//------------------------------// // It's the End of the World as We know it... // Story: The wrong universe. (TCB) // by Silverdogz117 //------------------------------// Tech-Com Command: Seattle, WA There are those who would seek to deny us things, things like life, free speech, the ability to vote and then there are those who fight for those freedoms and those who would rather die on their feet than live on their knees. However, in this world? It didn't matter, not anymore, not with this war. Every single man, woman and the rare child of all creeds had banded together on this forsaken rock, for the simple matter of survival. Now, that drive to survive would be needed more than ever. John Connor stalked the halls of base, pacing like a father in a maternity ward. He was waiting on the results from the science team about the purple goop that had been found at the listening post. He knew what the goop did, but not how it did it, once they knew that, they could perform countermeasures against it. At last the door creaked open. "Well? Can we stop it?" asked Connor. "Straight to the point aren't we?" the scientist said raising a white eyebrow at the leader of the resistance. "Cut the crap, Rosenberg." "I can tell you a few things about this substance. First off, it isn't composed of molecules-" "What! Everything has molecules forming it!" "If you wouldn't interrupt me, I would explain it to you." "Sorry doc, continue please." "It appears to contain pure energy that is formed closely to a integrated circuit, suspended in an unknown medium. We do know that any contact with flesh would be disastrous, or if it were aerosolized as well. I would recommend not letting it touch you. As for stopping it, I don't think we can, reversing the process is out of the question." said Rosenberg, his face grim. "Ah, shit. I know your team is the best out there, but still, keep at it. Anything we can do?" asked Connor. "Yes, if we had more, we might be able to perform more tests without destroying our only sample." Connor inhaled sharply. "Only if there's an opportune chance, I'm not sending my men to get something that'll change them if they spill it." "Fine. Do you know what's for lunch?" asked Rosenberg. "Uh, chicken casserole if I remember correctly." Rosenberg blanched at that. SKYNET HUB#0001, Washington D.C Skynet grumbled to itself as it watched the sixth T-800p break another set of joints as it attempted to perform the same movements as these new targets. It finally reached a consensus as the seventh iteration was brought in for testing, it really needed some test subjects. A vivisection would provide it with all the data it would need, plus a few more for the creation of the fur layer. It needed some way of getting pigment into the fur. Appaloosa, Equestria Appaloosa had gone through extensive expansion since the signing of the Treaty of Alliance and Friendship with the buffalo. It now rivaled Manehatten in terms of population, if only due to the concentration of the Royal Guard in the town. Being at the edge of Equestrian territory had its advantages as the next Purification Zeppelin was prepped after the disaster of the Olympic. This Zeppelin was known as the Sojurn. Unlike the Olympic, the Sojurn was designed as a troop carrier that had been retrofitted with some weaponry salvaged from the Olympic's wreck. A great thrum filled the air as the Sojurn began to move towards the edge of the Barrier. A beam of purple light lanced from the nose of the Sojurn and the Barrier stretched out to accommodate the bulk of the Zeppelin. Its goal was the small chain of islands that Equestria had popped out next to. The natives of this world called them the Hawaiian Islands. "Sir, I have the manifest that you wanted." said a blue pegasus pony wearing the grey uniform of the Equestrian Air Force. "Ah, thank you Quick Strike." said the mahogany pegasus from behind his desk as he pored over the after-action report of the Olympic. "No problem!" Manifest: 400 barrels of Potion THTP 250 Unicorn Corps. 250 Earth Pony Corps. 500 barrels fresh water 500 tons Food (Assorted) 350 potion sprayers 100 fuel rods The captain sat back as he thought about the demise of the Olympic, the shielding had worked to a certain degree, until it was overwhelmed by superior force by the enemy. In order to combat this he had his pegasi net spread even farther out around his ship, so as to catch the "starbursts" earlier and buy time for the shield strength to rise. He hoped it would be enough to keep the thousand souls alive and aboard his ship. The thrum of the engines brought him back to the situation at hand, he got up and stepped out onto the bridge as he watched his helmspony skillfully bring the Sojurn through the barrier and set a course for the islands. Ponyville, Equestria Applejack stared at the three ponies in front of her, each one identical, minus two being stallions and the other a mare. The exact same coat, mane and cutie mark was a bit much for the cowpony. "Ah, just don't get it Twi', why do I have to take 'em in?" asked Applejack as she scrutinized them. "Because, the Princess wants to see how well they can adapt to Equestrian life. We need to know whether or not the mental reconditioning is working as it should." said Twilight as she levitated a notebook and quill next to her. "All right, Twi' if you say so. C'mon y'all, let's git to work." said Applejack as she lead the three ponies into the orchard. Trot, trot, trot Applejack froze suddenly and the trotting came to a complete stop at the exact same time. She moved forward and there it was again! It was like there was one pony behind her, rather than three! "Spooky." she muttered under her breath as she continued to walk into the orchard, Twilight and the Newfoals in tow. The Newfoals were easily taught how to buck apples, but the weird thing was that they did the bucking the exact same way as Applejack after seeing it once. Even the angle of their backs were identical each and every time. Even Applejack wasn't that good. It was like they were those fancy automatons that Twilight would drone on about. "Spooky." muttered Applejack.