War. War never changes. It is the one constant. Though the actors, methodology, and very form may be randomized, the beast known as ‘War’ remains. Sometimes sleeping, just waiting for the right time to rear its ugly head upon the world. Despite a thousand years of peace, the war that fell upon ponykind, Equestria, and the world as a whole, did so with a speed and ferocity that made the previous peace seem like a fool’s fantasy. Yet, when the beast of war stampeded across the land, laying low both creation and life, it seemed to ignore a few. For as the bombs fell, and the world began its death throes, some were spared the balefire kiss goodbye. Sheltered underground in the relative safety of reinforced bunkers known as Stables.

In the stables they would be able to carry on living. Safe from the hellscape of the surface. Not perishing in a war that was coming to its climactic closure.

Whether they wanted to or not.

As jarring as waking up to that hell would be, imagine the increase of the shock… if you didn’t even realize you’d fallen asleep in the first place.

“Stable-Tec, what is the purpose of this room?” A stallion’s voice pierces the dark as the thick metal door slides out of the way. In the doorway an earth pony with a blue coat and a maintenance jumpsuit stands backlit by the hallways emergency lights.

“Room designated ‘reserved for long term storage’.” The robotic mare’s voice replies over a selection of speakers in the hallway and the room.

One of the speaker boxes sparks as it has given its final message.

The stallion’s head whips over in the direction of the sound, taking an instinctive step backwards into the hallway. After a few moments of no further action, he flips on the light function of his PipBuck and illuminates the surrounding area with its odd glow.

He peeks in the room in the direction of the last sparking and asks, “Stable-Tec, why was this room missing from the layout map?”

“Unknown,” reply the speakers, save for the one that doesn’t even spark this time.

“Greaaaat…” He turns his head around to look at his companion still in the hallway. He motions inside as he says, “Come with me. Keep an eye out for any surprises.”

As he is entering, a metallic heavy set of hooves follows him in. “Yeah. I hear ya, ya zebra loving muckraker… oh please let there be something in here to squish. My combat inhibitor needs a break!”

The glowing eyes of the protectapony sweep back and forth, quickly, scanning the entire room as they continue looking, and hoping, for some sort of hostile entity to appear.

“Sarge,” the earth pony sighs, “Nonlethal weapons only unless I say otherwise, regardless of reason, understood?”

The protectapony’s head zips to look at the stallion. “You damned zebra lover! Ruining all my fun! I’d slag the lot of you if it weren’t for this gods. Damned. Combat inhibitor!”

The pony’s eyes narrow on the protectapony. “Confirm the order for nonlethal usage.”

The protectapony hangs its head dejectedly. “Con-firrrrrmed.”

The stallion perks up and starts trotting around, looking at the inventory codes on the sides of the many crates that seem to fill this room in rows. “Dammit. Looks like it’s all various spare parts, and not even things that’d break down often.” He sighs as his eyes skip over the collection of nearly uniform crates. “I was hoping for some medical supplies… maybe even some weapons and ammo.”

He stops midstride as he sees a break in the tedium of the storage unit. Against the back wall, surrounded by other boxes, he notices one crate of a different size.

He shoves one of the other boxes out of the way to get a better look, and finds a crate that is much bigger than any of the other boxes. Sweeping his hooves over it, he checks the box for serial information. He doesn’t recognize the storage code and inputs it into his PipBuck.

“Stable-Tec, I don’t know this code, what is it?”

“Ministry of Wartime Technology shipment designation,” the speakers around him reply.

“Ministry of Wartime Technology?” he mutters. “What the hell’s that doing here?”

“Unknown,” the robotic mare replies.

“I wasn’t asking- never mind. Stable-Tec, what does the shipment invoice say is in this container?” He tries to temper his hopes. The Ministry of Wartime Technology has some pretty impressive toys, so this could be anything. Although, that anything could include a radioactive water filled toilet. Okay. Not really likely, but it was something to keep in mind while trying to solve this puzzle.

“Nothing,” came the reply flatly.

“Nothing? Please clarify, Stable-Tec.” Handy looks at his PipBuck with a raised eyebrow.

“I apologize for the confusion, Head of Maintenance Handy Hooves. I replied as such, because there is no invoice on file associated with this shipment crate. Thus, ‘nothing’.”

Handy looks it over suspiciously for a moment. “A strange delivery in a storage area that doesn’t exist… uhg.” He looks at his PipBuck. “Any clue when this was brought into the stable?”

“Transmitting relevant data to the PipBuck of Head of Maintenance Handy Hooves.”

He scrolls through the information and grumbles at the long string of techno babble. “Wait.” He goes through the record again. “The day before the bombs fell?” He looks up at the crate with a mix of concern and frustration. “That can’t be a coincidence, right?”

“I apologize, Head of Maintenance Handy Hooves, I do not have any relevant data to answer your question.”

He pulls out a crowbar from his saddlebags and steps up to the crate. “Whatever this is, we need to know now. If it’s anything dangerous it needs to be dealt with.” He jams the point into the side lip then looks over to the protectapony standing nearby. “Sarge, help me open this, but remember: No lethal weapons unless I tell you to.”

The protectapony clops over and grumbles, “Yeah, yeah, you’re the boss.”

They get the large side panel open rather easily, with a faint hiss of sucking air that Handy doesn’t even notice, fully intact without even breaking. It only takes a glance inside to see why.

The wooden crate seems to just be a facade. The interior is a reinforced metal solid box, with the wood attached to the sides for no other apparent reason aside from looks. The actual inside of this ‘metal box’ has a variety of equipment in it, attached to the sides, with a variety of braces, cables, and supports holding the apparent focus of this box in the center. He directs the light from his PipBuck towards the contents partially suspended in the center. The decidedly pony shape catches him off guard. Not so much for what it looks like, but for what it doesn’t.

“Help me get this out, Sarge,” he asks as he slides the panel they had removed to the side.

Between the two, they use the internal supports to slide and pull out the large construct that takes up the majority of the inside.

Handy moves slowly, cautiously, not sure what this is, and what could happen if this thing suddenly activated. He’s seen protectaponies before, his companion is a protectapony. But this? This is beyond anything he’s even imagined. Its excessive articulation with overlapping segments forming its outer shell almost makes him think it’s some sort of suit of armor.

But, no, it would have to be a freakishly out of proportion pony to fit inside of this. Then, there were the countless numbers of gears. Hundreds. Thousands even. This entire… thing, seemed to be composed of gears, with a few interlocking plates over areas making it look like it was wearing metallic lamellar armor. And all of it, every visible inch of the surface, had been polished beyond reason. Not quite to a mirror finish, but so close to it that it gives the high quality brass construct a practical golden glow. Enough to make one wonder if it was actually made entirely of solid gold at first glance.

Except the wings.

Yes, this construction was a mesmerizing replica of some pegasus. Except instead of soft graceful feathers, this practical piece of art had wings like stained glass. Multiple painfully placed segments of… crystal? Yes. Not simply glass. These shards are masterfully carved. The wings, while currently folded against the body, appear to have the articulation and hinge points for a full range of motion.

But, there’s no way something like this could fly. Right? The weight alone would make that- Handy gives it a push to the side with one forehoof, then both, and it barely moves. Yup. Despite the wings this has to be as earth bound as he is.

Between Handy and Sarge they manage to get this artistic beauty onto its side using the cabling and supports of the box to help keep it from simply crashing over like a domino. Handy kneels down to look at the now exposed underside, hoping for some sort of access panel. There are none in the middle, unfortunately, not that he can tell at least. So, he drifts his eyes as he carefully examines it and his view shifts to the left towards the tail end… His jaw drops, as he slightly recoils in surprise.

“Anatomically correct stallion pegasus protectapony?” Handy blurts out in disbelief.

“That slag heap doesn’t match any schematic of protectapony from Robronco, ya zebra lover!” Sarge barks indignantly.

Handy raises an eyebrow and looks at Sarge before shaking his head and returns his attention to the task at hoof. While intentionally trying to direct his attentions away from the metallic sheath to his left. There’s no apparent access panels in the front of the chest, or sides, at least none that he can figure out. His eyes settle on the left foreleg of this metal doppelganger of pony life. There on its leg, just like his, is a very recognizable device.

A PipBuck.

A bit bigger than normal and practically archaic looking by PipBuck standards. No discernable model number or other identifying information can be seen. But it is undoubtedly a PipBuck. Of some kind. It seems to be heavily modified. But, to what end, he can only guess.

Feeling like he’s pushed his luck quite far enough, he pulls out a coil of multithreaded cabling and starts wrapping up the winged protectapony. Afterwards he hands the ends to Sarge. He points at Sarge with a hoof as he says, “Only nonlethal methods of combat, and only if it becomes hostile and attacks first.”

“One can hope! Come on ya zebra loving slag-heap, give me a reason!”

Handy shakes his head and pulls out the data cable from his PipBuck. “Maybe this is the access port?” He connects the cable to a data port on the side of the odd PipBuck, and nearly shits himself at the sudden results.

A spark arcs out from the connection cable as Handy tries to connect his cable to the port on the odd device that looks like a PipBuck. He jerks away with a start, both to avoid the tingling sensation jumping up his foreleg, and out of fright at what he’d seen. The PipBuck, and the construct at his hooves seem to come alive at the exact same moment.

“What the hell’s wrong with you!? This is beyond evil, what kind of sick fuck comes up with this-“ the voice of the mechanical pegasus comes out loud, clear, and only slightly robotic. The head pauses as its mouth hangs open and it stops mid-rant as it finally takes in its surroundings. Its eyes whip back and forth, yes, eyes, not simple scanners though they are made of a variety of metal.

He looks down at himself, with the random cables tying down his legs and holding his wings down to himself. Fear starts to show in his eyes. A weird thing to note in something that looks so bizarrely artificial. His eyes whip back and forth for a bit, as he gently tests the cables binding him. “W- what’s going on… You some kinda perverts or something? I’m not into this kinky shit! Get it off me!”

Sarge lowers his laser and points right at the pegasus’s head. “Oh, that’s right… keep fighting… Yeah. Attack me. You know you want to!”

The pegasus looks at the protectapony and snorts in a huff before going still and not moving.

Handy looks at Sarge and barks, “Stop trying to antagonize it! I see what you’re trying to do. No fighting, at all, unless I explicitly authorize it… even if it attacks you!”

Sarge whips his head up to look at Handy. “Oh… come on… t- that’s not fair!” There’s a pause before he asks quietly, “But if he attacks you, that’s different…” He chuckles and pokes the pegasus, “Hey, go ahead, attack him if you dare! You can take’em!”

Handy puts a hoof over his eyes as he grumbles, “If you keep this up I’m going to have to shut you down. Now,” he stomps his hoof into the ground for emphasis as he continues, “stop antagonizing it! That’s an order!”

The pegasus looks up at his captors before snarling at Handy, “I’m not an it!” He throws his head back towards Sarge. “That is an it.”

Handy looks at the pegasus for a few moments in thought before asking, “What are you? I’ve not seen a protectapony like you before.”

The pegasus snorts. “I told you, I’m not a machine! I’m not some automaton!” He rolls onto his stomach, lifts his hind quarters with his legs, and shakes his flank at Handy. “Do I look like I have a serial number to you?!”

Handy flinches and steps back, while trying to avoid staring at the anatomically correct rear end of this mechanical wonder before him. But, indeed, he doesn’t notice a serial number. No code. No insignia. The flank is entirely blank. And he doesn’t see it anywhere else either.

“Well,” Handy begins evenly, “what are you then, if you’re not a protectapony?”

“I’m a pegasus… Duh. My name’s Gearing. I work for Stable-Tec.”

Whatever Handy was expecting. That wasn’t it.

“Riiiight… Stable-Tec,” Handy begins without much strength in his words. “And how am I supposed to believe that?”

Gearing looks around then weakly holds up his left forehoof, as best he can despite the restraints. “My credentials are on my PipBuck, I can show you if you’ll call off your bot and let me.”

Handy smirks. “Yeah, right. I’m not that stupid… I have a better idea.” He taps on his PipBuck and asks with a smug voice, “Stable-Tec... Please connect to the PipBuck attached to this… ‘pegasus’ at my hooves.”

“Affirmative Head of Maintenance, Handy Hooves. One moment please...”

Handy looks down at Gearing and is about to say something when he’s cut off by some screeching and squawking from the surrounding speakers, then the Stable-Tec’s voice returns. “I apologize, Head of Maintenance Handy Hooves. I am unable to establish a connection with the PipBuck in question.”

Handy’s eyes narrow at Gearing as he asks, “Explain, Stable-Tec?”

“The PipBuck in question uses a security protocol I am unable to employ. It will not grant me access.”

Handy takes a step back and looks at one of the speakers nearby. “How is that even possible?! You are Stable-Tec, how can you not communicate with yourself?!”

Gearing rolls his eyes and says, “Because I’m a head technician with Stable-Tec. Having the device open for just any stable to poke their head into it would be a bad idea. It’s called compartmentalization…” He looks up at Handy and raises an eyebrow. “How are you the ‘Head of Maintenance’, and don’t even know that!?”

Handy grumbles and his eyes jump around as he tries to think of what to do.

Gearing waves his left foreleg as he says, “I told you I can prove it, just let me use my forehooves!”

Handy sighs and says softly, “I’ll untie you… and you can show us… But don’t try to attack us or Sarge here will blast you.”

Sarge rapidly taps his hooves. “Oh I heard that clear as day!”

Gearing tries to make himself as meek as possible as he says softly, “I’m not the one kidnapping people and tying them up for whatever kinky reason.”

Handy flinches and grumbles as he starts unbinding Gearing. “I didn’t kidnap you!”

“But you tied me up! Can’t deny that.”

“Had to make sure you weren’t a risk…”

“By knocking people unconscious and tying them up first instead of talking to them? Not even the Ministry of Morale’s that bad.” Gearing taps on his PipBuck a few times then presents the screen to Handy as he starts casually trying to slip off the rest of the bindings.

Handy looks the screen over, from a distance, with his eyes constantly darting back towards Gearing to see what he’s doing, if anything.

Gearing’s standing unnaturally still.

Handy asks, “Well anyone can just write a document that says that… How can I be sure?”

Gearing taps a few commands into the PipBuck then sits there and stares at Handy a few moments. “Well, Stable-Tec?” Gearing asks.

The voice comes across the speakers over head. “Credentials received. Verified. Individual identified as Stable-Tec and Ministry of Wartime Technology Liaison…. Special Technician Gearing.”

Handy’s eyes jump around as he’s trying to follow everything. “What the hell’s a ‘Special Technician’?”

Gearing continues to stare at Handy for a few moments before saying evenly, “Technician of the highest grade. They call me in when there’s a bug they can’t find or things get screwed up. I can work on any system in the stable, and get sent around wherever they need me.”

“What’s with the ‘Ministry of Wartime Technology’ bit?” Handy asks cautiously

Gearing tilts his head and says evenly, “Stable-Tec, and Ministry of Wartime Technology. High end technology. Goes hoof and hoof with each other.”

“Mmm hmm,” Handy mumbles without actually believing it. “And just what the hell are you doing down here in a crate if that’s the case? If you’re some kinda bigshot?”

Gearing shrugs, which is a really weird thing for Handy to see from something that even now strikes Handy as a protectapony. The fluid motion of it is decidedly bizarre by comparison. “I couldn’t tell you. Last thing I remember is I was having an argument with one of the higher ups in Stable-Tec. Next thing I know I was looking up at you two perverts and gift wrapped like some kind of bondage convention.”

He slowly turns around looking at the crate behind him where he’d come from, and tries to put everything together. He starts poking around inside the crate as Sarge rocks back and forth anxiously, hoping Gearing would make some kind of aggressive move.

Gearing flops back down on his rear looking at the crate. “That son of a bitch!” He turns back to look at Handy. “That bastard must have knocked me out with some kind of stasis weapon.” He looks at the crate and tries to find any sign of anything that could have been used to keep him in the field. He sifts around in the bottom of the crate, where his hooves had been, and kicks around a couple oddly shaped stones. They crumble to dust at his touch and he snarls, “I’d heard about this kind of technology, but he’d managed to weaponize it?!” He scoops up a bit of the dust and the largest pieces as he tries to turn and show Handy. “Stasis Talisman. It’s burnt out. I think… Looks like it just burnt out, I don’t know why though. These things weren’t meant to last very long, at most a few hours to get a soldier from the field to a clinic. Even that was only experimental.” He grabs the box lid and starts examining the insides. “I bet they voided the air in here, I’m not really seeing any corrosion, the sudden gush from you opening it must have screwed something up.”

Handy tilts side to side, trying to see into the box, and figure out what Gearing is doing. “Who are you talking about? What did they do? Why would they do that to their own employees? Weren’t you all on the same team?”

Gearing shakes his head softly. “No… I mean, we were supposed to be… but… not everyone apparently.” He turns and looks at Handy with a scowl. “You ever come across anything that you might not have been intended to see while doing your normal work? I’m sure you have, right?”

Handy bobs his head side to side a bit. “Sorta… Yeah… But not really. I get what you mean, why?”

Gearing points a hoof back at the container. “Because that’s what happened to me. I came across something that I apparently wasn’t supposed to see. I went to the person I thought would be the one to report it to, and… well. Turns out I was more expendable then I thought I was.” He looks over his shoulder at the box and says softly, “I knew too much, so they got rid of me…”

Handy looks at the box and at Gearing then raises an eyebrow. “Why didn’t they kill you then? Wouldn’t that have been easier?”

Gearing bristles and shakes his head. “No idea. Gods know they had more than enough opportunity with me in stasis and completely helpless. Although it might have been harder to get away with it… might have something to do with my PipBuck alerting that I’d died… hard to cover up… or…” He looks back at the crate and says softly, “Maybe they thought they had killed me… and just crated me up and threw me in storage until the end of time when it wouldn’t matter anymore…”

Handy sits down and says with a sad sigh, “Well, then I’d say they succeeded at that then.”

Gearing turns around and his eyes practically glow. “Ooooh no they haven’t. I’m still alive, and I’m not going to stand for this! The experiments they had planned… uhg… sadistic doesn’t even begin to cover it!” He stands up and starts looking around. “Just wait until I get back to HQ, I know who to talk to now. Forget the mid or upper lackeys. All hell’s going to break loose once I report in!” His head tilts as he follows the beams over head. “What stable is this anyway?”

Handy tilts his head. “How could you possibly tell this is a stable just from the ceiling beams?”

Gearing looks at Handy and smirks. “I helped build them, of course.” He looks around at the storage room. “This one seems packed though. Lots of extra supplies. Probably preloading… so... which one is it?”

“68,” Handy says softly.

Gearing spins around on Handy so fast that Sarge hops over and points his laser at Gearing’s head. But, Gearing pays no attention as his eyes are open to their widest in surprise and fright. “68?! Th- that’s impossible! 68 hasn’t even been built yet!”

Handy regards Gearing for a few moments before he says softly, “It’s 68, alright. That’s what all the records say and the markings on the outer door.”

Gearing flops down on his rear, causing a loud clang to echo out as his eyes jump around. “N-no. That can’t be. No way. The records I’d found, it’d only been in the design stages. They hadn’t even decided entirely on the location yet!” He looks at Handy and asks in a choked voice, “Tell me you’re kidding…”

Handy slowly shakes his head in response.

Gearing slowly looks around. Then at the robot menacing him nearby and asks while staring at the robot, “Were- were the stables activated?”

Handy sighs. “Yeah… a long… long time ago.”

Gearing looks back and forth between Handy and Sarge. “So, the stable’s still functioning? The place managed to work, despite the sadistic research project that was planned for it?”

Handy stares at Gearing for a few moments. After remaining in silence trying to figure out what all is going on, and what to do next, he says flatly, “No. Everypony died.” He rolls his head and bobs it a round a bit. “Sort of. It’s complicated. The one mare that was here, she’s uploaded her mind to the computer and her foal was in stasis.”

Gearing perks up and looks at Handy for a few moments. Then his shoulders sag. “The one mare… right? The only one?”

Handy nods slowly. “Yeaaaaah.” From the tone in his voice, Gearing can tell that they’ve both communicated the fact that they both know exactly the same information that is on Gearing’s mind.

Gearing stands up and looks at Handy with a stoic determination that Handy was not prepared to see. Sarge regards Gearing and his laser weapon wavers. There’s still no sign of hostilities from him, despite this quick change in behavior, and he can’t bring himself to pull the trigger. Despite how much he might want to.

“I need to see her,” Gearing says flatly.

Handy waves his forehooves in front of himself as he shakes his head. “You have to what now?”

Gearing points towards the opposite side of the room. “I need to see her. I have to apologize to her.”

Handy tilts his head and leans towards Gearing. “For what?”

Gearing waves a hoof around. “For… all of this… I failed to prevent it. I at least need to apologize to her.”

Handy waves a hoof and sighs. “That, doesn’t really make any sense, but, sure.” He looks around the room a bit before asking dead panned, “You’re not going to just shoot us in the back, are you?”

Gearing tilts his head as he regards Handy. Then he stands up straight and slaps a hoof across his chest in a salute. “I’ve sworn to protect Equestria and its citizens. I would never betray the faith entrusted in me nor dishonor those who gave me it.” He stomps his hoof down and says flatly, “I helped build these to protect lives… not take them.” He turns his head and snorts in disgust. “That’s why I was so appalled by what I found out about some of them.”

Handy nods and starts leading the way out of the storage room. “Uh huh… well, we’re going to be keeping an eye on you anyway… I don’t know you, and I don’t trust you… betray us and you’ll have the whole stable coming down on you.” He looks over his shoulder at the protectapony bringing up the rear. “And Sarge will simply have too much fun if that ever happens.”

Gearing tilts his head as he follows, and refuses to even look at Sarge. “Gee, real great at making friends, aren’t ya?”

Handy spins around and sticks a hoof in Gearing’s face. “Let me tell you something. Most ponies would have let Sarge just slag you back there. You have no idea what we’ve been through. Trust is earned, not just given… So consider yourself lucky we’ve let you get this far!”

Gearing leans in towards Handy, causing him to withdraw his hoof. “And let me tell you something. My loyalty to Equestria is unshakeable. Loyalty means everything to me. If you treat me right, and stop acting like a jackass, you’ll find out I’m one of the most useful assets you’ve ever even dreamed of… however.” He scowls at Handy. “I don’t respond well to unnecessary threats either…”

Handy takes a step back and his eyes keep darting towards Sarge who just keeps staring at Gearing. “So?”

Gearing continues on down the hall as he looks at Handy. “So… stop treating me like I’ve done something… when I was the victim of betrayal… Trust me, I’m not someone you want to make an enemy from either.”

Handy quickly takes a few steps back. The statement wasn’t exactly that powerful. Nor really threatening. However, there was something in Gearing’s eyes. Something dark. A promise of some sort. A promise he very likely didn’t want to collect on.

He was already regretting letting this thing out of the box.

Handy leads the way down the maze of halls to the central mainframe. He and Sarge keep pace with Gearing in the center, but Gearing neither seems to mind nor care. Gearing spends the entire trip checking out the corridor and the various doors that they pass along the way. Handy gets worried that Gearing is plotting something, that he’s mapping out the area for some future evil. But, the thought passes as he realizes that any idiot with a PipBuck would have the entire place mapped for him just by walking through it, whether they wanted to or not. While paying more attention to what Gearing is doing than his own walking down the hall, he notices that Gearing’s attention seems to be focused on whichever systems they pass. Specifically his attention lingers on ones that are in obvious need of repair.

“Don’t worry,” Handy comments, “the stable’s in rough shape, I know, but she’s not going to collapse any time soon. She’s still safe enough for now.”

Gearing mutters, “This place needs some serious maintenance.” He looks at Handy. “Isn’t that supposed to be your job?”

Handy groans, “Yeah…” He shakes his head and starts looking forward. “I’ve been doing what I can, but it’s hard to keep up with it when there’s so many dangerous problems to deal with… especially the lower levels.”

Gearing tilts his head as he asks, “What’s wrong? Radiation leak or something?”

Handy shakes his head. “No, all sorts of critters down there. We’ve only been here a short time, and have only managed to clear out the upper levels.”

Gearing pauses then asks as he goes back to looking at the bulkheads, “How’s that possible? The stable’s supposed to be closed.”

Handy shrugs. “Stable failed. Place was a tomb when we found it.”

Gearing hangs his head and begins grumbling to himself, but doesn’t say anything more until they come to a thick door. He looks at the door carefully, and the old fading paint labeling this ‘Restricted Access: Authorized Ponies Only’ as Handy starts walking over to a terminal at the door. Gearing’s attention jerks to the corner above the door where a security camera turns to face Handy.

“What the hell do you want now, Handy?” an annoyed mare’s voice asks from the speaker box near the terminal.

Handy stops midstride, and looks around quickly, then directs his attention to the camera staring at him. “This thing- It-… he wants to meet you, Nettlekiss.” Handy stumbles over his words before pointing a hoof at Gearing.

The camera spins towards Gearing, zooms in and clicks repeatedly, and a groan comes over the speaker before the camera turns back towards Handy. “Another stallion? Who gave you permission to bring another stallion into my stable?!” The camera whips over towards Gearing and the voice asks, “How did you even get in here? Nothing gets in without my permission, least of all you rapist bastards. Speak stallion!”

Gearing tilts his head a few moments as he regards the camera.

Tick.

Tick.

CLICK.

“It’s likely I’ve been here longer than you have. That’s most likely why you didn’t know about my arrival.”

“Horseapples,” the voice responds. “I’ve been here since the bombs fell.”

“According to the information I could find, he was locked away the day before that...” Handy looks over at Gearing and says softly, “Apparently.”

The camera looks back and forth, zooming in to both of their faces, getting a read on their mannerisms before asking, “Locked away?”

Gearing nods then looks right at the camera. “I was kidnapped. I came across something that I wasn’t supposed to see. And they locked me into a stasis field to keep me from blowing the whistle on it.”

The camera zooms in to Gearing. It unnecessarily moves around as it looks him over. It’s obvious that the person controlling the camera is doing it for their benefit, as the camera can easily take in the full view at once without the need to move. “And just what was so secret?”

Gearing sits down and looks straight into the camera. “The truth about this stable. What they were really planning. About…” He looks over at Handy and says unsteadily, “The experiments… I found out.”

“You knew?! Since when?!” The voice screeched with obviously uncontrolled emotions boiling to the surface.

Gearing looks up at the camera. “While this stable was still on the drawing board.” He shakes his head as he continues, “They hadn’t even selected a location yet.”

“And you let them!? How could you let those bastards do that?! Do you have any idea what I’d been through? What I barely survived?!”

Gearing jumps to his feet in a wide stance. “I didn’t! As soon as I found out about it, I was livid! I took it straight to my highest contact!” His posture slowly deflates as he says, “But, apparently they were on the take… They made sure neither me nor the truth would see the light of day.” He closes his eyes and seems to become really small as he draws himself in. “Until it was far… far too late.”

There’s a long moment of silence as no one speaks. Even the speaker box remains completely silent, without even a hum of the microphone being disengaged.

Gearing walks up to the corner, puts his hoofs on the adjacent walls and gets as close to the camera as he can. “I’m so. So sorry. I tried to do the right thing. I really did… But... I failed… I failed you. I’ve failed so many… I’m so sorry.” His forehooves slide down the walls as he sinks down to a near seated position on the metal floor. Handy regards him from his position near the far wall, away from Gearing. From the hitch in Gearing’s voice, it seemed almost that this construct before him was on the verge of tears. An act that would be hard-pressed for the best among theater folk.

“You-“ The mare’s voice finally breaks her silence, “Weren’t here… there was nothing you could have done. It’s…” Over the speaker the hesitation comes across strongly. As something that she herself is having a hard time putting into words. Her hatred of stallions being so pure from her treatment at their hooves. But, still. As much as she’d like to. She can’t lay fault on his shoulders. He did all he could. Even she can see that. And he paid dearly for his attempt. “It’s not your fault.”

Gearing bobs his head around slowly, while looking at the floor plating. “I should have known better. My fault or not, I still failed. And I have to live with that.” He hops up and looks at the camera with renewed vigor. “But, I’m extremely useful! The stable here, needs a lot of work. I can get it back up to snuff for you. That’s no problem!” He gets close to the camera again by pressing his forehooves into the adjacent walls again. “But, is there anything else you need? Anything else I can help you with? Anything I can do to…” He hangs his head a moment, but tilts it so he can look at the camera with one eye as he finishes, “try and make up for my failure?”

“My foal… Guard my foal. My foal is all I care about now. Do that and… blech… you can stay.”

Gearing’s ears perk up then he grimaces as several thoughts jump through his mind. He shakes his head, throwing the thoughts away before he asks, “Foal? You have a foal?” He shakes his head a bit more then asks, “Sure, What does it need? Do you need any food? Is the water system working?”

“We’re taking care of the foal. It’s in the medical bay,” Handy offers from his seat by the wall. “That was the deal for us being brought in. We’re only here because she needs someone to look after the foal. Robots can only do so much.”

Gearing nods then looks back at the camera. “Then, what about you… Nettlekiss was it?”

The camera zooms in a few times, Gearing can see the aperture changing sizes rapidly. “I don’t have a body anymore, stallion.”

Gearing tilts his head as he tries to figure out what she’s saying, and it doesn’t seem to be clicking for him.

“She uploaded her mind to the central computer years ago… It was a way for her to escape, and try to save her foal. There was no other way.”

Gearing stares at him a few moments then his eyes open to their fullest in a moment of clarity. “The stable wouldn’t have made it…” He looks at the camera and continues on, “You are the original mare… personality uploaded before the stable collapsed… And the foal… put into stasis?”

“As soon as I gave birth,” The voice confirms softly.

Gearing nods and hangs his head as he says, “And the stable collapsed, with everyone else dying.” He looks back at the camera. “At least those not being suspended through arcano-technology.”

“You’ve found a real smart cookie here, Handy.”

Handy shrugs. “I was just looking for some supplies to try and get this place going. Didn’t even know something like this existed.”

Gearing snorts and looks at Handy. “For the last time. I’m not an it.” He shoots a hoof at the camera. “At least she has the decency of calling me a ‘Stallion’, even if she means it as a slur.”

Handy looks him over, his eyes going over to Sarge who’s been rocking back and forth with his targeting system aimed at Gearing, and shakes his head a moment before he throws both forehooves at Gearing. “Just what are you?”

Gearing closes his eyes and grumbles as he slaps a metallic hoof across his metallic face in the loudest facehoof Handy’s ever seen. He drags the hoof down his muzzle until it falls off the end then directs his attention to Handy again and asks, “From what you’d said, there’s more here than just you. You’ve said ‘us’ and I really doubt she’d have a problem with a machine she can control being inside…” He points a hoof over at Sarge. “So there’s others, right?”

Handy looks him over for a few moments and asks, “What do you think, Nettlekiss?”

The camera turns its attention towards Handy. “Put him to work. The stable’s informed me he’s a certified technician. As long as he pulls his weight, and doesn’t pull any shit, he can stay.”

Gearing raises a hoof. “If you’re concerned about resources. The only one I need is the space I take up.” He curls a wing around and starts counting off with crystal feathers, “I don’t need food, nor water, and I can even work in more dangerous areas with relative safety. And I’m probably the fastest technician you’ll ever meet.”

Handy snorts as he feels a personal attack on his pride. “Oh yeah? Well I’m a pretty good repairpony myself. What makes you so special?” He shoves a hoof at Gearing.

Gearing tilts his head, and looks up and to the side as he puts on the biggest smile Handy’s seen on him yet. “Easy, I don’t sleep. And I don’t fatigue. So I don’t slow down over time.”

Handy’s hoof droops to the floor. How is that even possible? That’s not even fair. “H-how?”

Gearing stands up and starts walking back the direction they came from. “How about you introduce me to everyone else. I’ll explain it to everyone.” He looks back at the camera. “Nettlekiss, I know you said you’re fine… but… if you need anything… you have my transponder signal. Just give me a ping and I’ll be there.”

“Alright, stallion… Now just get out of my sight… all of you!”

Handy, taking the not-a-hint hops up and hurries down the hallway away from the access door. He looks at Gearing as he passes and a scowl crosses his face that Gearing can’t help but catch in his peripheral vision.

Gearing follows behind, keeping his eyes on his surroundings as they continue down the path. “Handy… if you’re not comfortable with taking me to everyone else. I can just start working down here. You can talk with everyone else and decide on how you want to introduce me.” Handy’s head turns to look back at Gearing suspiciously, so Gearing replies, “Trust is earned, not given, right?”

Handy shakes his head. “No. It’d be best to go ahead and meet everyone else now…”

Gearing follows, his eyes skimming over the surface as they continue down the hallways. His eyes settle on the PipBuck on Handy’s foreleg as Handy sends out some message to somepony. Gearing’s eyes trail elsewhere as he keeps an eye out on his surroundings. A few moments later, after Handy’s casual message had already been sent off, Gearing finally comments, “You know. If you all decide you don’t want me here…”

Handy’s head turns sideways as he glares at Gearing as he wonders if the protectapony has managed to intercept signals or has some kind of devious plan up his sleeve.

After getting eye contact with Handy, Gearing continues, “I’d really prefer it if you just say so… and just send me on my way.”

Handy stops and stares at him a moment, his eyes getting wider by the moment. “What?”

Gearing pauses and waves a hoof in the general direction where he believes the front door of the stable is. “You know. Leave… The front door works, right?”

Handy turns around completely and stares at Gearing. “You’d just... leave? Why? You have no idea what the world is like out there.”

Gearing continues walking, and passes him, as he comments, “Oh I’m sure I have a pretty clear idea. The literature on the subject was mandatory reading.” He pauses long enough, while they are side by side, to shoot a sidelong glance at Handy. “It’s what we were fighting to prevent in the first place… and they wanted us to be fully mindful of the consequences of…” He continues walking, but doesn’t complete his sentence until well after breaking eye contact, “our failure…”

Handy regards him for a few moments, not moving, as he tries to figure out the newest inhabitant’s mindset. He exchanges glances with Sarge before turning to trot next to Gearing. “There’s a lot of bad ponies out there… We have a good group here… I’m going to do what I can to keep them safe.”

Gearing nods. “I understand that. And I’ll help where I can. So, let’s get to it.”

They walk for a while, and Handy can’t help but pay attention to Gearing as they walk. There’s something off about him. He can’t quite place it.

Besides this being some kind of stained-glass winged golden piece of arcano-technology that doesn’t realize it’s a piece of technology, that is.

“Hurry it up slag heap, I’m getting bored with these escort missions…” Sarge grumbles from the back.

That’s it. He’s slow. Gearing is not moving as fast as Handy. In fact, Sarge even seems to be moving slightly faster than Gearing. Both Handy and Sarge are having to check their speed to stay in formation with Gearing.

Handy asks, “So… You okay? You need any repairs or anything?”

Gearing snorts and shoots Handy a daggering stare. “I keep telling you I’m not a protectapony!” He continues on, picking up the pace, but seems to be in some sort of slow motioned canter. “I can’t be repaired. If I get hurt, I need some form of medical attention… worst of all, it has to be at least partially magically infused or it will be a complete waste of time.”

Handy shakes his head. “Wait. I see your gears, and plates. You telling me they can’t even be swapped out or welded if they get damaged?”

Gearing grumbles some more then shoots a look at him as he snips, “Just where is this meeting supposed to take place so I can get these bullshit questions out of the way…”

Handy scowls at Gearing. “Hey, no reason to get snotty with me! Most would be grateful for the concern!”

Gearing spins on him, and points a hoof at him as he growls, “Grateful!? Why should I be grateful? You’ve been questioning my very right to exist this entire time!” He waves a hoof around. “My whole life I’ve been having to justify my own existence.” He turns and starts stomping, heavily, down the hall. “And I’m really sick of it. Not even the world ending could end bigotry it seems…”

Handy turns to look at Sarge. They exchange glances and Handy’s head continually turns to the side. Finally Sarge answers the question that Handy’s apparently wondering, “Didn’t go red… The smart bastard.”

Footnote: PipBuck connection timed out. Please wait, attempting to reestablish . . .

And here we go! The kick off of the biggest story I've ever written. [Which is really saying something]

Please bare with me as I get used to this posting system. Made the account here as an explicit request to post this story on the site, so I'm really new to it.

This is a work in progress and, while I don't foresee any MAJOR changes to the parts I publish, it's still possible until I'm done done and at that point I'll mark it as 'complete'

Please enjoy!

Critiques, comments, and suggestions all welcome!

-Quillsy