//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Cold Cold Heart // Story: Fallout: Equestria - Vanguard // by Veprem //------------------------------// Fallout: Equestria - Vanguard Chapter 2: Cold Cold Heart ***** ***** ***** oooOOOooo “Cozy, please, you have nothing to worry about,” Radieux pleaded. “Luna’s new school will be perfectly safe. Besides, I’ve been asked personally to be a teacher there. I can’t turn down an opportunity like that.” “I understand that, but,” I paused to catch my breath. “I just don’t like how close to the border it is.” My husband looked worriedly at me. “I’m sorry this had to come up while you were feeling under the weather. Fresh air not helping?” After finding a soft patch of grass, I sat to rest. I've been feeling increasingly tired and light-headed lately. My joints ached like I’d suddenly aged thirty years. This was one serious flu, and the flowery air of the garden behind our home wasn’t helping as much as I had hoped. I must not have been hiding how miserable I felt very well, because even the two young foals playing nearby paused their game of telekinetic catch to check on me. “Mom, are you okay?” Hearth looked up at me with concern in his big brick red eyes. “I’m fine, sweetie, just a little sick.” I ruffled the mulberry colt’s curly white mane. His twin sister, Gemme, trotted over to complete the pity party in my honor. After shaking the dirt out of her cyan fur and wavy peach mane, she rested her forehooves on my leg. “You’ll feel better soon, right? In time for my cutie mark party?” “Our cutie mark party,” Hearth corrected indignantly. They both got theirs at the same time just last week, and they were surprisingly in-theme with my own rook. Hearth’s was a bishop, and Gemme’s a queen. Radieux thankfully bailed me out. “You know what you should really be excited about?” He grinned. “Attending my class at Littlehorn!” Both foals groaned, getting a chuckle out of me. Then a cough. Then a lot more coughs. After the rather violent and painful fit, I finally set down the hoof I’d covered my muzzle with. My family stared at it, wide-eyed. “Mom…” Gemme whimpered. “Kids, stay with your mother.” I felt Radieux urge me to lay down, floating over a pillow from the porch furniture. “I’ll fetch a doctor.” What? It’s not that- I finally looked down. My hoof was covered in blood. ***** The local physician who came quickly determined that I needed to be hospitalized. At that point I was too delirious to argue. The next several hours were a blur of tests, arguing nurses, and assurances from my husband any time he was permitted to see me. A steroid drip had restored most of my energy by the time the head doctor entered my room, carrying a clipboard and a grim expression. “It’s really bad, isn’t it?” I had a feeling I’d be missing my children’s party. The shifting expression on his face told me he was trying to formulate a way to break it to me gently. He eventually gave up. “You have leukemia.” The older stallion gave me a moment to let the initial shock wear off. “It’s a type of cancer of the body’s blood-forming tissues-” “I know what leukemia is.” I cut him off rudely. I was quick to apologize, and he continued. “Treatment options are limited,” he lamented. “You’ll need to be on a regiment of medications, and undergo regular therapy. Even then, best case scenario, you only have five to ten years. I’m sorry.” There was only one thing on my mind at that moment. “Are my foals at risk of developing it as well?” I know I inherited it. My doctor blinked and shifted. “Given you have a family history, it’s a strong possibility. I am pleased to say that preemptive treatments can nearly eliminate the risk.” My own mother didn’t have this option. Medicine hadn’t advanced enough at the time. I, however, did have a chance to protect my son and daughter. I immediately set up appointments. oooOOOooo ***** When I awoke, all I could feel was cold. My crystalline cocoon was one of many, all containing the unconscious Vanguard soldiers who accompanied me. I made an attempt to use my magic, to no avail. “Oh, good, you’re awake.” Shak- Commander Tenna smirked at me. And… she was wearing my uniform. I felt my face get red as I realized I was completely exposed in my immobilized state. “Blink twice if I get anything wrong.” The deceitful bug shimmered, and became a perfect copy of me. Using my shiny prison as a mirror, she adjusted my coat and hat. “Golly, this is definitely the cutest face I’ve ever stolen.” Hearing someone else speak with my voice, mimicking my inflections with such accuracy, was disturbingly surreal. “And I love your sense of style.” The Vanguard won’t fall for this. If she’s planning on infiltrating them by impersonating me, her attempt will fall apart the moment someone asks her about anything that happened more than a few days ago. She smiled as she read my face, then feigned a pout. “It’s so sad what happened to your family. Your house in Canterlot looked lovely, by the way.” She had seen my memories. “I had to sift through quite a bit of emotional baggage, but I’ve got all the security protocols, identification codes, and little office in-jokes I need to be General Cozy Glow of the Equus Commonwealth Vanguard.” Several other changeling soldiers entered the chamber, wearing Vanguard armor, and began shifting into their other prisoners. Okay, what about the G-IXs Flurry destroyed? Tenna cleared her throat, and proceeded to recite a practiced story. “Colonel, you were right. The changelings ambushed us during the drop-off. Pilots and co-pilots Amaund Silverbeak, Fringe Gust, Zecharia, and Gloomy Dawn gave their lives covering our retreat. Mayor Jasiri, I tried to resolve this peacefully, but I’m afraid that war is inevitable.” The changeling commander smiled up at me, expecting my approval. I gave her a sickened scowl, which seemed to please her just as much. “Well then,” she stamped a hoof victoriously, “I’ll return you to your not-so-peaceful slumber. I have a long flight ahead of me.” I succumbed to another sleep-inducing spell. ***** oooOOOooo I was in my lab, fussing over notes on a schematic. My chest itched, and I rubbed the scars left over from recently replacing my lungs with shiny, mechanical new ones. Treatment options are limited, my flank. I’ll double my life expectancy one organ at a time. My foals are not going to lose their mother any time soon. A sharp whistle escaped my lips, and a multi-armed floating machine brought me another set of notes. Fancy Pants had been initially hesitant to fund my domestic robot business a few years ago, but it had paid off substantially. Anypony who was anypony had a Mister Handy or Missus Nanny doing chores in their home or office. A very versatile and successful design that left me drowning in bits. My experience with robotics had translated nicely into cybernetics, and I soon had contract offers flowing in from various hospitals. There were offers from the military as well, but I wasn’t comfortable weaponizing my craft. The intercom buzzed. “Mrs Glow, a representative from the Royal Guard is here to see you.” Speak of the devil. My secretary’s voice was oddly hesitant and sniffly, like she was holding back tears. I pressed the button below the speaker to reply. “Send them to my office. I’ll meet them there.” As I trotted through the halls, I kept hearing shocked gasps, mournful weeps, and angered curses from inside smaller offices and break rooms. Whatever was being reported on the radio was too muffled for me to make out, but it must be very upsetting. Whatever this representative was here for must be related, so rather than stop and listen now, I’d hear it from them. ***** A stallion in a black suit and tie was waiting for me, contrasting the bright, cutesy decor. To my surprise, Fancy and Fleur were with him, their eyes badly red and stained by tears. “Mrs Glow, please sit.” At the stranger’s suggestion, I joined my in-laws. Fleur leaned into me and let out a weep as I put a wing around her. Fancy silently stared at the floor. “What’s happened? What’s this about?” I asked, knowing I’d hate the answer. The dark messenger began. “An incident occurred at Littlehorn, involv-” “Incident!?” Fancy shot up in an uncharacteristic rage, startling me. “A zebra murdered my son and grandfoals!” My veins turned to ice. My breath caught in my throat. “What?” is all I could choke out. My father-in-law collapsed into sobs as the representative stammered in an attempt to continue. “A zebra refugee caravan passed too close to Littlehorn, triggering automatic defenses, resulting in several deaths. They retaliated, unleashing a toxic gas talisman in the school. I’m sorry, but your husband and foals were among those killed.” This couldn’t be real. This had to be a cruel nightmare. “...What…” Fleur wrapped herself tightly around my shaking body, drenching my shoulder in her tears. My own began to soak her frazzled mane. “I truly am sorry for your loss.” The grim buck left us to grieve. oooOOOooo ***** When I came to, Fleur’s desperate embrace was replaced with my annoyingly familiar prison. This time, no one was waiting to mock me. No one was around aside from fellow prisoners, who were looking more drained every minute. It’ll be a slow process, but eventually they’ll be dead. I couldn’t help them. All I could do was take in my surroundings. We were in a Stable, that much was certain. Undoubtedly Stable 111. Like most of the shelters dotted around the Frozen North, it was a cryogenics facility, meant to keep its occupants in stasis until the world outside was safe to settle. While mine wasn’t, a lot of the changeling cocoons were built within the abandoned cryo pods. I had to wonder what exactly happened to Cadance. She’s obviously not around anymore. With the city as intact as it was, maybe she blocked the missiles with a shield like Luna and Celestia had at Canterlot. While she wasn’t strong enough to handle that alone, Flurry could have helped her. They also had the Crystal Heart. ***** My chain of thought was broken by screeching steel. Soon after, I heard heavy yet graceful hoofsteps. Speak of the gosh-darned devil. Flurry trotted in front of me, a mournful expression on her face. Then her horn glowed, and I felt my crystal shell disappear and my magic return. Landing on my hooves, I wasted no time casting a shield. She is not freezing me again. “Cozy…” Her eyes pleaded with me. I was having none of it. “Shut up! Free my soldiers and call off Tenna’s invasion, or I will kill you!” The larger alicorn stomped a hoof. “I need your help.” My stance relaxed, but I didn’t drop my shield. She continued, moving slowly to another cocoon. “This… isn’t sustainable. We can’t feed off of prisoners forever. I need a new solution. You can help me find it.” If it weren’t for my magical barrier, I’d spit at her. “I am way past helping you with anything. If your intentions are noble, you should have asked instead of hatching an elaborate plan to abduct and replace me.” “Oh,” her voice became indignant, “you would have helped a nation of monsters out of the kindness of your heart?” With a shake of my head, I retorted. “I would have helped you. You’re an alicorn Princess, a real one. The closest thing to a legitimate heir Equestria has left.” With a shimmer of magic, she promptly proved me wrong. Holes formed in her hooves, a carapace partially formed around her torso, and the sclera of her eyes turned black. “You’re… a changeling.” I couldn’t process how that was possible. “Half,” she corrected. “Enough to suffer the same cravings. Enough to have been lynched before the bombs if anypony found out. Enough… that the Crystal Heart won’t help me.” She nickered in frustration. “I can barely get it to keep the city warm, but I know it can do more. I know it can give my people the love they need.” “Then why invade the Commonwealth?” I demanded. “A safeguard, in case I’m wrong.” She smiled. “ And insurance that you will cooperate. But first…” Flurry looked me over, then vanished in a flash of magic. Oh, great, she can teleport. I really wish I could have given myself that ability, but synthetic magic has limits. Just as I considered making a break for it, the Empress reappeared with an assortment of warm clothing in tow. “Get dressed,” she commanded. “Even with the Heart, it gets very cold at night.” ***** Flurry wasn’t kidding. My first step out into the starless, cloud-covered night prompted me to add a second layer to my ensemble. The cold couldn’t kill me, but it was still unpleasant. I could feel the eyes of changelings, civilians rather than soldiers, watching me from their homes. Various pairs of orbs, in all colors of the rainbow, glowed from behind windows. Some were smaller than others, revealing to me that these creatures had children. Families. If there was still a path to peace, I had to follow it. Straight to the Crystal Palace. At its base, floating between pointed spires, was one of the most powerful artifacts in the world. It was a far cry from its original splendor, cracked and dull, flickering with just enough magic to keep the tundra from claiming the city. “Golly, that certainly doesn’t look good.” I trotted around it, getting a proper look. Flurry snorted. “I was under the impression you were some kind of expert. From what I’ve read of your OIA records, it’d be easier to list off the Ministry projects you weren’t part of.” I rolled my eyes at her and sighed. “The Crystal Heart isn’t powerful in of itself. It amplifies the energy it’s given. In the back-when times, that energy was the light and love within the crystal ponies. I assume you and your changelings haven’t been feeding it as well.” The Empress winced. “Does it matter where the love comes from?” “...It's probably pretty important.” If all this poor thing was getting was energy forcefully taken from captives, no wonder it was so weak and corrupted. “If you want to heal the Heart, the energy has to be pure and willingly given. Believe it or not, magical artifacts have morals.” “Who… Where could I find enough people willing to do that for us?” Shame etched her eyes. “The crystal ponies are all gone. We harvested every Stable we could find.” My jaw dropped. Harvested? “You treated your own people like a crop?” I shook my head as questions started to flood my mind. “How could you not know you needed them for the Heart? Did Cadance not teach you any of this!?” Mentioning her mom got a visceral reaction, and Flurry unfurled her wings in an intimidation display. “No! C-... My mother never told me how this damned thing works! That’s why I needed someone from back then who knows what they’re talking about to help me!” I took a few deep breaths to calm down, and she did the same. “Are you positive you cleared out every Stable?” Having a computerized brain has its uses. Pulling up Stable-Tec records was a breeze. I began listing off each shelter in the region, waiting for Flurry to tell me when I named one she hadn’t pilfered. I got disturbingly far down the list, and was getting worried she was as thorough as she feared. “Wait,” she finally stopped me. “117? That one doesn’t sound familiar. Where is it?” I narrowed my gaze. “I need your word you won’t harvest its residents.” Flurry sighed. “I promise.” Not that her word was actually worth much… “Northwest. Far northwest, nearly at Yakyakistan’s border.” She smiled, then blinked away in a flash. No… She can’t teleport such a distance, without knowing exactly where she was going, could she? A couple of tense minutes passed, and I was getting very worried I’d been played again. Thank Celestia, she reappeared, now thickly dressed for blizzard conditions. Realizing we’d be hoofing it through the tundra, I threw on two more layers. ***** As a lifetime resident of the Frozen North, Flurry had no trouble trudging through the wind and snow at a brisk pace. I struggled to keep up, constantly sinking too deep into the fluffy void. “Once we unseal these ponies, and fix the Heart, then what?” The half-alicorn shouted to me. “We have to convince them to coexist with you.” I replied at a volume high enough to overcome the blizzard. “They give the Heart their love, the Heart amplifies it and gives it to the changelings.” “It might not be enough at first, depending on how big the Stable’s population is.” Flurry made a good point. “Until it is enough… we’ll have to keep feeding on the Commonwealth.” I stopped. “Out of the question. I won’t let you hurt my people.” “I can’t let my people starve.” She and I were at an impasse. “Besides, you don’t have a choice. You don’t cooperate, and Tenna will start doing more than blend in.” I begrudgingly kept moving. This journey will take days, and every wasted second puts the Commonwealth in further danger. “This would have been faster in Griffonchasers.” I pouted. “Tenna needed them.” Flurry countered. “Besides, this wind would have grounded them. If you really want to hurry, drop your shield so I can teleport us a few miles at a time.” There was no arguing that it would save a lot of time. With a sigh, I released my magic. Flurry charged hers, and started skipping forward in flashes of light. ***** Golly, teleportation is disorientating. If I still had the ability to, I’d throw up. It, however, was worth it. A week-long jog became an hour of magically popping forward until my navigation system told me we’d arrived. Not that I need that. A fortress of metal made that evident enough. A fortress adorned with a familiar banner, an apple with three mechanical cogs. Flurry yelped and scampered backwards as she realized what she just warped us right in front of, unfortunately catching the attention of power-armored guards. “Alicorns! Scouts from the Goddess!” They all leveled their weapons at us. “Scouts from the what?” My puzzlement distracted me from a volley of rockets launched in our direction. Flurry reacted fast enough to warp herself away, forgetting about me. My own reflexes failed me again, and I ate an explosion that launched me into a rockface. “Ow. Rude!” While my loaned outfit was scorched and tattered, I was fine. I couldn’t say the same for the boulders around me as more rockets struck them. “No, no, NO!” I did not want to be trapped again, but I wasn’t faster than gravity. A prison of cold stone closed around me. ***** “Did that get her?” One filtered voice spoke. “Had to have.” Another replied. “These things are tough, but even they can’t survive getting crushed.” “Both of you, keep your eyes peeled for the other one!” The third voice wasn’t filtered, but was by far the most booming and commanding. Time to show these fools who they’ve messed with. My crystal prison could block my magic, but rocks had no such effect. I could hear a panicked shuffle from the Rangers as the boulders began to glow brick red. Another volley of explosions nearly broke my concentration, but I pressed on, lifting the rubble until I had room to stand. Once I had the space, I charged a vaporization spell, and unleashed it around me. Stone that didn’t turn to ash was shattered into chunks, which I then used as projectiles to pelt my power-armored attackers. Before they could recover, I yanked the nearest towards me, tearing off their weapons and flipping them upside down. With a bit of telekinetic precision, and insider knowledge of how these suits were built, I unlatched and removed the Ranger’s helmet. A terrified mare was revealed, having an eggshell coat, a short and bouncy yellow mane, and slate gray eyes. “Knight Daisy Pusher, get out of the line of fire!” I glanced past my hostage to see who was barking orders. A yak. A very large yak. “I can’t!” Daisy flailed her reinforced hooves in a futile attempt to escape my magical grasp. “Do you have any idea who you’re shooting at!?” I demanded. “You almost blew up Twilight Sparkle’s niece, you buffoons!” Another Ranger looked at their gigantic, robed superior. “Paladin, that other one did match Flurry Heart’s description. Neither of them look like any of the Goddess’ monsters we’ve seen before.” “This one has a cutie mark!” Daisy called out. I looked up to see her staring at my exposed flank, and punished the pervert with a mild shake. “What are you?” The Paladin demanded. “Not what you think I am, that’s for sure.” I scoffed. “I’ve never heard of any Goddess.” They’re probably someone on the east coast. Sounds like I need to start sending scouts over there, once this situation with the changelings is figured out. “That does not answer my question.” The yak retorted. “My name is Cozy Glow, and I’m the General of the Equus Commonwealth Vanguard.” Please don’t make me explain how I’m an alicorn. I doubt you can comprehend it. “Cozy…” The unnamed Ranger glanced between me and the Paladin. “Sir, she can get the Stable open!” The yak turned to his subordinate. “Explain, Crusader.” I’ll let the Crusader speak. Let’s see what they know about me. “Cozy Glow worked for the Office of Inter-Ministry Affairs. She was a research consultant for various projects, working most closely with the Ministries of Arcane Science, Awesome, and Wartime Technologies.” A concise summary, Crusader. Good job. I was a little disappointed that my contributions to the Ministry of Peace weren’t mentioned. The cybernetic organs I designed saved a lot more lives than just my own. Well, saved being a relative term. The Crusader continued. “She was also known to work with Stable-Tec from time to time.” “That Stable is why I’m here, actually.” I interrupted. “I want to return its residents to the Crystal Empire.” The Paladin wore a thoughtful expression. “...Perhaps we can work something out.” I smiled and set Daisy down, then turned towards another outcropping of icy boulders. “Flurry? Come on out.” The Empress apprehensively stepped out into the open, and the Rangers thankfully didn’t raise their weapons. I noticed that Flurry was disguising any hint of her changeling heritage. That was for the best. After some proper introductions, Paladin Yksler the Fifth led us into the fort built around Stable 117. ***** I say fort, but it was barely an outpost. The Paladin, Crusader Frosthooves, five Knights, and three Scribes made up its entire population. Based on how few of their supply crates were opened, they hadn’t been here long. Looking beyond the outpost, I could barely make out the ruins of a crystal town. Not a very big one. If this Stable has a typical population capacity, every resident could have been saved from the balefire. Daisy was hospitable enough to lend me a winter robe to replace the outfit her rocket burned and shredded. All is forgiven, I suppose. Frosthooves never took his helmeted gaze off Flurry. As long as he kept his guns down, that was fine. Star Metal made me indestructible, but the half-changeling alicorn was flesh and blood. If caught off guard, she could be killed like anyone else. It didn’t take long to reach the Stable door, and I immediately saw the problem. The exterior controls were damaged by a rockslide beyond repair. The door itself was half-covered by debris. Flurry and I got to work clearing it. “As long as the entranceway layout is standard, I should be able to find the interior controls and use those.” I focused my telekinesis beyond the meter of solid steel before me, and visualized where the panel of buttons and switches would be. Feeling around with magic was an odd experience, but I’ve done enough tinkering with the internals of machines to have the hang of it. Finding the keypad, I began inputting an administrative override code. A handy Stable skeleton key I got from Scootaloo during my dealings with her. Sure enough, the door cycling sequence initiated with a cacophony of centuries-old motors and scraping metal. Having some idea of how Steel Rangers operated, I began negotiations. “Any technology in there is yours. Flurry and I just want to bring the residents home.” Yksler nodded. “We were intending to simply leave them in stasis, aside from one.” “Paladin.” Crusader Frosthooves interjected, gesturing towards Flurry. “Present company may take issue with our goal here.” Flurry Heart’s ears perked up in interest. “What makes you say that? Who is this one resident you’re here for?” Frosthooves took a moment to carefully choose his words. “An individual with exceptionally high level security clearances with the Ministry of Arcane Science.” He looked at me. “More so than even you.” It took only a few moments for Flurry and I to realize who he was talking about. “...Dad?” The Empress’s eyes went wide and she rushed ahead into the Stable’s depths. The rest of us followed with haste. I spoke to the Rangers as we galloped. “If you’re here to abduct Shining Armor, she’s going to do a little more than take issue with it!” “We only want his codes!” Frosthooves claimed, loud enough that Flurry might hear him. “That had better be the truth!” I scolded. ***** We reached the lower level where the cryo pods were kept to find Flurry frantically checking each one, rubbing frost off the pods’ windows to inspect each resident. A Scribe trotted over to a diagnostics station, and confirmed that everything was still functioning nominally. The residents, all five hundred forty seven of them, were alive and healthy in their icy slumber. Even if these were the last of the crystal ponies, their population could rebuild from this. “I found him,” the Scribe announced. “Pod two-six-eight, one floor down.” Flurry didn’t wait for us. “Why is Shining here, and not in Stable 111?” I asked. Yksler answered. “We’re not sure. We simply found a database that logged him checking in to this shelter. He wasn’t a planned resident. Our best guess, the bombs started falling, and this was the nearest Stable.” Away from his family when tragedy struck… At least he still has his daughter. My brow furrowed as questions surfaced in my mind. Does he know that Flurry is half changeling? Who exactly was her mother? Chrysalis? How? This was going to be a complicated reunion. ***** Shining’s daughter was found in front of his pod, practically hugging it, her face pressed to the glass and tears running down her cheeks. I urged her to back away so the Scribes could unseal it. “Reanimation sequence; initialized. Enjoy your return to the surface, and thank you for choosing Stable-Tec!” It always warmed my heart in an odd way to hear Scootaloo’s pre-recorded voice. Her, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom… Oh, we hated each other back in my delinquent filly days. Eventually, I matured and we became friends. I was so dumb as a foal. Brilliant, but dumb. The pod rapidly defrosted, and hydraulics whined as it opened. Flurry trembled as her father began to stir. Shining gasped and groaned as he regained consciousness. “I… What… Where?” When his eyes finally focused, and locked with his daughter’s, his confusion was replaced with a new emotion. Fear. He began to hyperventilate, and looked around at the Steel Rangers. “Help! Get that monster away from me!” The power armored ponies went on edge, leveling their weapons towards Flurry. I responded by raising a magical shield wall between them. Flurry’s focus was entirely on Shining. Her eyes were filled with heartache, and her voice was cracking. “I’m… I’m your daughter…” Shining Armor clambered out of the pod and joined the Rangers. “No, you’re not! You’re a changeling! Just like she was!” I was starting to see why he wasn’t in the Empire’s capital. He must have learned some terrible truths during the last day, and fled. He wasn’t in great shape, patches of lost fur being indicative of radiation sickness. That further reinforced my assumption that he trekked here while the bombs were falling. “She’s the child of Chrysalis!” Shining accused. Flurry whimpered. “I’m your child, too…” She sniffed and stomped a hoof. “I’m the only reason you know! I broke her spell on your mind! I freed you!” Chrysalis must have taken Cadance’s place and impersonated her for years. Did she murder the real Princess of Love? Was there a chance she just was imprisoned somewhere? Shining looked around at the other pods. “You’re here to take these ponies and feed on them, aren’t you!?” I interjected. “No! We need them to restore the Crystal Heart. They do that, and the changelings won’t have to feed on anyone.” “The ponies in 111 weren’t enough for that?” Frosthooves asked. Flurry stepped back, folding her ears in shame. “They… can’t. I… I didn’t know… My people were so hungry…” Yksler’s face twisted in disgust to match Shining’s. “You… What of the other Stables?” Flurry took another step back, her head dropping even lower. Her father shook with rage. “K-Kill it!” The Paladin raised a hoof in immediate agreement. “Open fire!” My shield instantly felt the combined onslaught of heavy caliber machine guns and lasers. Flurry curled into a sobbing ball behind me. “Get us out of here!” I commanded. I didn’t want to have to kill these Rangers, and I definitely didn’t want Shining to get hurt. Worse yet, a fight could damage the other pods, or even cause a system-wide malfunction. “Flurry, teleport us away!” I had to give her a firm kick to snap her out of it enough to do as I said. Flurry let out an agonized wail of pent-up emotion before bathing both of us in diamond-blue light. ***** ***** *****