Chronicles of Luna: Future Past Equation

by Pony of Science

Chapter 2: Cold Reception

Chapter 2: Cold Reception

Over half an hour later, the transport approached the airspace of EST. The light of the setting sun was reflecting off of the glass of the massive building, following an unhindered trail along the line of travel and sight to the passengers and pilots of the craft.

The building itself resembled the mountains standing behind it, but constructed, manufactured from glass and metal, rather than from eons by time and weather. Luna had to note, as she observed the encroaching facility from one of the windows, was how uninviting it was.

The solitude of the facility itself added to this feeling, as if to say to anypony not working there that they shouldn’t be around, that they shouldn’t even know this place existed.

Another, less foreboding note, was how Pinkie managed to stay in relatively one place the entire trip, but considering the small amount of space one had to move, plus the very scenic window, made this much less surprising.

It didn’t make the trip with her any quieter, however, far from it. The entire trip had been filled with Pinkie’s trademark excitable, random banter.

`“Please remain seated until the transport has land and come to a complete stop.” The intercoms politely, if unenthusiastically, informed the passengers, as the transport made it’s decent onto the landing bay.

A cadre of ponies stood at either end, guiding the transport to a safe landing.

The touchdown, while significantly cushioned by the large shocks, was a touch jarring for those not used to the landing. Shortly after the doors opened, the ponies aboard poured out and headed toward the main entrance.

Pinkie, being Pinkie, bounded toward the entrance, while Inkie kept pace with the rest of the passengers, shortly behind Luna.

More glass and metal, but at least Luna could see occupants inside, or at least the security officers, busily checking IDs.

Of interest were the two groups outside the building; one where headed to landing platform, which was being refueled and checked for repairs, the other, smaller group seemed to be employees on break, standing a short distance from the entrance itself.

Luna recognized two of the staff members, they’re photos were in the dossier, and who she would be working with during her stay at the facility.

One of them was an older stallion, navy blue with graying mane and gray eyes, his cutie mark a series of mobius strips linked into an infinity symbol. The current head of the facility: Mobius Chain.

The other was a young mare, dark tan with purple mane and eyes, her own cutie mark a pair of sultry eyes. Her name: Velvet Violet, a research psychologist with a rather “Specialized” field of study.

She had attained a touch of fame self-publishing carefully edited volumes of her research, rewritten for the public. Celestia had a copy of one of her books hidden underneath her pillows on her bed.

Luna approached the two, who had been from the look of it, having a familiar conversation. “ He brought this to himself long ago, and no matter what he says, he Does deserve to spend the rest of his career mopping up the whole of this facility.” Mobius Chain said emphatically.

Velvet responded, “I’m not doubting that, what I don’t get why wasn’t fired long ago. You’re in charge, how hard could it be to get a disciplinary review underway with the RCSC?”

“It’s not a matter of getting it together, it’s the same reason I don’t have all administrative access to the facility. The same reason why many of us old timers still believe she’s still alive.” Mobius’ tone shifted soberly as he finished his answer.

Velvet bit her bottom lip as her attitude shifted to a very nervous demeanor, even she didn’t like it when “She” was mentioned. Being Her niece, Velvet could be in just as much trouble for numerous violations to RCSC protocol.

Mobius and Velvet both caught sight of Luna, calmly and intently heading toward them. The simple fact that one of the Princesses was even here meant that the RCSC wanted answers, answers they couldn’t provide.

Out of the corner of Velvet’s eye, thought he saw two familiar old mares head into EST, but now wasn’t the time to look into that. After a polite, compulsory bow, Mobius and Velvet greeted Luna.

After the trio went through security, Luna started asking questions. “The report said that bizarre incidents began a year ago, but by Staff standards, unexplained incidents have been occurring much longer, several decades in fact, following an emergency lockdown to part of the facility that no one has been able to unlock, Correct?”

The depth of information shouldn’t have surprised Mobius, the reports had been coming in about as many years.

“That sounds right, did the dossier mention anything about the nature of the recent incidents?”

“ Remotely accessed confidential information from the inside. All incidents involve highest-level access, using password of an Administrator that had been missing the same time as the lockdown.”

About the only thing missing from that was a name, a name that caused many who worked there to look behind them, and never said too loudly. Platinum Gladiola.

Luna, not getting a verbal response from the duo immediately, waited briefly before continuing. “Since this all starts at the Locked down part of the facility, we should start at that point. Is it far from here?”

Velvet spoke up” We need to take an elevator to the floor where the locked-down part of the Facility is. Right this way, Princess.”

As they traversed through the facility, Luna couldn’t help but feel a clear sense of cold precision and plain function over form.

The same florescent lighting, same white walls with automated doors, same linoleum flooring; were it not for the writing on the doors, one would get the impression of going in circles.

It would be rather easy to get lost if one didn’t know whom to ask, or to have a map, especially given the vastness of the place.

A short time later, the trio approached the aforementioned area.

Luna saw the two older mares from the carrier platform, talking quietly to who looked like one of the staff janitors.

None of them looked happy, especially when the Janitor saw the other two staff members heading their direction.

“Don’t you have a mess to clean up in the motion sickness ward, Quark?” Mobius unpleasantly called out to the Janitor. Quark immediately head up to Mobius to start arguing with the executive staff member.

Velvet headed up to the older mares, a look of confusion on her face. “Auntie Sunflower, Auntie Rose, what are doing here? Because I know one of you Definitely has no room to talk me about my work.”
Rose looked at her blushing sister, a sly smile on her face, and then turned her attention to Velvet. “ So clearly, this isn’t ah practical joke, Violet.” Rose said as she hoofed over the letter from her saddlebag over to Velvet.

While Quark and Mobius continued arguing, and Velvet read the letter, Luna proceeded over to an old bulkhead door, the five interlocked, bladed turbine symbol of the EST facility etched onto it.

Luna had seen the symbol on various items and staff uniforms through the facility; even her ID card had one.

As she stood in front of massive entry way, locked for decades, an question entered her mind: Was it committee or egotism that gave this place the same mark as it’s missing head of staff?

She’d have to have that question answered later. Her attention turned to the prattling, prancing pink pony and her gray sister.

“ Aww, can’t we at least try to find the gift shop, Inkie? This place is no fun at all. Nopony has time to even talk, let alone play, and I can’t understand what ponies are saying when they do talk to us.”

“Points I don’t think anypopny bothered considering when they created this establishment, Pinkamena. Here’s the right Department section, but this is quite peculiar.” Inkie examined the long unopened door, and continued, ”Then again, one more mystery among the growing pile makes little difference, I suppose.”

“Meaning what exactly?” Luna asked Inkie. Her previous absorption in her papers shown that she was reading much more into them then simply what was written.

Inkie had noticed Princess Luna on the platform, but since she was just a face in the crowd, she didn’t think beyond the requisite bow, but now here she was again, and apparently on a similar trail of questions.

Inkie began her to list her observations by removing her letter from her bag ” This paper style was discontinued after becoming obsolete twenty years ago when they switched to single sheet printing. It’s perforated, along all sides, meaning a gear feed system. The ink is even stranger, you can tell from the variation of each line, along with the ink line created between that it’s a from a ribbon printer, which stopped being made fifteen years ago, when they started making cartridges. Next there’s the program this was written with; the type style is from a very early typing program, about…”

“Thirty years old, yes?” Luna finished. Inkie gave Luna a curious look; Pinkie gave a similar look to her sister and began.

“Is that why you were looking at that thing so much? I mean sure, it’s neat that you got a letter from here, but you must really be special if you get one like that. And…”

“Ha! You were a coattail riding fraud then, and the only thing that’s kept you employed here is a lack of evidence!” Mobius and Quark’s fight had just turned into a shouting match, and clearly wasn’t going to end soon.

“Che! Look who’s talking, you’ve spent the last thirty years like some lovesick puppy waiting for your master to return! You couldn’t make a decision if the entire building was falling on you!”

“Once I get the proof that you were responsible for the lockdown, the RCSC would applaud your termination, I might even get a raise for it, and would be the ONLY contribution you’d have made in your entire career!”

While this ugly scene continued, Velvet spoke with her aunts. “ It can’t be a coincidence that you two happen to stop by just to talk to Quark, at the same place he’s been accused of locking down long ago. Not to mention the fact that one of the royal sisters shows up with an admin badge, asking questions, with a clear knowledge of the same event, provided by RCSC itself.”

Silver Rose again was the first to talk. ”It would certainly explain why She’s been sweating evah since she got that lettah.”

Velvet had examined what was apparently a letter to Sunflower in requesting her return for the attendance to the old mental and physical acuity testing track.

Velvet also noticed, confirming with Inkie’s observations the letter she received, was written on the same paper, and with the same typing program mentioned by the younger gray pony.

Gold Sunflower spoke up “ Ah have not been sweating, Rose. It has to be ah computer glitch, that’s all.”

“Ya’ll been saying that since we left Fillydelphia, Sunflower. Not that ah blame ya’ll for thinking that way.” Rose commented.

“What’s that supposed tuh mean?” Sunflower said, slightly offended.

The two conversations and one argument immediately stopped when the sound of a bulkhead lock unlatching, followed by the long sealed door slowly opening mechanically.

Personnel who had been observing the scene by the door suddenly rushed either to or away from the doorway.

The lights on the other side of the doorway slowly and methodically began to turn on, revealing the lobby corridor long unseen for decades.

Sunflower and Quark bore a similar expression of dismay, while Mobius, Velvet, Inkie, Rose and Luna had various looks of surprise.

Pinkie, on the other hand, was quite pleased with the turn of events. “Wheee, The doors opened, does that mean we can find the gift shop now?”

Inkie did respond, but not to her sister ”My, my, curiouser and curiouser