• Published 29th Jun 2014
  • 1,597 Views, 45 Comments

Fallout: Equestria - A Heart of Steel - Pentagrade



Crossword, a budding Steel Ranger in the Far South Contingency, finally gets a chance to prove herself in the field, but everything is stacked against her. What will it take for her to reach her dream?

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Chapter 4 - The Hard Truth

Author's Note:

Well then, it's been quite a while since I first wrote the last chapter, but here I am. This one should hopefully hint to you where the plot is going here, but as always: Corrections, Questions and Comments will always be read and answered down below, go ahead, I don't bite :D

P.S. Thanks to all the readers over the recent weeks that have liked and favourited my story, you have not gone unnoticed. You have helped me push forward with this story recently and I appreciate it loads, thanks a lot!

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A Heart Of Steel

Chapter 4 - The Hard Truth

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Damn was I wrong, I got everything seriously wrong. She really 'did' try her best to get me through to the Knights. And even though she didn't get me all the way, she made a big sacrifice from how it sounded to me.

Project 17? Where have I heard that before. It was connected to the Ministry of Wartime Technology according to Pearl Barley. Possibly it was a part of same system as Project 2, the Mark III Power Armour I was wearing now. That must mean they had a whole line of 'Projects' they were working on that were kept secret, as I've only seen reference to the first two. Project 1 was the original incarnation of the Power Armour which was modified eventually into the standard model used today. Was Project 17 another variation of Power Armour? That must mean there are seventeen different types of Power Armour out there for the taking, and the one the Elder was aiming for must have been extra important. Where did they say it was again... the Bale-lands. No wonder nopony has returned.

The Bale-lands was the region further south of us. It is in the middle of no-ponies land between Equestria and the zebra homeland, Zebrica. It gets it's name due to the rumours that Zebras used it as a testing ground for Balefire explosives and weaponry, poisoning everything around it. It must have been an accident putting the base there, as nopony would have set up a base there in a place as unforgiving as that. Depending on when these 'Projects' were setup, they might have done it before the first tests were started maybe. Those poor ponies... They couldn't of stood a chance.

The full extents of the damage from those Balefire experiments have never been seen in pony let alone documented. So I can't imagine what peril those previous Rangers had to go through to get to Project 17. Cherry put her life on the line for me, I would never of imagined she would do that for anypony. Let alone me...

A tear rolled from my eye. This wasn't good enough, I don't want to be a knight like this. She shouldn't have to get herself killed for me, I don't deserve that at all. Unplugging myself from wall screen, I looked to the screen I checked through more of the files listed there. A few files after the video was the main copy of the roster containing all of the details of where each promoted Initiate would go. Among the roster were entries for Cherry Strudel and me:

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Name - Cherry Strudel
Gender - Mare
Specialty - Tactical Offence
Position - Knight in Command - Project 17

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Name - Crossword
Gender - Mare
Speciality - Knowledgeable
Position - Border Watch

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Urrgh. I wish they gave me a better specialty name than that, no imagination. Looking up and down the list, the other entries had cooler names like Munitions Expert, Physical Combat Specialist... Toaster Repair Pony... Okay maybe it wasn't that bad then. But I couldn't resist. I backspaced out my original specialty and replaced it with: Technical Advisor

Much better. Wait.... I can edit this. I face-hooved, realising I could change things, possibly for the better. I just needed to change Cherry's position to something else. I began to replace her position when I realised something. Both Pearl Barley and the Elder are expecting her on that mission, her absence would cause an investigation for sure. I guess she's locked in to this thing now... But she shouldn't have to do it without her friend. I moved to 'my' roster entry. I can't change mine either, they would definitely think something is up if they saw I was on that mission, I'm surely not considered the "best of the best" by Pearl Barley. However... I'm sure I could make myself look like it.

I jumped around the file system making new entries, academic notes and physical exercise results, all for a new knight joining the Watering Hole. A knight called... Shadow... Step? I'm not good at this naming stuff, but I guess since I've got this armour now, it's accurate at least. Agile, camouflaged and quiet, works for me I guess. Plus if it looked like I was transfered, it would look like the armour was mine personally. But then I ran into a obstruction... My voice. I could still be recognised if they were to hear me speak. Unless I didnt.

I remember a pony in my younger training class had a speach impediment that allowed him to get off of many of the more gruelling excersises that we were put through. Luna I envied him so much, but he did end up on cafeteria permanently. I guess lazyness doesn't pay off forever. But I did take a page from his... very empty work book. I listed on my profile that I was mute, it was simple to pull off and it would prevent anypony from finding out my true self. I also gave myself grades rivalling Cherry Strudel's, guaranteeing my ponysona would be justified on the mission. Now all that was left is to clear the missing link. I deleted my entry from the job roster, replacing it with this:

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Name - Shadow Step
Gender - Stallion
Specialty - Stealth Expert
Position - Knight - Project 17

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That should do it. I thought it would be safe to pretend I was a stallion just to clear up any coincidences if they were to arise. Chances are some smart alec will make a connection from my disappearance and the appearance of Shadow Step. Plus how hard could it be? As long as I kept to the fact I couldn't talk, nothing I could do could give away I wasn't who I actually am, at least until the Bale-lands maybe. I've never truly had much of an interest in stallions. From my experiences with them, they just shout at and criticise you for being a mare. Many of them still believe being a knight is stallions job, but they are a dying group now. Serial was never like that I guess, one of the few exceptions. I've seen other mares have relationships with them, but I don't see it, at least for me. Love doesn't interest me, I'm way too focused all the time to care about that. Things like this were 'way' more interesting.

Suddenly I heard the sound of trotting down the stairs just up the hallway outside. Shit. They're coming back into the building from the looks of it. I quickly unplugged everything from the console and left the electronic key on the desk in its rightful place. Moving behind the door swiftly and propping myself against the wall on two hooves, I escaped the sight of another pony walking in...

Peering thought the crack between the door and the filing cabinet next to me I saw the stallion had a black coat with visible red scars across his body, even covering his unrecognisable cutie mark. His mane was short and unkempt. It appeared to be a deep red but showed some signs of going grey and even missing in places. He scanned the room appearing as though he was looking for something. His face then came into view as he moved from the right side to the left side of the room. Once I saw the scar stretching from his mutilated ear to this mouth, I knew who it was. It was Hard Harrow, but what was he doing here, surely his office was upstairs. He lifted his hoof to look at his PipBuck, squinting at the display and grunting

"Urgh, why isn't this crap working! It's clearly not here!" he shouts in frustration. He bashes the PipBuck against the door, forcing the solid metal slab millimetres from my face, the door stop preventing it from going any further.

He moves away from the door and approaches the desk, examining the papers. He spots the key and moves his hoof to it. Busted. I'm out of here. Emerging from behind the door slowly, I leave the room as quietly as possible. I place my fore hooves gently upon the floor and stretch around the door as much as the armour would allow. I successfully leave the doorway and enter the hall, beginning a brisk trot to the stairs.

"Why would he leave his key in here. He would have needed it to get out... WAIT A MINUTE!" exclaimed Harrow.

I was up two steps just when Harrow slides out of the office spotting me.

"You thieving little cunt! Don't you fucking move!" commanded the furious looking Star Paladin. I stood there with my front left hoof hovering above the third step, looking to him from across the hallway. His face carried the famed 'Hard Harrow Twitch of Death' which he fired at me, staring me up and down. He was wearing his off duty uniform and holstering some form of pistol. His stance showed he was prepared to charge at me any moment.

"Where. Did you get that!?" he attempted to shout, but it ended up raspy, probably from shock or something. I did not reply to him, despite being caught, I still had my identity relatively hidden from him. I still stood a chance of getting out of this, possibly scot-free.

"Tell me!" He tried again, but despite being threatened by a high ranking superior, I kept my cool. I had the upper hand here. Although it shouldn't really come to this, I was clearly better equipped than him, and quicker as well.

He then took a large step forward, staying low to the ground so he could easily attempt to dodge anything I fired at him. I reversed and climbed another step of the staircase to keep my distance.

"I said don't move!" he screamed again, reclaiming his voice apparently

It must have been this point that I went from wetting myself with fear, to finding this slightly amusing. Experimentally, I moved a few steps back, which to my amusement, made Harrow back track with a growl. I tilted my head to the side and lifted my hoof and waved it to the side, the overall gesture saying "Oh please". He then began to bear his teeth, growing even more furious. I wonder if he had a limit?

"You think your so tough in that suit?" he asked mockingly. I nodded vigorously, sniggering quietly.

He reached to his holster to take his weapon. Ok then, he's going for that approach, now where is 'my' weapon. I push the button with my teeth that I guessed armed the weapons system. I was met with a new, red heads up display with targeting features littering my vision, featuring E.F.S and S.A.T.S. The magical energy rifles on either side of my armour make a whirring sound as they charged up.

"Hmm... You could do that. If you wanted to be disintegrated completely by this?" He spoke before he drew a magical energy pistol. Well that is something you don't see every day. Those types of pistols were not standard issue from the armoury, it must be a personal one of his.

But seriously! Disintegrated? By that? That thing couldn't even disintegrate regular power armour completely, let alone this power armour with it's plating. He's clearly bluffing thinking I don't know my weapons. But I'll play along for now. I tilt my head to the side again which makes him grin.

"Oh? You don't recognise this?" he asks, mocking surprise. I shake my head to him slowly.

"Of course you don't, it's one of kind. Never has a magical energy weapon been engineered to its finest, it's body is a work of art itself..." He went one about it. It did have a rather unique body from the ones I've seen pictured in books. But he was clearly trying to fool the wrong sort of pony. I could see the standard M.W.T branding on the base nonetheless, indicating it was still the same architecture and power as all the rest of the other energy pistols.

While he carried on glorifying, I initiated my S.A.T.S and targeted the butt of the weapon. Hopefully this would disarm him as well as debilitate him, allowing me enough time to escape without harming him. Locked on, I fired a low energy shot from my left holstered energy rifle. It was a perfect shot, the force knocking the pistol from his mouth, melting the butt slightly, and even knocking Harrow back onto his rump. He released a loud groan, surprised at the sudden shots fired. Ticking all but one of the boxes, I began to sprint upstairs.

Fourth Floor... Galloping as fast as I could. I still couldn't understand why I wasn't wetting myself with fear or something. Third Floor... Taking down a Star Paladin was treason to its highest degree, even if it wasn't lethal. Second Floor... But out of the many Star Paladins I've heard of from stories, he was hardly worth his title. First Floor... But one thing I really did notice when I picked him off. Ground Floor... I had never felt so alive!


I burst out of the front doors of the Command Building and took cover behind a planning room outside. Taking a look around both corners, it still appeared that the Watering Hole was evacuated. No sign of anypony, not even a scouting patrol. I must still be ahead of them... Perfect. The best place to go right now would be Serial's dorm. Wait... Crap!

I left my cover and galloped to Serial's dorm building. Because of me, Serial might be in big trouble. He never leaves his room, not just because he's technically not allowed, but he's a dead pony walking if he does. I bash the door down of the dorm building and head to the last junction of hallways, taking a left and reaching his door.

"Serial! You in there?!" I shout desperately, knocking on the door violently to the correct beat. But I hear nothing from inside. I reach for the doorknob just for the sake of trying, only to find his door unlocked. I deep ache develops in my chest with it reaching up my throat. I take a deep breath.

'He's smart, he wouldn't let anything happen to him'. I push the door open slowly. Peeking through I see the door to the kitchen, which looks normal and intact. Pushing the door open wide I step through, revealing the central room... Oh Celestia!

"NOOO!" I screamed. I rush into the room and reach the sofa, knocking the coffee table to the left side of the room. In front of me was the body of Serial Crack, but in a very sorry state. I activate my E.F.S to confirm the worst, no signal... He was gone. I drop my head and begin to sob. I see a knife below me that must have been used to kill him. I sat there in front of the sofa, multiple emotions going through my head. Anguish, rage and... Guilt. I caused this. I exposed him to whoever did this. Why didn't I just stay on the border. This would never have hap-

The front door slammed behind me and I jumped up enabling my weapons, ready for a firefight. I turn around to see the unbelievable.

"You know the rules, Crossword," Serial scolds her. "Keep the door closed."

My eyes widen as I quickly do a double take between the apparent fake body and the real one talking to me now.

"Bu-bu-but how?" I stammered, my chest beginning to have some sort of war being waged within it.

He walks into the room and collects the coffee table with the assistance of his magic.

"Well I've always thought that eventually something would happen that would mean I would need to leave the dorm. And obviously that would be the end of me. So using some spare textiles, food packaging and other scrap that ends up here, I made a dummy. So I hide, they come in and see me dead. Seems simp-AAHHHH!" Serial collapsed beneath me as reach to hug him.

"I-thought-you-were-dead-and-I-caused-it-because-I-started-the-evacuation-with-an-EMP-thing-with-my-horn-and-I-was-chased-by-Hard-Harrow-and-shot-a-pistol-out-of-his-mouth-and-it-was," I take a huge breath and was about to resume when I started hear some painful groans below me. I completely forgot the shear amount of weight I had.

"Ahh, Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" I leap off of the navy unicorn and reach down to lift him back on his hooves.

"It's. Umph. Fine," Serial places a hoof on his neck, a look of pain across his face. "I thought I was going to end up like that dummy."

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" I asked, a little worry still in my throat.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm not a wrinkly yet," Serial attempted to joke. "But I didn't get a word you said to me earlier. Let's take a sit down, I'll make some drinks while you take off that armour."

Serial gives me a look up and down, producing a facial expression of awe, before trotting to the kitchen.


After half an hour, I had explained my entire experience inside the armour, the Command Building, the EMP, the video, Project 17 and Hard Harrow. Serial didn't interject throughout my story, taking everything in. He took another sip from his mug before saying a word.

"So then, your very lucky." stated Serial before taking another sip. I gave him a confused look.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, forgetting the fact your on this mission now, I'll get to that. But the fact you can still use your magic. That's a very rare skill. I've heard of only one unicorn that was able to do a spell with his horn removed, and that was just levitation." He nodded as he spoke, impressed with my apparent discovery.

"But I'm not even sure that was me, I mean it's impossible for magic to work with technology at that sort of level... Isn't it?" I questioned myself. It's something I've never quite considered. I mean magic can be used to interact with a terminal, like a keyboard and stuff. But to actually effect technology like an EMP was a weird thought.

"Well I wouldn't say it's impossible. Magic should never really be considered to have a limit. I guess we never have researched magic much, at least I'm not aware of the Rangers doing it. But magic can do incredible things if you put the right amount of training into it." Serial lectures.

"But I don't have a horn. Explain how that's possible." I point to the stub on my head where my horn used to be.

"I guess that's true, but it's quite the coincidence that the room you were in was not far at all from the Watering Hole's Power Array." He argued

"Wait. Really!" that set me back. Maybe it was possible.

"And this 'Project 17' thing, very interesting. I've not heard of any of these Projects. But you say that the Black Power Armour was part of Project 2. It would make sense that they started doing more 'Power Armour' based experiments. Must have been really wrapped under covers though if they didn't even name them." Serial put a hoof to his chin.

"Well. The Elder seemed very keen on getting his hooves on whatever it is. So much that's he was willing to risk those other Rangers on it." I added

"You sure it was a good move? Putting your self on that mission sounds really sketchy, let alone the fact you'll have to fake your identity. How are you going to be able to pull that off?" criticised the unicorn.

"Well I had a few ideas in my head. But I was hoping you could help me with that?" I put a hoof behind my head. I've really asked so much of him today, I should hardly expect him to say-

"Yeah, sure." he accepted. He met my surprised face after looking through some documents on the floor.

"Err... Well then. What did you have in mind?" I questioned.

Serial Crack lifted a map of the Watering Hole from the corner of his room and placed it on the table. He retrieved a pen and circled a few places upon it. He then retrieved a blank piece of paper and jotted down a list of seemingly random objects.

"Let's work with this alias you have made for yourself, Shadow Step." he looks to me with that grin he had earlier today. Looks like I've turned on 'that' part of his brain again. What was I in for?


Crusader Milkshake had had quite the day. As he strolled down the hallway to the bottom floor of the Command Building, he recapped how his squad took down five Bloodwings on one patrol, getting a recommendation for a promotion, and having to handle his first evacuation. He was pretty tired, but he had to do one last thing.

All the security doors were still jammed open from that power surge so there was no need for his key. He was lucky as well as he appeared to have lost it somewhere, possibly around when he returned to the base. He remembered nodding to that new knight on the border, remembering how he was there once at the start of his time as a knight also. He approached his office on the bottom floor when he noticed something. His office door was the only one open on this floor. Maybe he just forgot to close it when he left this morning.

He enters the room and takes off his armour, leaving it in the corner. Sighing with relief from his restraints he turned to look to his desk when he jumped out of his fur.

"Hello there," spoke Hard Harrow. He sat in the Crusader's chair, a magical energy pistol lying next to him and an electronic key hanging on his hoof. "Missing something?"

"S-s-sir, I wasn't expecting you." stuttered the bright yellow pony.

"Of course you weren't, I just came down here to try and find something of mine." The Paladin put a lot of emphasis on the 'mine'.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Sir. I can't imagine how any of your property would have ended up down here." explained Milkshake

Hard Harrow snorted a single laugh.

"A very common answer... for a LIAR!" Harrow's voice broke suddenly at the end into a shout. "You don't think I'd figure out your filthy little plot to take 'my' armour?"

The Crusader's face became very confused.

"I don't understand what you mean, Sir?" he insisted

Hard Harrow slammed him to the ground. He face seething with rage and bearing his teeth.

"You filthy, fucking thief. I've already figured you out, there's no point in lying. Now tell me where the armour is!" he demanded

"I-I don't know wh-what you mean? What armour? Mine is over there in the corn-AHHH!" wailed Milkshake as Harrow jammed his hoof into his snout.

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" he yelled

"I don't know!" the crusader cried, breaking into tears.

Hard Harrow sighed. "Pathetic, I guess 'this' should motivate you."

A bright white glow was then emitted that made the Crusader squint for a moment. When he looked again, he saw the magical energy pistol pointed to his face, enveloped in a white haze. He gasped in fright as he looked past the firearms to see a bewildering sight. He was levitating the gun, without a horn.

"Now then, Milkshake. Tell me where the fucking armour is, or I'll turn you into dust," he asked calmly, setting each word out, trying to make it easier to understand.

"I-err... May know where it, well." His eyes darted about, both confused at what was going on and trying to think of something he could say.

"Yes? Go on?" the Paladin encouraged. He pressed the pistol further into his face.

"Erm... I think I saw... S-something outside before I came in... It l-looked unusual." suggested Milkshake

Hard Harrow's eyes narrowed. "What colour was it?"

"Steel, of course... Right?" confirmed the Crusader, a tear leaving his eye.

The Star Paladin sighed. "Wrong answer." He charged the weapon and fired just before Milkshake could scream, rendering him into ashes.

He rose from the remains and holstered his weapon. Looking to his PipBuck, he attempted to locate the armour again. Nothing. NOTHING! He slammed the PipBuck to the ground, creating yet another small dent in its casing.

"I WANT THAT ARMOUR! ARGGHHHH!" Hard Harrow flipped the office table in frustration, littering the floor with paperwork and knocking the terminal over, smashing it's screen. Turning to the chair, he picked up the electronic key and hung it on the hook at the front of the door and closed it behind him.

Advancing up the stairs, he calmed himself and rethought his plan. Despite the failure this time in retrieving the armour, he wouldn't stop there, he 'couldn't' stop there. Clearly there was a pony out there that knew their stuff. They knew how to operate the armour, they could identify energy weapons, those are skills that are very rare. It was just a matter of finding out which pony in this hole had them. He could pick out quite a few names that could be the culprit, but he couldn't act on it. Not with the Elder breathing down his back at least.

He looked down to his energy pistol in its holster. The Star Paladin was getting fed up of answering to that prissy scumbag. But this time, he wasn't going to stand for it. This armour is essential for his plans. And anything that gets in his way, would end up with the same fate as that Crusader. Levitating his pistol again and cocking it, he looked to his PipBuck, acquiring the location of the Cucumber Salad. Perfect. Lounging in his office. He wouldn't see this coming, not in the slightest. He laughed maniacally as he took the 'long way' round the building, heading for the top floor, the Elder's Office.