Bridlewood: the Cost of Lies

Bridlewood Spectra Power Station, proposed site of Tunnel Alpha

Solar Blossom knew that she was in for an interesting day when suddenly several lorries loaded with Earth Ponies ground to a halt in front of her position. As they were busy disembarking, she adjusted her HAZMAT suit in preparation for what she thought was going to be an incredibly long day, and waited for Princess Haven to finish issuing some instructions.

"Now, you wouldn't mind forming some neat lines, please? Preferably as many across as we can? Thank you!"

"If only other ponies I worked with were that polite," Solar Blossom thought to herself. After several minutes of them moving and shuffling about in front of her, the assorted collection of ponies were in front of her and ready to receive the briefing.

"Greetings, everybody, and welcome to Bridlewood," she said. "Although you are a long distance from the plant, this is a safe zone where you can gather and converse in relative safety. But I will warn you that your mission will be extremely dangerous, and there's no guarantee you will all make it back alive."

"What do you want us to do?" Moonstone Mustang asked, noticing a small table in front of the unicorn scientist.

Solar Blossom threw a switch on it, and a display came up on it, revealing a hologram of the plant and the damaged reactor core. "A few days ago, the power station here suffered a serious systems failure, resulting in a steam explosion blowing the roof of the building off. The explosion had another, rather more serious side effect, however. A substance similar to lava is currently drifting down through the damaged building, and is currently heading towards the water table."

She updated the display to focus on the lower level of the plant. "A massive pool of water has gathered down there. If the lava hits it, the resulting explosion could bring about the end of all life on this planet."

"I assume this is where we come in," said another miner.

"Yes," Solar Blossom replied. "We need you to dig a tunnel from roughly where we are now down to below the power station. This is so we can install a device that will redirect the flow of the lava away from the water and avert disaster." She pointed to a nearby storage bin. "Inside there you will find some objects that will help you with your mission. Inside the lockers are enough HAZMAT suits for each and every one of you, as well as gas masks, which will be critical for your safety underground whilst working. You will also be issued with shovels designed for this type of ground, and reinforced helmets to protect against any impacts. Not only that, you will be required to take chemical treatment and showers inbetween shifts underground, which shall be no longer than two hours. Is this all quite clearly understood?"

There were nods of agreement, as well as a few murmurs, but generally all was well. They walked over to the storage bins which contained the vital equipment they needed for their mission, but upon peering inside and hauling them out, Moonstone Mustang made an interesting point when he saw ponies in the nearby area wandering about without them.

He indicated to Solar Blossom about this. "They're not wearing gas masks. Come to think of it, neither are you, and yet here you are telling up the importance of this equipment. I think there's something we're missing here, and that you should tell us what that something is."

"You'll need them down in the lower levels," Solar Blossom explained. "But they're within the safe zone, so don't need to wear them there."

Moonstone Mustang looked completely unconvinced. "If these things worked, you'd be wearing them." He and his fellow miners headed off for the digging point. "Let's get digging, boys! Clearly if they don't need the gas masks, we don't either!"

"That's not how it works!" Solar Blossom protested.

They then all pulled their gas masks on, and went to work underground without another word. The unicorn shook her head and went back to the trailer, adjusting her own in preparation for another meeting. Her fellow scientist, Argyle, had wanted to speak to her and Alphabittle about something important, and was ready to hear what they had to say on the matter before making any further moves on the operation. She entered the larger trailer, before arriving to what seemed like quite a dramatic event.

Bridlewood Spectra Power Station, Military Command Trailer

Myself and Alphabittle had been pouring over the plans of the site for hours. We were trying to find an alternative way into the facility to help the tunnel workers with their construction project, but at the same time it was proving to be slow going.

"That route doesn't look to be accessible from that side," I mused. "Though that would give access to another sector of the facility that they can't otherwise easily reach. On top of that, the radiation levels are a deep concern in that area."

Alphabittle pointed to another section of the plans. "Look here, Argyle," he said. I noticed the fact he had used my given name, but chose not to outwardly react. "There's an access chute down here, marked underneath one of the flow ways nearby. The path gives direct access into the remains of the flow room, which controls the access to the water pools. Not only that, there is another route there."

"Where does that go?" I asked, looking closer. I was beginning to see where this was going, but wanted to be certain that the two of us were thinking on the same wavelength.

"It takes them right into the place where the water seems to be building up. The lava will, admittedly, be right above them, but if they can achieve this plan then we may not need the tunnel after all."

I nodded. "It would take almost suicidal bravery to go down there."

Alphabittle switched on his radio. "General Rider? I need you to send three soldiers to us. Preferably ones with experience in diving."

"Understood. I'll send the best men I have."

A few minutes passed, and although they were fairly routine minutes for us, the circumstances we were in makes every second feel like an hour. Every moment of inaction was a moment in which everything could go very wrong indeed, such was the disaster looming over our heads. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, so to speak, and I was certainly very tense.

Eventually, the door opened, and three ponies stepped through the door before stopping in front of us. "Reporting for duty, sir," said the first one. "The general sent us to you. I hear you have a mission for us."

"Indeed," Alphabittle replied. "Professor Starshine will fill you in on the situation."

I adjusted the hologram before taking a deep breath. "As you're probably aware, the core of the reactor is currently busy melting its way down towards the planet's core. Between it and solid ground is a vast pool of water formed from firefighting efforts and early attempts to contain the disaster. If the superheated core reaches the water, they will make contact and produce a gigantic steam explosion." I adjusted the model downwards again. "The resulting explosion would have a blast radius of several hundred miles, killing everything between our current location and the lower mountains, and producing an explosive blast so incredibly powerful it would punch directly downwards into the planet's core, triggering a chain reaction so potent the entire planet could break apart, dooming everything on it to a horrific death. What we need you to do is to travel down into this part of the complex here." The model moved to show the corridor. "You will need to travel down this corridor here, and access these valves here to drain the water away and ensure the water does not hit the core elements."

"What are our chances of survival?" asked one of the others.

"I cannot guarantee that any of you will come back," I replied sadly. "But if the mission doesn't happen, everypony on the planet will die."

Suddenly, Alphabittle spoke up. "There can be no victory without sacrifice. Our forefathers knew this when they carved out our respective nations in this hostile land. But this, I do appreciate, is a rather different sacrifice. Although you may not return, it is in our core to accept the personal cost that will lead to a brighter tomorrow for all. You'll do it because to fail is unnaceptable. You will do it because you know it is the right thing to do. You'll do it because you know it must be done."

There was a momentary silence. Then the first of them spoke once more. "Well, if we don't go we'll certainly die. If we do go, there's a chance we'll make it back alive. We'll do it, sir."