The Dark Expanse

by Oceansama

2. The Lost One

The Dark Expanse

Chapter 2. The Lost One

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Despite her earlier reservations, Aurie had managed to sleep through the entire flight. Their itinerary had them pass over Griffonstone and then across the Celestial Sea. That would have brought them close to Equestria's eastern beach. Then they had diverted to the south and then circled Equestria to reach Los Pegasus, unnoticed, on the western side. It was a predicted twenty-two-hour trip, and when she awoke the transport's engines were already cold and the Marines were nearly finished unloading their equipment.

She wondered why no one had bothered to wake her, but then remembered that most Terrans were cautious of mages, and magic, as a rule. Only one in every ten thousand Terrans had the gift, and half of them were clinically insane. Thus, who would wish to tempt fate and disturb the one person who could bring down some sort of magical curse upon you? The very thought made her want to laugh, as there was no such thing as curses, yet she wouldn't argue against the Marines as she did enjoy her sleep.

Releasing her harness, she stood and stretched. Her vertebrae thanked her with several satisfying pops in return, making her sigh with delight. Reaching up, she had to pull her equipment down from the overhead storage. Placing a gray unmarked trunk, with a simple five-digit lock, on her seat.

"No one will ever know." She rotated the metal dials and then with a snap of her fingers the trunk sprang open as if it was alive. Its contents hovered out, encased in the light brown aura of Aurie's telekinetic grip.

First, she buckled a utility belt around her waist, where there was a holster for a 9mm rail pistol at her right thigh, sleeves for several extra magazines. On the left of the belt was a sleeve for a taser, and some spare batteries, since the Council had assumed that she wouldn't want to kill every pony she met. There was also a port, located at the small of her back, to attach a shotgun to the belt. Aurie examined her pistol, ensuring the safety was on before placing it into the holster along with the magazines, the taser, and the batteries. The shotgun was another matter entirely; it was a Katana model, heavy, slightly bulky, and yet had the power to stop an eight-foot dragon mid-stride. It made a satisfying sound as it folded into a compact size. She attached the shotgun to the magnetic port on her back. The weight of the weapon threw her center of gravity off for a split moment. After physically correcting herself, she found that the weight of the shotgun was a comforting, and reassuring, sensation.

Aurie briefly wondered if she was overdoing it on the firepower. The concern was quickly dismissed as it was often taught to be over-prepared than to be found lacking. After all, she would soon find herself easily outnumbered several million to one. Los Pegasus was a massive metroplex, and she was going in blind. Somehow it made her feel even more alone than she'd ever been before.

Aurie's trunk also contained a pouch of Equestrian bits that had been lifted off of 'disappeared' ponies. She didn't know much about Equestrian money but figured there was, at least, several thousand Terran dollars worth of gold coins in there. Lastly, there was a large backpack that was filled with everyday items; food, water, a first aid kit, purification tablets, emergency flares, a radio, extra pairs of clothes, toiletries, and more. There were even contraceptives in the pack, which had caused her to do a double-take. Maybe the council had foreseen the need for her to seduce a pony for information, perhaps. That was the only logical explanation her sane mind dared entertain.

Strangely she also had felt the need to pat her chest, feeling for where her mini-computer was stashed away in its hidden pocket.

Emerging from the transport she saw that they had landed in a large grassy clearing outside of the White Tail Woods; as the ponies had named it. One of the fighter escorts had touched down close by, and the pilot was having an involved discussion with one of the Marines. The powerful hum of the other fighter's engine punctuated the air as its sleek, black profile flew overhead, banked, and continued its patrol around the perimeter. The sunlight seemed to fade as the fighter's stealth composites absorbed the photons around it. Aurie tracked the fighter for a while, wondering why the jets reminded her of a reverse Y, with their wings placed at the back and angled forwards. It must have had something to do with aerodynamics, but she was not a scientist or an engineer.

Turning away from the fighter, Aurie had to inspect the FOB next. The site had already been cleared of any noticeable hazards such as large rocks, poisonous flora, aggressive animals, and the like. Still, calling it a base was being overly generous, it was more of an impromptu campsite. There were several large tents for sleeping, a lone Marine was digging a latrine hole, there was also a mess tent, and a triage unit with corporal Wierzbowski as the attending medic. The most notable landmark was the slipshod building made of recycled wood pulp panels that had been erected in the center of the camp. The large antenna placed on the roof was the clue that the building was intended to act as the headquarters and a central communications hub.

So it was their only direct line back to civilization.

Aurie took a deep breath, she knew she was stalling for time. She didn't want to go to Los Pegasus, and she didn't want to talk to the ponies. The Marines had their orders, and she had hers. Without speaking a word she began the long trek to the city of Los Pegasus. While she couldn't see the city through the trees, she was able to observe the flashing neon lights of the casinos and carnival rides reflected by the clouds. Every so often there was also the pop-pop-pop of a fireworks display that colored the sky.

As she made her way south towards the city of sin, she looked all around herself. It was an attempt to try to get a sense of her location. She knew that further to the west there were the undiscovered lands, where no Terran had ever ventured before. To the north, the snowy peaks of the Smokey Mountains broke the horizon. To the east, there was nothing but hundreds of kilometers of open land and train tracks that led to a village that must have had the worst name she'd ever heard of; Ponyville.

---

To her unending disappointment, Aurie had discovered that entering Los Pegasus was not a simple affair. It turned out that there was a massive line of non-Equestrians that also desired to make their way into the Metroplex. Ponies got a free pass, but everyone else had to be checked and registered with the Equestrian Royal Guard. There were around twenty guards responsible for processing the various non-equine races, and each guard was an identical copy cut from the same template. The same white coat, the same golden armor, the same upside-down loo brush on their stupid golden helmets.

Aurie couldn't help but groan in frustration, stepping into the queue, while wiping the sweat from her forehead. Checking her mini-computer revealed that it was already an hour past noon, and the ambient temperature had climbed into the low eighties, with the humidity adding an extra ten degrees. Strangely none of the ponies that walked by seemed bothered by the heat, and as the minutes ticked by the line slowly crawled forward.

The worst part was the noise, dear god, the noise. Living in a subterranean city the earth tended to carry and amplify every sound. Terrans had been taught to keep their voices in check out of politeness. Though, realistically, it was the fear of possibly being discovered by the outside world that silenced them. Out here there were no restrictions, hundreds of different conversations, all of them happening at once. Aurie clutched her hands over her ears, closed her eyes, and tried to will it all away. Even the engines on her escort hadn't been this overbearing.

With her eyes closed, she hadn't been paying attention to where she was going. Not until she accidentally walked into a solid wall covered in fur. A wall of fur that had a clean-cut mohawk on its head and a pair of sharp horns that looked ready to gore any opponent foolish enough to challenge them. Aurie realized that she had just face-planed into a minotaur. He stood at an incredible seven-foot and five, with chiseled arms that had muscles upon muscles for days. She felt the heat color her cheeks with a rosy blush.

"Excuse me." Aurie apologized as the minotaur turned around.

"If someone tries to knock, show them that you rock!" the minotaur exclaimed loudly while flexing his mighty arms. Suddenly he froze in place, his small eyes opening wide as he regarded Aurie with shock and awe.

"Do Iron Will's eyes deceive him, but might you be a Terran?" He assumed a more relaxed posture before reaching his hand out to her, which Aurie eagerly clasped and they both shook.

"You've heard of us?"

"Iron Will knows of your kind, as all minotaurs do." he gave a sad smile. "We mourned your kind's passing, but Iron Will is relieved to know that you still live after all these many moons." Aurie was at a loss for words, the only thing she could manage was...

"Thank you."

Author's Note:

Trivia (or useless information that you don't care about):

Originally, I wanted to commission Starscribe to write this story for me because she is an incredibly talented writer. Far better than I am. Since I lacked the funds to do It, so I find myself writing it.

Please give Starscribe some love and support: https://www.fimfiction.net/user/173490/Starscribe

Comments

[nighters]

i wonder why the cats went to war or caused the red Christmas? suspicious how they found them and probably has plans then just serious criminal activity maybe they where hoping to find a weak underground race for slavery? or profit off sacking the city?

minitours remember? i wonder if terrans are the oldest humanoid race the first where other humanoids branch off from or did magic mutant some human to new species?

[TheHumanWriter]

While I don’t necessarily believe this is the case, it’s interesting to think that these humans that live underground were the remnants of a mostly forgotten civilization from nearly three thousand years ago. What do I mean about that? I meant that Equestria/Equus was Earth and this is what happened after the Conversion Bureau or some similar event wiped out most of humanity.

[Truthseeker]

Hmm... this might be worth watching. Continue, author.

Though the contraceptives are puzzling to say the least. I would think that there is far too much genetic difference for such things to be even an afterthought, much less a valid concern.