Chapter Two: Slash, the Fiery Tempest
Flying over the skies of Antilia, Chrysalis listens in on the radio chatter between her comrades. She was still bitter over Colonel Sombra’s order to retreat, hoping to keep her mind off it.
“This is Sombra to all units. I want a quick report on your status.”
“Slash, reporting in. I’ve arrived at Residential Block S03. I’ll start leveling the area.”
“This is Nightraid, calling in from Sector 05. The colony hydroelectric dam has been secured. No UNSF forces in sight. Should I be on standby?”
“Affirmative. We’ll need a fallback point in case things go south.” The colonel can be heard chuckling. “Not that we’re in danger of that happening, of course. Chrysalis, report your current status.”
“What’s there to report? You know exactly what happened.”
“Don’t take it so seriously. You’ll get your chance. Now that we have a lock on Target Bravo, we can complete more important objectives. Get to Sector 04. Caballeron has reported in with multiple sightings of UNSF LEVs.”
“Alright.” Chrysalis input the coordinates for the sector into her console. “But let’s get one thing clear: I won’t retreat next time, orders or not.”
“Haven’t you heard of saving the best for last? Don’t think of it as a wasted opportunity, but more of a reward for your efforts.”
“Yes, sir. Heading for S04 now.”
“We have obtained the monitor program. Jehuty is now capable of switching targets mid-combat in an instant. I have also downloaded map information for this and the surrounding sectors.”
“That’s pretty convenient” answered the dragon. “Is that everything we need to do here?”
“Negative. I have detected another local server in the area. It would be advised to access it before continuing with the mission.” L.U.N.A. displayed a map of the warehouse. “I have marked its location on the wide range radar.”
Spike flew his frame around the warehouse, searching for another spire like the one he accessed before. It didn’t take long for him to locate it, landing next to it and extending Jehuty’s arm. However, the console returned a denial of access.
“What’s going on? I can’t get into this server.”
“It appears that we need a passcode to interact with this server.” Warning lights flashed on L.U.N.A.’s console, signalling the presence of more enemies. “Frames approaching the area. Scanners indicate that one of them holds the passcode required for this server. Advising--”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Beat the passcode out of it.” Spike dashed underneath the unmanned frames, taking them by surprise as he rushed upward and clipped one of them. The struck Raptor couldn’t react and was disabled before its support could respond.
“We will hold battle position” commented L.U.N.A. The remaining Raptor and Mummyhead worked in conjunction against the dragon’s frame. The Raptor closed the distance and readied its sabers, but was a split second too late as Spike had already swung in retaliation.
Both frames crossed swords, emitting sparks from the force of their attacks. “These things are little faster than the ones we fought before.”
“It is possible that each frame we defeat sends combat information to a portable server, most likely guarded by the enemy. We will have to change tactics constantly to avoid being caught.”
“Roger!” Spike continue to lead the enemy to his advantage, blocking and parrying its advances until it left itself wide open. “Now!” Spike reached for the Raptor and quickly distanced himself from the Mummyhead, firing its Halberd to no avail.
Spike held his captive bound with energy as L.U.N.A. gauged the distance between him and the remaining mech. Once she had a proper lock-on, Spike hurled the Raptor at the Mummyhead, damaging its optics. Charging Jehuty’s laser, Spike hurls a large sphere of energy at it and obliterates it, armor and all.
The console beeps twice, followed by L.U.N.A.’s input. “We have obtained the passcode.”
Wasting no time, Spike dashes back to the server and inputs the code. The server opens its files to the dragon’s frame, which immediately downloads it. “We have obtained the flight mode module. Jehuty is now capable of sustained flight once it reaches a suitable height.”
“Great, now we can move on toward the hangar. L.U.N.A., get us to the required height.”
“Understood.” L.U.N.A. activated the autopilot, taking control of Jehuty and taking off. “Shifting to flight mode. Please stand by.” The frame’s legs straightened and locked together, its arms spread wide and the propulsion system hummed loudly as it gathered the necessary power to fly far above the colony’s buildings.
Spike could only sit back and take in the view with awe. “I’ve never been this high above the colony before. It’s so surreal.” Taking the controls again, Spike heads in the direction of the colony’s freight hangar. Something down below catches his eye. “Hey, is that…?”
Almost as if she was reading his mind, L.U.N.A. chimed in with an alert. “That is Residential Block S02.”
“But...that’s where I live!” Spike activated the frame’s thrusters and made a beeline for the sector, worried the entire way. “I just hope she’s alright…”
A lone filly runs through the barren streets, towel covering her muzzle to avoid breathing in the smoke from building fires. In the distance, a large machine spewing fire intimidates her, but still she presses on.
“Get to the church, help those in need, evacuate.” The filly kept repeating this to herself as she made her way there, oblivious to the frame above her.
“I detect vital signs in the vicinity”, prompted L.U.N.A. “Zooming in on the subject.” Spike’s screen showed a familiar filly running toward the orbital frame in the distance. He immediately recognized her mane.
“That’s Sweetie Belle!” Flying ahead of her, he lands on the street just before she makes it to a bridge.
“Ahh, it’s another one!” screamed Sweetie as she watch the frame kneel. She was about to turn tail and sprint the other way if not for a familiar voice.
“Sweetie Belle! Hey, Sweetie!”
She stopped dead in her tracks as she was about to run, facing the frame again and watching as the shielding on the cockpit opened up. In the runner’s seat, she saw a dragon she knew very well.
“Spike, is that you? What are you--?”
“There’s no time to explain. Hurry up and climb aboard before that thing sees you!” Sweetie does as Spike suggests, but as far as not being noticed goes, they were already too late.
“Vital signs detected south of current position.”
A fiery-red pony studied the energy readings shown on his console. Dismissing it, he turned the frame in the direction of the alert. “M.A.T.C.H., get a visual on the source of this Celestium reaction.” The combat A.I. does as it’s instructed, getting the specifications on the frame.
“Celestium reaction located. No data on frame model available.”
“I was afraid of that, but at the same time, it’s exactly what I was expecting to hear.” The pony pressed a sequence of buttons on his frame’s console, charging up a burst attack. Locking on to the target, he lets loose a ball of fiery energy aimed directly at the bridge.
L.U.N.A.’s proximity scanner lit up red. “Enemy attack incoming.”
Spike maneuvered Jehuty out of the way of the assault, barely managing to avoid a large ball of fire that crashes into a nearby apartment complex. Facing the direction of the attack, he realizes that the orbital frame in the distance has spotted him.
“Oh, he’s good”, commented the fiery stallion. “M.A.T.C.H., cancel the next burst. Let’s have a chat with our new friend.”
“Understood. Canceling burst attack.”
Spike looked around for Sweetie Belle, but couldn’t see her anywhere. “L.U.N.A., did Sweetie manage to escape?”
“Affirmative. I believe she is headed for the shelter located at the local church.”
“But that’s in the direction of that frame!” Spike dashed toward the enemy, stopping several meters away from them.
The runner of the enemy frame, one that resembled a giant jellyfish, spoke to the young dragon via comm link. “Target Bravo. I didn’t expect to have it delivered to me personally.” The stallion chuckled menacingly. “So, who exactly are you?”
“I can ask you the same thing!”
“The hell? It’s a kid. They let children fight in the armed forces on this hunk of metal?” The enemy runner laughed at the idea, calming down after a few seconds. “Ohhh, no wonder the Raptors are having such an easy time. You’re not even past puberty!”
“Answer my question, damn you!”
“Alright alright, no need to get your diapers in a bunch. The name is Slash, pilot of the OF Tempest. You saw earlier what it’s capable of, right?”
“OF?”
“Don’t they teach abbreviations to Enders? OF is ‘orbital frame’, numbskull. Not that it matters. You’ll be dead soon.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it!”
“That’s the spirit!”
L.U.N.A. interrupted their exchange. “Passive scan complete. Type B orbital frame, designation: Tempest. Runner is Slash, third lieutenant of the BAHRAM military.”
“What can you tell me about the frame?”
“Tempest uses an archaic fire-based weapon known as a flamethrower, one attached to each arm of the frame. It is also capable of firing multiple semi-homing lasers and a fire-based burst attack. While fire itself is not particularly damaging to Jehuty, the energy behind the enemy’s assault will surely disable Jehuty should enough damage be taken.”
“L.U.N.A., lock on to the target. We have to fight him here and now.”
“Understood. We will hold battle position.”
Spike weaved through several orbs launched by Tempest as soon as they engaged in combat. Still keeping his distance, Spike launched several attacks of his own, firing off laser after laser from Jehuty’s arm cannon.
Each attack struck the large dome on the frame’s head, still damaging it yet not quite enough to slow it down.
“L.U.N.A., what’s going on? Our attacks aren’t even fazing it.”
“The dome atop the orbital frame reduces incoming damage from all forms of attack. Scan indicates that the head is a major weak point. By continuously attacking the shield, you can destroy it and attack the head directly.”
“I’m on it!” Spike flew around a ruined building, hoping that Slash would fall for his ruse.
“Really, hiding behind some wreckage?” Slash charged up another burst attack, this time breaking it into multiple projectiles instead of one large fireball. He launched his attack at the ruins, confident that at least one of the blasts will catch Jehuty. The ensuing barrage toppled the building, but the frame was nowhere in sight.
“Percentage of projectiles hitting target: 0%”
“What!? Where did it go?”
A large explosion caught Slash off-guard, resulting in the dome shield breaking into pieces. He quickly regained control of his frame before it crashed into a cluster of apartments, but now his frame was left vulnerable.
“Nice work, L.U.N.A.! He should be on the defensive now!”
Slash lifted his head and stared at Spike’s frame, his eyes filled with malice. He repositioned his frame and took a battle stance, his anger causing him to shake. “You know, I was just taking it easy on you because you’re just a kid. But now...NOW!”
Fire burst from Tempest’s arms, burning what remained on the streets and scorching the buildings closest to it. Slash could do nothing but laugh as the inferno raged throughout most of Sector 02, his mouth twisted into a psychotic grin.
“Now you’ll REALLY feel the heat!” Tempest launched high into the air, all the while blasting the sector with lasers and fire, leaving it charred in some areas. The frame stopped its engines and let itself fall at an alarming speed toward Jehuty.
“Or not…” Spike dashed away from the impact zone, but he was a second too late. Tempest slammed against the ground, causing a shockwave and a burst of flame to radiate from it. Jehuty was caught in the ensuing wave, scorching one of its legs and causing the cockpit’s temperature to rise.
“Internal cockpit temperature approaching dangerous levels.”
“Dangerous for ponies, or for dragons?” Spike turned the frame around, dashing through the wall of fire to the other side. Jehuty was mildly burnt, but still functional. “L.U.N.A., target the enemy’s frame head! We have to end this before the whole sector goes up in flames!”
“Roger.” A targeting reticule was focused on Tempest as it righted itself. Jehuty readied a burst attack, a large blue globe of light held above its head. Slash noticed this and fired off a few rounds of his own, but realized too late that they wouldn’t make it in time.
“Fire!” Spike launched the energy globe straight at Tempest’s head. The projectile exploded once it made contact, disabling the frame entirely. As the body went down, parts of it burst into flames, almost as if it couldn’t contain the inferno inside of it.
“No, no, NO!” yelled Slash, futilely trying to move his frame. “He’s just some brat! How could he…?”
“Confirming ETR reaction from enemy frame. Its main engines have ceased function.”
Spike sighed in relief, releasing his grip on the controls. As he closed his eyes, L.U.N.A. chimed in.
“The targeting reticule is active. Target shall be destroyed.”
“What?” Spike moved his frame away from the wreckage, far enough to disengage L.U.N.A.’s lock-on. “We’re not going to kill him!”
“I do not understand the logic in letting the enemy live.” L.U.N.A. turned the frame back in the direction of Tempest, but Spike took over the controls yet again and kept the frame out of its firing range.
“L.U.N.A., we do NOT kill others! I said I was going to save my home, not take the lives of those jeopardizing it!”
“I can think of at least a dozen reasons why we should eliminate the commanders of the BAHRAM forces.”
“Name one.”
“The most logical conclusion is that the enemy will escape, perhaps board another orbital frame and return to cause even more destruction.”
Spike slumped in his seat, faced with the possibility of retaliation from BAHRAM. Even so, he chooses to look the other way. “We will not kill, L.U.N.A. That’s an order.”
The cockpit fell silent as both runner and A.I. refused to back down. The air felt tense as both stood their ground. After a minute had passed, L.U.N.A. spoke. “Understood.”
The fire swallowed Tempest as it started leaking fuel from its flamethrowers. Slash, however, wouldn’t let it end like this. The cockpit was launched from the orbital frame, becoming an escape vessel with the runner still inside. “This isn’t over, kid! I might’ve lost against you, but there’s no way you’ll drive us back!” Spike watched as the escape pod flew into the distance, far beyond the visual range of Jehuty.
“Oh no, Sweetie Belle!” Spike looked around frantically, looking for the church L.U.N.A. mentioned earlier. “L.U.N.A., is she alright?”
“I detect a single vital reading inside the church. It is most likely your friend.”
Spike let out a huge sigh, his worry dissipating. “Good. Let’s go pick her up. She can’t stay here.”