The Phoenix Project

by Cydon

Chapter 1 Discovery

Chapter 1 Discovery

Personal Log, Captain Cydon Imperius, May 7, 2132
"Tomorrow my squad ships out from the base we've called home these past few months. I still can't believe what's happening, the world really is ending but not because of global warming an asteroid or even a zombie outbreak, no, the world is ending because some scientist thought that he could tamper with the power of the sun without consequence. And now, now we all have to pay the price."

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One week ago Braeburn and Sheriff Silverstar sent a letter to the Canterlot Historical Society. Normally Braeburn would be on the farm at this time of day tending to various chores but today was special, Braeburn trot through town an unreadable expression on his face. 'I reckon his letter said he would arrive on the noon train.' Braeburn thought to himself as he glanced over to the clock tower in the center of town which now read 11:45. Braeburn started trotting a little faster so he could reach the station before the train arrived.

The Appleloosa train station looked like what you would expect of most rural stations, a small wooden building connected to a raised wooden platform where ponies could board or exit the train. As Braeburn climbed up the stairs on the platform he noticed Sheriff Silverstar had already arrived and was waiting patiently for the train to arrive.

"Mornin Sheriff." Braeburn said as he greeted the Sheriff. To which Sheriff Silverstar only grunted in response. In the two years Appleloosa had existed the brown maned mustachioed tan stallion had been the Sheriff, never neglecting his duty to the ponies of his town and doing his best to keep the peace. After the buffalo incident last year things had been pretty quiet allowing him to relax a little but he never dropped his guard completely because he knew he was the first and last line of defense for the citizens of his little town.

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Ten boring minutes of silence later

PSHHEEEEeeeee The wheels of the train screeched as the train finally came to a stop at the station. Ponies began to mill about some boarding some getting off as others grabbed luggage. From a nearby coach a dark blue unicorn with a white mane and bones with a brush for a cutie mark began approaching Braeburn and the Sheriff.

"AH, Hello there, you must be Sheriff Silverstar a pleasure to meet you, but where are my manners my name is Professor Rolling Bones or just Bones for short." Professor Bones said as he shook Sheriff Silver Stars outstretched hoof before turning to Braeburn. "And who might you be Mr?" Braeburn smiled and extended a hoof.

"Names Braeburn, Braeburn Apple and ah reckon its good to meet yah Professor Bones." They shook and stepped apart.

"Good to meet you as well. Now lets get down to business shall we, your letter didn't explain what it was you found just that you needed somepony to come down here. I will need to see what it is you found if we are to get anywhere."

"We can do that Professor, just follow us and we'll show you where we found it." Sheriff Silver Star said. Braeburn and Professor Bones nod and follow him into town. The trio trot to the site of the new well waving hello to several ponies as they pass. A few minutes out of town they arrived at the site to see everything as they left it with the pod still buried under ten feet of earth. Professor Bones climbs down the ladder to examine the pod.

"Remarkable, I have never seen anything like this before, we simply must acquire an excavation team at once! Who knows what secrets hide behind its grey exterior." The professor nearly shouted barely containing his glee at such an artifact.

"I can go round up a group of volunteers be back in a jiffy." Sheriff Silverstar told the professor before trotting back to town without another word.

"Marvelous! The dig can begin post haste. Now, Braeburn was it? Would you mind helping me get started?" Professor Bones questioned the cowpony only to be met with a blank stare as Braeburn snapped back from his daydreaming.

"Huh? Uhh... yeah sure lets get started." Braeburn and the Professor begin the slow process of excavating. Dig up dirt, sift through said dirt for artifacts, toss dirt out of hole, rinse repeat. Half an hour of this went by before Sheriff Silverstar returned with a dozen volunteers.

"HEY, PROFESSOR AH FOUND SOME VOLUNTEERS!" Sheriff Silver Star shouted. Braeburn and Professor Bones quickly climb back out of the hole giving him a glare.

"Sheriff there is no need to shout we are right here."

"Oops sorry." The Sheriff grins sheepishly and motions for Professor Bones to speak.

"That's alright, VOLUNTEERS LISTEN UP! What we have here is an artifact of unknown age and origin and we are going to CAREFULLY dig it out of the ground and learn all we can before sending it to the Canterlot Historical Society for further study." The Professor made sure to enunciate carefully as he has had interns who while not paying attention either hurt themselves or the artifact they were excavating. "Does everypony understand?" The group nods vigorously.

"Now lets get to it." After the Professors short speech Braeburn got back to work with the rest of the volunteers. With the extra sets of hooves the dig moved along quickly and by the end of the day they had nearly uncovered all of the pod.

The pod resembled an egg in shape not including the long rounded cone at one end and the small metal 'wings' near the back with the large black tubes jutting out that end. It was around forty feet in length and nearly twenty five feet wide. The words in black were near what appeared to be a door but without a handle or any other obvious means of opening. But what struck the professor as odd was that unlike normal pony doors this one was taller and thinner only just wide enough for him to fit through and almost twice his height. The Professor muttered to himself for a few minutes before leaving the dig site, having already sent his volunteers home half an hour before. He went to the Appleloosa hotel and got some well deserved rest.

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Meanwhile

Back at the dig site a faint whirring sound breaks the silence, inside the pod an old computer nearly depleted of power begins to reboot and attempts to recharge using its solar panels and the light of a bright full moon.

"Project Phoenix pod 007 status.....
"Engines....Disabled
Lights..........Emergency power only
Hull .............Intact
Navigation...Rebooting
Cryostasis...Active
Initiating Stasis check...
Occupant Captain Cydon Imperius
Status..........Alive
Activating Tactics.And.Relations.Assistant
T.A.R.A. Status....Active
!Warning! power levels below 1%
Engaging sleep protocol until solar panel recharge complete
.....................

Author's Note:

I have every intention of trying to finish this but updates may be slow as I am busy. Let me know what you think so far and if you find any spelling or grammar mistakes so until next time remember to keep calm and brony on.
Edit: Huh, my old writing is weird.

Comments

[Platinum2094]

This is pretty great!
Can't wait for more
By the way, I think you're in the clear on any grammatical errors.

[asdfasdf]

I like this so far and this is GUNNA BE SO AWESOME!

[Cydon]

I tried to comment on how awesome all of you are when
Hey will you be my friend
pinkie stop breaking the interdimentional barrier and come home
AWW but I was making so many new friends
Twi's right sugarcube come on back to ponyville and we can have a party
YAY A PARTY LETS GO GIRLS

[asdfasdf]

1415904 When is the next one coming out?

[Cydon]

1419034 Soon, I think I can get it out by the weekend.

[asdfasdf]

1420290 YES!