1.5 – Future Imperfect
Trottingham. The “pride of Northern Equestria”. Over 1 Million ponies were crammed into this sprawl of steel, concrete, and glass. The lowest levels of this metropolis are largely darkly-lit, populated by down-on-their-luck ponies who are either drunk, penniless, or both. Higher levels are largely for the elite and middle-class.
The lowest level is not only where the lower-class and destitute ponies are, it’s also the place where many, many criminals call their home.
Of course, that’s where I need to be. The only contact I could find in the directory was Deadbrook, an ex-mafia Enforcer, now a big name on the black market network. If so much as a pinch of gunpowder sells through less-than-legal channels, he knows about it.
***
The streets smell of sulfur and refuse – pungent fumes permeate the air, giving the whole place an impure and disgusting feel.
Colts and mares alike crowd the streets, a Technicolor menagerie of the destitute and diseased. Each of their stories is more depressing then the last.
I try not to think about them, and keep trotting to Deadbrook’s flat.
***
“So, what’s this big emergency?”
Shining Armor was in a priority meeting when he was pulled out by his secretary, a white-coated, lemony-maned mare called File Finder. She was understandable nervous, especially given the news she was about to deliver.
“Uh… Sir, an incident occurred earlier today at Arkhoof. A relatively trivial airship raid resulted in a hostile firebomb landing in the cafeteria. The emergency protocols were activated, and cells were automatically unlocked. The situation was eventually contained, but… well, just take a look at this Automated report from Arkhoof’s Magiframe, as well as the personal note from the Warden.”
Shining Armor’s horn glowed with his trademark blue sheen, and the scroll his assistant was holding floated eerily toward his eyes. He used his telekinesis to unfurl the parchment.
>>> PRIORITY 5 NETWORK TRANSMISSION <<<
ORIGIN DOMAIN: ARKHOOF.HIGHSEC.MIL.NET
DESTINATION DOMAIN: SA.COMMAND.MIL.NET
ARKHOOF PRISON INCIDENT REPORT A-310-451
1500 :: Pirate raid begins. Automated defenses activated.
1517 :: 2/5 Pirate ships terminated. No casualties reported thus far.
1535 :: Firebomb ignites cafeteria supports – secondary explosions detected in Natural gas storage. Fire-control crews deployed.
1603 :: Fire has spread to nearby cell block. Emergency Protocol Delta-5 activated by Warden Strongarm. Prisoner evacuation commencing.
1617 :: Fire under control. Prisoner headcount commences. Inmates 6007, 7309 reported missing.
1625 :: Inmate 6007, [>>Dead Money<<], found unconscious, heavily injured. Sent to infirmary for medical care. Inmate 7309 still missing.
1703 :: Inmate 7309’s mana signature detected leaving Arkhoof Island via Medium-range Teleport. Recovery team deployed.
1803 :: Recovery team unable to locate inmate. Priority 5 communique sent to SA-Command.
ADDITIONAL DATA FOLLOWS:
Sir,
One “Silent Sword” escaped from Arkhoof today. She had help, too. This mysterious benefactor signed in under a fake name, and what’s more, is that our Gem-Cams picked up little more than a shimmering blur when this pony entered the FOV of any one of them. Somepony has gone to serious trouble to keep their identity a secret, and also to help this ‘Silent Sword’ escape. In addition, the so-called “Pirates” were found to actually be mercenaries working for the SPIRAL Company, upon examination of their bodies and some airship wreckage. Seems to have been a False Flag op to distract us from her escape. Somepony very high up wanted her free. Fuck if I know what for. I’m just the damn Warden. Just thought you should know.
Warden Gatling “Fuck’n Fireflare Bombs” Strongarm
It took all of Shining Armor’s resolve to stifle the inevitable giggle provoked by the Warden’s letter. He had a certainly… unique sense of humor and one hell of a cursing streak.
Shining Armor still knew this was very bad, though. He magically lowered the scroll, and his eyes returned to meet those of his quaking secretary.
“Any further reports?”
“None so far, sir. Arkhoof is in proximity to any number of cities, each of which she may have flown to. Trottingham comes to mind, but she could also have flown across the border to one of the Griffon Kingdoms, but given the tight border control they have, it’s not likely.”
“… Alright. Get a message to the Trottingham Detachment. She’s priority one, engage on sight. Take her alive if possible, but should she present a clear and present threat to the livelihood of other ponies, lethal force is authorized.”
“I’ll send word immediately, sire!”
***
They took my damn sword. I’m not happy.
Well, my stun crossbow too, but that’s not as important.
I guess Deadbrook is really worried about security, because the second I said ‘I want to speak to Deadbook’, two Earth Pony goons that I didn’t see sneaking up behind me stuffed a burlap sack over my head, scuffing up my mane. They then searched my clothing and bag for weapons and gear, finding it all, even the holdout knife stuffed in my… well, let’s call it a rather uncomfortable location.
The burlap mask stayed on for a while, and I could feel the two stallions pushing me towards… something.
I was blind – helpless. I was pretty strong for a mare, mind you, but I trained for agility, not brute force. These two Earth Ponies were essentially masses of muscle with tiny heads propped on their bodies.
If I saw them coming, I could have neutralized them, but I wasn’t on my guard.
It’s… been a while since I’ve been in the field.
Basically, they have the advantage here, and I know it.
I hear a door opening and closing, and the two goons push me into a room.
“Vell, Vell, Vell. If ‘t isn’t Silent Sword. ‘ees been a Vile, darling.”
The burlap sack was pulled off, and I see a dark-blue tinted unicorn Stallion wearing a newspony cap, a sort of beret.
“Deadbrook. Your Germaneighic accent is strikingly thick, as always.”
He neighed playfully.
“Feh, I heard hyu vas in Arkhoof – und dot hyu stole de Archer Ruby. If dots true, und hy know it is, Vot’s hyu doing out, den?”
“Half right - I was in Arkhoof. But I didn’t steal the Ruby. More to the point, however, I need your help.”
“Hoy! De great Silent Sword needs de help uff vittle old Deadbrook! Zo, vat do hyu need, darling? Explosives dot make de booms? New armor? Zum uff de vittle girly pishtols?”
“Information. Of a less-than-legal nature.”
“Ahh, Zo hyu come for dot service. Vell, I ken tell hyu vhatever hyu need.”
“And in return…?”
“Ah, nuffing too taxing, hy hope. Zum information I vant.”
“You haven’t even heard what the information I need is.”
“Because hy alvedy knows. Hyu vant to clear hyour name – zo hyu needs to find ze ruby, prove hyu didn’t steal it. Unfortunately hy know nuffink about who actually stole it – but hy do have a few leads hyu may be interested in.”
“Alright, Deadbrook. I’ll bite. But only because I somewhat trust you after all we went through in Stableside.”
“Ho! Hyu makes my heart fuzzy ven hyu says shtuff like dot. I ‘vember it too, deep in vebel territories. No shupport. Ve ran into each odder in de Broken Saddle hotel. Hyself a fugitive on de run, hyu a Valkyrie in disguise. Ve found and destroyed de vebel operation togetha, hyu and hy.”
“The information you need in return, then?”
“Oh, dot is easy! Hy just need hyu to be schneaky-like, and sottil, retrieve zum shipping vanifests from a local buz'ness.”
“Uh huh. And what’s this ‘Vestricted Area’?”
“De local distwibution zenter for Veet Apple Zider.”
“What.”
“Ho yez! Hy vants to hijack zum o’ der shipments! De ztuff is popular down ‘ere! Hy could make a vortune!”
“… Fine, Deadbrook. You’ll get your Manifest.”
…What have I gotten myself into?