S.T.A.L.L.I.O.N.: The Marenobyl Chronicles

“The Royal Guard of Equestria is calling all right minded and loyal citizens to collaborate with the authorities! Report all known cases of S.T.A.L.L.I.O.N. activity! Do not let the looters hide behind your backs! They bring radiological, unidentified items from the Zone that are highly dangerous for pony health and life! Only with your help can we eliminate this hideous phenomenon! Do not put your lives and the lives of your families at risk for the sake of dubious profit!” The loudspeaker continues to screech its spiel into the early morning regardless of the fact that no one cares as long as bits are involved; even the Royal Guards will tend to turn a blind eye in exchange for some coin.

These days I am thankful that Platinum Ace allows me to stay in her bunker after long weeks in the field, though if it was not for my quick wit during the trading “incident” I do not think that she would have as much business as she does. Sure helps out when the corrupt guards that are making the trading try to pull a fast one; they forget how easy it is to be ambushed in factory complex and that thanks to the anomalies the Royal Pegasus Patrol won’t come in handy.  Regardless it is good to know that there is at least one pony that I can call an ally in this Tartarus.

Rolling out of my cot, I fumble around looking for the air tanks, ALICE-Pack and my trusty Automatic Sparckalov-10. I stumble up the stairs and am greeted by Ms. Ace, as usual.

“So Blitz, after how much time you spend here sleeping you might as well throw a ring my way,” Platinum Ace says dryly.

“Nice to see that your mind is still as saucy as your flank,” I retort back to her with a shit-eating grin.

I begin to walk over to her counter pulling out some bits from my pocket to pay her for the stay and as a show of my gratitude since she could have thrown me on my flank anytime she wished.

“Blitz, what the fuck is this?” she asks with a dead-pan stare as my bits drop on the counter.

“Just because I am a smart-ass does not mean I do not have a heart or a moral compass, though I think the latter has been pretty fucked up for some time,” I retort back.

“O for Celestia’s sake you little shit,” she groans; rubbing her face, “I do not want your damn bits, after all the jobs we have done together this is the least I can do for you; besides who will keep me company when the Blow-Outs roll over the area?”

“You are right as usual Platinum,” I glared at her with a devious smirk, “but the Zone isn’t the only thing that is going to have a Blow-Out soon if you keep this up.”

The only response I get back is that of a mare who is both taken aback and slightly enraged at the same time, with a hint of arousal.

“You keep that sweet talking up, only thing that is going to get a “Blow-Out” is your head.”

“Okay-Okay you win Ms. Ace, you win; now tell me any good contracts for me today?”

“Well…,” she slowly draws it out while scrolling through her terminal, “there is this one job but it screams “Set-Up” louder than that time when Odd-Job was trying to lure rookies away from their camp by sending out a distress alert over Mare-Net that the Guard had captured a rookie scouting party.”

“Okay, I am interested; what is the situation?”

“So, they want you to bring around ten Jellyfish to the Great Arms Works up north in exchange for two Compasses.”

“You are fucking joking right?”

“No, Blitz I am not…”

“But, they think we are dumb enough to fall for something as absolutely retarded as that.”

“Blitz you have committed worse crimes against logic.”

“I mean sure I have but the Jellyfish artifact is good and all for giving you CANCER while raising your ability to take 9mm rounds but that’s it!”

“Yea, Blitz and in return they are not giving us one but TWO rare artifacts that appear once every three years,” Platinum Ace says while she exhales.

I begin to look around as we both are done verbally fencing with each other, her eyes catch mine and I can see that she has the twinkle in her eye and I sure as shit know I do so without further delay I reach across the counter grab her hand and say with the grin of a life time, “Ms. Ace you just found yourself a courier for that gig.”