Equestria: Salvation

Pinkamena washed up ashore a rocky beach, exhausted. She sat up in the shallow water to catch her breath. She stood up and walked off. When she reached the top of a large hill, she saw a parachute caught in a power line. A jet pilot was hanging from it. As Pinkamena approached the scene, the pilot released a harness, dropping her a ways. Another rope held her up. As Pinkamena climbed the radio tower, the pilot took off her helmet, revealing her fiery mane and bright yellow fur.

“You ok?” Pinkamena asked.

“Get my knife,” the pilot said. “It’s in my left hind boot.” Pinkamena took the knife and gave it to the pilot. She started to cut at the rope.

“What’s your name?” Pinkamena asked.

“Spitfire,” the pilot said. “What’s yours?” The rope split and Spitfire fell. Pinkamena reacted quickly and caught her hoof.

“Name’s Pinkamena,” she said.

“You can let me down now, Pinkamena,” Spitfire said. Pinkamena let go of Spitfire and she dropped to the ground. As Spitfire took the last piece of her flight gear off, Pinkamena walked away from her.

“That thing,” she asked. “Where’d it go?”

“The transport?” Spitfire wondered. “Starnet. Where the hell are you going?”

“After it,” Pinkamena said.

“I hate to break it to you,” Spitfire said. “But if you’ve got friends on that thing, they’re as good as dead. Same as you if you keep walking in that direction.”

“Yeah, well I’ve been dead a while, and I’m getting used to it,” Pinkamena said.

“Why don’t you come with me to my base,” Spitfire offered. “Remedy might know a way.” Pinkamena turned and looked at Spitfire. “Listen,” Spitfire said. “If you’ve got a problem with the machines, she’s the mare to talk to.”

“How far is your base?” Pinkamena asked.

“Should be about one or two days hike,” Spitfire answered. She nodded to her left. “And it’s that way,” she said. Spitfire walked off toward her base, and Pinkamena followed.
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On the transport heading for Starnet Central, the prisoners aboard were worried. A mare and a stallion were talking to each other, but nopony else knew what they were saying. One prisoner in particular was getting sick of it.

“What are you saying?” he demanded. “Speak English!” The mare breathed.

“I was telling him, that it’s not true,” she said. “About the machines killing us.”

“They’re gonna kill us,” the other prisoner denied. “They’re gonna kill everypony. We’re in a cattle car, on the way to the slaughter house!”

“Calm down,” Pip said. “You’re not helping. The most important thing that we can do right now is stay alive.” She pointed to her head and her heart. “In here, and in here,” she said. “All right? Just stay alive.” Pumpkin Cake looked up at Pip. Pip hoped that her pep talk would help, if not a lot, at least a little.
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Pinkamena and Spitfire walked through the rain to a broken down water tower. Lightning flashed and thunder blasted through the air.

“Over there,” Spitfire pointed. She and Pinkamena walked into a garage. “Find something we can burn,” Spitfire said. “We’ll be at my base tomorrow.” She started to take off her uniform, looking for any injury.

“Are you hurt?” Pinkamena asked.

“I’m fine,” Spitfire said. Pinkamena and Spitfire looked at each other for a little while before Pinkamena walked away to go look for something to burn. Spitfire put up her gun and looked after Pinkamena. She took off her jacket as Pinkamena looked inside a car. Spitfire walked over to an overflowing tire and took off her upper undergarments. She let herself get washed off in the rain. She covered herself up with her hooves and looked over at Pinkamena. Pinkamena looked over at Spitfire, seemingly emotionless. Spitfire and Pinkamena looked into each other’s eyes. Spitfire slowly turned back to her washing, and Pinkamena went back to looking.

The rain stopped a short while later, and Spitfire had clothed herself back up.

“Whatcha got there?” a voice called out. Spitfire turned and saw three stallions approach her.

“Just some antibiotics,” she said.

“Antibiotics are hard to come by these days,” the lead stallion, Braeburn, said.

“Listen,” Spitfire said. “I don’t have much, but you’re welcome to whatever you need.”

“We’ve been watching you,” another stallion said. Braeburn whistled.

“Looking for this?” he asked, holding up Spitfire’s pistol.

‘Come on guys,” Spitfire reasoned. “The machines are the enemy. We’re on the same side.”

“No, no,” Braeburn disagreed. “See, I’ve got a couple friends on my side.”

“Well maybe they can carry you home,” Spitfire said. “When I’m done with you.” Braeburn pointed the gun at Spitfire.

“You might want to chamber around,” Spitfire suggested. Braeburn looked at her in confusion. Spitfire suddenly slugged him in the face and sent him reeling back. She turned as another stallion ran up to her and kicked him in the gut. The third stallion knocked her to the ground. He laughed. The second stallion picked Spitfire up and assaulted her. Pinkamena ran up with a piece of wood and swung. It broke against the stallion’s back and he fell down, dropping Spitfire. Pinkamena grabbed the third stallion and punched him in the face. She roughly laid him down on a tire and drove a screwdriver into his shoulder. As Pinkamena turned, the second stallion backhoofed her across the face. Pinkamena’s head jolted, but she turned right back around, unfazed. She punched the stallion in the gut and knocked Braeburn away. The stallion with the screwdriver in his shoulder pulled it out and attacked Pinkamena. Braeburn cocked his shotgun and aimed. Pinkamena spun around and used the attacking stallion as a shield. The shotgun blast killed the stallion and he dropped the screwdriver into the mud. Pinkamena lunged at Braeburn. She punched him in the gut and threw him to the ground. As Pinkamena gasped for breath, she looked for something to end Braeburn’s miserable life. She picked up the muddy screwdriver.

“Kill me,” Braeburn dared. “It ain’t gonna win this war.” Pinkamena cracked her neck and walked toward Braeburn. As Braeburn backed away, a bullet suddenly pierced through his thigh. Pinkamena whipped around to see Spitfire, who had fired the shot. Pinkamena looked back at Braeburn. He was groaning in pain. Spitfire threw her empty bag at Braeburn. Pinkamena threw down the screwdriver and walked away with Spitfire.

Spitfire and Pinkamena had gotten a fire started out of what they could find. Pinkamena was staring at the ground. Spitfire walked over and threw another piece of wood into the fire. She sat down next to Pinkamena. Nopony said a word until Spitfire broke the silence.

“Thinking about your past?” she asked. Pinkamena didn’t answer. Spitfire sighed. “You know what I’ve learned, Pinkamena?” she said. “You can focus on what is lost, or you can fight for what is left.” Pinkamena pondered that thought as she tried to get comfortable. Spitfire tried to do so as well.

“I’m a little cold,” she said, despite the fire blazing. She crawled over to Pinkamena, who was a little on edge. “Relax,” Spitfire said. She pulled Pinkamena’s hoof over her and laid down on her chest. “I just want some body heat,” Spitfire explained. Pinkamena had never felt that feeling. That feeling of somepony else.

“You have a strong heart,” Spitfire said. “God, I love that sound.” She sighed. “Thank you. For saving me back there. You don’t meet a lot of good girls these days.”

“I’m not a good girl,” Pinkamena confessed. Spitfire sat up and looked Pinkamena in the eyes.

“You are,” she corrected. “You just don’t know it yet.” Spitfire lay back down.

“Do you think ponies deserve a second chance?” Pinkamena asked.

“Yeah,” Spitfire said. “I do.”
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Velvet Remedy and Rainbow Dash climbed up to the top of a cliff.

“This is it,” Rainbow Dash quietly said. “Starnet’s valley of death. We’ve never been this deep before.”

“We’ve got to be sure the signal works in their territory,” Velvet said. “With all the bigger machines.” Rainbow and Velvet sat down on the rocks and got ready. Remedy pulled out a detonator and flipped the switch. A pile of cars in the distance exploded.

“That’ll bring ‘em in,” Remedy said. Rainbow and Velvet sat and waited. Remedy zipped up her jacket. After a short while, the pair heard a faint hum in the distance. Remedy used her night vision viewfinder to look.

“HK,” she whispered. “Incoming.” Remedy watched as the Hunter Killer inspected the damage. She nodded to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow turned on the signal. The HK heard and turned around.

“Turn it up!” Remedy ordered. Rainbow Dash quickly turned up the signal. As the HK closed in, Remedy began to stand up to run. The Hunter Killer’s lights suddenly went out, and it crashed into the canyon wall. Remedy was in disbelief.

“It works, girl!” Rainbow Dash cried. “The signal works! It’s beautiful!” Velvet picked up the RPG she had brought with her and took aim at the disabled Hunter killer. She fired and destroyed the machine. Rainbow Dash packed up the gear and she and Remedy ran back to their vehicle.

“Rainbow Dash to General Armor,” Rainbow called.

“Remedy, tell me it works,” Shining Armor hoped.

“It works!” Remedy cried. “That is affirmative, the signal works!”

“Good,” Shining Armor said, pleased. “The attack begins at oh four hundred tomorrow worldwide. Your unit will be in control in the bombing of Starnet Central.”

“What is the extraction plan for the prisoners?” Remedy wondered.

“Extraction plan? There is no extraction plan,” Shining Armor said. “We’re going to level the place.”

“Negative,” Remedy sternly said. “I told you. Starnet Central is filled with pony prisoners!”

“This is war, Remedy,” Shining Armor said. “Leadership has its costs, you above all should know that.” With that, Shining Armor hung up.

“Armor, come in,” Remedy called. “Armor, Remedy. Armor! Come…damn him!” Rainbow Dash drove the car back to base.
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At Starnet Central, the transport carrying Pip and Pumpkin Cake had just touched down in the loading dock.

“Get back!” Pip cried. “Get back!” As the doors opened, prisoners spilled onto the loading dock. T-600s stood guard, making sure they stayed put. When they had all been loaded there, a massive wall closed in, pushing the prisoners further. The prisoner that had denied the fact that they wouldn’t die made a run for it. He climbed the fenced walls in an attempt to escape. A T-600 noticed and fired. His minigun sent many bullets into the prisoner, whose body went limp. The Terminator glared at the other prisoners, daring them to try and escape.
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Pinkamena and Spitfire walked up to a fenced area.

“Wait,” Pinkamena said.

“What?” Spitfire asked. Pinkamena was looking at a sign. Spitfire followed her gaze.

“That’s us,” she explained, pointing to the Resistance symbol. “The mines are magnetic. If we head due west at this point, we’re good.” Pinkamena was hesitant to go into the minefield. “I’ll go first,” Spitfire offered. She walked into the minefield and Pinkamena cautiously followed. The minefield was made of a wooded area. As Pinkamena stepped past a mine, it began to shake, unknown to her. Pinkamena was wary, seeing security cameras hooked up in trees.

“Come on, Pinkamena,” Spitfire said, quickening her pace. “I’m starving.” A mine suddenly attached itself to Pinkamena’s back hoof. Spitfire bolted around. Pinkamena looked up in emotionless confusion. The mine exploded, sending Pinkamena flying. Memories rang in Pinkamena’s head, memories of her execution. She was being carried by four soldiers, and was laid on a medical table.

“What do we got here?” Braveheart asked.

“She stepped on a land mine,” Spitfire informed.

“We’ll start a large, four IV. Keep that open,” Bravheart said, as he put a hoof to Pinkamena’s neck, to check for pulse.

“OK,” Pinkamena managed.

“What’s her name?” Braveheart asked.

“Pinkamena,” Spitfire said. Braveheart looked down at the wound.

“She’s got a prosthetic limb?” he asked. Spitfire turned to look. “All right,” Braveheart said. “All’s good, let’s see what we've got here.” He opened up Pinkamena’s jacket, then his eyes went wide. Everypony in the room stepped back. Braveheart dropped the jacket and stepped back, staring at Pinkamena.

“Rainbow,” he said. Rainbow Dash walked up, and drove the butt of her assault rifle into Pinkamena’s head. Everything went black.