MASTER SERGEANT THUNDER CLAP

It is with great pain that I am the one writing this. We headed south to Manehatten and were met with a horrible fate. We need to come back. Sergeant Major Storm Eye was killed by a Manticore. We were beset by multiple Manticores. Sergeant Major Storm Eye died gallantly.

Master Sergeant Apple Slice is in the infirmary healing from his wounds fighting the Manticores. They knocked a concrete wall on him, knocking him out and almost crushing him in his armor. He barely survived.

Command Sergeant Major of Reconnaissance Shadow Flare is also in the infirmary. He jumped down off a four story building in an attempt to reach Sergeant Major Storm Eye and Master Sergeant Apple Slice. His roll only did so much. His body sustained multiple fractures and the only reason he made it back was the armor.

Sergeant Major Nor’easter and I did not sustain any known physical injuries. Still, we all need to come home.

Thunder sat at the overseer’s desk. Nor came in. Thunder had temporarily lost the ability to read faces.

“Well,” Nor said, unsure how else to start. “You remember our first mission? We have two geckos living in the reactor area. They hatched.”

“Well, that is a surprise,” Thunder stated. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“I’m feeding them and trying to raise them,” Nor added.

“Are you sure that is a safe thing to be able to do?” Thunder asked.

“No,” Nor chuckled. “Not at all. But they are contained and we can safely study them.”

“You can,” Thunder pointed. “Not we. You.”

“Fine,” Nor groaned. “I will play with them with Shadow.”

“How are they?”

“Shadow is in his room, healing.” Nor sighed. “Hopped up on Med-X for a few reasons. Slice is out too, but still in the infirmary. I am trying to heal them, but you can’t heal a broken heart. Or broken spirit. We have to keep that alive for them.”

“Is there room for us to be broken?” Thunder sighed.

“I don’t know,” Nor replied falling against the wall and sliding down.

They continued in silence for a while.

“Nor, how close are they to risking addiction?”

Nor thought for a moment. “I don’t know if we can stop them yet. Shadow had a lot of aches and pains. I didn’t tell him how many minor fractures his X-Ray revealed. He needs rest, real rest. And Slice, his spine is together, but it took a beating. His heartache is great too. I am more concerned with Slice.”

Thunder sighed and adjusted so he could type a follow up message. He was shaking and disoriented. It was hard to concentrate for him. Being on top with no support was not something he was ever trained to do. Nor was keeping everything together, logistically.

Thunder Clap and Nor’easter.

We need more support. We both fear for the mental and physical state of Shadow Flare and Apple Slice. Heavy doses of Med-X are being distributed out of necessity and Shadow Flare has been forced to use it multiple times before this injury. We are concerned they are, or will become, addicted.

Thunder sent it and left the overseer’s office to cool off, somehow. He settled on pulling apart whatever weapons fancied him and fully cleaning them before reassembly.

Nor had no problem keeping busy. Outside of watching over the two of them medically, he was tending to the hydroponics. He was not skilled like Shadow was, but he was more than adequate.

The next day, Nor was surprised to see Shadow in the hydroponics lap. All of his magical bandages were still on.

“You’re up?” Nor asked.

“Yeah,” Shadow groaned. “I need to. We can’t afford not to have me up.”

“We can’t afford for you to break yourself,” Nor replied. “If anypegasus is going to be up, it should be Slice. Only a wall fell on him.”

“I’m going to take it slow,” Shadow assured him. “Potions and magical bandages are helping a lot. I’ll work on a report soon.”

“Thunder sent one,” Nor said. “Two actually. Damage should be none. Don’t expect a really solid military report, but he got a good one in none the less. Of that, I am sure.”

Nor looked over the lab. “How is it holding up?”

“Good,” Shadow replied a bit distracted. “The apples are almost ripe.”

“Apples?” Nor asked confused.

“Those mini trees in the back,” Shadow pointed. “As soon as those buds disappear, the apples will arrive. Give it a few more day and they will be ripe. Accelerated growth is important to keep a stable like this alive. They won’t be as good as soil grown, but they will be adequate at least.”

Shadow continued in the hydroponics lab for most of the day. Before bed, he headed to the overseer’s office. He didn’t bother to read Thunder’s reports. He was going to write a short one of his own.

CSM Shadow Flare

The Inquisitors can no longer function as a reconnaissance force. We are down two pegasi and we were already beginning to struggle doing our assigned duty. Yes, we slaughtered a ton of ghouls. But on our terms. Taking on section by section.

Even more of a problem is the physical beating we have taken. I have broken multiple bones, on multiple missions. And I am not the only one who has been broken. More than bones have been broken. Our spirits can not continue much longer, if at all.

You have to unlock the hatch to let us back in or risk our demise. It will be a struggle for us to make it there, but we can.

Shadow sighed and hit send. It was begging in his eyes. He wished there was more he could do. Actually do.

It occurred to Shadow that this was it. There was no other way to contact anypegasus above. Without Storm, that avenue was over. The Lieutenant was it, their last hope.

A message came right back.

Lieutenant Honey Bee

CSM, while we do not need you to do any more reconnaissance, we need you to stay below. Heal and rest up. An important mission only you can do is in the works.

Some good news, but that didn’t solve their problem.

Lieutenant, can you give me more details?

Shadow tapped the desk, waiting.

CSM, For your eyes only. Delete after.

A group of dissenters have caused a rift. Rather than fight them and cause a greater rift, the Council has decided to grant their wish to head below and set up an Enclave settlement. Some say they are brave heroes, but you know the danger below.

They are attempting to cut out the Counsel and knowingly, openly, risk the health of our friends and family. We can not brand them as the traitors they are. They are too large of a group with a large enough base of support to be a threat. We all know the consequences for their choices.

If they do go through with heading below, they have to be dealt with. The Inquisitors may be down to four, but you are more than capable of handling what little resistance they can bring.

As you know, they will not survive below. But we can not wait for them to go silent. We need them to go silent and disappear quickly. They can not be allowed to circumvent the Council and break down our way of life.

We are the protectors of the Pegasus Race. You will have to do your duty to protect us.

Shadow scratched his head. That was not the response he was expecting.

Understood. We are ready to do our duty. Do we have a time line?

Shadow hoped they would not be down here much longer.

Unknown. You have two more weeks free.

Two weeks. Shadow hated seeing those words again. He could go the rest of his life without seeing those words again. That was beginning to be, bad, horrible words associated with this hell.

Understood and Deleted.

Shadow stood up and walked out to find Nor and Thunder. Thunder was in the armory. He told Shadow that Nor was probably down in the reactor. Nor was there. He was perfecting a way to safely observe the geckos.

“What do you think of these guys?” Nor asked.

“Fun, but dangerous,” Shadow stated. “But I trust you to not put yourself in too much danger. For now, leave them. We need to talk, as a group. So to the infirmary.”

Slice was awake and relaxing.

“Glad to see you awake,” Shadow smiled.

“I think I am ready to get up,” Slice replied. “I am probably in better shape than you.”

Shadow just rolled his eyes.

“I got a response from Lieutenant Honey Bee,” Shadow announced. “We have two more weeks free. Time to heal. But there is something that we may need to do. I can’t speak on it. If it turns out to be nothing, then it is best left totally unknown.”

“You two rest,” Thunder said. “We have two weeks, I want to slip up over the mountains and check out the Hollow Shades.”

“I’ll join you,” Nor said. “If Shadow clears it.”

“Why not a close, exploratory run,” Shadow replied. “Make plans and give me a briefing. In the morning. I am heading to bed.”

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