Cold Zero (Patreon)

Note. To the best of my knowledge this is not based on any existing Fallout Equestria storyline, nor does it follow any   particular plot in Fallout 4. This is just the narrative that popped  into my head as I worked on this piece.

     "Watch the fucking revs!" Black Teeth yelled over the roar of the unmuffled diesel engine. He looked down at the driver below him. "Rev it tu hi and ya will fuck the transmission!" 

     The earth pony stallion was standing up and looking out of an improvised cupola of the makeshift armored car that Black Teeth's band mercenary/brigands had cobbled together. The early morning sun made the newly fallen snow that blanketed the countryside almost painful to look at.  Along with the armored car the band had succeeded after much effort, frustration, and ingenuity in getting a small collection of motor vehicles running. They were constructed from an assortment of pre-war civilian and military parts and recently fabricated components. 

     While these vehicles gave Black Teeth's band a great tactical advantage at times they were a liability as well. Fuel was constant source of frustration, but a greater problem was that Black Teeth's forces had a very limited inventory of usable parts to repair the vehicles in their motor pool. 

     However Black Teeth had a solution to this problem. Recently he'd learned of a previously unknown, functional Stable in the area. These strongholds of pre-war technology held the potential of granting his band access to an abundant source fabrication and manufacturing. This was where his band was heading for. They planned to seize it for themselves. 

     Also rumor had it that this new Stable, known as Stable 69, was populated by nothing but mares. Black Teeth had heard that Stable Mares were unrivaled in their beauty. He very much looked forward confirming this rumor.

    In preparation for this assault Black Teeth's forces had spent the last couple weeks repairing an old pre-war bridge until it was able to support the weight of his vehicles. Now the convoy was approaching it. For protection reasons the armored car was in the vanguard. Gingerly the driver guided the vehicle on to it with the rest vehicles slowly following. 

    The armored car was at the end of the bridge when suddenly there was a sharp krakpong sound followed by the vehicle shuddering and the engine going silent. Black Teeth cursed as the lorry following close behind his vehicle slammed into the back of his. Bracing himself the stallion avoid smashing his face into the cupola.  Either the driver had been following too close behind, or the motley collection of aging parts had decided to fail. Further down the line could be heard the screeching of brakes as the other vehicles came to the halt. All told 6 of the band's 8 vehicles were now stuck on the bridge. 

    Black Teeth looked down into the cab. The driver was frantically trying to determine why the engine had suddenly cut out when there was distant kraboom followed by a sharp karkrak! A hole suddenly appeared in the bulletproof glass of the driver's cab. The pony behind the wheel convulsed and blood sprayed throughout the cab as a 14.5mm AP projectile punched effortlessly through his body armor. 

     "Fucking shit!" Black Teeth grabbed the spade grips of the machine gun on the cupola. Squinting he tried to spy where their attacker was, but the direction of the shot meant he was looking into rising sun and the blinding glare of the newly fallen snow. He was still searching when he heard.

    Kraboom! Followed quickly by 2 more Krabooms!  Each shot was punctuated by a metallic krakpong sound behind him. Spinning around he saw great plumes of steam jetting out of the radiator of the 7th vehicle that had just started to drive on the bridge. Black Teeth felt a cold knot form in his stomach. With 5 shots somepony had trapped most of his vehicles on this bridge. 

    400 meters away Coco Pommel peered through the iron sights of her 14.5 x 114mm anti-armor rifle. With her left hand she toggled the switch on her radio headset. 

    "Forge to Anvil. The metal is on the anvil. Hammer it. Over."

    Suddenly from various hidden locations members of Stable 69's security forces opened fire on the mercenaries. Small arms fire started raking the trapped vehicles on the bridge. Punctuated by detonation 40mm grenades. Coco swung the magazine down and quickly inserted another 5rd en bloc clip. Slapping it close she hit the bolt release. She then resumed fire sending more tungsten AP rounds into the trapped vehicles. 

     The pre-war rifle wasn't much to look at, but Lock 'n Load who was Stable 69's Chief Armorer had worked wonders to get the innards all working right. Besides she promised to refinish it in the near future. However at the moment the exterior of the weapon was a collection of faded original finish, rust, and various shades of automotive primers.  

    This Saturday 1/8/22 starting at 5:30pm Pacific, I'll be hosting my first Picarto stream of 2022. Hope to see you there.