Chapter 19

Might of the military

Unbeknownst to anyone present at the scene, a device was currently recording the event.

The device was invisible to anyone thanks to the wonders of advanced technology. The advanced optical camouflage device installed on it prevented visual detection, while other parts generated a fake signal designed to fool electronic surveillance systems.

Its cameras captured the images dispassionately, its microphones were recording the sound waves of human speech, and a powerful transmitter was sending the recordings to another transmitter, which in turn was showing what the device was seeing on a coloured pre-war terminal.

The man sitting in front of the terminal was calmly watching the scene unfold. He did not expect Flash Sentry and his squad to show up; then again, the blue-haired war veteran was well-known for his moral fibers. And Appletown held residence to people that were important to him. Naturally, he would show up to help.

Applaudable, the watcher mused, but his presence will complicate things. Not to mention this NSC operative with a grudge against the ex-DOI agent. Damn it, she just had to meet Rampart of all people.

"Gotta love these Commissariat Hawkeye-class stealth eyebots," he muttered instead.

Two figures clad in power armour looked up at him, but he ignored them, for the eyebot's cameras were now focused on the lavender-skinned girl with violet hair.

"Now, Miss Sparkle," Elder Aegis spoke, "what will you do?"

As Lyra and Sweetie Drops (also known as Bon Bon) continued their stand-off, Applejack spoke up:

"You do realize, Lyra, that Ah simply can't let anyone just off someone who was instrumental in defending Appletown, don't you?"

"You do realize that you are outclassed and outnumbered, Applejack, don't you?" the mint-skinned girl mirrored the question.

"Lyra?" Twilight spoke up. "You said you watched the files. Did you watch them in full? I mean, without redacted parts?"

"Of course I did," came the answer. "Why do you ask?"

"Can I see the files?"

"Hmpf. It's not really within Commissariat's guidelines, but... fine, whatever. Maybe you'll be less inclined to stand up for her after that," Lyra took out a magneto-optic data disk and threw it towards the equine Princess, who caught it with her hands. "It has those files I had copied from Sunset and some extra bits."

Inserting the disk into her Pip-Boy, Twilight opened the entries she had seen previously, but now, there were indeed no redacted parts. Sunset, Applejack and Flash came up to her, curious to see what was written in these files that were forbidden for general public.

Report #379
The latest events in Yakyakistan are troubling. After the coup that saw Prince Rutherford killed, the new government is by no means friendly towards us and leans more towards relationships with TransOceanic Defense Coalition, but the increased marine traffic between Minotauritania and Yakyakistan is too big, even with the good relationships their leaders seem to enjoy.

This can only mean one thing: Yakyakistan is preparing to join the TODC, which is the worst that can happen now. This must be prevented, or at least we must know more of relations between Yakyakistan and TODC. Unfortunately, our abilities are limited. Agent Gravity is requesting more personnel be sent, but I am not inclined to take this risk. The final decision rests upon General Skywatch, however.

END

Report #382
Agent Gravity suspects that the latest shipment to Yakyakistan contains components that TODC uses for construction of their bases for nuclear missiles. She has sent another request for additional personnel.

Given that Canterlot and major military complexes do not lie far from Yakyakistan, and TODC submarine base there is too close, the possibility of the Yak Island being used as a stage for a nuclear attack on critical hubs of military and civilian infrastructure is too scary to ignore. I request that Agent Gravity's request be approved.

END

Report #388
Agents Gravity and Ukulele confirmed the shipment of uranium-235 from Minotauritania to Yakyakistan. The Field Director states that a black operation aimed at destruction of nuclear silos needs to be carried out.

I would rather wait. Such drastic actions may have terrible repercussions, especially if Yakyakistan has already secretly joined TODC. Agents Falls and Ukulele say the same in their reports, while the majority of other agents agrees with Field Director, and a small part says nothing on the issue.

This report along with all relevant appendixes is sent upwards. Such decisions are above our pay grade.

END

Report #391
Field Director is having doubts in the loyalty of agents Gravity and Ukulele. They are the only agents that speak against carrying out the Operation Balefire, while the rest insist.

Paranoia is a must in our job, but too much of it is harmful. Gravity and Ukulele are our best agents in Yakyakistan. Their information has never failed us. Of course, there's a possibility of them being double-agents and supplying carefully crafted disinformation, but I can't see the endgame in this case.

I'll contact General Skywatch and ask for advice. Maybe we will need to involve the Commissariat.

END

Report #395
We have lost two more agents. It's no longer possible to argue against agents Gravity and Ukulele being traitors.

I have contacted Operative Heartstrings. She has instructed agents from Group 16 and will wait for them to bring Gravity back, while Ukulele will be brought back by Group 18. Task Force Dominator is being assembled at 5th Fleet base in order to implement Operation Balefire. We will use mini-subs for infiltration.

END

Report #396
Agents Falls and Ukulele have boarded their respective vessels, as planned. Before that, however, they sent us one final report.

If its contents are to be believed, Yakyakistan's nuclear force does not threaten Canterlot at all and there is no point in Operation Balefire. The nuclear missiles that they presumably saw were Minotauritanian X-22 long-range ballistic missiles and LX-17 short-range submarine-based missiles, good for taking out our population centers and industrial complex in UFE's geographic center, but not for hitting us where it hurts the most. The question is: why? Surely Yakyakistan is a good point for staging medium-range ballistic missiles which could easily threaten Canterlot.

Anyway, since we believe them to be traitors now, their opinion is irrelevant. They will be separated and given over to NSC. The first stage of Operation Balefire will begin soon.

END

These files certainly do not paint Bon Bon in best light, Twilight mused, but there has to be more, right?

Looking at another file on the magneto-optic disk, she did find more information, unredacted:

FIELD REPORT (with addenda)

From: Field Director (Yakyakistan)
To: DOI HQ, Canterlot

Sir,

the residency of Directorate of Intelligence in Yakyakistan is taking a hit after a hit. While the totalitarian control that the new government of Yakyakistan has installed makes it more and more difficult for us to gather useful intel, recent arrests leave me no other option but to conclude that our residency has been compromised and a mole - or more like two moles are present within our ranks. Thus, I am afraid that we may need to involve the 6th Department of NSC to get rid of them.

After studying the situation, I have come to a conclusion that the traitors are Agent Gravity and Agent Ukulele. I cannot transfer the audio and video files via this channel and will send them via other means, but I can describe their latest activities.

Agents Gravity and Ukulele, first and foremost, vehemently oppose the sanctioning of Operation Balefire, ruining the consensus necessary for such an operation. Agent Gravity had sent a transmission to the CO of Task Force Dominator which shows enemy force composition that indicates the unfavourability of Operation Balefire without my authorization, risking the residency's security (or what was left of it). The data she had sent are contradicted by the images from surveillance satellites, however, and those images have been verified and re-verified, which suggests that Agent Gravity was either grossly incompetent or was trying to mislead the CO of Task Force Dominator. Agent Ukulele has sent us the photos she had allegedly made with her cell phone, which seem to show the placement of enemy forces in positions sent by Gravity via the geolocation tag; however, the covert checking of her phone has revealed that the metadata of those images have been altered. These actions, if supplemented by additional data, leave no conclusion but deliberate attempt of misinformation.

Both Agent Gravity and Agent Ukulele have met on several occasions with certain persons that work for Yakyakistan's counter-intelligence service or are known by us as said service's informants. Whenever such a meeting occurred, one or two agents of Yakyakistan's residency would disappear within two weeks; most of the time, it took from three to ten days. Agents Gravity and Ukulele claim that they were trying to convince said persons to work with DOI, stating that those persons are not at all pleased with the new government (admittedly, at least one third of them indeed harbours resentment towards the authorities), but they apparently were not successful. Such events have happened too often to be a coincidence. It also bothers me that on no occasion have we managed to record a conversation between agents and enemy counter-intelligence informants: the places where they spoke are remarkably difficult to penetrate. All other agents agree that unless one cooperated with the enemy, it was impossible to know of them in advance. Meanwhile, the enemy counter-intelligence has somehow obtained concerning our agents, which was known only to very few within our cell - myself, my XO, Senior Agent Prominence and four other agents - Gravity and Ukulele being two of them. Since two ther agents were executed and Senior Agent Prominence is missing, this only confirms my suspicions.

Finally, about Senior Agent Prominence, who was one step higher than agents Gravity and Ukulele: he has disappeared under very mysterious circumstances. His place of residence appears to have been ransacked by someone, but we have found no evidence of struggle. Several drops of soporific barbiturates were found, however, as well as two drops of blood that belonged to Prominence. His terminal was hacked by someone, and the last images from CCTV's we have recovered show that agents Gravity and Ukulele were the last ones to enter his place of residence.

The risk that Gravity and Ukulele pose is too high to ignore. Please consider my request for involvement of NSC's 6th Department.

Field Director (Yakyakistan)

END

MEMO (DOI)

From: DOI HQ, Canterlot
To: Field Director (Yakyakistan)

Your request has been granted. 6th Department of Commissariat has reviewed the data and agreed to eliminate the traitors. The details will be sent later.

END

"Well..." Sunset commented, making Twilight twitch - she practically forgot that her compatriot was standing behind her - and jump, "...that's one fine condemnation I am seeing. But who is Senior Agent Prominence?"

"Prominence?" Bon Bon spoke up. "That was one guy named Sunburst."

"Sunburst?" Twilight perked up.

"You know him?"

"Not really... I remember the name, but not the face... but it seems familiar somehow," the lavender-skinned girl muttered.

"Oh. I hoped you knew him."

"Who was he?"

"My and Octavia's direct superior. Genuinely nice guy. He disappeared for some reason two weeks before DOI vessel came to transfer me back. The circumstances were suspicious, but... I had an audio message from him that I wanted to transmit to HQ, but was not sure whether I should have - after the arrest of one of my colleagues, the counter-intelligence really stepped up their game."

"A message?" Lyra spoke, her voice laced with distrust.

"Yes, it's still on my Pip-Boy."

"Can we hear it?" Twilight asked. Bon Bon looked at her apprehensively for two seconds, but then put her carbine away with a sigh and pushed several buttons on her Pip-Boy.

Everyone present heard a voice of a young man, who sounded like he was in his early thirties:

"Senior Agent Prominence to Agent Gravity, urgent. Agent Gravity, listen. I have stumbled upon two guys from TODC joint counter-intelligence team talking to each other, and they were not locals. I recorded snippets of their conversation, since they were a bit careless; they said they had a list of DOI agents in Yakyakistan, and they got it from our HQ, no less! I don't know if it's true, but the copies of the recording I made and of this message are hidden in my place; you know where. Find a way to get them to Skywatch, he must know! Prominence out."

Stunned silence rang out across the field.

"...w-w-what?!" Lyra muttered, stung. "Infiltrator at the DOI HQ? Impossible! It must be! That building was as secure as the President's Vault!"

"Yet Ah haven't heard of the President comin' out of that Vault," Applejack remarked. "So maybe it was not as secure after all."

"That building is packed with security systems of all kinds! How could said infiltrator remain undetected?!"

"Did he?" Bon Bon interjected. "I have heard rumours that someone who worked there was caught stealing secret info. I never knew who did it or what that person wanted to do with it, but the rumours were running around nearly at the same time when my work in Yakyakistan was almost finished... You did not know of this?"

"No, I didn't..." the mint-haired girl lowered her head, her laser rifle also going down a bit. "But that would mean... that there was a chance that Octavia was... was..."

She faltered, but the unspoken word was understood by anyone. Innocent.

"Lyra," Sunset stepped forward, coming closer to the ex-NSC operative and inconspiciously standing in front of Bon Bon, "I understand that you must have felt outraged. And you didn't know about that possible infiltrator. But now that you do... please don't hurry in... performing judgement."

"Oh drop that pretense, Shimmer," Lyra replied, "you want me not to kill her, right?"

"Yes, I do. Because if you kill Bon Bon right now, and find out that she was innocent... imagine how that would feel."

"Won't be worse if I let her go and find out that she is still guilty."

"Lyra. For seven years when I was stuck in that Tartarus-forsaken Vault 75, I didn't have a single friend. All the others went separate ways, and we failed to re-unite. I still don't know of the fates of half of them! Try to imagine how exalted I was when I found Twilight, then Applejack. Heck, I was very happy to see you and Bon Bon, too, although, I admit, I turned suspicious of you later. Don't cast away a friend - especially best friend - that quickly, especially if you don't know the whole truth - and it appers you really don't."

Instead of responding, Lyra looked away from Sunset in one direction, then another, as if she were weighing something. Then she squeezed her gamboge eyes shut for several seconds, and as she opened them, Sunset saw tears in them.

"I..." the girl croaked, and then lowered her laser rifle. "Tartarus damn it... fine. You've convinced me to... wait. I really don't have any more friends wait, so if there's a chance..."

"No friends?" Bon Bon interjected, surprised.

"No, Bon Bon... Minuette, Lemonhearts and Twinkleshine died in Manehatten Massacre; in fact, that's why I opted to join the Commissariat in the first place. And Moon Dancer was recruited by Dr. Sharp Nerve into some very hush-hush project for R&D; even with Commissariat authority, I didn't have the necessary clearance. I don't know if she's still alive... so yes, you're the only friend I still know to be alive."

"Didn't you mean "ex-friend", operative?" Star Paladin Rampart interjected.

"You heard the message. I had known Sunburst, it's certainly his voice, and it doesn't sound modulated. So if it's true, there's a chance that Agent Gravity was framed by TODC spies. Since there is really no more UFE to speak of, I think the safety of Wastelands doesn't hang on her living or dying right now. But know this, Bon Bon..." Lyra's expression became hard again, "...if I find out that you lied to my face about your innocence, and lied to these other people as well, I will end you."

"You won't have to, Lyra," Bon Bon smiled unsuredly, "because I will prove my innocence."

Raising her hands slightly, she said with trepidation, "So... hug?"

Lyra gave a small but genuine smile, and then took step toward her pre-war BFF. As she closed the distance, so did Bon Bon, and very soon, both girls hugged each other tight.

"I... I missed you so much," Lyra admitted, tears running down her cheeks.

"I missed you so much," Sweetie Drops AKA Bon Bon AKA Agent Gravity replied to her would-be executor.

"Well..."

Two girls broke their hug at Rampart's voice. Everyone else also turned to him.

"That settles that tidbit... temporarily, at least," the Star Paladin of Brotherhood of Steel spoke. "However... Senior Paladin Sentry, you still haven't answered whether you will recover Silicon Stone's armour for us or be exiled."

"I haven't? I think I spoke pretty clearly on that," Flash Sentry replied.

"You do realize that you're heavily outnumbered and we are also better-equipped? And do not count on extra assistance."

"We have a deal with Elder Aegis that we have one month to get those suits!" Sunset shouted in anger.

"I would not count on Elder Aegis still being an Elder for that long, girl," Rampart snorted derisively. "And I am next in line, and my conditions won't be as nice."

"Well, become Elder first and then come back."

"Can't do. And It won't be smart of me to give you time to organize a good resistance. So, am I to proceed to wherever the armour is kept?" Rampart cocked his plasma rifle menacingly.

"Wait!"

The strong country-accented voice rang clear in the streets of Appletown. Everyone turned to Applejack.

"Ahem... Star Paladin Rampart? Me and mah friends were planning to visit a place where we could actually recover other suits of power armour we promised to Aegis for you."

"Where?"

"The base of Mechanized Infantry battalion. Ah was waiting for mah friends to come back and rest when this... calamity... happened. But they need some rest, so Ah have to give them some time."

"Fine. Rest for six hours. Then we will go there."

"We?"

"Yes. I will take my squad and come with you, to ensure that no... cheating happens. Sentry may join, too, if he so wishes."

"I will join. Men?" the ex-rocker addressed his subordinates, who voiced their agreement to follow him.

"Fine. Applejack, meet me in six hours at the eastern gate of Appletown," with these words, Rampart and his men turned and walked away.

"Git," the far girl muttered as the Star Paladin went out of sight, and then turned to her friends. "Twilight? Sunset? Ya two alright?"

"Sort of..." the Princess of Friendship muttered.

"Same here," Sunset replied. "Six hours of rest after all this? Damn it, this guy sucks. Big time."

"You said it. Bon Bon, any ideas on whether they should go with me?"

"Why shouldn't we go with you, Applejack?" The fiery-haired girl frowned.

"Ahem - artery damage? Exhaustion? Coming down from the goldurn Buffout?"

"Well," Bon Bon interjected, "I certainly won't recommend any more action for Sunset at least for a full day. If an artery was damaged, it's recommended to rest for a full day after treating the wound with AMFAK-10. Twilight, on the other hand, can have a rest and then go with you."

"Twi?" Applejack turned to her extradimensional friend. "Are you comin'? Ah can handle this mahself, ya know..."

"No way I'm leaving you alone, Applejack," the equine-in-disguise replied. "Just need some rest first."

"I'll join you, too," Lyra spoke up. "Extra firepower wouldn't hurt you."

"Me too," Bon Bon said.

"You sure it's better for me to stay behind, Bon Bon?" Sunset asked.

"Positive. Trust me, it is quite possible that the stuff that keeps your artery in one piece until complete regeneration may not hold under stress and you will suffer fatal internal bleeding. Such cases had happened on the battlefield."

"OK then... damn, I feel useless now."

"Don't be hard on yourself. You survived getting shot by a sniper; that's already something to brag about. You can go to a bar and show your cool scar now."

"I can do without testosterone-filled man gaping at my scars, thank you," the fiery-haired girl snarked, although a small smile still made it to her face. "OK, Twilight, let's get ourselves some rest."

"Sounds good to me," Twilight said, already feeling as if she would collapse like a puppet without strings soon...

Twilight Sparkle was in panic.

She was caught unaware, and now she had no idea on how to get out of the situation she was in. It was as if fates themselves conspired against her.

She saw bandits, whom she recognized as White Knives, holding Applejack, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom. A man was walking in front of them, and while Twilight could not see their faces, she knew somehow that it was Curve Blade himself.

"You fools!" the leader of the bandits was mocking them, interjecting his speech with maniacal laughter. "You thought you could oppose me? Such naivete, I am almost touched! Almost! I admit, you hurt me, you hurt me well... but that friend of yours," he jerked his thumb in Twilight's direction, "hurt me more, and all by your requests! Oh, she'll get her punishment, don't worry... but first, she'll see you die!

"No!" Twilight shouted, realizing what was about to happen. Curve Blade got a shotgun out of somewhere and, fast as a lightning, shot Big Macintosh in the right knee, point-blank. The hulky but kind farmer cried out in pain as his knee turned into a gory mess of destroyed kneecap, mutilated joint and bone splinters. Applejack and Apple Bloom cried simultaneously with dismay, and immediately, the leader of White Knives repeated the same with Big Mac's left knee, which led to the same results. The bandits that were holding him dropped him unceremoniously, and with a vicious kick, Curve Blade turned him over on his back.

"Don't hurt him!" Twilight cried, but the bandit either could not or would not hear her. Instead, he calmly, as if he were walking around, stepped onto Big Macintosh's throat. To the latter's credit, he put up decent resistance in trying to get the leg off him, but before he managed something, Curve Blade twisted his leg, crushing the throat of the eldest Apple sibling.

"Big Mac!!" Apple Bloom shouted again, tears running freely from her eyes. Curve Blade laughed again and turned to her.

"And what do we have here? The youngest one of the bunch, huh? Your family tried to protect you from all that they thought of as a threat... and where are they now?" He put his hand forward.

"If you dare to even touch her, ya varmint..!" Applejack tried to threaten him, but a bandit came in front of her and punched her to the solar plexus, leaving the farm girl winded and unable to breathe properly. Curve Blade laughed and tried to touch Apple Bloom's face - and jerked his hand away as the youngest girl tried to bite him.

"Naughty, naughty girl," he mock-berated her. "I was actually going to spare you. It's been a long time since I had a good girl in my bed..."

"Fuck you!" Apple Bloom shouted, and spat at him, but her saliva did not make it.

"How rude. Alas, at this age, rudeness is unlikely to be corrected," with these words, he aimed his shotgun at her face.

"NO!" Twilight shouted again.

"APPLE BLOOM!" Applejack shouted as hard as she could. She tried to break out, but the bandits holding her were too strong.

BANG!

The stream of metal balls practically disintegrated Apple Bloom's head, letting out a fountain of blood from carotid arteries. The bandits released the corpse and it fell, gushing out bright-red blood.

"You extra-uterine prematurely born cocksucker!" Applejack screamed at him. Twilight noted with shock that her country friend was actually openly crying now.

"Wow. How inventive," putting the shotgun away, Curve Blade mockingly clapped his hands in faux-applause, then laughed again. "But you are the one who gave me the most trouble out of your wretched family, so..."

He took out a knife of some sort. Twilight noticed that this knife was quite big and vicious-looking, and its blade was curved a bit. Applejack looked at it with fear in her green eyes, and without preambula, the lead bandit stabbed her in the gut. Taking out the knife, he stabbed her again, in another place, but this time he turned the knife before jerking it out, making the blonde girl give out an inhumane cry of pain.

"STOP!" Twilight shouted, her voice breaking down. "PLEASE... STOP!"

Her plea of mercy was left unheeded. For a couple of minutes every second of which went on like an infinity, Curve Blade was stabbing Applejack over and over again, opening new wounds everywhere. Very soon, the farmer's form became unrecognizable from the cuts and gushing blood. Her throat became hoarse from crying, and once the sadistic bandit stabbed her lung, she began coughing out blood.

Finally, after two minutes of the prime example of sadism, other bandits threw Applejack onto the ground with her face facing the sky. Curve Blade came closer to her and spoke.

"And now look who is left standing now. It's me! Your silly little resistance could have survived just by moving out, by running away. But you chose to stay and to rally others. But you didn't save them; you didn't save anyone! Not your family, not even yourself! And once we march through Appletown, we will spare no one! Know this and die!!!"

With these words, the knife went into Applejack's throat. Paralyzed, Twilight could only watch as her friend twitched on the ground for several moments before life left her body.

BZ-DAT!

"Argh!"

The cry of pain made her jerk her head to the left...

"NO!"

She saw Flash Sentry, standing in front of Star Paladin Rampart in his normal suit that he wore back at Canterlot High. He was holding his right hand, where the equine Princess could clearly see the burn made by Rampart's laser rifle.

"You see, Miss Sparkle," Elder Aegis' voice sounded somewhere behind her, "you are of no use to us, after all... which means that Sentry's transgressions against the Brotherhood cannot be forgiven now..."

"Let him go!" she wailed, but was denied any mercy, and for next dozen of seconds, she could only register the sound of laser rifle going off again and again, Flash crying out and jerking whenever a focused beam of photons hit him, but amazingly not falling... until the last shot was delivered to his face and his whole body disintegrated into ash.

"FLASH!" Twilight cried, her vision blurred by tears. She wanted to close her eyes forever, to be blinded so as to see this cruelty no more...

"Twilight..."

The voice was almost a whisper, and yet it forced the equine to open her eyes again.

Right in front of her, two Crimson Hand mercenaries were standing.

And Sunset Shimmer was in front of them on her knees, her hands tied up behind her.

And she was looking at Twilight with large eyes.

"Twilight... help..."

But instead of jerking into action, Twilight stood paralyzed as whatever force was holding her tightened its grip. Her voice got caught in her throat, and she only managed to croak:

"Sunset..."

As she uttered this, Sunset turned away from her and looked up at the mercenaries with a resigned expression. As if it was a sign, one of them immediately put his assault rifle against her forehead and pulled the trigger.

A mix of blood and brain matter flew out of her head, and as she fell, her eyes rolled up - with the whites staring at the Princess of Friendship who had just lost her last friends.

Her spirit completely and utterly crushed, Twilight could not even muster the strength to scream or cry anymore. Apathy and resignation took rule...

...and then she felt something crawling up on her body.

Looking down, she saw a gigantic eight-legged black spider making its way upwards by using her leg, then her torso. While she did not suffer from arachnophobia, she still got scared because of the abnormal size of the creature that was making its way inexorably to her face. Her hands were still held away and she could not break free. In desperation, she craned her head upwards as the spider was moving...

...and gasped as it bit her throat.

Immediately, she was paralyzed; whatever or whoever was holding her let her go, and she fell down, then dropped below the ground, falling into the great darkness...

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGH!!!"

As the air in her lungs was depleted, Twilight breathed heavily in and out, looking at her surroundings.

She was in Applejack's house in her usual place, in her bed.

And Sunset was in another bed with back turned to her, living and breathing. The equine surmised that her compatriot was apparently too tired to notice Twilight's scream in her bed.

Another nightmare. Princess Luna, if I ever come back to Equestria, I will never take your help for granted again.

Looking at her Pip-Boy, she noticed that she had only twenty minutes until she needed to get out of bed. Deciding that it was useless to try and get extra sleep, she left the room and spent the ret of her time doing weapon maintenance and eating food that Big Macintosh had cooked earlier.

No one seemed to be in the house except her and Sunset. Good. I am not in the mood for being weepy right now, the Princess of Friendship thought. Neither can I afford weakness right now. The odds are stacked heavily against us and I wouldn't trust Rampart any more than I can throw him without magic - that is, I can't - and we're lacking numbers. At least Lyra and Flash with his men decided to come along.

Finished with her chores, she stacked up on ammo and what few meds were available, took her weapons (AP-79, Buffalo SMG and laser pistol) and went to the designated place of meeting. She noticed with displeasure that she was the last one to arrive, as Big Macintosh (alive and well) gave Applejack his light machine gun and took the latter's AP-79 instead.

"Be careful, sis," she heard him say.

"Ah will, Big Mac. Take care of Appletown, will ya?"

"Ah will."

"Oh, an' here's Twilight!" Applejack gave a smile to the violet-haired girl, but the latter was not really in a mood to return it. Frowning, the farm girl turned to Rampart and muttered, "Told ya that Twilight was punctual."

"I am glad my suspicions were wrong," the Star Paladin replied curtly. "Now, let's move out. Show the way."

Several hours later...

"Here it is. The base of 9th Mechanized Infantry battalion," Twilight said, checking the map on her Pip-Boy.

"I don't get it," one of Flash's soldiers spoke up. "How were you going to get past the turrets, not to mention robot guards? Not to mention the sensor net that would direct all enemies on you like a swarm of bees."

"We have heard that sensor net is down and turrets are inactive. The robots, well... they aren't really scary, unless it's sentry bots."

"Or something worse," Rampart spoke up. "If that base holds a warbot, you would have been in some serious trouble."

"Warbot?"

"Unlike usual robots," Lyra spoke up, "warbots are heavily armed and armoured automatons used only by the military. They put up quite a fight. And one usually needs heavy weapons to get rid of those."

"You mean..."

"Missile launchers, grenade launchers, anti-tank railguns, electro-cannons, Fat Men, EMP generators or gatling lasers."

"OK, I think I understand most of those, but what kind of weapon is a Fat Man?"

"Nuclear mini-bomb launcher."

"Wait, what?"

"How could you not... oh right, amnesia. Yes, UFE was rich with uranium, and when the command did not want more nuclear missile warheads, they decided to create small mini-bombs. That idea had been there before, but the first examples kinda sucked. But when they made new models with modern technology - ohhh, did things get fun. By itself, Fat Man is merely a catapult. But this catapult launched mini-nukes, which made this weapon serious business."

"I see. Thanks."

"Had a good chatter?" Star Paladin Rampart butted in.

"Yes, it was informative. You wanted to say something?" Twilight turned to him, maintaining an impassive face and a flat tone of voice. Can't believe I am grateful for these political talks in Equestria.

"Yes. I have looked at this base and whoever told you about the sensor net being down was correct; in fact, even the turrets seem to be destroyed. However, this doesn't mean robots won't be a problem - or land mines. So before we go on, my men will scan the area with a portable mine detector," he pointed at two Paladins who were carrying something resembling a ring on a stick. "You don't rush ahead of them and see that robots don't get a jump on them. Clear?"

"Clear."

"Let's move."

The walk forward was pretty slow. As Rampart did not want the whole group forced to move one by one in a line, the minesweepers had to walk around quite a lot, which was holding up the squad. Wherever they found a mine, they searched for an alternative path or defused them if there was no other way. Meanwhile, others were looking to the distance in order to see if the robots would try and attack them.

"I don't get it," Twilight asked Lyra quietly. "Why would robots attack those who are in essence UFE soldiers? I'd understand if we were intruders..."

"If you are not assigned to the specific base, then generally you have no business to do there," the ex-NSC operative replied. "Even if you were military, you'd still be an intruder. Who knows - maybe you are a spy? Commissariat did catch some TODC agents who did that stuff."

"Makes sense."

"Glad you understand."

The mine sweep went on until Bon Bon alerted everyone to the presence of two Protectrons and one Mr. Gutsy within her visual range. Rampart ordered to eliminate the robots, and the ex-DOI opened fire from her carbine, which naturally made the robots aggressive.

The sheer advantage in numbers made a quick work of them, but the metallic enemies surprised them with laser weapons, and the Mr. Gutsy spewed a green projectile that made Rampart dodge.

"Tartarus-damned plasma!" he swore. "That's it, men, maintain caution. Security is tight here even without turrets. Continue the sweep. You," he addressed Twilight and others, "keep your eyes open. There is a chance that other robots may come to this location."

"How come?" Twilight inquired before stopping herself.

"The robots may give out a signal to other robots: intruders here, come and kill them," Bon Bon said. "If those robots did that, then we can expect reinforcements, unless other robots have superseding directives."

"I see."

"Hostiles!" Flash shouted, taking shots from his laser rifle at another bunch of robots: two Mr. Gutsies, a Protectron and a strange robot resembling a barrel. Unlike the previous ones, Mr. Gutsies were trying to get closer to them.

"Take out those Gutsies!" the ex-rocker shouted. Twilight and Applejack raised their guns and opened fire from standing-on-one-knee positions.

Despite their fire, one Mr. Gutsy came close, a strange weapon aiming at Twilight. Seeing this, Flash dashed to the right, giving Twilight a hard push, making her tumble and fall...

...just in time, as the tongues of flame appeared where she just stood. Some fire landed on Flash, but his sealed power armour granted him adequate protection.

"Whoa nelly!" Applejack exclaimed, firing almost at point blank range at the robot. The stream of bullets broke its shell, shredding the electronic components.

"Did this thing just spit fire?!" Twilight exclaimed, getting to her feet with Flash's help.

"Yes, it did," Lyra said, "now don't just stand there, kill something!"

Is it even "killing" when robots are involved? the equine Princess mused for a moment before firing at the cylindric robot. The combined fire quickly brought it and the Protectron down.

As they proceeded, Twilight took a closer look at the unfamiliar robot. It was not good-looking by itself, but one particular detail made her recoil in disgust.

"Is that... brain?!"

"Yes, these robots are called "robobrains" most commonly," Lyra said. "The brain is basically the main processor."

"That's... disgusting. Why use human brains at all?"

"At one point, there was a shortage of silicon in the UFE, so in order to negate this disadvantage, someone in top-secret labs came up with this idea. It's... well, revolting, I totally agree, but hardware for robots was needed badly, and human brain is a central processor by itself. So they decided to plug brains with some modifications into these robots."

"Clear!" one of minesweepers called out. "We can proceed to the base now!"

"Alright men, stay focused, and do not disperse around too much! My squad goes first! Sentry, your squad along with outsiders is the reserve! Keep the robots off our backs, and flank them if necessary!"

"Yes, sir!" Flash replied.

"May the Steel be with us!" with this shout, Star Paladin Rampart and his men stepped onto the grounds of the abandoned military base, Twilight and the "ousiders" following them...

"Four contacts, 12 o'clock!" one Paladin shouted.

"Take cover!" the other replied.

BZ-DAT! BZ-DAT! BZ-DAT! BZ-DAT! Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da!

The sounds of laser rifles and LMGs rang around them as laser beams and 7.62mm bullets redused one of the robobrains to scrap metal.

"Target down!"

"Mr. Gutsy on 3 o'clock!" another Paladin shouted.

"I see him!" Twilight replied, firing her assault rifle on the automaton that advanced menacingly on them, the saw in his manipulator whirring. Bon Bon landed a couple of her own shots, and the combined fire rendered the machine inactive.

"Good shot. Oh shit - take cover, sentry bot!" the same Paladin waved at them desperately. Both girls, having experienced first-hand how nasty these robots are, did not require a second invitation as a sentry bot rolled out on wheels with two Mr. Gutsies accompanying him.

"Intruders. Run while you can. Better yet, stand still and let me kill you," the monotone voice was almost completely drowned by minigun fire. Brotherhood Paladins scattered to cover and began peppering the machines with laser beams, bullets and (in case of Star Paladin Rampart) plasma bolts. Unfortunately, cover position was imperfect to the point where only four Paladins in total could fire at once, and Mr. Gutsies did not hesitate to shoot plasma too, which no one wanted to take. As Twilight learned later, plasma bolts were effective even against power armour.

"Flank these bastards!" Rampart ordered, sending another bolt at the sentry bot and diving back as his position was again peppered with 5mm bullets.

"Squad!" Flash Sentry ordered his troops. "On me! Twilight, take others and follow us!"

"Right behind you!" the equine Princess replied, obeying the order. Lyra, Bon Bon and Applejack followed her without further questions.

The "second squad" (as everyone agreed to call Flash, his troops and Twilight and co.) went around the building, hoping to use the alternative path. While there did happen to be a way around, they encountered three robobrains, three protectrons and two Mr. Gutsies, who did not hesitate to unleash the barrage of fire upon them. Fortunately, that area offered more cover, so the whole squad could use their arsenal in full.

"Auxiliary squad, take out Gutsies!" Flash ordered. ("Auxiliary squad" was the term that he had chosen for "the outsiders" and that the majority had agreed upon, much to Rampart's displeasure.) As he said that, Twilight and Lyra chose the Mr. Gutsy on the right, while Applejack and Bon Bon targeted another one. Combining bullet spray (although this applied more to Applejack than to Twilight, since the latter benefitted well from the collimator sight while the former carried the weapon designed for "spray and pray" and suppression tactics than marksmanship) with precision fire, the girls forcibly deactivated the robots within ten seconds. Twilight and Applejack imagined for a moment how Rainbow Dash would say "Ten. Seconds. Flat." if she was there to destroy the robots, and then turned their fire on the protectrons. Meanwhile, Flash's troops used laser rifles or LMGs to deal with robobrains, whose lasers were pretty annoying.

One protectron managed to land a hit with his laser on Flash, which did not go unnoticed by Twilight.

"Flash!"

"I am OK, the armour held!" he reassured her. "We can deal with their fire, just take them out!"

Taking a careful aim, Twilight unleashed three bullets - and managed to hit the robot's "head", cracking the protection and causing a fatal short-circuit. Meanwhile, Lyra and Bon Bon combined their fire against one of the robobrains, peppering the transparent dome with beams and bullets. As the dome cracked and the brain inside got splattered, the robot deactivated and stood still. Another robobrain exploded as the Paladins cracked open its armour and hit his energy source, which destabilized.

One of protectrons fired at Twilight as she was trying to follow Lyra and Bon Bon's example and crack open the last robobrain's dome and hit her left arm with his laser beam.

"Argh!" Twilight ducked into cover and clutched her arm, which was now in burning pain.

"Twilight!" Applejack exclaimed, a hint of fear traceable in her voice.

"I'll manage!" the violet-haired girl snarled and, ignoring the pain, spent the last ammo in the magazine so as to make the robot pay. And pay it did - already weakened by a couple of stray shots, the armour plates crumbled, and the bullets mercilessly tore the circuits apart, deactivating the robot.

Another BOOM indicated that the last robobrain also met its demise. Bon Bon approached Twilight and demanded that she show her the wounded arm. The laser beam burnt a hole in the jumpsuit that she still wore under the armour plates, and the skin reddened.

"You're in luck," the beige-skinned girl said, taking out a small-sized cold bag from her first aid kit and hitting it, making the inner bag burst and release the cooling agent. "These beams can easily make third-degree burns. I'll tie this up around your arm so the burn gets cooled off."

"Thanks," Twilight said, feeling that the pain was subsiding now.

"Take care that nothing bursts the bag - it's not recommended for this liquid to make contact with skin. Does nasty stuff to it."

"OK."

A loud KA-BOOM sounded to the left of them. Flash Sentry frowned behind his heavy helmet.

"Welp, there went that sentry bot. Rampart's gonna be pissed. Let's go and reunite with him."

However, as the squad made it to their intended location, they (and Rampart's squad) saw two more sentry bots approaching. One of them unleashed a missile which struck one of the Paladins directly to the chest.

A BA-BOOM sound, followed by a short cry of inhumane pain signified the unlucky Paladin's death.

"Oh shit," Flash cursed, his brain-to-mouth filter temporarily forgotten. "Get out of the open!"

The second sentry bot unleashed another missile which flew in the second squad's direction. This time, the Paladin who saw it reacted quickly enough and threw himself on the ground, making the missile fly over him and hit the wall of the building that had separated two squads previously, exploding with a loud BA-BOOM.

"DISPERSE!" Rampart bellowed, and everyone tried to maximize the distance between each other to make sure that neither of the hulking robots would have a bright idea to fire a missile at the crowd of two or three people. This resulted in squads going in separate directions...

...and each sentry bot chose its own squad for pursuit, which did not remain unnoticed by anyone.

"Oh shit indeed," Twilight followed her crush's bad example and swore, while adrenaline flowing through her granted her some desperately needed extra speed.

As she came across a concrete slab which could serve as cover, she twisted her body so that she managed to lie her back on the slab. Using the inertion, she rolled to the other side and fell down on her stomach. The height was not very big, but she still was left winded and barely able to breathe for several seconds.

Still, her actions proved to be correct, as the swarm of bullets flew over her, and other bullets splattered themselves against the concrete. But she knew that if the robot fired a rocket, then the slab will not protect her - it was not surdy enough.

As she recovered, she carefully looked around, seeing Flash and his Paladins hiding behind other slabs and firing at the sentry bot. Behind her, Applejack, Lyra and Bon Bon were clustered together behind a small building, and the farm girl was firing at the robot, but their position was not ideal - only one person could reliably fire from that cover without risking dangerous exposure to counter-fire.

Twilight exchanged her assault rifle in favour of the laser pistol, remembering the scuffle in DOI Vault. When she made certain that the sentry bot was not paying attention to her, she carefully aimed at it, and opened fire, aiming to destabilize its optics.

This immediately earned her the ire of the metal behemoth, as the minigun turned towards her, and bullets flew towards her like an angry swarm of bees. Over the sound of bullets hitting the concrete, Twilight could hear Bz-dats and da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-das of Brotherhood Paladins.

Lyra and Bon Bon risked getting out of cover as the sentry bot turned its attention to Flash's troops again. They opened fire along with Applejack, trying to hit its head, and their combined fire managed to penetrate the armour on its head, blinding the robot.

In response, the machine fired a rocket, making girls scream in fear and run back behind cover. The aim was bad, and the rocket impacted against the building, blowing out the bricks and breaking them to pieces. Twilight had to cover her head to protect herself from the bricks.

Turning to the other side, she saw Flash carrying some sort of long tube that he had on his shoulder, with something resembling a handle with a trigger mechanism, and he was aiming it at the sentry bot. As he pulled the trigger, a rocket flew out of it and raced towards the blinded automaton, shredding its armour and causing a big explosion.

Silence reigned, interrupted only by the sound of falling metallic pieces. The squad gathered around.

"We are in luck," Flash spoke, showing everyone another rocket launcher. "These babies were lying in a temporary storage, and one of my guys noticed them. Let's go and see if Rampart and others are fine."

They did not have to go far. Rampart's squad had destroyed the sentry bot that chased them, but at some point it was joined by yet another one, and the soldiers were now fighting against it. The remains of other types of robots were also present, indicating that Rampart's squad got caught in a bad situation, and three unmoving bodies were also there to prove it.

The blue-haired guitar player wasted no time in sending a rocket to the sentry bot's back, causing a loud BA-BOOM.

Silence.

Clank - the rocket launcher fell onto the ground, no longer useable.

Star Paladin Rampart went up to Flash and ordered briskly:

"Report."

"Sir, the sentry bot that chased us was destroyed. We encountered no other enemies. No casualties," the young man's tone remained equally cool and professional.

"Lucky you," Rampart did not bother to hide his resentment. "We are coming close to the storage. Let's move on and get the armour suits."

Without a further word, the first squad went after their leader.

"Is he always like this?" Lyra asked Flash.

"He is not liked by a good number of people who have values that differ from his own."

"And he came across as such a decent man..."

"Trust me, Lyra," Applejack butted in, "if he did, it's because you were Commissariat. Just ask Twilight and Sunset later how "decent" he was to them when they spoke with Elder Aegis."

"I'll do that."

"Here it is," Rampart announced. "Our target."

They were standing in front of a larger-than average building with a pretty gigantic hardened steel door.

"Isn't that... an HQ or something?" Twilight asked, perplexed.

"If there's any power armour to be salvaged, then it's most likely here. As far as I am aware, the 9th battalion was not here during the Day of Burning, which means that there's no armour in conventional storage rooms," the Star Paladin explained. "But the headquarters always had an extra armory and several spare suits. Only selected few could open these rooms, so even if they fled, there would still be spares. But this place also should have a car that will let us transport the suits to the base."

"I see."

"The only problem is this password-protected terminal," Rampart showed the object in question.

"Not a problem," Lyra said. Taking out a magneto-optic disk, she came up to the terminal and inserted the disk there. Curious, Twilight looked at the screen and saw the words:

===COMMISSARIAT OVERRIDE ACCEPTED===

Welcome, officer.

Open door

Pressing "Enter", Lyra turned and smirked at everyone present.

"Working for Commissariat has its perks," she said.

The complex locking mechanism clicked and clanked, about to unveil its secrets to the people that came for remnants of pre-apocalypse technology. Five seconds later, the slightly-unmaintained double doors opened and began collapsing into an accordion-like structure.

Rampart entered the hangar-like room, lighting his Pip-Boy.

"There's supposed to be a power switch somewhere," he muttered, and went along the wall, trying to find it. So did other Paladins from his squad, then Flash's squad went in, and the girls came last.

None of them had noticed a small laser ray located near the entrance. As everyone entered, the ray was interrupted several times.

Everyone who had a Pip-Boy had its lighting turned on, trying to find the switch.

"Strange," Flash commented, "I can't see the switch. Star Paladin, sir, what's on your end?"

"Nothing, Sentry."

"Maybe it's not the switch?" the ex-rocker mused. "On one base, I saw the guys using a mobile armoured generator in the HQ. They did not use any switches but the one on the generator itself."

"Ah found it!" Applejack called. "It's in "off" position!"

"Turn it on, then!" Rampart ordered in a pissed-off tone. The farm girl complied.

The bright lights blinded everyone for a couple of seconds. As their eyes adapted to the change of lighting, they looked around.

There was no vehicle in sight, only some crates stacked into small groups here and there, concrete slabs used to separate the traffic (suposedly), ladders that led to catwalks and cabinets on higher floors.

And there was one object on the same level as them.

When looking at it, Twilight was reminded on how she and her friends traversed through the Everfree forest. The form was familiar to her, and yet it was not, for she never saw the form in metal.

"Oh shit..." someone spoke, but she could not say who - it was as if she lost the ability to recognize voices.

Stuck in deja vu, she gaped at it, lower jaw in danger of falling down, somebody's scream almost failing to penetrate her ears.

"MANTICORE warbot!!!"

And then, the tail rose, and a barrage of lasers snuffed the life out of the unfortunate Paladin closest to it before the man managed to move.

A violent jerk, and Twilight found herself behind some crates, a tanned freckled face with green eyes in front of her.

"Snap out of it!" Applejack screamed, accent showing through.

And suddenly, the sounds of gunfire, screaming and orders being barked returned with a vengeance. Shaking her head, she saw Flash, Lyra and Bon Bon hiding in the same cover as them.

"What in fucking Tartarus is that thing?!" she screamed, coming down from shock.

"MANTICORE warbot," Lyra replied, "the worst news we could have received today!"

"How bad is that thing?!"

"It makes sentry bots a preferable option!" Flash shouted, his mimic twisted in genuine fear. "It has gatling lasers, and a good stock of rockets, too! And it can't be destroyed by one rocket!"

"Well FUCK!" unable to cope with the stress, the equine Princess threw her mouth filter out of the window.

"What should we do now?" Applejack asked, genuinely worried.

"Our only hope to survive this mess is to get to the armories on the third floor and get ourselves some heavy weapons! Rampart knows this too, and he definitely will try that, but he and his men got caught with proverbial pants down!" as if to confirm his words, a scream signified the death of another soldier. Wincing, the ex-rocker continued, "So we'll need to get past this thing somehow! There are two armories, on both sides, so you will have to split up! I will see if I can keep the warbot distracted!"

"What?!" Twilight screamed. "Flash, that's fucking suicide! This thing chews Paladins out like nobody's business!"

"For this to work, they will have to do the usual checkers tactic - first guy fires, second guy moves, then second guy fires, first guy moves, and so on. Only you don't need to fire - you don't have power armour and your best bet is not drawing attention at all! That's what we shall do!"

"But you might die!"

"Everyone might die, Twilight! And if we argue, we all will die!" Flash's face held an agitated yet deadly serious expression, and the lavender-skinned girl understood that arguing was useless.

"Just... be careful, then!"

"I will! Now, everyone, GO!!!" Sticking out, Flash fired at the warbot. Twilight and Applejack looked out from the left side, while Lyra and Bon Bon did so on the right. The horrific war machine had a gatling laser on its "tail", which was swinging everywhere and spewing red beams of death. Fortunately, it considered the Paladins close to him as a greater danger.

Without talking, both girls rushed out of cover and ran for the closest concrete block. The enemy did not notice them, fortunately. As they found another useable cover ahead, they got ready and rushed again.

They were not lucky this time - the warbot's targeting system locked on them, and the gatling laser fired with a threatening "whirrrrrr-bz-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z". One of the beams hit Applejack's leg as she was almost hidden.

"Argh! Oof... ow, ow," the country girl moaned in pain, trying to keep herself on two legs behind the large stack of crates. Slightly panicked, Twilight took out a RegenStim syringe and stabbed the needle inside.

"Oof," Applejack breathed out as the regenerative medicines flowed inside her, countering the burn damage.

"Can you walk?"

"Of course Ah can, just... give me a couple of seconds, and Ah... Ah'll go with you," despite assurances, it was clear that the blonde farmer was in pain and was calling on her stubborness to endure.

"Med-X?"

"No, just..."

"Oh no!" Twilight gasped, as she saw MANTICORE fire a rocket to the crates where Flash was hiding. The blue-haired man apparently was ready for it, for he dashed out before the crates were thrown around by the force of explosion and slid behind a concrete slab.

"Focus, sugarcube!"

"OK, I'm ready... let's go!"

The girls dashed again. The Paladins were tryind to keep the warbot's attention away from those tasked with retrieval of rocket launchers, but the combat programs were well written. The Paladin ahead of them was cut down by gatling laser fire, and the warbot fired a rocket at one of concrete slabs where Rampart was hiding, but the experienced soldier avoided fatal consequences and sent several plasma bolts at its "face" - alas, that did not accomplish much.

The next cover was the line of slabs where Twilight and Applejack could move by crawling. Neither of them were very experienced in crawling under fire, however, and so their advancement was slow. When they reached the end of the line, Twilight noticed that Lyra and Bon Bon were already on the catwalks, and two pre-dying screams sounded.

Celestia merciful, please! the equine-turned-human was on the verge of panic. Please help us!

The next cover was the last one on the way to the ladders, but with MANTICORE so close to them, the distance looked as big as if they were trying to get to the moon.

"Twi," Applejack said, "Ah think you should go on without me. Ah'll cover you while you move."

"Are you crazy?!" the Princess of Friendship rounded on her.

"No Ah ain't! Everything'll be fine!"

"How?!"

"Sugarcube, Ah promise Ah'll be fine. Just trust me!"

For a moment, Twilight remembered looking at pony Applejack as the latter was holding her above the cliff, convincing her to let go and promising that she would be safe, despite all her knowledge stating otherwise.

How she believed the country pony and did as she said...

How she let go and fell...

And how it all turned out in the end...

Twilight dashed out of cover, fighting against the soreness in her muscles, the burning feeling in her lungs, the desperate desire to fall down...

Bash.

She did not notice how she managed to get to her intended point. Looking back, she saw Applejack and Flash Sentry (who changed cover again) give her thumb-ups, and then they both opened fire on the warbot.

Twilight ran again.

Fwoosh-BOOM!

She did not turn back to see Bon Bon successfully landing a hit on MANTICORE with a rocket launcher. The only thing that mattered was the ladder.

She ran.

First floor.

Another explosion and screams of dying men.

Gatling laser fire.

Fwoosh-BOOM!

Gatling laser fire.

"Shit!" she heard someone cry in a distance.

Second floor.

Explosion.

Another explosion.

A horrible screech of metal from the other side and a loud CLANK of metal torn loose and surrendering to gravity.

Gatling laser fire.

A scream of pain.

Third floor. Armory... Armory...

Gatling laser fire.

There it is!

Twilight did not have time to properly think as to why the armory would open so easily to her, not knowing that Lyra providently used her Commissariat override codes to unlock all armories. She did not even care at the moment.

All that she cared about is having a rocket launcher. And there was one indeed.

Sweet Celestia, is it heavy! she thought when she picked it up and put it on her shoulder. It only handles easily in power armour, I guess. Or if you have as much strength as Bulk Biceps.

The iron sights were pretty easy to figure out, fortunately. As she finally was ready, she aimed at the warbot and pulled the trigger.

Fwoosh-BOOM!

The kickback nearly threw her off her feet as the rocket flew out, and a moment later, she desperately threw herself backwards as gatling laser fire rained on her location. Not daring to stand up, she retreated back to the armoury.

There were no more rocket launchers.

Is that it? Is that how it ends? Trapped here to die like rats?!

A mix of desperation, resignation and anger flowed through her...

Wait... what is that?

She saw another object in the corner, which looked like the rocket launcher but was not one. On inspection, it looked like a catapult, like the ones that Royal Guard would use in war times, with a rail of sorts and some object stuck on the far end.

With desperation and madness of the cornered beast, she grabbed it without even thinking whether this is what she actually needed. All she thought about is that something had to help them, and this thing was the perfect candidate.

Handling it the same way as she did the rocket launcher, she ran out on the catwalks again. Subconsciously aligning the catapult to compensate for apparently parabolic trajectory it would take, she pulled the trigger, hard.

Hrrrt-HISSSSSSSSSS.

BOOOOOOOM!!!!!

The explosion blinded her temporarily as she did not expect the light to be so bright that it hurt, and the loudness of the explosion was so high that she idly suspected whether she would bleed from her ears due to ear drum rupture. She dropped the catapult as she fell onto her back, blinded and deafened.

Her head hit something, and then everything slipped to blackness.

"Uhhhh-argh..." Twilight Sparkle moaned, opening her eyes.

"Oh thank the stars you are alive!" Flash breathed out, looking into her eyes.

"Flash? How are... where is..?"

"Where is what?"

"That... thing..." Oh for the love of Celestia and Luna, I do not forget things that easily!!!

"MANTICORE warbot?" Lyra said as she helped Twilight to sit up and pushed a wet cloth against the back of the Princess' head. "It's done for. I say, I never thought they would have a Fat Man here, but..."

"Wait... this thing was a Fat Man?!"

"Yep. Man, am I jealous. You got to fire, like, one of the coolest guns ever..."

"It's not as cool as you'd like to think... and the armour?"

"My guys went to retrieve it; the storage is underground. There should be no traps there, and Lyra has just turned off all security. We should..."

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da!

"What the - is it Applejack's LMG?!" Twilight almost jumped up. Everyone rushed to the catwalk, with her in the lead.

What she saw almost made her lose her jaw.

Applejack was aiming at Star Paladin Rampart, whose armour was badly damaged and burned in many places and who was lying down, apparently having just fallen thanks to the barrage he just received.

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da!

"Applejack!" Twilight shouted, and rushed to the ladder, surprising everyone with her speed, given that she was on the verge of exhaustion.

Another shot rang out from the farm girl's LMG.

As the whole party arrived at the scene, they saw something else: a floating ball with various antenna, a tube that supposedly was a weapon, and some sort of screen on it. With Applejack standing with her back to them and slightly to the side, all of them could clearly see a familiar face on the screen.

And they could not believe that they were seeing it, or the words that rang out from the speakers.

"Well done, Miss Applejack," rang the smooth voice of Elder Aegis.

Level Up!

New Perk (Twilight Sparkle):

Weapon Savvy (Rank 1): Knowledge is power, and knowledge of weapons is double power! With each rank of this Perk, you can use any kind of weapon with accuracy and damage penalties reduced by 10%.

New Perk (Sunset Shimmer):

Hard Skin: You gain a permanent +3 to your Damage Threshold.

New Perk (Applejack):

Redskin: You gain +5% Damage Resistance against energy weapons.

Reputation increased: Brotherhood of Steel (Northern chapter)

Your honourable actions impressed the leader of this faction and he will be more friendly towards you in the future.

Canterlot Wastelands Survival Guide Entry

MANTICORE warbot

One of the most widespread anti-infantry warbots, MANTICORE saw great popularity in UFE military. Its versatility allowed to use this automaton as base defense weapon, caravan protection, troop support and even anti-vehicle purposes (if equipped with proper missiles). Owing its name to a mythical creature, it utilizes GLX-80 gatling laser as a primary weapon that can easily deal with all types of infantry and unarmored vehicles which is located in a "tail" that can easily move and turn in all directions. Additional weaponry may include rocket launchers, grenade launchers, additional gatling lasers and even a Fat Man, making this unit a very dangerous foe. Heavily armoured, it requires heavy wepaons to defeat.

MANTICORE warbots are not often seen in the Wastelands, since most of them were urgently pulled from bases to counter the Eastern Gambit of TODC shortly before the Day of Burning. However, tales still go on about horrible pre-apocalypse war machines that massacred careless scavengers who wanted to loot the remains of military installations. Even when in power armour, it is recommended to maintain extreme caution when dealing with these machines.

Stats:

Health: 700
Damage Threshold: 22

Weapons:
GLX-80 gatling laser (additional lasers optional)
Grenade launcher (optional)
Rocket launcher (optional)
AAS-24 MANPAD (optional)
12,7mm/14,5mm machine gun (optional)
Fat Man (optional)

Author's Note

Aaaaaand done!

My illness has receded, and the work is not in full swing yet, which let me write this chapter pretty quickly.

The moment with Twilight firing the Fat Man was inspired by a comment:

Dragon Dred: Note to self, don't let Twilight handle the FatMan

Me: Why not? It will be fun

Thanks, Dragon Dred!

Next chapter, as usual, will come in 10-20 days. I need a couple of days of creative rest, because the next two chapters are important to me.

Sorry to leave this on a cliffhanger, but I promise - there will be answers.

Thoughts/comments/criticisms belong in the comment box. Stay tuned!