Chapter 4

The Great Escape

The initial shock of knowing that our Stable was being invaded finally began to run its course. The gunfire spewing into the main hall was mostly what shook everypony present out of it, and as we watched the Security forces that were not injured diving for cover I could feel every fiber of my being tensing. Within me, my defense protocols were beginning to activate; although I didn't have any weapons at my disposal. All I had was my hooves, and extensive programmed knowledge on close quarters fighting as I turned and looked to Ginger. "Overmare, it is of the utmost importance I get you to safety alive and unharmed. We must escape this place, using the secret route beneath your desk."

Both the Overmare and her husband nodded, although the former still gazed sadly at the Security forces as they lost lives and ground. I knew her friends, maybe even family were fighting and dying down there, but her safety was my top priority and I wasn't going to fail my protocols as I ushered her to her computer. "Activate it Overmare, so that we may flee to the main door and escape to safety while these 'Steel Rangers' as you call them are distracted."

A few console commands later, and the large metallic desk that had once seemed built into the very flooring was sliding back and up; the floor in front of it parting to accommodate stairs that were covered in thick dust. Hearing the gunfire beginning to fade out, I stepped into its depths to ensure it was safe to enter before gesturing the others to follow. A few more clicks came from the computer I heard before Ginger joined the rest of us. "I had to ensure all the Stable's files were deleted, just in case the Rangers were after our classified data." She said.

When we were all down in the tunnel, Ginger accessed another smaller console and reverted the previous commands. The desk had solidly returned to its previous position by the time I began to walk among the tunnels, knowing my way thanks to virtual maps that typically only the Overmare had access to. Almost immediately, Serenity remarked, "This place isn't on any of my maintenance schematics, and none of my colleagues ever told me of this area before."

"That's because this was a secret exit to the main door only, and its existence is only privy to the Overmare and her husband. A form of escape, to protect Stable secrets in case of invasions such as this." I replied, turning down a corridor to our left as White nodded faintly.

The dimness of the lights suggested the grime of untold years built up on them as we passed under their yellowed glow, and dust was kicking up with every step as we paused to listen to the gunfire. Silence. That was all there was to greet us now. "I think we're just too far in to hear it anymore." Ginger said, optimistically hoping that the Security forces were still fighting back the Rangers.

"Let's keep moving, while they're still distracted then." I said, catching sight of a bulkhead door up ahead.

Upon reaching the door, we paused yet again. There were voices, faint, but there. They weren't in the next room, but rather in the main control room for the door likely. The passage into the entrance of the stable was hidden, a door resembling a wall; so I don't think that these ponies knew of the room between us. Opening the door, as quickly as we dared, we managed to get it open enough to slip inside one by one before closing it behind us and locking it in place. The room that was before us was simple, a few desks with old consoles that hadn't seen use since the Megaspells fell; chairs idly waiting and never utilized. Dust motes spinning in the air, this place was as abandoned as it could get as we made our way to the entrance into the control room. The door's access panel was still powered, and the button was waiting as I pressed an ear to the door. The conversation I could hear was louder now, and seemed pointed towards what I had referred to earlier in the tunnel.

"So why did we come to this hole in the ground anyways?" One asked, a mare I could tell.

"Because Command believes that there's some sort of technology to be gleaned beyond what the other Stables we've searched had." The other, an older, more mature mare replied.

"What was it even again that we're looking for?" The younger mare asked.

"Some sort of advanced ponytron technology I heard. The Elder was blabbering on about how old records from the ruins of a Stable-Tec facility spoke of a prototype ponytron being developed and housed here." The older mare replied.

"Any idea what it was for?" The younger one questioned.

"Negative Knight Cross, but our orders are to recover it at all costs; even if the Stable Dwellers must be sacrificed."

As I turned back, I knew the others had heard this as well; and as such I felt guilty for bringing this upon my masters. Ginger and White seemed to sense this, and he shook his head as Ginger spoke softly, "It's not your fault that this is happening Violet, no matter what please believe that. The Rangers would have come sooner or later, especially since my Security had investigated the area outside before and had a run-in with their Contingent previously."

If I had the capacity to cry, i'd have been moved to tears as the gunfire started again; only this time there were screams in return instead of the grunts and return fire from the Security personnel. It was in this, that the odd feelings of sadness that was so uncommon in my programming matrix gave way to what I recognized as fury. "Wait in here, I'll dispatch of these two."

As I moved to press the button, I caught a glimpse of Serenity's face and saw how worried she was; although I alleviated her concerns with a wave of my hoof before pressing the button. The door slid open, almost silently; as though perfectly greased and simply waiting for this to have happened as I slipped out and into the large control room. The area was dominated mostly by the large mechanisms used to operate the blast door sealing the Stable shut, with a few consoles controlling said mechanisms nearby. Standing guard before these consoles were the two mares, each clad in a suit of power armor and toting on their battle-saddles auto-cannons. They weren't facing me, so I had the perfect opportunity to get the drop on them as I crept silently towards their position. They had ceased talking, merely watching the main door where gunfire and screams echoed back; their posture suggesting boredom as they stood vigil.

Not vigilant enough, as I stood behind what I guessed was the older of the two. It was so simple, so effortless and quiet; all but the sound of her neck being broken as my hooves slid around that precious length before ending her. The choking, gurgling sounds alerted her comrade; but she was as easily felled by a few, quick strikes in exposed weaknesses in her armor. She was on the floor, unconscious; laying in the small pool of blood from her friend's mouthpiece as I gestured for the others to join me. Looking to the blast door's opening to the small cave entrance, I could see the faint slits of light coming from an old mine-shaft door that heralded the world above. The others saw it too, after seeing the two bodies that had been so mercilessly left on the thick concrete floor. Knowing this was the only way to preserve the lives of the three with me; I walked towards the light shining through the door's cracks and hesitantly, I knew they followed behind me. When I reached the door, I paused before it; knowing the significance of what lay beyond but not exactly what it was that was that awaited us.

Eventually, I pushed the door open slowly. The light that rushed in to greet us overrode my visuals and blinded me for a moment, as it did the rest who were shielding themselves with their hooves. When my sight did return to me; and I had emerged from the cave, I was greeted to a sight that surprised and confused me. As far as we could all see, there was just endless wastes. The same, reddish brown and grey. An unending, unbroken landscape with cracked roads and a few crumbling ruins that once likely were houses for the ponies here before the war.

"The surface." Serenity whispered, "I never...never thought I'd see it...Or expect it to be so...desolate."

"Neither did I." I added softly, still taking in the immense loss of the small world I had only briefly known to this newer, bleaker place as Ginger and White joined me at my side with the door shutting behind them.

Author's Note

Hello once again audience, this is author Derpyness Maximus here. I'm just checking in with you all to see how you feel about both chapter four and the story thus far. Did you enjoy it? Did you dislike it? Are you somewhat in the middle? Either way, would you kindly leave me a comment or even P.M. me about your thoughts if you'd like; and remember to thumbs up or down the story. Also, I'd be interested to hear from those who do dislike the story especially, more so for their reasons of dislike and to see if I can change to become better at what I do.

As always, I give thanks to my unnamed proofreader friend whom catches most of my errors before publishing.

This is author Derpyness Maximus, signing off for now.