Chronicles of Luna: Future Past Equation

by Pony of Science

Chapter 3: Reunion

Chapter 3: Reunion

Within thirty minutes, a vast number of staff members had poured onto the lobby floor of the once sealed area, including security and additional executive staff.

It was clear that the interior design reflected a long outmoded sense of style; the fake wood trim along the upper and lower walls, the vinyl seating and glass and metal table, the stamped metal reception desk, Luna found hard to believe this was ever popular, it was almost as devoid of taste as the current set up of the facility.

Mobius directed the staff traffic to observe and catalog the long warded off part of the facility.

Another senior member had informed Mobius that the RCSC had been notified, and were on the way, but likely wouldn’t be there until late in the evening.

Inkie had noted to him an odd thing, it was easy to miss if you didn’t know to look for it: no dust.

Historians who had been summoned had to agree, even with the facilities air filtration system, which had been active even in the sealed part of EST, dust can get in, and needed to be cleaned off. So how can a place sealed off for 30 years be mostly as free of dust as most the rest of the facility?

(Excluding the specially made dust free rooms for electronics production).

Pinkie had been whisked off to the antigravity wing in Applied Physics after Inkie had a chance to talk to Mobius.

Mobius had gone over the letter Inkie had received, and was surprised. He had seen a report for interview letter; he had sent enough out himself over the years, especially for recent College graduates.

It was the easiest way to attain and keep the multitude of scientific minds for the Facility.

“So, Geological mineralogy in relation to magical and composite materials. Hardly an electrifying field. ”Mobius noted.

“ When you grow up on a rock farm, it gives you time to think. I started to wonder what rocks were made of, what they could make, and have made. It’s far more than just gemstones and crystals; a surprising amount of our modern world is made from what’s in rocks. ” Inkie responded.

“Well, good to meet you, Ms. Inkabeth Lucrecia Pie, and when this is sorted out, we’ll have a talk with the head of the archeology department. “ Suggested Mobius “Much appreciated, sir”

Luna’s attention had been drawn to an old picture of the executive staff, two ponies she noted in the center, one she had met; a much younger version of Mobius Strip, under his name the title of Assistant Facility Director.

The other she had only seen in photographs, her name Luna only ever read, the pony no one had heard or seen, and supposedly been locked on the inside for so long.

While no one in the old photo looked exactly enthused, Her expression, particularly in her eyes, was devoid of any sort of emotion, a living mechanical extension of the facility.

In the time Luna took examining the photo, Mobius and Velvet had flanked her on both sides, their attention turned to the photo as well.

Photos were all Velvet knew of her aunt Gladiola, along with the divergent stories of her life: on one side, the professional and academic superstar of science.

On the other: her painful and disastrous personal life, thanks in part to her oldest sister. Some of the family had made a long running debate as to whether or not She was touched in the head, or her heart was broken beyond repair. Nobody knew for sure.

What Velvet did know, is that both of Gladiola’s sisters, Sunflower and Rose, were here, now, with what was apparently a letter from Gladiola herself to come here, Velvet had to wonder, if indeed She was alive, how bad a mood would she be in?

Sunflower had wanted to leave the moment those doors opened.

She didn’t want to believe that the ghost of her past that haunted her had called her back, that it was just a clerical error, or a joke.

Rose had made her stay, for whatever reason. Rose had been acting odd since she read the letter. Like she had her own reasons, which made a touch of sense. But if that were true, Rose didn’t need her, right?

Sunflower was becoming uncomfortable with all the cameras round, like each of them were watching her with the same cold, unfeeling stare of her youngest sister.

Sunflower was very sure of one thing however: going into previously sealed area wasn’t in her best interest.

Velvet appeared to have no such compunction, but then again she was staff, and scientific curiosity and advancement was to MO of the place.

Primary Mental and Physical acuity test track, Earth pony: Novice-Expert: Entrance. That was what was embossed on the door in front of Silver Rose.

She had seen footage of similar tracks built after this one. The tracks lived up to their namesakes, while in a controlled and safely regulated environment.

One of the main purposes of the tracks was to establish testing baselines for experiment volunteers, without bias.

At least that’s what Gladiola said long ago. There were also tracks made for fillies and colts to check physical fitness and educational standards, but how much use those got is something of a mystery, at least where Rose was concerned.

But perhaps she was just trying to keep her mind off the fact that Sunflower had turned a scaredy pony since the doors opened.

The staff had turned this into a momentous occasion, a sort of archeological examination of it’s own past.

Rose was pulled quickly from her thoughts by the sound of her screaming and charging older sister, then tackling her.

“SHE’S HEAH! SHE’S HEAH! I HEARD HUH! SHE WAS RIGHT BEHIND ME!” Sunflower shouted in a panic as she scrambled and hid behind Rose.

Rose angrily and painfully got up, with the help of Mobius.

“What are ya’ll going on about, Sunflower?! Has ya’ll haystack molded, or what!” Rose chastised. Wild eyed and scared, Sunflower answered, if disjointedly.

“No, No, it’s true! Gladiola was right there! She said it had been a long time, and my name! Right in my eah!”

Rose held the bridge of her nose against her hoof, eyes closed, as she responded. “Which eah, Sunflower?”

She was about to give a verbal response as she touched her ear, and noticed an important item: the earpiece.

It was a this point Sunflower noticed the entirety of the staff looking at her, looks of concern spread across the whole of the personnel.

Velvet had approached her aunts, about to say something, when she heard somepony talking into her earpiece ” My my, how you’ve grown. Amazing what a guilty conscience can do to one’s nerves, right Vevi?”

Velvet looked around, finding only the staff returning to there work. Then she looked at one of the old cameras.

“Could it be?” She thought, the fact that she had never heard the voice before, yet knew her fillyhood nickname, which only her family members were privy too.

Velvet’s attention turned to Luna, who had continued to watch the scene unfold.

The whole of why Luna was here had just spoken to Velvet, after apparently taunting her sister.

Then Velvet thought of the context of what was said, and became unsure about going forward to Luna.

It was clear that Velvet’s concerns were valid; Gladiola knew about her violating RCSC conduct protocol, and clearly, if she held a grudge for what happened over 30 years ago, Velvet was in big trouble as well.

Again the antiquated part of the facility descended into chaos, but there was a much more tangible reason for concern.

Quark had let out yelp, followed by numerous demands that he be let go. The testing track entrance doors opened, while from the other entrance numerous automated floor sweepers were carrying Quark off, the destination clear.

As the staff tried to make sense or impede the simple robots, Sunflower found herself in a similar predicament, several sweepers sliding under her hooves and carrying her off as well.

Mobius and Velvet quickly followed the pair and the robots through the entryway, Luna, Rose and Inkie in tow.

“ I take it your aunt isn’t quite the ghost some think her to be?” Luna asked Velvet as she chased the group through the test track entrance.

It became clear that things weren’t going to get any better when the doors closed behind them, and Sunflower and Quark were dumped off the robots and the sweepers scurried off.

After a quick check on the duo, Mobius started up with the questions.” I suppose your going to tell me that this was just a coincidence?”

Sunflower simply ran to the once again sealed door in a panic, insisting it open while she banged upon it with her front hooves.

“ You seem to be rather unwilling to reunite with your sister. Anything you’d care to say, or should I get the story from her?” Luna asked.

“ Yes, do tell, Sunflower.” The voice didn’t come from the earpiece, but the loud speaker.

“Gladiola” Sunflower fearfully whispered.

“ How have you been? It’s good to see that the years have been kind to some of you.” Gladiola’s voice, while cold, had a clear under tone of anger. She continued, ” Mobius, I do apologize for my prolonged absence, good to see you’ve held up so well, and you’ve kept my facility is such good order. Velvet, You and I are going to have long talk later about your behavior. “

This elicited an audible gulp from the younger pony.

“And one of the royal sisters, this is a surprise. The RCSC must have finally paid attention when I started reviewing project reports without sending them to the commission office. They must have called in some big favors to get Royalty involved. I’d love to stay and chat, however…”

It was then that the ponies noticed the opening in the ceiling, two claws, one grabbing hold of Quark, the other Sunflower, and spirited them off. “ These two are long over do with some important business.”

Luna was sure of two things as she chased after the duo: That they were somehow responsible for the events that caused Gladiola’s disappearance, and she meant to repay them for their betrayal.

Quark had gone up through the ceiling partition, presumably to where Gladiola was holed up.

Luna instead followed Sunflower through the test track entrance.

Gladiola’s castigation of her oldest sister continued, despite Sunflower’s protests and attempts to escape “You really should be thanking me. For once in your life, you’re going to make a contribution. You may have absolved yourself from your long running series of transgressions, but I, among others I’m sure, have not. Think should give you plenty of time to reflect on that.”

Sunflower and Luna had passed through long empty security gates to a trio of elevators.

The claw had bowled Sunflower through the one in the middle when had gone up, causing Luna to take the one on the right, which instead went down.