private FRACTURED FUTURES: Crystal Expedition

[GoldieS 679]

@Lektra Bolt @Denim&Venom @woodchunks66 

The captain rubbed his forehead in dismay. At this point, there was really nothing he could do. Him and his troops were at the whims of three arguing mares, none of which he could try to reason with or offer any suggestions to. As far as they were concerned, he was just some random nameless soldier that just so happened to be standing around. Fortunately, he wasn't the only one. 

Candor stepped back, pulling AJ and the lieutenant both away from the tyrant trio. 

"Ma'am, it might be bet if we stay out of this." Candor stated to AJ. "All we can do is wait for them to finish arguing. Not much point in trying to give our two cents. They've already decided in their heads what they want to do." 

And that was that. Of course now he needed to worry about wasting resources and whatnot, just sitting around waiting for them to make a decision. That's how coin got wasted in the army, just sitting around waiting for superiors to make a blasted decision. Every minute off schedule is another drop of coin in the bucket. 

[Brobot 1,436]

@Lektra Bolt @GoldieS @Denim&Venom

Applejack looked over at the ponies arguing and sighed and nodded at the captin"we've keep these crystal ponys waiting for 100 years,I'd hate to make them wait long but....."AJ looked over at the ponys and scowled"Confound it! Candor once these ponys finish there conversation we.are.moving.out PERIOD!Idon't care who wins the argument they can bring it up  with me...on the road to the crystal empire! And by the look on your face captin you look ready to go"Applejack then said" tell these colts that rest time is over!its time to make the history books!" AJ stated.

Edited December 11, 2017 by woodchunks66

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

@Denim&Venom @woodchunks66 @GoldieS

As I stood there waiting for the object of my affections to chime in and explain to Luster that this expedition needed to proceed and held up the scroll to be signed, Quick headed over to chat with the captain and AJ. There was simply nothing she could do right now until Luster saw reason.

-*-*-

Three simple words exited her mouth on how she was feeling. "Sir, I'm bored." She couldn't relax and stood in a respectful position to her current superior. She got paid for her time serving either way, but standing around really wasn't her thing. She had a job to do. Run the Magic Company and see that the captain was doing a good job. This wasn't what she signed up for being Blade for this mission, and expected an actual mission to happen

[GoldieS 679]

@Lektra Bolt @woodchunks66 @Denim&Venom

Candor dawned a furious scowl as he slowly turned to address the lieutenant. He didn't mind it if his subordinates spoke informally with him, but there were just some things that weren't wise to mention to your superiors under any circumstances. Especially when standing a spitting distance from the Director and the Grand Marshal. 

"You're what?" He snapped at the Lt. 

The captain paused, looking around to examine the large highway they currently stood on. The convoy started at the gate, and trailed quite a distance down a few blocks. There were a thousand troops standing around. Everyone was formed up on one side of the highway, while the other was completely empty, save for the small command staff discussing things among themselves and the three higher ups beside them. 

"Assemble your company." The captain ordered, anger in his voice. "Form up in front of me. Tell them to leave their ruck sacks where they are, just bring combat gear. GO!" 

He snapped the last bit, waiting for the Lt. to get to it before he turned back to AJ. "That's the attitude of a greenhorn with a fresh commission out of the academy. She's never even been out in the field before, I guarantee it. 75% of being a soldier is waiting. Out of the 24 hours in a day, maybe 30 minutes of that is spent in combat, if it even happens at all. The rest is waiting for battle and remaining vigilant. I don't have a need for someone who doesn't have the patience to wait for orders."

Candor chuckled a little bit. "Plus, with her attitude, giving her remedial training won't change her attitude. She doesn't care what happens to herself, that's most good soldiers. But, she might care about what happens to her soldiers. So, we punish her soldiers for her actions. If she doesn't care, then she's not the kind of leader I want in the field with me, and I'll send her back to rear detachment to work in an office while we're out on our expedition."

"Normally I wouldn't have to go through so much trouble to weed out good troops to take with me, but they kind of just threw all this at me last minute." He added. 

Edited December 14, 2017 by GoldieS

[Denim&Venöm 16,515]

@Lektra Bolt @woodchunks66 @GoldieS

"Luster." said a voice from above, as the princess herself decended from the heavens. 

"You're concern for those under your command is commendible. But they're soldiers, the iron steeds of the crown. They know what they signed on for, they are well aware of the risks and they're willing and able to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Yes, I've seen the sat photos. Most likely there isn't anything left up there, Cadence potentially arranging an exodus of the whole empire sometime during the quarentine she imposed. Decades of sacavengers probably reduced the city to ruins. 

But then again, looks can be decieving. Even if that is the case, we need to know for sure if Equestria truly stands alone. 

Please Luster, with your approval, can the force proceed?"

Luster looked at her co-creator w/ as stoic an appearence as her metal and LCD optics could convey. Then she sighed a metallic sigh.

"You're all stubborn. Your hearts in the right place but your brains obviously aren't. This needs to be a tactically sound venture. I'll authorize a forward expiditionary force of 250, w/ another 250 reinforcement trailing behind. We will be going by air as it would be a logistical nightmare running a supply line from New Everfree to the empire through hostile territory. If the situation goes to tarturus, then the reinforcement arrives for an extraction. 

Then we send a proper retaliatory force of a few thousand to handle the situation. We're going to recon the area and/ or establish contact. And we need to do that quickly and efficiently. "

[Brobot 1,436]

AJ smiled at Candor"Welp captain would say the same for farming,most of the time your waiting for your crops to grow.....not anymore though"AJ said"with your new fertilizer and genetical sciences we don't really need to do that anymore,.....but i sense good in all these ponies,their going to make you proud cap"Then AJ turned and saw the princess flying down and trotted over to hear the conversation

AJ nodded and trotted back over to the captain"Welp i guess that we should get a move on now,There a whole empire awaiting"with that AJ hopped on the Golem carrying her two swords, laid down and put her hat on her face and started to doze off......

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

@Denim&Venom@woodchunks66@GoldieS

With heavy a sigh I made the necessary edits to the holo scroll, editing it down to 2 groups of 250 with an airship for each. 150 Earth, 75 Air, 25 Magic, and 5 Tank Golems per group. I held it up and placed a hoofsie in the new scroll, holding it out for the others to do the same. It was then transferred to a nearby mini construct for them to sign as I turned to fly away. I had guests coming. "Glad everything worked out. We have visitors coming soon and I want to get some work done before they arrive."

Once they signed off it would propagate to everyone else and reassignments would begin.

-*-*-

Quick bowed apologetically as she also gave a salute. "Whatever you have in mind, I will do it WITH my troops." He had better stop calling her a greenhorn, as Blade had been in the Magic corps for years.

A large text message appeared on her HUD.

"STOP SUCKING! If I lose my job or get punished in some other way I will personally put in a complaint to Internal Affairs, make sure you never work in auditing ever again, and show your face to everyone so you will lose your job. No fully paid and paid for luxury vacation is worth losing my job over."

A message from the real Blade. Quick had been aware that Blade was watching through her suit, but she hadn't realized she had studied up on Blade so poorly. She sent a text message back once she was back with her unit heading over to follow orders. I will try to not make trouble anymore and be more like you.

Quick Shadow was expecting some kind of strenuous exercise given by the captain, and would insist she do it with her troops even if a lot of her unit was going back to the barracks

Edited December 20, 2017 by Lektra Bolt

[GoldieS 679]

@Lektra Bolt @woodchunks66 @Denim&Venom (OOC: A few time-skips here and there, feel free to fill in the blanks as needed)

The captain noticed a message pop up in his helmet that hung at his side. He briefly put it on to see the newest marching order, travel by airship now, before taking it back off. At that time the Lt. had assembled her company in front of him. He rose a brow at her comment, before turning to address the company. 

"Well, mare's and gentlecolts, your Lt. says she's bored. Any of you bored?" He asked. 

The entire group perked up. They already knew what was going to happen. Of course they all shook their heads no, some giving angry vicious looks at the Lt. Others had already resigned to their fate and began quietly stretching. 

"I suppose that's good for you lads, but let's not keep your Lt. bored. Let's do some buddy carries, no magic, from the gate all the way to the airfield. Your commander wants to join you, so you'll be carrying her while she makes sure none of you cheat. Secure your ruck sacks on a golem and ready yourself at the front gate. Dismissed." he ordered. 

Candor turned around to move towards the front of the convoy to give the lead golem the new orders. All while the company scoffed and sighed, joked and whispered harsh things about their Lt. Some, however, were a little confused by her behavior.

The latter half of the day went by fairly quickly, with the convoy and its personnel moving quickly to the airfield. Blade's magic company walked there in twos, both carrying their own equipment, and a squad mate on their back, switching out who was carrying who every so often. Two robust soldiers agreed to carry the Lt off and on, but Candor ordered them not to let her touch the ground, all while she watched her soldiers do the heavy lifting. Even with the power armor, it was a challenging task, power armor carrying power armor was still not easy. 

By the time they had reached the airfield, the various companies were being further divided, with many being dismissed back to the barracks. The few that remained being those who would be going on the operation. Only two airships, both were loaded quickly. And, while the order didn't explicitly account for golems, Candor had quietly ordered a few onto the ships after accounting for weight. 

It was nighttime by the time everyone and everything was loaded onto the ships. Candor had sent for his command staff, Lt. included, and their VIPs to the bridge of the lead ship. 

"Ms. Apple... I figured since you had plenty of sleep earlier you wouldn't mind joining us here on the command deck for the evening." He stated as Apple Jack was admitted onto the bridge. 

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by GoldieS

[Brobot 1,436]

@GoldieS @Lektra Bolt @Denim&Venom

Applejack shook her head to help wake her up" its fine Candor your right i had plenty of sleep " AJ quietly  said as she just noticed the clouds on the big window behind Candor ...... then she looked at the captain "captain would you mind pulling up a hologram to show me the battle plan in case we run into trouble.

AJ look around the bridge, it was very high tech..even more so then the hanging gardens that AJ herself oversaw "Lektra..or Luster, does know how choose there weapons"aj said under her breath....then AJ looked outside again then asked the captain "whats the protocol if a pony...say falls form this aircraft,without any pegasus on broad, what would happen"AJ brushed of dust from battle jumpsuit and thought of home....apples...."Captain if you wouldn't mind me taking a look at the stock of food..i would like to..alter it...a bit......." while pulling out a test tube of liquid out of her pocket...

Edited December 21, 2017 by woodchunks66

[Denim&Venöm 16,515]

@woodchunks66 @GoldieS @Lektra Bolt

"Two air ships is too few. We need a flexible reserve fleet. It's a had idea to put all the ponies who are meant to be saving us all in one moving target." Luster accessed her hud and begun reassigning her reserve forces between to more air ships. She'd notify the captain after take off. "Besides, we don't need to be screwed when our back up ride home somehow gets downed." She looked down at the modified petition form needing her signature. "Welp. this is probably as good as I'm gonna get it." she signed off on it, green lighting it w/ the third required hoof print. 

The metal alicorn then looked to the north. "I really hope there's nothing up there. Let this be a waste of resources and time, instead of lives. Besides, do we really want to know what life was like up there all this time? And does it really matter in the end, when we've got our own problems down here?" 

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

@woodchunks66@GoldieS @Denim&Venom

Quick was understandably perturbed at that turn of events, but given she was actually with her troops she just took that as the captain being witty. Considering the alternative was Blade getting in trouble, she just went with it and then when there was time took the time to apologize to her company of 25 she did that too. Profusely. With gusto. Nervously. Some were unconvinced and just leered at her while standing at attention through the whole speech, as if it was going in out one ear and immediately out the other. That was all she could do, and the rest of the lost respect would have to be earned back through actions. The rest of the evening was spent on exercises and the company catching a few winks together.

For now she had been summoned to the bridge with the other command staff. When she entered the bridge of the airship she saw the others were already there, all except the Air Lieutenant Captain. The Griffin entered soon after her, and she took her seat at the meeting, saying nothing and listening to her superiors

Edited December 28, 2017 by Lektra Bolt

[GoldieS 679]

@woodchunks66 @Lektra Bolt @Denim&Venom

"Not to worry ma'am." The captain replied to AJ. "As much as I... dislike flying... we have plenty of flyers capable of dropping down for rescue. Let's just avoid falling over altogether. And... please don't tamper with the food rations. They're sealed in individual meal kits, airtight seals. We'll discuss necessary battle plans shortly. But, you will be staying with the command team in the event of a hostile engagement." 

He waited patiently for the others to arrive, since the ship was already underway. At that point it was in the process of passing through the city shield, and rising to attain cruising altitude. 

He looked around and noticed a particular purple alicorn conspicuously absent. He gave an annoyed sigh and scowled. 

"Princess Twilight never signed into the crew and passenger roster. We're already underway, so I suppose she changed her mind last minute about coming." The captain grumbled. "I've already given the top priority order to verify she's still in garrison, someone follow up on that. I'm not interested in playing games with an alicorn, and we're not playing chauffeur either."

"Look, I know we're off to a rocky start. But out here, you're all under my command, no one else's. That means you only have one set of orders to follow, not four. We do everything by the book." He stated. "As of right now, are there any questions about what I just said?"

[Denim&Venöm 16,515]

@Lektra Bolt @GoldieS @woodchunks66

"Not so much a question as a correction, captain." came a familiar metallic voice. To the heavy steps walked Gen. Luster, though not the ornate, black and gold vizier class chasis of the military governess, but the taller, arctic camo, heavy plated, venetrix class assault construct. The walking definition of 'built to military specs.'

"Everypony here does have one set of orders to follow: mine. Due to the priority set upon our endeavor, and the profile of accompanying personel, I will be heading up this operation. Other than that, the rest is accurate. This operation will be run by the book as a reconassiance and expiditionary venture until evidenced otherwise. 

Any questions regarding what I just said?"