One White Target (Patreon)

Several miles outside of Trottingham there's a large country estate called The Green Boughs in my Equestria dreamscape. It's a sprawling affair spread out over many miles of rolling grass covered hills and forests. A great manor house sits at the center of the majestic parcel of land. It's an impressive 3 story example of Georgian-style architecture fashioned from marble mined on the estate grounds.

Scattered throughout the sprawling estate there are numerous barns, carriage houses, workshops, the previously mentioned quarry, staff housing, guest housing, and other assorted cottages, lodges and buildings. There was even rumors in town that an airship tower and a hangar was planned.

For such an imposing piece of real estate nopony in the area knows exactly who owns The Green Boughs. 200+ years ago it had been owned by one of the great unicorn families of Canterlot who used it as a retreat. However a search of the public records at the Trottingham City Hall will show The Green Boughs as now being the property of Mane, Thunder & Steel Holding Company based out of Canterlot. Further inquiries would lead a pony to one Fancy Pants of Canterlot who is the acting president of the board that oversees the estate. He will tell you that the board discreetly manages the estate for its owner who wish to remain anonymous, and that they purchased The Green Boughs as a long-term investment many, generations ago. Yes it was used only several times a year for large, private gatherings, but there was a full-time staff who maintained the buildings and grounds at all time. That's all a pony would find out.

Fancy Pants would not be lying. Several times a year The Green Boughs was the meeting place for some very important and exclusive parties, and for the right amount of bits and with the right connections some of the buildings could be rented for such special events. And yes the estate was a long-term investment for its owners, but not in the way most ponies would think. For the owner of the property was none other than Princess Celestia, and the actual investment was in the current and future generations of Mares-in-Waiting, Stallions-on-Call and Scale Bearers. This was one of several facilities scattered around the kingdom. Here they could receive the specialized training they needed to perform their duties, and have their skills tested. Today one such pony was being tested.

Captain Firewing looked across the table at the candidate. They were sitting in the kitchen of a modest, 2 story cottage. The young unicorn mare stared intently at the stallion as she got her briefing. She was collection of yellow, oranges, reds. Her wild mane looked like a cluster flames blowing in the wind. She was wearing a tactical harness festooned with pockets. Perched on her head was pair of goggles with swirling iridescent lens. The pegasus stallion rolled a floor plan out on the kitchen table then glanced up at the clock on the far kitchen wall. Then he looked back at the mare.

"12 minutes ago violent elements made up of former members of an Association succeeded in abducting an important member of the Crown Court. In the process they've succeeded in getting into this house and barricading themselves in here. In the confusion you've succeeded in slipping in before the assailants could erect several wards around and inside this building. Currently you're separated from the rest of the hostage's security detail and are hiding in this kitchen. You got a quick look at the layout of this cottage as you entered on the ground floor. It's impossible to teleport out of the house; nor can outside forces teleport in to aid you. Neither have you been able physically breach the wards. Also it is impossible to communicate with outside forces. There are at least 6 assailants located inside this structure. There are no other innocent bystanders inside this structure. They've moved their hostage upstairs and are holding them in a room which is also warded against teleportation."

He looked up from the floor plan and locked his stare on the mare. "From what you've been able to hear the assailants have no plans to negotiate with any representative of the Crown to secure the safe release of the hostage. They plan to kill the hostage as an act of vendetta against the Crown. The hostage will die. Therefore to save the hostage you must act immediately and cannot wait for outside support. The life of the hostage takes precedent over all other factors. Including your own survival. As of now Inferno you're operating under Falling Star Protocol."

The mare's eyes went wide and she whistled. "Whoa! This hostage is serious shit! Falling Star usually is reserved for high ranking members of the court and the cabinet."

The crimson stallion nodded his head. "Correct. The use of lethal force and the destruction of private and crown property are approved if that's what it takes to rescue the hostage. However remember the hostage may be unable to immediately move or may already be injured and you will not be able to teleport them away unless the wards go down. Killing the hostage in a flaming conflagration will defeat the entire point of the rescue. Keep your wits throughout this operation."

Firewing rolled the floor plan back up and stowed in its cardboard tube. With that accomplished  he looked back at the mare. "To simplify your workload we've been gracious and have painted all of the assailant targets red."

"What color is the hostage?" Asked the mare.

"There's only one white target in this building. That's the hostage. In your tactical harness you'll find 5 small breaching charges. You'll need those to break the wards and to open the door to the room holding the hostage. Your go signal will be the phrase. Finish her now."

The captain looked at the mare. "Now you may ask me 3 questions that I can answer in the next minute."

Inferno chewed the inside of her mouth for a moment.

"Do I know the make up of assailants?" She asked.

"You observed at least 3 unicorns. 1 mare and 2 stallions. 2 earth ponies, both mares, and 1 pegasus stallion." Replied captain.

"How were they armed?" The mare began attaching hoof blades to her legs.

"The earth ponies are known to have firearms. Muzzleloading shotguns by the looks of it, and they are wearing body armor. The pegasus appears to prefer hoof to hoof combat but that's not an absolute. The unicorns are an unknown but are capable of erecting potent wards; although maintaining those wards maybe taking all of their concentration."

Inferno opened the pouch on her harness that held the blasting charges and checked that the safety wires were properly installed. Then she asked her last question.

"Do I know the location of the nearest constabulary precinct, hospital, army garrison, or naval yard where I may be able to move the hostage to safety if I find no back up waiting outside this building?"

Firewing popped a hard cinnamon candy in his mouth and then answered the mare's final question. "There's a small hospital 3 miles from this location. The nearest garrison is a day's travel. The constable is about the same distance as hospital is, but it is small rural operation. No more than a 3 room structure big enough for maybe half a dozen ponies."

Inferno rose from the table and quickly shook her limbs working any stiffness from them. Then quickly snapped her neck from side to side. With that accomplished she positioned the goggles over her eyes. Then she looked at captain and nodded her head. The stallion returned the nod. "Good luck." he said.

He then removed a stop watch from his shirt pocket and set it on the table. Then he yelled.

"FINISH HER NOW!"

Then he hit the start button on the watch.

To be continued.