The hangar was quick to return to operations. Not even an hour after the grisly prior events, crews were already back at work on repairs and refits. Still, the area around the Steelfeather and Firefly’s final clash had been heavily cordoned and warded with arcane circles to ensure the crime scene’s integrity. The arcane ops team was hunched over what remained of Steelfeather while the Timberwolves huddled off to the side, pouring over papers with Rafale and Brahma.

“Lance Corporal Anderson Steelfeather, Aquellian Marine Special Tactics Group,” Eastwind muttered as she read the dossier aloud. “Ironclad candidate, did mostly recon until the Marines were recalled during the withdrawal from Indrek. Exemplary service record up to the date of something called Operation Summit Falcon. After that, disciplinary infractions racked up like cheap booze on a sailor’s bar tab.”

“And yet somehow they didn’t give him the boot?” Sunburst said. “I find that hard to believe.”

“They kept you on board, abuelo!” Thunderlane cracked. Sunburst shot him a dirty look.

“Defected to the Aquellian Loyalists during the Continental War and was offered a spot in Task Force Paladin’s joint peacekeeping force after war’s end. Guess that brings us to where we are now,” Eastwind finished.

“They might have wanted to keep tabs on him -- keep him quiet. Whatever happened during Summit Falcon pushed him farther than he was meant to go,” Firefly glanced at Rafale. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Lieutenant Eastwind, the dossier, si vous plais.” Rafale accepted the documents from Eastwind and quickly scanned over them, flipping pages until she found what she was looking for. “I saw an unredacted version of this while reviewing ASI operations in Indrek. I believe I can fill in the gaps.

“Operation Summit Falcon was an assault on the INDRA stronghold in Graeae’s Cauldron, an active volcano in Indrek. MARSTAG infiltrated the caldera and set up demolition charges to knock out key defenses prior to an assault. The recon unit discovered that the fortress was not just home to INDRA militants, but also their families. The operators were instructed to identify targets properly before assaulting the main compound and the attack proceeded as planned.”

“I take it the results were not as planned,” Firefly said.

“The planners overestimated the stability of the caldera walls. When the charges were detonated, the side of the caldera gave way, sending the entire complex into the magma and killing everyone inside. High command declared it a strategic victory.”

“And Steelfeather couldn’t live with what he’d done,” Firefly said grimly.

Firefly was gazing into a mirror. Just like her, Steelfeather had been lauded for an atrocity he had been a part of, and just like her, Steelfeather had cracked bit by bit as the years wore on. Even after fighting her demons with all her might, the last few days had shown Firefly she was still following the same path. She shuddered at the thought.

“That still doesn’t explain why he would take it out on Skywind,” Thunderlane pondered, oblivious to Firefly’s discomfort. “The Pyrians were never involved in Indrek as far as we know.”

“Skywind isn’t the link,” Rafale said, pausing for a moment to give additional emphasis. “Steelfeather’s commanding officer during Summit Falcon was none other than Colonel Kira Cindermane.”

The weight of Rafale’s words fell heavy upon the entire team. Ears drooped across the collective as the link between Steelfeather and Cindermane was all but highlighted by neon signs. Firefly’s eyes narrowed.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” she said, shaking her head. “He defected to the Loyalists during the war. He got away from Cindermane. Why would he flip to the good guys and then go back to her years later?”

“Plant? Sleeper agent?” Sunburst posited.

“If he was, then he definitely wasn’t a willing one.”

“What makes you say that?” Eastwind said.

Firefly didn’t know what to call it. But it sure as hell wasn’t natural and it sure as hell wasn’t done of his own volition. Something had its hooks in Steelfeather, something that drove him mad enough to shoot the captain before ending his own life. The numbers that he had spoken before his demise continued to play in her head.

Eight. Four. Nine. Two.

“It was the way he talked,” Firefly said flatly. “He was the sanest mad griff I’ve ever met.”

“You would seem to be right, commander,” Atal said, approaching the group from his analysis.

“What have you got, Atal?”

“What we observed sounds exactly like a geas, a rather potent one at that. My arcane ops team is still running forensics, but I suspect that’s exactly what we’ll find.”

“I’m no egghead when it comes to magic. Care to explain that in Common?”

“It’s a spell that compels a victim to act to complete the objective defined in its creation while simultaneously preventing the victim from speaking of the objective, the caster, or the spell directly.”

“Mind control...” Thunderlane said in awe.

“Related, but not the same,” Atal said. “Mind control enforces the caster’s will upon the victim. A geas is a means of coercion through deprivation.”

“Cindermane obviously wanted to kill the captain,” Firefly said. “It looks like she picked someone with a history of violence to do it so FleetCOM would chalk it up to disciplinary issues boiling over.”

“And then FleetCOM would bury it there instead of digging deeper to find the pirate connection. Luna’s ass, that Cindermane is one cold bitch to get someone else to do her dirty work, especially using magic,” Sunburst grunted.

“I’m not convinced it is entirely Cindermane’s doing,” Rafale countered.

“Oh?” Sunburst raised an ear and cocked his head in curiosity. “What makes you say that?”

“Magic is not her style. Cindermane may be a consummate tactician, but she is not a spymaster nor is she a mage.”

“Doesn’t mean she can’t have unicorns on her payroll,” Thunderlane pointed out. “Didn’t intel say her battalion absorbed all the other pirate crews in the region?”

“That may be true, but Cindermane belongs to the old guard of Aquellian Marines. She firmly believes that battles should be fought and won with blood, sweat, and steel.”

“If she’s half as good a tactician as you think she is, she’ll have adapted,” Brahma finally spoke. “We cannot assume that she retained any particular loyalties to a given operational paradigm.”

“Cindermane or not, Steelfeather just blew himself up on the hangar deck,” Firefly said. “There was definitely coercion involved. Anderson looked me dead in the eye and begged me to kill him so he could ‘die with dignity.’ Whatever he was caught up in, he wanted out.”

“It makes sense,” Atal nodded. “The geas could have prevented him from going to the command staff until he had already carried out his mission.”

Eastwind’s brow furrowed. “Then why did he give us the code?”

“Because it was all he could give us,” Firefly said. “The code was the only way he could get past the geas.”

“How deep does this run? We could be dealing with an entire ship full of geas zombies!” Sunburst said.

“Highly unlikely,” Atal said, waving a claw dismissively. “Like what we saw with Steelfeather, geases usually produce psychological effects. Those that do not are several orders of magnitude stronger, require more components and time to cast, and also one or more competent casters. The amount of effort to geas more than a handful of crew or marines and have them stay undetected increases exponentially beyond the first.”

“Well... I’ll take your word for it.” Sunburst mumbled, his tone indicating that he wasn’t quite convinced.

“Thank you, Atal,” Rafale said. “I await your detailed report.”

“Oy, Atal! Can you take a look at this?” One of the unicorns conducting the autopsy shouted.

“It appears I am needed again. Agent Rafale, you will have my report as soon as we finish our work here. I’ll ensure a copy is also delivered to the captain when he awakes.” Atal nodded in acknowledgement before slipping out of the circle to resume his work.

“How is the captain, by the way?” Thunderlane said.

“He’s in recovery right now,” Rafale answered. “The corpsmare says he’ll live, but it will be some time before he will be returned to active duty. He was lucky we got him medical attention as soon as we did.”

Firefly couldn’t say she was unhappy about Skywind being out of commission. But she’d never kill Skywind herself, would she? She’d never wish death itself upon him, would she? For all the times she’d wanted to punch him in the face, she’d never want to run him through with her knife, would she? Terrible as the thoughts were, Firefly could not deny the logic of permanent solutions; even if said solutions involved death.

She scowled. What was she thinking? The fleet needed stability, especially with the loss of the Empyrean and the decimation of her battlegroup. Moreover, she couldn’t just go around killing anypony she didn’t like, could she?

Firefly’s tone was flat, the only response should could come up with being a less-than-enthused, “Great.”

“Firefly,” Brahma said, changing the subject. “What was it that Steelfeather said to you before he... expired.”

“He gave me four numbers: eight, four, nine, two; in that order.” Firefly said. “I think it might be a code of some sort.”

Eastwind crossed one front hoof over another in thought. “But where would it even be used? Without context it could mean damn near anything.”

“I’m already having my cryptographers try and match it to any known mechanisms, including the pyrium-cased radio your team recovered from the canyon.”

“Glad to see that come of use,” Sunburst said. “Anything yet?”

Rafale shook her head. “All we know is that it’s a low-power receive-only set. The device has a built-in chronometer and a set of dials to adjust frequency.”

Brahma tapped her chin with a hoof as she thought. “Do you think Anderson’s code could be related to the radio? What if it’s a target frequency? Or perhaps a piece of an encryption key?”

“Possibly. I can have my team go over it after we wrap this up.”

“That would be-- one moment.” Brahma held up a hoof in a halting gesture, turning her head aside as she answered the radio hail. “This is the XO. Yes. I’ll bring them right away.”

Firefly raised an eyebrow. “Commander?”

“The Captain is awake. He wishes to see you.”

“... for the last time, Firefly, Skywind insisted on seeing YOU!”

“I don’t believe it. And even if I did, I’m pretty sure it would be bad for his blood pressure. He can see me later.”

All through the corridors leading to the infirmary, Firefly had dragged her hooves. The dissonance between helping Brahma out and vanishing into a side hatch to avoid facing Skywind again weighed heavily upon her. This wasn’t what she needed. Not now.

“Do you really need me to pull rank, Firefly?” Brahma finally said, stopping dead in the middle of the corridor. Her bat wings ruffled in annoyance and the glare she was giving Firefly was dangerously maternal.

Firefly winced at the rebuke. “No..."

“Then you have two choices. You either follow me to the infirmary and speak with Captain Skywind or you accept the write up for insubordination.”

“Well..."

“Don’t say it.” Brahma sighed in exasperation. “Look. I know you two have your differences, but I am honestly sick and tired of this petty bickering. I can vouch for you, but you have to make some kind of effort!”

“I’d like to clarify something,” Firefly said.

Brahma caught on to the looks that were being given them by passing crew and pulled Firefly aside, where the cover of an empty gurney and an open hatch gave them marginal privacy. “Shoot.”

“You’ve seen the way he treats those under his command!” Firefly hissed when they were as close to alone as they could get. “He doesn’t give two shits about any of us! We’re not ponies, we’re cogs in his damn war machine!”

Brahma remained stony-faced, leaning back against the bulkhead and crossing her front hooves as she listened. Firefly continued. “You saw how he talked at us when Thunderlane first arrived! You saw how he tried to pin the canyon fight on me! He’s a gods damned psychopath! Someone has to bring him down!”

“And you think you’re the one to do that?” Brahma’s matter-of-factness caught Firefly off guard.

“If I won’t do it, no one else will!”

Ponies like that thought themselves gods. They stepped on others as they pleased, immune to all consequence, and untouchable by backlash. The only way to stop them was to knock them off their pedestal, to strip them of their privilege and power by force. She had the will and strength to stand up to him. So the task fell to her.

“Is that what you see him as? A target to take down? The enemy?”

Firefly ground her teeth. She hated Skywind with every fiber of her being and yet he was not a Talon. Why was she forced to fight alongside the real enemy? Her confidence waned as Brahma continued to bear down on her.

“Do you really believe that he is your enemy?” Brahma repeated.

“Now you’re on his side?” Firefly snarled.

“This isn’t about taking sides, Firefly,” Brahma steadfastly countered, her visage unflinching. “This is about coming to an understanding.”

“Every fight is about taking sides,” Firefly grumbled.

“This isn’t a fight! Not on my ship!” Brahma rebuffed her immediately. “I don’t always agree with Skywind. I, too, think he could stand to show a bit more compassion and equininity. But he’s not your enemy. He’s not threatening to kill you and destroy everything you hold dear.”

“Not in as many words,” Firefly growled.

Skywind was a privileged ass. He grew up rich. He was born into power. He’d never had to suffer the lashes of hard work or the pestilence of poverty. He never had to rage helplessly against the weight of being powerless in the face of another. Skywind knew nothing of what he inflicted upon Firefly and he enjoyed every minute of that ignorance.

“Are you even listening to what you’re saying?” Brahma prodded.

“I know what I’m saying!” Firefly roared, drawing strange looks from those passing. Brahma quickly waved them off as Firefly continued. “I’m telling the truth and no one is listening to me!”

“Let’s try something different,” Brahma said. If she was exasperated, she didn’t show it. The areion merely adjusted her garrison cap and continued. “Are you antagonizing Skywind because you think he’s wrong or because you want to be right?”

“What’s the difference?”

“The difference is what you’re focusing on. The former is a reasonable, concerned position. The latter is spiteful and selfish.”

“Not seeing it.”

“How do you think I would react if you did what you do with Skywind to me?”

Firefly wouldn’t dream of it. Brahma Kamal had been nothing but respectful to her, not to mention the rest of the air wing. Brahma had extended her friendship when all Skywind could do was give orders and crush those subordinate to him. Skywind’s god complex was the polar opposite of Brahma’s methodology.

“I don’t treat you like that because you don’t treat me like Skywind.”

“You don’t think I’d be the slightest bit pissed off?” she pressed.

“Well...”

“How do you think I would feel?”

“Pretty angry,” Firefly sighed, finally relenting. “Personally attacked.”

“Now how do you think Skywind feels?”

Feeling? Could that bastard even feel? No one like that felt anything resembling empathy or compassion. They only felt loss if it was personal physical harm upon them and even then it didn’t stick. You had to beat it into them again and again or they would go right back into old habits.

“He doesn’t!” Firefly snapped. “He’s a psychopath! Psychopaths don’t feel! They only care about getting what they want!”

“But why is he a psychopath? Is he really hurting fleet ops or are you just rationalizing his dislike of you?”

“He has to be. There’s no other way.”

“Let me tell you something, Firefly. Skywind may not have participated in the Continental War, but he graduated top of his class in the Pyrian Naval Academy after War’s end. He wrote the book on Pyrian anti-piracy tactics and every command he’s had has given him favorable reviews...”

“Who cares what the brass have to say? They’re just kissing each others’ asses.”

“... including me.”

Firefly froze. How could Brahma do such a thing? Was it even possible?

“The COIN-style tactics worked. Pyrian shipping loss due to piracy has fallen twenty percent since War’s end. He did not compromise, but he gave respect to those who afforded it to him. We got results under Skywind’s leadership.”

“It must not have been Skywind then.”

“You don’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust Skywind.”

“I’m not asking you to trust him. I’m asking you to trust me. Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Then you need to understand that Skywind isn’t some impersonal, malignant force. He’s a pony, just like you.”

The bile rose in Firefly’s throat. Brahma was wrong, but she wasn’t lying. Everything that Firefly felt about Skywind clashed with what Brahma said about him. Why did things get so complicated all of a sudden?

“How can you say that after how he’s treated me?”

“Firefly, I need you to think about how you’ve been treating others.”

“Are you implying I’m a psychopath?”

“No. I’m implying that your reasoning for calling Skywind a psychopath might be flawed.”

“You think I’m stupid?”

“Firefly, you’re one of the most capable fliers in my air wing. We both know ‘stupid’ is the last word I’d use to describe you.”

Firefly grunted. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“Stubborn is a better fit, anyway.” Brahma let slip the scantest of smirks.

“Hey!”

“But I digress.” Brahma steered the conversation back on course. “I said it before and I’ll say it again, to Skywind, too, if I have to. We can’t afford to continue second guessing our own. Skywind needs to focus on directing ships and assets where they will do the most good. You and every other combat flier need to focus on doing what you do best: killing Talons. Can you do that for me?”

She could slay Talons for all eternity as long as Skywind wasn’t sending her fliers to their deaths in malice or worse, indifferent negligence. But if Brahma ordered it, she had to at least try. She would never steer Firefly wrong on purpose, would she?

“I’ll try,” she finally said.

“Good. Now let’s see what the captain has to say.”

Brahma led the way forward and spoke no further, leaving Firefly alone with her thoughts. Her shoulders hunched and her ears and muzzle drooped as she trudged along, her displeasure at the developments readily apparent to anypony who happened to wander past.

Is that what you see him as? A target to take down? The enemy? Then you’re doing just as much damage as a Talon or turncoat ever would.

The CAG’s words continued to swirl around in Firefly’s head. It was already starting to bother her when she had confronted Steelfeather in the hangar. Having it enumerated so succinctly by her boss was just twisting the knife.

Skywind was a bully. Bullies could only be dealt with using violence. Therefore, Skywind could only be dealt with using violence. It was a simple syllogism, a marginally logical one, even. Yet it still induced dissonance. She wanted to hurt Skywind, to kick him off his pedestal, grind his rich boy face into the dirt, break bones, make the stallion who had never known true fear in his life face the existential terror that came with the prospect of losing it. No one challenged her right to exist like that. No one.

Are you antagonizing Skywind because you think he’s wrong or because you want to be right?

The pang of dissonance thrummed again. Oh how she wanted to be right. Oh how she wanted Skywind to be wrong, forever. But that wasn’t how it worked, was it? Nopony could be permanently wrong or permanently right. Wrong and right weren’t states of existence, they were temporary conditions in a changing world.

Maybe Skywind wasn’t the worst that could happen to Firefly. Maybe he wasn’t really out to wipe her from existence. Maybe Firefly needed to reevaluate what was driving her forward all this time.

Brahma’s knock on the infirmary hatch brought Firefly back into awareness. The hatch opened, revealing the face of an earth pony nurse. She immediately bowed her head in acknowledgement, allowing them to pass before quietly closing the hatch behind them.

Their hooves rang hollow on the infirmary deck. Though they wandered past closed curtain after closed curtain, the ward remained eerily silent. They passed the last row of curtains, finally entering the last chamber. Brahma rapped on the hatch.

“Enter.”

Brahma hoofed the hatch open, stepped through, and closed it behind them. Silhouetted against the backlight of the setting sun sat Skywind upon his bed.

“Commander Brahma Kamal and Lieutenant Commander Firefly, reporting, sir.” Brahma said, snapping off a quick salute. Firefly followed suit.

“At ease,” Skywind rasped.

I hope it hurts like hell! Firefly bit her tongue to prevent herself from saying it out loud.

“They’re not going to let me stay awake for long, so I’ll make this quick. Commander Kamal, Lieutenant Commander Firefly. Do you know why I’ve called you here?”

To berate me for my prior performance? To tell us how much we failed? To call us traitors? Firefly instead replied, “No, sir.”

“I don’t have to tell you how heavy the burden of leadership is. As commander of the Majestic’s air group and an expeditionary fighter unit leader, that burden is readily apparent to you.” Even in the wake of his injuries, Skywind maintained the dignified air of a Pyrian patrician.

“As a Captain, I am responsible for the lives of my crew and combat fliers. Every day I send them to face death, not because I delight in suffering or wish them harm, but because I trust them to accomplish the mission and return home to fight another day.” He shifted his gaze to Firefly. “I understand you might have some misgivings about that.”

His weakened state did nothing to blunt his laser glare. Were it any more focused, the flesh on Firefly’s forehead might have begun to peel. Firefly kept her poker face nonetheless.

“No, sir.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Skywind said, never once averting his gaze. “What is your real grievance, Firefly?”

Firefly did a double-take. Did Skywind use her name instead of her rank? Was he addressing her as a pony and not a machine? It was too good to be true. Firefly’s face twisted into a scowl.

“This is a trap, isn’t it?” She snarled. “Celestia’s tits, even after all the shit you put us through you’re still trying to throw me into the damn turbines?”

“Firefly!” Brahma rebuked her.

“This isn’t a trap, Firefly,” Skywind calmly countered. “We disagree on a good many things, but I am doing my part to come to an understanding.”

Understanding? The only understanding that he needed was a hoof to the face. What the hell kind of game was Skywind playing? Firefly snorted in contempt.

“What do you want?”

“A truce, if nothing else.”

The keyword “truce” was sufficient to give Firefly pause. So he acknowledged that there was conflict between them? That they were at war? That he was continuing to be a smug son of a bitch to her?

“I don’t follow,” Firefly said.

She had to continue the game. Skywind would show his hand sooner or later. She just had to keep up her poker face and play him for it when the time came.

“You don’t like me and I don’t like you,” Skywind continued, ignoring the theoretical games being run through Firefly’s head. “But your leadership and combat skills are invaluable to the fleet. I am not going to let petty personal disagreements get in the way of full utilization of my available assets.”

“And that would be my grievance.” Firefly spat. “You don’t treat me or my unit like we’re ponies. To you we’re just machinery to abuse until it breaks. Then you wash us out with a hose, stuff a new part in and expect it to work exactly the same.”

Firefly allowed a brief pause for impact before delivering her final strike. Every word was sodden with venom, every syllable a proverbial blade that she wished driven into his skull. “To you, we may as well be dead already.”

Skywind responded without missing a beat. “The burden of command is such that compassion is often lost to strategic expediency. I have expectations of those under my command. When those expectations are not met, it damages the cohesion of the entire fleet. I prefer to stamp out those slight aberrations before they become problematic habits.

“I’m not here to make friends with you, Firefly. Personally, I don’t care to. What I do care about is making my fleet effective. If all of your energy is devoted to hating me, that’s energy you’re not using to fight Talons.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we need to get our priorities straight. Let me make this clear. Regardless of what you might think of me personally, I am not your enemy.”

Firefly growled in defiance. Before she could respond in words, however, Skywind continued. “In my current state, I can barely stand, let alone command a ship. I’ll be transferred back to the medical ward at Topaz as soon as we have the opportunity to return. For the time being, my time as captain is done.”

He turned to Brahma. “Commander Kamal. Effective immediately, I am field promoting you to Captain. You will command the Majestic and by extension, her battlegroup in pursuit of the Red Talons.”

Brahma saluted sharply. “I won’t let you down, sir.”

“You have a proven track record and the air wing trusts you. I am confident you will not disappoint.”

Had it really just happened? Was Skywind gone for good? Was the fleet really in Brahma’s hooves now?

“Congratulations.” Firefly said, her inflection as numb as her mind.

“Lieutenant Commander Firefly?”

“Sir?”

Skywind’s unnerving tranquility remained. “Consider this my last act of charity to you. I am dismissing your investigation and freeing you to pursue the Talons to the Gates of Tartarus. Take that hatred of me and point it in the right direction.”

“Yes, sir,” was all Firefly could manage.

A knock at the hatch drew all eyes to the nurse. “Commanders? The captain needs his rest.”

“Yes, nurse.” Firefly and Brahma chorused before allowing themselves to be escorted out the hatch.

The walk to the Majestic’s combat information center was long and silent. Firefly could scarcely process all that she had witnessed. Skywind had shown equininity and personal complexity that Firefly had thought impossible. Had she misjudged the captain?

The former captain, Firefly reminded herself. The current captain of the ship was just a few paces ahead of her and Firefly couldn’t be happier. There was no one else Firefly would rather have commanding the battlegroup. It was great to finally have Skywind out of her mane.

Still, his specter continued to haunt her thoughts. The former captain’s words continued to resonate in her head. Consider this my last act of charity to you. I am dismissing your investigation and freeing you to pursue the Talons to the Gates of Tartarus. Take that hatred of me and point it in the right direction. He knew. He knew every little bit of it and he didn’t so much as bat an eye.

Did that make him a psychopath? A few minutes ago, the answer would have been an emphatic “YES!” But now Firefly was not so sure. Perhaps it was not her prior clashes with him that bothered her, but that the feud -- real or imagined -- had ended not with a bang, but a whimper.

The strangest part, however, was how perfectly acceptable that was to Firefly. She was always wary of easy solutions. Surely this would bite her in the ass later? Perhaps. But for now she was satisfied in the change of command.

Hoof traffic continued to pass as they trotted down the corridor. The occasional gurney loaded with a casualty flew by on its way to the infirmary, followed usually by an injured but ambulatory marine or flier still clad in uniform and combat armor. In all this time, the Majestic still had not yet processed all of the survivors from the Empyrean.

“Firefly, I need to ask you something.”

“Ma’am?” Firefly’s ear turned to catch Brahma’s words.

“With my promotion to captain, a new air group commander will be needed.”

Firefly’s ear twitched. The little foal in her got the butterflies in her stomach, but the battle-weathered mare sighed and pawed at the deck. She knew exactly where this was going and she didn’t like it one bit.

After an awkward pause, Firefly finally managed a response. “I’m sure Lieutenant Commander Savage will be happy to hear that. She’s a good griff and will serve you well as CAG.”

“Except Commander Savage isn’t the first on my list.” Brahma eyed Firefly knowingly. “Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t see it coming.”

Firefly did. But she still didn’t believe it. Nor did she want it.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were asking me to become air group commander!” She snarked.

“I am asking you to become the air group commander for the Majestic,” Brahma echoed.

“I’m honored that you would think of me, but after all that’s happened, would you really trust me to lead your fliers into certain death?”

Brahma stopped dead, turning to look Firefly dead in the eye. Hoof traffic continued to flow around them. The passing crew and marines glanced curiously, but knew better than to stick around.

“You’ve faced certain death and yet managed to lead your unit to victory in spite of it. You have more than just raw technical ability and physical strength; you understand what is at stake and what must be done to win.”

“And it’s cost me my friends and my command.” Firefly could do little to conceal the bitterness in her voice.

“The burden of command is heavy enough. Blaming yourself for everything isn’t going to make it easier to carry.”

“Then what will?”

“Trusting your command to carry out your mission. Trusting your friends to help you bear that burden. Trusting your wingponies to protect you as much as you protect them.”

Trust was a bitter pill to swallow. She hadn’t spoken directly to Thunderlane or Sunburst since the incident on the Sova and Eastwind was trying to play shrink more than friend. After all that she’d done, after all the bonds she’d shattered, would anyone still want to trust her? If her closest friends couldn’t trust her then why should the rest of the air wing?

Firefly shook her head. “There’s no way they’ll trust me.”

“You know how to lead,” Brahma repeated. “You know how to fly. You understand the mission, perhaps better than any of us because of your combat experience. They will learn to trust you. I have learned to trust you.”

A ragged sigh slipped from Firefly’s lips. She hated being emotional. All it did was hurt inside and tire her out. But Brahma had faith in her. The least she could do was try -- if not for herself, then for Brahma.

“I’ll do it!” She finally assented.

“That’s the Firefly I know!” Brahma beamed. “Congratulations on your promotion, Commander!”

Firefly stuck out her tongue in mock disgust. “Ugh! It feels so wrong!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll try not to abuse it too much!” The areion chuckled as she trotted onward.

It didn’t take long to reach CIC. The marines stationed at the hatch quickly hefted their rifles to present arms in salute.

“As you were, marines,” Brahma said, quickly snapping a return salute. “Lance Corporal, the hatch, please.”

“Aye, ma’am,” the griffon said before opening the hatch.

“Commander on the deck!”

The announcement from one of the radar operators sent all of CIC to attention. The effect rippled across the compartment, with those who were able standing up from their stations or turning to face her as appropriate. The marine nodded and closed the hatch behind them as Firefly and Brahma stepped through through the portal.

“As you were. Chief, I need the intercom.”

“Right away, ma’am.” The stallion at the terminal pressed a few buttons before waving Brahma to the console. “You’re set to broadcast to the ship.”

Brahma trotted to the console, taking a deep breath before pressing the microphone transmit switch.

“This is the XO. Before I begin, I need to thank you all. Even in the midst of this maelstrom, you’ve kept our ships running and our fliers fighting. It truly humbles me to lead such dedicated crew. There has been much chaos today and it is high time for a proper situation report.

“Earlier today, an attempt was made on Captain Skywind’s life. Thanks to the valiant actions of Timberwolf flight, we were able to apprehend the shooter and have acted to counter the exploits they used to gain access to our ship. While the captain is currently conscious and in stable condition, the nature of his injuries prevents him from continuing to oversee fleet operations. Minutes ago, Captain Skywind field promoted me to captain of the Majestic and by extension, the battlegroup commander.

“Combat fliers of VFA-108. I am honored to have served as your commander, but my duties as acting-captain will now consume my time. I have appointed one of your own, Lieutenant Commander Firefly, to lead you.

“The change is sudden, I know. But I trust that you will afford both Commander Firefly and me the same respect you gave Captain Skywind.

“As soon as our search and rescue birds have completed their last sortie, we will regroup at waypoint Scepter to the south and prepare for a counterattack. Let’s get it done!”

A resounding HOO-YAH thundered through CIC. If Firefly strained hear ears, she thought she could hear it coming through the bulkheads. Brahma’s very presence seemed to have reinvigorated the battered crew and bloodied survivors of the ill-fated Empyrean.

The beep of another console pulled Firefly’s attention from the jubilant crew.

“Captain,” a mare at the communications console said. “Alliance ships approaching from the south.”

“Reinforcements?”

“We’re being hailed. It’s the Eidolon.”

“The Eidolon?” Firefly cocked her head quizzically. “Isn’t she supposed to be defending Crystal Spire? What is her battlegroup doing all the way out here? And who the hell is left at the capital?”

Brahma held up a hoof to request silence. “Open a channel.”

The radiomare did as she was told. In moments, a familiar voice broke over the radio. “This is Admiral Flyleaf of Task Force Paladin commanding from aboard the Eidolon.”

“This Commander Brahma Kamal, acting-captain of the Majestic. What can we do for you, Admiral?”

“You will stand down and prepare to be boarded. My marines will assume control of the Majestic. Your cooperation will make this much easier.”

“Admiral, I understand that word of the Empyrean must have finally reached you. We have the situation under contr--”

“It is very clear that you do not!” The intensity of the admiral’s rebuke made Firefly wince. Even during the war, she’d never heard the old mare so incensed. “The flagship of the Hesperian expeditionary fleet has been destroyed, her battlegroup decimated, and from the reports that I have just received, your commanding officer was nearly assassinated by a traitor within the ranks! You will do exactly as I say until we get to the bottom of this or I will be forced to assume that your entire ship has been compromised!”

Puzzlement turned to shock. Shock turned to anger. Had Skywind’s demon spirit jumped ship and possessed the admiral? Firefly had had it up to her ears with this!

“Are you shitting me?” She snarled. She was again quickly silenced by the wave of a hoof from Brahma.

“Give me a moment to confer with my officers.” Brahma muted the microphone.

“That doesn’t sound like the Admiral.” Firefly growled. “Flyleaf would never launch a first strike against her own. Do you think she’s in on this? Are we the last loyalists in the fleet?”

“We’ll stand down for boarding,” Brahma said flatly. “We don’t have a choice.”

“We always have a choice,” Firefly retorted. “We’re in no shape to fight a fresh fleet with the extra load of Empyrean survivors. But if we mobilize now, we can recall our fliers and have our cruisers throw up an AA screen to slow them down. That should buy us enough time to escape and regroup for a counterattack.”

“Are you really that eager to draw the blood of your own comrades?”

“I’m eager to not be played for a fool!”

“I trust you, Firefly. Do you trust me?”

Firefly hesitated, her temper flaring for a split second before she regained control of her faculties. This was another play. They weren’t lying down to die, they were investigating.

“I trust you.”

“We’re not running. We’ll submit to VBSS until we can speak with the admiral to get to the bottom of this,” Brahma repeated. “Do you understand, Commander?”

“Understood,” Firefly finally said.

Brahma unmuted the microphone. “Admiral, we will submit to your request.”

“Until the investigation has been concluded, the Majestic will remain on full lockdown and under twenty-four hour guard. We will search the crew for infiltrators with a fine-toothed comb until we locate the traitors. Is that understood?”

“Understood, Admiral.”

“Flyleaf, out.”

The moment the channel clicked closed, Firefly let out the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, ma’am.”

Author's Notes:

This was a troublesome chapter. A combination of life changes, writer's block, and overall dissatisfaction with the character interactions all conspired to keep me from doing anything useful with it. Honestly, I'm still not happy with it, but if I keep delaying, it will never be released. As they say, release first and fix it in post.

The intent of the chapter was both a critique of Firefly's prior outbursts by other characters and a retcon of sorts to Skywind's personality and credentials, both justified by the story being viewed primarily through Firefly's POV which warps the narrative commentary on other characters accordingly. In a way, Skywind is semi-redeemed as a commander, though it should be clear that he is likely not a person many people enjoy associating with.

Fun fact: in a very early storyboard, it was the Majestic's battlegroup that got ambushed and not the Empyrean, with the end result being Skywind turning tail and running with the Majestic and leaving the rest of the fleet to burn. While it would have made for an epic big damn heroes moment for Brahma and the air wing to launch and save the fleet in opposition of Skywind's orders, it was also a complete character assassination of Skywind that was unwarranted.

Skywind may be an asshole, but he is no coward. The character is stalwart to a fault and intended to be a very capable sailor and commander. It would be an extreme break of character to have him back out of a fight as originally written. Also in the same draft was a physical confrontation between Firefly and Skywind in which Skywind refuses to yield, just as he does in this revised chapter. It was difficult to translate the inherent intensity of a hand to hand fight into words, but I think this version gets the points across better.

Music may be sparse since we are far off the beaten path now regarding syncing the playlists with the chapters that actually got published. I will revisit it later as there are some chapters yet to come where musical themes can still be relevant.

This chapter is the most likely to receive a rewrite in the near future. While the narrative flow will most likely remain the same, details may be revised to better convey the intended tone. Until then, onward.