Chapter 3: No Quarter
Apple Bloom looked down into the chasm. Sweetie Belle was somewhere down there. It didn’t seem like Apple Bloom had any other option right now. Sure she could take the SCV back to the shelter and use it to get the blast doors open, but what then? Was she going to go back to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloos families and tell them the bad news? Tell them that their children’s blood was on her hooves?
Apple Bloom looked at Scootaloo, her battered body laying still on the bridge. At least when the military stormed the facility, her body could be recovered for a proper burial. She deserved that much.
Apple Bloom stared at Scootaloo for a moment, then heard a cough. “You’re… you’re alive?!” said Apple Bloom to herself. This changed everything. Apple Bloom couldn’t just die now, not while Scootaloo still needed her. Apple Bloom tried to open the cockpit again, forgetting that electronic release was damaged. No longer being restricted by the restraints, she pulled the manual release causing the cock pits glass cover to fall off entirely.
Like most military vehicles, the SCV came with a first aid kit. She crawled out of the cockpit and patched up Scootaloo as best she could. The mining pit was hardly sterile, and she afraid of leaving Scootaloo alone in the pit, but also knew that moving her would only harm her further. She was breathing faintly, but still breathing. Apple Bloom had to get that door open, she had to get help.
Apple Bloom quickly crawled back into the SCV and made her way into the shelter. She knew the SCVs mining claw would never get through the blast doors, but that wasn’t her intention. The SCV stopped outside the AI control once again. There was a card reader on the door, but it was heavily damaged. Apple Bloom drove the mining claw through the door and slowly forced open a hole. With a breach created, she exited her SCV and hopped through the hole doing her best not to burn herself on the now hot twisted metal.
Inside she found the AI, a terran era adjutant. While it had a female terran like appearance, it was clearly a machine. Lacking any limbs, a series of thick cables attached its back into a larger computer keeping the adjutant in place.
Another piece of terran technology reverse engineered and still in heavy use today, these machines are jewels among terran artifacts. While the dominion had reverse engineered all they could from this technology, the true prize was the data core inside. These adjutants were not only used to control systems on a ship or installation, but were also used to store data. If the military recovered the adjutants’ data core, they probably wouldn’t miss the logs the crusaders had stolen.
If they had made this discovery a few minutes earlier, Apple Bloom may have fainted with joy. But right now those logs were the furthest thing on her mind. “Umm… adjutant, what is the status on the blast doors?” she asked.
The adjutant looked down at her and replied with, “Authorization not recognized. Please contact an officer, or an engineer of junior grade or higher.”
“I have authorization.” replied Apple Bloom holding out the ID card she found earlier.
The adjutant bent down to example the ID card. “Authorization recognized. Senior level engineer access granted. State inquiry.”
“The blast doors to the exit, is there anyway to get them open from here?”
“All blast doors have been sealed to protect the command center.”
“I know that, can you open them?”
“Security lock down is in effect. Doors will not be opened unless a maintenance or military emergency of greater importance has taken place.”
“Then end the lockdown!” yelled Apple Bloom.
“Security lock down may only be shut down by station maintenance chief, or station commander. Please contact appropriate personal.”
“Where can I find one of them?”
“Both station commander and chief engineer were in the dormitory section when the lockdown took effect.”
“And that’s on the other side of the blast doors” Apple Bloom said to herself. “What authorization level is required to issue a maintenance emergency?”
“Any station engineer may file for emergency maintenance, depending on the severity of the situation.”
“What counts as severe a situation?”
“Any damage done to the system AI, life support, station reactor core or a malfunction in the securities IFF system is considered severe level threat, and may overwrite the lockdown.”
Life support and the reactor core were outside her area of influence at the moment. Considering she still had air to breathe and the reactor hadn’t exploded yet, she had to assume they were still functioning. That and destroying either of those might end in her untimely death even if they were with in her reach.
“Is there any problem with the security systems IFF?” asked Apple Bloom.
“The IFF on all remaining functional turrets is operating normally.”
“Then I guess that only leaves one choice.” Apple Bloom craws out of the breach she made, then got back into the SCVs cockpit. She ripped open the rest of the door, and used the drill to damage one of the computers in the AI control.
“Adjutant. The AI control has been damaged. Authorize shutdown of station emergency lock down so we can begin repairs.”
The adjutants eyes turned red as she shouted, “Alert, alien life forms detected. Ending the lockdown may risk further spread of alien infestation. Proceed?”
“Can you just open up a specific door then?”
“Processing… request failed. Damage done to AI control has severed door controls.”
Apple Bloom looked over to the computer she had just drilled a hole into. It was labeled “door controls.” She was running out options and had no idea how much longer Scootaloo would last if she didn’t get help soon. She could use the SCV to barricade herself in the AI control and hope the zerg wouldn’t find her until help arrived. That idea seemed unlikely to work, more importantly Scootaloo would probably be long dead before help arrived. She had to get her through the exit now. If she did nothing, Scootaloo would die. If she tried to hold her own, the two of them just might make it out. Or she could at least hold them off long enough for someone else to save Scootaloo.
“Adjutant, end emergency lock down.”
“Request acknowledged. Emergency lockdown is no longer in effect.”
Apple Blooms SCV exited the AI control and she readied herself to face the coming threat. She didn’t care what happened to her at this point, all she wanted was to make sure one of her friends made it out safely. Scootaloo had done the same for her, now it was time to repay the favor.
The sound of foot steps making their way down the hall were getting close and closer. Finally the first zergling turned the corner. It growled at her as it prepared to charge. “Come on!” yelled Apple Bloom. The zergling charged her SCV only to be slapped aside by the right arm drill. With her first attacker sandwiched between the drill and the wall, Apple Bloom spun the drill grinding the zergling into a cloud of gore. Two more zerglings ran down the hall next. The first zergling leaped at her, but Apple Bloom caught it with the SCVs left arm clamp.
Apple Bloom then used the clamp to hammer the second zergling to the ground. While the second zergling lay stunned, she raised the SCVs right leg and crushed the monster underfoot. The zergling in her clamp was still alive and fidgeting; it swung at her with its free back mounted scythe arm. With the cockpits cover removed, Apple Bloom was exposed and felt the claw drive into her lower left leg. As Apple Bloom filled with pain, she tightened the clamp further, squeezing the life from the fidgeting zerg. She pulled the zerg away, causing its scythe to pull out of her leg. She then tossed the dead zerg aside and prepared for her next foe.
Another zerg made its way through the hall. This one was slower and much larger than the zerglings she’d seen before. It was a hydralisk. This strain of zerg had no legs, its bottom half instead a massive tail it used to sliver around for movement. Despite its snake like bottom half, it stood up right, easily as tall as a stallion on two legs. Its long arms were large scythes. Its head was similar to that of a zergling, but much taller and wider with large flaps on the upper outer portions of the head.
Apple Bloom stared at the beast waiting for it to approach her. But this zerg wasn’t like its smaller counterparts. The flaps on the creature's large head opened up and fired a burst of spiny projectiles, the same kind that she found in the chest of the SCVs previous terran pilot. Apple Bloom filled with terror as the spines landed dangerously close to her head. The Hydralisk's flaps opend again preparing for another attack. Seeing no better option, Apple Bloom brought the SCV's arms up as if it were about to block a punch, then charged at the zerg. She somewhat regretted blowing out the jump jets earlier, as they would certainly be useful for closing distance right about now.
The hydralisk fired another burst of spines which drilled deep into the SCV. Apple Bloom heard the sound of metal breaking, and smoke began to rise from the left clamping arm. The disabled spike covered arm lowered, revealing the hydralisk mere yards from her as its flaps opened once again preparing for another attack. Apple Bloom raised the right drilling arm to its face and impaled the zerg against the wall before it could launch its attack. She gave it a drill for good measure before pulling out.
Apple Bloom looked to her left and found a lone zergling charging her SCV. With the left clamping arm disabled, she was vulnerable. Apple Bloom turned left as quickly as the SCV could to defend with the right drilling arm, but the zergling had already closed distance and drove its scythes into the right leg. She tried to scrape it off, but it quickly went between the machines legs and made its way up the SCVs back. Apple Bloom felt a sharp pain as it suddenly became harder to breathe. She looked down to see a scythe sticking out of her lower torso. The zergling had driven its scythe straight through the SCVs back and into her pilots chest. Apple Bloom slammed the SCVs back against the wall hoping to crush her attacker. Both her and the zergling let out a scream of pain as the scythe pushed deeper into her body. Again and again she slammed against the wall until the SCV's damaged right leg went out. The machine slid down smearing the zerglings remains. The arm must have finally been torn off the zergling, otherwise she would have felt the scythe dragging against her.
Her SCV was now effectively disabled, and she was stuck, impaled onto its chair. Apple Bloom's vision began to blur. She began to hear the sound of gun fire and screaming zerg in the distance. Seconds later a marine wearing dominion red and black armor turned the corner and met gazes with her. “Medic, we got a live one over here!”
Apple Bloom struggled to keep her head tilted upwards. She witnessed another armored pony turn the corner, but this one was sporting a suit of “Arch Angel” white armor with only hint of dominion red and black. The armor was similar to the marine combat armor, but it was built with medical purposes in mind.
Using jump jets attached to the back of the suit, the medic closed distance almost instantly, and then gently landed on top of the cockpit to avoid any damaging movement to the pilot. She really did seem like an angel floating down to save her. The pony laid down its pistol and brought her left arm to Apple Blooms neck. On it was a wrist mounted device with a series of syringes, laser scalpels, tiny claws and a number of other medical instruments Apple Bloom didn’t care to examine at the moment. The white armored pony injected something into her neck using one of the said syringes. “Relax, I got you.” she said. “You are going to be alright.” Apple Bloom couldn’t respond as her vision slowly faded into black.
“Doctor, I think I saw her move!” said a voice. The voice was fuzzy and hard to understand. Scootaloo tried to move her legs, but they were all stiff. Her head was in pain, and was telling her to go back to sleep. She opened her eyes to find everything blurry, but slowly coming into focus. “Scootaloo? Can you hear me?!” the voice continued.
Scootaloo was only able to reply with an “uuuuugh.”
The blurry figure was looking at her eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes. You don’t have to say anything else.” said the figure.
Another voice began to speak. “You’re lucky your friend got you here when she did. Any longer and you'd of been a goner.”
“They’re going to take good care of you Scoots, I promise.” said the first voice. Her vision was starting to focus, and the sounds started coming in a bit more clearly as well. The figure was Apple Bloom.
She couldn’t believe it, she was alive! Apple Bloom was alive! But how? Last she recalled her friend was falling to her death. Scootaloo smashed her face against the glass somehow and now she felt pretty certain both her and Apple Bloom were supposed to be dead right now. Maybe this was heaven? But if so, why was she in so much pain?
With some difficulty, Scootaloo was able to get some words out. “Can’t…move …legs.”
“I don’t know how to say this," said the other voice. "You don’t have any legs.” The heart rate monitor started to speed up. The other voice let out a chuckle. “Don’t worry just some doctor patient humor. Laughter is the best medicine after all right?” Scootaloo started struggling to move her legs so she could give the doctor a good one upside the head.
“Scootaloo, try not to move.” pleaded Apple Bloom. Scootaloo complied, though she was still very displeased with the doctor.
“She’s right dear. Your legs took quite a beating. The nanites in your blood stream are working to repair the damage, but it’ll take some time. Any unnecessary movement will only delay healing." said the doctor. "Well, I’ll leave you two too It.” he said as he exited the room.
Scootaloo attempted to speak again. She uttered the word, “How?”
Apple Bloom was pretty sure what she was asking. “To be honest, I don’t entirely know. I think I saw an angel in white. Like the ones terrans used to talk about in movies.”
“Huh?” Was all Scootaloo was able to say. First they find terrans, now they find angels? What a long strange trip it’s been indeed.
“Keep in mind I was losing quite a bit of blood, so I’m not really sure what I was seeing.” continued Apple Bloom. “I just know I woke up at the hospital the next morning. They injected me with some nanites as well, and I was good to go a few hours later. You on the other hand…” Apple Bloom couldn’t finish the sentence.
Scootaloo wanted to tell her not to worry about her. That she wasn’t upset at all about anything that might have happened, and that she was just glad to see her and Sweetie Belle were alright. Speaking of which, where was their missing friend? Scootaloo let out two words, “Sweetie Belle.”
Apple Bloom froze for just a second. She remembered how desperately Scootaloo was trying to save her back in the pit, the rage in her eyes. She was angry at her self for leading her friends down into the ruins in the first place. She also knew that if she told her the truth about Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo would certainly blame herself for that as well. “She’s in another room right now Scoots. She’s still unconscious, but the doctors say she’ll make a full recovery.” said Apple Bloom trying to hold a fake smile. Scootaloo didn’t respond, she just returned the smile. That was all Apple Bloom needed.
Scootaloo closed her eyes again and uttered one word. “Sleep”
Apple Bloom understood. She was getting hungry now and decided to head to the mess hall. “How am I going to tell her?” she asked herself. She knew she made the right choice. Scootaloo was still in a delicate state. She would tell her eventually, but now wasn’t the time. For now, she alone would bear the burden of the truth, and the guilt of lying to her remaining friend. Even if Scootaloo hated her for it in the long run, she would rather Scootaloo hate her later and be healthy than potentially ruin her now psychologically.
Apple Bloom finally made her way to the mess hall, and began wondering what she could bring back for her friend. Before she could make a choice, someone put a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see two armored marines. They weren’t wearing the red and black colors of the Dominion Marine Corps. They wore the blue with white stripe police armor of the Mar Sara Colonial Militia. One of them proceeded to say, “Miss Apple Bloom, you need to come with us.” Apple Bloom didn’t resist, she knew better than to try.
They placed cuffs on her hooves, then escorted her to a police vehicle outside. “What’s going on?” she dared ask.
“I’m not authorized to answer any of your questions.” replied one of the marines. The two armored stalions brought her to the COC (Colonial Operations Center). Apple Bloom and her friends had been sent to the COC more than once in their youth, and she had a feeling she knew what was coming. After making their way through the building, they entered an office and in front of them was the colonial magistrate. She didn't look particularly pleased.
“Miss Apple Bloom. I take it you can guess why you are here. The Dominion is going to want to want some answers, so I suggest you start talking.”
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This is nice and all, but I'm sad there's no 'Toss in this story.
2522595 It's a very big universe and only three chapters in. While the protoss are gone, their technology and culture were assimilated by the ponies, just like the terran. Or maybe the technology assimilated them? I don't know. I'm not a philosopher.
As I said, it's a big universe, which is why I'm doing a chapter a day so far. School starts for me this month, so I'm trying to get as much set up as possible before then, because I'll probably slow down afterwards.
2522620 Protoss..... DEAD? Well at least mention the most superior race in all of the Koprulu sector
2522640 They'll get their turn in the spot light. Like I said, it's a big universe, so it takes a while to get to it.
Though when I first started, I was debating whether or not I should make a chapter that just gives the origin story without talking about the central plot. I know people who are already familiar with the StarCraft universe might appreciate knowing exactly how this all happened. But at the same time I think people who never knew a thing about starcraft prior to reading this might instead prefer to find out as the story unfolds rather than an exposition dump.
NO
On a serious note, good and interesting story so far.
2556342 Damn your avatar fit just right
Yeah, I read the lore chapter on how ponies arrived into the Koprulu, and the dominion one, but as a BroToss I must agree with 2522640 on one thing.
Protoss...dead? DA FUQ?
Yeah!! the new art certainly helps explaining to those who don't know what Starcraft is.
And man, this was a long time ago.
Apple Bloom may have feinted with joy
Considering she still had air breath
Apple Bloom craws out of the breach she mad
as it's flaps opened
as it suddenly became harder to breath
Too be honest
1. Fainted.
2. Considering she still had air to breathe.
3. Crawls.
4. Its.
5. Breathe.
6. To.