"For the last time old man, tell us where it is!"

I woke up, startled from the yelling.

The door that the cold was coming under busted open from what I could only assume was grandpa Sulfur flying through the air, hitting the ground with a hard smack and slide.

"Where is what," grandpa Sulfur lifted himself up in a pained low tone.

"Don't play stupid with me you fucking piece of shit," Was this, a raider? I heard a soft 'click' sound echo the walls of the room.

"Soft Ice" Sulfurous Rock wheezed .

"Soft Ice!" I could feel the entire room shaking and could see the darkness parting in forms.

I awoke to a Moon Lancer in 'Sector C' shaking me as I gasped for air.

"Whoa, you didn't have to get up that quickly"

I didn't move, my eyes needed to refocus. "Oh, hello Moon Lancer" I said greeting her after I knew who it was.

"I heard what you three found out there, when are we moving in, I can't wait to set up the decorations" Moon Lancer, sector C's most talented majestic decorator. If there was something to celebrate, she would be there to make sure that it was, and she was the best at it. No other pony compares.

"I'm sorry Moon Lancer, I got up, but we need more time to make the necessary preparations, I thought about this. Why don't you go talk to Steel Plate I'm sure he would love to tell you all about it," I suggested walking out of the living quarters.

I wouldn't mind taking her over to the other stable, but there are two reasons why that sounds like a really bad idea. One of them is the fact that stable R88' hasn't even been cleaned yet and the second, we don't actually know how we're going to go about this.

The intercom system turned on with a low buzzing sound trickling through.

"The good news has come for 'Sector C', ha ha, yes sir'e folks. By now if ya'll hadn't heard about the stable our saviors Steel Plate, Gunther have found."

"Damn it, Slinger," I quickened my pace racing down to the Overmare's office.

Slinger uses the Overmare's office like his own personal DJ studio.

"Now's the chance you get to hear all about it, the first thing I'd like to say is for those who are being left behind, well, Celestia is still watching over ya'll. be kind, be brave, be safe, this is DJ P103 broadcasting the news, for you."

Busting through the door, I dove over the Overmare's desk, "give me that microphone!"

"Damn it Slinger, how many times have I told you not to broadcast new information like this."

"I'm Sorry Ice, I'm just so exited for us. We finally get to thin out the stable". Slinger said Smiling like a fool as she brushed the dust off her stable-tech jacket, as she did the amber lights made the dust she just brushed off look like the wings of a phoenix.

The intercom replayed the news throughout the stable, exact same words. Including 'give me that microphone'. great. DJ was using the intercom with a feedback loop, again. I gave her a menacing look.

"What," Slinger shrugged with a stupid smile.

"You know what, the feedback, where is it?" I demanded stomping a hoof.

She tried to avoid the question by staring at the ceiling.

"It's hooked in at the security room isn't it," I guessed knowing she wasn't going to tell me.

"Maybe", Slinger sounded unsure.

I sighed, walking down there. The playback loop was running on the bank of screens in the security office. Pulling some wires, I plugged the right ones back in, but not without injury, I got shocked.

"Fuck," I screamed attracting the attention of Gunther, who came in, turning off the circuit.

My heart felt like it was about to pop out of my chest.

"There is never a dull moment around you sir, is there" Gunther checked my body's injury before carrying me to the medical wing.

I groaned in response.

The medical wing was located on the first floor, right of the stable's entrance. What a location for it. The injured get treated quickly, but those who were hurt bad enough had to stay in the unit until they made a full recovery. I just hope I'm not in with the latter, that would be torture.

"Stitching Scar," Gunther called walking into the medical wing.

"Oh Gunther, I didn't expect to see you today, I fixed you up last week." Stitching Scar began to sweat.

Don't worry about it doc, I didn't come to see you for that. Soft Ice got hurt and i figured to bring him to you, Gunther looked over at me before returning his gaze to Stitching Scar.

"Okay well, lets see what the damage is then shall we?" Stitching Scar pulled out his stethoscope, feeling around my body trying to hear what my insides were doing.

"Doc" Gunther interrupted.

"Yes" Stitching Scar returned, pulling his stethoscope away.

"Soft Ice got electrocuted" Gunther pointed out, narrowing down Stitching Scar's search for what was wrong with me.

"Oh, how?
I looked away not saying a word.

It had something to do with Slinger didn't it, here, get some rest. Stitching Scar handed me a bottle of pain killers.

Gunther carried me back to the 'Living Quarters', where he set me up at a table in the mare's common room finding a glass, he filled it with water. Feeding me the pain killers, Gunther followed them with the cool liquid he tipped out of the glass, making sure I didn't choke.

The pain killers affected me almost instantly.

"Thanks Gunther" I said, standing up.

Gunther disappeared. "Soft Ice, i thought i heard you in here" Moon Lancer walked into the room. "I couldn't find Steel Plate.

Looking around for Gunther, he was nowhere to be found. Odd, "He's probably off gathering ponies," I said noticing, the shadow of five fillies that had their heads poking in the door of the 'Common room'.

Walking through the door, four fillies ran off, I chuckled a little.

"Where did Sir Gunther go, Ice?" The young mare asked, staring at me with blue innocent eyes.

"I don't know, I answered, ruffling her hair before exiting the mare's living quarters all together. Looking down, I noticed my watch didn't have the green glow that normally illuminated the screen and, it wasn't responding.

"Great, I wonder how many caps it's going to take to fix this," I asked myself walking to the mercenary's market found in the stable.

"What!" I yelled slamming my hooves over the counter, "What do you mean you don't have anymore infinity cores, I need my watch. It has a night vision targeting system I use in fights, I need it."

"Look, Ice, I don't know what to tell you, I just don't have anymore. You were the one to ask for a core the last time, and now we're out, so your out of luck. Your welcome to try a Stable-Tech Pip-Buck if your up for it," Sizzling Bullet offered. Fetching the Pip-Buck, he set down on the counter.

I swallowed hard, weighing my options. Wait and see if Sizzling Bullet will be able to get more 'Infinity cores' which looks like never, or try the Pip-Buck that my uncle, told me so many scary stories about.

I swallowed again, weighing my options twice, asking, "how much do you want for it?"

Author's Note

Stable-Tech watch -1
Stable-Tech Pip-buck +1
Barter +1
Speech+2