<<<Alert>>>
<<<Power Cell at 20%>>>
The internal notification pulled me out of the cognition cycle I had fallen into since clearing that native village two hours ago. I slowed my pace finally coming to a stop in the middle of a dirt road. I looked behind me and failing to spot the giant wooden life form that had been chasing me I boosted the gain on my audio sensors to attempt and deduce if I had outpaced the creature or if it had given up the chase. I listened for several minutes twisting this way and that but ultimately heard nothing but the various nature around me.
<<<Power Cell at 19%>>>
The second notification drew my attention and if it wasn't expressly forbidden by my etiquette programming I probably would have started swearing.
In Huttese! I know a good one!
Sadly I would never get to use it. Every time I tried I only got a password entry dialog to disable my parental controls.
With another sigh I set about attempting to discern a way to prevent a total power loss. The village I had left not long ago was a possibility but on reviewing my sensor logs I hadn't spotted anything that looked like electrical equipment. Granted I had not gotten the best of looks but the village was still booted to ‘Plan B’. I looked around for a suitable ‘Plan A’ but the only things nearby were the road I was on and the forest to either side. I scanned the horizon or what I could see of it above the trees and a large structure caught my attention. In the distance, nestled in a mountain pass was a large grey structure that could only be a dam. I zoomed in as far as my optics would allow and was infinitely relieved to spot cables suspended from metal towers leading off into the distance peaking above the trees.
With careful pacing I started towards the hydroelectric dam. My power levels wouldn't hold out for too long and It went against my programming to allow myself to run out of power in the middle of the road. The Droid Army had a bad enough reputation as it was and there was no way I was going to add to it by letting myself look like a doofus.
.XXX.
(Meanwhile at an undisclosed location.)
A figure paced back and forth nervously inside of a small cavern while wearing a cloak that concealed most of the wearer’s body. Only the armored plates strapped to the exterior that forced the garment to conform more closely to the form revealed that the mysterious figure was a pony stallion.
“Bounty hunter Jerico...” Hissed a voice from the shadows in the cave. “The queen will see you now.”
Jerico swallowed and followed after the sound of hoof steps. The cavern was nearly pitch black and the sound won out over his extremely limited vision as a method of navigation.
“Our queen wishes to thank you for your extremely prompt appearance.” Hissed the voice again.
Jericho nodded even though he wasn't even sure if the source of the voice was even looking. “It was no trouble. I was in the area.” He said. A feminine giggling echoed from along one of the walls causing his mane to slowly start standing on end.
“Yesss.” Hissed the voice. “It was most fortuitous that we stumbled across yo- AAH!” The voice was interrupted by a sudden blinding light that filled the tunnel. Jerico blinked the spots out of his vision only to suddenly become aware that he was surrounded by changelings. The bounty hunter took a nervous step back only to suddenly jump forward again when he felt himself back into somepony behind him. A chorus of feminine giggles emanated from a few of the black, insectoid, equines clinging to the walls and ceiling that had him gasping in shock and fear at the sheer number of bodies he was walking within just a few feet of without knowing.
“Aww I think he’s scared.” Said one of them whispering girlishly to one of their neighbors.
“Why are ponies just so adorable? Look at his little jacket and armor, oh I just want to squeeze him!” replied another.
Jerico shifted uncomfortably away from the conversation. Whoever was hiring him had better be paying well if he had to put up with this!
“Enough!” A loud voice rang through the tunnel drawing Jerico’s attention. A changeling stallion stood with his hoof on a round patch of florescent green material that spider-webbed across the tunnel and lit the place. “Shade!” He shouted at a irritated looking changeling stallion who had apparently been the one leading him. “The Queen said to bring him right away! All your theatrics are taking too long!”
“But Enigma you know how the Queen loves her entrances!” Shade argued back, stomping his hoof like a little colt throwing a tantrum. “Now you’ve completely ruined the atmosphere!”
Enigma shook his head and sighed. “She isn’t in the mood today, you know that!”
“Well I thought a little bit of normalcy would cheer her up!” Shade replied with a cautious smile.
“Thats your problem! You're a changeling, you're not paid to think!” Enigma shouted back making Shade’s expression to turn into an irritated scowl. “Now bring him before she gets anymore angry!” Enigma walked off in a huff leaving Shade trying to bore through the tunnel floor with his weird compound eyes.
“You don't pay me at all!” He grumbled before taking off down the tunnel at twice the pace as before.
Jericho stood there in shock for a moment before the creepy giggling behind him spurred him to catch up. After just a few seconds Shade led him into a large chamber where the Queen of the changelings herself sat on a pile of uncomfortable looking drones while several others applied bandages to her shell.
Chrysalis turned her head and grinned viciously at Jericho as he came to a stop near her... erm pile...
“Excellent, you are exac-”
HHHREEEEEEECKKKK PHTOOOOO!!!
Chrysalis turned and glared at the changling nurse that was too busy focusing on applying a spit soaked bandage to the queen’s flank to notice. “Ahem...” The queen cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the nurse who backed away sheepishly when she saw the venomous glare Chrysalis was shooting their way.
“-exactly the pony I needed to see!” Chrysalis continued.
“Umm... What exactly can I do for you?” Jericho asked, wishing desperately to hurry and leave as fast as Equinely possible.
“I need you to hunt down the WRETCHED being that humiliated me!” She hissed with a scowl. “Money's no object! I want it delivered to me alive so that I can kill it... slowly.”
Jericho swallowed nervously before pulling out a notepad. “What exactly did this ‘being’ look like?”
“It was tan!” Chrysalis declared imperiously.
“It was... tan?” Jericho said slowly, noting it down. He waited for a few awkward moment for her to continue but she just stared right through him like he wasn't even there. “Is that it?”
“YES THAT'S IT!” Chrysalis seethed, glaring at him like he had kicked her pet grub or something. “ GO! Don’t make me question your competence further!”
Jericho swallowed again before nodding vigorously. “I find it for you right away!”
Chrysalis calmed and relaxed onto her pile of drones. “Good... Now be gone with you.”
Jericho turned and bolted out of there as fast as his hooves could carry him.
.XXX.