Tow stared in shock at the television set, dropping the remote onto her desk. This couldn’t be happening, all her hard work, all that time. She needed to stop this now before it could escalate and involve the whole world. Enough of the communication lines had been fixed for her to contact several defense stations. The one she wanted specifically was in Kansas.
She was supposed to seek military advice before doing this. It would also lose her much support, a lot more if it went wrong. How much is a human life worth in this regard?
She stepped out the door to talk to her secretary personally. It was a different person today, some people needed time off. “Get me the emergency satchel and the Secretary of Defense in here immediately.” Tow did not want to do the next part, but speed and secrecy were of the essence. “Then inform the UN that we are initiating a SIOP against Equestria.”
The man behind the desk stared, he had obviously understood. “Yes ma’am.” He replied before picking up the phone.
President Tow had other things to set up as well. Bring in her cabinet, set up generals, and seek help from NATO. Just in case this didn’t work. There was no consensus on how strong that shield was. All this went onto a paper with options as she waited for the Secretary of Defense.
It didn’t feel like very long before a man in a fancy suit and grey haired dyed brown walked through her door unannounced. He looked bland, the type you could see anywhere.
“You got here quickly. I assume you know why.” The President watched as a man in dress blues walked through the door with a briefcase shackled to his arm.
“The Football gave it away. Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.” There was nothing more to say. The United States was at war on its own soil. They had just lost a large portion of their fighting ability. This was no time to hold back. A few thousand deaths was better than what was coming. “We will launch a single missile, a Minuteman III. The United Nations should be informed soon.” Those facilities had more than enough redundancy for at least a few to survive. And if the satellites to convey the message didn’t work there were a hundred other ways to launch the nuclear device. President Margarette Tow felt dead inside, and as time passed she felt worse. Somehow the vibrant green grass outside was no different than that of a noir. “Let’s get this over with.”
***
Celestia stared at the sky. Surely there would be an attack of some kind. Either bombs, jets, tanks, something. She even had a special plan in case they used that. The alicorn had no doubts that some military survived her attack or had been fixed, the question was how much and how aggressive these humans would be.
The Princess of the Sun saw a single flame in the sky and felt no other humans around. She would have expected more of a carpet bombing or long range artillery strategy, something that wouldn’t lead to so many human casualties. But this worked out better, at least for her. A second later she realized it could be a feint to learn her defense strategy. If it is a feint, they will learn why this is a safe place for my little ponies.
Celestia connected the two ends of her spell, the first had been placed about two hundred and seventy miles away to the south-west. The spell worked just like her regular teleportation spell, she just made sure it reacted faster. There was no telling how the arming and detonating sequence would be affected. She had to concentrate more than usual. This world hated magic and long range teleportation could drain a pony. It wouldn’t hurt her, she had done this herself to set up the other end. The bomb would either detonate inside her spell which would mean in would burst through her spell or it would appear two thousand feet above Los Angeles.
Celestia pondered over the few seconds the bomb took to travel. The inanimate object should feel nothing, there were ponies who couldn’t and they were attuned to magic. But machines have no true senses to cut off. She let that train fade as it would do what it did. Instead she focused on how this would impact the war. It would show she could defend herself, show the world how quickly this country would use such measures. With luck it would break their will to fight as they lost millions.
As the bomb came out the other side she sent an aide for Shining Armor. There were modifications to make to the shield. There was fallout to protect against.
***
Annabel Scott stepped outside for a breath of fresh air. It had been a long double shift but it was almost over. Then she would be able to go home and sleep, the persistent headache could be ignored until then.
She could see from the buildings across from her there was some sort of flash behind her, and by reference behind the hospital. Annabel turned and was nearly blinded by the flash. It lasted for at least fifteen seconds; the nurse had gotten very good at telling time without a watch.
The head nurse stared in shock once her vision cleared. “Oh my god.” The words coming out my sheer reaction to the unreal sight before her. The large explosion, she couldn’t tell how far away it was, was slowly rising into the air into a familiar shape. It was something everyone knew the shape of.
Annabel ran back into the Emergency Room. Practically yelling at the security guard to let her back in. “Mr. White” she yelled once the guard buzzed her in and she was off running again. “Get out all the iodine!” She roared. She had no clue who would have launched such an attack or even if she would live through the next hour.
She had seen the recent news along with everyone else. But neither the US nor Celestia could possibly gain anything by use of nuclear devices. Was some other country worried about this spreading? It wasn’t her concern, only the patients in her care were.
***
Tow sat dumbfounded in her chair. Alonso Paz remained by her side. They were both responsible for this. At least 1.3 million were dead now. The radiation from such a low explosion was expected to reach Las Vegas. It wouldn’t be enough to kill at that range, but the panic would. There would be riots all along the path and maybe further as people assumed the worst. That included the parts of Southern and Central California that weren’t affected. Food and products coming out of those areas would be suspect. And she had caused it.
‘No. You were merely defending your people. SHE caused it. It was the Equestrian that let it detonate so close to the ground. You planned for an air burst. You can’t sit and wallow, you must act before Brent does.’
Yes. Brent will drag it out. Use it to prove he was right and I can’t protect this country. Tow thought.
‘You can mobilize what is left of the military; just imagine how much magic she has used up.’ The voice continued. ‘You know they can’t gain it here, strike while she is weak. If you have to you can use machines. Once you take Bridal Lake you could deliver whatever you want to their side. All you would have to do is send one lone person with a bomb through that portal. You can win this war she started in hours. You will show everyone that you can lead, that you deserve your position.’
The voice sounded odd in her head, it sounded like one of her old law professors. She had never liked that man, but he had been smart. Maybe this was her mind’s way of showing her a new path.
“We need to follow this up. She deliberately placed that bomb in one of our cities. This was her doing and we cannot let it stand.”