A Tea Party For The Post-Apocalpyse (IC)

[BlasTech]

"Beer!" Rosemary answered, yelling her answer over the sound of the protecton's laser fire. That last laser burst had still stung, but it was nowhere near as bad as it would be once the robots started pouring into the office.

"Because it helps me to forget all the times I have to deal with badly programmed, ponycidal crap like you!"

[Actions Taken: 0AP spent]

React: Holding AP to fire once a hostile protecton enters the room.

[Balmas]

Crap. Crap crap crap. What did that robot actually want him to answer?

Jumping from behind the desk, he dashed to the door and slammed it shut with a heavy, metallic clang.

"Um. My gun, because it protects me from people trying to kill me!"

The desk shrieked against the tile floor as the griffon shoved it towards the door. He took a second to ease the terminal to the floor before moving around to the short end of the desk. Then, with a grunt and a heave, the desk flipped up to cover the window.

Gasping, the griffon leaned against the makeshift barricade before barking out a second guess. "Equestria! Because it's a land of freedom and opportunity!" Sure, he was lying through his teeth, but the robot didn't know that. Hay, it thought he was Equestrian!

Actions taken:
Stand: 10 AP
Move: 15 AP. Since the office is fairly enclosed, it's probably less than the 12 he gets with one move action.
Move the desk: Eyeballing it, it seems like a pretty large one. Call it 20 AP to get it there and another 30 to flip it?
Crouch: free.

[the_druid_droid]

Once in range, Luna closed her eyes and a sent a dazzling beam of magic from her horn toward the Protectron Trees had been targeting, and then returning to the cover of shelves.

Actions
Energy Strike (Light): 45 AP, rolled 47 under 50 (with +10 from spell), for 36 damage
Dodge: 28 AP (-14%)
[Could have fired a weapon this round, but it seemed like a lot to juggle and I'm sleepy. Will evaluate and reconsider next round. Also, does TK cost Spellcasting AP for it's use in combat or is it the same as the 10 AP to draw the weapon?]

[BlasTech]

As Gabriel turned the desk over, Rose bolted to one of the nearby filing cabinets. Throwing her shoulder into it, she knocked it over to block the doorway before ducking back behind cover and crawling towards the terminal.

[Actions taken: 70AP spent]

Stand - 10AP
Move - 15AP
Shove over a cabinet (Slam attack?) - 30 AP
Move - 15AP



[Could have fired a weapon this round, but it seemed like a lot to juggle and I'm sleepy. Will evaluate and reconsider next round. Also, does TK cost Spellcasting AP for it's use in combat or is it the same as the 10 AP to draw the weapon?]

[So long as you're not actually attacking directly with your TK, using a telekinetically wielded weapon only costs the AP cost of that weapon. AFAIK, there's no AP cost to 'turn on' TK beyond the normal AP costs of doing things.]

[Deadly]

"The beating. Of the heart!" Blue darted out the door before Gabriel shut it. "It tells me I'm alive. That I feel! And love!" She slashed out at the protectron trying to get through. "It reminds me I'm a motherbucking pony!"

And something went terribly wrong about that attack. "It tells me that I HATE!" Blue screamed and lashed out again in a furious, but sadly failed attack. This second failure only fanned the flames of her anger. "I BUCKING LOVE HATE! I'LL RIP YOU HEARTLESS F*YAY*ERS TO PIECES!"

She half stumbled, half fell back into the room as the door shut, more by the force of her failed attacks than by her own desire to retreat.

Blue acts before Gabe, IIRC, and this mostly takes place right in the doorway, so I think it works. Don't know if I need that much Move here, but doesn't matter much.

Also, I have terrible luck, but it totally made Blue's response at least 10% better

Move : 15 AP

Attack : 20 AP, 98 under 38, critical miss

Attack : 20 AP, 43 under 38, miss

Move : 15 AP

Dodge : 9 AP for -4%

[Thanqol]

"Correct!" said the Lyrabot. It was not remotely clear who she was talking to. "Shutting down security purge!"

"Any law-abiding citizens injured during today's law enforcement procedure are advised to try Peace Brand Healing Potion," announced one of the Protectrons as they lowered their robot arms. "Peace Brand Healing Potion: it is good enough for our heroes on the front line, it is good enough for you."

And as one, they started waddling back to their stasis pods.

"Well, ponies, your identity has been verified!" said the Handy. "The elevator is now active, please excuse me while I clean up the mess,"

Without further ado, the Handy scooted off, opened a cleaning station, produced a broom, and started sweeping up the destroyed Protectron.

[Deadly]

Blue was steamed. Steaming. She was looking ready to make good on her promise to cut the lyrabot into scraps. It would probably be good for someone to hold her back or say something.

[Tiki Snakes]

Relief flooded Trees, mixing with her nervous energy.
She charged Blue, tacklehugging the pegasus largely unaware of other Pony's murderous fury.

"You did it! I've no idea what that was all about, but you did it!" She squeed. "I'm so relieved!"

[Deadly]

Relief flooded Trees, mixing with her nervous energy.
She charged Blue, tacklehugging the pegasus largely unaware of other Pony's murderous fury.

"You did it! I've no idea what that was all about, but you did it!" She squeed. "I'm so relieved!"

"What the f-"

Blue was tackled.

The confusion that followed from this fact was apparently enough to make her stop and blink. "Uh, right," was all she could manage.

[Balmas]

"Can I kill it now?" Dammit, this desk had been so easy to move when he was packed full of adrenaline. "Please?" He groaned, sending death-glares at the departing robot as he cleared the doorway. Fat lot of good it'd done them.

[Tiki Snakes]

"You so much as lay a claw on those poor robots without provocation, Gabriel Griffon and I will choke you in your sleep." Trees replied levelly, not so much as opening her eyes as she happily snuggled the confused pegasus.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary lay on the floor, breathing heavily as she felt the tension of the last few minutes drain out of her. With the imminent threat of death gone, the heat of the moment faded and Rose was soon back to her normal, cool demeanour.

Dusting herself off, she made a quick round of the others, checking the damage and casting healing magic on their more serious injuries, before trotting over to the terminal and having a look at it.

Cast Restore x2 (20 Strain)
Heals Gabe: 35hp over 2 mins
Heals Rose: 23hp over 2 mins

[Deadly]

"You so much as lay a claw on those poor robots without provocation, Gabriel Griffon and I will choke you in your sleep." Trees replied levelly, not so much as opening her eyes as she happily snuggled the confused pegasus.

Little by little, Blue relaxed from her earlier rage and, with a sigh, returned the hug.

[Balmas]

"Without..." For a moment, all the flabbergasted griffon could do was stare at the earth pony. "Provocation? You want provocation? You see this shoulder? You see these burns? That's gonna scar because that bucket of scrap called the protectrons on us! I'd say I've got provocation!"

((Gabe is now at full health.)

[Tiki Snakes]

"I wouldn't." Trees shrugged matter of factly. She disentangled herself from Blue, leaving the Pegasus sprawled on the floor and trotted after the Lyra-bot and it's broom.

"Excuse me?" She called. "Hello, my name is Trees and I'm a mechanic. If you've got the right kind of facilities, I might still be able to help you with your friend there. I'm no master craftspony, but I'd be more than willing to take a crack at it, assuming you don't have some kind of superior automated repair process down there or something!" She finished with a mildly nervous laugh.

[Thanqol]

"I wouldn't." Trees shrugged matter of factly. She disentangled herself from Blue, leaving the Pegasus sprawled on the floor and trotted after the Lyra-bot and it's broom.

"Excuse me?" She called. "Hello, my name is Trees and I'm a mechanic. If you've got the right kind of facilities, I might still be able to help you with your friend there. I'm no master craftspony, but I'd be more than willing to take a crack at it, assuming you don't have some kind of superior automated repair process down there or something!" She finished with a mildly nervous laugh.

"We do have a superior automated process downstairs!" said the Lyrabot. "It is very efficient."

[Tiki Snakes]

"So he's going to be ok? That's a relief." Trees sighed. Apparently not quite catching any possible other meanings from the Lyra-Bot's response.

[Thanqol]

"So he's going to be ok? That's a relief." Trees sighed. Apparently not quite catching any possible other meanings from the Lyra-Bot's response.

"Yes ma'am! Not the first time we've lost a Protectron or two in the line of duty!" said Lyra. "They're tough sorts, don't seem to mind it."

[the_druid_droid]

As the alarms went silent and the robots returned to stasis, Luna breathed a sigh of relief before quickly fluttering over to the office where the others had been taking cover.

"Is everyone alright? There were quite a lot of those security robots, but things seem to have turned out fairly well." She rearranged her wings for a moment. "What exactly did you do, if I might ask?"

Apparently the alicorn hadn't been able to hear the earlier conversation.

[BlasTech]

"We tried talking to that one after it ambushed us in here." Rosemary said, keeping her eyes on the screen as she tilted her head in the direction of the Blue Handy.

"Didn't work out that well." she continued, tapping the keys with a hoof.

[Is this terminal thing even locked? Or working for that matter? :smalltongue:]

[Thanqol]

"We tried talking to that one after it ambushed us in here." Rosemary said, keeping her eyes on the screen as she tilted her head in the direction of the Blue Handy.

"Didn't work out that well." she continued, tapping the keys with a hoof.

[Is this terminal thing even locked?]

The terminal was locked, but it was relatively easy to uncrack. It had a function to enable the elevator which would have been really useful if they hadn't been so lucky with the Handy's questions - or if they'd killed it. It also had some notes on inventory circa 2077.

[Balmas]

"Apparently the answer to 'who is the ruler of us all' is not 'the princesses,' 'Princess Luna,' or 'Shining Armor and Cadence.'" Sullenly, he kicked the desk. "Useless bucket of bolts."

[Thanqol]

"Apparently the answer to 'who is the ruler of us all' is not 'the princesses,' 'Princess Luna,' or 'Shining Armor and Cadence.'" Sullenly, he kicked the desk. "Useless bucket of bolts."

"I said rule us all," said the Lyrabot, cheerfully sweeping up Protectron scrap. "The Princesses rule a lot of ponies but they don't rule us all. They don't even rule all ponies! And they certainly don't rule the griffons, meaning those answers were invalid even if you took it in the context of a local group like yours, sir. And that kind of thoughtless leader worship is a sure sign of a Changeling, sir."

[BlasTech]

Rosemary rolled her eyes, but otherwise kept paging through the centuries old inventory notes. Two hundred year old records detailing the ongoing execution of foodstuffs were more interesting than listening to the Blue Handy again.

Particularly since the conversation seemed to be heading in a direction where the only sensible, rational response would be the application of hoof to face.


And that kind of thoughtless leader worship is a sure sign of a Changeling, sir."

Yep.

There it went.

The next sound in the room was eerily similar to a pony smacking her face on a monitor screen. Funny that.

[Edited]

[Thanqol]

Rosemary rolled her eyes, but otherwise kept paging through the centuries old inventory notes. Two hundred year old records detailing the damage caused when somepony knocked over the Sparkle Cola display stand (apparently it took two pegasi, an earth pony and seven mops to clean up) were more interesting than listening to the Blue Handy again.

Particularly since the conversation seemed to be heading in a direction where the only sensible, rational response would be the application of hoof to face.

There hadn't ever been any actual pony staff in this megamall. The construction and maintenance had been handled 100% by robots. The inventory notes were just endless lists of products, expiry dates, and disposal techniques.

Many read like

ALFALFA - 2077/12/15 - FURNACE
CARROTS - 2077/12/15 - FURNACE
PEANUT BUTTER - 2077/12/16 - EXECUTED AS WARNING TO OTHER CONDIMENTS
GARLIC - 2078/1/04 - FURNACE

[Balmas]

The griffon froze, staring blankly at nothing. Then, quite slowly and deliberately, he pulled the rifle close to him, and began slotting fresh bullets into the clip. The actions seemed mechanical, as if that was all they were capable of at the moment.

"The correct answer is: nobody. Is that right?"

[Thanqol]

The griffon froze, staring blankly at nothing. Then, quite slowly and deliberately, he pulled the rifle close to him, and began slotting fresh bullets into the clip. The actions seemed mechanical, as if that was all they were capable of at the moment.

"The correct answer is: nobody. Is that right?"

"There is no 'correct' answer. There are a lot of incorrect answers!" said the robot cheerfully, utterly immune to intimidation. "The same principle was at work with the final question. It didn't matter what you answered so long as you were doing it honestly. The other two provided passionate responses to being under fire - you, however, were lying through your beak. I almost continued the assault based on that, but your other answers were good enough to drop my suspicion of you to 15%. And I'm not going to kill a bunch of ponies for a 15% chance of getting a Changeling!" said Lyra happily.

[Balmas]

"You know, there's a lot of people who would get upset if they were told that a malfunctioning bit of tin got them shot up because they got a question wrong when there's no right answer." Clack went the magazine as it slotted back into the rifle. "If I were to kill you, but do it passionately, would that satisfy that last 15% chance that I'm not a changeling?"

[Thanqol]

"You know, there's a lot of people who would get upset if they were told that a malfunctioning bit of tin got them shot up because they got a question wrong when there's no right answer." Clack went the magazine as it slotted back into the rifle.

"Oh, I couldn't speak to that, sir," said Lyra gormlessly. "You'll have to take that up with management."


"If I were to kill you, but do it passionately, would that satisfy that last 15% chance that I'm not a changeling?"

"No, that data isn't particularly informative either way," said Lyra.

[BlasTech]

"Please don't antagonise the killer robots" said Rosemary, her voice still somewhat muffled by the keyboard.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Change the tune Gabe, we've heard this one before." Trees sighed, irritably. "Is this really all there is to you? Grr, I'm angry! I want to shoot things with my gun! Pew Pew Pew!"

She trotted back over to watch what Rosemary was doing with the Terminal.

"You're alive and uninjured, so enough with the sulking okay? And you really should thank your Unicorn friend here for the latter, you know."

[Balmas]

"Let's not forget sarcastic and good with children," retorted Gabriel, tucking his rifle back into its holster. "And it's Gabriel."

Turning to the unicorn, he asked, "Any luck finding something useful on there?"

[BlasTech]

"Not yet." she replied, slowly lifting her face off the keyboard to stare at the screen again. "This terminal doesn't appear to control anything useful, and most of the inventory records are to do with disposals. For now, the best route would seem to be taking the lift."

She flicked through the last of the inventory notes, looking for information on non-perishables like medical supplies or weapons.

"We must remember to search the aisles properly on the way back." she said, as her train of thought reminded her. "There was a display cabinet back there with some weapons in it that might be useful."

[Thanqol]

"Not yet." she replied, slowly lifting her face off the keyboard to stare at the screen again. "This terminal doesn't appear to control anything useful, and most of the inventory records are to do with disposals. For now, the best route would seem to be taking the lift."

She flicked through the last of the inventory notes, looking for information on non-perishables like medical supplies or weapons.

"We must remember to search the aisles properly on the way back." she said, as her train of thought reminded her. "There was a display cabinet back there with some weapons in it that might be useful."

There was a pharmaceuticals and weapons section in the notes, looked like a helpful amount of basic curatives.

All weaponry and medicine cases are to be locked against petty theft, and the cases wired to the main alarm. The main alarm is operated and disabled from the central processor.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary leaned back to show the others the message.

"But it will only be safe to do so once we take care of the issue of security."

[Thanqol]

Rosemary leaned back to show the others the message.

"But it will only be safe to do so once we take care of the issue of security."

There was an addendum:

In addition to the Protectrons, the central alarm also controls the turrets.

[Deadly]

Blue got back up and dusted herself off. "Well, this is somewhat outside my area of expertise," she admitted. "Locks and security systems, and the like."

[BlasTech]

"Its a rather simple premise; turn it off or it will turn us off ... violently." she replied.

"Central computer, then?" she asked, looking up at the group clustering around the terminal.

[Balmas]

"Central Processor... Where'd they keep that, d'you think? Basement? Downstairs?" The griffon frowned, focusing on that little word. Turrets were trouble. They were more accurate than protectrons, and shot faster too. At least he could try to poke around the corner and shoot them like that, but it was still more risky than he liked.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Am I the only one...?" Trees trailed off. "Look, call this a crazy idea if you like, but I think we have another option here. A better option."

The earth pony moved away from the console, holstering her pistol as she did in a casual movement of her tail.

"This place has been designed to run itself. It's fully automated. Don't you see? It really is end-of-the-world proof!" She enthused. "If we can convince them to open up, maybe help them figure out a way to restock their shelves as they go if they can't already, then we can barter for some useful supplies now, but it'll still be here and will continue being here."

She spoke with conviction.

"If we can get this place working as a freely accessible trading hub, then it's own usefulness will ensure it's survival and if we're ever stranded here in the future, we'll have a resource we can rely on rather than another ruined shell of a building to hunker down in for a few hours."

"I mean, you've got plenty of ruined buildings already right? I mean, the world ended and everything. If you've got malls open and working all over the place and this is nothing special, maybe just ignore me but I'm willing to guess that isn't the case."

She paused, waiting for a response only to interrupt her self.
"Oh, and we don't get shot by turrets that way, either. That's a bonus, right?"

[BlasTech]

"How exactly do you propose to do that, though?" Rosemary spared a glance for the earth pony.

"We'd still need access to the command console in order to effect a behavioural change of that nature. Or, at least, I assume we would." she continued, sparing a glance for the Mr Handy hovering outside. "Their programming does seem to have gotten a bit more malleable over time.

"Perhaps we don't need to turn them all off, per se. My intent was actually more to see if there was a way to add us on to a 'trust' list." Rosemary shrugged. "There may be an opportunity to do more with their behavioural code, something along the lines of directing them to scavenge and retrieve in the immediate area, but I won't be able to tell till I see the computer."

[Tiki Snakes]

"I find not being a jerk usually helps with that." Trees dead-panned.
"I think we should find the parking attendant bot. I tried to convince her that Mr Rich was probably dead already and stuff, she said she was going to talk with her supervisor. If she actually has a supervisor, they might be worth talking to, you know?"

[BlasTech]

"Well, go ahead and give it a try then." Rosemary replied cooly. It was not clear whether she was referring to the plan or the idea of not being a jerk.

[Thanqol]

There was a Ding! as the elevator arrived in the office and the doors slid open. It waited there, expectently

[Tiki Snakes]

"C'mon Science. You might enjoy it." Trees replied with a grin, trotting into the elevator.

She waited with a confident smile for the others to join her in the elevator.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary didn't sigh as she rose back to her hooves, but there was a definite air of resignation as she trotted slowly into the lift.

[Balmas]

"The trick with barter is that it depends on there being a resupply," thought Gabriel out loud as he moved into the elevator. "If it's automated, and if it has a ready, refillable supply, and if we can convince the store to open up, then it might be worth it to do that."

The only problem was that at least one of those conditions was probably not met. If there was an arms factory still producing weapons and bullets, and what's more, shipping it to a closed Megamart... It was practically unheard of.

And if there wasn't a resupply, then they'd have to find a caravan to stop by there. Or even better, set up shop.

"We'd have to convince them to accept caps, too."

[Tiki Snakes]

"Well, maybe." Trees shrugged. "I want to see what we've got here first, but if all else fails I could maybe rig them up something basic to get them going, then all they'd have to do is maybe barter for scrap metal and maybe a couple of other things instead of worrying about currency so much. But then, they have the facilities to automatically rebuild Protectrons, so I'm not ruling out Filthy Rich having seen all of this coming and installed something down here."

[Thanqol]

END OF ISSUE 1: BRIGHT LIGHTS AND ROBOT FIGHTS!!!

The story will resume as the elevator DESCENDS into the murky depths of the BARNYARD BARGAINS MEGAMALL! What MYSTERIES await them in this strange, deserted superstructure? Will there be ROBOTS? Will there be GHOULS? Will there be TREASURE?

What LEGACY has Filthy Rich BUILT? WHY has he put this MALL in the middle of NOWHERE? WHAT did he KNOW? Is this part of his PLAN?

Find out next time in ISSUE 2: THE TEA PARTY!!!

Subscription 3 bits per issue Equestrian, 4 bits Crystal Empire, ask your parents for money because you don't want to be left out!

[Level Up: Everypony goes from L2 to L3!
No additional perks or benefits gained]

[the_druid_droid]

"I do not remember clearly, but this mall seems to be... quite heavily armed? Could anyone with more experience tell me if this is standard? It certainly isn't what I was expecting from a commerical building."


"If we can get this place working as a freely accessible trading hub, then it's own usefulness will ensure it's survival and if we're ever stranded here in the future, we'll have a resource we can rely on rather than another ruined shell of a building to hunker down in for a few hours."

"I mean, you've got plenty of ruined buildings already right? I mean, the world ended and everything. If you've got malls open and working all over the place and this is nothing special, maybe just ignore me but I'm willing to guess that isn't the case."

At the talk of reclamation, Luna shot Trees a look that was hard to read. "You really are an unusual pony, aren't you, Miss Trees?"

[Deadly]

Blue looked around at the place as she followed into the elevator. "I like Tree's way of thinking," she said. "Probably a far shot, but it's worth giving it a chance, at least."

[Tiki Snakes]

"I do not remember clearly, but this mall seems to be... quite heavily armed? Could anyone with more experience tell me if this is standard? It certainly isn't what I was expecting from a commerical building."
"It's almost like he was expecting it to operate after the end of the world, huh?" Trees suggested again with a straight face.


At the talk of reclamation, Luna shot Trees a look that was hard to read. "You really are an unusual pony, aren't you, Miss Trees?"

"In two hundred years only one Earth Pony ever left stable 73, miss Luna." Trees said evenly, looking straight ahead at the elevator door. "At the very least, I'm what you'd call rare."


Blue looked around at the place as she followed into the elevator. "I like Tree's way of thinking," she said. "Probably a far shot, but it's worth giving it a chance, at least."

Trees kept her face straight, but couldn't quite suppress the faint hint of a blush at Blue's praise, however vague it was.

[Balmas]

Gabriel sat quietly on his haunches as they waited for the elevator to descend. "It might be simpler to find a caravan and tell them about this spot if we can't find a way to resupply the store," he commented. "It'd be simpler than trying to reprogram the robots to look for caps."

[Thanqol]

The elevator door changed. No, wait, it opened. It opened onto a metal wall. No, wait, that wasn't a metal wall, it had glowing red eyes. Let me start that again.

The elevator doors opened and were filled in their entirety by a massive robotic rhino with a minigun on it's left battle saddle and a missile launcher on it's right. It stood suspended on three omnidirectional wheels at the end of massive armoured legs, and was painted pure white. It was so huge it blocked any exit; if it fired that missile into this confined space they'd all be super dead. It was like coming eye-to-eye with a tank.

<<<This is a non-combat zone>>> said the Sentry Bot in a distorted voice that echoed out from it's interior chestplate. <<<Violence is forbidden>>>

And then it rolled backwards and to the left, unblocking the elevator while keeping it's front towards them at all times. Now they were standing at the end of a long corridor with what looked like the soothing light of... candles at the end.

[To anyone unfamiliar with what a Sentry-Bot is in Fallout: These guys (http://images.wikia.com/fallout/images/archive/9/93/20110125162404!Fo3OA_Winterized_sentry_bot.png). They're the baddest robots around, think that but a rhino]

[the_druid_droid]

"It's almost like he was expecting it to operate after the end of the world, huh?" Trees suggested again with a straight face.

Luna cocked her head, slightly taken aback by the thought that these Mr. Handies might be telling the absolute truth. Mr. Rich sounded like an unusual pony himself.

When she had collected herself, she continued, "Possibly so. However, it might be an indication of other valuable resources nearby, which would mean we ought to keep an eye out."


"In two hundred years only one Earth Pony ever left stable 73, miss Luna." Trees said evenly, looking straight ahead at the elevator door. "At the very least, I'm what you'd call rare."

"Then I think you are in good company." It was half-whispered, and Luna turned her attention to the elevator as well.


<<<This is a non-combat zone>>> said the Sentry Bot in a distorted voice that echoed out from it's interior chestplate. <<<Violence is forbidden>>>


"As long as you are willing to respect such a zone, so are we." The alicorn shot Gabriel a pointed look.

[Thanqol]

"As long as you are willing to respect such a zone, so are we." The alicorn shot Gabriel a pointed look.

The Sentry Bot ignored her, giving the impression that it's statement had been a warning rather than a negotiation.

[Balmas]

Gabe edged his talons away from the rifle strapped to his back, and stared back at the alicorn. "What?" In a fight of griffon with rifle versus rhino with rocket, the rhino would win. Even if it missed all of them, an explosion like that in an elevator like this would reduce them to paste quite easily.

[Deadly]

Blue edged her way past the rhino as she followed the others, keeping her eyes on the robot just to be sure. "This place makes no bloody sense. No fighting, but none of these robots seem to mind ponies trotting around all over the place even though it's closed."

[BlasTech]

Rosemary eyed the robot as it delivered its ultimatum. Her eyes were drawn to the missile launcher on its side and she idly wondered about the effect it would have if fired in the elevator. Would it be a quick death, like ponies said it was? A brief flash of light, the sensation of heat, of pressure, and then nothing?

Or did the stories lie? Would it really be what she suspected; pain and blinding agony as her consciousness clung to a dying shell?

Setting aside that rather morbid line of thought, she turned her focus to the far end of the tunnel.

"Those candles would not burn indefinitely, either they are something else or some robots have been maintaining them." she observed, as she followed Blue out of the elevator.

[Thanqol]

As they walked into the room with the candles, the Sentry Bot rolled along menacingly behind them. It seemed constructed to completely fill one of these corridors making it's presence like a mobile wall.

But then they stepped through the doorway and into...

... a tea party.

Set for six. A cup, saucer, and teaspoon. On the centre of the table was a basket of sugarcubes and a steaming kettle. The tablecloth had a pleasant red and white checkerboard pattern and the room was lit with a great many candles.

It was also lit by the green glowing screen of the computer that dominated one of the walls, monitor currently reading NO SIGNAL. A cup of tea was set out in front of the computer as though it were the sixth guest at this party, and two Handies hovered off in the background, as silent and patient as butlers.

The screen flicked on. The image that appeared on the screen was a smiling unicorn, mane fabulously styled, all done in the shades of green that were the standard colour for computer terminals. The impression from the picture was one of sophistication, but also wit. It was possible some of the group might recognise her, but it wasn't certain - she hadn't chosen to stand in the spotlight.

"Good afternoon," said Rarity the Unicorn, Minister for Image. "Please, take a seat."

[BlasTech]

Who was she?

That question was easy. Rosemary recognised her. Really, with most of her education and professional life revolving around pre-war history there was almost no way she couldn't know who the image on the computer was meant to be.

The real question was; what was this? A programme?

"Rarity." Rosemary identified her, which doubled almost as a greeting.

[Tiki Snakes]

Trees trotted along the corridor in front of the Rhino, stealing glances over her shoulder as she took mental notes on it's design. Kind of ungainly, she decided, and would likely have difficulties with terrain and stairs and so on, but clearly very dangerous in the right environment.

She was barely paying attention as she stumbled into the tea-party room. As the view screen flickered into life however, she froze. Momentary panic rose in her throat, fight or flight impulses sending her heart racing. She locked eyes with the image of a fabulous, self assured unicorn as the contents of the room and their significance became clear.

There was clearly only one thing for it. This called for desperate measures.
"Thank you."
With rigid self control Trees kept her face carefully neutral and sat down at the table. Her skin crawled and it was all she could do not to stare at the Handies or let her eyes flick back to the Rhino-bot. With the kind of focus usually reserved for disarming explosives, Trees frantically wracked her brains for whatever she could remember about tea party etiquette.

"...It is is quite nice outside today." She ventured, crushing her panic with an iron hoof.

[Thanqol]

"Rarity." Rosemary identified her, which doubled almost as a greeting.

"You seem to have me at a disadvantage, lady..." said Rarity.


There was clearly only one thing for it. This called for desperate measures.
"Thank you."
With rigid self control Trees kept her face carefully neutral and sat down at the table. Her skin crawled and it was all she could do not to stare at the Handies or let her eyes flick back to the Rhino-bot. With the kind of focus usually reserved for disarming explosives, Trees frantically wracked her brains for whatever she could remember about tea party etiquette.

"...It is is quite nice outside today." She ventured, crushing her panic with an iron hoof.

"So I'm told," said Rarity.

[Tiki Snakes]

"To be perfectly honest I have very little to compare it to, I spent my whole life in rooms like this." Trees replied, thoroughly wrongfooted by the whole situation.

"Uh, my name is Trees." She offered, to fill the silence.

[Thanqol]

"To be perfectly honest I have very little to compare it to, I spent my whole life in rooms like this." Trees replied, thoroughly wrongfooted by the whole situation.

"Well, I have spent my whole life in a room exactly like this, so it seems we are kindred spirits," said Rarity.

It was really hard to get a read on her mood. With her picture being frozen in a simple smile there was no body language to adjust to. There were an astoundingly complex mixture of emotional reactions taking place in that voice but all managed by the skill of a formidable actress.


"Uh, my name is Trees." She offered, to fill the silence.

"Charmed. As your companion correctly observed, I am Rarity. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,"

[Balmas]

Gabriel frowned, one eye twitching as he took a seat. "I'd question how you're here, but I'm not sure I'd believe you," he said matter-of-factly.

[Thanqol]

Gabriel growned, one eye twitching as he took a seat. "I'd question how you're here, but I'm not sure I'd believe you," he said matter-of-factly.

"So I see we're getting this conversation off to a friendly start," said Rarity acidly. "I'd question what possessed you to match the colours fluorescent orange and electric blue but I'm distressingly sure I'd believe you."

After a beat, she added, "No offence, Lady Trees, your colours are muted enough to not be half as garish."

[the_druid_droid]

"Please excuse us, Minister. We've had a very difficult and confusing couple of days, and I don't think we're at our best. However, tea is most certainly welcome." Luna wrapped her cup in magic and raised it as she spoke, hoping to preempt trouble for the moment.

[Deadly]

Blue took a seat, a little uncomfortable about having an armed rhino at her back, but this seemed like a time to do your best to ignore that. "Hmm. Maybe my hope for fresh strawberries wasn't so far fetched after all," she said curiously, looking at the tea before her before gazing up at the screen. More robots. Or talking screens in any case. "Nice to meet you, I hope."

[Tiki Snakes]

Trees, who was wearing a vibrantly yellow and black winter weather cloak to finish her look, actually laughed a little.

"That's okay. Bright, clashing colours was...kind of a thing in my Stable, or amongst my kind anyway. Kind of a deliberate rejection of the other dominant culture, I guess. I never really had to rely on my looks." She shrugged, dismissively. "And please, just Trees."

[BlasTech]

"You seem to have me at a disadvantage, lady..." said Rarity.

"Rarity Unicorn." Rosemary continued, her gaze unfocused. "Minister of Image, head of one of the six great Ministries of wartime Equestria. Friend to the princesses, bearer of th--"

Rosemary halted her recitation, self awareness causing her cheeks to flush slightly.

"I've um, read a few books about it." she admitted, before finding a way to a seat.

"Rosemary Unicorn." she introduced herself, before lapsing into an embarrassed silence.

[Balmas]

The frown disappeared, replaced by a grin. "Oh, I like your style." The griffon sniffed at the tea. It was probably very nice, even if he couldn't smell it very well.

"Gabriel."

[Thanqol]

"Well, things have rapidly become more civil. Good!" said Rarity.


"Please excuse us, Minister. We've had a very difficult and confusing couple of days, and I don't think we're at our best. However, tea is most certainly welcome." Luna wrapped her cup in magic and raised it as she spoke, hoping to preempt trouble for the moment.

"Aha-ahaha," said Rarity, "you're going to think being down here for two hundred years has driven me insane but for a moment there I could have sworn you were Princess Luna."


Blue took a seat, a little uncomfortable about having an armed rhino at her back, but this seemed like a time to do your best to ignore that. "Hmm. Maybe my hope for fresh strawberries wasn't so far fetched after all," she said curiously, looking at the tea before her before gazing up at the screen. More robots. Or talking screens in any case. "Nice to meet you, I hope."

"I'm afraid I can't offer strawberries. I can't even offer milk," said Rarity apologetically. "I hope you like your tea black."


Trees, who was wearing a vibrantly yellow and black winter weather cloak to finish her look, actually laughed a little.

"That's okay. Bright, clashing colours was...kind of a thing in my Stable, or amongst my kind anyway. Kind of a deliberate rejection of the other dominant culture, I guess. I never really had to rely on my looks." She shrugged, dismissively. "And please, just Trees."

"Very well; simply Rarity will do in kind."


"Rarity Unicorn." Rosemary continued, her gaze unfocused. "Minister of Image, head of one of the six great Ministries of wartime Equestria. Friend to the princesses, bearer of th--"

Rosemary halted her recitation, self awareness causing her cheeks to flush slightly.

"I've um, read a few books about it." she admitted, before finding a way to a seat.

"Rosemary Unicorn." she introduced herself, before lapsing into an embarrassed silence.

"Hmm. My reputation seems to proceed me," said Rarity, a little abashed. "Charmed to meet you, Rosemary Unicorn."


The frown disappeared, replaced by a grin. "Oh, I like your style." The griffon sniffed at the tea. It was probably very nice, even if he couldn't smell it very well.

"Gabriel."

"Ah, thank you," said Rarity.


"Now, since we've made our introductions and we've all proven capable of civil discourse, I shall cut directly to the chase. I have been stuck down here for an awfully long time and would very much appreciate the chance to get out and about. What I want is for a qualified scientist or mechanic to transfer my CPU core into the body of that Sentry Bot over there so that I can depart this place and I'm prepared to take some quite extreme measures to make sure this happens. I need not bore you with vulgar threats, but I have spent the past two hundred years waiting for a chance like this so you can be sure I've thought of everything that is possible to think of."

[Balmas]

Which meant that all they had to do was think--in a few minutes or so--of something that she hadn't, in the past two thousand years. Either that, or face a horrifying, liquidating death by sentry-bot. Or they could cooperate, but he wasn't quite certain about the mare's motivations. There was no guarantee that as soon as she was in the sentry-bot, she wouldn't turn on them.

For now though, they might as well play along. "I can just about fix up a gun or a set of armor," he stated, putting the tea back down undrunk. "I wouldn't trust myself with a computer, though."

[the_druid_droid]

"Now, since we've made our introductions and we've all proven capable of civil discourse, I shall cut directly to the chase. I have been stuck down here for an awfully long time and would very much appreciate the chance to get out and about. What I want is for a qualified scientist or mechanic to transfer my CPU core into the body of that Sentry Bot over there so that I can depart this place and I'm prepared to take some quite extreme measures to make sure this happens. I need not bore you with vulgar threats, but I have spent the past two hundred years waiting for a chance like this so you can be sure I've thought of everything that is possible to think of."

"Well, I've gathered that Trees knows something about mechanics, if that's what you need. A few of us have some experience with computers, as well." Luna looked thoughtful, "Although if you anticipate this being a delicate procedure, we might not be the ideal ponies for the job."

[Thanqol]

For now though, they might as well play along. "I can just about fix up a gun or a set of armor," he stated, putting the tea back down undrunk. "I wouldn't trust myself with a computer, though."


"Well, I've gathered that Trees knows something about mechanics, if that's what you need. A few of us have some experience with computers, as well." Luna looked thoughtful, "Although if you anticipate this being a delicate procedure, we might not be the ideal ponies for the job."

"The procedure is relatively simple; just replace the Sentry Bot's brain core with my own and connect all the wiring. Too complex for the programming of the Handies but simple enough for ponies. And if there are risks, I am prepared to take them," she said. "If you find the task difficult then I suppose you will just have to stay down here until you figure it out, as among other things I control the elevator."

[Balmas]

"If you don't mind me asking, where did this food come from?" Gabe eyed the tea, shaking the cup gently and observing the sway of the green liquid. "Was it part of the store's stocks, or do you have something to manufacture it?"

[Thanqol]

"If you don't mind me asking, where did this food come from?" Gabe eyed the tea, shaking the cup gently and observing the sway of the green liquid. "Was it part of the store's stocks, or do you have something to manufacture it?"

"Tea doesn't expire, when properly stored," Rarity said matter-of-factly.

[the_druid_droid]

"The procedure is relatively simple; just replace the Sentry Bot's brain core with my own and connect all the wiring. Too complex for the programming of the Handies but simple enough for ponies. And if there are risks, I am prepared to take them," she said. "If you find the task difficult then I suppose you will just have to stay down here until you figure it out, as among other things I control the elevator."

Luna sipped her own tea delicately. "Then I suppose we only have one course of action available. However, while we're on the subject, would it be permissible to restock from your supplies once the transfer is complete? The past few days have not been kind to us, and we could use some assistance in getting back over the mountains."

[Thanqol]

Luna sipped her own tea delicately. "Then I suppose we only have one course of action available. However, while we're on the subject, would it be permissible to restock from your supplies once the transfer is complete? The past few days have not been kind to us, and we could use some assistance in getting back over the mountains."

"Take what you want," said Rarity, generously. "I have no use for food or guns as a computer and can't imagine that changing once I'm a robot."

[Balmas]

Gabe set his tea down, looking at the monitor. "Upstairs, there was a computer saying that in order to get at the guns and bullets, we'd need access to the mainframe. I suppose that's you? What will happen to the rest of the robots when we connect you to the sentry-bot?"

[Thanqol]

Gabe set his tea down, looking at the monitor. "Upstairs, there was a computer saying that in order to get at the guns and bullets, we'd need access to the mainframe. I suppose that's you? What will happen to the rest of the robots when we connect you to the sentry-bot?"

"Yes, that's me," confirmed Rarity. "And I've set them so they will follow and obey the Sentry Bot, at which point I'll gather them and clear out of here."

[BlasTech]

Rosemary had kept quiet, watching ... or at least listening to the back and forth quite carefully. Part of her thought the matter was quite simple, and had it been a living, breathing pony trapped down here, then maybe it might have been more straightforward. At least then, there would have been some way to tell exactly who or what they were dealing with.

But this was a computer, albeit one programmed with the mannerisms of one of Equestria's great heroes. What would it be like if it was unleashed on the world? A force for good or evil? Or neither? Simply one more pony out there, fending for herself.

Honestly, in most cases, Rose would still be happy to do as she'd been asked. But she'd seen things, things that had lain dormant in vaults and in labs, things that sometimes should never have been allowed to see the light of day again.

"If the procedure is really that simple, then I have no doubt it lies within our capabilities." she began, weighing her words carefully. "But, since you've already set out this lovely tea ... would you mind at least waiting to share it with us first? I would like to know more about you, and who you are, while we have the chance."

[Thanqol]

"If the procedure is really that simple, then I have no doubt it lies within our capabilities." she began, weighing her words carefully. "But, since you've already set out this lovely tea ... would you mind at least waiting to share it with us first? I would like to know more about you, and who you are, while we have the chance."

"It would be churlish of me to hurry my guests," said Rarity with infinite patience, and a voice that made it clear that she was demonstrating infinite patience.

[BlasTech]

"Then, could you please tell us about yourself? The books I've read tell me a lot about your more ... prominent deeds, but I would like to know more about the mare behind them. Or, at least, the mare um, standing(?) before us today. If you could."

Rosemary had to resist the urge to facehoof. Smooth, small talker she was not.

[Thanqol]

"Then, could you please tell us about yourself? The books I've read tell me a lot about your more ... prominent deeds, but I would like to know more about the mare behind them. Or, at least, the mare um, standing(?) before us today. If you could."

Rosemary had to resist the urge to facehoof. Smooth, small talker she was not.

Rarity laughed demurely. "Oh, yes, go ahead and open with an easy question. 'Dear celebrity, would you please tell me what parts of your public image are real and which are fake?' Where does one start?

"However, in my special case the answer is easy: I am the Minister of Image. The books you've read about my deeds? I wrote them. The stories about me and my personal life? I set them in motion. All the rumours, sordid or otherwise? I whispered them in the right ears. Everything you might have heard about my image was part of my design.

"You may not know much about me - but you do know a great deal about the kind of pony I wanted to be seen as. That should be sufficient."

[BlasTech]

"Well yes, but." Rosemary's gaze went down to her cup. "Those books were written over two hundred years ago. I was hoping for some insight that was a little bit more ... current."

"I mean ... I sincerely doubt you still have the same goals, the same dreams you had back then."

[Tiki Snakes]

"I don't know anything about you at all." Trees piped up, having very carefully finished pouring herself a cup of tea. It wasn't difficult, as such, but the tea pot had been too far in to the table to politely use her tail and the thought of so much boiling water right next to her face had been rather a concern.
"I don't think it really matters though, I can't in good conscience turn you down." she shrugged.

The tea smelled good. Trees held her face above it for a while, just enjoying the aroma.

"That doesn't mean I don't have questions though." She didn't even look away from the tea, swirling gently in the cup."I mean, why the Sentry Bot? It looks to me like it might have problems with difficult terrain and it lacks manipulators."

She took a sip. Still too hot really, but delicious and only slightly bitter.

"Personally, if I had to choose a body-type from the three available, the Mister Handy type is probably something I'd give serious thought. Of course, depending on your facilities, equipment availability and stuff like that, there could be more or less options and I can't say I've ever re-housed an AI core before. So yeah, at the risk of repeating myself, I'd be interested in hearing your thought process on this."

She took another sip. Definitely didn't need sugar, she decided.

"Oh, and what's the plan when you leave anyway? You never thought about opening the store up for business? It seems to be a pretty thorough setup you've been left with and the Handy-bots all seem very passionate about Mr Rich and his Legacy."

[Thanqol]

"Well yes, but." Rosemary's gaze went down to her cup. "Those books were written over two hundred years ago. I was hoping for some insight that was a little bit more ... current."

"I mean ... I sincerely doubt you still have the same goals, the same dreams you had back then."

"Live happily with my friends? What could be a more worthy dream?" said Rarity.


"That doesn't mean I don't have questions though." She didn't even look away from the tea, swirling gently in the cup."I mean, why the Sentry Bot? It looks to me like it might have problems with difficult terrain and it lacks manipulators."

She took a sip. Still too hot really, but delicious and only slightly bitter.

"Personally, if I had to choose a body-type from the three available, the Mister Handy type is probably something I'd give serious thought. Of course, depending on your facilities, equipment availability and stuff like that, there could be more or less options and I can't say I've ever re-housed an AI core before. So yeah, at the risk of repeating myself, I'd be interested in hearing your thought process on this."

"Because that over two hundred years I've grown fond enough of the Handies to think of them as ponies and treating them as replaceable machines would not sit right with me," said Rarity. "Also their armour is made out of what is effectively tinfoil in comparison."


"Oh, and what's the plan when you leave anyway? You never thought about opening the store up for business? It seems to be a pretty thorough setup you've been left with and the Handy-bots all seem very passionate about Mr Rich and his Legacy."

"My plan is to find my friends," said Rarity firmly. "I'm afraid running a shopping mall is a distant second priority."

[Balmas]

"I don't want to jump to any hideously wrong conclusions," said the griffon, wondering idly just how much the dinner plates would fetch at the HREC trading office near the Crystal City. They were a bit heavy for crystal--maybe some kind of shiny plastic?

"These friends you mention... Those would be the six mares who ran the government before everything blew up, yes? Two hundred years back?"

[Thanqol]

"I don't want to jump to any hideously wrong conclusions," said the griffon, wondering idly just how much the dinner plates would fetch at the HREC trading office near the Crystal City. They were a bit heavy for crystal--maybe some kind of shiny plastic?

"These friends you mention... Those would be the six mares who ran the government before everything blew up, yes? Two hundred years back?"

"An uncharitable, if accurate, summary of events, yes," said Rarity.

[Balmas]

"What will you do if they aren't alive?" he probed. "Not much can survive a megaspell blast, and it's been two hundred years, to boot."

[Thanqol]

"What will you do if they aren't alive?" he probed. "Not much can survive a megaspell blast, and it's been two hundred years, to boot."

"Be very sad?" said Rarity. "I don't know what answer you expect, but I'm not going to live not knowing."

[Deadly]

"Too bad, really," Blue said about the lack of strawberries and picked up her tea.

She sat in silence as she listened to the discussion or watched the handies or whatever else that caught her attention.

"Everypony deserves a chance, the way I see it," Blue said after a while. "I wouldn't want this kind of life on anypony, or ... any AI." The worst anypony deserved in Blue's book was death, and in some cases maybe that was even the best and kindest too. Imprisonment for 200 years wasn't something Blue would ever choose for someone.

And If they didn't let her out, aside from probably being dead, there was the very real possibility that they just condemned an innocent pony, or at least innocent AI, to this lonely prison.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Your right of course, I couldn't agree to harming any of the Handies." Trees nodded. "Though I was kind of assuming there was some kind of fabrication capability down here from what one of them said about the damaged Protectron, or at least enough spares to construct a chasis. You've probably got a point about the armour though."

"You're happy dealing with the limited mobility then?" She asked. "If we were back in Stable 73, assuming there's anything left down there anyway, I could possibly have found someone willing to design a better chasis for you. I've certainly heard some stories, let me tell you. Still, with our resources, perhaps the Sentry bot is the best choice we have available." Trees was somewhere between asking Rarity questions and simply thinking out loud.

"What about ammunition? Resupply? I'm assuming you have something worked out? After all, a rocket launcher is just a heavy metal tube without rockets."

[BlasTech]

"What will you do if they aren't alive?" he probed. "Not much can survive a megaspell blast, and it's been two hundred years, to boot."


"Be very sad?" said Rarity. "I don't know what answer you expect, but I'm not going to live not knowing."

Deep in thought, Rosemary took a moment to shoot the griffon an irritated glance. Even she could tell that question had been off the mark and, even worse, completely pointless. With two hundred years of nothing to do but think, it was inevitible that she would have considered the possibility a thousand times over.

Rosemary lifted the teacup in a grasp of green magic, before taking a long, deep sip from it. She savoured the flavours, still remarkaby strong after all this time.

"Well, I am convinced." She stated firmly, setting the now empty teacup back on the table. "If you wish to be out of here, I will not be the mare that stops you."

[Tiki Snakes]

"That's good, Rosemary dear, because I'd already agreed in case you hadn't noticed, I'm just working through specifics. This is a pretty major life-choice and ethically speaking I've got to be sure she's ready. I mean, she's had plenty of time to think things through, but that doesn't mean I don't need to ask the questions."

Trees used the unicorns name with relish. A secret unearthed without compromise.

[BlasTech]

"You may have agreed, Miss Trees. But you do not speak for me or this party." she replied cooly. "I only speak for myself, and whatever aid I can lend her in terms of my skill with computers or arcane technology."

"Work out the specifics of the chassis if you wish." she continued with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "Anything that helps her chances out there. I have no experience with those so I shall defer to your knowledge in that regard."

"My only remaining questions are in relation to the fabrication facilities and the static defences of this mall."

[Tiki Snakes]

"You really are adorable when you do that whole indignant authority bit, you know?" Trees said, grinning mischievously at Rosemary. "You should drink your tea and try to relax a little, all this stress isn't doing you any good you know."

[BlasTech]

"I assure you, the tea is quite lovely." she said, indicating the empty teacup. "I would ask for a refill, but I fear I would be imposing on our host."

[Balmas]

Rolling his eyes, the griffon slid his cup of tea over to the unicorn. "Can we skip the bickering and get to the point? She wants to do it, fine. Blue thinks its a good idea, and I don't think we're getting out without helping mizz Rarity over there." He paused, and then nodded at the screen. "Beggin' your pardon, of course."

[Thanqol]

"Everypony deserves a chance, the way I see it," Blue said after a while. "I wouldn't want this kind of life on anypony, or ... any AI."

"Well, it hasn't been intolerable living here. This computer is programmed in such a way that prevents me from feeling boredom, and I've had a lot of time to get caught up on my reading. Not what I would have chosen but evidently the designer cared."


"Your right of course, I couldn't agree to harming any of the Handies." Trees nodded. "Though I was kind of assuming there was some kind of fabrication capability down here from what one of them said about the damaged Protectron, or at least enough spares to construct a chasis. You've probably got a point about the armour though."

"I'm afraid that particular feature is limited to reconstruction, not fabrication."


"You're happy dealing with the limited mobility then?" She asked. "If we were back in Stable 73, assuming there's anything left down there anyway, I could possibly have found someone willing to design a better chasis for you. I've certainly heard some stories, let me tell you. Still, with our resources, perhaps the Sentry bot is the best choice we have available." Trees was somewhere between asking Rarity questions and simply thinking out loud.

"What about ammunition? Resupply? I'm assuming you have something worked out? After all, a rocket launcher is just a heavy metal tube without rockets."

"I have thought about these questions an awful lot, rest assured I have answers to them," said Rarity.


"Well, I am convinced." She stated firmly, setting the now empty teacup back on the table. "If you wish to be out of here, I will not be the mare that stops you."

Rarity fell patiently quiet as Trees and Rosemary sniped at each other.


Rolling his eyes, the griffon slid his cup of tea over to the unicorn. "Can we skip the bickering and get to the point? She wants to do it, fine. Blue thinks its a good idea, and I don't think we're getting out without helping mizz Rarity over there." He paused, and then nodded at the screen. "Beggin' your pardon, of course."

"Quite. If there is nothing else, I shall shut down for the transfer?"

[BlasTech]

"One last thing before that, at least on my part." Rosemary asked, after giving Gabe a brief nod of thanks for the fresh cup of tea. "The turrets. Will we be able to access their controls once you transfer? Or will your departure shut them down as well?"

[Thanqol]

"One last thing before that, at least on my part." Rosemary asked, after giving Gabe a brief nod of thanks for the fresh cup of tea. "The turrets. Will we be able to access their controls once you transfer? Or will your departure shut them down as well?"

"Yes, once I am safely transferred I shall give you the control codes. You may do whatever you wish with the place after that."

[BlasTech]

Rosemary nodded, satisfied with the answer, before quietly sipping her tea and waiting for anyone else to ask any last minute things they wanted.

[the_druid_droid]

"Yes, once I am safely transferred I shall give you the control codes. You may do whatever you wish with the place after that."

"Then I suppose there isn't any reason to wait, since the risk is acceptable to our host. Although we should perhaps decide who has the most relevant experience with this sort of thing before we begin." Luna finished her tea and set the cup down quietly, before eying the others and beginning her own mental evaluation.

[Thanqol]

"Then I suppose there isn't any reason to wait, since the risk is acceptable to our host. Although we should perhaps decide who has the most relevant experience with this sort of thing before we begin." Luna finished her tea and set the cup down quietly, before eying the others and beginning her own mental evaluation.

"Well, hopefully this shall be a short goodbye," said Rarity.

The screen flicked blank. There was the hiss of steam from the control panel, and the computer core emerged. A single, shining white statue of a unicorn was raised up, surrounded by the gold and crystalline structure of a robotic brain. It was an extraordinarily graceful and elegant construction, as delicate as holding a lattice of silver in one's hooves. Even touching it would bring a renewed surge of physical and spiritual strength - the inscription on the base read 'Be Unwavering!'

At the same time, the Sentry Bot sank to it's knees and opened it's own brain in the same way. It was a far more crude, metallic construction, nowhere near as graceful and delicate.

[Between the party's skills there's no roll needed for this]

[BlasTech]

"Well, hopefully this shall be a short goodbye," said Rarity.

The screen flicked blank. There was the hiss of steam from the control panel, and the computer core emerged. A single, shining white statue of a unicorn was raised up, surrounded by the gold and crystalline structure of a robotic brain. It was an extraordinarily graceful and elegant construction, as delicate as holding a lattice of silver in one's hooves. Even touching it would bring a renewed surge of physical and spiritual strength - the inscription on the base read 'Be Unwavering!'

At the same time, the Sentry Bot sank to it's knees and opened it's own brain in the same way. It was a far more crude, metallic construction, nowhere near as graceful and delicate.

"Interesting." Rosemary said, rising to her hooves and looking closely at the figurine. "I've never heard of a computer core looking quite like that before."

"Well, a promise is a promise. Shall we get to work?"

[Balmas]

Now what was a little statuette doing inside of a computer? Gabriel sat up, and stalked over to get a closer look. The urge came to just reach out and take it. The lights shining on the statuette made it look like a little angel, a figure of beauty.

Barely aware of what he was doing, he stroked the frame and then drew back with a hiss. There was something off about that figurine, though he didn't know what. Statues shouldn't make you feel better.

"It's not guns or armor," he said in a hushed tone. "Leave it to someone who knows computers."

[BlasTech]

"Which is probably me then." Said Rosemary, as she moved over to check the connections on the terminal, to see if there were any impediments to moving it into the sentry bot.

"Highness? If you could assist me? Archanotech devices like terminals often use alot of basic spellcasting principles, so you are probably best equipped to help identify any problems with the setup."

[Thanqol]

The process was entirely without weird surprises, other than the uncomfortably cold feeling that came with letting go of that little statuette.

It wasn't hard, but it was also understandably the kind of thing you wouldn't want to trust a Mr. Handy who had only received verbal instructions to successfully carry out.

[BlasTech]

"And there, we, go." Rose said, as they checked the last of the connections on the "brain's" new housing.

Honestly, she had expected something harder. Given the complexity of the programme they'd interacted with, there should have been massive amounts of processing power and associated hardware to remove and install ... but this was almost as complicated as plugging in a lamp.

With one last hope that the transfer hadn't hurt or damaged the AI, she put the last connections into place.

[Tiki Snakes]

Trees held the sentry bot's core carefully.
"Nicely done Rose." she said. "What do we do with this guy though? Guess we can always just ask Rarity when she comes to..."

[Balmas]

Gabriel watched as Rosemary screwed shut the hatch in the back of the sentry bot, sealing away the little statuette. He sighed, turning to the earth pony at his side. "Well, without a sentry-bot to go with it, I'm not sure. It probably isn't capable of running a maneframe. Maybe we could flog it somewhere?"

[Thanqol]

The Sentry Bot's eyes glowed violet. The casing slid shut. With a long, fluid movement, Rarity the Rhinobot rose up.

"Oh my," she murmured - in a pitch perfect replication of her own voice. There was no trace of the hollow vocal distortion from the Sentry Bot. "This isn't an ordinary robot. This isn't an ordinary robot at all. I wonder..."

A faint blue glow surrounded the Sentry Bot's horn.

"Real rhinoceros ivory," she said. "A little morbid, but I can actually cast magic through it! I wonder if I can levitate that -"

The cup exploded. The table exploded. The entire room filled briefly with a swirl of fire and brilliant lights [20 damage to any/all].

When the smoke cleared, Rarity was standing still. "I should probably experiment further outside."

[Tiki Snakes]

The moment she saw the faint blue glow, Trees instincts kicked in. She ducked to one side, hoping to get something between her and whatever was about to happen. She cradled the sentry-bot's AI core to her chest like a foal, doing what she could to shield it with her body.

Everything exploded.

"Ow." She hissed. "Definitely ow."

[Thanqol]

After exactly one second's delay, the Handies swooped in, spraying down the room and occupants with fire extinguishers and starting to sweep up immolated table.

[Balmas]

A stream of "horseapples" and "feathers" sounded from a pile of chair fragments, where the lightweight griffon was picking himself up. He winced, pinching a bit of china out of his forehead before going over to the robot. "Just don't decide to try out the missile launcher, and I'll be happy. Hey, buzz off! Do I look like I'm on fire?" Growling, he did his best to shoo away the Handy menacing him with a nozzle.

[BlasTech]

"... ow." said the ambulatory pile of extinguisher foam, as it rose back to its hooves.

There was a brief green glow, a *splotch* noise, and then the foam just popped off her. It left a near-pristine Rosemary standing next to the Rhino bot and wearing a mildly perturbed expression at the current situation. The blast had caused some of her earlier injuries to open, and she was bleeding slightly from her shoulder. Thankfully, another glow of magic solved that problem as well.

"Is anyone else badly injured?" she asked the room, uncertain if her voice would carry over the distracting ministrations of the Mr Handies.

[Cast clean and Restore on self. 10 strain all up, heals 38!. Woot, back to full health.]

[Tiki Snakes]

"I'm fine." Lied a pile of foam in the corner, unconvincingly.
"Is the AI core okay?" It asked, unfolding a foam covered winter-weather cloak to present an un-foamed sentry core to Rosemary.

[Thanqol]

The core was indeed fine.

"I'll just show myself out, shall I?" said Rarity awkwardly. "The control password is 'Look To Tomorrow' and there's a master key on the rack in Filthy Rich's office back there."

Rarity began backing up down the corridor towards the lift, unsteadily getting used to mobility. There were a lot of unsteady bumps during this process.

[Balmas]

"The armor got most of the debris," said the thoroughly foamed griffon as he glared daggers at the departing handybot. "Might invest in a helmet when we get to civilization." Sighing, the griffon began the long, boring process of wiping himself off.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary hesitated for a few seconds, before trotting after the sentry bot.

"A word, Miss Rarity?"

[Thanqol]

Rosemary hesitated for a few seconds, before trotting after the sentry bot.

"A word, Miss Rarity?"

"Yes?" said Rarity, pausing in the process of squashing into the elevator.

[Tiki Snakes]

"It was nice meeting you." Said the pile of foam.
"Good luck finding your friends."

[Deadly]

Blue cursed in a very unladylike fashion as the room exploded and she was buried in a pile of debris. She shoved the bits of table aside and pulled herself up just in time to get showered by foam. She wiped the foam from her eyes and looked down at herself, covered in foam from ears to tail. "This foam is kind of enjoyable," she mused

Not bothering to shake off the foam, Blue waved at the departing rhino. "Yeah, it's certainly been an interesting meeting. Good luck."

[BlasTech]

"Yes?" said Rarity, pausing in the process of squashing into the elevator.

Sometimes, it's hard to find the right words.

This could very well be the last chance Rosemary had to speak her mind, to talk to what might have been one of Equestria's great heroes. Intellectually, she knew that this was not the real Rarity; that it was just some artificial facsimile - although of admittedly surprising quality. It was just ... in the short conversation they'd had, it had demonstrated that there might, just might, be something more to her than that. The way it talked about finding her friends, the way she had viewed the handies, even the way she had uncomfortably spoken about her past. Rosemary didn't know what she was, but some shadow of an idea had gotten itself into her head and would not let go.

But, the words simply refused to cooperate.

"Miss Rari .. I just ... I mean."

Rosemary nickered in frustration before continuing. She spoke quietly, so that only Rarity would hear her.

"I've read alot about you; I know who you were, or, at least, who you meant to be seen as, who you were meant to be. Now ... I don't know if you still are her any more ..., I mean, if there was one thing I expected to find in a mini-mall, it really wasn't this. But ... sorry ... get to the point Rosemary."

Flushing with frustration and embarrasment, she took a deep breath before continuing.

"Look, what I am really trying to say is - Whoever you were, whatever you did, you're going to see alot of what happened as a result once you're out of here. I don't blame you for it, I can't, but it's going to confront you all the same. When it does, and I know I have no right to ask you this, but I want you to remember just two things."

"One; is that I will programme the turrets to ignore the ID of this sentry bot, to ignore you. This place may have been your prison, but if you ever find yourself in need of a home, this will be an option for you."

Rosemary's voice was ... unusual for her. Normally reserved, normally cold, it now strained under the pressure of emotions normally kept well under wraps. She wasn't judging, she wasn't accusing, she was just being earnest.

"The second thing is ... well ... no matter who you were, you can do better now. You can be better now. The wasteland has been like this for well over two hundred years, it needs ponies who can help turn it around. Your memories ... you ..."

"Just ... remember that while you're out there looking for your friends."

Standing as she was, facing Rarity in the elevator, her mane hid her face from the rest of the party. It was a fact she was grateful for.

"And good luck." she finished.

[the_druid_droid]

"Highness? If you could assist me? Archanotech devices like terminals often use alot of basic spellcasting principles, so you are probably best equipped to help identify any problems with the setup."

"Certainly! How could I pass up a chance to examine pre-war technology of this caliber?" Luna rose quickly and hurried over to help Rosemary with the transplant of the computer core, marveling as she did so at the delicacy and grace of the thing. It was, if her studies could be trusted, just the perfect housing for whatever remained of the former Minister's consciousness.


When the smoke cleared, Rarity was standing still. "I should probably experiment further outside."

Luna stood up a little shakily, a few feathers singed or still smouldering, with a patchy new coat of foam covering her blue fur. "I think that might be wise, Minister."

With that, the alicorn began brushing clumps of extinguishing foam off herself.


The core was indeed fine.

"I'll just show myself out, shall I?" said Rarity awkwardly. "The control password is 'Look To Tomorrow' and there's a master key on the rack in Filthy Rich's office back there."

Rarity began backing up down the corridor towards the lift, unsteadily getting used to mobility. There were a lot of unsteady bumps during this process.

"Good luck, Minister. I hope you find what you're looking for."

[Balmas]

"Before you go," said the griffon, "Is there a back room with more stock than what was on the shelves? It would be helpful."

He coughed, seeming to struggle for the words. "I can't say that I like the results of 200 years ago. Life is hard, brutal, and usually short. Good luck out there. Be safe and cautious. Don't let me find you being sold for scrap metal somewhere."

[Thanqol]

"The second thing is ... well ... no matter who you were, you can do better now. You can be better now. The wasteland has been like this for well over two hundred years, it needs ponies who can help turn it around. Your memories ... you ..."

"Just ... remember that while you're out there looking for your friends."

Standing as she was, facing Rarity in the elevator, her mane hid her face from the rest of the party. It was a fact she was grateful for.

"And good luck." she finished.

The Sentry Bot was just as incapable of emoting as the computer screen had been, but Rarity's shining, bell-like voice sounded... calm? Happy?

"I gave all I had to give, and I do not regret the giving," said Rarity. "Just because it wasn't enough doesn't mean I should stop trying."


"Good luck, Minister. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Thank you, possibly hallucinatory Princess Luna," said Rarity.


"Before you go," said the griffon, "Is there a back room with more stock than what was on the shelves? It would be helpful."

"Oh yes, there are a few rooms around here with some stored materials," said Rarity.


He coughed, seeming to struggle for the words. "I can't say that I like the results of 200 years ago. Life is hard, brutal, and usually short. Good luck out there. Be safe and cautious. Don't let me find you being sold for scrap metal somewhere."

"If three tonnes of robotic rhino and a phalanx of loyal robots aren't enough to survive out there, well... I'm not exactly in a position to do better.

"Thank you for your kind words, everypony," Rarity finished as the elevator doors started to close. "I hope we meet again,"

And she was gone.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Seems like no one's particularly interested in you, little guy." Trees the foam heap said to the Sentrybot AI core.
"Probably because you were a little bit blunt and kiiinda boring."

She retracted the AI core back under her cloak to keep it dry and slowly dragged herself to her feet, foam slipping off in an unhurried kind of way.

"Pff." Said Trees. "Ptah, pteh. Ffff."
She blew foam off of her face, then shook her head a little sending heavy splats of foam on it's way to the floor.

"That could have gone a lot worse. Gabriel, does everypony in the Wastelands think they are a pony from two hundred years ago? Because it's starting to look like a thing."

[Balmas]

"Not all," he grinned. "Some of them think that they're griffons, robots, or ghouls. Met the weirdest guy once. Said he'd spent a lot of time working with reactors, and he'd got the voice to prove it. Not a bad looking stallion, but get this--colt thought he'd been ghoulified."

The griffon shook, sending bubbles of foam cascading to the floor, and got to work on cleaning out his rifle. "Waitaminute... Dang it! I forgot to ask how she got down here!"

[Thanqol]

The griffon shook, sending bubbles of foam cascading to the floor, and got to work on cleaning out his rifle. "Waitaminute... Dang it! I forgot to ask how she got down here!"

"That sounds like a really good question," said Lyra sympathetically as the Handies moved over to the lift.

[BlasTech]

After what might have been a moment too long spent staring at the elevator, Rosemary turned back to the party. Her face was back to its usual blankness, all traces of a smile wiped away. For all they could tell, she could have been whispering anything to the sentry bot before it had departed.

She made way for the Mr Handies as they swarmed their own way out, before trotting towards the main office.

"Whatever led her to be down here is irrelevant." She said. "She is gone, and all that remains is for us to explore the things she has left us."

Rose headed on past the remaining blobs of foam and made to open the office door.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Hey Rose." Trees piped up, following the Unicorn. "How flexible do you reckon an AI like this is, anyway? Is it capable of actually interfacing with other hardware than it's native chasis? Would it be capable of operating under different parameters? Would it need reprogramming to do that?"

The earth pony fired off questions, leaving a trail of foam behind her.

[Thanqol]

Filthy Rich's office was beautifully tasteful; dark woods and brass fixtures, immaculately cleaned and tidied.

There was a copper key hanging from a hook on the wall, a magnificent hardwood desk with a very large book reading "Intercontinental Trade". There was a fine pen and a series of very comfortable leather couches. A picture hung from the wall.

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/195/9/0/commission7_by_karzahnii-d6dg8uv.png

On the shelf were several other well-kept Pre-War books and a shining white-and-teal Memory Orb. The desk was locked and the key did not fit it [Lock is hard, -10 to pick]

[Balmas]

Gabe stalked into the office, looking around at all the wood and fixtures. It was impressive alright--it had probably been designed to be so. It all felt hollow, though. Had Filthy even been here, or had it just been prepared for a supervisor that would never arrive?

Anyway, there were only two things that were interesting right now. Lugging the book to the couch, he sprawled out and began to read.

Just skimming through it, seeing if he can't find any oddities, like maybe a key stuck in the pages.

[Thanqol]

Gabe stalked into the office, looking around at all the wood and fixtures. It was impressive alright--it had probably been designed to be so. It all felt hollow, though. Had Filthy even been here, or had it just been prepared for a supervisor that would never arrive?

Anyway, there were only two things that were interesting right now. Lugging the book to the couch, he sprawled out and began to read.

Facts, figures, ledgers, information, scrawled margin notes, supply chain optimisation, logistics, relative value... it was fascinating stuff. It made no apologies for being advanced and difficult, it wasn't a textbook, it was actual high end intercontinental finance for people who understood the topic intimately.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary simply stood and stared, her gaze transfixed by the silvery orb that rested on the shelf next to the books. A memory orb. They were rare, true, but common enough in the Crystal Empire that for her to know what it was, as well as what it would do if she picked it up using her magic.

[Balmas]

"Bah," growled the griffon, shutting the book in disgust. There might have been a griffon or two who could have understood this drivel, but not him. Economics as he knew it meant, "I give service / goods, and you give caps / goods." And even then, he knew that he was probably getting fleeced somewhere whenever he traded.

"Anyone know how to pick a lock?"

[Tiki Snakes]

"Not without an Angle Grinder." Trees shrugged. "Or maybe a powerdrill. Actually, you find me a crowbar and we could probably just pop the top of the desk clean off, get in that way."

"Should probably look for a console first though, in case there's an electronic override or something."

Trees trotted up to the picture, staring at it for a while. There was something hypnotic about Filthy Rich she couldn't quite put her hoof on.

"Oh, and while we're casing the joint, let's do this properly." She broke out of her reverie. "Come on Gabriel, help me get this painting off the wall."

[Balmas]

Gabriel looked up from digging in the couch cushions for change, and nodded. "Yeah, sure." As he moved to take one end of the frame, he commented, "Smarmy looking bastard, isn't he?"

[Thanqol]

There was nothing on the wall behind the picture. It seemed like the books and the memory orb were the only pieces of stray loot in this room.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Well, scratch that idea. There much of an art-market up here in the wasteland? If we break this out of the frame, it shouldn't be too hard to transport once we roll it up." Trees suggested idly.

"Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go see if I can find some tools, maybe help get us into that desk or something." She shrugged, placing the painting down to one side for a minute before heading out of the office in search of the promised maintenance areas.

[BlasTech]

"I think I shall inspect the memory orb before attempting to reprogramme the computer." Rosemary concluded, having spent the last minute or two just staring at the silvery sphere.

"It might hold some insight as to the nature of the systems or of the megamall itself."

[Deadly]

"I think I shall inspect the memory orb before attempting to reprogramme the computer." Rosemary concluded, having spent the last minute or two just staring at the silvery sphere.

"It might hold some insight as to the nature of the systems or of the megamall itself."

"Probably a good idea. It may contain a message," Blue said and inspected the room curiously.

[Thanqol]

"Well, scratch that idea. There much of an art-market up here in the wasteland? If we break this out of the frame, it shouldn't be too hard to transport once we roll it up." Trees suggested idly.

"Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go see if I can find some tools, maybe help get us into that desk or something." She shrugged, placing the painting down to one side for a minute before heading out of the office in search of the promised maintenance areas.

There was a maintenance room with a large furnace and a handful of tools and devices. The only really notable items were five suits of pink, white and green barding. They were spiked and gnarled Raider barding that had been repainted in bright colours and riddled with laser holes.

[I will do a full loot list later, you can assume you get everything]


"I think I shall inspect the memory orb before attempting to reprogramme the computer." Rosemary concluded, having spent the last minute or two just staring at the silvery sphere.

"It might hold some insight as to the nature of the systems or of the megamall itself."

On the wafting wings of music, Rosemary entered a memory.

[Flashback sequence will take some time to type up in full]

[BlasTech]

On the wafting wings of music, Rosemary entered a memory.

[Flashback sequence will take some time to type up in full]

"I don't know how long this will take" observed Rose, as she lowered her horn to touch the orb.

"Just ... make sure the earth pony doesn't draw anything on me while I'm unconscious." She added, sparing a glance for the door that Trees had just exited through.

[Zonked out till done]

[Balmas]

Gabrield shrugged, pulling the picture from its frame and beginning to roll it up. If the earth pony wanted to haul it across the wasteland, that was her business. And if she couldn't sell it, well, he could find some tobacco and replace a few cigarettes.

With that done, he began cleaning the foam out of the notches and crevices in Maria. "I guess there's a whole lot for us to do, then," he snarked, looking at the pegasus beside him, seeing if there was anything legible in the pre-war books on he shelves.

[Thanqol]

~o~

MEMORY ORB #1: LYRA

This was what it was like to be smart. Proper smart. The ideas drifting absently through this head were of stunning complexity, but were discarded or brushed aside constantly because they weren't relevant right now. There was almost the feeling of slight irritation at a brain that kept coming up with good ideas when she was trying to focus on other things.

What occupied most of her focus was the music. She was scrawling rapidly with a quill on a notepad, musical notes dripping from her quill. Scritch-scritch, hmm hmm, trying to hum the same few bars over and over to keep the idea in her mind while her pen struggled to keep up.

"Lyra?"

Scritch, snap. Ink all over the page. She held the page up and shook it off hurriedly, blowing on the ink as if it would cool the ink over and stop it from spreading.

"Could you get the door please, Lyra?" said Filthy Rich, not looking up from the book he was engrossed in.

"Yes, boss," said Lyra, putting her paper on a big stack of papers and walking over to the door. She swung it open.

Outside was a zebra wearing cold weather gear. It was a strange and alien figure, freakishly tall and with intimidating stripes and tattoos. The armour it wore seemed both minimalist and invasive, seeming to strike deeper into it's own flesh than it should. Steady blue eyes looked out from over a metallic muzzle. It wore a long white camouflage cape.

Lyra didn't switch from her dreamy, relaxed state but her thoughts started to focus in a long, languid cycle around her horn. The lighting in the room changed and the zebra took an uncertain step back. "Hmm," said Lyra. "I see you got past the guards,"

The zebra flourished his cloak to reveal a series of burn holes. When he spoke, his voice was distorted from the mask. "Interesting identity test you have there, pony. A proper welcome after a long journey," he rumbled.

"Nine out of ten Changelings agree," Lyra said dreamily. "Didn't do too much damage, I hope?"

"I maimed a few of your machines," said the zebra, still watching Lyra's horn cautiously. "I offer no apologies."

"Lyra. Stop threatening my client," said Filthy Rich from his desk, not looking up from his book.

"Fine," Lyra said, stepping out of the way. The zebra stepped in and shook snow fragments from his mane.

"This one's name is Scimitar. Your proposal has brought me far," said the zebra facing Filthy Rich formally. "The price you ask is very high. To build it took three years of life,"

"Yes, hm," said Filthy Rich. "Well, the blueprints I have here took the Minister for Technology about a year to come up with, and factoring in mass production and resources it seems to even out," said Filthy Rich, picking up a long tube of paper and unrolling it on the table.

Power armour.

Lyra craned her neck to look at it. Mr. Rich had got his hooves on Applejack's power armour designs? That was Equestria's trump card in the War! Was he really going to turn it over to the zebras?

"These armored beasts are slow to fall," said the zebra, looking over the pages. "This deal would seem acceptable,"

"Good. Then bring it in," said Filthy. Scimitar stamped his hoof once.

The Sentry Bot rolled in, painted brilliant white. Lyra's breath caught in her teeth.

"This is the robot?" said Filthy Rich, giving it a brief glance.

"Robot? This isn't a robot!" Lyra burst out indignantly, getting close to examine the humming rhinoceros. "This... this is a golem."

"Your friend is in the right, there is no equal in a fight," said the zebra. "A golem is made of silver and bone, a machine who's skill can be grown."

"Golems are intensely spiritually resonant constructions. You can slot anything into their heads and they'll run and magnify that. Back in the old days zebras used to use pages from their holy books and the golems would use them as their thoughts," Lyra was gushing, continuing to examine the machine. "It takes years to make even one, they can learn and adapt, they're smarter than ponies and have all the magical firepower of a rhino..."

"Fine," said Filthy Rich. "It's what I need. Take the blueprints and go back to your people,"

"Another in a line of grand bargains," said Scimitar, bowing and sweeping up the blueprints. "I am glad that we could be friends." With a flick of his tail, he departed.

Once he was gone, and the euphoria of seeing - owning! - a golem started to fade from Lyra's mind, she turned around to face Filthy Rich. "You gave the zebras the power armour designs."

"Yes," said Filthy, unfurling his newspaper, unconcerned.

"That was going to win us the war!" said Lyra. "How did you even get those?"

"Espionage efforts with costs ranging upwards of three million bits," said Filthy Rich.

"You spent three million bits on those blueprints? You?" said Lyra, disbelieving.

"Yes," said Filthy Rich.

"You?"

"Yes,"

"Why? For this?"

"Yes," said Filthy Rich.

"You?" Lyra insisted. "You squeeze every penny! You wouldn't even give the Minister of Morale a discount when she came by the Hoofington shop! What's wrong with you? Spending three million bits on a single robot?"

"Because money is pointless, Lyra," said Filthy Rich, irritably throwing his newspaper aside, "except for what it can buy. I know that better than anypony. Making money isn't the issue. The issue is making enough money."

"To do what?"

"Save the world,"

"Save the world?" Lyra laughed uncertainly.

"Yes," said Filthy Rich, getting to his hooves. He walked over and looked up at the glowing red eyes of the rhinoceros. "Power armour won't save it. Three million bits won't save it. But this golem... with the right motivation... just might."

He walked out of the room. "Take out the brain, study it. Redesign it. Do what you do best. I'll be back when I have the motivation,"

And Lyra was left alone, staring up at the massive golem.

She swallowed, then got to work.


~o~

[BlasTech]

The memory faded, and with it the sensation of having briefly inhabited someone else's body. Thankfully, Lyra had been similar enough to herself that the sensation hadn't been entirely alien.

Blinking, Rosemary opened her eyes, considering what she had just seen. That Sentry Bot, that golem, could think and grow? Had that been the golem they'd just released on the wastes? If so ... Filthy Rich had said it had the potential to save the world. Did that mean it needed help?

"At least that answers the question of his Zebra dealings." she muttered. "As well as who to blame for that stupid identity test."

[the_druid_droid]

"I think I shall inspect the memory orb before attempting to reprogramme the computer." Rosemary concluded, having spent the last minute or two just staring at the silvery sphere.

"It might hold some insight as to the nature of the systems or of the megamall itself."

"Please let me know if there's anything interesting on it. I'll keep an eye on things while you're out." Luna too had been staring at the orb, wondering whose memories might be recorded inside.


"At least that answers the question of his Zebra dealings." she muttered. "As well as who to blame for that stupid identity test."

"Welcome back." Luna smiled, "Someone from the mall, then?"

[Balmas]

"Dead now, probably," muttered the griffon. "Anything useful in there?"

[BlasTech]

"Dead now, probably," muttered the griffon. "Anything useful in there?"

"Immediately useful? No, unfortunately not." answered Rosemary. "It was rather illuminating though."



"Welcome back." Luna smiled, "Someone from the mall, then?"

"The orb was a record of one of Lyra's memories; involving a meeting between Fithy Rich and a Zebra. It seems the rumours of Filthy's deals with Equestria's enemies were true after all; he traded information on Equestria's power armour technology in return for delivery of a ... special kind of robot. The one I think that just departed here, in fact."

"Lyra called it a golem, she made it sound as if it were alive ; capable of learning and autonomy. Apparently Filthy thought that it could help to save the world."

"I think it evident that it was not successful in that regard." she finished. "But he believed it strongly enough to not only betray his country, but to expend a very large sum of money in obtaining it."

Giving herself a little shake, Rosemary got back up and tucked the memory orb into her saddlebags.

"I should go attend to the main computer now."

[Deadly]

With that done, he began cleaning the foam out of the notches and crevices in Maria. "I guess there's a whole lot for us to do, then," he snarked, looking at the pegasus beside him, seeing if there was anything legible in the pre-war books on he shelves.

"We could have a party of our own while we wait," Blue offered, maybe not probably serious. "Like, a rave party."


"The orb was a record of one of Lyra's memories; involving a meeting between Fithy Rich and a Zebra. It seems the rumours of Filthy's deals with Equestria's enemies were true after all; he traded information on Equestria's power armour technology in return for delivery of a ... special kind of robot. The one I think that just departed here, in fact."

"Lyra called it a golem, she made it sound as if it were alive ; capable of learning and autonomy. Apparently Filthy thought that it could help to save the world."

"I think it evident that it was not successful in that regard." she finished. "But he believed it strongly enough to not only betray his country, but to expend a very large sum of money in obtaining it."

Giving herself a little shake, Rosemary got back up and tucked the memory orb into her saddlebags.

"I should go attend to the main computer now."

Blue didn't look convinced. "He thought it would save the world? Betraying everypony like that? Who's to say he wasn't just bucking mad and doomed us all for nothing?"

[Thanqol]

Giving herself a little shake, Rosemary got back up and tucked the memory orb into her saddlebags.

"I should go attend to the main computer now."

The main computer was interesting.

The turret log indicated that they had been configured to shoot all targets for 150 years, and then shut down. There were various damage and ammunition expenditure reports, spaced out from all the conflicts the mall had been in through the years. There were controls to set targeting parameters, disable the security sweeps, and otherwise manage the mall's functions and controls.


The other books in Filthy Rich's offices included ledgers, blueprints and order forms for a variety of other Barnyard Bargains Megamalls. There was some strange cipher or meaning there but it would take a great deal of time to disentangle it. There were also payment reports for ponies and businesses all over the world and some of the numbers involved were scarcely believable.

[Balmas]

Gabriel frowned at the numbers in the book. Merchants would usually give around ten caps per stack of bits that he could drag in. At ten caps to every stack of 100 bits... "That's a lot of caps," he murmured.

"I wonder whether this Rich guy had a bank, an office, somewhere he stored his caps." Slouching back on the couch, he called across the room to the unicorn. "Any electric unlock on the desk?"

[BlasTech]

Blue didn't look convinced. "He thought it would save the world? Betraying everypony like that? Who's to say he wasn't just bucking mad and doomed us all for nothing?"

"Admittedly, not much" answered Rosemary, as she began fiddling with the main computer. "That said, it is only fair to note; it wasn't Zebras with power armour that destroyed the world."


The main computer was interesting.

The turret log indicated that they had been configured to shoot all targets for 150 years, and then shut down. There were various damage and ammunition expenditure reports, spaced out from all the conflicts the mall had been in through the years. There were controls to set targeting parameters, disable the security sweeps, and otherwise manage the mall's functions and controls.


Rosemary set about at setting the target parameters for the turrets and checking the information the system had on the mall's functions, idly curious as to how they had managed to stay supplied with ammunition after 150 years of usage.

She made a point of adding the tag for Rarity's sentry bot, as well as those of the handies to the safe list alongside the rest of the party.

As she worked, a thought occured to her, born of a comment from earlier.

"Highness? Would you care to join me here?"



"I wonder whether this Rich guy had a bank, an office, somewhere he stored his caps." Slouching back on the couch, he called across the room to the unicorn. "Any electric unlock on the desk?"

"I rather suspect he was still using bits rather than caps at the time he died." said Rosemary, as she began flicking around the menus, looking for anything that might indicate an alternate way to open the desk.

[Thanqol]

"I rather suspect he was still using bits rather than caps at the time he died." said Rosemary, as she began flicking around the menus, looking for anything that might indicate an alternate way to open the desk.

This seemed like a completely non-electronic manual lock that would require some sort of lock picking skill in order to interact with.


Rosemary set about at setting the target parameters for the turrets and checking the information the system had on the mall's functions, idly curious as to how they had managed to stay supplied with ammunition after 150 years of usage.

The planning seemed to indicate around 200 years worth of supplies. Built into the turrets and maintenance system, unfortunately.

[the_druid_droid]

"The orb was a record of one of Lyra's memories; involving a meeting between Fithy Rich and a Zebra. It seems the rumours of Filthy's deals with Equestria's enemies were true after all; he traded information on Equestria's power armour technology in return for delivery of a ... special kind of robot. The one I think that just departed here, in fact."

"Lyra called it a golem, she made it sound as if it were alive ; capable of learning and autonomy. Apparently Filthy thought that it could help to save the world."

"I think it evident that it was not successful in that regard." she finished. "But he believed it strongly enough to not only betray his country, but to expend a very large sum of money in obtaining it."

Giving herself a little shake, Rosemary got back up and tucked the memory orb into her saddlebags.

"I should go attend to the main computer now."

As she listened to Rosemary, Luna's eyes seemed to be trying to bore into the memory orb, and emotions swept over her face like cloud shadows. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and heavy. "I might... need to take a look at that later, then."


As she worked, a thought occured to her, born of a comment from earlier.

"Highness? Would you care to join me here?"

Luna shook off the remnants of her mood and slowly cantered toward the mainframe. "Certainly. How can I be of assistance?"

[BlasTech]

This seemed like a completely non-electronic manual lock that would require some sort of lock picking skill in order to interact with.


"Looks like you'll have to pick or break that lock, I'm afraid. There's nothing in here relating to the desk" Rosemary said, before returning to fiddling with the turrets and their activation protocols.

[Balmas]

"I rather suspect he was still using bits rather than caps at the time he died." said Rosemary, as she began flicking around the menus, looking for anything that might indicate an alternate way to open the desk.

"You know what I meant," scowled the griffon.


"Looks like you'll have to pick or break that lock, I'm afraid. There's nothing in here relating to the desk" Rosemary said, before returning to fiddling with the turrets and their activation protocols.

Gabe clacked the lock with a talon, wiggling it back and forth. It didn't give much to either way, and it fit precisely into its slot in the wood. "I could give a shot at carving around it, but something tells me that a rich pony who was selling war secrets wouldn't trust good stuff to a desk that could be carved open." There'd been a griffon at his stable that'd specialized in safe-cracking, but Gabriel wasn't quite prepared to grow out his talons like she had. "I'm gonna go check to see if I can't find some bobby pins in the store. Are the turrets programmed?"

[Tiki Snakes]

"A desk is a desk, Gabriel Griffon." Trees said, trotting back into the room happily, a couple of tools wrapped up in her tail. She dropped them on the floor, then picked out of the bundle a crowbar using her mouth and a lump hammer with her tail, which she wiggled around eagerly.

"An a rofah ih a rofah!" She said incomprehensibly, eyeing up the corners of the desk where the top layer joins the rest of the structure and the panels that made up the back of the desk.

[Balmas]

"Let's keep that in reserve," Gabriel said, eyeing the earth pony. "Is there a screwdriver in that pile of assorted tools?"

[Thanqol]

"Looks like you'll have to pick or break that lock, I'm afraid. There's nothing in here relating to the desk" Rosemary said, before returning to fiddling with the turrets and their activation protocols.

It was relatively easy to get a grip on the turrets. It was also relatively easy to locate the elevator controls. It seemed that Rarity had been bluffing pretty hard with the 'do what I say or everyone dies' angle.

Robot controls were all disconnected, except for the one Protectron in the tube that was 24 hours away from being repaired.

[BlasTech]

As she listened to Rosemary, Luna's eyes seemed to be trying to bore into the memory orb, and emotions swept over her face like cloud shadows. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and heavy. "I might... need to take a look at that later, then."

"By all means. Just let me know when you want it." Rosemary said, shifting her saddlebags slightly for emphasis.



Luna shook off the remnants of her mood and slowly cantered toward the mainframe. "Certainly. How can I be of assistance?"

"Well, I was thinking of something I'd said earlier; about how archanotech computers rely alot on basic spellcasting principles ... I don't presume to instruct you on spellcasting, but it struck me as a good idea to at least give you a rundown on how to translate that skill into accessing terminals."

She leaned to the side, letting the alicorn have a look at the screen.

"This terminal actually uses basic spell structures to organise and sort through data. See here? It's a graphical representation of the Organise spells some ponies can cast on their bags. It's built into the machine, but you can manipulate it easily enough if you know the theory of how it works, even if you can't cast it yourself ..."

[RP justification for Luna's science to be applicable to hacking too now? Also, possibly an opening to offer to teach Rose about combat spells.]


It was relatively easy to get a grip on the turrets. It was also relatively easy to locate the elevator controls. It seemed that Rarity had been bluffing pretty hard with the 'do what I say or everyone dies' angle.

Robot controls were all disconnected, except for the one Protectron in the tube that was 24 hours away from being repaired.

"Intersting. It looks like Rarity left one of the Protectrons behind, the one we destroyed earlier." Rosemary mused.



"I'm gonna go check to see if I can't find some bobby pins in the store. Are the turrets programmed?"

"The turrets have been reprogrammed. I've put in a routine so that they warn ponies away before activating, just in case somepony stumbles across the store later on. You've also been added to the safe list, so even if they do activate up there, they should regard you as friendly."

[Thanqol]

"Let's keep that in reserve," Gabriel said, eyeing the earth pony. "Is there a screwdriver in that pile of assorted tools?"

There certainly was.

Rather than restricting lockpicking attempts to bobby pin quantities, which is a silly process, only a single roll can be made per sealed item. Breaking in by force always risks damaging the goods inside.

[Thanqol]

General Loot List:

40 Bits in cash register change
(All Good)
1x Flare Gun
1x Caravan Shotgun
1x Hunting Rifle
3x 10mm Pistols
1x Magical Energy Pistol
1x BB Gun
1x Tire Iron
1x Crowbar
2x Lead Pipes
1x Machette
1x Pickaxe
3x Pre-War Businesswear
3x Pre-War Clothes
3x Sexy Sleepwear

5x Health Potions
5x Bandages
5x Rad Away
5x Rad Away (Flim Flam Bros Brand)
1x Doctor's Bag
50x Instamash/Potato Chips/Various other unhealthy pre-war preserved foods
20x Sparkle-Cola
5x Sparkle-Cola RAD
1x Brawndo, The Thirst Mutilator


2x Miscellaneous Bag Of Junk (useful for crafting!)
1x Memory Orb (Lyra)

AMMO
5x .308
10x .308 HP
50x 10mm
20x Shotgun Shells
50x BB
24x Spark Cells
3x Flares


Bubblegum: All Out

[Thanqol]

The desk proved annoyingly resistant to power tools - the interior was metallic and Trees was likely to ruin her tools before she got through it. Everything else was attainable through the master key they'd located and some creative crowbar application.

In addition to the furnace, though, they were able to locate the storage tube where the Protectron carcass was being rebuilt by an automated process. It was force-fielded, but the nearby computer terminal could be used to reprogram it with a science check [No modifier].

The settings were
- Efficient And Friendly Counter Service!
- Diligent And Devoted Janitorial Expert!
- Professional And Even-Handed Justice Dispenser!

[Balmas]

Gabriel hefted one of the pistols, sighting down the length. Yeah, that would do. "I've still got some health potions," he said as he proceeded to scoop the .308 ammo into his bags. "You want to carry them, Rosemary?"

And now, the part that he'd been dreading. He frowned, edging a screwdriver into the lock and wiggling it gently.

First attempt: 8 over 4. Failure, unless fine manipulation tools like talons or magic grants a bonus to lockpick.

Second Attempt: 95 over four. Whew! One more, and that've been a crit fail.

Third Attempt: 28 over four. Failure. These dice need a better sense of dramatic timing.

[the_druid_droid]

"Well, I was thinking of something I'd said earlier; about how archanotech computers rely alot on basic spellcasting principles ... I don't presume to instruct you on spellcasting, but it struck me as a good idea to at least give you a rundown on how to translate that skill into accessing terminals."

She leaned to the side, letting the alicorn have a look at the screen.

"This terminal actually uses basic spell structures to organise and sort through data. See here? It's a graphical representation of the Organise spells some ponies can cast on their bags. It's built into the machine, but you can manipulate it easily enough if you know the theory of how it works, even if you can't cast it yourself ..."

[RP justification for Luna's science to be applicable to hacking too now? Also, possibly an opening to offer to teach Rose about combat spells.]


Luna took a careful look over the mainframe as Rose gave her some basic instruction, then reached out with her own magic to poke and prod the interface a bit.

"Ah, I see. Some of the HREC workers mentioned something similar before, but I never had much use for the terminals, nor was I a member of the science division. Thank you, Miss Rosemary, you seem quite well-versed in applied thaumaturgy."

[Gonna let Rose hint at combat for now. Also if they fit her, requesting Pre-War clothes and sleepwear since I believe they boost Charisma-y stuff. (Yes, this game may involve Princess Luna in lingere). Don't care for any of the other loot except food and meds, since Firearms is so low.]

[BlasTech]

Gabriel hefted one of the pistols, sighting down the length. Yeah, that would do. "I've still got some health potions," he said as he proceeded to scoop the .308 ammo into his bags. "You want to carry them, Rosemary?"


"If there are no objections? I would suggest giving Miss Blue one of them though, three per pony should be enough for emergencies." Rose nodded, as she began gathering the medical supplies into her bag.

"Similarly, we can split up the Rad-away packs and carry one each." She began, before frowning at the labelling on some of them.

"I haven't heard of Flim Flam branded Rad Away before"

[One potion to Blue, four in Rose's bag? Anyone who objects can do so IC :smallsmile:]


Luna took a careful look over the mainframe as Rose gave her some basic instruction, then reached out with her own magic to poke and prod the interface a bit.

"Ah, I see. Some of the HREC workers mentioned something similar before, but I never had much use for the terminals, nor was I a member of the science division. Thank you, Miss Rosemary, you seem quite well-versed in applied thaumaturgy."

[Gonna let Rose hint at combat for now. Also if they fit her, requesting Pre-War clothes and sleepwear since I believe they boost Charisma-y stuff. (Yes, this game may involve Princess Luna in lingere). Don't care for any of the other loot except food and meds, since Firearms is so low.]

"You are too kind, Highness." Rose said, succesfully managing to hide any traces of a blush. "But my skills are not as ... practiced as they could be."

"Take, for example, that spell you used against the protecton's earlier. I am familiar with some of the theory behind offensive spellcasting, but have not yet had the means to develop the theoretical knowledge into ability."


The desk proved annoyingly resistant to power tools - the interior was metallic and Trees was likely to ruin her tools before she got through it. Everything else was attainable through the master key they'd located and some creative crowbar application.

In addition to the furnace, though, they were able to locate the storage tube where the Protectron carcass was being rebuilt by an automated process. It was force-fielded, but the nearby computer terminal could be used to reprogram it with a science check [No modifier].

The settings were
- Efficient And Friendly Counter Service!
- Diligent And Devoted Janitorial Expert!
- Professional And Even-Handed Justice Dispenser!

Rosemary had continued talking, as the two of them left the main computer behind and explored further into the megamall. She looked around the protecton chamber that they'd found themselves in and noticed the terminal on the wall.

"On the matter of practice, would you like to try your hoof at this?" Rosemary asked the alicorn. "Admittedly, though, I'm not sure what setting we should be trying to put in place."

[Thanqol]

The Protectron was currently configured to dispense justice.

[the_druid_droid]

"You are too kind, Highness." Rose said, succesfully managing to hide any traces of a blush. "But my skills are not as ... practiced as they could be."

"Take, for example, that spell you used against the protecton's earlier. I am familiar with some of the theory behind offensive spellcasting, but have not yet had the means to develop the theoretical knowledge into ability."

Luna smiled, but then cocked her head and stared intently into Rosemary's eyes. "Yes, I suppose that is understandable considering your role as a medic... However, we find ourselves in desperate straits at the moment, and offensive magics can be quite potent when directed by a skilled practitioner. Even if you only mastered the basics, it would give you something to rely upon in case of emergency..."

Although she was speaking, it seemed that Luna was addressing herself rather than the unicorn standing beside her. After another long silence, the alicorn spoke again, "Very well. If you wish, I will teach you what I can about magical combat. You must always bear in mind though that to use magic to harm a foe is to become intimate with violence on a level impossible when using conventional or even arcane weaponry."

For a moment, Luna's eyes went cold. "To forge your will into a weapon is a truly terrible thing, Rosemary Unicorn. Do you still wish it, knowing that?"

***


"On the matter of practice, would you like to try your hoof at this?" Rosemary asked the alicorn. "Admittedly, though, I'm not sure what setting we should be trying to put in place."

Once she had received the unicorn's answer, Luna was quick to return her attention to the arcanotech console. "It appears that the robot is currently configured to dispense justice, which I imagine implies a security function. Considering that there is only one left, and that the task of perimeter maintenance has been delegated to the turrets, it might be preferable to provide this one with an alternative occupation. Do you think the mall would require clerical services in the absence of customers? I personally believe that janitorial work may be more relevant."

[BlasTech]

"Very well. If you wish, I will teach you what I can about magical combat. You must always bear in mind though that to use magic to harm a foe is to become intimate with violence on a level impossible when using conventional or even arcane weaponry."

For a moment, Luna's eyes went cold. "To forge your will into a weapon is a truly terrible thing, Rosemary Unicorn. Do you still wish it, knowing that?"


Rosemary turned over the alicorn's words in her mind. In all honesty, she didn't consider there to be much of a difference between methods once one had chosen to take a life.

But, it sounded as if the princess was speaking from experience, perhaps her own, or maybe that of her teacher's. In either case, Rosemary's original reply died before it was fully formed.

"I will bear that in mind. I am willing."



Once she had received the unicorn's answer, Luna was quick to return her attention to the arcanotech console. "It appears that the robot is currently configured to dispense justice, which I imagine implies a security function. Considering that there is only one left, and that the task of perimeter maintenance has been delegated to the turrets, it might be preferable to provide this one with an alternative occupation. Do you think the mall would require clerical services in the absence of customers? I personally believe that janitorial work may be more relevant."

"I agree that security is not the right setting for it. I suppose the janatorial functions might help to maintain this facility until we return for it." Rosemary said. "Setting it to counter service seems rather pointless when it has nothing to sell. Perhaps if Trees is able to realise her ambition of reactivating this place first, but for now it seems a waste of a protectron."

"Yes, janatorial would seem the most rational choice." She nodded.

[Deadly]

Blue takes the offered healing potion and stuffs it in her bag without much of a word. With nothing in particular to do or offer in the way of presently useful skills, the pegasus decides to simply drift about the store randomly like a leaf caught in a breeze, looking at everything and occasionally picking up stuff to inspect more closely.

[Tiki Snakes]

At the first sign of a metal interior to the desk, Trees shrugged an apology and left the rest of them to it.

Instead she got to work whilst the others scavenged every last piece of loot that Barnyard Bargains still had to offer, trying to assemble enough pieces of spare, damaged or discarded protectron to put together a basic set of armour. It wouldn't be pretty, but then that was never really a priority. The weird multi-coloured barding was to be cannibalized to hold it together. That and a few sturdy bolts should do the job.

Suddenly inspired, Trees dismantled a second set of Raider barding. With any luck, it could be used to create a series of loops and catches to store some of the gear she wanted to take with her or might yet find along the way.

[Rolls required? Further technical specifications? Insufficient raw materials to actually finish the project?]

At least, that was the plan. After a while scratching round and finding a lot less than she'd hoped, including five minutes staring at a broken pressure cooker desperately trying to work out if she could find any kind of use for it, Trees gave up and went to go wait for the others in the main area of Barnyard Bargains.

[the_druid_droid]

"I will bear that in mind. I am willing."

"Very well. I can go over the basics tonight, although it might be most convenient to do so outside. Misfired spells are no more kind to upholstery than plasma bolts." A bit of a smile returned to Luna's face, and she gestured toward the mall with a motion of her wing.


"I agree that security is not the right setting for it. I suppose the janatorial functions might help to maintain this facility until we return for it." Rosemary said. "Setting it to counter service seems rather pointless when it has nothing to sell. Perhaps if Trees is able to realise her ambition of reactivating this place first, but for now it seems a waste of a protectron."

"Yes, janatorial would seem the most rational choice." She nodded.

"I shall reassign it, then." Luna made the necessary selection with her magic and gave the system one last check before stepping away from the console.

[Thanqol]

Night was falling, but at least if they camped here they wouldn't have to worry about arctic radscorpions crawling into their boots in the night.

[Balmas]

There was an inarticulate growl, and the sound of a screwdriver being flung against a metal strongbox. With precise carelessness, Gabriel emerged from under the desk and smoothed the trio of well-kept feathers from out of his eyes. "We'd better get to bed soon. Who wants the couch?"

[the_druid_droid]

There was an inarticulate growl, and the sound of a screwdriver being flung against a metal strongbox. With precise carelessness, Gabriel emerged from under the desk and smoothed the trio of well-kept feathers from out of his eyes. "We'd better get to bed soon. Who wants the couch?"

"I believe Rosemary and I have some business to attend to first. I can take the first watch, if you like." With that, Luna headed for the elevator and the outside world, motioning for Rose to join her.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary followed behind, not eager for practice, not exactly, but gliding along behind with her usual calm gait and restrained expression.

[Balmas]

"I'll take second watch, then." The griffon ambled over to the pile of assorted junk food, and selected a familiar blue and white box. Sugar Apple Bombs: Part of a balanced breakfast! Gabe snorted, seeing if there weren't more boxes in the jumble. Sure, there were enough preservatives in that box to make a ghoul look healthy, but they still tasted okay. Better than Cram, anyway.

After chowing down, it was only a matter of minutes before the griffon was asleep on the couch, Maria clutched firmly in his sleeping talons.

[the_druid_droid]

When they emerged into the evening air, Luna indicated a clear spot a short trot from the mall, and began explaining as they trotted over.

"Most offensive magic is actually quite similar to the telekinesis and light spells every unicorn knows in its basic construction. The key difference is how much magical energy is packed into the spell, and the rate at which it is expended." As Luna spoke, she formed a glowing nebula of TK and began shaping it into a razor-edged projectile. "With practice, you can invest sufficient force to make something like this deadly."

With a flick of her head, the knife shot off and buried itself in a snow-covered pine. "Now you try."

[BlasTech]

Rosemary lowered her head and concentrated, her horn glowing with the green light of her magic.

The first time she attempted it, her magic fizzled in a burst of sparks and light. Rather than getting worked up though, Rosemary simply sniffed and took a second attempt, then a third.

On the fourth attempt, it was the snow drift opposite her, and not her spell, that burst apart in a blast of magic. It hadn't been a knife like Luna's but it had definitely been strong enough to put a dent in anypony or anything on that it would have been aimed at.

[Happy to wrap the day up whenever you're done Druid]

[Deadly]

"I suppose I shall take last watch," Blue said without any particular care either way and found herself someplace to rest, seeing how little was left doing for her.

[Thanqol]

The next morning the sun didn't rise; a mere ball of flaming gas illuminated the world, replacing the lifeless rock that had occupied Equestria's sky.

Ponies below the Enclave's cloud layer sometimes wished to see the sun, but those in the Crystal Empire knew just how hollow that wish was. Without the royal sisters the celestial bodies were nothing more than empty fixtures, matter without soul. Like a corpse.

[Tiki Snakes]

The machine roared like a beast on heat, devouring the flat volcanic rock roads that carved their way through the forest of towering rock stacks. Trees lent forward, urging the crazy, sexy mass of metal and rubber and fire onwards through the maze of black glassy roads at breakneck speed. Dim, faceless ponies sat beside and behind her, strange animal noises coming from the ragged holes where their eyes and mouths should be.

She had to go faster, or her quarry would get away. This one truth hung in Trees' head like pure holy fact. She operated the pedals and dials instinctively and the machine she was piloting bellowed it's deep, guttural approval.

Cracks appeared in the side of the great stacks of rock and crude ponylike creatures crawled out, dripping in oil and blood. They stumbled crudely out onto the obsidian street, shambling in the same direction Trees and her primal machine fled, their hooves clicking as they hit the glassy floor and their legs bending in unponylike places. Mouths filled with teeth and feelers opened, a thin insectile screeching leaking out from inside. The crowds thickened, ponylike creatures crawling down the sides of the rock-stacks, or out of thick cracks in the shiny black road surface.

Suddenly, ahead of Trees and her magnificent, carnal machine was the Pony she was chasing so desperately; Rosemary Unicorn. She was surrounding by the screeching almost-ponies, her magic carpet glowing with Rosemary's arcane energies but unable to escape the grasping tendrils of the crowd. Rosemary's face snarled in mad, idiot hate and she lashed out at the crowd with her magic, shattering the bodies of the pony-like creatures nearest to her. Trees pulled the machine to a screeching halt before the shambling mass as they began climbing over each others broken corpses to get to her. Black and purple clouds of vile energy bled from behind Rosemary's eyes, her horn flaring with elemental violence, but the swarm was without end.

Trees saw herself rearing up, climbing onto the roof of her terrible metal steed with a gun in her mouth. She fired a single shot and Rosemary's head ceased to be in a horrible explosion of blood and bone. The creatures swarmed the carpet in by the dozen. They devoured the remains of Rosemary Unicorn in moments, with Trees unable to stop looking or get away. Silence descended. The Pony-like creatures turned their heads slowly to look at Trees.

Then they smiled.

---


Trees woke with a start, kicking out in a panic. They connected with something hard and wooden sounding and for a moment she couldn't make sense of what was happening or where she was.

It slowly came into focus as the panic subsided. She crawled out of the shelving unit she'd hidden in the night before, wrapped up in her winter-cloak in an easily overlooked corner of the mall. The first light of dawn was dimly visible through the main doors at the other end of Barnyard Bargains, but there was little sight or sound of the others as yet. A stab of guilt at not having bothered to go find them fought with worry that they might have left without her. She chased the thoughts away with clean water and some food from her supplies, then set off to find the others and say good-morning.

Presuming 9 hours of sleep again, (Hidden under some shelving or inside a cupboard on the shop-floor) so another +18hp. I've not really been keeping proper track of food or anything, but i scratched off a pre-war food and a clean water from my inventory list to go with this post.

[the_druid_droid]

[Yeah, I'm good, Blas, just wanted to find a natural stopping point]

Once her lesson and turn at watch were over, Luna went back inside the mall and settled down on a couch in what appeared to be a break room. Again, she brought out her memory orb, her favorite out of her entire collection at HREC, and drifted off into familiar memories of the past.

[One of these days I will totally write up this memory orb, but it's too late tonight.]

Regeneration
Assuming 9 hours of sleep along with Tiki. That gives Luna +9 HP and all her Strain recovered, with or without the orb.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary's eyes cracked open as the dim glow of morning hit her. With the sunlight having been filtered by the clouds, as well as by the yellowing glass of the megamall itself, the sensation was akin to being slapped in the face with a damp cloth that smelt of mouldy socks - rather unpleasant, but since it had happened, one might as well get on with things.

Rubbing a hoof over her face, Rosemary rolled upright. She'd been more than happy to trust their defence to the mall turrets, but had dutifully pulled her shift on watch when it had come up.

It wasn't like she enjoyed sleeping anyway ...

The sound of her hooves echoed around the aisles as she searched out the remainder of the party, as well as something to have for breakfast. In the two days since the arrival at the mountaintop, and she was down to her last bottle of water.

[Full strain recovery, and Rose was already at Full HP]

[Thanqol]

Did you know that bottled water expires? Because bottled water expires. Presumably it had all been thrown in the trash by diligent Handies.

In fact, the only drinks that didn't expire were the faintly glowing violet bottles of Sparkle-Cola. They were just as flavourful and fizzy as the day they were bottled! Also just as radioactive, SparkleCo takes no responsibility for radiation poisoning experienced while drinking Sparkle-Cola. This message does not count as SparkleCo acknowledging the existence of radiation poisoning, which has not been conclusively verified as a threat to physical or mental health.

[Balmas]

"Don't you dare cry on me!" Gabriel winced, and looked away from the fiend leaning over him. "You don't want to get your claws dirty? You don't want to fight or kill?" The fiend's chest heaved up and down, her breathing ragged as she forced Gabriel to look down at the pony camp below. "Well, too bad!"

There they were. Raiders. Ponies were bad, and these were the worst of the lot. Yellow eyes, cracked hooves, giggling, obscene decorations... Griffons might be warlike, but at least they didn't use bits of each other for wall art. "Scum, the lot of them," said his mother, a certain sick satisfaction creeping into her voice. "You'd be doing the world a favor if you killed them all." Looking at a jaundice-yellow mare carefully arranging intestine so that it dangled more pleasantly on its series of spikes, Gabriel couldn't help but agree.

The rifle she pressed into his talons didn't look like it was in much better condition than the ponies down below. Gabriel frowned, his talons trailing a large crack that ran halfway down the barrel--that'd be an imperfect discharge, there. Wouldn't be good for accuracy, either. Didn't that just figure, though? Keep the wimp away from the fight, give him a long-range rifle, but make it just inaccurate enough that he'd actually have to close with the enemy. Well played, Mom. Well played.

Down below, Luci crept into position, clenching a shotgun that looked like it'd fall apart if she sneezed too hard. That was probably intentional, too. He could sit up here, and allow her to be slaughtered by raiders, or he could do something about it. Gabriel glared at his mom, wiped away his tears, and winged off to find a new cloud, one closer to the raiders.

***

Gabriel growled, his talons clutching at Maria like a protective talisman. His eyes jerked open, and he sat, surveying the office.

"Morning," he grunted, padding over to the pile and sorting out the Sugar Apple Bombs.

Six hours of sleep at half recovery for 12 HP. Gabe is at full health.

[Deadly]

Blue woke in the morning and stretched all her limbs to get out the last bit of ache left over from getting mauled by that bear. With a satisfied shake of her mane, she took an early-morning race around the complex to warm up for the day.

After getting all good and sweaty, she downed one of the bottles of water she had with her and chewed on the boring rations as she joined up with the rest of the team. "Mornin' everypony, and Gabriel. What's our plan today?"

[I'd have liked to write a dream for Blue, but like Druid Droid I'll have to save the exploration of her Memory Orb for another night. Going to have to think about Gilda and her sister.

6 hours of sleep for 24 hp. Blue is at full health.]

[the_druid_droid]

Once she awoke, Luna took a moment to stretch and preen before sitting down to breakfast. Although an empty mall first thing in the morning didn't exactly help her spirits, the alicorn was beaming. The reason for her good mood was sitting right in front of her:

A box of CHOC!-Oats brand cereal (CHOC!-full of flavor... and chemicals) and a faintly-glowing bottle of soda.

The one thing Luna had missed most during their trip to the Stable had been her stash of snacks, and the scent of CHOC!-Oats made her feel almost at home in this strange mall at the end of the world. In fact, it had taken a considerable effort of will to hide her glee when they'd gathered supplies and she'd discovered that her rations for the next few weeks would consist almost entirely of her guilty pleasures.

With a flourish of magic, the alicorn opened both box and bottle, and began to eat, with rather more gusto than actually required for royal decorum. Finished, and almost walking on air, Luna tossed the remains in a trash can and trotted out to locate the others.

[Food gives +28 HP and +9 Rads, so Luna's up to full]

[Thanqol]

Unfortunately, the path ahead was somewhat unclear. With the Pip-Bucks scrambled from the Enclave jamming from earlier then the maps were rather less than detailed. Their options were north and west between two great mountain peaks with nothing to recommend either direction save the north being slightly steeper and more mountainous and the west being flatter and more open.

[BlasTech]

After getting all good and sweaty, she downed one of the bottles of water she had with her and chewed on the boring rations as she joined up with the rest of the team. "Mornin' everypony, and Gabriel. What's our plan today?"


"Whatever it is, it should include finding a better source of water than these soft drinks." Rosemary said, as she slipped a share of the scavenged food and drink into her bags for the trip ahead.

"Regardless, the Empire is somewhere to the Northwest. Which, at present, provides us with limited paths. The way West through those mountains looks less rugged and given the way the weather has been turning, I would rather reach the lowlands as soon as we could."

"The only downside is that West takes us closer to the Republic again."

[Balmas]

"And the mountains will take us closer to the Enclave," states the griffon, draining a bottle of water. "Given the choice between insane psychos in power armor and the bears, I think the bears are the better option."

[Thanqol]

The Enclave was actually pretty directly due South. The cloud layer didn't even cover this far north; when they did operate here they had to bring their own weather with them. Nopony in the North had seen a Veribuck or Raptor battleship in living memory.

[BlasTech]

"I think you've orientated the map upside down" observed Rosemary, leaning over the griffon's shoulder.

[Balmas]

"I was referring to the mountains going up," blustered the griffon. "Besides, unless they're hibernating in the snow, I'd think a convoy of brightly painted and polished bears in power armor would be easy enough to spot and avoid, right?"

[Deadly]

"The western path may be the most attractive, and not just for us," Blue commented. "There isn't really a clear choice, though, but I'd pick the mountains."

[Tiki Snakes]

"I'm not sure I really want to tangle with Bears any time soon, guys." Trees said, lining up with the others and squinting at the spectacular skyline.

"I mean, that whole scene outside Stable 73 was pretty..."
She paused, pulling some darkened plexi-glass eye protection out from underneath her winter cloak and placing it confidently on her nose.

"...Grizzly."

Trees paused awkwardly for a moment, staring out at the mountains and the bright sunny sky. She coughed a little then continued.

"I mean, those guys were downright psychopathic. I vote we steer clear of them if that's even an option. It just makes sense."

[the_druid_droid]

"Weren't most of them polar bears, though?" Luna gave Trees a confused look before joining the group clustered around the map. She seemed a little vague on the intention of the pun. "Whatever species they might have been, I think I would also like to steer clear of the Republic for the time being."

[Totally playing Luna as the straight pony]

[BlasTech]

"Well. I suppose that settles it." Rosemary replied, her voice betraying neither exasperation at the pun or upset at being outvoted.

"Our path leads North. Make sure to pack enough supplies to last us as long as we can, it may be some time before we find another megamall, or at least one in such good shape as this one."

[Thanqol]

They soon left the cover of the mall and it's watchful turrets and headed North. The snow was punctuated by slabs of rock and granite. The mountains were hushed and still apart from the occasional sighs of wind. Once they passed through a valley where they had to catch their breaths for fear of triggering an avalanche.

Then, after two hours of walking, in a clear patch, a deep rumbling boom was heard from the sky above. In the time it took them to turn their heads upwards to take a look whatever it was had moved past that new field of view and landed in the ground in front of them with an enormous BOOM and a crash of snow in all directions.

And then there was a pony in their faces.

"You went into the mall!" squeed Commander White Noise. "What was in there? Was it robots? Was it treasure? Did you get in a fight? Tell me tell me tell me!"

[the_druid_droid]

"Ah." Said Luna. "...Commander? Have you been following us?" Luna was trying her best to retain something of a regal bearing, but this pony was so different from everything she'd heard and read about the Enclave while at HREC that the alicorn began to think she must still be dreaming.

[Thanqol]

"Ah." Said Luna. "...Commander? Have you been following us?" Luna was trying her best to retain something of a regal bearing, but this pony was so different from everything she'd heard and read about the Enclave while at HREC that the alicorn began to think she must still be dreaming.

"Little bit. Do you have any idea how boring North Patrol is?" said Commander White Noise. "Any idea? Even a little bit? Because nopony and nothing lives out here, and the mountains sure aren't going anywhere. Only interesting thing has been that damn mall and of course we aren't allowed to go inside because -"

Boom! Boom! The other Enclave soldiers finally caught up with their commander, dropping out of the sky in their black, intimidating power armour. "Hey gang," said White Noise casually to the soldiers showing up behind her. She shrugged. "Yeah, because orders."

[Balmas]

"We and a couple of protectrons had a party," snarked the griffon. His backpack clicked and clanked with the weapons that no-one had picked out of the pile. The effect was somewhat reminiscent of a snare-drum being pushed down the stairs. "Then a sentrybot jumped out of a cake."

By the goddesses, where did this mare come from? And how did he never notice her until she was right there in his face?

[Thanqol]

"We and a couple of protectrons had a party," snarked the griffon. His backpack clicked and clanked with the weapons that no-one had picked out of the pile. The effect was somewhat reminiscent of a snare-drum being pushed down the stairs. "Then a sentrybot jumped out of a cake."

By the goddesses, where did this mare come from? And how did he never notice her until she was right there in his face?

"Ooh, yeah, I saw that! Robots just rolled out of there like it ain't no thang. I thought for sure you were dead after that," said White Noise, nodding hurriedly. "I thought they'd killed you for sure."

[Tiki Snakes]

"Nah, we're cool." Trees replied. "Took your lead actually. Tried talking to them first."

Trees shrugged.
"Well, I tried talking them into just opening the shop up for business, actually. It wasn't going too bad, give or take some weirdly existential security measures. Turns out though, their main computer kind of didn't want to be a main computer anymore, so we helped her leave instead. There wasn't much in the way of treasure though, just a few basic bits and pieces and a load of ugly barding with laser holes in it."

[Thanqol]

"Nah, we're cool." Trees replied. "Took your lead actually. Tried talking to them first."

Trees shrugged.
"Well, I tried talking them into just opening the shop up for business, actually. It wasn't going too bad, give or take some weirdly existential security measures. Turns out though, their main computer kind of didn't want to be a main computer anymore, so we helped her leave instead. There wasn't much in the way of treasure though, just a few basic bits and pieces and a load of ugly barding with laser holes in it."

White Noise listened intently, then burst into a grin at the last.

"Oh, those guys!" said White Noise. "Oh yeah, the pink and white armoured guys? Yeah, a bunch of them went into that place and then I just heard some lasers go off and they didn't come out. I've seen them around all over the place, I think they're like what happens when Raiders get religion."

White Noise flapped her wings enthusiastically. "And that's the other thing I kind of wanted to ask you about. Since you're already carrying the message of the Enclave, and you're heading in the right direction, can you, like, check up on those cultist guys for me? I'd really like to know what their deal is and I can't because, y'know, the thing -"

"It would be dereliction of our duty, a breach of the peace and a betrayal of the Enclave?" said Private Snowstorm.

"Hot damn, that girl's on fire!" said White Noise happily. "Yeah, I'd be a really happy camper if you could find out what's up with those guys. Maybe they have treasure!"

[Tiki Snakes]

"Freedom is the right of all ponies." Trees said quietly and a little automatically in response to White Noise and Snowstorm's exchange.

"I've a couple of questions before I could give it the yay or neigh." she tilted her head.
"What's a raider and what do you mean about getting religion?"

[Thanqol]

"Freedom is the right of all ponies." Trees said quietly and a little automatically in response to White Noise and Snowstorm's exchange.

"Yeah, you guys have the freedom to not be disintegrated by the Enclave," said White Noise. "Be grateful for that!"


"I've a couple of questions before I could give it the yay or neigh." she tilted her head.
"What's a raider and what do you mean about getting religion?"

"A raider is like a jerkass ground pony who... uh..." White Noise faltered. "Uh. What do we know about raiders?

"I hear they're all on The Drugs," said Private Snowstorm meaningfully.

"I heard all ground ponies are raiders," nodded another Enclave soldier.

"They use extremely improper language," sniffed a third. "Like barbarians."

"There you have it! Raiders!" said White Noise jovially. "And getting religion means painting their armour up like Commander Celestia and worshipping the sun. I think they became less on the killing and drugging and more on the burning and Not Laughing, so I dunno if that's good or bad. Find out for me!"

[Tiki Snakes]

"Yeah, you guys have the freedom to not be disintegrated by the Enclave," said White Noise. "Be grateful for that!"

"I wasn't talking about my freedom, Commander White Noise." Trees answered levelly, keeping eye contact with the Pegasus for a moment. "but its not important either. Just...something I heard somewhere."

"I also heard that drugs will ruin you, and that winners don't do drugs. I guess going cuckoo and worshipping long dead ponies is one of those things you risk when you don't respect your body. One of the many things..." she trailed off, lost in memory for a moment.

"I'd say I'm inclined to look into this for you, White. I can't speak for my new friends here though, I'm outside of their... you know, command chain."

[Thanqol]

"I wasn't talking about my freedom, Commander White Noise." Trees answered levelly, keeping eye contact with the Pegasus for a moment. "but its not important either. Just...something I heard somewhere."

"I also heard that drugs will ruin you, and that winners don't do drugs. I guess going cuckoo and worshipping long dead ponies is one of those things you risk when you don't respect your body. One of the many things..." she trailed off, lost in memory for a moment.

"I'd say I'm inclined to look into this for you, White. I can't speak for my new friends here though, I'm outside of their... you know, command chain."

"Hey! This one's all right!" said White Noise, grinning. "She's all right! Didn't I say she was all right? Eh? Eh?" White Noise elbowed Private Snowstorm repeatedly in the side, eliciting several loud CLANG-CLANGS from the metal-on-metal.

Private Snowstorm endured this with a stoicism worthy of Lyequinegus

[BlasTech]

Rosemary hung at the back of the group, disinclined to talk to Commander White Noise. The pegasus still intimidated her somewhat, she wasn't afraid to admit, and she had a lingering suspicion that the pegasus only existed to bring them bad news.

And as far as Trees' comments went, she looked to Luna, wondering what the mare would say about 'religious raiders' that had been inspired by her Sister.

[Deadly]

What the hell was up with this mare? She gave the impression of being in her position simply because somepony had decided she looked really good and probably confused a lot of ponies, but it seemed obviously dangerous to make that assumption. Maybe that was the whole damn point. She was an idiot, but anypony with half a brain would think that thinking so was a mistake.

And she was clearly bored and wanted some fun, and they were just her toys. Or perhaps there really was a mind worth something inside that skull of hers, and she had some big plan, some reason to be bothering a bunch of random ponies (and one griffon)

Blue couldn't decide, but she resented being a toy, plan or not. Of course, even if their commander was an idiot, the Enclave could still turn them to ash in a blink. Unless it was a bluff ... unless there really was a grand plan and this mare needed them for it, but it was another of those things where counting on it was tantamount to pointing someone's gun at your head and pulling the trigger to see if it was loaded.

All this went through Blue's mind, in between a lot of glaring carefully at no pony in particular. "Drugs are bad," she agreed with Trees in a low tone. "But some ponies need no help being too high for their own good. Perhaps with drugs their heads would leave the earth entirely. Wouldn't that be a sight."

She added more loudly. "I see no reason not to wag our tails and do as instructed. It's better than playing dead, no?"

[the_druid_droid]

When White Noise explained the raider's "religion", a change came over Luna: all at once, her wings seemed fidgety, and she pawed at the frozen ground with a hoof even as her eyes stared fixedly at something a furlong behind the Enclave commander.

"Celestia..." The nervousness lingered a moment longer, and then the alicorn shook her head and blinked the daze out of her eyes. Surely this was just some deluded cult, and the pegasi were right about drugs having addled their brains.

"Even so, we should see what they mean by this. I do not like the thought of her being remembered in the ways most familiar to those creatures."

With that, Luna turned to look at the ponies gathered around. "Will you come with me? And will you let me try to speak to them before shooting?"

[Thanqol]

"Enclave policy is non-interference with the surface," said Commander White Noise. "If it were up to me I would have carpet bombed them off their mountaintop months ago. So completely non-officially if you were to find out what was the haps and let me in on it I'd completely non officially thank you properly," White Noise gave an unsubtle wink.

She flicked out her hoof and started to press buttons on her Pip-Buck. The party might note that it had been placed on her leg upside-down, making her have to awkwardly hold her hoof awkwardly above her head to type into it. Bright pink lights flashed as she typed into it. There was a Ping! as the map data on Trees' and Gabriel's Pip-Bucks updated.

"My work here is done," said White Noise. "Enclave, away!"

And then they launched off into the sky, faster than the wind.

[Balmas]

Gabriel joined the pegasus in glaring, though his were much more directed. Being a plaything was not okay. And he couldn't even shoot her. If he went around shooting everyone who annoyed him, there'd be a lot fewer ponies around.

"I can't promise anything," grunted the griffon. "If they're actually raiders, there's a good chance that most of them will be dead by the time I leave."

[BlasTech]

"This is a foal's errand. In every sense of the term" replied Rosemary, her gaze tracking the pegasi.

It wasn't a 'no' at least.

[Thanqol]

The Enclave troops rapidly became specks on the horizon, White Noise again outpacing the rest of her team. The Pip-Bucks had been updated to include the location of "Mt. Sayosant".

[Tiki Snakes]

"Relax, guys. It may be an implied gunpoint mission, but at least she's nice about it and asks." Trees rolled her eyes at the others, bristling as they were. "There's no point getting so worked up about it. Besides, it's more or less on our way and you never know, the diplomatic option might work out a second time?"

"Which is all you, Luna. You realise that, right?" Trees smiled at her.

"Seriously though, think of it this way, there's a good chance we'd have stumbled into them at some point anyway, least this way we've got some warning and a faint chance of their being some reward. Smile, Ponies."

[Balmas]

Gabriel snorted. Sure, they'd just waltz into a raider camp, say hello, and rearrange their religion. That'd go over well. Turning to Trees, he asked, "D'you want a shotgun? Might be better than your pistol in a fight..."

[Tiki Snakes]

"My pistol is fine, but it never hurts to have more options when it comes to making holes in things." Trees replied cheerfully. "Sure."

[Deadly]

"I have no problem with the task," Blue said and turned to continue on their way. "My problem is with being used like a tool, and by the bloody Enclave at that. At least there should be a chance of doing something good. It's more than the Enclave ever does."

[Tiki Snakes]

"Everypony you meet and everypony you have ever met in this life will seek or will have sought to use you." Trees said, following the Pegasus. "Some ponies are just more open about it than others. To realise that this is the way of the world is to grasp one of the hidden keys to your inner strength. Denying the truth of it is to create your own private wellspring of misery."

[Deadly]

"Sounds like something you read somewhere. I imagine you could give me the name of the book and the page number?" Blue looked back at the earth pony with one raised eyebrow. "So what you're saying is we should all just accept the fact that everypony's out to use us and become willing slaves to anypony we come across because that's the way of the world? Is it not worth it to have personal standards, to believe in something, to resist those who would use us simply because they have the power to force us, instead of gaining our trust and loyalty?"

[Tiki Snakes]

"Something I used to disagree with." Trees answered, evasively. "The point isn't to go along with what other ponies want from you. There are plenty of ponies out there who will try to use you in ways you are not okay with. That might be by ordering you to do a thing they need done, it might be by rising to their taunts and so enabling their desire to fight somepony."

She paused, pointedly not looking at any griffons.

"But when someone smiles at you in the street, the same basic transaction is happening. They want you to smile back, because seeing your smiling face would make them happier. There's nothing wrong with that, and there's no more point getting worked up about that than there is in our situation with White Noise and her curiosity. She wants things and we're the tool she'll use to get them. I want things from her too, like not getting shot. So I'll go along with it.

"I'm also partial to seeing smiling faces though, so I might as well be nice about it. I won't gain anything by being difficult. Also she's kind of cute. Reminds me of someone I used to know."

"I'm getting off track. The point is, it's the gap between the way the world is and the way you think the world is that will hurt you. If you come to terms with the truth of things, you'll be happier for it every time."

[Balmas]

"Everyone's got something that someone else wants," Gabriel said, easing the shotgun and bag of shotgun shells out of his bag. "It's all a matter of what they have to trade in return. Food, slaves, chems... If it exists, there's someone who wants it." The griffon grins, and taps his bag of guns. "I deliver bullets. Free samples for raiders."

[Deadly]

"There are those who deserve my help, my loyalty, or a smile for that matter. I will happily give them that. Deciding who deserves what isn't always easy, but sometimes it's not that hard," the pegasus said and turned back to the road in front of them.

"For example, Sombra doesn't deserve anypony's anything, except possibly their righteous hoof in his *yay*, because he's a right evil motherbucker, the worst scum of the earth."

"The Enclave doesn't deserve help either, because they never help anypony but themselves. The Enclave are a cowardly bunch who would rather sit on their comfy clouds and grow rich and powerful rather than help anypony on the ground. Whether this commander of theirs is like that or truly is trying to help despite being bound on all hooves by Enclave rules, frankly I cannot tell, but she is with the Enclave and acting as the Enclave when she's pointing her guns at our heads and 'asking us nicely' what to do."

"I'll go along with it because I like to keep my head, and because we're told to do things that I have no qualms about doing - so far - but it does not change the fact that as of right now we are effectively slaves of a power who are not our friends or allies. Least not mine. That may be a fact and something to accept for now, but it does not make it right."

"And I will not be happy about things that makes my *yay* boil. I will be happy about many things. but not everything deserves a smile. Some things in this wretched world deserve a knee in the gut and a hoof in the face. And that's sad too and doesn't deserve a smile, just grim acceptance that this is the case."

[the_druid_droid]

"Which is all you, Luna. You realise that, right?" Trees smiled at her.


"I am aware." Luna's voice was still a touch hollow, but her face had returned to a calmer expression.

"Although I wonder... I wonder what would cause such a change in those ponies. From what little I have heard of them, they do not seem the type to willingly follow Celestia." Luna winced quickly. "At least not the Celestia I remember."

[BlasTech]

"We shall see what we shall see." said Rosemary, as she walked along beside Luna.

"As far as personal philosophies go, at least it's a brief one."

[Balmas]

Gabriel smiled, shouldering the pack. "Let's get moving, then. Unless someone wants 10mm ammo from Gabriel's bag of sunshine and happiness?"

[Tiki Snakes]

"Hmm. Well, I can't say I don't understand where you're coming from." Trees conceded. "But think of it this way. What do you want from White Noise? Do you think getting worked up is going to get you what you want? If not, why bother?"

She flicked a brief glance in Rosemary's direction, then chuckled a little.

"There's a school of thought down in the Stable that says in no uncertain terms that you can rage and you can bluster and you can protest all you want, but all you'll do is wear yourself out and make it easier for the hooves of the oppressor to hold you down. Only direct action will ever force change, they say." The Earth Pony suggested, carefully measuring Blue's response.

"What's the matter, Gabriel, walking and talking at the same time still wear you out?" She laughed. "I'm good for 10mm ammo thanks, but I'm still waiting on that Shotgun you promised. You big feathery tease."

[Deadly]

"Hmm. Well, I can't say I don't understand where you're coming from." Trees conceded. "But think of it this way. What do you want from White Noise? Do you think getting worked up is going to get you what you want? If not, why bother?"

She flicked a brief glance in Rosemary's direction, then chuckled a little.

"There's a school of thought down in the Stable that says in no uncertain terms that you can rage and you can bluster and you can protest all you want, but all you'll do is wear yourself out and make it easier for the hooves of the oppressor to hold you down. Only direct action will ever force change, they say." The Earth Pony suggested, carefully measuring Blue's response.

"Sounds like somepony knew what they were bloody talking about down there, possibly only whoever said it first and everypony after that missed the point," the pegasus responded with a grin back at the earth pony. "Anger is a source of strength. And like any force it must be focused like a razor blade to be effective. Control your rage! Direct it at a pinpoint! If you're not in control of it, then it'll be wasted in every direction."

"Rage is a resource too," she added after a second. "And that's why you're wrong that it's not worth getting worked up about this sh*yay*! The key is to bottle it up, punch and pack it into a tiny ball of condensed fury and store it at the center of your soul! Then when needed, unleash!" She punched and slashed the air to punctuate the idea.

[Balmas]

"I dunno. If you got angry at everything wrong in the wasteland, all you'd really achieve is dying early of stress." Gabe grinned, and handed over the weapon and ammo.

[Tiki Snakes]

"Hmm. I see." Trees said, nodding to herself thoughtfully.

"Thanks, Gabriel." She added, the shotgun disappearing beneath the winter weather cloak.

[the_druid_droid]

Although she had to confer with Gabriel and Trees to check direction, Luna remained consistently at the head of their little pack, forging onward and scanning the road ahead for any sign of the pastel-armored raider ponies.

[Deadly]

"I dunno. If you got angry at everything wrong in the wasteland, all you'd really achieve is dying early of stress." Gabe grinned, and handed over the weapon and ammo.

"At least it means I won't die sitting still." The pegasus shrugged and turned her attention back to the road ahead. "Geez, I think my heart might just stop caring and give up the beat if I ever reached this level of complacency. That's just no way to die."

[Thanqol]

After a few hours walk, they came across an old shattered transport pipeline.

Once it had spanned an entire valley between these two massive mountains, sending a constant flow of fuel south towards Equestria. When the Bombs had fallen, the earthquakes had breached and shattered the pipeline, spraying the surrounding land with contaminated magical waste. Here and there were tainted pools of ominous radiation. The Pip-Bucks were ticking but there wasn't an easy way around.

The ruins of the pipes made the entire area a bit of a twisting maze, with lots of cover and blocked sight lines. It would be a good place for an ambush - but fortunately, their opponents were arriving at just about the same time they were. Eight white, pink and green Raider ponies - three earth, three unicorns, and two pegasi - were coming down the hill on the other side of the hill. Wooping and cursing in traditional Raider 'we are all as high as ****', they started charging down the hill.

It was possible to wait here on the valley lip and avoid the radiation for longer than necessary, but there was no cover here.

[Balmas]

Raiders. The griffon swung out his rifle and aimed down the muzzle. "Your call, princess. Shoot now, or later?"

[the_druid_droid]

Raiders. The griffon swung out his rifle and aimed down the muzzle. "Your call, princess. Shoot now, or later?"

"This is almost certainly a poor decision, but stay your weapon for now, Gabriel. I have to try, at least." With that, Luna's expression hardened, and she flew up and out toward the charging ponies, trying to find a distance that was close enough to be heard but far enough away to make shooting difficult.

Flaring her wings, she called as loudly as she could, "Hail, ponies! We do not wish you harm, but we are prepared to defend ourselves! I would speak with you of the Sun Princess, Celestia, if you will hear me."

My sister...

Luna hoped quietly that if they truly had converted to some sort of religion, they might at least recognize her form and refrain from slaughtering her immediately, or at least give her a chance to explain things. Their half-crazed didn't reassure her on that point, though.

[Thanqol]

[Speech check, -10

It is a bittersweet aspect of this setting and system that random violent encounters are requisite.]

[the_druid_droid]

[Rolled 8 under 28, so success]

[Thanqol]

"This is almost certainly a poor decision, but stay your weapon for now, Gabriel. I have to try, at least." With that, Luna's expression hardened, and she flew up and out toward the charging ponies, trying to find a distance that was close enough to be heard but far enough away to make shooting difficult.

Flaring her wings, she called as loudly as she could, "Hail, ponies! We do not wish you harm, but we are prepared to defend ourselves! I would speak with you of the Sun Princess, Celestia, if you will hear me."

The raiders slowed down a little. They stopped, hesitated. Looked at each other. Shrugged.

Then one of the unicorns levitated out a pistol, put it in her mouth, and blew her own brains out.

Bang.

The corpse fell to the ground. As the blood pooled out over the snow there was a brilliant flash of gold from her forehead - some incredible solar power shining through. The eyes of all the other raiders went blank white and suddenly there was the feeling that they were paying attention.

[BlasTech]

Rosemary shifted uneasily as the Raiders charged, her expression mixing distaste with worry over self-preservation in equal measures. Her pistol stayed in its holster, however. She'd promised Luna a chance to parlay with these things, so that's what she'd get. A chance.

It would probably come to violence soon enough anyway. Despite Luna's best intentions, there were some constants out here in the wasteland, and Raiders were one of them. It was a tired old story, one written in simple words and bloody colours.


Bang.

Well ... that was odd, yes, but not really anything-

Oh, wait, their eyes are glowing now ... that's new.

[the_druid_droid]

The raiders slowed down a little. They stopped, hesitated. Looked at each other. Shrugged.

Then one of the unicorns levitated out a pistol, put it in her mouth, and blew her own brains out.

Bang.

The corpse fell to the ground. As the blood pooled out over the snow there was a brilliant flash of gold from her forehead - some incredible solar power shining through. The eyes of all the other raiders went blank white and suddenly there was the feeling that they were paying attention.

At first, when the pistol came out, Luna winced and her wing ached with the memory of the bullet that had found her foolishly hovering in the chaos at the Stable. She kicked herself at the thought that now she'd just flown herself into an even worse position in front of ponies with less sense of mercy than the bears.

Then the unicorn turned the weapon on herself, and Luna's expression turned to shock. With the pistol's report, a shock went through the alicorn as well, and she suddenly felt dizzy; half-fluttering, half-dropping to the ground. The casual way the whole thing had happened... it simply couldn't be...

"What is the meaning of this?!" When she found her voice, it was stronger than she'd expected, and Luna faced the blanked-out raiders with cold eyes.

[Deadly]

"What the bloody *yay*!" Blue hissed and tensed, flaring her wings as the raider pulled the gun and then ... shot herself. Blue hesitated when the light filled their eyes. "Unholy *yay*!" she added through clenched teeth, eyes trained on the raiders.

[BlasTech]

"Um ... quite." agree Rosemary.

Really, what other reaction could she have at this point?