The Conversion Bureau: The First Choice

by Westphalian_Musketeer

Chapter Four

The Battle of Carrenton; even in just a few days, it is has brought to the forefront several key issues. Carrenton was a midwest town that was thought abandoned, but it turned out to be a massive haven for the PER. Would you like to know more?

A blue hoof pressed against the holographic prompt, and the archived footage began with the voice continuing.

In a joint mission with several members of the gryphon military, including recent gryphon convert Isaac Wrenn, the EarthGov military struck a crippling blow to the PER, destroying poisons that were believed to be intended for planned gryphonization serums. Several high ranking PER officers were captured unconverted and now stand to face trial, all are expected to receive the death penalty. Would you like to know more?

After five seconds without prompt the next section of the story began.

It was also discovered that the PER has begun the use of Diamond Dog mercenaries. Diamond Dogs are a native inhabitant of the Equestrian universe. Would you liked to know more?

Willard sighed, pressing one button and then another to continue on the general coverage.

Half way through the battle, HLF forces staged in the area entered the fray, there a new threat was discovered as well.

The footage stopped at a freeze frame of a vaguely humanoid figure, covered in wiring and cybernetic augmentations, orange blood seeping out of the metal workings in an indescribable testament to the macabre.

Augmented soldiers, enhanced using banned and restricted technology were among the forces and acted as a severe force multiplier.

Willard shook his head. "Damned sods, they went and obsessed over not ponifying so much they went and augmented themselves out of the human species instead." Turning off the monitor Willard looked out the window briefly.

It had been a few days since the announcement for gryphonization had been made and all the world was in a fervor with applicants starting to come out of the woodwork. Just yesterday Blank Slate had been returned to Willard's room, slightly more reticent, but with a glare that denoted he had gained in bitterness.

"You make a good point," a voice spoke from behind Willard.

Turning, the convert saw that a gryphon was standing bipedally with recently issued ConSec armour and a rifle.

"Been glaring at my backside for long?" Willard asked.

The gryphon had golden feathers with blue and red fringes on the wings and feathered crest. Blinking, the gryphon responded, "Newfoal?"

"What gave me away?" the earth pony responded.

"You talk like you don't care what others think about you," the gryphon stated flatly, "and on the subject of your backside, it is blank."

"Good, introductions are in order I think, Willard Radrim." With that Willard lifted up a hoof.

"Karphal.” The gryphon balled up his fist and pressed it against Willard’s hoof. “Pleasure I'm sure. What's your story?"

"Ex-military, got hit with one of those new potion rifles the PER developed, nasty stuff," Willard answered nonchalantly.

“Guess you must be annoyed that you missed gryphonization by a few weeks. We’re immune to potion, most magic really.” Karphal moved to stand beside Willard and join him in staring out the window.

Willard shook his head. “Not particularly, from what I’ve heard I probably wouldn’t have liked it.”

The gryphon looked at Willard with raised eyebrows. “Really? I heard that the bureau’s have been swamped with requests, what makes you say that?”

“My plan was always to get converted, I just needed to spend some time making sure I had a few things set up in Equestria before going over. I want to be able to have my life of ease now, without having to worry about being shot at.” The blue stallion looked at Karphal. “So, you were saying I had made a good point?”

The golden-fledged gryphon cleared his throat. “Yes, the HLF are so obsessed with keeping their human bodies from conversion they went and melded themselves with technology instead. It’s amusing when you think about it.”

Willard nodded. “There’s only one thing appropriate in the presence of evil men, mock them, point out their untenable position, show that all their way of doing things is going to accomplish is to rip themselves to pieces when reality comes to knock on their door.”

“Hmmm, never thought of it that way, suddenly you ponies’ tendency to laugh seems a little more... relevant,” Karphal stated. The gryphon looked to a VTOL cruising by the window before asking, “Any other thoughts on gryphons?”

“Yeah, when I heard about how fast your species’ metabolism is that was a bit of a turn off.” Willard took a few steps away from the window to examine the news terminal again. “I’d like the assurance that if I ever get stuck on an island I’d last a decent length of time. Granted, if I was stuck on an island with a gryphon, I might have to worry about more than starving to death.”

The gryphon’s ears pinned back against his head. “I’d tear out my own throat before I let myself stoop to that level.” There was not even a pause in his voice.

“Good to know,” Willard said. “What’s it like? Equestria I mean?”

“The world or the country?” Karphal tilted his head slightly.

“Both,” Willard answered.

“Well, compared to earth, my world is a whole is a lot more colorful. Comes with not having an atmosphere that’s been destroyed,” the gryphon snorted before continuing, “sorry, it’s just, nothing here is like home; to focus on any particular difference would be doing an injustice to all others.” Karphal turned to walk out of the observation room. “As for the country? I can’t personally vouch for living in it, but I do know it’s cozied between either ocean, mountain, or the Gryphon Kingdoms, which makes it quite secure.”

The gryphon took a few more steps until he reached the door. “Have to get back to my patrol now, maybe I’ll see you again?”

“Still have a while before I can head for Equestria,” Willard spoke candidly, “most likely.”

Karphal left, leaving the earth pony by himself in the room. Willard stared out to the New York skyline and a flat expression formed on his face. Down on the streets below humans, cars, and ponies bustled in a constant flux and rush. Soon, the navy earth pony shuffled nervously. He left the room to seek out others when he started flicking his ears and darting his eyes about.

Walking down the hall, Willard shouted a few salutations to humans and equines both. The fluorescent lighting lit up all the hallways quite well and the new-foal counted off the office door numbers to find the elevators. A faint shuffling sound and a cry caught his attention briefly as he walked past one room. Shaking his head the blue earth pony continued for another dozen feet before the door slammed open. The loud bang of the steel handle striking the wall caused Willard’s ears to pin back as he turned around. A grey unicorn with a cyan mane was tearing himself from the combined grip of a human and a pony nurse.

“Let go of me! I don’t want this!” he shrieked, bucking the human nurse in the chest and pulling himself free. The unicorn stumbled down the hallway past Willard, trying to break into a gallop.

“Somepony stop him!” the earth pony nurse yelled.

The ex-sergeant turned and began galloping after the grey unicorn, soon gaining on the stallion. That voice. Willard noticed that the grey unicorn was making a beeline for a window, showing no intention of stopping. Powerful muscles coiled in both new-foal’s legs as both ponies launched into the air. Willard had the greater leg strength, and was able to tackle the panting unicorn to the ground.

“NO! Let me end it! It’s gone! It’s over for me! Just end it!” the unicorn yelled, trying unsuccessfully to squirm out from underneath Willard.

“What is your major malfunction kid?” the blue earth pony demanded.

Immediately the unicorn stopped moving and stared at Willard. “Sarge?”

“Rookie? Is that you?” Willard asked. It’s been at least two years, what happened?

The unicorn’s face hardened. “Let me go sir, I don’t want to go on like this.”

“Wait, you got attacked by PER? Come on, that’s nothing to beat yourself over. I’m sure you gave them a good fight.” The earth pony smiled at how small the world seemed.

“NO! I’m not human anymore, I don’t deserve life. They don’t deserve the satisfaction of breaking me. Let me go or I’ll—”

Willard interrupted the unicorn. “Don’t deserve life? What are you going on about?”

Just then the two nurses caught up; Willard recognized the pony as Ana Thetic. She stepped forward and spoke. “Mr. Miles, don’t do this, we understand that you’re under great stress, but...” the pony nurse gulped, “killing yourself isn’t the answer.”

“Shut up! You should go and kill yourself! Abandoning your race just like that! Humanus Pro Vita!” Miles shouted.

Willard pressed down harder on the unicorn. He had just yelled the HLF slogan. The grey unicorn glared at the earth pony on top of him.

“If you don’t let me go I swear to everything I believe in I’ll blast you, don’t think I wont do it!” Miles resumed struggling.

Willard’s jaw went slack. “You... you’re HLF? What happened? How did... this, any of this happen?”

“I got assigned for the raid on Carrenton, I got shot by one of their potion rifles.” The grey unicorn leveled his horn toward Willard’s throat. “My only regret is that I didn’t get to kill those damned traitors. Now, all I can do is kill myself while I have my dignity; I’m not human any more.” Miles winced as he stopped moving. “Now get off, I’ve seen what unicorn magic can do at close range. You may want this, but you shouldn’t; I’ll kill you too.”

“Bullshit,” the navy newfoal said.

“What?” the supine unicorn asked.

“I said ‘bullshit’, all of it, you aren’t going to blast me, and you don’t deserve to die any more than I do,” Willard replied.

“But I’m not human anymore. What have I got left?” Miles’ horn began glowing softly. In the background Willard could hear Nurse Thetic gasp.

“Your mind is still your own,” the blue pony stated, shifting his head away from the horn. “When you were human, you told yourself you would kill yourself rather than be converted?”

“Every day, and I intend to,” the unicorn replied.

“Exactly, you’re still you, you still want to die, but that means you’re still you, hence—”

“What is this bullshit? Paradoxes? You think you can convince me like that?” Miles shouted at Willard.

“No,” Willard replied, “only you can convince yourself. I can only point out the problem in your thinking.”

“Then get off me,” Miles demanded, the glow around his horn beginning to burn Willard’s vision from the brightness.

“No,” the earth pony stated.

“You have no right!” the unicorn shrieked.

“I have every right to make sure a man doesn’t consign himself to an unwarranted death by his own hand, hoof, or any other appendage.” Willard didn’t move at all when the horn was aimed right at his head.

“I... you can’t... I’ll...” The glow began to dissipate as Miles set his head down on the linoleum floor. “Fuck...” Silence reigned for a minute with just the breathing of three ponies and one human. Alright, I need to think about this, but nobody is going to sedate me!”

“Agreed,” Willard said as he stepped off the fellow newfoal.

Miles got up and looked at the window pane a few feet from him. Willard tensed briefly before the HLF newfoal stepped towards the human nurse who lowered her hand to him.

“Don’t touch me, just lead the way.” With that the grey unicorn followed the nurse close behind. When the two of them rounded a corner out of sight, Nurse Thetic gave a sigh of relief.

“That was impressive, your talking him down I mean. He really took the forced conversion hard, that’s even considering the other HLF who got converted in Carrenton.” Ana Thetic approached the remaining newfoal and sat by his side.

“How many? HLF converts I mean,” Willard asked.

“Eight, including Private err... ex-private Miles. Did you know him from before?” Thetic tilted her head.

“Served in a few missions together, eventually he got reassigned to a different group, never learned why, something about ‘resource allocation amendments’.” The blue stallion looked to the pink mare. “You sure the other nurse is okay? That was a pretty solid kick she got.”

“She’ll be fine, she’ll have a bruise. I’m just glad we can begin integrating your friend.” Ana extended a hoof to Willard’s back and patted him. “How’s your niece? Have you gotten word of when she’s going to be converted?”

“She’s doing fine, she’s scheduled for conversion in two days. I should probably go see her.” Willard stood up and made his way towards a set of elevators he saw.

“I heard what happened with Blank Slate,” the nurse called out. “If you want I could have him transferred to bunk with somepony else. Of course that would require you having to take Mr. Miles under your hoof. If he continues to be cooperative it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Willard turned around and looked at Ms. Thetic. “I’d like that,” he said.

Willard walked through the door to his room, inside, he saw Lieutenant Karan, Monica, and Sarah. He walked up to them and asked, “I miss a memo or something?”

Lieutenant Karan walked forward and handed a DATab to Willard, who balanced it on his hoof. “The funeral service for Private Wight is going to be held in a few days, along with the casualties of Carrenton. I came here to tell you that you’re invited, not that any man in his right mind would try to stop you but—”

“Technically I’m no longer military, I know,” Willard completed the statement before turning to Sarah and Monica. “And you’re here because?”

“I wanted to hand off some information to Monica,” Sarah answered, “the replacement documents are going to be on the same ship as both of you. I’ve made some arrangements ahead, you and Monica will go with some of the documents to Canterlot, you’ll be accompanied by a royal guard contingent.”

“Royal guard?” the pony asked. “What’s the occasion?”

Karan coughed and answered, “To make sure the shipment isn’t attacked inside Equestria by PER sympathizers. They’re also going to be there to escort PER and HLF newfoals to Canterlot for judgment by Princess Celestia.”

“Ah, well, thank you for telling us this.” The navy earth pony turned to Monica. “Feel like getting a meal?”

“Absolutely,” Willard’s niece agreed. She turned to Sarah and hugged her. “Will I be seeing you again before I head for Equestria?”

Sarah shook her head. “Unfortunately not, I have to be at the archives for the next few days preparing the next round of transcribed files, be sure and write to me when you can okay?”

“Of course,” Monica said, “do you have time to join Uncle and I for a meal?”

“I suppose I could stay for a coffee, but then I have to get back.” The two women walked to the door and Monica turned back to look at Willard and Lieutenant Karan.

“You two coming?” she asked.

Wordlessly, the soldiers followed a short distance behind them.

“So, were you at Carrenton?” the pony asked.

“Yep, took down a hell of a lot of PER.” Karan smiled. “We managed to capture a lot of officers and leaders before they gooped out and went pony. Those gryphons sure did one hell of a job... They’re going to make human soldiers obsolete once the conversion bureau starts taking in more soldiers.”

“The barrier has already made the choice a non-issue,” Willard replied. “We have to change, adapt. Regardless of what humanity does, whether we convert or go into space like the Genesists are trying to do, we’ve got to make sure that we continue on.”

“I’m with you one hundred percent on that one Willard,” the lieutenant said, “we may have been given the shit stack of cards, but we’re going to make the best of it, regardless of what those PER and HLF fuckers do.” Karan looked over Willard and asked, “Hey, where’s that tattoo every pony has? The cutie mark I think they call it?”

“Newfoals don’t get it until they find their special talent, and now that I’m a pony, I guess kicking ass and taking names isn’t a viable option.” Willard chuckled before continuing, “I wonder what a cutie mark for that would look like.”

The group reached the cafeteria and Karan nodded to Willard. “This is where we part ways. I’ll see you at the funeral service, maybe I’ll luck out and be there for your departure to Equestria.”

“Farewell friend, don’t be a stranger.” Willard lifted a forehoof in a salute before heading off to get his meal.

Willard sat with his niece Monica, across from Sarah, who was nursing a cup of deep-brown, made-in-Equestria coffee. Monica was eating a salad, getting acclimated to a vegetarian lifestyle.

Taking a sip of her drink, Sarah began, “So Willard, any interesting developments?”

“Yes, but I think the... fellow involved would prefer if I didn’t talk about it,” Willard answered before pulling at a line of pasta from the plate Monica had acquired for him.

“Okay then, so, what do you plan on doing when you get to Equestria?” Sarah inquired. “I know Monica is going to be working on the archives, but you technically don’t work on that anymore.”

“Guess I’ll sign up there to assist, would be nice to get back into academia,” the earth pony replied, chewing on a piece of cheese.

“Back into?” With this the archivist lifted an eyebrow.

Monica coughed. “Uncle had to enlist in the military to support us after... my parents died. He had been in university before that. It was a big help when I was going through high school.” Willard’s niece reached over and patted him on the back.

“Yeah, I was a regular old dictionary for you.” Willard smiled wryly. “Always coming over to me and asking ‘what does this word mean?’ or ‘how do you spell that?’”

“And you never told me to just look it up in the dictionary.” Monica went back to eating her salad, a glow in her eyes.

“Yeah well, I did try to encourage you to look it up afterwards to see if I was wrong,” Willard said.

Monica nodded her head while chewing on a forkful of spinach and tomatoes.

With a sigh Sarah stood up, her coffee finished. “Well it was nice seeing you again Monica. Time to go organize an anthology of essays on the ‘Cuban Missile Crisis’.” She nodded to Willard. “Take care.”

With that she was gone and uncle and niece were left to finish their meals. Finishing her salad, Monica began looking at Willard. Noticing her look out of the corner of his eye, Willard lifted his head from his meal.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I was just thinking, you gave up so much after mom and dad were killed.” The niece reached over and pulled a lock of red hair out of her face. “All your plans were shot to hell, and there was nothing I could do about it. Now here we are again, you, in this situation, and I’m just going to be dragging you to Equestria. Are you sure you don’t want to stay here? I’m sure ConSec would take you on as a consultant. You have choices.”

Willard looked at his niece, his eyes shifted over her before giving his considered response. “When you were born I told your father that as a parent, he would have to devote his entire being to making sure you were raised properly, and become a fine young woman. He told me that I was an ass for stating something so obvious to him when I had no kids of my own. I explained to him I had no doubt about that, but that raising a child in this world would be difficult. I promised him that if he ever needed help I would be there for him, for you. I made my choice a long time ago, and I don’t regret a single moment of it.”

Willard returned to his plate of food, finishing his meal and speaking between bites. “Besides... you make it sound... like I’ve done nothing but suffer... There’s been some benefit, met a soldier I used to know today.” The earth pony swallowed the last of his meal and drained the juice bowl he had received from the meal-server.

“So that was the interesting development huh? Who is it? Come on, tell me!” Monica gathered up Willard’s tray and her own.

“Ex-private Edward Miles, I was his officer for a few missions, most recognizable voice you could ever hear—”

“Wait a minute, ex-private? Did he get converted?” Monica interrupted.

“Yes, though I really wasn’t in a position to talk to him much. I’ll ask him if he wants to talk about it soon.”

Willard’s niece nodded at him. “Alright I get it, brothers in arms wanting to keep among themselves.” She stood up and brought the trays to a garbage receptacle, emptying a few remaining flakes of food and placing the trays to the side. “Let’s head back to our rooms. I want to make a few notes before I have to relearn how to write and type.”

Monica began making her way out of the cafeteria.

Willard mumbled to himself, “Brothers in arms, I could hardly say that of HLF. I just hope he realizes he was wrong.” The blue newfoal stepped down from his seat and trotted after his niece.