The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

Chapter 7 - The Installation

The door finishes opening. Spike turns to Arc.

“Uh… do we just… go in?”

“Probably.”

Tempest gives him a withering look. “This is clearly a trap!”

Rose nods. “Agreed. Nothing on scanners ahead. Something very powerful must still be blocking me.”

Arc sighs. “Well, unless one of you has a better idea, our only option is to keep moving forward.”

Spike shudders. “We can’t go back and try to find another way?!”

Rose shakes her head. “There IS no other way, Spike. Don’t be afraid. Your little sister will protect you.”

Tempest raises an eyebrow. “Wait… what?”

Arc frowns. “Let’s stay focused on the task at hand.”

Spike hides behind Rose. “Which is…?”

“Living to see another day. Follow me, everypony.”

Tempest leads the group beyond the doors. They close behind them.

“Was kinda expecting that.”

Tempest turns to Arc, angrily. “And you didn’t say anything?!”

“Uh… you already knew it was a trap.”

Rose looks around. Her eyes aglow.

“Anyone see anything?”

Spike shakes his head. “Not me!”

“Can you give us any more light, Rose?”

“That’s the best I can do. Sorry.”

Tempest’s eyes glow. “Hmph. Machines…”

“She’s doing her best, Tempest!”

“No, you fool! There are machines all around us!”

Spike squeezes Rose’s hand tighter. “W-what do they want?!”

“They appear to be inactive.”

Arc sighs. “That’s a relief.”

With a hum the room’s lights slowly come on. Tempest looks around angrily.

“Who’s there?! Show yourself!”

The lights on a large pad nearby come to life. Rose looks toward it.

“What’s that?!”

Arc stares at the pad. “I… I don’t know. But I want to.”

Spike moves to stand next to him. “Yeah.”

Tempest raises an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with you two?! Arc, you’re acting weird. Even for YOU!”

Arc and Spike begin walking toward the pad. Rose gasps.

“What the… ARC?! Stop!”

Tempest frowns. “What is…?”

Rose cries out in a frightened tone. “Their brains are in chaos! Something is controlling them!”

Tempest runs toward the pair. “Get back here!”

As Tempest nears Arc and Spike a drone lifts off from behind a console shooting her in the back. Tempest falls to the floor. Rose hurries forward as she calls forth her R-Cannon and L-Blade.

“ARC! LOOK OUT!!!”

But Spike and Arc continue walking forward apparently oblivious to anything else around them as Rose continues to call out.

“ARC!!!”

More drones rise up out of the floor, emerge from the walls, and even come forth from openings in the ceiling. They turn toward Rose as she rushes toward the pair. A forcefield rises up cutting off her advance. Rose fires several times at the barrier before slashing at it with her blade. However she is unable to pass through.

“ARC! SPIKE! SNAP OUT OF IT!!!”

Tempest rises as her wounds heal. Rose is pushed back as the drones turn on her and fire. Tempest deflects their blasts with Light’s Bane while firing one of her Hoof Cannons in retaliation.

“Tempest! They’re targeting you!”

Tempest growls angrily as she continues firing. “Don’t you think I’ve noticed that!”

Several shots get through Tempest’s defenses. The smell of burning flesh fills the room as she does her best to remain standing. Rose positions herself between Tempest and the drones. She turns to the mare as their blasts hit her mechanical body.

“Use me as cover!”

“I got them!”

Tempest peeks out and fires a barrage at the drones. They dodge most of the projectiles effortlessly.

“They’re pretty tough!”

Rose squeezes her eyes shut as she defends her body with her blade and cannon. “Keep firing! We have to save Arc and Spike!”

Tempest nods as she ducks back behind Rose. Another volley flies at them.

“Fine! After we save ourselves!”

Meanwhile, Arc and Spike, oblivious to Rose and Tempest’s crisis, continue walking forward. Cherry screams out to them.

“HEY! Look behind you!”

Spike smiles. “It’s… beautiful!”

“I’ll say! That sound is music to my ears!”

The pair step onto the platform. A large crystal rises up out of the floor in the center of the pad. Spike pets the crystal with his claws happily.

“It sounds like beautiful bells from here!”

Arc removes his helmet and allows it fall to the floor. “This… this is the most amazing sound I’ve ever heard!”

“ARC! SPIKE! Snap out of it! Rose and Tempest need help!”

Arc presses his face against the crystal and grins. “This reminds me of chimes back home.”

“What’s wrong with you two?! Can’t you hear me?! ARC!!!”

The pair continue to stroke the crystal. It begins to glow with an eerie light. Soon their eyes grow heavy.

“Arc? I’m getting sleepy.”

“Me too. Let’s take a nap.”

Spike curls up at the base of the crystal. “Yeah. The melody will be our lullaby.”

Arc sits down with his back against the crystal and yawns. “Agreed. Good night, Spike.”

The crystal’s radiance dims as they lose consciousness together. As if someone had flipped a switch the barrier dissipates and the drones slip back into their hiding places. Tempest peeks out from behind Rose.

“Did… did we win?”

Rose falls to her knees. She appears weakened. What’s left of her clothing is a tattered mess of charred cloth and burnt artificial skin. Tempest puts a hoof around Rose in an effort to support her.

“Hey! Are you okay?!”

Rose nods weakly. “I… I’ll be fine. Just need… a little rest.”

Tempest looks toward the platform.

“Arc and Spike are down! What happened to them?!”

“Help me… over to them… please.”

Tempest helps Rose onto her back before half carrying, half dragging her over to the pad.

“Geez! You’re almost as much trouble as Arc is! Heavy too!”

Rose smiles weakly. “S…sorry.”

Tempest lays Rose down next to Arc. She looks up at him and over at Spike as her scanners sluggishly get to work.

“They… they’re sleeping.”

Tempest raises an eyebrow. “Are you KIDDING ME?!”

“…what?”

Tempest points a hoof at the scorch marks in the floor. “All that noise and they FELL ASLEEP?!”

“Y-yes. But, it is not from… simple fatigue.”

“What then?!”

“They’ve been drained… of their magical energies.”

Tempest looks at the crystal. “How?! By this thing?!”

“…probably.”

A voice rings out behind them.

“Very astute.”

Tempest whirls around to see a strange looking stallion standing behind her.

“WOAH!”

Instinctively Tempest fires a Hoof Cannon at him. However the stallion effortlessly knocks the energy blast away with a wave of his hoof.

“What the…?”

“Please refrain from firing at me again. I may badly hurt you next time.”

Rose looks up at the newcomer. “What… what ARE you?!”

“The same as you are it would seem. Here, let me help you.”

The stallion walks toward Rose and lays a hoof on her chest. A small hum ensues as Rose sits up. She looks at him, confused.

“You… how did you do that?!”

Tempest frowns. “Do WHAT?!”

“I simply transferred some of my reserve energy to you.”

Tempest’s eyes grow wide. “Wait! So you’re a… a…?”

The stallion nods. “Yes. I’m an android.”

Rose stands up. Her wounds healing with renewed speed. “I… thank you.”

Tempest snarls. “You don’t need to thank somepony for helping you AFTER they’ve attacked!”

“My apologies for my droids’ actions. I had no choice but to stop you. Tell me, what is your identification?”

“My name is Rose.”

“I welcome you, Rose. I am RD-001. Keeper of this installation.”

Tempest looks confused. “Installation?”

“Yes. I am the head of Research and Development for the Earth Pony Army.

Rose raises an eyebrow. “Earth Pony… army? But what does that have to do with my friends here?”

She gestures to Arc and Spike still lying on the pad.

“I have been broadcasting for many years now. Watching and waiting for their kind.”

“Their kind?!”

“Dragons, of course.”

“But my friend Arc isn’t a dragon.”

RD-001 appears confused. “Yes, he is.”

Tempest rolls her eyes. “Something wrong with your circuits, pea brain?! Does Arc LOOK like a dragon to you?!”

“No. However he possesses Dragon Magic. A resource I am in desperate need of.”

“For what purpose?”

“If you wish to understand, I will have to start at the beginning. But first I should help your… what did you call them again?”

“Friends.”

Tempest grips her spear tightly. “Does this mean you’re going to release your hold on them?!”

“Yes. I can simply shut down the crystal behind them. Would you like me to do that, Rose?”

Tempest glares at him. “Yes, you fool!”

RD-001 turns to her, confused. “Are you Rose?”

“N-no.”

“Then why did you answer in her place, unicorn?”

“I have a name, you know!”

RD-001 turns back to Rose. “What is your answer, Rose?”

“Yes. Arc will want to speak with you.”

“Very well.”

RD-001 closes his eyes. A few seconds later the crystal sinks back into the floor.

“They should wake up momentarily. I’ve also released a substance into the air here that will expedite the process.”

A few minutes later Arc and Spike wake up. Spike puts a claw to his forehead.

“Ugh… what happened?”

Arc shakes his head in an effort to clear it. “Anyone get the license number of the bus that…”

He looks up at Rose and Tempest. Seeing the holes in Tempest’s armor, the blood, and Rose’s clothes nearly burned completely off Arc jumps up and grabs his helmet and spear.

“What happened?!”

Spike points a claw at the scorch marks on the floor nearby. “Arc, look!”

Seeing the signs of battle, Arc dons his helmet and draws his spear. “Someone start talking!”

RD-001 steps forward. “My apologies, dragon. My programing dictated that this plan had the highest chance of success.”

Rose turns to them. “Arc… Spike… I know this may be hard to believe, but… this is RD-001. He’s an android just like me.”

Spike looks the newcomer over nervously. “Uh… hi?”

Arc still clutches his spear firmly. “And he did all this?!”

Tempest nods angrily. “Yup! We should probably take it apart… piece by piece!”

RD-001 shakes his head. “That would be unwise.”

“Oh? And why is that?!”

“I assume you would like to leave at some point. Destroy me and you destroy the only key to this installation.”

Tempest growls angrily as RD-001 turns to Arc.

“You are the leader I presume, dragon?”

“Uh… kinda. Dragon?”

“All of you, please follow me and I will endeavor to explain everything.”

The group does as they are told. RD-001 leads them down a nearby corridor. He speaks as the walk.

“This facility was constructed by the Earth Ponies during The Great War between the three pony races.”

Tempest tightens her grip on Light’s Bane. “Is that why you attacked me?!”

RD-001 shakes his head. “No. You attempted to interfere with my objective.”

Arc glares at him. “You could have killed her and Rose!”

“That is not possible. The unicorn is immortal.”

Spike’s eyes grow wide. “How did you…?!”

“By scanning her, of course. I found that her regenerative abilities render her impervious to permanent damage.”

Arc sighs. “And Rose?!”

“My drones were ordered to avoid her central core. Although I don’t believe they could have done much more than superficial harm to her chassis. After all, she is a military model.”

Rose nods. “What he says is true. Only my lesser systems were targeted.”

She turns to RD-001.

“However, I am not part of the Equestrian military.”

RD-001 appears confused. “Interesting. Perhaps we will have more time to speak of this later.”

They enter a large lab. The implements are old and decayed with age.

“This was the Main Lab. It was here that Earth Pony scientists developed new technology to best their Unicorn and Pegasi enemies.”

Spike frowns. “Why?!”

Tempest rolls her eyes. “Because they were at war, you fool!”

RD-001 nods. “Indeed. They did not have flight or magic as they’re enemies did. Let us move on for now.”

He leads them back to the corridor. Arc looks over to him.

“What does this have to do with that crystal back there?”

“Patience. All will be explained in due time.”

They are led to another lab. RD-001 turns to them as they look around.

“Many implements of war were developed here. However at the time many of them were far too expensive for practical use.”

He looks at Tempest.

“Your own cannons were originally invented in this very facility.”

Tempest chuckles as she looks at her hoof cannons. “These are state-of-the-art weapons. Not antiques.”

RD-001 picks up a strange looking device. “Would you care for a demonstration?”

Tempest laughs as Arc, Rose, and Spike quickly step away from her. “Gladly! That little pea-shooter won’t even…”

Her words are cut off as RD-001 fires. The blast knocks Tempest through several ancient looking desks, a cabinet, and finally a wall. Arc walks over and peeks through into the next room.

“Uh… you okay, Tempest?”

Tempest breathes heavily as she sits up, regenerating. “That… was something I’d like to never do again!”

Spike frowns. “I think she’s fine.”

Rose scans the device. “This model appears much more powerful than Arc’s current Hand Cannons.”

RD-001 nods as he sets down the weapon. “Indeed. However that one shot drained the battery to zero percent. It’s also worth noting the weapon is quite heavy.”

Arc helps Tempest up and walks over. “It is?”

Spike raises an eyebrow. “It doesn’t look like it.”

Tempest rubs her chest with a hoof. “Trust me. Looks are deceiving here.”

Arc moves to pick up the cannon. However he is unable to even budge it. Their host chuckles.

“The materials required to produce this weapon are very heavy, as well as quite rare and costly.”

RD-001 looks at Arc’s Hand Cannons.

“It would appear many improvement were made over the centuries.”

Rose nods. “Yes, I suppose so. But were weapons the only thing produced here?”

“Negative.”

Spike looks relieved. “Good!”

“This facility only developed weapons. Building them was done elsewhere.”

Tempest shrugs. “Makes sense.”

Arc appears impatient. “Yes, well… what about…?”

RD-001 interrupts. “We are nearly to the end of our tour. Please be patient.”

The stallion leads them over to a strange looking pad nearby.

“Please stand with me.”

Everyone looks to Arc. He shrugs.

“Well, we’re almost there. Might as well keep going.”

Arc and company step onto the pad. A flash of light envelopes them. A moment later they find themselves in a large room lit only by a single light high above them. Spike gasps.

“Where… are we?”

Tempest readies her weapon. “Another trap?!”

“Easy, Tempest! Rose?”

“Scanners still show nothing. RD-001, what is…?”

RD-001 taps the floor twice with his metallic hoof. Suddenly the room is filled with light. Everyone squints as their eyes adjust. Rose gasps.

“Oh… my…”

Spike rubs his eyes. “What?”

Tempest raises an eyebrow. “Well now. Even I didn’t see this one coming.”

Comments

[Booster Spice]

Welcome, to Hanger AE?

[Kamahido]

10347511
A loose reference to Halo.