Fallout Equestria : Black And White

by Philweasel

Chapter 3.1 - For the Republic

Chapter 3.1 - For the Republic

Silent Steel stared out his window and the driving rain, fierce and wild against the glass. It wasn’t scheduled, likely ruining many carefully made plans. Harder and fiercer than normal too.

It reassured him that he worried. The timing of the SPP’s malfunction was very fortuitous, distracting attention from his own plans. In fact everything was going according to plan, including the bits that weren’t actually, his plan.

Dream Star had done exactly as predicted, storming into the Sun City facility on a vague tip off, totally unconcerned with the consequences. Even her failure to retrieve Puppy-OS had been fortuitous, Puppy ending up in the hooves of Zenai. That had been the best of both worlds. It still left the Rangers off balance without their most powerful weapon, and furthermore had denied it to Dream Star. Though he was assured it would be useless to her he was still not keen on the idea of a nutcase like Dream Star possessing such a thing.

Oh Zenai. She had been useful, and most entertaining to watch. Gently prodding her towards signing up for the expedition to the zebra territories with Puppy in tow had somehow become her hijacking the project and forging off on some grand crusade. If she had gone through official channels then he would have helped her, but at the first sign of resistance she had instead gone behind everyponies back, showing a talent for espionage that had been wasted among the followers. No doubt that was why she had done it, bless the hearts of bored little girls with grand imaginations.

Zenai being an actual traitor to the followers wasn’t part of the plan, yet served his aims perfectly. It had put him into contact with Velvet Remedy, who didn’t give her time cheaply and was among the best connected ponies in the NCR. And Zenai’s actions in the zebra territories had given urgency to the political need to reform the army.

If he had been religious, he would have took these things as divine providence. But he wasn’t, knew they were coincidences... and worried. Zenai reminded him of himself, and realised all too well that her plan was considerably cheaper in term of lives and consequences. He hoped she would escape, avoid the ponies they were sending after her and live free and fulfilled. If she was brought back in chains, he would do his best to keep her safe. She had guts, and hope, and was willing to fight for the future of the NCR. He respected that.

He hoped this thing with the zebra would resolve itself. His feelings on the matter were genuine, they needed the zebra, and the NCR needed a trade partner. Councilor Gloom was dear to him, and the salvation of the zebra population of Equestria was the least he could do.

His views on war were genuine. A conflict with the zebra empire now would be a depressing insult to all they had learned since the megaspells fell.

And Littlepip. He hoped she was ok. He had never met her, had heard so many different versions of the mare from those who had. The small, awkward mare. The paragon of virtue. The troubled, angry antihero. The attention whore. The shy and humble.

He hoped she was enough like him that she would understand what he was doing. He hoped she was still alive in there, and one day he could submit himself to her judgement.

The light on the screen behind started to blink, the red dot reflected in the window in front. He turned and pressed a hoof against the ‘receive’ button, static spreading across the screen as the connection established itself.

A voice emerged, the familiar tones of Velvet Remedy. Strong yet calm, the voice of a guiding mother, a good voice to lead Equestria, “Hello, Silent Steel? This is Velvet Remedy, is the connection alright?”

“I can hear you loud and clear Velvet Remedy.” He smiled as her image appeared on the screen, fully made up and groomed yet unable to hide the evidence of a lack of sleep and excess of stress. He adjusted his tie before continuing, unable to resist strutting a little before the famed beauty, “How are the preparations for the new style army coming along?”

“Hm, acceptable.” She stated at little tersely, “General Brigandine has listened to my advice on selection processes, though I’m not sure he’s entirely convinced.”

“It can be a gradual process. General Brigandine is well into his sixties, if we identify whoever among his possible successors is most amenable and buy their loyalty now, we’ll be perfectly placed to influence the future direction of the NCR’s military forces.”

Velvet Remedy frowned, shifting herself backwards and considering this for a moment before speaking, “It can’t be too gradual. I’m worried that General Brigandine is tempted to recruit without due consideration to make up his quota, and the standard of the ponies already under his command is not high. I do not want to simply replace fascists with thugs.”

Silent Steel was well aware of that danger. The general had been a good fit for the job in the old days, he was a firm believer in giving a pony a gun and a uniform and wishing him luck. It had left the NCR army a worryingly ragged bunch who would need a lot of polishing before they would be remotely suitable. Still they had little choice, they were still preferable to the status quo, “You’ve seen the evidence of the Ranger’s guilt. Puppy-OS, the Fillydelphia sabotage, the infiltration within the army and civilian government. They’re planning something, and we have to head them off before they fully solidify their position.”

“I’m aware.” She stated bluntly, face tensing in frustration, “But do not blame me for being cautious. For instance, I find it difficult to entirely trust a pony who would sell out his brothers to their greatest enemy.”

Silent Steel felt nothing at being faced with that accusation anymore. He had faced it long ago, “I tried to save them.”

Velvet Remedy’s expression became gentle, “I know you did. But I hope you’re doing this for deeper reasons than pragmatism.”

He chuckled. He wished it was that simple, “Pragmatism is not a acceptable reason?”

“Not in itself maybe, but applied to something like this... I would worry for your spirit Silent Steel.”

“Well I assure you that I have more than enough emotional reasons for my actions, and that calling me a brother to the Rangers is a stretch. I am convinced they sent me to represent them at the Apples Accord as an insult, both to me and the Applejack Rangers.”

“An insult?”

He nodded, holding his head proudly, “I was a junior scribe and likely to remain so. I had no talent with machines, or guns, or armor. I liked fine art and music, things that the rangers had no interest in.” He stated it without passion, the memories nothing more than sifted ashes at this point, “I watched as my superior burned the last remaining records of the musical compositions of the second era unicorn kingdoms, as punishment for prioritising it’s transcribing over a book of weapons maintenance.”

“Is this revenge then Silent Steel?” Velvet Remedy stated in an accusing tone, “You became famous because of that accord, were eventually offered the title of Elder yourself. I’d say you proved them wrong.”

He had proven them wrong a thousand times. They weren’t listening, “Maybe it is revenge. But not for that.”

“What then?”

“I was loyal to them once. I believed in what they said, that military might could save the world, that physical might and force of arms was the only road to honor. When I took political office and travelled to New Canterlot, swore my oaths to Gawd it was to serve my brothers.” He blinked hard as he felt the pain return, trying once more to bury these feelings. He was a politician, he was taught to never showed weakness before others. He had been taught by the best, “I considered standing for arbiter you know, when Gawd retired. I spoke to the elders about it… and they forbade it. They considered me too… liberal.”

Velvet Remedy nodded, “They threw their support behind Peach Trees.”

“And I was ordered to publicly announce my support. And so I did, I shilled for him, I gathered allies, I did the dirty work he wouldn’t lower himself to do. And once again, I was fully informed of the contempt the Rangers had for me when they sent me as a targeted insult against a pony they considered beneath their notice.”

“Your radio debate against Velvet Promises.” Velvet Remedy smiled softly, “She demolished you.”

“She did.” Silent Steel stated with all the conviction in his soul, “She ruined me, destroyed all certainty in my life. She tore down my politics, my ethics, everything I ever considered true and right. My superiors were furious with me, at least until they sent others to debate her and they faired almost as badly.”

“You dropped out of sight after that. You finally emerged after her election…”

He stopped her there. He was telling this story. He had to state it in his own words, had to confess to somepony before he made the final decision that would end all this, “I wasn’t hiding, I was considering my future. Considering her. I confess to… stalking her. At first I reasoned I was gaining information on an enemy, but eventually… I was infatuated. She liked music, art, she built beautiful buildings, quoted history, spoke of dreams and peace and finding respect and glory through knowledge and a creative spirit. She opened my eyes, inspired a self respect in me I had never felt before.”

Velvet Remedy’s voice was soft and motherly, “Did you ever tell her?”

“Yes… she was angry, insulted. She called me fascist, an apologist for thugs with guns. She called me a fool, a slave to a brutal system.” Silent Steel sighed, shaking his head, “I was so lost. I barely remember attending the voting booth, putting in my vote for her. But when I saw her up on that podium, taking her oath I felt like everything was right in the world. I went back home, to Cloudsdale Graves. I was offered the position of Elder, they were convinced my experience of the enemy could help defeat her in the next election. Instead I stood for councilor, wanted more than anything to stand beside her and fix this world.”

“And then…”

“I won the election, as did she. I traveled to Canterlot, waiting to be sworn in, watched as she accepted the renewal of her position and made her speech. I watched, and it made my heart soar to know I would join her, stand beside her in the council chamber.”

Velvet Remedy nodded softly, “And then he killed her.”

“They killed her. Not intentionally, I don’t buy into the conspiracy theories. He was a ruined war veteran, lashing out in an attempt to silence the regret he felt. But he was ruined because of that society, the things they taught him. They taught him to kill, that he was the face of justice. And when he couldn’t escape the faces of those he had killed and the comrades he had lost they told him that because he wore that armor and called himself a paladin he was justified and that he had no cause for his guilt. That he was a righteous pony, because he was better than those civilians who owed him everything.” He shook his head. He had never met the pony, only ever seen his face on reports. Silent Steel couldn’t help mourning him, the bright eyed young pony of childhood photographs turned into a hollow eyed ruin by the time of his death, “How was he to react to the certainties he built his life upon being challenged, to the one holding supreme power within the NCR calling the Rangers evil and false? His leaders and peers idly musing that it would be better if she were dead? He pulled the trigger, but the Rangers killed both of them.” He lifted his head to look Velvet Remedy in the eye, a lifetime of rage hidden behind his ‘stern public servant’ face, “Some have called me a cynical politician, a opportunist who abandoned his brothers when it became politically convenient. But let me state it now for the record. Maybe I am a liar, maybe I am in this game for self serving reasons. And those reasons are this. To create a NCR that is an insult to those who ended her life for standing up to the status quo. To provide a worthy legacy to a mare that should have led us to the future.”

“To alleviate your guilt?”

Silent Steel paused. Finally he gave his firm response, “I didn’t kill her.”

“You took her words to heart. Silent Steel, I knew Velvet Promises, she was not particularly objective when it came to ponies with guns.” Velvet Remedy nodded kindly at him, “It’s understandable, and it’s why she beat you so easily when it came to a debate. Growing up in a bunker, told only what your leaders wanted you told? You had never been challenged before, never had a opposing view stated by someone so intelligent and persuasive.”

“Maybe that’s the problem.”

“That is the problem.” She stated kindly, “I don’t hate the Rangers, not individually at least. I believe the system they follow has to be abolished, but that’s because it traps good ponies in a way of doing things that is totally unsuited and very dangerous in the modern world. I did blame them once for Velvet Promises, but now I realize everypony involved was simply a victim of the terrible pressures forced on them by the wasteland. I need to break them out of those comforting but self destructive rituals, but it is a work of mercy, not vengeance.” She paused for a moment as her voice became more and more enthusiastic, obviously passionate about the subject. She took a breath and lowered her voice, eyes gentle and with a notable touch of regret, “Velvet Promises was a good mare, but she was a product of the wasteland too. You can’t take her words to heart without understanding that at the core of it, she was just as broken as they were.”

Silent Steel wondered if he did think too much of the mare. He was aware of history, aware of her flaws. Did he not care because he was truly blinded by affection for her? Or because at the end of the day, he felt like that too was the fault of ponies with guns, “Maybe I feel guilty about that too.”

Velvet Remedy’s voice grew chastising, “The Rangers did a lot of bad things, but they didn’t raid her village, and they certainly wouldn’t have done… those things to her.”

“If we had been protecting the wasteland like proper soldiers should maybe it wouldn’t have happened.” He nodded, sure in his convictions now, “And even now, are they protecting villages from attack? They leave that to the army, while they forge into the wasteland looking for personal glory. They haven’t changed.”

“We will make them change Silent Steel.” She smiled, “We have a real chance now, a real chance to make a better NCR.”

“Yes… yes we do.” He finally smiled back at her, grateful. He didn’t agree with everything she said, but he was certainly glad that the premiere power in the wasteland was as good a mare as Velvet Remedy. When this was all over she would bring the NCR through the storm, find the glorious future beyond, “Thank you Velvet Remedy. And for the record, I disagree with those who have criticized your diligence, your sacrifices. The NCR is still strong because of the work you have put into it, and I’m grateful for that. This vocation requires sacrifice.”

She smiled softly, “Is that why you’re still single Counselor?”

Maybe so. It was one of many reasons, “The NCR is a jealous lover.”

“It’s easy to lose track of the reasons for your struggle, without personal relationships to ground you.” She gave a slightly chastising smile, “Ponies called me a effortlessly manipulative mastermind, who played everypony around me like puppets. I almost started to believe it, found myself becoming cold and clinical. Ponies were just pieces in my plan for some glorious, impersonal state, and I believe that it was only a matter of time before I did something terrible in the name of some far off goal. It was only by interacting with my children that I remembered that the NCR is made up of ponies, ponies who deserve leaders who respect them for both what they are and what they could be.”

“You’re right.” He said with a sigh, “I don’t have those things. And… maybe because of that I am capable of terrible things. But that’s ok, because I know that you’re here to fix our mistakes Velvet Remedy. And for that, I thank you.”

She gave a painful smile, “I can’t help you be better? It’s not too late Silent Steel.”

“No… not yet. Something to think about. Goodnight Velvet Remedy.”

A regretful look passed her face, Silent Steel seeing her debate whether to continue this discussion… before her face softened and relaxed, “Good night Silent Steel.”

The monitor went black as the feed cut, Silent Steel staring at it for a moment before turning away. He was glad he had a chance to tell somepony his reasons, to give one last confession.

“She’ll work it out you know. She’ll realize you were behind all this.”

Silent Steel tensed for a moment at the voice from the monitor before relaxing, shaking his head and smiling to himself, “I know.”

“You think she won’t turn you in?”

“She can’t.” He chuckled, “By having a private, encoded communication with me now, by publicly sharing my views? She’s deep into this, if she wants to expose me then I would easily be able to drag her down with me.”

“Blackmailing Velvet Remedy?”

“Yes.” He wasn’t going to sugar coat it, “I need her. Admit it, if there was one mare that could fight the instability this will cause, who would preserve the NCR, bring peace, maybe even take the reigns as princess if it came to that…”

“Convince her to make a pragmatic decision, trading justice for future peace? It’s a convincing plan, though she will not forgive you for forcing her hand.”

“I hope she will understand.” Silent Steel sighed, “But although I like to entertain the idea of becoming arbiter, guiding the NCR to a bright future… I accepted long ago that my final legacy might be as a villain.”

Red Eye’s distinctive laughter echoed from the speakers, “How very… appropriate.”

Silent Steel sighed, looking out at the driving rain beyond, “I guess so. I’m not naïve enough to not realize that all this blood is on my hooves.”

"You can turn back you know. You can call off the plan, let Velvet Remedy do things her way. It's already working."

Silent Steel considered this. Was that true? "It will be slower. They'll resist, maybe even act against Velvet Remedy."

"But you will not be responsible for the death of so many good ponies."

"Somepony has to take responsibility. Death, evil, corruption... whatever you call it." He set his eyes, undaunted, "I will accept any sin in order to make a better world."

~

Stern Lancer scanned the cliffs around him with cautious eyes, his onboard computer identifying rusted weaponry, long decayed corpses and more debris from the centuries of war that had blighted this area. It would see more before the day was out, near two hundred paladins marching alongside him as they made their way through the canyons.

“Sir, I ask that you at least send a small scouting force…”

“No.” He stated firmly and impatiently, understanding Star Fire’s concern but wishing the buck would just get the hint and drop it already, “We have been chasing these bastards around for nearly a year, they’ve been making us look like fools! This is likely their main base, and I won’t tip them off by breaching the canyon walls.”

Something shifted a long way off, a pony falling from a cliff and hitting the ground. A voice came in over the intercom, “Another spotter down sir, didn’t get off a radio signal.”

“Hear that?” Stern Lancer declared cheerfully, feeling his blood rise, “We’re almost on top of them, and they don’t have a clue! This will make Velvet Remedy look like the obstructionist fool she is, the rangers she so despises taking this ‘Red Eye’s main staging area, complete with leaders and documentation of their plans.”

“I still don’t like this.” Star Fire commented, scanning the area, “This place seems like a trap.”

Oh how little he knew. Indeed it was a trap. For the raiders.

How he wished it could have gone on forever. Red Eye, the big bad boogiepony, preying on the innocent of the wasteland. An evil to which the only defense was the Steel Rangers, noble paladins protecting the NCR from the terrifying forces lurking just outside their borders. It had given the knights purpose again, given the public reason to believe in them once more. Put lie to the idea that the raiders were just irradiated thugs, incapable of providing any real threat to a decently armed traveler.

And he was a great big lie.

Oh, the raiders were real, after a fashion. Quite a few of them he had been warned off killing, so he guessed they were double agents from the Rangers. For the most part however they had simply pulled off the wonderfully simple and effective plan of convincing the scum to all gather in one place to be shot, simply by providing a convincing mock up of Red Eye and faked raids on a few non-existent villages, the ‘spoils’ of which had been requisitioned from NCR stocks. He wasn’t sure exactly what the deal was with Red Eye himself, but was under the impression that the stallion was some sort of very convincing actor on their payroll. And it had worked! Almost too well really, as the raiders had become competent enough to cause real damage on several occasions.

He had done a good job, it was true. Not many could so convincingly portray such a legendary figure. But he had given them the run around for long enough, and the time had come for some heroic victory to make the others see the Rangers once again as the heroes they were. He had made the calls and the agreements had been made, the bulk of the raiders gathered together in a poorly defended position with limited weaponry and lots of hard liquor. The Rangers were heavily outnumbered even with a substantial number of their forces deployed here, which would make the victory all the more heroic. No one would question the unusually poor deployment of their enemy and the sudden decrease in their competence, after all everypony knew raiders were stupid.

But he couldn’t let anypony know it, so he was forced to maintain the charade even among his own men. It was probably for the best that they remained ignorant, all the better for moral when they achieved their ‘glorious’ victory, “It’s the main route to the raider base, of course it’s defensible.” He laughed grimly, a smile spread across his face, “But not so much if they don’t know we’re coming. And besides, raiders, ambushing two hundred heavily armed paladins? I’d like to see them try.”

Star Fire still looked unconvinced, still he managed a nod, “Yes si…”

The explosion was deafening, Stern Lancer watching Star Fire’s limbs come away as he himself was thrown to the ground with alerts screaming in his ears.

He gasped in pain and the sound came back to him, Med-X injectors engaging as he beheld his fellow rangers screaming in agony and the desperate scurrying of medics as they attempted to get the most badly wounded on their feet. He looked to his left, a large crater blown out of the dirt. Mines? No, remotely detonated explosives hidden beneath the ground…

Rangers started dropping, armor cleanly blasted apart by sheer kinetic force. He gasped and his visor magnified the raiders running into position on the ledge above, clearly clad in military issue armor and carrying anti-material rifles. Some of the Rangers attempted to form up for a counter attack but blasts from an EMP cannon and grenades left them painfully vulnerable as the raiders cut them apart with advanced weaponry and sheer weight of numbers. Those attempting to flee panicked all the more as raiders emerged from concealed hiding places behind their lines, flanking and annihilating the ranger forces with cool, clinical precision.

This… didn’t make any sense. These weren’t the raiders they were sent to slaughter, these were trained professionals with advanced equipment and talented leadership…

His eyes widened, his gun falling to the bloody ground. He watched his men die by the dozen, watched the sky as a small, red alicorn flew above the battlefield, flanked by two huge griffon packing heavy weaponry. The red alicorn’s black cloak fluttered dramatically as he landed in the middle of the battle, the two griffons quickly slaughtering the wounded rangers around them as the red alicorn just grinned maliciously.

“Stern Lancer?”

He turned as another elderly female griffon landed beside him, unable to find the words. The griffon just snorted, tore off his helmet with one quick movement before pulling Stern Lancer in for a closer inspection. He was too shocked to defend himself, simply looking around in a desperate attempt to locate even one of his battle brothers still alive, “I don’t understand. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this…”

“You were supposed to send a message to the opponents of the Steel Rangers? To demonstrate the true strength and worth of your organization?” The griffon snorted, sneering cruelly, “You succeeded my friend.”

Stern Lancer was just about to answer back when the griffon’s fist cut across and ended the conversation with a brief flash of pain and a wave of echoing darkness.

~

Strawberry Summers moved through the base with practiced authority, pleased but not surprised that his nerve was holding. The Steel Rangers had trained him well after all.

He nodded to the guard on duty and produced his ID, the guard squinting at it for a moment before turning to the intercom beside, “Sir, there’s a paladin here to see you, Strawberry Summers.”

“Yes, let him in.”

Strawberry nodded in appreciation and proceeded inside, the office beyond surprisingly stark and impersonal. It fitted the stallion at the desk well, elderly but still well muscled, a dark orange in color with mane and coat neat and professional, grey eyes containing not a hint of charm. He looked up at Strawberry, eyes narrowing, “Are you one of mine?”

“No High Elder Peach Trees.” Strawberry declared efficiently, back straight, “I’m a member of the Filllydelphia chapter. As such it was surprisingly how easily my ID let me past.”

“I’ll have to mention something about that.” Peach Trees grunted, “Peace time is a curse, even the best of us are getting too damn rusty. What did you want from me Paladin?”

Strawberry suppressed the flutter in his chest with cool resolve, “A Rangers ID can get you access to the best protected ponies.”

“What are you talking…”

Peach Tree’s attention span had faltered in response to Strawberry’s failure to get to the point, as expected from the stallion. As such it took him far too long to react as Strawberry pulled out the pistol and fired four shots into the stallion’s chest, the Elder gasping and staggering backwards to collapse into some shelving. He spluttered on blood as Strawberry walked past, calmly pressing a flash drive into the side of the High Elder’s console.

“Trat… traitorous…”

“For the republic high elder.” Strawberry stated as he turned to the gasping pony at his hooves.

“You’ll never… get out of here… alive…”

“I know.” Strawberry declared, as the reactor breach alarms blared out around him. The door opened a second later, paladins pointing weapons at him, screaming questions, galloping to the desk in a desperate attempt to counter his hacking…

Then just heat, and oblivion.

~

“A Good morning to all you living out there in the big bad wasteland. I’m your trusty back up DJ, Rusty Needle, and sadly today I’m here to report some terrible, terrible news. The Ranger Headquarters of Gem Apple Point, for so long the shield of justice protecting the wasteland… is gone. Reports late yesterday described a expanding dust cloud and a tremor felt for miles around, and today scouts reported back that the whole facility is now nothing more than a crater. Sabotage? An accident? Investigation is still ongoing, but it is almost certain that High Elder Peach Trees is dead, along with his most senior lieutenants. That of course provokes the question of exactly who’s going to succeed him at this critical moment for the Rangers. His chosen successor, Stern Lancer, is out on a top secret mission and apparently isn’t responding to communication. Next in line is Elder Orange Squash but he has been ill for some time, with many predicting his death is imminent. That leaves us with Elder Vitcoira Scrivener, who despite winning fame for her bold tactics and military acumen is a controversial figure for her criticism of the NCR and loyalty to her Steel Ranger roots.”

“This is New Canterlot Radio, and this is Swift Feather reporting on the death of High Elder Peach Trees of the Applejack Rangers, a true NCR patriot. One of the Elders most active in fighting the Enclave during their first invasions of the surface, he became a close friend and ally of Arbiter Gawdina Grimfeathers and was responsible for formally integrating the Applejack Rangers in the NCR military. Though his reputation suffered after her resignation when his election campaign suffered decisive defeat at the hooves of Velvet Promises, he was soon after elected as High Elder after the death of his predecessor and proved a steadfast champion of proactive military action in expanding NCR borders.”

“And yes listeners, this is Lonesome Pony, stamping on the graves of the dead. Because don’t think I’m going to change my tune, or mourn the death of a pony the NCR is better to be rid of. The deaths of most of those other rangers? A tragedy. The death of that old dinosaur, stamping all over the rights of the common pony for seventeen years, harping the fact that he once stood in the same room as Gawd to paint himself as some sort of founding father? His death might very well be the only good thing he’s done since he saw where the money was and got to kissing Gawd’s talons. I know I’m not going to get any leniency with Stern Lancer after ripping into his mentor, but listeners, despite occasional fascist tendencies himself the pony is a outright republican compared to his boss. Hell, even Vitcoira Scrivener at least knows to stay out of politics and stick to gunning down the bad guys. So trust me listeners, this will all turn out for the better in the end. In fact, I think the NCR might have just turned its fortunes firmly for the better.”

~

Caesar stared glumly at the map in front of him, a litany of problems, failures and mistakes. And he was well aware that he wasn’t in the best state of mind to fix them, the energy and hope having drained out of him since… the incident.

It wasn’t his father. He had hated his father. He had only looked after him, kept him alive out of duty. Family after all was the foundation of a strong state.

It was… his failure to change the future. He saw it closing in. He had thought the kingdom he built great, a wondrous resurrection from the ashes, a new beginning for the world. And then he had looked across the sea and seen the ponies of Equestria, with their fertile lands, high technology, vast population and had seen his world expand until his people were but a speck.

And like before, they had come here wanting fuel, resources. And like before, they were not intent on trading fairly.

They had tried to kill him to destabilize the golden coast, make it easier for them to come in and take what they wanted by force. The ponies hadn’t changed, they were still here to exploit zebra, still so arrogant in their power.

There was a knock at the door, Caesar grumpily turning his head upwards, “Enter!”

The only good thing to have come out of his brief flirtation with Equestria entered primly, Daisy, the donkey merchant who had warned him of the assassination attempt. He had wanted to add a merchant to his court for some time and she had been more a promotion of convenience rather than anything else, still he had to admit she was good at her job. She turned to face him, Caesar waving a lazy hoof in acknowledgement. She nodded back before speaking, “Great Caesar, I have received a communication from Equestria. The speaker only wishes to talk with you alone, assures you that it will be worth your time.”

Equestria? Hmph, “Are they calling to offer excuses? Apologize?”

“Actually lord, they claim they are a force opposed to the current government and their actions towards you.”

Well this was worth seeing, “Very well, I will talk to them.”

Daisy nodded and let him into the communications room, where several of his mechanics looked at him nervously. He shooed them away before moving over to the holographic interface, showing only a field of fuzzy static. A voice, distorted and disguised, emerged as he approached, “Great Caesar, it is an honor.”

He frowned, “I refuse to talk to any who will not show me their face.”

“Very well.” The fuzziness faded away in but a few short moments, revealing a tall, powerful looking male alicorn, wearing a long cloak and sporting a cybernetic eye. The figure turned a charming smile down at Caesar, his voice clear and measured, “Greetings to you, Caesar of the Golden Coast, Lord of the Zebra kingdoms. I am Red Eye. I felt it was time we spoke.”

____________________________________________

Trait gained: Dance With The Devil
Even your acts of good karma employ terrible methods in their execution. You gain only half as much good karma, and twice as much evil karma.

This fanfiction is based on Fallout Equestria by Kkat, it is highly recommended that you read that first for context. Reading Fallout Equestria: Pink Eyes by Mimezinga will help understanding, but isn’t required.

Many of the characters and much of the setting are not mine but are on loan from the very awesome Kkat, or are taken from My Little Pony - Friendship Is Magic by Hasbro. This story makes no pretentions at being canon with either, and is merely a ‘what-if’ set in the same world.

If you enjoy Fallout Equestria Side Stories, you will want to check the Fallout Equestria Side Stories post on Equestria Daily and the Fallout Equestria Side Stories thread on Ponychan.

Comments

[Ocean Mist]

Its going to interesting to see what Red Eye is going to do. Great story, keep up the good work!

[Kexisoc]

*Whistles* This is getting all Game of Thrones level of suspense up in here.

Silent Steel is as deluded as he is brilliant. Just because he admires Littlepip does not put his actions on the same level of justification as hers. At least his motives helps to show if he's still possibly the lesser of evils among the NCR's hierarchy. Rational enough to disagree warring with the Zebra empire, willing to put resources to protect Zenai if he could out of respect, but all too willing to sacrifice his former colleagues by the hundreds (well, at least two hundred if Stern Lancer is the only survivor who was taken captive, likely to be made a scapegoat or framed and not counting the rangers present at the meltdown) and thinking it's a good idea to make buddy-buddy with Red Eye who is now secretly conspiring with Caesar to exasperate a conflict Silent Steel was trying to avoid.

So we can confirm that Silent Steel is behind Zenai slipping into the expedition, the Puppy program being stolen, coordinating and giving military resources to Red Eye, and systematically eliminating Elder Peach Trees and his immediate successors.
But had no knowledge of SPP's sabotage and Velvet Promises' assassination, which you wonder how he's not suspecting Red Eye of the former.

His internal thoughts show who he has genuine affection and contempt towards. It's worse to have an extremist with utmost admiration for the heroes of old, because it's very...pitiable that he's taking matters in all the wrong ways. Where Velvet's plan is to politically undermine the Rangers, Silent settles it with assassins and nuclear meltdowns.

"after all everypony knew raiders were stupid"

Ohohohoho, Stern, Stern, Stern, the moment you think your enemy is stupid, you're dead, super dead.

If the NCR was concerned about the Elite Applejack chapters being numerically insufficient to go to war, the deaths of 200 plus all those present at Gem Apple Point will certainly seal the deal of mothballing the Ranger's reputation as Equestria's main defenders.

And so with just a glimpse, 'Red Eye' arrives in the flesh. Digressing a bit, I do suspect the real Red Eye, if he is still alive, is actually a gestalt abomination the same as Trixie, using a single alicorn as a proxy for his consciousness. Because we all know IMP and Taint is not that kind.

Also, I see high irony at Peach's assassination. If you recall in the main fic, there was an Applejack Ranger named Strawberry Lemonade who gave her life defending the Gardens of Equestria. And now a ranger named Strawberry Summers inevitably serves Red Eye's plans.

Aha! So maybe Daisy was pulling the strings! Nobody would ever suspect the donkey! ...no?

How ironic Red Eye makes his offer the moment Caesar's self esteem has plummeted to its lowest.

[jmmovieboy]

I have to ask which fallout stories are you going to reference in this one. Is it just Kkat's or are you including other side stories.

[Philweasel]

4450908
Good question. The only two stories that are canon with this are the original and Pink Eyes, as those are the only ones I've read through beginning to end. Starlight inspires a couple of things however, as does New Roam.

As far as other canon goes, this is a tiny bit spoilery but everything up to Season 3 of the show is canon with this story, including the comics. All the lore established post season 3 still counts, (Magical Mystery Cure in particular) but the actual sequence of events diverge quite significantly.