8.5th Doctor - The Soldier
Light, suddenly there was light. Trixie blinked, she had a sudden image a flash so bright it illuminated the skeleton within a pony, she blinked again and it was gone.
“Boss is that you? Are you alright?” came a familiar voice.
“P-Pokey,” she cried, and instantly regretted it, her throat felt like she’d been gargling sand paper. She felt a gentle aura settle around her and tug her forwards towards the light, she staggered to her hooves and felt something push into her head. Her eye’s rolled up, she was wearing the Element of Magic on her head, it was bumping against the low rocky roof, looking closer she realised it wasn’t a roof, it was a wall or part of one at least. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“Just head this way, and be careful, there's glass about. Quickly I don’t know how long this will all hold together,” urged Pokey.
Trixie staggered forwards, down what seemed to be a short tunnel until she emerged into the wreckage of a building, she smelt smoke. “Pokey, what... what happened?” The stallion looked like he’d been in the wars, his normally white mane and blue coat were almost unrecognisable under the layer of dirt and mud covering it.
“I hoped you could tell me boss.”
Trixie squinted her eyes, what had happened? Everything seemed so jumbled. “The princess summoned the bearers,” she began, “She was worried something was going to attack Equestria, attack Ponyville, she sent us and some guards to see what it was... I don’t... I can’t.” She remembered a pegasus snarling, screaming out a name, charging forwards, then the flash, so bright. A light blue shape being thrown through the air, a scream. “I don’t remember, I think we were attacked!” She could feel the memories there at the back of her head but if she tried to think about them a chill ran down her spine, she didn’t think she wanted to know.
There was a crash from behind her and she spun around, the wall she had just crawled out from under had collapsed. Next to it stood three earth pony stallions still clutching ropes in their mouths which had until recently held it up. Two of them she recognised, Big Macintosh and Caramel Apple. The third was a stranger, he was an old stallion, his face lined with age, his fur was a light brown and his mane a darker, but greying, brown he was almost entirely covered by a long battered brown coat made out of a substance Trixie didn’t recognise, a bandoleer crossed his chest containing some sort of wand.
“Where are we anyway?” asked Trixie.
“You don’t recognise it?”
Trixie glanced around, she could just about make out that the rubble around her had been a building, there was a miraculously intact window despite the wall it was set in being almost totally destroyed. Inside the former building were the remains of two desks although now they were just so much firewood, it all seemed so familiar... “The residence! This is... was my home! Its... what happened here?” she gasped. She felt oddly numb, she knew the sight of her destroyed home should upset her more but it just seemed too big for her to comprehend, the whole town just ruins.
“It started about an hour after you and the girls left, I was working on the receipts for the disaster relief fund,” he looked around and giggled, “I think we’re going to need bigger forms!” He sounded a little hysterical, Trixie thought she probably didn’t sound much better. “I heard somepony knocking on the door, I think that might have been you, then the whole wall just exploded in, I think my desk saved me. I staggered out of the residence before the whole thing came down. Everywhere was just... fireballs, rays, all from that thing,” he pointed towards the sky.
Trixie squinted, she could just about make out a shape through the smoke a flattened saucer like shape, perspective suddenly slotted into place and her jaw dropped, it was huge, maybe half the size of the town. “What in Corona’s name in that!?”
“A Dalek command ship,” explained the older stallion, he didn’t sound surprised or afraid, just resigned.
“A what?”
“Something you people were lucky enough to not have to know about until this morning.”
“Who are you anyway?” asked Trixie tearing her eyes away from the thing in the sky.
“Call me... Soldier,” said the old stallion after a moment’s thought, “I was sent by Luna to try and protect you and your fellow Element bearers. I was late, I’m always too late,” he hissed, seemingly to himself. “At least you’re alive, I need to get you back to Canterlot, it’s the only way we might hold out against them this time.”
Trixie frowned, Soldier was not a common name, she certainly hadn’t heard of him before. “What do you mean this time?” she asked.
“Oh, um, the Dalek’s have attacked other... other countries before, slaughtered or enslaved the inhabitants. It’s happening again here. It always happens again.”
“What are these Dalek things? I’ve never heard of them, I don’t think the princess mentioned them.”
“Imagine the worse things you can, a ball of bubbling hate, obsessed with destroying everything that isn’t a Dalek, turning every ounce of its strength, every moment of its existence to that one task, never stopping, never resting, just evil, pure evil.”
“That’s a Dalek?” asked Trixie shocked.
“No, that’s the closest thing to a Dalek you can imagine, the real things are much much worse. We need to get you out of here. Now the command ship has softened up the town the troops will be sent in to deal with any resistance, normally they could detect any survivors from up there but this world’s rules are a little different. They’ll start from the outskirts and move in. We might have time to get to the train station, if it’s still standing.” Soldier turned away.
“Now wait a minute,” said Big Mac blocking his way. “Back at the farm you said you’d help me find my sister.”
Soldier sighed. “Your farm was one of the first to be attacked, if Applebloom is still alive, she’ll be up there.” He pointed at the hovering saucer. “It would be better if she was dead.”
“Don’t say that!” growled Mac advancing on the smaller stallion. Trixie had never seen Mac angry before, and now she had she didn’t want to see him angry again, the ripple of muscles under his skin showed just how much damage he could do if he wanted to. “Ma home’s burnin’, Applejack and Granny are gone, I’m not losin’ Bloom too! She’s alive! She’s got to be!”
“Whoa, Whoa!” said Caramel. Futilely trying to hold Mac back. “Calm down there partner!”
“Besides, I’m not going anywhere without my friends,” added Trixie, “I need to find out what happened to them!” A light so bright she could make out the ponies skeleton, a scream, she shook her head, she had to be sure.
The old stallion shook his head and sighed. “They are dead by now, dead, or worse.”
“Look I don’t want to burst your bubble boss,” the joke was half hearted. “But I haven't seen any of the other bearers since you left this morning. I didn’t even know for sure it was you down there until we dug you out. When he,” Pokey nodded towards Soldier, “Found me, he wanted us to try and find a way onto that thing up there, take the fight to them, now he’s changed his tune.”
“I didn’t know any of the element bearers had survived, with at least one of the elements we might just have a chance to stop the Daleks, if we can get back to Canterlot.”
Trixie was about to argue when she heard something, her ears swivelled trying to locate the source.
“Children!” came a cry, “Come out children!”
That sounded familiar. Cheerilee! Trixie knew her friends must be alive, she just knew it! Cheerilee would come up with some plan and they’d defeat whatever these Dalek things were and Ponyville could be rebuilt better than ever. If she tried really hard she could almost make herself believe that, almost. Trying to put on a smile Trixie turned and stuck her head around the remains of her house looking for her friend. There through the smoke was the somewhat stained fuchsia coat of the school teacher, she was going to shout a greeting when Soldier suddenly leapt on her, bearing her to the ground, she let out a squeak of surprise before he covered her mouth with a hoof. “Look!” he hissed. “Listen!”
“Child-ren!” called Cheerilee, her voice seemed strange, clipped, emotionless. She staggered on through the smoke her head swinging from side to side. Trixie narrowed her eyes there was something on her friends head, something shiny, some sort of metal hat? For a moment Cheerilee’s gaze swung past Trixie, her eyes were blank. As long as she’d known her Cheerilee’s eyes had always glittered with life and energy. Now they were empty.
“What’s wrong with her?” hissed Trixie.
Soldier glanced up then looked away with a sigh. “Your friend is dead, I’m afraid.”
For a moment Trixie thought she had misheard him. “What do you mean she’s dead?! She’s standing over there! She’s talking.”
“She a robo... well robomare I suppose. The Daleks must have captured her and... well that thing on her head, it’s controlling her body.”
“Then we take it off!” said Trixie trying to struggle to her hooves.
“It’s controlling her body, her mind is gone, burnt out, nothing left. You take that off and she’ll... stop.”
Horrified Trixie turned back towards her friend, further movement caught her eye and she started as a second figure moved jerkily forwards, a familiar yellow coated mare. Trixie didn’t want to look but her eyes automatically moved up the figure towards its face. Her mane was missing, replaced by a metallic cap covering the back of her head. That more than anything convinced Trixie that Carrot Top was dead, she’d been so proud of her mane despite of her humble existence, if that was gone then... so was her friend.
“Why’s she calling for children?” whispered Mac from behind them, the large stallion was crouching low.
“For all their brilliance Daleks can be very dull, repetitive, they take other species young and plug them into their battle computers to make them more imaginative,” muttered Soldier, “Obscene.”
“So they might have Bloom!” cried Big Mac eyes brightening.
“Quiet!” hissed Soldier, “Maybe, but the odds are tiny.”
“I’ll take those odds!”
Soldier looked at Mac for a moment, he looked like he was going to say something, then sighed. “Very well. These two would have arrived via teleport beam, the Dalek scanners probably can’t differentiate between ponies, particularly earth ponies, your magic makes you hard to detect as it is. If we can locate the landing point I can get you into the saucer, probably near where they keep any captives. Take this,” He reached into a pocket and brought out a cube made of a seemingly random wires. “If you can get this near the ship's reactor it should disrupt it, the nearer the better, and there’s a timer, you wouldn’t want to be near it when it takes effect.”
“Thanks,” said Mac taking the cube. “I’ll do what ah can.”
“You mean we’ll do what we can,” said Caramel.
“I can’t bring you along,” said Mac, “This is about Bloom, this is family.”
“She’s ma kin to,” said the smaller stallion. “Besides we’re a team, right?”
Mac looked unsure, then nodded. “A team,” he said, “Until the very end. Let’s go cus’”
Soldier took the wand from his bandolier and waved it around the tip glowing and emitting a humming sound. That seemed familiar thought Trixie, but she couldn’t remember from where.
“There!” hissed Soldier pointing at a patch of ground in the distance, for a moment it looked much like the rest of the ruins but then Trixie realised that the area was clear of most smaller pieces of rubble and looked almost melted.
Caramel rubbed his chin for a moment. “Shouldn’t be too hard to get there,” he mused, “We got lots of cover.”
“We can’t just leave,” said Mac, “We have to do something about them.” He pointed towards Cheerilee and Carrot Top, who were still calling out for children. “We can’t let them get any more foals.”
“On it,” agreed Caramel with a nod and quick as a wink he was moving, hopping from cover to cover starting to circle around the two mares. Trixie turned to talk to Mac but he was already gone as well, heading in the opposite direction. She bit her lip for a moment then summoned up an invisibility spell, if they’d asked her to help she could have made this much easier for them all. Still the bounty hunters were doing well at hiding themselves, she’d never seen them at work before and could see why they were successful at their job. Big Mac had already made it behind Carrot Top and brought a large hoof down surprisingly gently on the yellow mare’s head. Trixie had to bite her lip not to call out a warning to her friend. To her surprise despite being knocked back the small mare did not fall, instead she spun around and charged at her attacker catching him on his chest and making him grunt in surprise before she continued to bear down on him hooves flailing.
Cheerilee likewise turned on Caramel who had been approaching her. Without a sound she lashed out with a hoof catching him just above the eye, she followed up with a kick to the gut which dropped him to the floor before she rested a forearm on his neck and started to push down. The stallion struggled as he was strangled, his tongue lolling and his legs kicking out, trying to knock the mare away. Trixie rushed forwards to help him, out of the corner of her eyes she noticed Soldier and Pokey rushing towards the fight as well.
“Cheerilee, stop!” she cried trying to grab the mare in her aura and pull her away from Caramel.
“Children! Come out Children!” continued the school teacher unemotionally as she choked the life from her victim.
“Stop!” begged Trixie again, “Please!” She felt her aura latch onto something and pulled as hard as she could, there was a sickeningly wet sound and the metal helmet on her friends head tore off releasing the cloying scent of cooked meat. Trixie stared in horror at the space where the back of Cheerilee’s head should have been and felt the bile rise in her throat. She turned as her stomach emptied itself on the ground and Cheerilee’s body dropped to the ground like a puppet with the strings cut. Around her everything seemed to become fuzzy and indistinct, there was a hole where the back of her friends head should be! She was vaguely aware of Soldier running past her and kneeling next to Caramel as he started to stagger to his hooves. That didn’t seem to be important. She ignored the unmoving shape on the ground that wasn’t, couldn’t be her friend, she just wanted to stand there until the world made sense, until everything was normal again.
“Boss! Boss!” cried Pokey at Trixie. “Stay with me!” The mare remained blankly staring at the ground. He waved a hoof in front of her face, still no response.
“Something’s wrong with Trixie!” he cried and Soldier rushed over to him slipping on the loose rubble. He brought out his strange wand device and ran it up and down Trixie, it gave out a buzzing sound.
“She’s in shock, catatonic. There’s nothing we can do for her at the moment,” he explained.
Pokey glanced down at Cheerilee’s body, then quickly looked away. “Here,” said Caramel hoarsely, as he passed over a torn table cloth he had found somewhere. “Cover her.”
Trying not look too closely Pokey did as he was told. Next to it Big Mac laid down another covered form, several fresh cuts were viable under his coat. He gave a shaky sigh. “It were her or me,” he explained.
“We have to get out of here,” said Pokey turning back to Trixie, he gently pushed her away from the bodies and she complied. For a moment he’s wanted to go with Mac and Caramel, to fight the Daleks but, he couldn’t this was all so big, what could one stallion do? He’d always dreamt of being a hero, of piercing the heavens, but now that his moment had come, he couldn’t. He slumped in place.
“He’s right,” agreed Soldier, “There will be more Robomares or worse Daleks here soon, we need to get out of Ponyville while we still can.” He took one of Trixie’s forearms and started to lead her away.
“Wait!” called Pokey looking back, “Shouldn’t we...” he wracked his brain for the right thing, Earth ponies liked to be return to the soil didn’t they, it all seemed so fuzzy, so unreal, “Burry them?”
“No time,” said Big Mac, “I’m sure they won’t mind none, they’re in a better place than we are. So what now Soldier?” he asked.
“You still want to do this?” asked the old stallion. Mac and Caramel both nodded. “Stand there,” he indicated the empty space and began to wave around the wand. “I should be able to activate the system and...” there was a flash and a sudden inrush of air and the two stallions vanished. “Good luck,” he said, “Now we need to get to the train station.” He turned and started to lead his companions through the ruins of Ponyville.
Mac bit back a cry as suddenly it felt like he was being dipped in molten metal, as quickly as it had started the feeling stopped. Blinking he looked around, he was not where he had been a moment ago, so that was what teleportation felt like. The first thing he noticed about the new location was the sound, part heard, part travelling up through his legs, a distant rhythmic beating, like being in a giant heart. The room around him was dimly lit and seemed to be comprised of a burnished bronze like metal, it was cold.
“Where are we cuz?” asked Caramel through gritted teeth.
Mac glanced over to him and realised that his friends coat was smoking slightly, his was as well. “I guess we’re on that saucer thing, we need to find Bloom.”
Caramel looked around the small chamber they were in, there didn’t seem to be a way out. “How...” he began.
“CAP-TURE SQUAD DEL-TA WILL DEL-IV-ER PRIS-ON-ERS TO COM-PUT-ER STAT-ION TWELVE,” squawked an artificial sounding voice seemingly coming from all around them cutting Caramel off. A door in the wall slid silently open.
“I guess that’s as good an idea as any,” said Mac starting to the door.
“I’ll go first,” said Caramel stopping Mac with a hoof. “You know I’m quieter than you, remember that mule over towards Vine Ridge?”
“Hey that ain’t fair, did you see the size of his ears?”
“Well yes I did, because I snuck up on him close enough to get a good look at them, you didn’t because he heard you coming a mile away.” He grinned before heading out the door.
Mac stopped him again. “You know this is a one way trip right? We’re probably not going to make it back from here?”
Caramel’s grin slipped for a moment. “Sure, but we go to try and find Applebloom right? Plus you know, never say die.”
Mac nodded. “Right, let’s go.”
The journey through Ponyville was almost dreamlike to Pokey. The ruined town seemed almost like an alien world, until a still standing landmark would remind him of where he was. Soldier led the way while Trixie leaned against Pokey, still in shock she followed him blindly. He was worried she might never recover from this, he’d known Cheerilee and Carrot Top and the others but they hadn’t been that close, but they had been Trixie’s best friends and to see them like that, he was trying not to think about it. As they passed through the remains of the town they slowly attracted more and more survivors crawling out of the wreckage, many injured. He’d wanted to stop to search the rubble for those trapped, like Trixie had been, but Soldier forbade it, he said they had to get to the train station and out of town as quickly as possible. His words highlighted by sounds drifting on from the edge of town, screams and strange humming sounds.
Pokey didn’t know why he was doing what the old stallion told him, maybe it was just because he seemed to be the only one who had any idea what to do, but there seemed to be something more than that, some aura of trustworthiness. Soldier seemed weary and bitter and harsh, but he found it hard to think that he wanted to harm them.
By the time they got to the station their group numbered in the dozens, the building itself was mostly intact and had been cordoned off by some of the guard that had been sent to the town with the element bearers. As soon as they arrived Soldier waved something in the guards leader’s face and received a salute in return.
“What do we do now?” asked Pokey.
“We have to get out of town as quickly as possible,” replied Soldier glancing up at the still immobile ship hovering in the air. “If we’re lucky we might still avoid the Dalek patrols, and if we’re really lucky that thing won’t evaporate us as soon as we get moving.”
The officer rushed over Soldier and saluted again. “Sir, we should be able to fit all the civilians in the rolling stock we have, it’ll be a crush but do able, the track is blocked but my men should be able to clear it given an hour or so. Once that’s been done we can leave as soon as the rest of my scouts return.”
“No time, we have to clear the track now and any of your men still in the town are dead,” said Soldier harshly.
The guard blinked. “Sir, we need to complete a full search we may be able to recover more of the elements.”
“The element bearers are dead, Lieutenant.” Trixie’s eyes blinked for a moment but she remained silent by Pokey’s side. “As will we all be, if we don’t leave in the next few minutes.” He brushed past the guard and turned to face the assembled ponies. “Everypony!” he cried, “We need to clear this rubble now!” he pointed to the large rocks sitting on the tracks just outside of the station. “We all need to work together!” He hopped down onto the track and galloped along to the nearest rock and began to push against it. “Come on,” he gasped.
Taking his cue Pokey followed him and started to heave at the bolder with his aura, to his surprise Trixie followed him and after a moment’s hesitation leant her own magic strength to his. Behind them more and more ponies started to help, earth ponies and pegasus pushed against the rocks while unicorns tried to levitate them to reduce the effective weight. Within a few moment over a hundred ponies were combining their efforts, the rocks didn’t stand a chance, it only took a few minutes for the rails to be clear and some of the unicorns even used their powers to fix some of the damage to the line itself. The train driver certainly wasn’t happy but he agreed they were unlikely to become derailed.
Soldier ordered all the ponies present into the two functioning trains before boarding the foremost, Pokey and Trixie followed. It was a squeeze but Pokey managed to find a seat for Trixie, the shocked mare continuing to stare into the distance. Soldier himself helped a foal into a seat before leaning against one of the doors. Pokey pushed his way through the crowd to stand next to the old stallion just as with a jolt the train started to move off, there was a grinding sound as the wheels passed over damaged section and Pokey held his breath for a moment but they and the second train soon started to pick up speed heading towards Canterlot. Or at least Pokey hoped that’s where they were heading, sight of the capital was still blocked by the smoke and dust thrown up by the destroyed town.
Mac gasped as he entered the next chamber. After innumerable cramped and seemingly identical corridors, the room beyond was huge, he couldn’t make out the far end, it was so far away. In the centre behind some hazy shield sat a ball of flame, like the sun, it didn’t seem to be giving off any heat, but Mac could almost feel it struggling against its confinement at the heart of this strange craft. The chamber stretched up into the sky, walkways spanned the chamber here and there, Mac thought he could just about make out movement on them. The area immediately around him, however, seemed uninhabited.
Caramel was standing not too far ahead positioned next to a pillar glancing around nervously. “Looks clear,” he hissed. “Don’t know how we’re going to find Applebloom in this place though.”
“I’m not leaving without her, we just need to keep lookin’.” Mac glanced up at the chained sun again, he guessed that was the reactor thing Soldier had mentioned, he took out the strange device he’d been given, it had a small dial on one side, he assumed it was the timer. He didn’t know what ‘disrupted’ meant but he guessed it wouldn’t be a good idea to be near when the thing went off. Still if it meant the destruction of the creatures that had burnt his home and family he was happy to be as close as he needed to be, as long as his sister was safe.
The two of them made their way across the chamber, Caramel staying ahead until they were next to the shimmering field holding back the ships reactor. There, arranged around a thick pillar, were strange seat like constructs, the bottoms flared out like skirts covered in hemispheres, the backs flowed up and over forming a sort of helmet. Mac frowned wondering what they could be for.
“Mac!” cried Caramel from another side of the pillar, Mac rushed over to see what his friend had found.
There in the seat was perched a foal, a colt with a brown and white spotted coat and a brown mane. He sat in the chair unmoving, his front hooves clamped around a glass ball in which caged lightning writhed, in front of him patterns of light flashed illuminating his blank face. What the hay was going on here? Thought Mac. He glanced around and saw another chair next to this one containing a familiar occupant.
“Bloom!” cried Mac galloping over to his baby sister. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here!” The filly made no sign of having heard him, like the other foal she was hunched over the glowing ball her eyes flashing back and forth as the lights flickered in front of her. “Bloom!” he cried again grabbing the child and yanking her from her seat, for a moment her hooves seemed to be stuck to the globe, but with a tug he pulled her away, she slumped to the ground for a moment almost boneless then snapped into position limbs stiff.
“Why have you disconnected his unit?” she stated, her voice sounding harsh, almost artificial.
“What are you talking about Kiddo?” asked Caramel. “We got to get you out of here.”
“This unit is needed.” Her head swung back and forth for a moment. “You are not converted, you are intruders!”
“What did they do to you Bloom!” cried Mac reaching forwards for his sister.
She dodged back smoothly before raising a hoof towards him, a ball of blue energy like that in the globe formed in it. Mac stared at it stupidly for a moment unable to believe what was going on. She gestured forwards and lightning extended from her hoof flashing towards Mac’s face, but suddenly Caramel was there throwing himself between the blast and the larger stallion. There was a scream and the stench of burning fur before the light brown pony crashed to the ground, smoking eyes frozen wide open.
“Caramel!” cried Mac. He looked back and forth between the smouldering corpse of his best friend and the creature that looked like his little sister. “No, no, not you Bloom!” he begged.
“You are an intruder!” she proclaimed raising her hoof, once again covered in blue energy. “You are to be exterminated!” She lashed out with her power again. Mac tried to leap aside to avoid the deadly energy it caught his front left leg as he was in the air throwing his form back, he skidded to a halt next to the field holding back the crafts reactor.
Mac tried to struggle to his hooves but his body refused to respond, he couldn’t feel his injured leg and the numbness was rapidly spreading. His left eye showed him only a blinding light, he could feel some liquid dripping from it onto his cheek, scalding liquid.
Seemingly surprised by his survival the creature that had once been his sister started to approach him stiffly, hoof still out held. Glancing around with his functioning eye Mac saw the device that Soldier had given him and reached out with his working leg to pull it closer, he took it in his aching jaw and turned the timer by the smallest amount he could.
“Bloom!” he called using all his strength to rise to his remaining limbs. “Don’t worry Bloom, I’m going to make it all better, it’ll all be better again, you can see Applejack, Granny Smith, even Ma and Pa.”
The small pony raised her leg again then cocked her head her brow furrowing. “Ma?” she said, her voice almost sounding normal and for a moment Mac thought he might have gotten through to her. “No!” her voice returned to its harsh state, “No Ma! No Pa! Just the will of the Daleks!”
Using the last of his strength Mac turned and threw his bulk at the glowing field between him and the caged star. As he impacted a further ball of energy flew from Applebloom’s hoof and struck him in the back setting his coat on fire. The combined force threw his corpse through the shield and into the area beyond just as Soldier’s device activated.
The air in the carriage around Pokey was thick with tension and the smell of terrified ponies. Everypony was staring out of the windows waiting for something to burst out of the smoke and attack the train. It was almost a surprise as a minute passed without anything happening, then another, then another, slowly the passengers started to calm down and a number of quiet conversations began to break out. It would almost seem like a day trip to the capital if it wasn’t for the filthy coats and the injuries most of the passengers had. Forcing himself to calm Pokey looked around for Trixie again, she was still staring into the distance, next to her a mare Pokey didn’t recognise was talking to her gently although the blue mare gave no sign of noticing. He glanced over at Soldier, the older stallion was still staring out of the window at the new clear sky.
“We seem to be home free,” said Pokey.
“No,” Soldier shook his head, “Even though ponies are hard for the Dalek scanning beams to detect there’s no way they could have missed these trains. Look!” he pointed into the sky above Ponyville now several miles behind them.
Pokey squinted, he thought he could make out a trio of dots moving through the sky, what were they, pegasus?
“Daleks!” cried Soldier turning back to the rest of the carriage, “Everypony get on the floor! As far from the windows as you can!”
Pokey watched paralyzed as the shapes got large quicker than they had any right to, he wasn’t sure if even Rainbow Dash could have matched their speed. What just a few seconds ago had just been dots were suddenly bronze coloured machines maybe half again the height of a pony, the bottom half flared out and was covered in hemispheres whereas the top consisted of slats and grills topped with a dome. From the middle section two sticks protruded with a third stuck out from the middle of the ‘head’. At first glance it seemed a ridiculous contraption, but even so it seemed to extrude a palpable aura of menace and fear. One of the creatures dipped towards the train behind them and a flash of green light flew from its weapon, there was a flash of flame and the roof was torn from the back two carriages, Pokey watched in horror as several ponies were thrown into the air by the blast only to crash back down to earth. He managed to pull his gaze from the sight to look at Soldier, the old pony opened his mouth to speak when a bleeping came from the strange wand like device at his belt. His eye’s widened.
“Faster! We have to go faster!” he yelled towards the front of the train, whether the driver heard him or just saw the danger behind Pokey didn’t know, but the carriage did seem to speed up.
“Can we outrun them?” yelled Pokey over the sound of destruction behind them and the cries of the distressed ponies.
“Not a chance!” said Soldier, “But we might be able to get out of range of the explosion.”
“What explosion?” said Pokey looking back at the attacking creatures another burst of fire derailed the back carriage and threatened to tip the whole train.
“Don’t look!” cried Soldier throwing a hoof over Pokey’s eyes. It didn’t do much good the light was so bright that it was viable even through the barrier, if quickly flashed from a pinprick to seemingly engulf the whole world. Behind them the three Daleks were overtaken by the energy. For a moment there was silence as if the world was holding its breath, the light started to fade and recede. Pokey blinked his vision full of spots for a moment it looked like the ground behind them was undulating like a great worm was crawling through it, where Ponyville had stood was now a great mushroom shaped cloud of dust. Then the blast wave struck them like the hoof of an angry god. The train behind them and everypony crammed into it was lifted into the air and swatted aside almost carelessly. The windows around him all shattered throwing glass everywhere and for a moment the whole carriage was lifted into the air and he felt his hooves leave the ground before gravity pulled him down again, metal squealed against metal but the coach stayed upright and after a few more bounces came to rest. The train continuing on its journey, now alone. Screams echoed up and down the train as the passengers recovered their senses.
Looking back, all that remained was a deep crater maybe a dozen miles wide where Ponyville had once stood. “What was that!” gasped Pokey.
“Big Macintosh and Caramel,” explained Soldier gazing at the crater with a look of almost satisfaction on his face. “One down, two to go.”
“What!” Mac and Caramel gone? Killed in a blaze of glory? Should he have done something? Been with them, that would have been a glorious death, like in books and songs. But, a deeper part of him thought, still a death.
“Normal Dalek tactics for this type of universe, three motherships, about a thousand Daleks, enormous overkill in most cases, but now they’ve seen this universe is protected.”
Pokey was going to ask how he knew all this when he saw something rising from the rubble behind them. A Dalek, it’s bronze skin blackened and pitted in places but still intact it quickly orientated itself and zoomed towards the train quickly matching its pace.
“Everypony to the front of the train,” roared Soldier immediately ignoring his own command and setting off towards the back of the train struggling against the stream of ponies.
Trixie recognised that sound, a sort of buzzing followed by a hissing, then the scream of a pony in agony. She definitely recognised that sound. She blinked, she could remember being led onto the train by Pokey, remembered the explosion but she felt strangely detached from herself the whole time as if she was watching her body from a great distance while somepony else piloted it.
There was that sound again and again, she’d heard it before, when? She didn’t want to remember, but she couldn’t remember why she didn’t want to remember.
She looked around, the carriage was packed with fearful ponies all trying to push themselves as far from the door to the back of the train as possible leaving an empty space around where she sat. Swaying to her hooves, her body felt stiff, she wondered what she could do, she was supposed to be a protector of ponykind wasn’t she, a welder of the element of magic, a dame appointed by Luna herself. But it always seemed like a game, nothing bad could happen to her, to her friends, fighting Corona, that phoenix, it never seemed like they could really get hurt, but now Carrot Top and Cheerilee were... gone, it suddenly seemed so different, for a moment she wanted to join the rest of the ponies cowering at the far end of the carriage again but then she heard that sound again, and a scream and she knew she had to do something.
Trying to stop her hooves from shaking she staggered forwards into the next carriage, one whole side was missing, open to the air. The ground was littered with Ponies, mostly guards, all unmoving, there in the middle of a circle of bodies stood a bronze covered, thing, she recognised it from her nightmares, from the memories she didn’t want to remember. As she watched another guard, one of the few still standing, rushed forwards to try and tackle the creature, it swivelled slightly and a bolt of green light spat from its belly, the guard was struck and screamed. For a moment she could make out his skeleton...
A Pony screaming a name, a familiar name, as it flew through the air it slammed into one of the creatures with enough force to knock it back several lengths, the figure rose into the air screaming her anger and despair before she was enveloped in the green light. Her skeleton froze there for a second before falling to the ground, smoking. “Trixie!” called a voice, “You have to get out of here!”
“Trixie!” cried Pokey, “Get out of here!” He rushed over putting himself between the Dalek and his employer.
“Stop this!” cried Soldier, “There is no need for this!”
The Dalek swivelled towards him its eyestalk twitching, it focused on the device attached to his belt. “THAT DEV-ICE IS NOT OF NAT-IVE ORIG-IN!” it cried, “YOU ARE THE DOC-TOR!” it shot backwards towards the hole in the side of the carriage, it was almost, thought Trixie, like it was frightened, who was this pony? The name Doctor seemed familiar.
“I don’t go by that name any more,” said Soldier his head drooping, “I don’t deserve it. But you know who I am, you know what I can do,” he voice gained in strength. “Leave these ponies alone and go!”
“YOU ARE THE DOC-TOR! YOU ARE AN EN-EMY OF THE DAL-EKS! YOU MUST BE EX-TERM-IN-ATED! EXT-TERM-IN-ATE! EXT-TERM-IN-ATE!” it shrieked, its gun stick rising.
Trixie felt herself tense, her legs preparing to leap forwards, her horn powering up to cast something, anything, to stop that horrible sound again. However, before she could move a blue glowing shape slammed into the side of the Dalek shoving it a half body length aside, it’s gun went off but missed Soldier instead ripping a pony sized hole in the side of the train, the old stallion tumbled to the ground almost falling from the carriage.
Pokey’s horn was glowing so bright that it was painful to watch, his whole body was surrounded by the aura of his sharpening spell, he took a step back and lowered his head again, his horn flashed once more and the aura intensified. He charged forwards head lowered. This time the Dalek was prepared and it was only forced back a few inches.
“UNDER AT-ACK BY UN-KNOWN EN-EMY!” it cried rotating to bring its gun to bear on the glowing pony.
“Names... Pokey....” cried Pokey slamming his head again and again against the Dalek’s metal body, each time his horn glanced off an invisible field just above its body. “Pierce!” There was a shower of sparks and his horn finally penetrated the Dalek’s force field gauging a shallow cut in its body. “And I think I just found out... that I’m a hero!”
“IM-POSS-IBLE!” cried the Dalek backing away. “PO-NIES CAN NOT HARM US! PO-NIES MUST BE DEST-ROYED! EXT-TERM-IN-ATE! EXT-TERM-IN-ATE!”
Pokey’s horn flashed once again, seeming to elongate into a jagged spear while the aura around his body expanded and burst into flames. “Puny!” he roared, “JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE—-?!" Pushing off with his hind legs he slammed his horn into the middle of the Dalek, this time it fully penetrated.
“IM-POSS-IBAAAAARRRRGGG!!” screamed the impaled Dalek. Suddenly there was an explosion and the Dalek was thrown out of the train where it bust in a ball of blue light. Pokey was thrown back into the carriage flopping head over hooves until he came to a stop in a broken pile in the corner.
Trixie rushed over to the fallen pony, his head lolled loosely burns covering most of his face, his horn... his horn was gone, broken to a jagged stump. Trixie struggled not to be sick. “Oh Pokey!” she cried, “You saved us!”
To her shock the maimed stallion opened his milky sightless eyes and stared past her. “No problem boss!” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I guess I... finally... did it. I... pierced... the...” his throat gave a final rattle and he was silent.
“You did, you pierced the heavens,” said Trixie trying to keep her voice steady as she lowered the body to the ground. Pokey gone just like that. She felt the edges of her vision start to fade everything started to seem distant. No! She forced herself to remain in the moment, she couldn’t drift away, as much as she wanted to, she had to stay, there had to be something she could do to help the other ponies on the train, to make Pokey’s sacrifice worth something.
“I’m sorry about your friend,” said Soldier resting a hoof on her shoulder, “He was a hero, but we were lucky, if he’d breached the Daleks reality stabilisation system there would have been an explosion which would have make Ponyville’s destruction look like a match.”
“Don’t touch me!” cried Trixie spinning around to face the old stallion. “I know who you are! What that... that thing called you, Doctor! You killed my Grandfather!” She gave him a shove with her aura.
Soldier staggered back and looked confused for a moment, then his face cleared, “You’re that Trixie? Quartermoon’s granddaughter? I’m sorry, I’ve killed a lot of people, more than I can count even in my darkest nights, your grandfather was not one of them.” He sighed. “But I do hold some responsibility for it, but in the end he was his own stallion, he made his own decision.”
“You’re lying! I got a copy of the medical report,” She advanced on Soldier, “He died of Naga venom, I remember the snake... it’s sort of fuzzy, but you were there, you did it Doctor!” She spat the last word.
“I don’t go by that name anymore!” he cried, loudly enough to make Trixie step back. “I don’t deserve that name,” he snarled, “I don’t heal, I break, everywhere I go death, destruction, Daleks!” His face was twisted with revulsion.
Trixie’s eyes widened. “You brought them here!” She grabbed his neck in her aura and lifted him off the ground. “This is your fault! You killed my friends! You killed Pokey! You killed my grandfather! All! Your! Fault!” she screamed her eyes flashing.
“No!” gasped Solder struggling against the magic wrapped around his neck, “I... I didn’t want this to happen, I wanted to go somewhere pure somewhere they hadn’t touched but... they were already here. They’ve almost finished off my universe, now they’re exploring others, looking for more resources. They want your magic.” His face was starting to go red, “I’ve tried to stop them, again and again and again but there's always more.” He stopped struggling and slumped, “Do it then! If my death will make you happy, let my death make things better when my life couldn’t. But would your friends want this?”
The words hung in the air for a moment as Trixie snarled, increasing the pressure on Soldiers neck. Then she paused and fat tears started to roll from her eyes, a sob tore itself from her throat, she threw Soldier aside and sank to the ground crying her heart out. “I... I... How did this happen? This morning was so normal! I waved to Ditzy, was going to train with Raindrops, where did that go? How, how did it come to this? I can’t remember what happened, I don’t think I want to. What do I do now?”
Taking a deep breath Soldier crawled over to the distressed mare and put an arm over her withers, she stiffened for a moment before collapsing into him. “I know it hurts,” he whispered, “But that just shows you loved them, it never entirely goes away but that’s good as well. I remember them all Susan, Katrina, Sara, Oliver, Romana, Adric, Kamelion, Evelyn, Flip, Ace, Antimony, Roz, C’rizz, so many more I remember them all, every one. I even remember your friends, I’ve met them all, at one time or another.”
Trixie frowned, tears still falling from her eyes, “They didn’t all say...”
“It might not have happened yet,” said Soldier. “I remember Cheerilee, she and I trapped in a tree, she flirted with me, of course I was too young for her then.”
“She was always so hopeful, never let anything bring her down.
“Raindrops was so fiery but never wanted to hurt anyone.”
“She was so careful, so controlled, I admired that.”
“Carrot Top, always ready to lend a hand, err hoof, always ready to help a friend.”
“She was so good to me, helped me settle into Ponyville, I never thanked her enough, now I never can.”
“Ditzy cared so much for her daughter we was willing to pay any price for her safety.”
“She’d move mountains for that filly,” that flash of light, “For any of us really.”
“Lyra, such a big heart, willing to forgive any slight.”
“She certainly put up with me, naked bear and all.”
“I remember them all, them and so many, many more.”
“How can you carry on?”
“I... I’m not sure really, I can’t let the deaths stop me, I have to carry on. Sometimes I think I’m just a hollow shell, just carrying on through the motions with nothing inside any more. But well, the thought of worlds like this,” he gestured towards the windows as the scenery flashed by. “Worlds full of good peaceful ponies, worlds the Daleks haven't conquered yet. That gives me the strength to carry on.”
Trixie looked back down the train over the fallen ponies the remaining guards were covering with whatever sheets they could find and the blackened crater behind them were Ponyville had once stood. “I don’t think this world has much strength left for me.”
“Believe me, this world could be so much worse. I’ve seen whole worlds destroyed, or worse. The people crushed by the Daleks so not a spark of hope remained. This world hasn’t fallen yet, and never will if I can help it. Look there,” he pointed into the next carriage to a stallion gently cuddled a foal. “He’s terrified but he’s hiding it for the sake of his child, because he couldn’t bear her being scared, and there,” two mare’s leaning against each other talking quietly. “Maybe they never talked to each other before but now... disaster makes friends of us all Trixie.”
Trixie opened her mouth to speak but suddenly there was a flash from the window, Trixie turned her weary head and blinked. There in the far distance she could see a cloud of dust rising, it must be hundreds of miles away. “What is that?” she asked.
“That would be Corona,” said Soldier. A lance of fire raced into the sky towards the sun. “Now they think the elements have been neutralised she would be the next target, it looks like she took a command ship with her, good, only one left now.”
Trixie shaded her eyes. “She’s returning to the sun?”
“Maybe,” muttered Soldier.
The trail of fire was almost at the sun when suddenly the golden orb went out, darkness fell and Trixie’s eyes widened in panic, “What?”
Above the sun was dark a flickering halo dancing around it like an eclipse. After a few moments the light died away, leaving the sky dark. Then as quickly as it had disappeared the sun burst into light again.
“What...” gasped Trixie.
“The Dalek’s put a force field around your sun, it prevented Corona returning to heal, she’s gone.”
“They can do that? Just end the Tyrant sun like that?” It seemed crazy, she should be overjoyed, the worst threat to Equestria destroyed just like that but given today's events it seemed almost ordinary, worse things had already happened.
“The Daleks have spent tens of thousands of years researching how to kill, there are very few beings they cannot destroy. I spent a very scary afternoon going through their databanks once, some Dalek had even come up with a plan to kill Santa Claus, or at least the idea of Santa Claus.”
“Who?”
“Never mind. Even if your planet had a normal sun they could destroy it if they wanted, your puny thing they could crush with no effort at all. We are lucky that they want to investigate your people, otherwise this planet would be dust by now.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“No, but it at least means we have a chance, however, slight,” the old stallion pulled himself to his hooves groaning slightly. “We should be in Canterlot in an hour and a bit, unless anything goes wrong, you should try to get some rest. I’ll talk to the driver to see if we can hurry things up.”
Trixie tried to stand but it was true, she was exhausted and her legs refused to work. She slumped back against the wall. She was sure she wouldn’t be able to sleep after what had happened to her, she thought as her eyes drifted shut.
“Ok, everypony,” said Cheerilee, “Were almost there, now everypony keep your heads down, according to the Princess these ‘whatever they are’s’ aren't friendly.”
Trixie glanced up over the small hillock the element bearers and several squads of guards were hiding behind. There hovering above them was the bulk of the bronze ship floating silently in the air, it certainly didn’t look friendly.
“Remember,” mumbled Captain Counter Attack, the guard commander, “Me and my men are to make first contact with the creatures, you bearers are to remain back here, if they prove to be hostile you are to try and use the elements on them. If that doesn’t work you are to retreat immediately. Do I make myself clear?”
“Totally,” agreed Raindrops, the rest of the bearers nodded.
“Halt,” came a cry from one of the troopers near the rear of the group, “Who goes there?”
“Um, hi,” came a small squeaky voice, “Um, I’m here to see my Momma.”
“Dinky!” gasped Ditzy. “What are you doing here?” she rushed over to her child. “I told you to stay back at home with Sparkler.”
“Well Sparkler had to go out on jeweller business and I know it was naughty but I wanted to see you Momma. I’m sorry!” Her eyes widened as she stared up at her mother.
“Well it’s very dangerous here Muffin, you need to go back home as quickly...”
Suddenly bronze metallic shapes appeared around the group of ponies as a dozen Daleks teleported into sight. The guards all turned in alarm, preparing their weapons.”
“Wait! Wait,” called Cheerilee, the Daleks remained motionless. “They’re not attacking, they might want to talk.”
“Cheerilee!” rumbled Raindrops glancing between the creatures. “I really don’t like this.”
The eye stalk of one Dalek moved from pony to pony before stopping on Ditzy. “YOU ARE THE BEAR-ERS OF THE ART-I-FACTS KNOWN AS THE ELE-MENTS OF HAR-MONY?” it asked.
Bravely Dinky took a step forwards and held out a hoof towards the Dalek that spoke. “Hi, my name is Dinky Doo, and my mother is the Element of Kindness!”
“ELE-MENT BEAR-ERS IDEN-TI-FIED,” agreed the Dalek. “EXTER-MIN-ATE,” it cried almost gleefully, a flash of green burst from its gun and Dinky’s small form collapsed to the ground.
“MUFFFIN!” screamed Ditzy falling to her knees and clutching the still smoking form of her daughter. “Wake up! Please wake up!” she shook her daughters limp form, “Please! No... no... no...” around her the guard flashed towards the Daleks only to be brutally cut down one by one by their weapons.
“The elements!” cried Trixie, “We have to use the elements!” She closed her eyes and reached into herself to feel the magic, she felt the power of the artefact streak from her and connect with her friends one by one, laughter, honesty, loyalty, generosity, the last tendril of magic flapped free, she couldn’t feel kindness. She opened her eyes, “Ditzy?” she asked.
“MURDERER!” screamed Ditzy looking up from her daughter's corpse, eyes streaming. “I’ll kill you! Kill you all!” She flashed forwards through the air and slammed into the nearest Dalek with her hind legs, the creature was shoved back a body length, its casing slightly dented. “Kill you!” She cried again, tear streaming from her eyes.
There was a green flash and before Trixie’s shocked eyes Ditzy was illuminated, her skeleton clearly visible through her coat. She writhed in the air for a moment before dropping to the ground not far from her daughter.
“No! No!” cried Trixie, this wasn’t happening! This can’t be happening.
There was a flash and Lyra’s lyre appeared at her hooves, she reached out for it with her aura when suddenly a ray hit the ground in front of her and she was sent flying into the air, she thrashed about until she slammed into the ground back first with a crunch of broken bones.
“Trixie!” yelled Raindrops, “You have to get out of here, turn invisible and go! Get back to Ponyville, warn them, tell the princess!”
“I can cast the spell on all of you, we can all get away!” cried Trixie starting to power up her horn.
“No time! I’ll cover you,” called Raindrops.
Trixie glanced around, the few remaining guards were being slaughtered, Carrot Top was lying unconscious or worse near the remains of a group of trees, Cheerilee was flashing across the group twisting and turning to avoid the deadly rays, she kicked out at Daleks as the passed but her blows had no noticeable effect on them.
Seeing her pause Raindrops cried again, “Go! Now!” She swooped towards a Dalek turning its weapon to bear.
Letting out a whiny Trixie turned, her horn discharging its spell causing her to disappear from sight. She struggled not to hear the whine of the Dalek weapons and Raindrop’s scream as she left her friends to die, like the coward and false friend she was sure she was.
Trixie awoke with a gasp as Soldier prodded her gently. “I... I left them to die!” she cried, staggering to her hooves.
“What?” he asked.
“My friends, the Daleks slaughtered them, and I just ran and ran until I got caught up in the bombardment and trapped under that wall. I should have stayed with them!”
“And what could you have done if you had stayed?”
“I don’t know I might have fought off the Daleks, saved them.”
“You know that’s not true,” said the stallion gently, “You just would have died along with them.”
“You don’t know that!” yelled Trixie.
“Yes. I. Do!” stated Soldier, “I’ve been in that situation many, many times in my life, so many have died so I could live. I know it hurts, I really do, but all you can do is honour their sacrifice by living. Now pull yourself together, we’re almost there.”
Trixie looked out the window at the Canterhorn which now filled her whole vision as the train started to ascend the foothills and snake its way up the mountain. In a way the view calmed her, Luna was close now, the Princess would know what to do, she had to.
“It’s going to be close,” muttered Soldier looking back down the train.
“What do you mean?”
“That,” he said pointing into the air, a third mother ship was approaching at unbelievable speed while Trixie was watching it must have covered over a hundred miles in a few dozen seconds. “Why hasn’t the city put up its shield yet?” he wondered. “The ship will be in position to attack in a few minutes.”
“They must be waiting for us to arrive,” mumbled Trixie her eyes locked on the ship.
“Foolish!” he scothed. “There’s nothing I can do if the city is razed before I get there.”
“But if the shield is up then we’ll probably be locked out of the city.” She looked back and forth between the city and the ship. Trains had always seemed to go so fast, but now it seemed like they were crawling along at a snail’s pace. “Come on!” she urged.
A tense minute passed, the train circled the mountain getting higher and higher as the saucer shaped craft approached. It was odd, thought Trixie a few moments ago she had felt that she had nothing to live for, now she desperately wanted to survive. The Dalek ship filled the sky and she knew that any second fire and death would descend upon them, she closed her eyes tightly and waited.
A moment passed, then another, then there was a hissing crackling sound from above. She expected pain, to feel her body melt under the death ray but instead there was nothing. She opened an eye and looked up, the city was surrounded by a pink bubble of magic extending to just behind the trains last carriage. There was a flash as something slammed into the shield and it dimed but did not go out. They were safe, for the moment.
As soon as the battered train came to a stop at Canterlot station it was overrun by members of the guard and medics looking to treat the injured. There was almost a fight when a doctor attempted to take Pokey’s body away and Trixie refused to let it out of her sight, the dispute was only settled when Soldier got the doctor to agree to allow Trixie to say goodbye and agree that Trixie could see Pokey’s remains later.
As soon as they disembarked Trixie and Soldier were ambushed by a group of Night Guard who informed them that Princess Luna wanted to see them as soon as possible. Before they could even answer they were swept up into a sky chariot and swiftly born to the castle itself. The city below was quiet, the streets almost empty apart from guard and a few others. Apparently a state of emergency had been announced and everypony warned to stay in their houses. The shield still held over the city but the Dalek ship, just visible outside, was pounding away on it. Trixie wasn’t sure how long it would hold up.
After dismounting from the carriage Trixie and Soldier were hurried through the corridors of the castle towards the throne room. Unlike the city, the castle was a bustle with activity as guards and servants rushed here and there, doors were being barricaded, posts stallioned and supplies stored. It was odd to Trixie to be reminded that the building we had lived in for much of her life was actually a fortification which had in the past resisted invasion and siege She hoped it would this time.
They finally reached their destination at the Selenic Cathedra, the throne of Equestria. The walls were lined with guards and the area around them packed by what Trixie thought must have been almost the entirety of the Night Court. Most looked understandably scared but a few had arrayed themselves for war, retrieving family heirlooms often not used for generations. Archduke Fisher looked particularly fierce, garbed in full plate armour and with a huge hammer floating near him, Trixie had never liked him much, but now she had a certain appreciation of him.
At the centre of the room stood, or rather lay, Shining Armour, the captain of the guard. He looked awful, his horn glowed with power from the effort of maintaining the shield around the city but he seemed almost physically consumed by the effort, his ribs showed through his skin. His eyes were closed tight and the fur around them was matted with tears of blood. He was surrounded by a circle of unicorns feeding their power to him. While Trixie watched one of the circle staggered and almost fell her horn going out, she was led away by a guard while another took her place.
At the front of the room on her throne sat Princess Luna, the Alicorn was immobile, as if she was carved from a block of blue marble, she projected an aura of icy calm upon her subjects. As soon as she entered the room Trixie felt her hooves start to gallop towards the Princess as if drawn by a magic force, she rushed around the group of unicorn and screeched to a halt just before her ruler suddenly unsure what to do.
“Princess, my friends... my friends...” tears started to roll down her cheeks. In a moment Luna leant forwards and wrapped her wings around the smaller blue unicorn hugging her close.
“Oh, Trixie,” she whispered. “I’m so very sorry.”
“They’re gone and I left them, I ran, I was so afraid... I’m so scared,” sobbed Trixie reaching out to her mentor.
“I know you are, I... I’m scared to,” admitted Luna quietly so that only Trixie could hear. “My sister is gone, I’m alone. We have to be strong for the others, we have to put on a mask and play our parts. Can you do that?” she asked.
Trixie sniffed and tried to hold back her tears, she understood that Luna could not show weakness in this situation regardless of her own feelings, she had to be strong too. She nodded and Luna gave her a swift nuzzle before straightening again releasing her wings revealing Trixie to the rest of the room. “Soldier,” the princess intoned. While they had been talking the old stallion and his guards had approached to the foot of the throne. “The things you have warned me of have come to pass, this would seem to be Equestria’s darkest hour. What would you have us do now?”
Soldier cleared his throat. “Well your majesty two thirds of the enemy’s forces have been destroyed by the actions of some brave ponies, and your sisters sacrifice. The enemy is not invincible, we can triumph this time. However, we need time to prepare, to plan, and we cannot do that while under attack.”
“I agree, but what can we do? Captain Armour’s shield holds for the moment, I doubt that even I could strengthen it more. However, it will not last for long.”
“There may be a way to secure it, the element of magic,” he pointed up at the tiara still on Trixie’s head.
Luna frowned. “The element cannot be used by itself, and the other bearers... are not present.” A ripple of hushed voices passed around the chamber at Luna’s words.
“Actually I believe the element can be used, with this,” he produced an irregularly shaped crystal. “A shard of your universe I found earlier.”
“How do you know this Soldier?” asked Luna.
“I... I have had certain experience with this sort of thing before, I need you to trust me.”
Luna seemed to think for a moment. “Very well, given what you have told me about your nature, I seems I have little option, although the decision is up to the element’s bearer, Trixie?”
Trixie stepped forwards and glanced around the chamber. The whole court was waiting on her words. She looked down at Soldier, she had no reason to trust the stranger but for all he’d done, and she thought he might have done, he had kept her safe. He had known her friends and those that had spoken of him and trusted him, she knew no higher praise, and as Luna had said they had no choice. “The great and power... I mean I say we should try to use the element of magic!”
Soldier nodded and stepped forwards reaching out towards Trixie. She paused before taking the element in her aura and with some effort removed it from her head and shakily passed it to the earth pony. He held it for a moment before pressing the crystal against the gem on the front. To his audiences astonishment the crystal seemed to melt into the artefact which suddenly flashed with light and began to hum. Turning his head aside Soldier carried the crown down towards Shining Armour. As the bombardment continued from above another two unicorn collapsed only to be replaced from the dwindling pool in the throne room. Soldier knelt before the trembling stallion. “Good to see you again Lieutenant Armour,” he whispered.
The unicorns bloodshot eyes flickered open and he focused on the figure in front of him. “D...Doctor?” he mumbled.
A look of pain passed over Soldier’s face. “Not anymore,” he replied. “Once I would have said this would help you, now I say it’s a weapon.” He nodded to the crown, “It will give you power, but there’s a price.”
A small smile passed over the struggling unicorns face. “Is.. Isn’t there al... always? He said struggling to speak. “I gu... guess I won’t... won't survive it?”
“Your body might but your mind... no,” Soldier shook his head. “You need to concentrate on a spell, become the spell, and a pony mind can’t survive that.”
“Make Canterlot... safe?” he asked.
“Not even the Daleks will be able to break the spell while your body remains alive.”
“Then worth... it,” Shining staggered to his feet, almost falling as another blast hit the shield above them, he slowly raised a hoof and saluted Luna, she nodded to him in return. “Do... do it!”
Soldier lowered the crown onto the stallion’s head, for a moment nothing happened then Shining gave an echoing cry and his horn lit up like a sun. Soldier staggered backwards as the unicorn’s body rose into the air, coat gleaming. Shining’s eyes shot open revealing glowing white orbs. Above the city the shield turned from pink to white as more power was pumped into it.
In the palace there was silence. Luna looked up at her people and stepped forwards. “My people, we should thank Captain Armour for his sacrifice and use the time he has brought us to prepare for battle, Archduke Fisher I will need...” she started to give orders to those gathered around.
Feeling a little ignored Trixie stepped down towards Soldier who was still looking up at Shining Armour’s body as it floated there. “It looks like your plan worked,” she said, “Now the princess has time to prepare for a fight.”
“Yes,” said Soldier looking up, the bombardment had ceased. “I think so, it’s just that this seems almost too easy. It’s never this easy with the Daleks, they’re always two steps ahead...” He looked down and tapped the floor with a hoof. “Do you feel that?” he asked.
Trixie frowned, she could feel a faint buzz through the floor. “What is that?” she wondered.
“I’m not sure... it’s almost like... Oh, no!” gasped Soldier. “Everyone clear the...”
Before he got a chance to finish the floor to the throne room cracked and a great drill bit extended through the floor, several members of the court were caught by its whirling bit and their bodies thrown aside. After a moment and front of the drill folded smoothly back and Dalek after Dalek emerged from the vehicle. “EXT-ER-MIN-ATE!” the chorused as they opened fire eliminating the nearest ponies in seconds.
“They came up through the mountain, under the shield!” cried Soldier as he grabbed Trixie and dragged her away from the centre of the room. Already a second drill was emerging.
“How dare you!” screamed Luna, “How dare you attack my little ponies here!” She lashed out with a bolt of energy from her horn which slammed into the nearest Dalek rocking it backwards but to her astonishment not destroying it. Snarling she redoubled her efforts and a second bolt smashed straight through the creature sending a splash of goo out the back as the creature inside was crushed. The alicorn leapt into the air summoning her armour to her, plates of dark metal formed around her. Landing she lashed out with a hoof, catching a second Dalek in the head crushing its eyestalk and throwing it back into a third.
Another drill penetrated the room and more Daleks flooded into the room, the guard attempted to counter attack but their weapons proved mostly useless. Forcing his way through the crowd Fisher swung his hammer with all his magical strength knocking a Dalek back, a second blow severed a gun stalk as it tried to aim at him.
A ray blast caught Luna on the flank, only to be deflected by her enchanted armour. She spun her horn flashing again, blowing the top off of her attacker, only for her to stagger back as another two blasts caught her.
“We have to help the princess,” insisted Trixie from behind a bench where she and Soldier were taking cover.
“There’s nothing we can do, apart from get killed,” he yelled a back over the sound of screaming as a nearby courtier was bit by a stray blast.
Trixie peered over the cover, the room was a mess, at the far end Fisher and the surviving guards were still fighting bravely but ineffectively, most of the court was dead, off to one side she saw a pink maned pegasus mare sobbing over the form of a dead grey earth pony stallion. Before Trixie could do anything the mare joined her friend as she was struck by a ray and collapsed on top of him. Only Luna herself seemed to be able to stand up to the invaders as she swooped around the room slaying the creatures with hoof or spell.
Turning aside Trixie noticed movement from within the drilling machines as further Daleks emerged. These were different from their kin, their shells larger and grimier, in place of eye stalk, manipulator and gun stick they had a single huge cannon, its barrel as large as her head.
Soldier stuck his head up as well, his eyes widened, “Heavy Weapon Daleks!” he gasped, “But... Oh, no! Look,” he pointed. Around each other creatures was wrapped a golden band with a gem on it.
“The elements!” cried Trixie, she felt sick, this was the ultimate desecration of her friends even worse than their deaths. “No! They can’t possibly use them, how can these... these things know anything about friendship?”
“You saw what I did with the element of magic, all they need is a reality fragment, and that’s well within Dalek capabilities. No... No! Not again!” he cried.
Luna had noticed the arrival of the new enemies and turned to the creatures, she struck out with her magic only for one of the normal Dalek’s to interpose itself and take the blow for its companion. She prepared to attack again when with a roaring sound another of the heavy weapon Dalek’s opened up, a beam of red energy rushing out of its canon. Luna screamed as she felt the blast burst through her armour, she staggered out of the blast and tried to recover only for another creature to target her with a blast of green energy knocking her legs out from under her and causing her to cry out again.
“Luna can’t stand up to much more of this,” muttered Soldier, “But she’ll just escape to the moon, they can destroy it of course but that would mean abandoning Canterlot, so why...?” He looked up at the globe over the city and then at Shining Armour’s glowing body still hovering in the air. “No!”
“What is it?” asked Trixie.
“We have to stop Shining Armour, now!” he yelled vaulting the bench and rushing across the chamber.
“What do you mean stop?” cried Trixie pausing for a second them following him.
The old stallion grabbed a spear from a fallen guard, leaving little doubt to his intentions.
Across the room Luna cried out again as she was pummelled by three of the energy blasts at once, her armour glowing red hot and melting off of her form. She dissolved her form into smoke and sought to escape the punishing blasts, to her surprise the power being thrown at her continued to affect her even in her immaterial form. Without giving her a moment’s pause all five of the heavy weapon Daleks tracked her form and opened fire, pink, green, blue, orange and red energy cracking over her, tearing her body apart layer by layer.
With a final shriek the remains of the Princess shot skywards out of the room towards her moon only to be stopped by the shield covering the city. Desperately the ribbon of blue energy sought a crack in the barrier without success, strengthened as it was by the element of magic even her powers couldn’t penetrate it. Below her her tormentors slowly followed rising into the air, surprisingly gracefully, to form a firing squad.
“EXT-ER-MIN-ATE!” they screeched as one as they opened fire releasing a rainbow of energy towards Luna.
In the throne room Soldier raised the spear in his mouth and to Trixie’s horror prepared to plunge it into Shining Armour's flank. When the sound of heavy weapon fire filtered down into the room and he let the weapon drop from his mouth. He was too late.
For a moment silence fell over the room as the few remaining guard fell back from their opponents in confusion. A Dalek rolled forwards. “YOUR PRIN-CESS HAS FALL-EN, SURR-END-ER AND ACC-EPT DAL-EK RULE!” It announced.
For a moment the guards looked around in confusion then Archduke Fisher, his armour dented and one leg dragging on the ground limped forwards. “Never,” he bellowed, “While one Equestrian still stands we will fight you! We will never give up while we still draw breath!” With a roar he staggered forwards hammer raised, before he could take a step he was engulfed in green fire from one of the returning heavy weapon Daleks, once it died down he had been totally destroyed, not even ashes remained. For a moment the guard faltered, then with a single cry they rushed forwards towards their foe.
Trixie looked on in horror as they were cut down on mass, she almost didn’t notice when Soldier grabbed her by the shoulder. “Make us invisible now!” he hissed, “We have to get out of here.”
Still in shock, she complied.
Trixie fled through the corridors of the castle following Soldier. At first they were packed by ponies trying to get away from the destruction above, if that was even possible. Shining Armour must have been killed as the whole castle was shaking under the bombardment, possibly the whole city. Soldier led the two of them lower and lower, the architecture of the castle slowly melted away to the cruder designs of the mines that it had been built upon millennia ago. Enchanted lighting slowly flicked on as they passed, it was a wonder it still worked.
Eventually they came to a stop in a rough hued chamber, Soldier struggled to push the double doors shut and Trixie used her magic to drop the blocking bar in place. Both of them looked at each other panting hard.
“What... what do we do now?” gasped Trixie.
“There is nothing we can do, Equestria has fallen, I’ve failed again!” he snarled. “All I can do is get you out of here, save something from this world.” He gestured at a tall blue box standing in the room.
“This is your ship?” she asked, remembering Cheerilee’s description of it.
“Yes, my TARDIS,” he walked over to the box, its exterior was cracked and peeling. “We’ve both seen better times.” He ran a hoof gently over it before opening the door. “Come on.”
Trixie took a step forwards then stopped. “I’m not leaving,” she said.
“Don’t be silly, they’ll be here soon, there’s no way you can survive.”
“I won’t keep running, I know my friends gave their lives so I could come this far but I can’t leave Equestria without fighting.” She placed her hooves solidly on the ground. “This is my home and I’ll fight for it. There has to be a point where a pony stops and say’s ‘no more’ this is mine. No more!”
Soldier opened his mouth then paused. “Very well,” he said with a nod, “Very well Trixie, good luck.”
“Thanks, you know you might want to think about going back to your old name, I think you’ve helped me at least.”
“No,” he said without pause shaking his head. “I can’t, I don’t deserve it.” He closed the TARDIS door and after a moment the vehicle gave a wheezing groaning sound and faded from view.
Trixie stood in silence for a moment until the last echoes of the TARDIS faded away, then she slumped to the ground feeling every moment of the last day on her shoulders. Had it really been only a day? Less than that? So many dead, Dinky, Ditzy, Lyra, Raindrops, Carrot Top Cheerilee, Pokey, Corona, Luna, so many more. She heard the sound of the Dalek weapons going off, the sound was getting closer. She stood and tried to brush some of the dirt off her cloak, if she was going to die then she at least wanted to do it with some style.
An almost manic energy started to build within her and she paced back and forwards. What was taking the Daleks so long to get here? She thought, and then laughed her herself, was she so eager to die? She supposed she didn’t have too much to live for. She only wished she could take at least one of the attackers with her, it wasn’t likely, she wasn’t well trained in combat magic, still Pokey had managed to destroy one with his horn...
Trixie blinked, his horn sharpening spell! He’d once bet her that she couldn’t learn it. He’d almost been right, she’d tried for weeks before she managed to sort out a workable version, she’d used it once or twice since, as part of an escapology trick. Maybe she could use it, it was a million to one shot, but what other option did she have? Hadn’t Soldier mentioned something about destroying a reality destabilization thing causing a real big bang? Maybe she’d get lucky?
Now with a plan Trixie set herself directly in front of the great doors into the chamber, from beyond them the sounds were getting louder. She swallowed painfully a drop of sweat rolling down the side of her face. At least she’d get to see her friends again soon, whatever happened she thought, she found the idea buoyed her. She could almost sense them around her, ready to fight alongside her, supporting her.
Hey Trixie, I’d never leave you when you needed me, you know that right?
Don’t worry we’re all here for you, aren’t we Muffin?
Even me Miss Trixie, your biggest fan
If there’s anything I can do to help, just ask!
Cheer up! This’ll be fun, think of the future history lessons!
This is probably one of the stupidest things you’ve ever done, just as well I’m here isn’t it?
Boss, this is going to be awesome! Now let’s get straight to the point!
In front of her the door exploded revealing two Daleks, they rolled forwards eyestalks twitching.
“WHERE IS THE DOC-TOR?” one squawked.
“I’m afraid he’s already left,” said Trixie.
“IDEN-TI-FY YOUR SELF!”
“I,” said Trixie rearing up, “Am the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She dropped back onto all fours and lowered her head, her horn glowing as she summoned all her power into the part remembered spell. “And have I got a show for you!” she cried as leapt forwards, the aura starting to spread across her whole body.
The explosion tore the mountain up by its very roots, lifting tens of millions of tons of rock into the air and almost instantly obliterating the whole of the city of Canterlot and everything in it. The rocky projectile slammed into the Dalek mother ship which had been bombarding the city smashing it into fragments. For the third time that day a caged sun was loosed in what became the first day of a new era.
Within the TARDIS Soldier angrily kicked at a defenceless chair. He had retained his pony form for the moment. Four hundred and twenty seven times! Four hundred and twenty Seven Equestria’s he’s failed to save! He turned away not wanting to see any more. He’d worked so hard to try and stop the Daleks from finding their way into that world but they were relentless, his final attempt had resulted in the dimension shattering into thousands of duplicates, but that only resulted in thousands of atrocities rather than just one. Dalek’s attacked and conquered one after another after another and he got to see the same ponies suffer and die each time. He had hoped he could learn enough to stop at least one of the invasions, but four hundred and twenty seven times without success, all he could do was cut off each defeated plain preventing the Daleks from using the resources gained in other battles, locking them away with their conquered subject. Soldier shuddered, what evil was he truly perpetrating?
Still maybe four hundred and twenty eight would be the winner? He moved a hoof to the necessary lever and froze there. No he couldn’t do it any more, he couldn’t keep fighting at the fringes any more, he couldn’t let any more ponies die for him, no more Trixies or Lunas or Dinkys.
“No more!” he muttered to himself.
“No more!” he cried slamming his hooves down on the controls resulting in a shower of sparks.
He breathed heavily for a moment before calming himself and trotting over to the transmogrifier.
He had to return to the centre of the war, to the one place it might be stopped, return to his home.
“No more!”
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When Davros created the Daleks, he really did a job on their psychology:
0 Daleks must rule all of time and space.
1 Daleks hate all other sentient sapient life.
2 Daleks may form temporary alliances and enslave other sentient sapient beings, but in the end, the only sentient sapient life in the universe will be Daleks and Daleks will exterminate all other sentient sapient beings.
Terry Nations based the Daleks on Nazis —— ¡the scene in the Stolen Earth where Daleks in Germany screech "¡Exterminate!" in German is chilling! ¡Daleks are the closest thing to pure evil!
Man, it sucks to be the Doctor sometimes...a lot of the time, actually...
As far as I can see, there are at least 500 Lunaverses that all thirteen of him have saved that need reintegrating....quite the thing for an idiot with a box and a screwdriver and a control freak to pull off.
Dat cop out.