//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: An Apple at War // by spartan523 //------------------------------// Alright Mr. Apple your vitals look great and I see you passed your physical with flying colors." The doctor said closing a folder before turning to Mac "Congratulations on a successful enhancement process" Mac climbed off the table and began putting his clothes back on when the door opened. "Hey Doc is he ready yet?" A voice from the door called out he had black hair, brown eyes, a little shorter then Mac was and wore black armor over his entire body except for the word LANCER-40 etched in gold. "Yes Cross Hair he's all yours." The doctor said handing him Mac's file. "Great come on rook it's time for your orientation." The mystery man said walking out the door followed by Mac. They walked out of the building and into a waiting jeep. "Alright let's see here... ah yes Macintosh Apple, 21 years old, from Ponyville, 7'1ft , and weighing in at 253lbs. Well Mr. Apple welcome to the LANCERS my name is Cross Hairs and I will be your tour guide for the day, but before we begin I should probably tell you that from this moment forward your designation is LANCER -90 and wouldn't you know it you've been assigned to my squad welcome to the Eagle's!" Cross Hairs said slapping Mac on the back. They pulled up to a gray building which Cross Hairs led him into "Alright first things first we need to get you suited up and ready for action so to the armory!" they walked down several hallways before reaching a huge sealed door with a glowing pad on the side. Cross Hairs put his eye up to it which the glowing pad then scanned before opening the door. "Honey I'm home!" Cross Hairs said as a woman who was just a little shorter then Cross Hairs walked out from behind several crates; she had blue hair and light blue eyes. The armor she had on looked more like a blue circuit board her chest plate had LANCER-53 on the front of it. "Rook I would like you to meet my wonderful girlfriend. My wonderful girlfriend I would like you to meet our new recruit." Cross Hairs said putting his arm around the women’s shoulder and looking back at Mac who was just standing there. "Well come on over here Rook I promise the only thing you have to fear from her is her cooking." She elbowed Cross Hairs in the stomach "Oh shut up" she said reaching out a hand towards Mac. "Nice to meet you rook I’m LANCER-53 but just call me Blitz I’m the resident tech expert and I’ll be getting you outfitted today.” Mac shook her hand “Nice to meet you Miss Blitz.” She looked over at Cross Hairs who was looking inside one of the crates “oh such a gentleman! Cross Hairs why can’t you be more like that?” “Easy there rook you’re making me look bad.” He said while digging back into the crate to pull out a black helmet with a black visor. “Yes! Just what I was looking for!” he said putting it on “haha you see this rook? Mark 5 recon helmet straight from Q branch!” Blitz shook her head then motioned for Mac to follow her “Come on rook let’s get you suited up.” Mac followed her to a room with a clear tube in it. “Alright put this webbing on” She said handing him a suit that looked like something scuba divers wear. “Ok rook take your clothes off, put this on, then step on in don’t worry I promise you this won’t hurt a bit.” She said walking over to a computer in front of the tube. “Uh where can I change at?” Mac asked blushing a little “Just change here” Mac blushed harder “Uh ok…” Mac said quickly changing into the webbing leaving his clothes on the floor before stepping into the tube. “Ok rook just lay inside the outline there and relax.” Blitz said Mac laid down in the outline of a body inside the tube “Perfect now lets see what your MOS is... ah says here you're infantry well looks like you'll be getting the Mark VI Assault Armor. So what color will it be?” Mac thought for a second “Red” “Red it shall be then.” Blitz said typing stuff in on the computer. “Alright now-“ “Hey Blitzy you got to see this!” Cross Hairs yelled walking into the room “Watch ready.” Cross Hairs pushed a button on his arm turning the visor from black to clear. “Isn’t this awesome!?” “Yes Cross Hairs that’s why you ordered it in the first place and I thought I told you not to call me Blitzy it pisses me off." Vinyl said pressing a button causing the tube to hiss as he began to feel armor being attached to the webbing. "I know but you're hot when your mad." Cross Hairs said winking at her. Once all the armor was attached the tube opened and Mac stepped out “Looking nice rook!” Cross Hairs said still playing with his visor “Not the color I would have chosen but still.” Blitz walked over with a helmet it was solid red except for the visor which was yellow. He took it from her holding it in his hands looking it over. “Ok rook it's time to get you trained on how to use your new equipment first thing first put your helmet on" Mac slid the helmet on there was a small click sound then visor lit up. "Ok rook now your HUD will display everything from friendly IR tags to waypoints. Now your helmet has a built in rebreather which will allow you to breath under water for 10 minutes before you'll have to resurface and let it empty out the filter area. It also allows for breathing at high altitudes which is great because most of our deployments come in the shape of HALO drops." "HALO drops?" Mac asked curious about the term "HALO stands for High Altitude Low Opening. Cross Hairs did you teach him anything that you were suppose to?" she asked him. "Yes I did in fact! I taught him his LANCER number and the squad he's assigned to thank you very much!" he said to her sticking his tongue out which they could see through his clear visor before it turned black. Blitz shook her head "What he should have told you was that the LANCERS don't fight with the rest of the infantry. Instead we are sent right where the shits the deepest taking out enemy communications, sabotage, assassinations, whatever needs to be done behind enemy lines. We do that by stealth insertions usually by HALO drops they are high enough to avoid radar and a parachute doesn't make any noise." she reached into one of the crates pulling out a rectangular pack "We use M2 parachutes with reinforced fibers to withstand the shock and tension when deployed. It connects directly to the back of your armor there are no strings it is voice activated so all you have to do is yell 'deploy chute' and it will automatically deploy. When you land your armor will automatically eject the pack this is a one time deal so you don't have to worry about bringing it back." Mac nodded in acknowledgement "Blitz! Me and Rook just got orders to gather with the squad you can brief him again later come on rook." Cross Hairs said from the doorway "Yes sir" Mac said following him out the door "Lulu what's wrong?" Celestia asked her sister as they sat at the breakfast table. Luna sat poking at her food with her fork not noticing that her sister was talking to her. "Hello Equestria to Luna come in Luna." Celestia said waving her hand to get Luna's attention. Luna finally snapped out of her daze. "Oh I'm sorry Tia what did you say?" Celstia sighed "I asked what's wrong" "Nothing I just haven't slept well these past few weeks is all." Luna said not meeting Celestia's gaze. "What has kept you awake lately sister?" Celestia said taking her sister's hand Luna was hesitant debating on whether or not she should tell her sister the reason for her not being able to sleep. Luna sighed "Tia have you ever had something happen that you can't get off of your mind?" Celestia looked at her sister "Something? Or could it be a certain young farmer?" Luna's eyes widened "How did you know?" "Lulu it's really not hard to see that you have feelings for him you almost never left his side in the hospital and I noticed that he was wearing your Lunar necklace while entered the enhancement machine." Celestia paused to take a sip of tea " You also dream about him and I must admit sister your dreams can get very vulgar." she said with a devilish grin Luna stood up "You entered my dreams! How dare you! My dreams are personal and very private!" "Oh calm down I know you enter my dreams." Celestia said rolling her eyes "Still I would wish that you would stay out of my dreams they are mine and I would prefer that they stay that way." Luna said sitting back down and then take a drink of her tea "I also know that you enter his dreams in order to how should I put this... enlighten yourself on his knowledge of reproduction" Celestia said trying her best to suppress a laugh. Luna spat the tea in her mouth out across the table while eyes grew to the size of saucers and her mouth hung open at hearing her sister say that she knew about what she had been up to. Luna stood up and walked toward her chambers "I'm going to bed! Goodnight Tia!"