Remembering Apple Pie

by Lead_Colored_Sky

Slice#2

All I could say is it felt like a dreamless slumber. Something I had never expereienced before. Upon awakening I was assaulted by bright, white light. It was similar to staring into the suns rays without blinking. Though I wanted to move I couldn't. I even wanted to close my eyes but I could not even do that as well. That itself was eventually placed far in the back of my mind as I was focusing all of my thought and energy to try and at least gain some vision. Within a few minutes my vision began to clear thought it still seemed to be fuzzy. Fuzzy was the best way for me to put it for lack of words. For a few moments it felt awkward but when I finally gathered my wits I began to look about my surroundings. I appeared to be within a room, or what seemed to be a room. A small table with trays, vials and various tools sat around the area. A much larger table that had all the looks of a control panel took up one of the entire walls. Before this my job was assembling and inspections so even I was never sure what did what when it came to scientific devices. When my vision began to finally clear and the fuzziness gone was when the images finally sank in. I was not really within a room at all but a small area closed off by four large mirrors with only one way in and one way out of it all. My gaze finally froze and the same feeling of fear and uneasyness had assaulted me.

The same feeling I had felt when we had arrived for our last training exercise and blacking out. The image being reflected back at me was that of a ROY G BIV. Though it was nearly the same body style the color was different than the units I have grown accustomed to. Black, it was all black and trimmed in silver. I remember how ridiculous it seemed and that it could not be real. For a split second I thought of moving my own ear and the image in the mirror did just that. It moved! So was I really one of those units or was it a dream? It was all I could think over as I stared into the mirror. In a way I looked like a Pegasus except for the fact I no longer posessed two eyes. Just a single, yellow tinted lense the machines would view the world from. My ear had twitched again as I caught the sound of hooves upon a metallic surface and the single lense in question moved to my far left without me having to move my head only to see a unicorn enter the mirrored room. Given the white jacket her wore I automatically assumed he was one of the scientists responsible and could possibly get answers from him. Before I could make my voice and questions heard the pony spoke in a soft and sure tone as he approached the table "Well, I see you awoke with no problem. And it would seem everything in terms of mechanical integrity is working just fine. Having to repair four out of a hundred is pretty good statistics. Anyways, I will be brief with this and will start of saying I am only allowed to give you a basic rundown of what you are and function. There are things I am not allowed to breach due to security and private concerns. Now, congratulations on passing the finale test and training phase. As for your physical body, well it is no more except for one part Sterling. The brain. The brain is still intact though now it resides in this special made shell designed from the ROY G BIV units. But, unlike the machines who do just what we tell them because of their programming, you and the others like you still hold rational thought and thinking. Faster, more agile and armored but with flexable thought. In other words you are in all statistics far better than a full fleshed Pegasus within the force. You make up the power for nearly ten of them. Yes you have only one optic for vision but it will allow you to see left and right easily without having to bother turning your own heard. Now, on a side note, you will notice the color. As it stands for your kind regular troopers are painted black. Squad captains are trimmed in silver and units ommanders trimmed in gold."

I let the words sink into my mind with only a simple nod at intervals before letting that single optic move over all the mirrors to get an example of what the scientist spoke of. I indeed had silver trim but on the flank was a large silver shield. A single sword and lightning bolt crossed eachother in the center in yellow. Above the emblem was the numbers '1/2'. Unit number one, squad number two. I gazed over the new body for a few moments longer when the unicorn next to me spoke and caught my attention once more "At any rate Captain Sterling, it will take a bit to get used to your new body. But keep in mind that you still have free thought and emotions and you no longer have the need to eat or drink or even breath. But, the brain is still a living organ and without sleep over long periods of time it will tire out so do take time no and then to rest when needed. Clear? Good. Other answers will possibly come later. As of now you are requested back at the training center for a briefing. All captians and Commanders of the first stike unit are to attend. Take care, return when ordered for maintenance, and do not panic. You will be just fine and I am sure it is a shock but as I told the others, the body is gone but the mind is still you." Granted all the information I was given at once I still had an uneasy feeling. If it was just my brain how was it still alive? How was the machine actually moving or powered? I did not have the courage to ask right away but perhaps once I begin to move around I may work up some and ask at the briefing. Maybe the others had actually asked and recieved.

It goes without saying my trip to the training center and headquarters must have been a comical one. Just getting off the table I was on when I awoke seemed like a chore. I stumbled, I tilted and I slipped trying to get used to my new body. The fact a pair of a ROY G BIV units ecorting me were ordered to do so but they offered no help. By the time I reached my destination I had a pretty decent grasp of how my body worked with my surroundings. The training yard was teeming with a large number of new recruits while a few seasoned troops sat by in the shade and watched the training as if for amusement. I wanted to take at least some time to check around and see just how much had changed here and within the city itself. It was on my way out of the factory district that I leanred how long I had been, I guess you can say, asleep. Six whole days had passed. I lumbered forward into the building with my escorts, passing by and through the staff as they rushed about their duties. They were all over the place and nearly running into each other and not a single one had particularly paid attention to my presence. My guess was that in the six days I was asleep the population had grown used to us by now. Before long we had stopped at the end of a long hallway to a set of large double doors. My all mechanical escorts turned to give a brief salute before walking back down the hall and leaving me to myself. Finally gone, I took one last look aroud before stopping my gaze to the door. I wanted to take in a deep breath and let it all out with a heavy sigh but it was only my memory of being told that it was no longer needed that stopped me from attempting such a thing. Instead I raised a metallic hoof and tapped upon the door before pushing it open and entering.

The center of the large room was taken up by a horseshoe shaped table. Against the wall on the open side of the table stood a presentation board as well as a familiar pegasus. It only took a few moments before I realized who it was. The same pony who gave the speech within the city center that brought me to where I am today. I never got to say a word when the door behind me opened as a few ponies entered followed by three of the new mechanical units such as myself. I exchaned a few words with each of the captains and commanders before the room was finally hushed and the doors to the room had closed. The rooms first occupant stepped towards the table and broke the silence "Good of you all to join me today. And to you as well General Stratosphere and as well as your staff. Let me see, my four Captains and two Commanders of the First Strike Unit. Welcome, welcome indeed. Now as most of you know I have been tasked with all offensive and strategic planning for this operation and I look forward to your cooperation in this for the greater Cloudsdale. Now, phase one of the operation will be thus. The First Strike unit containing the new Pegasus of my design will be making the first move. Squads one and two of unit one will be boarding a cloud barge for Ponyville in twelve hours time. Squads three and four of unit two will do the same, only the destination will be Appaloosa in five hours time as they will need the head start for the longer trip. Now pay attention captains and commanders. It is imperrative we take these two towns first and as fast as possible. As you enter you are to round up each towns respective citizens. Every. Single. Pony. And if you encounter any resistance from those who try to fight back as well you are to eliminate the threat at once. I do not care how you do it. Once this has been done and the towns are under control, noral units from the Defense Force, who will leave out shortly behind your scheduals, will take over control. The object is to use both towns as strategic bases in wich to project our forces on the ground as well as make use of the apple orchards there.

Now once the normal units arrive is when you will recieve your next set of orders. As of now we are still working on increasing the offensive capabilities of the new ROY G BIV units to come and hope to have breakthroughs shortly for the new volunteers." The pagasus took in a deep breath as he turned and approached the board at the end of the room and began to look over the various maps when Stratosphere spoke "So the plan is still the same as on paper. But I must ask, how fast will we really need to move before Canterlot catches on and tries to intervene or set up defenses head minister?" The pony had ran a hoof over a few of the maps before turning and giving a passing smile at the question "Do not worry. That has been taken care of but in order to get our half of the prize we will need to move fast enough to free up the strike units." The general seemed to be pleased with the answer and said nothing more. All in all we were going into battle afterall. And on the offensive at that. It was almost too much for me to take in and more or less it seemed like a grand dream. But I did volunteer for this and was a full citizen now because of that fact. I may as well see what all of this was and how it would play out and keep my end of the bargain "All right, that will be todays briefing. More will come later as Commanders Apple seed and Primrose ready their units. Once you achieve your objectives is when you will recieve your next set of orders. Now go and make ready and make Cloudsdale and the Pegasus race proud. May the fortunes of war be with you. Dismissed."