Hazelnut collapsed to the ground and shrieked in agony as the scorpion's venom sped through his bloodstream and attacked his body from the inside. The pain had been immediate; mere seconds after the scorpion had stung him, the most intense pain he had ever felt had seized his nerves and refused to let go. He could hear Vermilion shouting something as he convulsed on the ground, but he was in too much shock to register the red pony's words.

The world began to tilt around Hazelnut, and he worried for a second he was about to lose consciousness. It took him a moment to realize Vermilion had heaved him up and across the younger pony's back. He was now sprinting down the tunnel, back towards the outside world.

As Hazelnut was carried through the caves, he became aware that it was nearly impossible to move his right foreleg. This hadn't lessened the mind-numbing pain; all it did was unsettle him and make it a little harder to hold on to Vermilion. Not that he could do a very good job regardless, considering he was writhing about like a dying snake.

It felt like a long time before Hazelnut heard the familiar roar of the sandstorm. Vermilion put him down carefully on the smooth sandstone floor and tore off his packs. He began rifling through them frantically, searching for something. Hazelnut rolled over onto his side and winced. During the trip back to their cave the venom had spread throughout his entire body, and now nearly all of his muscles were in a state of near paralysis. He found he could still move his head and facial muscles, though they were quite lethargic. At least the pain had begun to wear off somewhat.

"What're you looking for?" Hazelnut slurred out through gritted teeth.

"The comms. I'm getting you out of here," Vermilion said as he pulled a gray object the size of a small book.

"Don't. Deathstalkers aren't fatal to ponies." Hazelnut drew in a shaky breath and adjusted his head so it wasn't resting painfully on a pebble anymore. Just talking this small amount was tiring on his weakened muscles.

Vermilion shook his head and smacked the comms with one hoof. "It might have evolved during its time on Strana. You said so yourself." He glanced at the raging storm, which seemed to have gotten even worse while they were away, and reached for his goggles. "I'm not getting a signal. I'll be right back." With that, he charged out through the crevice and into the desert.

Hazelnut growled in frustration as he watched the blue tail disappear into the storm. He knew Vermilion was right. There was no way of knowing if the venom if the scorpion that had stung him was the same as the deathstalker's from Terra. It was still annoying, though, knowing they were going to fail their Trial because of a tiny insect.

The faint shadow from the cave opening crept painfully slowly across the far wall as Strana's moons lit up the outside world. It seemed like it was nearly midnight by the time Vermilion slunk back into the cave. He was coated in sand, his robes were tattered, and his mane was a tangled mess. He dropped the comms and collapsed out of the way of the sand that was still blowing in. "It's no use. I can't get through to Scarlet."

"Probably interference from the storm," Hazelnut gasped out. "Can you get your medkit? I can't move much."

Vermilion nodded and pushed himself to his hooves as quickly as his battered body would allow. He grabbed the small box from his packs and flipped it open before glancing through its contents. "What am I looking for?"

"Pain killers. There's nothing else useful."

Vermilion pulled out one of the small orange packets and tore it open. It contained two small capsule pills, and he took them over to Hazelnut. With difficulty, he managed to swallow the medicine and grunted. "Thanks."

"It's kind of like putting a bandage on a gunshot wound. I wish there was more I could do," Vermilion said as he flopped to the ground again.

"Don't worry about it. I'll survive. Probably," Hazelnut mumbled. A thought made him shudder slightly, and he glanced at Vermilion. "It would crush him, watching another friend die while not being able to do a damn thing about it. He can come back from once, but a second time? I don't know if he'd be able to live with himself. Hazelnut grimaced and gritted his teeth in determination. "I won't let that happen to him. I won't die here. Not just for my sake, but for Vermilion's as well.

---

Despite the heat, Hazelnut shivered violently and cast a weak glance at the setting sun, which was now just a sliver of light peeking over the horizon. The sandstorm had ended while he slept, albeit fitfully, and he and Vermilion now crept out of their desert cave and into the rocky expanse, which was coated in a layer of sand. The entrance had been all but covered, making their exit difficult. "I don't like sand," Hazelnut thought bitterly, shaking his mane to dislodge the grit that had collected there. "It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere."

Vermilion rolled his stiff shoulders and pulled his map from his packs before unfolding it on the ground. He peered at it for a few moments, glancing between it and his compass. "We might be able to reach the next supply cache before morning. Ready to go?"

Hazelnut coughed and nodded. "Yeah, let's just get on with it. You take the lead."

Vermilion shot him a worried glance, then snorted dismissively and set off at a slightly slower pace than usual so Hazelnut could follow. It had been a few days since his encounter with the scorpion, and while the effects of the venom had worn off, it brought with it illness. Hazelnut's temperature had risen slowly over the past twenty-four hours, and he was starting to feel quite weak, as well.

"This sucks," Hazelnut thought, flinching at a fleeting migraine. While he wasn't sure he should be traveling in his condition, he had started to lose his mind from staying in that cave for so long. He welcomed the change of scenery, even if his body could barely handle the exercise.

As the night wore on, Hazelnut felt worse and worse. By the time both moons had passed their highest points, an hour or so before he and Vermilion would normally stop traveling, he could barely stay on his own two hooves. Every step sent shooting pains through his already aching abdomen, he was constantly fighting waves of nausea that threatened to empty his stomach, he couldn't stop shivering, and he was fairly certain he had developed a high fever, as well. The cough and headaches were bearable, but his body was entirely sapped of energy. This had brought their progress to a snail's pace, and Vermilion was constantly checking over his shoulder to make sure Hazelnut hadn't fallen too far behind.

Hazelnut preferred to keep his problems to himself, though it was fairly difficult with Vermilion watching. While not quite as astute as his friends, he had a knack for sensing when something was wrong with somepony else. Hazelnut found himself forcing his body more upright every time the red pony turned around, then slumping towards the ground when he faced forward again.

"I can't go on like this much longer," Hazelnut thought as Vermilion turned back around to face him again. He wasn't quite quick enough to react this time, and Vermilion gave him a worried glance.

"Are you feeling any worse? We can stop if you need to," Vermilion asked, slowing his pace further.

Hazelnut shook his head weakly, trying to summon all the energy he could to appear as healthy as possible. "No, I'm fine. Still just a bit tired from the venom."

"If you say so. Tell me if you need a break." Vermilion said hesitantly. He shot Hazelnut one last concerned look before continuing onward, glancing briefly at the stars for direction.

"Why am I in such a rush to travel? It's not like we can make much progress with me sick like this. We should just rest for a few more days." Hazelnut shook his head as his body sagged back into its puddle-like state. His head had begun to feel like it was wading in mud with a renewed migraine, making it even more difficult to keep himself upright.

Hazelnut shivered feebly and turned his head towards the moons. He was startled for a moment to find that Strana's two moons had apparently split into four, and they were spinning around each other rapidly, dancing about brightly like fireflies caught in a tornado.

"Oh, nothing's wrong with the moons. It's just me," Hazelnut realized as the world around him rolled violently. Long before he could react, his head impacted the hard rocks beneath him, only serving to worsen his headache. He willed his muscles to haul his body upright and dust himself off, but they refused to move. His head was too full of fog to do anything but allow him to lie helplessly in the rough ground. "Can't think straight. My head's swimming." Hazelnut blinked weakly, faintly aware of a scrabbling sound. His eyes could barely process the red shape moving towards him, wearing a distressed expression.

"Hazelnut! Are you okay?" Vermilion called as he rushed towards the fallen pony. He placed a hoof gently over
Hazelnut's forehead, but pulled it back quickly and made a worried noise. "You're burning up. Why didn't you want to stop?"

"Because I hate this fucking desert, and I want out. We can't stop," Hazelnut said weakly. The journey had been tolerable up until that point. He had kept telling himself over the course of the past few months that the desert really wasn't all that bad, hoping he could convince himself into believing it. Now, he discovered, all he wanted to do in that moment was curl up in his bed on the Constellation and drift into sleep while Cotton gently stroked his forehead, something she liked to do whenever he or any of the others were violently ill. Something that would never happen again, he realized painfully.

Vermilion shook his head. "Well, I'm getting you out now. I should have contacted Scarlet as soon as the storm stopped," he said as he reached into his bag and pulled the comms back out.

"No!" Hazelnut said loudly in as close to a shout as he could manage. Using the last of his strength, he reached up and smacked the gray device from Vermilion's hooves before collapsing into a coughing fit.

"Don't do that," Hazelnut said after he had brought his lungs back under control. "I have to finish the Trial."

Vermilion lifted the comms from the rocky ground and dusted it off. "But it's dangerous for you to keep going like this. And didn't you say you wanted to leave the desert?"

"I did, but..." Hazelnut sighed, coming to terms with the one thing he really wanted most. He had to become a warrior. Before he didn't have a choice, but now he felt he owed it to Slate, Cotton, and the rest of the Constellation's casualties to at least make sure their killers were dealt with. If it hadn't been for the careless mistake of the commanders, letting the trueborn Captain onboard without knowing it, they would all still be alive. "I have to see the Windigo destroyed. The ship, and all of her crew."

Vermilion's hoof hesitated over the comms. Hazelnut could see the emotions warring on his face through the haze in his eyes, and after a few long moments, he sighed and put the small device back in his packs. "I understand that. But if you don't improve soon I'm telling Scarlet we give up, and we'll get you to the infirmary."

Hazelnut relaxed slightly and rested his head back on the ground, knowing that was the best he was going to get from Vermilion. "Fine, but only if I'm dying."

Vermilion nodded and pulled himself to his hooves. He glanced at the stars again and back to Hazelnut. "We can't leave you out in the open, but there's nowhere to set up a tent."

"Just lay my tarp over me or something. I'll be fine," Hazelnut said. The pain in his abdomen spiked suddenly, and he grimaced. That definitely was more than just a fever, but if he told Vermilion about it, there was no way he'd finish the trial. Hopefully it wasn't anything too serious.

"That's not a good idea." Vermilion scratched his nose and walked over to Hazelnut. "Come on, I'll carry you. If we don't find shelter on the way to the supply cache, you can sleep in it."

Before Hazelnut could protest, Vermilion reached down and carefully heaved the larger pony onto his back. Hazelnut gasped at the pain that flared up in his stomach as Vermilion maneuvered him so he could rest somewhat comfortably atop the smaller pony's short but powerful frame. "Sorry, but I don't know how else to get you to shelter."

Hazelnut shook his head and wrapped his forelegs around Vermilion's chest. "You're fine, just try not to bounce around too much," he said through gritted teeth.

The trip to the next supply cache was agony for Hazelnut. Every step Vermilion took sent sharp bolts through his abdomen all while his nausea made a reappearance. It took all of his remaining willpower to not empty the contents of his stomach on Vermilion.

By the time the supply cache was visible in the near distance the sun was creeping above the horizon, sending bright rays across the desert. The ground had begun to slowly transition from rocks back into loose sand, making the last leg of the trip slightly more bearable for Hazelnut.

Vermilion trudged up to the supply cache, panting heavily at this point, and punched in the four-digit code. The large door swung open, revealing the large water reservoir inside and a number of new supplies. He swept the packages out into the sand and gently placed Hazelnut down in front of the water container, which would hopefully have enough thermal mass to keep the air inside relatively cool.

"There," Vermilion gasped out after hastily setting up his tarp across the front of the supply cache as a tent, so both he and Hazelnut could be completely shielded from the sun. He flopped to the ground underneath it and glanced at the older pony. "Doing any better?"

Hazelnut shrugged lethargically and ran a hoof over his eyes. "Hard to tell. I can barely stay awake right now."

"Same here," Vermilion said, smiling slightly. "Get some sleep. We'll stay here as long as we need to."

Hazelnut nodded and adjusted himself slightly into a more comfortable position. The floor of the supple cache was fairly cool to the touch, and it was bliss against his burning skin. He found his weary mind drifting immediately into unconsciousness, where fitful sleep and nightmares would plague him for the next twenty-four hours.

---

The cockpit faded into silence as the reactor in Hazelnut's Blood Asp powered down inside one of the bays of the Broadsword. He sighed and leaned back in his seat, admiring the refinished interior. Everything was polished and fresh, and Hazelnut had never seen a cockpit that was so clean.

The Broadsword rumbled slightly as another BattleMech inside the 'Ship powered up. Hazelnut turned curiously in time to see a Summoner he hadn't noticed before step out of the open 'Mech bay next to his. "Well, that's odd," he thought. There wasn't much of a reason for there to be anything else on the 'Ship, and he had assumed the open bay was for Vermilion. Intrigued, Hazelnut swung the access hatch to his 'Mech open and climbed out onto the catwalk situated around the bays.

The interior of the Broadsword was very similar to that of the Leopard , the precursor of the newer ship he was currently on, with the obvious exception of the fifth 'Mech bay situated at the front of the 'Ship that allowed it to accommodate a full Star of BattleMechs. Hazelnut had no trouble navigating the ship, but soon found himself lost in his thoughts. The familiar interior brought back many memories, good and bad, and he found himself smiling fondly.

"Look at you, getting all sentimental," a pony said from behind Hazelnut, startling him. There was strength and affection behind the voice that he knew could only belong to one pony, and his face lit up briefly as he spun around.

"Cotton!" Hazelnut cried as he turned around to face the empty air. His shoulders slumped as the memory of the Constellation being destroyed came to his mind, and he had to remind himself that she wasn't really there. It was just his imagination.

Hazelnut sighed and turned back down the hallway, not fighting the memories anymore. Phantasmal images of Cotton raced ahead of him playfully, ducked into rooms to avoid being caught fooling around by the other crew, smiled at him with deep kindness that reached her eyes, not just her lips... It was painful to remember Cotton, but Hazelnut found comfort in the thought of her nonetheless.

Before Hazelnut had realized it, his hooves had carried him to the cockpit of the 'Ship. The sliding door stood in front of him, familiar yet different. It slid open smoothly as he approached, just as he was used to. The cockpit was nearly identical to the one he was so accustomed to, and it relaxed his nerves slightly.

A seat at the head of the room turned around to face Hazelnut, and the red unicorn sitting in it nodded to him, her black and white mane bobbing slightly. "There you are. I had begun to wonder when you would turn up."

Hazelnut smiled faintly and gave a half-hearted salute; the one he had been accustomed to giving on the Constellation. "Sorry, Commander Scarlet. I got a bit distracted on the way." He frowned slightly. "You knew I'd come here, of all the places on the ship?"

Scarlet nodded again and spun back around to face the outside world. "I suspected you would. I got the impression you were not one who liked to sit around and do nothing, and being a commander in your previous Clan, I thought the cockpit would be where you were most comfortable." She motioned with one hoof to an empty seat not far off to her left. "Take a seat. The show is about to begin, and Dapple will not be here for a while longer. You can borrow her spot for now."

Hazelnut did as he was told, albeit somewhat confused, and glanced curiously at what she had been looking at when he had entered. He saw two 'Mechs moving towards each other in the far distance, and realized with a start that one of them was Vermilion in his Timber Wolf, while the other was the Summoner he had seen leave the ship earlier.

"Commander, what is going on? This doesn't look like a friendly encounter," Hazelnut asked, more than a little worried. He had no clue what was going on at this point.

"None of the young MechWarriors have completed a Trial of Position, quiaff?" Scarlet asked. Without waiting for a reply, she continued on. "We decided it would be best if they did not miss out on an important event such as that. All four of the untested soldiers will have to pass to become warriors of Clan Ghost Bear."

Hazelnut frowned and glanced at Scarlet. "But they've already been through a battle. Isn't that enough to prove their combat skill?"

Scarlet shook her head. "Not necessarily. From our observations, only a small hoofful of MechWarriors under the command of you and Commander Obsidian acted independently. If they are to become true warriors, they mush prove their individual combat skill. Single combat is the way of the Clans." Hazelnut opened his mouth to argue, but she gestured for him to remain silent. "Besides, if we allowed them to become warriors without first putting them through a Trial of Position, the other warriors in our Clan would never accept them. To become a part of us, they can not skip such important tradition."

Hazelnut tapped his chin thoughtfully and nodded. "I see your point." He looked back out at the two war machines, which had stopped about a kilometer apart. "Did the others pass their Trials?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Scarlet answered, unsure of how much she was able to disclose. After a moment she shook her head and glanced briefly at Hazelnut from the corner of her eye. "I am not authorized to tell you that, but I will say that neither Mist nor Mint have reached their Trial of Position yet. Only Sundance has completed his. Whether it ended in failure or success is for Colonel Cobalt Dash to tell you." She nodded towards the two 'Mechs and leaned back in her seat slightly. "It is about to begin. We should watch."

Hazelnut sighed. He really wanted to know how Sundance had done in his Trial. From what he had seen in their brief time together, Sundance's skill was hit or miss. It was probably only about a two-thirds chance of him succeeding, but considering the white pony's luck at making it through any situation by the skin of his teeth, Hazelnut had a good feeling about the result. Mint had above average combat ability, so he wasn't too worried about her, but Mist was an odd one. While purely average at combat, he often tried bold strategies that reached above his skill level. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. All Hazelnut could do was hope.

A sudden bright streak of light in the distance drew Hazelnut's attention as missiles poured out of the shoulder-mounted LRM racks on Vermilion's Timber Wolf. As per the young pony's usual strategy, he was starting with an all-out assault to rattle his opponent and give himself a mental edge.

The missiles streaked towards the Summoner, bearing down on the 'Mech like a swarm of wasps all fighting to be the first to their target. However, at the last possible moment, the directional jump jets on the machine fired, carrying it sideways and out of the path of the missiles. The subsequent laser fire from Vermilion also hit empty air, and while he reacted in time to bring the weapons around to rake across the airborne 'Mech, they did little more than carve a channel in its torso armor. The Summoner replied with its own volley of weapon fire, missing Vermilion's Timber Wolf by no more than a meter with a PPC shot and striking a glancing blow with its Large Pulse Laser.

Hazelnut raised his eyebrows. "A config Q Summoner? That's not something you see very often." He scratched his nose and leaned back in the seat. "It would certainly be an easy fight if it came to close quarters fighting, I'll give them that. It's still an odd choice, thought," he commented.

"That pilot is, shall we say... eccentric," Scarlet said. "He is an older pony, set to join a Solahma unit soon. In terms of personality he is nearly indistinguishable from a trueborn. Whether that is a compliment or an insult I will leave for you to decide."

Hazelnut nodded and glanced back at the fight outside. Solahma units were made up of soldiers who were dying or too old for standard combat. These soldiers wished to die the death of a warrior in battle rather than of sickness and old age, and were usually very eager to be on the front lines in battle.

There was a brief lull in the fighting while both 'Mechs recharged their main weapons and vented heat. The Summoner was faster on this, firing a few more pulses from its large laser as it broke out into a sprint towards Vermilion. The young pony retaliated by firing one of his 'Mech's missile launchers. The Summoner's pilot made an attempt to dodge, but it was in vain as all twenty missiles exploded on its torso. The Timber Wolf's large lasers blazed through the lingering smoke cloud, missing their mark entirely as the opposing 'Mech ran off to the right.

"Vermilion isn't fighting very carefully. He's missed too many shots," Hazelnut thought to himself. He glanced over at Scarlet who, while not easy to read, showed her disappointment in the slight downward curve of her mouth. "I guess she's not too happy with his performance, either."

A streak of blue whizzed by the Broadsword's cockpit and startled Hazelnut from his thoughts, passing close enough for him to hear crackling as a stray PPC round nearly hit the 'Ship. Scarlet pressed a button on the comm system none too gently before growling into the receiver. "Watch your fire. The Techs will have enough to fix once the battle is over as it is. Do not make their jobs any harder." She let out an aggravated sigh and leaned back in her seat. "Why are some ponies so difficult?" she grumbled to herself as she gazed out at the fighting machines.

The battle outside had become intense. The Summoner had come within range of its heavy lasers, and was nearly close enough to effectively use its short-range missiles. The pilot was blasting away with the bright weapons, scoring lines in the armor of Vermilion's 'Mech. Comparatively, Vermilion's attacks seemed feeble. His medium pulse laser was firing almost constantly, occasionally to be joined by his large lasers, but it was ineffectual fire. While the Summoner had taken substantial damage to its torso armor, almost all of it was from the earlier LRM barrage.

Before long, the Summoner was almost within melee range. However, noting the large number of SRM launchers on the machine, Hazelnut knew that wasn't the pilot's intention. Vermilion's Timber Wolf braced its legs as the enemy 'Mech charged straight towards it, thinking they were going to collide. Suddenly, the Summoner dashed off to one side and skidded to a halt less than fifty meters away, taking a brief moment to sure its aim. Before Vermilion could turn to face the Summoner, twenty-four short-range missiles poured from the 'Mech's launchers at a range that was nearly impossible to miss at.

The force of the explosions very nearly knocked Vermilion's Timber Wolf to the ground. Chunks of armor flew out in all directions, and the 'Mech's left arm all but disintegrated from the damage. Vermilion was dazed for a couple of seconds, but he managed to keep the machine upright. While the left torso was nearly destroyed, the LRM launcher still seemed intact. It was highly unlikely it would be able to reload, however.

Now desperate, Vermilion fired his remaining medium and heavy laser wildly at the Summoner. Both shots missed as the 'Mech ran around behind him, trying to circle around to his other side. Hazelnut gritted his teeth and slumped in his seat. It was only a matter of time before the Summoner's SRM launchers reloaded, and then the fight would be over. "Were the grueling months he spent in the desert for nothing? What was the point of all that suffering if he's just going to fail out now?" he thought bitterly. "I wonder how the others are going to cope with this."

"What is this pitiful display, Vermilion? Fight!" Scarlet shouted suddenly, making Hazelnut jump. His head whipped around to see her towering over the comm receiver and glaring out at the damaged 'Mech, her eyes ablaze with angry fire. "There is more at stake here than your honor or status as a warrior. Are you so disloyal to your friends that you would lose now? If they were here, they would see nothing but a sniveling coward who has resigned himself to a life of peasantry. Is that your choice? Or will you put aside your doubts and be the shield your comrades need?"

Hazelnut blinked at Scarlet as she sat back down in her seat. "That was... harsh," he said boldly. The force of her gaze made him flinch as she turned toward him, and he expected her to start yelling at him, too. What he didn't expect was for her voice to be full of understanding and what he thought was her version of compassion, neither of which matched her furious expression.

"Some ponies need a forceful shove in the right direction. They will be full of self doubt if they are babied, like what you did to him in the caves at the start of that sandstorm." Hazelnut frowned in confusion, not knowing how Scarlet had heard their conversation when Vermilion had been unable to get through to her on the comms, but she turned her attention back to the battle before he could inquire. "And never question a superior officer again," she said, much less kindly this time.

Hazelnut nodded nervously and went back to watching the battle. Vermilion's 'Mech seemed to be frozen in place, but as the Summoner made its way around the rear of his Timber Wolf, he noticed the difference in the 'Mechs stance. It had previously seemed like Vermilion had been on the defensive, planning to mitigate as much damage as he could, but now he held his 'Mech confidently.

The Summoner came to a halt again, this time within spitting distance of its opponent. It brought its weapons to bear on the Timber Wolf, and Hazelnut knew the 'Mechs missiles had finished reloading. After a brief pause it fired all twenty-four missiles again.

In a shocking display of determination, Vermilion's Timber Wolf simultaneously twisted its legs as far as they would go, pitched backward violently at the hip, and spun the torso around. Hazelnut was impressed to see all but two of the missiles streak past and explode harmlessly in the air at the end of their range, but it quickly turned to dread as he saw the Timber Wolf begin to fall. Vermilion had pushed the 'Mech way past its balance point, and Hazelnut didn't see any way the young pony could win if his 'Mech ended up in the dirt.

This made it all the more surprising to Hazelnut when the Timber Wolf's torso swung back around with it's remaining arm extended in a melee attack. The limb smashed into the Summoner's right torso just below the cockpit, and the lights inside flickered briefly at the impact. The force of the blow carried all of the larger 'Mech's weight, and both machines spun to the earth, shaking the ground like an earthquake as they landed.

Having been prepared for the impact, Vermilion quickly brought his Timber Wolf back upright and took advantage of his opponent's dazed state, who was face-down and still struggling to pull the machine to its feet. Vermilion planted his 'Mech's right foot on the Summoner's rear torso and pushed down, forcing the 'Mech back to the ground before firing his medium pulse laser at its hip until the machine's legs went limp. He then stepped back and aimed at the center of the Summoner's rear torso, preparing to fire his LRMs at the weaker armor. Even though one of the launchers was unable to reload, the missiles inside were still capable of firing, and forty of them was more than enough to destroy a 'Mech when fired at its weaker rear armor.

"That is enough," Scarlet cut in before Vermilion could fire. "While you have passed your trials, Vermilion, you have not yet proved yourself to me. I should not have to remind you of your reason to fight. I will be watching you very closely on your journey as a MechWarrior. Do not disappoint me again." With that, she rose from her seat and stalked to the back of the 'Ship's cockpit. "We will leave as soon as the salvage team finishes collecting the Summoner and other scrap, so do not get too involved in anything," Scarlet tossed over her shoulder as the door hissed shut behind her.

Hazelnut sagged into his seat and let out the breath he had been holding. The fight had been much closer than he had hoped, but all that mattered was Vermilion had won. "Wow, that was stressful," he muttered as he watched the salvage vehicles emerge from one of the DropShip's bays and head towards where the battle had taken place. Vermilion's Timber Wolf stood still, outlined defiantly against the setting sun, and Hazelnut sighed to himself. "If only the others could see him now. I'm sure Chartreuse and the others would have been proud."

---

Chartreuse sighed and pulled the neurohelmet from her head, cursing herself for her stupid error. She had very nearly defeated the Dire Wolf; her third opponent in her Trial of Position in Clan Wolf. A slight misjudgment caused one of her PPC shots to miss its mark, a shot that would have earned her a victory, and the larger 'Mech's return fire had disabled the reactor on her Warhawk and powered down the machine. "Star Commander is an acceptable rank for me, I guess," she thought to herself, still unhappy that she hadn't performed as well as she knew she could have. Defeating the one-hundred ton 'Mech would have earned her the rank of Star Colonel.

As Chartreuse reached up to open the cockpit hatch, she caught her reflection in the glass and grimaced. Her once beautiful face was marred by scars; a result of her near-death on Strana Mechty, though luckily both of her eyes remined undamaged. The portions of her mane that had been scorched off were on their way to re-growing, but it still looked patchy. She couldn't stand looking at herself, and she never felt comfortable anymore unless she was inside a 'Mech.

"It's what I deserve for being a selfish piece of shit," Chartreuse muttered, remembering how she had felt joyful at Tangelo's death. She swung open the hatch and climbed out on top of her Warhawk, which had been taken as salvage after the battle on Strana and repaired for her to use upon becoming an Abtakha. She shielded her eyes from the planet's sun, which had begun to sink below the mountains. Three of the five moons were visible in the sky, illuminating everything like it was midday.

"Clan Draconequus is going to pay for everything they've done." Chartreuse sat on the edge of her 'Mech and dangled her rear legs off the edge, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the light. The sky was streaked with red, and she imagined it as the blood of her enemies; all the ponies responsible for the war and the death of the ponies she cared about. "I'm coming for you, Khan Bolt. I swear on my life and all I hold dear; you're going to die beneath my hooves, and I don't care what I have to do to make that happen."

Next Chapter: Chapter 10 Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 33 Minutes