Orbit: The Future Of Equestria

by Ace26

Chapter Six: First Day

Charger was reluctant to leave the building. He swore to himself and atone who was allowed to listen that he was right, those six mares should be living their lives. They shouldn't be being used as weapons. Charger was fuming with anger. It was bad enough hat he couldn't squeal about it, but what was worst was that he either agreed with what they were doing or be kicked out f the military!

" This is now blackmail and illegal!" Charger mumbled to himself. He walked out of the building at spat back at the door. HE walked towards the gate and out, the gardens had seemed to loose their charm. As he walked he spotted Sights sitting on a bench waiting for him. He saw Charger and jumped up galloping over to him.

" How did it go?" he asked. His smile then turned to a concerned look. He realized Charger didn't look to happy. Charger saw that Sights had recognized his expression. He quickly thought of an excuse.

" I'm just, not happy with the pay." lied Charger. Sights then made the same serious face as Charger.

" I don't like the pay either man. It's to low, They paid us more out on the battlefield." said Sights. He then looked around at the gardens and building.

" I guess they can't gave away to much money, this place is pretty well maintained." declared Sights still looking around. Charger wasn't feeling in the mood for a chat. He just wanted to sleep so he could wake up and have a better day.

" Let's get going, the sky's getting dark." Charger stated. The two stallions walked out of the gate and waved good by to Khan as the artificial sunlight for the city slowly flickered out.

The two stallions were walking to a military VA home not to far from their new work place. They were only meant to be staying there for a little bit. They walked along the lit streets. Most of the cities population was at home or in bed. Some times a few carriages would float by or maybe someone would walk by. Besides these rare occurrences they were completely alone on the side walk. This brought Charger back to the battlefields and wars. He remembered how silent it had been during night ops. It had been darker and usually colder, there was no atmosphere climate control on G7. He remembered how the mosquitos had bit at him, just like now in the dark city. He looked over at Sights who's seemed to be enjoying the walk.

Charger suddenly felt a sense of rage. Sights has absolutely no worries in the world. All he had to worry about was his office job. Charger had to guard six, what the military considered weapons, and not tell a word about it even if he knew what he was doing was wrong! He felt jealous towards Sights and he quickly walked ahead of him.

Sights was noticing Chargers behavior. He seemed grouchy and angered by something. He didn't know what though. He wanted to help his friend but he knew Charger would not tell him the truth. He wondered if he was just being stupid or if his suspicion was right. he decided that he shouldn't think about it though. He had his first day of work tomorrow and he didn't near to be distracted.

After about twenty minutes of walking they had reached the VA home. The main building was all metal accept for a large strip of windows near the door. The lawn was obviously fake, and there was a statue of a pony saluting out in front. It was a silver color and it glimmered in the street light far away on the road. The two wings coming out of the building looked the same as the main building. However, they were mostly dark. All of the veterans had gone to bed by now. Charger and Sights walked in to the lobby. There was a green mare at the front desk. They told her they were ordered to stay there and she gladly took them to their rooms.

The rooms were carpeted with a bright red. The beds were not bunks, but they were two queen sized beds on each side of the room. There was a table with two lamps in the middle of these beds against the wall. A TV stood on a cabinet at the front of the room and the bathroom was at the far side of the room.

" It's like my cousins motel." said Sights looking at the bright yellow walls. There was a picture of the Royal Guards emblem on the wall.

Charger stared at the room for a second and then walked over to his bed and thanked the mare. He unpacked his trunk and belongings and poor them in cabinets and at the foot of his bed. He looked over at Sights, he was in the bath room continually flushing the toilets. He couldn't blame Sights, he'd been in the military for most of his life. These bathrooms were like something out of heaven to him. he felt a sudden rage towards Sights flare up in him again. He was still burnt about Sights getting an easier job.

Sights walked out of the bathroom and looked at Charger happily.

" Man, those things work bette then a well oiled tractor!" chuckled Sights.

" Yah, they're supposed to." said Charger looking away from Sights. Sights noticed his friend was acting strange again.

" What's wrong with ya man." asked Sights.

" You're usually the one to bring up toilet talk." Sights said losing his happy attitude. Charger just felt annoyed now. Did this stallion ever shut up. Everything he said suddenly felt stupid t Charger.

" nothings wrong with me, just go to sleep." said Charger getting into bed. He knew he was in for a long night.

" Seriously, you can tell me, what's wrong?" asked Sights again. This made Charger explode. He couldn't tell Sights shit! He was being forced to keep his mouth shut and Sights wasn't helping.

" Shut your trap and go to sleep!" demanded Charger. Sights didn't like his tone.

" Don't tell me to shut my trap, we're both PFC's Charger!" Sights screamed back.

" JUST GO TO SLEEP!" yelled Charger back. He forcefully turned out the light and almost pulled the lamp down to the floor. Sights threw the sheets over himself and did the same.

" See, ya in the morning prick." Sights whispered to Charger.

" Go, back to school and learn what a prick is." said Charger. Sights now layer there not angry, but hurt. Charger knew he wasn't the smartest of soldiers, but he'd never brought it up, not even in their worst of fights. Sights had no come back for this, just silence. He layer down in his bed and drifted off into a hurt sleep. Charger drifted off as well, only he wasn't focussed on his friend. What was he going to do tomorrow?

The night was long and quiet after their fight. The city went silent completely. The VA hospital closed for the night and every pony was asleep. The mood was silent. Charger kept thinking about the six tanks. He looked out his window and up into the city area. He saw the same high-rise he had visited today. He kept thinking about what the Mane Six were doing way up there in that room.

The sun lights turned on early for the city. The VA hospital was awoken by the morning wake up calls and the radios of older ponies. Sights and Charger both woke up at the same time. They took a glance at each other and looked away quickly. They both were silent that morning. They didn't speak to each other at all during the morning meal. They made sure that they walked far away from each other on the way to work. They didn't want to be associated with each other anymore. When they had reached work Sights went off to the office wing and Charger went off to the top floor. They didn't say " good luck" or " have a good day" to each other. They just separated and went on with their own private matters.

Charger walked up to the stares and opened the door. He knew the elevator didn't lead to the top floor, they didn't want to risk people accidentally finding out about the tanks. Charger looked up the stairs wishing there was an elevator, but he just took a deep breath and made his way up. He continually looked up to see how much further he had to go. He also looked down some times, it was definitely and unnerving experience. He walked for ten minutes, as he did this he wondered what was in store for him. Were they going to give him a surprise test. Were they going to inspect his uniform. Were they going to tie him some kind of form to fill out. Charger early hoped he didn't have to fill out a form, he hated paper work.

When he finally reached the top landing he was completely out of breath. He punched in the code for the door and the electronic voice welcomed him. He still thought that the Eternal Flames voice was creepier.

He reported to a desk in the middle of one of the electronics rooms. It was kind of funny seeing a neat tidy office desk sitting in the middle of a room filled to the brim with Machine parts. There was a dusty looking Stallion at the desk. He uniform was covered in grease, Charger was guessing that he doubled as a mechanic.

" Hello, my name is Charger, I was assigned as the guard for this floor." Said Charger walking up to the desk. The Stallion was tinkering with a light bulb or lever of some sort. Charger waited politely for the Stallion at the desk to put down his project. He then finally looked up at Charger.

" Ok, so your our new guard, Charger you said right?" asked the worker at the desk. Charger was extremely surprised that he had forgotten his name but he gave him a simple nod. The stallion then started looking through a sloppy pile of papers on his desk. He picked one up and eyed it carefully.

" Ok, so you are to report to me first, and then you are to receive your weapon down stares." said the stallion looking back up at Charger.

" By down stairs, do you mean the floor below us?" asked Charger hoping he was right. The worker just shook his head and looked back at Charger.

" By down stares we mean the basement." said the worker. Charger was emotionless. He wasn't mad but at the same time not happy. He was in a state of shock, more shock then when he saw the six tanks. He nodded to the stallion did an about face and walked out of the room with a straight face. The stallion strained heard ears and then heard what he was looking for, Charger screamed and then he heard a loud kick coming from down the hall.

Sights day was going just the same. He had reported to his office and set everything up. He was ready for an easy first day, but the second he personalized his cubical report after report poured down on him like artillery. He found himself talking to ponies on the phone and writing down letters to his boss at the same time!

" HOLLY CRAP, when does it end!" yelled Sights. The rest of the workers around him heard his cry and they all pointed to the coffee machine. Sights understood what they wanted him to do. He slowly got up and rubbed his butt, it was completely numb from sitting for so long. He walked over to the coffee machine and poorer himself a cup. He was preparing himself for a terrible taste, something extremely bitter. He took a cautious first sip, it wasn't actually that bad. It was sweet but tangy at the same time. It wasn't that hot either. He took another small sip and then another. Soon he had downed three cups of the coffee. While he was doing this the other workers tarred in disbelief.

Sights finally sat back down to do his work. He brought some coffee with him of course, but he drank it in about three seconds. He tried to type up a report on his computer but his hooves where to wobbly. He then tried to pick up and file some papers, but they kept being shaker out of his hooves from the caffeine. Sights forgot about how coffee made you really jumpy. He found himself not being able to sit still. He didn't get any work done for almost a whole two hours. he just kept spinning in his chair or moving papers around.

After another hour or two Sights finally got a weird feeling in his gut. It was like a rushing feeling and then a feeling of pressure. Sights knew exactly what was happening.

" Oh no, to much coffee…" Sights began. He got up from his chair and zoomed out of the cubical. His papers flew off the table by the sheer quickness of his bolt. He raced down the hallway trying to find his way out of the maze of cubicles. He galloped down one one path, that lead to a wall. He then turned and galloped down another, this lead to an office. He turned around again and slammed into the mail cart knocking over the pony pushing it.

" Sorry!" he yelled as papers and boxes fell to the floor. He kept running for almost an eternity. He finally found the correct path out of the cubicles and took it down to the elevator.

He pressed the button and the elevator seemed to come up to his floor as slow as possible. He was holding himself now and standing in front of the elevator shaft. He tried to look normal, but the sweat on his head and they way he was standing gave everything away. The elevator finally showed up and leaped in. He quickly pressed the close door button and he was on his way down.

When the elevator opened on the bottom floor Sights burst through the crowd of office works and rushed towards the bathroom. As he made his way across the lobby he saw another worker move towards the latrine door. Sights eyes widened, this bathroom was meant for one user at a time!

" Nooooooooooo!" Sights yelled as he dove to the door, just making it through before the other employee could. He smashed through the door on to the floor. He quickly recovered and zoomed over to the toilet. He had finally made it. He sat there in relief.

A few minutes later Sights came prancing out of the bathroom.

" Thank you Queen above." said Sights happily. He then looked out in front of him. The ponies in front of the elevator had all fallen over from his exit. The worker near the bathroom glared at him as he held himself in a weird potation. Sight released he might have been to dramatic about his dash for the head. He quickly remembered the mail cart as well. He knew he would have to help clean up when he got back up there. His day was starting out pretty crapy.

Down in the basement Charger was being issued his weapon.

" Now, these are just stun rounds." said a stallion holding up green cylinders.

" They don't actually shoot bullets, they break open and fire a smell EMP blast that paralyses the target." said the stallion. he loaded Charger knew pistol with these rounds and put it on safe. He then gave the rest the Charger.

" Make sure, you keep those away from others. If more then one of them go off at a time, they can disable entire computers, they might even be able to kill some pony." said the stallion. Charger understood the dangers of the ammo and thanked the weapons master. He then asked him where he should go next.

" Your next stop, is going to be your post." said the weapons master.

" Where, exactly would y post be?" asked Charger. The stallion looked at a list on his counter and looked back at Charger.

" The first place you're guarding is the tank room." he said.

Chargers eyes widened. He was really hoping he didn't have to step foot in that room again. He hated seeing those tanks and the mares inside. Why did that have to be the first place?

Charger thanked the stallion again and turned to leave. He now had to report to the worst place in the entire building.

It took Charger less time tog et up the stairs. He was really getting fused to them now. When he go to the top floor he stood still. he didn't want to report anywhere. He actually started thinking about ditching his duty, or purposely hurting himself to go home. He released Boston would realize what he did in a second, he would have to do this even if he had a broken leg. He took in a deep breath and reported to the tank room. He looked up into the sky outside.

" Colestia forgive me." he then looked forward again and made his way to the tank room cat walks.

Once he was up on the cat walks he looked down into the room. All he could do was watch, he was too high to really look into the cases. He noted how old the tanks were. They were made out of steel instead of alloy. The hissed and screeched as the pressure in the tanks was adjusted. They also were freezing over in the back.

" These things don't even have circuit heaters, now that's old." said Charger to himself. He looked at the tanks a little more and then he looked out the glass walls. The city was busy and noisy as usual. He now found it funny how something so illegal was happening in such a crowded place. he started to wonder who original started this project and who had built the tanks. They must to have been extremely smart.

Charger kept wondering and then snapping back to focus on his job. He couldn't take it seriously. He also still didn't know what to do. He was in a perfect firing potation above the scientists, he could easily stun them and then unfreeze the mares. He could also stay up there and not do anything. he could jus suck it up and then goon with his normal military life.

" Damn, this sucks." thought Charger to himself. he started to space out agin when he heard a familiar voice.

" Hey, Newby!" yelled Boston from a cat walk. Charger half heartedly waved back over to the agent who quickly made his way over.

" How are you doing soldier?" he asked. Charger gave him a smile and a nod, but Boston could tell it was fake.

" I know what your thinking, why don't I be the hero and stun the bad ponies." said Boston looking down at the lab below.

" I thought the same exact thing on my first guard job, this does take time to get used to." Continued Boston. Charger didn't pay attention Boston, he was focussed on the tanks. bops ton continued anyways.

" I started to think about what would happen to us without to power of the elements though." said Boston.

" I realized that our world would be a lot worst, if this power din't exist today." Boston said motioning to the tanks down below. he took a slight pause and looked at Charger.

" You know, when you actually think how they've been frozen for thousands of years, it seems kind of cool."

This pissed Charger off. This shit wasn't cool, it was illegal, inhuman, and cruel. He turned and glared at Boston. He then threw hoof up right into Boston's jaw. there was a loud smack as his hoof collided with Boston's chin bone. The agent stood there wobbling back and forth as the smack echoed through the room. he then toppled over and fell flat on his face. The stallion layer there motionless. Charger resisted kicking him while he was on the floor, he was no barbarian.

All of a sudden the door to the cat walks swung open and Charger felt a sharp stinging in his chest, he heard the stun round being fired a not even a second later. He felt his limbs sspaz as the EMP buzzed through him. He then buckled and fell to his knees and joined Boston on the ground.