The Conversion Bureau : Landfall

by Feefers

Lunch

He slid away from the console back to the old bank of monitors getting out the red tape and putting it to good use, covering all but the two still active displays.
He spent some time looking up each code as he went through each of the buoys turning the display to churning data before going blank.
He put the notebook back and sighed heavily as the wristwatch AI beeped quietly, at least it was lunchtime.

Smith stretched as he walked following the line back to Splish Splash who was still busy looking over little test-tubes of water.
“Hi...” Smith said quietly not wanting to disturb her.
Splish Splash set down some things and smiled back, “Oh hello again Smith!”
“Hey Splish Splash, I got some lunch vouchers if you need something?” He asked looking to her.
Splish Splash nodded, “Oh that would be amazing!”
Smith laughed a little, “I wouldn’t get too excited quite yet.”
He waited as Splish Splash slid the lab coat off and started to walk with him along the corridor.
“You are pretty nice you know, not many people would have lunch with a strange pony they just met.” Splish Splash noted as she followed Smith.
“Well it’s probably my last day here, I might as well treat a co-worker to lunch.” Smith joked.
“Is that a common thing to do?” Splish Splash asked.
“Yeah, leaving lunch.” Smith opened a large door the led into a open area, disused tables and chairs had been piled up against the wall leaving just a single large table and seat in the middle.
Smith walked up to the food replicator holding up his wrist computer as it beeped.
“Two full lunches, one for a pony please.” Smith waited as there was a loud buzzing before the replicator opened.
Smith took the two trays there, one was obviously not for humans as it featured hay with flowers and bits of apple in it.
The other tray had some ... Smith could only really describe it as soup like substance with a chunk of hard looking bread by the side as he carefully carried both plates across setting them on the table before getting some water in a shallow glass for himself and Splish Splash.

Smith sat at the table as Splish Splash gently chewed on some of the hay.
“I think yours looks better...” Smith poked at the jellyish soup with the bread.
Splish Splash smiled nuzzling a little chunk of apple towards him.
Smilth picked it up and popped it into his mouth.
“No wait!” Splish Splash panicked as Smith bit into the apple chunk a little confused as he swallowed.
“Sorry I thought you didn’t want it.” Smith blushed a little.
Splish Splash shook her head, “No, but that was an apple from Equestria; it will make you ill.”
Smith felt his stomach turn, choking slightly on the apple as he took a large swig of water forcing it down.
“It tasted better then the soup still.” Smith laughed, recovering as best he could from the mishap.
Splish Splash smiled widely giggling as well, “Thank you for lunch, it was entertaining if nothing else.
Smith nodded and put the trays away on the counter, “I will see you tomorrow Splish Splash, last day here so we’ll have a little party?”
Splish Splash nodded, “Sounds fun!”
Smith raised his hand to shake her hoof as she raised her hoof meeting his hand, “Welcome to OSS Splish Splash.”
Splish Splash smiled, “Thanks Smith.”

Splish Splash started to trot back to her station as Smith watched her walk away before heading along to his own office.
He looked to the display of the remaining buoys checking they were still working before looking at all the red crosses on the blank monitors.
He’d marked the first one 021216 with a star around the numbers just in case he’d forget it was the first.
It’d been that way for 7 months, probably the first object destroyed by the advancing barrier of Equestria.

Smith wheeled across to the new console as he pulled up the sheets, they glowed in his hands waiting to be placed somewhere.
He placed them next to a large map on a forgotten wall.

Smith traced his finger across it finding 021216 deep out into the Atlantic ocean.
Smith pulled various parts of the glowing electric sheet apart placing them over the buoys, tracking when each had stopped working.
He reached 30501347 that had gone down overnight, trying to figure out why then so many had just stopped working.
His finger traced between the two buoys moving from the deep ocean up across the continental shelf.
There was a slow realisation of what he had just discovered and why the remaining buoys had gone offline so quickly.

Smith wheeled back across the office moving to the window this time, look out to see, watching the glowing barrier of Equestria as he spotted a human figure down at the beach front.
Smith couldn't quite believe anyone would want to be down here on the beach, he made his way to a stiff old door that hadn’t been opened in a long time as he peered along the beach he spotted more people.
There was about a dozen, some had taken seats most were standing not wanting to sit on the black and toxic looking sand, there were several police enforcers lumbering around as close as they could get, unable to move from the paved surface.
Smith moved to the edge of a rickety veranda that overlooked the beach getting closer to the people as they started to work out some large banner.
The banner was roughly made in basic paint but it read, “Humanity’s last stand.”

Smith tapped his wrist computer as it expanded before him a view screen appearing as a pixelated avatar appeared.
“This is Stribes Fraser reporting live here from the beach front at Virginia Beach; a number of the Human Liberation Front have set up temporary camp here right on the beach despite the public safety issues.”
Smith looked across catching a glimpse of the reporter he looked back to his wrist computer grinning as he could see himself in the distant background as he listened to the protester.
“We gotta right to be here! We been lied to all this time they knew those ponies were planning to wipe us all out and now they finally admit when it’s gonna happen! TOMORROW MAN! The fate of the human race ends tomorrow!”
Smith rolled his eyes drumming his hand across the wooden bannister, there had been lots of talk about it being the end of the world.
But Smith had seen water from post Earth before, there was something after the barrier he knew for sure and most of the ponies he met, they were mostly just happier versions of who they used to be.
He mulled over again the impending transformation he was going to undergo, nodding as he closed the wrist computer and headed back inside.

“April.” Smith said quietly, “How is the queue at Virginia Beach conversion centre?”
The computer beeped quietly before responding, “There is an appointment slot available today at 3pm.”
Smith rolled his eyes, “April... how long have you been booking this slot for me?”
The computer trilled quietly, “For the past four days.”
Smith sighed and rubbed his forehead, “Thank you April. I’ll be heading there now.”