Fallout Equestria: Viva Las Pegasus -- Tails of New Pegasus
Chapter Seven: Work Ahead
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"Alright, one at a time, one at a time!" Brass shouted.
Everypony in the room was raising their hooves hoping for their questions to be answered. All they knew about T.A.I.L was that it had a higher pay grade and less constraints. Which was good of course. It wasn't taboo to find a line outside Badge's office with these ponies lined up outside, being chewed out for either defiance of authority or disrespect and/or rough treatment to civilians. So it's not hard to imagine that the chance to never have to do that again would attract a lot of these people.
"Hang on, let me start the real orientation!" the stressed leader of the brave New Pegasus Police Department thundered, silencing the room.
"Okay, let's begin," Brass said as he clicked a button then a logo of a sword with the hilt transforming into a horse tail, encircled in a golden ring. "The T.A.I.L is a specialized task force operating directly under the City Council-"
"Wait, so we're just glorified guards?" A mare's voice pierced from across the room, with a hint of Trottingham in her accent. She was a beautiful dark sea green earth pony who had a short black mane with red highlights. Her flank had the cutie mark of a beret with a magnifying glass next to it.
"No, no, let me explain. Do you know what you guards do?"
"Get yelled at for not following the rules?" Aegis suggested.
"Hey, smart-ass. Shut your mouth." Standoff hissed.
"Why don't I teach you some respect boy?" Aegis retorted angrily, slowly standing up from his place, gazing a fiery look at the pony with the two-gun cutie mark.
"I dunno old man," Standoff shot back, cracking his hooves as he got up as well. "why don't you try?"
The whole room got quiet as the two stared each other down. Sundown nudged me, Don't you think we should stop them? I just gave him a cocky grin, Nah, Aegis can take care of himself. Aegis might have had a few scratches from last night, but he didn't show it. Actually, the bandages on his face seem to make him look scarier. On the other corner, Standoff lived up to his name, keeping a steely stare at the older pony, looking ready to pounce at any moment.
"Alright," Brass walked in between the two in the middle of their staredown. "Break it up you two."
Each shot a look towards the commissar, then back to the other, to the commissar again. I guess they had realized that Brass meant business, so both grumbled and dragged on back to their seats. Well, that was rather anti-climactic.
"Now, shut up and listen." Brass calmly continued, as if nothing had happened. I feel like he was expecting this, putting the toughest guards all in one room. He trotted in front, and announced "You are the Council's right hand. I know you heard that being in this group will reduce the times you will be reprimanded, because it will."
At that moment, I and a few other ponies silently celebrated.
"But..." the commissar added, "if you fuck up, we will deny all involvement with you and have you killed."
"Now hold on a minute playa," Buckton intruded, "so... we're mercenaries?"
"Well, mercenaries above the law and with the resources of New Pegasus Council at your hooves, yes."
"Wait, above the law?" somepony asked. "So, we can like, rape people?"
"Wait, no- ugh, let me finish. When I mean above the law, you can use... unconventional means to uphold the will of New Pegasus. However, if any action is deemed detrimental to the city, we will cut you off from all resources and kill you."
"If we're the best, how can you kill us?" Another pony said.
"Easy, with other T.A.I.L teams."
Teams? "What do you mean teams?" I asked.
"Well, you see, T.A.I.L is a covert operations department, so operating in large groups would be inefficient. All of you will be split into pairs."
"Will the pairs be randomly chosen?" Sundowner politely asked.
"No. Given your psychological reports, we've decided which pony is your best partner."
Well, at least that meant I'll probably be with Sundown. That put some ease into my mind, knowing I won't be with Standoff .
"Either way, assignments will come in a while. Anyway, final wrap up. One, T.A.I.L Agents answer to me or the Council, nobody else. Two, T.A.I.L Agents have the city's resources at their disposal. Three, T.A.I.L Agents work in pairs."
"Wait, how would we know what to do?" Standoff asked.
"Well, when we need you, we'll contact agents and get them here for a SitRep."
"A what?"
"It means 'Situation Report', dolt." the Trottingham mare replied to Standoff's question.
"Great job, Miss Locke." The mare smiled in pride, acknowledging her officer's compliment. "Thank you sir."
"Wait, so basically, we have free time until you ask for us?" I wondered out loud, smiling at the thought of days filled with free time.
"Hahaha, no." Brass grunted, killing my hopes. "You will be on guard duty during your spare time. But don't worry, it's not classic 'stand-at-spot-all-day-staring-at-nothing' guard jobs. You'll be guarding VIPs."
Of course. A bum job with this high pay would be too good to be true. So we're basically bodyguards who can do whatever needs to be done to get shit done without the law bothering them. That's all I needed to know. And that's all I did know, because I ended up dozing off.
-----
"Pssst..." I heard a whisper that woke me up.
"Pssst..."
"Uhhh.... wha-" I grumbled, barely awake.
"BOULDER!" my young companion snapped at me, shocking me awake.
"What? I'm awake."
"Old man, it's time for partnering and assignments."
I looked around and he was right. From what I can tell, Brass's boring speech lasted for about thirty more minutes before this part. I glanced at the others in the room and caught Buckton sleeping while Aegis was busy playing with his sweater. Behind them I saw the Trottingham mare attentively listening to the commissar and Standoff numbly staring at his boss, most likely not hearing a single word. The other ponies were doing Celestia knows what, but they obviously were not listening.
"Alright, time for assignments." Brass clapped as he got everyone's attention.
"Now, Standoff," the cop jolted up at his name being called, "You are partners with... Ugh, Sherri Locke."
"Sherri Locke?" Sundown whispered. "Who's that?"
The attractive mossy mare looked horrified, staring at the chief with jaw dropped as if to say Him? Really? What did I ever do to you?
Standoff, however, wasted no time in making himself look like a fucking idiot. "Hello," he greeted the mare in what I assume to be his attempt at a seductive tone, "I understand, you're my new partner?" He bent down and kissed her hoof, then looked at smiled at her face.
I mutter to Sundown, "Man, this kid's a fucking retard."
"Oooookay....." the chief continued, rolling his eyes in either disgust on disappointment. "Next, we have Sandy Aegis and Buckton forming another team."
"AWW YEAAH PLAYA!"
"FUCK YES!"
Every pair of eyes in the room were redirected to the inky black pony and the brick red pony now dancing in the briefing room. "For the record," I said out loud, "I don't know those guys."
Brass was looking very pissed now, but nonetheless, he continued. "Next team, Brawny Boulder and Desert Sundown."
"Sweet," I grinned, while Sundown as usual, remained silent, acknowledging the announcement only with a slight nod.
"What? Just like that?" The chief was surprised.
"Yep."
"Oh... Okay, then..." He grinned a bit before continuing with the pairs. I guess he was just happy he got a normal reaction for the first time. "So, continuing... Brave Gem and Firemane make another team..."
-----
After the team assignment was done, Brass instructed us to go separate rooms as a team. For why, I have no idea, but thank Celestia we're out of that briefing room. It was boring as shit there. Instead, we ended up going into one of the rooms where the interviews take place. So here I was, just numbly waiting for someone to come through that door, while Sundown on the other hand, was sitting quietly there as usual, just like a gargoyle.
"So, what do you think this new job will be like?" I asked him, hoping to get him to converse with me.
"I guess it'll be same old, same old, but a bit more dangerous," he nonchalantly said.
"Yeah! Danger means excitement!"
"Or getting killed."
"Relax, we'll get guard duty when we're not out being badasses."
"Yeah, but we are above the law..."
"So...?"
"Imagine all we could do, just to make sure we reach our goal," he continued, "we're basically vigilantes given power."
"No," I retorted, "I'd be doing the same thing I always did, but this time I won't get yelled for it!"
"Haha, I guess you're right." Sundown chuckled.
Just then, the ever-so-important Brass Badge walked into the room with a bunch of folders in his mouth. Imposingly, he approached us, sat down in front of us, and just stared at us, as if expecting something.
"I've heard a lot about you two..." he started, "The Big Boulder and the Rose's Thorn."
"Oh, those tales are greatly exaggerated," I mocked modesty, acting like a little filly being told she was pretty.
"Cut the crap, Boulder, I've seen you fight."
"Yeah, the Farsight Takeover a few years back."
"Wha- how do you-?"
"Oh, dear boss, I may look like all brawn, but my brain never forgets a face." I grinned at him.
"Yeah, so the tales about you are true... All of them." Brass shifted uncomfortably at the thought. "But you, Rose's Thorn, you're a special one."
"Thank you sir," my young orange friend politely nodded.
"Oh, don't be so modest, if at your age, you can shoot a sniper better than Standoff, I have high hopes for you," the police head smiled.
"Woah, woah, woah," I broke in, "why no admiration for me?"
"Because you're an asswipe." The green pony sternly replied.
"Wow, thanks," I grumbled in response.
"Anyway, I'm not here for chit-chat. So according to this file," he opens up a file filled with notes, and papers with words and shit, "we've decided that your best dedicated role would be guards to the Spokespony of New Pegasus."
"Woooow, that's such a great fucking promotion. I mean, it's not like it was our fucking job before. I mean it was really fun, sitting in front of the office she never goes too because it's only an archive, and doing nothing all day. Reeal great." I looked at Sundown for someone to back me up, but then I saw he had a kind of sadness in his eyes. Oh, right, he wanted this.
"I mean, uh, that wasn't sarcastic. I really liked that post I stay in."
Brass Badge simply laughed at me. "Oh, boy, you misunderstand me. I meant security detail."
"So?"
"So you're her bodyguards. You follow her around."
"Why? So people would fear the most beloved pony in Pegasus?"
"No, to protect her."
"From what? Her adoring fans?"
"You know Boulder," his voice turned almost into a whisper, but it had that hardness and seriousness to it that it seemed as attention grabbing as shouting through a megaphone, "New Pegasus is full of dangers, whether we know it or not. Believe me when I say that if things go south, she may be the number one target." It's almost as if he knew something.
This got Sundown's attention, and my companion finally spoke up, "Why her? She's an angel. Everyone loves her!"
"And nothing causes panic more than-"
"- a beloved figure being killed." Sundown finished. We both knew what he was talking about. Farsight would be too well-guarded, and Dee and Ampera barely left their work. Desert Rose is the only pony who walks around New Pegasus, encouraging the local populace, giving speeches and whatnot. Everyone in New Pegasus saw her as the saint, the hero of the common people.
And if she was killed, the population would throw a fit.
"There's more cards in play here, aren't there?" I questioned Brass.
"Look, Boulder, I-"
"Answer the question."
"Well-"
"Who wanted this task force? Was it really the Council? Or did you push for it?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Because I don't want to fight a war that's not mine."
Brass Badge met my eyes with a vicious, strong gaze, while I made sure to shoot back an unrelenting glare until he answered. Slowly, I saw his lips curve up until he had a goofy smile on his face.
"You're smart," he said, "I didn't expect you to be this clever."
"So you'll answer my questions?"
"Some other time. But for now, we have to report to City Hall."
"Why?"
"Because you have to swear allegiance to the Council before officaly become a T.A.I.L. Agent. I'll see you there in an hour." Brass got up, then he trotted away like we never had a confrontation.
"What was that all about?" Sundown wondered, "Do you think he'll tell us?"
"I'm not sure, but he will eventually." I knew he would. There's no reason he would push for a task force that he wouldn't use.
"Do you think we could be working only for his personal use? For all we know, we might be conspiring against the Council for him."
"No, Brass Badge is too loyal a pony to do that. But he knows something. Something he can't take to the Council."
I think about it for a while, wondering what a pony as important as Badge could be hiding... If he was concerned about it enough to act without direct orders from the Council, it must be important. "Whatever it is, we better be prepared."
Sundown looked at me quizzically, "Wait, you're trusting him? That's a first."
"No, no, no. It's not that," I almost chuckle at the thought of trusting the enigmatic and mysterious commissar of police, "But since we're walking blind into a shitstorm, we might as well come prepared."
"Huh. Well, let's get going," Sundown muttered as he stood up from his place.
"You coming along?" He invited as he was about to open the door.
"Where?"
"City Hall of course."
City Hall, right. "Sigh, come on, let's get this over with."
-----
I've never had to go inside the new City Hall before. The big, concrete building painted red and white stood in front of us with pillars in the entrance. "Damn, I'd think I was walking into a pre-War building," I muttered as I looked around at the pristine courtyard. Everywhere, we saw bureaucrats here in there, talking rapid-fire English about shit like reports and statistics and whatever it is those bookworms talk about. As we walked into the building, it was relatively peaceful compared to the exterior. With a few suited ponies here and there, the centerpiece was a big, semicircular counter in the middle of the room, with the grand door leading to the council hall behind it.
"Yes," a purple pony in a neat, pink dress greeted us, "how may I help you?"
"We have an appointment with the Council," Sundown told her.
"I'm sorry, the Council is busy right now, come back later."
"No, miss, you don't understand..."
"Please sir, come back later."
"But miss-"
"GOD DAMMIT WOMAN WE'RE WITH BADGE!" I shouted.
"Oh," she whimpered as she backed away, "I-I-I'm sorry sir, please, go on ahead," she said apologetically.
As we walked towards the door, I saw the secretary sigh and whimper as she watched us leave. That was fun, I smirked.
"You know, that was a bit too overboard," Sundown chastised.
"Well, would it be better than having her interrupt you in an endless loop?"
"I see your point."
As we reached the ornate door that was much taller than us, it seemed, I don't know, wrong to simply barge in. And that's coming from me. "So, do we, uh-?"
Sundown went ahead and took initiative. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
A guard opens the door. "Hey, Sundown," he greets.
"Hey there, Watt," he replied to the pony, "Where are the, you know, Brass's group?"
"Oh, come inside." He opens the door for us, and shows us into a big, courthouse like room. But instead of a podium up front, it was a concave table with five seats, probably where the council sits. Then behind that, there are rows of tables and chairs, all facing towards the Council, and the big statue behind the council seating, which was a pony who was blindfolded with a weighing scale in her mouth. The windows of the walls were adorned with fine curtains and the whole floor was carpeted. "Man, I really see where taxpayer funds go to," Sundown awed.
"Yo!" I hear Buckton call out from the other side of the room. I see him, Aegis, Standoff, and uhhh... what's her name... Sherri, yeah, just sitting around one of the tables were the spectators would sit, looking bored. The other tables were filled with a handful of T.A.I.L Agents, looking bored as well. Wow, only a few got to be T.A.I.L. Agents, I thought, when I finally saw how many we really were.
"Wow, one helluva party, right guys?" I jested.
"Not now, Boulder," Aegis grumpily hissed, "we're not in the mood for your shit. This is so boring."
"Well, there has to be something to do..."
-----
Brass Badge had been pushing for this for a long time. Finally, he wouldn't have to standby, waiting... watching for the danger. He could be the one to take the first move. It had been a risky move, doing this.
"I'm telling you Farsight, the threat is real."
"I'm sorry, Badge, but without any proof, I can't act on it."
"What? Don't tell me you don't notice something is off."
"All we can do is take extra precautions. One wrong move, then all we've worked for would be wasted."
He was right, though. One wrong move could topple the balance of power. If he had acted wrong, the people would be against him... Farsight was always the cautious one. But sometimes, the pieces on the board are just hidden from you, and sometimes you just had to take action.
"Are you sure about these people?" the blue pony in suit asked him.
"Yes, I'm quiet sure. They're the best of both Freedom Fields and The Strip."
"I hope you're right."
-----
We all stood at attention as we saw Brass Badge enter the room, followed by a blue, sharply dressed pony who I assumed to be Farsight, the de facto leader of New Pegasus. Behind him, a familiar gray mare in a striped suit appeared, my old employer, former Stringers leader and current Mayor of Freedom Fields, Dee Cleff. A couple appeared behind them, one, a fat silver stallion dressed in a brown pre-war suit and tie and the other a white maned mare, who I assumed to be Ampera von Ohm, a the power couple of the Council, controlling the financial reins of the town. Tailing the pack was a light pink mare in a flowery dress with a long, straight rosy red mane with white streaks. Amusingly enough, this mare was the one we were working for before, Desert Rose.
"Hello filles and gentlecolts. Sorry we're late," Badge apologized.
"You better be," I instinctively mutter under my breath louder than I had intended as the Council walked by.
"What was that?" The silver stallion snapped, quickly backtracking until he was right in front of me.
Well, no use stopping now.
"With all due respect, sir," I hissed that word like an insult instead of a respectful address, "I did not enjoy waiting around for you, and I had merely accepted our chief's apology."
"That's no way to talk to a councilor," Saddle angrily bumped heads with me, glaring at me with looks that could kill.
"I don't see a councilor," I shot back, determined not to back down from the former gang leader, "all I see is a lazy, good-for-nothing, fatass."
I noticed everyone in the room was tensing up. Sundown was uneasily looking left and right, Brass was sweating profusely, Farsight seemed like he was waiting for the perfect moment to step in, Aegis and Buckton seemed to be talking about who's likely to win in a fight.
"I-" Saddle started.
PAK!
Hey, everyone knew it was coming. There was no harm in getting the first hit. Besides, it felt really great when I felt my hoof bruise the high and mighty's fat face. Dear Celestia, I hope I broke his jaw, I've been wanting to do that since the gang days. Even if I didn't, I was able to enjoy the marvelous sight of the surprise in his eyes as he felt the pain of the punch and watch him stagger back, half in surprise, and half in pain. However, before anything could happen, I felt myself being held back by a magical blue aura.
"Boulder!" Sundown chastised, "Why in Celestia's name did you do that?"
"Yo!" I heard Buckton yell from across the line, rapidly approaching me along with Aegis. "Hold him back playa! We ain't got nothing to do with this!"
On the other side, however, I saw Saddle's enraged face desperately trying to break through Brass as he tried to hold the fat stallion back, with Ampera frantically trying to calm her husband down.
"I'm going to fucking have your head!" Saddle swore.
I simply laughed at his face, which seemed to anger him more. "You wish, fatass."
Just as we broke through and round two was about to begin, a voice thundered across the room. "STOP!"
Now, all eyes were on Farsight, whose face betrayed no emotion as he looked me in the eye.
"Interesting," I heard him say as he examined me top to bottom.
"Badge, I hope you're right about these people," he told our leader as he beckoned the others to take a seat in the council chairs. As Dee proceeded to go to her chair, she bumped into me.
"You better get your act together Boulder." Ah, good ol' Dee, always watching over me.
"I'll try," I smiled. She just sighed, and continued on. "Hope you've been practicing, Mr. Sundown," she grinned at my companion.
"Yes, Mrs. Cleff, I have been practicing ever since I left the school." Sundown respectfully sucked up, watching his former music teacher walk up the steps and take her place alongside the leaders of New Pegasus.
"Let's get this started," Brass requested, Farsight nodding in response.
"All ponies, step forward," he started.
As we all stepped forward, Farsight began his speech.
"Being in this task force will not be an easy feat. You are the council's right hand. Our first and last line of defense. Our tool to keep the city of New Pegasus afloat."
This time, Dee spoke up. "You are sworn to keep the welfare of New Pegasus and her citizens as your top priority. The lives of the citizens of New Pegasus are at your hooves."
Ampera continued after, "You are the sword that the city wields against her enemies, from within the walls and outside them. No matter how powerful they are, you are to deliver the judgement of this council to them, whether it be good or bad. You will be the sole enforcer of our will and you will be the hand of New Pegasus."
Farsight, once again, looking upon all of us, stated "Do you ponies accept this responsibility as the T.A.I.L., for the good of New Pegasus and her people."
"I do," we all said at the same time.
The blue pony smiled, "Then let it be known that today, the T.A.I.L. is officially formed and recognized by the authority of New Pegasus. You are all dismissed."
-----
This had been a good day for Brass Badge. Everyone had gone home, and he was about to leave the city hall too. He had finally gotten the task force he had been pushing for for so long, and he knew a lot of work needed to be done.
"Badge," a familiar voice called out to him from behind.
"Hello, Farsight. How are you?"
"Badge, I don't know what you're up too," Farsight ignored the small talk, speaking to him with a hint of threat, "but I trust your judgement. I hope letting you make this task force was not a mistake."
"No sir, I promise it won't be."
Farsight looked at him for a good while, as if to say, I hope you're right, then he shook his head and left. There was no concrete proof of a looming threat. All the reports seem small. Logically, nobody would suspect a thing. But all these years in the force, Brass Badge had learned to trust his instinct above all else, and he felt like something bad was coming down. Celestia help us all, he prayed.