“And they all died?” the bartender asked, interrupting my story with a raise of an eyebrow.
“No,” I spat back, giving a glare that could scare a raider.
The tension of the moment was broken by the sound of the bar doors opening. Softing my glance, I turned to see who was entering. It was a couple and their colt entering from the storm that was still raging outside. One was a griffon, I could tell from his body shape. The other was a unicorn based on the horn protruded through her rags. The colt was also a unicorn. It was unclear if they were a couple or if the griffon was their body guard. The three of them were wrapped in old damp rags that obscured the rest of their features.
“Welcome.” the bartender greeted, “I apologize for the lack of light, we are experiencing a power outage, but shelter is shelter. Have a seat, I’ll get you some water and a bite to eat, on the house.”
“Th-thank you.” the mare muttered, meekly. She must have been a slave at some point in her life because she was looking at the floor as she spoke, seemingly afraid to make eye contact with her host.
They trotted over to the table on the other side of the room, and I watched as the bartender levitate a murky bottle of water and 3 fancy buck cakes from under the counter, along with a few chipped glasses. He trotted over and gave them the water and food, for which, the mare thanked him again and he returned to the bar.
“Awfully nice for the wasteland.” I commented upon his return. “One late night patron is one thing, but now you are giving four free tabs? Most others would rather gouge prices in this kind of weather.”
“Well, I’d hate if anypony caught death before their time.” he replied with a smirk, “So, you disengaged the Pinkie Space Talisman. You must have survived or you wouldn’t be here to tell the story.”
Without another word, he refilled my glass with more wild pegasus and I returned to my story.
*** *** ***
When I awoke, I was in an eerily familiar place: The medical bay of an airship. The only thing that cued me in that it was not an Enclave ship, was the bright pink paint job and the skeleton in the corner. Why must the MoM use such an irritating shade of pink?
“Uumm...everything is in the right place...I think.” The chipper, and uncomfortably unsure voice of BONK spoke up from the autodoc that had presumably been working on my burns and bullet wounds.
“Shouldn't the autodoc’s programing be working on me? A navigation computer is hardly qualified.” I asked sitting up to find that yes, everything was intact. Well except for my wings and if even hydra couldn’t regrow them, nothing could.
“Ummm….well….you see…” She stammered, it was really starting to be really impressed with how well BONK imitated actual pony emotion.
“Out with it, BONK.” I replied impatiently.
“I’m the only potato on this ship still working.” BONK admitted. I assumed potato was another language malfunction and she’d meant system. “I’ve had to improvise, but even transferring to Black Pepper was an accident.”
The ship sharply veered to the left tossing me from the bed and BONK-doc fell silent.
“Sorry about that. Using voice modulation down here in the med bay took my attention away from navigating the ruins.” BONK explained quickly, “Talking on the bridge is less taxing. Meet me and the others up there, kay?”
At that the autodoc fell quiet again. I’m not sure it caught my nod before I made my way to the bridge.
*** *** ***
When I entered the bridge the first thing I saw was Action Shot. A non-cybernetic prosthetic had been attached to where his wrecked cyberhoof had been, which he was avidly using to hobble about as he loudly argued with a holographic projection of BONK. The argument seemed have been going on for quite some time, and it made me wonder if BONK had been able to have multiple conversations at once in different parts of the ship.
Looker was looking through a terminal that had the same pink glow as the one from the Black Pepper’s Security Control, and the rear end of Cap was sticking out from under another terminal on the opposite side of a small isle. Based on his low muffled cursing, he was trying to fix the terminal without his magic, meaning his horn was probably still broken.
In front of the two work stations were four more arranged on either side of the same isle. The aisle itself sloped slightly downward toward the front of the ship, on which was a large tempered glass window. Based on the slightly darker image of the outside, I could tell it had a similar ultraviolet ray protection that Enclave aviator sunglasses had. At the opposite end of the aisle, on a slightly raised pedestal, stood the captain's chair. The whole room was also painted a various assortment of pink shades, as if somepony had not been sure what shade to use for the whole room.
Along the roof was a projector adorned with the symbol of the MoM, three balloons. That projector produced the image of BONK in the center of the room. There was also a series of terminal screens that gave readout information about other parts of the airship. Though, there was a row of six monitors directly above the captain's chair that looked out of place. They were bigger than the rest, and only one was still working. The one that was, showed a smaller image of BONK that was apparently independent of the one talking to Action. The 5 remaining screens only showed static.
“BONK!” Action shouted as I entered the bridge, “This is not the direction of Safe Harbor.”
“Correct. We are investigating the Luna Tear Emergency Lockdown at TRS-1. This is the seventh time I’ve told you this. I’m starting to think you're not listening.” BONK replied, oblivious to the fact that Action was not listening.
“Looker, can you tell this malfunctioning mainframe where to go? You still technically work for its ministry.” Action asked angrily.
“BONK, please? Before he asks an eighth time.” Looker placated.
“Sorry, Operative Looking Glass, Only the captain can change my zap apple.” BONK answered to everypony’s surprise.
“Wait, what?” we all asked simultaneously.
“After we left Black Pepper. I used the sprite bot network to contact the current head of the ministry.” She began, the BONK on the screen motioning for me to move closer to the hologram. “I managed to contact an AP named PINK. Nice Gal. She said Chief Backlash couldn’t be reached. She was authorized to give me carte blanche...whatever that means...to hire and fire from the ministry as I see fit. So I hired you all! Well, all of you except for Operative Looking Glass, as I’d already reinstated her employment earlier. Which reminds me, owed back pay can be deposited from your account at any Canterlot Capital Bank. What else… oh! I assumed Cumulo was your leader, so I made him captain.”
As soon as she said that I felt all eyes on me.
“This enclave jerk isn't enough of a team player to lead.” Looker spat, her sudden anger drew confused looks from everypony, “The shit you pulled at Black Pepper was reckless. And you could have gotten yourself killed. You could have gotten us all killed.”
Her words stung, but I needed to hear them. Too bad they went in one ear and out the other. Hindsight really is 20/20. Instead of apologizing I simply stated, “Yeah, but it didn’t. We got out.”
“Let me know when we get to whatever destination you decide on.” She spat, obviously not liking my answer as she stormed out of the bridge.
A thud and a pained yelp signified Cap getting out from under the terminal, “Well I got the internal temperature regulator back online. So we can go a bit faster without overheating the engine. Still no shields though.” He then turned to me, “Let her cool off. She knows that had you told Steerinko your plan, he would have stopped you. She just cares too much about others. That is why dad trained her to tend to the wounded slaves. She made sure that my dad's stock actually stayed alive, so he felt it was a worthwhile investment. She would have tended to them anyway, even if instructed not to, and my dad would rather have somepony like her, who knew what she was doing, take care of them.”
“So, Captain, can you order this thing to go to Safe Harbor?” Action asked, bringing the conversation back to our destination selection.
“BONK, how close are we to Safe Harbor?” I asked.
“About a day and a half’s melon, Captain Cumulo.” she chirped proudly.
“And How about TRS-1?” I queried.
“With the repairs first mate Cap Stash did, we should be able to get there by morning.” she beamed.
“Based on the direction, TRS-1 is likely the proper name for the place we were headed to find your father anyways.” Cap chimed in.
“Yeppy yep! The location tag for a pipbuck 3000 model 3S, tag LBT15, is still coming from TRS-1.” BONK added, “I connected your armour to my network to attempt repairs. Navigation data was downloaded. Sorry for prying.”
“It's fine.” I replied, “I guess it is settled. We go to TRS-1.”
“What? No!” Action protested, “Bring the property you promised to to return to Safe Harbor back first!”
“We will. After.” Cap said, speaking for me, “The Airship is faster than walking. So we go to TRS-1 now and save ourselves some time, or we’d have to walk all the way back to TRS-1 after turning the balloon over.”
“About a 4 day’s melon on hoof.” BONK stated.
“Fine.” Action relented.
“BONK, set course for TRS-1!” I ordered loudly.
“Okie Dokie Loki!” BONK squeed and the ship jolted forward as we picked up speed, “Though technically I already was heading there, have been for hours.”
*** *** ***
Since I knew it would be a few hours before we arrived at the TRS-1 place, I figured I would get some some rest. So being the new captain of this thing, I headed to the captain’s quarters.
It was a large, almost square room. The front wall curved slightly to look like a half circle had been tacked onto a square. Fitting perfectly along the curved wall was a small metal desk with a terminal on it that glowed the same pink color all the other MoM terminals I’d seen so far. Next to the desk was a small walk in closet, but since the ship was not in use towards the end of the war, there were no clothes in it, just the remains of my more patched up looking Enclave armor, and my saddlebags. Opposite the curved wall was a queen sized bed made up perfectly with a red comforter and pink sheets. It was odd that there wasn't a speck of dust in the room, but I figured BONK had cleaned it up for me since my stuff had been moved to the closet.
I flopped down onto the bed and wiggled my way under the covers. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but found myself unable to do so. It was then I realized that it was the first time I’d been in an actual bed scene falling out of the sky. My wing scars ached uncomfortably, and the dirt caked in my coat and mane cased it to clump oddly. Both things were preventing me from getting comfortable, and it was becoming infuriating.
“Celestia dammit!” I shrieked in frustration.
“Can’t sleep?” BONK’s voice asked softly from the terminal on the desk. It was then that I’d noticed the screen had switched to blue.
“Yeah.” I groaned, “I should be happy to have a real bed for the evening, but I just feel dirty and the scars where my wings used to be ach.”
“I’ve heard that means a storm is coming.” She replied solemnly. “My last captain mentioned her knee aching whenever the Pegasi planned a storm.”
This was the first time she had mentioned her old crew. Should I pry? I wondered to myself for about a minute before choosing to ask, “What happened to them? Your last crew, I mean.”
“I,” she hesitated, “I don’t know. Back then I was shut down in the evenings. The Sugar Sprinkle often did patrols around Salt Lick to boost city moral, but I wasn’t needed while we were docked for the night.” There was a long silence as BONK let her words hang in the air, “When the squatters in the museum restored power 30 years ago, it must have kicked on my boot up Salad. I didn’t even realize that I didn’t have a crew until TRS-1 sent me the signal.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I responded, honestly feeling sympathy for the virtual pony. “So this ship is called The Sugar Sprinkle?”
“Yep! Renamed in honor of Sergeant Sugar Sprinkle.” She answered, sounding a bit happier to not be directly talking about her old crew.
“Renamed from what? Why did Sgt. Sugar get the honor?” I asked.
“Umm...I’m not sure. There is no MoM database on the ship. You might find one in a MoM hub like Black Pepper.” BONK stated.
“Dang. I thought I could pass the time having you tell me about the past. I was never really interested in Old Equestria, but I can’t sleep, so I figured it was a good time to try to seem interested.” I said and before rolling over and trying to sleep again.
“Awe, Cupcakes. I’m ruining your fun aren't I?” She gasped.
“No, no,” I said, sitting up, “Like I said, I wasn't really interested.”
“Okie dokie! I can warm up the shower water for you if you want. A shower might help you sleep.” BONK suggested.
I nodded, simply assuming there was a camera. Pinkie pie couldn’t always watch if there wasn’t a camera everywhere, right?
“Well it will take a bit. Wanna pass the time listening to Detective Cuff’s case files? They were downloaded from the recorder you picked up when it was converted into the new visor.” BONK added.
“Eh, sure.” I responded flopping back down on the pillow.
“Yes, Captain!” BONK squeed before the computer turned pink again.
There was a clicking sound and the recording began to play from the terminal.
“This is the 4th unexplained death in this building in the last 3 months.” A gruff sounding stallion dictated. “A defenestration with no pony there to throw the other, an accidental weapons discharge from a deactivated ponytron, and now this elevator accident. All signs point to Rocking Farm & Associates. Though apparently the Salt Lick Police force lacks clearance to investigate a rock farm conglomerate. The Pink Pill Popper of the MoM is giving us a lot of red tape to cut through. I’m just trying to do my job! I should have listened to my cousin Slewfoot and gone into business for myself. I’ll let him say ‘I told ya so’ next time I’m in Ponyville.”
There was another click as the recording ended and the room was plunged into silence. A moment later there was another click and the next recording played.
“So, how long have you been a night security guard in Eshmare Mr….” The stallion from before began.
“Hinge.” an older stallion replied, “Been working here for 10 years next week.”
“So, did you hear or see anything suspicious these past few months? Anypony who wasn’t supposed to be around here? Anything out of place at all?” the detective asked.
Before the elderly pony could answer there was a distant boom on the recording. Followed shortly by the shattering of glass and the sounds of the recorder being dropped to the ground. Abruptly the recording ended with another click. I waited for the next to begin and sure enough there was another click.
“Fuck.” Detective Cuff said weakly into the recorder, “Fuck the Zebras. Fuck the war. Fuck the princesses and their damned ministries.” He paused and there was the sound of barfing. “Welp, I just contaminated a crime scene.” he said when he finished puking, “Not that is fucking matters. A Celestia damned mega spell hit the salt flats just north west of here.” He paused again to continue puking. “Fuck me. That’s blood. I...I’m gonna die here. Fuuuuuu…”
He never finished his final swear. There was a thud of his body hitting the floor where I’d found it. The recording didn't stop though, it went on for about another minute of just ambient sounds. It was actually kind of relaxing and I felt myself falling asleep.
“Sorry to interrupt!” BONK popped up, instantly snapping me back to being fully awake and alert.
“BONK! I was actually falling asleep!” I complained, mentally facehoofing.
“Sorry, wasn't using the camera this time. A fairly strong crosswind has been requiring more of my attention on navigation.” she apologized, “Anywhoozle, the shower water is warmed up if you want to use it.”
“Thank you, BONK.” I grumbled and ot out of bed.
I won’t go into detail about my shower because that would be a bit of oversharing, but I will say it was the best shower I’d ever taken. The water was heated to perfection, and the pressure was better than I had back at the academy. There was also fancy mane and coat wash that would have cost a fortune now-a-days above the clouds because of its scarcity. I did make a mental note to take some with me when we returned to Safe Harbor. They can have their twenty six thousand cap airship, but I was going to make a little off the stuff left by BONK’s old crew.
After my shower, I was feeling relaxed again. I returned to my room, dug out the med-x from my saddle bags, and injected it. Finally the aching in my back dulled to a tolerable level, and I slid back under the covers, finally falling asleep shortly after.
*** *** ***
My dream started off nice enough. I was soaring through the sky, doing drills at Neighvaro Academy. It felt so good to be able to fly again. The wind picked up, and I was bowin into a tail spin. Quickly, I corrected myself, but I was too late. I’d somehow ended up next to a dragon, and before I could pull away, he tore off my wings and I fell. I crashed through the clouds, and right back into the Capital Bank vault. As had happened before, the bank vault opened, and out stepped the half faced colt, Blip.
“Always so self centered.” He spat in his ethereal echo as he trotted towards me. Again, I instinctively stepped back, thick streams of blood pouring from my freshly removed wings. “You’re no leader, no saint. You’ll end up killing everypony you meet. Just like you got me killed.”
“N-no.” I managed to get out.
“You’re just an Icarus.” He spat, the final word repeating in Graven’s, Looker’s, Cap’s, Action’s and DJ Pon3’s voice before fading, “Always flying towards the sun. Never learning. You should have died when that dragon ripped off your wings!”
Suddenly I was pierced with a giant dragon claw. The tips searing my skin like the hallway had done in Black pepper.
*** *** ***
I woke up screaming in a cold sweat to the very concerned face of BONK on the blue glowing terminal.
“You alright Captain? I...I didn’t put anything back together wrong did I?” BONK panicked. “It was only healing skin and growing a coat. Did I grow your mane into your heart?”
“I’m fine.” I said, catching my breath, “It was just a bad dream. We there yet?”
“Just about, hold on.” she said as the screen returning to its pink color.
There was the sound of feedback from the ship wide intercom before the chipper and very loud voice of BONK began to speak, “Goodmorning, crew of the Sugar Sprinkle! I hope you slept well! The time is now 0500! We have began our final descent on TRS-1. Would all crew please report to the bridge. I regret to inform you that the Mess Hall food fabricator is still offline, so if you want breakfast, you're gonna have to eat anything you brought. If somepony doesn’t have food, please share! Because remember, you gotta share! You gotta care! Thank you!”
The announcement ended with a loud click and the screen in my room turned blue again.
“I’ve secretly really wanted to do that since like forever!” BONK beamed.
*** *** ***
When I entered the bridge, Cap, Looker, and Action were already there and eating some fancy buck cakes. Action was also inspecting some pristine looking battle saddles and weapons likely taken from the ship’s armory. Cap noticed me walk in, and with his mouth, he tossed an unopened fancy buck cake at me. It hit me square in the forehead and flopped onto the floor.
“Sorry, my aim is better when I have magic.” he sighed, gingerly putting a hoof to the bandages wrapping what was left of his horn. “You should eat up. This is the last of what we got unless I can fix the food fabricator.”
Action trotted over and hoofed me a near mint condition minigun. Since the battle saddle on my armor was now repaired, I quickly attached the gun to it. I still thought miniguns were bullet hogs, but a gun was a gun.
“Please try to not totally, wreck, disintegrate, or otherwise make this weapon unusable.” He stated, “I’ve been told that happens to you often.”
“Hey, it only happened twice!” I protested.
“Actually three times counting the two novasurges you lost on your first day.” Looker jested, her anger from last night no longer present. “that makes it a pattern. You’re a serial weapon killer.”
I just snorted in mock anger and picked up both items before trotting over to the captain’s chair to eat. As I ate, I looked up at the monitors and saw BONK munching on a digital version of a fancy buck cake. Though the package said ‘Fancy Bit Cake’. Huh, I just guessed she didn't want to be left out.
*** *** ***
After we ate, BONK used the GET to bring us back to the surface. Immediately my armor’s rad counter went through the roof. The megaspell in the recording from the night before came to mind. We must be near the crater. I made sure everypony took a Rad-X and a few RadAways before we continued.
The salt flats stretched on for about a mile or two in every direction. And contrary to its name, it was not made of salt. It was made of a loose grey powdery sand that reminded me of the dust left by Cicada's Wrath.
Speaking of my uber magical weapon, I looked through the inventory with my armor’s HUD and found it wasn’t there. I assumed that it had simply been left in Safe Harbor and I could get it later. I just hoped I didn’t need it for anything we encountered in TRS-1.
TRS-1 was nothing more than a burnt out cabin. Though in the floor of the cabin next to the skeleton of a mare, was a trap door that lay ajar. The mare herself looked to have been moved recently based on the the section of clean floor right in front of the open door. So clearly TRS-1 was another black site of some sort, and my father was or has defiantly been here recently.
Carefully we all descended the ladder into the basement of the cabin. The basement was illuminated by very familiar red warning lights. They lit up a large gear shaped door on the far side of the rectangle room. On it was the white letters ‘TRS-1’. Though I could tell it had been painted over in the center because the grey metal was two toned, I could barely make out what was left of what looked like an ‘O’ behind the flaking paint. Next to the door was a terminal that glowed a soft green. The screen itself, prompted a ‘MoM Override Code’.
Hesitantly I raised a hoof to the talk button on my helmet. Feeling no debilitating shock this time, I began to speak. “BONK, we need some kind of override code.”
“Uhhh...yes, I got it from Black Pepper. PinkPartyPony#1, no spaces, all capital P’s.” she chirped in my ear.
Awfully easy to guess override code for a very serious lockdown. I thought as I entered the code, I wonder if it is just to lift this lockdown or all lockdowns. That knowledge could be worth something if it works at all MoM facilities.
With a loud screeching sound that shook the room and knocked some dust onto us from the floor above, the door slid off to the side, revealing an entry foyer and steps descending further underground. There was a large screen with a large diagonal crack in it just above the steps. As we entered it turned on and the image of a white, teenaged buck with a short pink, green, and blue mane appeared.
The buck let out a breathy sigh before speaking as if it really didn't want to.
“Hi,” it said in an emotionless monotone, “Welcome to Orch...I mean Tartarian Research Station 1. I am this labs’s AP. You can call me Sol. I’m so glad you came. I have an unauthorized intruder being held in the micro-robotics lab. Are you here to arrest him for trespassing?”
“Yes.” I replied, unsure if it would check my identity.
“You’re not gonna check to make sure we are who we say we are?” Action asked, destroying any chances that we would pass as MoM operatives.
“No need to.” Sol droned, “The override was proof enough that you were sent by Pinkie Pie. Unless you’d like me to, of course.” it stopped to sigh again. “Then I guess I have to.”
There was a low drowning sound for a minute before the AP spoke again.
“Captain Cumulo Nimbus, Approved. Cap Stash, Approved. Looking Glass, aka Looker, Approved, and congrats on working for the MoM for 158 years. Action Shot, Approved. Anymore needless questions?” Sol stated sounding very bored and monotonous though it all.
“He connected to me to check your identities, had he checked any other MoM database only Looker would be approved...or marked as killed in action.” BONK whispered in my ear.
“Nope, just direct us to the prisoner.” I replied glaring daggers at Action.
“Down the steps to the left. Though, while he’s been confined to the lab, he has been illegally working on project 47595 despite my adamant pleas not to. I’ll let him know you’re here.” Sol explained before disappearing from the screen.
I guess project 47595 is somehow related to what my dad did back in the Enclave. I thought, my mind putting two and two together. I guess that is why he came here.
As we descended the stairs, Cap trotted up next to me, “So are you really gonna take your dad back to the Enclave and turn him in?”
I just looked at him like he told me that Thunderhead was a better city than Neighvaro, which is clearly not the case. “Yeah, it’s the only way to restore my family’s honor. So it won't hurt my career.”
“My dad had a dashite slave once named Radar. Before he escaped, he told whomever would listen about the Enclave. They sound a hundred times worse than my dad ever was. I hear dashites are the true heroes. Risking everything to help the surface. Are you really gonna turn him over to them?”
“You don’t understand. You're just a dashite loving, filthy, mud dweller. The Enclave is my home, my family. All of this has been about bringing my dad to justice so I can get back up there.” I spat angrily.
“You thick dodo. Your family is down in that lab.” Cap seithed. “He risked his life leaving those birdbrains!”
“My dad is no saint. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be grounded in the first place.” I growled. “He flew into a horde of migrating Dragons! He is the reason I lost my wings!”
“Maybe it is your fault for following!” Cap screamed and turned back up the stairs, “I’m going to wait at the top of the stairs. Maybe by the time you return with your father, you’ll have come to your senses.”
With that I sprinted down the stairs past Action and Looker, who watched in shock as I descended. I felt a few tears sting my eyes. Why did I care so much about what these ponies – no – filthy mud dwellers thought? They were just a means to an end, and that end is right here. Nothing more.
Choking back the tears, I opened the lab doors and was immediately struck with a microscope. Thankfully my helmet protected me and I readied the mingun on my saddle. My dad dropped his weapon and put his wings up.
“Alright, alright! I surrender.” he shouted before putting a wing down, “Cumulo? Thank the goddesses you survived.” He then of course, noticed my missing wings. “Oh no your–”
“Yeah I lost my wings trying to capture you! To bring you to justice! You did this to me!” I screamed, the anger from the conversation with Cap returning swiftly.
“I...” he replied, “I didn't think you’d actually follow me into the horde.”
“Well I did.” I felt a tear fall from my eye, “Now come quietly.”
“Ok, if that is what you really want, I will go back with you.” He resolved calmly.
It was then I realized he wasn't wearing his power armor, and instead was wearing an old pair of overalls. The thought briefly occurred to me that he likely sold his armor for caps for the supplies he needed out here, but that didn’t matter. He still had the pipbuck, and that was what General Updraft needed. I motioned with my head up toward the stairs, and he ascended as asked. I was surprised to not run into Looker or Action, but my surprise faded when I saw them at the top of the stairs with Cap. They all wore disapproving looks now, and I could tell it was going to be a long trip back to Safe Harbor.
As we left, Sol reappeared on the screen and nonchalantly waved at us all. “Please do come again, I so rarely get visitors.”
Once outside the bunker I put my hoof to my ear, “Beam us up, BONK. Cap, Looker, Action and I to the bridge, and our prisoner to the brig.”
“Sure…”she replied solemnly.
I had only just realized she had been privy to both arguments down in TRS-1 so I added, “Yes BONK, I am bringing my dad in. He broke the laws of the Enclave. As a MoM VP you should know more then anyone about the rule of law.”
“Yeah….I guess.” She replied in the same somber tone. “If you say he was a bad pony, then I guess he was.”
And with that, she used the GET to beam us aboard. She set course for Safe Harbor – or more specifically, The Salt Lick Airship Museum. It was time for everypony to go home.
*** *** ***
It had been 5 hours since we left TRS-1, and everypony was avoiding me and my father. Well, my dad was avoided by design, as he was securely locked in the brig. But Looker and Cap had gone to try to fix the Food Fabricator, and Action was taking stock of the Armory and medbay. So I was left alone on the bridge. Well not alone, BONK was there, but she too was ignoring me.
I was just fiddling with the Pipbuck I’d taken from my dad upon returning to The Sugar Sprinkle. I had removed my armor to allow it to continue its repairs, and put the pipbuck on my hoof. It was odd to see something similar to the HUD now in my regular field of vision. I found that it had a radio feature, and was picking up the MAS-EBS signal and figured I’d listen to DJ Pon3’s broadcast. I found music playing on the station, some song by an Old Equestria singer...I think her name was Sweetie Belle.
After a minute or two, the music faded out and the DJ began to speak.
“I never get tired of hearing Sweetie Belle sing, as she has such a lovely voice. But it’s time again for some more news from out west. The settlement of Safe Harbor, for those who haven’t been out west that is in Salt Lick City, has had their large Pinkie Pie Balloon stolen from them in the dead of the night. Though the settlement is not without its other defences, so to any Raiders tuning in, don't bother attacking the place. The Balloon was far from their only means of defence, but I have reports that The Fallen Angel has offered to retrieve the balloon for the settlement, which may not be as easy as it sounds. The last reported sighting of the rogue balloon has it being spotted heading out toward the Salt Flats. In other news local to those in Salt Lick City, a building in downtown has exploded and fallen over, spilling many caps worth of valuables into the street. Prospectors hoping to strike rich should be warned one of the riches dropped was a psychotic Ultra Sentinel. Not much is known, but those who have seen it, report that the machine claims all the items ‘property of the MoM’, and is on the hunt for a group of ‘rogue zebra terrorists.’”
I shuddered at the thought that somehow the Steerinko machine had survived Black Pepper’s destruction and was now looking for Cap, Looker, Action, BONK, and I. But, it was no longer my concern. I would be safely back above the clouds in a day or so, and able to move on with my military career.
One of the terminals across the bridge began to flash warning signs. BONK’s hologram turned on and trotted over to the terminal, studying it for a moment. The screen flashed blue and returned to pink before she turned to me
“Captain Cumulo,” she called, trying and failing to hide her panic, “looks like your missing wings were right, there is a dangerous stormfront moving in. And unfortunately, we are flying in toward it inside a bright pink lightning rod.”
“Uuuh,” I stammered. I thought back to my Raptor flight training, but it was no use. Raptors fly on clouds, so storms are not a problem. “Go above it.” I ordered.
The balloon tilted slightly upward and we ascended through the Enclave’s sealed cloud cover. Out the front window, I saw the crackle of lightning just below, and breathed a sigh of relief as the thunder drifted off safely away from us. If only I’d remembered I wasn’t in an Enclave ship. In seconds, two vert-a-bucks were surrounding the ship and aiming their guns at us.
“Uuh, we are being hailed.” BONK stated in a worried tone, the hologram BONK pacing back and forth while the BONK on the screen bit her lower lip.
“Patch them through.” I hesitantly ordered.
What could they want? I’m supposed to be in the area. They know that right? Wait! Fuck I’m in a ship from the surface!
“This is Sergeant Windsweep and Lieutenant Daybreak of the Grand Pegasus Enclave. Return below the cloud cover or be shot down!” A mare shouted angrily over the radio. In the back of my mind I recognized it from the last time I listened to the Enclave frequency.
“Sergeant, Lieutenant, this is Private Cumulonimbus. Serial Number 32-219-950. I’m on a mission authorized by Vice General Starboard, Admiral Fiery Flight, and General Updraft. Please grant me passage.” I responded confidently.
“P-private Cumulo? D-didn’t he go MIA wh-while looking for his d-dashite f-father?” a different, meeker, mare asked.
“Quiet Lieutenant.” the first mare – Sergeant Windsweep – ordered, “Congratulations on being alive, did you get the pipbuck?”
“I have it right on my hoof and the dashite is in the brig.” I replied.
The screen bound BONK was waving her hooves frantically trying to get my attention, but I ignored her.
“Send it over and we’ll escort you back to the Rapture.” Sgt. Windsweep ordered.
“BONK, use the GET to send this to them.” I addressed the hologram, motioning to the device on my hoof.
Hesitantly, she nodded, and there was a flash as the device was magically transported off my hoof.
“Shit! Oh, uh, thank you.” the Sargent’s surprised voice called back over the radio.
The BONK on the screen was banging on the screen as if it were a wall, frantically wanting my attention.
“What?!” I shouted at the screen.
But it was too late, both Vertibucks opened fired. Somewhere in the ship there was an explosion and we began to lose altitude...fast. Alarms began to sound all over the ship. Warnings flashed on nearly a dozen screens.
“I-if it is any consolation P-private, you’ll be re-remembered as a h-hero.” Lieutenant Daybreak called over the radio as we fell below the cloud layer into the storm and lost connection.
“BONK! Can you keep us in the air?” I asked.
“Not without help!” she replied as a manual steering column rose in front of the captain's chair.
I pulled with all my might on the controls, and the airship began to level out. Then there was another explosion somewhere else in the ship. I tried not to worry about who may have been near the explosion as the ship began to lose altitude faster than before.
“Nonononononononononononono!” was all BONK could say as we rapidly neared the ground.
“BONK! You can do this.” I lied, “Keep us in the air.”
“I can’t.” she said on the verge of synthetic tears, “Brace for–”
She was cut off as lightning struck the ship, killing all the electronics in the bridge and electrocuting anything touching the metal, including me. While my vision faded to black, I felt the terrifying impact as the ship hit the ground.
*** *** ***
Footnotes:
Cumulonimbus: No status changes
Quest Perk Added:
Captain on Deck – You are the captain of a ship and you deserve respect. While on any ship (sea or air) speech checks are 20% easier to pass.
Looker: no status changes
Cap Stash: no status changes
Quest Completed:
Dashite Retention
An Urgent Matter: TRS-1
Quests Failed:
Lost & Found