//------------------------------// // Chapter 19 - Way To Fall // Story: Fallout Equestria: Blue Destiny // by MagnetBolt //------------------------------// “This map is amazing!” Herr Doktor crowed, moving to get a better look at the screen. For as much as it looked like a pleasure cruiser, the Raven’s Nest was hiding a ship of war under its wooden hull. “Okay, and this isn’t the bridge?” I said, ignoring the scientist and trying to get things right before I embarrassed myself again. “It’s the Combat Information Center, or CIC,” Emerald Gleam explained. “The bridge is where somepony goes to manage where the ship’s heading. This is where you go to manage the ship in combat.” “And to do strategic planning,” White Glint said. “Especially when we’re docked, this is the heart of the Nest.” She motioned to the central table, which was mostly a big screen facing upwards. Right now it was showing a map of the ground somewhere far below us. “How do we know where we are?” I asked. “We can’t see the ground from here.” “Ah, excellent question!” Herr Doktor said. “Your DRACO rifle is a superb device! It was able to estimate our current location thanks to the position of the local SPP tower and confirmed it by calculating latitude and longitude by using the fixed stars and accounting for drift from its stored astrogation charts!” “I’d like it better if you hadn’t activated its electronic warfare suite when you tried to transfer the data,” White Glint said. “It was trying to fire chaff. Indoors.” “A minor misunderstanding,” Doktor said dismissively. “So we can use this map to go down to the surface?” I asked. “We can use this map to plot an infiltration point,” Doktor corrected. “If the surface is as dangerous as rumors suggest, it would be best to minimize the amount of time you need to spend there. Deploying as close to the target as possible will help with that.” “That’s not the hard part,” Quattro said, from the doorway. She’d decided to lean on the wall near the door, probably because it made her look cool. Between that and the constant sunglasses I was starting to think she was trying a little too hard. “If it was just about knowing what was under us, we could dip down and have a look.” “You’re talking about the lightning shield, yes?” Doktor sighed. “It protects us from the surface,” I said. “It keeps monsters from getting up here.” “It also keeps ponies from going down there,” Emerald put in. “I know you’re excited by the idea of going to the surface but it’s not some easy little trip. The military doesn’t want ponies going back and forth to and from the surface, and for good reason. It’s not safe.” “We don’t have a choice,” Destiny said. “The only chance we have at finding a real way to combat SIVA is to get to the BrayTech labs.” “It’s my best chance for a cure, too,” I reminded her. “I really don’t want to be scrambling around trying to find a fusion core again. Losing one leg is bad enough.” “We might at least be able to find a treatment option that doesn’t require you to be in the armor at all times,” Destiny agreed. “I don’t want to promise you something I can’t deliver.” “I’ll take a tiny chance of a cure over no chance,” I said. “If I stay here and do nothing except worry, things can only get worse, right? So I have to go down to the surface. Then I can find a way to help myself, and my mom.” “Like I said, easier said than done,” Quattro sighed. “I’m no Dashite, but I’ve known a few ponies with that kind of hero complex. The desire to go down to the surface and help the unfortunate souls down there... It’s easier said than done.” “The lightning rods are both weapon and observation post,” Doktor said, starting to pace. “Attacking them head-on would simply result in a shocking experience.” She giggled a bit at her own joke. “We’ve seen them in action,” Destiny said. “Miniature versions, anyway.” “The full-size ones are an order of magnitude stronger,” Quattro said. “Well, Dashites get down to the surface somehow, right?” I asked. “There has to be some way to do it.” “Sure,” Quattro said. “Just strip down and hope nopony is looking.” Emerald sighed. “What she means is, the towers are designed to signal an alert and track energetic magical signatures. Powered armor, energy weapons, electronics. A pony with no equipment at all could slip past them.” “But then they’d be going down into Tartarus armed with their wits and nothing else,” Quattro said. “You can see why that presents a difficulty.” “Because I need this armor or the infection goes back to eating me alive,” I said. “That and I wouldn’t want you to go unarmed into the kind of dangers there are on the surface,” Quattro said, stepping over to pat me on the shoulder. “The Exodus armor produces a much larger magical signature than even traditional powered armor,” Destiny said. “It’s unavoidable with the T-fields it uses for… well, for basically everything. Even if I shut them down during a descent, there would still be power leakage from the fusion core.” “I suspect Chamomile herself might present a target,” Doktor muttered. “While they aren’t traditional cybernetics, they might well be enough for the lightning rods to lock on. We should assume the worst-case scenario, that there is no way to eliminate her magical signature entirely.” “My old command codes won’t get us through,” Emerald said. “I never had that level of clearance. Since Tilt Fuse was killed, the base is on alert, so we shouldn’t assume we can infiltrate it to get new codes.” “Hm…” Doktor hummed to herself, still pacing. “If one cannot avoid a problem or go around it, they must go through it. I believe I have a solution! If we combine compressed air tanks and the patch kits for the Nest’s lightning-resistant flotation envelope… yes! Ballutes! Inflatable shields! They should hold up to at least one or two strikes. More than enough to drop down to the surface!” “How many can you rig up?” Quattro asked. “I don’t want Chamomile going alone. I might tease her, but I don’t want her getting hurt.” Doktor rubbed her chin. “I will have to see to our supply of material. I think… perhaps enough for three sets.” She muttered to herself and walked out of the room, arguing with herself about shape and material strength. “And how would we get back up again?” Emerald asked, once the eccentric scientist had left. “I’m fine with escorting Chamomile into a dangerous area, but travel from the surface is even more restricted.” White Glint sighed. “I might have some contacts in the area, if they’re still alive.” “You say that like you don’t want to ask them for help,” Destiny said. “I don’t,” White Glint said firmly. “Unsung isn’t the kind of pony you want to owe a favor to. I’ll send a message through an old dead drop and… well, it’s the best I can do.” “Even if that ends up being a dud, we might find something at the Cosmodrome,” Destiny said. “Maybe we could even try getting into the SPP tower at ground level and flying up the interior void.” “If it was that easy, ponies would be in and out of there all the time,” Quattro said. “There are regular scouting missions down to the surface,” Emerald reminded them. “We might be able to sneak back that way.” “Looks like it’s going to be another mission where we have to wing it,” Quattro sighed. “And you’re sure this will work?” I asked. “A cocoon-style ballute like this should protect you quite well,” Doktor said. “Let me just finish the last weld. At least this material is less tricky than with Quattro’s armor…” I sighed and tried to relax and not think about what might be happening inside me while she had most of the armor sitting on a bench. I couldn’t get down to the surface soon enough. Destiny had been quiet every time I asked her about a cure. I mean, I wasn’t stupid. I could tell just looking at my hoof that I might be asking for the impossible. She was hovering over Herr Doktor to keep her from breaking anything. And to avoid my questions. Para-Medic offered me another bottle of water. “This one’s got electrolytes,” the medical pony whispered. “Let me know if you need any painkillers, okay? The Buck should keep you comfortable for a while, and it has fewer side effects than using more Med-X.” I nodded and sipped at the water. It tasted like somepony had put in a spoonful of salt and tried to hide it with sugar and lemon juice. “The trick is wrapping it around your center of gravity,” Doktor explained. “Otherwise you would tumble uncontrollably.” “A tumble might actually help with dispersing a lightning strike’s energy,” Destiny noted. “And the G-forces would knock her unconscious, or leave her dizzy enough that she wouldn’t be able to pull out of the dive through the cloud layer,” Doktor countered. “And I believe you have a vested interest in keeping her from being sick inside that helmet, hmm?” She tapped the floating helmet with a small wrench. At the same time, an alarm bell blared. “That wasn’t my fault!” Doktor yelled, before anyone could blame her. Emerald flew into the main hold, glancing back behind her like she was being chased. “We’ve got serious trouble!” she yelled. “Everypony up on deck!” Before I could even ask one question she was gone. I rolled onto my hooves and ran after her, Destiny trailing behind me. The Nest wasn’t a large ship, but by the time I was back out in the open I was winded more from panic than actual effort. Quattro spotted me and waved me over to the railing at the edge of the deck, pointing up into the sky over the city. A ship loomed there, balanced on three captured storms. “That’s the same ship that destroyed Cirrus Valley,” I said, feeling my blood run cold. Quattro nodded. “Looks like they’ve decided to pay us a visit.” “Do you think they’re chasing after us? Maybe they just let us go last time so they could track us and figure out--” “Chamomile a few days ago we killed the wannabe warlord who was keeping this town under his hoof,” Quattro reminded me. “I was hoping things would cool down if we decided to lie low but it seems like they’re just heating up.” “The locals must have called for help,” I agreed. “Wrong,” Emerald said. “Destiny, you’ve got a radio in there, right?” “Sure, why?” Destiny asked. “Tune into the local military channel. I’ll give you the frequency.” Emerald rattled off the numbers. “One second,” Destiny said, before her voice was replaced with the squeal and hiss of a radio being tuned. “--Not required. Thank you for your offer of assistance, but everything is under control,” said a mare with an accent that made me think of ice and steel. “Under Skyguard Order 104, Section B, Paragraph 1-A, should a command be vacant, a flag officer may assume command if they deem it necessary,” a smooth voice retorted. I’d recognize it anywhere. It was Polar Orbit, the pony who’d ordered my hometown destroyed. My grip on the railing tightened. There was a crack. The wood under my right forehoof had shattered. “As you have not re-established order by finding and punishing those responsible for the death of Governor Tilt Fuse, as well as other sundry crimes including the murder of other military officers, I deem it necessary to assume command.” “Don’t go quoting regulations at me!” the first voice snapped. “Your request is denied. I’m ordering you to leave our airspace. If you want to try pushing rank, you come back here when you have orders in writing!” “Are they really having an argument about the rules?” I muttered. “That’s pretty much what the military is all about,” Quattro said. “Never trust anypony who can quote a section and paragraph number at you,” Emerald said. “It usually means they think they found some clever loophole. Or they’re a lawyer. Either one is bad.” “It looks like they’re taking this seriously,” Quattro said. Armored ponies were taking wing from the military dock, flying past us in formation and making a big show of being seen. They sent out more troops than I could easily count -- at least thirty of them flew in tight wings and formed a moving blockade in the incoming warship’s path. “So what are the odds they pack up and go away?” Quattro asked. A single red shape took off from the Juniper, launching into the air trailing a thick plume of magic. The armored ponies in the air swooped towards it, twisting their showy patrol paths to close in on it from all sides. “Is that a pony?” I asked, growing less sure as I looked. The red shape sparkled. I could feel it, like the instant before lightning hits. A massive beam as bright as the sun lanced out, slicing a path through the flying ponies. They scattered, but it had been too late to run by the time they knew what was going on. The red shape shot through the space they’d evacuated at impossible speed, swooping down low towards the city. “That-- that shot might as well have come from a battleship!” Emma gasped. “How can he fire on them like that?!” Quattro shook her head. “I don’t think he cares the way you do.” The red figure shot past us, only a few blocks away. I could see it like everything had suddenly gone into slow motion. There was a pony there, but you’d be forgiven for missing them. A helmet was about the only portion that was visible, the rest was a machine the size of a house. It was like a swollen approximation of a classic pegasus charger, the lance replaced with a long cannon, the shield glowing with runes, legs replaced by booster engines with nozzles big enough to walk into, and huge boxy shapes where the wings should be. It had the aerodynamics of a brick, but it turned at impossible speed by bullying its way through the air, taking a sharp corner and shooting up into the air. A thunderclap shook the air around us, the shockwave blowing past with the force of a punch to the chest. The scattered pegasus ponies in the air regrouped, keeping distance and firing at the red horror. Their shots never even reached it, splattering like streams of water on a magical shield. Armored doors opened on one of the boxy containers the thing carried, revealing a dozen launch tubes. It fired a missile towards the center of the group, an obvious miss that wasn’t going to come close to the soldiers. They ignored it, until it reached them and erupted in flame, firing miniature missiles in every direction. The whistling rockets careened into the formation, blasting them out of the sky. Even more of the explosives found their way into the city, exploding into city blocks and streets. The few remaining ponies still flying broke and ran, scattering and bolting for the safety of the military base. The red shape flashed through the sky uncontested. “I don’t think they’re going to leave quietly,” Destiny understated. “I’m a big fan of this room,” I said. “My favorite part is how it’s in the middle of the ship so there’s a bunch of armor around us.” The map of the surface that had been on the main table of the CIC had been replaced with a rough sketch of Thunderbolt Shores, with the Juniper a red triangle looming at the edge opposite the military base. “How bad is it?” Emma asked, looking over the table. She seemed to be able to glean more information than I could from the symbols and lines drawn over the map. “Bad,” White Glint muttered. She took a deep breath before continuing. “I’m waiting on a call to tell me exactly how bad it is, but there are casualties everywhere, and ponies are already starting to riot.” “They should be evacuating,” I said. “Ponies don’t do what you expect when they’re scared,” Destiny said. “During the war, ponies would just keep doing the stupidest things just out of fear. I remember…” her voice went distant, the floating helmet wobbling. “There was a rumor of a bread shortage, but there was plenty for everypony… until some ponies bought a lot of bread because they thought it wouldn’t be there tomorrow. Then other ponies saw the empty shelves. There was a stampede, and ponies got trampled alive just because they wouldn’t listen to reason.” “There are also a lot of grudges to go around,” White Glint said. “Ponies weren’t happy with the military and there hasn’t been enough time since Tilt Fuse died for all those embers of anger to cool entirely.” “At least nopony’s mad at us,” I said. “Are you sure about that?” White Glint growled. “You haven’t been listening to the right channel, then!” She turned up the volume on the radio. “Bring me Chamomile! I know she’s here!” somepony shouted. I felt like I should recognize the voice, especially since I’d gotten them very upset. “That mule killed my sister!” She turned the volume back down when he erupted into swearing. “Rain Shadow,” Emerald said. I groaned. “Why in Tartarus is he here?” “If I had to guess, I’d say he’s here for you,” White Glint said. “And somepony gave him a new toy to play with.” “You’re bucking kidding me,” I leaned on the table, head in my hooves. “He’s the one piloting that heap of engines and guns?” “Not a heap, Assault Armor!” Herr Doktor said, trotting in and throwing a bundle of papers onto the table. “I knew I’d seen something like it in my files! Quite a distinctive project, as you can imagine. The Heaven’s Sword Area Dominance Weapon. The original project called for a very small crew, as small as one pony, to defend a huge volume of airspace.” “So…” I sat back. “They strapped a bunch of guns to the pony, then added booster rockets so they could get anywhere in that airspace, and some kind of shield to keep them safe?” “Exactly. Attractively simple idea, no? Simply take a suit of powered armor and exaggerate the firepower and speed. Of course it has massive logistical problems. The power consumption curve is wasteful in the extreme, and I cannot even begin to imagine the kind of magical and physiological stress the pilot must be under. The acceleration alone would be bone-breaking!” “I guess that doesn’t matter as long as you hate somepony enough,” Quattro said. “They probably couldn’t find anypony else willing to strap themselves in.” “Raven’s Nest, come in,” the radio blared, with the iron-hard voice of the mare I’d heard arguing with Polar Orbit. White Glint grabbed a microphone. “This is Captain White Glint,” she said. “I take it you’ve held the vote, Commander Farsight?” “The actions of Polar Orbit and the Juniper are considered a rogue military takeover by the city’s civilian government,” Farsight said. “As the city’s legitimate defense force, we will defend it, even if it means repelling an act of aggression by other members of the military.” “That could be difficult, with that monster flying overhead. Did you consider my offer?” “You are authorized to deploy within city limits. We’ll discuss payment later when lives aren’t on the line.” “Agreed. We’ll do our best to stop it.” “Good hunting,” Farsight said, before the line went quiet. “Do we have any kind of plan to stop the Heaven’s Sword?” Quattro asked, flipping through the papers Herr Doktor had dropped on the table. “I’m not seeing a section labeled ‘weaknesses’.” “The weakest part is the pilot,” Herr Doktor said. “You might be able to get him to knock himself out with his own maneuvers.” “Good idea,” Emerald agreed. “There’s no way he’s had enough experience with it to know how to pilot it safely.” “We shouldn’t get involved,” Destiny said. Everypony turned to look at the ghost, me included. Destiny ignored them. “We have the map we need of the surface. We have a way down. It’s not like he can follow us. We should leave while there’s still infighting and he’s distracted. We could probably slip out of the city pretty easily.” “If we do that, a lot of ponies will get hurt,” I reminded her. “So?” Destiny bobbed in what I guess was supposed to be a shrug. “I don’t feel great about that, but it’s not our responsibility. We need to focus on our goals. If we don’t stop SIVA, nopony will. That’s way more lives at stake.” “Rain Shadow is literally screaming my name!” I pointed vaguely towards the outside. “How is this not my responsibility?!” “And what if you get killed?!” Destiny snapped. “You can’t fight something like that on your own!” “She won’t be alone,” Emerald said. “She’ll have me and Quattro there.” “We’ll bring her back alive,” Quattro promised. “We’ve got something this Heaven’s Sword doesn’t.” “Luck?” I guessed. Quattro winked and pointed at me. “We haven’t gotten killed yet! I’ve got half of a plan. If you’re really feeling lucky, it’ll work perfectly.” I tried to ignore the boxy ballute pack between my wings. There hadn’t been time to remove it. I just hoped it wasn’t going to give Destiny ideas about bailing on the team and flying off for the surface like an idiot Dashite going after a cute mare she saw playing in the dirt. “The main gun is the Heaven’s Sword’s most dangerous weapon, but it’s unsuited for firing on individual ponies,” Herr Doktor said over the radio. Even with the storm at a low point there was enough interference to make her voice crackle. “It’s more of an anti-ship weapon. Of course, danger is relative. The missiles will be more than enough to kill you if they hit directly. Try to avoid that.” “Great advice,” I said. “I’ll do my best not to die, thanks.” “I’m in place,” Quattro said. “Do you need me to send you the location?” “DRACO is still tracking you,” I said, glancing at the blue triangle. “I’ve got eyes on Rain Shadow, too.” He hadn’t seen me yet. The red shape of the Heaven’s Sword was distant enough that the blue of my armor was at least a little camouflage against the sky. “Emerald?” “For the record, I think this is a bad plan and I can’t believe Commander Farsight is going along with it,” Emerald said. “Noted, soldier,” Quattro said with mock formality. “We’ll have that objection entered into your file.” “At least you’re not the bait,” I said. “Imagine how I feel.” “At least you’re not attached to the bait and hoping she doesn’t get herself killed,” Destiny muttered. “Two hundred years doing my duty and I’m going to end up blown apart because somepony can’t see the big picture.” “Speaking of bait, let’s see if I can get Rain’s attention,” I said. I highlighted him with DRACO’s targeting laser and switched on my communications. “Hey, I heard you were looking for a fight. I found one if you want it!” The Heaven’s Sword did a maneuver that must have cost Rain years of his life, cutting the engines and flipping in midair before starting the burn again at full power, banking at a sharp angle towards me, following the laser like I’d intended. “You!” Rain screamed. “I knew you’d still be here! I’m going to get revenge for what you did!” “You know, I liked your sister better,” I taunted. “Snow had a great flank and a better personality than you.” “That’s a little below the belt,” Emerald warned. “Most flanks are, Emma,” I retorted. “I’m going to die, again, attached to a pervert,” Destiny groaned. DRACO flashed a warning, like I couldn’t see the giant red thing coming right for me. I turned tail, and an arrow popped up in my HUD. I followed it, not knowing what it was for, and an energy beam lanced through the space I’d been flying in. “I’m using DRACO’s electronics warfare suite to try and get you breathing room,” Destiny said, obviously concentrating. Windows popped up and vanished almost as fast as they’d come, and I had no idea how she was reading them so quickly. The rifle’s barrel whirred and tilted to the right, firing three times on its own. Flares launched out, quickly falling behind me and to my side. Missiles chased after them, breaking away from my contrail to follow the new targets. “I can see why you were so excited about this gun!” I shouted, diving low. The Heaven’s Sword shot past me, easily moving at twice my speed. Rain pulled it into a sharp bank, trying to get back on me. “You being slower is actually making it difficult for him to attack,” Emerald noted. “He can’t drop into a hover, so he’s going to have to try and cross your flight path.” “Bring him closer to me,” Quattro said. “Those turns will give us a chance for the plan to work.” I didn’t respond. Even if he was having trouble keeping me in his sights, all it would take was one lucky shot. Speaking of which, I turned in midair and tried to get a bead on him. DRACO adjusted for my bad aim, but the shot just bounced off of that magic shield. I shook my head and ran for the cloudbank where Quattro was hiding. Another wave of missiles streaked past me, bursting in midair and scattering shrapnel. Destiny threw a shield around us, blocking the worst of it. “Hit the chaff!” I yelled. DRACO responded without my needing to touch the trigger, firing shells ahead of us that turned into a cloud of metal confetti. Whatever sensors Rain had on the Heaven’s Sword, they were useless when I dove into the clouds, burrowing into them. He shot past again, and I could see his confusion in the way he wobbled in flight, trying to cut speed as much as possible to find where I’d gone. There was motion to his left and he flipped his machine into another bone-bruising multiple-G maneuver, chasing after the blip. Unfortunately for him, the blip wasn’t me. “He’s spotted me,” Quattro said. “Good thing I’m faster than you. It’ll take him a while to notice he’s got the wrong mare.” “Just make sure to bring him back this way,” I said. “The timing is gonna be tight.” “Trust me, I don’t want him on me all day,” Quattro said. Missiles streaked towards her, but unlike my fat flank needing every trick in the book to stay ahead of them, she avoided them so deftly it looked effortless. She started circling back around, and I readied myself. I watched Quattro zip into line to pass right by me… and then I saw the massive beam hit. The light blinded me, washing out my display as she vanished in the storm of deadly energy. “No!” I gasped. A silvery ball tumbled away from the beam, blackened and flaking away. After a moment it popped like a balloon, Quattro flying away with the surface of her armor smoking. “That was close!” Quattro said. “Tell Doktor the ballutes work, briefly!” Rain shot past her, starting to slow as much as possible and trying to turn without breaking something. I jumped out when he got close, pouncing onto the Heaven’s Sword and holding on tight. “Hey there!” I said. “Were you looking for me?” He tried to look over his shoulder at what I’d grabbed onto. The big glowing shield. This close, I was inside the field it generated. I could feel how hard the thing was working, hot enough to raise blisters if I hadn’t been armored. Before he could do anything smart, I snapped the blade out of my leg and drove the knife into the shield generator, slicing through steel and magical circuits effortlessly. Magic smoke poured out in a rainbow of colors, and something inside the generator exploded, tearing panels free and erupting in flame. I felt it detach, explosive bolts pushing it free, and kicked myself away before it could drag me down. “Shields are down, Emma!” I shouted. “I’m relaying targeting information to the Shiranui,” she reported. “Get clear!” I flew down, needing as much distance and speed as a dive could get me. The Heaven’s Sword started to turn back towards me, and the sky lit up. All the way from the military base, a beam cut through the air, boiling away the clouds in its path. It struck the assault armor’s right weapons bay and the box of munitions and missiles erupted like a volcano, blasting apart with force that rattled my teeth. The Heaven’s Sword’s engines cut out, and it started falling. “We got him!” I yelled. The machine drifted down, falling slowly and tumbling on the uneven lift from what had to be dozens of talismans designed to reduce the weight of the massive Assault Armor. It turned towards me and the open, empty hatch where Rain Shadow had been seated gaped like a yawning mouth. “I’ll kill you!” he screamed, in the same moment he slammed into my back. Even DRACO seemed surprised, the rifle playing a confused jingle and displaying alert messages. I didn’t really need the warning because I could feel him grabbing my wings and yanking them up from underneath. “Let go of me!” I shouted. I rolled and kicked, trying to throw him off, but he had me in a solid winglock, and the angle meant I could barely see him, much less reach him. “We’re falling!” Destiny warned. “I know we’re falling!” I yelled. “Damnit, Rain, let go!” “I’ll take you with me all the way to Tartarus!” he growled. A window popped up showing a rapidly decreasing number. “We need to deploy the ballute, but he’s blocking it!” Destiny said. “If we drop down into the firing range of the lightning rods without deploying, we’ll be fried!” I still had my disturbingly natural-feeling hoof-blade deployed and tried to stab back at him, but I was going to have to dislocate my shoulder if I wanted to get the angle right. The number started flashing red and black. “I’ve got an idea,” Destiny said. “I need you to lower your head and trust me!” She didn’t need to say anything else. I moved my head, and Destiny’s magic shield appeared in front of me. DRACO whirred and chirped and finally fired. The shell hit the shield and bounced back, going right over my lowered head. Rain Shadow yelled in pain and let go. “I wasn’t sure that would actually work,” Destiny sighed. “Let’s get that ballute deployed before--” I felt it coming. Every hair in my mane tried to stand on end. I grabbed for the manual deployment handle, yanking it as fast as I could. I wish my reaction times were a little better. The pack on my back popped open, the balloon of lightning-resistant material just starting to inflate before the bolt hit. The shock made my heart skip a beat, blue traces of electric current and sparks surrounding me, the only light I saw when my HUD went dark and I was plunged into blackness. The ballute started to deflate, tangling around me like a silver net, and I fell further and faster than I ever had before, with no idea where I’d land.