The Freelancers

The crew travelled in relative silence, save for the low grumbling hum of the van’s engine and the occasional vehicle passing in the opposing lanes.

The explosion and the resulting fireball had caught the attention of the local police forces from Rift City, who’d taken to the highway to investigate. Their cars and transport vehicles became more and more common as the crew neared the city limits, but they dared not cross the border lest they catch the attention of Equestria’s most unforgiving jurisdiction.

Instead, Sheet Rock parked up at a poorly lit fuelling station for something to eat and to take a moment for the ringing in their ears to subside, if only to distract themselves. The clerk seemed surprised that they even stopped let alone come inside, but was glad to sell them something that at one point passed for food, but now looked more like a lumpy brick of grey-green matter.

It was probably a container of kibble at one point or another, chunks of synthetic protein synthesised from whatever sources of nutrition the lab that made it had to hoof at the time. It looked a lot like pet food and smelt a lot like it too, but somehow much worse.

“Not many ponies out tonight, lots of passers by though.” the store clerk said strangely, pocketing the money for their meals. “Not that I got many customers anyway, and that’s without the explosions and roving cops.“

“Who’d willingly come to a dump like this?” Star remarked. “No offence.”

“None taken, I know this ain’t the nicest place!” the clerk said before he broke out into laughter. “I gotta make do with what I got, and well… this is it, a grimy barely standing pre-fab building on a highway ponies rarely use.”

A loud series of cracks and pops rang out, then abrubtly stopped, followed by another large explosion that rose up into the evening skyline. It sounded like high calibre gunfire, probably from the mech they’d seen.

They weren’t particularly keen on finding out who, or what, it might be facing off against however.

“Y’all are probably going to want to get out of here soon.” the clerk said, peering at the explosion with concern. “Military will be rolling by soon, and good luck getting where you’re going once they start blockading the highway off-ramps.”

“How-”

“Ex-Military, fought in the last war.” he added, pointing to a degraded and rusty cyberlimb painted in a faded digital camo pattern. “Still got a few contacts in the service, they tell me all sorts.”

It was no secret that Equestria and the Bat Pony Nation weren’t on good terms, especially after the brutal and bloody clash that saw the Bat Ponies driven back underground. Following the end of the war, Equestria didn’t have the means to maintain a standing military to protect itself and rebuild infrastructure destroyed in the fighting at the same time. Nearly every major Corporation was more than willing to contribute troops, equipment, and funds on an ongoing basis if Equestria’s now desperate leadership agreed to a few concessions.

These concessions effectively turned Equestria’s Administrative Council, formed after the Princess’ retirement from the public eye into a loose collection of Corporation sponsored figureheads. Some cities, specifically Canterlot and Manehattan, retained much of their importance and power, but others were not so lucky.

A group of Personnel Carriers thundered by on the road outside, headed toward the Arcology, no doubt having received reports of the explosions and gunfire. One of the heavily armoured vehicles stopped abrubtly at a junction leading toward Rift City and the Arcology, and its occupants wasted no time in blocking both lanes with their vehicle’s considerable bulk and barbed wire barricades.

A single soldier, a sergeant judging from the rank emblem on his shoulder, in a light gray flak jacket entered the store, rifle neatly slung across his back. He seemed unnaturally on edge and side-eyed every corner and potential hiding spot as he walked up to the counter, like he was expecting an ambush at any moment.

“Head home, now.” he said authoritatively. “And you, close up, nobody is coming up or down this highway for the foreseeable future.”

“We’re headed to Canterlot.” Star replied. “I assume that’s fine?”

“Road to Rift City is closed.” the sergeant answered coldly. “Unless you mean to make camp in the desert then I’d surmise that would be your best option.”

“You kids better be on the move, I doubt our friend here is in the mood for company.”

Snacks in hoof, Star and the others retreat to the van, which was under close watch by the soldiers, not that they could put up much resistance if the soldiers wanted to pick a fight.

There were maybe twelve of them per vehicle, including the APC’s driver and spotter, all sporting the latest in military and corporation developed hardware. They looked tense, and regularly fiddled with their weapons nervously, acting like new recruits seeing action for the first time, which they may well be for all the crew knew.

“I wont tell you again, go!” the sergeant called as he stepped back outside. “The rest of you, look alive, get those barricades up!”

“So, to make sure we’re on the same page. We’re gonna lay low, say nothing, and do nothing until this all blows over?” Scarlet said as she climbed into the passenger seat. “How likely is it that they’ll link that explosion to us?”

“Corporate Security and the Military probably wont know any different, but the Crown will know it was us that torched several million Bits worth of hardware with their own explosives.” Access replied through a mouth of dry kibble. “I can’t imagine they’d send an army after us just for that, they’d gain too little by doing that.”

“They already sent an army after us.” Scarlet said, scowling slightly. “Or did the combat mech and kill-squads not register in your head yet?”

“Bold of you to assume that a whole squad came there for us.” Star rebutted. “They came for whatever Phantom dug up, and Snowy had to take a bullet in order for us to escape, whatever is on that chip better be worth it.”

“We can’t access it, not without springing Phantom’s trap.” Access said gently. “At least, I assume it’s booby trapped, I’m not willing to find out until I’ve had a chance to rebuild our ‘decks.”

“You three are beyond help.” Scarlet threw her hooves up in defeat as Sheet Rock started to put some distance between themselves and the soldiers. “Though I will admit that I am a little curious too.”

They let the silence linger for a moment before they collectively agreed to let the situation go, at least for now, as they weren’t in the state of mind where they could clearly think through their next step.

Snowy would need a new body as well, but his core wouldn’t support a factory made Synthetic body, as now Access could get a closer look without Star being over-protective, he could tell that the modifications he had went far beyond just cosmetic.

“Star, would you be opposed to me installing Snowy as an AI within our hideout’s subnet?” Access said, bracing for a slug to the mouth. “I don’t think I can cobble together a body in a reasonable amount of time, but it would allow him to at least be present.”

Surprisingly, Star nodded in agreement.

“He could probably help you with that chip too, he always was good at breaking codes and circumventing security measures. I might’ve asked him to prank my dad once or twice in the past.”

“We’ll need to go shopping, Sheet?”

“If you think you’re dragging me on a shopping trip right now, you’ve got another thing coming.” Sheet Rock growled. “I’ll drop you off and you can do what you gotta do, I just want to sleep.”

“That’s fine.”

“Drop me off too.” Star added. “I’m not about to ask Access to pay for the parts he needs.”