Chapter 2: Defrost
It was a strangely sunny and clear day today I found myself thinking as the ruined remains of the Ministry of Arcane Sciences facility stood crumbling before me. Age had not been kind to the building, all of its windows were broken and entire rooms were exposed to the wasteland. Hopefully the facility’s labs would be in better shape.
I pushed my way past the rusted chain-link fence encircling the building and made my way to the entrance, a gaping hole where a large double door would have been placed. Gingerly I made my way inside, keeping my senses perked for any sign of danger. Even after this long the building probably still had active defenses. As my eyes adjusted to the dim interior I was met with a disappointing sight. Laser burns and scorch marks scored the floor and walls. A trio of shattered turrets hung from the ceiling. A handful of dust covered clipboards, coffee mugs, and broken computers were the only items still remaining here, all piled into a corner of the room. The Steel Rangers had come and gone, years ago from the look of things.
I turned to leave when I heard a raucous laugh in the street beyond the MoAS facility. I crept up to the entrance and peaked out, making certain to keep myself hidden in the shadows. A trio of slavers was leading a chained pony down the street, laughing every time he stumbled and fell over the cumbersome chains. I walked out into the street calmly and nodded a greeting at the slavers. After a second of confusion their leader nodded back. I began to walk away, heading towards the sewer entrance that would bring me near to the army recruitment center, when I heard a pained voice call out after me. “H-help me! Please, please help me…” Immediately there was a heavy thud followed by a scream of pain and more laughter. I might have asked if he could afford my services, but I was already busy. I left the pony to his fate and descended into the darkness of the Manehatten sewer system.
Dank rot and the sound of dripping water surrounded me as I stealthily made my way through dark sewer tunnels. Every time I hit a junction I had to look at my compass and map due to the confusing layout of the sewers. So far I had avoided any creatures making their homes down here, but I knew that was not likely to last.
Fifteen minutes went by without incident before I came across a small group of feral ghouls. I was in one of the longer straight sections of the sewer; it went on for around five hundred feet without a junction. I was able to hide behind a piece of sheet metal that had somehow found its way down here and douse my light before the ferals noticed. I closed my eyes for a few minutes to allow myself to quickly become accustomed to the gloom inside the tunnel, then poked my head up and attempted to count how many ghouls were in front of me. From what I could see in the darkness there were at least five of the creatures. I slowly and quietly drew my pistol, clenching it in my mouth and running my tongue over the trigger, dearly wishing I had a frag grenade. I snuck out into the open and sighted on the first ghoul in the group, centering on the outline of its head. I tongued the trigger and moved onto my next target without checking to see if the first target was down. I rapidly emptied the pistol’s twelve rounds into the feral ghouls as they galloped down the tunnel towards me. All but one of the ghouls dropped to the ground, dead or dying as my pistol clicked on empty. I dropped it to the ground just as the last ghoul barreled into me, smashing me to the ground.
The ghoul bit down on my side hard, eliciting a hiss of pain as blood began to flow freely. I kicked at it with my forelegs, managing to push it off me, and quickly got to my hooves. As the ghoul leaped at me again I spun and kicked, feeling a heavy thud as my hooves connected solidly with the creature’s head. The ghoul’s body knocked me to the ground again, but it no longer moved. I fished out my light to see its head hanging lazily in an unnatural angle.
I grimaced as the pain in my side reminded me I had not finished this fight unscathed. I briefly searched through my saddlebags before finding what I was looking for. I drank the healing potion quickly, moaning quietly as my flesh re-knit around the wound. I tossed the empty bottle to the side and began searching for my pistol. After a few minutes I found it half buried under one of the dead ghouls. I reloaded the weapon and put it back in its holster, then continued on my way. One of the ghouls let out a gargling wheeze as I passed it, so I caved in its skull for good measure.
Just over an hour later I emerged into the streets near the old recruitment center. I had run into one more group of ghouls, but I hadn’t had a problem taking them down.
I appeared to be in a large open square. The remnants of picnic tables filled the area along with ancient garbage and detritus. The streets leading into the area were filled with rubble and debris, blocking this secluded square from the rest of the wasteland. I heard a rusty creaking in the air as a gentle breeze brushed against a street sign. Across from me stood a small brick building with a sign proclaiming “SERVE YOUR PRINCESSES AND COUNTRY, JOIN THE EQUESTRIAN ARMY TODAY!” A few patriotic posters featuring power armored soldiers towering over fleeing zebras graced its exterior. I unceremoniously stepped over the skeleton of a long dead pony and headed towards my goal.
As I drew nearer to the building I noted that it seemed mostly intact and untouched by the devastation around it. Its windows, although streaked with years of grime and dirt, were unbroken and its surface was unmarred. I moved up and gently pushed open the door, jumping back in momentary surprise as a patriotic tune blared from speakers hidden inside. I calmed myself and entered the building, ignoring the cheerful anthem and moving into the well-lit interior.
The inside of the building was rather plain and unassuming. More patriotic posters lined the walls, and decaying pamphlets lined a rack at the building’s entrance. The walls were a neutral red color. An open doorway at the end of the room lead to what I assumed was the recruiter’s office. A crumpled skeleton lay curled up against the rack of pamphlets, an I.D. card lying next to its mouth.
A mechanical clanking noise came from the office, followed immediately by a tracked robot in built in a rough facsimile of a pony. Its most predominant feature was the clear glass dome housing a still living brain on its head.
“Greetings citizen! How are you this fine day in our great and glorious country? I see you are interested in joining the Equestrian Army!” the robot’s tinny voice chattered away. It paused a second and scanned my body. “ERROR. WEAPONS DETECTED. PRESENT IDENTIFICATION OR I WILL BE FORCED TO DETAIN YOU.”
“Here is my I.D.” I quickly stated as a picked up the skeleton’s I.D. card and presented it to the robot.
“Greetings recruiter Peaches! You have missed work for 167 years and 288 days. Please go write a letter to your supervisor explaining your actions.” The robot stated before turning and heading back inside the office.
I followed the machine as I tucked the I.D. away inside my saddlebags in case I needed it again, then stepped through the door and into a small room. In one corner the robot sat inside its charging cradle, apparently shut down now that it had finished its programmed task. In the center of the room sat a small desk with a glowing computer taking up much of its surface. A safe was built into the back wall. The smell of dust was overpowering.
I moved up to the computer and brushed years of dust off of it, and then sat down to look through it. Thankfully it was unlocked; apparently the recruiter had been in the middle of some paperwork when the megaspells went off. I quickly began scanning through files looking for mention of the Red Opal. After skimming through multiple letters between the recruiter, Peaches, and her lover I finally found what I was looking for. I opened the document up and began reading it.
“Sergeant Peaches,
Within a few days you will receive a piece of experimental technology known as a Red Opal. It is a device similar to Black Opals, except it allows the user to feel the emotions of the recorded subject. You are to offer its use to any ponies that enter your center. Please record their attitude and disposition before and after they use the Opal. Report back in two weeks.
-Colonel Cloud”
I shut down the message and began searching through the computer for a way to access the wall safe. In a few minutes I found the command to open it and heard the safe click open behind me. I turned and peered inside as the disturbed dust settled; I could make out a bulky attaché case in the back of the safe. I reached in and gingerly pulled the case out. Thankfully there was not a lock on the case.
I brought it out into the front room and flipped the two clasps, stepping back as the case popped open. Inside sat a smooth, round, red stone the size of my hoof, and a peculiar headpiece with a setting that looked just about the same size as the stone.
I moved to shut the case, satisfied that I had found the right object, when a twitch in my subconscious stopped me. I kind of wanted to try the device, make sure it works for Antiquarian. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to try it on. It was a strange feeling, one that I didn’t understand. Suddenly I realized I had been standing over the case for an hour, thinking.
I moved once again to shut it, but instead found myself pulling out the Red Opal and Recollector. I gave in to the strange compulsion as I slotted the stone into the headpiece and placed it on my head. I let the device settle briefly before pressing the button to activate it.
I felt a sickening pop inside my head and blacked out.
I opened my eyes to darkness. I could feel I was lying on the floor but I couldn’t remember why. I moved to get up and felt my face tear painfully away from the floor. My head and chest were pounding, I felt strange and abnormal. I clumsily pulled my flashlight from my saddlebag and turned it on. A sizable pool of dried blood covered the ground were my head had been lying, and reaching up to my face I could feel it crusted in patches and rivulets coming from my eyes, ears, and nose.
The recollector slipped unnoticed from my head as I slowly got to my feet. I racked my brain, searching for clues as to my current state. It had to have something to do with the opal. I began to think back to what Antiquarian had said when I passed over the memory of the white mare in the raider camp. Something in her eyes burned into me. It hurt. Her eyes, pleading, fearful, and hopeless, caused my chest to tighten painfully. I felt tears well in my eyes.
I felt.
Why was I feeling?
I turned and sprinted into the night with one goal stuck obsessively and unasked for inside my head.
Help her.