^Equis^
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7:00
[John]
“Then he said 'Long live the Equestrian Empire!', those were his last words before cutting the link.”
“Hmm. This is troubling news Shadow Fire. Not only are the recon teams I sent dead; but we have three days till the Changelings get here. Thank you for informing me on the matter. Come with me; I must speak with the princesses.”
“Yes sir.”
I head out of my office with Shadow; going straight to the throne room. Upon getting there, I see Celestia on her throne, in the middle of holding court; a long line of ponies waiting to speak with her. I know that the news I received is important, yet I also know that day court is important to her... “Shadow.”
“Yes?”
“I suppose this can wait till after she finishes. Come meet me again at 12 when she stops for lunch. Until then, you have the time to yourself.”
“Understood. Thank you sir.”
Shadow heads out, and I head back to my office. When I get inside I head to my desk and write out an order to send six pegasus scouts to see if they can find evidence of survivors; despite the unlikeliness of that. Then I head to the side door and open the way into the lower level. My workshop. I keep my side projects down there. Lighting a few candles once I get to the bottom. Sitting down at my workbench, I look at my current work. I am making a wireless headset communicator for ponies. I found that the piezoelectric effect of the gems here is actually a very good power source due to the magical properties inherent within them.
The resistors, transistors, diodes and other parts were all obtained through various means. None of them actually knew what they were making but that does not matter. Once these are done, I'll begin work on electric light sources. I'm tired of working by candlelight but for now; communicators. I will lead the technological evolution of this planet, and I will do it my way. Safe power and wireless electricity. Gems are good for power, but can only supply enough electricity to run small things. A hydroelectric generator should do nicely. I will build a perpetual motion electro-magnetic generator later.
I switch the right arm of my suit into my soldering equipment, which boils down to a soldering iron and a bunch of small manipulators, and I get to work. Soon I will be done.
*****
12:10
Ok, finished. Now to test them out. I head upstairs and as I open the door to leave my office; I see Shadow standing there. Right, 12 o'clock. “Shadow Fire. Very good. Let's go.”
“Yes sir.”
We make our way to the dining room where Tia is sure to be found. Luna may be there too I suppose.
“Sir?”
“Yes Shadow?”
“If you don't mind me asking, what is that you have?”
“You will see soon enough.”
We reach the dining room and I open the door; both Tia and Luna are there having lunch. “Tia, Luna, I need to speak with you both.” Luna turns and responds first.
“What is wrong?”
“Well, I have good news, and bad news. To begin, the scouting parties I sent have been ambushed. I sent out six scouts to fly by and see if they can find survivors. We have about 3 days till the Changelings get here. That was the bad news, the good news is I finished these communicators.” I switch them on and hand one to Tia and one to Luna; helping them get them on their heads. “There. Now, I will leave the room and try to talk to you both with the communicators.”
At their nods of confirmation, albeit slightly confused nods, I head out and shut the door. “Testing, testing. Can you hear me?”
“Gahh! I think it works.”
“Thank you Luna. Tia, can you hear me?”
“Yes John. I can hear you.” I use that as my que to come back in. But something seems off about the inflection in her voice.
“So, what do you think?”
Luna responds first. “You have done an impressive feat this day. Being able to communicate without letters.”
“Thank you Luna. Tia, what do you think?”
She looks at me, her ears are flat against her head, and I see sadness in her eyes. It isn't hard to tell that something's very wrong. “Celestia, what's wrong?”
Without a word, she turns around and gallops off, out of the room. I see the headset hit the ground as she leaves; and I hear the faintest beginnings of a sob escape her lungs.
“Luna, what happened?”
“I... I haven't the faintest idea. I fear you may be the cause." I see her face become rather serious. "Go and see what you can do. It is clear to me that you both love each other; you may be the only one that can console her.”
With naught but a nod in response, I head after her. I activate my Promethean vision to make it easier to track her. I can't help but think back to what Luna said, 'It is clear to me that you both love each other'. Love; is that what I feel for her? Is that what she feels for me? Have I really fallen in love with a pony princess? How could she fall for me; an alien from space with a kill count higher than any one being should have to have? Do I love her?
I am prevented from stewing in my own thoughts for much longer because I reached the room she is in; her bedroom. I knock on the door. “Tia, it's me. Can I come in?”
She says nothing, but I can hear her lightly crying in her room. I see her with my Promethean vision, she is just laying on the bed, her face buried in her pillow. “Tia, can I come in? I know you are there.”
Still nothing. I try to open the door, but I find that it's locked. Seeing as breaking it down would be a bad idea, and it is a bolt lock so I can't pick it, I decide that I'll just have to teleport in. I mentally scan the dimensions of her room, and find a good spot to place myself to prevent telefragging.
Once in her room, I look around. I haven't spent much time in here. A lot of white, from furniture to the walls and floor. The room isn't my main concern though, so I pay it little mind. Celestia is my main concern. I deactivate my armor, letting it all retract to its basic boots, chest plate, and bracers. I walk up to her, but stop just before reaching her. “Tia, tell me what's wrong.”
She turns her head slowly so she can see me. She looks me right in the eyes, and I see so much sadness. Her ears are still flat to her head, and the fur on her face is matted from her tears. I see a similar wet spot on her pillow. When she speaks, her voice is barely audible. “You betrayed me.”
“What?”
“I trusted you! You once told me of all the things your people made, and what they did. How your people made weapons of war that would leave the land desolate and in ruin. All the things your people did. What the Covenant did. Then you go behind my back and make your own tools of war. You will ruin all that we have built. I trusted you; and you betrayed me!”
This is my fault? Wait, oh... now I see. “Tia, I am sorry I didn't tell you about my work on a wireless communicator. And I'm sorry that you feel like I betrayed you. But know this; I did not intend to hurt you. The things I told you about, I have no intention of making. Those weapons are not something I ever want to bring into this world, especially without telling you. What I made is not a tool of war. It will make contacting others faster, and manageable without magic. You may not understand that which you have never seen; but what I intended to bring to this world would make this world better. Do you understand?”
“I... I suppose.” Celestia lowered her eyes briefly before meeting my gaze once again. “I trust you.” She breathed deeply for a moment. “I’m just afraid.”
I looked at her in confusion, “Afraid of what?”
She straightened her posture, using the height of the bed to match my eye level. “I fear for the safety of our little ponies.”
I stepped closer and looked at her intently. “I will not do anything that would bring undue harm to them. Not now, nor in the future. You need not fear for their safety being in danger by my hand. I have been by your side for the last 300 years, protecting them. And I plan to be here with you for the rest of time. I will always be here for you.”
Oh damn, wonder what Cortana will think about Celestia's and Chief's relationship. Anyway, BLOW THOSE CHANGLINGS INTO OBLIVION
Not unless you are the Doctor, but he is in another dimension so please do ignore me.
When she said "You betrayed me." I was thinking of the halo announcer saying "betrayal!"
5709085
s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/original/000/140/800/OrbitalFriendshipBeam.png?1309159976
5710671
Well, The 50th anniversary movie absolved that little issue.
5710746
5711049 AAAGGGGGHHHH, IT BURNS!!!! *jumps into a stargate teleporter to escape*
5788680 it's been that long already? Wow, now i feel old.
MOAR!!!th02.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2012/233/7/0/fluttershy_flutterrage_by_psyxofthoros-d5bvz06.png
5827807
Yeah supersoldier that was trained how to kill as little child should be feeling remorse...
As for "punishment" good luck in finding a fool with death wish to arrest him.
5837502
That would be Red Coat.(see Star Trek red shirt trope)
5837855 captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, and ensign John go down to an unknown planet,
Guess who never sees her son again
5870401 my point stands
5873197 true, but plot device.
5875065 maybe just edit it to not be 700 000 times, just like 7000 times, it makes it a believeable plot device
5876838 gahh. Story based on facts or story with believable but untrue facts... i can't decide.
5880772 my God...
I screwed up the maths,
Since let's say going regular slipspace is one lightyear per second, or minute, or hour,
Slipspace isn't actually space, so moving across it isn't really possible, it's like folding a price of paper and then poking a hole in it, it just depends how fast you move through it, or not, and there is no definite way to tell when you will arive at your destination, and in some points of the halo lore, ships arive at their destination before they have even left,
BUT
In theory slipspace can be manipulated by fields of conciousness, its kind of like using a child's reasoning, they think climbing a mountain is hard, therefor it is, so if you think it will take a long time to pass through slipspace, it does.
But that's all that technical shlup n' dub over with,
It's like this
Point a -------------> Point b
In real space,
And
Point a ------]. [------> point b
In slipspace
Or
Point a ---------][---------->
In slipspace
Or, in only two cases,
Point a --------] [----------> never returning from slipspace, causing instant obliteration
Or
Point a -------]. [---------> point b hours before departure from point a
5880863 This might help http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Shaw-Fujikawa_Translight_Engine#Covenant_Advantages
If i read in the next chapters that Celestia and Chief become official i will quit this story! Unless the Mane 6 get involved, in which case i will continue with this story.
6603410 they arn't even born yet, remember?
Knew it they liked each other suck it CCF-100.