//------------------------------// // The (Near) Start of WW3 // Story: The Start of the End // by LunarLife //------------------------------// Forward Note: The italicized Part of this chapter is Kyle's flashback as he passed out. The cockpit of the F-16 fighter jet, one of the best of its kind, popped open as small stacks of steam flowed freely from it. A bipedal figure could be seen slowly crawling from the pilot's seat. As the figure finally freed itself from the cockpit, it grabbed at its helmet and yanked it off. The creature started to cough for a couple seconds before if finally managed to breathe in some fresh air. As he lay on his back, Col. Kyle Trueblood stared at the smoldering path from which his craft had came through the burning trees. He put a hand up to his head, and figured he had a concussion. His left arm was broken, as well as his left shoulder was dislocated. At least it was better than his right. As his vision started to slowly blur and fade, Kyle drifted off to his memories of how he ended up crashing. ---------- Twilight carefully levitated a small test tube containing a small amount of red liquid over another container. This should be the second to last step before she solved something she had been studying about for months. Her teacher and princess, Celestia, was observing the young alicorn continue her studies in science, which was becoming popular throughout Equestria. What Twilight was studying was entirely new to Equestria, even Celestia was intrigued, which she normally wouldn't be. Twilight called it "Nuclear fission," and was studying its effects. "In theory, this liquid is supposed to alter the effects of atomic particles, which would create an efficient energy source." She said out loud, watching the liquid in the container settle and stop boiling. "Although, it can get dangerous if used to much, or a change in one of the atoms occurs, but that has a chance of one in fifteen million.". She smiled toward her teacher, indicating she was done explaining. Celestia still had a surprised look on her face, but Twilight knew she was paying close attention. After the purplish liquid finished settling, Twilight grasped the container in her magic and finally added it to the last solution. As soon as the first drop mixed in, something drastic happened. There was a flash of white light as the beaker rocketed into the air, and finally caused a small nuclear explosion is the atmosphere. Half of Twilight's face was covered in ash as she watched in awe at what had happened. The explosion expanded to about five times the size of a pony like herself and it seemed to be spitting something out. There was a large silver cylinder flowing out of the fire. The cylinder expanded as it grew, and two metallic wings emerged, followed by a back tail, and what looked like a large hole in the back of it. It was crashing somewhere north of Canterlot, a place Twilight was familiar with. "Princess, may I go and inspect the object that fell out of the explosion?" Twilight asked, flaring up her horn as she did so. Celestia was too shocked to speak, but she did acknowledge Twilight, and gave her permission. Twilight quickly thanked the princess and finally teleported out of the castle as purple light licked at her body. ---------- "Alright, men. That should be all you need to know in the safety of setting off a nuclear explosion," A tall and buff-looking soldier inquired, as he was briefing the pilots. Most of the group wasn't paying any attention, they had already been through this a thousand times. The next topic was something new, so most of the group started paying attention. It was time to learn about the bomb. "Now, the bomb you maggots will be flying in is a B-48 Thermonuclear, or 'hydrogen', warhead." The soldier pointed to a diagram of the bomb on a board. "This warhead is the best of its kind. It has the same force as two billion tons of TNT. Basically, B-48 make big boom!" he said sarcastically. The entire room was flabbergasted. That's the biggest destructive force ever created by human kind, the second one being the first nuke dropped on Hiroshima, which ended World War Two. There was silence for a couple seconds in the room as everyone tried to process what they were going to be doing tomorrow. A voice spoke up from the back, coming from none other than Kyle Trueblood, "Wouldn't something like that absolutely destroy the atmosphere above the targeted area, and not to mention, start the third world war?" There was more silence as people started to process that thought too. Kyle did have a good point. Would America be able to stand that? Would the nations turn on them for using something that massively destructive? There was a lot racing through peoples' minds. The buff soldier finally replied to Kyle's question. "Kyle, your squad is to follow orders, not ask questions" he commanded over Kyle. Kyle wanted to retaliate, but he knew that wasn't a good idea. The briefing lasted a few more hours before the pilots were sent to bed to get some rest. Kyle had a hard time sleeping as he went through his thoughts. Morning eventually came soon enough as the pilots did their morning stretches. Kyle sat in the hangar designated to him, as he looked at his F-16 air to air fighter jet. He and that plane had been through a lot. He was not even properly trained in ground based combat, so he was a master of the air. In the hanger next to him, he could see the thermo-nuke being attached to two helicopters. He took in a deep breathe before he got up and went get suited. Soon enough, it was time for take off. Kyle was in one of the two jets designated to the protection of the bomb. The flight crew gave him an all-clear and Kyle revved up the afterburners, which shot him into the air. The first hour or two of the flight was uneventful, until Kyle realized he had lost sight of the squadron, and was heading into a squall. He tried to signal the team, but the only sound was static. After a few more minutes, a distress call was sent out from one of the helicopters. "Mayday, mayday! This is Foxtrot 3-9! The nuke has been detached in the storm! I repeat, the nuke has been detached! Abort flight course!" Kyle was about to diver his course when a twin lightning bolt struck his engine, followed by his tail booster. Kyle began to panic as he lost control of his fighter jet. He could see a very bright flash as he knew what just happened. The nuke exploded. There was a couple seconds before the shockwave from the explosion knocked into the F-16, shutting off its computer system, and Causing Kyle to black out.