Legacy

by NFire

Into The Past Part XIII - Searching

“I swear Athena, you ask me if I’m okay one more time I’m going to throw a serious fit. You really don’t want me throwing one of those.” The lanky figure reclined in a newly reinstalled command chair. Space had been made for him to join in the search for relics of the past and now he was resting booted feet on the command console like an old Bolo hand.

The band of friends was lounging in the renovated bunkroom area, lots of room for them to rest or read, play a few board games. Wyatt was checking out the command deck when Athena kept popping in.

“But you’ve..”

A waved hand cut her off, “I know, I know. Frail and feeble I am.” He looked at the waiting avatar who’d been solicitous of his needs since they’d started the new search pattern the morning after the missiles had been launched.

The pretty sable face took on a frustrated mien, “I was about to say you’ve been quiet. That’s not like you.”

The thin human face turned thoughtful, “Oh, that. Seems you were right about those dreams.” They had talked about Princess Luna’s duties to her ponies.

“What?”

“Yeah, had a visitor last night.”

-----

The buttstock of the heavy powergun rammed back into his camouflage clad shoulder, ozone from the discharge slipping its way through the helmet filters, reminding him of the ammunition counter. It was getting low and almost time for a magazine change.

His people were right beside him, screaming through the blasts and explosions that bracketed their position, the zu’Rut artillery was laying a carpet of fire that was killing them slowly. The trench shook as another shell landed close by, tearing a hole into the line and flinging armored troopers every which way. Most picked themselves back up and staggered back to the line, the rest silent and still. His heart lurched each time, they were his boys and girls dammit!

Reaching back as he thumbed the ejector at the same time, grabbing a new mag from his harness and slamming it into place, closing the contacts as the gun powered up once more, throwing bolts of superheated plasma downrange at the z’Rut trying to advance on his spot. He growled to himself, hearing the radio calls for support going out over the comms, nothing coming back in reply.

They left them to die here, they all knew it, they expected it. Being told to hold for evac until the last of the upper echelon were clear was a death sentence.

The zuRut had landed and immediately taken an area of land equal to most of the small continent on this backwards pit of a planet. Thus the Concordiat was called in by treaty to defend, and having no Bolos to sweep it clean, had chosen the Infantry to hold the line, along with armor and whatever air support they could scrounge.

It was a cluster, nothing but. Higher didn’t know what it was doing, the chain of command was slashed and splashed all over the landing zone when their shuttle was taken out by anti-air emplacements.

All they could do was retreat until more ships and troops arrived. So, what was left of the officers had told the troops to hold until the main foothold was clear, then fall back and evac.

All nice and by-the-book.

Until the evacs couldn’t come back due to increased enemy presence in the system, they were told to wait.

So typical.

No bombardment support from the ships in orbit because they had to deploy to face another enemy squadron showing up out of nowhere.

How nice for them.

Silence fell like a hammer on the field, the bursts of ordnance wavering away as the barrage stopped, the slug-like forms of the zu’Rut fading back into the fog and mists that covered the early mornings here on this mudball.

His hand gripped the stock of his weapon tight, almost white-knuckled as they all sat for a few moments, wondering if it were a trick. They’d been fooled before, sometimes the slugs attacked under no cover, it made no sense, but then again, aliens.

He forcibly relaxed the death grip on his weapon and started to lean back for a second of rest, something to clear his head.

“Is this all you remember, Sergeant?” The musical voice was clear as a bell, making him almost jump out of his armor as his head twisted around, the reflective visor zeroing in on the dark mare standing on the blasted field, looking down at him with concern.

“The hell are you..hold it..I’m dreaming aren’t I?” He remembered what she had told him.

“Of course, unless there were ponies with you in this place?” The smile was bright as he flipped the visor upwards, the stink of the trench hit his nose like a bullet.

“Wait..I can understand you..”

“Magic does wonders Sergeant, it translates things to our sleeping minds in ways we can understand. It does help calm the fears of many of the ponies under my care when I can communicate things clearly to them.”

“What are you doing here anyway?”

“Dreams are my domain Sergeant, when I see something unusual, I’m afraid I cannot help but take a look. You have quite the unusual mind.”

“Thanks. I think.” He rested a forearm across the breech of his weapon, leaning into it as he looked up at the Princess of Dreams, her cyan eyes bright and wondering as she looked around.

“You don’t seem very bothered by all this.”

“I have seen much worse when walking with Athena and Crusader, Sergeant. ‘Twas truly horrible, but I understand now.” Her horn lit up, the brilliance forcing the fog and smoke away, bringing a calm into the scene as it faded, replaced with rolling fields, houses along a stream that meandered through a town that was quaint and picturesque. Ponies walked here and there with much laughter and smiles, the scene was one of tranquility that reached deep into him.

“Where is this?” His mud and blood spattered harness and armor were gone, replaced with casual clothes that were comfortable. His body felt strong and young again, mind clear and sharp.

“Ponyville. A place where the Elements live and where ponies truly are.. Oh, let’s say, unique.” She laughed, making him crack a smile.

“I take it it’s not exactly the quietest place?” They walked slowly toward a bridge that spanned the burbling river, the water clear and fresh, fish making their way through the currents as he peered over the side.

“Some would say it is a magnet for trouble. But through it all, they are the staunchest of ponies.”

“Sounds pretty good.” He surveyed the landscape, “I could live here, I really could. A small bungalow for the retirement years, sitting on the front porch having a few beers. Yeah, that sounds pretty good.”

The smile on the dark mares’ face almost turned sad, “I am sorry you cannot..” But was waved away with look of good humor.

“It’s a dream right? I can dream.”

“Of course.”

He stopped on the bridge proper, leaning on the low stone wall and looking around, “Hard to believe that the earth I knew is this now. A hive of industry and people, it was crammed full of things. Now..this.” An arm swept the area, “Maybe it’s better we aren’t around.”

“You are somewhat pessimistic, Sergeant. Many races have their good and bad sides, we look for the good and hopefully through diplomacy and showing them the value of friendship, we can convince others to join us living in peace.”

Wyatt’s mouth turned up on one side, not a sneer but a mild smile, “You are, perhaps, optimistic to a fault as well Princess. Sometimes diplomacy isn’t the answer, and then you need someone like me.”

The lovely head lifted a bit higher, “I admit, we’ve had our troubles, but Celestia has kept Equestria at peace for a thousand years and more. It does work. Oh, there are some out there who will never understand, but they are fading I believe. It seems that those who are bound for destruction will not last in our world.”

“What about Crusader and Athena then? Will they fade as well?” His eyes locked on hers.

“I do not know. But I have walked in dreams with both, trying to understand them and their ways as they struggled to understand ours. They are dedicated, strong-willed, formidable. But they are also wanting peace, not the war that made up their lives before.” She stood near the side of the bridge as a couple passed by, oblivious to their presence.

The tall human chuckled, “Formidable? Those two could turn this planet into cinders. Formidable is the least description.”

Princess Luna took up the challenge, lifting her head and looking as regal as she could, “They have shown us new farming methods, our Earth Ponies produce more than ever in taking care of the land. Unicorns read philosophies and stories from so long ago and turning it into new ways of thinking about magic. Pegasi are learning to predict and use the weather more efficiently as well.”

“They have done nothing but protect and help those they live among.” Her eyes slid sideways to give him a hammered steel glare, “Athena saved my life once, Crusader did the same for Ponyville and Equestria, I will not belittle those acts.”

Hands were held up in surrender under that look and eyes that flashed in anger, “Whoa, Princess, I wasn’t making light of things.”

“Then what exactly were you doing?”

“Just making sure you understood. It’s so easy to forget about the science behind them, the reason for their existence. I’ve met Bolo officers, and they were the very best, even they often forgot that what they were doing was helping direct a machine that could literally turn planets to wastelands.”

“We know this.” A hoof stamped to accent the declaration, as she took slight offense to this remark, “We understand they could do anything they wished and there would be nothing to stop them.” She faced him fully, every inch the royal pony, “But we trust them, and they trust us to accept them as they are. We shall, and always will.”

“Good for you.” He smiled at the indignant face, “Honestly, good for you. They are both what we wished to be when we are young, us humans. Kind, generous, loyal and unswerving in our duties to others. But we grow cynical sometimes, tired and worn out fighting the flow of things.”

He leaned forward on the stone wall, looking over the river, “I admit, my outlook is tainted and not exactly the best. But I had to know that you understood about them. Call it curiosity, call it nosiness.” he paused, watching a few fish leap in glittering arcs out of the water, “Maybe a last duty to ensure nothing will happen. I’ve come to like you people..ponies. Good at heart, like my troops. I was hoping not painfully naive, and that doubt is almost gone.”

“Almost?”

He turned slightly, smiling, “Almost. You have an innocence that might leave you undefended against many things. Trust those Bolos, they’re paranoid enough for all of you. They’ll sniff things out. Then do what they have to.”

Luna eyed him for a moment, then nodded, “What you say is true. My sister and I fought to establish our land, to keep it peaceful for our ponies. We do not wish those times to ever come back.” She pointed to the town, “So we have encouraged them to grow and learn, protecting them from what the world outside is, and sometimes it does slip through.”

“You can’t keep all the bad stuff out, Princess.”

“Of course not, but we do try.”

“I’d say you’ve done a pretty good job of it.” He kept watching the ponies in the town, laughing and wandering to and fro, the market open for business and crowded.

Luna looked on for a second, her lovely voice holding a slight tone of embarrassment, “We have our trials and we are not above making mistakes.”

“All part of life.” Wyatt laughed, “Trust me, made more than my fair share and don’t regret but maybe a few.”

“Just a few?”

“Well, maybe I shouldn’t have defended the Infantry so..brusquely in fights. But that was me.”

This got a puzzled look, “Should you not do so? Be proud of what you were?”

“Oh, I was proud all right. I just think I was more happy fighting for any reason.” He shrugged, “Call me impetuous.”

“Impetuous indeed. More like troublemaker.”

“That’s it. Yep. I am proud to have done my part.” There was absolutely no shame in his voice.

“You, are incorrigible.”

“Yes, yes I am.”

-----

Athena laughed, “She was so right. You are incorrigible.”

“Don’t you start.”

Athena shifted slightly, looking at the command board, “But you were right, we’ll always try and help solve the problems.”

“And..?”

She gave him a smile that sent a shudder down his spine, eyes showing what she really held just under the cover of the bright, polite pegasus, “We will show them the error of their ways, as Crusader often says.”

Wyatt felt a cold presence on the back of his neck at the words slipping easily from the avatar, the warm tones overlay the solid durasteel under it, making the hairs almost stand up.

“That is very true. We have done, and will continue to do, what is needful.” Crusaders’ own voice issued from his commset. The calm confidence only reinforced and conveyed the meaning, the glint of something that lay underneath the steady statement revealed the truth of what he was. Anyone or anything that stood in their way would rapidly become extinct.

“Did your officers deal with that too? The..the way you sound?”

Athena tilted her head, “The way we sound?”

Wyatt nodded, lifting his boots off the console and bringing them down to where he could lean forward elbows on knees, “Yes. There’s something ..almost chilling about it.”

“Our apologies Sergeant. Sometimes it slips out, what we are. Our officers learned to hear it and let it go. As our personalities are naturally tuned to war, it does come out in conversation. For never having talked to a Bolo before, you are well-trained to pick up on it.” The hard notes were gone now, as if they never were, leaving a soothing intonation in his ears.

“You’ve never talked to a Bolo, really?” Athena was curious.

“Never have. Seen them, heard all the stories,myths and legends, but never got to talk to one.”

“What do you think now?”

“You scare me right down to my toes.”

The laugh he received was merry, twinkling eyes looked directly at his as a hoof gently patted his thigh, “Don’t worry, we like you.”

Eyes squinted as if trying to discern the truth, “Why does that not reassure me?”

“Trust my sister, Sergeant. If she says it is so, it is.” Crusader’s voice sounded a bit merry over the airwaves.

“Yep!” The sable pony bounced up and walked towards the bunkroom where the others were relaxing while the searching went on, her head turned, looking at him over her shoulder, the lavender eyes containing something he didn’t want to think about, “Because if you were on the bad guy list, you really wouldn’t like it.” With a flounce of her mane she trotted off.

“She’s scary in so many ways.” Wyatt talked to himself mostly, but the commlink picked it up and transferred it to Crusader and Calliope who was online.

“Are all Bolos like that?” Calliope sounded disturbed.

“Of course not. She will eliminate you with a smile. I will just eliminate you. So there are differences.”

Calliope’s laughter was loud as Sergeant Carpenter shook his head, “I’m in crazyland.”

A chorus of voices came from the bunkroom, “Welcome to Equestria!”

Crusader‘s voice took on a more serious tone, “Anomaly reading four degrees southeast, indications are manufactured metals.”

Boots hit the floor once more as Wyatt stood up, “Time to get going, let’s see what we got.”

Crusader watched through the command area cameras as the Sergeant opened up a concealed locker nearby, dragging out items that could only fit one form.

Efficiency was always a watchword with AI’s, even Bolos who could be quirky as anything in the known universe. Here they watched a master of minimalism.

The fully enclosed helmet went on first, a liner hanging down was locked against the neck of his fatigues, creating a seal that would keep the weather out. He’d already been wearing the thermal suit underneath, checking the contacts now and making sure the battery packs were charged.

Armor went on quickly, like a Spartan going to war, everything was put on piece by piece and connected to one another. Feet, legs, the plasteel climbing up to surround and protect hips then torso, ending at the arms and hands covered with gloves that would stop anything short of a powered cutter.

Each item was snapped and secured with fingers that knew their business. A battle harness went over it all, vest and leggings tightened into place over the never used armor.

Reaching deep into the storage space, he pulled out extra magazines, filling pockets designed for them. Grenades went into leg pouches, making them bulge against the fabric. A heavy pistol went into the holster across the front of his chest, leaving room for a medical kit, and more ammunition on the wide belt fastened around the slim hips. The last and final motion, was slamming a broad bladed mono-knife into the special sheath that hung down his right leg, snapping into place securely.

The last item was a squarish powergun, long and lethal, it was good out to half a mile without attenuation of the bolt. He eyed it for a moment, lifting it to the visor and doing a HUD check, the data links came up on the inside, clean and crisp, giving him a target view of whatever the weapon pointed at.

“Might you be a little over cautious, Sergeant?” Crusader had been watching the whole thing, admiring the spare movements.

The visor flipped up with a hiss of internal atmosphere, “Absolutely not. Those nannies you conjured up make me feel thirty years younger, I can handle the load. It’s snowy out there and you never know what can creep up on you.” Nanites had been introduced to his system, helping to recover from the ravages of the disease, making him feel much, much better.

“Sensors are at full output Sergeant, I doubt anything will get through them. But as you say, caution to the wise.” Crusader did understand, in war or battle, expect the unexpected.

The voice paused for a moment, seeing the human grabbing a few large packages out from the locker, “I doubt you’ll be needing those Sergeant, we have explosives capable tech-spiders if we need to dig.”

A chuckle as three large fabric covered box-shaped items were hung off the back of his vest next to the heater battery, “I like blowing things up.”

“Perhaps they should be watching you instead of the environment.” Calliope’s voice was teasing.

“You shush. Might need all this stuff ya know.” Knowing eyes looked around, “Anyone joining me?”

Athena’s voice came from close by, “No one was going out in the first place. We were going to handle it all by ‘spider.” She peered closer at the arrayed battle-rattle hanging off the tall human, “You don’t really need all that.”

“Don’t you start.”

“You have twenty octocellulose grenades, Sergeant. I doubt there is a horde of Deng awaiting your attack.” Lavender eyes looked pointedly at the bulging pockets on the leg armor.

“They were small.”

“That’s for a reason, and you know it.” Octocellulose grenades were little bigger than old style D Cell battery, but packed a hundred times the punch of grenades used in wars far in the past of old earth.

An armored hand waved negligently, “Humor me.”

“Whatever makes you feel safer.” Athena was trying not to smile, “You still don’t need to go out there, awful weather.”

“I’ll be fine.” One hand slapped down the visor, initiating the heating systems and powering up the data links, “Comm check.” The voice was slightly distorted.

“Five by, Sergeant.”

“Wyatt, you be careful!” Calliope was sounding quite worried.

“All right, that’s it. You guys stop it. Now. I’m old and grumpy and I want to at least go out and see the sights, quit acting like I’m gonna blow away in the wind.”

Heads were peeking out of the bunkroom, the group of friends listening to the conversation.

A steady finger pointed their way, “Don’t say it either, I see you peeking.” A squeak was heard as they scrambled back inside the room.

Athena gave up after a hurried off-band conversation with Crusader, “Done. Have fun Wyatt.”

The visor went up once more, letting her see narrowed eyes, “You gave in way too easily.”

“We make decisions fast. But we will be covering you. The object is fifty meters off the port side, be careful, blizzard is picking up.”

“You got any weapons that can cover that close?”

“Anti-personnel weaponry is arrayed, but it would not be ..oh.. conducive to you should I have to use them.” Athena gave him a bright smile.

“You’re still scary, you know that?”

“I know. Have fun!”

He made his way down to the troop loadout areas, waiting for a ramp to deploy and thought back to days long ago. Everything felt right, the equipment, the feel of a powergun in his hands, everything. Perhaps it was his imagination, but he felt taller and stronger, or it could have been the nanites.

The door opened onto a muddled scene, the sun barely making it through the snow falling almost perpendicular to the ground. The wind caught him, making the uniformed figure stagger until the armor helped him stabilize.

“Geez, almost got blown..” Then he remembered and almost kicked himself.

“I’m sorry?” Athena was chuckling on the comms channel, “Almost got blown away in the wind?”

“Shaddap.”

“Yes, sir! Sergeant Carpenter!”

“Smart ass.”

Gripping the rifle tighter, taking a step out into the howling winds, he headed for the unknown object.

To be continued.....

Comments

[Odd_Sarge]

8961647
Timezones. On EST, the story was updated at 20:00-20:30. In JST, I can personally confirm that it was updated at 11:00; it's June 2nd here. Can't explain off the top of my head, but it has to do with the user's timezone as well as the author's when it comes to determining posting time; it changes depending on who you are and when you view it.

[Skalula7]

damn you! i have to wake up in 4 hours and its so hard to stop reading!

[hydra30]

I have a feeling something bad is about to happen

[tsaukpaetra]

Routine. Nothing to see he-- omg what is that thing?!?!

[Merula]

Once more, a Concordiat soldier steps out of a Bolo

[Edguy0009]

“Because if you were on the bad guy list, you really wouldn’t like it.” With a flounce of her mane she trotted off.

“She’s scary in so many ways.” Wyatt talked to himself mostly, but the commlink picked it up and transferred it to Crusader and Calliope who was online.

“Are all Bolos like that?” Calliope sounded disturbed.

“Of course not. She will eliminate you with a smile. I will just eliminate you. So there are differences.”

Radar has picked up a helicopter going soi soi soi, this is something that would go well in a Rouge Squadron book.