(28 Part Three) Respect
“W-Wait! Doctor Bright!” Twilight felt the words leave her mouth before her mind could catch up.
The Doctor, half standing, half sitting in his chair stopped for a split second and looked up at the purple Alicorn. He stayed like that for about thirty seconds, “Two Minutes,” He said as he sat back down, “Then…” He shrugged, “ahh… we’ll see what happens from there.”
Twilight swallowed a lump in her throat. Everycreature is counting on this… please... “Th-The final years of your civilization…” She began, trying to recall what the dream man had told her, “Was because of the failure of communication and cooperation between you guys and the public.” She grit her teeth, I have to get him to listen to me! She told herself, everycreature is counting on this alliance. “Y-You said that you don’t want something like that to happen again, so, please, work with us.”
Twilight blinked, her eyes looked down for a split second, she had her forehooves firmly planted on the crystalline table. She looked back and was looking straight across at doctor Brights’ eyes.
“Hmph…” Bright said, relaxing further back in his seat, Twilight, on the other hoof, felt her chest tighten.
“I suppose, you have a point, Princess.”
“Uh… So you’ll…?”
Doctor Bright sighed, “Ehh… I have nothing better to do right now. It might be fun.” He picked up the blue flag and carefully folded it, “Anything else, at least I don’t have to stay behind a desk.” He put it back in the box he had taken it out of.
“Oh thank Celestia,” She sighed as she melted back into the seat. A wave of relief washed over the Princess. She quickly recovered and sat back up straight, “So… what would you recommend we do in order to win?” Need to make sure we don’t get off track, she told herself, I’m sure I can get him to ask questions later.
“Well,” He scratched his chin as he looked down at the giant magical map sprawled out over the table. “Our first priority should be to find O5-9.”
“Where is he?” Shining asked, “I thought that number three was the last one?”
“Yeah, well,” He leaned back in his chair, “Sometimes, the Head of the Overseers confide in me when they needed someone they could trust.”
“And they picked you?” Eagleclaw asked.
Everycreature in the room, barring her nephew and Queen Novo looked at her. “N-No offense, of course, I merely meant, why you?”
“When you need something, you call a professional, correct? Well, I just so happen to excel in most things when it comes to the Foundation.”
“We’re getting off-topic,” Twilight said, “So we need to find O5 number nine? Where could they be?”
Doctor Bright leaned over the table, "There are three locations that he might be at right now, Here," Bright pointed to a mountain on the East Equestrian Coast, “It was a provisional holding site for a long time before it was abandoned, it would have an independent power supply and, given they have plenty of provisions, they wouldn’t have to leave for years at a time.”
Bright brought his finger to point at another place, but then hesitated, “Um… can this thing zoom out?”
“Oh… Yes, of course,” Cadance said, with the flash of her blue magic from her horn, the map changed from just central Equestria and the Crystal Empire to show the Western Equestrian coastline, stretching eastward to also show the Ocean separating Equestria and Griffonia, and finally to the Western Griffonian Coast.
“That’ll do,” he commented, “Another possibility is here.” He gestured to an Island just off of the coast of the main continent, “Containment site forty-six, I believe, a place for containing hazardous chemicals, viruses, and diseases. It would have everything that he needs to complete his objectives, and far enough away if anything were to go wrong.”
“What…What exactly was your overseer’s mission?” Thorax asked, “It must’ve been important if he had to personally oversee it.”
“I wasn’t exactly… privy to that information, it’s why he didn’t exactly tell me where he was, unfortunately, but O5-1 did say number nine was working to cure something.” Bright scratched the short stubble on his chin. “Maybe it had to… maybe.” He shook his head, “Nevermind,” Bright said, “Final location is here.”
He pointed at a small peninsula on the western Griffonian coast, “A fairly small but secluded outpost, but it would offer an optimal location to not be disturbed.”
“I don’t get it,” Ember said, “Why do we need this guy anyway? We already have one of your Overseers, and, from what I hear anyway, she’s in charge.”
“A fair point if you don’t consider her age,” Bright said, “Doctor Green is smart, diligent, and dedicated, no doubt, but she’s only twenty-six. The only reason she is even on the council is that the previous number three keeled over and died last year at like… fifty-something.”
“So, she doesn’t have the experience,” Twilight sighed. Kind of like me… Twilight looked across the table to Grover, he had only taken power earlier that year. I guess we have that in common.
“Exactly, if the roles were reversed and she was away, and number nine was here, he would’ve never contacted you.” Bright sat back down, “In fact, he’ll probably give her an earful for agreeing to any kind of outside contact, let alone an alliance.”
“Well…” He looked at his wrist, “That’s ten A.M., and one eventful morning, I believe we are all due for a break, and breakfast, no?” Bright stood up and began to pack up his things. Twilight, gave a well-deserved sigh of relief.
Twilight’s emotions were coming in waves. First was the fear that this could all still turn south, then there was the relief that she had salvaged what was an almost ruined alliance. Whatever it was, as soon as most of the leaders had left, she let herself begin to calm down. A voice brought her out of her trance.
“Doctor Bright,” Queen Novo stood up out of her chair, “I would like to ask you something, may I?”
Most of the other leaders had already left to the main dining room, first, it was Luna, then Grover and his aunt, Candance, and Shining Armor, and then Thorax and Ember, each had left to meet in the dining room for what would hopefully be a nice and peaceful breakfast. Twilight herself only stayed behind due to her racing heart, Hopefully, I’m not going to have a panic attack… again. She thought. Twilight brought her hoof down from her forehead and looked at the two.
“You already did,” he replied, “Queen Novo, correct? I didn’t see you on the list.”
The Queen ignored the comment, “The Question is about the… infection that brought your species to its near extinction.”
“SCP 008? I can’t tell you much, sorry.”
“Is there a cure?”
“...*Hmph* Not one that exists anymore, unfortunately.”
“So one existed, at one point?”
“Yes,” He cocked his head. “Strange.”
“What?” Queen Novo asked, a stern look on her face, “What is strange about it?”
“That you’re asking for a cure, and not what its effects and ailments are. I wasn’t aware that the knowledge was already shared with you.” Bright said, “You did just arrive today? Correct?” Twilight saw Bright look the queen square in the eye. Neither wavered for a moment, “I’m sorry.” The doctor said, as he turned and left.
Cadance was thinking back… she had forgotten something… something that had to do with her daughter.
Cadance watched the white, snow-covered plains of the Crystal Empire through her window. Normally, this time of the year, she, Flurry, and her husband would all go to Canterlot. Celestia and Luna would tell Flurry some old tale that had happened long ago at the founding of Equestria. They’d go enjoy the sites of the city and the castle, Shining or even Luna would sneak Flurry away in the night to go do some activity and be back before Cadance would wake up. What was it they did last time? Cadance asked herself, Ah… Luna took her to stargaze at the top of the mountain. She had the whole area ready for Flurry. Cadance smiled, It feels so long ago now.
A day or two later, they would travel to Ponyville to see the town with Twilight and her friends. Flurry was never not smiling with her aunt and her friends. They always were up to some grand adventure, or some big event was coming up. Cadance chuckled as she reminisced, Something would always go wrong, some creature from the Everfree, or a disaster just waiting around the corner.
It finally came to her, What was the last thing I said to her? She asked herself, she turned forward and began to walk towards her daughter’s room, Probably something stupid… ‘Go to bed!’ no… it was her birthday… maybe something like… ‘We’ll see you in the morning.’ That does sound like me, I suppose. The princess could continue on like this until the meeting reconvened, but the sound of somepony clearing their throat brought her back to reality.
“Princess, a word?”
Cadance turned around and looked at the Duchess of the Strawberry Duchy, “Of Course,” the ruler of the Crystal Empire asked as politely as possible. “Is there something you require Duchess?”
The Pink Griffoness quickly checked behind her before she turned back towards Cadance, “About this Doctor Bright…”
Oh, Cadance subconsciously thought, I suppose I should’ve seen this coming. Cadance gave a pleasant simile as she heard out the duchess, “Is he… Well, I would like to…” The Duchess’s brow furrowed, “I can’t seem to find the words... “ She sighed, “I’ve just been concerned for my nephew. He… he was never really supposed to come here.”
That piqued Cadance’s Interest, “R-really, he didn’t wish to come?”
“N-no… I did not wish for him to come.” She looked somewhat flustered, “But he overruled me.”
Cadance nodded, Given what has happened over the past few months, I wouldn’t want anypony else to get hurt. Not to mention Grover is the last immediate descendent in the line of succession… if he were to go missing… “I… see…” Cadance replied, “You were concerned for his safety?”
The Duchess gave the Princess a stern nod, “His safety is paramount, Princess, and this doctor… well… these humans, they concern me.”
“How so?”
Eagleclaw practically shrieked, “How so? Princess, with all due respect, you must realize that our weapons are no match for them, if they wished to attack us, we’d be decimated.” Cadance could sense a tangent coming on, but she couldn’t just turn away one of her most powerful allies. ”First off, the… guns, have you seen what they could do? Their power?”
Cadance thought back to that night, Sunburst had been tortured with one smaller than her own hoof. He described it as a giant punch to the entire limb each time it was used, then a constant stream of pain and burning. “Yes… I have.”
Eagleclaw’s eyes gave her a sympathetic look, “Then… you understand that we are outmatched, our swords, spears… even your magic, it won’t matter what we would throw at them, it would be useless.”
Cadance nodded, “I know, that is why I am trying to convince Doctor Bright to help us.”
“I thought that their help was guaranteed?” The Griffoness asked, “Their leader agreed to an alliance, no?”
“It doesn’t seem he gives much respect to authority.”
Eagleclaw grimaced for a moment, “Back to the topic in claw,” She paused, “The… The flying machines-”
Cadance opened her mouth to correct the Duchess, I believe they were called-
“-Helicopters, you mean?”
“Yes, they… they…” Gabriella turned around. “O-Oh, D-doctor.”
Cadance looked around the Griffoness, Doctor Bright was standing there and didn’t have the best look on his face, “In my time, if we have a problem with someone, we talk about it. Not go around and talk about it behind their backs.” He looked at Eagleclaw, “And you are right, we could annihilate you, we could’ve for the past 3 thousand or so years. But we didn’t so at least take that into some consideration.”
He then moved his gaze towards Cadance, “And you are also right, Princess, I am not one with much respect for authority. Especially if the authority in question, has yet to earn my respect.” He glanced at the two of them, “I will be waiting for the meeting to reconvene, until then, ciao.” He briskly walked past the two.
Cadance watched as the necklace bobbed as he walked by her.
Well, this is getting to be more and more of a headache.
Bright leaned up against the crystal wall and looked up towards the ceiling, this is the absolute last time I volunteer for anything, these creatures are a goddam joke. “They can’t fight for shit, their technology is on par with King Arthur and, they’re dumber than a box of nails, the only thing that they have going is their tenacity,” he muttered to himself, “ugh, I should’ve been at Site 1, I would’ve just shot that fucker, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Ummmm? Hi?”
Bright looked across the somewhat dark room and saw the source of that voice, “Grover, correct?”
“Emporer Grover, but, yes,” he said.
How Humble, The doctor thought. Bright sat down at the table, “Tell me, would you say that your weapons are around the same as the Equestrian's here?”
Grover blinked, “Um, I would say that they are.”
“Figures.” He slumped back in the seat.
“If I may, doctor, why are you here?”
Bright just looked at him, “I..I mean,” the bird continued to speak, “I am just a bit curious.”
“Hmmmph, fine, I guess it won’t hurt to say.”
“R-really?”
“Sure kid,” he said, “The reason that I am here, and not back at the facility I was at before I came here, is because I wanted to get out.”
“Out?”
“You know,” Bright smiled, “A walk in the park, a nice jog, maybe camping, me, and every other human has been cooped up in those buildings for god knows how long. I’ve been trying for centuries to get out. And don’t-”
“Centuries?”
“Get me started on the food, dear good the food. It’s like I am eating shit, actual shit. Can I just have one fresh sirloin for once?”
“You said centuries?”
“Yep,” Bright leaned back in his chair again.
“Um, how long have you been alive, doctor?”
Doctor Bright sighed, “Longer than any other creature on this planet.”
“Now that we all know what the Chaos Insurgency is, we can move on, to what is the final business today, the overall strategy to win,” He said, “It is fairly simple, we trap them.”
“That is pretty simple, Doctor,” Shining Armor said.
“That it is, I said it was simple, no?” He glared at the white stallion in gold armor, “particularly, we trap them in the one site their forces are currently located. Site 01.” He gestured to the map, at a mountain in the northern frozen tundra. “It is a single mountain with a massive underground base attached to it.”
“A siege, so to speak then?” Shining asked.
“Exactly, most resources, like food, and freshwater are brought to the main facility, rather than being say grown or collected there. If we can cut off the supply lines, which they already have been, they will slowly starve.”
“What about your civilian population, surely you don’t want them to perish in such a way?” Cadance asked, Even you must care for their security as I do my ponies.
“Fortunately, there aren’t many civilians left. Teachers and their students primarily, everyone else is either a doctor of some type or an Agent or part of the military. As for said civilians, the Teachers evacuated as the coup was going down, along with a good chunk of the researchers. What’s left are all compromised and are to be considered hostile.”
“No prisoners?”
“Doubtful, any Foundation forces left behind are probably already dead.”
The rest of the occupants of the room were left in stunned silence as the human continued on with the presentation.
“In order to fully cut off the-”
“Wait a second,” Thorax said, interrupting Bright, “They executed them?!”
Bright looked around the room, “Well… yes, it would be too much of a liability to keep them alive. Drain on supplies, the same supplies we will be cutting them off from.” Bright then turned to look at Thorax, “You might need to get accustomed to this, but they won’t take prisoners, and neither will we.”
“Wait-”
“Are you-”
“We’re going to-”
“We can’t do-”
Bright looked at the others, “STOP! NOW!” he yelled, gaining their attention, and silence, “These humans will kill, they will not take prisoners, they will not offer mercy. And if god-forbid, any of you get captured, they will make sure to kill you with all possible haste and in the worst possible ways.”
Cadance looked down and pondered, No prisoners, no quarter… how could they have evolved… devolved into such violence and hatred. “I don’t want to stoop down to their level doctor, we must be the better side in this fight.”
“This isn’t an argument, this is a directive. If you take prisoners, they will kill you and your troops.” He said, “And besides if you are the better side and take the high road, this won’t be a fight at all. It will be a massacre.”
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Ah Doctor Bright. One of the saddest tales in the SCP Universe. An Immortal Man who never wanted immortality
Nice
I'm pretty sure you mean 'and' there.
that's basically it
And thus, how the crystal empire could never win a war, and caused all life to be eliminated.
10883118
dr bright? my god, I hope cadance gets a copy of the list
10885933
YES!
10886056
number 1798: Dr Bright is not allowed to use the spinning crystal heart to mix his coffee. 1798-A: no, not even if he asks nicely. 1798-B: and espetially not if he offers to lick it clean afterwards
10887142
HAHAHAHAH! Yes!
I just realized that Lyra's laws list is a spoof of Dr.Bright's