//------------------------------// // Shock and Awe // Story: First Contact // by Cmdr Brohoof //------------------------------// “How about now?” Lyra asked. “No…”Hendricks answered. He placed a panel over some exposed wiring on his ship then tightened in down. “Now?” Lyra began to spin herself in the copilot’s seat “…no.” He opened another panel and peered inside. Lyra glanced around the cock-pit and noticed the helmet Hendricks wore was sitting in his seat. She carefully levitated it on to her head. It was oversized for her head but she was able to still see out of the visor. Words began to flash on the visor. She waved her hoof in front of it thinking the words were floating in front of her. “Please link to hard suit.” an electronic voice said in the helmet. “GAH GHOSTS!” Lyra fell out of the seat the helmet slipped of her head and rolled away. Hendricks was standing over here as she lay of the floor. “Having fun?” he asked. Lyra grinned “Sorry.” Hendricks sat down in the pilot seat as Lyra jumped back into the co-pilot position. “Now!” she asked again “We’ll see.” Hendricks flipped some switches and eyed a monitor overhead. Lyra felt the ship vibrate as numerous lights came on around her. Toward the back of the ship a low whine began to get louder and louder. Hendricks was busy monitoring the ships gauges. “Fifty…sixty…seventy…eight-five and holding” Hendricks muttered to himself “Is that good?” Lyra asked “It’s better” he pressed a few more buttons the whine slowly quieted. “Can we go to space now?!” “I want to test it a little more.” Dr. Hood came running inside out of breath “Is everything okay? I was heading back when I heard a roaring noise.” “I got the engines working not perfect but its better.” “That’s great news. I brought lunch." She held up a basket. "Want to eat outside today?” “Let me guess something to do with oats or apples.” Hendricks said sourly. “Would you rather eat the rations? At least this is fresh.” Hendricks let out a sigh. Lyra, Dr. Hood, and Hendricks sat on top of the ship while they ate. “So Lyra, that’s where the Princess lives?” Dr Hood pointed toward a castle on the side of a mountain. “Yup that’s Canterlot. It’s an amazing city, a little too busy for me though.” “How many cities are there?” Hendricks asked as he took another bite of apple pie. “Well there’s Ponyville, Canterlot, Appleloosa, Manehatten, Cloudsdale, Hoofington, Fillydelphia, Trottingham, Los Pegasus, and Baltimare.” “I’m seeing a pattern in the names.” Hendricks said. “What do mean?” Lyra asked. “Never mind just talking out loud.” He grinned. “Sir with the intel we’ve gathered it seems the native’s capital is at these coordinates.” A major spoke to several men wearing gray uniforms seated around a table with a hologram of Equestria in the middle. “Gentlemen you know what to do. We’ll have the E.G.D. Maelstrom fire warning shots. Then I will land personally to accept their surrender.” “Sir with all due respect shouldn’t we contact them first? This seems a bit drastic. How do we know that alien in the hold was telling the truth?” A heavy-cruiser captain asked. “Captain is this your first time taking a new world?” “Yes sir.” “I don’t want the natives to think they have any power over us. I will show them who is in charge and they will submit to our sheer strength. Instead of long drawn out debates or negotiations, giving them time to learn our weaknesses. We will end any hostilities before they arise. In the long run it’s the best for both sides. Understand Captain?” “Yes sir.” The Captain knew arguing with Admiral Ritter was a bad idea. “Good. Now then in event that they don’t surrender I want our battleships to be ready to mop up any survivors. That will be the E.G.S. Blade, E.G.S. Lightning and…” “Lyra does your kind eat anything besides fruits and vegetables?” Hendricks asked. “You mean like sweets?” “Uh not exactly…do you ever you know...eat meat?” Lyra spit out her apple “What! Why would we want to do that? That’s just gross!” “I’m just kidding” Hendricks tried to play it down. “I think it’s a healthy diet.” Dr Hood added. “Oh you’re just glad they have chocolate.” Admiral Ritter stood at the bridge on his flagship, the E.G.D. Maelstrom. The crew was talking over their head seats to the various ships that surrounded the dreadnought. “Sir all ships show green.” And ensign reported. “Gun crews are standing by.” another added. “Fire.” the admiral ordered. At his command the bridge erupted in a fury of orders to the various personnel in the fleet. “I guess apples aren’t so bad…” Hendricks stated. “What’s that noise?” Lyra interrupted him. Hendricks immediately recognized it. “GET DOWN!” He yelled knocking Lyra and the doctor off the ship. “Hendricks what….” Dr Hood began before a loud explosion cut her off. After the shockwave passed them they stood up and looked toward where the explosion came from. A large plume of smoke arose from the forest below Canterlot. “What was that?!” Lyra said. “Hendricks?” the doctor looked around for the pilot as the noise started again. The second explosion was closer to them this time. They saw the flash and the shockwave knocked them to the ground. “Get in!” Hendricks called from inside them ship. They quickly ran inside before the third hit. “What’s going on?” Lyra asked slightly scared. “I have a good idea.” Hendricks began to start the ship “Those are Fire-Hammer Cannons from an Earth Government dreadnought.” “Hendricks how..?” Dr. Hood said slightly in shock “I’ve heard them before.” “How can we stop it?” Lyra flinched as a fourth explosion took out part of the mountain near Canterlot “There should be one more after that” Hendricks counted in his head. The ship began to hover off the ground then shot straight up into the sky. They were in space before they saw the fifth explosion. “Hendricks what’s going on?” Dr Hood asked. “We were followed it seems I didn’t think they would send a fleet right away.” “Wait so the ones firing on the planet is..?” the doctor knew other humans were involved. “Yes” Hendricks answered. “Why?” “Firing those on a peaceful world, I only know of one person that would do that. Admiral Ritter.” Hendricks placed the ship in orbit. “How do you know that it’s him?” “It’s his standard procedure. Before I was a pilot I was the executive officer on a frigate the, E.G.S Falcon. We were assigned to the third fleet, Admiral Ritter’s fleet. A few years ago we made contact with a race of rock like creatures on a planet in Alpha Centauri.” “I’ve never heard of a race of rock creatures.” Dr Hood said. “You never will they were wiped out. We landed and attempted to communicate with them after the Admiral shelled them from orbit under the pretense that they were hostile. I later found out that was bogus and he didn’t know anything about them. The team that landed was attacked of course. Once they got clear of the planet the Admiral ordered us to finish them off. My CO refused the order and that’s when I took command and joined the attack. Once I found out…I felt horrible. I gave up my position and joined the deep space scouts I wanted to try to make up for what we did.” “That’s…horrible.” Dr Hood said “How did he get away with it?” “The planet was chock-full of rare earth minerals. So long as the Admiral got results command turned a blind eye to his methods. I found out that was the third planet he had done that too. I called him out on it before I left I asked him how could he do it. “ “What did he say?” “Nothing he signed my transfer papers then I left. I’ll never forget it; he would wear a white hard suit and a full face helmet when he asked for a planet to surrender. He said one time the white made them more convinced to trust him, made him look good.” “So you can him stop him right?” Lyra asked. Hendricks looked sadly at her “I’m sorry Lyra but there’s nothing I can do. We have to go back and convince the Princess to surrender.” “She’ll never do that.” Lyra said proudly. “Can’t we convince them to leave or something?” Dr Hood had changed back into her scientists outfit. “Doubtful…although” Hendricks though for a moment “If we can disable the dreadnought they would have to retreat. This far out all the other ships rely on the dreadnought for supplies. If it has to leave so do they.” “Would that even be possible?” “If we can get aboard I know how to bring it down. It’s tough on the outside, but a little sabotage in the right locations will cripple it. ” Hendricks dashed toward the back of the ship. “Assuming we can even get aboard how are you going to sabotage it?” Dr Hood watched Hendricks as he opened a panel on the floor. “These” he said as he held a baseball sized copper sphere. “A ball?” Lyra asked. “No these are counter measures I use these to disable other ships.” “So what they are just going to let you waltz in and throw these around?” Dr. Hood asked. “No you are.” He handed the ball to the doctor “Me?” she looked at the ball closely. “Yes I’m going to fly us in then distract them while you and Lyra place those around the ship.” “Won’t Lyra stand out?” Dr. Hood asked “You still have your science equipment?” “Sir I’m getting a distress call from an unknown vessel.” An ensign told the admiral. “Put it through.” He ordered. “This is the E.G.S Void Angel my ship has been severely damaged requesting assistance.” Hendricks’ voice came through to bridge. “Shall I allow him to dock?” the ensign asked. “Yes I’ll meet him personally” The admiral was already dressed in his white hard suit as he left the bridge. Back on the Void Angel Hendricks waited patiently for a response. “That ship is massive.” Dr Hood stared at the dreadnought through the cock-pit window. “Void Angel you are clear to land approach the port side hanger.” The dreadnought replied “Roger Void Angel out.” Hendricks answered as he turned to the doctor. “All right think you got it all?” “Let me go over it again I place one of these near the reactor, engine bay, life support, and the bridge.” “Right and don’t forget the timer. I've set them to go off in thirty minutes after you place them.” “So long as I look like I belong there the soldiers should leave me alone right?” Dr Hood was getting nervous. “Yes they will be too busy to notice a scientist roaming about they will just assume you’re checking something.” “So what do I do?” Lyra’s muffled voice came from inside a container held Dr. Hood’s scientific gear. “You’re our secret weapon Lyra if the Doc gets into trouble I’ll need you to knock people around with your magic.” “I can do that!” Lyra said excitedly. “Alright once I land stay hidden for a bit. Then once they have their hands full with me sneak out and get to work placing those charges.” Hendricks left the panel that hid Dr. Hood slightly ajar so she could see when the coast was clear. “Hendricks how are we getting out of here once these go off?” “Leave that to me” he said. The ship sat down inside the large dreadnought hanger. As Hendricks opened the hatch he was met by the admiral and two guards. “Hello lieutenant…oh you lost that rank didn’t you?” The admiral greeted him. “I’ve come to stop you.” Hendricks responded angrily. “You’re doing such a good job at it. We’ve received word they you have aided the enemy.” “What enemy? The residents of the planet below. You didn’t even contact them how can you call them the enemy?” The admiral threw Hendricks a PDA. On it was a recording of the changeling. “This is the real enemy” Hendricks said as he threw it back at him. “It told me a differnet story. Hmmm pity we’ll never know it died due to wounds given by you and your friends.” “You’re lying!" Hendricks said. “Take him to away” the admiral said as he walked out of the ship. Hendricks bolted out of the ship toward the admiral. He was subdued by the guards and dragged off. Dr. Hood waited a few seconds then slowly emerged from her hiding place. She glanced outside the ship then quickly grabbed Lyra and headed toward the corridor leading to the interior of the dreadnought. Using signs on the bulkhead of the ship the doctor quickly found the reactor. She blended in with the technicians while they were busy working. She opened the container Lyra was hiding in to grab one of the EMP charges. “Hello.” Lyra said. Dr Hood hushed her as she grabbed one of the orbs and placed it behind a computer. Hendricks sat quietly in front of the admiral’s desk while the Admiral stared out a window at the planet below. Hendricks eyed the side arm the admiral was carrying. “This planet will make an excellent colony.” Ritter smiled. He walked over to his desk sitting the white helmet he wore down on it. “Leave us.” he told the guard. “That planet is already home to a peaceful race.” “That’s not what my reports say.” “That because you bend everything to have your way!” Hendricks yelled. The admiral smiled as he aimed at Hendricks “Calm down.” He ordered. The engine room was empty when Dr. Hood placed the second charge. “Is Hendricks going to be okay?” Lyra asked poking her head from the container. “He can take care of himself. He’s got us this far.” “As of now you’re the only person to have contact with the natives.” Ritter paced behind his desk “Your point being?” “You’re a liability.” The admiral aimed at him again Hendricks stood up “Now hold on” he slowly approached the admiral. “As much as I hate to do this to one of my own...” The admiral began to narrow is sights on Hendricks. Hendricks lunged at the Admiral knocking the weapon out of his hand. Hendricks wrestled with him as the admiral reached for his sidearm. No one heard the shot. “Okay one more to go.” Dr Hood said aloud “What are you doing back there?” a voice behind her asked. She turned to see a male officer watching her. Dr. Hood thought quickly “I’m just checking for…Lyra!” The green pony jumped from the container and hit the officer with a blast of magic sending him flying. “Did I do good?” Lyra looked up at the doctor. “You getting better at that!” “Don’t move!” a heavily armored soldier entered and aimed at the two. Lyra’s horn began to glow again the soldier fired at the ground. “I said don’t move!” The soldier spoke into a radio that was in his helmet. “This is Jackson in Life Support I found an intruder. We have a man down.” The soldier waited for a response “Yes Sir.” He answered and unseen person. “The admiral wants to see you.” The soldier escorted them to the admiral’s office that was next to the bridge. Lyra was amazed by the bridge humans were going back and forth various displays were flashing. They stood outside the admirals door the soldier pressed a button “Sir I have the…” The ship shook violently. “WARNING…WARNING LIFE SUPPORT OFFLINE” a voice announced throughout the ship. Dr Hood quickly put her helmet on while Lyra surrounded herself with a magic barrier. An officer ran to the Admirals door “Sir we just lost our engines and the reactor is going haywire. Sir we need you.” No response came from inside. “Open it” the officer ordered the soldier. Once the door opened the soldier entered first his rifle at the ready while Lyra and the doctor entered behind him the officer held his sidearm on them. “Sir are you alright?” the soldier asked the Admiral as he finished latching his helmet. “I’m fine he got the jump on me.” He gestured to Hendricks who was slumped in the seat in front of the desk. “Hendricks!” Dr Hood ran to him he fell onto the floor. His helmet’s visor was completely spider webbed from a hole that was in the middle. Dr Hood stood up a looked at the Admiral filled with rage she yelled at him “You didn’t have to do that! He didn’t want to hurt anybody!” The soldier held her back. “Take her to my ship she can watch her friends surrender and take that one too.” He gestured to a confused Lyra “Sir we found this in the container she was carrying” the soldier held up one of the orbs. The admiral looked at the orb pressed a button then sat it on his desk. “Well then I have a planet to conquer.”