//------------------------------// // Snow Day. Rescue. Rewards. // Story: Legacy // by NFire //------------------------------// Hearth’s Warming was a wonderful time for my friends, I was allowed to watch through the links as they unwrapped gifts, met with friends, spent time with each other. I see them spreading the good cheer and warmth I had received in turn throughout Ponyville. It brings back to my mind the days when my human commanders spent Christmas away from the field, it was a lonely time for some Bolo’s. When commanders are away, we were put into Low Level Alert, sleeping the days away until they return. We Bolos crave the companionship of something other than ourselves. We are brothers and sisters, but somehow we performed better when human commanders trod our decks. Concordiat scientists never had an explanation for it, the statistics proved it beyond any doubt, we needed each other, we wanted each other. Powerful friendships resulted from that need, Bolos and their human commanders went beyond into the galaxy and performed feats of daring and bravery that stunned down to the core. The tales reaching to the farthest corner of the battle front, of a Bolo and her commander, forcing a defeat on the enemy at the cost of their lives. A Bolo long thought unusable, coming back to defeat his foe once more. Tales of which the galaxy may never see or hear of again. But I remember. I look at the skies with watchful eyes and tell the universe, I will remember you, always and forever. ------------- Currently, there is something going on in Ponyville, I am not quite sure what to make of it, as there seems to be a small war being waged with snow. I have never been on a planet other than earth where there was snow, and certainly never observed anything like this. We were frantically being prepared for Operation Diaspora, thus had no time for frivolities of any sort, the entire planet being under threat. So this, has piqued my interest. The battle lines are not very well drawn. It appears the two opposing armies are not well commanded either. But it is quite humorous to watch. The pegasi are being used as dive bombers, while the unicorns use their magic to shore up the walls of fortresses. My design database is showing me flaws in the construction, but I pay no mind, it appears that fun is to be had and I shall not interrupt by being, ‘that pony’. However, I have been practicing with my avatar, and am fairly confident I can pack a snowball correctly, being shown by Apple Bloom when I visited the farm. I open the hatchways and exit out into the bright day, heading for Ponyville. I would very much like to experience this. As I walk, I review current drone tasks and data incoming from the assigned areas. Nothing is moving save for small animals, the forest is quite still, as if asleep for the winter. With the expanded cores I have now, it is no matter to keep an eye on everything. So I make my way into town, hoping to see anypony I know and find out how to join. I run into my former commander and her friends, I am greeted warmly. I am not sure how to return the affection but I have learned about hugs and how to give them properly. I make sure each one is carefully given, gauging pressure and angle, it would not do to suddenly bruise somepony. “Whatcha doin’ here Crusader?” “I thought I would join in the small war you were having, it looked like fun.” “WOOO! Alright!” This from Scootaloo, I believe Apple Bloom has informed them of who I really am. There is an an exchange of smiles between the three, Sweetie Belle directs me to a spot, saying that I must defend it. So I sit and start packing a snowball when I hear a yell. Sweetie Belle’s voice rings high and clear through the town plaza, “NEW PONY!” I see her and the others pointing at me, and I wonder what is the reason for a split second. I find out. Currently, I am under 1.42 meters of snow, it appears I am buried quite handily by every snowball available at the time, and more are on ballistic track to add to my covering. From the drone above the town, I see I am the focus of every individual in the plaza. It appears my newfound trusting nature has been taken advantage of by my former commander and her friends. I can hear the laughter through the now extensive covering of snow, as I sit and plot revenge. The snow covering my head is removed and I see Applejack’s face peering into mine, she is laughing, her eyes dancing quite merrily as she reaches in and hauls me out of the snow mound. “Yeah, you got what we call a ‘disgusted’ look on yer face there Crusader. Don’t you know not to trust them three in a snowball fight? You walked right into that one there, I don’t have to tell you.” “Yes my Commander, it seems I was far too trusting.” “More like gullible. Ya gotta learn them things Crusader.” She dusts the snow off of me, I cannot feel the cold, the covering I have crafted is impervious to minor things such as that, but I let her do so, “C’mon over, we’ll get ya warmed up with some cocoa, then you can go back and git ‘em.” We walk over to the table, Twilight and the others are still laughing, I sit down and hold my mug of hot cocoa lightly. Rainbow Dash is holding her stomach as she points at me, “Oh Celestia that was funny!” She falls off her seat into the snow, laughing even more. Applejack nudges me with an elbow, “C’mon now, ya still got that look on yer face, lighten up, it’s just good fun.” “I apologize my commander, I have not practiced all of the facial expressions yet.” I change to a happier expression. “Yer doin’ a pretty good job so far, though it’s just the one look. Smile, have fun, go on back out in a bit and don’t trust them three again!” I nod, drinking the cocoa slowly as I have been taught, the liquid is used for reaction mass, keeping my avatar powered. It took a bit of working with fusion systems, but I believe I have it conquered. As long as I can eat something, or drink even water, it will sustain the avatar. But one thing does catch my attention, my facial expression. It should have come up as such on my interior diagnostics to keep track of and change when needed. This did not happen, it changed by itself with no prompting from me. It should not be linked with any emotion I feel, but once again the subtle changes I have detected in myself are being shown. I am not sure how I should view this, a glitch? A piece of code that has gone rogue? Having emotions direct my actions are not suitable for my kind, but then I ask myself, what am I now? I can see the interior of my command deck, but also the smiling faces beside and in front of me. I can view the sensor logs from my masts, but also see the blush as Twilight gets complimented on something. Almost an overlay, a painting of colors and shadows that are somewhat confusing, but can be sorted if given enough seconds. It is a unique situation I have put myself in, but I am enjoying the new sensations it brings. I finish my mug of cocoa and rise, “I believe it is time to take my revenge Applejack.” She gives me a pat on the shoulder, “Go get em!” This time, I am prepared, I join the opposing army and settle down behind a makeshift wall. I do something that a Bolo has never done before unless it were against the enemy, I cheat. The drone I have tasked above Ponyville comes to a hover, I am now being fed target data and distances as I peer over the wall, looking for my enemy. I pack snowballs as I await my chance, first off, to gain the upper hoof on the ones who took advantage of my trust. I have always said, and forever will, never test a Bolo. My chance comes as I see Scootaloo standing on a mound, throwing snowballs at another attacker. I gauge range and distance, rearing back my hoof and let fly, Time to Target one point two seconds. A bit slow, but then I am not out to injure and must compensate accordingly. If there is one thing a Bolo has no equal in, it is ballistics. My eyes follow the snowball, tracking it in the arc as it impacts on her side, knocking her off the mound. I turn quickly, seeing Sweetie Belle and repeating my performance catching her in the backside, two down one to go. The last target is fairly elusive, I see her moving between walls as she dodges thrown snowballs. Here I use the drone to track her, lofting a snowball high into the air in a long trajectory, it arcs smoothly above the plaza, landing with a satisfying splat and covering of snow on her head as she moves into the spot I had previously designated. “What the HAY?” I peer over the wall, seeing her looking around and give her what I assume to be a smug look. She sees me and laughs, “Good one!” I raise a hoof, standing above the snow and yell, “For the honor of the Regiment!” I do not care about the curious looks as I launch my drone aided attack. I purposely miss one in every three, but do enough damage to the enemy to force a retreat and regrouping. I cut the drone data, and for the next half hour only use the senses I have on my avatar. It causes me to miss more often than not, but I have so very much enjoyed the battle. Honor must be satisfied, and it is done so, with aplomb and not a little shouting. I join my compatriots and my Commander at the table again, the Crusaders are there as well, warming up with steaming mugs of liquid. I settle my avatar down and join in what conversation I can, keeping things to the simple and benign. I listen closely though, and watch, seeing the nuances of body language and learning more for my cores, to fit in a bit better, to be one of them. I am receiving status updates from the drones, it seems a storm is brewing by itself over the Everfree, so I cut in the link, warning Rainbow Dash about it. I see her start, listening, then turn and look at me with a curious expression. “You know that’s creepy right?” “Sorry?” “That’s creepy, hearing you in my ear then not seeing your mouth move, seriously weird dude.” “I will try to do better Rainbow Dash, I promise.” It does bring up a slight problem, how to relate when I share with my avatar; it is not a simple drone, but is a part of my systems, my core. It IS me for all intents and purposes, an extension of my hull you might say. This brings up more questions that I ponder on, sitting and listening to my friends, watching the Crusaders tell of their snowball adventures. --------------- The pegasi have issued a warning, the storm over the Everfree will hit the area this morning. I set my avatar in the command deck to wait it out, doing maintenance scans on my sensors masts as I prepare for the onslaught. It will be one, even the weather captains are warning ponies to stay inside. I am told by Rainbow Dash that it does happen rarely, but it conflicts with the weather control; they usually break it up, but this time it’s a bit much and they do not wish to risk anypony in the skies till it calms a bit. I can understand that, my friends are holed up in the castle, watching the clouds roll in like a grey tide. My weather radar is showing a blot for miles, this will be a good storm. I can feel and hear the sub-gale force winds outside of my hull, the sensor masts are actually rocking a bit. This worries me, the houses of Ponyville are not built to hurricane standards, and I can only hope that no grievous damage will be done. I ready my Ferret carriers in case I am needed. My drones are having to fight the winds, I keep them to task, increasing their power expenditures to keep them aloft. Twilight is on the link, telling me that everypony is fine in town, they have contingency plans for this when it happens. Trust Twilight to have a list. I assure her that sounds like the best plan, and I hear her cut the channel. My sensors are occluded by debris and snow, I clear them as fast as I can, the snow is making my seismic sensors unreliable due to the thick covering. I had not thought to remedy this as Rainbow Dash assured me it never got this bad. A laziness on my part I intend to correct. By the time my sensors are clear, something has made it past my perimeter, it is large, and moving very fast towards the town. My guns swivel quickly as they can, but by the time I am on target it is too late, the houses are in my line of fire. It has come in at an oblique angle to make this so. The forest has become smarter, and I am now paying for my inattentiveness. I move my avatar to the carrier bay, boarding one with two tech spiders. I open the tunnel and race towards the town, my drone tracking the thing as it crushes the front wall of a house, it cannot fire on it due to proximity. By being near a house, and hitting the outskirts of the town, it needed nothing more than a few seconds, this will be remedied as well later, but for now... The carrier drops my avatar by the bridge, I am tracking the thing in town on the outskirts, it is breaking into a house near me, my audio sensors in my ears pick up terrified screams. I have no time for discussion over the combat links, I move with a purpose, swiftly and silently. I do not let Twilight or anypony know what is happening. As I round the corner, a huge white furred back greets me, I see two terrified fillies through the broken wall, a long arm reaching in for them. I lose no time, my drone feeding me targeting data now, so I leap on the things back, grabbing as best I can with my hooves. It is not in my tactical database as something to be fended off or non-lethals used, I am free to act. It rears back, throwing me off as I scramble to my feet, it is now turning to face me and swinging what looks to be a clawed hand. I have no choice, I snap on my kinetic screen, waiting for the strike, raising both hooves in front of me facing outwards. When I had constructed this avatar, I chose not to include weapons for a reason, but I have always planned; so I included a simple kinetic battle screen that would take the brunt of hits, dispersing the force away from my body and absorbing the kinetic energy to power my systems as well. The only problem was, it made me shine slightly, it was to be used in emergencies only. My back hooves are slammed deep in the ground as the screen flickers, my fore hooves taking the hit and knocking the claws away. I shout to the children get back into the rooms of the house, recovering my avatar to face the monstrosity again. As it rears back for another strike, I calculate distance and range, my body springing forward as I leap towards the things midsection. I cannot see too well, the snow is blinding. So I hit with the full force of my constructed body, more than I anticipated, as it crashes back into the house with myself on top of it. I lift up one hoof and strike carefully, punching a hole in it’s body, blood freezing as it hits my screen and slides off. I do this three more times, my hoof moving fast to get this over with. I make sure the arms, cannot move or strike, disabling them with stamps of my hooves at the joints. I need to move quickly, it is cold, and I am sure the two young ones are not dressed for this weather. It still moves and struggles to reclaim it’s footing, I cannot let it recoup the advantage. I stamp down on its body, hearing bones break as I move upwards towards where a head should be. I see offset eyes, a misshapen skull my target as I rear up once more, leveraging the weight of my body as I punch my hoof through to the back of the skull and into the floor of the house. My leg is buried in the things’ flesh up to my shoulder, as I pull it out for one more strike. It convulses under me, nearly throwing me off again as I make sure it is dead. I task the tech spiders, getting them to drag the body off towards the carrier as I lead the two fillies to the castle, my screen keeping the snow off of me as I protect them as best I can. They do not appear to be hurt, only frightened and that is understandable. Their parents were caught by the storm and could not reach them at home, explaining why they were alone. We reach the safety of the castle, Twilight taking the two fillies in as I watch from a distance, my screen off now before heading back out to the carrier. The spiders having dumped the body inside, the ramp closes and we head to the fields to dispose of it. I take samples, cataloging it for further reference. I cannot undo the damage to the house, but perhaps it will be covered by the storm, much more snow and rain is pouring now, washing away evidence I can only hope. The tech spiders dump it inside the forests edge, a warning to that thing of evil. I am sure nothing much will come of this except two scared fillies and a rescue in a storm. I am proud my ancestors, I bring honor again to the Regiment and the Brigade, our colors are not faded anymore. -------------- Applejack knocks at the hatchway, it has been a couple days since the storm blew through, nothing else has emerged from the snow covered hills. I have updated my sensors and masts, adding some sensors of my own design. I find I quite like solving problems, thinking of ways to defeat myself and then planning for it. It does keep a Bolo busy trying to outsmart itself. My avatar is lying on the deck, looking as if it is asleep. I activate it so it will be waiting for Applejack as she walks in, watching her settling on the couch. My avatar is scrupulously clean, no evidence of anything left on its outer covering. “That storm sure was a bad one huh?” “Yes it was my Commander, lucky there was no injuries.” “Oh there was a couple, but just stupid ponies outside when they got warned, nothing bad.” “That is good to hear.” “But one thing that is kinda peculiar..” “What is that my Commander?” “Seems a couple of fillies got mussed up during the storm, say that some thing attacked the house they were in while their parents were away.” “Oh? I had not registered anything on my perimeter alarms my Commander, you know I would notify you. Are they all right?” The orange pony waves a hoof, “Oh they’re fine, seems some shining pony saved them, killed the big old mean thing and led ‘em to safety.” “A shining pony? Well that appears to be a, what have you told me before? ‘An old mares tale.” The emerald green eyes look into mine, there’s no accusation there I can see, but she is smiling, “Oh I dunno, I mean when we all went to see, that house was pretty well smashed up. Found some hoofprints in the floorboards as well. But didn’t see no monster.” “That is good my Commander, it might have hurt somepony very badly had something attacked in the storm.” “True, true. But to hear the littlest one tell the tale, might make folks believe it.” “Little foals and fillies I am sure are frightened by storms like the one we just had. They are probably tougher than they think, making their way to the castle by themselves.” “I never said they made it to the castle.” This time she is looking at me very intently. I have slipped, Discord was right, I am EXTREMELY bad at lying and I have just lied to my Commander. “Twilight had informed me that it is the safe haven, so I am sure that is where they headed. It is quite easily seen of course.” “Of course.” She stands up, getting near my avatar, I find it a bit unsettling. “Know what I think?” “What is that Applejack?” “I think, somepony got himself out there, rescued a couple of fillies from something bad, and just wants to not make a fuss about it.” “There are many brave ponies out there I am sure Applejack, look at yourself and your friends.” “You’re probably right.” She leans in, touching her cheek to my avatars’ as she whispers in my avatars’ ear, “But then again it’s kinda nice thinking there’s a shining pony out there to rescue ponies in trouble. Even if you can’t say thanks.” I feel the press of two very soft, very warm lips on my cheek before she exits the hatchway. I can only be stunned as I feel the warmth left by them on my avatars face. For the first time in a long life, I sit speechless for hours.