XCOM: Ranger
Chapter 258 - Nature
By Wanderer D
Estella shifted uncomfortably, strapped as she was, within the Skyranger. She knew where they were going, after all. She'd visited Everton as a possible college for her own studies. Her memory of the place was of a large, science-heavy-in-focus university that was building a reputation comparable with MIT.
It had risen in fame and position in a relatively quick time, and it was one of the best options for science students of almost any specialty to not only get their undergraduate degrees, but also to stick around for Masters or even Doctorates.
Everton College today was a large, crumbling, college campus on the outskirts of what used to be Canterlot City. And like the rest of the city itself, it had been long-abandoned by humans after the invasion of Earth started. No longer were the well-kept trees decorating the edge of the parking lots, and the bright air around the place was gone as well, almost as if the natural state of the world now was to be gray and ominous.
She wasn't too shocked about the state of things. Sadly the Elder's invasion and her being outside of the gilded walls of the Advent cities was enough to expose her to the remnants of the destruction caused by the invaders.
The Skyranger hovered over to the science building unchallenged. The parking lot around the building was mostly empty of debris, save for the occasional rusting husk of a car, or even a few cracked pods like the ones that had rained on Canterlot City, converting the unaware citizens eventually into the Lost.
It wasn't like there had been no one around when the aliens attacked, quite the opposite in fact. Yet, none of the zombie-like mutants were to be seen in the area, and it was clear that someone or something had cleaned up the lot not just of old relics, but also of any living (or quas-living) things.
If this had been Canterlot City, the noise from the plane alone would have been enough to draw the lost to them, but here no crowds of meandering mutants flocked towards them.
"Here," Estella said, standing up and glancing outside nervously from within the Skyranger as she passed Deadwood and Ember the valuable magi-tech grenades. "I've kept them charged the whole trip. they're at max capacity. We don't have that many, so make them count." She hesitated, then smiled at the group. "Kick their collective asses."
Deadwood snorted. "Count on it."
Estella strapped herself in as Rainbow Dash closed the ramp and took flight again.
"I hate how normal it is to see the destruction," she said aloud.
"You've been here before then?" Rainbow Dash called back.
"I thought about coming here to study." She glanced out the window at the small group in the middle of the ruins. "I guess I should be thankful I didn't… or it would hit a lot harder, I suppose."
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said, her voice low. "It is better than realizing you've gotten used to seeing it in the places you used to love."
"Not only the places," Estella said, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, "Having met Princess Twilight Sparkle, it just drives hard how much nature and nurture have to do with who we become. On one side, one is a genius focused on solving things mostly through friendship and the occasional conflict, on the other we have a genius that turned her creativity and knowledge into seeking power, transforming herself into a monster and becoming a creature despicable by any measure of humanity." She sighed. "And they both started as, essentially, the same person."
"I heard that this Twilight… well, Chimera, was bullied and abused by others until she lost it," Rainbow Dash mused.
"I don't think that's an excuse to do any of this," Estella said. "Sure, it's tragic and it should never happen, but it dosn't justify trying to kill everyone or mutate them against their will."
"Or deprive them of their will or purpose," Rainbow Dash said, "yeah, I hear you."
"Yeah…" Estella shifted in her seat. "I don't know why, but I got chills when you said that."
"It is kinda freaky."
"Definitely."
"I think it's those pylons, " Lily Shen said, staring from the roof of the building where they had been dropped off at the surrounding area. She typed quickly into a pad in her hand, glancing from it to the conspicuous antennas spread around the campus. "They emit some sort of signal that keeps aliens and lost out."
"Doesn't seem to be affecting Angel or Gorack," Gilda said.
"Their implants have been deactivated, or completely removed," Lily explained. "That's the only explanation I have, other than it might be set up to some instinctual level that can be overridden by circumstances, such as us coming here with them."
"That's subtle," Breaker muttered. "Doesn't seem to match the personality of Chimera."
"Well, whatever it is, it's at least saving us the trouble of dealing with those dreadful creatures," Rarity huffed. She checked her equipment, and glanced over at Ember. "Are we ready?"
Ember and Deadwood traded glances. "I guess this is it. We'll do as planned." She studied the area around them. "There's not that many places for your or All In to nest and snipe, and our objective is underground."
Deadwood nodded. "We also didn't spot any defenses…"
"So, it's a trap."
"Probably."
"Either that or Tw-Chimera is too deranged to really care," Apple Bloom quipped.
"I do not know what to expect within, but you would be mistaken to think there's nothing out there," Elena said, glancing at the empty lot. "I can see many tell-tale signs of traps. We must be careful going in."
"Well, there's only one thing to do, anyway." Ember sighed and checked the comms.
"Receiving," the voice of the commander came through clearly. "I will be in charge of this operation."
"Our objective is the Science Department. Scans show no activity on the surface, but Shen, Estella and Tygan have run extensive studies in the area, and we've found consistent indicators of energy spikes and unusual signals."
Tygan's voice then picked up from the Commander's. "While the area seems… unimpressive at first glance, we did manage to detect signals that indicate at least a point of entry to a heavily isolated structure within."
"Roger that, Commander." Ember looked at the others, who nodded back at her. Everyone was listening. Good.
"We all know our objectives. We'll split up once inside the structure. Stick to the plan and keep the channels open."
When everyone present nodded, Ember turned to face the entrance to the facility. Her eyes narrowed as the memory of her team's last mission flashed before her eyes.
Oh. Chimera would pay.
"Move out!"