Obscurity 3: The Search for Obscurity 2: The Search for More Animatronics
Chapter 1: The Message
It was a few weeks after Kimberly had been decommissioned. Copper Glow was asleep in her flat at about three o'clock on Thursday morning. She awoke violently when there was banging on her flat door. Taking no chances whatsoever with whoever may have knocked at this time in the morning, Copper Glow picked up her 608mm long spanner with the 75mm head and went to answer the door.
On the other side of the door was a messenger from the Institute, who handed her an envelope and said that she was wanted at the Institute at 2 pm. She opened the letter and began reading the letter inside immediately.
Special Institute Notice of security breach
17th July
URGENT
SECRET
All involved in and with the Autonoma Project
Mountains, Canterlot
At 12:37 this morning, an intrusion was registered at Site 14 Archival Department. Three equines, all males, attempted to access the archives regarding the Autonoma Project. On-site security responded rapidly, and the incursion was suppressed, although it is believed that an outside agent was involved. Several documents are unaccounted for, and, as one of the intruders was a unicorn, these documents may have been taken by this outside agent.
Due to the Autonoma Project's rating, this constitutes a minor security breach. Ensure all documentation relating to or referring to any part of the Autonoma Project is adequately secured, regardless of classification, when not in use. This is especially important for documentation relating to Hetman-3 "Homer" and Hetman-4 "Ellie", and Red Post-1 "Kimmeridge/STOUR" through to Red Post-6 "Prefect/DENT", all currently in operation.
Considering the potential invitation for personal intrusion and subsequent security breaches, all those involved are advised not to reveal a connection with the project. Furthermore, participants are advised against discussion with anyone outside the project about any part of it; the mishap involving Black Grass-4 "Vulcan/RAVEN" is excluded, due to the number of witnesses from outside the Institute, but workers must not go into detail. We appreciate that the NEMRA part of the project is positive about the recent decommissioning of Black Grass-3 "Kimberly/SKALA" after sixty years of operation without major or severe incident, but outside discussion of this desirable outcome is also strongly advised against. The Royal Exception currently applies, but this must be followed correctly.
Additionally, any intrusion and/or unauthorised removal of documentation must be reported within twenty-four hours of the discovery of said intrusion and/or removal. Any report outside this time frame will result in disciplinary proceedings, and withholding of incidents will result in dismissal. Valid and verifiable exceptions will be considered.
Furthermore, we will be investigating how these intruders managed to obtain information into the existence of the project. This will involve interrogation of the intruders, examination of all evidence, and questioning of those concerned with the project and evidence.
We report for your information.
Head of the Autonoma Project at the Utterham Institute of Design and Technology in Canterlot and Canterlot region.
Maj.-Gen. Shroud
"17" July
When Copper Glow had finished reading the note, the messenger had disappeared. Copper Glow inspected the house and discovered that one of the kitchen windows had been forced open from the outside due to the damage to the frame. However, whoever opened the window had closed it behind them after they left. Deciding that it was probably best to check her own stash of documents, the red-horned unicorn deposited the spanner back in her toolbox and went to take a key from inside the pillow on her bed. She removed the grill from the ventilation shaft in the kitchen, and, with the key from the pillow, unlocked a small compartment in there. With the key from that, she unlocked a box hidden under the grandfather clock and used the key from that to unlock a hidden floor panel beneath her welcome mat. She removed a large black metal container with a ten-digit combination wheel, and unlocked it by entering 42-34-12-34-44, the Polybius Square for "robot". Inside was an assortment of different, everyday items that appeared to be of no interest to anypony after her important documents.
One of the objects in this assortment was a large hardcover book called Caravanning Complete. Upon opening the front cover, the book had been hollowed out and was used to store all of Copper Glow's important documents; all of these were unconnected with the Project, as Copper tried to leave as many documents as possible at work. These were checked against the index glued onto the back of the front cover. When she had confirmed nothing had gone missing, Copper Glow closed the box, put it back in its hole, and returned all the keys to their rightful places, before she decided on what to do next.
Later that morning, at about 04:10, Copper Glow arrived at Alexandria's house. She was about to knock when Alex opened the door slightly. This reminded Copper of the first time Alex had ever opened the door for her, as the younger unicorn had the same nervous posture and facial expression as she had back then – a worried face visible around the partially open door with the rest of her body hidden from sight. Alex opened the door wider, and Copper Glow entered.
Alex gave Copper a look that asked Do you know how early this is?
Copper Glow nodded and produced the note, hoping that Alex understood this as a request for help. Alex shrugged, and Copper Glow had the feeling that, although Alex would like to help, she wanted to inform her husband of what she was doing before she left and that Twilight Sparkle might be useful in the search. Copper Glow pondered this for a few seconds before she nodded in agreement.
Back at Copper Glow's house late in the morning and joined by Twilight, Alexandria was reaching out with her mind. Ponies didn't realise it, but their psyche left behind a remnant like a body leaving behind a smell. Alexandria saw past the heavy presences of Copper Glow and Twilight standing next to her and of the messenger from the night before. Looking further back, there were a couple of faint deposits from an intrusion.
Investigating this further, Alex was only able to identify that two intruders had entered Copper Glow's house, after her documents. Alex started to semaphore this to Copper Glow.
As Copper Glow was watching Alex, the postman arrived at the door, and posted letters; Twilight went to collect them. Amongst the letters was a postcard that simply said: "Meet me at noon at the village hall." Twilight noticed this and waved it in Copper Glow's face.
Copper Glow read it and looked at Twilight.
"I think an intruder wants to speak with us. Either that or someone who knows about it."
At noon by the village hall, Alex, Copper Glow, and Twilight were approached by an ivory coloured earth pony stallion who took them aside. A black pinstripe suit hid most of his bodily features, but he did have an excessively large brown moustache and was balding.
"If you have any missing documents, I might have some useful information." he said.
"What's that, then?" Copper Glow immediately questioned.
"Some anarchists are displeased with the Utterham Institute. The anarchists found out about some project or another involving sentient robots. Something science-fiction like that, anyway. They were desperate to found out as much information about it as they could, so they approached me to break into several places. I made a note of as many as I could remember."
He handed a scrap of parchment to Copper Glow. Going through the list, Copper Glow's eyes got progressively wider.
"Interesting?" asked the stallion, raising an eyebrow.
"Very interesting indeed. Where did they get these names from?" Copper Glow asked rhetorically.
"How did you get involved?" asked Twilight.
"I used to be an airship mercenary. A group of us split off from the rest, as we prefer to do slightly more legal stuff than what we used to do. The others are still after "blood and money" like they always have been. A couple of ponies who had completely covered every part of their bodies approached me yesterday. They asked me to break into the houses of the ponies on that list and remove any documentation regarding robots or whatever these ponies were after. When they told me what they were after, I realised that the public release of that information, which the anarchists could do, would be…explosive. Hence, I refused." answered the stallion.
"I had a couple of visitors last night. Wouldn't happen to have any sort of affiliation to you, would they?" asked Copper Glow.
"What are you talking about? I haven't told anypony, and I didn't break into your house either." snorted the stallion.
Copper Glow looked at Alex, actively thinking about how truthful the stallion was being.
Alex returned Copper's look. It was one that implied his thoughts were very well scrambled to the point that she couldn't break in without alerting him. On top of that, there was a desire to understand what was said, but, by listening to his voice, watching his outward behaviour, and feeling his emotional state, she could tell he wasn't lying.
Copper Glow turned to the stallion and told him that Alex couldn't speak and was unable to understand what was being said. The stallion scratched the back of his neck.
"I wish I could help more, but the characters who approached me, as I said before, had completely covered themselves. I have no idea who they were. Anyway, I have to speak to the other ponies on that list." The stallion said, taking back his scrap of parchment before walking off.
Twilight turned to her companions.
"What should we do next?" asked the princess.
Both of Alex's stomachs growled, and the unicorn gave a look that said that she was a tad hungry.
"I have to mention this to the Institute and tell them what's going on. But, seeing as Alex wants to eat, let's have lunch now, and we can visit the Institute later." planned Copper Glow.
The trio located a nearby café, where Alexandria wolfed down half a dozen cheese sandwiches and a couple of slices of cake, while Twilight had a hay burger and Copper Glow had two rounds of toast. Both Twilight and Copper Glow got the impression that Alexandria would have been perfectly happy eating double what she had.
Twilight paid the bill, and the trio departed for the train station. The train arrived half an hour later and took them to Canterlot. During the journey, Alexandria bought some food off the onboard trolley. Copper Glow shifted closer to Twilight and whispered in her ear.
"Did Kimberly mention Alex's eldest daughter?"
Twilight replied that Kimberly had spoken much of her adoptive grandchildren, particularly the eldest, now a mare, who was so hungry as a baby that Alexandria had to buy in milk for her.
"Well, she's heavily pregnant; she's due any day now."
Twilight remarked that Kimberly would have loved to have met the baby.
"She would have been chuffed to bits; none of the other animatronics had or have children. But it was hard for her to look after Alex, harder than she liked to tell us; she probably didn't want to lose Alex."
The two fell silent until they reached the Institute. When they entered, Copper Glow put on a green and white striped pass, while the receptionist handed Twilight a pink one and Alexandria a yellow one. Copper Glow went to meet Shroud.
A/N I'm back; I know it's been a while. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and please review if you're inclined. If you're curious, yes - you can buy a spanner that big.