Unknown
Chapter Ten: Contacted
After hours of kneeling and either nodding or shaking my head, I finally reached the limit of my patience. Cheerilee was in the middle of relaying a story about a group of children that called themselves the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' when something inside me snapped. I stood up with such a speed that I smashed the ornate table with a knee, spilling several drinks that had been served earlier and making the ponies jump in surprise.
There was only so much turn-taking discussion that I could bear. I would rather assault an enemy base unarmed than hear one more word about cultural differences, crop cultivation numbers, or upcoming weather predictions. I was provided with enough information regarding the effects of my arrival than I would realistically be able to use, and yet they still kept talking.
I folded my note-taking papers that now numbered in the dozens and stuffed them in a pocket on my chest, then grabbed my helmet and headed for the exit.
I heard several exclamations, most beginning with 'where' and ending with 'going'. The words turned into meaningless gibberish as soon as I stepped through the purple sphere that Twilight Sparkle had created. I shoved the doors open without looking back.
A thousand eyes were trained on me the second my form appeared outside. I stopped like I had just been shot at. There were hundreds held back by a loose ring of the military ponies that I now knew were called the Royal Guard. I stared at the crowd, and they stared back. I felt like I was being judged in some way, and I didn't like it. I started to walk forward and they stepped back as if I repelled them by magnetism. My expression must not have been pleasant. I put my helmet on as I kept walking, the reflective surface giving me no small comfort, and the sea of ponies parted like I was some sort of messianic figure.
Nothing stood in my way as I retraced my journey and returned to the ship. I took a couple of wrong turns through the narrower portions of the town, but I did not get lost. The morning had bled into the afternoon while I was stuck listening to the problems my arrival had caused. After ensuring that I was not followed, I relieved myself at the edge of the furrow the ship had created. My stream narrowly missed a rabbit that was camouflaged in the dirt. It stopped and watched me until I was finished, then bounded into the forest.
After pulling myself up and into the hangar, I estimated there to be only four or five hours of daylight left. I dragged the scrap I had moved to exit the ship back into its place. I knew it would not stop the ponies if they truly desired entrance, but it gave me a small piece of mind regardless. I walked quickly in the direction of the Cryogenic Chamber Room, and was met in the hallway by a huffing Catherine, who had obviously heard the clanging of my boots. She looked a little pale, but she was not shivering. The thermal clothing from her footlocker evidently provided enough protection from the cold. The submachine gun I left for her was strapped to her hip, as was some sort of radio.
I took my helmet off as she approached.
"Next time you do something that will undoubtedly have lasting effects, can you at least wait for me to wake up first?" Her voice was angry, but her expression was relieved. "I nearly panicked when I woke up and you weren't there. I know you're probably used to acting alone, but your decisions affect me, too."
"Sorry," I replied. "I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I left. I regret not taking you with me."
"You've been gone almost all day, Six. A lot's happened since then. I'd love to know what exactly you got yourself into, but it can wait." Catherine took a deep breath before continuing. "I found a bunch of radios in the Armory. Most of them were busted, but this one was only turned off. I turned it on and got nothing but static, so I went to the edge of the Hangar to get better reception. I got a response on the third broadcast signal. There are other survivors."
I felt eerily calm. "Where?"
"Deep in the forest from what they've told me. They're camped along the edge of a large river, and they've been assaulted every night by... God knows what. Some of the descriptions... I don't know how they're still alive." Catherine handed me the radio from her hip. "I told them everything I knew. The leader of the survivors wanted to speak with you as soon as possible."
I looked at the radio, then back at Catherine. "Did they give a name?"
She swallowed and nodded.
"The leader said his name was One."
/////
I ran to the wall I built.
Some of my brothers-in-arms were still alive. I had almost given up hope. Almost. I was already speaking into the radio while Catherine followed in my wake, struggling to keep pace.
"Unit One, this is Unit Six. Over."
I heard no response, so I repeated myself. A moment of empty silence passed before the radio crackled to life.
"Unit Six, this is Unit One. What is your status? Over."
I inadvertently sighed and leaned my head against the cold steel of the Hangar wall.
"Mental and physical capabilities fully operational. Armour and weaponry fully operational. Over."
"Good to hear you speak, soldier," said the gravelly voice of One. His tone sounded bleak. "We tried breaking Nine out of his chamber, but it didn't go well. The shock killed him. We had to leave you behind. There was no other choice. Over."
Catherine looked at me with wide, concerned eyes. When she opened her mouth to say something, I put a finger over my lips, and she remained silent.
"I understand," I replied. "Who is left? Over."
"Units Two through Five, Nine, and Ten are terminated. Unit Seven is near breaking point. He will crack tonight. Unit Eight has a broken leg. Femur. Not life threatening, but combat effectiveness is reduced." One paused for a few seconds. "Is the woman around? Over."
"No," I said as I looked at Catherine. "Over."
"Tonight is probably our last stand. We ran out of food yesterday. Ammo is nearly depleted. Every night there are more beasts. Wood wolves, great bears, monsters of the dark that cannot be named. It feels like the forest itself is assaulting us with nightmares. We fought valiantly, but we will die here. Wherever here is." He chuckled coldly before adding, "Over."
I glanced at Catherine. Her face was one of shock. Evidently, she had not heard the truth of the situation until I had. There was only one thing to do.
"It's still several hours before nightfall. All vehicles on board are destroyed, but I have access to food and ammunition. Possibly first aid. If you describe the location, I might be able to get directions and provide assistance. What are your orders? Over."
"Leave the dead to their deaths, Six. Over."
I stared at the radio as if it had tried to bite me. "Repeat order. Over."
"I said leave. The dead. To. Their. Deaths. Over."
"Sir—" I began before my finger slipped off the transmitter button. One's voice echoed out.
"I told you never to call me that, Six. All of us are guilty of heinous crimes, and we are numbered to remind us that we are merely tools to be used. We are numbed by the drugs they slip into our food and made to feel invincible by the armour they make us wear and the steroids they inject us with. They take away what makes us human piece by piece. They turn us into unfeeling machines that carry out tasks considered too repulsive for normal soldiers, and we do it without batting an eye. We are the vigilant protectors of our people, dauntless in our willingness to commit the atrocities we are ordered to perform. They say we deserve this, that we brought it upon ourselves, but the truth is... we don't.
"Nobody deserves what we've been through. All of us could have taken the easy way out and chosen death, but we didn't. We chose sacrifice over surrender. We were promised amnesty for our crimes after five years of service, but of course it was never given. They made us forget who we were and why we made the choices we did."
One took a deep breath before continuing.
"She told me about the inhabitants. Alien ponies, she called them. Not hostile. No advanced weaponry. Bandaged her up good as new and didn't ask for anything in return. And you visited them, and came back."
There was a lengthy pause. When he didn't continue, I took it as my turn to speak.
"I did. They created something that allowed me to understand them, but they could not understand me. They said it was only a matter of time before it worked both ways." I pulled out some of my crumpled notes. "They talk like us, have the same basic needs as us. Food, water, shelter. Clean air. Their technology is primitive, but they have ways to compensate. They're concerned about what our arrival means for their civilization. They're frightened of the forest the ship crashed on and the things within it. They only live on the outskirts. They call it the Everfree.
"Over."
"The Everfree. An apt name. When we die, we will be forever free." He sighed. "Six, your orders are as follows.
"Remain where you are and establish good relations with the natives. Do not tell them who you were, what you did, and above all, do not tell them why you did it. Keep them innocent. Do not expose them to our world. Give the dead the respect they deserve.
"Make the woman happy. Make a life for yourselves.
"This is your exoneration, Six. It's been a long time coming. Don't waste it. There is no going back. Live your life to its fullest potential.
"Leave the dead to their deaths. Over and out."
The radio static went dead.
"Come in, Unit One. I repeat, come in, Unit One."
No reply.
I slumped against the wall and slid slowly down until I hit the floor. Catherine sat down beside me, and I felt her head against my shoulder. She was quietly sobbing.
I bowed my head, and for the first time I could remember, I felt tears flow freely.