//------------------------------// // Harmony Database: Personal Notes and Progress Reports (Set #1) // Story: The Harmony Initiative // by Madame Hellspawn //------------------------------// Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer Personal Terminal >>>Harmony Initiative: Research Division >>> 22nd of Moonfall >>> 12:14 P.M. It would seem that the aliens are employing a new type of weapon on the field. There is a chance however, that the recovered material could possibly reverse the effects of the 'Necromantic' Gas pods; the same pods used to kick-start the alien invasion. Regardless, I’m sure we can still find something worth researching. I’ll put in a request with Twilight for aid from all the divisions, including Engineering to help see what we can find out about these things. We must treat this with the utmost urgency and caution. This may very well solve one of Equestria’s problems or grant us a better way of fighting the aliens. *** Private Solemn Vigil Medical Bay Terminal >>>Harmony Initiative: Fireteam Valor >>> 23rd of Moonfall >>> 1:23 P.M. >>> Addressed to Captain Aegis Solaire Captain, as you may have heard I'm on medical leave for the next few days for 2nd degree burns. The doctors say I'll make a full recovery with no lasting damage but I'm confined to the Medical Bay til then. I won't say I'm mad at Cherry for rushing in like that, but I can't say I appreciate his little stunt either. As I've been lying in bed for the last few hours, I've been running the mission in my head seeing what I was doing and I think I made an mistake. When we were dealing with the sectoids outside the ship I could have used my Flash spell to blind and take them out before they could run back to the ship and perhaps when they did get to the ship I could have avoided getting shot had i used it. I hadn't wanted to use it since it reminded me of what I did to those ponies in Manehatten and I paid for not using my skills to their utmost. I would like to start making active use of Flash in the field and perhaps teach it to the other unicorns in the fireteams if I could get permission for it? *** Private Rime Runner Personal Terminal >>>Harmony Initiative: Fireteam Valor >>> 23rd of Moonfall >>> 2:11 A.M. >>> Addressed to Captain Aegis Solaire Captain Solaire. I heard about the decision to keep Cherry as part of the team and I can tell you now, I don't like it. He's obnoxious, has no consideration for his teammates and worst of all his recklessness puts those around him in danger. He might cut it for a mercenary but I could never stand someone like him in the Coast Guard. Honestly, I believe he is a liability to keep around, but if you and the Commander think he can be whipped into shape then I will abide your decision. However, if he does anything to jeopardize Solemn again...Damn shooting him...Damn beating him to death.... I will cook him alive. I'll jack his body temperature so high he'll wish it was the aliens shooting him. I know how I sound right now, but I refuse to allow anyone or anything to threaten Solemn, Faust damnit. *** Co-Head of Engineering Applejack Personal Terminal >>>Harmony Initiative: Engineering Division >>> 23rd of Moonfall >>> 2:36 A.M. I thought I saw it all with the alien’s flying ships and mock ponies infiltrating in our cities. But something made entirely out of mechanical parts and is capable of thinking all on its own? I’ve seen plenty of timberwolves, but these things are just crazy. I don’t even know what to call them. I shouldn’t be here. I need to be back at the farm or something. Pretend none of this is even happening. I’m just a face ponies think of when they hear the word Engineering, but I ain’t even that good with machines. I just know how to tell ponies what to do and fix and build only simple stuff. Flim and Flam are the real runners of the show and they know it. The whole facility would still be run by hooves and talons instead of conveyor belts and programmed robots. They at least have the decency not to order me around like I’m one of the regular workers. Maybe they ain’t too bad after all. Still, I’ve got my eye on them, just in case they try anything shifty. I don’t know what Twilight was thinking bringing us down here, tearing us away from families or what little of them we’ve got left. I hope Big Mac is managing alright without me. Without the ‘real’ me anyway. And I hope this all pays off in the end. I hope we find Applebloom somewhere in this mess. I could die happy knowing my little sister is still alive. Maybe Granny, Celestia bless her soul, will even rest easy knowing that she’s okay. *** Engineer Overnight Vigil Personal Terminal >>>Harmony Initiative: Engineering Division >>> 23rd of Moonfall >>> 8:32 P.M. >>>Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle Miss Sparkle... Commander... I just wanted to apologize for my outburst the other day. It was unprofessional and uncharacteristic of me. I promise it won't happen again, but I will not apologize to that stallion for hurting Solemn with his foolishness. Rime explained to me what had happened and I can't overlook someone causing harm to my child even indirectly. Now that that is out of the way, I wanted to thank you for bringing Rime and I back to Solemn. I heard how uneasy and worried she was here. I'll never forget the look on her face when she saw me finally arrive. Like a filly opening her Hearth's Warming Eve presents. I think the only time I've seen her happier was when Rime came here to join her. Those two have been a part of each other's lives since elementary school. Rime got into fights after being teased for her size. Solemn got bullied for being so quiet and shy. Solemn wanted somepony to end her loneliness. Rime wanted somepony to make her feel happy instead of angry all the time. And Rime became something of a big sister to Solemn. Hmhmhm. Big sister indeed. My, how that filly grew. Since then, they have been almost inseparable. Oh, how Solemn cried when we had to move from Vanhoover to Manehatten because of my job. Solemn's childhood dream was to be a Royal Guard so she could emulate Rime, but she came to think it would be too unrealistic for her over time. I think Rime joined the Coast Guard so she could live Solemn's dream for her and still be her protector. I heard there she demolished her room in Coast Guard's facility when she found out Solemn was moving away. Truth be told, part of me has always suspected they harbor affections for each other even if they don't realize it. I'm so happy we are together again. I have my daughter back. Rime has her best friend. And Solemn has her mother and closest companion. Thank you again, Commander Twilight. *** Squadron Leader Air Strike Personal Terminal >>>Harmony Initiative: Banshee Squadron >>> 24th of Moonfall >>> 4:47 A.M. >>>Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle Commander Sparkle, the mission over Vanhoover has been bothering me since it ended. It took everything I had to keep up with that ship, the others couldn't help falling behind, and it took 2 entire salvos to bring that damn ship down. And I don't even want to think what would happen if that thing actually hit us. (Thank Faust.) From what I heard, we merely shot down a scout or maybe a small transport ship. If we had such a hard time against that, how would we fair against a dedicated combat vessel? We gave it our best and and took the aliens down yes, but as much I hate to say it our best just isn't good enough. And something tells me the aliens are just getting started with us. Which brings me to the point of this message and why I'm making it at this ungodly hour. I'm sure the techies and thinkers are coming up with new ways for us to knock the aliens out of the sky, but it won't matter if the aliens just outrun us. I do have something in mind that can help... but you won't like it. Commander, I think the other interceptor pegasi need to undergo the prosthetic procedure like I did. I can promise, I'm not liking this anymore than you, but I don't make this suggestion lightly. I know it is one thing to give this procedure to a pegasus with missing wings, but it's quite another to ask a healthy pegasus to have their wings replaced with a fabrication. But can we afford not to take advantage of it? Do we risk letting the aliens have control of the skies? I won't say we should force it on the others, but I do ask you to consider encouraging them. P.S. I know you have a lot to think about as is, but maybe you could consider the transport pegasi as well? It would speed the fireteams' deployment drastically. *** PROJECT RED GLARE PROGRESS REPORT >>> 24th of Moonfall >>> 7:19 A.M. >>>Harmony Initiative: Combat Technology Division >>>Proposal To Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer >>Status: Awaiting Further Clearance >File by: Doctor Kirin I’ve gathered a small team of four others to aid Zeldamar and myself in the research of the alien weapon fragments(1) and potentially reverse engineer them to suit the needs of our soldiers on the field. If we can come to understand how the aliens utilize various components, we can further advance our somewhat stagnant advance weapons programs. We've already brainstormed ideas for designs of the new weapons, as well as several potential ways we could produce our own variation of the 'energy' based weapons. We can discuss this in further detail if you wish. (1)--a little warning about the power source in these fragments being extremely volatile next time? You'd think that with all the abuse the weapons took just getting here that the ones mostly intact can take more than a four inch drop against the table. *** PROJECT SAFEGUARD PROGRESS REPORT >>> 24th of Moonfall >>> 9:14 A.M. >>>Harmony Initiative: Robotics And Alien Technology Division >>>Addressed to: Chief Scientist Starlight Glimmer >>Status: Ongoing >File by: Dr. Bronze Sprocket It may please you to learn that my sub-division within the Robotics and Alien Technology Division has made great strides with understanding the alien materials from the crashed ship. While we would need years to completely understand how the materials work, some of the crew theorize we could try to replicate the process of creating a substance similar to what the aliens utilize. I have taken the liberty of beginning the process with a small group with Doctor Iron Sights at the helm in that department. The main bulk of the team is dedicated to understanding not only how the materials work, but primarily, how we can incorporate the alloys into our current personnel’s armor. With the Commander’s clearance, I would like to request soldiers ahead of time, preferably one of each current species residing in Initiative Headquarters. I would very much like to test the prototypes, in terms of fitting of course, on each of them. *** Engineer Samanya Hayden Personal Terminal >>>Harmony Initiative: Engineering Prospect >>> 25th of Moonfall >>> 10:24 PM >>>Addressed to Commander Twilight Sparkle Greetings Commander. First let me say I am delighted to be a part of this venture. The ideas and discoveries we can make here can change the world in ways I couldn't dream of before. (What wonders await.) And of course, protecting our home from these deplorable invaders. (The things we could have learned if they only came in peace.) I've been familiarizing myself with the technologies we have to work with, especially the weapons, and I had an idea or two of how we might improve upon them. I have some modifications in mind for our ballistic weapons by adding to the casing of the rounds, increasing their penetration and stopping power, though it won't fit on the smaller caliber weapons. I also came up with a new weapon schematic for the interceptors. In essence, it is a lightweight cannon that fires specially designed shells that detonate in proximity to the target and should offer the same damage to the aliens' craft as the Windigo Missile but more reliably though it doesn't quite have the range the Windigo has. With your permission to develop them of course. I look forward to working with all of you. Scientia Potentia Est.* *Hayden Family motto, meaning "Knowledge is power"