//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: A Battle Droid Saves Equestria // by LinktheLazy //------------------------------// .XXX. <> <> The cheery notification chirped in my sensory feed as I peeled myself from the me shaped dent in the ground. The world was totally black and for a moment I suspected my visual sensors to be malfunctioning. I used the soiled sponge I was still holding (for some reason) to attempt and discern if there was something blocking my vision. After a few scrubs I began to be able to see again though the input was highly blurred and I got the distinct feeling I should feel disgusted. To my logic processor’s eternal confusion. Once I could see at a minimally acceptable level I took a look around. The section of the dam I had previously been in was now engulfed in a raging inferno with a large amount of thick black soot visible through a shattered window. My logic processor provided a solution that while far fetched seemed to be the only plausible solution. I had been thrown out the window by an explosion and somehow emerged fully functional. I groaned and inspected myself and sure enough my front was now completely blackened with excess carbon. “Ugh that's going to stick in my servos I just know it...” My complaining now no longer priority number one I looked around the area to determine the best way to execute priority number two: Prevent Unnecessary Destruction Via Fire, Structural Collapse, Explosions, Angry Natives, Etc. I turned to locate the door I had entered through and found that it had been obscured by burning debris. The whole place was not likely to survive the next few hours so an alternate source of power would have to be found. The town that I had fled from earlier seemed to be a good candidate for finding further power sources (as I had determined earlier), either that or finding transport to said power sources. Now all that was left to do was ensure that I was not directly tied to the destruction of the dam in order to make appearing in a public location without arousing a military or law enforcement response easier. Just as I took my first step back towards the town I spotted something in the distance, several natives were approaching rapidly, likely an emergency response team or law enforcement. I contemplated deviating in order to avoid encountering them but my earlier experiences with the forests on this planet made me quickly disregard that option. An alternative course would have to be implemented. .XXX. Jericho panted heavily as he galloped towards the distant fire, the six mares from town hot on his hooves. Normally he would disregard the threat a few young mares could pose but after getting his flank handed to him by the pony with the candy cutiemark earlier there was no way he was going to make that kind of assumption again. He’d even had to dodge a tree trunk or two tossed by the purple one chasing him, and that rainbow one! He shuddered as he remembered the constant dodging he had been forced to do at the beginning of the chase, thankfully she’d seemed to have gotten tired. Seriously what in tartarus were they feeding the mares in this place! His pounding hooves quickly ate up the distance and he quickly found himself nearing the burning dam. He’d almost reached it when something he spied out of the corner of his eye made him lock his legs and skid to a stop. He took a few steps closer and scrutinized the strange looking bush on the side of the road. It was... for a lack of better term, bushy and was held several feet off the ground by a pair of skinny trunks that he could’ve sworn he saw moving a moment ago. His eyes narrowed and taking a glance around to make sure nopony would hear him shouting at a shrub just in case it really was just a plant. “Hey I know you're there, come out peacefully or I will have to use force!" The plant remained motionless for several seconds and just as Jericho was about to give it up and keep going... “I don't know what you're talking about, I’m a bush.” Jericho blinked as he stared, stunned at the sheer stupidity of whatever kind of creature it was. After a few seconds of just gawking at it he lit the horn hidden under his cloak and a salmon colored aura ripped the leaves away from the ‘hidden’ creature. “I don't have time for your games! You’re coming with me!” The strange creature looked at him and scratched its smallish bird-like head making a loud series of metallic sounding scraping noises. “No I’m not.” it said after a moment. Jericho could feel his eye starting to cramp up. If he wasn't careful his twitch was going to come back and that had taken ages to get rid of. “Yes... you... are...” It seemed to ponder something before clicking the rectangular claws on one of it’s appendages. “Me no spraken de Basiiiic.” It said shrugging and making to walk off. Jericho grit his teeth and hopped in front of it. “Horse apples I just heard you speak plain equestrian!” It looked at him for a moment, exaggeratingly tilting its head. “Eh... Parelevu Huttese?” Jericho growled in frustration before snatching up the strange thing in his aura. “Ha! What now you stupid... whatever you are!” The creature seemed confused for a moment before it pointed a shaky limb in his direction and squawked “Jedi!” Jericho just snorted and shook his head. “Might as well give up the game there, I have you and there's no way you’re getting away now! You think you can fool me by pretending to not speak equestrian! Well HA! Queen Chrysalis is paying me a lot of money to bring you to her so let's get going shall we?” He turned around with his head held high, proud to have made another successful capture... only to meet six pairs of very upset looking eyes. Not that anypony could see under his cloak but Jericho’s ears folded back and he adopted a very nervous looking grin. “Oh Hello girls, fancy meeting you here.” The purple one snorted and took a menacing step forward. Her horn lit up and Jericho very quickly found his aura overpowered. She gently lowered the skinny being to the ground and returned her angry gaze to him. “Friend huh?” Jericho swallowed his throat going dry at the burning glare from all six mares. “S-s-sure.” He stuttered. The orange mare with the hat stepped forward. “Ahem... ‘Queen Chrysalis is paying me a lot of money to bring you to her so let's get going shall we?’” She said in a sickly sweet tone. Jericho’s eyes narrowed as he began mentally preparing his long list of attack spells. It would have to take out the purple one first, she was obviously the leader and the magical power house, then the rainbow pegasus followed by- A metal fist clocked him in the jaw and he fell into the dirt, stunned by the blow. The six mares looked over to the blackened thin creature he had been trying to abduct with wide-eyed gaping expressions. It scratched its head, returning their look with the blank mask that was it’s face. “What?” It said somehow looking confused. “He deserved it...”