Chapters “This is ghost 1-1, do you copy task force 1-4-1?” I ask in to the warbird’s cockpit.
We were making a extraction run for task force 1-4-1 using a warbird for extracting and a humvee for covering fire. Even though we were in vehicles we still need weapons. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
My load out consisted of a 50 caliber bolt action Barrett with a 12x scope attached.
For mid range I had a M4A1 with an acog sight, a laser attachment, flashlight, and a pistol grip.
Lastly is my trusty side arm I’ve had for twenty-four years. My 1911.
Next was tank. Obviously he was our tank of the group. He had a spaz 12 with him.
Along with his eight to ten inch knife, he had a desert eagle.
Lastly was Zeus. His code name when he was in New York. Like me he had a M4A1 with a 1911. He was our commando. He was a quick thinker and it only amplified when he was running.
Together we make up evolve team. We were formed when we were first deployed in the field. I’m the teams CO, but not the original one. I’m a colonel while Zeus is a major and tank is a first lieutenant. Tank had to go through boot camp again. I was the first to finish and was a Private First Class when they entered the field.
Our battlefield was Pakistan, a country in the Middle East.
“We copy, ready for extraction.” The radio replied. I heard gun fire from the other end.
“Understood. Hold fire on humvee at six. I’ll come around with the warbird.” I told. Unpronounced to me, a RPG was aiming for me. For tank and Zeus they didn’t notice the IED hiding in the ground.
They where several meters away from me. As they drove over the IED it exploded, Startling me in the process.
“Humvee is down. I repeat, humvee is do-“ my sentence is cut off by a loud explosion behind me. The warbird spins out of control.
“I’m going down.” Was the last thing I said as I crashed and erupted into a ball of fire.
———————————————————————
(In Equestria)
In a town called ponyville, there is a anthropomorphic lavender unicorn having a picnic with her other friends. Their talking to one another about their day and such, but this unicorn is getting over the lose of her friend. His name was Conner and he was her best friend for fifteen years.
“Twilight.”
Will she see him again?
“Hay, Twilight.”
Will he still want to be friends with her?
“TWILIGHT!!!” A raspy female voice yelled.
“Ow, what Rainbow Dash?” The lavender unicorn, now known as Twilight, answered folding her ears down. She wore a purple short sleeve shirt, a black skirt and black shoes.
“Are you okay?” A cyan Pegasus, known as Rainbow Dash, asked. “You spaced off again.”
“I’m fine just wandering if somepony is safe.” Twilight sighed as she finished her sentence.
“I think it was for the better. He killed something. We could have been next.” Rainbow waved a hand around the picnic area at four other girls.
“I’ve known him for fifteen years. He was kind and generous. Plus one of those things killed his mother and father when he was four. He barley made it out of there alive. On top of that, he became what he is to day in order to survive a lethal attack.” The lavender unicorn glared angrily at the cyan Pegasus. She recoiled and put her arm down.
“Twi, it’s been nine months. He is gone.” An orange girl said sternly.
“I know Applejack. It’s just I miss him so much. He was my best friend for so long.” Tears welled up in her eyes.
Before anyone could reassure Twilight, a green and purple dragon ran up to her. “Princess Celestia sent a letter.” The unicorn moshed him to read. “Twilight sparkle and friends are here by invited to Shining Armor’s wedding in Canterlot where sead ponies will help set up the wedding.” Twilight’s look turned from sadness to shock.
“Who is Shining armor?” Asked a white girl with indigo hair.
“Shining Armor is my brother.” The rest let out a gasp.
Immediately after hearing that they shot away like a bullet to their homes.
After getting everything they needed for the wedding and they went of to the train station. They embarked the train and were off to Canterlot.
After leaving a gray metal object appeared in a flash of light. There was nothing inside that the curious occupants could tell. No one was in side, but they would leave it until it’s owner moves it. Which will take a while.
———————————————————————
My eyes flutter open painfully. I let out a tired groan. Standing up I look around to see a dense forest. Looking more around, I notice a familiar humvee behind me.
I look down seeing my M4A1 and Barrett 50 cal at my feet. I sling the sniper across my back and shoulder my M4A1. I turn on the acog, laser, and flashlight attachments to see if they work. They do and I turn them off.
Walking to the humvee I feel anxiety well up in my chest. What the hell. I don’t have a heart, so why do I have this overwhelming sense to run. It stops as I reached the door. Opening it, I’m introduced to two men in the front seat sleeping. I sigh going into drill sergeants mode.
“WAKE YOUR LAZY ASSES UP OR I’LL RIP YOUR DICK OFF AND SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR THROAT!!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. They woke up with a jolt, hit hitting their heads on the roof, causing me to smirk.
“Okay where are we?” Tank asked. I simply responded with a shrug of my shoulders.
“Over lord, this is ghost 1-1, so you copy?” Nothing. I step a way from the other two and entering a crouched position. Tendrils covered my legs as it shot me up into the air. Lookin in front of me, my eyes widen in shock and happiness. I... can’t believe it. I’m... back. Hitting the ground I see my pet woke up. “There is a city to the north of here. Surrounded by a bubble. Can’t miss it.” It earned odd looks from the other two. Shrugging they enter the humvee. I bend down and scratched my dog’s head. “We’re back, buddy. Back home.” I enter the humvee and take position on the mounded gun. We drive off in the direction of the city. The city where I grew up. Canterlot.
It has been two hours since we left for Canterlot. Well, we are much closer now. Just five more minutes.
“Hay, ghost, what’s with the Barrett?” Zeus asked.
I gave him an ‘are you serious’ face. “I’m the teams sharp shooter. Why do you run into battle? Your the commando. You think on the fly.” I responded clearly irritated. “It’s just like how James is the tank. He can take hits we can’t.” I gave an example by shooting him in the head. He gave me the middle finger in response. I laugh and apologize. Damn, that mare had an effect on me.
“You sounded a little hopeful when you pointed it out.” Tank pointed out. I felt Sif nuzzle my leg. Good, then my darkened sunglasses and balaclava do as intended.
“This was where I was for fifteen years.” Holy crap I can’t believe I’m finally home. I felt a surge of happiness within me.
It wasn’t long until I heard something violently hit a tree. Good thing for this enhanced hearing. I turn behind me, only for my eyes to widen. Much to my dismay and our pressures chagrin, a pack of Timberwolves were hon on our tail. I move the mounted gun so it’s facing behind the humvee. I begin emptying the magazine into the pack.
Zeus notices and checks his side view mirror. “What the Fuck are those?!” He yelled over the gun fire.
We entered a clearing that spanned on the side of a cliff. At this point, I already took out half the pack. I look to my right to see a train. I clear out the rest of the wooden wolves and follow the train on the cliff side. Once we make it to the bubble I see two royal guards.
“Halt!” One shouted. In response I took off my balaclava and sunglasses. If it wasn’t for them having to keep their stoic expressions, I’m pretty sure they would smile brightly, more so that it would rival the sun. But their not dovakin. I play too much Skyrim.
The bubble distorts to let us threw. I nod my head in thanks and proceed to put my sunglasses and balaclava on. We pass by the train station and I see a familiar face. How could I forget that lavender unicorn. My face grew a smile that would split my face in half if I wasn’t watching my biomass.
“Zeus, go near the train station.” I ordered. He complied and parked the humvee beside the station. The ponies looked at us in awe. I took mic of the humvee and made it to where the out word speakers would transmit what is said. We use it to evacuate civilians. “Will one Mis. Twilight Sparkle please come to the humvee.” She looks taken aback and I notice the other two give me questioning looks. She walks over and I poke my head out of the mounted gun hole. “Yes?”
“Why did you call me over?” She asked. I took of my balaclava and sunglasses off for the second time in ten minutes. “C-Conner?” I nod in response.
“Hello again Twilight.” I pulled the rest of my body out of the gun hole. I see the four other mares starring at me in awe and one in disgust. I look at the one that is starring at me like I’m warring shit. “Problem Mis?” I quirked an eyebrow up.
“What is that ghastly attar?” She nearly screeched.
“It’s my combat uniform.” I answered.
“Then it should be elegant.” She looked like she just been slapped.
“Bullshit, if it doesn’t protect or give you mobility than its crap.” I stated. “Besides, this is ment for the desert. My personal favorite is the snow camo.”
“You use that to get around?” the cyan one asked in awe. Quite an observation.
“That and the warbird, but I don’t know where the latter is.” I put a hand to my chin in confusion.
“So, why y’all dressed like that?” An orange mare asked.
“First how long was I gone?” My question filled some of them with curiosity.
“Nine months, why?” A pink mare asked.
“Because its been nine years where I’m from.” I said clearly worried.
“Yo, ghost, what’s taking so long. We agreed to go to point Alfa at noon!” Zeus yelled.
“Shut up, Zeus!” I yelled back. “Put your stuff in the humvee and ride on top.” I look behind them to see a ton of luggage being carried out. “Now that’s entirely too much.” The well dressed on looked where I was looking.
“Those are mine.” The white one with the indigo mane said.
I take a deep breath gaining all their attention. “I may have to go dill Sargent mode on a civilian before the royal guards.” The rainbow maned Pegasus dismissed it.
“Trust me, it bad. she will get in your face and insult you while screaming at the top of his lungs. He made growing men cry for their moms.” Zeus explained. “I’m Alex “Zeus” Mercer. This is Connor “ghost” Jackson. Last is James “tank” Heller. I’m a major, Conner is a colonel, and James is a first rank lieutenant. We make up Evolve team 2-1.” He finished. “Now let’s get there before noon.”
Loading up the humvee which is now packed , thanks to the indigo mane unicorn, which prompted me and James to escort to humvee to rally point Alfa, aka Canterlot castle. Getting there I saw patrols which prompted me to shoulder my M4A1 and ready it. James did the same with his spas 12.
Seeing the gate from this angle feels weird. I bet Alex and James feel right at home with the gates trying to keep them out. I chuckled lightly, thankfully, going unnoticed.
The guards see us and give a skeptic look at us. “Open the gate!” One of them ordered. Most likely the CO of this regiment.
“Sorry ma’am, but it’s stuck.” One of her men responded.
“We’ll help!” I yelled. They gave an amused look.
“Pray tell, how you intende to get over the wall?” She asked. I turned to James with a wide smile that went unnoticed, but he still could tell I smiling.
Biomass covers his legs like a python covers its pray. He jumps straight over the wall. I could tell he landed when I heard the ground crack. I ran towards the wall at full speed, which is sixty miles per hour. When my foot hit the wall my body seemed to defy gravity as I ran straight up. Summer salting over the wall, I land with a loud thud and crack. The first was me hitting the ground. The second was my Barrett firing a round as the butt of the gun hit the ground hard.
“Come on tank. Let’s pry it open.” I say as I slip my fingers between the two doors when attempted to be open. “On my mark. One. Two. Three!” With a lot of force brought, we pulling the door open. I hear a defining crack and indescribable pain coming from my right. Getting the door open was the situation that made my body make bones and brake.
Looking around I see the training area where I would watch there CQC to learn. Looking at them now made him grimace. Pitiful to say the least.
I see the next sight I wished to see. It was mom, or to many, Princess Celestia. I walked up to her barley containing my excitement. I stopped. Turning around I threw my sniper and assault rifle. I turned back to her to see she is now accompanied by the Wander Bolts, Shining Armor, and Cadence. I sighed happily.
Continuing my walk to them my body covered in tendrils. My black cloak overlapping my orange short sleeve t-shirt. My pants going from its normal desert camouflage to black pants with a gray belt that held my holster which held my 1911 with my old CO’s dog tags dangling from the hammer. My combat boots stayed the same only gaining a little shine to it. Last my balaclava snuggly tucked around my collar, my sunglasses put into my pocket, and my helmet that got absorbed into me.
I felt tears well up in my eyes. I’m back. Mom met me in the middle. I’m home. I felt my tears roll down my face. Then I said something that would make anyone feel happiness even if they had a cold heart. It put me in tears and I don’t have one. “I’m back,” I paused to look at everyone, thought my tear filled eyes, to see them all in tears. “Back where I belong.” I was free from my misery for the war and fear of not seeing the mare I loved again. I sighed happily before I had to go to sleep. And for the first time in nine years, I had a good dream. I watch the dream in content before waking up to a new day.
Waking up the first thing I notice that it was still dark. I yawn stretching my arms and take a quick look around. I see my equipment tucked a way in a corner. I surround my body in tendrils as my casual clothes turn into my combat armor. I sling my sniper over my head as it dangles from my back. Shouldering my M4A1 I walk out and head towards the training area.
Once I get there, I see Alex and James start with their exercises. I smirk and yell, “All right dumb asses time for the real shit! Nucles on the ground! Push ups!” As they drop I join them. I grin and found something to motivate them. “First one to drop pays for the first round!” I yell. My eyes widen in realization. “Wait! First round of soda. Don’t want to kill my men by accident, right!” They chuckle for a little while.
I start my push ups and after an hour my nucles began to bleed. Soon mom, Twilight, the five girls, Shining Armor, cadence, and the rest of the royal guard. I smirk as Alex collapses. He may be a evolve but this will even an hour of nonstop nucle push ups. Getting up, I noticed the small poll of blood under me.
“Do I still owe you a drink?” Alex asked. His voice was muffled because his face was still in the dirt.
“Yes, and if you put alcohol in it, I will kill you, bring you back, then kill you again. Got it.” I said which got a nod even if his head was still in the dirt. “Take my biomass that I lost.” He shot a tendril from his back and, while taking the biomass, lifted himself up. “Next we run. I’ll start the cadence.”
After finishing I look at the rest to see they are impressed. I released something as I remember my sniper was still on my back. “Is there a target range?!” I ask Shining. He points to a range with a line twenty meters away from the targets. I sigh and walk over. I shoulder my Barrett, drop to my knees, and fall on my stomach, placing my sniper on its bipod.
I take a deep breath as my moving slowed. I slowly placed my finger on the trigger. Glancing to my right I see everyone, but my team, look at me quickly. I look back at my target and pull the trigger.
CRACK!
The familiar crack reminded me of the stealth operations we did when my top priority was to find high ground.
Sliding the bolt back, I chamber another round. I repeat the process.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
I unload my sniper with five absolutely distorted targets. Loading my gun I return to my feet. I look at them and they’re in awe. I laugh and suddenly remember my balaclava and sunglasses were off. I swiftly put them back on their respectful places on my face.
Shining walks to me. “I don’t believe we meet. I’m captain Shining Armor.” He stuck out his hand for a hand shake.
“I’m Colonel Conner Jackson. My call sign, or code name, is ghost. You know me. I use to live here nine years ago.” I exploded. I took his hand in respect of a fellow soldier. “Those two,” I point to Alex and James, “ are Major Alex Mercer. Call sign: Zeus. The one beside him is first lieutenant James Heller. Call sign: tank. If you want a salut, he’s the only one with a lower rank than you.” He narrowed his eyes.
“Are you part of your worlds royal guard?” Alex and James heard this. Us three burst out laughing.
“No, our nation doesn’t have a royal guard. We have secret service. Plus we’re apart of the United States Marine Corps. The first into battle. We make up evolve team.” At this time a royal guard member walks in with a tied up changling.
“We found him hiding in an alley way.” One explained. I look at it curiously.
“I’ll take it from here.” They look at me curiously. Tendrils cover my arms.
“What are you doing?” The same royal guard asked. I made no response as I thrusted my blades into his chest. A loud gasp could be heard. I reach for his head.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” I never liked to consume anything even if they do deserve it. I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I clamp my other clawon his head.
“You do what you need to do.” The changling said weakly. It was obviously female.
I couldn’t do it. I remove my claws from his stomach, using biomass to replace damaged areas. He falls to the ground unconscious. Tears fall down my face as I realize what I did.
“Conner, you don’t need to prove your an evolve by consuming something. I made you one to prove that not all evolve are evil. Your the evolve everyone wants to have around. Your the kind evolve. Consuming isn’t in your nature. Please, nether of us will patronize you for your morals. Just be you.” Alex said. I smile and pick up the changling. His words still ringing in my mind.
“Your right Alex. I can’t do it. It isn’t in my nature.” I say still turned around so no one can see me.
I turn around and see everyone and pony there. I walk over and place her down gently. After I do everything I did flashes threw my mind. Once I stand back up, I dart away while everyone calls my name. I continue to run hoping they wouldn’t follow.
I continued to run until I was on the roof of my old room. Memories flash threw my mind. Soon they are replaced my glimpse of more terrible memories that happened in Pakistan. All the blood. All the dead. I clutch my head as all those horrible memories flash threw my head causing me to scream. Until I hear a flash. Looking behind me I see the unicorn I love. Twilight Sparkle.
We stay there like that for five minutes before I turn around. “The thing that I never like to consume anything. I never did it. I only got shared biomass from the others to shapeshift. If it wasn’t for them I would have lost it in the battlefields in Pakistan.” I explained. I felt like my chest would explode from regret.
I felt an arm rap around my shoulder and I did the same to said figure. In the pain I didn’t realize Twilight walked beside me. I gave a faint smile as we leaned into each other, keeping one up with the other. My smile gave way as I retreated my arm.
“But I can’t be forgiven for what I did. I just can’t do it. I guess a start was healing her from the stab. But I still had the intention to kill. I’m a fucking monster.” I whispered the last part quietly. The tears flowing free from my eyes.
I felt another arm rap around me as she embraced me. “Don’t say that.” Twilight said quietly so that I could only hear it. “It’s your training that made you do that. No matter what you still the nice, kind, and generous human I know.” I felt my uniform get wet as she began to cry. I embraced her hug as her quiet sobbing could be heard. “You were gone for so long. I was losing hope. I was scared that you died. Please don’t ever do it again.” She lifted her head to face me. The tears still present on her face. Our faces only inches apart.
“I will Twilight. I still have a job to do though. We can catch up. I can enlighten you on the past nine years.” I get up and offer my hand to help her. She takes it and I lift her up before picking her up bridal style. She blushes before starting to ask what I was doing.
I smirk as Ieap of the roof Twilight screaming the entire time. I under estimated how fast I would go and brake through the sealing. I cover Twilight’s head and twist to my back as I slam into the roof. The pain intensified at the twentieth floor. With my enhanced hearing, I hear Alex telling someone off. At the bottom floor, I fall through the floor one last time. I groan in pain after the hard landing.
“Better than most my crash landings.” I state which earns a chuckle from Alex. “I hurt, a lot.” I get up hearing aloud snap from my back. “THE FUCK! I’m not supposed to have bones!” Alex and James burst out laughing. I feel my body mend and walk to the two, who fell on the ground laughing, and kick them sending them through the wall.
“Was that really necessary?” The posh sounding one asked. I grin and nod.
“If I could, I would hit them with a pillar.” They take a step back.
“Why would you do that?” The meek one asked.
“Last week, when I was asleep, they made me drink alcohol.” Alex and James walk back through the hole in the wall.
“That’s bad how?” The cyan one asks.
“Since we are mostly a virus, the alcohol cleans the virus making it fall off our body. Plus it hurts like hell. And it all so molds in to an anim- holy crap we forgot Sif!” I run to the court yard and open the door. Sif walks out and tackles me to the ground. I pick him up and rush back to the group. “This is what happened when I drunk alcohol for the first time. The second time turned into a brawler. Got more biomass that time.”
Walking into the dining area I see the bane of my existence, blueblood. “Hello aunt Cel- WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS!!!” I groan.
“I already hate this person.” Alex said.
“Who might you monsters be?” I might shoot him in the leg.
“You know me blueblood, Conner.” I say and he gets a surprised expression. “Nine years and you still haven’t changed.” He huffed and turned away. “Like I said multiple times, ponies give respect when it is given. That’s how my team is effective and how governments work. No pony is better that the other.”
“There’s no point of arguing. I’ll most likely get killed by you.” He bings it up once again.
“You shot a hole through my chest! If I wasn’t an evolve you would have killed me! It’s because of me you’re not in prison for attempted murder!” He remembers it and the talk. He grows a kind smile.
“I thank you for it. Back then I might have let my anger flare. For that, I’m sorry.” I was taken aback that he apologized. He never apologized in his life. I look at everyone in the room. They all have dumbfounded expressions. I don’t hold back my laughter as their attention was forwarded to me. I shrugged in response.
We sit down and the questions began.
“Are you always that cruel?” Was the question that got me.
I sigh, “No I lost my sense in the moment. I healed her and gained a bit of DNA to be able to sense them. I’m sick of all the killing, of the war, and the blood. I’m going to change for the better. Even if this changling spy means something more. I will not kill.” My long winded answer was enough to stop questions like that.
“What would you do when you were back in your own country?” Twilight asked. I only smiled. Alex answered first.
“I visited my sister in the hospital to help her through her coma.” Alex answered.
“I looked after my daughter until she went off to her grandparents to live there. The reason was that I would be in the field for months.” That earned shocked looks from everyone. “At least she was safe. Now she won’t have to worry about me.” A lone tear crawled down his face.
“I mostly did community service or attended charity events. I mostly stayed in soup kitchens to help the homeless.” A kind smile crept across Twilight’s, mom’s, The yellow one’s, and ‘Cadence’s’ face. “Oh, in the excitement we forgot to introduce each other. You know our rank, name, and call signs. What about yours?” I asked.
“Sorry Conner, I forgot.” She gave a sheepish smile. “The cyan one with a rainbow mane is Rainbow Dash. The white one with a indigo mane is Rarity. The pink one with the pink mane is Pinkie pie. The orange one with the blond mane is Applejack.” I heard Alex and James snicker. I glared at them. “The yellow one with the pink mane is fluttershy.” Now I got names.
“Thank you. Now I don’t have to ask you one by one when the time comes.” They gave a knowing look.
“Wait, what are your ranks, names, and call signs?” Blueblood asked. I now remember he wasn’t there.
“Sorry, I forgot you weren’t there. I’m colonel Conner Jackson. Call sign: ghost. The one with the assault rifle is Major Alex Mercer. Call sign: Zeus. The one with the shotgun is First Lieutenant James Heller. Call sign: tank. I think that sums it up.” Shining Armor had an intrigued expression.
“So, are you apart of this royal guard?” He asked. All three of us repeatedly slam our heads into the table until blood was present. We healed it quickly.
“We don’t have a royal guard. We have branches of the military. We are apart of the United States Marine Corps. The first into battle and the most prepared team next to delta force and task force 1-4-1.” I explained. My annoyance clearly evident. With that, we finished lunch in relative silence. I finished our food quickly and enjoyed the silence that ensued. “Best silence I’ve had in the past nine years.” I sigh in contempt. The girls get up to go prepare for this wedding tomorrow. The practice was today. “Cadence, can I talk to you privately?” She reluctantly walks to me. “I know what you are.” She had a fire in her eyes.
“Then you know that you must disappear, right?” ‘Cadence’ asked.
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry for nearly killing one of your subjects.” I gave a light bow in apology.
“You don’t want to stop me?” She gave me a questioning look.
“You did nothing wrong, but what you need to do. On that note where’s the real Cadence?” She gave a stern look.
“I must not tell you now. Soon, but not now.” I smile and walk away.
I walk to my team and issue an order to use non lethal tactics when they get attached. They comply, understanding that this place is too innocent.
After an hour I take a patrol route through canterlot. I had my balaclava, sunglasses, and helmet one. I stopped when I noticed a familiar friend. I walk up to him.
“Are you Fancy Pants?” I ask. He saw me and look scared.
“Yes. who are you.” He asked with a bit of fear mixed into his voice. I took off my helmet, glasses, and balaclava. He lit up after seeing a familiar face that was gone for a long time. “Where have you been?”
“Back where I’m from fighting in the front lines.” He looked shocked and had a look of disbelief. Before he could shoot it down, a loud roar sounded through the streets of canterlot.
“This is ghost 1-1 reporting to Zeus, do you copy?” I spoke into the radio.
“This is Zeus, ghost what’s wrong?” Alex asked.
“Brawler roar in ar-“ I didn’t get to finish as it leaps of the top of a building. “Brawler spotted!” I scream.
I pull the trigger and a chorus of bangs accompanied the bullets that flew out the barrel. The brawler charged and knocked the gun out of my hands. Hitting me, I flew into a building where Fancy and his wife hid. It charged me again. I punched it forgetting my shape shifting ability. Punching it three times before ripping the throat out I did the thing that came naturally to me. As it stumbled back I stepped on its knee, then it’s chest. I rip it in half and tendrils shoot out of my back. Clutching my head in unimaginable pain, I scream. Befor I pass out I see the girls and my team run through the hole. I’m pretty sure they noticed the brawler corpse and I heard Twilight scream in terror as I pass out, only to wake up the next day. Fuck that experience.
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