Mechanical Angel

Chapter 05: Security Briefing

Tiny wisps of cigar smoke danced in the air as a ceiling fan lazily circled from up above. A silhouetted figure stroked the purring cat in their lap, taking time to enjoy their peaceful alone time.

Only for it to be interrupted by someone walking into his quarters.

“Sir, your “pet project” h-”

“Pet Projects? Is that what you and your team has been calling them?” A shadowed figure asked, amused.

“Y-yes. Sir.”

“What about them? You had news?”

“Y-yes sir.” The speaker in question had gulped audibly. “One of the “projects” has escaped."

“Level of completion?”

“It was one of the fully completed tests, sir. It somehow remotely overridden it's stasis pod and escaped.”

“How so?” The shadowed figure asked calmly as the cat hissed, arching its back.

“How, what? Sir.”

“How did this completed project escape?”

“An emergency escape module, sir. The module was intercepted by our ground team, but it seems as if the “project” had "ran off" as you put it, sometime after arrival. It… the module was found empty.”

The silhouetted figure fished a device off his person, lazily tossing it across the desk as the newfound guest had reflexively gone to grab it.

“You're telling me something I already know. I gave it a three-day head start.”

“Y-you let it escape, sir?”

“I didn't let it escape, I just didn't prevent it from leaving when it ran. This place is crawling with security guards, alarms, cameras, and all of that like. Nothing goes on in this place without me knowing about it.”

“Sir. That module could have landed anywhere. We don't even know where to start looking.”

“The last launch coordinates are in Equestria. I could tell you more if I wanted but…. That's what the tracking system is for.”

The “house guest” had looked at the device in his possession and clicked it to life, the tiny machine whirred and softly beeped as a 3D map appeared on the screen, along with coordinates, a guiding compass, and a registry system.

“P-ponyville! Sir, are you sure this is a good idea?”

“It's been three days since it left. Oh, and I added a region lock so it won't leave the area without remotely detonating. Happy hunting.”

“S-sir?”

“I said, “happy hunting” that's your cue to leave.”

“May I ask another question, sir?”

“Ask as many as you like, just know that it's cutting into your time.”

“T-time?”

“I want it back here before the beginning of nightfall. What is your question?”

“Why? Why did you let it esca-”

“Isn't it obvious? This is a test. If it's smart enough to hack our locks and databases for the passcodes, as it simultaneously undermined our security systems and security measures to escape the holding chamber without detection. Sneak past all of our armed guards and scientists, pickpocketing them for their keycards to unlock the door to the other wings of the building.”

At that point “the houseguest” reached around his hips for his keycard, his eyes going wide as he quickly patted himself down when he didn't feel his badge.

“It also found our escape pods, hacked our positioning systems to find coordinates and gained the authorization codes needed, and, as you said, it escaped. You have until nightfall. Happy hunting.”