Fields of Fire

by Wheller

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

‘Naturally’, Scootaloo said. ‘We could hardly pass on Emerald Sparkle’s invitation; EPMB was ours for the taking! And we took it’.

‘Doesn’t sound like the Emerald Sparkle I know’, Vinyl Scratch said. ‘She wasn’t the type to give up and let anypony do whatever they wanted’.

‘With that, you have to consider the context of the log entry’, Sweetie Belle said. ‘Emerald Sparkle just lost the Battle of Ponyville when she made that’.

‘We didn’t find that out until later’, Scootaloo said. ‘But what really got FutureTec kicked off was when we started playing around with the mainframe terminal’.

...

‘Are ya’ll sure it’s a good idea ta be messin’ with that?’ Apple Bloom asked.

‘Oh it’ll be fine’, Scootaloo said as she continued to fiddle with the keyboard for the Missile Bases Mainframe Terminal. Propped up against on the screen it was a technical manual, entitled: ‘High end networking: so easy, a foal could understand it’. It was one of many such manuals written for somepony by the name ‘Diamond’. All of the books had an identical message written in ink.

‘For my beloved Diamond, in the hopes that you may someday claim what is rightfully yours, love, mum’.

At first, the Cutie Mark Crusaders thought that it was referring to Diamond Tiara; their school’s stuck up, spoiled rotten, alpha bitch. But when they considered the age of the manuals, they ruled that out rather quickly. Who this ‘Diamond’ was, it was unlikely that they would ever learn.

Scootaloo tapped another key with her hoof, and jumped slightly in surprise when the screen crackled to life.

Manehattan Relay here, why isn’t your video feed working?

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked up at the screen. There was a pony on the screen, but not like any pony that they had ever seen. This pony seemed to be wearing a metal mask; the eyes were a bright glowing green, almost like the goggles that Scootaloo had noticed this one unicorn wore all the time.

‘Uh... it’s working just fine! I can see you!’ Apple Bloom said.

The pony on screen let out a loud sigh in annoyance Try the gain.

Apple Bloom quickly motioned to Scootaloo to pretend to try and fix it. Scootaloo responded by rotating a few dials on the control console back and forth. ‘There! It should be workin’ now!’

Well your unit still doesn’t appear to be operational pal. Who is this?

‘Well, Ah guess that shouldn’t be surprising, considerin’ how old this stuff is’ Apple Bloom said.

The pony on the other end let out another sigh, and nodded his head in agreement. Ain’t it the truth? Most of these installations are still using the original thermionic valves manufactured over a thousand years ago! And the Manehattan Hub is the only place set up to make more. I assume that’s what you’re calling about right? Getting replacement parts?

‘Uh... yeah! That’s exactly what we’re callin’ ‘bout’, Apple Bloom said.

Alright, I can do that; just give me a sec... Need anything special? Or just the standard package?

‘Uh... the standard will be just fine, thank ya’, Apple Bloom said.

All right... well this is ready to submit, I just need your name, rank, and your chapter affiliation, and I can dispatch a team to bring it to you.

‘Uh, no no, that’s okay! Ya’ll don’t need ta send anyone ta us. We’ll come and get it!’ Apple Bloom’s eyes widened with nervousness.

You’ll... you’ll come get it?

‘Y...yeah! Ithat’s not a problem, is it?’ Apple Bloom asked.

A problem? A problem?! Hell no it’s not a problem! Oh thank the great machine, you have no idea how much time and resources this saves me, I wish everypony was like you! But no, everypony just calls up the Manehattan Relay and asks for replacement supplies. ‘Oh... what do you mean that it’ll be six weeks before you can have somepony out?! That’s insanity’, yeah, well. That’s what happens when the delivery orders stack up and all our saracens get filled up that we have to start sending Hospitallers and Templars to do the job, and even then we’re still backed up! Anyway, I love you for wanting to come and get it yourself; I still need your name, rank, and chapter affiliation. Otherwise, the chapter master is going to have my head.

Apple Bloom swallowed hard, she knew that since she didn’t even know who she was talking to, let alone the right thing to say. ‘The chapter master?’ she asked.

Yeah, he’s a real stickler for procedure, got to make sure the paper work is filed exactly right, otherwise, it’s my arse. Xerxes is kind of uptight like that, what, just because he’s descended from the founder of the Cultus Mechanius or some shit.

‘Cultus Mechanius?’ Apple Bloom asked instinctively, realising immediately that that was a poor choice of words.

The pony on screen started to become flustered at Apple Bloom’s question. ... what the... you... I... The FUCKING Cultus Mechanius! The organisation we belong to? Who you think I’m talking about? WHO IS THIS?’

‘Uh...’ Apple Bloom stuttered, looking to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo for help. They had nothing. ‘Sorry can’t tell ya!’ Apple Bloom said.

Oh... a wise guy eh? Look, I’m tracing you right now pal, we’ll see how smart you feel with internal security all over your fucking arse. Dumb bitch. A few more moments and I’ll have your sorry arse in a sling... hold on here... I’m showing you... that installation isn’t supposed to exist anymore... well, whoever you are, I’ve just dispatched a Templar strike team to your location, have a nice day.

‘Uh, what are they going to do?’ Apple Bloom asked.

Usually they just go in shooting; they let someone else sift through the ashes to figure out what was going on. Goodbye, next news on you will be when I read the after action report.

The metal masked pony’s face disappeared off the screen. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked at each other nervously. What had they gotten themselves into?

...

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked down at their desk to the clock that was sitting on it, then back up to Twilight and company. ‘That’s enough for today, it’s almost the end of the working day anyway’, Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both nodded.

‘What!?’ Surprise cried out, she spread her wings and flew into the air, planting herself on the Cutie Mark Crusader’s desk. ‘You can’t stop there! You were just getting to a good part!’

The Cutie Mark Crusaders grinned at each other. ‘Glad to see we’ve got your attention, but no can do’, Sweetie Belle said. ‘FutureTec maintains an eight hour workday policy, our cover jobs are on the day shift. Nine to five and it is five minutes to five right now. If we don’t go home, we’d get in trouble with the bosses’, she said with a grin.

‘The Sales department only works first shift, we ain’t got no reason ta be here past five, otherwise ponies will start asking questions’, Apple Bloom said. ‘An’ we got this far by keepin’ our identities secret’.

‘Which means, everything you just heard in this room? Stays in this room’, Scootaloo said. ‘You can’t talk about it with anypony’.

Twilight looked to her friends. ‘Answer me one question’, Twilight requested. ‘This... Cultus Mechanius was clearly hostile towards you. What changed?’

At that moment, there was a loud bell that began to ring. ‘Well! Five O’Clock, time to go home everypony’, Sweetie Belle said. ‘You guys will need to go out first and lead Mister Happy away from the door’.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded in agreement. ‘And... Uh, be careful around Mister Happy, okay? There are still a few bugs in his operating system that Sprocket hasn’t gotten out yet’.

‘Bugs?’ Applejack asked in confusion.

‘Glitches in his programming, odd personality quirks, things like that’, Scootaloo said. ‘He’s not like... going to go crazy and try and kill the entire town, or anything, we made sure of that! We specifically told Sprocket not to install any drivers for his weapons, and our repair technicians regularly check and make sure he has no ammo on him’.

‘Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for a buggy robot’, Vinyl Scratch said.

‘Mister Happy was FutureTec’s first creation!’ Apple Bloom said. ‘Even bef’er tha toaster. He’s got a special place in our hearts’.

‘And he doesn’t know you are who you are?’ Twilight asked.

‘He used to’, Scootaloo said. ‘Sprocket has had to wipe his memory a couple times’.

‘I think I would very much like to meet this Sprocket’, Twilight said.

‘Tomorrow maybe’, Apple Bloom said. ‘Fer now, it’s time ta go home’.

Apple Bloom pointed towards the door. Twilight and Company understood the message loud and clear. The group exited the room only to find that Mister Happy was nowhere to be found, the hallway was deserted thanks to the change in shift. The group began to make their way out.

‘Ah can’t believe she talked ta me like that, I’m givin’ her a talkin’ to when she gets home’, Applejack grumbled under her breath.

Twilight Sparkle, however couldn’t help but feel like they had more pressing problems.

Comments

[DreadedCandiru2]

I'd like to meet this Sprocket myself. Also, I'm more worried about how this story is going to earn its title than I am about the fragile ego of a stubborn idiot who still hasn't addressed the problem of being totally illiterate, being unable to make change and having zero business sense.

[Fallen Knight]

Ahhhh Fallout 2 ,that was a moment , getting the whole village killed over a prank call.

And who says the cultists arent still hostile, just waiting for the right time to take over.

[Apocalypse Pony]

I'm still wondering what the CMC want with the gang; questions took up all their time

[Tsuki no Mai]

Finally caught up!

Wheller, why is your writing this good? I've lost several days to the addictivness of your series.

[Rahzzy]

232621 i know right?!