//------------------------------// // SHIELDS and BOOSTERS! // Story: My Little Space Empire: Mechs are Magic // by Wheezyandbreezy //------------------------------// The soldiers of strike team Sparkle were in an enormous maze, compliments of the Damocles' training simulation generator. The walls and floor were a shade of dark purple and every wall was at an odd angle. Line of sight was no more than a few feet at a time in any direction. After the fiasco during orientation, Twilight decided it was critically important to get one on one experience with each pilot individually. All the members of her squad were seasoned veterans of skirmishes, but Twilight's psychic ability made traditional battles entirely one sided. So instead she was drilled endlessly in tactics and training techniques until she could've written a thesis about warfare. Which she did. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack watched from the view window from above as Rainbow Dash and Twilight covered each other and moved forward with extreme caution. When they'd reached what seemed like the center of the maze they sat back to back. "So what's the goal of this exercise ma'am?" Twilight kept her eyes down the scope of her training rifle. "To seize precious cargo from the enemy and return safely to base. Rainbow's focus momentarily dropped. "You mean capture the flag?" "I've heard it called that before, yes. So we need to." Twilight started but Rainbow instantly darted away. Twilight called after her, but she was gone in a flash. Twilight very carefully found a securable corner and put up a shield so that she could reach out telepathically. "Rainbow! GET your ASS Back here and.~" "SIMULATION FAILED." A synthetic voice called out from the ceiling. The maze dropped and saw a very disgruntled Rainbow Dash kicking the last few specks of the fading training dummy, and cursing sulphurously. Rainbow looked and saw Twilight's shield just before it dropped and the psychic flew over to the flanker. "What the hell was that?!" Twilight barked. "Why did you abandon me?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "They were puppy guarding." She turned away. "That doesn't matter in this scenario the key tactic is to slowly and very carefully move forward by squad and watch for enemy combatants. AND YOU!~" "I HAD IT! THEY WERE CAMPED ON OUR BASE! I ALMOST HAD IT!" Rainbow Dash shouted over Twilight's rebuke. "It doesn't matter where they are if you're properly covered and FIRE FROM SAFETY. AND YOUR INSUBORDINATION." Twilight cut herself off. She'd gone over every file carefully to try and get as thorough a psychological profile as possible. The voice of Rarity chimed in through the ceiling. "Umm Ma'am? Rainbow Dash was literally right on the finish line when she got tagged." A video screen projected in front of her and Twilight was amazed to see just how fast Rainbow could run. She had just blown straight past three of the training dummies and grabbed the briefcase. She'd been mere inches from the goal, and had already been missed by four shots when she finally got hit. "Yeah I've got a bit of experience when it comes to smash and grab." Rainbow Dash bragged, flicking her rainbow hair off of her neck and sending a few drops of sweat onto Twilight. Twilight was thoroughly unamused. "She sent images of pirates being executed directly into Rainbow Dash's mind. Rainbow heard a deep rumbling voice scold, "THAT IS NOTHING TO BRAG ABOUT." Rainbow cringed in fear and sheepishly laughed. "Heh heh. Yeah. Right. Umm" She hung her head in apology. "Please don't tell anyone." Twilight rolled her eyes. "Well since you're the expert." She sneered the word. "What do you recommend.' Rainbow Dash's mood instantly brightened, and she gave her best Pinkie Pie impression. She got uncomfortably close to Twilight's face and asked in amazement. "What was that shield thing you were doing?!" Twilight teleported to behind the over enthusiastic pilot and a translucent violet bubble appeared around her. She slowly raised her training rifle at Rainbow Dash's midsection. Rainbow flinched as she pulled the trigger, but nothing hit her. For the record, training las gun power packs don't kill. It would take about a thousand of them two days to cook a turkey. But they sting like a son of a bitch. Rainbow looked and saw that on the inside of the bubble was a red hot glowing dot slowly cooling. Rainbow beamed at the display. "HOLY FUCK you are the coolest fucking psychic ever!" Twilight was slightly embarrassed by the enthusiasm. She cleared her throat and tried to get back to the subject. She dropped the shield and asked. "Well what does that have to do with.~" Twilight gave a small yelp as Rainbow Dash grabbed her hips and turned her towards the other end of the room. Rainbow Dash shouted, "RUN IT AGAIN!" The maze once again randomly asserted itself and a grin split Rainbow Dash's face. "Now do that shield thing again." Twilight uncertainly raised her shield. "Okay now do that flying thing." Twilight was certain she'd had enough. She swatted Rainbow's hands away and turned to give her a good old fashioned dressing down, but two of the training dummies came and laid down a wave of automatic las fire. Twilight reflexatorily raised her shield again to block it. Rainbow saw her opportunity and took it. She ran up and grabbed Twilight about the waste and carried her forward. She bulldozed the two dummies and kept running. "RAINBOW! PUT ME DOWN!" Twilight shouted as she strained to sustain her shield. Rainbow kept running despite Twilight's protest. "DO THE FLYING THING NOW!" Twilight was tired of arguing so she just decided to see where this went. She focused hard and began to levitate herself while still maintaining her shield. Rainbow gained a predatory grin and Twilight felt herself almost get whiplash as Rainbow was able to run full speed. She tore around corners and simply bulldozed the training dummies over. Twilight had to clench her teeth as her shield soaked the very few rounds the dummies were able to get off before they were plowed over. Rainbow grabbed the package and rebounded off the far wall. Twilight started to mutter that she was about to pass out when the words. "SIMULATION COMPLETE." Echoed through the room. Twilight opened her eyes and saw she was floating inside the goal circle. Rainbow Dash smiled smugly as the briefcase faded from her hand. The other members of the squad burst into the room and Pinkie Pie cheered and shouted, "WOOHOO SHIELDS AND BOOSTERS!" Applejack smirked and they did a complicated series of high fives. They chattered about the success of the simulation as Twilight steadied herself. Her head was spinning but the message was clear. She shakily said "Shields. . . And Boosters." Twilight sent information to the motor pool and Rainbow Dash's mech began construction. Two words were flashing in big bold capital letters at the top of the page. SHIELDS AND BOOSTERS.