The War Machine

by Urimas Ebonheart

Chapter 25: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 1

Luna, Eve, and I walk through the forest towards Chrysalis' Hive with the Apache flying over the canopy. The loud noise from the rotors are keeping the wildlife away from us at least, but I have my minigun ready for anything that might be brave enough to still attack.

It takes us thirty-seven minutes to reach the Hive where the two large guards out the front greet us but look up at the Apache warily.

"I have brought the materials to begin building the radio station," I inform them getting a nod from the left one while the right one closes his eyes. A few seconds later Chrysalis comes out of the Hive's entrance and smiles at us.

"Welcome, Adam, Luna," she greets us and then looks down to the mechanical filly. "And who is this?" she asks and leans down to look at Eve more closely.

"This is our daughter Eve," Luna replies and levitates the filly into her hooves for a hug.

"Ah yes, you did say you were building a body for her... fascinating," Chrysalis says and then looks up at the Apache. "And you've brought your flying machine as well," she comments as I lower the cable holding the supplies down as there's no suitable landing zone.

"It was the fastest way to transport the materials," I reply and then guide the Apache back to the Workshop once the materials were unhooked. They all watch the Apache fly off while I grip the handle of the cart. "Where would you like the station set up?" I ask the changeling Queen.

She hums in thought and looks around. "Is it possible to set it up inside?" she asks me.

"Yes and no. The station can be inside, but the antenna has to be topside to pick up a signal. I can set the antenna up here with a cable going inside to the station," I reply.

"Very well. There's a dense area of trees just to the left of us that can act as natural cover for the antenna. We also have a deep room for the station to be placed," she tells me.

"That can work, I'll also have to set up a network of transmitters around the Hive if you want the radios to pick up a signal so deep underground. The diamond dogs were easy to set up as their living area is one big cavern with homes built around it. Yours is more like an anthill with tunnels spreading out in all directions," I explain to her.

"I see... and please don't compare ants to us, it's degrading," she tells me.

"I apologise if I offended you, please show me to the location where the antenna will go," I reply and ask her.

She grumbles but walks off and I follow behind her while pulling the cart full of materials. It doesn't take long to reach the area and it is indeed well covered with trees.

I look around for the best spot and find one with trees around a small clearing. I start calculating the necessary materials and the size of the antenna, once done I lift a small steel beam and place it upright in the small space.

"Luna, please weld the beams together while I hold them in place," I ask my alicorn friend and she nodded while levitating the welder from the cart.

The antenna is now up and ready to connect to the station once it's built. Eve was allowed to roam inside the Hive with a guide to learn what she could about the changelings. She was shown the nurseries and living area, as well as joining in on a class teaching shape shifting to young changelings just learning to use their magic.

"This will receive the signals?" Chrysalis asks with a confused expression. There's also four solar panels on the sides of the antenna to keep the station's small battery charged.

"Correct, now we just need to build the station and transmitters. Please lead the way," I reply and grip the cart with a free hand.

Luna is levitating a long line of cable that will be stuck to the ceiling of the tunnels with some changeling adhesive they make in an organ where a pony's stomach would be. Drones start arriving and take turns applying the green sticky substance while we follow Chrysalis to where she wants this station set up.

After a few minutes of walking, we arrive at a room about four metres wide and three metres tall. There's a black table to the left and what appears to be something similar to a filing cabinet to the right.

Chrysalis stops in the middle of the room and turns to face me. "I would like the station here please."

I leave the cart in the tunnel as it won't fit in the doorway. "Very well, Luna and I will begin assembling the battery and connect it to the antenna. I will then set up transmitters around the Hive to relay the signals from the station," I reply. Luna and I start building the battery which is smaller than Canterlot's but big enough to power the station and transmitters.

The battery takes all night to build and hook up to the antenna which also has the same fail-safes as Canterlot's battery to prevent tampering, but now it is morning and the solar panels are charging the battery at a decent pace.

As for the control system, it is just a simple laptop hooked up to the battery that will monitor the battery’s charge, the signals coming and going as well as contacting others connected to the network. So far only my Workshop, Canterlot, and now the Jade Hive are linked, but hopefully sometime in the future, all allies of Equestria will be connected to it.

Chrysalis walks in looking tired while yawning. "Good morning, Adam, Luna. Is it done?" she asks and blinks her eyes slowly.

"Almost, I just need to set up the transmitters now to allow the deepest areas to receive the signal," I reply and run a systems check on the laptop.

The battery is receiving more power from the early morning sun's rays which is now also charging the laptop in turn. The signal from the Canterlot radio station is coming in clear and with a quick test, classical music is now playing through the laptop's speakers.

Chrysalis stares at the laptop with wide eyes and walks over to look at the screen. "This is very fascinating. The beings that built you must be a fearsome race," she says looking at the animated lines reacting to the instruments currently playing.

"They are, and this is just everyday technology to purchase in a store to them. Imagine a ship that can travel the stars and land on other planets, though they cost a fortune to be made, is possible to do," I tell her and walk over to the cart examining the remaining materials. Seems enough to make three transmitters.

"Travel to other planets?" Chrysalis asks while Luna looks at me with wide eyes.

"You have access to such vessels?" Luna asks me excitedly.

"I have a few designs for small spacecrafts, big enough to leave the planet and get to the moon," I reply and grip the cart's handle. "Where would you like the three transmitters?" I ask the changeling Queen.

She shakes her head and waves her foreleg. "In the residential area, my personal chambers, and our barracks," she replies and I follow her.

"Can we discuss these vessels later, Adam?" Luna asks me with a grin on her muzzle.

"Alright. Though if you're thinking of making one, we don't have the resources for such a project. And our Workshop isn't big enough to house a starship, even a small one," I tell her making her deflate a bit.

"How big are they?" she then asks.

"The smallest which can carry six people is ten times bigger than a Titan Tank," I reply.

Her jaw drops and she babbles a bit before shaking her head.

"And how big is the largest vessel?" Chrysalis asks intrigued.

"That would be a colony ship that was still being designed to house thousands of people to colonise a new planet or planetoids to mine for resources. This one was built to be as big as one-hundred times the size of Canterlot Castle. They’re required to be built up in space for lack of damaging the environment with heavy ship construction," I reply as we enter a large cavern with changelings fluttering about, leaving Luna, Chrysalis, and a few changelings looking gobsmacked. It appears their homes are built into the walls as well as the ceiling, which makes sense as they can all fly.

I scan the area and quickly find the best area to place the transmitter. I walk over to it and I can faintly hear Luna squeal.

"Could we one day colonise our moon?" the alicorn asks me with glee in her tone.

"Perhaps one day, once we have all the materials required for such a venture. Though I doubt that would be within the next sixty years," I reply and gesture her over to me. "Once we put this transmitter together, I want you to levitate it to the top of the cavern where a changeling will attach it to the ceiling, then run a cable down the side between the houses where we'll connect it to the station," I tell her while getting the parts out of the cart.

The changelings living here gather around us, curious as to what's going on.

Luna and I finish the transmitter and the changelings apply their adhesive to the base while Luna holds it in place with her magic. She then unrolls the cable along the ceiling where the changelings stick it along the way.

It takes us another hour to install the last two transmitters and teach a few changelings how to work the laptop to make sure that they've both learned to make sure the small battery is running perfectly and a signal coming in.

After making sure everything is in working order, we return to the throne room where then I turn to Chrysalis. "There, your radio network is installed, you may now use it to contact Canterlot, or Luna and I at any time," I inform her.

"Thank you, Adam. To be honest this is the nicest thing anyone has done for us," she replies.

I look her over and notice she's looking thin again. "Have you burned off the magic Celestia gave you already?" I ask her with concern.

"I shared it amongst my children, I will not sit full while they all starved," she replies and frowns sadly.

I would smile if I could. "Then allow me to top you up," I tell her and open my chest panel, exposing my core to her.

She smiles gratefully. "Thank you," she says and taps her horn to my core and absorbs eighty percent of the magic in it. Her ribs are no longer showing and only a couple of holes remain.

Luna looks between us and then steps forward. "I would like to offer some of my magic to help you and your children as well," she offers the Queen.

Chrysalis first looks surprised but then smiles again. "I accept your offer, Luna," she says and Luna makes a large deep blue orb of magic at the tip of her horn.

After a few seconds, changelings start filtering into the throne room and each take a small amount of magic from the orb with satisfied expressions. Luna only managed to feed two hundred changelings before she got too tired to continue.

"I'm sorry, but I can spare no more..." she says panting and lies down on the floor.

Some changelings look disappointed but the others share what they got.

"No, you've done more than enough," Chrysalis replies and looks at me. "I will send you a map showing the location to the Scarlet Hive when you’re ready to go," she tells me.

"Very well. Also, may I ask a favour of you?" I ask her.

"And what would that be?" she asks back.

"Could you send a few of your changelings into Gryphonstone disguised as gryphons to gather information on what they have. Like weapons, vehicles, and what truly happened to their king, as well as the ambassador Celestia sent?"

She hums in thought for a few seconds. "I suppose so, if we are to aid you in fighting the gryphons, knowing what they're capable of would be a boon... Very well, I shall send my best infiltrators to find out what they can," she replies and closes her eyes. "I have told them what to do and they're now preparing to leave," she tells us.

"Thank you. Once the Apache's rocket pods have been loaded, I'll be ready to go to the Scarlet Hive and deal with them. Also, use your new station to contact Canterlot and ask for the changelings still there to be released," I tell her as I start packing up my tools and get ready to head back to the Workshop.

I look to my left and spot Eve talking to a young changeling her size who is examining the metal filly. "Why are you so shiny and hard? Your shell is tougher than mine!" the little male asks her.

"It is my titanium plating, it's a metal alloy," she replies to him and looks around again.

"Your eyes are pretty, how do you make them look like that?" he asks her, watching the lights of her visor moving around.

"They're just light reflected off my visor to simulate eyes," she tells him emotionlessly.

The young changeling continues to question her as I place the last of the tools onto the cart. "I'll contact you when I am ready to go," I tell Chrysalis and pull the cart towards the entrance to the Hive.

"I'll prepare my forces to assist you in the attack," she tells me.

"No, I'll go alone. But thank you for the offer," I reply and she nodded before walking off down a tunnel.

"That was eventful," Luna comments and looks up at me.

"At least we don't have to worry about these changelings anymore, but if this Queen Stragna truly is as cruel as Chrysalis says she is, it would be best to remove her quickly before she either retaliates, or even join the gryphons," I reply as we exit the Hive.

The young changeling following along behind us stops at the entrance and waves goodbye to Eve.

"Seems somepony made a new friend," Luna says to Eve.

"He's a bit excitable, but he told me a few things about the Hive," she replies looking up into the late evening sky. Well, the sky that's visible through the canopy at least.

"Is that all?" Luna asks slightly disappointed.

"Give her time, Luna. Her emotional systems are still developing, just like mine still are," I tell the alicorn as we continue walking back.

We arrive to find the thestrals still doing laps and running the obstacle course. Luna and Eve head inside while I walk over to the Captain.

"Captain. I'll be heading out to the Badlands tomorrow to deal with the Scarlet Hive. I want you and your thestrals to watch over the workshop, Luna, and Eve. Eve will use the defences along with a Titan as well should you come under attack while I'm gone," I inform him.

"Very well, Sir, but if I may ask, how much longer do we have to do laps and the course, Sir?" he asks me.

"When I return, I shall begin making armour and weapons suited to your body structure, then I shall start teaching you human tactics and formations that'll help you through any situation," I reply and head inside to prepare the Apache and a Titan to move out.