//------------------------------//
// Chapter Seven: The Planning 
// Story: Orbit: The Future Of Equestria 
// by Ace26 
//------------------------------//

     It took Charger a while to wake up.  when he did there was a flash light in his eye and three medics standing over him.
" He's up!" shouted one of them.  They kept shining the light in Charger eyes, he tried to push it away but they pushed his hoof back down.  
" Relax, you've been hit by a stun round, something about your gun going off in your holster." said one of the medics.
It took Charger a minute to remember what had happened.  he remembered dropping Boston and then being tazed.  he assumed that he had blacked out after that.  he quickly took a glance around the room he was in.  It was an all white medical room, just like the one on the Eternal Flame.
" Where am I?" asked Charger.  He slurred his words, he didn't feel his bottom lip, probably because of the EMP blast.  
" You are in the VA hospital." said the nurse.  Charger was relieved to here he was still in the city.  He wasn't being fired or discharged, at least he didn't think so.
" Where's Sights, the other stallion staying here with me?" he asked.  he was actually able to make the words out this time.
" He's still at work, he hasn't returned to his room." said a doctor.  You were sent back here after the incident.
Charger remembered how the doctor had mentioned that he stun gun had gone off.  He didn't bother saying that wasn't true.  He knew Boston and the others had come up with that story.   They din't want anything linking to the discovery of the tanks.  
Charger slowly sat up.  The nurses told him not to, but he said he needed a walk.  The doctor tried to block his way out of the room, Charger threatened to drop him if he didn't move.  He wasn't in the mood for playing games.  He just wanted to be alone.
He walked out onto the fake grass.  it was like plastic, but it did also feel real.  He paced out in the front lawn for a while.  he looked at the flowers and studied the large monument out front of the VA home.  He then sat down in the grass, even though there was a bench not two feet away.  He kept thinking about the Mane Six.  He kept thinking about the tanks.  For some reason he kept thinking of that yellow mare too.  He remembered how she looked.  It wasn't right to strap her into a tank like that.  It wasn't right for any of them to be in there.  He tried to remember her name.  Boston had said it while tapping on her tank.  
" What was it, Flutter Pie, Flutter Tie, Flutter… Flutter?" he thought to himself.  The more he thought about her the  more his anger rose.  She looked so innocent and harmless, why was she being imprisoned like this?  According to the old stories she had given enough to the world already, why was she still expected to help us.  
He then thought a terrible thought.  If they we're to be woken up, and they refused to use their powers, what would happen to them.  Would the government refreeze them, would they be killed for treason, or would they be tortured and forced to use there powers.  he remembered how there were tons of wires and pipes coming out of the back of the machines.  
" Were they using them already?" though Charger to himself.  He then came to his senses.  Maybe he was right about some things, but he highly downed they were being used to power the city or something.  He remained sitting in the grass for a long time.  He then saw a faint outline of a pony making his way towards the VA home.  
He was glad to see Sights coming home, he wanted to talk to him.  He wanted to share his problems with him.  His approached Sights in a friendly manner.  Sights looked back at him, then he shook his head and gave him a bitter look.  He walked on into the VA home without another look at Charger.
Charger was confused at first, then he remembered what happened.  His bad mood has gotten the better of him.  He was sorry that he'd pissed Sights off, but how cold he make up for it.  He didn't show it, but he now wanted his friend back.
He dropped his head low and while he sulked he walked in to the VA home.  The mare at the desk greeted him, but he just kept walking on.  He did this as he walked down the hallway and into his room.  He pushed open the door slowly and heard Sights in the shower.  This was good for him, he wanted some time alone.  He walked over to his bed and sat down.  
Staring out the window he found himself again wondering why his life was so unfair.  Why he had to do something illegal.  He wondered why he had to piss off Sights.  He also wondered about the Six Mares, for some reason that yellow one more than the others.  Her life must be really unfair, she doesn't know it but it is. 
Ha sat there on his bed.  he started to drift towards the thoughts of how they were frozen.  were the mares put into biosleep voluntarily?  Did they go with a fight or struggle?  Charger found himself imagining what might have happened to them, he started thinking what he could do about it.  He couldn't go public with the information.  he couldn't go the press or news.  He started thinking of countless scenarios, they all ended with him being killed or fired.  
He thought about this long and hard, until he got a crazy idea.  He was already doing something illegal.  Why didn't he just solve the problem with something else illegal.  he could hide his identity the whole time, he could make it seem like he had nothing to do with it.  
" But, what exactly will IT be?" asked Charger out loud.  He thought some more.  His sadness was completely gone, he was focussed on only the mares.  Could he actually manage to break them out?  Could he honestly set them free?  he knew all of the codes.  He saw how brittle the pipes and circuits were from the freezing temperatures, they could easily be broken and shut down.  He understood he would probably not get away with it, but if there was a slight chance, he might be able to take it.
The water turned off in the bathroom, Sights would be out soon.  Charger started to then think about him.  If he was going to pull anything he would nee help.  Lots of help.  Sights and him had been companions forever.  The only problem was, Sights now hated Charger.  You had to trust your team mate before you did anything.
Sights came walking out of the bathroom with a towel around him.  He saw Charger siting on the bed.
" What the Hell are you thinking about?" he asked.  Charger stared back at Sights, he knew he would start a conversation.  Charger new this was his chance to clear things up and possibly start a rescue plan with Sights, he just had to say the right things.
" I was thinking about last night." said Charger looking sad.
" I was a complete duché to you, for no reason." explained Charger.  He could tell Sights was wondering if he was being serious.
" Is this a serious apology, or is this a heap of crap?" asked Sights curiously.  Charger didn't know what to say, he was being sincere, but he was also milling it.
" I guess you could say it was both." answered Charger.
" I am sorry for what I did man, But I need your help too." Charger explained.  Sights just stood there silent for awhile.  
" How can I trust you again?" he finally asked.  Charger thought about this, what would make Sights be able to trust him.  What could he tell him, the answer came immediately.  
Charger motioned for Sights to come in close.  He looked out the window and around the room, he didn't need bugs or a spy listening to him.  he then leaned in extremely close to Sights.
" You know where I work?" asked Charger.
" Of course I do, your in the office floor above mine."  Charger shook his head with a smile.
" You are completely wrong." he said, still smiling.  Sights was interested now, if Charger was in an office job, what was he doing the whole day.
" There is a top floor, it sits inside the big glass ball on top of the building." Charger continued whispering.
" There is something going on up there.  There are these machines and government staff, even though the government knows nothing about the operation." said Charger.
" What's the operation?" Sights asked, his eyes were huge with anticipation.  Charger looked around the room, one more time for listening devices.  he then looked back at Sights.
" there are six tanks, each hold a mare." said Charger, Sights now gave him a puzzled look.
" Mares?" he asked.  Charger gave him a nod.
" Do, you remember an old story, one that talked about the Elements of Harmony, and how they were purest thing on earth?" asked Charger.
" heck yah I do, that was my favorite bed time story as a filly." Sights answered with certainty
" remember how the six mares in the story disappeared after the revolution, they were lost, never to be seen again?" asked Charger.  Charger was now completely whispering, Sight had to strain to here him. 
" Yah, I remember?" said Sight, he was now eyeing Charger as if he were crazy.
" they're not dead buddy.  They are alive and there in holding tanks up there, they've been in biosleep for thousands of years!" exclaimed Charger.
Sights was looking at him.  His face showed a mixture of concern and confusion.  
" You're alright buddy, right?" asked Sights.  he put his hoof on Chargers head.  Charger quickly brushed it off
" Since when where you a medic?" asked Charger.  Sights just gave him a shrug.  
" Sights, it sounds crazy but it's the complete truth, they are up there and the governments been using them as weapons!" said Charger.  He was trying his best to get Sights to believe him.  Sights still didn't look convinced.  He started to move towards the phone to call a nurse, but then he heard Charger.
" Trust me Sights." pleaded Charger.  Sights turned around to look at him.  He was stading extremely still, looking directly into Sights eyes.  
" You, need to trust me, I need your help." Charger explained seriously.  Sights slowly turned away from the phone and walked over to Charger.
" This is the complete truth?" he asked.  Charger nodded.
" Your not going to tell me you were joking ten seconds from now, are you?" asked Sights.
" I swear on Captain Thunders medals, this is the complete truth." said Charger confidently.  
" The military is holding those mares captive, and we need to do doe thing about it." said Charger.  This perked Sights up.  He eyed Charger curiously.
" When you say, we need to do something, what exactly do you mean?" asked Sights.  Charger thought about this, he knew he would have top think of an answer.  he decided he would have to go with what he had, it was completely crazy but he would have to do it.
" Sights, we're soldiers." Charger began.
" We are under oath to protect the citizens of our country and to uphold the rights of all.  This include ponies from thousand of years ago as well.  The military has seemed to have forgotten that.  We need to break them out buddy,  we need to set them free.  They've done enough for this country, they should be able to live in peace." stated Charger.  Sight was paying full attention to Chargers speech, seeing this Charger continued.
" WE have to do this.  WE have to be the ones to recognize the wrongs and make them right!  WE have to do this, because no pony else will!  We're getting them out Sights.  We breaking them out." finished Charger.
Sights stood in place.  He was stunned by Charger speech.  He had never felt so motivated he never felt so proud.  He never though Charger could talk like that.  Sights understood what they had to do, and so did Charger.  
Sights didn't seem hesitant at all to accept this idea. This encouraged Charger.
" Where do we start? asked Sights.  Charger smiled at this remark and pulled out some spar stun round from his guard uniform.
meanwhile back in the Biosleep room, every pony had gone home.  there was no one left except for night guards, and they weren't allowed on the ground floor with the tanks, they were only supposed to walk above on the catwalks.  The guards paced about, some looked out at the city other kept their eyes fixed on the tanks.  Little did they know the scientists had put to little of the sleeping drugs into Fluttershy's tank during their last shift.  The levels of sleep drug displayed on the screen slowly lowered and turned red.  Fluttershy started to move a small bit.  She twitted her legs and tried to move her front legs, but hey seemed to be strapped to something.  She tried as hard as she could to open her eyes, but they wouldn't budge.  She moved her legs more, then she moved her wings, they were strapped in too!  She tried harder to open her eyes, but they still wouldn't open!  She tried to cry for help, but there was some kind of bass mask on her muzzle!  
" where am I?" she thought.
" Why am I in here?" 
She started to thrash in her tank now trying to free herself from the restraints.  She wanted to scream for help, but she couldn't.  She kept trying to open her eyes she tried forging them open.  She was now in a full panic mode.  The motion sensors  had picked up her movements and were alerting the scie ntisist in the next room!
They came running in shouting at the guards.  The guards filed down from the cat walks above and scientists turned on machines and powered up generators.
" her heart beat has increased by double!" yelled one of the scientists.  They starting pumping sleeping fluids into the machine pipes.
" Get those drugs in there!" yelled a scientist.  Fluttershy continued to thrash trying to free herself.  She was able to open her eyes a small crack now.  She saw the scientists rushing around.  She saw the lights of machines in front of her.  She released she was completely submerged under water and she thrashed harder.  The scientists continued to raise the drug levels.  Fluttershy was opening her eyes wider and wider, she saw the mask on her muzzle and she saw how the glass was fogged.  She should almost open her eyes all the way!
Suddenly, she felt sleepy.  her eyes started to close even though she tried to fight it.  She stopped thrashing and became still again.  The last thing she saw before her eyes were completely closed was a navy blue stallion walk into the room.
Charger and Sights had spent hours last night trying to figure out a plan.  They had gotten the basics down.  Get in, release mares, and get out.  They could get through every door, Charger knew the codes.  They could easily shut down the tanks and get the mares out.  However, how were all eight of them going to get out of a building, completely covered with guards.  They had to think about that. 
" Ok, so we can't go down the stares, they might being coming up that way." said Charger thinking hard.  It was about three in the morning, they had five hours till work started and they needed a plan, FAST.  
" We' can't just jump out of the building though.  Parachutes cost to much and we probably won't be able to teach the mares how to use them before the guards are on to us." stated Sights.  They were both thinking incredibly hard.  There had to be some possible way.  There was always a way. 
" could we sneak them out one at a time?" maybe we could hide them somewhere and and keep going back every night?" suggested Sights.  
" No, by the time the first one was reported missing they would have moved the tanks." explained Charger.
" They would probably conduct some kind of city wide search too." finished Charger.  Sights and Charger both frowned.  They had the ability to get in, the only problem was getting out.
" What if we use a ship?" asked Sights.  
" You know how to fly!" Sights said excitedly.  Charger started to think about his idea.  The could bring some sort of transport ship close to the top floor, but they needed more than just one per on to gat into the building.  If Charger piloted the ship Sights would be left completely alone and you never leave a team mate alone.
" It's going to take both of us to get in that building." satiated Charger.
" Your a better shot than I am, but I know all of the codes to get through doors.  we would near another member of the team for the ship idea." Said Charger.
" Then call someone!" demanded Sights.  Charger laughed at this idea.
" Where am I going to find a pilot at three in the morning?" asked Charger.  
" Just call some of the taxi ponies!  We have some of their numbers right?" asked Sights.  He seemed desperate for an idea now.
" If I did manage to get a hold of a taxi, how would I convince the driver to help us with something completely illegal?" exclaimed Charger.
" we'll pay him a lot!" reasoned Sights.  Charger was now completely annoyed with Sights.
" we don't have thousands or even hundreds of bits lying around, do we?" asked Charger.  Sights just folded his arms and leaned against the wall.  
" Well, I think we're going to need a get away vehicle, a ship can get in and out fast, we don't even have to travel back down the building!" pointed out Sights.  
" Think of everyone we know, that knows how to fly." Suggested Sights.  Both of the stallions thought about this.  They didn't know many pilots, they were part of the infantry.  However, there was one pony that came to mind.  They both thought of him at the same time.  They looked at each other.  Sights was smiling and Charger was frowning.
" You know he's not going to do it right?" asked Charger.
" Come on, he's probably over us leaving by now!" reasoned Sights.  Charger didn't want to call him, but Sights was right, he was the only pony they knew he new how to fly.  
" Where's he going to get a transport attachment at this time?" asked Charger.
" He's on a war ship. There's probably one around." Sights said.  Charger reached for the phone and hesitated for a second.  He then dialed a number and put the phone to his ear.  The stallion on the other end answered.  
" Um, hi, is this Gold Wings?" asked Charger.