The visor dimmed a bit as the sun broke through the overwhelming clouds, giving a few stray shafts of light to brighten the world outside for a brief moment before the overcast returned, darkening the area once more.
“Are you all right, Wyatt?” Athena’s voice was concerned.
“I’m fine, heading to designated GPS point.”
“We were planning on using ‘spiders, you didn’t have to go out.”
“Let me have this Athena, just let me do something.”
“We have you on sensors, rest assured weapons are trained.” Crusaders voice was even, strong, through the commset in his ear.
Wyatt chuckled, leaning forward into the blasting wind, “No Hellbores. Wouldn’t do much good for any of us.”
His eyes pierced the gloom with aid from his helmet systems, seeing a darkness that sucked in the light scant more than the surroundings, “Think I’ve got an opening here. Heading in.”
“Acknowledged.”
As he stepped closer the opening gaped wide, letting him stumble in as the wind was cut off, leaving him to almost fall on the rough floor.
He grabbed on to an outcropping of rock, lifting his helmeted head to take stock of his position, the old ways coming back quickly now.
A room, natural and worn from millenia, surrounded him as he took a few steps forward from the entrance. The walls rose high, out of his sight in the murk as he kept swiveling his head back and forth like a gun turret, knowing the Bolos were recording it all.
“Got a room. Natural. Doesn’t seem to be anything on thermals or others, don’t have the full suite like powered armor does, but seems to be clear.” He didn’t wait for the reply, switching on lights that beamed from his shoulders and helmet, lighting the area up with an actinic brightness that forced away the dark as if it were a living thing.
Clumps of metal gleamed back at him, worn and pitted from the ages, he knelt down to examine one, seeing the burnished gray of durasteel come through when rubbed with a gloved thumb. Crumbs of rust and decayed metal fell to the floor as he tossed it aside.
Peering deeper along the bands of white incandescence, he saw a larger object in the middle of the room. Imposing but worn like the smaller pieces, his trained eyes followed the outline of it until memory gave him the answer.
“Got your indicator, looks like an old defense mount, probably a graser or missile launcher. Took a hell of a beating too.” Stepping closer, he could see the scorch marks along it, the melted areas where something had struck close and ripped it out of its’ encasement on a mountainside somewhere.
A shine caught his eye as he leaned closer to the big piece of metal, seeing attachments where the power mountings had torn away in a conflagration, and something else.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he backed away slowly.
“Your heartbeat and blood pressure just rose, what is wrong?” Crusaders voice brooked no backflash as he wanted an answer.
“Something’s in here with me. Claw marks on the ‘steel, fresh.”
Athena wasted no time, “Retreat now.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice.”
His booted feet were doing a slow shuffle backwards, making nary a sound as the powerguns’ heavy barrel swept back and forth. He bit down on the control pad, letting his visor do the work as it cleared the light from his beams, intensifying them in a way that let him see more clearly the surroundings.
Old reflexes came back in a rush, his body powering up for combat as it released adrenaline into his system. A relaxed hold on the rifles’ grip gave him room to adjust fire if needed, the extra hand reaching down into a side pocket for a little bit of backup just in case.
Then it hit him, the oldest mistake in the book and he just walked in like a rookie. Served him right to get himself in trouble. His troops would have hounded him for days on this one.
He looked up.
The creature slammed into him like a freight train, forcing him down to the ground in a roar of sound that came through the helmet. The only thing that saved him was he’d brought the powergun up across his face, ramming it sideways into an opening that contained what looked like far too many teeth to be any good for him.
Eyes flicked to the readouts on his suit, still sealed up. Nothing got through as he felt claws tear at the plasteel armor, sliding right off and trying again. It didn’t show on thermals, being the same temperature as the background readings, the only thing making a difference was it was trying to eat him.
“Wyatt? Wyatt??”
“Can’t....talk...right now.” He jabbed a finger into one glaring gold eye, making it flinch back for a moment and giving him the space to reach his vest. A firm hand grabbed the heavy pistol, pulling it just enough to flip the barrel upwards under a jutting ...mandible? Something.. Pulling the trigger he let a controlled three-round burst go, blowing holes through the head as it slumped on him.
He grunted at the weight, turning to the side and sliding it off of himself, wiping some of the goo it obviously called blood, off his helmet so he could see. The rifle was mangled, holes in the tough outer covering made him think for a second before he slung it over his shoulder, taking it with him as he beat a hasty retreat into the mouth of the cave again.
Two steps, that’s all he had before something encouraged him look once more. The rustle of legs made his eyes widen as he saw more pouring through the open cavern and heading straight for him.
“Aw crud..”
A thumb flicked the grenades’ arming switch, pressing the button for the approved one point five seconds and tossing it above the gleaming eyes, hunkering down behind a boulder that just barely covered him from the blast when it tore through the small tunnel. Peeking out over the top, he saw a jumble of rock and bodies that didn’t quite block the cavern. It was allowing more to pour through and scuttle towards him.
“Report, Sergeant!” Crusader again, sounding like his old CO. Comforting in a way, bringing him back to his senses quicker than he would have liked.
“I got a horde of nasties down here. I can’t beat feet, they’re faster than I am. How about some help?” He took aim, resting the heavy pistol on the top of the boulder and firing shots that were spaced enough to make the ammo last.
“One minute Wyatt, hang on!”
“Be faster, please.”
It all came back, those days when it was down to the wire. Well, he had plenty of backup now, although two Bolos weren’t going to fit in the cave. Maybe they could get a couple of those spiders in here to block it while he got back into Athena’s hull. Either way, these things looked hungry.
The pistol bucked in his hand, the heavy rounds sailing down range and plastering the walls with blood as the creatures fell. Their companions didn’t care, they just crawled over them and kept coming.
Swapping mags, he wished the rifle hadn’t been damaged. Stupid piece of mass-produced junk. He thought of an old joke, always remember it was made by the lowest bidder.
“Gonna complain to my local politician I am.” He mumbled over the racket of firing.
“Not if you don’t get your head down, now!”
He didn’t hesitate, hitting the floor and flattening as a ripping sound screamed through the tunnel, drowning out the chittering of whatever those things were. Booms of a slower and weightier volume followed right behind that.He held his position, freezing in place as he recognized those familiar tunes, coming from behind him at multiple angles. He wondered if they’d somehow got those ponies down here with chainguns.
Stopping as suddenly as it happened, he managed to lift his head for a moment.
“You’re clear. I’ve got you covered Wyatt, get out now.”
“Done and done.” He rose up in a smooth movement and ran into the wind, his HUD telling him the direction to an open troop port in the side of Athena’s hull.
Along the way he spotted his saviors. Metal spiders clung to the walls and ceiling, spiked feet dug in as they hung there bearing large bore chainguns and heavy rifles mounted to completely unfamiliar chassis’. They parted for him and closed up as he ran by, heading backwards and aiming everything at the opening to the cavern, shells flew through the air as they cut loose one last time, following him into the open troop bay as the hatch clanged shut.
The hull shook as larger munitions finished off the cavern, making sure nothing left it ever again. He could feel the thudding of howitzers through his booted feet as he rested up against a crate.
Flipping the visor up on his helmet, he grinned to himself, “Helluva way to start the day.”
“Had enough adventure yet?” Athena was standing there with an amused look on her pretty face.
“Don’t be cheeky.” He unsealed the headcover and set it on the floor next to him, “I think so.” He gave her stare in return, “Who made those things?” A thumb hooked over, pointing at the ‘spider standing next to him with a multi-barrelled weapon mounted on a sleek looking body.
A hoof waved just a little too nonchalantly, “Oh, you know. Get bored, make things.”
“They were following me weren’t they? I thought the response time was a little fast.”
The look that crossed her face left him feeling like a rookie after his first screwup, “Of course, you idiot. We’re not stupid enough to let you go out there alone.” She stepped closer, laying a gentle hoof on his shoulder, “Units of the Line try very hard never to leave anyone on a mission alone.”
An armor clad arm pulled her close in a quiet embrace, wrapping around the strong neck and letting the faux-pony lean into the hug gratefully. Nothing needed to be said for a moment until Athena pulled back with a sigh.
“I better go release Twilight and Rainbow and the others, they were hurrying outside to help when they saw you were in trouble over the cameras.”
“Release? What did you do?” Wyatt was gathering his gear up, walking towards the lift with her.
“Oh..” The lavender eyes looked at the ceiling..the walls..the floor.. “Oh, you know, keeping them..safe. Couldn’t let them go out there. We’d handle it. Protecting friends you know.”
“You are such a bad liar, what did you do?”
He could hear sounds now as the lift moved upwards.
“Well, Rainbow Dash is quite fast, and Twilight’s really good at magic. It was the only thing I could do to keep them from going outside. They were pretty insistent, even poor Fluttershy.”
“...and?”
An exasperated look crossed her face as they got closer to the command deck area, the voices getting louder, “I..uh.. used a tanglefoot on them.”
The lift doors opened to a mess in the hall leading to the command area, sticky webs stretched from one side to the other, tangling up all six ponies in a jumbled mess of legs, bodies and Cutie Marks.
“Well...more than one.”
Twilight was not looking pleased, trying to use her magic to cut the strands as more hit her from a ‘spider stationed nearby, making sure they didn’t get out, it was out of her line of sight so she couldn’t quite nail it with magic. Pinkie, of course, was having a wonderful time bouncing back and forth in the rubbery net.
Violet eyes stared at the pegasus, “You are SO in trouble!”
“I don’t know, it’s kind of relaxing,” This from Fluttershy, leaning back into the riot control device like a hammock and closing her eyes.
“She told you not to go outside, Twi.” A sigh, “ ‘Course we had to follow ya.”
“We were just trying to help!” Rainbow Dash wailed from an upside down position in mid-air.
“This does absolutely nothing for my mane-do I’ll have you know,” Rarity was definitely not amused hanging upside down alongside Rainbow.
“I know, I know.” Athena ordered the spraying of dissolver, watching the strands crumble into a dust that was swept up by ‘spiders. “I told you though, it was too dangerous.”
Wyatt was shaking his head, holding on to Rainbow as the web faded away into pieces, setting the mare on her hooves again, “It was dangerous, and she’s right to take care of you.”
A golden hoof tapped his leg, the cyan eyes were wide as she looked up at him, “Are you okay?” She took in the deep claw marks and the splatters of liquid along the armor he still wore.
“I’m fine, Miss Fluttershy, but thank you.” He peeled the gloves off, hanging them off a hook on his harness, “The critters who decided they wanted me for lunch, aren’t doing so well.”
“They sure looked bad.” Referring to the video they’d all seen from his helmet camera.
Knuckles rapped on the scuffed and marked up chest plate as he smiled at the worried mare, “Fine Concordiat technology saved the day, as well as my own superior judgment and tactical moves.”
“Ahem...”
“And..yeah..Athena helped too.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Anytime!”
“Shall I replay the recording?”
“She really saved the day! Oh, yes she did. Without her...”
“You can stop.”
“Got it.”
A pair of excited eyes got right into his field of view as Twilight jumped in front of him, “So, describe them! What were they? Did they have markings? Did they speak? Were they doing anything odd? What were..” She stopped belatedly as he held up a hand.
“They were trying to hurt me Princess, not have tea.” Wyatt smiled gently, knowing her proclivity for knowledge and everything associated, “I’ll draw a picture from memory, just let me relax a bit first, fair enough?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be..I mean.. But what were they? Were they big? Small?”
The sergeant gave up, walking towards the bunkroom and explaining in detail what he saw to the excited Alicorn. The rest of the group stood shaking their heads.
“Anything interestin’? Applejack was wondering as they trooped to the rooms.
“Nothing, an old weapons mount, just a solid block of scrap is all.”
One hoof tilted the hat back on her head, pausing in her steps for a moment, “You think there’s anything else out there? Like..what’s under the castle?”
Athena had to wonder herself, “I don’t know, to be honest. We didn’t expect anything like what we found, could be anything out there.”
“Well, let’s hope nothin’ bad.” She eyed the deep scratches on the front of Carpenters’ armor he had slung over one shoulder, “ ‘Leastwhiles nothin’ that’ll try to take a bite out of ya.”
Athena leaned over, putting her mouth close enough to Applejack’s ear that no one else could hear, “The ‘spiders were right behind him, I just waited to make it look better.”
Green eyes widened, mouth dropping open, “You mean..”
The pegasus nodded, “Right. He was never in any danger. But had to let him think so, right?” She laughed, “I had sights on that one that dropped from the ceiling before it moved.”
“But..but why didn’t you..”
“Shoot it?” Her head shook, “It wasn’t getting through that armor, I reinforced it before we gave it to him.” She grinned, leaning in to whisper, “Under the noise from the storm, I nailed it with rubber bullets, threw it way off balance.”
“So..so.. He wasn’t in any danger at all?”
“He got some nasty bruises, but that’s about all he was going to get.” At the flabbergasted look Athena continued, “I’d never let him be in danger, just like any of you if I could help it.”
“Why?” Applejack was trying to understand, “Why would ya do that?”
“Because we care Applejack, but it would hurt him to let him know that he wasn’t trusted, or it would seem to be that way to him. He’s an old soldier like we are. We know how much pride means some times.” She motioned with her eyes, seeing Wyatt telling the others of his fracas with the beasts in the cave.
“I got ya.”
“We are glad you understand.” Crusader’s voice came through the commlink, calm and sure, “Thank you.”
“Ain’t nothin’ to thank me for. ‘Sides, he’s havin’ a ball, wouldn’t want to ruin that now would we?” She smiled, looking to where the others sat enraptured by the tale being told. Even though they saw most of it on camera, hearing it in person was always a different experience.
“Anomaly on sensors. Coordinates uploaded now.”
“That’s my call.” Carpenter got up, trading out his chest piece for a fresh one brought to him by Athena’s ‘spider, “Let’s go see what it is!” He trooped out of the bunk room, heading down to the exit as Applejack just shook her head.
“Sure he’ll be okay?”
“More than.” She paused as if in thought for a moment, “I’ll be right with him, let’s go watch.”
“Yer on!”
They followed the rest into the redone command deck, watching through the screens as Wyatt stepped out into the snow, followed very closely by heavily armed spiders which kept carefully away from his line of sight, but stalking him quietly.
To be continued.....