The micromanipulator gauntlets were starting to wear the fur from little spots on Vanca's paws. The skin of the bare patches was sore, despite the ministrations of the military medic who was starting to make pointed comments about the length of time she'd been spending in the prototyping rig.
The vast and complex thaumic space of the Arclight projector surrounded her with a swirl of lights and colours. Shapes moved inside it, some discrete like tropical reef fish, others connected and strung together with webs of fine fibres and vaporous flows, responding as she delicately altered the quantum waveforms associated with one of the banks of active cancellation crystals.
There was a quiet cough, little more than an unconscious clearing of the throat, from one of her audience, and Vanca's ears twitched. Cougher has started again; next it will be Shuffler. Her concentration wavered, mind distracted and trying to track the stupid noises her audience of military techs were prone to make. No sound of boot-and-concrete, instead there was the rasp of a claw running over fabric. Of course, Scratcher; this one should have known. Vanca could see him now, hunched over and with a slightly bored expression, paws jammed into the pockets of his equipment vest and moving like they had a life of their own. The desire to scream at them was strong and building.
The ponies, in contrast and despite their far greater efforts, were absolutely silent, even to the point of controlling their breathing. Vanca could feel that she was at the laser-focus of their attention, and it made her motions steady again, despite the fatigue. A wave of her paw altered the drift direction of a plane of hafnium atoms at the heart of one crystal, nudging it into the right position to match the model she'd constructed over most of the last two days. It will be easier to replace the crystal than reverse these changes, she thought, pushing the idea of failure away.
The alterations were fundamentally the same as those she'd developed for the portable shield generator, but the scale of a full-sized Arclight projector was almost daunting. The Hive only has twenty of these things left... she thought, relaxing slightly as one of the ponies intruded into the thaumic space. It replicated her changes, first slowly, then with increasing speed, across the other elements in the array. Vanca nodded slightly, the motion constrained by the high-resolution visualiser crown and its optical connections to the research-grade volumetric thaumic scanner that surrounded her like the petals of a flower.
The servitor, the highest-rated specialist in crystal thaumic systems that the Military could lay its paws on, had gigaseconds of experience that spanned most of the development of Arclight, all the way from the early models, and it showed. It sighed quietly, magic shutting off. Vanca blinked and waggled her jaw, dropping out of the visualiser's induced lucid dreaming state.
The reef-and-poison-gas virtual space evaporated, revealing the innards of the Arclight projector, harshly-lit by rows of brilliant lights. A great, hollow geode, lined with inward-pointing needles, held up by a set of gimbals that allowed it to rotate freely in all directions. At the moment the thing was split in half, the whole aircraft pulled nose away from tail. Despite its size, it was small against the flat plane of the factory's assembly floor.
"Well?" Vanca asked, directing her question at the lead pony and ignoring the motion of Shuffler, his boot scuffing the smooth floor. She pulled off the visualiser, then stood and carefully edged out of the scanner's detector elements to massage the aching muscles of her calves.
"Master, I have propagated your modifications to all the nodes within the suppressor array. This Arclight unit will no longer be an effective suppression device, but..." the creature looked uncomfortable for a moment, then ruffled its wings. "...I think it will perform as you intend."
Of course it will! Vanca curled her lips in a snarl, then bit back on what she was about to say, nodding instead. Not just a simulation of sapience. "These ones will see," she said, keeping her voice calm. "How long will it take the pony to re-energise the array?"
"Five kiloseconds to close the aircraft back up, and..." The pony lifted its head as if to gaze into the crystalline interior, but kept its eyes shut. "...at least another twenty to magically align the nodes to your specificati--"
"This is not acceptable! The servitor will complete the work within--"
Vanca took two fast steps and backpawed Scratcher across the muzzle. "This work will not be rushed," she snarled, stepping forwards as he struggled to get his paws out of his pockets. "This pony has twice the skill of this one--" She raised a paw to strike him again, but a paw gripped her upper arm, arresting the motion.
"That's enough, Academician," Agent Lilla said, pulling her away. "Ulamir, call the medic." She gestured to one of the other techs to help Scratcher, who was cradling his bloody muzzle in his paws.
"This one is not sorry," Vanca said stiffly. "The wrong order to the servitor could result in failure."
"Lilla knows... but don't do that again." She frowned at Vanca, but her lips twitched as if she was struggling to suppress a smile.
Vanca grunted, then shook Lilla's paw away and turned back to the servitor. "No matter what these fools say," she said, gesturing to the huddle of techs, "the pony knows that it is critical to the Hive that this work is successful." Vanca said the word carefully, pausing to make eye contact with the pony. "Accuracy is far more important than speed when trying to suppress a specific spell type. Does the pony understand?"
"Yes, Academician," the pony said, lowering its head. "We will begin at once." Its horn lit up and subtle colours flashed over the aircraft.
"Vanca isn't in the servitor's chain of command. How did she manage to...?" Lilla looked at her appraisingly, then turned to watch the servitors work.
"Because this one actually knows what she is talking about, and the ponies have watched her work. They know she is right, and they know that those idiots will at best slow the work down. They will complete the task in spite of them, not because of them." She prodded Lilla sharply on the shoulder, hard enough to make the Agent look annoyed. "Lilla will make sure that no one interferes with their work. No 'suggestions', no hovering and no supervision until they are finished. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Master," Lilla muttered, sighing. Her comms bracer pinged and she glanced down at it. "Command has something else that needs your talents, Academician," she said, gesturing to a grey pony who'd just entered the assembly cavern.
"What does Merlon want?" Vanca asked, "The pony already knows everything Vanca does about the Arclight refit programme." Her ears went up at the injuries on the mare's body, a mixture of small burns and shallow gashes, all bearing the raw look of hasty thaumic medicine. "These ones won't be ready to test the teleport denial systems for at least..." She turned to glance at the other ponies; they had already mated two halves of the Arclight projector together and were just starting to shift the outer hull back into position. "...a hundred kiloseconds, perhaps two."
"I believe this relates to your other work, Academician," the pony said, "on the Lunar Kinetic Driver and the way the last shot was deflected."
Agent Lilla made a choking sound, then inhaled sharply. "Vanca has a way to stop the Hammer?!"
"Not quite," Vanca said, waving a paw sharply. "Pony, Vanca doesn't see how this will help the Hive; it is dependent on the rogue doing the work for us."
"Yes, Academician, quite correct. Strategist Orgon has not shared his detailed plans with me, but I suspect this is what he desires." Merlon lifted one hind leg and stretched it, wincing slightly. "We need to leave immediately."
How will Orgon manage that-- Realisation struck, blowing away the thought. "The pony is going to teleport this one?" Vanca took a few steps to a mobile workbench, rummaging through the clutter on its surface and producing an instrument with the blocky look of a prototype. "Ready. Vanca suggests the pony get some distance from the Arclight before jumping," she said, stabbing at buttons under a tiny display.
Pearly-grey magic condensed around Vanca's midsection and Merlon flexed her wings, hindquarters bunching. "You are relieved, Agent Lilla," Merlon said, then brought her wings down and leapt into the air.
"Damn right Lilla is! The pony won't make this one disappear!"
Merlon laughed and waggled her wings, then flew for the far end of the assembly cavern, climbing rapidly. "Ready, Academician?" she said, still smiling.
There's something not right about this pony, and this one has to trust her life to it... but the chance to traverse a wormhole! Vanca tightened her grip on the instrument and nodded. Wait, why doesn't this one just talk to the rogues remotely? She opened her mouth to speak--
~~~discontinuity~~~
===
Gravity felt her eyelids droop. They'd picked a quiet spot on the valley side, overlooking the sweep of the transfer camp. Lines of ponies, the inmates from four breeding centres, wended their way from the river bank and across the flood-meadow that occupied the rest of the valley floor up to its steep, glacially-excavated sides. At the tip of each line were a few ponies removing Blessings; others moved up and down the line, talking to those waiting and settling any uncertainties and nerves. It seems to be going well so far... Gravity thought, her mind wandering as the fatigue slowly washed out of her body. The freshly freed clustered in little groups, drifting away, then would take off with an escort to vanish with little pulses of light. The sound of hundreds of teleports, a continuous rumble like that of distant lightning, washed over her.
"There must be discipline," Halla said. "Without a strong chain of command there will be factions and chaos in the time where we need solidarity the most." Ellisif clacked her beak quietly and made a sound a little like a chuckle, which Halla ignored.
"I will not force anyone to fight," Fusion said gently, "and I suspect we'll have enough other tasks to keep everyone occupied."
"You ponies, perhaps," Halla grumbled. "I can't fault the speed at which the new settlements are being constructed. You are all just so eager to be useful. Anyway, it's not the will to fight that concerns me, more who they will want to fight." She shook her head and sighed. "I never thought the dogs would sue for peace so quickly. There have already been desertions."
"A few pairs and family groups dispersing into the mountains to live alone." Ellisif fluttered her wings, stretching out each foreleg in turn, flexing the talons. "What can they do? I think we should take advantage of them -- give them supplies and good will, tell them they can come back. They can act as scouts. I doubt many of the actual soldiers will go."
Halla hissed, eyes narrowed, then relaxed and nodded grudgingly. "They'd be too much trouble to guard, I suppose." She turned to Fusion. "So you won't interfere when we have to enforce the law?"
"If your people want you in charge, however you want to place yourself at their head, and as long as you rule fairly and with their consent..." Fusion looked uncomfortable, unfolding and folding her wings. "...then I suppose not."
"I wouldn't turn into a despot, if I were you," Gravity murmured, looking at Halla with wide, innocent eyes. The gryphoness opened her beak, the closed it again, shrinking away. Gravity held her gaze for a long breath, then turned away, attracted by the sight of a pair of ponies making their way up the steep slope to where they talked. Is that...?
"We haven't done all this just to replace one set of masters with another," Fusion said, "but I won't interfere with how you want to set up your new society, should we get a chance to do so. I certainly don't want to make all the decisions. It was one thing when there were just a few of us, but now..." She waved a wing over the expanse of the valley and its lines of ponies.
"Well, I think you are out of luck, at least for the time being. You saw how Orgon was acting." Ellisif dragged her talons through the thin alpine vegetation, gouging up gravel and small plants. "He knows you are the real power here... and you are, no matter what I or Halla or anybody else thinks. He doesn't take us seriously."
"Then we will make our decisions together. I won't go alone."
I might, if you are too stubborn, Gravity thought, squinting at the climbing figures. Their approach was slowing and both ponies were clearly nervous. Dam and Sire! I didn't think the medics had finished with dam yet. She watched them for a few moments more, the chatter of Fusion and the two gryphons little more than an irritating background noise, something about how to select the right people for governing the civil part of their new state. Why are they coming here? Oh... she thought, breathing out softly as confusion turned to understanding. She glanced at Fusion, who was nodding earnestly at something Ellisif was saying, then stood up, shaking briskly. "Fusion, we need to take a break."
"But I--" Gravity reached out with one wing and pushed Fusion's muzzle around until it was pointed at Plasma and Helium. Fusion fell silent, nostrils flaring and eyes wide. "I can't. I failed them too badly. Our sire made that perfectly clear."
"They came all the way up here, by hoof. It's unlikely he wants to shout at you again."
Ellisif stood, gripping Halla on the shoulder. "Come on, we can thrash out the details later. I want to see how the troops are doing with those new gunships." The other gryphoness grumbled something indistinct, but didn't move until Ellisif tightened her talons, then shook her off with a glare. She finally stood and followed Ellisif as she jumped into the air and swooped down the valley.
Reaching out with one hoof, Gravity tapped Fusion on the chest until she stopped staring at the approaching ponies. "Come on, let's go down to meet them."
"There are another six breeding centres to clear out, I think we should--" Fusion was breathing rapidly, nostrils flaring.
You can't tell me you are ready to run that wormhole spell again. I'm still tired from just holding up my end of it. "What, our dam, just out from under the care of the medics, has walked up a mountain to see you, and you want to fly away?"
"No, but--" Fusion jumped to her hooves, strands of pastel mane fading to plain pink.
"You went through the heart of Naraka and faced down half the dogs' fleet. Don't tell me you are afraid of talking to our parents?" Gravity said, hooking one wing over Fusion's withers and applying enough force to make the mare stop fidgeting.
Fusion's head drooped and her body sagged. "What if it is worse than last time? Our sire hates what I've done, what if our dam does too?" Her wings shifted under Gravity's embrace, wrapping around her barrel. "If I don't open that box it can't hurt me. Better to never know than find out the truth."
"You'd rather live in uncertainty? What if they don't think like that? You'd just abandon them without support in this new and chaotic world?"
"No," Fusion said, shuddering. "I'd rather face a dozen Arclights."
"That's what I thought. You are stronger than you think you are." Gravity snorted. "Certainly stronger than me. I could never have held myself together at the start of all this." Her eyes became distant, focussed on some internal scene. "I very nearly turned you in, at the beginning. I can't help but think what might have happened if I had... I was going to call Salrath, did you know that?"
"That would have ended very badly for both of us," Fusion said, sniffing and rubbing her eyes. The colour of her mane started to return.
"Oh yes. And Naraka would still be taking its terrible harvest. If you ever think you did the wrong thing, if others say you made poor choices, remember that."
"There's still a whole world of ponies to save." Fusion shook out of Gravity's embrace and took a step towards Plasma and Helium. The pair had halted a score of lengths below and were looking up at them. "As much as I want our parents to be happy, all those others have to come first." She opened her wings, then closed them and half trotted, half slid down the scree slope, Gravity following her down.
"Sire," she said, lowering her head in Helium's direction. He stared back, seemingly rooted to the spot. Plasma, her cream coat looking like she hadn’t groomed in days, shuffled a little closer, ears forward and with a frown across her muzzle. "Dam, how are you feeling? I didn't know the medics had finished with you."
"Fusion, lift your head up. You look like you are afraid of being kicked. I've had a long talk with Helium and I know everything that has happened over the last days, and--"
"I'm so sorry," Fusion said, head drooping further, "I've hurt so many ponies, got you nearly killed, I..." She swallowed, mouth opening but no words coming out.
Behind her, Gravity sighed. Oh, for the Maker's sake! She cleared her throat loudly, staring meaningfully at Helium. The stallion jerked as if stung, then jumped forwards.
"Yes, you have." Helium blinked, suddenly looking at her like it was for the first time. His ears flicked back, lying flush with the sides of his head.
At his side, Plasma stirred uneasily, looking confused. "My mate, we talked about this, I thought--"
"You talked, not me. I said I'd help you get to Fusion, but I can't do this, I can't... The Master's service is hard, but it was always their right to make decisions for us. " His mouth worked like he'd eaten something foul. "You killed so many of them... and how many of our friends died when the Hammer came down upon us? Ponies we've known for over a gigasecond, ponies who could have lived for several more." He made a choked sound and shook his head, taking a stumbling step backwards, his gaze now fixed on Fusion. "I said at the start that I wondered if it might be better if you had died, but now I'm sure. You have brought nothing but death and destruction to us all. I have no daughter." Another step and his wings opened wide in the dim overcast, sending him soaring back down the steep valley wall that Plasma had climbed so painfully.
Plasma let out a neigh, high and shrill, cut off by a sudden gasp and shiver of pain, but there was no response from the rapidly receding Helium. "Mate, no..." she said, trailing off, then wheeled to face Fusion and Gravity. "I knew he was having trouble with this, but I thought he was okay with it. I thought he'd come to terms with it all." Her head drooped, muzzle brushing the small alpine plants. "I'm so sorry."
Rooted to the spot, Fusion followed the distant shape of Helium. Her legs trembled, bile leaving an acid tang at the back of her throat. "I told you, Grav, didn't I tell you?" Fusion's voice sank to a ragged whisper. "Opened the box and found out it was full of poison."
"Oh, Fusion," Gravity's ears drooped and she leaned into Fusion, teeth working along the ridge of her mane. "He'll come around."
"Will he?" Fusion said, the whisper fading to almost nothing. She didn't react when Plasma pressed against her other flank. "What if he's right? We've made a kind of peace with Lacunae, but what will the other Hives and the Court do?"
===
~~~discontinuity~~~
--Merlon appeared at the centre of the operations room. There was more space here than she remembered; another pony was busy moving the consoles to further increase the empty area, which was carefully marked out with warning tape. A landing zone! She carefully deposited Vanca on the floor, stepping away when the Academician waved an instrument in her direction.
"Too fast!" she snarled, stabbing at the controls. "This one needs better equipment."
Merlon ignored Vanca, watching Orgon come out of a side room. He looked tired and rumpled, as if awoken from a brief nap. "Master, I have the Academician. Is there anything else you need?" Merlon bowed her head, dropping to one knee.
"This one will have an important task for you in a moment," Orgon said, looking at her in surprise, then waving his paw with a vague upwards motion.
He didn't expect that. When was the last time I bowed correctly? Stupid mare, you know he thinks that sort of treatment is a waste of time! Merlon stood and pricked her ears forward, trying to look attentive.
Vanca ignored Orgon when the Strategist cleared his throat, only looking up from her instrument when he gently placed a paw over the display. "Academician, this one understands the first of the modified Arclights is in production?"
"Yes, yes." Vanca pulled the machine away, trying to see the display, then sighed when Orgon persisted. "What? This one has much work to do."
"Vanca's work on the Hammer strike. How likely is it that the ponies understand that they very nearly deflected the shot?"
"How could they not? This one has to assume--" Vanca fell silent and looked thoughtful when Merlon shook her head. "Really? Vanca supposes that the level of feedback isn't great..." She grinned. "That would be a shock for the Court, if their next strike went somewhere else." Her mouth dropped open. "Wait, the Hive has opened a dialogue with the rogues? One that does not involve the exchange of missiles?"
Orgon gestured at the screen, currently showing a view of some alpine landscape, dotted with the pastel colours of many, many ponies. "Of a sort. Negotiations are not easy..." Orgon paused, lips lifting in a smile that did little more than expose his teeth. "...actually, they are very easy when the other side has all the power. All this one can do is make it expensive for them. It is fortunate that the ponies are not especially demanding."
Vanca narrowed her eyes. "This one is happy to help, but why is this one here? Vanca can tell the pony what she knows over a video feed and not be distracted from all the other things the Strategist wants her to do."
"Yes, Vanca could... but Orgon thinks this would be better explained in person. In any case--" He turned and did something to one of the consoles, replacing half the video window with a different view. A carefully manicured landscape, with regular fields and a distant ring of mature forest, under a blue sky. Over to one side was a pyramidal building, half hidden behind a swirl of pastel motes. "--Orgon thinks Vanca and her instruments might like a closer look at this." There was a flare of white-gold and a point of distortion opened in the sky, showing refracted and distorted copies of mountains. The motes flew upwards and into the scrambled space, vanishing.
"A kilosecond-scale, macroscopic wormhole," Vanca breathed, then shook herself. "Why would the rogues let this one go? She has... history with those two."
"Because, so far, they have been true to their word and have received everything they demanded." Orgon gave his chilly smile again. "Vanca brought Fusion into the world; she is the mother of the pony revolution. Orgon thinks that will help her reputation."
Vanca flinched. "This one was a fool," she said bitterly. "It should have been obvious to any intelligent observer that the servitors were fully sapient and not just clever simulations. Vanca didn't see the truth." She stabbed out a paw, poking Orgon in the chest. "The information was suppressed; how many knew?"
Patterns tumbled through Merlon's mind, easily visualised power that could freeze that paw solid or rip it from Vanca's arm in a welter of blood. She stepped forwards, but Orgon made an unobtrusive gesture and she subsided, pushing back the sudden urge for violence with gritted teeth. She must show some respect!
"Not as many as Vanca might think. The Church is very useful in that regard. Research into the minds of the servitors is against doctrine, so is not funded." Orgon gripped Vanca's paw, pushing it away. "This will no longer be an issue; the ponies are busy building a new polity, one with enough power that all these ones will hopefully not be killed. Vanca understands that the Court will use the Hammer against us, as a prelude to putting Lacunae under full administration, yes?"
"This one has done a significant amount of work for the military; she understands." Vanca pulled her paw away, then waved it at the screen. "How will it all work? The Church has a firm hold on the minds of the general population. They will not take kindly to this reversal of fortunes."
"Ask this one in a gigasecond. In the meantime, there will be a period of adjustment. Orgon anticipates that those with sympathies towards the Maker's Path will require the most adjustment." He shrugged. "He also imagines that saving the Hive from destruction will help."
"And if they fail?"
Merlon felt laughter bubble up in her throat, bursting out as a kind of strangled giggle, silenced when both Masters turned to stare at her. "I think, Academician, that none of us will worry about anything anymore."
"Does the pony need to get some rest?" Orgon asked, holding her gaze.
The laughter came back, and Merlon clamped her jaws shut, so all that escaped was a breathy whinny. "I--" She swallowed, closing her eyes and lowering her head. I cannot keep this secret any longer. The laughter died in the memory of what happened to the Security ponies, five lives turned to steam and glowing charcoal by hot green light, flashed through her mind. What she might say, all those internal practiced confessions, piled up in the place of the hysteria, so many words that none could escape. If I am dead, I cannot help. We are working with the rogues, so perhaps it will be different now? "I am sorry, Masters. I am fine. Today has been difficult."
"The pony has that right," Orgon muttered, laying a paw on Merlon's withers. She leaned into the touch, increasing the contact, and he left his paw there. "This one needs someone he trusts to act as an envoy to this new... equestrian polity."
"Vanca is a scientist, not a diplomat!" The academician snorted, shaking her head.
Something about Orgon's stance and the way he reacted to Vanca's words lanced straight to the back of Merlon's mind, and her eyes went wide. No no no no--
"Yes, Academician, Orgon is aware of that." His eyes flicked up to the sky for a moment, sighing silently, then he looked back to Merlon, his gaze settling on her like a crushing weight.
"Yes, Master," she said, the words nearly inaudible. That's it, then. "Will..." Green light, burning flesh. "...will I be allowed to return?" They will try to do to me what I have already done to myself. How can my Master trust me ever again?
Orgon was silent for a long time. "The pony may not wish it." He remained standing next to her, the paw that had been on her shoulder moving to fiddle nervously with his comms bracer. "In the end, these ones will have to work with unconditioned ponies if they are to survive. The pony knows more about the internal workings of the Hive than almost any Person; she is the perfect representative. This one needs the others to trust him, at least a little..." Merlon's ears drooped, tears starting to leak down her cheeks. "...so to answer the pony's question, in some capacity, yes."
Merlon sniffed, clearing her throat. Now! Do it now! "Before you decide, Master, you need to know that I have betrayed you already." She fell to her foreknees and then to her belly, closing her eyes, but couldn't ignore the slight sounds around her body. Quiet footsteps, the feeling of being at the centre of a rapidly opening circle of empty space. There was still one person next to her: Orgon.
"What does the pony mean? What has Merlon done to make her think that?" Orgon's voice was quiet, nearly silent.
"It was during the questioning of Scalar. I was alone, surrounded by suspicious and nervous Masters. You gave me a mission, Master, and I couldn't think of a way to complete it successfully without..."
"But the pony did complete its mission. Orgon has seen the reports from the Security ponies she has trained in the new magics."
I have passed on everything I learned. Trained a cadre of Security ponies on the new magic. Merlon nodded, fresh tears squeezing out from under closed lids and running down her muzzle. I am no longer useful. "I did. I--" She swallowed, then inhaled a great gasp of air. "I removed my own Blessing." There was a sudden wordless exclamation of shock, echoed from a number of throats around the room. Her muscles tightened and she hunched, trying to become so small that she might disappear. Merlon waited for the near-silent hum of Orgon's hidden weapon, or the sudden jack-hammer thunder of the security guards' railguns.
"This makes a lot of sense, now that Orgon thinks about it," Orgon said in a distant whisper. "It was the only way the pony could have extracted the Council core group in the way that it did." His paw touched her on the head, just below the horn. "So for all this time, Merlon continued to serve, despite all she knows," he said, voice stronger but the words unsteady.
He's not angry! Why is he not angry? She opened her eyes, seeing the wonder on Orgon's face. What does this mean?
"Relax, Merlon," he said, "this one is surprised, but considering all the other things that have happened over the last megasecond... he always knew the pony had untapped reserves of strength. Orgon thought that the shock of the others removing the pony's Blessing would limit her usefulness, but since she's already done it..." He smiled suddenly, extended paw running down her muzzle to gently lift her head up. "These ones might be able to surprise Fusion yet."
===
"They are sending Vanca? What as, some sort of a present?" Gravity kicked at the ground, glaring out across the busy valley. “Maker’s breath, imagine that one wrapped up in ribbons, nice bow on her tail…”
"She has information about the Hammer and Hive defences." So why her and not a military expert? Fusion snorted and shuffled her hooves. I suppose all of them will stay well out of our direct reach, at the other end of the clairvoyance link. "I still get the occasional nightmare about her and that automatic surgeon..." She shivered, then ruffled her wings. "It might also be as a present. Orgon is ruthless; he may well think of her as expendable."
"Well, it better be massively useful, whatever the reason. I'm not averse to breaking the rest of her bones."
"We cannot inflict enough pain on them to make up for the past," Fusion said, her tone neutral.
"I'd like to give it a go," Gravity muttered, then sighed. "Fair enough. I will wait to see what the bitch says. How is she getting here?"
"That's the other part of the message, I think. We're getting an envoy. It's the same dapple-grey mare who interrogated Scalar. Her name is Merlon."
"Showing us they can use stolen magic." Gravity's tail lashed, sending blue-and-sparkle almost-hair flying. "We'll see what she's made of, after that Blessing comes off." There was a sense of building power from Gravity, of brutal magic just below the threshold of real. "She won't be able to hide anything from me."
Fusion marshalled her own strength, letting the ghosts of patterns hover in her awareness. Orgon didn't even try to get us to leave her enslaved. He really is serious... or this is a trap. How many ponies could this Merlon train? She ran through what it would take to capture Gravity and herself, all without raising an alarm, then shook her head. We are too strong for such subtlety, and he'd have sent a bomb already. There was another thump-and-flash, this one away from the normal teleport arrival zone.
A grey pony appeared, carrying a single dog and surrounded by a halo of unidentifiable objects. Fusion's heart-rate trebled, then she relaxed, shadow sight showing nothing unusual about the packages or the dog she carried.
"I'll get Redshift to check her gear; it's probably better if you greet our guests," Gravity muttered, staring hard at the slowly descending pony and her cargo. "He said he was nearly finished with checking that tactical map table the security ponies brought along. You don’t need to worry about getting interrupted by Halla or Ellisif, either. Both of them are practically ready to lay an egg, or whatever it is gryphons do, they are that excited."
Alleged full access to Lacunae military positions and what intelligence it has on the other Hives... I suppose it has to be real if we are to help each other. "Live births, just like ponies," Fusion murmured. "Spiral too, please. I want to make sure Vanca isn't carrying something subtle."
Gravity jumped into the air, hovering for a few moments. "I think it's too late for that, Fusion, what with all this lot! I'll bring our other guests as well," she called down, then headed towards the knot of transport aircraft the dogs had sent to support the gunships.
Fusion nodded absently, watching as the grey mare landed gently a length in front of her, neatly arranging her burden of bulky packages. Vanca was deposited last, the Academician staring back at Fusion with wide eyes. Something on her wrist bleeped, then one of the packages emitted a mournful wail. "Sorry; this one was carrying a thaumic sensor, for the wormhole transit--" Fumbled prodding of her bracer silenced the alarm.
"I certainly hope that is all you have," Fusion said, her ears folded back and magic forming a glittering shell around Merlon and Vanca. The other mare just nodded meekly and didn't attempt to break the field shutting her in. Shadow sight had already shown a lack of anything high energy or more than the normal crystal thaumic systems she was familiar with from her time at the Institute, and Fusion relaxed her grip on the power.
"This one has--" Vanca cleared her throat, ears drooping as Fusion continued to stare at her, then gritted her teeth. "This one has information on the operation of the Hammer; she assumes that Gravity Resonance is the pony to discuss this with?"
"I remember the last time we met, Academician." Unable to move and shoved into the maw of a thaumic imager, robot arm descending to her face. "You were going to cut open my skull while I was still alive."
Vanca looked away. "This one has done many things that she is no longer proud of. Does the pony want a full accounting of Vanca's crimes? There were five other experimental subjects before Fusion; all of them are dead. Three died instantly, the other two were euthanized after receiving unsurvivable doses of radiation."
"Is that all?" A particle beam, carrying enough energy to turn an adult pony into an indistinct shadow on a wall. Blood was thundering in Fusion's ears, and the shimmering pastels of her mane were moving like waves on a storm-tossed sea. She started to feel warm, and Vanca moved away slightly, paws coming up to shield her face. “Hardly worth thinking about, really.”
"Directly, yes. Vanca was indirectly involved in the deaths of up to fifteen more, as she was a part of a number of wide-ranging studies." She dropped her paws and stood up straight, squinting directly at Fusion. "The fact of pony sapience is not generally known or believed, but this is no excuse. Vanca is not stupid and should have realised the truth, but Korn was the one who dealt with the ponies." Her ears drooped when she mentioned Korn's name. "This one's Student knew, Vanca is sure of it." She twisted her paws together, then let them fall. "Well? What is the pony going to do?"
Breathing hard, Fusion turned tight circles, hooves kicking scars in the thin soil. "I am sure there are other dogs who have done far worse things. Was Vanca ever involved in Naraka's work?"
The Academician flinched. "No. Fundamental thaumic research never required that much... material."
"Foals, Vanca, foals!"
"Yes, foals. Hundreds and hundreds of foals, killed over a gigasecond or more. Vanca is not a believer, but many of those in the biothaumic sector consider what they do to be the Maker's work. They are either convinced, as Vanca was when she gave the subject any thought at all, that ponies are just a clever simulation of sapience, or they believe they serve a higher power."
Fusion closed her eyes, focussing on her breathing and pushing away the sudden desire to rend and smash and burn until there was nothing left. "What do you have for us, Vanca?" she asked finally, voice raw but under control.
"Flight and delta-V profiles for the Hammer strike. This one believes Gravity could have shifted the point of impact if she'd known the Hammer's operational parameters."
Grav isn't going to want to hear that. "I should be with her for that briefing; she already thinks she failed us." Fusion watched her sister take off with Redshift and head in their direction, two dogs following in a haze of violet magic.
"Who are those People--" Vanca's mouth dropped open and she took an unconscious step forwards. "This one was told he was dead!"
"I pulled Korn and Captain Rthar out of the volcano that was Naraka. We saved them from the Hammer strike because it was the right thing to do, even though that probably cost us the lives of two ponies or gryphons. When you return to the Hive, you will tell them that."
Vanca didn't reply, just rushed forwards to embrace Korn, who stood there, blinking and confused, next to Redshift. "What is this?" he asked. "The gryphoness said these ones were being given back to Security, but Vanca is here, and all this... this stuff." Half enveloped in Vanca's hug, he gestured at the bustling surroundings with his muzzle.
"We have an agreement with Lacunae; they won't try and kill all the enslaved ponies, and in return we won't turn the arcologies into charnel houses," Gravity said, glaring at Vanca, who didn't even notice. No matter how tempting that is becoming, she sent to Fusion, turbulent emotions filling the sharing with flashes of imagined destruction.
Vanca has information that may help you deflect the next Hammer shot. Try to stay calm; it sounds like you nearly managed to stop the last one.
Nearly. Gravity froze, not even breathing. So I could have saved them, then. A fragile calm covered the surface of her mind, over a deep layer of dark self-loathing.
We don't know what we don't know, Grav. What I said to Random applies to you, as well. One perceived failure out of ignorance or manipulation does not make you responsible for the whole catastrophe. You can blame me, if you want. I pulled you out before the impact. She glanced at Vanca; she had pulled away from Korn and was questioning him mercilessly, complete with animated gestures at something on one of the instruments she'd brought. Korn almost looked like he had of old, back when Fusion would stand meekly by and try and keep a blank face while Vanca interrogated him about some aspect of experimental design.
Gravity let out her breath in a single explosive snort. You already have enough guilt for the both of us; I won't add to it. Very well, I'll try very hard not to kill Vanca.
Redshift was looking at Merlon, a puzzled expression on his face. "What?" Fusion said. "Is there a problem with Vanca's gear? And where is Spiral?"
"She had to finish up with a few of the gryphons; there were injuries during your last breeding centre evacuation," he said slowly. "You did notice this, right?" He bent one wing forwards, gesturing at Merlon's head. The security pony's ears flattened and she shied away.
Fusion's power rolled out like a bottomless, luminous ocean, wrapping around and smothering the mare, before she'd even had a chance to think about Redshift's words. Merlon didn't try to fight, just stood helpless within the nested fields and spells containing enough destructive potential to reduce her to ash in a heartbeat. Fusion relaxed slightly, fighting to still her suddenly pounding heart. "What?" she said harshly.
"She's got no Blessing... looks like it was taken off days ago."
No glowing-green wires in the mare's skull, only a faint, nearly healed spot at the base of her horn. The aggressively swirling patterns in Fusion's mind stilled, becoming faint and vanishing. "How?" she asked roughly, advancing on Merlon. "Is it something the dogs did to you? If Orgon has been performing more experiments--"
Merlon's horn lit up and she shrugged off the remnants of Fusions choking power. "No! I did it myself," she snapped, pawing at the ground. "My Master only does what's necessary, and I did the same."
Fusion blinked, then shook her head. What did she say? How is that-- She took a deep breath, holding back her desire to drag Merlon close and shake answers out of her. "How, Merlon? How could you even consider doing that?"
"It was necessary," Merlon said hollowly. "I had my orders, but the Masters around me were tense and uncooperative. They didn't understand the urgency of my mission." She shivered, wings coming up to half shield her face. "The Blessing drove me to it. Made me cut myself out of the Masters' herd." Merlon smiled bitterly. "I won't ever taste the Maker's rewards for my duty. Your actions drove me to it. I couldn't complete my mission."
"I saw your mission!" Gravity snapped, her ears back. "You used Scalar's mate as leverage to make him talk. An innocent mare... how could you do that to one of your own?!" The shadows had deepened around her, independent of the brightness of the clouds.
"I had my orders!" Merlon shouted back. "How many ponies have your actions killed?" Her voice, high and shrill, sank down and became a low growl. "I bet you have no idea. There were hundreds on the fleets around Naraka, and your sister burned them without a thought." She snapped at Fusion, teeth closing on empty air with a loud clack. "What threat were those aircraft to you? You could have just left, but you chose, you chose to kill everything above the horizon." She glared at Fusion, breathing hard through flared nostrils.
Let me talk to Merlon, Fusion sent to Gravity, feeling the low creep of her sister's power like a carpet of cryogenic vapour flooding out from her body. Listen in if you want, but I think the information Vanca has is important. The extra shadows, unnoticed by Merlon, faded away as Gravity stepped back and used her magic to give Vanca a sharp nudge. The Academician stumbled into motion, dragging Korn along with a death-grip on his arm.
"Do you know what was in Naraka? Did you ever go there? Oh, Maker, so many foals, their horns being assembled into something that would render us unnecessary." Fusion's own breathing quickened, her eyes wide and staring off into what she'd seen in the depths of the breeding centre. Her magic fluttered and she looked away. "Did you know about Naraka?" she asked Merlon, her voice suddenly quiet.
"I did." Merlon nodded, her ears changing from pinned to an unhappy droop. "It must have been a horrible shock to find out like that, but you are wrong. Most of what you thought were foal horns were vat-grown from tissue cultures. The work there, the sacrifices that ponykind is making, are all to make better future for us all. When the Masters understand how to work without us, we will be able to follow our own path."
Nopony actually saw what happened at Naraka, is it possible that she is-- More memories, those of automated surgeons in the bright depths and the stories of so many dams from that place, filled her head to bursting point. "Is that what they told you? You need to talk to some of the ponies we rescued, and ask them how many foals they had, and where those foals are now." She snorted, pawing at the ground. "I think you will be in for a shock, because their most efficient solution was to take foals from dams, cut out their horns and feed the rest to gryphons. They'll free us, all right -- no need for ponies means we are of no use. Why bother keeping us at all?" Fusion closed her eyes and counted under her breath. "How old are you, Merlon?"
"I have served, in one capacity or another, for more than four gigaseconds." Merlon lifted her head, ears forward. "Long enough that I have seen many things. There are far worse places in this world than Lacunae Hive. They treat us well, they really do. I wish I could convince you that what you are doing will get thousands of ponies killed... the Court will not stop until we are all dead. All this--" She waved a wing, encompassing the wide expanse of mountains and valleys. "--will be burned away. You think the Hammer is the worst of it? It's the biggest stick, but every Hive has enough weapons to sterilise every other Hive. Do you really think you can stop them all?"
===
General Ininil was trying to complete his preparations, checking things that had already been checked and re-checked a dozen times to make sure the visit would be flawless, but the servitor was making him nervous. It wasn't even in his office, but he could see it wandering through the laboratory and engineering spaces, two glass walls away, like it owned them, studying everything it could poke its stripy muzzle into. The stripes extended all over its body, bright white and deepest black, from spiky mane to the tuft of its tail. Even its wings fitted into the pattern, with alternating black-and-white feathers. It carried no equipment aside from a comms necklace, and had no insignia or uniform.
This one still can't believe it, Ininil thought, a dangerous sense of unreality creeping in from the edges of his mind as he stared at the creature. The Monarch's personal guard, here. He must be somewhere close.
The pony wasn't alone; another twenty of the striped horrors were patrolling the complex, their magic probing instruments, offices and People with equal efficiency. The one in here with him suddenly froze and turned in Ininil's direction, studying him with eyes so dark that they appeared to be holes into some sunless space. What has this one forgotten? What has it seen? His heart rate accelerated and he resisted a sudden urge to burrow into the floor. They locked gazes, but it was Ininil who broke away first, eyes searching his console for something to distract from the soulless scrutiny.
The camera views of the Project Seraphim vault showed little; the shape of the single adult specimen, codenamed 'Harq', nearly filled the armoured chamber. It looked like something that had been carved from metal, a titanic statue made by some mad sculptor, all spines and sharp edges, but the other sensors told the truth. It glowed in the thermal infrared, comfortably warmer than a mammal, but that was only at the surface. If you could get through that unreasonably tough and scaly hide, the temperature would rise exponentially, fuelled by blood that more closely resembled basaltic lavas than anything with water in it.
By long habit, Ininil checked the radiation monitors, worrying over the light tickle of gamma radiation that escaped the creature's body, before flinching at the sudden alarm window that overlaid his office wall screen. Now what? he thought, suddenly irrationally angry at the interruption he'd been desperate for. Strategic thaumic alert-- He leaped to his paws; two strides and Ininil was through the door and into the high-level analyst bay in the next room.
"Report!" he snapped, then froze, transfixed by the swirling graphics and power spectra overlaying the main map. There were two spikes on the long-range thaumic scans, and it was immediately obvious what had triggered the alert. "Is Lacunae powering up its strategic arrays?" he asked numbly. Other displays showed Baur's own assets coming on line: strings of readiness reports from scattered mass drivers and fast-moving magic suppression systems, hunting for the first sign of a hostile spell locus.
"No, General," the lead analyst said. "The profile does not fit and the locations are all wrong." She highlighted a spot on the map, deep inside Lacunae territory and the source of one magical surge. "This is one of their breeding centres; the other is deep inside... that. The gravity wave detectors have also been going crazy... their signature matches the intelligence reports from the battles inside Lacunae."
The pink-stained and unnaturally stable clouds had grown since Ininil had last seen the global overview, covering nearly ten percent of Lacunae's northern highlands. "Show this one," Ininil said, fidgeting as the master display filled with two dimensional time-and-frequency plots. "What does the physics team say?"
"Same effects on space-time, but persistent rather than pulsed. They say the hole is likely to be over a dozen lengths across."
Making strategic decisions on stolen data. Was it fed to these ones? The reliability was high, and the military scientists all said it was real... A tunnel through space-time, from a breeding centre to that magically isolated zone. "They are evacuating the breeding centres..." he breathed, then froze, suddenly aware of a bulky, stripy shape at his elbow.
"That is an interesting development," came a cultured voice, and the servitor stepped to one side to let the Monarch pass. "What are the implications for Our response?"
"Yes, Monarch!" Heart thundering, Ininil moved carefully to a spot that allowed him to face the Monarch and see the main screens, ever conscious of the blank machine-like gaze of the servitor. "They are moving their breeding stock to secure locations. This one has no reliable estimates for the timescale of the operation, but it could be very fast. These ones will soon lose the ability to significantly impact their numbers."
"The need for a first strike is more pressing." The Monarch nodded absently, studying the same displays, then smiled, genuinely happy. "This seems like the perfect opportunity for a field test of the Seraphim prototype."
"Monarch," Ininil said carefully, "the control interface is still not completely reliable. It is likely that Harq will assault unauthorised targets."
"Lacunae will turn into a free-fire zone as a result of their grotesque failure; there will be no adverse consequences. The Court will just be happy the crisis has been averted." The smile grew into something vicious. "...and if the situation cannot be resolved, these ones will reluctantly have to activate Strix."
New chapter after delay - weeee )!
Chapter up!
In other news, I have discovered that my pony, who won't be led into the sand school without a tremendous struggle, is still perfectly capable of being an excellent ride; today I switched her to a bitless bridle and she went like a dream. I will never understand mares (story of my life, really).
Well this does set up lots of stuff for the next few chapters, i think. The plot gets thicker and thicker. interesting how Vanca actually cares for Korn and Merlon and Helium dilemma is strong too. what Fusion and Gravity will do with ponies who want to serve/won't break their conditioning?
7569735
Thanks for the update!
Harq is Seraphim, the Dragon, but what is Strix? next stage beyond living metallosilicates, and into magically infused hghly plastic bioforms, Changelings? Or, given some reasearch Ive been doing for an unrestricted gaming engine, would Changelings be more like Magical Tardis, where their viewed form is merely an intersection with current spacetime, giving their biggest form possible based on total magical energy available to them, but able to form smaller forms by moving mass reaction field into the higher dimentional function again limited by overall structural ability?
It gives the apparently strange side effect that teh bigger and more powerful the magiform is, the more in excess can be translated into higher dimentions, giving smaller intersections possible, higher toughness, density, speed etc?
The description of the Arclight remined me of a cross between the laser sparkplug model of the NIF, and the space drive used in Psychlo Gas Drones, where a whole array of inwardly pointed spikes, translate, sapce and time.
This implies that a modified Arclight can impliment any given magical array, and a pair of such modiefied Arclights working together can create totally extra temporal and dimentional effects. Quite possibly transreality distortions when attempting to reproduce otherwise standard wormhole constructions.
I havent workd out how many modified Arclights would be needed to generate the recursive scaling self stabilising event that leads to a 4th wall Excession. though the basic design is in my notes somewhere as being related to quantum foam logic problems, the holographic universe, and 5 dimentional hyperklien structures.
And L-Space.
Vanca and Merlon are in an extremely delicate position, as once Vanca gets her wormhole data, she will likley find it relatively simple to recode a small thaumic array to work with any unstable atom to create a autocatalytic disintegration, the only thing stopping her at first being the uncertainty that it wouldnt stop at the mass charge, but consume the planet as well. further improvements would lead to working with any matter in the way of reputed proton disintegration by magnetic monopole. Think of it as a nuclear lithium battery. Mess it up, and all its power comes out at once.
Fusion can melt whole sections of world, but Gravity is vastly more deadly in her growing ability to creat and manipulate wormholes from nanoscopic to macroscopic scales, as sloppy creations can cause havoc with matter being torn apart by high stress spacetimes fields then slingshot as the field collapses at high sublight speed in many directions. Wormholes even pass by simple three and possibly 4D shieldings. When a kilo of matter is doing 90% speed of light, what difference does it make if the wormhole exits inside the shield, outside the shield, or a thousand km straight up in the vaccuum of space, out of range of counteractive projectors?
Of course, when Gravity and Fusion work together, and you get the wormhole acting as a converging diverging nozzel, converting high energy stellar core plasma into a near phase coherent directed jet, well. I really hope you have a spare planet. Youre gonna need it.
So much delicious stuff happening this chapter! Sire rejection (D:), meeting with Vanca and Merlon (:D), potential to redirect the Hammer (:D), more Baur shenanigans (D:)! You definitely don't make it easy to wait for the next part.
7569990 It's really late so I really am not in the best frame of mind...
But I'll tell you this, I can't currently figure out if you're a really good bullshitter, or actually know what you're talking about >_>
My money is on the former because honestly? bullshitting is a science in its own right. :P
If I remember to read this again when I wake up I'll probably be able to start to work though it lol.
And new chapter... YAY!! And that title.... after last one, and all the talk about Orgon being Dog Caesar. Nice, wonder what brought that around .. however, pretty sure he's long past just being on the banks of the Rubicon. So, Ponies and Dogs are just starting to work out a way both can coexist. Even if it's mostly a "You leave us the fuck alone, we don't smash you to atoms" stage, but still, Sisters are starting to see that just maybe, Orgon is legit in this. Even if it's only because he sees no other alternative.
YAY! Nerdiest Puppeh! Do kind of like Vanca, and just how "I don't give a flying fuck about these stupid political issues, and the whole war thing, just let me study and experiment in peace damnit!" attitude. So, working on a very, very small scale telepressence rig?
Still working on that anti-teleportation field? Didn't Orgon say something about wanting to give Vanca to the Ponies, or at least show them what she'd found? More trying to buy trust by telling about this when it could be one of his only aces in the hole?
It's not that she can't know their names, it's more, she just does not care. now stop distracting her you useless idiots!
Vanca is the type, it is SO fun watching her go nuts on others, and so fun to see be this way, while you know you would LOATHE having to deal with her IRL.
Pony or Dog, it does not matter, if you can help and be patient and obedient, she thinks you are worthwhile, if you cn't or are distracting, you are a useless annoyance that should just leave her alone.
Ah a kind of "If this doesn't work, it'll screw us over, so lets hope it works" type deal.
So they don't have any warehouse of spare projectors? It's that big a deal they only have the ones in service, and maybe a small handful of spares?
Does it use multi-model-reflection-sorting? Also, is it bad I actually kind of understand what that is trying to say?
Huh, so they only have the one in active service. Kind of like the reduction gears for a ship? They are so costly, so expensive, and so massive, no sense in building any that aren't being put into use right away? Or simply so damn large overall, they have to be built into the hull anyway? Still, this means ever if Vanca succeeds, their use will be limited since they only have so many.
Ugh.. this again.... yeah we've been over this already, still think it makes no sense at all. At least it seems just a Vanca thing, so could chalk it up to her just being that much of a rigid tool that she would simply assume this.
See, I like Vanca, and this is why. All she gives a crap about is facts, and if someone is clearly smart enough to know what they are talking about, you take them a their word. And she knows you can't just scream you want something, and force reality to change.
And that is all that matters to Vanca, skill, intellect, and the ability to deal with hard facts well. Yeah I really do like her.
... Also, she has one hell of a mean backhand..... damn.
And good call on you for that.
Yup, Vanca is awesome.Now the question is, how useful will this be? they only have the one for now.. this i a BIG Hive, and they need the Arclights full working in order to defend the border, with losses already... maybe protect a few key areas but... how much could they really do? Granted they have the benefit of being able to use just a single unit versus two for this, so double the efficiency, but how much range? And I do like that these types of limits are showing up, having the dogs be so perfect and able to do anything until getting blindsided by the Sisters' raw power would get very old and very unbelievable.
Also, screw the fact that Vanca is technically their prisoner and should be taking orders from them and obeying them. She knows what the fuck she is talking about, now listen to her you dumb mutts.
Or, are they working for her directly now? or is that just a title type thing?
This is going to be interesting...really curious what it is.
Besides to be awesome and the most interesting facet of this already incredibly gripping and interesting story?
OOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Orgon wants Vanca to help the Sisters workout how to block Hammer strikes!!! Very, very good idea. I like it!
"well you see... about that......"
She wants to grab some equipment to scan and record stuff about the teleport as it happens, doesn't she?
This is weird, and dangerous, and something is not right... but I get to do something FOR SCIENCE! So screw that! Also, nice to see more dogs picking up on the oddities, and see them to, Merlon was, more friendly, casual, direct, not behaving at all like a servitor, even a high ranking one working under the direct authority of the highest ranked dog in the Hive.
Where's the fun in that? Also, how long till Vanca let's slip about the anti-teleport field, just because it's something she wants to talk about?
That's a lot of ponies...
And you just jinxed it.....
Hmmm, not an invalid point. Especially with Griffons, who are used to and react best under situations like that. Ponies... are both better and less well suited to that. They are naturally going to follow, and want to help, more likely to follow orders and do their assigned roles well without needing to have a strong oversight. But also they might bristle and not do well under more rigid conditions of Griffons. Some might, but not all. But still good to have some clear authority in place.
Yes, not all ponies will be able to handle that kind of stress, and forcing them to... will just end badly, plus, yes they have more then enough to do beyond that. Making housing, settling new bases, repairing equipment, foraging food, taking care of injured and young, Maintaining the cloud cover, scouting, etc....
hehe, like I said.
True, "Hey that group that has enslaved and tormented you all your life? The ones we started this war to fight? Yeah this group is now our allies, we have to attack this other group you've never directly interacted with."
.... Huh....
Okay, ponies who this all just to big a shock to, and they don't want to be part of a rebellion, but know they can't go back so just want to live alone... makes sense.
This also works.
Ummmm, with ponies, or among Griffons? With the latter, sure.. so long as you don't go to far, with Ponies..... not so much....
Okay the fairly part is good, but again... is this just applying to Griffons or to ponies too? One of those, you really need to sell better.
"Just remember who can turn you into fried chicken patte with just a thought."
Okay, so this IS just about the Griffons, right?
Oh dear... umm, Celestia.... I have some bad news for you on that front....
Yup, she might defer some of her authority to others, have others act in her stead or be in charge of groups, but every pony and griffon knows where that power comes from, and who it is that stands between them, and the Dogs.
Versus being a hot headed foal?
ohhhhhhh boy....
And he was a complete ass, and also very very wrong.
Time to watch eager soldiers play with some new toys.
Go deal with this issues so you can get past it and have one less thing on your mind.
Combo of tired, and anxious.. yeah Fusion, deal with this.. then get some damn sleep.
That would be a yup.
Once again, that's on him for being a shortsighted idiot.
That might actually be easier....
Can we please not bring THAT whole debacle up?
I'd say Celestia has the overall higher Wisdom score, but Gravity has her moments too.
"And he realizes what a colossal douche he was."
I know this i supposed to be a touching, tense, emotional moment, and it is, but I have to kind of giggle at just how different the two are taking this.
Oh buck off you ignorant little sack of manure.
AS SLAVES! Or been killed at the whim of some sociopathic canine who didn't give a fuck about them.
ugggghhh way over played, that this is the only pony we've seen acting THIS completely irrational and stupid about this, that much in denial... and all just perfectly placed to drum up a lot of, kind of unneeded emotional turmoil and drama, when there is MORE then enough of that to go around.. and given he's existed as a character, ONLY to make these points, it does feel rather contrived and forced to make the ONLY pony this hardheadedly ignorant and assholish about things, be a the one pony that would cause the most distress in Fusion.. when he's only here to do that, and we have nothing about his character other then this to go by to see why he and he alone is like this.
Again it's not 'bad' per se, but it does feel very forced and contrived for the sake of drama and angst for him to be that obstinate, have nothing to him beyond being an ass, and being the ONLY pony like that, all just to make Fusion get all emotional. I don't have any feeling of sympathy for this, I just want to slap the asshole and beat him down with all the facts he conveniently ignoring till he finally gets some sense. It just.. is not working well as is.
Again this should be a rather powerful scene, and this a very important point, but the whole delivery, and how it comes about is just so forced and contrived, I can't take it seriously right now.....
This made me kind of chuckle though for some reason.
And so did this, good work on lightening the mood story.
Does it involve going to talk to the Sisters directly?
And I can totally see Orgon not giving a shit about the useless formalities, gestures meant to show respect, but just show you know how to fake it, versus PROVING your loyalty and respect.
uh uh uh.. vanca, you are a scientist, you know not to make assumptions like that....
But very, very quick on the uptake.
Yeah, kind of.
A kind of gesture of trust? Working together directly.. there has to be some other game at work here. Some reason for this....
AH, right the portal, as much as Vanca like teleporting, getting to dig apart THAT... how could she not want to study it?
A good question......
So, a kind of gesture of trust, an attempt at bridging the gap and getting them to work together more closely, and also a kind of test as to just what the ponies will do?
Ya think!? But, nice to point this out story.
And the mystery that is "What will Merlon do" gets deeper. All those hair trigger defenses, that protective instinct....
Yeah..... about that.........
Go Go Religion fucking things up... as usual.....
Still epic response, and it has so many layers. 1. admitting he has no idea. 2. Also shades of, he really hasn't thought it through either because there are more serious matters to deal with, and he'll tackle that one after those are dealt with. and 3. Assuming it matters at all and they are all alive by then.
Wait.. why? What IS that group? Never did get that, so, an Anti-Pony group that sees them as immoral tools of sin and need to be destroyed?
Then it won't really matter much, will it?
That would be a yes. And some time to really think things through, maybe somepony else to talk to about it.....
I think they suspect by now so yeah look better if you confess.
And her main reason to hide it, is fear of not being allowed to help her master to the best of her ability if she says it... though it might actually work better if he knows.. still I understand her thought process.
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! YESYESYESYES!! Also the whole "Someone he can Trust" bit, but Merlon being the ambassador to the ponies! Also, you can stop hiding the Blessing thing, cause Orgon will already assume the first time you talk to one of the Sister, the first thing they will do is remove it, which shows JUST how much he trusts you.
He wasn't talking about you..... Still if more diplomats were like you, thing might be a lot better.
And she knows he knows they will do that.... yeah I love the interplay here! Asking him what she really wants to know, if he will still trust her without the blessing....
And.. him accepting that.. and still sending her, despite her being his single greatest ally... it REALLY speaks volumes on just how much orgon wants this to work and how much he really REALLY does trust Merlon.
In some capacity? Likely depending on just what she's like without a blessing I take it...
And he sees how it works, notices the thread of odd behavior, and is still fine with this, because it just PROVES beyond any doubt how loyal Merlon really is.
Because, without Blessing to force you, without the leash of pain to make you comply, while begin fully free to do ANYTHING you wanted... you CHOOSE, freely, of you own will, with no influence from any magic, to serve him as faithfully and expertly as you possibly could. Not out of fear, or force, but out out respect and loya......... loyalty........... ARE WE GETTING OUR FIRST ELEMENT BEARERS!!!!!!!!???????
Damnit Orgon, stop playing games... or at least stop playing games to try and get one up on the Ponies.... unless this is just to try and get better terms and condition from her, to get a more equal partnership rather then simply doing anything they say while trying to stall or save as much as you can?
It is a fun image.
In part, he likely hopes they don't, that they will treat this as a chance to work together, but if they just wish to see it as a offering to vent their frustration on... that would work too, he's going to get something out of this either way.
Listen to her Gravity, it's not about revenge, it's about making a better future.
And that is a 100% accurate term.
hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe...................
And suspicious, good, likely even more so after they see she has no blessing..... unless they got Merlon to agree to be reblessed to hide this fact, and make the Sisters think she'd been freed and changed her mind....though, Ponies are NOT good at bluffing at all....
Still it's good they know this is a risk, and are being cautious.
Yeah... let the one with actual ranks in Diplomacy handle this.
Like foals waking up to see a huge pile of presents under the tree on Hearthswarming Morning.
Yup, though wouldn't put it past Orgon to stick a few tricks in it, though.. he really does need the Ponies to save his Hive so, he knows that might backfire... still might be something he can do later if he needs to.
Huh.... well the mammal end is the one that handles that part.
Ehhhhhh.. given we seem to have set up for the big, world ending, pony altering thing to be a prion disease......
Yeah.... not a good place to pick things up from.......
Glad the story is addressing how.... nonsensical that belief really is.
Yeah... this is going to be a very awkward working relationship...... and yes I know what a massive understatement this is.
Religion, what can't it fuck up?
Yeah... 'you could have saved them if you were smarter" not a good line, BUT, something they need to learn to do....
AKA We're better then you.
D'awwwwwwww
Wait thought just occurred... how did Merlon know WHERE to teleport too?
As truces go.... it needs some work to build on.
And cue angst.
Also.... yup... you're Luna......
Yes... yes she does.....
So no trying to fake a blessing then.
Story, do not cock tease us with something we have been waiting for for SO SO long!!!!!
Not a good argument....
And more let's blame Fusion for everything.....
How many have they SAVED, let along FREED!
Riiiiight... but still 'most' also, is that just what they told you?
Right into a mass incineration chamber.
Yes, yes, so much yes, this is what the early bit needed, actual discussion rather then just ranting at Fusion.
Just because Hell is better then The Abyss, does not make it good.
Yes, but even if not... Freedom is worth the attempt. Better to die free, then live as a slave.
So, guessing other Hive, and... Zebras? YAAAAYYYY!!!!!
Yup, and Hive Baur making plans....
Also Alicorn Zebras... that is going to be quite the sight...
Again, that name....
So, is this a regular Dragon, or is this like, Glaurung or Ancalgon the Black compared to the other Dragons of Middle Earth? The ultimate, initial prototype of which all are just lesser copies?
Hmmmm, go with a DRAGON SMASH! or a "He's radioactive, that can't be good!" crack?
Guess you can't hide power of that magnitude...
Where are they getting that from?
Good.
OHHHH SHIT!!!!!!!!!
Just drop it near the enemy and let it rampage all it wants.
Yes, so reluctantly..... Still be intersting to see HOW they do that.
But.. HOLY FUCK THE SISTERS FIGHTING A DRAGON!!!! THE FREAKING MOTHER OF ALL DRAGONS!
ALL OF MY YES!!!!!
Okay so, that ending.. holy fuck that ending.....
Still loved MOST of the chapter, as I said, the whole, Sister's father being a stubborn ass felt far far to forced and contrived for the sake of adding more angst and guilt and emotional trauma to two character that REALLY have enough already without the story trying that hard to shove more in. I do get that not everypony will react well, but having the ONLY pony doing so be their father, and to be so fucking annoyingly stupid about it.....
And then again with Merlon... some of the same thing, it seems to much like the story going out of it's way to hammer into Fusion that this was a bad idea, so many saying it, trying to beat her down... but not enough of her saying why they HAD to... that is my biggest issue with the exchanges, it's so one sided, just ponies berating Fusion, while she stands there and takes it rather then make the case for why this WAS the right course of action. She made a few token attempts with Merlon, but just about the facts, not about the WHY. really need to have the Sisters start making a good case for their side, especially given they ARE in the right, fully and completely, but they.. do such a horrible job of making a case to anyone who isn't convinced just on the simple facts. So it more feels like the story is just contriving itself into pounding more angst and doubt and guilt etc.. into two mares who REALLY have enough of that already. And more then enough to deal with to be compelling and have drama, this is just... overdoing it. Not horribly, it's not going to far, but it is edging close to the point of all the "You suck and are wrong" is turning farcical rather then emotional. When they never fight back against it and just take it.
7569990
Pretty sure that is the Prion disease they snuck into every Hives Servitor Rations. Designed to eliminate an enemy hives Servitors once activated.
Except, they aren't trying to PRODUCE wormholes, but to block them.
But to get through that they'd have to deal with The Librarian..... don't think they'd be up for that.
7570083 Agree with all but the 'sire' stuff, it just.. felt way to over done, forced and contrived for me to get into that scene.
But the rest.. HOLY SHIT IS THIS GETTING AWESOME!
Here there be dragons.
Aaand that's it for Vanca, isn't it?
I still don't like Orgon, but damn, I love his interactions with Merlon. You've written a really great character here.
Awwwww.
Seriously, the dogs are really sympathetic in this chapter.
7570454
So much yes. The story does an amazing job of making clear that, a large portion of the Dogs are victims of their society as well. That they are only acting like they are because it's all they've ever known, and been told to act like. Or out of fear of crossing a line and being hauled off to security.
Not that that excuses all of their wrongs, and the leadership is just vile, but ones like Vanca, Korn, they could be good, decent beings who would never be alright with the kind of mass slaughter and slavery that goes on if it wasn't for them having drilled into their heads their whole lives that Ponies aren't really worth anything, they are just tools.
Even Orgon has shades f this. Yes he is an utterly ruthless, merciless, driven Dog who will do anything he feels is necessary to achieve his goal. But his 'goal' is to protect his people and his Hive. He is very much a Lawful Neutral type. If he had been living in a better society, he'd still be who he is, but he'd be striving just as hard, just as ruthlessly to defend that as well.
Yes there are beings like Salrath, and the Synod, and the World Court auditors who are just plain evil, and Dog society as a whole is just all kinds of wrong, but the story does an amazing job of making clear this isn't some "All dogs are evil" type black and White. The issue is not the Dogs as a race, the issue is their culture and how their leaders and society have taught them to act and think. And we see that, at least those who can see the issues and are willing to accept the Ponies as equals, really could have a good chance of creating a stable, equal relationship with the ponies that benefits both of them.
Making what we knew will be the eventual fate all the more tragic.
Very touching moment between Merlon and Orgon.
And.
Holy shit we got zebras
7569990
Well, you could argue that conservation of mass means that a Changeling can only copy something of a similar size, if constrained by conventional chemistry. If not, then feel free to violate all the laws of physics you like!
Arclight's operational parameters were based on Traveler RPG's nuclear dampers, which required two effectors to operate. Spherical construction because they need to operate in all directions at once, sort of like a 3D phased array.
Those two ponies are way to powerful for a single world. Gravity control alone is a disaster waiting to happen. As the saying goes, 'friends don't let friends play with reactionless drive systems'. That said, I do have to limit their capabilities, at least at this stage. Can't have them growing into their power too fast.
7570083
I'll try and keep to schedule!
7570136
Arclights are sort-of 'hand built'. Large complex thaumic machines requiring hundreds and hundreds of servitor hours to build the parts for, and are also hard to assemble (too many components to get to work together). Expensive, so they don't have many, but also the need to have lots is not so high because of their long range.
I once had a director like Vanca; smart and powerful, with no sympathy for weakness or idiots. A deeply unpleasant person to work for -- I was just lucky he retired before I was high enough up the company ladder to be noticed. That back hand -- the dogs are derived from a tunneling species, so have heavily built shoulders/arms. Also heavy claws.
I actually had two versions of the Fusion/Helium scene written, one forgiveness and one rejection. Went with this one for various reasons, but it could have done with more references to um... 'slavery deniers' in the past, yes, more than just Random (who was a bit of a special case). Sometimes I do miss stuff, one of the downsides of discovery writing.
Merlon knew where to go by sharing with one of the ponies sent out to witness the orders given to the servitors supporting the delivered weapons (not mentioned).
Conversations between deeply entrenched opposing views are hard; no one is particularly rational. The servitor's attitude toward their Masters is practically religious, and rational arguments rarely work there. There is more between Merlon and Fusion coming up, which may help with your concerns.
7570454
That scene between Orgon and Merlon was also my favourite; I generally know when it's working if I start to feel emotional when rereading!
===
Thanks for all the comments, folks!
7569735
Yay for realhorse news.
7569902
"I keep telling you to cut back on the cake, sister."
7572235 So the whole "Teleport Denial System" really isn't that big a threat anyway then, yet, since it's constrained by just how many working Arclight units they have. Given time the Dogs could refine this and create some version of this to cover every city and base, but for now, it's rather limited. So slight bit of good news.
That backhand, I had to double back and reread that to make sure it was a backhand, cause at the first mention of 'blood' I figured she had clawed him. Still, that is one hell of a good hit. And yup, Vanca is the type it is horrible to have to deal with IRL, but kind of fun to see others have to deal with.
As to the rest, yeah, made my point, the issue wasn't her dad being so pissed off in and of itself, but that fact that no other pony we have seen has acted like this, yes there was talk about how there would be, but never seeing one... so him acting like that felt contrived and out of place. Especially when they have so much other shit to deal with at this point.
More Merlon and Fusion!? YEESSS!!!
And yeah I get the mind set is so deeply entrenched in Merlon, she ain't going to change it without a MASSIVE revelation of event. I'm by no means saying she should, I am fully behind her acting as she is. My issues are simply that it feels like Fusion isn't even trying to defend her actions or make a case for why she had to do this. Just meekly accepting everypony telling her she was wrong.
7570136
7572235
If anything, the opposition to Fusion makes the story more believable to me, Inevitably there would be opposition to Fusion's actions and the ones most likely to stand up to her, are the ones who know her personally and are less affected by her reputation as the Rebel or afraid of her power.
7572284
7572365 Yes, and the story made a big deal about how there were bound to be ponies like him. My issue isn't with the idea itself, it's with how it was handled making it feel very forced and contrived, just for the sake of dumping more drama and emotional stuff onto Fusion, when she really does not need any more right now.
7572588
Makes sense to me; most of the ponies who hate what's happening have no inclination to meet with the 'horrid' sisters facilitating it all. Their father was dragged there by his mate, and he clearly wished he hadn't been. I can't think of anything that would drag other like-minded ponies to meet them. They'll just try to re-integrate back into Dog society and try to be useful to their 'masters' in the vain hope that the Maker will take them back in, or else go off and do their own thing, refusing to be a part of this aberration, this afront to the maker that Fusion and Gravity have created; nopony's forcing them to be revolutionaries after their blessings are removed.
I am of seriously hoping you are not to doing this comrade.
7572235
>Traveler references
bueno
I wonder if changelings as a parasitic race came after ponies got free and learned love, or if they mutated from a pre-existing fuana type.
Well either way, I'm not hugely concerned about Fusions arguements, She really doesn't need a strong case
Something like this isn't necissary as an arguement, The ponies, by all evidence to her, are being phased out. Assume you want to be good little slaves. That's not going to extend to wanting to be extinct. You are a slave, not a machine. Once Merlon understands the way the council and others see ponies and why they can and will completely replace them with magical constructs that are safe, she will understand that there is no other option that could be chosen. Most masters are SCARED of ponies, the danger of their power is real to them. especially the volatile children. Once the new model comes out, the only action the major powers in the world will allow, no matter what the individuals merlon cares about might disagree, is the total destruction of their presence and therefore liability. It's also going to be interesting if merlon finds out that fusion is literally no different from her, that she too had her blessing removed unwillingly and woke up on a tightrope. She would have happily gone back to dealing with vancas experiments had the secret police not gotten involved. Even before the rebellion, Fusion had a long time just angsting over what happened to her, and only left when she had to.
Considering her reverence for the dogs, the gigantic threat that the two rogues pose, and their difference in power and poise compared to the other ponies, I think it might be the last thing on merlon's mind that fusion herself is not so different from her. Even when merlon is accepting death, Fusion was herself never far away from requesting euthanasia for her own burden.
I dont know if it is going to occur to fusion, but if anyone can understand what she went through, Merlon is closer than expected to that experience.
Oh, and vanca, lots of vanca, though I kind of feel she lacked her normal foils this session, she still manages to do what she must because she can. I wonder if she'll be present for merlon and fusions hypothetical discussion of their life without the blessing.
7573069 That might make sense, but it is poor story telling to have something like this, and this major, happen in such a contrived fashion, with no even hints that there are any ponies that have not accepted things. Yes it's a shock, and some deny it at first, but we have not yet seen a single pony aside from Merlon (Who is her own special case becuase of how long she's served as the personal aide to the head of Security) who once they have had the full extent of the truth about how they have been treated, and just what really has been done to them and their race, not willing join and want to, if not fight back, at least help to make a new life free of the Masters.
What you say is very possibly true, but the story has shown us no evidence of that at all on which to base the existence of such, or even made clear that any other pony in their entire freed heard feels this way. And as such having the only pony who does so be their father, and have him be so over the top about it, and so blindingly fucking stupid about it, when no other pony in existence ever has been shown to be that block headedly ignorant about this, simply feels highly forced, and only there to dump yet another load of tension, and guilt, and pain, and other emotional drama on the Sisters, when they already have MORE then enough to deal with as is. It exists for only one reason, to make Fusion feel like crap. And does nothing else beyond that, and comes from nowhere, just to do that.
If the story had laid better groundwork, made clear there was a small, but determined group of ponies with these resentments, have had Fusion and Gravity have to deal with ponies who want to return to the Masters, made it clear that this was an issue they were dealing with, it would have laid some groundwork. Or had their father be more established, fleshed out, get a feel for WHY he was this way, rather then have him only pop into the story to make Fusion feel like shit out of nowhere? Even tone him down, make him less over the top dickish about it, and for such idiotic reasons. All of those issues combined make that whole scene feel pointless and contrived, and only existing because apparently Fusion hasn't been suffering enough, and the story wanted to heap another load of drama for her to deal with onto her.
The issue is not him being angry, or being one of those that has so brainwashed themselves they can't even conceive of it being wrong to me treated like worthless slaves, it's not the ideas here, it's how the story presented them making it all feel very forced and just there for the sake of drama and to give the Sisters more to be upset over, on top of all the other problems they are facing. Hell, even just have their mother explain she understands, show her support rather then just a kind of "Well, thought he wouldn't be an asshole." something to give that scene any reasoning beyond "Try as hard as we can to make Fusion feel like crap". The issue with the scene is is how it was handled, not it's existence in and of itself.
7573087
Yes it is.. because it's true, it's the whole reason she rose up to begin with, and the very heart of why what she is doing is RIGHT. It is necessary for her to actually use this, to actually defend herself and make clear she really has some reason for this, instead of just quietly listening to everypony tell her what a fuck up she is because being a mindless little slave till the day a dog decides to kill you and/or let you die is a good thing. It where is all the impassioned "NO MORE MASTERS!" and the talk of why they need to fight? Just silence, or trying to quibble over some details. I just think she's done a very, very poor job of even trying to argue her side, and it makes everything feel very one sided, which is impressive when the side getting all the points in is the one advocating racial slavery and mass murder of their species being how things should be.
And yes, that likely would not convince Merlon at all, this more about making clearer Fusions own feelings and showing that she DOES believe these things, rather then it making it look like she might think the other side has a point. And yeah, getting through to Merlon just what the Narraka experiments would end up leading to is maybe a good way to get through to her just how little the Dogs give a shit about them, and how utterly expendable they are. Maybe break through all her self delusions and years of programming in believing these things. My issues there are less about specific arguments being made or not, then the fact Fusion is not even really feeling like she is trying to defend her position at all.
7573284
irrelevant. something being true does not make it necessary. Necessity comes from the minimum.
7573344 But having Fusion utterly ignore the major reason why everything she is doing is right, why no matter what, they need to stand up and fight, despite all the reasons her father and Merlon might try to use to convince themselves being a race of slaves that are seen as nothing but disposable tools at best is a good thing... to not have her even consider that, and just totaly ignore it, completly skews things and makes her come off as having no idea why she's even doing this, when it's just meekly accpeting all the "Here's why you suck" without the slightest attempt to truly make a case for her side....
So yes having her make this clear IS necessary, because it is the very core of why she is fighting, and the heart of exactly why her side needs to exist, why turning on the Dogs has to happen.
Just, doing the bare minimum... is just rather pathetic, versus actually standing up for the innate rightness of her entire reason for fighting.
Just how important, how true, how fundamental to every single reason the story in and of itself even exists that sentiment is, make it necessary for her to make clear, to drive home just how fucking WRONG those ponies are to defend genocide, slavery, murder, abuse, generations of having their entire races minds ripped apart and beaten down and forced to not even be able to THINK freely... the shear, utter horrible WRONGNESS of just how vile the Dogs treatment is requires, all the more, someone willing to directly face that and make absolutely clear how disgusting, vile, and atrocious that is, and the necessity of fighting with everything they have to END it.
7573284
it seems to me that you forget "Days of Wasp and Spider" and how big a deal was made out of conditioning put on ponies. To remind, basically, every pony in that story has trouble adjusting to their new status of being free to think for themselves. You are talking from a position of a rational outside observer.
Now consider - Fusion - PTSD, sense of rejection by family, constant guilt for those who already have died or are suffering in the conflict, constant uncertainty of future and a need to save the ponies. If anything, i am really surprised she or Gravity, haven't turned into control freaks in an attempt at some sort of psychological compensation. Fusion doesn't exactly have time to stop and think about situation and its moral and ethical nuances.
How long have passed since the standoff at the University? And how long since Naraka?
7573966 Except those points are the most basic, direct, core issues of why this is something that needs to happen, why Fusion is completely and utterly, 100% in the right in saying FUCK YOU! to the mass murdering, mind raping, child killing, genocidal 'Masters". It's not even something that should need to be thought about.
And beyond that, even if it's not that exact argument, my issue is simply Fusion not even trying to defend herself, thus ceding the point to the ponies telling her she fucked up and is a complete failure who is wrong for not wanting her race to be slaves and tools to be abused, broken, and discarded. Her not even trying to defend herself is as good as the story trying to say the ponies defending mass murder, child murder, slavery, torture, etc... have a point.
7574107
The things you say are correct and right but only on the outside of story. And no the story having these characters as they are at the moment is not defending the point of genocide,etc being okay, You are extracting meanings were there are none. Why am i saying this?
Consider and comapre two scenes in this chapter - Fusion and Gravity speaking with Plasma and Helium and Fusion and Merlon later on. Also compare Plasma and Helium throughout the story. Characters have their own beliefs and follow their internal logic.
7574196
I am not saying that, I am fully fine with Merlon, and even to an extent Helium as they are, and they are needed, and yes, in Merlon's case she has good reason to act like she does. Helium... not so much because unlike Merlon we know nothing about him beyond his ranting at Fusion to explain his point of view, but again that's more an execution of the idea failing to really sell him as anything other then a plot device to make Fusion feel like shit.
The issue I'm having is with Fusion not even trying to defend herself and her action, to even try making a case for why those ponies are wrong.
7574207
The thing i was trying to show you is that against Merlon, Fusion acts like you expect her. But with Plasma and Helium she is going against her parents, two ponies she loves and respects, and seeks their approval. So there is a reason why Fusion acts like she does. She wasn't living on her own for a long time, she didn't go though typical stages of growing up and breaking from parents and that's not including supposed conformism of ponies in form of herd instinct
I hope Luna-tic Scientist corrects me, but from what i remember, Fusion and Gravity, are what 20-22 in equivalent to our lifespan?
7574256 All the more reason to actually try and make them understand why she had to do this. Rather then just let him rant about something so utterly idiotic and wrong. Which, as far as we have seen, he is the only pony to actually believe by this point among the freed ponies.
In that case, her lack of response both makes it seem like he might have a point, and also just further emphasizes that this whole scene existed just to make Fusion feel like crap and load more issues onto her that she really didn't need. Hell, if not Fusion, then have Plasma do it, have her defending Fusion and Gravity's actions. Just something to counter balance that idiocy and make clear that no, the story is not saying he has any point at all, and this scene was not just using a plot device to heap more drama onto the Sisters.
With Merlon, her being silent and just accepting it makes even less sense.
7573398
>but having fusion ignore
ignore what? stuff that doesn't matter to merlon, that's what. When you are trying to convince someone of something you don't start from your own way of looking at things. That's assinine and preachy. Fusion has learned to desire freedom but that wasn't what she wanted a megasecond ago. This is what Merlon needs to hear. Not how fusion is special and better and more right than her.
7574691
And when did I say that? And not seeing the point you are trying to make at all.
These are the core, basic reason WHY everything Merlon and Helium are trying to say are flat out wrong, not to mention hideously vile. And to have Fusion just ignore it, more importantly for the story to just let them go unchallenged, gives the impression that the story is trying to say they have a point, that Fusion has no good response to those flat out wrong accusations.
I'm not even sure what you are saying you are thinking I'm trying to say, because.. none of that makes a lot of sense.
Very simply, Merlon and Helium present their points, both points are utterly wrong, and the very thing this entire story is based on fighting, Fusion just quietly accepts it without even thinking about any counters to those arguments, the story provides no good counterbalance to these claims in any form, beyond Fusion correcting Merlon on one fact. Letting something lie that go without comment, gives the impression that those people spouting off what is patently horseshit actually have a point, and Fusion should have stood up and tried to prove that. Or give SOME counter to it, rather then just meekly getting shit on and insulted for trying to end those atrocities.
You know, the dog's defence of "we didn't think they were actually sapient" kinda falls apart when you consider that they deliberately used a constructed religion to keep them in line. Though it could be that the ponies' flavour of the dogma isn't actually as different from the dogs' version as it looks at first.
7574865 Well, the ones who made that religion KNEW they were sapient, every Dog that had direct paws in doing this and running things knew the truth, the whole "They aren't really sapient' lie was just to try and not make other dogs think to hard about it and not feel upset over how they were treated, since they are just mindless biological automatons.
7574743
If I might clarify my intent for those 'confrontation' scenes:
1--Fusion does not have a good retort for Helium because she is shocked by his outburst; she got her hopes up that he would have changed his mind. When she discovered that he hadn't, it was just too much and she just shut down (for long enough that he could do the 'mic drop and fly away'). Sure, she could have reached out an pulled him back, but that's unlikely to have actually achieved much.
This should have all been foreshadowed, but that's the danger of discovery writing (I'm not asking for forgiveness here, it's just the inherent risk of the method I use; stuff does fall through the cracks when I can't write far enough ahead to back-fill the edits before publication). Writing a story this length like this is absolutely insane. (also I don't deliberately just put in scenes for added angst, but set up the players and model the responses; she's responding this way because I think that is the way she would respond)
2--With Merlon, Fusion is taking a measured approach, tempered by self-doubt (she cares deeply about the damage she's doing, and is constantly worried that she doesn't know enough before acting -- feeling like she's shooting randomly into a crowd), which is quickly eliminated. There's no shouting, like with Vanca, because she's trying to understand how the mare thinks and how to best get her on-side (I won't say why, but you can probably guess), and you don't convince someone (especially a fanatic) by screaming in their face. Since there is a point of counter argument -- the penultimate paragraph in that scene -- I'd like to think that that does show she's not just a punching-bag at that point.
Don't forget that Fusion has gone from a meek servant to a god-like war-leader (and possibly the biggest mass-murderer on the planet) in the space of a week or two. Self-doubt is healthy -- I'd hate for her to be certain she's done the right thing; leaders like that tend to be called monster.
7574743
...now, where I did miss a trick is that the scene with Fusion/Helium is within Gravity's POV. She should have reacted differently (although she's the one who convinced Fusion to talk, so is also feeling horrible -- but for her this would translate to anger).
7574975
1- Yes, again the issue I had is, as you said, it really needed better foreshadowing and set up more then anything else. To make a pony being that against them feel less out of place. And I do doubt you set it there just to cause the issue, that is simply how it comes off feeling within the story due to how extreme it is, and how out of place it feels given the lack of build up, either with making clear other freed ponies were having the same mindset, so he doesn't feel special and like the only on acting like that, while being the one pony most able to emotionally hurt Fusion while being so, Or giving us more time to see Plasma and understand his mindset and why he and he alone seems to feel this way, such as we have with Merlon that explains her mindset. That combo of the scene being such an emotional blow to Fusion, on top of all the other shit she is dealing with, Plasma having no real presence in the story by this point other then to rant at Fusion about how horrible she is, just ho over the top he was about it, and/or the lack of making clear this is not something he alone is thinking, all work to make the scene feel rather forced and contrived just to make Fusion have to deal with more angst.
2- Rereading, I kind of see what you are going for, but it still.. doesn't quite come off that way well, there's to little insight into how Fusion is thinking to really judge anything, and yes the moment of thinking maybe Merlon is right doesn't help that. I do see what you are saying and it does make sense, and overall, the scene is great, and can't wait for more. But, I don't think it really came out with the nuance you were going for being clear. With her only real counter being simple factual correction.
And, beyond that I think it's more having those two scene so close together that pushes it a bit to far towards her being a 'punching bag' for me. Either one alone would be fine.. barring the set-up issues with Helium, it's having them almsot back to back and so close together that makes them both come out harsher then they should and seem to set a pattern.
As to her self doubt, agreed, the fact she is still unsure, that she really does not want to fight, wants to end this, and is so cautious is one of Fusions greatest strengths, I am not arguing that, the issue is.. that seems to be getting a bit to emphasized or pushed here, it's threatening (Threatening not actually doing so yet) to possibly start getting overdone and making her to doubtful, to wishy-washy and depressed and, whatever. Gravity of course has the opposite issue, that she could use a bit more doubt and self reflection now and then, and that contrast IS another great part of the story and very vital, it's just, it feels like Fusion's end might be getting a bit to overplayed. Being doubtful of the methods, of some of her actions, of if there might not be a better way to achieve her goals, those are all vital things and great parts to her, it's when it starts to seep into feeling like she's doubtful if fighting at all, if they are right and they should just all have stayed mind controlled slaves until the Dogs murdered every single one of them after decades, centuries, generations more abuse, maiming, and all that utter, hideous evil.. that she's is doubting the cause is worth fighting for, that it gets rather "Oh come on!"
Also it is REALLY hard to keep in mind the almost ridiculously short time span this is occurring under in story given just how much has happened....
7574991 That.. would have helped, even if Fusion wasn't the one to respond, just having somepony try to buck down his defense of something so hideous vile would have gone a long way.
7574743
>these are the core reasons they are wrong
those are the reasons you arbitrarily chose and decided to rate higher than others on the simple fact that they matter to you, and are not selected in effort to be as analogous to their existing world view at all, which makes you nothing more than a preachy airheaded biggot. It doesn't matter if you think you are objectively right, once you close the doors to alternative points of view, you sever all ties between you and those you want to convert. If celestia had your attitude, she would become an incomprehensible tyrant, as it would mean death is the only option for those that do not agree with her from the get go. Your methods would only seem to affect those that would already walk your path unaided. Your attitude is mistaken in the extreme.
7575135 Wow strawman much, or just.... pull random shit out of your ass much?
not to mention yet again your whole thing makes no sense at all and is nothing but an irrational spewing of random insults, hyperbole, and utter crap that has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but rather extremist rantings that, again, make no damn sense. Cause yeah any of that makes a damn bit of sense?
Try again without the insults, personal attacks, strawman, and with at least a modicum of logic to it.
Or to use your tactic, so you are saying that slavery and mass murder of generations of innocents, while abusing them, maiming them, mind raping them till they cannot even think of disobeying without being put into agony, is A-Okay and not anything you should ever fight against, great points!
Not to mention yet again prove you have no fucking idea what the hell I'm even trying to say and just leap right into the ranting and insults about what you pulled out of your ass to claim I was.
7575170
Your posts have gotten to the point in which they are now barely coherent. When you feel like looking at things from a point of view other than your own, like say a ponies, we can talk. I wont be waiting though, if I did I would be here until the end of time.
7575433
Yes, yes yours were. That's what happens when you decide to just randomly make up things you think people are saying to then rant about, rather then deal with is actually said.
7575433
7575447
I think this has gone as far as it's should go. There is no winning this sort of argument, and everyone just gets covered with the fallout.
Are they about to sic a dragon on Lacunae hive?
I have the feeling that the opportunity to cement the fledgling Lacunae/Rebellion alliance will come sooner than anyone expected. Inb4 Tia and Luna save all the dogs.
7576506
Any comment on this 7574256 post of mine, if you will?
I would appreciate it.
7580874
Their ages are a little undefined, but a little younger than that. More like 16-18. I put Fusion's age in there somewhere ('just over half a gigasecond', I think, with Gravity being a bit younger).
7580934
That was quick. Thanks.
7580934
It makes complete sense in world because of how inefficiently effective the dogs like to be but it has to get old trying to work with these kinds of time scales.
Half a gig is basically 16.5 years
Man: Merlon is at the Equestrian colony and she isn't a spy, technically.
Considering that Merlon's memories will be examined with a fine comb, I wonder what will be the reaction to learning about these nee, modified Arclights.
So ive finally reread every word of this already bigger than lotr bag of awesome. I have no more to read and can only confront the fact that I am on this stories dick so hard the withdrawel symptoms are as if the blessing. When will there be more?
It's pretty clear that every Dog leader is a vile combination of Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and Kim Jung Un...
With a generous helping of Josef Mengele.
They're the sort that's so awful that when you plunge your hand through their rib cages and tear their still-beating hearts out to show to them before they die, you get the greatest sense of satisfaction...