After I leave the hospital, I go to find my family. Sutures and the fillies are already at our room in the Barracks when I get there. She then smiles at me and tells me, “Dear I hope you do not mind, but I have a sitter set up for the little ones for the night.”

I am really surprised by this as I wonder who will feed them and I ask Sutures about it. She smiles at me and says, “Well would you believe one of the cows that Buttermilk is friends with is still producing milk, and when I was talking about you being released from the hospital, well she offered to watch them for us for the night.”

I am overjoyed at the thought of this time alone. I quickly kiss her on her forelock and I tell her, “I love you so much, thank you.” Then I realize what I still need to tell her.

She looks at me and then asks quietly, “Mollygirl, what is it? Something is bothering you.”

I then tell her, “Sutures, it is just that the zebra mare who is engaged to one of my troopers, today she told me that she knows where the headquarters is for the Praefect,” I stop there and do not say anymore.

She lifts my head with her hoof and tells me, “When are you going after him?”

I sigh, then I tell her, “Not until next week at least. I am in no shape right now to do it.”

I see her close her eyes and I see she has a hurt expression on her face. When she opens her eyes, she says, “Ok, I don’t like it, but I realize this is something you have to do. But Mollygirl, you are no longer just a sergeant or a lieutenant. You have other responsibilities to think about, try, and make this the last time ok.”

I nod my head and close my eyes as I tell her, “Ok, you are right and I am sorry dear. But I owe them for this and what they did to my people.”

I hear her sigh and she says to me, “I understand, I really do, but I do not want to risk losing you. We have foals we need to think about.”

I have opened my eyes by now and I smile as I ask her, “Is that the only reason?”

She lightly taps me on my shoulder with her hoof and tells me, “No, you know better than that. I need you too.”

As we are walking back from dropping, the fillies off with the sitter I feel Sutures take my tail in hers. She then tells me, “I am so sorry about before, but Mollygirl, I was feeling so hurt and angry. Then when I thought you were going to die, I realized how much I was going to lose and I never got to tell you I was sorry for hurting you.”

I want to smile, but I cannot. Instead, I tell her, “That is ok because when I was in the hospital bed and you and the fillies came to see me the first time, I realized what I almost lost. I do not want to lose you or them,” I pause and then I tell her, “for what it is worth, I am sorry for hurting you. You mean more to me than you would ever believe.”

Once we get back to the room, we just lay on the bed cuddling and holding each other. In the background, I can quietly hear DJ Pon3 being played on somepony’s radio from down the hall. We are enjoying a nice glass of apple cider and I am reading her poetry from Cloud Seeder’s book. She has her head resting on my lower foreleg and I have my other wrapped around her. Every so often I stop reading just to take the time to smell her mane. To breathe her scent.

She eventually asks me, “Mollygirl, you still miss her, don’t you?”

“Miss who?”

I hear her sigh and she tells me, “Ivy. I know you really loved her. In fact, I am pretty sure if she were still alive, we wouldn’t be together.”

I gently kiss her on the back of her head and I tell her, “Dearest, I do miss her and a part of me always will. However, she is not here and you are. You are who matters to me. I would not give you up for anything.”

I feel her move herself slightly to be closer to me. Then she says, “What if I asked you not to go after the Praefect yourself?”

I take a deep breath and think about how to answer her. Then I tell her, “Dear, please don’t force me to choose between you and what I know I have to do. I love you too much and either way would hurt me. I am sorry.”

I hear her laugh sadly and she says, “I understand. I really do Mollygirl, don’t worry, I won’t do that to you.”

“Thank you my dearest,” I tell her.

Soon after we turn out the light, she cuddles closer to me. Later as we begin to fall asleep, I feel her head on my chest as she listens to my heartbeat. I run my hoof through her mane and I gently kiss her horn. I love how it just about makes her all but vibrate with pleasure. Then she asks me, “Was earlier not enough?”

I laugh lightly, “Not with you my love. Why?”

I hear a bit of pain in her voice as she tells me, “I am sorry dear, but I am still hurting from the radhog. I want to, really I do, but it just hurts too much right now.”

I feel ashamed of myself for not realizing I was hurting her and I tell her, “Sutures, I am so sorry, I did not mean to hurt you. Why did you not tell me earlier?”

I hear a tone of embarrassment come into her voice as she quietly tells me, “I did not want to disappoint you. Besides, most of the time I was enjoying myself. Just the last little while I began to hurt too much.”

I gently run my hoof along her chin, down her neck, and to her belly as I tell her, “Next time, please let me know. I do not want to hurt you either. I guess we should get some sleep though.” I tell her and I feel her roll over and put her one hind leg over me as she buries her face into my chest fur. I hear her inhale deeply and I kiss her gently on the top of her head. I feel her ears shift as they relax and soon, I feel her begin to relax fully as she falls asleep in my hooves for the first time since I left Manesville. As I fall asleep, I realize that overall, today, today was a good day.

Once we wake up in the morning Sutures and I quickly get dressed and head to the mess hall. Once she is done with breakfast, she kisses me and tells me, “I need to go get our kids. I will be back in a bit.” Then she pauses and asks, “I will see you later?”

I nod my head and smile at her, “Yes dear, and I will keep you informed.”

Then I head over to my headquarters. When I arrive, I see the head of my security detachment is already there outside my office waiting for me. “Good morning Sergeant, can I help you?”

She nods her head and says, “Ma’am, can we talk about this in your office?”

I nod and lead her into my office. Once inside She closes the door and I have her sit down. “Ok Sergeant, what is on your mind?”

“Ma’am, this morning I was over in medical visiting a couple of my buddies. Ma’am, Captain Laura Lee from the Harness Battalion called me over. Ma’am, she told me you are thinking of going after the Praefect in his headquarters.”

I nod my head and tell her, “Yes that is true, why?”

“Ma’am, as head of your security detail, I must tell you, Ma’am, I can’t allow you to go in there without your escort.”

I feel slightly irritated at this and I tell her, “Really Sergeant? If I go in there with an escort, don’t you think they may get a bit suspicious?”

“Ma’am, while I don’t know what exactly you have in mind; if you go, how about we use some of those zebra invisibility cloaks we captured. You know, a bit of turn around being fair play. Let me in on your planning session for this and I will adjust things so we can stay with you and do our jobs. Ma’am, it is our duty, and you know how important duty is.”

Oh, that is so unfair of her to use that one word, I think. But she is correct, I know how important duty is, so I tell her, “Ok Sergeant, you will be there for the meetings and planning. But if I do not think it is safer with you escorting me, then you stay behind.”

“I understand Colonel. Thank you for understanding ma’am.” She says just as I hear a knock on my door.

I call out, “Enter,” and wait to see who it is.

As Paper Work opens the door I see the zebra mare behind him. I feel my ears go forward and ask, “Yes Sergeant Paper Work, what do you need?”

He looks at the unicorn across the desk from me and tells me, “Ma’am, that zebra mare you told us would be coming has shown up. But we are having a hard time understanding her.”

I nod my head and tell him, “Bring her in.” As she enters, she nods and I see her give what I assume is a zebra salute by bringing her right hoof forward, then across her chest. Then she says, “I come as we agree.”

“Thank you Xyliana for coming today. Please have a seat and we can begin to discuss what information you have and what we can do.”

I see her move to take a chair. Then she says, “I not fully understand.”

It then hits me how much of a language barrier we have. If only Xavier or even Xochitl were here. I nod my head and tell her, “Ok, let's go have Trooper Barrel Tap interpret for us.”

When I say her fiancé’s name, I see her head raise up slightly and she smiles. “Yes, yes, please.” She says and the three of us begin to head in that direction. On our way I have Chain Lightning, as well as a few others on my staff, join us.

Once at the hospital I get Doc Treacle’s attention and ask him, “Doc, I need Trooper Barrel Tap to interpret for us. Is there any way you could have him moved to a private room so we can have some privacy?”

He thinks for a few seconds with a hoof under his chin then says, Ma’am, we have a storage room that you can use. Give me a few minutes and I will have him moved over to it.”

I nod my head as I tell him, “Thanks Doc. I really do appreciate this.”

I see him nod his head and then he quietly tells me, “Please remember one week more of healing.”

I nod my head, “Yes Doc, I remember.”

My entourage and I then follow him into the supply room. Shortly afterward a couple of medics wheel Barrel Tap into the room behind us. Before we begin, I see Xyliana move quickly to him and not only kiss him but begin to run her hoof through his mane. Then she says something in her native language and he smiles and nods. He lifts his head to us and says, “She says thank you for accommodating her like this. Colonel, she apologizes for not being able to speak our language better. She says she understands much more than she can speak.”

I nod my head and I tell her, “I do understand that. My friends Xavier and his wife have taught me that. I am just happy she speaks Equestrian as well as she does, and I thank her for the effort.”

He then translates for her, she looks at me, nods and smiles, then she speaks to him again and he asks, “She wants to know if you are ready? If everyone who will be here for the meeting has arrived?”

I say “Yes, they have.” She nods her head again and begins speaking to him. I hear a few words I recognize such as Ligate, and Praefect, but most I do not understand. When she is finished Barrel Tab begins to speak again.

“The camp for the Praefect is thirty kilometers west of Harness,” as he says this, I think that is getting close to the Ghastly Gorge if I remember my map correctly. Next, he says, the camp itself is set up in a similar fashion to ours. However, instead of wire and cheval de frise, they have a solid wall. Guard post periodically along the top of the wall as well as patrols outside of it.”

She speaks some more and he tells us, “The Praefect has his tent towards the center. Most of the legion that is camped there are housed in tents. They have two mess halls as well a hospital tent set up along with, the typical supply dumps. She also says that the Praefect has a special guard detail to protect him, especially since the death of the Legate by Hoofington.”

Why does so much seem to come down to Hoofington? I wonder. But that does not matter right now. Instead, I ask, “Ok, so what is the difference between the Ligate and the Praefect?”

He talks to her briefly and she looks irritated at the question, then she answers it. He then tells us, The Prefect is the third in the chain of command of the legion, directly under the Ligate and the Military Tribune. The Tribune and Praefect had a falling out after the Ligate went missing. The Tribune argued that the Ligate was still alive, the Prefect that he was dead.”

Next, I ask, “So what was the Praefect’s job when the Ligate was still alive?”

When he translates it, I see her smile and she has him tell me, “He was in charge of organizing the legion. He would make sure the equipment was taken care of and if they came across better equipment, have their use implemented. He was in charge of the training of the legionnaires as well as being an engineer for the legions bases and camps.”

I nod my head, “Ok, so a high-ranking version of Bailey Bridge. Wonderful.”

I hear Barrel Tab start to laugh when I say that and finally after he stops, he says “Ma’am, I think we all think that way about Lieutenant Bridge. I just hope this buck is not as creative.”

I nod my head as I tell him, “You and I both. You and I both.”

The meeting goes on for several more hours with her as we brainstorm ways for us to enter the camp and gain access to the Praefect. Finally, she says in her broken Equestrian, “I have idea, but you need trust me.”

I nod my head and then I hear a knock on the door. We stop our discussion and Chain Lightning opens the door. I hear Doc Treacle say, “The Harness medical techs are here to see Trooper Barrel Tap. How much longer will he be detained?”

I look at everyone and I tell them, “Ok, let's end the meeting for today. Xyliana, if you would please come back again tomorrow and we will work more on the plans.”

I see a bit of confusion on her face and Barrel Tap tells her what I said. Then she nods her head and tells me, “Yes, I will. Thank You.”

After that, we leave the room and the medics come and take the trooper through the ward and toward an examination room. I see several wooden crates with them that are unmarked. As I walk past several of the techs smile and nod then I see one of them take what looks like a metallic leg out of a box and set it on the bench and I hear him ask, “You ready to try these today?”

I hear a very surprised pony reply, “Already, really? Yes!”

I then return to my bunker where my staff and I begin to figure out the logistics of our plan. I call in Summer Solstice while we are working on it. As we are getting close to the end, I hear Windy come into my HQ as she says, “Is the Lieutenant Colonel here?”

Shortly afterward she walks into the room we are using and I see her grin as she looks at the map and all the paperwork on the tables. Then she says, “I knew it, Count my people in for back up.”

My staff and I all look at each other and cannot help but smile. I reach out a hoof, and she takes it as I tell her, “Glad to have you onboard Windy.”

She smiles back and asks, “So when do you expect to begin this, and is it alright if I call my staff in to help plan?”

By the end of the day, we have a tentative plan set in place. Windy and I have our scouts fly out to verify the location of the Praefect’s camp and we begin to wait for the results. Windy joins me and my family at dinner that night.

As we are eating, she tells me, “Yah know Mollygirl, this makes me miss our Hoofmark movies on our duty nights.”

I have to smile as I tell her, “Yeah, me too. It has been too long since we have had duty together and were able to just sit back and watch them.”

Epona looks at first Windy, then me, and asks, “Ma, what is a Hoofmark Movie?”

I see Sutures look of curiosity as she waits for an answer. Eventually, I tell her, “Well dear before the last day they would make moving pictures of something like a play and they would make them where you could replay them on a screen like a computer has. But only they were not in black and green. The Hoofmark ones usually are romantic ones.”

I see Windy nod her head and Sutures looks at me and says, “Don’t feel bad Epona, I never got to watch one either. However, Papas Archer and Badger have. They both seemed to enjoy them.”

Windy smiles and says, “Sorry Sutures, but they watched them with us when they had duty too. But you know I never told you two how lucky you are to find not one buck, but two who enjoy watching them with you.”

I see Sutures smile and blush shyly as she says, “I guess, but I would really like to watch one sometime too.”

Windy smiles at her and tells her, “Next time we have duty together you are invited to join us Sutures.”

I see her smile again and then I hear Sutures say under her breath, “If there is a next time, damn her risking herself again.”

I say nothing to this as I do understand. But she knows I have to do this. Instead, I move slightly closer to her and put a hoof around her, and kiss her gently on her cheek.

She looks at me out of the side of her eye and tries to smile. Finally, she puts on her brave face and says, “I would really like that Windy.”

When we head back to our quarters for the night Windy joins us and we continue to talk. At one point she and Sutures are talking as I read a story to the fillies. Once I am done with the story, Epona asks to be able to read them one more before they go to bed for the night.

I see Windy smile when she sees this and she quietly comments to Sutures and I, “She really is fitting in well. I will say she has impressed myself as well as some of my staff, not only is she a fighter like Ginger, but she has an intellect beyond her years.”

I smile and nod my head at this, I see Sutures look concerned and she looks at the three of them laying on the bed with Epona in the center reading to the others. She stops at one point for a word she is having difficulty with, she thinks about it for a minute then continues on. When she finishes the story the younger two let us know they are hungry still. Windy smiles and says, “Well that is my cue that it is time to go mares. Have a good night, and thank you for the company, I have missed nights like this.”

Sutures smiles and tells her, “Anytime Windy, any time.”

“Thanks, Windy,” I tell her. “We will have to do this again sometime soon.”

She gives both me and Sutures a quick hug then heads out to her quarters.

After she has left and the Epona and the fillies are asleep Sutures and I lay there in the dark quietly talking. I am so enjoying her nuzzling my neck as I kiss her gently on her forelock and her horn. Then she whispers to me, “Please be careful Mollygirl. I know you have to go do this but be careful if not for me, then our family's colts and fillies. They need you too.”

I rest my chin on top of her head and I whisper back, “I will be. I wish I did not have to do this, but I could not live with myself if I didn’t. I can’t leave this mess to be dealt with by our replacements. The communities here deserve better too. But I promise you I will do everything I can to come back to you.”

I feel her shift as she puts her head on my chest and she says, “Ok, that is all I ask.”

In the quiet of the night, we just lay there holding each other, taking comfort in the moment, and trying not to think about what is coming up in less than a week. Eventually, we both fall asleep, out the window of my quarters as I drift off, I see the silhouette of George on a night flight along with a couple of her normal escorts. This gives me an idea I think as I finally fall asleep.

The next morning, we get up and are at it hard and heavy again. Sutures is going to town with Doc Treacle for the regular inspection at the Flying Cow. She takes all three of the youngsters as well as Tater with her. Tater and Epona she walks to school, the younger two stay at the sitter’s place while she is working.

As I wrap up my normal morning meeting with my staff, I ask Chain to wait a couple of minutes after the others leave. Once alone I ask him, “Chain, do you think we could begin to practice our hoof to hoof again soon?”

I see him grimace a bit as he thinks about this and he tells me, “Yeah, I guess so ma’am, but understand I am not going to take it easy on you just because you are still recovering. In fact, I may go a bit harder on you. If you are serious about it, you need to learn how to fight when you are hurting this bad.”

I nod my head and I tell him with a sigh, “Yeah, I understand, but I may need it next week, and I really need to take the rust off of those skills.”

I see him smirk as he asks, “In that case do you want to wait till Epona and Tater are back from school so they can join in too?”

I think briefly about it and I answer back, “Not today, maybe tomorrow, but today just you and I would be good.”

He nods his head and then asks, “Ok, when do you want to begin?”

I think briefly and I tell him, “Whenever you are ready. I can clear my schedule for it.”

He nods his head and then tells me, “Ok, let's head over to where we used to do it.”

Once there I begin to take off my extra equipment and he stops me, “Ma’am, you want to get ready quick, it is best to leave that stuff on. Remember we fight how we train.”

I nod my head and before I can reply, I feel his hoof sweep my forehooves out from under me.

I quickly roll to the side and I feel his hind hoof land next to my head. As I finish my roll, I launch myself forward and get in close. I feel him hitting my injured areas, but the force of the blows is reduced by how close we are. I wrap my forehooves around him and I lift him into the air using his own momentum and I fall backward onto my back as he hits the ground with a hard thud. I release him and back away and prepare again.

We go at it like this for over half an hour. My combined styles and his allowing us to dodge and strike each other as we go. We only stop when I hear Windy call out from the side, “What the Tartarus are you two doing?”

I tell Chain “Ok, time to stop.”

He tries to strike me one final time, but I see it coming and when I go to block his final punch, I miss his hoof and instead land a forehoof over his eye just as he hits my jaw. We both look at each other and laugh. Then I turn to Windy and tell her as I limp over sorely to her, “Just practicing some hoofticuffs.”

I see her nod as she says, “I recognize most of what you and the sergeant major are using as MoAMAP, but what was that other stuff? Is it a real style or did you just make it up?”

I smile at her and tell her, “Windy, it is part of a zebra style that I learned from Xavier. He began to teach it to me on the expedition.”

I see her look surprised at this and she asks, “You really learned that from him? Weren’t you pregnant during that time?”

I nod my head, “Yeah, and it probably saved both my foal and my life several times.”

I hear her sigh then and she says to me, “I guess this means you really are going in yourself. You do realize that is not a good idea.”

I smile at her and tell her, “Why not, I have Dull Beak staying here and he is ready for his own command, and I also have you here in case something really goes wrong. Windy, He sent infiltrators into my Command Post. He had me and my daughters attacked. I owe him an in-person visit to point out the error of his ways to him. Besides, you know what the plan entails, I trust you to perform your part of it with no problem.”

I see her take a deep breath as she closes her eyes and her ears sag down slightly. When she opens her eyes she says, “You know you can count on me Mollygirl, but please for the love of the Goddesses, be careful.”

I smile at her and tell her, “I will, that is why Chain and I were beating the snot out of each other, so I can be better prepared.”

She looks at Chain and says, “Do you think she will be ready?”

He does not smile and coolly replies, “Yes she will be ma’am. Just so you know, I was not taking it easy on her and was trying to hit her weak points.”

She looks at me winching slightly in pain and then at him and smirks. Then she says, “Yeah, I can believe that. Oh, and just so you know Sergeant Major, she did tag quite a shiner on your eye.”

I see him grin, “Yeah, but I am sure her jaw is letting her know she was in the fight too.”

I smile and nod my head, “Yeah, yeah it is. So, we do this again tomorrow morning?”

He grins and replies, “Yep, and if we can before the youngsters go to school, I want them to participate also.”

I see Windy grin and she asks, “Sergeant Major, would you mind assisting me with refreshing my skills in MoAMAP in the next few days also?”

He grins as he tells her, “Sure Ma’am, but if I may suggest, after the first session you join in with the Colonel here and we make her really have to work.”

I see her nod her head, “That sounds excellent Sergeant Major. I look forward to it.”

Later that night when Sutures and I go to bed she begins to put a hoof around me and I feel myself wince in pain without thinking about it. She asks me, “Are you Ok?”

In the dark, I nod my head and quietly tell her, “Yeah, Chain and I started to practice hoof to hoof fighting again to get my skills back up to speed is all.”

She asks, “Is there anything I can do to help with the pain?”

I grin and I tell her, “Well if you have any mild pain killers and anything that will help with the swelling and bruising that would be great.”

She tells me, “Sorry love, but nothing on me for now.” Then she gently kisses me where her hoof had touched and made me flinch, and asks, “Does that feel better?”

I grin in the darkness and tell her, “yeah, but I am sore here,” and I point towards a spot further up on my side, and she kisses that spot. Then I point to a spot on my neck and she moves up there to kiss me, finally, I put a hoof to my muzzle and tell her, “And here.” She kisses me on my lips and though she bumps me in a few sore spots, I just enjoy the sensation of kissing my wife. Sometimes life can be good, and today has been a good day.

The next morning, I begin my sparring match with Chain Lighting, Tater, and Epona all going against me. I am feeling a bit sore, but cocky from the day before. I quickly learn not to be cocky. While Chain distracts me, the younger two come in and hit me sometimes from one side, other times from opposite sides of each other. Other times they distract me and Chain is able to hit me hard and heavy.

It is during this session that Xyliana sees me fighting them and she runs towards me and takes my back as we fight them. We face opposite sides initially and she takes on the youngsters as I fight Chain. I hear when she gets Epona with a good blow and I turn my head to see Epona spit a bit of blood from a split lip as she says, “OK, training just got real, I like playing hard,” as she grins and goes right back at the zebra, landing several quick blows to her midsection and legs.

We practice like this for an hour. Sutures with the two little ones to the side. I hear her tell Moon Lily several times, “They are training dear, don’t you dare do it young mare.”

Each time I hear Moon Lily respond with, “But hurt Pona.”

To which Sutures tells her, “She will be ok, I promise.”

When we finally finish Sutures looks at all of us and shakes her head. She uses a healing spell on Epona’s lip and I watch as Moon Lily watches so closely with all of her attention on what her mother is doing. Finally, Sutures says, “Ok you two, time for school. I will go with you to explain to the teacher why you are late.”

Afterward, when we are with Barrel Tap, he tells me, “Colonel, she was telling me about your training this morning. She is embarrassed that she thought it was real at first. She apologizes for interfering and hopes you do not mind her having continued with you.”

I turn to face her and smile as I tell her, “No, I did not mind at all. In fact, for the next couple of days, until we leave, I think it is a good idea for her to train with us. Not only can we learn to fight together better, but also she may be able to teach me a thing or two.”

I wait while he translates for her. I see her nod her head and smile broadly as she says, “Thank you. Was good.”

The trooper then looks at me and asks, “So how did she do Ma’am?”

I laugh lightly at his curiosity and tell him, “She did fine, it was her and I against the Sergeant Major, his son, and my daughter. Both sides gave and took their licks.”

He looks back at her and asks, “Ok, so which one tagged Xyliana? I see her limping a bit when she got here.”

Beside him, I hear the zebra mare huff her breath as she crosses her forehooves and turns her head away.

I fight down the urge to laugh and tell him, “Uh, that would have been Epona. She was all in after her lip got split. But excellent training for all of us. You can tell her that I feel very comfortable with her at my side in a fight now, but I still want to practice more.”

He tells her this and I see a look of triumph appear on her face as she nods her head. Then she says something more to him and he says to me, “Colonel, she said she recognized part of your fighting style as being zebra in origin. She was wondering where you learned it.”

This time I smile as I tell her, "My hired hoof at home, as well as former scout and friend, Xavier taught it to me. He and I would spare most morning when we were together.”

When he tells her this, I see a surprised look come over her face as she asks in her broken equestrian, “You, zebra friend have?”

I simply tell her, “Yes.”

After this, she talks excitedly with Barrel Tap for several minutes and I watch as she gives him a hug and squeezes him. Then she kisses him and when the kiss breaks, he says, “Ma’am, she says if you accept zebras at your home then she would be willing to go there. Ma’am, she was afraid she would not be accepted in Manesville.”

I nod my head in understanding and I tell him, “Well not everypony does, but over in White Cloud we seem a bit more understanding.”

As we are talking, I see Summer Solstice come out of an examination room, and before she sees me, I hear her tell Osteotome, “Thanks doc, let's keep this on the down-low for now. But let Sutures know I really need to talk to her when you see her.”

I hear Osteotome tell her, “Sure thing Lieutenant. Glad I could help; besides I should see doc later today or early tomorrow. She still likes to help around here.”

I see them shake hooves and then I see a look of horror that turns to embarrassment come over her face when she sees me and she quickly leaves the medical area. I wonder what that was all about? Perhaps she caught something, from somepony, hopefully, it is nothing serious that Sutures can’t cure with a spell. But she is an adult so she needs to mare up and take care of it whatever it is.

Instead, I turn my attention back to my trooper and his mare. I then ask him what she plans on doing once she comes to Manesville. He smiles at me and tells me, “Ma’am, we have discussed this some. She is not sure right now. Her native herd was known as the storytellers, but, that does not mean that is all they did. They all had roles to play as well in their towns and villages besides tell stories.”

I nod my head in understanding and tell him, “You know that makes sense. They sound sort of like my wife Magpie who works in the library back home, but also keeps the records for the stable as well as helping with the farm as needed.”

He translates this to her and I see some confusion on her face again and her ears keep shifting as she tries to figure out if she heard correctly. Finally, he says, “She is having a hard time grasping that you have more than one husband as well as three wives. One of the branches of the zebra is known as the lovers and givers of life and they tend to have more than one mare, but normally only one stallion. She thinks it's funny and that you would probably fit right in with them, especially when I explained to her about how Doc Sutures is a midwife too.”

When he says this, I see her nodding her head in agreement. I guess this means she won’t look too funny at my family at least. I sigh a bit and then smile and wish them a nice visit. Before I go, I tell her, “Remember, I want to spar with you more before we go.”

She smiles shyly and nods her head. As she continues to rub her hoof along her stallion’s neck and mane. I leave them and go visit some of the other wounded that still remain. Thank the Goddesses and Sweet Cream there is only a hoof full of them still here.

The rest have recovered enough to be returned to duty, or begun the transport home. Most who made it here did survive. Those who did not are now buried in what the locals are calling the NCR cemetery, just a short distance from the post.

When I get to Laura Lee, I notice that the stump of her leg that is missing her hoof has an almost mechanical shine to it. She sees me looking at it and holds it up so I can see it easier. As she does this she smiles and tells me, “Kind of weird looking, but it is the base that my prosthetic will be attached to.”

I admire it and notice the points for the electronic connections and I ask her, “Will this make it easier to put on and take off?”

She smiles at me and tells me, “Actually Mollygirl, I should not need to take it off unless it needs maintenance. Which with these models is not often.”

This gets me to thinking and I ask, “So what about those who get them and head back to Manesville with us? How will they get theirs maintained?”

She smiles at this and tells me, “Milo and I had that very discussion just two days ago. It seems we will be sending up a team to perform the maintenance that will stay there for a few months, then return to Harness. I guess there has been some kind of agreement already set up, so we will see what the details are later.”

We talk for a while after this and I realize how much I am going to miss having her around and I tell her, “You know Milo was right, it is going to be hard when we head home. I really am going to miss you and your family, Laura Lee.”

She smiles at that and tells me, “I feel the same way about all of you. Just remember, while the mail is not reliable yet, it is moving again, so keep in touch. Ok?”

I nod my head and tell her, “I will, you too though ok?”

I see her nod her head and she smiles as she lays back in her bed and I notice she is drowsy and beginning to fall asleep. Without thinking I pull her blanket up higher and give her a light kiss on her forelock just like one of my fillies. As I walk away, I hear one of the wounded from my battalion quietly tell a wounded trooper from Windy’s battalion, “See, that is why we started to call her Ma. She ain’t perfect, but she cares.”

As I am leaving the hospital, I notice the prosthetic techs from Harness are just arriving again. The first one smiles at me and tells me, “Final fitting for a couple of them Ma’am. If all is well, they will be standing on their own again.”

I cannot help but smile as I know how much this will mean to those who need them and I tell them, ‘I know it is your job, but thank you, I really appreciate your work and what you are doing to help them.”

One of the techs smiles and tells me, “Ma’am, they got hurt protectin our home. It’s the least we can do for them, but thanks anyway. Now we best get in there. One of them is getting all four legs back today and we got to teach him how to walk on them.”

I nod my head as I think about how much this will mean to Barrel Tap and Xyliana. I then move further to the side so they can pass and I head back to my HQ to work on more paperwork and to see if we have any news.

At the end of the day, I begin to think about our plan and I think about how we may need to disguise ourselves. I want to make a presentable appearance so I decide to go and talk to the two ponies who I trust, and who I think will be able to understand what I am after. I go into town to visit Beach Shake and Scrap Pile. When I get to town, I find them both at Scrap’s store. I first look to make sure that no one else is in the store and then I tell them, “I need to talk to you both privately.”

They both look concerned and I hear Scrap asks, “Colonel, we, we didn’t do anything wrong did we?”

I shake my head and I tell her, “No, not at all. I just need to pick your brains a bit for some information.”

I see Beach nod his head and he then says, “Ma’am, how come you came out to us? You could have sent a runner to get us and we could have come to you.”

I answer him with, “Because this pertains to a sensitive military matter. Everypony knows I shop here and am friends with Scrap. However, if I have you come to the base they will wonder why.”

Both realize the truth in that and I see Scrap Pile get up and go to the door. Once there she picks up a sign saying, Out to Lunch Back in an hour. After hanging the sign, she turns and says, “Ok, let’s go into the back. Besides you can pick up a couple of books from back there. You have done this enough, no one will think anything of it.”

We go into the back and I tell them about what we are planning and what we need and they begin to formulate a plan to help me gather the supplies we may need for it. Before I leave the shop Scrap Pile stops me and tells me, “Mollygirl, I know you are heading back home in less than a couple of months, and well since I don’t have a real mother anymore, well,” she pauses, looks at Beach Shack who smiles back at her and nods his head, and she takes a deep breath. She then looks at me and continues. “Mollygirl, what I am trying to say is, Beach and I have decided to get married and we want to do it before you leave. I really would appreciate your taking the place at the ceremony normally reserved for the mother of the bride. I know it is not much, but it would really mean a lot to me.”

I put up a hoof and wrap it around her shoulder and I tell her, “Dear, I would be honored to take that position. Thank you so much, and if I may say so, Congratulations to both of you.”

I see tears form in her eyes and she nods her head as she leans into my hug, “Thank you Mollygirl, this means so much to me.”

I nod my head as we break the hug and I tell her, “For me as well Scrap. I am just happy you two found each other. I can see how good you are together.”

Beach who has been quietly standing to the side stands a little straighter at this and simply says, “Thank you, Colonel. I do mean it. Now let me help you load your saddlebags. I want to make sure this book is sticking out enough to distract anyone who may be looking at what you are carrying.”

After I leave there, I make a short stop at the Flying Cow. I am surprised to find Sutures is there already. She is coming out of the backrooms and is smiling. I see her look back and say, “Thanks again Corn Bread.” Then she sees me, comes over and nuzzles me, and tells me. I hope you don’t mind, but he has been working on that piece we discussed earlier.”

I nuzzle her back and reply, “No, not at all. I am just curious about it is all. I cannot wait to see it.”

I see her blush slightly at that and she tells me, “When it is done, dear. I think both you and Archer would approve of it though. But I need to go pick up the filles from the sitters, will you be home soon?”

I nod my head, “I should be, I just want to sit and talk with Buttermilk for a bit.”

I see her scrunch up her face then she tells me, “Dear, she is busy right now so it might be a while.”

"Well let me go talk to Corn Bread and have him tell her I stopped by then.”

She smiles and tells me, “No, I will go tell him for you, I don’t need your peaking at his work yet.”

I nod my head and cover a laugh with a hoof over my muzzle. Then I tell her, “Ok Dear.”

Once she is back from talking to him, we go and get our little mares from the sitters and head back to base. As we are walking, we are met by Tater and Epona who continue to talk with each other and us as we travel.

Once back to the base we stop by our quarters to drop off our saddlebags, then heading to dinner. As we are in line the rest of my staff joins us. Tater with his father as well. Dull Beak is sitting across from me and I notice he seems distracted so I ask him, “Is everything ok XO?”

I watch him quickly shake his head and he then looks at me, "Oh, sorry just thinking Ma’am. Sorry if I was a bit distracted.”

“Yeah, I can understand that DB. We have a lot going on right now. You ready to take over the battalion for a couple of days?” I ask him.

I see him take a deep breath and let it out when I ask him this and he tells me, “Ma’am, I would be a liar if I said I agreed fully with this plan. You are risking yourself more than you should.”

I nod my head at him and tell him, “DB, I understand your concerns, and to be honest, I would rather not do it this way either. But I think it has the greatest chance for success. Besides, I have full faith and confidence in you, and I will be taking my security team along as well.”

I see him nod his head, “Yeah, I know you are, but still, I am worried ma’am.”

“Good, so am I. That means we will be more careful and more inclined to succeed.” I tell him.

The next day during our sparing match It is Xyliana and me against Chain Lighting, Windy, Tater, and Epona. We are going at it hard and heavy, even using our unloaded weapons in the practice session when suddenly I hear an outburst in zebra in the direction other than from Xyliana. I turn in time to see her standing behind me with her jaw dropped open, and with Epona laughing as she spins and double barrels both hind hooves into her midsection.

Xyliana says something in zebra again and I hear Epona laugh as she returns to her fighting stance and is preparing to attack again. She then says something in zebra and I am stunned. I had not known Epona spoke zebra. Then it dawns on me, Xochitl. She was close to Xochitl on this timeline, maybe she was as close or closer on that one.

While I am distracted Windy catches me by rolling on the ground and her hind hooves catch my right-side legs, throwing me off balance. As I fall Chain Lighting strikes from my left side and I watch as he spins on his left foreleg and kicks with his hind legs catching me and sending my sprawling. As I slide on the ground, I twist myself and use my momentum to roll away and to regain my hooves again. I guess that is a good lesson for both Xyliana and myself.

Once the sparing practice is done, we all shake hooves again and I watch as Xyliana goes over to Epona and starts to talk to her in rapid-fire zebra. Epona holds up a hoof and says something, after which Xyliana starts to speak slower, but still in an excited zebra tongue.

As the youngsters go and get cleaned up to go to school Xyliana comes over to me and says, “Your Daughter, Zebracan speaks good. How?”

I smile and tell her, “Probably Xavier’s son Xochitl.”

I see her smile and nod her head, “Ah. Sense it makes.”

After that, we head over to the hospital tent for our daily planning meeting so that Barrel Tap can interpret for us again. As we go inside, I see he Is not in his bed, and we both about panic. Then we hear his voice from the side say, “Xyliana, Over here.”

We both look and he is walking slowly towards us on his new prosthetics. I am stunned at how lifelike they move with each step.

Next to me, I watch as Xyliana has tears come to her eyes, and while she moves closer to him, still allowing him to walk to her as well. I smile as I see her put her legs next to his and he wraps one of his new legs around her.

As he comes in, Chain Lighting sees them and I hear him say, “Well I guess tomorrow we may not need to meet him here.”

To the side I hear Doc Treacle reply, “Sergeant Major, I would give him at least another week or so on those legs before I recommend that. However, I will say I am impressed by not only how well they work, but also how well he is adjusting to them,” He pauses and then tells me, “Ma’am, with these new legs I am not sure if I would recommend him for a medical retirement.”

I nod my head and tell him, “Ask him what he wants to do in another week. To be honest with you, I feel he has paid a big enough price to warrant that retirement if he wants it.”

We give them a few more minutes and then we all head back to the storage area to discuss our training and preparations for the upcoming mission. While he now stands with us around the table, I have to wonder how those legs are powered and if Sutures would like one. I would gladly pay for it to make her happy again.

For some reason with Barrel Tap on his hoofs again instead of bed-bound, the meeting seems to have more energy. I can almost see the difference in everyone’s attitude. Even Xyliana is in more positive spirits and she tries to speak more equestrian. As she tells us “No interpreter on mission, must be able to talk.”

I nod at her and tell her, “You are right and I only wish I could speak your tongue too.”

I hear her laugh and she tells me, “Maybe your daughter help. She talk Zebra some.”

From the side, I hear one of my other staff members half-joke, “Maybe we should include Epona in the plan, they never would suspect it and she has been training as hard as you have.”

I shake my head no, “I already have one daughter who is an underage combat veteran, I really don’t want to do that to Epona.”

Chain Lightning from the side says, “They have a point ma’am, after all, your daughters did help to stop those assassins in our command post.”

I almost feel betrayed by Chain when he says this and I ask him, “Chain, would you want Tater going on this mission?”

He shakes his head no and replies, “No Colonel, I would not. He and Epona are well trained is all I was saying and she can speak Zebra better than the rest of us.”

I shake my head and tell them, “Let’s not even talk about this anymore,” and I change the subject to how we are going to infiltrate the Legion’s territory.

The last night I spend some time alone with Epona. She and I go to my favorite spot together for a bit of mother-daughter time. We are lying on the blanket looking up at the stars and she tells me, “You know ma, the zebras fear the stars for some reason.”

I nod my head as I continue looking up, “Yeah, Xavier told me that. I never really understood why though.” I pause then I tell her, “I have to say dear you have impressed me so much lately with how much you know about them.”

I hear a smile in her voice as she tells me, “Ma, does that mean I can go with you on this mission?”

I shake my head, “No dear, I love you too much to put you in that type of jeopardy on purpose. I still feel horrible about what happened with Ginger and Xochitl during the expedition.”

I hear her sigh a bit then she asks, “Ma, how come you and the others hardly ever talk about the expedition? I mean most of those who were there seem to try to avoid talking about it.”

This time I sigh. Then I answer, “Dear, it was one of the worst times of my life and while it had its good times, I was terrified most of it. Just talking about it bring back so many memories, so many failures.”

I hear her breathe deeply for a couple of minutes then she says, “That may be true ma, but you brought most of them back home. I wish the expedition on my side would have been like that.”

I put a hoof around her and bring her closer to me and kiss her on her forelock as I tell her, “I understand dear. I really do. For your sake, I wish it could have been different on your side too. But then again, if it had, I would never have gained such a wonderful, loving, and intelligent daughter.”

I hear her sniffle a bit and she leans into me and asks, “You really mean that ma?”

I nod my head in the dark and tell her, “Yes Epona, I really do.”

We lay there talking for a bit after that before we head back, but as we are getting ready to leave, she asks, “Ma, are you sure I can’t go with you?”

“Yes Epona, I am. I would appreciate your helping Sutures with your little sisters though.”

I hear her laugh, “Yeah, Moon Lily can be quite the hoof full.”

Once we get back, I tuck Epona into bed, I kiss my little fillies all goodnight and then I settle down next to Sutures to try and sleep. After about one hour she quietly asks me, “You are worried aren’t you.”

“Yeah, yeah I am, But I am always like this the night before something big.”

She shifts and kisses me lightly on my cheek then tells me, “I know and I understand, just know we will be waiting for you when you get back dearest.”

I hug her closer to me and when I go to kiss her on her forelock I miss and instead I kiss her on her horn. I feel her tremble slightly in my hooves and I hear a smile in her voice as she says, “Really?” And I feel her caress me back. Later I am finally able to fall into a much-needed deep sleep with the smell of her scent deep in my nose and the feeling of her against me. As I drift off to sleep, I think to myself, this is why I risk so much.

The next day I find myself loading into a skywagon along with my normal security team, Xyliana, and half a squad of ponies disguised as raiders. It was part of Xyliana’s suggestion that I have them as an escort. Some will be visible the whole time. But some will use zebra cloaks to hide themselves. As they climb into the skywagon I notice two of my troopers are a bit smaller than the rest, but Xyliana reassures me it was part of the plan. My security detail chief even tells me, “Ma’am, Miss Scrap Pile recommended that we use a few troopers who appear to be smaller than normal as a part of the deception that we are just raiders looking to hire ourselves out as mercs. In fact, these two have been told to keep their faces covered and not talk as part of the disguise even.”

I nod my head as this actually makes sense to me. Then we take off and are heading deep into enemy territory. It is still early enough in the day that there is a heavy fog over the ground so we fly nap of the earth, just above treetop height, dodging objects as they appear out of the mist. Finally, we reach our insertion point. I feel the skywagon shift and I look forward to see Dust Off shifting his wings for a landing. To the side, I can see Cloud Cover keeping an eye from above us.

Hawes Carry and Spit Shine help us unload and then Hawes Carry tells us, “Good luck and good hunting ma’am.”

“Thanks, specialist, I will see you all in a few days,” I tell him as I shake his hoof. Then I turn away from the sky wagon and follow Xyliana into the mouth of the dragon.

Dear DJ Pon3,

They have stepped into our territory and attacked us. They have killed, injured, and threatened those we care about and are sworn to protect. Now we prepare and begin to take the fight to them in their lair. As we step into the lions’ den to put paid to a debt owed please play I'm a Bad Man for us.

Thank you

Sergeant Cupcakes, Second of the First, HQ Company

For those who wish to listen to this Chapters dedication song, the YouTube link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cUCXYp3Lps&list=RD_cUCXYp3Lps&start_radio=1