//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: The Big Dig 
// Story: Wasteland Survival Guide: Zoology Edition 
// by The Infinity Doctor 
//------------------------------//

The last few weeks had been a blur of activity for Clear Springs. A troop of the Royal Guard had been deployed to the small town in order to oversee operations concerning the dig. Naturally, something that big does not go unnoticed by the press- almost all the hotels and rooms for rent were full of reporters. Posey should know- almost every reporter from here to Canterlot had been pestering Bolt and herself about the discovery of the radio signal. Telling the story to the press got old after the fifth time.

Posey and Bolt were currently on their way home from school, en route to the dig site.

"Think they're almost done?" Bolt asked, referring to the mass excavation going on at the cliffs "I heard they're starting to dig pretty deep."

"Hm..." Posey responded, not too interested in the conversation.

"You feelin' alright?" Bolt asked.

"Just a little tired of all...this..." Posey replied, motioning to the gathering of reporters around the mouth of the pit.

"I get what you mean..." Bolt agreed "the construction workers, the reporters...seems like everyone's rushing around lately."

"Well...I guess they're in a hurry to complete the rescue."

"I guess..."

The two continued their walk, now near the mouth of the deep pit being dug by excavators and a few Diamond Dogs from the local pack helping out. It kind of warmed her heart to see ponies and Diamond Dogs alike helping out with the cause.

"Find anything yet?" Bolt called to his father as they stopped, a good meter from the lip of the pit.

"Almost..." Iron Foresight replied, wiping soot from his muzzle "Granite says there's something down there, but either something's interfering with his magic, or there just ain't anything down there."

Posey gulped hard. If there wasn't anything down there...by Celestia...she'd be in so much trouble. Time and money down the drain, all because the town had put stock into what she showed...

Her anxiety had continued to build, until a sharp crack was heard.

Posey was snapped from her stupor as she peered over the edge of the pit.

The shovel of the excavator was resting against something blue and faded, most likely the object having been struck by the shovel. Ponies and Dogs began shouting, some whooping with joy as they continued to dig, clearing away the remaining dirt. Guardstallions formed a blockade around the now-ecstatic flock of reporters, firing off question after question to the guards.

Posey became curious as the last of the debris was cleared from the area surrounding the blue metal, which now resembled a gear or a cog; an enormous, gear-like shape buried underground. The number "78" was emblazoned in the center of the door.

A well of questions sprang forth in Posey's head- where had this strange thing come from? What did it have to do with the radio broadcast? How long had these ponies been trapped for this thing to be so far underground? Where did this mysterious thing lead? What could this mean for the future of Clear Springs?

Posey took notice of a metal stick poking out of the ground, near the door; a rectangular box with a large button and a keypad attached to the end of it.

A squad of royal guards approached what Posey could only assume was some type of control for the door. Another pony approached the box, this one she recognized as a regular at her father's shop. His name was Code Breaker, or something to that effect- she was honestly too caught up in the excitement that she'd lost any interest in vague names. The Earth pony glanced at the keys for a few minutes (which seemed to stretch into hours for Posey), and he steadily raised a hoof to punch in a sequence on the pad, and pushing the button. Posey and the rest of the assembled ponies cringed as a harsh alarm rang out, drowning out the loquacious reporters at last. The alarm sounded three more times, and silence fell over the cliffs. A few seagulls could be heard calling in the distance- you could hear a pin drop. Posey suddenly felt disoriented as the ground beneath her hooves began to rumble, the earth itself seeming to pulse with all the excitement of a Parasprite in a pillow factory.

"What's g-going on?!" Bolt shouted over the din, losing his balance.

"I- I don't know!" Posey exclaimed, nervous as all get-out.

Dirt and dust kicked up from the center of the pit, and the enormous door began to sink further into the ground. The guards around the door scrambled away from the newly-created opening, shouting orders as they climbed and flew out of the crater, respectively.