Fallout Stalliongrad

(Just when you think all is fine, fate can be cruel.)

The transport that we were on had an old machine gun mount on it which was quickly outfitted to mount Stalliongrad's Thunder. I manned it as we left the city behind us and entered in to the true wastes of Rusha. For her part Storm was flying just high enough to see everything ahead of us and communicated via headset mounted in her Enclave armor. Blaze and Sweet trotted alongside the transport and chatted back and fourth to keep from being bored to death. Fuse sat and chatted with Center about the city of St Pinkiesburg and what the city was like. Mr Stalliongrad just sat and listened in on the conversation and would add his two bits every now and then to a certain question asked by Fuse.

"Why aren't you ponies having this meeting in the old capital of Rusha, Mosscow? It doesn't make any since to me."

"Well Fuse, the old capital is a very dangerous place for any pony. Not just due to raiders either, During the great war it was hit no less than ten times by both Mega-spells and Balefire bombs. The radiation levels there are only rivaled by those in Japon, Hoofington and Canterlot in Equestria. No pony has really ever explored the capital due to those extreme conditions, and the countless ghouls that inhabit the place. Just as any capital in any wasteland across the planet it was a high priority target and was raised almost out of existence. We will be avoiding the city and all outlying areas around it if we can. Any pony who is brave enough to attempt to venture in to the city will often come back with stories of countless riches to be had, if one is willing to look for them, but they all say the city should be avoided at all costs unless a pony is armed enough, and has an adequate supply of Rad-x and Rad-away. even then those won't protect one from ghouls or raider attacks. To be honest with you Fuse, I hope this meeting will lay out a plan to help the city attempt to return to somewhat normality, but I highly doubt it. There is something big about to happen if every Spezneighs unit in Rusha has decided to have such a meeting, and I don't like it, it just feels... wrong to me. However this meeting could also be a call to arms to deal with the countless raider clans out there along with the slaving parties that have taken residence in some of the more minor cities, only time will tell just what this meeting is about."

They chatted for what seemed like hours about anything under the... clouds.. yeah, clouds. They talked about how things in Stalliongrad would be better without the Coltchivics; and how even though they still were a threat trade was beginning to stabilize the city and its ponies who called it home. I had to admit, that in the month we had been out of our home; the city had seen an increase in ponies taking up residence there and it felt good that we were helping to allow that to happen. Weather it be our scavenging for old tech, or any other valuable thing we would trade it for other goods and services adding to the stabilization of the city and the new ponies who moved in almost daily. If this was a sign of a new wasteland then I liked it and wanted to see it spread to the rest of Rusha. That however was only a dream. what would end up happening to not just me, but all of Rusha would soon bring us to the brink of yet another apocalypse. I digress however; that is for future chapters in this saga of what happens when one pokes their nose where it doesn't belong; then tries to make everything better. What I will say right now is that this simple trip is what has led me to where I am now, and if I could; I would have paid closer attention to my rifle on that firing range.

...

All seemed to be going quite fine for almost the entire day, the chatting continued and everything went on as if nothing would break the silence. That was until we were about an hour outside of Ponza.

Storm spotted it first, it was a simple wagon on the side of the road. That is where simple gave way to a harsh reality of the wastes. The wagon appeared to have a broken axle and looked as though it had been there for quite some time. Center Mass ordered the convoy to stop to assist in any repairs that needed to be done. That is when a normal convoy to St Pinkiesburg turned in to a bloodbath. Upon closer inspection of the wagon we found the ponies in the small trade wagon mutilated and literally smeared throughout the inside of it. Blood had pooled under the wagon and we could tell that this was just the beginning of things to come.

"There is a survivor here, quick get a med-kit and help me with her."

"How is she still alive? She has lost a lot of blood, and appears to have been shot several times. Shadow squad take up defensive positions; lets get these transports in a circle so we can have a defensible position if whoever attacked this wagon comes back."

"They... they came out of nowhere, we tried to fight them but there were too many of them. They killed every pony, I played dead and they left me alone. They.... THEY KILLED MY FAMILY! Why, why would they do this?!"

"Easy there, who attacked you and where did they go? How many of them were there, and were there....?" He was cut off by Storm.

"Sir, you might want to see this!"

"Sweet mother of me, the town.... Its burning. Storm try to see if you can spot any survivors or any sign of the attackers; they have to still be around and if they are I want to know their positions."

"YES SIR, on it. Blaze Sweet Shot, you two will be my eyes on the ground. Let me know if you see anything I miss okay?"

Both Blaze and Sweet suddenly went from casual mode to fight mode in the blink of an eye and they suddenly were making their way out of the circle with Storm flying overhead watching for anything in the wastes. Blaze had War horse levitated by his side and Sweet had her weapon drawn as well as they made their way to the outskirts of the small town. As they advanced they came across a sight that none of us would ever forget. The town had been burned to a cinder with all who inhabited it laying where they fell, there were no survivors to be seen. Center Mass ordered the convoy team to bury the bodies and to give them all a proper funeral. If only it had ended there and I could say we gave the ponies there a final farewell and we kept moving.