Fallout: Equestria - Parallelism

I'm so sick of this miserable piece of scrap metal called Bear... Finally. I've fixed the engine!

I lift my head tiredly and walk away from the long-suffering SUV.

There is a barely audible whoosh, reminiscent of a shot of an energy-magic gun, and the next moment a shot of a red laser hits the brown bumper. I manage to raise a magical shield in front of me in time, and from the strength of the second hit it trembles and immediately vanishes into thin air.

Oh, shit...

Before the third shot, I manage to hide behind the massive body of the SUV and turn on the stealth field in my Pip-Boy. I look around carefully, but find no one. My heart drums in my chest.

Where is the enemy? How far away is he?

Again the piercing whoosh of the energy-magic weapon. Another hit to the body of the SUV I'm hiding behind.

I hope it's not the Steel Rangers... though why would they be this far away? Wasteland Survival Guide says that the Steel Ranger chapters are near major cities, not here, so far from Hoofland... What are they doing in the middle of nowhere like this? Are they also looking for the Project Dome?

The shots don't stop, but Bear's thick armor is hanging on for now.

My Pip-Boy doesn't have enough charge to get to the enemy with the stealth field on, so I use one of Blackwater's StealthBucks.

The StealthBuck's magical invisibility hides the heat I'm emitting. If it's a Steel Ranger in power armor with a thermal vision, he won't notice me. But if he has a visor or sensors that detect magical radiation... I'm fucked.

The shots keep coming. I have to kill him or neutralize him. I have no other options.

Invisibility is activated, and I move toward my death without my helmet, moving behind tall spruces and lonely stone ledges. My search leads me to a pony in power armor.

A Steel Ranger.

I can tell his armor looks far more impressive than it does on the posters. His whole body, from his tail to the tips of his mane, is hidden beneath solid armor. On his shoulder is the proud symbol of the Steel Rangers—a pinion in the shape of an apple, three pinions in the center, and a sword pointing upward. Almost like the Brotherhood of Steel...

Don't think of the similarity... Don't think about... Concentrate on your opponent.

He is near a small rock, because of his gray coloring he almost blends in with it. His back is adorned with an advanced combat saddle with a laser rifle.

A paved road runs in the distance that a throw of the cap can reach, and a small truck with the Steel Rangers emblem on the luggage compartment stands on it. I glance at the Pip-Boy compass, looking for more red marks, but to no avail.

It's suspicious that this Steel Ranger is the only one here. I don't like all this, but he's got to be stopped. Bear's brown body is already melting, looking like burnt chocolate soon.

I activate mine electromagnetic charge implant.

I hope I'm lucky, and that this type of damage will somehow disrupt his power armor with magic trickery.

I concentrate on my hoof, swing the necessary way, and... I throw it in the direction of the shooter. He pays attention to it, but doesn't have time to dodge it. The blue discharge reaches his armor. The gray massive armor sparks and his body movements become unpredictable and comical.

Great. The discharge has caused problems in operating the armor.

I wave it in its direction once more, and this time the armor shuts down for good. Now it's nothing more than a steel coffin until you reset a spell matrix.

In the blue mist of my magic, a locally made revolver I found in the Manehattan store safe floats in front of me. I walk toward the fallen Ranger.

"Don't move!" a mare's voice comes from the right.

What...? H-how can she see me?!

"Freeze, I said!" she shouts in a commanding tone, only for me to turn my head.

Two plasma rifles are pointed threateningly at me. Based on the voice, the mare commands me. She steps toward me with enviable confidence.

How is she not afraid of me after what I did to the armor of the Ranger who just shot Bear?

She can see my exact spot, even though I'm under the cloak of invisibility. She definitely has an advanced version of power armor with extra features and sensors. Definitely. Behind her, another Steel Ranger emerges in silence, aiming his laser rifles at me.

"Kill him!" the fallen Ranger yells. Apparently he managed to send out a distress call on his internal radio connection before I made a second throw and completely disabled his armor.

"Bubblegum, what the heck are you doing?!" she yells clearly at the Ranger. Bubblegum? "You think that's a 'member of the local fauna'?"

"He's a parasite!"

A doomed and irritated sigh is heard from the mare's power armor speaker, "Once again, I remind you, no shooting at civilians!"

"But..." Bubblegum whines.

"No buts! I order you to shut up."

"Yes, ma'am..."

"So..." the front of her helmet turns to me. "Put the gun down, turn off the StealthBuck, and let's talk."

"He attacked me."

"I believe you."

"You do?" I ask. Unexpectedly, she believes me so quickly.

She turns her head to Bubblegum for a moment.

"Yes..." there is a sense of irritation in her voice. "I don't feel sorry for this impulsive initiate at all, but if you shoot him at point-blank range with a large-caliber revolver, you will screw up my report with his death. So don't do anything stupid and make it easy on both of us. Let's just walk away peacefully."

Screwing up the report... she appears to be higher in rank than everyone else around here, so she's better equipped. She's also right. I'm at a disadvantage. It's not like she's bluffing. She really can't feel sorry for the initiate, especially one that gives out distorted information.

"After what I did to him?"

"I'll pretend nothing happened."

"And even about how I did it?" I ask, hinting at the use of a StealthBuck and a weapon that disables the force armor from two times.

"Yeah. I don't want to conflict over any rotten hay. Besides, the initiate misinformed me by telling me there was an aggressive member of the local fauna nearby. I allowed it to open fire, unaware that it might be a mere pony."

I hinted at the valuable technology I have used against him, but she quickly redirected the topic of conversation to her subject. I'd better not ask questions or tempt fate. I really don't seem to have a choice.

"Okay..." I take off my cloak of invisibility, revealing my visual presence. And I put the gun away. "Let's meet," I smile affably.

"Оh..." I detect a change in her tone. "You're a lot friendlier than I thought you'd be. We don't say names. The stallion with the call sign 'Bubblegum', you already know. Behind me is 'Pervert'." The mentioned Ranger sighs doomfully. " And I'm 'Berry'."

"Curious callsigns..." I grin. It feels like they were issued for a reason. "Call me... Danny."

"Danny?"

"Yes, it's a derivative of my full name."

"How nice it sounds..."

"Anyway, I'll go..." I say. 'Berry' doesn't give off any affirmative gesture, which makes me a little wary. "And teach your 'Bubblegum' not to shoot anyone who repairs the engine of his junk."

"Wait... You know about fixing things?"

She was quick to respond... as if she'd grasped at that phrase like a straw.

"Yeah, why? Surprised I'm not a dumb savage?"

"Yes and no... it's rare to find capable ponies in the Wasteland. Come with us. I could use your help."

'Bubblegum' hisses with indignation, but holds back and says nothing.

"It's rare to hear such an offer from the Steel Rangers," I say. It's basically an offer you can't refuse. "Why do you need me?"

"A Stable can hold many dangers."

'Bubblegum's' indignant hiss escalates into an angry growl, but he still restrains himself from breaking his silence order. He's already screwed up enough.

The whole thing is suspicious. Perhaps she has noticed my Pip-Boy... In her eyes, a PipBuck. Not to mention the invisibility and the thing that knocks out high-tech power armor with two hits. Wouldn't it be easier for her to kill me and take the technology so dangerous to them?

I'm at a disadvantage either way. Then again, I have no choice. I'll play dumb, but I have to bargain for appearances.

"And what's in it for me?"

"Tea with daisies in the friendly company of my charming brothers and sisters." Her voice is full of enthusiasm and innocence. Almost like Veronica's. I feel nostalgic and sympathetic for a moment. Only for a moment. "As you can see from 'Bubblegum', the Steel Rangers basically live under a rock. They need to communicate with someone from the outside from time to time. And preferably this 'someone' should be a worthy candidate in order to get the right impression."

Interesting motivation. I know absolutely nothing about her to judge her plausibility, but the suggestion doesn't seem so absurd. Still, I don't believe her. Perhaps she didn't kill me on the spot because she wants to know the origin of my technology. For example, where my high-tech PipBuck came from...

"Okay... I'll join your party."

I'd rather volunteer to accept the offer and join them. And I'll have a chance to think my way out of this delicate situation. Now... I'm a hostage.

I hope Lilac doesn't get bored in my absence.

***

The Steel Rangers' truck is parked near the hatch leading to the entrance to Stable 44. I suspect that 'Pervert' and 'Berry' were surveying the console that controlled the door while 'Bubblegum' was above covering their steel rumps.

'Berry' restored the functionality of 'Bubblegum's' power armor and left to monitor the entrance again. They talked on the radio next, so I didn't find out what else she said to him. Apparently, she threatened that if he again distorted the meaning of things in such a way, he would be cleaning the toilets. She told me that she had asked him to keep an eye on my transport so that no one would steal it.

I hope he does keep an eye on it... and if Lilac needs help, he'll let me know and 'Berry' will let me go to her. I hope so.

"Where are you from?" she asks as she fiddles with the console, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"From the East Coast."

"It's a long way."

"I made it in an SUV. True, it's on its last gasp... and so is the companion I'm carrying."

"Oh, what about him?"

"Something with her lungs... A fatal infection or disease of some kind. I don't know the whole thing. I'm not very good at medicine."

Even though my father was the chief medical officer of Vault 101.

"What are you going all the way out here for?"

I have absolutely no desire to reveal to these tech-fetishists my plans for finding a research center called the Project Dome. Lilac's desire to see the sun set over the water one last time... is personal. It's not right to tell everyone about it. Besides, the pragmatic and paramilitary Steel Rangers wouldn't understand such an intention. So...

"Looking for... medicine," I reply.

"Um... I was thinking that maybe our doctors and medical robots could examine her. What do you think?"

Again she tries to get my attention, using the slightest opportunity to lure me to their base. What delicate methods she uses.

"Too good an offer," I say.

"I said maybe... depends on what good you'll do us on this mission."

Yeah, benefit—by telling me exactly where I got the technology I have that makes you wet yourselves in fear at night.

"What do you think of Vanhoover?" 'Berry' asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... There are some pretty ridiculous myths about this place in Hoofland."

"Then what's here?"

"One of the most developed cities of the post-war world, and perhaps the only and most advanced in terms of quality of life. Advanced industry by the Wasteland standards."

Wow... That explains how Blackwater got a car in such good... almost brand-new condition. Someone at Vanhoover has really worked hard not only to maintain pre-war vehicles, but to recreate fresh components, and possibly complete parts as well. It also leads to some speculation as to why the ponies don't leave here. Either those who come become slaves, or the local living conditions are too attractive to them against the rest of the Wasteland.

"I've heard of an immortal white demon that steals the souls of the weak."

'Berry' laughs, then irritably punches the Stable door console that defies her hacking charms.

"Get to work, you Discord's shit. Anyway, yeah... A lot of myths boil down to just such a narrative. It's funny, but there's even a grain of truth to it. The immortal white demon is a unicorn that has lived for at least over a hundred years."

"Therefore he's immortal?"

"And not only that. As far as I know, he can't be killed by common methods. His regeneration is unprecedented in the world. No one knows exactly where this so-called demon came from."

"What about stealing the souls of the weak?"

"Slavery."

"Oh..."

"Yes, this city has developed so well through slave labor. But slavery couldn't have lasted that long. Slaves are thoroughly brainwashed, made to fear freedom. Now they wish to serve and see their lives only for that."

There goes the stealing of the souls of the weak. Mental suggestion and targeted psychotherapy to subdue wills and behavior it really does feel like stealing.

"Their brainwashing techniques," 'Berry' continues, "are astounding. The knowledge of the masters in this regard... It's clearly some kind of pre-war research or cognitive psychology experiments."

"What are you... can't handle a bunch of slave traders?"

The power-armored head turns to me, and I can hear her playful laughter.

"Two hundred thousand slaves, seventy thousand masters, the police force of a thousand ponies with robots, Kings... An immortal white demon... It's strange that we don't seek an open fight. I wonder about that myself."

Almost three hundred thousand inhabitants... Uranium isotope in my ass. No wonder how, with a population like that, the city has the ability to build transportation from old blueprints. Even the largest NCR cities didn't hold that many inhabitants. Impressive.

I involuntarily whistle in surprise.

"Yeah..." 'Berry' nods and gets back to business. "Steel Rangers got here too late."

Ditzy Doo wasn't wrong after all. Steel Rangers are indeed based near the major cities. Vanhoover, for certain reasons, became a target for examination much later. Much like Washington, D.C., was once the target of the Brotherhood of Steel a hundred or so years after the nuclear apocalypse. But in this world, Steel Rangers existed as a pre-war unit and were based in major cities during the war. Vanhoover seems special to them, since they sent a full-fledged expedition into such a wilderness.

"What about Kings?"

"The elite of the masters. There are about forty of them; they have their privileges, but it's not easy to achieve that status either. Licking the Prince's balls isn't enough to get it. Flattery won't help. He is strict in his choice of candidates."

"Prince?"

"The immortal white demon. It's funny how in pre-war history a prince is below a king, but in Vanhoover it's the other way around."

A familiar beeping sound appears. An orange light next to the door lights up, visually warning of an impending opening. Behind the door, heavy iron mechanisms are heard coming into motion, emitting the scraping of metal against metal. The space around us shudders, and the metal door pulls back with a nasty screech, then rolls aside. It's all so familiar... So much like Vaults.

The Stable has long since been abandoned, as evidenced by the musty and dusty air hitting my nose, which makes me sneeze.

"Bless you," 'Berry' says to me.

"Thank you... Your skills are impressive."

She quickly got around the protection of the door's control console. Brisa could also pull off such a defense, but it took her much longer.

"Thanks... Please go ahead," she says, looking at me.

"Why me?"

"I don't want to risk my crew and ruin the report."

"How noble of you."

After all, who among us wears power armor that can withstand small-caliber and some medium-caliber bullets without a problem?

"Been to Stables before?" 'Berry' asks, just as I cross the threshold of the Stable with the green Pip-Boy lights on. I had to use it, because the helmet with the red visors was left in the Bear's cabin.

I almost reply to her that I grew up in one. I shouldn't forget that she's interested in the origins of my technology. Careful with your answers, Daniel, careful. But silence will also be suspicious to her.

"Yes. Abandoned a long time ago."

Now she'll have an idea of where I got Pip-Boy... Or PipBuck.

"You see, 'Pervert', I didn't bring him in for nothing. He's been to places like this, too. At least he knows what to expect here..."

"And you haven't?"

"I haven't been to the abandoned ones. What do you think of them?"

Stables... Vaults... They all look alike to each other. Experiments in similar steel tombs have been conducted both here and at my place on Earth. In the Project Vaults, saving people was never the original goal—the priority was the sociological experiments of the Vault-Tec. People themselves 'signed up' for it: they believed that an underground shelter from the Vault-Tec would protect them from nuclear war, and they ended up as test subjects in horrible experiments. All Vaults in my world harbored some of these experiments...

The effects of sound on consciousness in Vault 92, making people furious. Cloning in Vault 108. Psychotropic substances in Sanctuary 106. FEV experiments in Vault 87. Humanity research in Vault 11, leading to civil war and extinction. Unlimited access to weapons in Vault 34. Artificial separation into groups in Vault 19, resulting in paranoid hostility. Gambling as a solution to disagreements in Vault 21. Plant experimentation in Vault 22, resulting in killer plants and turning residents into spore carriers.

Horror... In many ways, experiments like this have resulted in the most diverse people and factions popping up in the Wasteland. The Boomres, who blow up everything and everyone, and the founders of the New California Republic, whose ideals are based on democracy and the rule of law, came out of such places.

But not everything is so terrible. There was also a spoonful of chocolate in this barrel of shit. Control Vault 3. There they tried to develop in people the most positive human qualities—kindness, love, friendship... And because of their naivety, the residents fell prey to a group of violent junkies called the Fiends.

"Looks like our Danny is out there somewhere," 'Berry' giggles.

"Oh, yeah... I was far away. In my memories," I shake my head, trying to focus on the present. "Horrible places, filled with ruthless experiments on innocent residents."

"I wouldn't call them innocent, but I agree about the experiments. All in all, this is good. I won't have to warn you about possible dangers. You're a unicorn. You should have a magical sense for spells that might be cast on the local walls or objects, but my sensors might malfunction or fail to detect something."

That's another reason why she could use me, and why she sent me on ahead. But doesn't she assume that I could use the outcome of the underground complex experiment, whatever it might be, to my advantage? For example, there would be something that would allow me to disarm them and get away without trouble. Magical traps and stuff.

"Don't you feel anything suspicious?"

I feel pressure from you.

I don't feel like telling her that I've only been a unicorn for twenty-eight days. My sense of the magical energy around me isn't that developed yet.

"As long as I can feel the natural currents of magic. I don't feel any disturbance in them."

"Good. Let's move on."

***

We pass through several familiar gray corridors and rooms, dealing with distraught robots and turrets. Among them there are some that have already been destroyed. Along the way we encounter a fair number of remains of the ponies that lived here, with ammunition and pistols of various calibers lying beside them. After passing the guard post, we are surprised by the many boxes of ammunition—though emptied by the time we arrive. It is not standard practice to bring such a quantity into a bunker like this. Finding no way to disable the security system there, we move on. Once in the atrium, we notice that there are many more remains in this place. It looks like there was some kind of riot or something.

After dealing with the turrets, we decide to split up. 'Berry' goes to inspect the Overmare's office, while 'Pervert' and I are instructed to inspect the offices and rooms bordering the atrium.

The first thing I suggest to my keeper is to examine the medical section. Maybe I'll find something useful for Lilac there that will ease her suffering.

There are pony skeletons on all the operating tables in the wards. I look around the wards and rooms for useful medicines.

"So... 'Pervert'. What did they give you that nickname for?"

The Ranger is always behind me. For tactical reasons, he doesn't let himself get ahead of me. That makes sense. He, I suspect, has been ordered by 'Berry' to keep an eye on me.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I see... What about 'Bubblegum'? Why does he so... hates the type of me? Does he think I'm a parasite?"

"To Steel Rangers, all ponies are parasites. Ignorant ones who use technology carelessly and unwisely, often to their own detriment. You damage them through misuse. Parasitizing technology for personal gain and survival."

"You actually collect and use technology for personal gain, too."

"One pony's goals and the goals of the entire group are completely different things."

"I suppose Vanhoover, especially the centennial white demon, has a common goal. The group of ponies there is striving for something."

"Yeah," 'Pervert' says, humming, "to develop industry at the expense of slave labor. Anyone can resort to drastic measures."

We're in the small canteen for the medical staff. In the kitchen, I examine the frying pan with interest.

"But effective," I say, putting it back on the table. "Don't you do the radical thing? Don't you kill for technology?"

"If that were true, the ash from your body above outside would have scattered in the wind by now. But L... 'Berry' chooses a different path."

"I know, and thank her for that. What about you? What do you think of me?"

"I... I've met enough ponies who aren't a Steel Ranger. I'm closer to 'Berry' than I am to 'Bubblegum' in terms of how to perceive you. Besides, you are a unicorn. You are generally useful and... so far, you seem quite educated and not a bad pony."

"And that's considering I turned 'Bubblegum's' armor into a steel tomb for a moment?"

"Let that be a lesson to him for disinformation. Deserved... a little humiliation from a parasite like you."

"Is he young?"

"He's barely seventeen years old. He's lucky to have a set of power armor freed up for him at that age."

We reach the storage rooms. The steel doors are securely locked. I stretch my neck in anticipation, turning my head. My horn glows blue, lockpicking tools levitate beside me; I take up the lock.

"You know how to pick locks, too?"

"I'm an explorer. There isn't a lock in the world that won't yield to my charms."

"Familiar words..."

I stop, put aside my tools, and stare at the 'Pervert' with interest.

"What are you staring at me with your beautiful blue eyes?"

"Why are these words familiar to you?"

"We have... one individual. She's a pro at picking locks. Simple ones and ones with magical protection. Also 'picks' and bypasses protective spells. And she talks about her skills about as well as you do."

"And why didn't you take this person with you on your mission?"

"We're just doing an inspection of the Stable, describing it. And if any protective spells are discovered or rooms locked up tight with a good lock, she'll go on the next expedition to open them."

"How did you discover this Stable, anyway? Did a hatch in the middle of the road seem suspicious to you?"

He chuckles.

"Bull's-eye. You're pretty intuitive."

I get back to the work.

If she's such a professional locksmith, I should get to know her. Maybe she can tell me where to find books with theoretical knowledge on bypassing protection spells or locks with magical protection. But I have to get to her somehow... and somehow get her attention. I'm sure she won't share her precious knowledge so easily with a parasite like me.

No, that's impossible... The only way I could get into their base would be as a captive, which wouldn't be helpful in attracting attention, either. Don't think too hard about it, Daniel. Better think about how to get out of this situation.

Thinking about escape options for both me and Lilac has gotten me nowhere so far. All the options are weak and unreliable, and also based on luck.

"Yes! It opened," I say excitedly. I push the button and the door moves upward.

Behind it in the dark and dusty room are rows of shelves and piles of boxes. The shelves and boxes of medicine are almost empty. A few bottles of extra-strong healing potions, half a dozen strong potions, and a dozen medium potions remain. Half a dozen packs of rad-away and a few vials of radSafe, as well as an impressive supply of magic bandages. Painkillers, Mint-als, hydra, buck, and a few other kinds of drugs that would blow your mind so hard you'd think the Wasteland was infested with cute magical creatures who shot rainbows out of their asses.

Oh, right.

Mint-als. They sound like candy of some sort, but nonetheless, they, like mentaеs, temporarily improve brain function across the board. I've used mentats when I've had to hack into complicated terminals. It's too complicated for my understanding, and you can't do without such drugs.

Of the other medications, ampoules, pills and capsules, I find nothing that alleviates Lilac's suffering. Nothing at all like what she used to relieve her symptoms. Perhaps painkillers would help her. Yes, unequivocally.

"Take as much as you can carry," 'Pervert' says.

"Can I make a few moves?"

"No."

"Too bad..."

"Wait a minute..." the Ranger says and turns away. Apparently 'Berry' or 'Bubblegum' is calling him on the radio. I hope it's not 'Bubblegum'... I'm worried about Lilac. I hope nothing happens to her. "'Berry's' calling for me. We need to break down the door to Overmare's office."

I sigh softly with relief.

And Pervert has already managed to rat 'Berry' out about my lockpicking skills.

"Have you had a chance to tell her that I know how to lockpicking?'

"Of course. You're not a mare, so looking at the back of your black mane isn't interesting. Here I was talking to 'Berry' the whole time."

Staring at the back of a mare's head... you're indeed a pervert.

***

In front of the door to the Overmare's office stands 'Berry'. Hearing us approach, she turns and says, "Since we have such a talented and inimitable locksmith in our group," she points to the door with a nod of her head. "Would you be so kind?"

"All right... A parasite will help you with that."

'Berry's' head rises up, and she can be heard sighing dolefully.

"Still holding a grudge?"

"I'll take any opportunity to spur you steelheads on."

"Neither I nor 'Pervert'—at least I hope not—insulted you. 'Bubblegum' isn't a machine; you can't program his behavior like a robot or a turret."

"I don't really care what you call me. And you don't have to flatter me. On your next expeditions to this Stable, you'd take your expert in locks and protection spells."

'Berry' turns his head to 'Pervert' in silence, and I open the door panel and take up the door's security mechanism.

"So..." she mutters aloud. "You like lockpicking?"

"There's pleasure in that, I don't deny it. The strained ears, the filigree action, the concentration... It's a wonderful experience."

"Do you enjoy it?"

"Any so far, except magical ones."

Strangely, the locking mechanism on the doors of the main one in the bunker is without the added protection of magic.

"Any except magical ones... Even such... locks?" 'Berry' asks with some naughtiness.

I ponder and try to figure out what she's talking about. I'm beginning to think that the context of her words is a long way from what I'm doing at the moment.

"I told you that any locks without magical protection won't stand up to me. Find the right point and position, and you're golden."

"Yes, of course..." she stretches out.

"You're distracting me from concentrating."

"Distracting? Oh, I see, so you don't like having a third person between you and the lock."

"Well, what's that? Of course I do, as long as that third person is helping me and not distracting me."

"So it's hard on your own, huh?"

"Hard?" I wonder, as the lock in the panel clicks shut. "You think it's hard? I didn't even break a sweat!"

"Yeah, quick, I agree. You've got good skills. And how many locks can you handle in a row?"

"As many as you swallow carrots in a day."

"Is that so little?"

"Sorry, I didn't know you were that bad at it."

"Actually... Hey!" 'Berry' turns to the laughing Ranger. "What are you laughing at, 'Pervert'?"

I almost laughed myself at the fact that Ranger's call sign matched what we had just discussed.

"Yeah..." I agree, hearing the puff of breath from his respirator. "We're talking about important things here. What are you imagining, 'Pervert'?"

"Same thing," he says, "as you do."

"Yeah, right... I know your... hobbies when you were young," she giggles.

"Hey!" he resents. "Not in front of civilians..."

I turn to the door to hide my chuckle, and then push the open button.

"Let's finish up," I say and enter the office.

The first thing 'Berry' does is go to the main terminal. It is not password-protected, and she immediately starts looking through it, while I assess the interior and almost immediately find a skeleton in the corner. Next to the unicorn's remains is a medium-caliber pistol and an empty bottle of alcohol. There's a bullet hole gaping in the skull.

I sigh heavily and continue my inspection.

There are no useful things in the lockers and on the shelves, except old and dusty documents with data on the inhabitants, reports on the condition of the bunker and other technical documentation. Nevertheless, I notice in the documents that some of the residents of the Stable were former prisoners. There were no criminals here convicted of murder, rape, and so on, just petty crimes—defacing government property, theft, fraud, forgery of documents, and so on. Usually these ex-convicts didn't get more than ten years in prison, some of them didn't serve even half of their sentences—they were released for good behavior.

Every other resident of Stable was once sentenced to imprisonment. That's no coincidence.

The residents are ex-convicts... exactly as many as are of a decent kind... or at least as many who haven't been caught red-handed. That can't be a coincidence. What kind of experiment was being conducted here?

All of the residents, except for the Overmare, were earth ponies. No wonder they hadn't spent the money and resources to put up protection spells. And if there was a unicorn among the inhabitants, the experiment could have gone completely unexpected and completely uncontrollable.

"It's clear now," 'Berry' suddenly recalls, "what happened here. A riot."

"Was it raised by ex-convicts?" I ask, putting the papers back in the locker.

"Just the opposite," she answers sadly. "From the Overmare's personal diary, Diamond Crouse, everything became as clear as the sky over the Desert Ocean."

'Pervert' walks over to the window overlooking the atrium. I cast a glance at the open door.

There's no point in running. 'Bubblegum' is watching the entrance anyway, and besides, Bear is too slow and clumsy. There's no hiding from laser gunfire.

"So... what do you think happened?" I ask, mentally rejecting my next escape plan.

"I can only assume that the point of the experiment was to find out—how well the ponies could get along under the same roof as those who once committed a crime, and where that would eventually lead."

"Did the residents of the Stable find out that half of them were ex-convicts? And began to be afraid of them?"

"Exactly. They began to be wary of the imprisoned ponies, and then they began to provoke and treat them like scum. The tension was growing."

"Let me guess... it ended in a bloodbath?"

"Uh-huh. The Overmare began temporarily locking up the most ardent opponents of the ex-cons, but it was perceived as if the Overmare had taken the side of the vile criminals."

"That's when the riot broke out..."

'Berry' nods, "By the way, such an incident was foreseen by Stable-Tec, and so this Stable was equipped with additional security measures, such as combat robots and turrets, as well as a considerable arsenal of small and medium caliber firearms."

"Those active turrets and robots... The techs did their duty."

"Yes. The riot suppression system was activated, but it got out of control after apparently one of the resident programmers tried to reprogram it in favor of the 'untainted,' and it started exterminating anyone who was aggressive—no matter who. And during a riot, as you know, there's a lot of rage and anger and aggression..."

'Pervert' cuts in on the conversation, "That's what happens when you let uneducated shitheads into complex technology. They must be protected from just such idiots."

'Berry' is silent.

I certainly agree that technology should be controlled. But they, like the Brotherhood of Steel, are way out of line. There has to be a limit to everything.

"The Steel Rangers," Berry says, "have to keep the ponies safe from themselves. Keep technology safe."

"And who gave you that right?"

"The Steel Rangers were originally part of the Ministry of Wartime Technology," 'Berry' reminds me. "We are responsible for our Ministry's technology."

Responsible...

"For the Ministry that no longer exists?" I ask with skepticism.

"As long as a single Steel Ranger lives," 'Pervert' inserts, "the Ministry will live. It is our duty to protect the ponies of Equestria... even from themselves. And the first priority is to regain control of the technology they don't know how to use. Most can't even read!"

"So..." 'Berry' raises a hoof. "Now is not the time for a debate. We're discussing what happened in the Stable here."

"Yes, ma'am."

"So... The Overmare was blaming itself for the growing conflict: failing to handle the responsibilities and settle the residents when it first started. The guilt and responsibility grew stronger, and she..."

I look again at the shot skull of the unicorn.

A thousand lives... A thousand living ponies, wanting to hide from the horror of the surface, from destructive mega-spells and magical radiation. Mothers, fathers, children... families... All they wanted was safety, protection, and peace. But... you couldn't prevent the bloodshed, you couldn't calm it down.

The empty and black eye sockets of her skull stare at me. They stare into my soul, into my past, as if in her gaze it reads: "What right do you have to judge me?"

I shudder with embarrassment.

I'm not judging... I understand how you felt. I have a thousand lives behind me that also wanted safety from the harsh rules of the NCR.

My hoof is about to push through the floor. I shake my head to push away the oppressive memories and change the flow of my thoughts.

'Berry' adds, "The Stable hasn't even existed for five years since it closed, as all the residents were dead."

How awful, after all, that the events in this world partially replicate what happened in my world. Even the separation experiment turned out to be similar.

"I remembered there was a similar experiment in one of the Stables," I say, veiling my recollection for the pony. "There, the residents were divided into three groups. Three sectors: the Red Sector, the Blue Sector, and the Reactor Level. Each had a different Overstallion and/or Overmare. The inhabitants of the Red and Blue Sectors did not know about the existence of the Reactor Level, and they, in turn, did not know about the existence of the first two. The Reactor Level was eventually overrun by predators from the surface, and the Blue and Red went crazy out of paranoia and presumably slit each other's throats. The only ponies who knew about the experiment were the medical staff, but they concealed it carefully, of course."

"Horrifying," 'Berry' says with disgust. "I hate those bastards at Stable-Tec. Even though they built structures for the ages, they apparently had no conscience whatsoever. I don't understand at all how Applejack, the Ministry Mare, had such a ruthless sister."

"What do you mean?"

"All Steel Rangers know the biography of the founder of our Ministry. Sister Applejack was one of the three founders of the Stable-Tec."

"Wow... An influential family we got here."

'Berry' nods.

"But her sister," I continue, "was only one of the three founders. The others had their influence, too. I don't think we should blame Applejack's sister for the experiments of the whole Stable-Tec."

"Her fault for not trying to prevent it," she says in a strained voice. 'Berry' feels restrained irritation.

"Maybe the Stable-Tec had some purpose. Only by looking at the whole picture of what's going on can we know what purpose they were pursuing."

In my world, I never found out what the Vault-Tec was doing such experiments for.

"Whatever she is, she's fucking crazy," 'Berry's' angry voice rings out. Even with 'Bubblegum', she was gentler.

"Ma'am..." 'Pervert' surprises.

"My bad... Okay, wait, everyone, while I crack this Discord's cipher," she adds almost immediately, leaning again toward the green terminal screen.

"What kind of the cipher is it? Will it disable the automatic security system?"

"No. I already deactivated that on the way here when I visited the technical section. And the cipher... Our scribes will be here in a little while, dismantling this Stable. But I want to be the first to know what the cipher is trying to hide from me. At first glance, it seems to be the most complex and advanced encryption system. Even our database had no information on such a thing, but I have my trump card under my hoof for cases like this."

"What is it?" I ask as if I'm really curious.

"It's a secret of the company None-Of-Your-Damn-Business," she replies in a raspy voice, pulling out some more wires from her armor and plugging them into the terminal. Which is to be expected.

After that, 'Berry' doesn't talk to anyone for a few minutes, completely focused on the process.

"Is she really quiet?" I ask 'Pervert'.

"No, 'Berry' is rarely silent for such a long time. She's probably just turned off the speakers of her armor. A case like this can make anyone express themselves strongly if you can't get anything going."

I nod and start flipping through my Pip-Boy notes. My various notes and future action plans.

"Done!" 'Berry' lets out a joyful squeal, then sighs in relief afterward.

"Well done!" I say sincerely.

"Thank you. That was fun, so much fun I haven't had in a long time. Turns out there was a function hiding behind that cipher that opens the secret space under the Overmare's desk."

"Cool," I whistle. I don't recall something like this being so heavily protected in the Vaults I've visited. "Usually there's a secret tunnel under the Overmare's table in the Stable, not a room, but the intricate cipher indicates that something substantial might be stored there."

"That's what we're about to find out," the Steel Ranger pronounces cheerfully and with anticipation, then with his bulky hooves he pushes a few buttons on the terminal; the Overmare's desk hisses and slides apart, giving us access to a stairway leading down... into a dark place.

"Come on!" 'Berry' is bursting with enthusiasm and curiosity enough to forget about the civilian. About me. She turns on the flashlight on her armor, which 'Pervert' does as well. I'm no exception, either, and turn on the green Pip-Boy light.

As I walk down the steel steps, I sense something strange around me. The walls, the steps, the ceiling... Everything around me is oozing magic, like meat on a campfire oozing juice.

"I think you can feel it..." 'Berry' says to me.

"Yes. Protection spells."

I assume they prevent hostile entry through teleportation, drilling, or other means. In two hundred years, they haven't dispelled yet. There was something here they wanted to keep safe and hidden from prying eyes.

We find ourselves in a very cramped room of concrete and steel, where the three of us can barely fit. In the center, opposite the stairs, a steel safe gleams in the light of our lanterns, proudly alone. 'Berry' goes to it, opens it carefully, and takes out a red folder and an unremarkable pink key card. On the folder is written in red block letters 'Top Secret. Authorized Personnel Only'.

What personnel? Stable-Tec? Is this really their most sensitive information? Or some particular piece of it that would shed some light on the purpose of the Stables as a whole, besides being a safe shelter from bombing?

'Berry' opens the folder and begins to read, frozen and unmoving. I get the feeling that she has stopped breathing at all from what she sees. My curiosity bursts into flames.

I hold my breath, waiting for 'Berry' to say something!

"Come on! What does it say?" I ask impatiently.

"The pink key card is one of the six keys you need to get into the... Project Dome," she says the last word very slowly and heavily. It's as if she herself couldn't believe what she was saying.

The Project Dome? There's no way that's possible! What does it have to do with Stable-Tec? Or vice versa, what does Stable-Tec have to do with it? That's what I'm looking for, isn't it? Too suspicious a coincidence. This is the mother of all coincidences!

"The Project Dome," she continues in a shaky voice as she looks at the contents of the red folder, "is a pre-war research facility that primarily housed scientists from six Ministries. Because of the high level of classification, most of the project staff didn't know what they were really working on. Its construction began seven years before the megaspells fell. The 6th of the Field, Blueday, the year 1145 B.R.P."

I have encountered this abbreviation many times. The Beginning of the Reign of Princesses. 'Berry' is all too aware of the nature of the project... Why is she telling it to a civilian? 'Bubblegum' would be furious.

"...Once completed, the Project Dome was a closed facility for both entry and exit. "

"That's Stable-Tec style," I say.

"The best minds of not only the Ministries, but also the private scientists of the Technological Age of Progress were selected. Only Princess Luna had access to the Project Dome once it was completed. It says here that the mares of the Ministries themselves had no right of access. Although the six keys do represent the fact that they were the ones in charge of the project. The original purpose was scientific research, shielded from the outside world, free from any cultural, ethnic and sociological constraints."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I interrupt. The Ranger raises his head and turns to me, shining the flashlight in my eyes. I close my eyes.

"Because it's a myth."

This is... unexpected.

She adds, "The myth that only a lazy master in Vanhoover doesn't know about."

"But... the pink key card..."

"A carefully planned distraction for the enemies of Equestria. The Steel Rangers have spent a hundred years searching for it, but have found nothing but a few mentions like this. The project it's too ambitions. It's so huge and so... unnoticeable? Impossible. And what's with the six key cards? It's childish."

"You don't believe it exists?"

"Maybe it was actually planned, but was canceled almost immediately due to lack of resources. But the Secret Service of Equestria twisted it into something else. It's easier to make a ploy for the Zebra Empire. Perhaps this is the ploy... at the end of which death awaits you."

"Sounds like a conspiracy," I wave off.

"The Ministry of Morale used to do this sort of thing. And The Controllers are their special department."

"The Controllers?"

Watcher mentioned that a special department of the Ministry of Morale was in charge of overseeing the project. How did he know about such a secret project, though? With that kind of preconceived notion, 'Berry' wouldn't believe him.

...Or maybe she deliberately wants to plant the seed of one idea in my mind. The idea of a conspiracy about the Project Dome...

Maybe I'm thinking too much.

"Yeah. The Controllers are the direct child of the Ministry of Morale. Espionage, intelligence, disinformation... It's all their favorite pranks. In this folder..." she picks up the folder 'Top Secret. Authorized Personnel Only', "...not even a mention of the completion of construction. Nothing. No top secret information. Secret facilities are not built in such a way that no one knows about them at all, not even the builders. That's silly."

"Maybe... there's truth in what you're saying."

"You have far more important things on your mind right now... like a sick pony who needs help."

Lilac... I completely forgot about her! What a cheese head I am...

"Yes... Let's get out of here, shall we?"

"You were useful after all. I don't want to be indebted. Let's go to our base. Our doctors and robots will at least examine your pony."

I guess I shouldn't say no... besides, she looks too friendly. Sure reminds me of Veronica. 'Berry' doesn't look like she's lying, and even if she was... it's my own fault for believing her. Plus, I want to meet their expert in lockpicking and protection spells.

***

I absolutely hate that 'Berry' has took 'Bubblegum' with us. While 'Pervert' finishes an inspection and a brief inventory of all the rooms in the Stable 44, 'Berry' gently insisted on looking at the SUV I has arrived in, and also to see how bad Lilac's condition is, to see if they can help her at their base.

It is still the middle of the day, and already so much has happened... how much I have learned. Blackwater, Kings, the White Demon, Slavery in Vanhoover, the Steel Rangers, the Stable, the Project Dome. Incredibly full day. Haven't had one of those in a long time.

We're approaching Bear, a brown stunted old fellow with thick armor. Lilac is still napping. I hope she's not stressed out by the laser gunfire. Though why should she worry, she managed to survive the remnants of the Griffon Kingdom. Hell, she's not even afraid of griffons!

"Lovely..." 'Berry' mutters with a sigh of sympathy, looking at the SUV.

"Even though he's as old as the world," I say. "I'm fixing him every couple of hours of driving."

'Bubblegum' mutters something unhappy in a way I can perceive. He's not impressed by it, he says. Well, I don't care what he thinks.

I walk over to the front passenger door and open it. 'Bubblegum' stands behind me, waiting for me to do a trick. For example, I discreetly detonate a pulse grenade or something.

I touch the peacefully napping head of the purple earth pony and try to wake her up. It's been a long time since I've seen her so calm and quiet.

"Lilac, wake up. There's someone I want you to meet."

No reaction. I try to wake her up again.

"Come on. We're almost to the West Coast."

Too quiet... No heavy breathing. I look below.

The howl of the wind around me fades. The Rangers and the world around them slowly disappear; all that's left is the peaceful and motionless expression on the face of the elderly pony with purple fur who wanted to see the sunset over the ocean one last time.

"Lilac?"