//------------------------------// // 26 -- The Plan // Story: Mente Materia // by Arad //------------------------------// “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” -Helmuth von Moltke the Elder (paraphrased) ------ 12:30, 12/07/2015, BRIEFING ROOM, CANTERLOT Much like the meeting that had happened two days earlier, Shining Armor found himself in a conference with some of the most powerful and influential beings defending the free peoples of Equestria. Princess Luna was present but in the background, content to let Shining speak for her on military matters. Ovan was sharing a hushed conversation with a cloaked Pathfinder on the outskirts of the meeting. Alvar and the Myrmidon were also present, with a griffon wing commander named Gaar that Shining had not had an opportunity to speak with yet. Asterion had abandoned his impatient pose in favor of staring at the subject of the meeting with equal parts fear and anger. At the center of the meeting room was a flat table with the layout of Applewood projected onto it. Chrysalis stood at the table’s side with her eyes closed in concentration to maintain the projection. “Intelligence reports that EXALT forces have dropped Jammer towers at the marked locations, in order to suppress the natural abilities of the residents, and prevent us from teleporting into the city,” Major Fujikawa explained as Captain Harris tapped several spots on the table. Six spots glowed bright red, and after a moment, Matt began to tap specific buildings and locations around the perimeter. “Estimates are still coming in, but the current EXALT operatives on the ground number over three hundred, plus air support and… mechanized assets on the ground.” That’s nearly three times as many human soldiers that are present here in Canterlot, plus whatever other resources they have in the field! Shining realized, and he revised his estimate further upward. “How did so many manage to get here, and with so much equipment?” he asked as he brought one hoof up to rub his temple. “Unknown at this time, but the leading theory is that they have created at least one Kaleidoscope chamber on Earth to bring so much here,” Major Fujikawa said, her face marred with an ugly frown. “If they had depended upon the aliens for transport here, then they wouldn’t likely bother to bring helicopter gunships or troop carriers. I’ve forwarded this theory on to the Arcanists, but they haven’t had much luck in determining if an EXALT Kaleidoscope is sending more forces here.” “And what of their local resources?” Alvar asked, and all eyes turned towards Asterion. The minotaur rose to his hooves when prompted, and he unfurled a scroll onto the table. Chrysalis opened her eyes long enough to cast an annoyed look, which Asterion ignored as he placed weights on the parchment’s corners to hold it in place. “This is a copy of the original design concept of the Toys and the Toybox,” he explained, pointing a thick finger first to a figure with only a vague resemblance to what was seen on the outskirts of Applewood, then to a horrendously complex assembly line. “They were designed to be the Final Invention: A device that can adapt to any need or role if necessary—” “This ‘design concept’ does not share many traits with what Queen Chrysalis has shown us,” Ovan interrupted, which was met with nods from the others in the room and a glare from Asterion. “That’s because they adapt to mimic what they encounter. Bring up one of the Applewood images,” the minotaur huffed at Chrysalis, who only complied after returning the glare sent her way. “When my people first fought them, I believe they appeared closer to the original concept. By the end of the conflict, they were sporting hoplon shields in phalanx formations that they encountered from my people, and they were supported by ranged units with Arbalest crossbows after encountering the High Talon’s air wings. There were also isolated reports of Toys with Skysteel blades, but the records are practically nonexistent. Both Alvar and his wing commander exchanged a wide-eyed look, but said nothing as Asterion pointed toward the image. “It isn’t much to go off of, but these Toys have a wider range of motion in their legs and hips, which would allow for greater speed and maneuverability. I can only guess as to what the weapon does, but I’m assuming it’s a ranged weapon of some type. Pistol grip and barrel are immediately identifiable, though what it shoots is still a mystery.” “How did this happen?” Major Fujikawa asked, which brought a moment of silence into the briefing room. She cleared her throat and continued, “I mean, how did your ancestors lose control of these things? Come to think of it, how are they back? I thought they were all destroyed.” “The creator of the Toybox has been stricken from all records and patents, and all documentation of this abomination’s construction was destroyed. I’m afraid no one knows how the original malfunction occurred. There are some anecdotal stories passed down through survivors’ families about when it was first activated, though. The ‘proof of concept’ model supposedly had one hard-coded command: Obey your master.” Asterion paused and took a moment to compose his thoughts before he continued, “It is theorized that a competitor had accessed this prototype and gave it an instruction to attack and destroy, and it ended up killing everyone. I don’t hold much stock in that theory, as every piece of evidence from that time stated that the Toybox was a cultural project supported by… Do you have something to say, Captain Harris?” Shining glanced over at the human second in command, whose face had taken on a haunted appearance from the light of the projections. “Just a question, sir. Do these ‘Toys’ use Elerium— I mean, Arcanite in any part of their construction?” Asterion scratched his chin before looking down at the scroll on the table. “Possibly. Any document detailing the construction methods of the Toybox or the Toys has been redacted to the point of uselessness to prevent a repeat of that tragedy, but that could be a possible explanation for their cores.” Captain Harris turned slightly to look at Princess Luna. The lunar diarch narrowed her eyes and returned the stare before giving him a subtle shake of the head. “Is there some inside information you would care to share, Captain?” Asterion asked, and he held the human in a glare even after he shook his head. “Very well, then. On the note of their cores, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of their destruction. The Toy’s body may be broken a thousand times over, but it will try and rebuild itself so long as the core is intact. After speaking with my lieutenants on this matter, we believe that the Toybox was destroyed, but one of the Toys was able to escape the purge. It could have sought out the scattered remains of the Toybox and rebuilt it over the decades since its destruction, but without more information, this is just pointless speculation.” “I have contacted agents to try and locate the Toybox. If necessary, I will throw it into the sun once it’s found,” Luna declared, and a quick glance to Asterion was answered with a nod of approval. That’s an excellent plan, but right now we have more immediate concerns, Shining Armor thought as he looked from the scroll to the projected image. “Do we have any guidance on how to destroy the Toys individually?” “To put a Toy out of action for good, you must destroy their core,” Asterion explained, and he tapped the chest area indicated on the scroll. “You could break the body a dozen times, but so long as the core is intact, it will continue to repair itself and adapt to the enemies it encounters. Your ‘lance’ will be extremely efficient in punching through their armored chassis to do damage, but I’m not certain the small diameter of the shots will be enough to disable them completely.” “Bipedal IFVs in an environment with far too much potential for collateral damage,” Fujikawa muttered as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Shen reported that the new Mag weaponry prototypes won’t be ready for at least a month, and who knows how long until we can mass produce. In the mean time, it might be wise to give specialist pairs a LANC and a plasma weapon for the one-two punch… is there something wrong, Captain?” she asked, and the question caught Shining’s attention. Her attention was directed at her subordinate, who looked as though he had just bitten into a lemon. “I had originally thought that the weapons the Toys were using might have been an upscaled version of the weapons your riflemen were using, Asterion, but I’m not so sure anymore. If their cores are using Elerium and they are operating flawlessly within the area of effect of the Jammer towers, then they’ve already adapted themselves to it. If they can adapt to EXALT tech in less than a month, then their weapons might be anything from heavy lasers or even plasma,” Matt explained, and the rest of the room mirrored his sour expression. Rather than dwell on that, the human captain asked, “Have we gotten any eyes-on reports of their weapons in use yet?” “No,” Chrysalis growled. “All of my agents within the city were unmasked when the Jammers were deployed, and they have been cut off from my sight since. I have no confidence in being able to slip any of my agents within the city limits so long as those accursed towers are operating.” The Pathfinder beside Ovan pulled his hood back, revealing a close-cropped black and white mane and a complete lack of jewelry. “I know not how, but the pathfinders I had assigned to enter the city were all caught and killed as they approached. The eyes of their airships are too sharp for our usual infiltration methods.” “I’ve consulted with Captain Star Shot, and any agent we try to insert is so debilitated by the Jammers that they are swiftly rounded up into the prison camps,” Shining Armor added, and he glared down at the six dots on the map. “It all comes down to those accursed towers. If they go down, we can reasonably make an assault. We seem to be running out of options to take care of them short of a full invasion while they’re still active.” “Well, there's some options we could pursue if we can get some new supplies from Earth, but that would take at least a few days. I don't want to wait—” Fujikawa started to offer, but was interrupted by an entirely new voice. “Clearly you need somepony who can go anywhere without being seen!” Literally everyone in the room jerked in surprise (including the Myrmidon, Shining noted) and whirled about in the direction of the familiar voice. “Somepony who’s really good at getting around quickly!” This time the voice was near Chrysalis, who glanced under the table only to yelp and jump away. “You need somepony like me!” Pinkie Pie said smugly as she walked out from behind the not-entirely-too-surprised Princess Luna. “This is a closed session!” Asterion yelled, and he scooped up the scroll and stuffed it into one of his pockets with almost indecent haste. “What is the meaning of this?!” Shining interposed himself between the minotaur and Pinkie Pie before something violent happened. “Our apologies, Asterion. This is one of the Element Bearers, and she has some problems with divining the intended purpose of a closed, locked, and guarded door,” Shining explained hastily before giving a pointed look to the flabbergasted guards at the door. The two guards halted when Princess Luna raised a hoof. The alicorn rose and stood over Pinkie Pie with a serious glare that caused the party mare to slowly wither under its intensity. “Pinkie Pie, I know you would not volunteer for something such as this without good reason. Do you understand that you will be far from any help or rescue until your mission is completed? Your… gifts may fail you due to the technology being used by our enemies there. Should you fail, you will be captured. Given your public status, you may be tortured or killed publicly. Do you understand what you are volunteering for?” “Yes, Princess,” Pinkie said, and for the first time in Shining’s experience with the mare, she wasn’t smiling. “Do you also understand that you may need to harm or kill the enemies during the course of this mission? Can you justify taking a life to save those that are trapped in the city?” Princess Luna pressed. Pinkie couldn’t hold the gaze any longer, but she nodded in response. “I need you to speak the answer, Pinkie. If you cannot muster the reserve to speak your assent, then how can you do what is necessary?” “I’ll do what I have to so that those towers all fall down,” Pinkie answered, her voice devoid of any affect or cheer. Princess Luna continued to stare at the mare, but the expression softened considerably. The alicorn produced a small slip of paper and composed a hasty note on it before folding and sealing it. “Take this to Captain Song. He will ensure that you are adequately prepared for what lies ahead.” Pinkie plucked the note from Luna’s magic and stuffed it into her mane before smiling brightly and trotting to the doors. There was a brief blast of confused shouting from the outer door guards, but any further outbursts were cut off when the doors slammed shut. “Princess… are you certain that is a wise decision? I don’t mean to question your judgement—” Shining Armor started to say, but was interrupted. “—but you did just that, Captain,” Princess Luna said, though her tone was far from heated. “If anypony can get into the city without being detected, it will be her. I just hope that it will not cost her too dearly.” Fujikawa cleared her throat and leaned forward over the table. “We might be able to provide some backup for her, to draw attention if nothing else. Our MECs were originally designed to operate in the low-magic environment on Earth, and Beowulf was originally built to operate on battery power, which bypasses the Jammer mechanic. We could drop Beowulf into the city to draw attention if necessary.” Asterion, to Shining’s surprise, was the first to voice an objection. “Sergeant Jenkins explained the basics of how your MECs operate, but there was the unspoken implication that they are controlled remotely through the Gifts of the men and women here in Canterlot. If that is the case, wouldn’t the control signal be interrupted by the Jammers?” “Very true, which is why we’ll need the soldier with the strongest signal to control Beowulf,” Fujikawa said before turning to Harris. The captain apparently realized what was going to be asked, and his expression took a noticeably uncomfortable slant. “Captain, as you are aware, MEC duties are strictly on a volunteer basis. What incentives would it take to convince Sergeant Jenkins to volunteer?” The uncomfortable look remained on Harris’s face, but he did bring one hand up to scratch his chin as he considered the idea. “Well, I can think of one right off the top of my head. Have you requisitioned that gimmicky-as-hell CQC kit from storage?” Fujikawa’s eyes widened, and Harris nodded in response. What is it with the human love for acronyms? Shining asked himself, and a quick glance around the room showed that the sentiment was apparently shared by everyone who wasn’t human. ------ 14:00, 12/07/2015, MESS HALL, XCOM COMPOUND, CANTERLOT I know I sounded confident while we were talking, but now I’m not so certain, Matt thought to himself as he looked down at the tablet with the mission parameters. I know Pinkie has Luna’s vote of confidence, but without Beowulf to back her up, the mission could be put in serious jeopardy. Not to mention that one of Twilight’s friends could die. Matt let out a sigh as he tucked the tablet under his arm. This entirely discounts the likelihood of Lana refusing to volunteer. I spent nearly an hour trying to come up with a convincing sales pitch, then went through all the ways I could extort her into taking the role for this mission. The first was lackluster and the second would be counterproductive. I don’t exactly have time to negotiate on this, either… He scratched his scalp in frustration as he turned the corner to the mess hall. It was mostly deserted considering the afternoon hour save for the odd technician grabbing a snack… and Lana sitting backwards on a chair by the windows. Well, here goes nothing. “Hey, Lana. How’s it—” Matt froze as the woman turned to face him. He had been expecting to see one of her upbeat smirks, or the more tired and subdued expressions that were becoming commonplace lately. What was on Lana’s face when she turned was… nothing. She bracketed Matt with a thousand-yard stare, and that lack of expression didn’t change as she asked, “What? Oh, were you there long? I didn’t notice.” “Lana, I know you’ve been grabbing every combat hour you can, but I think it might be time for a break. I can authorize some time for you after the next operation… maybe go home and visit your family?” Matt offered. When Lana didn’t respond immediately, he pressed the issue. “You know you can come to me if something’s bothering you, right? I’m your friend, you can trust me.” The woman’s initial response was to close her eyes and run a hand over them for several moments. “I’m sorry, Matt. About everything that happened on Earth. I thought it was the right thing to do, but I guess I was wrong for not telling you first. Or would I have been wrong for doing any of it in the first place? I don’t know anymore.” What. Matt thought as he took a step back. Lana had vehemently defended what she did to Twilight and me back on Earth. I know that her injury shook her up, but nothing nearly this bad. What’s going on? An uneasy smile slowly grew as he asked, “Who are you, and what have you done with Lana Jenkins?” “Bite me, you ass,” She snapped, and she let out a small sigh when Matt laughed. “That’s a bit more familiar. For a little while I was worried you had been replaced by a changeling,” he said. He glanced down at the tablet in his hands, and missed the wince that the comment elicited from Lana. “Well, I have no idea what brought that on, but I’m willing to call everything square if you do me a favor.” “Oh? What do—” Lana started to ask as she took the offered tablet from Matt. “Oh, you bastard.” He held his hands up in surrender. “I won’t order you to do this. All I can do is provide the mission details and offer you this position. If I need to sweeten the pot, I think I could swing combat pay for your recovery hours after the operation.” “And what happens if I don’t volunteer?” “Morikawa has agreed to try, but his signal strength is just over half of what yours is,” Matt explained with a grimace. “We’re not certain he could be successfully inserted into the area. Given the comparative strength of his signal versus what we’ve seen with the Jammers… it’s extremely likely that the connection will be severed. You know what that will mean for Morikawa.” “You bet your ass I know what it means!” Lana snapped. Her eyes snapped tightly shut and she chewed her lip before speaking again. “Is the CQC kit an option for this mission?” When Matt smiled and nodded, Lana shoved the tablet back into his hands. “You’ve got a deal, but there’s one more thing I need you to do.” And just like that, Matt’s smile was replaced by a deer-in-the-headlights look. ------ 16:40, 12/07/2015, STRIKE READY ROOM, CANTERLOT I really shouldn’t be surprised that when the princess started asking for volunteers that the girls would step up, Twilight thought as she trotted through the corridors. I’m glad that Fluttershy’s resting at least, since the doctors said she aggravated her back injury recently. Twilight’s mood soured as she remembered her visit with the pegasus. The moment I get a chance, I’m going to issue a royal decree and have all copies of ‘Helping Hands’ burned. Fluttershy was reading it while in bed, and she could barely string a sentence together without stuttering or trying to fold her wings down. The wide hallways were clogged with trains of supplies going to the ready room, and empty wagons and carts heading in the opposite direction. The first of her friends she spotted in the corridor was Applejack as the Earth Pony followed behind Big Mac. Both were hitched up to metal carts that held half again as much equipment as the others in the train. “Oh, hi, Twilight,” the orange mare said with a grunt of exertion. “I don’t mean to be rude but if you’re here to talk, we’ll have to talk and trot. Got a schedule to keep.” “Of course,” Twilight said and she fell into step alongside her friend. She cleared her throat and took a steadying breath before she asked. “So… I’m sure everypony really appreciates the help you and your brother are offering. Is… is this all you’re going to be doing?” The Apple siblings entered the Ready Room and pulled their carts alongside a growing stockpile of supplies. An assortment of workers immediately moved towards the wagons, only to halt in place as Twilight telekinetically unloaded everything and set it down beside them. When the quartermaster waved the two earth ponies on, Applejack let out a sigh. “Twi, I appreciate what you’re doing here, but there’s a couple of things I have to straighten out. One, us Apples have a saying: Too many farmers in the field makes a mess. If you’re worried about me and Big Mac going out to fight, then you shouldn’t. As much as we want to contribute, we know our limits.” “That’s a relief to he—” “I’m not finished, sugarcube,”Applejack said, and she fixed Twilight with a stern look. “I know you mean well, and you have every right to be worried. But me and the others are all grown up mares. We understand the risks. Being worried about us makes you a good friend, Twi. Smothering us with that worry doesn’t, okay?” She stopped briefly and put a hoof on the alicorn’s shoulder. “Just try and go easy when you’re talking with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie. Alright?” Applejack said as she cast a leading look over Twilight’s shoulder before trotting to catch up with her brother for the next load. Twilight glanced in the direction indicated, and caught sight of the two mares in question talking to Captain Song and the human engineer named Hamil. Both mares were outfitted in matte black outfits, and the barrel-chested stallion was slipping several objects into Pinkie’s saddlebags while the human was showing each one to the party mare. Rainbow Dash caught sight of Twilight and gave a little wave when she spotted the alicorn’s approach, and moved to intercept. “Hey there, Twilight! Guess you’re here to help out, too? Probably to help with teleporting when the time comes, right?” she asked. “I actually came by to check on both of you,” Twilight said as she forced a smile. “I had a chance to talk with Applejack, but I wanted to make sure both of you were…” “C’mon, Twilight, we’ll be fine,” the pegasus said with an exaggerated huff. “Princess Luna needs a gigantic cloud bank over the Applewood. My reputation may have preceded me, so she asked me to coordinate the weather teams in generating the fluffy stuff overnight. I’m looking forward to the challenge!” Rainbow gave a winning smile as she pulled the hood of her suit over her head and brought a pair of flight goggles tight over her eyes. She gave Twilight a reassuring pat on the shoulder before trotting off to a medium-sized flock of pegasi. “All right, fillies! We’ve got a full plate of work for us! We need the thickest, blackest clouds you can manage when we get there, and zero precipitation. If I spot a single snowflake…” The rest of Rainbow Dash’s briefing was lost in the general clamor of the ready room, so Twilight turned to the last of her friends. Captain Song and Hamil spotted the young alicorn’s approach, and both backed off to have a quiet conversation by themselves to give the pair privacy. “Pinkie, please don’t take this the wrong way, but what are you going to be doing? Dash is helping with the weather, Applejack is helping with the preparations, and Rarity is doing something with the human armors. What--” “Princess Luna needed somepony sneaky to go ahead and knock down a couple of towers that the bad guys put in. Easy peasy one-two-threesie!” Pinkie said as her tangled mane somehow disappeared beneath the black hood of her bodysuit. The mare then pulled a set of goggles on an elastic strap over her head and slid them into place over her eyes. Pinkie, what are you doing?! These monsters will kill you! You can’t fight these things with party cannons and confetti! You should stay here where it’s safe! Twilight wanted to scream, and the sentiment must have shown on her face. Not a moment later, she found herself wrapped in a tight hug from the party mare. “Thank you for worrying, Twilight, but you know I’ll be fine,” Pinkie said with a wide smile. “Do you know of anypony who can go wherever she wants so easily? I’m really the best choice.” The expression fell a small amount. “I also had this feeling that everypony would be sad if I didn’t volunteer. If I do volunteer, then you would feel sad before I left. So, get all the sad out now, Twilight! Okay?” Twilight returned the hug, and the simple gesture helped relieve some of the tension she had been feeling. “I’m sorry for worrying so much, Pinkie. You’re going to be alright, aren’t you? Your Pinkie Sense is telling you how to make it through this, right?” The party mare’s grin stretched from ear to ear as the two ponies separated. “C’mon, Twilight, do you really have to ask? Now, before you go and check on your other friends, you’ll need a weapon to defend yourself.” Pinkie explained as she reached into one of her saddlebags. She turned back to Twilight and revealed… a permanent marker. “Trust me, it will make sense at the right time. Now, go gallop off to wish your human friends well. Maybe you should give Matt a kiss for good luck!” “We aren’t like that!” Twilight denied reflexively, and she fumbled clumsily for the marker as Pinkie lofted it into the air. “Yet.” Pinkie answered, and by the time Twilight had managed to secure the marker, the party mare was gone. --- 17:30, 12/07/2015, MEC BAY, XCOM COMPOUND, CANTERLOT “I think you’re the changeling.” “Almost everypony thinks we’re emotionally broken little monsters.” Lana Jenkins clenched her teeth and buried her face in her hands. When was the last time you felt anything real? a dark little voice asked her. You go out of your way to make sure everyone around you is ‘happy’. Why? You certainly went the extra mile to make sure Twilight and Matt found something special. Why? You couldn’t resist the impulse to try and fix Firecracker when she was acting angry. WHY? “I think you’re the changeling.” “Almost everypony thinks we’re emotionally broken little monsters.” And all it took was one person offering the impossible to break the illusion that you made for yourself, the voice continued, its words eating at her mind like acid. One person shows interest in you, and you freeze and then run away. You tell yourself its because of the job, or the species gap, but you know the truth. You are broken. You aren’t worth the effort to get to know, and as long as no one finds out and leaves you because of it, you can keep lying to yourself. So you continue your silly meddling and you’re perfectly fine with everyone thinking whatever they want about you. But now you know what’s wrong. You cannot ignore what’s wrong anymore. “Is there a problem, Sergeant?” She slowly lowered her hands to see Beowulf standing over her. The MEC’s head was tilted slightly sideways in a subconscious gesture of curiosity. The puppet is more capable of sincere emotion than you, Lana thought to herself. How would a normal person react to an acquaintance asking a personal question? No, this isn’t personal, it’s professional. He’s a co-worker and he’s concerned about the work I’ll be doing. Right? “Sorry about that, B— Morikawa,” Lana caught herself, and forced a smile. “I’m just really not looking forward to this.” “I must say that I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. Do you know how long it’s been since a woman has wanted my body?” Beowulf asked, and flexed in response to her flat look. “Look at these guns of steel! I don’t blame you for succumbing to you your baser instincts when in my presence, but I have to warn you that I’m a bit rusty when it comes to…” The MEC paused when he caught sight of the unchanged expression on Lana’s face. “Wow, you must be really worried if none of that didn’t even get a smile from you. I’ve been working on that little act for months.” “Sorry that I’m killing the mood,” Lana apologized, and this time she was able to manage a smile that flagged quickly. “Aren’t you worried at all? The strain that the system puts on you could kill you.” “Technically, the system is relieving the strain on my mind. The moment I’m disconnected from the MEC system, my mind will have to deal with my real body,” Morikawa explained. The robotic shoulders lifted into an approximation of a shrug. “I’d be lying if I said the thought doesn’t scare me. The chance of me dying due to disconnection here in Canterlot is less than the chance of a severed connection in Applewood. Considering I should have died months ago, I’ve learned to hedge my bets.” “Sergeant, we’re ready for you. Morikawa, please proceed to the docking station,” one of the doctors said in passing, and the pair followed into the next room. The MEC split off from the others as they passed by the cages where Edelweiss and Gespenst stood idle. One of the massive metal arms rose to give Lana a ‘thumbs up’ before the red machine disappeared behind a closed doorway. One corridor later, Lana entered another room with hospital beds and privacy screens. The doctor pulled the privacy screen completely around the empty bed that Lana had chosen before retrieving his tablet. “Sergeant, we’ll need to remove your prosthetic before we can begin,” he instructed. Lana slowly removed the hoodie she had been wearing and carefully folded it beside her. Her eyes remained unfocused as her right hand drifted up to the latches on her opposite shoulder. She did her best to tune out the sounds of the doctors on the other side of the privacy screen as Beowulf shut down and Morikawa’s mind was forced back into his original body. A spike of pain raced through Lana’s non-existent arm as she undid the last of the latches. With the prosthetic no longer active, she twisted and removed it from the mount on her shoulder before setting it alongside her folded hoodie. The doctor said something to her, but the words were barely heard as she stretched out on the gurney and slipped a tooth guard in her mouth. The machinery near her head slowly began to turn on as the control helmet was placed on her head and the eye. Straps were secured across her waist, shoulders, wrist and ankles before the doctor turned to ask, “Sergeant, we are ready if you are.” “Do it,” Lana hissed past the tooth guard, and the doctor nodded before flipping the blinders down to shield her eyes. She tried to keep her breathing steady, but there was only so much she could do to stay calm and prepare for what was coming. The minds of a precious few Gifted amputees had been recorded and measured by their ability to reach out and fill in the gaps left behind by their missing limbs. It was this line of inquiry that had led Dr. Shen to pursue the idea of a remotely operated weapons platform that was controlled by these Gifted individuals, but they found that the operator’s existing limbs and body dampened the control signal to the point of uselessness for what they were planning. The next step was logical: Convince the mind that the body no longer existed. White-hot pain began to eat at Lana’s toes and fingertips, and her body strained against the straps in a reflexive attempt to escape. It’s all in my head, it’s all in my head, it’s all in my head, Lana repeated like a mantra, but the animal instinct for self preservation caused her to scream past the tooth guard. The pain crept past her ankles and wrist, not slowing for a moment in spite of her struggles. All feeling left her limbs and they went limp shortly after, but she continued to scream as that creeping agony moved on to her lower abdomen and torso. Her struggles stopped as the pain reached her chest and began to creep its way up to her neck and head. Is this what death feels like? A cold nothingness forever? How much time has passed? Minutes? Hours? Days? Lana thought as the pain slowly faded, along with every other sensation. I’m glad Matt agreed to what I wanted, but I’m kinda wishing I had held out for more. A small pang of regret struck the woman, followed by the most curious case of deja vu. Something about this whole scenario seems really familiar. Contemplating my death and regretting missed opportunities while lying on a gurney and surrounded by doctors. Come to think of it… that doctor’s voice sounded really familiar. Didn’t— Without any warning, Lana had sight and hearing. After what had seemed like an age in total sensory deprivation, the response that this generated from her wasn’t unexpected. Lana screamed as she tried to shield her eyes from the blinding light. Her arms felt numb and unresponsive, and it took a moment to remember where she was. If she were still in command of her physical body, she might have blinked and tried to focus on her surroundings. The body she now inhabited interpreted those impulses and the picture around her came into focus. “Main camera auto adjust is responding well, and the audio calibration is coming into sync within acceptable parameters,” a voice from Lana’s left said. The doctor that had hooked her up to the machine stepped into her line of sight and leaned forward to the point where it might have been considered a violation of her personal space. “Sergeant, can you hear me?” “I hear you just fine, jackass,” Lana answered, and this time she was paying enough attention to realize the voice that she spoke with wasn’t her own. It was entirely synthetic, but with a higher pitch that at least sounded feminine. “Excellent!” the doctor said before raising one hand. “We’re going to test reflexes and signal strength now. Try and keep my hand centered in your field of vision.” The hand moved to the left, then the right, and Lana followed easily. His hand moved diagonally, then down, then up in rapid succession, and he cast a glance to a technician outside of Lana’s field of view. “Excellent, well within expected parameters. We’ll be releasing the clamps now, so you might feel some disorienta—” Clank! Whatever was holding Lana’s body up released, and she pitched forward. She reached out to break her fall reflexively, and a pair of metal hands kept the floor from rushing up to strike her. A flood of icons began to encroach on the margins of her field of view as she regained her balance and stood. Well, this is a novel experience, Lana thought wryly, as her new body was nearly two feet taller than any of the other people in the room. “The HUD should be booting up now, Sergeant,” the doctor reported, and true to his word the icons began to settle into the familiar arrangement that Lana was used to from the Titan armor systems. A side-angle compass appeared at the top of her vision, which was flanked by a semi-transparent circle to the left and a winking green 100% to the right. Both sides of her vision had mirrored side-view diagrams of KS modules in addition to ranged weapons. She raised her right arm into her field of view to inspect the hardware that was installed, and if her face were capable of it, she would have grinned. Oh, they weren’t yanking my chain. They really did pull through with the CQC kit and configuration, Lana thought as her gaze looked down the length of the M134 minigun attached to the underside of the arm. The ‘rifle’ style MEC weapons would tie up my hands, which explains the underslung weapon. The belt feed will go to the ammo drum behind my right shoulder… and since my left arm has just a KS module, then the heavy laser is on my left shoulder. As horrible as this experience is, I suppose I can have some fun with it. She once again focused on the doctor, and she could feel the proverbial light click on as she recognized him. “Now, try and take a step fo—” “Benson!” Lana exclaimed as she stepped forward, which was rewarded with a skeptical look from the doctor and curiosity from everyone else in the room. “I knew I heard your voice from somewhere, it just took me a little bit to place it. You were that doctor that declared me dead that one time!” The expression for the former turned to exasperation, and the latter, bewilderment. “Don’t worry, I don’t hold it against you. In my line of work, we like to be extra thorough with making sure folks are really dead when we check, but I suppose doctors are a bit more lenient about that sort of thing.” Doctor Benson’s tone was far less professional than it was terse. “Well, you seem to be doing well, sergeant. I’m noticing no lag with movement or motor function problems. Why don’t you walk a bit to make sure there are no problems? There’s a visitor at your bedside that might appreciate speaking with you.” A visitor? Who could that be? Lana thought before she shrugged. She took one step before stopping and turning back to Dr. Benson. “How’s Morikawa doing?” “Stable, but in danger. He nearly went into shock after disconnecting from Beowulf. He’ll be in intensive care until the end of the operation and the MEC is returned to him,” Benson explained. “You may want to hurry. From what I understand, you’re scheduled for deployment in approximately an hour.” Lana nodded to the doctor and walked out of the MEC bay. She was once again struck by the surreality of walking down the corridor she had previously traversed, but from a viewpoint roughly three feet higher than normal. One of the doctors held the door open for her as she entered, and she offered a quiet thanks. Anything else she might have said was derailed as she spotted her visitor. Twilight Sparkle sat on a stool at the foot of her bed. She was wrapped in the dark robes that were becoming quite commonplace for the mare, and a worried expression was easily recognized even from a distance. She brought one hoof up to rest on Lana’s hand, but quickly removed it when she spotted the MEC’s approach. “Oh, Mr. Beowulf. I didn’t see you come in,” she said politely. “It’s Ms. Beowulf now,” Lana joked, which was rewarded with a confused look from the alicorn. “It’s Lana in here at the moment. I might be physically in the bed, but my mind is up here,” she added, and one of her thick metal fingers pointed towards the MEC’s head. “Oh, I think I see,” Twilight said, and she chewed her lip as she looked from the bed to the MEC and back again. “Matt explained a little bit about how all of this worked, though it sounds like a rather extreme measure to me. When I was on Earth, I knew that humans would use what I gave to survive… but I never thought it would lead to something like this.” They lied to Twilight, just like you did. The voice that said this in Lana’s mind was her own, but the tone was dark and biting. There was no way that guilt could show on her face, but she couldn’t resist the impulse to look away. She tried to respond or change the subject, but then the idea of what Lana had done refused to be ignored, like a splinter in her mind. Twilight needed something to distract her from the reality of her situation, but was I wrong to make her think Matt had a crush on her? It made Twilight less tense, and I could argue that it’s certainly making the two of them happier now— YOU HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING IT WOULD TURN OUT THIS WAY. Don’t use the after-the-fact results to justify what you did, the darker voice cut into her. Think! What do normal people do when they do something wrong to each other? “Twilight... “ Lana started, “I… I think I might have done something really bad.” The alicorn looked away from the Lana lying on the bed to the Lana in the machine, and her wide eyes showing more than a little fear. “What’s wrong, Lana? I don’t know if I can do anything to help or make things right, but I’m your friend. The least I can do is listen if you want to talk about it.” Lana couldn’t match that earnest look. How should I feel about that? Guilt? Regret? Will she still feel that way if I tell her the truth? The thought of admitting to exactly what she had done sent a spike of fear into Lana unlike anything she had ever felt before. “Twilight… is it wrong to tell someone a lie to make them feel better? If it’s about other people that might take offense for being involved?” Twilight’s brow furrowed, and she looked down in thought. One hoof came up to tap her chin as she considered the question. “That’s… that’s a hard thing to ask. If it was to help someone, then your heart’s in the right place… but on the other hoof, if the lie involves others without their consent, then I don’t think I could say it’s a good thing.” Twilight looked back to Lana and her gaze softened. “Is this what’s been bothering you lately? I know you’re trying to act like you usually do when I’m around, but I’m not blind. I can keep a secret if you don’t want anyone else to know.” If Lana were still in her flesh-and-blood body, she would have given Twilight the biggest hug possible. “I…” SHE WILL HATE YOU FOREVER, YOU BROKEN AND TWISTED THING! Lana’s body seized and twitched on the hospital gurney, and the monitoring equipment at the opposite side of the bed gave a flutter of beeps in response. Twilight shot up and gave an alarmed shout. The first doctor on scene began to manipulate the devices at the head of the gurney, while the second pressed an injector into her arm. After several moments, the twitching slowly ceased. “Lana, are you alright?” Twilight asked as she looked from the gurney to the machine that stood beside her. “Perfectly fine,” Lana said, and she raised a hand to wave off her concerns before freezing. The slightest of tremors was causing her hand to shake like a leaf, so she let it drop back to her side. “Maybe we’ll talk about it later. For now, though, I’ve got to ask. What was it like when Matt was scratching your ears?” She tried to imitate her usual teasing tone, but the synthetic voice fell short. In the back of her mind, she could her her own voice saying a single word. Coward. “You were there!?” Twilight shrieked, and her face became a rather gratifying shade of crimson before she set her jaw and smiled. “No, you’re not going to tease me about that while you’re here, Lana Jenkins! Now while I have… this!” She fumbled around her saddlebags before gaining an evil grin. In the grip of her magic was a permanent marker. “Oh? What’s th—” Lana recoiled and took a step back as she realized the implications. “You wouldn’t dare.” “Wouldn’t I? You have no way of defending yourself now. You’re at my mercy!” Twilight cackled, and the marker began to hover near Lana’s unconscious face. “You had best choose your words carefully!” “Vandalizing the persons or property of the MEC volunteers is against the rules! It’s on the list!” Lana protested. “I’m a princess! I am the rules!” Twilight fired back, the two glared at each other for nearly a minute. The stalemate was broken when she began to giggle and placed the marker on the table beside the gurney. The sigh that Lana made sounded far more artificial than she wanted. “I’m sorry for teasing you so much, Twily. It’s just that… you’re such an easy target, and you’re adorable when you’re like that.” She explained, and she lifted her hands in surrender when Twilight again brandished the marker again. “I suppose this is a good time to ask if you could do me a favor as any. I know you want to do everything you can to help… but would you be willing to stay with me once your job is done? I don’t like the idea of just laying here without someone I trust to watch over me. Could you do that for me? Please?” Twilight looked to the gurney, then to Lana and nodded. “I would be glad to help out. It’s the least I can do, since you’ll be risking your lives out there. Just be careful out there, alright?” Lana nodded in response, but any further conversation was cut off when the public address system called for her. “Sergeant Jenkins, please report to the Strike Ready Room.” “Already? I thought I had more time,” Lana asked no one in particular as she turned to glance at the clock mounted on the wall. Much to her surprise, it read as just past 11:00 PM. How much time passed while they were getting me into Beowulf? I guess Benson forgot to mention it. Lana turned to leave, but paused, and looked back over her metallic shoulder. “I guess I’m about to head out then, Twilight. Did you want to tag along to the armory? I’m sure Matt will be near there, then I can tease you both together.” “You’re going to wake up with a handlebar moustache drawn on your face, Lana Jenkins,” Twilight huffed, though she did hop off of the bedside stool and fell into step alongside the MEC. ------ 23:00, 12/07/2015, BRIEFING HALL, CANTERLOT “...though they may appear human, I’m afraid that is no longer the case. They will fight viciously and without hesitation. They will offer no quarter and ask for none. As unfortunate as it is, they are more aligned with the aliens now than their own species,” Matt finished his summary as he looked from the projected screen of EXALT soldiers to the assembled Guard squad leaders, griffon wing commanders, and minotaur officers. “Couldn’t they be saved?” A younger earth pony asked, and several other equestrians turned back to the stage with hopeful looks in their eyes. Princess Luna was right, her people don’t want to accept that it’s hopeless. “I’m afraid that isn’t possible. The aliens abducted thousands of humans during their attacks on Earth, and it’s believed that those serving EXALT had their wills subverted even as their bodies were augmented,” Matt said, and he gave an exaggerated grimace. “When Major Fujikawa and I first encountered EXALT forces, a survivor chose to kill himself with a grenade rather than be captured. Both of us nearly died in the process. They died as human beings when the aliens took them. Now they’re no different than mutons or sectoids.” The guard in question fell silent and looked down, as did most of the other Equestrians. They want to believe that they can be saved, that they aren’t doing this by choice. Luna said they would hesitate if they thought they were fighting an enemy that was innocent but for the control of a malignant force. Matt observed, and he gritted his teeth at the necessary lie. Portraying EXALT as the mindless puppets of the aliens is the lesser of two evils. I don’t want to explain why human beings might willingly wage war against us. Matt let his explanation sink in with the room before speaking again. “Unfortunately, EXALT isn’t alone in Applewood. They are currently being supported by heavy armor that Asterion will be better able to explain,” he said as he lifted an arm towards the minotaur leader. As Asterion took center stage, Matt stepped off of the side and made his way to get his gear. I really should catch a nap before we assemble for deployment, but I get a sneaking suspicion that I should check to make sure everything is ready beforehand… Matt said as he marched through the corridors and into the XCOM compound. Another couple of corners were made before he entered the armory, and froze. Am I becoming a precog like Bradford? Because there is no way that this isn’t the reason I felt the need to check my kit, Matt thought as his eye twitched. “I was initially thrilled at the opportunity to give the armor a much needed facelift,” the unicorn known as Rarity said as she trotted into view from behind an armor rack. “Though I must admit to being slightly frustrated at the restrictions that were put in place.” “I’m afraid there are some things that we can’t compromise on like functionality or added weight, but I do have to admit that I’m... impressed with your work,” Fujikawa replied, before she spotted Matt and turned to him. “Ah, I assume your part of the briefing is done, Matt?” Her expression took on a curious tint when Matt didn’t immediately answer. “Something wrong?” “I know that the plan was to move away from the black armor so we’re visually distinct from what EXALT is wearing,” Matt said slowly as he resisted the impulse to facepalm. “What I want to know is why the Titan armor now looks like Power Ranger rejects?” “‘Power Rangers?’” Rarity asked. Fujikawa chuckled and responded with a sly look at her subordinate. “It’s nothing, dear. I just think that Captain Harris doesn’t appreciate your flair for color choices. He might have a point, though. We just have to get the point across that we’re not with the enemy.” If you need to throw me under the bus to correct this, then I’m all for it, Matt thought as he caught the look being directed at him. “Exactly. I can see the logic between a white and gold color scheme, but anything beyond that is right out,” Matt said as he cast a skeptical eye at the riot of colors before him. When Rarity cast a watery-eyed stare at him, he shook his head. “No.” “Well, fine! Suppress my creativity! See if I care!” the unicorn huffed, switching from pitiful puppy eyes to moral indignation in a blink. Her horn flashed and the Titan armor’s fabulous array of colors was pruned back. The undersuit folded beside the armor remained black while the armor plates became a pearlescent white. The tinted glass of the helmet had shifted from the smoky black shade Matt was familiar with to a brilliant gold. “Never let it be said that I do anything halfway… even when my efforts are so restrained.” Fujikawa and Matt spared each other a glance, and she gave a short nod. “This is much better. How soon can you redo the rest of the armors?” He ran a hand over the chestplate in approval. “Do you not know who you’re talking to, dear?” Rarity huffed. “I can recolor the rest of the armor suits in less than an hour, and the enchantment should last for a day on each.” “If possible, I’d like for you to do my armor as soon as possible,” Matt started to say, but he stopped when he caught the hoof-over-mouth gesture from Rarity and a smirk from Fujikawa. “This is my armor, isn’t it? You were testing your power ranger color schemes on my armor?” He let out a sigh and waved the pair off. “It’s fine. Go work on the other suits.” Matt waited for the pair to leave before pulling off his uniform and donning the Titan armor’s undersuit. I suppose there’s some sort of psychological term for not wanting the scars and burns to be seen by anyone else, he wondered idly. The metal boots and leg armor were donned next, followed by the gauntlets and shoulder armor. The Titan armor’s chest and backplates still hung from the maintenance armature, and with a button press the chestplate flipped up. Matt backed into the armor and pressed a second button on the armature. The chestplate flipped back down and locked shut over his torso. With its position secured, the armor linked with the mechanisms built into the armor plates on his arms and legs. When all systems returned nominal status, the armature released him with a soft click. The closest thing we’ve achieved to human invincibility. I just hope it will be enough, Matt thought as he retrieved his helmet. It was a short walk from the armory and out of the XCOM compound when he nearly ran into Alvar and three fillies that he couldn’t quite place. The Myrmidon, as always, lurked over them all like a cloud. “Is there anything I can help you with, your highness?” Matt asked the young griffon. “No, Captain. I have come to help you during the coming deployment,” Alvar explained, and he lifted a wrapped package for Matt to take. The wrapping was a rough fabric, which didn’t do its contents justice as the young griffon pulled it away to reveal a sheathed sword. “I had originally offered this to Lieutenant Zhang to honor his bravery during the attack on Canterlot, but he declined. I believe his exact words were, ‘if the enemy is close enough for me to use a sword, then I’m not doing my job right.’ As such, he recommended that this be given to you in his stead.” “Thank you for your offer, sir, but I’m not certain how—” “This isn’t a normal sword, Captain. It’s a Skysteel sword, and it’s capable of piercing any armor that tries to bar its path,” Alvar added, before leaning forward and whispering, “I also imagine it can make short work of, say, an enemy that is made entirely of metal.” Okay, that elevates this gift from a ceremonial piece to a functional implement… but I hope he won’t be culturally offended if I use this thing like a baseball bat. What do I know about swords? Matt took the offered weapon in both hands, and found the weight fairly easy to handle. Still, he’d have to remember to give it a few practice swings when he could, just so he didn’t wind up overextending and getting it tangled in a clothesline or something. “Thank you for this, sir. I imagine it will be very useful when the time comes.” “Alvar, why are you arming the enemy?” one of the fillies, an earth pony, protested, which was enough to generate an embarrassed expression from Alvar and a curious look from Matt. Both were saved from any explanation with the arrival of Twilight and Beowulf. “Alvar’s giving Matt a magic sword so that he can fight our true enemy, the evil organization known as EXALT,” Beowulf explained as the pair joined the conversation. The MEC gave Matt a sloppy salute that left no doubt in Matt’s mind as to who was actually in control. “Why does your voice sound funny, Mr. Beowulf?” the pegasus filly asked. “That’s Miss Beowulf. I’m the bigger sister,” the MEC explained. The unicorn filly finally spoke, an eyebrow arched skeptically. “You and your brother have the same name?” “Exactly. Our parents didn’t have much imagination.” “Hold on!” The earth pony interrupted as she stamped a hoof. “Beowulf’s a golem, and golems can’t have kids! How could your parents have had you two, then?!” “They were very determined.” The exchanges between the fillies and Beowulf went back and forth for more than a minute. Twilight cantered to Matt’s side and suppressed a giggle as the debate between the fillies and Beowulf became heated. “Lana seems to be feeling a little better,” the alicorn observed. “Apparently so. I’m not complaining, but she didn’t exactly explain to me what was wrong. Did she say anything to you? She… she apologized to me, and that never happens.” Matt said, the uneasy feeling from earlier in the day slowly rising up in opposition to the comfort he felt when watching Lana tease the youngsters. That uneasy feeling turned into a chunk of lead in his chest once he realized what Lana had been apologizing for. Twilight shook her head. “She didn’t mention much, and I’m afraid what she did tell me, I can’t share.” She looked up to Matt and furrowed her eyebrows. “Is something wrong? With you, I mean? You look nervous.” “Just pre-op jitters. I’m actually heading to the ready room now. I know there isn’t much time, but I’d recommend getting a bit of sleep while you can. It’ll be a busy day tomorrow,” Matt advised, and he offered Twilight a warm smile. “I’ll see you when things are settled, alright?” “Okay. Good luck!” Twilight said as she waved a hoof. Matt watched the mare go, then gave the sheathed sword in his hands a dubious look. I probably won’t need it, but I should probably carry it into battle at least once. It seems like something Alvar’s people would appreciate. Now I just have to make sure Lana doesn’t corrupt the youth more than she has already. He glanced towards the clock built into the wall. Just six hours to wait until deployment if everything goes according to plan. Then things are going to get really interesting.