Phoenix was probably one of the smartest people I know. Well, including the people before we killed ourselves. She's a CQC specialist, but also quite experienced with military computer hardware and equipment, and honestly, a whole buncha doohickey's I don't know the real name for. She had asked to see my AR HUD on the way, and it didn't even take her ten minutes, on a speeding Roadrunner, to start accessing the 'developer mode' or something like that and start examining the specs with what she called 'administrative commands'. Frankly, she got farther into the techy aspect of the thing than I ever had, and frankly, as long as I got it back in working condition, I was okay with that. She was even able to access the thing's classified database and get the blueprints for some other... 'interesting'... pieces of equipment. Not only that, but she was able to calibrate the thing (it took me a weeks worth of taxpayer sponsored training) and clean the 'frostburn' damage it had from being frozen. Needless to say, I understood maybe half of what she said.

Her youth showed. She was barely a woman, in her late twenties, and she talked... a lot. Maybe it's a coping mechanism, I didn't know. But I wasn't going to straight out tell her about us, humans, until we reached Warehouse Prime. I'm sure the military base inside the thing had some sort of barracks we could use, maybe even an officer lounge. But I digress. She'd be considered 'attractive' back on old Earth (which I've taken to calling our home before we killed ourselves), and I'd be surprised if she wasn't dating someone before. I didn't ask... yet. She had flaming red hair, maybe or maybe not dyed, and fit the name 'Phoenix'. I wouldn't be surprised if she had some experience with fire, as back on old Earth, we got our nicknames and callsigns for doing... stuff. Virus came from me overthrowing a start-up communist regime in Japan after a full year of being declared MIA. My handlers were shocked when the first news broadcasts hit the net, especially when they saw me and the new president shaking hands like old buddies at his inauguration. I suppose she burnt something or another.

I had explained to her what our world looked like now, and more importantly, who controlled it. She didn't seem too surprised to hear about ponies, but I suppose she had experience with the dogs. It still felt unnatural to me, but I suppose this isn't our nature anymore.

It wasn't long before we had reached the digsite, now the location of Warehouse Prime. The WP would most likely end up being our home for now. Perhaps we could rebuild... if we could find more of us...

But we had a bigger problem, a snag if you will. Approaching the entrance I noticed the entire place was roped off by yellow tape, and even worse, a huge crowd brimming on the other side. Ponies of all backgrounds were trying to catch a glimpse of the side of the mountain where the digsite was located, trying to see if something was there. Probably for us, if I were to hazard a guess. They were swelling against a wall of similarly colored ponies, guards, not actively pushing, but trying to inch their way to the cave's mouth. It was really more of a gaping hole in the side of a mountain, but I digress.

Frankly, I was right. As we neared the entrance ponies started shouting and pointing, trying to muscle their way over towards us. No need, I was heading for them faster. This would be tiring. We don't have the time to deal with paparazzi, we're goddamn soldiers. I saw camera's begin to flash towards us, and I sighed. This was going to be a long day. If they want to see us, meet us in the damn Warehouse. But I did have a passenger.

"Do you wanna talk to the damn ponies. It's gonna take a really fucking long time if we don't head straight for the Warehouse." I spoke into the comm on my replaced cowl.

"No. I want to see if they still have a working plane or chopper down there. God knows we could use one." The response was given after a moment. It had conviction, Phoenix agreed. Present course of action, don't stop, but don't hurt a pony unnecessarily.

I gunned the engine, a roar filling the air as the distance between the ponies and ourselves quickly closing. I slammed my hand down on the horn, its loud wail filling the air. Ponies near the front of the group seemed to freeze up, our vehicle bearing down on them. I let go of the gas and started easing down on to the brake, slowing us down so we wouldn't turn the first wall of ponies into red paste.

I started jabbing the horn, over and over again, in order to let them know I wasn't going to stop for them. They seemed to get the idea as they began moving to the sides, parting, and opening a path for the Roadrunner. I started accelerating again, preparing the map of the cave in my AR. But honestly, with the size of the damn Warehouse, I'd be surprised if it didn't take up the entire mountain.

We passed the first ponies, kicking up dirt behind us as they stared on in barely- to unconcealed fascination. Jaws dropped, pegasus wings flared, and I swear I saw a dozen or so faint outright. Glad I made a good first impression. More than one pegasus tried to keep up with us, but I don't think it's easy for them to maintain a good sixty for any more than a few seconds, as I saw. We made it to the ring of guards, and after a quick stare-down with the approaching vehicle, the unluckiest guard on the planet probably pee'd his pants and definitely dove for cover as we passed over his position about three seconds after he hit the floor, traumatized. My passenger was turned around, watching the ponies with a cocked head in what I think was a thoughtful expression.

We reached the entrance to the warehouse quite quickly, passing architects and whatnot, and finally as the Roadrunner came to a standstill, I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Where did that come from? I dismounted the vehicle, and Phoenix slid to the ground, eyes wide at the... stuff.

"By the way... what's your rank? You keep showing up as just 'Virus' on my IFF. You must be something." Her voice crossed over on the comms.

"Honestly, I don't know anymore. I did have top-level clearance and was allowed to see past some redacted shit. Also, a lot of that redacted shit was my shit. And now, the computer here told me I'm officially the president." I responded after a moment with a deadpanned last sentence.. "But no need for that crap now, it's basically just the two of us." Shit. Not the way I meant to say it.

"Yeah? Figured. We never had any mutant dogs or ponies walking around. And frankly, it took you long enough to get the distress. I'd normally get a response within seconds, whether it be 'sure, we got you' or 'busy, give us a moment'. I hated that last one, but it at least meant someone was there." Her tone was bitter, and I could tell she was laughing at herself. "I almost killed myself, after I decided I was the last one of us. Did you know that?"

I chuckled a bit, laughing at our situation. "Really? I did that after I saw that my cryopod's year counter had hit an 'integer overflow'." I mimed the quotes with my fingers, and she started laughing, full out. I chuckled alongside her, and pulled my cowl/helmet off of my head. "I even got to shoot a pony. In the horn and with no serious damage, but either way..."

She pulled off her helmet as I did, her hair cascading around her face, the last remnants of a laugh in her voice. "Really? Why'd you want to shoot one of those adorable things. They look like they could hardly hurt a fly. And I'm glad to know I'm not the only one."

"Well, she shot first. but you should see how they look when they try to look mean. It's fucking hilarious." I cracked a smile, laughing. Damn. If I was twenty or so years younger, I'd be asking her out. Doesn't matter now, anyways. We actually might have a chance at living. "But anyways, I found a console down in the basement with some master controls and shit. You should go have a look at it, I'm sure you could do better than putting a filter on a search." I started walking down towards the hatch from earlier. "I'll see if I can get an inventory on the place. And I wonder where the hell the rest of the ponies are."

As if on cue, I heard the trotting of hooves. "There they are, you may want to stay. And by the way, we still can't give out classified info. We might still be alive." I tossed that comment out backhandedly, but it actually filled me with a little bit of hope. We actually might have a chance.

After a minute or so, we finally saw the ponies arrive in. Princess Shiny was here with Twilight and Shining Bitch. Behind them, a few ponies followed, about half a dozen guards, a pair of researchers, and Lyra. I can honestly say she's the only pony I like, and that might just be out of pity because I punched her.

I moved back to the Roadrunner, and I snagged the shotgun off of my back. I tossed it over to Phoenix with a "Hey, take this" and grabbed my rifle off of one of the racks on the vehicle. I quickly flipped the scope to the holographic sight, just in case.

"Wait. You have a mag-rifle? I though those things were... oh wait... right." I heard Phoenix behind me as I stepped to meet the pony entourage.

"'Ello Lyra. Oh and you guys." I spoke to Lyra first, just to see what would happen. The Princess seemed preoccupied, Twilight still had her notebook-thing, and Shining was still glaring at me. It's starting to piss me off.

"Hey Virus. What's up?" Lyra spoke back, thankfully, after glancing at the Princess and getting a nod. "I see you found somepony else."

"Yeah. Phoenix! Get over here!" I beckoned to her, and she approached us, the shotgun now set on her back. She waved slightly, and got back to calibrating... a wrist mounted computer of some sort? I had my helmet, so I suppose it's fine.

"She's Phoenix. CQC spec and tinker. But anyways, what's up with all the crowd and everything?" I kinda knew the answer to this already.

"Oh... I think that's better for the Princess to answer." She turned her head to the horse-sized monarch.

"Yes, I do agree. Virus, you've cause quite the stir. Your existence is hitting the headlines as we speak and ponies are trying to get to this location as fast as they can. Rumors of your behavior have been spreading like wildfire, in addition to your diet and technology. The other nations are probably going to be at our doorsteps soon, asking to see you. Do you realize what you've done?" The Princess frowned down on me, from a few inches up.

I returned the frown. "Did you realize that not five minutes ago, we-" I gestured between me and Phoenix "-were joking about suicide and being the last of our damn species on this planet. Is a life worth the media? I say yes." I might have been a little too harsh, judging by Twilight's gasp at my language, Shining's deepening frown, and Lyra's subconscious step backwards. The Princess' gaze, however, softened and she sighed.

"You're right. I judged you too quickly, but please try to refrain from it in the future. Also, I'd like to know what your future plans are. You seemed to be at a loss as of this morning."

"I was. Now, not so much. We aren't dead yet. We're like fucking cockroaches. Now... Well... I plan on trying to rebuild. We'll use this warehouse as a home, it has what we need to get to work. But it would be great if you could bring us food. If you want compensation, I think we have the tech to trade. But I do demand privacy. Not request, demand. Oh, and this mountain we're under is now human territory, no negotiations. We have secrets, which for your own people's sake, should be left that way for now." I don't know where that came from. It seems as if I actually learned a little from my experiences. One doesn't live over fifty without some tricks.

She sighed, conflicted for a moment, and then seemed to acquiesce. "Fine." Twilight seemed to droop at her words, as did Lyra. "I suppose I can't really stop you from becoming independent, but if I find you harming my ponies..." She glared at me.

"Understood. However..." I couldn't stand the faces of the pair of mares wanting to research us. "... as a gesture of good faith, I'd like to give to you some of the research we humans have done into various branches. I'll make sure I get you guys a copy of some of our medical and scientific data. All our weapons, however, are off-limits. I'd be insulting the memory of our past presidents if I started arming the hell out of some underdeveloped nation." I smiled at the last bit, to show my jest. Good to know that they agreed, as the Princess seemed to lose a little tension, and Twilight almost squee'd. I almost had a heart attack; it was so cute.

"Fair enough. I'd also like to offer a few guards to patrol the entrance, at least, until you get your defenses running, as well as a supply of food. I'll also be calling an international meeting soon, as you've just made the entire world aware of your presence, you'll receive an invitation soon." This seemed to piss the Shining Bitch off even worse, but he held it in. At least he was a decent soldier. Twilight was happy, to say the least, as she was almost literally jumping with joy. Lyra was pleased, also, but somewhat unsure. The other ponies behind them seemed to share Twilight's reaction.

"Well... you may need an electric grid for some of our stuff. Also, I'm not letting any more than five ponies at once enter this archive at a time. One of them is Lyra, no exceptions." An idea struck me, just as Lyra's face turned to joyful shock. "Also, I propose that the conference be held here, as it's technically as neutral territory as we can get."

Celestia thought for a moment, then extended a hoof. "I agree, 'President' Virus. Let's see if we can't help each other. I'll send over a team of guards as soon as I get back to the castle, and I'll have the five sent over immediately. If you would let us, I'll leave Twilight and Lyra here, as researches. Is that okay?"

I shook the hoof, strangely enough, it had a grip on it, looked them over for a moment. "Sure, why not." I cracked a smile as they both nearly squee'd... again. "But you need to do two things. One, stay away from anything even remotely combat-related, it will scar you for life. Two, if me or Phoenix tells you anything, no matter how trivial, you do it, no questions asked. If you fail to do so, we will remove you from the area, immediately, and you will be hard-pressed to get back in. But anyways, let's get started. If you'd follow me..."

I turned around and began walking to what I recognized as the history section, the normal one. "Why don't you two start here." The pair split up, each with a pad and a pencil. I chuckled... they were going to need a lot more than that...

"Phoenix." I called and turned to her. "Check out the hatch. I want you to first get the surveillance and security systems online, then upload the new data on the species from my AR, and then see if you can get the sensors back, then check the inventory. Comm me if you need me. I'll go check out the barracks and quarters, and prepare for the conference. Oh, and stop by the armory and get yourself armed and armored."

The other group of ponies had just left the entrance, and I followed them to the door. I turned to the control panel. I quickly entered the system and closed the doors, linking the entrance panel and comms to my neural interface implant. I linked it to Phoenix's too, and then I spoke to her.

"We got work to do. We might actually be able to rebuild. We're gonna be fine. There are more of us out there. I can feel it. All we need is for the other races to know, and for the rest of us to get up. Once everyone knows how we react to our own being harmed... they will give us peace, or they will pay. It's the only way for us, there's not enough room to make mistakes. Sorry if I'm rambling, but it helps settling my mind. We're gonna be okay." Now that I think of it, she's probably old enough to be my... no, that's not going to help now. I need to focus on the present. There will be time to mourn the past later.

Author's Note

Name suggestions for Virus?
Not gonna use it except when he's with Phoenix. But it's classified, so maybe not.

Name the references. Some are not hard to spot, others, more difficult.

Updates every day until Seventhbrony read this.
Two weeks after finals.
One at home, one in India, before my muse returned to me in full force. But it's like Cole, half as long, twice as bright.

I'm looking for a few people to help my with the persona's of a bunch of the ambassadors/rulers of nations. I'd appreciate if any could help. PM me. I want this done ASAP. Otherwise, it's me, myself, I, duvagr if he's around, IamMemorial, and maybe some other friends.