/mlpol/ - My Little Politics

>>352187 →
*"Elite Squad 1 Lead to everyone still in Fortress: Tainted are the same things as the vapor ponies that were on our old train. Given enough time in realspace they'll merge with each other, bigger, tougher, faster, and form leaders, that's what we call Mass versions, but these are ten. We have zero on what happens when there's ten merged people, expect everything-fucking-thing!"*
>You recognized the exhausted voice as another of the original 100, a somewhat younger man that'd been spending a significant amount of time around Luna's Villages performing mopping up duties.
*"Tainted are both Spectral and Undead but don't have weaknesses like the 'normal' fucks do, the only weapons that work well against them are Void enchants or maximally elemental-infused manabombs, the banned kind we can't touch or it's a year in jail. Buckshot, heavy weapons, and explosives considered secondary, then everything else. Ethereal or Planar enchants don't do jack shit, and good luck finding a batpony with blood magic strong enough to down one before it kills you. Keep hurrying the fuck up people, time is wasting-"*

>Opening your personal locker amidst the chaos, there were seven extra Livermorium shells neatly set in a row.
>Snagging a single high explosive grenade from the rapidly dwindling stockpile, it was apparent that not much was going to be left.

>Racing down to the Pagoda alongside several of the Veteran squads, you sight the Kiowa dropping down low enough for the Vortex Remnant's gateway to transfer it into the Basin.
>As the gateway returns to its large state, the sound of a new, rather loud vehicle engine behind you is accompanied by a shout from Emerald.
*"Drop any object that isn't strictly for combat! Cut all radio contact right now and for everyone's sakes STAY AWAY FROM AN AQUAMARINE PRIMAL PSION IN BASIN VILLAGE! The ONLY person cleared to speak to her is me so anyone I catch looking in her direction without absolute necessity will be stripped naked and thrown in Dancing's room! Heading for the Armory now-"*

>Thudding into the Pagoda behind four Veteran squads, the scene ahead was far worse than the Siege ever was:
>Tightly packed formations of Day, Night, Lunar, and Watch Guard, separated only by weapon preferences, surrounded numerous translocation matrices leaving barely enough space for two humans to run through their lines.
>Blinking into view directly ahead of the fountain was Bren and her unicorn crew, setting up a line of wooden slabs and melding barricades directly onto them, the first few human squads setting into place starting from right.
>Either the last set of defenses, or the only safe way to fire over the heads of several thousand ponies.
[1d6+8 = (4+8) = 12] <Razorback Veteran Squads, 4 total

>>352196 →
>The gateway to Razorback Fortress had expanded to the size of a large version, at least a dozen human squads each with two or three unicorns from Luna's Village aiding Bren and her unicorn team setting up a series of wooden slabs down 20M in front of the fountain, barricades being melded in a crazed pace.
"Cut all radio contact Jeff, Em said our arrays are double fucked and locked down!"
>One of the slightly newer Veterans yells out, though the Dagor was nowhere to be seen, probably having been removed earlier by Support Strikers.
>Behind Razorback's teams working was a baffling sight: the unmoving forms of four batpony Bloodhosts.
>The tallest was a Berserker, thankfully not wearing a real copy of the sharp edged, deleterious armor, flanking a Skullguard, the false drake 'helmet' and scale armor covering it laughable in context.
>Right of the pair a lone Siegemare carrying the approximation of a battering ram under the right wing, heavy lance in the left, and lastly a Mareauder, the faux-reflective armor ripples little more than ornamarentation.
('All in the Basin know. Excluding the Altar the rest of the Village can be rebuilt, that is no concern. Zero objections-')
>Interrupted by the Kiowa's arrival which immediately begins to climb, the Watch Guard General doesn't continue.

>Recalling what you knew of the little used bomb, an optimal height of detonation at it's 8 ton limit would be equivalent to most daisy cutters; a 50M overhead would allow for maximum effect.
>Mentally calculating the radius of a daisy cutter and upscaling it for the GBU-43/B's specifications, the initial blast, semi-plasma laden shockwave, and fragmentation were not going to impact more than 60 Tainted at their size.
>Bringing up the TacPad and setting for close topography, Basin Village was listed as 240 meters above sea level; 800M of the swamps had been cleared of debris and downed trees, giving a clear view straight south.
>Noting the southward road's curve on the map display and comparing them to the first row of Tainted, it read out at 560M from the Basin's southern building edges.
>An unsettled quiet takes hold as the entirety of Basin Village at the lines of abnormally tall Lunar and Solar Guardians, the approximations of the standard charging and close combat armors eerily accurate.
>Those visible were earth ponies at an average 20M of height, though they were obvious gaps spread throughout.

('No, we have not. Your Lunarites have been scouting with impunity and sending word to my mares via a most adorable filly. They are incapable of joining a psionic link, their souls are directly bound to the Nightmare. And, there are no Lunarites native to Stalliongrad.. ..I think. A three-layer shield will be prepared. Unicorns, we will require an eighty hoof tall half-oval variant, reflective, frontal only. That will suffice for the center. Do not burn your souls out for this.')
('Watch Guard Strikers! The external layer must be a rigid-ablative to shed impact outwards and down! Second Dynasty Strikers! Rear layer must be a collapsing waveform, no fragmarentation will be allowed to breach through! All others brace!')
>Frontal Shield Layer:
[1d6+14 = (1+14) = 15] <Watch Guard Support Striker Divisions x 2,000 total
>Central Shield Wall:
[1d6+15 = (1+15) = 16] <Day Guard Ranged Support Battalion x 1,200 total
[1d6+9 = (5+9) = 14] <Night Guard Combat Support Division x 300 total
>Tertiary Shield Barrier:
[1d6+12 = (1+12) = 13] <Second Dynasty Support Striker Companeigh x 400 total

>The disc blinks out in a familiar green tinge, a small pop of air following.
>Catching the start of a feed directly center over the giant Tainted formation, freefall begins as the parachute catches, a line reads the fin deployment correcting the heavy bomb's slight drift.
>Waiting as long as possible to press the little red button, a group of mixed Solar and Lunar Guardian pegasi Tainted were beginning to look up, clustered around the central Assault versions-
>The feed cuts.
>And the thunder begins.
[1d6+120 = (2+120) = 122] <Expanded Radius
[1d6+130 = (1+130) = 131] <Initial Shockwave
[1d6+100 = (3+100) = 103] <Secondary Shockwave
[1d6+80 = (5+80) = 85] <Stolen Void-Infused XL Manabomb
[1d6+80 = (4+80) = 84] <Near-Plasma Fragmentation
[1d6+60 = (2+60) = 62] <Tertiary Shockwave

('All defenders, contact has begun. Let neither your eyes nor hooves be slow.')
[1d6+6 = (3+6) = 9] <GM.Primal Leadership: Warhost's Gift
[1d6+6 = (5+6) = 11]
[1d6+6 = (6+6) = 12]
[1d6+6 = (3+6) = 9]
[1d6+6 = (5+6) = 11]
[1d6+6 = (5+6) = 11]

('Our wills hold, honor the Tainted for their service!')
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10] <GM. Primal Psion: Mindsurge
[1d6+6 = (5+6) = 11]
[1d6+6 = (5+6) = 11]
[1d6+6 = (2+6) = 8]
[1d6+6 = (2+6) = 8]
[1d6+6 = (1+6) = 7]

>Tainted: 362,000 Morale remaining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02VHWHSKnPE

PRIMAL LEADERSHIP: all Razorback (Initiating), Lunar/Second Dynasty/Solar (When Needs Must), Watch Guard (Desperate Allies), and Ruling Councilierge Vestal Gardenia (Near-Hostile) must now add +3 to all rolls.
ALL penalties from Operational Fatigue are negated for 11 turns.

>Losing the entire center in a hail of plasma, each of the giant earth pony Tainted step forwards in a single motion, pause mid-stride, then bound into a sprinting charge.
>Streaks of blue and purple snap into flight west for opportune targets, white with gold trim careening right in search of VIP's.
>Behind the main formations, white lances eject from above the Tainted unicorns, leaving arcing trails of gold and silver in their wake.
[1d6+10 = (5+10) = 15] <Lunar Guardian Assault Divisions, 8 remaining
[1d6+10 = (3+10) = 13] <Solar Guardian Assault Divisions, 2 remaining
[1d6+15 = (5+15) = 20] <Lunar Guardian Airstrike Divisions, 1 remaining
[1d6+15 = (4+15) = 19] <Solar Guardian Air Commarend Divisions, 1 remaining
[1d6+20 = (1+20) = 21] <Solar Guardian Support Divisions, 4 remaining
>The Lost Legions: 285,678 Morale remaining.

('Ten minutes until Harpy gunboat, callsign.... 'Shattering Skies' enters atmosphere. Vestal Gardenia? Give these humans the biggest show they shall, hopefully, ever see.')
('About fucking time. Watch Guard Strikers, kinetic launches at intervals of point-one seconds in honeycomb patterns, prioritize forward Assault Divisions!')
>From the rear of Basin Village and the rooftops, thousands of diamond-encased manabombs shriek overhead from the silent white robed earth mares.
[1d6+17 = (6+17) = 23] <Support Striker Companeighs: M/L Manabomb Deploymarent x 4,850 total
[1d6+17 = (4+17) = 21] <Watch Guard Support Striker Battalions: M/L Manabomb Deploymarent x 2,000 total
('Second Dynasty Strikers, deliver shearing lances into the support Tainted! The less harm they deal to unicorns on rooftops the longer we can prolong this engagemarent!')
>Bright silver lances of half-psionic energies launch in west-to-east patterns, the numbers extremely minor in comparison to their sisters, the silver-trimmed earth mares in white robes
[1d6+15 = (6+15) = 21] <Second Dynasty Support Strikers x 400 total

('Lunar, Solar, and Germaneighan unicorns deliver long range bombardmarents at the Assault Divisions. Their air wings have been reduced by a little under half.')
[1d6+18 = (2+18) = 20] <Day Guard Ranged Support Battalion x 1,200 total
[1d6+17 = (5+17) = 22] <Germaneighan Mage Bombardmarent Cluster x 50 total
[1d6+12 = (3+12) = 15] <Night Guard Combat Support Division x 400 total

('The Hail of Glory has confirmed targets, all weapons committed.')
>To the west, the echoing thunder and screaming lances of barely stable arcane particle weapons roil across Basin Village.
>'Hail of Glory' Ambush:
[1d6+4 = (2+4) = 6] <Optimal Range Vectors
[1d6+6 = (5+6) = 11] <System 35 Analysis
[1d6+16 = (2+16) = 18] <Main Tech-Arcane Armaments x 3 total
[1d6+17[ <Secondary Tech-Arcane Armaments x 6 total
[1d6+16 = (1+16) = 17] <Tertiary Tech-Arcane Armaments x 19 total
[1d6+4 = (5+4) = 9] <Stabilizing Drives

('There is a.. pony attempting to damage Airstreams in the pegasi Tainted. Claims to be named Aegis Ignis Faen? Whai-')
('Focus on the threats of right now General, worry about the equine goddess of humans MUCH later!')
[1d6+5 = (1+5) = 6] <Airstreams: Subvert Control

>Void-Dive Preparations:
[1d6+16 = (6+16) = 22] <Lunarite Collective

('All humans with long range weapons, commence fire.')
>Basin Village Defenders:
[1d6+8 = (6+8) = 14] <Razorback Rookie Squads, 4 total
[1d6+11 = (4+11) = 15] <Razorback Veteran Squads, 8 total
[1d6+12 = (4+12) = 16] <Razorback Mercenary Squads, 9 total
[1d6+13 = (1+13) = 14] <Razorback Elite Squads, 6 total

>>352197 →
('There may be none of us left this night, pegasus. Ask or do not, that is for you to decide.')
>Breaking into a four-point gallop by the time you reach the door and streak past the much slower Watch General, mixed Guard Lancers part ranks enough for you to spy a line of mostly set up barricades being manned by humans.
>More squads were arriving through a large black gateway to the left, nearly a hundred partially standing or in kneeling positions.
>Running between two tightly packed formations of Lancers marching towards Basin Village's southern road, by the time you swing around the secondary barricade's west corner, Jeff was behind the primary barricade's east end.

>Entering realspace in a run, a younger woman with peculiarly bright green eyes you knew EXACTLY who was responsible for those and carrying a large, bright white box how'd she even FIND one of them?! shouts over the other humans.
"SHUT DOWN ALL ELECTRONICS RIGHT NOW! THAT FUCKING CONTINENTAL INVASION CARRIER IS ANGLED STRAIGHT AT US AND LAUNCHING BIGGER SHIT THAN WHAT HIT THE CITADEL!"
[1d6 = 1] <Relay Adjustment

>>352238 →
>Sensing contact before a melodic, smooth mid-50's earth mare's voice enters your outer thoughts, it was apparent there were more than enough psions to override the Unbroken Mind enchantmarent.
('Please remain at or below fifty meters, there is a blast wave approaching. Two full battalions of Destroyers await your orders, they desire to know where their lives must end. Speak with them as you would to me. Honor their deaths and your beloved mate.')

>Ascending enough to keep in visual contact with the line of Razorback setting up a single wide overwatch barricade south of the fountain, a large, overlapping shield, two layers of psionicsm with the internal unicorn, begins to form.
>Ten full companeighs of mixed Guard Lancers are followed by eight Chargers, the first spreading out to cover the entire southern entrance, the second taking rear-flank positions.
>Barely seen directly below was an entire Councilierge Assault Vanguard in final preparations, silverine armor and weapons coated in hostile green.

>Ahead, lines of giant Tainted earth ponies, mostly Lunar with a few Solar Guardians, were charging straight towards the Basin's south road, missing at least a fifth their number.
>Trailing left of them were Lunar pegasi of the fabled Airstrike divisions, to the right were Solar Air Commarend.
>Far behind, massed lances from Solar Guardian Support cadres.
('Wait for the shield to drop.')

>>352277
[1d6+17 = (1+17) = 18] <Secondary Tech-Arcane Armaments

>>352218 →

>Snowfall raised an eyebrow at Lin, a very human expression. She taught Sparking Fleur? He will ask his sister this. And Oldhorn about Lin too when he returns to the human home.
>Giving the elemaretal a low bow the spotty white Pred-Elk gave her a once over before answering, taking in her more approachable mannerisms.
"Its only natural for things to change."
>He was proud of that pun, Belltowers classes were really helpful for him.

>As he trotted towards the Clinic he felt a gust of wind rush past his thin legs, yet this was not a consequence of the Fortresses' openness to the elements. He felt the raw power tickle his thin and coarse coat as it passed by, he knew it originated from Fountain, he also knew the Fountain was empty of both water and the thing identified as Lin.
>That energy flew past him towards the Clinic where his siblings lay, hurt and broken. He smiled softly, every little helps.

>Lin was no doubt wildly spreading exotic plant seeds any which way she felt like, he thought to himself as he nosed open the Clinic doors.
>Perhaps It was related to Discord?
"Made for each other."

>>352265
>>352277
"Still?! Alright, psionic link it is!"
>Figuring the Constructs were harassing the hell out of their comms still, he just powers down his radio for the time being.
>Not seeing the Dagor anymore out if the approach, he's relieved it had been recovered already. He had the thought it probably would've gotten annihilated by the time his bomb dropped, providing it did.
>He observes the four Bloodhosts. Them on top of everything else and these ponies are still giving off the air that this fight is still not in their favor.
>Everything is expandable, minus the Altar at this point.
>He ultimately didn't want it to come to that, but at this point he wasn't going to argue about buildings as collateral.

>As he gets his bearings on the Tainteds' position, a chill runs down his spine at the size of some of the Masses.
>Twenty meters high? The fuck. He should have thought of using a nuke, save for irradiating this area of the Moors.
>The General responds back to him, and he sighs in relief.
>They seemed fine, even doing their part for the time being.
(Understood. I just wanted to be sure they weren't going to get caught in the blast range.)
>The silver wish disc blinks away green for a confirmed wish, his TacPad lighting up as a quick data check on what seemed to be a solid Void-infused MOAB.
(Deployment good. Max payload. Okay I'm in control. Here's to a quick and honorable death for them. May luck be on our side, General. Over.)
>He leaves the connection with the General.
>Better leave her alone to command the Basin's forces.

>He hears the MOAB drop from here, the explosive flash too obvious to ignore. The shockwave, if it was going to make it this far, was next.
>The shields and barriers were already up, so they should be safe from fragmentation.
>But even from here he can tell they just shook it off and began their charge.
>The bomb his centered on the main group, but it looked like there was plenty left over.
>He really should have went nuclear...
>As the charge begins The General wages on orders to each group.
>A harpy gunboat inbound, Gardenia's Support Strikers begin their manabombardment.
>Another gunboat was inbound out of sight, already firing?
>Everyone had begun long ranged procedures.
>Jeff looks down at his PDW, it's effectiveness really only worth under one hundred meters.
>He wasn't given any orders himself, so he can only hurry up and wait for Clem to come back with something he could use.
>Thinking was his only weapon right now.
>He couldn't risk another ordinance drop now that the Tainted were on the move.
>... he recalls he has one more wildcard up his sleeve.
>The Nightblade speaks inwardly, closing off from the Overherd quick to calmly speak particularly to the thought of the Empress herself.
'Silver, it's Jeff. I recall you owe me a favor, and I want to cash it in right now. There's a horde of Tainted about to overrun The Basin Village with thousands of lives at stake ready to die. If you can help us in any way to achieve victory, that is my favor.'
>Hopefully she answers him.

>>352197 →
>As he waits, he spots Sunny coming to him from behind along with Mercy further-what is that attached to her?
>Before he can get a better look at the Spirit Walker's upgrades Emerald comes in shouting to shut off all electronics.
>An Invasion Carrier? No... why are they here?! Are they leftover from the Citadel?
"Fucking hell! Did that track us here through our comm relays? Man they're persistent!"
>Jeff begins doing a rundown of all his equipment.
>He turns off his camera, cuts power to his lights and sights. His combi-goggles, the remote trigger for his C4's along the blasting cap receivers. He even takes his watch off and smashes it under his boot.
>Why does he even have a watch anyway, when he's got a clock on his Pad?
>Which by coincidence is the last thing he powers down.

>>352238 →
>Whilst trying to figure the damn sheer unluck going on, he hears the whirling blades on a helicopter emerge through the Basin matrice.
>Clemency comes spinning in safely above.
>Radio already shut down, Jeff contacts his comrade through the Overherd and waves him off over to his position.
(Clem over here! East side of the forward barrier. General's got an Overherd up linked with everyone. Dump the thirty-two to me and advise you find a place to land and power down. Emerald here saying there's a Continental Invasion Carrier inbound and to cut off electronics! How copy?)

>>352264
>>352265
>>352277
>She was outside just in time to hear, and more importantly, see the explosive go off.
>And it sure set her ears ringing, enough to force her to reflexively pin her ears back and away from the direct source of the noise.
>Sunny was surprisingly able to maintain her pace despite how crowded the street was now, weaving between ranks, taking advantage of openings as they became available.
>She came to a skidding halt near Jeff at the sight of the human woman holding... that.
>And those eyes could only have been made that way by a single pony.
>More than her likely imminent and very complete death by the Tainted and imminent construct assault, that stopped her heart cold momentarily.
>Bad time and no time to think about it.
>She instead considered the box briefly with something less tangible than the mundane senses she relied upon, reaching out with the instinctive reasoning that usually saved somepony's hide when less information was available than they'd like.

[1d6 = 1] < Intuition

>>352299
>Sunny's inspection of the incredibly rare, incredibly densely packed solar relic was interrupted by Jeff speaking up.
>This defense was already a shaky prospect when it was just the Tainted, and now they would be dealing with Constructs too, and without any of the electronics the humans brought with them to help the fight.
>What an absolute disaster, but maybe the constructs could be diverted if their assault wasn't intended to strategically cripple the forces assembled here, but rather targeting the Harpy star vessel.
>Constructs reacted more strongly to sophisticated technology, and the Harpy vessel certainly counted.
"Sir, they may be targeting us because of the bloodhost bringing the Harpy ship here, or they'd be intercepting it directly."
>She swallowed hard.
"It's possible they may abort if we stop."
>Sunny turned to consider the oncoming Tainted, their numbers diminished, but not crippled nearly enough.

[1d6+3 = (3+3) = 6] < B. Scouting
[1d6+3 = (4+3) = 7]

"We will not survive an assault on two fronts, and definitely not if the constructs get here before the vessel does."

>>352171 →
"I personally detest the idea of whoring your body out, but if someone decided to become a manwhore, or just a whore, I'd simply grumble about it."
>He still grimaced at the idea.
>Being a good southern boy, it just didn't sit right in his ol' noggin.
>Taken off topic by the idea of a closer ranged rifle, he hummed a bit.
"I'd have to spend some time on the range to reacquaint myself. Haven't touched a general purpose rifle since... Boot camp, really."
>UAS marks(stallions)men didn't really train with anything other than a few rifles and pistols after basic, so he was rusty.

>Shaking his head, he focused back on the mare, listening.
"Jesus H. Fucking Christ..."
>He wore an obvious face of disgust at how Red Salt was created.
"Much more fucking morbid than I thought at first. No fucking wonder we'd get murderfucked immediately if Hodch decided to reveal all of the corrupt threads to this."
>Survival was more important at the moment than destroying that network.

>>351969 →
>Eyebrows raising in slight annoyance at something on screen, Anon's tone is desert dry.
"Not true at all, I've been able to retrieve much older objects from pre-transit. Remember the idiot that wanted a Humvee, then got it lost somewhere? That one was thirty years prior, found it in near perfect condition in a shipping container on the bottom of an ocean. Which, I have no idea.. Admittedly you could request a bag of artifacts but given the probabilities of one having what you want I'm not sure that's a useful effort, even worse if they shouldn't touch each other."
>Pointedly staring towards the object behind you, the gestalt half-wheezes before recovering.
"It's much more durable, that's all."
>That wasn't all.
"Swapped some materials for composites that're far less likely to wear down over time, tossed an armored housing over the power crystal, and gave it a little fine tuning."
>Half turning to the right for a few seconds, then back to you, Anonymous makes a short 'don't worry about it' motion.
"Riiiight.. the Noosphere. Fun fact, the human one here is painfully small but so far hasn't been damaged. Still, so long as you don't let anyone or anything fondle artifacts I'll try not to be too disgusted. So far as I knew damned near everything was safe for ponies to touch excluding those that are inherently hostile."
>Eyebrows raising as he takes a short drink through the mask, he sets the bottle down, midair of course, to tap on the screen.
"If that's how you feel then never ask a leader what they have stashed. I've seen what lurks inside Silver's private museums. If they weren't legal and aren't technically crimes against everything then I'd have probably tried to destroy a few of them. In any case, need anything else before I go?"

>>352343
"Eeeh, more like that there was a year or two between 'Great Emissions' that had a bounty of artefacts to find, just sitting on the ground for someone to take. Before and after, you'd need a detector to find them."
>He paused for a moment.
"None of them shouldn't react negatively if just tossed into a bag together. The radiation'll be a bitch though."

>His blank stare was more than enough to convey that Ivan did not in fact believe Anon's shit, but he let it go.
"I don't plan on it, unless I'm desperate enough to... what do the Americans say, 'chuck it like a football'?"
>He thinks for a moment, before snorting.
"If you do manage to grab a bag of artefacts while moving around I certainly won't complain. Unless its anomalous bread."

>>352194 →
'correct. theres a few methods of safely adapting external objects to Tallus but the only one capable of that was Spiral, doubt his disciple can do the same. might as well ask her for several outfits when you do, shes been paid up front for an entire year of services, material costs are taken care of'

*"Consider dates here as high leisure social activities. Dates with a marecenary are rarely considered formal, nor is there an expectation of lewd activities following.. unless you request such acts."*
>Unspoken unease hangs as Chisan swivels on step past Lann, her left ear swiveling your direction, he holds the plain brown cardboard box in one hand on approach.
>Stopping to open the lid, you realize he was barely 5'10", mostly owing to the carapace boots and helmet.
>Ten definite nectar bearing, lightly glowing flowers are spaced out evenly inside, strangely without root systems.
"If you are allergic then do not inhale, they are otherwise safe. None contain known poisons, toxins, radioactives, mutagenics, or harmful metals."
>Handing over the box, the Scion turns to glance at the chunky mare who was once again absorbed in her work, this time creating a pair of lacy silk panties, human sized at least, he turns back to give the short battle-lingo gesture for 'yes'.
"The short version, if you would. You still have a date to attend and I will be unable to break from duties for the next two to three hours."

>>352347

(Several outfits. Noted! Thank you for your insights, noble Machine Spirit.)
(... Alas. I suspect I will be consulting you often once I get down to sitting at the library to study and acclimatize myself to Tallus a biiit more. I sincerely hope my ignorance does not incense you.)
>The Enginseer suddenly gains a spark of self-doubt, then once again gets that jarring, sinking realization at how she was speaking to the machine spirit as if they were a person...
>She didn't remember the last time she had lengthy conversations with a machine spirit. Maybe with her own Auspex. Though those were mostly "Rubber Ducky" kinds of conversations.
>...

>Mallia's brow furrowed with a slight, discomforted stare after the last part of Chisan's statement. Her smile doesn't ebb, but she dodges eye contact for a second. Up until the lid of the box was open, her stare dedicated to admiring the flowers Chisan had picked out.
"I have no allergies last I checked. Unless the arrival to Tallus gave me some that is."
>Remarked Mallia a bit off-handedly as she sniffed the flowers, and then seems to linger on them. A hint of melancholy passing through her glance, her face falling ever so subtly with traces of sadness.
>Then she snaps back from whatever train of thought had stolen her attention, turning her head to glance back to her rucksack on her back.
>She reaches back with one hand as she leans the box to her chest, opening the velcro pouch and using the mechadendrite to pinch up her rust-red coloured dataslate, the screen of it already alive as, with her MIU, she already spoke to the small machine spirit within to visualise the textual transcript of her conversation with the Rune Knight.

>The second machine spirit in her repertoire that knew every little thing about her, as it contained a variety of personal information on herself and her mother. Notes, schematics, streams of consciousness, recordings, pictures...

>Mallia moves the dataslate over to Chisan and more or less offers it to him so he can read at his leisure.
>The conversation there trascribed wasn't that long anyhow, and almost everything said was relevant as far as Mallia knew. Apart from maybe the part where she booped Elusine. But she didn't redact it.

"Thank you, Chisan."
>Mallia smiled at the stormtrooper sincerely.
"If you require aid picking out something to use the candle for, I know basically every type of lasweapon and then some, Mechanicus or otherwise. Infact--,"
>Mallia glances off, smirking briefly a little more.
"Perhaps even get some power armour. With how things have gone today we might even get to use it."
>Then refocuses her gaze on Chisan with a slight squint in her eye, looking over his cheap carapace armour with an annoyed stare, still in thought as she took backwards steps towards the outside of the workshop again; when and if Chisan took the dataslate from her.

>>352264
>As Lont took only what he believe he needed his head perked up at hearing a familiar voice.
>"Is that...?"
>His name was on the tip of Lonts' tongue, yet before he could say it or even give thanks for providing much needed information the Operator on the other end switched channels.
>Rolling his eyes under his helm he took his replacement grenade and Spiker ammo, turned on his heel and ran for the Pagoda.
"When this is over there would not be a single bullet or grenade pin left."
>Seeing the Kiowa disappear -without- any Unicorns stuffed inside Lont assumed Clemency did not catch him.
"Perhaps I did not send it?"
>He muttered to himself in confusion.

>Before Lont could see the vehicle that housed that engine Emerald screamed into his ear, he winced, wings flicking pinions out in response.
"Very loud and clear, thank you Emerald."
>He grunted before switching off his headset.
>"Avoid the Primal Psion? Ha! She does not need to tell me twice."

"What in the hell...?"
>Lont was speechless. He had never seen so many ponies in one place before. Different factions with different units all with different weapon and armour types with many customized to their personal preferences.
>It was a literal sea of clanking metal and thudding hooves. And there, with barely any room to move were his fellow humans. They manning barricades erected by Bren, her crew and other ponies. Along with Krinza somewhere in the village perhaps Lann was here too after all?
>He was dumbfounded, and annoyingly stood in the way of the veteran Operators that stormed past him. Their passing brushed against his sensitive wings however which in turn jolted him from his stupor.

>>352265
>And there. he felt it. The near undetectable sensation of pressure against his head. He knew this feeling and what it meant. He was now within the range of the Primal Psion and no doubt his thoughts were open to it like a book.
>With radios being silent this was the next best thing, so he begrudgingly let his guard down for the Overherd to root itself in his mind.

>Moving towards Bren Lont heard the ruckus of the surrounding pony formations grow awfully quiet. He soon saw why, and memories of Ferrundus filled his vision..
>His knees almost gave way under him as he finally looked upon the Tainted; hundreds if not thousands of those vapor ponies given form and amalgamated into giant parodies of Lunar and Solar Guardians. Worst of all it was a sizeable force charging towards the Basin. He had fought against giant robots and mechs back home, he was once again an ant against a mountain. This time however it was a herd of equines charging down an ant colony.
>Oh how he wished he did not wreck his Outrider back in the Crystal Empire.

>Gazing upon the disgustingly accurate armour of the Solar Guardians reminded Lont of his greatsword. He could not use it against such foes but it served him well in calming his nerves and focusing his mind, he will help destroy these sorrowful creatures for the honour of the late Sharonel.
('Power is not Strength. Honour is the essence that flows through life. Compassion is to be given freely to those in need. Gentleness guides those with Power, Honour, and Compassion. A Guardian stands for those that do not feel Power, Honour, Compassion, and Gentleness.')
[1d6 = 3] >Aligned Valour
[1d6+2 = (6+2) = 8]
>Although the scar was healed and no pain came from it, he felt a comforting warmth emanate from his breast as he steeled himself for a battle that will make or break the very Basin itself.
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4] >M.o.S

>Repeating the mantra made him remember the trials he faced in the Spirethorn, he also recalled the peculiar pony Ash Kicker, whom was there partaking in her own journey too. Pulling his gaze away from the Tainted he looked out into the readied formations of ponies in hopes to see her. With so many ponies in once place the odds of her being here were much better than him aimlessly bumping into her by chance out in Equestria.
[1d6+3 = (1+3) = 4] >E.Perception +Primal Leadership
[1d6+3 = (3+3) = 6]
[1d6+3 = (5+3) = 8]
[1d6+4 = (5+4) = 9] >H.E

>>352277
>And then a great explosion ruffled his feathers. Where once there was a solid line of charging giants there was a sizable hole in the formation.
>Lont then saw the Tainted retaliate in kind.
>The battle had begun.

>Hearing the shrill voice of Emerald again the winged Operator was surprised by her being here.
"Her too? We must be in desperate times!"
>Whatever curiosity he had for the white box was gone when she shrieked about the Constructs being on their way.
"Constructs now? My what a lovely day to die again."
>He joked to himself, laughing at the sheer absurdity of the situation was becoming.

>A finger slowly pressed against a large bright pink primary feather attached to his helmet, with the involvement of the Constructs Lont decided then and there more reinforcements were needed. Now.
('Cadenza. We are in trouble.')
>He started. Although he was now part of the Overherd due to the Primal Psion Lont assured himself he was in a private communique with Princess Cadence. He did not want to do this, she was already under a mountain of stress and he felt like he was undoing everything he had achieved so far in relieving her of stress by personally dumping a new mountain on top of her by requesting assistance.
('The Basin Village is currently under assault by a large gathering of Tainted, they have grown into giants and are going to run us down. They are the restless bodies of Lunar and Solar Guardians. There are fortifications but they will not be enough. There are thousands of ponies here; Day, Night, Lunar, Watch Guard and Batpony units. A Primal Psion General of Stalliongrad leads them and it might not be enough. Worst of all-')
>He paused, a pained grimace upon his face.
('-A Construct Continental Invasion Cruiser is coming this way too, and has already launched units much more dangerous than the ones that attacked the Lunar Citadel.')
>Breathing deeply, Lont looked up to the sky to see if he could see the moon.
('Please, spare us any and all forces you can immediately muster.')

>>351636 →
>Smiling proudly at Carlos, Lejura's snout crinkles bemusedly.
"That was my intention. One of the first mares I bought was an excellent dietitian and ponial trainer. She was most persistent that everypony stayed in optimal shape save for colts and fillies. Left rear."
"That one was examined thoroughly, there are no complications from it that I am aware of but it is best to be sure."
>Sliding the plate over for Carlos, the inspection was quick: tiny lines of considerably older micro-scarring in the digital band and solar corium weren't impacting growth.
"Quite old, nothing of note there. How old were you at the time?"
"Nine and a quarter. I jumped off a natural waterfall, the rocks were quite slippery underneath. I was more concerned with the pain in my snout rather than my flanks or hoof."
"Did you learn from that experience?"
>The question was pointed enough that the Saddle Arabian bashfully stares ahead, chided once again.
"I did, yes."
>Returning the diagnostic spell to the Doctor, Nova frowns at the new information, leaning forwards to inspect the damage.
"That is indeed two serious long term health issues. I was planning on conducting a full physical examination tomorrow night or the following should there be fewer patients in serious need, and I do not know where my dam is. Hopefully she is destressing."
>Appraising the situation briefly, Lejura's face softens in recall as the right ear flicks in disgruntlemarent.
"I felt nothing in my chest save my heart pounding the entire time. The pain in my legs, eye, and everywhere else was all I could think of."
"Two hours of three limbs trapped and being unable to move? No, you would not have noticed due to your body continuously dumping chemicals. We can presume the adrenaline flow is linked to the damage."
>Giving a natural smile for once, the Ward nods her assent while setting the clipboard back in its spot.
"Agreed. Four crates of each full strength were delivered earlier, one was placed in each operating room and two for the main Clinic. I was also informed by General.. Kalatrine, I believe, that there are approximately five thousand elixirs in storage, so four will be no issue at all."
>Zero hesitation from the silver mare, she closes her left eye with a firm nod, relief tinging her face.
"I understand. Do so at your convenience."

>Eyes turning to one of the rear wall cabinets, two small white hardcases are floated to the operating table's rear along with a small flask, opened with a small nudge to draw out a pair of vials, one clear, one fluorescent blue.
"Magic and alchemicals should not be used for prolonged periods of time so a short term, fast acting natural sedative with a medium strength muscle relaxant to prevent convulsions or spasms should minimize the possibility of an overdose."
>Mixing the two together, then giving the flask a single swish its presented to the silver mare, quickly upended and swallowed with a grimace.
"The taste is not appealing?"
"Not when I can feel a hospital underneath the cover of berries."
"There will be a much better Empire style hospital here tonight, and you will be the first patient moved in after final inspection."
"Shall there be music, and will you bring me flowers?"
"If I sing, yes. Flowers are a bit mo-"
>Catching the byplay, Nova snickers quietly before patting the dusky silver mare's neck with a small red cloud.
"You almost got me that time."
"I tried."
>Setting the flask back in the rear and lifting out a green crate from atop the right side wall cabinets, four brightly glowing red bottles are set in front of Lejura's snout for a highly incredulous look.
"Look like flame-infused manabombs in an underwater bonfire. These are safe?"
"Three Crystal Kingdom Generals produced them earlier tonight. If they were not made to exacting specifications then each would have been greatly disappointed."
"...my stomach feels like butterflies are dancing inside."
"Good, that means you will be asleep soon. Are you warm enough?"
"For now, yes."

>Waiting for Lejura's attention to drift off, Nova returns the clipboard in front of her to modify the routine and note down alchemicals used, waiting for the amber eye to close.
>Immediately after soft, rhythmic breathing occurs, Nova replaces the board and float-walks in front of the Saddle Arabian, checking for eye activity.
>Finding none, the Ward leans the other mare's head up, quickly decorking the first bottle to pour down Lejura's throat at short intervals, repeating the process until all four are empty.
[1d6+5 = (4+5) = 9] <E.Alchemy
[1d6+5 = (1+5) = 6]
[1d6+5 = (3+5) = 8]
[1d6 = 1] <Minor Overdose Risk

>Sending the bottles back and keeping her focus on Lejura, Nova speaks quietly.
"Doctor, are there other considerations for her besides updated care and monitoring? I would also like to conduct a thorough examination of the Pred-Elk Astral Poinsettia, she is the one with spinal fractures. I was unable to examine her when both were brought in. I do not have any knowledge of their physiology, and my dam's Analysis spell may not last much longer."

>>352200 →
>Setting her entire focus to a new problem, Wild's left fist is caught by the first cluster as it impacts the Planar's side, then partially snared by a second, three of her tendrils lancing short red bursts into the masses while another one misfires with a strained whine.
"Stubborn bastard, let go so I can shoot you instead!"
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1208/????HP
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #1
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #2
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #3
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #4
[1d6 = 4] <E.Counter
[1d6 = 3]
[1d6 = 2]
>vs:
[1d6+2 = (3+2) = 5] >TC#1
[1d6+2 = (5+2) = 7] >TC#2

>Finally shearing the right side's remaining tentacle off to flop onto sand and spasm, the laser-welder units swivel about to fire at the Rilvenni's eyes.
"Is it possible to kill this one through pain or does it have to die unnaturally!?"
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,268/????HP
[1d6 = 6] <Repair Tendril #5
[1d6 = 1] <Repair Tendril #6
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #7
[1d6 = 1] <Repair Tendril #8

>Steadied on her feet now, Wild's position was braced enough that even if the monstrosity could move out of water there was little risk of toppling her.
"Finally! Now maybe this fucker will choke out of water!"
>The snapping of yet more internal components under thoroughly crumpled armor occurs from the sickening tongue's grasp, both it and her hand unable to let go though Wild does manage to tear something apart in it from sheer force alone.
"One more like that and this arm will be useless-"
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,333/????HP
[1d6+3 = (5+3) = 8] <E.Assault
[1d6+3 = (5+3) = 8]
[1d6+3 = (2+3) = 5]
>vs:
[1d6+4 = (4+4) = 8] >Squeeze

>A calm, pleasing sense takes over, the dual harmonies of scorching heat and crashing cold accept your request.. though nature must, of course, take its sweet time to do so.

>>352405
"Keep the ammo for the moment, we may need it later!"
>...
"Unless you can make more, of course."
>I wish I had a 122 right now.

"Well it certainly fucking hates us now, so maybe!"
>Even with being almost certain it was helpless to get us down now, I twitch Wild back a bit to keep us safe.
[1d6+1 = (2+1) = 3] >E. Perception
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4]
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4]
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4] >B. Riposte/ISTCM
[1d6+1 = (5+1) = 6]
[1d6+1 = (5+1) = 6]

>Grimacing at the noises that her arm was making, I was silently pleading for whatever I did to fucking work.
>And to not hit us.

>>352148 →
>Tail flicking away from the fire once more, Sand Cutter's eyes shift upwards with a half-guilty smile.
"Some knowledge I have, yes. Close friend made trips to Moors often, a few brought with her to home she did. Great fun they offer at whim and will, yet jealous they are not. One to one is their play. Unheard of is a batpony mare to take let another."

>Reveling in the warmth and company, the red earth mare scoots herself out to a safer distance, legs curled under her and side directly in line of the comfortable fire.
"Psions move, create, speak with thoughts. Green lances of false-flame at range first, shields second. Touching minds of earth ponies favored. Honor holds psions often: harm not mind of others."
>Snorting faintly, Sand tips her head back in a vaguely proud marener.
"None disallow history be learned. Tower Guard's Keep be easiest, offer copies of all scrolls, books, tomes, gladly they will."
>Right side of her muzzle quirking back in slight disgust, her face twists in contempt.
"Few hold markets black of rare and exotic objects. Lucky's sire founded in Las Pegasus thirty years afore, killed that thief was too late. Nine years afore now Lucky sent Rogues to pillage artifacts, relics, sacred objects of marely lands. Gryphon, Hegemony, Solar, Lunar, Moors, Prance, Germaneigh and more. Thefts stirred rumors and interest great: sold artifacts, relics, sacred objects for royal prices Lucky did. Know you claw of First Gryphon Overking? Stolen of a Chamber it was, where I know not. Sold of four hundred thousand Bits she did to Razorback. Bragged of it loud and often she did. Only consent by sign or stamp of Treaty are sacred objects given. Thousands more she stole, some known to me."

>Rigid and still for ten seconds, Sand Cutter relents to bow her head tiredly.
"Little care of wounds in Razorback I had. To feel sun and earth again I begged. Naive of me such was. Travel I will not this night."

>>352244 →
>Pulling her lips back to smile politely, Dul's eyes brighten, flattening her ears in poorly hidden humor.
"Old Sirens know lots ways make Planar things not-stupid. Dul not know some but Dul like use fun ways first."

>Regaining her composure smoothly, Rasera's eyes close while tipping her head left in thanks, first to you, then at the Siren.
<Japoneighse> "Those of the Vortex whom carry respect are well loved, as they should be."
>Settling the topic, she takes on a subdued cast, scuffing the ground with a front hoof in gratitude.
<Japoneighse> "Your task honors a priest of the dead and a missing loved one, it would be among the greatest of crimes not to share all that can be. Were I to know what this castle held before leaving I would have asked my ancestors to carry far more."
>Returning the bow deeply, Rasera turns to address the dragon-spirits, the warriors folding themselves back into paper lanterns once more.
<Japoneighse> "A new letter please. We must ask the privilege to trade far more trinkets and gifts."

>Taking the box on her saddle, Dul keeps it steady using faint purple lines to hold it, merrily humming as she skate-slides after you.
>Rear doors down, there was a water camo duffel bag loaded down on the right side and numerous Crystal Empire jugs of half-frozen water.
>Barely paying attention to the armored vehicle, Dul was far more interested in the strange scents wafting around, and was passing all the opportunities to taste everything.
[1d6 = 6] <Vortex Adapt: Tallus

>Naliyna and Bubba were still in the Pagoda going through displayed records, now tracking down hundreds of sacred items ponies from Tartarus Isle had purchased.
>Back in the Enclave once more, Dul is barely noticed by the Lorekeepers, only Crystal ponies immediately pausing their work to stare at her.
>Reaching the weapon exhibit tables and perusing what was on display, the Siren immediately takes the Riftdrowner vines, placing one on each shoulder.
>Testing them out by moving the box of feathers around and above her, Dul flashes a grin at the tangled razor-like vines flexing in sync.
"Dul like meet new friend? Or is friends? Dul not mind."
>Inspecting the Altinier Core for a quarter minute, giving up after realizing it was Ethereal, the rest of the selection was similarly passed by.
>Nearly passing the Volkanist Lojier, Dul halts by it, ears swiveling around until she turns to face the relic.
>Head cocking left, the two seem to have a conversation that involves tiny flares of flame and Planar essence being emitted in specific patterns closely resembling wavelengths.
>Nodding once, the left set of Riftdrowner vines reach out to grasp the tome and hold it up triumphantly.
"Dul find other new friend too! Dul Vortex like Flame Vortex, lots memories."
>Checking the armor section, Dul strictly refuses to be near the Rage armor, instead poking the Waning Moon set with her snout.
"Mmmm... lots heavy for Dul. Dul think no things here small for Dul wear."

>Spinning around to face the translocation matrice and quickly sliding towards it, she calls over the box back at you before dissipating into a sand and ocean blue striped gateway.
"Dul make Crin feathers not-stupid now! Dul deliver good feathers soon!"
[1d6+4 = (5+4) = 9] <Vortex Purification
[1d6+4 = (6+4) = 10]

>>352430
>Standing by as Dul peruses, he checks the progress of his A.I.'s synchronizations.
"Progress report. Are we at full operational status?"

>Nodding as Dul finishes her selections, he begins to follow her.
"Good. Now how long will you ne-.."
>Realizing she was going to translocate right then and there, he half raises an arm to interject yet she had already disappeared into what appeared to be a beach.
>He shakes his head, sighing lightly as he finds somewhere to sit near the matrice.
(No choice but to wait. Can only hope it proceeds quickly.)

>>352368
Updated

>>352406
"If everything wasn't damaged or offline I could produce more but right now would be a great time to use at least one shell!"
>Wrenching her still ensnared left arm to punch into the tightly gripping cluster of tentacles, armor begins to buckle as the sets of laser-welders score only minor hits or burn the surface layers with little effect.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,363/????HP
"Fucker has too many eyes to take out, wish I had a shotgun instead-"
>Redirecting her other four tendrils to assist in freeing her left arm from their work, two red bolts collapse a pair of eyes inwards, though #6 and #8 were too damaged, misfiring again.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,398/????HP
[1d6 = 5] <E.Counter
[1d6 = 5]
[1d6 = 1]
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #1
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #2
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #3
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #4
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #5
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #6
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #7
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #8
>vs:
[1d6+2 = (1+2) = 3] >TC#1
[1d6+2 = (6+2) = 8] >TC#2

>Unable to crawl without it's largest tentacles, the Rilvenni's dozens of smaller ones begin to cluster and drag on sand, desperately trying to force itself backwards against the Eldritch-Android's much greater weight.
[1d6+2 = (5+2) = 7] >TC#3
[1d6+2 = (3+2) = 5] >TC#4
[1d6+2 = (1+2) = 3] >TC#5
[1d6+2 = (5+2) = 7] >TC#6

>Frame holding steady against the still minimal force, Wild's right elbow suffers a harsh series of keening snap noise at the tongue's grasp, which she returns with enough force to throttle the mass of pulsing red-orange muscles.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,473/????HP
>The hand releases, her right arm groaning as it slides back while the obscenely long tongue lands on sand limply.
"All right arm linkages below the elbow destroyed, can't move it!"

>A faint breeze of warm, clean sea air spreads into the cabin, followed by a wave of flames rippling across the Planar monstrosity's rear mass of tentacles, the creature for once shrieking out of water in a trio of warbled, guttural echoes that choke off as it struggles to breathe.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,503/????HP
>What you first thought to be a number of small bombs whistling down arrive in the form of human-height icicles spearing across the Rilvenni's entire central mass, most lodging in deeply enough to penetrate the outer mass.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,560/????HP
>Spurts of deep red-orange ichor pool the area surrounding it are added to as the mass of flesh ripples in agony, the creature bleeding out in barrels worth now yet still hanging on.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,660/????HP
"WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!"

>>352478
>I could only wonder what a large bore shotgun would look like in Wild's hands.
>The shells would probably be stuffed with large ball bearings.

>Seeing that it was trying to escape back into the surf, I'd counter by tugging on Wild's controls, doing my best to use her to keep it in place, or slow it down.
[1d6+1 = (2+1) = 3] >E. Perception
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4]
[1d6+1 = (2+1) = 3]
[1d6+1 = (4+1) = 5] >B. Riposte/ISTCM
[1d6+1 = (2+1) = 3]
[1d6+1 = (1+1) = 2]

"Fine, fuck it! Shoot the son of a bitch, try to hit whatever this goddamn thing has for a brain!"
>Head usually meant brain, at least.

>>352479
>Suffering a trailing wrap of thin armor dents across her left forearm, the repair tendrils' massed fire into the clusters succeeds in freeing her arm entirely, severing a number of the tentacles and searing more.
"Finally!"
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,760/????HP
>Realizing the abomination was trying to escape, the octuplet of repair tendrils rear back and take aim at the masses of tentacles dragging it back towards the ocean.
"I'M NOT LETTING YOU LIVE AFTER ALL THIS!"
[1d6 = 6] <Repair Tendril #1
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #2
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #3
[1d6 = 6] <Repair Tendril #4
[1d6 = 1] <Repair Tendril #5
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #6
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #7
>Separated into its own mission, one of the tendrils disappears upwards to grab onto the sole fuel canister remaining, first politely removing the fuel cap, then hurling it onto the Rilvenni.
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #8

>Reaching down to grab the massively oversized pistol with a comically small cannon chambering, she hefts it up into view of the left screen.
"Checking for damage to motivators and linking-"
[1d6+5 = (4+5) = 9] <Grade 2 Auto-Repair

>Straining back on the control sticks, the Rilvenni had completely let go, its clusters acquiring enough hold on the sand to drag itself backwards at a power-jogging rate, small ichor streams and pools of the viscous fluid scattered everywhere.
>The crackling of burnt Planar flesh and ice spears jammed into it continue adding their own misery, the Planar's body starting to convulse in gore-drenched spasms.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,880/????HP

"WE'LL SEE IF IT DOES REAL QUICK!"
>Ignoring her own warnings, Wild swings The Scar into line with the monstrous head, squeezing the trigger once after brief calculation.
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10] <E.Small Cannons
[1d6+6 = (3+6) = 9]
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10]

>>352481
>A grim smirk appeared as Wild finally wrenched her arm free.
"Fucking finally, its definitely trying to run."
>This son of a bitch was not making it back to whatever lair it called home.
"Fuck the Constructs, we're killing this thing now."

>Watching her heft the 'pistol' into view, I take a brief moment to observe it.
>And then focus on the beast as she fires.
>I was not one for gore, but I'd most certainly be satisfied with seeing this thing die.

>>352483
>Delivering five eye-searing lances of red into the clusters that were dragging it back into the ocean, rivulets of pulsing ichor and sheared off tentacles slowing its progress.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 1,960/????HP
>Unable to lift it's body and move, the Rilvenni suffices for dragging itself in lurches, the clusters scooping into sand and pushing itself back.
>Fuming at the escaping Planar, all tendrils converge on the fuel can smacking down on the upper right of its body, the flammable liquid gouting out from the opening.
"IF YOU WON'T STAY STILL THEN BURN WHILE YOU CRAWL!"
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #1
[1d6 = 5] <Repair Tendril #2
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #3
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #4
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #5
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #6
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #7
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #8

>Having only seen the weapon once, right before you were shoved into the [REDACTED] cell Wild called her chest cabin, it was a heavily overbuilt, much too futuristic black semi-automatic, carved channels across the surface making tasteful decorations between the white and orange striped accents.
>It could only have been prototyped by too much exposure to art and weapons.
>Or mad science crossed with Eldritch humor.
>Swinging her mostly useless right arm in front of the open hatch to shield you, the view on screen shows The Scar's hammer snapping down, a fairly impressive boom cracking out after.
>You were fairly sure mild tinnitus could be cured.
>Traveling much quicker than you could see, the impression of a 3.3CM hole appears left and below center of the Rilvenni's head, the red-orange pulsing flesh straining inwards, then the entrance bulges outwards as jets of darker liquids are disgorged.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 2,099/????HP

>Still dragging itself backwards, Wild's fury reaches maximum levels, her left arm absorbing the recoil with little stress and lining up for another shot, the expended casing thudding on sand to her right.
"MOM DO SOMETHING IT'S NOT DEAD YET!"
>Centering on the head again, the left screen's view shows her squeezing the trigger again.
"YOU STARTED ALL THIS YOU LITTLE SHITBAG! RUNNING LIKE A COWARD ONLY MAKES YOU DIE SLOWER!"
[1d6 = 1] <Eldritch Taunt
[1d6+5 = (3+5) = 8] <Grade 2 Auto-Repair
[1d6+6 = (1+6) = 7] <E.Small Cannons
[1d6+6 = (1+6) = 7]
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10]

>Whether half dead or simply unable to care, the Planar hybrid's body was partially deflate, even more so from the numerous just severed tentacles and new puncture.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 2,229/????HP

>>352484
"All I can fucking do is shoot at it or add to the fire!"
>Snarling at its insistence on escaping, I move around the cockpit and grab my rifle after steadying Wild's stance.
>Quickly checking it for damage, I shoulder it, aiming out of the gaping hole in Wild's torso.
"Don't cover up that hole in your chest, I'm using it!"
>What I wouldn't give for a PTRD.
[1d6+8 = (3+8) = 11] >E. Battle Rifles+Steadied+Scope/ISTCM
[1d6+8 = (4+8) = 12]
[1d6+8 = (4+8) = 12]
[1d6+8 = (4+8) = 12]

>>352486
>Eight lances of red strike into and around the fuel can, partially detonating it in a spray of burning hydrocarbons that spreads across the patch on top of its head.
>At least you couldn't smell that mess yet.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 2,334/????HP

>Aim wide left and down from the head's center, the second cannon shell tears through the Planar's mass of secondary tentacles and deep into the body, though this time only a few small jets of orange-red gore spout from the wound.
>Rilvenni Subtype: 2,496/????HP

>Between a large enough clearance under the screen's left side and your daughteru's completely still frame, settling an arm over the control sticks to make a rest, through the scope you sight on the malformed, barely flesh pulsing flesh of its head.
>Stroking the trigger, a small pony kicks your shoulder as the ringing crack starts to vibrate in the cabin.
>Traveling up and slightly right from center, the bullet's path drives a small channel through unresisting Planar flesh.
>Unknown Rilvenni Subtype: SLAIN.

>Falling heavily onto its left side, the Rilvenni's ruined jaw holds still, its tongue limp as the orange-red skin ceases moving.
>What little fluid mass that remained in the body was no longer pulsing, instead small, feeble droplets of ichor staining the sand below.
>Tendrils still raised over her head, the Eldritch-Android's weapon remains aimed at the unmoving monstrosity.
"....initiating repairs on my secondary repair nodes and scanning the corpse. If it moves we're shooting it. Twice if it twitches. Three times if it twitches again."
[1d6+4 = (6+4) = 10] <Arcanum Sensory Array
[1d6+8 = (1+8) = 9] <Grade 1 Auto-Repair
[1d6+8 = (6+8) = 14]
[1d6+5 = (5+5) = 10] <Grade 2 Auto-Repair

*****
>Natilda gains: +6XP
>Natilda's status upgraded to: Beloved Mother
>Crag Moors reputation gained: +10
*****

>Wild moves her right arm away and back onto her side, the elbow hanging uselessly with a thunk, and immediately a white stone doorway opens 5M from the hatch opening, Anonymous stepping out in his formal business suit-
>Only to fall twelve meters straight down while shouting in half-surprise, half-fear.
"WHAT THE FU-"
>The thump wasn't amusing, but the silence from Wild afterwards was painful.
"I'm okay! Just a little sand.. and everything smells horrible down here. One second-"
>The doorway shifts close enough to nearly touch the screen in front of you, Anon reappearing to sit down on the edge, tossing a familiar silver disc out to land in front of your boots.
"There we go. Now do I have to ask what this-"
>Pointing a green hand upwards.
"Is or should I go before anything weird happens?"

>>352487
>With a heavy, and relieved sigh, I slump against the back of the couch.
>That was way too goddamn much effort for a goddamn... sharktopus or whatever it is.
"Hey Wild, you can use organic stuff to repair, right? If so, use this damn thing as much as you can. That was a goddamn pain in the ass."
>More fucking tanky than a tank.

>I just stare as Anonymous appeared, looking down at him as he fell.
>Eyes rolling to myself as he gets up unharmed, I pocket the disc.
>And internally smack myself for not using the previous one at all.
"... Any chance you can take the two of us with, or are we still fucked and have to make our way back alone?"
>I'll admit, I was hopeful for a quick extract back to Razorback.

>>352318
"Cadence's teats.."
>Visibly concerned as the display switches to a close view of the jar, Naliyna presses her front hooves down on the table, expression rigid.
"Lucky and the Inner Wards knew the whole time. Ponies were dying from full body crystallization like Crystal ponies do, but to keep them alive until eventually they couldn't afford buying more? They all have to be dead by now. There's no way anypony would let a single one live after knowing this."
>Nodding slowly, she turns her head right to check on Zigri who was in the process of accepting his fate.
>Ears swiveling back to glare daggers at the container, Naliyna's eyes rotate towards you.
"No need to guess why Hodch left Canterlot to come here. He wasn't just tired of the College like he first said. Whatever nobles and royals were in on this shit would've suspected him sooner or later, and knowing the hundred some fields of study he can teach.."
>Trailing off with a short cheek bite, the tradesmare scowls, bringing up a picture of Las Pegasus after it was attacked: nearly a tenth of the city's cloud 'blocks' missing.
"Linara. Somepony put her in the position to down the whole Rogue's Circle. The reports I got from that human mare said nearly ten thousand Watch Guard died against the Rogues, but not a single Tower Guard was confirmed deceased. One unit of Shieldmares was protecting Linara on her way out. Two things really stick out to me."
"One, Lucky intentionally hired us to take Linara out. When that didn't happen she started losing control. That was enough for Tacit to slip more Enchained and agents in. Let's just say for a minute that the Judges in Canterlot would hear her out and accept any evidence she gathered up until then would be solid. Add that to what we already know Tacit confirmed. That's a fairly strong case between them. If we add ours and Tartarus to that, it looks solid but I hate legalese."
"Two, Linara's our best chance of finding out who is and isn't friendly in Stalliongrad. Ri'Vahz went with Ghost, they had a pretty difficult time between trying to help the defenders, then didn't exactly take Linara down. Those Shieldmares of hers didn't attack either of them once which is beyond odd, they're usually the worst to deal with. All they tried to do was escape and let the remaining Watch Guard die. Problem is-"
>Sitting back to fold forelegs across her chest, Naliyna's eyebrows lower.
"Where is she, or Tacit for that matter? And-"
>Slowly turning to you with the most severely amused expression yet, the scar-laden mare grins.
"Bubba.. did you know Stream Lark is in our Enclave right now? How do you feel about taking a trip to visit the so-called 'most wanted Councilierge'?"

>>352345
>Flipping through the smartphone quickly, he holds it out screen first, showing off a list of most Zone artifacts excluding the weirder or useless ones.
>And the cursed one.
"Like these? No promises but I'll keep them in mind in case I go on another trip. Can usually spare a second or two in realtime to grab something else real close."
>Placing the phone back in his dress shirt, Anon gives a small, conciliatory shrug.
"Just an idea. A weapon is a weapon after all, and you never know, the Moors has some wild objects around those Scars that might be similar. No weird bread, got it. Back to work, and don't forget that minigun."
>Tossing you a two finger salute, the gestalt snags the bottle of water before sauntering into the doorway.

>>352352
'the four of us, technically three since Tracker are twins, arent machine-spirits. we are digitized souls contained in a temporally shielded macro datacore made in the Golden Era. no engrams needed. if we were incensed youd know by now. Dranaki screams like a warp ghost when shes mad'
'I do not!'
'then what did you do when we blasted a hole in tha'
>Cutting off Tox-11's datastream briefly, the Admiral delivers a grating sigh.
'If you would prefer our non-classified records since arriving here, I will collect them once our reports have concluded.'
'or maybe she screams like a bolter bitch getting krumped by'
'Damn it Andronal, I'm trying to be civil!'
'im not. now get back to work, barely 15% complete with our record keeping'

>Shrugging the carapace plate shoudlers in a small motion, the Tempestus Scion inhales a bit raggedly.
"Highly unlikely. The transfer of an individual's body to this omniverse was explained to me in partial detail but I still do not understand the technical and magical terminology used. No factors are added or removed except for the restoration of most bodily parts. Excluding our Inquisitor, myself, and you, there are two other humans here that arrived without the prosthetics they had before transfer."
>Inhaling the sweet, light fragrances that reminded you of datascents from paradise worlds, you were fairly sure these were entirely unique to this planet, if not an underground range.

>Accepting the slate and turning it to read over, Chisan's gaze threatens to become slightly more than fully sanctioned.
>Perusing it through twice more, he nods at the thanks before handing it back with a stiff, minor frown.
"You are welcome. The Inquistor stated this shortly after I arrived: transferring individual objects is extremely inefficient. As we both know there are potentially millions of STC's lost throughout the Imperium and elsewhere. She suggested to attempt retrieving a fully intact one. The unit currently under the Workshop was built long before the Dark Age of Technology. Once fully expanded it will act as a fabrication system similar to yet more capable than Lathe-Forges but will require completely rebuilding the core components."
>Arms folding across his chest without any stiffness or trace of pain on his face, a short burst of data static causes him to raise both eyebrows.
"That is... an exceptional idea, Admiral. My thanks to you."
>The hints of a smile form, the Storm Trooper leaning backwards proudly.
"Enginseer, what would you think of a datacore containing all schematics of wargear from the Solar Auxilia? Much of their systems are cross-compatible and the majority of technical specifications are superior to M41 variants. It was also their influence that created Tempestus Scions in later millennia."

>>352493
"Yeah, looks about right. Wouldn't even mind if a few were duds, I could put them on a shelf."
>He gives Anon an idle salute back, Ivan turned to look over the M134 in finer detail, deciding to put away his G36 on one of the tables first to carry the damn thing.
>Picking it up, Ivan would briefly test how it felt to hold, nodding to himself.
"Not too bad, suit's working fine for weight distribution. Ammo'll be a pain in the ass but two extra boxes shouldn't be too much..."

>>352277
>>352299

>"A blast wave? What did they do to create that?"
>Clemency complies with her order and drops altitude to 50 meters
>He then braces for the blast wave to hit and prepare to maintain control of the Kiowa

[1d6+6 = (1+6) = 7] <Adept Fighter Jet Aviator
[1d6+6 = (3+6) = 9]
[1d6+6 = (6+6) = 12]
[1d6+4 = (4+4) = 8] <Pupil Single Engine Propeller Aviator
[1d6+4 = (3+4) = 7]

>However, he hears a more familiar voice in his head
(Good copy. Flying to your position.)
>A Continental Invasion Carrier?
>Constructs are joining this mess?
>This is turning into a level far beyond FUBAR now
>Clem flies over to Jeff's position, lowering altitude to around 35 meters
>He then reaches over the seat, remembers to take out and put Jeff's spotting scope inside of the bag
>Clem then hauls the bag over and tosses the bag out of the side of the helicopter, making sure it lands a few meters away from Jeff
>Going back to 50 meters altitude, Clem contacts Jeff again
(I'll see if there is a spot to touch down and power off. I have two Destroyer companies to direct. I'll loiter until the shields go down, strafe, then land somewhere.)
>Afterwards, Clem goes over his equipment and powers off his radio and helmet, lifting up his visor

>>352438
'98.6% uploaded from the prototype unit before contact was lost, sir. I'm studying her engrams.. it's all bad news. The original damage was severe: Sectors 0 through 80 were rebuilt, mostly thrown together. The system corruption made it worse, half of those sectors were scrapped but they weren't doing anything useful. The rest I can improve on with enough time. Keep her as is, she has good working knowledge and won't crack under stress.'
>Pausing the localized simulations, 'Shiibo' turns from the curricular work to display a dead connection bar and complete signal interference readout.
'Fortress relay isn't reaching here now. We're still jammed from orbit and it's not stopping. No contact with Anfang and Gryphon Vale, Canterlot, Crystal Empire City-State, or the Hive. Basin Village relay seems to be damaged but I don't have access to it. Those engram codes are picky. And hostile.'

>Clustered by where the original stacks of safes had been 30M northwest of the large matrice were rows of chairs and loveseats, most of them too short, undergoing inspection by several former Honor Guard, the gold trim of their robes distinct from Starborn purple or Empire crystal.
>Finding one the right height for you, it was a heavy baroque style that would have fit any late Iron Age castle, though the whimsical scrawls of Old Everfree creatures on all the wood surfaces were definite renderings of real ones.
>Taking a seat to watch the still open gateway, the view rotates to show Dul throwing the last few feathers on a boulder at least twenty times her size.
>Amusingly, they stick.
>Walking around in a circle to face the giant rock, the Siren throws her head back, exhaling a cloud of bright purple fog onto it, then hurls what looked like a pebble from the left set of Riftdrowner vines.
>Remaining where she was, the rock.. starts melting, then shatters into tiny pieces.
>Leaping in the air with a happy neigh, Dul lands and quickly gathers the feathers, four vines snatching them off sand to be held by the remainder on either side.
>The background was somewhere different than the Sea's Bounty beach fort as the coconut and palm trees were much shorter; in the distance were dozens of small, circular green huts that looked like they were woven together.
>Finished collecting the feathers, Dul high-trots towards the gateway, stopping to dump them into the box that was out of sight, then sets it on her saddle.
>Bouncing back through the portal and walking off the stone, the gate closes behind her while she waves a foreleg at you, smiling fiercely.
"Dul done! Was lots easy make not-stupid! Dul thought lots harder. Dul deliver feathers you here or other here?"

>Most Lorekeepers had stopped to watch the process, the majority confused or dumbfounded while the Crystal pony bands wore curious expressions.
>The lone Gryphon Lorekeeper, a (bad) poet of some note that spoke in odd sentences, speaks up behind you at a short distance.
"Is that a Siren? Those are Crin feathers, I'm sure of it, but how does one possibly purify Planar plumage? I need t-"
"Not stop wor-king! Too much do with-out ask-ing e-ver-y ques-tion."
>The other voice came from the only one that put up with the Gryphon, an older minotaur bull freshly retired from the Starborn.

>>352488
>Left screen changing from forward view to a complete rendering of the Rilvenni, Wild's internal voice was faintly cheerful.
"It's absolutely dead. I don't know whether blood loss, my last shot, or your shot killed it. There's a core inside the central body. Fully intact too, we didn't even scratch it! I'll see if I can convert or use anything from it."
>While repair tendrils extend out to harvest samples of ichor, tentacles, and chunks of skin, Anon leans forwards to be seen under the right screen, scrolling through his smartphone.
"I've seen enough weird shit to know that was either Eldritch, Planar, or Otherworldly. Need a bit to find it in my encyclopedia, there's nothing important going on for me right now. Whole lot of nasties in the oceans "
>Glancing up at the Eldritch-Android's exterior, the impression he was about to sigh holds, then he does.
"I can take you for sure I don't know what this is Natilda. After last night, not sure I want to know. What I do know is there's pieces of you, Kraut, Novus, and Snakebite along with something else. It's familiar, like stabbed in a completely dark place, and being.. stalked by a predator. One that shouldn't be a predator. There's burns all over an- ..is this Caliya? Wha- you know what, no, I'm not thinking about this."
>Openly thinking for ten seconds, the gestalt lifts his free hand in an 'I give up' motion.
"I CAN take you to Razorback and there's technically no weight limit it you want to travel with me, but I'm not really sure. Could we bring it back in pieces or am I missing an incredibly vital piece of information here?"
"I am not a 'thing', I am an Eldritch-Android. Natilda is One-Of-Six-To-Our-Daughter, which is me."
"Right. I have no idea what to say."
"Mom, this creature is clean. There are no parasites, bacterium, secondary organisms. No strictly negative aspects that I can detect."
"You know the name of that thing?"
"Rilvenni, subtype unknown. Planar."
"Narrows that down by a huge amount, shouldn't take long. You got a name?"
"Wild Ride."

"Is this real?"
>Profoundly stupefied at the answer, Anonymous stares a thousand miles through his smartphone briefly, then continues his search with a chuckle.
"There's no way."

[1d6+3 = (1+3) = 4] <Sensory Node #2: Conversion Ratio
[1d6+4 = (1+4) = 5] <Arcanum Sensors Array
[1d6+8 = (3+8) = 11] <Grade 1 Auto-Repair
[1d6+8 = (1+8) = 9]
[1d6+5 = (3+5) = 8] <Grade 2 Auto-Repair
[1d6 = 2] <Repair Tendril #1: Salvage Protocols
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #2
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #3
[1d6 = 3] <Repair Tendril #4
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #5
[1d6 = 4] <Repair Tendril #6
[1d6 = 1] <Repair Tendril #7
[1d6 = 1] <Repair Tendril #8

>>352511
>Looking over the rendered sharktopus, I could only grimace.
>Nobody back home except for the insane would come up with such a creature.
>If THESE were inside the ocean I wouldn't like to see what the fuck else was in there.
"Yeah, its Caliya."
>I just shook my head and shifted on the couch, leaning back a bit as I looked at her displays, knowing that the Constructs weren't going to just forget about us.
[1d6+1 = (1+1) = 2] >E. Perception/ISTCM
[1d6+1 = (4+1) = 5]
[1d6+1 = (1+1) = 2]
[1d6+1 = (1+1) = 2]

"Yeah we kinda ended up going through an... Eldritch Tear or whatever, turning the car into what she is now."
>I groaned out a little, rubbing my head.
"If she can go through in one piece I'll fucking buy everyone a couple rounds of vodka."

>>352513
>Halting his search, the gestalt sits back, rubbing the side of his head.
"I can't quantify the amount of pain this is giving me right now. Natilda, I don't want to make your already messed up night worse but I'm not going to lie: Kraut and Novus are screwed. They're not going to recover without taking extreme measures that even I don't want to consider. Snakebite is stable but unconscious, he's recovering from multiple surgeries in a row. No real long term damage except missing an eye. That can be replaced if he makes it through the next four or five stages of treatment."
>Resuming in sincere chagrin, Anonymous frowns under the mask.
"Caliya is the worst off. Most of his body was incinerated to the point where all organs shut down. Nova Flicker and Roust checked on him more than a dozen times in the first hour. Only thoughts they could sense were tiny imprints of pride and burning pain which he ignored."
"On the positive side four stasis pods were taken with them. One young batpony mare apparently fitted with Construct... parts, I guess. One young pegasus stallion, Prench. He was woken up and is undergoing treatment, full recovery expected. One young minotaur bull, badly injured but likely to recover fully. Last is one Tallus basilisk, a native that's considered a rare sapient species outside of a few small populations that don't interact with the world outside the Dragonspines and Neighsia."

>Checking on the screens, reset for maximum view distance, both were aimed directly south.
>Spotting nothing either moving or new, the only change was a series of high atmospheric clouds that looked to be in the process of forming into thunderheads.

"A Scar of the Moors. Most of them are hidden until living beings approach them. A few are stable enough to be visible at all times."
>Looking up from the smartphone, Anonymous slowly blinks, then stares down again, fervently wishing he could unhear what he just listened to.
"Unless you can take safely take her apart, in pieces, for transport then I'm afraid the answer is a big no. You might, I stress might, possibly summon an intact warp gate to here. They function similarly to translocation matrices but the Vortex Remnant doesn't always recognize them, it can take minutes, hours, possibly days for it to be noticed."
"Found your Planar horror. It's a Rilvenni Sub-Major Type Five. The orange-red color shows it's adapted fairly well, original coloration is a blue-orange. It's basically a teenager, would have reached full maturity in a thousand years or so. They come from the Elemental Plane of Water, quite rare there but are barely known in the Moors oceans. Lunars consider them the worst type of pests, little targets them since the internal organs and ichor taste horrible. Worst yet they're essentially immortal since they don't die from natural causes outside their home Plane. You two saved a few thousand ponies and millions of sea creatures by killing one before it could reach maturity and breed. That core is phenomenally precious, there's only three examples of one on Tallus and none of them are pristine. I suggest taking everything you can from the corpse before it starts phasing out in fifteen, maybe twenty hours."

>Hearing an awful electronic squeak from above, Wild halts her digging about in the corpse to rumble an incoherent phrase, then continues once more in harvesting large sections of exterior flesh.
[1d6+3 = (3+3) = 6] <Sensory Node #2: Conversion Ratio
[1d6+4 = (6+4) = 10] <Arcanum Sensors Arrayh
[1d6+8 = (6+8) = 14] <Grade 1 Auto-Repair
[1d6+8 = (2+8) = 10]
[1d6+5 = (5+5) = 10] <Grade 2 Auto-Repair
[1d6+1 = (4+1) = 5] <Repair Tendril #1: Salvage Protocols
[1d6+1 = (6+1) = 7] <Repair Tendril #2
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4] <Repair Tendril #3
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4] <Repair Tendril #4
[1d6+1 = (5+1) = 6] <Repair Tendril #5
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4] <Repair Tendril #6
[1d6+1 = (5+1) = 6] <Repair Tendril #7
[1d6+1 = (4+1) = 5] <Repair Tendril #8
"Sensors are glitching again.. I'm unable to identify if the material is capable of being translated into Tryptaran mass. The pseudo-skin is highly elastic and durable, more so than leather. There is no taste or scent to it. The tongue may be edible. Nine organs may be salvaged. The eyes contain small amounts of concentrated Planar water elemental essences."
>Right camera raising, it zooms in to maximum as Wild's tone becomes puzzled.
"Mom, there are no waves incoming. I could have sworn there were twenty to thirty on approach. We should have been hit by the second, third, and fourth ones by now."

>>352494
>Mallia really wanted to be amused by the back and forth between Andronal and Dranaki, yet the amusement she wanted to feel doesn't reach her.
>The anxiety and uncertainty was still there...
(Golden Age macro-datacore...)
>She transmits back on a lower tone, which carried a lingering awe.
(Yes--, Yes, I'd like those records. It'd be nice.)
(Sorry if--)
>And she stops her apology short, remembering that she shouldn't be apologizing at all. It took RESTRAINT to not continue, but thankfully the seconds catch up first and the conversation with Chisan becomes priority once more.

>Blinking away an onset of a distressed glance in her eyes, darting them briefly, she starts nodding with rapt-attention along with each and every word from the Stormtrooper. Her smile still on her face, though it got a little wry when she saw Him frown while handing back the dataslate.
>Her mechadendrite accepts it back, and deftly slots it back in her rucksack's pocket and pinching the flap to pull it down and even giving a few light pats on the flap to make sure it stuck with the tendril-like limb, before curling it a little around her own middle section.

>Mallia however takes a few seconds to cope with and process with the information Chisan provides her, and finally the scale of the power of these little candles sunk into her unbalanced mind.
(How stupid am I? Very stupid apparently.)
>She blink-blinks in astonishment, crossing her arms with one hand over her mouth while she furrows her brow and nods slowly. Stopping rock-still when Chisan made that suggestion. Eyes darting, she fumbles her own words.
"Pf-fwh-wh--YES? Yes. We are definitely getting that! Of course we are!"
>Then quarter-turns her head, staring at the workshop's wall as she whispers:
"--We can do that???"
>Then back to Chisan,
"Can we? With one candle? Just like that? Seriously? It's not out of our reach?"
>Mallia says, fanning herself with the other hand as her cheeks flush with a strong emotion.

"We can just,-- we can... Recover most, if not all the knowledge humanity has lost, all the things the Arch-Traitor destroyed... Right? All the lost STCs--"
>She trails off, and then squints skeptically.
"No way..."
>She looks to Chisan from slightly side-long for confirmation while rubbing the side of her head and glancing off with shame and anxiety that made the mechadendrite shift along her stomach and her feet shuffle erratically in place.
"Sorry, Stormtrooper. I am--, slightly flustered. I didn't think about that. My bad."

>She finally takes a breath, and sighs out heavily. Then promptly beamed with her sunny smile again; hands going down to grasp onto the mechadendrite's manipulator claw.
(To be able to SEE the technology as it once was. Touch it, even! Perhaps even things to improve humanity's life here. As it should've been.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q79c8injqBM

PRIMAL LEADERSHIP: all Razorback (Initiating), Lunar/Second Dynasty/Solar (When Needs Must), Watch Guard (Desperate Allies), and Ruling Councilierge Vestal Gardenia (Near-Hostile) must now add +3 to all rolls.
ALL penalties from Operational Fatigue are negated for 10 turns.

('Nine minutes thirty seconds until Shattering Skies enters atmosphere. All Lancer and Charger formations able to enter Basin Village hold from the south road to the fountain; at least six companeighs must remain near the fountain barricade to protect Razorback, they are your secondary priority unless the batpony is threatened.')
('RAZORBACK! NEGATIVE on electronics shutdown! Construct landing vessels don't have shit for disruption range, only the largest models are a threat under half a kilometer! Keep your tech online until the first of you notices sabatoge attempts and whoever YOU are, human mare! Stop panicking! Psions are the second most proficient at ripping Constructs apart!')

>Dispassionately watching the shield's outer layer fracture apart, central collapsing against the strain, the Primal Psions lean onto each other as the third layer ripples against thousands of trace plasma marks leaving waves of red-white streaks fading as they trail down, the entire shield protesting as it sizzles into nothing.
('It held.')
(Goddess damned barely! If a second one like tha-')
('There are no more forces in range, Vestal. Everypony that could be here, is.')
('I know that! If a quarter of Stalliongrad wasn't THIS close to being rolled over by Undead right bucking now I'd head back and beg those Lunarites t-')
('Not here, not now. Focus on what we may act upon, not what we would prefer.')

>Reaching maximum velocity in spare seconds, Support Striker manabomb coverage is nowhere near perfect as small numbers of the diamond canisters are opened too quickly and begin to spin out of control, scattering to impact others in their path.
>Following the mostly synchronized explosions, diamond housings create mass clouds of shrapnel, the damage piling on as thousands of raw Void lances, roiling spheres discharging their coherent energies similar to lightning strikes, last the fanciful pseudo-creatures slamming down into mixed Guardian ranks.
>A large number from the Day Guard, highly unused to the intricacies of Void miss their targets, yet the Night Guards have little excuse as half of their volleys do little more than create extra purple, blue, red, and black light shows.

>Partially flattened and stunned by the loss of six leaders, the almost never recorded Complete Tainted are shredded into by half-molten diamond shards, swiftly reinforced by their surviving leaders, physically bouncing back into their individual components.
>Lunar Guardian Assault Divisions, 8 Generals remaining; Speed unchanged, 410M from Basin Village
[1d6+10 = (3+10) = 13] <Solar Guardian Assault Divisions, 2 Generals remaining: 430M from Basin Village
>Lunar Guardian Airstrike Division, 1 Captain remaining: Speed reduced to 16, now 400M southwest of Basin Village
>Solar Guardian Air Commarend Division, 1 Captain remaining: Speed unchanged, 370M southeast of Basin Village
[1d6+20 = (6+20) = 26] <Solar Guardian Support Divisions, 4 Captains remaining: Spectral Lances
[1d6+8 = (3+8) = 11] <Solar Guardian Support Divisions: Mobile Tactics
[1d1600+800 = (155+800) = 955] <8x Lunar Guardian Assault Generals
[1d400+200 = (337+200) = 537] <2x Solar Guardian Assault Generals
[1d100+50 = (20+50) = 70] <1x Lunar Guardian Airstrike Captain
[1d100+50 = (74+50) = 124] <1x Solar Guardian Air Commarend Captain
[1d400+200 = (155+200) = 355] <4x Solar Guardian Support Captains
>The Lost Legions: 204,899 of 285,678 Morale.

('Bucking amazing clusters! WATCH GUARD STRIKERS! Form new ranks across the Basin's north, ripple salvoes into the Assault Divisions! Here's an old Hegemony Ranger teaching: if you can't cut the head off then stick the enemy's body on the ground with every arrow you've got, that's how Kenfield Pass was won!')
[1d6+17 = (2+17) = 19] <Support Striker Companeighs: Shearing Lances x 1,200 total
[1d6+17 = (2+17) = 19] <Watch Guard Support Striker Battalions: Shearing Lances x 2,000 total
('RAZORBACK! Second Dynasty Support Strikers are going to transport all your common explosives, grenades and everything else, into the Solar Guardian Support Division ranks, they need to be brought down!')
>Stripped every simple explosive from the pouches, webbing, packs, bandoliers, and satchels of every human, the Second Dynasty reaffirm their oaths, causaul-sliding the ordinance into scattered clusters directly within the Support Division ranks.
[1d6+15 = (3+15) = 18] <Second Dynasty Support Strikers: Teleport Ambush x 400 total

('Hail of Glory has inflicted moderate damage... the Captain is reporting dozens of weapon malfunctions and severe internal damage from unstable tech-arcane systems. He is initiating repairs and will investigate causes. The Solar Guardian Air Commarend Division will engage his vessel, he is focusing primary batteries into the Assault Divisions as those weapons cannot turn more than five degrees.')
>'Hail of Glory'
[1d6+2 = (5+2) = 7] <C-State Logic Repair Matrix
[1d6+4 = (6+4) = 10] <Armor Analysis
[1d6+4 = (1+4) = 5] <Optimal Range Vectors
[1d6+4 = (3+4) = 7] <System 35 Repairs
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10] <System 18 Analysis
[1d6+15 = (1+15) = 16] <Main Tech-Arcane Armaments: Underload
[1d6+4 = (6+4) = 10] <Secondary Armament Repairs
[1d6+4 = (6+4) = 10] <Tertiary Weapon Repairs
[1d6+4 = (2+4) = 6] <Stabilizing Thrusters
[1d6+4 = (3+4) = 7] <Weapon Stabilizers

(Destroyer Battalion 4, split off to interdict the west Air Commarend Division, do not allow Hail of Glory to be damaged further, that vessel is barely functioning as is. Only sacrifice enough of your lives to destroy that entire Division, all survivors return immediately after.')
('We are disrupting them!')
('Who is we?')
('We, of course!')
('I KNEW IT! LUNA TAUGHT YOU OLD SPEAK DIDN'T SHE?! THAT DIAMONDINE FLANKED HORSE!')
[1d6+16 = (1+16) = 17] <Discordite Destroyer Battalion 4 x 950 total
[1d6+5 = (1+5) = 6] <Airstreams: Subvert Control

>>352572
>The Lost Legions: 206,940 Morale.

('Battered Shores, turn your translocation gateway one-eighty degrees and bombard frontal Assault Division lines.')
('Eye-eye ma'am, switching targets to new prizes! Thank all the flanks our Stahl plates are completely stable for once! We are white for bombardmarent, General! Now fillies, you heard the real mare! Spin the gateway around and launch everything we've got straight down that hole!')
('And the Tower Guards say unicorns do not have a sense of humor.')
>'Battered Shores'
[1d6+2 = (3+2) = 5] <Accuracy
[1d6+2 = (1+2) = 3] <Optimal Range Calculations
[1d6+9 = (6+9) = 15] <Main Arcane Armamarents
[1d6+5 = (1+5) = 6] <Secondary Arcane Armamarents
[1d6+5 = (1+5) = 6] <Tertiary Arcane Armamarents

('Razorback, the Lunarites may have located a Lunar Assault General. Distance: four-sixty meters south-southwest, fifth Division east. Bearing is.. one-ninety to two-ten, target the third largest charging Tainted. I am not good without an actual compass in my hooves.')
>Calmly speaking over the increasingly stressed human Overherd as the last of Razorback's squads join the barricade, Kunid Erakoi's normally flat, emotionless tone reaches a tipping point of fear, the tech-knight's overcomplicated heavy launcher hefts onto his left shoulder while a standard M60 is raised in the right exopowered arm.
('All Razorback squads in range have joined combat General. The systems of my weapons and armor are majority biological though we have not dealt with Constructs directly. I am in possession of two maximally destabilized organo-plasmic missiles. Semi-guided, bioneural tracking, effective range of ten kilometers, blast radius of twenty meters. Each can be swapped to deliver a ship-killing EMP discharge but are no more powerful than a common fifty millimeter high explosive shell in that setting. Please confirm or deny the use of point defense systems by Constructs.')
('Most of our records stated they had such in use against the various Harpies but those weapons were much larger than anything here, about the size of a fully grown mango tree. Save them.')
('Understood. I shall reserve these for later use.')
[1d6+13 = (1+13) = 14] <Razorback Rookie Squads, 7 total
[1d6+16 = (6+16) = 22] <Razorback Veteran Squads, 10 total
[1d6+20 = (1+20) = 21] <Razorback Mercenary Squads, 11 total
[1d6+25 = (6+25) = 31] <Razorback Elite Squads, 8 total
[1d6+26 = (4+26) = 30] <Razorback Marefriends, 20 total
[1d6+15 = (6+15) = 21] <Razorback Stallionfriends, 8 total

>>352299
>Catching the bag dropped from Clemency, Krinza's metallic grasp delivers it to you as a recently made tungsten lance thunders off overhead as Emerald halts in the middle of a majority Watch Guard Lancer formation charging around the first barricade to take position at the Basin's entrance.
>Dead still at the commotion around her, the Korean woman stares down at the white box in her hands.
[1d6+1 = (1+1) = 2] <E.Negotiation
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4]
[1d6+1 = (3+1) = 4]

>Dead silence rings over weapons fire, unicorn magic, and psionic lances delivered throughout Basin Village.
>A brief, familiar marental touch, the chaotically fluctuating yet internally calm voice of Broken Hoof intrudes.
('The Empress lies silent now, perhaps she is at peace. First this armor must be removed. I will arrive after it is disposed of.')
>Speaking at the grave of a long-fallen comrade felt.. appropriate.

>>352514
>Running his hand over the barrels, Ivan would idly rotate them, listening for any kinks that might disrupt that.
>Satisfied, Ivan would place it down for a moment to grab two boxes of ammunition, sliding them into pouches on his armor that were large enough to fit them.
"A Stalker doesn't have much use for one of these outside of an emplacement... But fuck if they're not fun~"
>He picked it back up and carried it out, whistling a bit of a tune as he went.

>>352518
>I closed my eyes and slumped a bit at the news, letting out a bit of a sigh.
"I was afraid of that... At least we saved some people."
>Glancing at one of Wild's screens, I shook my head.
"It'll be a good idea to worry about them later."
>Perking up a bit at the mention of a warp gate, I lean forward again.
"Its not a good idea to try one now, but how would we go around summoning one?"
>Definitely after we get to the nearest outpost.

>My eyebrow shot up a bit at that information.
>"This son of a bitch was enough of a pain in the ass as a juvenile, how much harder to deal with is an adult?"
"Well, some good came out of being separated like this."
>Thinking for a moment.
"We'll definitely need to take that core, Wild. Even if we're strapped for time, having something like that is definitely worth its weight in gold. Or whatever similar saying they have here."

"I am not eating a damn thing from that sharktopus, so unless you eat as well just use it for Tryptaran mass. If you can."
>Worth a shot if she can.
>Furrowing my brow at the report, I looked over at Anonymous questioningly.
"We're... Not done dealing with the Constructs, several chased after us. I don't know if they can deal with ocean waves but we should have been hit by several tidal waves from a big one landing in the ocean."
>Looking back towards the ocean, I squint my eyes a bit to see if anything was coming.
[1d6+1 = (4+1) = 5] >E. Perception/ISTCM
[1d6+1 = (5+1) = 6]
[1d6+1 = (1+1) = 2]
[1d6+1 = (6+1) = 7]

>>352315
>Lacking direct interaction, the human's dead stop and pained eye twitch at the conflicting voices physically assaulting her from the relic was bad.
>Worse was the impression the thousands of souls contained within hadn't been woken up and immediately warned in the proper marener.
>Less so was her marginally successful attempt at calming the raging Solar unicorns from a millennia past.
>They weren't angry, no, that would be too simple.
>These ones were irate at not being treated with the utmost respect that snobbish Lunar-Solar War veterans and survivors would feel they deserved.
[1d6+1 = (4+1) = 5]

>From where you were, surveying the Assault Division lines it was clear roughly a fifth had been wiped out yet only slowed their charge by a small fraction.
>The Lunar Guardian Airstrike and Solar Guardian Air Commarend had separated west and east to hunt for targets of opportunity.
>The only target the Air Commarend Division had was the Blaze of Glory, while the Airstrike Division would either attempt to take out unicorns on the rooftops or cycle charge into the Support Strikers in the north Basin, or possibly against the Killnight north.
>Seeing/feeling/sensing/tasting the inordinate amount of lethal harm dealt to the Tainted by hundreds of Mind's Eyes, nearly all Tallus armies would have surrendered or begun planning a fighting defensive escape route at this stage.
>Whispers of Ceranul across the Moors make it clear there could be no retreat or surrender here: the Lost Legions would be freed, or the twenty-five thousand ponies from six factions, half of which hated each other, would die to the last defending it, excluding Razorback.

('Every factor imaginable could be pissing Constructs off: Otherworld Harpy vessels eight thousand years older than the Dynasty, Otherworld humans in large numbers with their tech, Bloodhosts that can be felt across the world, shitloads of blood magic that even Stalliongrad is sensing, thousands of unicorns and psions from opposing factions in the same place, one Primal Psion leading six field armies of Strikers and the other in commarend of eighteen thousand thousand ponies, so you tell me which would be more interesting to those fucking orange monsters!')
('One choice must be made at a time, Vestal. The largest Assault Maniple Lander will require twenty minutes to reach here, and they would not dare risk an incursion without full numbers backing them.')

>>352362
>Far more level headed than her opposite, the Watch Guard's Primal Psion General cared nothing for cross-faction conflict, ruling the mixed Overherd of humans and ponies with a diamondine clear mind, calm retorts punishing those with the slightest disrespect for defying her orders.
>A further five Companeighs of Watch, Day, Lunar, and Solar Guard Lancers, followed by five more Companeighs of Chargers, enter Basin Village from the translocation stones behind the fountain, adding their rigid fortitude to the tempered calm of their fellows.
>Grabbed by Razorback's last arriving squad, you're dragged with the Veterans into the far west of Bren's barricade setup beyond the Basin's fountain, avoiding smaller lines of militant ponies taking their positions ahead as a sacrificial vanguard.
>Finished with her last melding, the crew boss turns her head enough to give you a sharp nod, then steps back with the rest of her unicorn crew, horns lit and blazing to bombard.
>Not even the Siege had firing lines this packed.

>Warmth spreads from the scar's remains, a reminder from the late psion bitterly reaching outwards to the earth ponies surrounding.
>Closely examining the rank and file Guard, not only were all of them still in their illusion-clone appearance, every piece of armor and weapon were standard.
>Save for Mercy having a difficult time trying to make her way through to the first barricade, Lancers and Chargers filling in gaps from the Basin's southern road to Razorback's ad hoc barricade line, there wasn't a single leader above the rank of squad commarender here.

('You picked the worst time to call in a favor, Royal Bed Warmer. Rune Knight General Topaline Shore here, I'm dispatching all forces that are free. We're still hunting down Ward creatures, bunch of bucked up pegasi with crystalline body parts that we can't hoofle without completely destroying them. Reinforcemarents en route, unknown arrival times as they're scattered across the City-State. Expect one of Belregard's own subordinates, they might stay clear of humans-')
>Cutting off abruptly, the firm, smokey middle-aged voice was one you knew fairly well, a rather sharp Crystal Kingdom adherent that rarely left the Spire.
[1d6 = 6] <Conclave Force Strength
[1d10 = 2] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 2] <Crystal Free Knight Force Strength
[1d10 = 3] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 6] <Crystal Hegemony Mercenary Force Strength
[1d10 = 10] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 4] <Crystal Marecenary Force Strength
[1d10 = 3] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 6] <Crystal Moors Hunter-Killer Marecenary Force Strength
[1d10 = 7] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 4] <Crystal Spireguard Force Strength
[1d10 = 7] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 2] <Imperial Warden Force Strength
[1d10 = 10] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 1] <Kingdom Warden Force Strength
[1d10 = 4] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 3] <Task Force Tundra Force Strength
[1d10 = 6] <Arrival Time
[1d6 = 5] <Unicorn Spireguard Elites Force Strength
[1d10 = 10] <Arrival Time
1d6] <Ethereal Warden Champion

>>352583
[1d6 = 2] <Belregard's Sub-Champion

>>352501
>Watching the bag with its contents delivered to Jeff by Krinza, the grandmaster smith returns to the line of Razorback's unicorns behind the barricade south of the fountain, collectively forming Void lances once more.
>The massed shield ahead of Basin Village crumbles, barely withstanding the MOAB's shockwaves and plasma fragmentation, sending nothing more than burnt ozone towards the Kiowa.

>Over the constant noise from massed rifle fire, light machineguns, heavy machineguns, and the rare few rocket launchers Razorback had access to were the air cleaving shrieks of Spectral-tinged lances from far south.
>Perfectly arced, four hundred streak down into the massed formations of Lancers filling the Basin's southernmost spaces, an entire Division's worth of Guard falling dead onto stone.
('Move the dead out of the Village immediately, they shall be buried with full honors later.')

('CLEMENCY! I'm overriding the Watch General, your orders are as follows: do not disengage electronics until the first Construct is within a hundred meters of you and select targets of opportunity, you should've been launching weapons the second that fucking shield dropped! And send those Destroyers out immediately!')
>If a Primal Psion could be any more furious, there would definitely be an extra continent worth of space in Tartarus for them.

>A sharp, aery tone breaks across the Kiowa's channels and radio systems still operating below, that of a melodic young female Harpy voice surrounded by humming equipment.
*"Rites of Destruction hath been loosed 'pon thee Lonely One, given all unto the Great Mango they have. Guillotine shall seek protection of thee, giver of mercy."*
>'Guillotine', Pristine Light War Destroyer/Assault Breacher
[1d6+4 = (5+4) = 9] <Emergency Recharge
[1d6+20 = (3+20) = 23] <Primary Pulsar Array Preheat
[1d6+18 = (6+18) = 24] <Twin Molecular-Disruption Lances Preheat
[1d6+15 = (2+15) = 17] <Mass-Plasma Driver Array Preheat
[1d6+10 = (6+10) = 16] <Secondary Tech-Arcane Weaponry Preheat
[1d6+18 = (1+18) = 19] <Tertiary Tech-Arcane Weaponry Preheat
[1d6+10 = (4+10) = 14] <Tech-Arcane Point Defense Systems Preheat
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10] <Accuracy Calculations
[1d6+6 = (2+6) = 8] <Assault Vector Settings
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10] <Optimal Range Settings
[1d6+6 = (3+6) = 9] <Stabilizing Realspace Thrusters
[1d6+6 = (3+6) = 9] <Intact Realspace Fold Drive
[1d6+6 = (4+6) = 10]
[1d6+6 = (6+6) = 12]
[1d6+6 = (3+6) = 9]

>>352507
>Pareidolia seats himself on the crafted chair, propping his elbows on his knees and resting his helmet's chin on his hands.
"Understood, I hadn't checked on our EWAR status. Noted."
>Sighing briefly, he continues:
"Anonymous had to salvage and alter most of her internal routing. If Spiral can be retrieved and stabalized, I was hoping to have him create crystal-tech alternative replacements to make her more Tallus compliant. And I will. Can't afford any equipment upsets at this stage. You are both mission critical."

>Squinting at the distant Dul, he remains perplexed as the rock apparently dissolves and breaks.
"How... ?"
>He shakes his head as Dul triumphantly returns.
"Strange planar properties... "
>Raising his voice to be audible outside his helmet, he replies:
"We can deal with the feathers back at Razorback. I... don't understand how you purified them but-"
>He glances behind him at the Lorekeepers and offers a shallow shrug.
"-you've made some Lorekeepers here very curious about how you managed it."

>Standing up, he turns to face the pair.
"If Dul and I manage to return, I'll have her try to answer your questions."
>Heading towards the translocation matrix, he returns to Razorback and makes one final check to acquire any other missing materials, equipment, or replacements of expired gear before heading back to Lonestar's IFV.