The Wraith. Pre-Wasteland memories (Fallout Equestria prequel)

by The Old Plug

The Wraith ch.2 Pre-wasteland memories.

Time passes in so many ways. Minutes to hours, days to years. Why does it seem like yesterday?

The sky was so clear, no clouds and a full moon. The altimeter rushed toward eighty thousand hooves. Our air speed was "Classified" and other than the initial "Burst Rings" we left no trail. They had thrown this technology to the wind all those years ago, and now they wanted it back? Funny how things change given time.

Deep inside the Zebrican border we hit the target box, exactly as I had it dialed in, with five minutes to spare. "OK! We're here! Power setting to "2" everypony on my Mark. MARK! Form Echelon right, and follow my roll to the left. Twilight you're Tail end, high watch."

"WHAT? YOU NASTY OLD.......!" I heard Twilight squawk. Rainbow quickly broke in "Fix wants you to be above and behind us and sweep for trouble!" "Oh," came Twilight's reply. "Rodger, Fix"

An easy left bank began the orbit and targeting began its work. The green pip on my face plate did a lazy sweep side to side. I switched to "Live Image", an enhanced LIDAR function that gave me a tiny picture in the left lower area of the face plate. A black and white image, clear as if the sun shown on the land below, gave me a view of jungle with a road running through it. That had to be a good size road not to be covered by the canopy. My mind tried get a feel for the overall area. Just then the pip spiked on three dark objects. Heavy Zebra personnel transports.

Opening my mike, "Twilight! Those are Heavy Transports! Would you confirm the target!"

Her reply came back,"That's a confirm on your target. Second vehicle in the line."

"Copy" was my reply, but my mind raced. I'm employing a rifle, all be it a big one, versus a Heavy Transport. Did they just want it to stop? I enhanced the view on the LIDAR, set the historical site to the pip and pulled in a view of the driver. The pips on my face plate superimposed onto the live image. I dialed the the angle to be just a bit high to compensate for possible ballistic glass. "I have the target, Twilight, confirm second vehicle, and the driver is in the pip."

Her reply,"Target confirmed and you are cleared to take the shot."

"Copy" I confirmed.

And the world slowed, a gentle bite on the trigger bit, a very quiet report from the rifle. No real recoil and limited muzzle flash. This is based off a .338 Lapony? I thought I would get a good "smack" from this big gun. Projectile travel time to the target was short too! Hope the target system takes into account....ZZZZUUUUUWWWHHHAPP!

"HOLY! FRAKIN! BUCK!", Yep, I screamed that into the mike. The live image went totally blank, and for just a split second I thought I could see a tiny black ball on the ground covered in blue lighting through my face plate. Just as fast, it was gone making a sound like thunder. When the live image returned, I had to pull the view back. A crater, perfectly spherical, several hundred hooves across was all that was left of the entire convoy.

Twilight's voice came through the Comms, "IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT! 50 HOOVES! 50 HOOVES THEY SAID!"

Rainbow was quick to break in," We have to GO! NOW!"

I realized we were still descending,"OK! Pull up! Get to 80,000 hooves and egress the target area at full power. Come on form up! And MARK."

Somewhere in Zebrica three green rings flashed to life and then were gone.

The flight home was a little tense. Twilight kept whatever she was thinking to herself. Rainbow simply kept formation. I felt every second of my old age settling back onto my frame. I believe I had an answer to one of my questions, the "Void Rifle" is absolutely horrific, and no way to die!

Landing at my home, we doffed the suits. Buzzy and Zippy went about cleaning and storing the suits after I released "Xavier" and the weapon mount. Apple Jack was there to retrieve the weapon, stripping out the magazine, cycling the live round out of the chamber and retrieving the spent brass from a trap down in the stock. I had wondered why such a huge weapon had a butt stock. We all gathered in my living room. Zippy was quick to bring in some fresh tea and a load of my fancy Buck Cakes.

Twilight sat on the couch with the data tab from her suit and plugged it into a small device that looked like a thinner form of a Stable Tech computer. The entire flight was on the screen in seconds. It showed full video with sound, complete telemetry. It even had the error message for "Anti-Ice in "All", and it was displayed for all three suits! "So, Twilight, you changed the main computer without changing any of the flight software," I mused. I thought this would open the "Talk" I really wanted to have with my "Mission Partners".

"Please Fix, not right now. I have to show this to A.J." Twilight said with a heavy sigh.

Apple Jack had just finished cleaning and casing "Xavier" when she heard her name and came over to the couch. "What's wrong Twi....Oh Sweet Celestia's ....URK! ..Heh heh! Sorry! That's the strike!?"

"Yes" Twilight gave another sigh, "What went wrong A.J.?! It was only supposed to take the second vehicle. 50 hooves across would have left the Griffin envoy's vehicle and the staff vehicle intact! We only wanted the Zebra envoy! That would have stopped the talks and sent a message about our displeasure with Griffin involvement."

Rainbow Dash must have seen my tension rising and came over and motioned to the kitchen with Rarity in tow. We all sat down at my kitchen table with Zippy and Buzzy who were still working on my supply of Buck Cakes. "OK Fix, out with it. Ask what you need to ask. Though I thought for sure you knew this was a STRIKE mission and somebody was going to Tartarus."

Rainbow poured more tea for all of us and looked me square in the eye,"You knew the job was dangerous when you took it!"

"Yes, Rainbow, I did, and my not crazy side was crying my name the whole time!" I growled,"I just didn't know you were going to do this with a weapon that shoots a projectile that on impact creates what looks like a Black Hole on the target!? Is the Bucking thing even stable? Have you test fired it? It's, It's......."

"Easy there Fix! Rainbow pointed at my tea,"Drink."

Just as the cup made it to my nose I smelled the Whisky. Rainbow Dash smiled and said."Please. You look like you could use it! Buck! I could use it." She took a long draw off her cup and swallowed.

"I guess the worst of it is that I was a Tech. I tested every weapon available for our suits including that freakin "Widow Maker" Missile! I just never really fired a shot in anger. Every simulation was under combat parameters and even had AA. Flew Recon here and there, dodged a ton of crazy incoming stuff in a few border disputes. But to get in it with all four hooves? Never."

I took that drink. It wasn't bad....Wait! This is my best bottle in the house! "ZIPPY, BUZZY! You rotters! You found my best bottle?" They just smiled and pointed at Rarity.

"Fix! Sweetie! You really didn't want a LADY drinking that cheap swill you had in your Liqueur cabinet? I mean, REALLY?" She smiled and drew a sip from her tea cup. Zippy giggled and said,"She's got you there Fix. Why are you killing your liver with that Wild Pegasus paint thinner."

"I'VE GOT IT A.J.!" We heard Twilight shout from the living room," It had to be the cold! The gun needs no heating to operate properly, so it was not connected to the suit's heating systems. At that altitude the round was in freezing temperatures possibly altering the matrix of the Void Spell! OOOOOH! We've got to test this and get this data home! Everypony! Pack it up! We are going to go! NOW!

I looked at Rainbow Dash and Rarity,"So when will I expect to see you all next?"
Buzzy started to laugh so hard he fell out of his chair. Zippy just looked at me and smiled. The two Ministry Mares just looked at me, smiled, and said "That means you too!" Rarity pointed a hoof,"Your bags are in the van, Dear, and those dreadful things you call "Clothes" took me forever to get sorted through. Anyhow, your'e ready to go, Now, and one of the M.O.A. teams will comeback to secure these "quaint" quarters of yours."

And that that how I became an Operative for the "Ministry of Awesome".