Queque, place where the special group formed by Empress regulation. Where it mostly all rounded group, shaped by the one who graduate from Empress personal training.
This place is still on echoes of nothing, while a single horse went to this place earlier than the others did. "Sul! Are you here?"
No response, nobody sees. Perfect for sealing her true feelings.
She sat down, no answer after a minute of trying. But she felt a cold sensation pinching her ear, freaking her out in the process. The stallion she seek had appear behind her, he laugh from this reaction. "You're adorable whenever you're annoyed."
"Stop it!" He keep laughing, irritate her a little more. He sit right besides her.
It barely dissipate for a while, she ask him "I heard you got into the other expedition on the second transpace, on which planet it will be?" She curl her own hair with her clawed hoof, which he had several times to think.
He pull his helmet, the planet code appear on the helmet "3246008161Ao"
"Planet of seas?" He nod, and play with Vey's hair while waiting for expedition captain to arrive.
"H-exactly, afraid there will be bunch submerged creature. And where is yours be?"
She pull out her helmet, it says 3142705866Kp. He nod, closing the distance between them.
"Did you really like me?" She pull off this sentence out of blue, her face muscle went tighter than usual.
With his genuine smile, he grab Vey's face by the chin to face his. "Of course, silly. You have always catch my eye, especially when act like it."
"Don't tell it in front of the captains!" She push him back and regain control of her head over him, and he stare her whole on the face.
The smile he gave is still visible "Of course i won't, it was our thing at keeping secrets."
"Remember our promise after this expedition, take care of yourself okay!" He wear his helmet suit, and slowly walk into his waiting platform.
"See you soon, baby face!" He twist his head towards the other side of this platform, away from Vey's plain of sight.
There still plenty of time before they get into the expediton, but they're afraid getting caught again. Two body of levitating metal vehichle, each behind both of them. Until there is a portal openned, one of which were accessed from Sullivan's bracelett.
"Oh please, this expedition better be something we can deal with."
"You will regret saying that."
"What? Like we aren't that tough. How is it, Captain Rex?"
A fairly large male horse, slightly older than our protagonist here. "Hm, Vey. I really thought we cannot meet each other by then, but here we are. Together once more."
"Whatever, sir senior. So, is everyone present?!" She count each head of this group, which in total were 50 horse including her.
Her gaze turn slightly wierd, this senior of her isn't really suited for this. And yet, his charisma carry this group. "Why did she choose you over somebody else?"
"Kh- i- have no idea." He swirl his lips inward, shook his head and put down his hat shaped helmet.
He look at the other side of this dock, the other captain's signal to him.
"Attention!" All of the group alert from this command, all of them went into a formation. Of course with Vey inside one, gulping he were.
"Today, we will enter our daring expedition on planet 3142- 7058- and 66kp. Which is mostly similar life form on Forever green district, thus make this one of the least satisfying for you."
He pause, eyes spreading all over the place. "Uagh- better enjoy the scenery while gathering data on how functional the planets were."
"Never worry about oxygen mask, the planet were abundant of it." The vehichle door opened, almost hitting him on the process.
"That was close. Juniors, went inside!"
All the troops went inside the ship, it was rather differ from last time Vey had use with Sul to begin with. 'S.T 1200, classic and nostalgic.'
The entrance of this ship had sealed, shut and cut from outside world. A static sound, it connects to the ship's cockpit. "All aboard, ready for acceleration."
"All passengers were needed to sit into their respective seat, and remember that safety is number one." The transmission ends there, the ship had propell itself to the most outter atmosphere. Cutting rift open and went trough the safe zone of the 3142705866kp's atmosphere.
The acceleration slows down, that's G7-G9 of force. "I really don't like being strapped here, but there's nothing we can do."
All of them agrees, and still have to acknowledge it.
This ship had arrived 50 metres from water surface, land flat on it. All it's legs were sprout out and anchor itself on the surface. The entrance slowly unsealed, no pressure were change even a bit.
"Whoa, fresh air."
Static sound once more dominate the entire passenger room. "We had arrived on the destination, please be back before the solar went down. Have a safe journey!"
"Juniors, 10 rows." He had lost his anxiety, and all of them went into the rows.
"We're splitting you into 5 groups, lead by several of your senior. Keep in mind about this expedition, never went more than miles without full exploration. We're going to be busy here, use compass to know the way back. UNDERSTAND!?" All clear, he appoint several horses to become the squad leader.
"1st squad, Riolazer!" A particularly dim coated horse walk to the side of Captain Rex, looking really fresh. 'Rio? Which division he fall before?'
"2nd squad, Parquetur!" Rather mildly bright coated horse walk into scene, right besides Rio. 'Why is his name sounds familiar?'
"3rd squad, Valens!" For a split second she flinch, before went to the front. Stand right besides Parque, stand still. 'That make sense i guess, i am rather the old member of this part anyway.'
Captain Rex keep listing the leader, and sort the member from their designated role. The 4th squad, he lead the 4th squad. 'Make sense i guess, bunch of the 4th squad were rather less experienced.'
"Hope you all safe and sound, and remember to come back at afternoon!"
"Sir yes sir!" All of them spread according to the earlier description the Captain state.
"Alright, Juniors. To the south!" 3rd squad went into the south, Vey being the last to ensure their safety. Mimicking that of wolf pack migration method, with all on the front was two defense specialist, front end was tracker specialist, middle were supply, end were defense specialist.
All of them had a tracker, which given to Vey. All of them also had note to have a report.
Then, "Time estimated to be 7 hours before the solar body turn night." All of their helmet said so, rather unique there is not that much intellegent life here. Only several harmless bacteriae, unique algae, semi-solid plants, no tree-like organism. But there were several creature resemble reptile there, but they aren't reptile.
"Hey look at that lizard, they're eating the plants!"
"That's not a lizard, you dimwit!" This horse slap the coresponding horse, make the corresponding horse sigh in pain.
The Corresponding horse grit his teeth out of pain, but hid it from the other. "Ow, i know. But this is rather unique, the temperature is rather colder than regular life to survive."
"I guess you're not so dim after all." Both of them laugh, Vey still alert for the danger lurking behind the shadows of this meadows. She attempts to cast a simple magic, it works. But when she did the energy ball attack, her shaped energy dissipates quickly. 'Make sense i guess.'
The temperature overall 10-7 degree celcius, effect the variety of species. "Suprisingly no insect-like creature around, maybe have yet to evolve and the satelite is rather close to us."
"Rather peace follow this expedition, but Senior Valens keep tense." And this planet is rather more silent and there only breeze of wind and the ricochet of plants, make a friction with each other.
"Odd planet, the Star were slightly dim."
"3 Hours remain, went back to the ship is recomended." Vey's device shout clearly, all of them pack up their things and went sraight back. Vey threw the compass to the frontline, with all of them respected her.
And this feeling of uneasiness slowly grow, with how similar it feels like everfree forest. 'Why do i feel this place is targetting us, but have yet to take action.'
All of them feels somewhat similar, although almost all of them were plants-like multicellular organism. But the DNA rather show divergence of this genome, exist predatory genome. The speculative lifeform here is just, odd. Nutrition were digested from the prey, ended with the carcass to be spitten out and it break down to seeds and water. 'Keeping the cycle on.'
"Well, this is not the first time we had ecounter this kind of creature anyway. So, were good."
'How is Sul doing, i hope there isn't any dangerous sea creature there-' right before she finish, there a carnivorous moving creature made of strain of veins.
"Shi-"
The backline defense restrain the creature, not daring to kill it and spread the seeds. Ohoho, before they breathe safely-
Another similarly built creature appear from the water, almost consuming the research holders. But they able to defend themself, and accidentally kill said plants. "No- oh no-"
"What is that-" A rather large creature taking oxygen on the surface, posing no threat to the group.
"Warning, 1 hours remain before the sun sets down! Get back quickly ASAP!"
All of them went to the ship, really aren't that far and went in time before the ship went camo mode. Completely invisible. "That was very close, uh-"
The rest were already arrived, some made the document into the main data of 3142705866Kp.
"Alright, Juniors. Congratulation for your great job, have a rest and never forget to clean yourself!"
He tap open, the room expose itself and there were exacty 100 room for each of the passengers and crew of this ship. Our protagonist, on her room. Resting, reflecting how life were outside of Equestria. "Tiring, no magic gloss over me."
She lay down on the bed, taking her helmet. 'Hope he's okay.'
The helmet trying to connect into the main universe, trough the space ship's main internal connection with the ultimate computer. "Please connect."
The helmet keep static, almost a minute she wait. Until, a static sound put the imaginary screen connected with the corresponding call se make. Appear, her dearly. "Sul! How is your mission?!"
The Stallion's attention turn back to the helmet's imaginary screen, all he saw was her face. "Silver swan, what is you call me?"
"Don't call me that. So, how is your expedition?" Her curiousity push him to mostly spoil it all, about several reports of the large finned sea creature and rather hotter planet after all. Also exist several plant-like lifeform, covered in black and absorb all lights inside the water. As there are almost no lands but a shallow water around, rather easy and greatly vast sea.
"But, there are yet no volcanic activity whatsoever. Maybe there is more to it than we need to know, or something are yet to happen." He laugh for the last time, and wish her safety.
"See you later, Silver Swan~"
"Stop it!" He turn the call off, putting his helmet off to the side and slowly doze off.
Vey have no words, but only smile and put her helmet aside just like what her lover did.
The sweet scent of gas swept her, hiding the sleeping gas and doze her off afterwards.
.
[To be continued]