Audio files found on public Enclave terminal

Play audio?

Yes No

Playing recording…

Unknown 1
So, things haven’t been well.

[Glass clink]

Unknown 2
No. No it hasn’t. I know things would be bad after Rhapsody left but… are you sure you want to be seen with me Ironsight?

Ironsight
And leave you with no one to talk to? No one to vent your frustrations too? No way in tartarus I’m allowing that.

Unknown 2
Even given your approval ra–

Ironsight
Even given my approval rating. Besides, it's the least I can do as an apology.

Unknown 2
Apology?

[Sip]

Ironsight
For being the reason your wife got branded. She had the chance to take an honorable discharge.

Unknown 2
Wh-what? So you mean she didn’t actually–

Ironsight
Betray us? No, Anchor. She had a slip of the tongue; said the wrong things around the wrong pegasi.

Anchor
…

Ironsight
I tried my best, I did. You know if I had the ability, she would still be here with us but… you know how she takes an insult.

Anchor
Her trust got betrayed.

Ironsight
Exactly

>> Fast Forward >>

[Thud]

Anchor
Fucking Calamity. Of course this all is because of him.

Ironsight
He was the catalyst, but we can’t blame him for everything. He has already been punished. All of this is at the hooves of pegasi she trusted with her life. The loyalty – the trust – didn’t go both ways.

Anchor
And killing him directly wouldn’t have done any good. It would have just proved his point to the weaker minded.

Ironsight
Correct.

[Tap tap]

Ironsight
Miss Gin, a High Rise EPA for my friend. On my tab.

Gin
You got it General.

[Glass clink]

Anchor
You don’t have to.

Ironsight
I know, but I want to. Allow this politician a moment to do something more selfless, instead of selfish.

[Object slides against wooden surface]

Gin
Here you are, sir. Iron Anchor, right?

Anchor
Yeah.

Gin
You have my apologies. I’m certain your next partner will be a better pegasus.

[Hoof clops]

[Heavy slam]

Ironsight
You have my apologies too.

Anchor
And I should accept yours because?

Ironisght
I took your wife away from you. It may have been my choice but… no, that’s me trying to excuse my own actions. I took away the most important pony in your life, and have made the life of both you and your foals tartarus.

[Sip]

Anchor
…

Ironsight
…

Anchor
Do you… can you begin to understand what Clear and Rainy are going through? At school? At home?

Ironsight
…

Anchor
I don’t accept your apology. Thanks for coming clean but… I can’t believe you, Ironsight. It would have– I know the security risk it would have otherwise entailed– I just want her back.

Ironsight
I know.

Anchor
If you did, you wouldn’t have sent her down.

>> Fast Forward >>

Anchor
…

Ironsight
…

Anchor
…

Ironsight
… Iron.

Anchor
…

Ironsight
After everything I’ve done to you… who do you believe more? The high council… or Calamity?

Anchor
G-General?

Ironsight
Don’t worry, I won’t tell anypega if it is the latter. It’s just… I’ve had time to think, since the M.A.M. documents were stolen. about what I was doing; about what I was going to do. It makes me wonder, and leads the mind to make comparisons.

Anchor
I’d hardly compare an uncivilized land of death to a country with a functioning government and military.

Ironsight
Just… humor me for a second, Iron.

Anchor
*sigh*. Okay, sure.

Ironsight
I’m not saying either side is right or wrong, but… Calamity’s words about helping the surface came to me during the course of Rhapsody’s court martialing. A better pegasus wouldn’t have jumped to where I did in the wake of Calamity’s speech, and wouldn’t have had their project okay’d. I was willing to murder every single grounder I could just because of one pony. How is that any different than what the filth down there does?

Anchor
I see your point… but that doesn’t make him correct. One pegasus can’t demolish anarchy. What Calamity wished for is optimistic to the point of ideal.

Ironsight
And yet, since his speech, more than a few pegasi have found something in his words that made sense. He played a chord that, while on its own was quiet, grew in volume thanks to his banishment. We leave him be? He wins. We imprison him? He wins. Banish him? Calamity. Wins!

[Heavy slam]

Ironsight
It’s just… every piece of it is frustrating. Maybe… maybe I am saying he is right. We wouldn’t be here discussing this now if we had listened to the truth… right?

Anchor
If you don’t mind me saying, General, that is a… worrying line of thought.

Ironsight
I’m aware!

[Heavy slam]

Ironsight
But, winds damn it, I have enough of a conscience compared to some of those working around me. Enough to look back at on the past few months and say to myself “Bullseye? What the actual fuck were you doing?” Thus, I return to my original question.

Anchor
…

[Sip]

Ironsight
It really is good stuff. You should have at least a little.

Anchor
I’ll pass, General.

[Skidding of a chair]

Anchor
Oh, and as for the answer to your question?

Ironsight
…

Anchor
I... don't know.

[Hoof Clops]

Author's Note

This is, without a doubt, the most experimental chapter I've written.

For those of you familiar with Cytus 2? The way the chapter is styled is probably going to be familiar to you.