Cardinal Spitfire put the breaks on hard and practically back flapped to slow down until she gingerly touched down on the flight deck. She exited with a hobble. It was lunch time and she needed food badly. She was in pain, still. It was only 24 hours since her leg had been broken.

They had done the direct steroid injections all night, but despite the pain, she was barely on her hooves. There was no break. The needed her to run the formation flying for Unit 0. Her break would be the day after tomorrow, when weather training began.

“They are looking spectacular,” Nova smiled at her as she hobbled up the stairs. “I am thinking that we need to tighten up all Aerial Combat Units in formation flying. Especially seven pegasi formations.”

Cardinal Spitfire chuckled. “When I could sneak a peak, yeah, they could use it. By the end of tomorrow, Unit 0 will have combat formation flying down to my approval. They don’t know it, but I have been preparing them for weather.”

“How does Marble feel about that?”

“They still have to pass that with her approval. But most Units learn combat formation flying, or tight formation flying as its also known as, after weather. When they get a real feel for needing things to be adjusted. This will give Unit 0 a nice moral boost.”

“Good,” Nova nodded. “I need them ready to go. To pass.”

“They will. All that matters is that they meet the standards. Its pass or fail, no grades. Combat can’t tell the difference.”

“That is very true,” Nova replied.

“Cardinal Spitfire!” Olive Pit called. “I have meds for you. And we have a table.”

“Have a table?” Cardinal Spitfire asked.

“Lets get you in and eating,” Olive Pit smiled. “The staff set it up since the others are still around. Deke had to do another showcase this morning, and apparently he has another tomorrow too. A brutal few hours standing there in front of everypony as a model. And being judged. But that means they will finally leave and we get peace.”

“Let’s get me there,” Cardinal Spitfire groaned. “I need to get off my hooves. And a warmer jacket.”

Cardinal Spitfire made it on her own and sat down. She took her time eating. Deke slid up, with only a bowl and spoon. Cardinal Spitfire had no idea what he was eating, but it was not what they were serving.

“How you feeling?” Deke grinned, not touching his food.

“Like shit,” Cardinal Spitfire replied. “No time to break. Not today or tomorrow. After, I’m crashing. No doubt about that. But, in the clinic.”

Golden Dawn dropped her tray onto the table, joining them. She looked at Deke’s bowl before shaking her head and sitting next to him.

“Do you really have to push it?” Golden Dawn asked. “I know, I’m no expert and I was not anywhere near here when the fight happened, but are the others that bad?”

“They are great at formation flying,” Cardinal Spitfire replied slowly. “And they can teach it, but Unit 0 needs to know this perfectly for their job. They need me. I was the one who tightened up Pony Patrol. We have the best combat formation flying in the Enclave. That is the thing. This is combat formation flying. You didn’t really learn combat formation flying, because you didn’t need it. I didn’t really get most of it until later, after Basic Training.”

Golden Dawn looked at Deke. He still hadn’t eaten anything. The stress of everypony judging him was obviously pushing hard on him.

“Well, tomorrow I head back. After breakfast. Finally. To be officially transferred back in time for the Officer School. We get to fuck with my idiot Lieutenant, forcing him do everything officially. I get to show them that I was wanted, despite his hatred. They didn’t need him, just little newbie me.”

The four of them chuckled. They all knew how bad it was for Golden Dawn.

Cardinal Spitfire groaned painfully. “I have to get back out there. It’s not too bad when I am in the air.”

“Same,” Oliver Pit said standing. “About the leaving. Not the pain. We are not at weather yet.”

“We have to pass weather training?” Golden Dawn groaned. “I…”

“You are going to be a pain,” Cardinal Spitfire chuckled. “I feel bad for whoever will be your ACS trainer. They are going to hate you. You will outshine the rest of your Unit, but you will be whining the whole time, sass on every thought. Even worse when you speak.”

“That is what they get,” Golden Dawn huffed. “Fucking General Shielded Vengeance. One more move. No personal shit again as I get settled. And these Units, how are you supposed to be married in them?”

“That is being worked out,” Olive Pit stated. “This is the first time in the history of the ACUs are being primarily stationed here. By the time your OS is done, things will be different.”

Golden Dawn just nodded, trusting him, and departed as well. Deke just sat there alone with his bowl and spoon, a smile on his face.

“Are you okay?” Admiral Purple Breeze asked sitting down at the table.

“Yeah,” Deke sighed. “I’m okay.”

“You don’t look it,” The Admiral stated.

“I’m with friends,” Deke said, smiling through her.

“Nopegasus is here,” The Admiral said looking around.

“Yeah, they just left. I have friends here though. It makes everything better.”

“I can’t believe I am saying this, but I think we need to get you back on a Cloudship. You have a bowl of nothing.”

“Not true. It has water in it.”

“For?”

“Sipping on with my spoon.”

“Are you sure you are okay? I’m about to call for a medic. I know its tough for you guys to model.”

“I’m fine,” Deke said, meeting her gaze. “Honestly, I don’t know what I will do when the inevitable happens. Little and I have fun. But we won’t always be on the same ship, causing terror in the sky. Known or unknown.”

“I know I’ll make it, but its a concern.”

“You two are more than a dynamic duo,” Admiral Purple Breeze stated.

“Yeah,” Deke said getting serious. “But… is that it?”

“Aren’t you her date to her sister’s wedding?”

Deke snorted. “Who else can she get? Options were beyond limited. And then there is Second Lieutenant Sunny Swirl.”

“She is cute,” Admiral Purple Breeze stated. “And she will be on the bridge of the Buttercup. Her verbal request was immediately approved. I was there and I readily accepted. I am happy she is going to be a member of the bridge crew. She could have gone anywhere and she knows how to think big. Admiral big. She was taught well.”

“But apparently it was you who told her to seize the moment and ask.”

“Bah,” Deke said batting it away with a wing. “I pointed it out. And she is cute. But she already knew my name and the Buttercup. Not hard when there are four of us, but still, she knew the secret. She wanted to go there before I brought it up.”

The Admiral raised her eyebrow. “I got the feeling you put a little more into that.”

“Okay,” Deke shrugged. “A bit. But everything is neutral. At least right now.”

“Are you sure of that?” The Admiral poked. “For both.”

Deke opened his mouth to answer and then closed. He ate a few bites before he admitted he had no idea.

“I do know this,” Deke grinned. “Whoever she is, she will have to deal with my swagger and handle my antics. Has the Vice Admiral departed yet?”

“Not yet,” Admiral Purple Breeze said shaking her head. “She gave her crew some time off in New Heaven. Even being ready to depart, she is keeping to her schedule. She has always been good at that. Plus, she would not leave me alone with the army fucks. I guess you missed her sitting in the back.”

“That is going to be weird,” Deke said switching topics. “Having the admiral on board and the Buttercup actually being the full flagship.”

Admiral Purple Breeze chuckled. “I know you all will handle it. Even addressing Ruby as Admiral. You will have no problem with that. You will also not have a problem dealing with some of the bridge changes we had to do. A first officer will need a legitimate station to take.”

“I can live with staying at nav,” Deke said with a small shrug. “Most first officers stay at their posts, in second seat usually.”

“I think you will like the new layout better,” The Admiral grinned. “You need a dedicated navigator and we need you to train them. But I have to go. I need to catch up on the Second Fleet more.”

“That would be wise,” Deke replied. “From the little I have heard, its not going to allow you to get your hooves wet. An all out jump into deep water.”

Deke sat there for a few minutes before putting the bowl to his lips and drinking it all. He had an idea. It would probably take him the rest of the day to set up.

Cardinal Spitfire pulled in Unit 17 and 63 to work on the formation flying from a different angle. Neither Unit was prepared to take on a seventh member. It was unacceptable. Cardinal Spitfire was forced to work with all three Units.

Cardinal Spitfire crashed right after dinner. Marble Falls had planned to take over the agility training until she was fully back on her hooves. Cardinal Spitfire didn’t need to push herself to teach them agility. Not even without demonstrating.

Like lunch and dinner the day before, the staff had a spot ready for Cardinal Spitfire to relieve the stress on her. Golden Dawn and Olive pit quickly joined her and Pony Patrol. Deke was absent. Just like he was at dinner.

“HEY!” Deke called over the PA system of the Squad Barracks. He was not supposed to be in the PA room.

Since it was breakfast, almost everypegasus was in the mess hall and barracks, many of the Admirals and Generals who had not gone home yet were there. Deke was projecting outside as well, to be safe.

“I was digging through old music yesterday to brighten your day and I found this gem, deep in the archives. It’s perfect for Pony Patrol. Sorry. I mean Wonderbolt Squad 12. It’s from the war, but about the pegasi who were doing what the Aerial Combat Battalion does!”

It started off with a strong marching drum line that never wavered. At the end, trumpets would join the last verse and chores as accents.

---

---

Fighting soldiers from the sky

Fearless Pegasi who fly and die

Pegasi who mean just what they say

The brave Pegasi of the Blue Beret

Silver wings upon their chest

These are Pegasi, Equestria's best

One hundred Pegasi will test today

But only three win the Blue Beret

Trained to live off nature's land

Trained in combat, hoof-to-hoof

Pegasi who fight by night and day

Courage peak from the Blue Berets

Silver wings upon their chest

These are Pegasi, Equestria's best

One hundred Pegasi will test today

But only three win the Blue Beret

Back at home a young wife waits

Her Blue Beret has met his fate

He has died for those oppressed

Leaving her his last request

Put silver wings on my son's chest

Make him one of Equestria's best

He'll be a stallion they'll test one day

Have him win the Blue Beret.

“And that would be the ‘Ballad of the Blue Berets’ sung by ‘Staff Sergeant Berry Saddle.’ The ACUs should totally own it again. Maybe with a minor update, but you might really want to own the long and illustrious heritage that comes with it. With the time stamp on the song, that’s over two hundred years of glory!”

“Huh,” Marble Falls chuckled. “He actually did something useful during his stay. I have no idea how he got into the archives, or why. But we will need to look into what he found.”

“A bit of a sadder one,” Deke continued. “Okay, much sadder. Same dude, but this is ‘Trooper’s Lament.”

---

---

This song had a base of light strings to carry the tune. An almost beachy tune.

Come all ye young mares

And hear my sad tale

'Bout a brave young trooper, who's wings did fail

As he went up into the cloudy sky

He sang a sad song on his way to die

He sang, "My love, is far-far from me. Far above the Equestrian ground,"

"I left her there, with a tear in her eye, for I must go where brave pegasi die."

Whoa-whoa-oh, yes I must go where brave pegasi die

As he went out of the ship into the stormy night

I saw the young trooper in a burst of fiery light

As he fell through the night, his armor all in flame

A smile on his lips, he cried out his girl's name

We found the young trooper

No longer will he be sore

From the great cloud bird, he'll jump no more

His face was pale, as pure as milk

And we wrapped him 'round in a soft cloud’s silk

Whoa-whoa-oh, yes we wrapped him 'round in a soft cloud’s silk

So all ye young maidens, come listen to me, never love a Pegasus trooper

You'll never be free

For some dark night when he falls through the sky

His wings will not open; your love will die

Whoa-whoa-oh, his wings will not open; your love will die

Deke immediately went into another one founded on brass trumpets and a base guitar line.

---

---

12 pegasi strong and true

12 pegasi fight for you

On their heads a beret of blue

12 pegasi, invincible

The A-team

12 pegasi heard the call

Ready to give their all

They bring hope where they are seen

12 pegasi invincible the A-team

From Equestria's tropical jungle rains

All the way to The Zebra’s burning plains

Where ever there's trouble

Night or day

Go the pegasi of the Blue Beret

To fan the fire of freedoms dream

12 pegasi invincible the A-team

12 pegasi invincible the A-team

“That was ‘The A-team.’ Maybe that one will work better for the Wonderbolts, but when that song was written, the Wonderbolts didn’t exist. It was the Shadowbolts and nopony knew any real thing about them. I got the feeling that the 6 pegasi units started as 12 pegasi units.”

“But that is the best I found for you to enjoy. The ones that pertained to you. Lieutenant Commander Deke signing out to go get some breakfast!”

Marble Falls didn’t have to stand up. Nova and the Wonderbolts’ Colonel were already by their side. Deke had called Pony Patrol out and they thought they knew what was going on.

“Hey,” Marble Falls said wings out in innocence. “No idea he was doing something.”

Marble Falls shrugged. “But, he found some good stuff. Some useful war propaganda that we kept around for a reason. The Wonderbolts could switch to Blue Berets and own the song. Or the other two. The whole ACUs could. Their jackets are impossible to earn, but berets would be a nice visual boost with a similar idea.”

“It also might be what we need to help reclaim some of the lost control. Bring the pride of the ACUs back into the focal point of the average citizen. They could put on demonstrations of their skills all across the Enclave. Running in teams or two or three units. The veteran teams of course. They could do more shows than the Wonderbolts have time to keep up with.”

Nova silently looked at the Wonderbolts’ Colonel.

After a minute, the Colonel spoke. “I will bring it up with General Shielded Vengeance. But the Aerial Combat Battalion might be able to use this to our advantage.”

“But another matter,” The Colonel said. “How did he get into those sealed records?”

Cardinal Spitfire snickered. “Probably because of the new ranking system. The system didn’t know what to do with a Lieutenant Commander and opened up instead of locking down. I highly doubt he was purposefully trying to get into them. Since he stumbled upon music, my guess is that he was looking for music.”

“YO DEKE!” Raspberry Lemonade called out and waved as Deke entered the mess hall.

Deke trotted over, ignoring the fact that the colonels were there.

“So, yesterday I was bored and decided to go dig for some older music I had never heard of. The stuff that was classics before our classics. It was just there for me to find. And a lot of other patriotic music. Both Enclave and Equestrian. I wanted to brighten the morning. You know, before I had to go prance around to be ogled like the eye candy I am.”

Deke acknowledged the colonels by looking at them. “And no, they were not sealed records I broke into. But there are some real beauties. Not always the best quality sound, but good enough. Like ‘This is worth fighting for,’ and ‘Swing out to victory.’ If you want full patriotism, ‘This is my country’ is a good song.”

“Not all recordings are equal. ‘This our land’ is spotty. And ‘Beloved comrade’ is really for soldiers. And a pure, unhindered patriotic song from Equestria is ‘Over there.’ It is purely inspiring. But it won’t make the best song to hype the Enclave up. At least without some strong preparations, which would probably kill it.”

“Perhaps,” Nova said turning to the Wonderbolts’ Colonel. “A renaissance is in order. A reminder why we are the Enclave. Why we do what we do and protect them as such.”

“A risky move,” The Wonderbolts Colonel replied. “Let’s drag Deke into his office and chat. I know you and I have plans.”

“I am busy,” Deke smirked. “I have to stand and look pretty for the last presentation. I am free after lunch. Unless, well, I am sure Admiral Purple Breeze could delay the last lecture shit thing until tomorrow or the day after.”

The Wonderbolt Colonel growled. They all wanted them gone. “1300, at his office. U0O5.”

“U0O5,” Deke nodded sharply.

“Both Nova and I have shit to take care of, so we can’t babysit.”

“Be on time,” Deke said professionally.

They walked off and Lemon Lime, the closest, slugged Deke in the shoulder. Deke grimaced but held in a scream. He had just been punched by a Wonderbolt. It was a lot stronger than what Little could dish out.

“You had to tag our name?” Marble Falls growled.

“Eh,” Deke said sitting down. A bowl and spoon was promptly put in front of him.

“Look,” Deke said getting serious. “I didn’t go looking for it. I went looking for music. I needed inspiration after staring like I was dead all morning. I wanted to share that music the next morning, for all.”

“I stumbled upon a shit ton of amazing stuff. I heard that first one, Ballad of the Blue Berets, and thought of you. Then A-Team was another absolutely you. And the other was sad, but good. It highlights the risk you take in the ACB. I had to share, so that all these top dudes got to see you in a better light.”

“Idiot,” Marble Falls said standing up. “We have real shit to do.”

“Yeah,” Deke sighed. “I have to finish eating so I can be paraded around again.”

“Who is demoing the ACB?” Cardinal Spitfire asked.

Deke chuckled. “Second Lieutenant Sunny Swirl was roped into it. She doesn’t have the build you guys do, but it does fit her quite well. Its the best that could be done in such a pinch. Cardinal is needed dealing with formations and can’t be pulled. An now she can’t even stand.”

“Who is she?” Cardinal Spitfire asked, offended they put some random Pegasus in a flight suit, in place of her. Even if she couldn’t stand.

“Second Fleet’s Vice Admiral Breezy Sky’s assistant. Like legit assistant since the Vice Admiral is going blind and is about to retire. The Vice Admiral has been at every session. She was the Pegasus we were waiting for to arrive.”

“Well, we can’t worry about it,” Raspberry Lemonade stated. “The Admirals know what they are doing.”

They filed out to get Unit 0 into the sky. Golden Dawn had to leave to head out with Gunmetal and Deke was left alone to eat his bowl of water.

“You ready?” Little asked him as he reached the front of the room.

“Yep,” Deke said, focused. “Lets do this.”

“You are enthusiastic,” Little said, surprised. “You are looking forward to this?”

“I just want it done.”

“And then you have to go explain yourself,” Little reminded him.

“This is worse,” Deke said, facing the settling crowd. “Much worse. I can make a defense, not like smiling and standing here. I am prepared for them. Kind of.”

Deke faced the crowd and boringness with new tunes in his head. At lunch, he ate food, not water. He no longer had to worry about throwing up in front of the crowd. He was at U0O5 before anypony else. He didn’t sit down when they entered. He leaned against the wall, cover still on his head, even though they were inside.

“The ACU’s are amazing,” Deke declared before anypony else could speak. “What they did in the war, especially their Sky Force, it was beyond incredible. This place should be owning that heritage. Whether you think we should have been in the war or not, the Pegasus Race was engaged and they brought it! Out shining every other Race out there, on both sides, as they kept things simple and real.”

“I got to see the risks that they were taking. Or used to take. They have combat footage! Live action, rolling film of tons of shit. The Zebras were shooting them out of the sky with enchanted rounds, burning them. The round didn’t have to pierce all the way to burn them. That is what you are born from. All of the Aerial Combat Battalion was built off of it.”

“And with all the top brass here, I wanted them to fucking know it. You have a history. A good one. The Pegasus Race changed warfare when they fielded their Sky Force, affectionately known as the Blue Berets.”

“They died, a lot, flying in. But when they made it to the ground, the Zebras were the ones who died. And the rest of the military, including the regular pegasi units, were right behind them to support the assault. Then the Zebras got their fire guns and things evened out again. The Sky Force was fully pegasi, from the clouds and only the clouds, and they stayed that way when the clouds were sealed up.”

“How do you know all of that?” General Shielded Vengeance asked. “The history part. I was told you only looked at music.”

“Oh,” Deke chuckled. “I started at music. The rest I learned from digging around in the history records. That did have security clearance, but the system let me in. Apparently, my Third Fleet standing is enough clearance for a lot of shit. I was focused on their early history though, so its good. You don’t have to worry about me seeing anything relevant. I’m not stupid.”

“I believe him on that,” The Wonderbolt Colonel stated. “I believe he stayed in music and the history records pertaining to those songs.”

“So,” General Shield Vengeance said, gathering his thoughts. “What should we do with him for his broadcast?”

“Thank him,” Nova said without thinking. “Those bastards are annoying me and I can no longer hide. I have shit to do and they need to learn to fear us. I may be grounded, but I can still kick ass. And they need to be reminded of that after stomping all over my Squad Barracks when they did not belong.”

General Shielded Vengeance looked at Deke. “I am going to need to see what you found.”

Deke smiled turned to a grin of victory. “Check your inbox.”

General Shielded Vengeance turned to his terminal. He got a lot of messages every day. He had skipped it when he looked in the morning. He thought it was spam. It was labeled ‘HISTORY YOU WERE NEVER TAUGHT BUT NEED TO KNOW!’ Everything was there. Every song had an external link, every news article, paper, story, and record needed had a link.

“I don’t half do anything,” Deke stated. “And I was saving it for myself so I could learn more. The Enclave isn’t taking the opportunities it should after the Pillars of the Community disaster.”

The General raised his eyebrow. “And what do you think we should do?”

“I am no expert,” Deke said getting serious. “But I have been watching you train. I have been poking at Olive Pit to make sure he pushed to be the best. Unit 0 isn’t going to just get an officer. They will be getting a fucking legend. A huge boost is because his is their first officer in years.”

“But that isn’t the point. My point is I have been watching your expansion. I have been watching you train them, seeing what they are supposed to be and becoming. And remember, Captain Marble Falls trained me in Basic Training, alongside Filly Fooler and Cardinal Spitfire. And we stayed here to continue after the basic segment as we put it all together. That urban area was put in for us. You need to capitalize on your expansion. I know you have at least one more big ACS being planned.”

“I can’t outright use some of this on the general populace,” General Shielded Vengeance stated.

Deke smirked. “I know. But you can use it to advertise to the military. You are working to up your numbers. It will bring attention to the ACBs and help recruitment from within, which is where you almost exclusively recruit from. And from there, it can get pushed out. They will eat it up. And you can back a commercial for the ACU’s doing a touring showcase with the right music.”

“A history showcase. Where we came from and why we matter. Walk those in attendance through the history, from wartime, to sealing the sky up and lead them up to now. Put on a real show with current units. Let them fight each other with the vests on.”

“Maybe top it off with the Wonderbolts. A single team touring with them. A strafing run, blasting apart the ACUs. Dazzle the crowd with a few passes and then they can lead a three unit fly over. They won’t even have to do anything with the crowd. Let the ACU squads handle it. They are the real stars of the show. I’m thinking it will only take 5 squads, plus the Wonderbolt, if costume changes are done right.”

None of them knew what to say. A few seconds later, Nova chuckled. “How much have you worked out?”

Deke shrugged. “It was another boring session this morning. I have some ideas, for the whole thing. I have seen a lot of tricks and tactics you guys use. You can use the songs to bolster the whole thing. And once you put down a solid five shows, then you can put out the commercials to the populace with bits of the songs.”

“Picture it, two Units flying side by side: 12 pegasi strong and true. They dive on enemy soldiers: 12 pegasi fight for you. Another flies at the camera in dress uniforms: On their heads a beret of blue. Back to the two Units: 12 pegasi, invincible, The A-team.”

“Seriously,” Deke chuckled. “It was horrible standing in front of them. The generals had a mountain of questions. Like they didn’t understand anything. The Admirals barely had any. They showed intelligence. The generals made things worse. What else was I supposed to do to survive?”

General Shielded Vengeance sighed. He wasn’t sure what to do.

“Deke,” Nova stated. “You get 14, 39, 43, 88 and 94. Build me a show. Build me a commercial. Better take 52 as well, so you can have a camera crew. You can get cameras from the Quartermaster at HQ. This is no guarantee.”

“I will make sure that the whole Squad Barracks knows that,” Deke said, jumping ahead of Nova. “100 percent exploratory. Entertaining my crazy mind. Because my crazy mind might have a half baked good idea.”

Deke tipped his cover at them and stepped out.

“How screwed are we?” The Wonderbolt Colonel asked.

“I am going to look into things,” General Shielded Vengeance stated. “But he is right about one thing, the military isn’t asserting itself like it should be after the Pillars of the Community tragedy. This won’t require the Counsel’s permission but may very well assert it.”

“It will be creative,” Nova chuckled. “But it will be pointed and on target. Especially to build our recruitment from the other units. We need them to want to join us. He said he doesn’t do anything half assed. It will be all assed. Spot on assed.”

“You better go notify those Units,” The Wonderbolt Colonel advised. “Or else they are going to look at him all crazy if he tries to command them. At the very least.”

“That is the fun part,” Nova smiled. “Let them heckle him. Knock him down a peg or two.”

“He isn’t standing that high up,” General Shielded Vengeance stated. “I want him up another peg. Up. At least one. Get him rolling out on this with his flair and cocky confidence. Flying is 90% confidence. Same with this task.”

“Damn,” Nova swore. “You are right. This has to be confident almost to a fault to work.”

“I like the Blue Berets idea,” The Wonderbolt Colonel stated. She was asking for a trial without asking for it.

“I will put in for it,” General Shielded Vengeance stated. “We are already transitioning our uniforms, now is the time. From covers to berets.”

“Shield,” The Wonderbolt Colonel said. “It was mention, by Marble Falls, that these berets might be the solution to the ACU jackets. Since they are supposed to earn them after 7 missions, but can’t, getting berets to wear at all times, even in dress uniform, it would be amazing. It would solve that conundrum.”

General Shielded Vengeance nodded, scrolling through the Deke’s message to him.

“This will be interesting. Deke gave me colored photographs of their berets. Its a pretty, sky blue. Our badge would be easy to swap out with theirs. I will get one on Cardinal Spitfire’s head by the end of the day.”

“I’m not convinced,” Nova stated. “I want to see scouts and regular ACU’s in them, with the new uniform. This will be their badge of honor like the jackets are supposed to be. I still want that amended for years served or missions deployed on, but this works for now.”

“Okay,” General Shielded Vengeance nodded. “I will put 17 and 63 in the new stuff to demo it.”

“Why them?” Nova asked, cautiously.

“Because I know Unit 17, and they have a Unit 0 member who can demo it. As well as Unit 63. I saw them with 17, and their officer, a Lieutenant Flags, was in the same ACS Unit with Lieutenant Arrow and Lieutenant Lieutenant Commander Cardinal Spitfire. As well as Command Sergeant Major Shadow Flare. A very strong group. And the other two as well. And it was Marble Falls who pulled it out of them.”

“They were a strong team,” Nova admitted. “And sergeant Dipper is with recruits for a few more days. Sergeant Chocolate is still unplaced in wide open 41, working to help train recruits, and waiting patiently for the Officer School. But both are as strong as Lieutenant Arrow and Lieutenant Flags.”

“I have no doubt about that,” General Shielded Vengeance stated. “I just haven’t had the opportunity to see either in action. And since both are working with recruits, I can’t add them to the trials. Otherwise, I would reward all of Unit 41 for their amazing skill.”

“Come on Colonel,” The Wonderbolt Colonel said. “We have Units to evaluate for combat formation flying. We need a count for Cardinal Spitfire.”

“When is that planned for?” General Shielded Vengeance asked.

“During the Officer School,” Nova answered.

“She won’t be teaching in the Officer School?” General Shielded Vengeance asked shocked.

“She is good, but inexperienced,” The Wonderbolt Colonel stated. “She still has much to learn with command before she can begin to teach it from experience. Plus, we need her on combat formation duty. But she won’t know that until the day before. We will have a boot camp for the Units that need it. Many of them won’t be doing anything anyway. And, it also preps her to teach others to be officers.”

“Captain Marble Falls will be a teacher. Lieutenant Raspberry Lemonade will be with Cardinal Spitfire. The others are in the school to be officers. Arrow and Flags will be helping with the combat formations for sure. She has the three of them tight knit on formation and they are learning to really teach it right now with Unit 0.”

General Shielded Vengeance just nodded and they all split.

Next Chapter: Chapter 83 - Message Received Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 60 Minutes