The Phoenix Project

by Cydon

Chapter 4 A New Threat

Personal Log, Lead Scientist James Mcreedy, November 7, 2132
"We've done it, and It's about goddamn time too, we have less than a month but we actually finished. The Phoenix Project has been completed, the pods are ready the Cryostasis is functional and the boys in astrometrics say they have found a nice little planet for us to live on. It is unfortunate that it took so long though. We lost contact with the U.N. last month, we have reason to believe that this bunker contains the last survivors of the human race, a scant eleven hundred people to the near seven and a half billion that used to live across the globe not six months ago. Tomorrow we begin launching the pods, hopefully we'll be finished by next week.

I ran quickly down the dirt path towards Appleloosa my rifle in my hands. I glanced about to make sure I hadn't been spotted yet, nopony was around, I kept jogging until I reached the outskirts of town.

'I'm an idiot what was I thinking charging into town like that? At least they didn't spot me, fighting them all at once wouldn't have gone over well.' I thought quickly as I hid behind some boxes in an alleyway. "Tara any ideas?"

"Perhaps a proper assessment of the situation would spark an idea?"

"Alright lay it on me."

"You still maintain the element of surprise and your firearms will keep the enemy from getting too close. I detected no more than two dozen changelings before the heat and smoke from the fires blocked my sensors." I peeked out from the alleyway and I saw a few ponies still running around but most were either hiding or unconscious.

"I think a distraction would be good."

"Perhaps this will provide the distraction you need." From the forge came a small device that upon inspection turned out to be nothing more than speakers hooked up with a button, protected by a rubber shell. "Throw this to where you want the distraction. It will explode if you use this remote."

"That...just might work." I hit the button and toss it into the middle of the street. Upon settling in the dirt the speakers began emitting noises from beeps and squawks to shouts and gunfire. I waited behind the boxes for a Changeling to show up. After waiting for two minutes I was about to go turn the thing off when six Changelings land next to it. 'Perfect.'

I step out from behind the boxes and out into the sunlight. "All right you damn bugs I'm going to give you thirty seconds to leave town or this will get ugly." The Changelings stood stock still, puzzled as to who would challenge them they quickly turn around to face me.

"And jussst why ssshould we do that? We clearly outnumber you, creature?" The lead Changelings hissing voice buzzed in my ear.

"Because I could kill all of you with a press of a button." I said waving the detonator.

"You cannot ssstop uss all. Kill him." The Changelings took a step towards me. 'This might be messy.' I hit the remote.

The blast from the noise machine instantly killed the Changelings tossing them into various buildings around the street. I was hit by the shock wave and was thrown into the boxes bruised but alive. "Tara remind me to never do that again."

"Noted." I got up slowly and rubbed my arms. 'Six down eighteen to go.' I stepped into the light once more and looked around for any more Changelings. The crater left behind was three feet in diameter and was still smoking.

"You will pay for killing my brethren creature." Came a hissing voice from above. 'I forgot they could fly.' I was tackled from the side and landed with a grunt the Changeling still on top of me. It tried to stab me with its horn but I was faster, quickly grabbing my knife and stabbing it in the eye. '17.' I tossed the dead Changeling off and stood up four more Changelings stood in front of me and three more hovering above.

"Who's next?" I grinned an evil grin and stared down the Changelings. Faster than they could react I grabbed my pistol and shot one of the fliers. It fell to the ground with a thud and the others stared at my gun. '16.'

"This one is strong the Queen will enjoy him." They all charged me at once and I shot two more before they reached me. '14' The ones on the ground tried to spear me but I sidestepped the first one at the last second stabbing him in the neck with my knife. '13.' The momentum from his charge yanked the blade from my hand as it slid past. The second seeing my knife was gone charged and put a deep gash in my thigh as I turned around.

"AAAH" I yelled in pain as I pistol whipped him a new horn causing it to slump to the ground unconscious. '12.' I spun around to look at the last two as they charged me from the air. I managed to clip one in the wings causing it to crash but the second one barreled into me.

I hit the ground hard pain lancing from my thigh and chest as I dropped my pistol. 'I hope he didn't break a rib.' The Changeling that had crashed was slowly rising to its feet and limped towards me I looked about for a weapon but found none. "Tara a little help?" A robotic arm emerged from my pack toting a needle, and before I could say anything more it stabbed into my arm releasing its contents. My pain numbed and I stood up adrenalin coursing through me the limping Changeling stopped a look of fear in its insectoid eyes. The other Changeling no longer dazed from ramming me stood as well and moved next to the other. "You still think you got what it takes to kill a Ranger?"

"We will be back creature and next time you will not be so lucky." The Changeling picked up the wounded Changeling and flew off screeching in his insectoid language. The other Changelings swarmed into the air from all around town and they flew off over the horizon.

I looked at the town I could see a few ponies take fearful glances out their windows obviously wondering what I was going to do next. They were probably shocked that I could kill a dozen Changelings and still be standing, although I wouldn't be standing much longer if I didn't stop the bleeding from my thigh. Tara's robotic arm handed me a bandage and I wrapped my thigh up tightly, the bleeding slowed but didn't stop. 'Crap must have hit an artery.' Black started invading my vision but I fought it back down. 'Not yet.' I saw a yellow blur on the horizon zooming towards me.

Sky landed with a whoosh wind blowing her mane as she trotted to me. "YOU DID IT CYDON You oh no, no no no no no, you're bleeding! Are you okay? Please tell me you'll be okay!" Sky sounded frantic and close to hyperventilating.

"Sky, please calm down I'm going to be okay we just need to stop the bleeding before I pass out." The medistim's adrenalin decided that now was a good time to wear off. "Uhhggg wow I'm tired we should find a doctor."

"A doctor yeah that's what we need okay. HEY IS THERE A DOCTOR HERE!" Sky screamed at the houses receiving no response "PLEASE HELP HIM HE SAVED THE TOWN AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO JUST LET HIM DIE!?" A purple stallion opened the door to a small wooden building down the street.

"BRING HIM IN HERE QUICKLY!" I started hobbling towards the building but barely took two steps before nearly falling over. Sky quickly came up beside me supporting my weak leg, I gave her a weak smile as we hobbled to the building. I heard the pounding of hooves and labored breathing stop behind us.

"Cydon *huff huff* are you *huff* okay?"

"I'm bleeding to death but other than that just peachy." I quip weakly as I pointed to the gash on my leg now bleeding through the bandage, he glanced to where I was pointing and blanched at the amount of red spreading across my pants.

"Let me carry you." The Professor's horn glowed and I levitated off the ground. I was carried the rest of the way to the building and brought inside. The purple stallion led us through the building and into a room where the Professor set me down on the bed and moved over to the corner of the room. The purple stallion who I now realized was a unicorn levitated a needle and thread over to my leg to stitch it up.

"Here bite down on this I don't have any anesthetics." I nodded and bit down on the provided piece of wood and waited for the stitching to begin. I passed out from blood loss before the doc finished.

"Will he be okay?"

"Yes he only had minor cuts and bruises except for that gash on his leg. But as long as the stitches hold he'll be fine." The doctor said as he finished putting away his tools.

"Thank you doctor."

"If you don't mind me asking, what is he? I've never seen a creature like him before." He said while washing the blood from his coat and hooves.

"He calls himself a human and he comes from very far away."

"That's very interesting, you may stay with him if you like but I doubt he will awaken before tomorrow." He trot over to the door.

"I think I'll do that."

"Very well, I'm going to speak at the town meeting tonight I will put in a good word for him. Good night Miss Dasher."

"Good night doctor." The doctor left the room as I turned to look at the Cydon. 'You should have been more careful Cydon I can't lose anyone else, not again.' I jumped up on the bed and curled up beside Cydon resting my head on his chest as I drifted off to sleep.

Professor Bones was not happy, the towns ponies had been bickering this way and that for two hours and they did not appear to be stopping anytime soon.

"We should leave the creature in the desert."

"We should give him a chance he did fight off the Changelings."

"You saw how he killed those Changelings what's to stop him from doing the same to us?"

"ENOUGH!" All of the towns ponies myself included looked to the meetings intruder. The doctor who had just arrived had already had enough of the towns ponies bickering. "Nopony has any right to judge this creature as nopony knows anything about him, now if you find yourself unable to calmly continue this meeting then GO HOME." The room was silent for a few seconds while the doctors words sank in. "Thank you for your cooperation now I shall give my report on his well being. Then Professor Bones and Braeburn will tell us a little more about him, after which we can then decide what to do." The towns ponies murmured amongst themselves for a bit before nodding and sitting back in their seats.

"Good. Now I have managed to stop the bleeding from his leg wound and none of the others seem dangerous so I believe he will be fine, he is resting in my clinic with Sky Dasher keeping watch. Professor, Braeburn tell us about the human if you would." Braeburn spoke first.

"Well I reckon there ain't much for me to say we talked a little and he seems nice and I think I can call him a friend but we never talked about his past or what he plans for the future."

"I never got the chance to ask him about his past either but I do know he made a promise to Sky that he would never harm a pony without just cause. And as for his future plans he said he wished to visit the Princesses in Canterlot and I plan on taking him when he recovers." The ponies talked amongst themselves for a few minutes before coming to a consensus. "We still don't trust him but we won't kick him out, he can stay until he is ready to leave."

"So be it, this meeting is adjourned everypony go home and get some sleep." The doctor returned to his clinic, Braeburn went back to his farmhouse, and I went back to my hotel room. After arriving I got to work I had letters to write and reports to make.

Dear Princess Celestia

I have come across a remarkable discovery in Appleloosa that I believe could revolutionize our understanding of the universe. I will be bringing my discovery to Canterlot within the next few days. I ask for a royal escort to an audience with you upon arrival.
Your Dedicated Archaeologist
Professor Bones