur can see a few pegasi waiting.

Looking at her, Anthony starts jogging around the pond and Fleur picks up the pace. As they get closer though, the ponies back more into the tree line, obviously this is more secretive then either of them thought.

“I told you this was just for ponies.” Streams says, backing behind her sister.

“Sorry, he’s my partner and as much a pony to me as anyone.” Fleur says, putting her hoof down, her horn glowing. “He’s been with me through my change, he’s been with me through magical rituals, and deserves every bit the respect.”

“No offense intended Fleur.” White Lightning has several pegasi with her, a few of them are even Wonderbolts. “But what we are going to talk about is off the books, off the record, and downright illegal.”

“Illegal as in speeding tickets, loss of jobs, Leavenworth, or executions for high treasons?” Anthony asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Somewhere between the last two.” Lightning says, looking at the group and takes a breath, “Fire Streak, you’re up.”

He steps forward, “The Zeta Cartel, for almost a decade, has been shipping drugs, guns, and money back and forth across the border. They are one of the most vicious and deadly of all the cartels in Mexico.”

Wind steps forward looking at the other ponies and human. “A few days ago, we began tracking a pegasus crossing illegally into the USA. She was flying low and without a transponder. She’s not a speedster, or a weather pony and her wing power is low.”

Anthony lifts an eyebrow and looks at Fleur’s side to make sure she doesn’t have wings before looking back at the pegasi.

“She’s being used by the Zeta Cartel as a drug mule. They are holding another pony, her sister, hostage while she flies what they want back and forth. The poor thing is terrified, she thinks they have spies everywhere. Which is a distinct possibility.”

“The federales?” Anthony asks, tilting his head.

“That’s a no go, in this region, they are mostly under the payroll of Zeta and other Cartels. They are likely to kill the hostage and clear out.” White Lightning says, she looks at the ponies and sighs.

“Our chance, our option, is to violate international law, carry out a raid with no jurisdiction into a foreign country. Rescue a hostage, with the risk of killing foreign nationals which would technically be murder. Then escape with them back across the border into the USA.” White Lightning says, “This isn’t an order this is a volunteer only.”

“Count me in.” Anthony says, “And you may need someone with hands there.”

Fleur blinks and everypony looks at him.

“Well we all have some days off. It looks like we are going on a vacation.” Fire smiles.

“The plan is simple. When Pink Hearts starts her next cargo run. One pony will follow with her, staying out of sight as best they can. Then the rest of us will go in and free the hostage. Once we have her, we can retreat back to safety. Pink Hearts can be intercepted and her cargo handed off to the police.”

Anthony smiles, “I have a friend over in the Hostage Rescue Training Center. They might have a few things. I might be able to borrow it off the books.”

“What… sort of things.” White Lightning asks.

“You’ll see if I can get them. Unofficial training, meet me at my place tomorrow.” Anthony says, then turns, heading for the parking lot.

*** 10.087481, -84.791863 ***

The three ponies have been following the Inter-American Highway again. It has become their lifeline in a way. As long as they are on it, they know they are heading towards the USA. This highway runs all the way from Panama, nonstop straight to the US border. Well not quite nonstop, they have had to stray off the highway at times to avoid cities.

Highway is such a loose term, it’s used to describe the thirty lane roads leading to megacities. It’s used to describe the six lane highways though the cities. The four lane interstate highways that cut through the landscape, but people always forget about the smaller highways. With only one lane of traffic for each direction people have to go with the flow. Sometimes they have a passing lane in the middle, but not always. Melding with the land and weaving as part of it, rather than cutting through it.

The old Route 66 in the USA, or Canada’s Kings Highway 2, it’s often viewed as a bypass road rather than a main route. A road with farmlands and old houses on either side, or it just meanders through forests. It is just wide enough for cars to pass each other as they travel in opposite directions. This means sometimes cars have to wait to get around farm carts or wagons.

Sunny Days sighs as she lies on the roof of their wagon. They hadn’t eaten well in the last few days. They are out of milk, and flour. So they are limited to animal feeds, and whatever Sunny can scrounge up on their stops. The girls are good about it, and try their best to keep the facts hidden from Full Steam. He has been tirelessly pulling the wagon for weeks now, without complaint or days off, really. So the girls have been making sure he gets the most food.

It’s too hot inside the wagon and Sunny just needs to be in the light. Occasionally she would sit up and look at the cars driving by, but traffic is so light. She does her best to keep a look out for food sources, but with no money and little to trade, the group has to do what they can.

It is the sound that catches her attention first, the roar of the engine. Sitting up, she squints, seeing the car screaming down the road. It’s heading in the opposite direction they are, back towards Panama.

It’s a 442 hardtop with a pony driving it, at all but unsafe speeds. An actual pony like her. Well, dark blue or black, with a two tone black and blue mane, but still, a pony. Somepony else on the road, that might be able to help them. Even if it is only a few pesos, it will be enough to get them food for a few days at least.

Standing on her hind legs on the roof of the wagon, Sunny days started waving for all she was worth. “Please stop, please…”

The car doesn’t stop though; it blows by them at over a hundred miles per hour. It leaves the ponies in its dust, to fend for themselves. Sighing softly, Sunny sits down on the wagon top and watches the car go off.

“Sunny! What are you yelling about?” Ambrosia calls out from inside the wagon.

“There was a pony driving that car!” Sunny shouts down, “I don’t think they saw me though.”

“Why would a pony be driving south around here? Come on inside, Sunny.”

Sunny looks at the speck in the distance that was the car and sighs. She’d have to do something to find more food. Full Steam needs the energy. They need to follow Luna’s call and get to the gate.