//------------------------------// // Chapter 13: Alpha // Story: The War Machine // by Urimas Ebonheart //------------------------------// The War Machine Chapter 13: Alpha After five hours of constant driving and the occasional stop from Twilight stalling the gryphon Tank now and then, we arrive back at Canterlot where the minotaurs had arrived a few hours ago. It took an hour navigating the streets due to the end of work rush, but once through we park the Tanks by the Lab and greet the others. "Welcome back, Adam, Twilight, Sister" Celestia says as Twilight hugs her. "Thank you, Celestia," I say and turn to the gryphon tank. "As you can see, I have kept one of their Tanks intact, along with many parts from the others as well. This will allow you to reverse engineer them and build your own versions," I tell her. She and the others walk around the Tank examining all of it. "So this is what the gryphons were hiding," Rover says while poking one of the tires. While they check it out, I turn to Twilight. "Twilight, can you please retrieve one of the shells inside," I ask her. "Oh, erm, alright," she replies and climbs onto the tank and pulls a shell out of the hatch with her magic. "Here you go," she says and levitates it down to me. "Thank you." I examine it and confirm it is a forty millimetre iron shell, it's like they took a cannonball and gave it a slight point. Seems they need a separate charge to propel it out of the barrel. "So, Princess, are you planning to make more of these for Equestria?" Kongo asks Celestia. She looks at the others before looking back at the Tank. "I'm not sure, such technology would only bring distrust between other nations... The constant threat of something that has the power to level a town or even a city in hours..." she replies. Kongo walks over to her and places a hand on her wither. "You have my support, Princess. Our nations have been allies for over four-hundred years, I know you wouldn't use these against us," he assures her. Celestia smiles at him and nodded. "Thank you, President Kongo, and as per the treaty, blueprints of the gryphon Tank will be available to all of you once we figure out how it works," she says. I look towards the minotaurs and see them looking up at the Titan with a frown. I walk over to them to see what is the problem. "Is something wrong?" I ask them. They turn to me and their leader, a six foot tall male with brown fur, green eyes, a toga like robe with small bottles and plants on the belt and a broken horn looks at me. "We minotaurs are one with nature, we can feel its pain and its life all around us. This metal beast... it goes against all we believe in," he replies in a deep tone. "Would that include me as well? Since I was built for war and am neither flesh or blood," I ask him. He looks back at the Tank and then at me. "You have a mind of your own, will, and resolve. Does this beast have it's own mind? It is but a tool, a machine built for death and destruction," he replies. "True, but it can also protect and save lives. I may have killed hundreds of gryphons today, but I also saved hundreds of ponies from being killed or made homeless with it," I tell him. He places his right hand on a titanium plate which has a dent in it. "I see," he replies. He then turns and walks to Celestia. "The nation of Minos supports your choice for building these, but we do not want nor need the means to make them," he tells her. "If that is what you wish for, Chieftain Longhorn," Celestia replies with a nod. One Hour and Sixteen Minutes Later After talking with the other leaders, it was decided that the gryphon Tank and weapon blueprints would be given to those who want them. The dragons want them so they know how they work in order to find weak points just in case they're used against them. The minotaurs wanted nothing to do with them. The diamond dogs want the Tank designs to modify them into tunnelling drills, and the zebras trust the Princess to not abuse them. I checked in with the changeling one more time to find that the holes in her legs are gone, Celestia tells me that she believes the holes were due to starvation. The magic crystal she has her ponies working on is coming along well, she estimates another month or two before it can be tested. The signal coming from the changeling is stronger now that I figured out its frequency. It would seem she’s relaying any information she is getting back to her Queen, which isn't much I believe, but I have a good estimate on where the Hive might be located. Twilight, Luna, and I return to Ponyville where Twilight continues her work on the magic rifle while Luna and I continue on the second Titan after Luna quickly repaired the dented plates of the first. Twilight has also brought Trixie over to start another project of making invisibility enchantments for the guards armour so pegasi can ambush enemies unseen. We continue to work until Twilight and Trixie leave back to Ponyville and Luna raises the moon. I weld the last piece of the chassis for the day and step outside, I look up into the night sky at all the different constellations. Luna sits beside me also looking up at the stars. "Only my sister has ever stayed up with me to look at the stars, everypony else either ignores them, sleeps the night away, or just doesn't care. There are very few astronomers in Canterlot and they only do it to document star locations and constellations," she tells me. "I tried moving the stars once after my return, to make the night new and beautiful... but that brought nothing but anger and demands from the astronomers to put it back as it was... I'm not even allowed to do what I'm destined to do anymore..." she says with a few tears flowing down her face. I look down at her then back up to the stars. Processing... "Luna, you are the caretaker of the night, they have no right to demand such things from you. Besides, you are no longer an Equestrian citizen, you don't have to do as they demand anymore. You're free to paint the night however you wish again," I tell her and look back to her. “and if they don’t approve, they’ll have to speak with me first.” She looks at me with a trembling lip, tears flowing freely and she rears up and hugs me. "Thank you. You've been the kindest pon... person to me besides my sister and Twilight since my return," she says and lets go. "I'm happy to call you my friend." "As am I," I reply. She then looks to the sky and her horn glows brightly as the stars seem to begin dancing across the sky, shining brighter than ever. Once it was over, a new constellation appeared. It looks like me holding my assault rifle, I save the image to my hard-drive to look back on later. We continue to watch the stars for an hour more as she tells me the stories behind the ones she knows of before heading back in and resuming work on the Tank. Two Weeks Later 8:04am The second Titan is about half way done now since Luna is getting used to making the parts I require. The gryphons have not made anymore attempts of attacking after my display of force, I can’t help but wonder what they plan to do to counter me now. I’ve spent some time in town with Twilight and her friends, Luna even tagged along sometimes and no longer cares when the townsfolk shy away from her, she’s showing her true personality instead of her anti-social one which is beginning to make the ponies relax around her. Twilight enters the workshop with a worried expression. "Adam! We need your help! Rarity's been abducted by a diamond dog clan that’s just moved in nearby! These ones don't seem to be connected to the Alpha King though," she tells me gasping for breath. I walk over to my Trailer and equip my shotgun with three drum magazines of rubber slugs along with two Tac-90 pistols with five spare magazines each. I also pick up six flashbangs as well. "Get in the Trailer and tell me which way to go," I tell Twilight and then look at Luna. "Continue with making the Titan's plating while I'm gone, Luna. I'll be back to help as soon as I can," I instruct her and she nodded in reply. "Alright then let's go, I hate to think what they're doing to her," Twilight says and gets into the passenger seat. I head out to a quarry Twilight navigates us to, we get out and there are many holes in the ground and signs of a struggle. "Spike said she was taken down this hole," Twilight informs me. I can see strands of Rarity's mane and tail nearby. "Wait in the Trailer for us, I have a processor controlling the Turret so you'll be protected," I tell her. She looks worried but nodded. "Just be careful," she tells me and gets back into the passenger seat where I then lock the doors. Fortunately, the hole looks big enough for me to jump into, I draw my shotgun and slide down the steep tunnel and land with a heavy thud. I kneel down with my shotgun shouldered and look around, my night vision kicks in and I see a trail of something being dragged recently. I see bits of hair and hoof marks in the dirt, it seems they dragged her rather than carried her, at least I have a trail to follow. Running down the tunnels that are barely big enough for me to fit in, I come across two diamond dogs in rusty iron armour and crude weapons, nothing like the armour Rover's guards were using. I will use non-lethal force for now, but that will change depending on the state Rarity is in. "Who goes dere?" the right one says in a rough deep voice. I aim my shotgun at him. "Where is Rarity? She's a white pony with a deep purple mane and tail you recently abducted," I demand. My sensors and scanners are being thrown off with all the ore, dirt, and gems in the area. They stare at me for a few seconds before growling at me, these diamond dogs seem much less intelligent than the ones I have previously met before. "I won't ask you again, where is she," I demand again. Instead of answering, they lunge at me with crude spears and I instantly fire a slug into the right one's throat. He chokes and grasps his whole neck while squirming on the ground trying to breathe. I sidestep to the right and grip the rusted spear head and squeeze tightly with my left hand, I then let go and the diamond dog looks at it where my grip has left my fingers impression. I lunge forward and grasp him by the throat and lift him off the floor. "Last chance, where did you take Rarity," I ask in a more threatening tone. He chokes a few times before speaking in a quiet wheezing tone. "We take pony... To M-Mines!.. She f-find gems with... magic..." he tells me and I let go. "Take me there," I order him. At first he backs away looking at his still gasping friend, but I aim my shotgun at him and he yelps. "Okay, me take you," he says and walks down the tunnel. We walk for a few minutes all the while I kept my shotgun trained onto the back of his head. Through the Turret’s camera I see some dogs trying to sneak up to my Trailer with weapons drawn, I fire off a few rounds near the closest one which scares them all off and also makes Twilight yelp as she didn’t expect it. The diamond dog has lead me to a large cavern with other dogs now staring at me with wide eyes. I notice quite a few of them without armour but with ragged strips of clothing and young in their paws. Processing… This must be the living area of the clan as I can see crude mud and stone homes built into the walls. I nudge my guide forward and we slowly walk through the cavern while all eyes are on us. "Stop!" one of the armoured dogs shouts and I reply with a slug to his throat. They back away from the loud gunshot and cover their ears. "I am only here for the pony you took, if she is unharmed then I will leave with her in peace, but should she be injured in any way, you will pay for it," I tell the dogs. A loud snarl echoes throughout the cavern, I turn to my right and see a large diamond dog that looks like a black pitbull. He's an inch shorter than me and is outfitted with thick armour and has a large wooden club with some scrap metal sticking out of the end. "And who be you to demand things?" he asks in a threatening manner. "The pony is a friend of mine and you have taken her against her will. You will return her to me or I will take her back by force," I reply. He laughs at me and rests the club over his right shoulder. "Pony will find gems for us, she stay," he says and walks towards me. Analysing weapon... The wood is beginning to rot and the metal is weak and fragile... Threat 1.23%. He raises his weapon and swings down, I reach out with my left hand and catch the head of the weapon, I then grip hard and shatter the club with ease. He dumbly stares at what's left before I use my right foot and boot him six metres away, I'm pretty sure I heard a rib or two break as well. He coughs up a bit of blood and stands back up. "What you mutts waitin' for? KILL IT!" he yells and I quickly holster my shotgun and pull out my right Tac-90 pistol and shoot him right in the forehead, the bullet penetrates the rusted helmet with ease and he drops like a rock. "Bring me the pony now or you will be joining him," I warn them. The soldiers or guards quickly scramble down a tunnel and return minutes later with Rarity, she looks a little dirty, but otherwise unharmed. "Adam! You came to rescue me?" she asks and trots over to me, the dogs all stay back cowering in fear. "Correct, Spike warned the others and Twilight told me. She and my Trailer are waiting for us topside, are you well enough to walk?" I reply and ask her. "I need a good bath, but I can walk just fine, darling," she tells me and I look back to the dogs. "Let this be your only warning, you take another pony again, I will not stop with just your Alpha... Understood?" I tell them. They nodded and one of them, a small light brown dog with a grey jacket and diamond encrusted collar walks up to me and bows. "As you command, Alpha," he says. It would seem besting their Alpha has made me the new one. "I am your new Alpha?" I ask just to clarify. "Yes, when Alpha beaten, victor becomes new Alpha," he replies. Processing... I could use these dogs for resource gathering, I look around and notice the poor condition they're living in. Perhaps Rarity would be willing to make them better clothing for gems or gold they have mined as payment, they at least look clean and don’t have any matted fur or any visual illnesses. "Very well, my first order is to collect as much ore and gems as you can gather. I will use the metal to fashion better tools and equipment for you and the gems will be used to trade for building supplies," I tell him. "What is your name?" I ask the small dog. "My name is Spot," he replies. "Since you were brave enough to approach me, I'll leave you in charge while I am away. I will check in every three days to see your progress," I inform him. "As you command, Alpha. We'll have what you want in two days time," he replies and starts issuing orders to the others, this Spot has a much better vocabulary than their guards or ex-Alpha has. A couple of the guards leads us back to the surface where Twilight is waiting for us. Upon seeing Rarity, Twilight jumps out of the Trailer after I unlocked it and hugs her friend. "Rarity! Are you alright?" she asks her. "A little shaken, but I'll live," the white mare replies and then looks to me. "Would you be a dear and drop me off at the Spa? I simply feel filthy and need a hot bath," she asks me and shudders. "No problem, Rarity," I reply and we all head back to Ponyville. On the way I ask Rarity about making better clothing for the diamond dogs with payment of gems or gold, after a few seconds of thinking, she agrees and will prepare for the first ones to arrive when I next visit the clan. I drop Rarity off at the town centre where she enters the Spa with Twilight behind her, I then head back to the workshop to begin preparing to better the diamond dogs living conditions. Once properly trained and armed, they could be a great help in the coming assault of Gryphonstone. "Adam, I take it that things went well?" Luna asks me. It seems she has gotten all the right side plating done already, she's getting good at this. "Very. Rarity is back in Ponyville and I am apparently the new Alpha of the clan," I reply. She drops the plate she was working on and stares at me. "Pardon? I'm sorry, but I thought you just said you are now the Alpha of a diamond dog clan." "Correct, their Alpha got aggressive and attempted to kill me, so I put him down quickly with a show of force and retrieved Rarity with ease. As per their custom, the one who defeats their Alpha becomes the new one. I see this as a benefit, as I will train any of them willing to fight by our side when the time comes to attack Gryphonstone. They will also provide metals and gems we may need while I will help in improving their living conditions," I reply and head over to our metal supply. "Impressive, but won't that cut into our time to finish these machines?" she asks me. "A little, but I can work all night on them, I can check on them during the day every three or four days," I reply and get some steel. "Now, I need your help to create some basic tools for the dogs," I tell her and we begin creating the required tools for them.