Black Bloom

by Bronycommander

Chapter 1 Unforeseen Consequences

Chapter 1: Unforeseen Consequences

May 16. 200-
Black Mesa Research Facility, New Mexico, United States

Jacob Johnson, a member of the Black Mesa Security Force, was on his post in Sector C Test Labs.
He had a wife who lived here with him. She was everything for him. Little they know that this would be one of the worst Days in their lives.

“Morning Mister Freeman. We’ve been problems all over this facility this morning. System crashes, Security malfunctions, everyone is going crazy. It’s a wonder this whole place hasn’t shut down yet,” Jacob greeted him.

“Morning Jacob. It’s one of these days I guess,” Gordon replied and took the elevator down.

Jacob was a friend of children. He and his wife had planned to get a child after his shift was over. His shift lasted until the end of May.
Jacob knew about the experiment and was worried. He hoped after the system crash that everything would be alright again.
But then the ground shakes, strong enough to throw him to the ground. Before he could react an explosion knocked him out.

He woke up after some time. An alert was ringing through the facility. “My god. Whatever happened, it damaged the facility severely,” Jacob thought after he saw the damage.

“Attention, security personnel to Sector C immediately,” The Black Mesa Announcement System announced.

“I need to look after my wife!” Jacob realized how bad the situation was.

Then there was a disturbing scream. Jacob drew his handgun. Some scientists came but they were no longer human. Some kind of creature was on their heads and they had claws instead of hands. The torso was open and the rips were broken.

“Stop or I will shoot!” Jacob screamed as the creatures closed in. Jacob fired as he had no other choice.

Gordon came from the elevator. He was now wearing a Hazard Suit and had a crowbar in his right hand.
After the creatures were dead, Jacob was relieved, “Gordon! Man, I’m glad to see you! What the hell are these things, and why are they wearing science team uniforms!?"

“I don’t know. But we should make a run for the surface and call for help.”

“Roger that. Let’s run like hell.”

On their way to the exit, they saw corpses and the damage. “Jesus… This place is in bad shape!” Jacob commented.

After they went through a door, two more of those creatures attacked them but Jacob managed to kill them, before they got close. “Got them!”

At the front desk, Jacob tried to open the door. “Dammit! The panel is broken!”

“Let me try something.” Gordon destroyed the panel causing the door to open.

He crouched through them with Jacob. A Scientist was on the damaged catwalk that leaded to the tram. But it collapsed. The Scientist managed to hold on the buttress but slipped.

“No, stay back! Gordon!” Then he fell with a loud scream into the abyss.

“We need to find another way. Let’s go through the vent.”

“Good Idea, Gordon.”

In the computer room, Gordon killed a Headcrab and helped Jacob through the next vent.

They saw through a window how a Scientist was dodging a Headcrab. “That’s it! I had enough of this!” He used a monitor to smash the Headcrab. “Die! Die! Yes! YES!” He cheered only to be attacked by a Headcrab from behind. The Scientist fell to the ground after the Headcrab attached to his head.

“Poor bastard.” They couldn’t help him, as the door was looked and the window bulletproof.

In the opposite office, Jacob saw how a Scientist was mutating from a Headcrab so he putted him out of his misery.

At the next door, a dying security guard managed to kill a victim of the Headcrab. Gordon took his gun.

In the next corridor, a scientist was chased by some kind of dog. He had three legs and several eyes. He killed the Scientist with a sonic charge.

Jacob killed him before he could attack Gordon or him and reloaded his pistol.
“Is this some kind of dog?”

“I think so, Gordon. I just hope my wife is still alive.”

They saw a man in a suit with a briefcase on a catwalk above them. He leaved without paying attention to them.

They killed two more dogs. At a metal door, Gordon stopped. “Wait, do you hear that?” There was a sound of teleporting.

“Something tries to break through that door, get ready!”

An Alien broke through the Door. But with the combined firepower, Gordon and Jacob killed the Alien.

“The community is in Sector B near the offices. Move it!”
In the office, the way was blocked by an electrified wire. “I will go through the vent to turn the power off.”

“Ok Gordon, I wait here.”

After a while, the power turned off. Gordon returned. “Let’s roll.”
On a green crate, Gordon took a shotgun with some ammo.

“Help!” a woman screamed.

“Mia!” Jacob ran into the direction where the scream came.

Mia was struggling with a Zombie but Gordon took care of it with the shotgun.
“Mia, you’re alive!” Mia cried and hugged her husband. “You’re wounded!”

Mia was bleeding from her left arm. A Scientist joined them along with another guard.

“We’re heard screaming, are you alright?” The guard asked.

The Scientist saw Mia’s wound. “Don’t worry, I am a doctor.” He gave her a syringe and patched her up with a first aid kit.

“Listen Gordon, I heard that Soldiers are coming to rescue us. We must head for the surface. Elevators are out of order, but we can still climb.”

“I stay here. I won’t leave you, my wife. Gordon, let the Soldiers knew that we are down here.”

"I will. Are you coming?” He asked the guard.

“Yes, I will cover you.” They left.

“Those creatures are called Headcrabs. They can completely control their horst’s nervous system. But the worst is that the victim seems to be still alive, suspected by the screams they made.” He looked at the Zombie.

“So a kind of… Zombie?”

“Yes, Jacob. Those dogs you have seen are called Houndeyes, and those aliens with the claws are Vortigaunts.”

“What happened?” Mia asked still in shock.

“We were testing a crystal. It went out of control and caused a Resonance Cascade. That means that a portal was opened from the world Xen to our world.”

“You’re mean; this is all happening because of you Scientists?!” Jacob was enraged.

“I suspected this could happen but the Administrator just would not listen,” The Scientist replied.

An Emergency Broadcast started.

“The following message is transmitted at the request of local authorities. At 9:47 AM, Mountain Time, a disaster of unknown type has occurred at the Black Mesa Research Facility causing significant damage and failure to various power and communication systems in the surrounding areas. An immediate evacuation order has been issued for all residents within a 75 mile radius of the facility, and on-site military has been dispatched to provide assistance. Make sure to bring an emergency supply of food, water, clothing, first aid kit, flashlights with extra batteries, and battery powered radios. Follow local evacuation routes which have been marked by local authorities and only use one vehicle. Do not return to the warning area until the all clear has been given. If you are not in the evacuation zone stay where you are. If you are within the evacuation area and have no transportation locate your nearest police department or military officer. Do not use telephones or cell phones except in the case of emergencies. Stay tuned to local news media outlets for further details and information on this situation.”

---

Above Black mesa

Corporal Konrad Ford was deploying with his team from the V-22 Osprey. He had his MP5 with attached grenade launcher ready. He knew about his orders, but disagreed with them.

“Listen up Squad! We are here to rescue any personal we can find, and to kill any aliens we find, this is clear?”
“Sir, yes sir!”

“This is Echo-4-Charlie; we need backup in the High Security Storage Facility!”

“Copy that, we’re on our way,” The Squad leader of the squad responded.

They moved in. In the Facility, they saw that Echo-4-Charlie was wiped out by Vortigaunts. They were also some dead scientists.
“Let’s kill these freaks!” A marine shouted. After a short firefight, they got their next orders.

“Squad, move on to Silo D.”

“Yes Sir, we are move in!”

“Wait, do you hear that?” The shotgunner asked. There was the crying of a child. It came from behind some crates.

“Yes I do. Konrad, check it out. We cover you.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Konrad closed in carefully, MP5 ready. “Hello? We’re here to rescue you.” He called out.
“That’s a liar! You killed that Scientist!” The child responded crying and scared.

“Listen kid, it was a misunderstanding. I won’t harm you I promise,” He lowered his weapon to show that he meant no harm.

“Ok, just don’t hurt me.”

The child stepped out. Konrad was confused as he saw a filly with yellow coat, orange eyes that were red from crying and a red mane with matching tail and ribbon. What in the...
Konrad saw a Headcrab behind her and instantly aimed his weapon at it.

“No, wait!” The filly called out and closed her eyes. After the bang she opened her eyes, only to see the now dead Headcrab. “You’re saved mah life!” The filly hugged his legs, still crying.

Maybe just a child in a costume, he thought

“Shh, calm down. It’s my duty as Soldier. What’s your name?” He patted her mane. The other marines looked at each other confused.

“Apple Bloom. And you’re?”

“Corporal Konrad Ford, Hazardous Environment Combat Unit, HECU for short.”

“Please can you help me get home? Ah don't wanna die,” She asked, afraid to die.

She's an alien but no threat, nah. The young marine had sympathy for her.

Konrad was not married, still the safety of civilians and children were always top priority for him. “Yes I will. And my squad will help you too, right, guys?” While being a Corporal, his Squad had a higher rank commander, easy identifiable by his red beret. Konrad was wearing a gas mask with built-in Night-Vision Goggles.

The marines recovered from the shock. “Ford, you have my word, I won’t failure you,” His Squad leader said, smiling at Apple Bloom.

“Echo-3-Juliet, we have reports about trapped civilians in the Executive Lounge. You know what to do.”

“Yes HQ. Squad, let’s go!” Apple Bloom was startled by the Radio chatter, but Konrad patted her again.

“This was our Radio. Don’t worry, I promise, I will get you out of here alive. That I promise.”

It's unusual that you're spare an alien, as you never showed mercy when "killing" Monsters and Zombies in your spare time with your AKM.

Shut the hell up! Ian, shes an alien but a child and poses no threat! I will get her out of here! Konrad replied, not knowing that this would be a hell of an adeventure and nightmare for him and Apple Bloom.

Author's Note:

You thought I would forget a story with Apple Bloom? Nope. I never played the orginal Half life but the steam vision of the fan mod Black Mesa. Thats also why I used the music of it as it sounds beautiful and fits every chapter. For the Alarm, i could not decide if the Alarm from the original would suit better or from Black Mesa, so i used both so you can decide which suits better.
I also want to thank Human SVD for using his OC. I thought that he would would made a perfect candidate for the Marines.
If you wondering how he would look like, he looks like this but with green-tinted goggles like the orginal Gasmask marine.

His squad members are looking like the orginal Marines as I have a weakness for classic, but all have Uniform patches. This is also the reason why I gave them MP5s instead of the M4 Carbine Assault Rifle, as MP5s are used in the Orginal Half life and Black Mesa.
For more infomation about Half life in General click here
If you want to know how the Marines look like in HD click here
If you what to know more about the mod there you go
There is a brony on youtube who makes detailed videos about Half Life and plans also to play Half LIfe 2. Check him out if you're want, I used many of his tips in Black Mesa. As he would say: I see you in the next chapter.

I came up with the name as a mix between Apple Bloom and Black Mesa. Nice idea, don't you think?
Why is Gordon talking? Well, in the PlayStation 2 manual it is said that he had a "recent telephone conversation" so in my headcanon he isn't mute as the guards and scientists react to his speech while being unheard by the player like when Barney "told" Rosenberg what happened to Harold and when Shepard tells his instructor his name. At least that's my headcanon for Half Life 1

Comments

[nullvariable]

Hmm.

I found that the main problem with the story (or this chapter, at least, since I just started reading) is its pacing, since the first part feels like a somewhat-altered and compressed version of Black Mesa Inbound, Anomalous Materials, and Unforeseen Consequences. Even then, the environment isn't described in, well, ANY detail. One of the keys to a great story is vivid imagery (so is pacing).
Take, for example, Stardust by Arad. The first paragraph or so in the world of XCOM has plenty of detail.

The screams and the sounds of fire nearby were the first indications that Twilight wasn’t in Ponyville anymore. It was a long few moments before her other senses returned to her, smoke quickly filling her lungs as she tried to take a breath. The unicorn coughed as she tried to stand. Gone was the familiar feeling of grass and soil, replaced instead with smooth stone beneath her hooves.

It establishes that Twilight is in the middle of a city attacked by the invading aliens, doing so in a way that ensures the reader has a vivid picture of what Twilight is experiencing (and that the pacing isn't like The Flash on Pervitin).
With this first chapter, the pacing is breakneck.

“Wait, do you hear that?” The shotgunner asked. There was the crying of a child. It came from behind some crates.
“Yes I do. Konrad, check it out. We cover you.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Konrad closed in carefully, MP5 ready. “Hello? We’re here to rescue you.” He called out.
“That’s a liar! You killed that Scientist!” The child responded crying and scared.
“Listen kid, it was a misunderstanding. I won’t harm you I promise,” He lowered his weapon to show that he meant no harm.
“Ok, just don’t hurt me.”

This scene reminds me of part of the (atrocious) Digimon movie with how fast Apple Bloom trusted the soldier (who she knows killed a scientist):

Though I do like how you established that Gordon isn't quite mute.

Sorry if this comment seemed overly critical…

[DJMEGAMOUTH]

The lack of detail and the pacing are a bit of a problem here.

[Bronycommander]

9447055
I made that with little to no experience at the time, when I was still new to writing

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

Jacob Johnson, a member of the Black Mesa Security Force, was on his post in Sector C Test Labs. He had a wife who lived here with him. She was everything for him. Little....(did)….. they know that this would be one of the worst Days in their lives.

Also, either Worst should be capitalized or Days should not be. They should match

He woke up after some time . An alert was ringing through the facility. “My god. Whatever happened, it damaged the facility severely,” Jacob thought after he saw the damage.

When referring to the Deity, it’s usually capitalized, (One of the VERY few things that I learned in Sunday school that stuck )

They saw a man in a suit with a briefcase on a catwalk above them. He leaved (left) without paying attention to them.

It's unusual that you're (you’d) spare an alien, as you never showed mercy when "killing" Monsters and Zombies in your spare time with your AKM.

[Bronycommander]

9831089
Okay, I made that with little to no experience at the time, when I was still new to writing

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

“No, wait!” The filly called out and closed her eyes. After the bang she opened her eyes, only to see the now dead Headcrab. “You’re saved mah life!” The filly hugged his legs, still crying.

"You're save mah' life"? Don't you "You saved Mah' life"?

[Bronycommander]

9962595
Accents were Never my strength and she's supposed to be grateful for Saving her