Gears Keep Going... Even If They have To Stop

I edited it!

Running.

It's the best skill you will ever learn or use.

Even when your just a sperm, you must go faster then the rest. So, even before you're born, you're running.

The first thing you are taught is to walk, which from there goes to running.

Some call running away cowardly, I call it staying alive.

Most Gears will say it's an honor to die for the COG. I call it stupidity.

You don't go to war to die. You do it to protect what you love.

"BOOM!"

A boom shot sailed over me as I ran across the court yard to cover. A few locust yelled their curses as I slammed into and rolled over the fallen pillar in one swift motion. I put my back to the pillar and blind-fired over the top of it with my retro. I stopped firing to blind-throw a grenade. The satisfactory boom-squelch that followed, let me know it went to a good home.

I stood up, and saw ten grubs and two boomers headed towards me. I fired what remained in my mag into the nearest three, they fell down, but I knew better to know that they weren't dead. I tossed out two more grenades in quick succession. One in the middle of the downed grubs and another to stop the advance of the others.

I went into another run at the explosion of the second, and made for the tower door. I felt a few randomly fired rounds enter my back. Slowed me down, but I didn't stop. When I got to the door, I slammed into it with all my worth. The rusted hinges stood no chance. I stumbled a bit after the hit but recovered quickly. I stuck my last grenade in a small nook a few steps from the entrance and resumed my running.

I found the stairs going up the next level quite easily. At the top, I took the time to reload my retro, and longshot. I threw some chairs and desks down the stairs to halt their advance as best I could. Good thing to, because at that moment the grenade downstairs went off. I threw the chair in my hands down and booked it down the hallway. In my head I was going over the floor plans I had committed to memory.

First floor, reception.

Second, offices.

Third, more offices.

Fourth, turret control, armory, elevator.

Fifth, storage.

Six, labs.

Seven, testing

Eight, main labs.

Nine, tower control.

I found the stairs in no time and headed up. I repeated the process of blocking the stairs, and moved on. I got to the fourth floor and kept running. This was the level I committed to memory. I had to reroute twice to get around where the floor above had caved in at. But I found what I was looking for. The armory was a little ways before the turret control, but I was very short on ammo. I filled my pouches to the brim, and grabbed a mulcher before leaving. The good thing is, that on this floor was an elevator that would take me straight to the top, given it still works.

About halfway down the corridor, I had a thought. Setting the mulcher down I ran back to the armory and grabbed a shit ton of grenades. I went back to the stairs and started to set them out. Put them under things on the floor, basically an improvised mine field. I finished laying them all out, save for the usual four, and picked up the mulcher.

I then heard an explosion and a few grubs yell out.

"Fast working little fuckers."

I made a hobble run to the turret control room. I got inside, the room had a terminal in front of a window looking out at a perfectly intact elevator. I gave a sigh of relief and hooked up my jack into the console. The turrets activated, and popped out of the ceiling.

Facing the elevator.

I slammed my fist down on the terminal, then I heard an explosion, followed by another, and another. So either I make a dead run, shut down the turrets, or do a suicide hold. I gave a tired sigh and shut down the turrets. I removed my jack and made my way out to the elevator. I got to the elevator, and pressed the up button. With a small grind, the door opened. I hobbled walked in and set the mulcher against the wall. I pressed the 9 button, and the doors started to slowly close.

An explosion at the end of the hall pulled my attention away from the door.

A few wretches rounded the corner. Three were on the ceiling, two on either side up on the walls and one on the ground, all coming straight for me. I pulled out my Gorgon pistol. A quick burst took out two of the three on the ceiling. Another burst took out the two on my left. I shot another burst at the two on the right. I took out most of them, but the one left on the ceiling and floor were to close.

The one on the floor jumped at me, and got the barrel of the pistol smacked across his face for the trouble. It went flying to the left out of sight. The one from the ceiling jumped up on my and grabbed my arms, slicing up my forearms, and tried to bite my face off. I grabbed it's neck and put the pistol against it's temple, and splattered it's brains. I threw the now cooling corpse out. The doors were almost closed now. I took one last glimpse down the hall.

What I saw made me go into a cold sweat. Two armored Kantus were rounding the corner. They saw me and gave a long howl. I fired what was left in the pistol into their open maws. In reaction, they closed their mouths and stumbled back. The one on the right recovered first and went into a charge towards me. I threw out a grenade as it got closer. The grenade knocked it off balance. But the one in the back was now opening fire on me.

The doors were only three inches apart now. Felt a little bit off relief, that was squashed as the Kantus stuck its hands in and started to pull the doors back open. I put my pistol away and took out my retro. The doors were now open a foot wide. The Kantus looked up at me, and started to do it's scream.

I stuck the retro's blade in it's mouth and pulled the trigger. Sparks flew as I fired, but a few bullets managed to get inside and bounce around. It's form went limp, the doors tried to close again, but it's head was in the way. I gave it a good front kick, and the doors slammed shut.

I stumbled backwards till my back hit the wall, and I slummed down to the floor as the elevator started to go up. It gave off a few groans, but it went up. I let out a great big sigh of relief.

I had been out running, out gunning, and out smarting the locust for past two days. I was tired. I also haven't slept. I started to feel very tired, but I shook that off and stood back up. I pulled out the last of my rations, and proceeded to eat them. A ding went off and I looked up. The floor counter had changed from 4 to 5. Now that I was looking at it, I saw that it went down to 65b.

What the hell? That's far enough down to be locust territory. No wonder this place is crawling with 'em.

I shook my head, and resumed eating my rations. With another ding I was at level 6. I pulled out my gorgon and reloaded it. I put that away then picked up the mulcher. I gently positioned it in front the door, I kept one hand on the grip and the other on the crank as I knelt down next to it.

Ding, 7.

Ding, 8.

I focused all my attention on the door, and got ready to pump death into anything on the other side. I re-griped out of anticipation.

Ding, 9.

I got ready. The doors gave a faint groan, and started to open, only to stop after two inches. With a grunt, I stood up. I left the mulcher where it was. I pulled my retro out and stuck the barrel and knife out the opening. I got close enough to see out, but far enough I could pull the trigger. Outside the door was a dusty hallway with rotting papers littering the floor. The lights on the ceiling flickered a little. It looked to be a waiting area with a few small tables and chairs against the wall. Looking back down, I saw that there weren't any disturbances in the thick dust coated floor. I pulled the retro out of the opening and put it back up on my back.

I then put my hands thru and pulled the doors in their respective directions. With a grunt from me, and a groan from the doors, they opened grinded open enough for me to fit thru. I let go and turned to grab the mulcher. The elevator lurched down a little bit. My eyes widened, I grabbed the mulcher and tossed it thru the opening, then myself. The I felt the ground shake a bit and a sound of screeching metal from behind me. I pulled myself up to my feet. Turning around, I saw the doors still ajar a ways, but the elevator was gone. I walked over to the shaft and looked down.

Black. I gave a low whistle. After a second, I hacked up some phlegm, and spit it down the shaft. I gave it a few seconds,  nothing.

With a shrug I turned back around. The mulcher had landed a few feet from where I did. Looking where I landed, I saw just how thick the dust was. It was at least an inch. Also, the dust I had knocked into the air was starting to make me cough. It was like stepping into a smoke cloud it was so bad. I fanned it away from my face as I picked up the mulcher with my other hand. The fanning seemed to make it worse. Seeing as every step I took blew more of it into the air. I gave a growl of annoyance as I moved down the hallway.

All the doors were locked, not that I couldn't open 'em if I wanted, but their not where i'm headed. At the end of the hallway was a staircase that went up at a slight angle. From the bottom I could see a desk and a window above the desk. I proceeded up the stairs with the mulcher at the ready. Just because they're wasn't any locust down there, doesn't mean their not up here. Getting to the top I scanned the room, empty. Save for the terminals and windows that lined the walls. The windows had blast shields covering them from the outside. The whole room was circular.  In the middle was a weird machine that proceeded up.The ceiling above it curved up with it. Walking over, I looked up and saw that the machine went up a ways.

Guess this is a spire, or something like that. Either way, I got a job to do.

I walked over to a terminal that was bigger then the rest, set the mulcher down, and hooked up my jack to it. I raised up my hand to my left eat and turned my comm on.

"This is Corporal Dedric of black squad, breaking radio silence to confirm that I have made it to the objective, over."

Static filled my ear for a second, till an all to familiar voice came on.

"This is Colonel Hoffman, we read you. Where is Sargent Green?"

"Dead, sir. We got ambushed by Therons yesterday. Green was hit by a torque bolt to the chest, the rest of got separated. I don't know where anyone else is, sir."

The Colonel gave a short growl before he answered.

"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Are you ready to transfer the data?"

"Yes sir. Sending... now." I said as I pressed a few buttons on my jack and the terminal simultaneously.

After a few seconds, the Colonel came back on.

"Were receiving it. Good work Corporal. I'll come back and give you the location for pick up."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

I backed up from the terminal to stretch my arms a bit. I was able to do a full stretch, thankfully, because of my commando armor. I started to look around the room a bit while the transfer was going on. I got to the other side of the room, and noticed a button. My curiosity peaked, I walked over to it. Looking at it, I noticed a label obscured by dust above it. I wiped away the dust.

SHUTTERS

I looked around the room at the covered windows.

Couldn't hurt to see how things are outside.

I pressed the button. As soon as I did, a small grinding noise filled the room. all the shutters slowly lifted up. I walked over to the north facing side. The side facing the front gate.

The only way out, seeing as this place is surrounded by mines and auto turrets.

Once the shudders were all the way up, I felt my face pale. Outside was a brumak and couple dozen grubs. In the air were four reavers. I felt my stomach go uneasy. I then ran towards the shudder button. I slammed my fist down on it, hoping that they hadn't seen me. The shudders closed with a loud groan. I felt a cold sweat break out across my body. I sat down in a dust covered chair with my face in my hands, as the realization hit me.

"I'm not getting out of here alive, am I?" I muttered into my hands.

I heard a bit of static, then the Colonel in my ear.

"The transfer is complete Corporal. Evac coordinates ar-"

"Call of the evac, sir." I interrupted with a flat tone.

"What...What do you mean, son? Whats happened?"

"I... Opened the windows to look outside, sir. They'res at a least a couple dozen grubs, some reavers, and a brumak outside, sir."

"I.. I see."

The line went dead for a few seconds, then the colonel came back.

"Colonel?"

"Yes, Corporal?"

"Could... Could you deliver a message for me, sir?" I could feel myself getting ready to cry.

"It's the least I could do. What is it?"

"Tell... Tell... Damn it. Under my bunk is a box. Give the box to Natalie, my sister. Tell her the combo is Mom's birthday, and... Fuck... Tell her to keep up her studies, and to take care of herself, and that I love her..so very, very much." I felt the tears now. But I didn't care.

"I can do that. Anything else I can do?"

I thought for a second. With a shaky voice I answered.

"I'd... feel better if you could find someone trustworthy to look after her. She's only 11, sir."

A few seconds of silence. Then a new, familiar, female voice popped on.

"I can take care of that Dedric." Bernie.

Good, old, Bernie.

"Thank you, ma'am. I... feel better knowing that your looking over her." I gave a low chuckle. "Specially seeing as how hard you are to kill."

She gave the same low chuckle I did. The Colonel came back on.

"I have to ask. What are you going to do? I know you aren't going to just sit there and wait."

I gave a full on laugh and stood up.

"I'm going to go out the best way I know. Take as many of them with me as I can."

"Good luck Cor- no. Sargent Dedric."

"Not that it means much now Colonel, but I thank you for the honor, sir. Over and out."

I clicked of my comm as I walked back over to the terminal my jack was hooked into. I pulled up a special program I made. My main mission is to go to military, and private installations and retrieve data. Seeing as that, we don't want to let locust get the data, if they even can, we blow up the building after words by setting the reactors down below to explode, or just whatever can explode. I clicked on it and a red message popped up.

DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED?

Y? N?

I pressed the Y.

Suddenly, the machine at the center of the room lit up and made a hum as it opened up. I looked back at the main terminal. It had a display with allot of numbers being displayed, and a bar with blue slowly climbing up and turning red. At the top, it read:

Transporter powering up, please enter chamber

At the word transporter, my hopes rose a little bit. I looked over at the now open machine with a critical eye. I was very unsure what to do. But... not seeing any other options... I disconnected my jack, put it in my pocket,  picked up the mulcher, and got inside the machine.

Once inside, I set the mulcher down and pulled out my retro. Looking around the small chamber, there was button on the side next to the opening. There wasn't any label or anything telling me what it did. I figured it didn't really matter. So I pressed it. The door to the chamber closed, and I felt a lurch as I felt the thing start to ascend. It then came to a stop short after. Then the thing lurched to the side and started spinning. I was forced to lean on the wall as it kept spinning. I started to feel sick after a short while of this. I then felt the pressure of the spinning stop, and I started to float. Then the chamber did a sharp drop, and then...

Black.

"Hey brother?"

I looked up from my desk to see my four year old sister standing at the door in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes, and her teddy bear dangling out of her hand.

"What are you doing up so late? I put you to bed an hour ago." I said with a chuckle.

"I had a nightmare."

I waved her over as I pushed my chair away from the desk. She came around to my side of the table and proceeded to climb into my lap.

"What was your nightmare about?" I asked while hugging her.

"I don't wanna think about it. It makes me scared."

"If you hide from your fears, then that only makes them stronger. Besides, I'll always be here to protect you."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now tell me what scared you."

"There... where monsters. Crawling out of the ground. They wanted to eat me."

"Well," I said while standing up, she gave a little squeak. "Their going to have to go through me! The biggest, meanest, gear there is! Rawr!"

I began to run around the small apartment we shared, pretending to fight the monsters with one hand while holding her with the other. She hugged my neck as she giggled. After running around for a good five minutes, we ended up in the living room, sitting down on the couch.

"There. All dead. Feel better?"

"Yeah. But I want to sleep out here with you. I don't wanna go back to bed alone." She said while looking at me with the biggest puppy dogs eyes.

I smiled and chuckled as I straightened out her hair.

"Yeah, we can do that."

"Could you take off your armor? It's kinda poking me."

"Yeah hold on." I set her down on the spot next to me, then stood up and proceeded to take my armor off. After that, I sat back down and pulled her into my lap. She shifted around till she was comfy.

"Whens mom coming home?"

"Remember, I told you that she had to go on a trip, and we don't know when she's coming back? It's why I came home early."

"Oh *yawn* yeah. Goodnight brother."

"Goodnight Natalie."

I waited for her to fall asleep. When she was, I got up and laid her down on the couch. I pulled the blanket that was on the armrest over her. I kissed her on the forehead. For a little bit, I couldn't help but look down at her and smile. I just felt so happy that the wars were over. So happy that I knew she would live in a world of peace. With a wistful sigh, I walked back to my room. I sat down in the chair and started going through all the papers that littered my desk. I threw a few away and put others in a pill. I was near the bottom when I saw the one thing I had been avoiding.

Mom's burial arangments.

With a shaky exhale, I picked up a pen and finished filling out the paper.

I awoke with a grunt. That was one of my happier memories, but it always makes me want to go home to Natalie. But, I have a job to do. Although the main thing is, where am I, and can I even find myself from here?

I opened my eyes, only to shut them again to shield them from the sun. I rolled over onto my stomach, and got up to one knee from there. I opened my eyes to see... grass. Green grass. Not burnt black, not dead yellow, blood covered red, or ash covered grey. Healthy green. I slowly reached out with a hand to touch it, make sure it's real. Sure enough, my armored gloved touched it, moved it. Bringing my head up, I saw trees. With green leaves. Small flowers were in bloom allover the clearing I was in.

I brought myself to stand at full height. Then a new thought hit me.

Where's my gun?

I quickly reached to my side and behind me to find my grenades, gorgon and longshot. But my retro was missing. I franticly turned this way and that. I gave a sigh of relief when I saw it just a few paces from me. I walked over and picked it up. I checked the mag. It was still loaded fully. I looked around some more and found the mulcher a little ways from where I found the retro. I picked it up and gave it a once over. Seemed fine.

After checking the rest of my weapons, I picked up the mulcher with one hand on the crank. Now that I was good to go, I had but one thought.

"Where the fuck am I?"

I stood there a bit, just thinking and enjoying the nice weather. Then I heard a scream.

Not just any kind of scream. But child's scream.

I heard it again, and bolted in that direction.

"What's ah hydra doin' here!?"

"I don't know! keep running!"

The crusaders were going to Zecora's hut, to help her out and maybe get their cutie marks in the process. But a little over halfway thru the walk to Zecora's, a hydra busted thru the canopy and started to chase them. The girls tried to run in the direction of ponyville, but they kept having to divert in other directions, they had no idea where they were now. One of the hydra's heads made another chomp at them, making them scream and run in another direction, and making the hydra knock over another tree.

They ran for a little bit longer. Applebloom started to notice that the trees had thinned out, and big rocks had taken their place. She could she tall cliff faces to either side of her through the trees. She knew it meant something, but she was too scared to think straight.

With a roar, the hydra reappeared behind them. All three of them screamed and ran faster. They kept running till they emerged facing a dead end. The rock wall in front of them made up the box they had unknowingly ran into. they heard a growl and turned to see the hydra stopped. All three heads were licking their chops as they eyed the girls. The girls huddled together, and started crying.

Suddenly a strange noise sounded out. Then, from the cliff above them, a louder noise rang out and fire flew down onto the heads of the hydra. One of the heads exploded from the stream of fire. Then the stream stopped and hissing noise was heard. The other hydra heads looked at the dead one and up to the cliff above them. They roared out, then the stream of fire came again and torn into another one of the heads. The fire cut straight thru and the top of the head fell off. The fire stopped as the third head shot out at the cliff above them. They looked up to see something small fly out, and enter the hydra's mouth.

The final hydra head gagged and retracted it's head. Then it's head exploded. A little blood landed on them as the hydra fell down. After few seconds, the realization that they were covered in blood from something that was just alive crossed their thought process. One by one, they started to scream. Then Sweetie Belle fainted. Followed by Scootaloo. Then Applebloom

But before Applebloom fully sucombed to the darkness, she saw something tall walking towards her.