Echo Complex

The Blue Citizen seems very upset, even scared, as the team of three Troubleshooters calmly ambles their broken bodies towards them.

"So, uh, what can I-I help you with?" He smiles nervously.

"We need this stuff." Saib hands over the list of items required to fulfill the mission.

He takes the papers and makes noncommittal grunts for a few minutes, then types on his computer for a about twice as long.

The motley crew of Troubleshooters stand around and wait awkwardly for the Citizen to finish.

Baz-R-ING takes out a Red Clearance candy bar and eats it. It tastes vaguely of cardboard. He takes out another and eats it more slowly. He is now sure that they were, in fact, cardboard that was manipulated to have even less taste.

The Blue Citizen continues to grunt and type on the computer, occasionally looking at the papers given to him by Saib.

E-R-ASE notices Baz shifting about on his pet-bot. He pays it no heed, but smiles a bit at the memory of where Baz is currently sitting.

Saib-R-MAN coughs awkwardly.

"What-? Oh, come- Grrr..." The Blue Citizen looks bemused, but continues clip-clopping away at the computer.

"Hey, want a candy bar?" Baz asks E.

"No way." He responds promptly.

"Come on, I'm trying to make amends. Besides, it's just a candy bar."

"Fine." He takes a Red candy bar, grudgingly.

"You want one?" He puts one under Saib's nose.

"Sure, I guess." She responds.

E and Saib both take bites of their respective candy bars. E's head explodes, to the great joy of Baz, and the incredible chagrin of the Blue Citizen.

The Blue Citizen's yells are drowned out by Baz's laughter; or maybe by Saib's shouts. Either way, Baz gets a message from Int. Sec. It reads as follows:

Dear Traitorous Citizen,

For the treasonous crime of treason by dirtying a higher Clearance Citizen's uniform, a squad of Troubleshooters has been dispatched to eliminate you. Please carry on with your current mission. Do not attempt to escape your execution by the Troubleshooter team, they are the Computer's most loyal and lethal subordinates. If you would rather not be killed for treason, you can always go to an official Suicide Booth. There is no escape from the Troubleshooter team otherwise.

Baz shows the message to Saib, and they share a laugh. She then kicks Baz, stumbling him.

"Oof- Why'd you do that!?" He shouts.

"You're a traitor!" She responds and runs at him, knocking him over.

Baz quickly gets his brass hooves on and kicks Saib, hitting her in the face and sending her flying. lands a few meters away and seems unconscious. He walks up to her, and she quickly leaps up and hits him while his guard is down. It doesn't do much but make him angry and stumble him. He tries to hit her again, but just hits the floor, leaving a sizeable crack. Saib takes this moment to kick him in the head, causing him to reel. In an extreme burst of anger, Baz smashes into Saib and begins pummeling her. She kicks him in the testicles and crawls away, in great pain. Her respite is short-lived, as he leaps back onto her, with a new fury. Saib's vision darkens.

E is shot out of a tube from the ceiling that quickly retracts, landing on the floor. He sees Baz on top Saib, furiously hitting her. He slowly walks closer, and Baz turns around quickly. Baz gets off of Saib, and E notices that there is a large dent in the concrete where Saib's head should be.

"Uhhh... thanks for the candy bar?" He says nervously.

"She kicked me in the balls." He says, and walks towards E.

"Hey, man, I'm sorry. You totally didn't deserve that." His sarcasm black masked by fear.

"You're right, thanks for understanding." Baz suddenly smiles at E.

"No probl-" E is interrupted by blackness.

The Blue Citizen watched, in abject horror, as the insane Reed Clearance Citizen killed his team one and a half times. He quickly begins calling in favors to get the required items so that he'll leave.

Baz calls Friend Princess.

"Oh, it's you. I don't talk to traitors more than once, so make it count. Also I'm tracking you so that the hit squad will find you faster." Friend Princess says with contempt.

"I'd like to prove my innocence, accuse another, and report a treasonous attempt to end my life." He says calmly.

"Fine. Let's hear it." She says with poorly concealed boredom.

"It was E-R-ASE's blood on the Blue Citizen's shirt, right?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Therefore, he was treasonous and I was in the right to kill him and defend myself from Saib-R-MAN."

"You killed him before he was treasonous." She pointed out.

"No no, just now."

"...Really?" She sighs.

"Yesh."

"..."

"... So...?"

"I'm having a Vulture Squad flown to you to execute you in very painful manner." She disconnects.

Baz puts away his PDC, disheartened. He hears a click and a familiar voice behind him.

"You will be rewarded well for the successful termination of Treasonous Citizen Baz-R-ING." The Princess says to E and Saib.

Baz looks behind him and sees E and Saib armed with a steel rod and throwing knives, respectively.

Details spared, he doesn't last long. Details in length? He was hit by five throwing knives, all landing in his torso, before he could react. Luckily they only pierced non vital organs, and a lung. He tried to rummage in his pack for a weapon, forgetting he had brass hooves on, but was interrupted by a knife in his lower neck. It didn't kill him, but weakened him enough for E to quickly run in and begin smashing him with his rod (huehue). Under the unending, merciless blows, he tried to use his mutant power, puking acid onto himself.  Whether he died from acid eating his innards, or brain hemorrhaging, is unknown. But it was painful and messy either way.

"STOP! STOP KILLING EACH OTHER! JUST TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT FROM THE BACK AND LEAVE!" The Blue Citizen shouts.

"Whatever?" Saib's eyes go wide.with excitement.

"Yes, just leave as soon as you're done and don't kill each other." He responds sadly.

They are about to go search PLC to find and take the best stuff, when the PLC door slams open. They hear a flurry of ponies trotting into PLC behind them. They don't think it affects them, and try to ignore it.

"Hello Comrades!! It is so good to see you all! You won't mind if I... look around?" A heavy accent resounds throughout PLC with great authority, causing E and Saib to stop.

E and Saib slowly turn around, and see a slow flood of ponies clad in red, non-clearance, non-Princess issued jumpsuits, with strange beards and hats. They all appear to have primitive tools painted on them, namely, a hammer and, what appears to be, a kind of oval shape with sharp edges and points attached to a stick.

The one in front comes up to E and Saib and claps them on the back, "You been great help to us, no? Come, Comrades, let us reap the fruits of your labor, and then disperse them amongst the everybody!" He cheers.

E and Saib look at each other with fear and confusion.