The Day Canterlot Almost Blew Up
Skovich walked into his office at the Canterlot Militia Base, also known as the CMB. The stallion walked over to his desk and slowly exhaled. “This empire’s lack of action is music to my ears, haha, I can’t remember the last time we were on protocol.” The old stallion opened up his files on his tablet. It had been approximately three years since magic-enhanced “technology” was introduced by Princess Luna along with the help of Princess Twilight. Ever since the introduction, the ambiance of Canterlot has well been maintained as a peaceful utopia. To help maintain this euphoria, a new weapons network had been established by harnessing magic that can be given off by an equine’s horn, and used to project objects to a much higher velocity than naturally. “Yes, life has never been better.”
*KSSSHHH* Static interference occurred on the CMB’s auditory systems. When the static shock settled, the intercom clicked. “We apologize for the audio inconvenience. It seems that the CMB has intercepted a transmission. Would Skovich please report to main control.” *click*. Skovich rose slowly from his desk. *sigh* Skovich slugged out of his office; the hallways which he entered were in complete chaos. Orders from other soldiers flew across the room.
“Private Newton! Get the papers to protocol overlook, NOW!”
“Yes sir!”
“Corporal John! Is the receiver set up yet?!”
“Almost there, sir!” Skovich walked down the labyrinth of hallways and offices. He soon found himself muzzle to muzzle with a lift. He grabbed the ignition switch and called for the lift. The doors opened and Skovich walked in; the doors closed behind him. Skovich could hear the rush of wind as he surpassed levels of the CMB. After about ten seconds, he reached the top floor. Skovich stepped out of the elevator and walked over to the entrance of Main Control.
“You, um, called me here, General Primington?”
“Yes, please, sit.” General Primington directed, pointing to a chair in front of his desk. Skovich walked over and sat down, slouched. “We have a serious dilemma that could result with the detonation of the royal capital, Canterlot. Please bear with me, Skovich, and watch this transmission.” General Primington points a remote to a monitor on his office wall and turns it on. A very hazy image appears. At the center of what appears to be a warehouse is a saboteur wearing a smiling mask. The figure was just staring. It wasn’t saying or doing anything, it was just...smiling. After about a minute, the figure spoke in a very low voice with no dynamics.
“Hello. I am truly sick of this empire’s government. I am sick of everything being so positive all the time. We need some action.” The figure on the screen holds up a device. “See this device? Its a radioactive trigger, and I have it hooked on to Canterlot’s network. Lets play a little game. I will give you one hour to stop me...and if you don’t, then Celestia will never walk this planet again.”
The monitor struggled to keep the image alive, but it soon closed out. General Primington looked at Skovich. “We have little time, gather stallion units 26 and 27, along with yourself to create a tri-squad, and report to the briefing room NOW.” Skovich nodded his head and walked to the intercom.
“Will SU’s 26 and 27 meet me in the briefing room immediately.” After he delivered this message through the CMB, Skovich immediately headed towards the briefing room. He arrived to be met with units 26 and 27. “Good evening, gentlecolts. I hate to inform you that in one hour, our beloved capital as we know it will go up in flames, killing all inhabitants.” The stallions stood still showing no feelings, but Skovich could tell that they looked sick. “It is up to us to stop them. Follow me to the transportation sector.” Skovich led the two colts to the sector and the trio entered the vault. The lock on the room was open, revealing the top rim of the forest the CMB surpassed. The lock was opened up to invite and dispatch incoming and leaving aerial carriage units, or ACU’s. “Guys follow me to ACU number three.” Skovich led the two colts to an armored carriage that can harness equines from the inside, while being protected by an armored shell. The tri-squad entered the ACU; Skovich would lead the unit. The ACU hovered and left the station, and made its way to Canterlot.
The ship moaned as it landed at Canterlot’s ACU dock. A pegasus guard came to meet them. “Hello commander......” *clears throat*
“Skovich, my name is Skovich.” The commander said with a neutral expression; The guard looked worried.
“As you may know, a threat has been made and-”
“Yes, yes, I know about that. Could you take me to where the transmission was heard?” The guard lead the trio to another base where the transmission was heard, this base belonging to Canterlot. Skovich looked at the guard. “Now I want you to bring me your team’s best hacker, okay?” The guard nodded and trotted off. A few minutes later, he had brought back with him a skinny, pale individual. However, the colt stood tall and looked like he feared nothing. The guard turned to Skovich.
“This is Don. He is our field’s best hacker.” Don gave a faint salute and smiled, although he looked uneasy. Skovich looked at Don.
“Son, I need you to link the transmission to it’s sender. Find out where the transmission came from.” With a nod, Don immediately came to action and in a few minutes, the desired information was found. Don turned his chair towards Skovich.
“This location seems to be some sort of changeling base. According to these numbers, it is just north of here...in fact...” Don runs over to a telescope and soon points his hoof. “There! If you look closely enough you can see it!”
“SU’s 26 and 27...” Skovich said, “...follow me. Hey you!” Skovich pointed to the pegasus guard. “Where is your weapons room?” The trio followed the pegasus down to a room. There, the trio geared up with blades of all shapes and sizes. When the three were ready, they returned to their ACU and soon took off toward the Changeling base.
About an hour or so later, the ACU arrived at the base. When the three unboarded, Skovich turned towards the two. “I need you two to remain here by the ACU while I deactivate the radioactive trigger.” The two CU’s seemed to have a problem with letting Skovich go by himself, but kept their muzzles shut knowing that it was an order of one superior to them. Skovich snuck up to a wall and pulled out a rope linkage from his saddle pack. His eyes scanned the walls for an estimate on how powerful his throw of the grapple hook should be. Skovich threw the rope and it harnessed to the top of the wall; Skovich climbed the rope. When Skovich reached the top, he came across two changelings patrolling the roof. Skovich managed to grab one of the changelings, using it as a body shield. When the other changeling saw the intruder, it shot a bolt of green cytoplasm, but it struck the other changeling that Skovich was using as a body shield. The changeling not gripped by Skovich ran towards the base’s alarm system, but Skovich took out a throwing knife and hit the changeling in the back of his rear hoof, stopping it in its tracks. Skovich walked over to the immobile changeling and knocked him out. With both guards out, Skovich entered the base, where he found himself in a myriad network of rooms and hallways. Skovich could hear a faint dripping that echoed through the dead hallways. “Where are all the changelings?” Skovich peered around the network of cubicles. “Of course....its deserted.” Skovich, slightly relieved but still with caution, passed through the halls.
Hours of sleuthing slugged by and Skovich later found himself at the heart of the base, where the radioactive trigger was. A few dead changeling bodies scattered the floor. “I remember seeing a figure on the transmission.” Skovich continued to look around the room, stepping over a few lifeless bodies. A few seconds of complete silence later, Skovich found a silhouette stationed in front of the radioactive trigger screen. The head of the figure turned completely around, sensing his motion.
Skovich stared in horror at the figure. It was a machine. It had no legs. All that was expressed was a smiling mask on the head, starring. Skovich cautiously circled around the figure to avoid the figure to access the radioactive trigger. The silhouette just moved its head, staring at skovich. Skovich walked up to the trigger’s panel, keeping an eye on the eerie figure, and shut down the trigger. “That ought to do it.” Skovich backed away from the immobile figure; the figure was not staring at him anymore, it just stared at something on the wall behind Skovich. Skovich wheeled around. It was the base’s detonation device. Skovich ran to the lever and pulled on it with all his might. As soon as the lever was pulled, the entire base lit up with a red light. Sirens screamed through the entire base. Skovich ran towards the exit, but he decided to take one last look at the mysterious silhouette;
it was gone.
Skovich escaped the base and fled to where the ACU was. Both SU’s 26 and 27 were gone. However, the ACU was untouched. Skovich harnessed himself to the ACU and flew towards Canterlot. An explosion was heard a few seconds later.
Skovich returned to a cheering crowd, with Princess Celestia bowing her head in thankfulness. However, Skovich had left with two companions, but only returned by himself. The princess looked at him. “Aren’t you going to ask where your companions are?” Skovich looked up.
“Where are SUs 26 and 27?” Skovich looked around, then at Celestia, who smiled.
“They are right over there.” The majestic equine pointed her hoof at the two. Skovich glared at them.
“You two! I ordered you to-” The royal equine placed her hoof in front of Skovich.
“Actually, Commander, these two stallions reported to me what was going on, and even sent for backup, but soon found out it was not necessary.” The alicorn pointed to the cloud of smoke miles away. Skovich, now feeling foolish, apologized to the two SUs.
“Hey you two,” Skovich directs to the two SU units, “”Lets meet at my place later tonight over a couple of drinks and some cards. Thats an order!” The three agreed, laughed, and trotted off in separate directions along with one last burst of applause from all of Canterlot.
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Later that night, the three stallions met together at Skovich’s house, on the outskirts of the everfree forest. Skovich looked at the two. “I am really glad you two sent for back up, it means a lot knowing that you two have my back and I owe you two an apology for me snapping at you two earlier.” The two SUs patted Skovich on the back, telling him it was ok. SU 26 and Skovich laugh together, but SU 27 just stared over Skovich’s shoulder. Skovich looked at him.
“What are you looking at?” SU 27 said nothing, but SU 26 followed his stare and looks at Skovich.
“There is something behind you....” Skovich turned around. Looking through the window, Skovich could see why SUs 26 and 27 were staring over him. There was something in the dark woods between two trees. It was a smiling mask.
***RPM Short Stories***
Author's Note
First off, thank you to all the readers who took the time to read this. This story, although short, covers an entire story. I believe that we all have precious time, but some don't have enough to read fifty paged stories. This is why I am creating a line of short stories. This way, YOU, the reader, can experience many different adventures, with many different plots and settings, without using up too much of your valuable time. Thank You.
~RPM
