The Conversion Bureau : Landfall

by Feefers

Escalation

The car flew back to the Oceans Study building opening up again as Smith climbed out, the lights were still on inside.
Smith walked back up to the gate waiting for it to open for him before heading into the building he looked around for the soft grey light he’d seen earlier as he started to follow it.
The oceans study building was quite large and the layout was exceptionally confusing, hence the lit lines showing you where to go and where other people were in the building as Smith found himself in a small neat office he hadn't seen before.
A unicorn with a lab coat on was busy with some test tubes as Smith looked carefully at them.
“Checking the water quality?” Smith asked finally guessing at the purpose.
The unicorn looked up and smiled nod nodding a bit, “Hello! I'm Splish Slpash!”
Smith nodded back, “Smith, please to meet you. Should you not check the PH levels?”
Splish Splash raised an eyebrow looking from behind her clipboard, slightly trying to hide the results.
“Whaaaat?! I haven’t been?!?!” She asked somewhat startled.
Smith moved across to the test tubes and clipped a small tube that had come lose into place, “Might need that to siphon it off to the litmus...”
Splish Splash watched as a little dribble of water ran off and down behind the test tubes to a little patch of paper dribbling on to them, four of the tubes bits of paper started to turn slightly red.
“There you go miss.” He looked at the last two tubes and the paper as they remained the same colour.
“Thank you gosh i’d have been given a row if I got this wrong...” Splish Splash blushed as she watched Smith examining the final two tubes.
“Control sample?” Smith asked looking at it.
“N...no. It’s a sample from Equestria.” Splish Splash moved closer lifting one of the tubes up levitating it to Smith’s hand.
“This...” She paused as Smith drew nearer, “Is from post-Earth.” She said quietly the water distorting her face as she peered into the test tube at Smith.
Smith peered at the pure clear water, “Wow, it looks so good.”
Splish Splash nodded, “It’s a clean as the water in Equestria is.”
“I would imagine so, is it safe?” Smith asked looking nervously at the water.
Splish Splash nodded slightly, “I ... believe so, feel like being a test subject?”
Smith winced slightly at the thought but steadied himself, “Okay...”
Splish Splash levitated a little droplet of water up into the air as Smith held out his left arm.
“Ready?” Splish Splash asked as she dropped the water onto Smith’s arm.
Smith felt the cool water running down his skin before dripping off onto the floor, as it hit the floor surface there was a splash of colour spreading out for just a second before vanishing.
Splish Splash raised an eyebrow, “Huh; that. Maybe.” She got lost in her thoughts.
Smith waited for her to catch up as she blinked cutely.
“Ahh!” She exclaimed suddenly, “Sorry I totally zoned on you there.”
“That’s okay, anything else you need help with?” Smith asked.
Splish Splash shook her head, “If I do, I just follow that white line?”
“Yeah, I’ll be in the office at the end of it.” Smith replied.

Smith walked back following the grey line until it became a familiar white line as he walked into the office stretching a little.
He looked to the remaining seven monitors, Five of them were flashing as he sat down at the console a little shaken as he grabbed the notepad

Ocean Survey Studies
Buoy monitor and control

Command :>

He quickly typed in

CON SOURCE T92013102

The response was not the one he was expecting.

ERROR 2303: OBJECT NO LONGER EXISTS

Smith felt a cold shudder at the exact wording of the text trying another

CON SOURCE T10100531

ERROR 2303: OBJECT NO LONGER EXISTS

Smith rubbed his head confused looking to the still functioning buoy.

CON SOURCE T986327

The screen changed to a grainy display the barrier was already close.

Smith slid the chair across to his work station as it lit up before him.
He gestured at the sheet first panicking a little as he dropped it and instead pulled up the communications suite.
The top entry was the only number he had never dialled, he hadn't even put it into the system it came in a file attachment he was told to save.
It read quite elegantly, 911 - In case of emergency
He pulled it across to the communication suite as the computer made a connection.
“ Emergency services, Elsbeth speaking.” A pixelated avatar appeared in Smith’s display.
“This is Smith Johnson at O.S.S.” Smith stated waiting, not really sure what he was supposed to do.
“Mister Johnson, thank you for calling please wait.” The avatar buzzed slightly as it was replaced by a video feed of a tired looking man.
“Smith isn't it?” The man asked from the monitor at Smith and past him looking around the desk and office.
“That’s right, I'm at O.S.S. buoy monitoring.” Smith hung his head a little embarrassed.
“I like your reports, very neat, always prompt.” The man said trying to reassure Smith who was surprised anyone had been reading them.
“Thank you but, I am calling to advise, Equestria is accelerating, at this point only two buoys remain this morning there were seven.”
The man nodded slowly, “Thank you Smith, this confirms other reports we have received from satellite. I think we have all the data we can really get from the buoys there.”
Smith felt a panic rising in him, “I’d like if it’s okay, to monitor the last two transmissions until they go off line.”
The man raised an eyebrow but nodded, “Very well, I appreciate your dedication.”
The call suddenly dropped and the screen returned to Smith’s communication suite.
He sat on the seat trying to take it all in looking out to the sea where the barrier was, it didn't look any closer but everything he could see was telling him it was approaching and more rapidly then anyone had expected.