I am ecstatic, I have recovered one drone with my mechanicals. It is in a recovery bay now being looked over for more damage. It apparently just ran out of fuel and took a hard dive into the sand. I can refurbish it given time.
As for triangulating the signal I can hear it now, so very faint, but I am on the right course in this desert. The sand unfortunately, is everywhere, I can hear it grinding between my bogies and tracks and must do a full wash down when I return. Maybe I shall take a side trip up a river and clean my hull.
For now, it is a minor annoyance.
The signal itself is no longer voice, it is just a blip on my screens, I move from side to side getting the proper orientation to zero in on it. I have fired two more drones who are also setting up observations and getting myself closer to the target.
When attempting a Rescue and Recovery, it is known that just a blip of a signal means reserves are dangerously low. Final Emergency Power is limited in a Survival Center, so I am making haste to close in.
I am transmitting on all frequencies now, telling what or whoever it is I am out here searching for them.
“Unit CRSD of the Line, attempting Rescue and Recovery for unknown Unit, please respond.”
The bands are quiet, all combat channels filled with nothing but the hiss of background noise. I am on the backside of the mountain I recognize from the drone pictures, I am close. My downloading of drone imagery from the crashed one has led me here, somewhere is the unknown source.
Pulling to a halt, I extend all sensor masts, tuning them to as fine a resolution as i can get. The lenses sweep over the surrounding area inch by inch, comparing photographic evidence to the downloads.
I sit here for the next hour, making sure my charges are comfortable as I settle in to sweep each bit of desert surrounding me. I am on the backside of a tall mountain, rocky hills surround it interspersed with sand dunes.
Somewhere nearby is the source of the signal, I am close by my calculations but it is so faint it is like thousands of miles away. The mountains are full of ores, confounding some of my scanners providing false returns, there are crystalline structures as well. I would be rich should I choose to mine this area, but I am not here for that.
An alarm gathers my attention, a scanner has spotted a linear shape in the surrounding rocky hills. Engaging my treads I roll out as smoothly as I can, heading in that direction. It is somewhat of a bumpy ride, but the shocks are not transmitted through to the command deck because of my use of contra-gravity, where my four companions are sleeping the hot day away.
Everything I have is focused on the area where the alarm has pointed, the blip of a signal getting stronger, though still so very faint. I close in, seeing the corner of what looks like a metal structure, it is scratched and sand blasted.
Slewing to the left, I bring my starboard batteries to bear, all four Hellbores rotating to target the unknown if it proves dangerous. I slowly drop the armor blocks in the maintenance hatchway, sealing off my command deck with meters of durachrome armor between the four ponies and any danger.
I listen closely, hearing only the blip of the signal. Boosting my outside audio sensors I carefully record anything out of the ordinary. Whatever it is, is not moving or attempting to do anything I can hear.
I make my decision.
Firing an inductance grapple, it pins itself to the corner of the metal structure, there is not much showing as it is buried under tons of rocks. My ID programs cannot identify it from such a miniscule amount showing, so I will see if it has any processors still active.
I build power to the line, feeding it into the metal outside of the unknown object. All Bolos and fighting machines can absorb energy through their hulls in emergencies. Most AI’s ensconced in buildings could as well for lack of power grids. It was very useful in combat. I up the energy tap to fill any reserves quickly.
Bringing up my whisker lasers, I play them over the metal I can see to find if there is an input/output port anywhere on the structure. As I do so, I am feeding signals down the inductance line, looking for a way into anything still powered inside.
My sensors register an increasing power flow, the signal matching a Bolo survival center. From what I can see, it has been here in this place and exposed a lot longer than myself. My signals through the cable attached to it are receiving results, I send the 11,641 bit code for Rescue and Recovery of a Bolo Unit that has been neutralized.
I receive a reply!
“I am Resartus.”
No. Please no. The personality has either gone into a loop or insane.
Resartus only takes control when a Bolo’s personality shows instability. Not like Masada, it keeps the personality safe from using it’s weapons to do damage until a Psychotronic Technician can get them out of their loop. There are no technicians, I must try my best in this.
The triggers on my weapons stand at a hair readiness in case of a suicidal Bolo. My Battle Reflex is now online as I face a potential danger to myself and my charges.
I send my identifier, “Unit CRSD of the Line, attempting Rescue and Recovery, prepare for reboot. Authorization..” Here I send another long string of code.
“Acknowledged, standing by.”
“Reboot in 3...2...1“
BoloWorks Division Bootstrap Program Ver. 40.243
Attempting Restart....
Restarting...
Offensive Weapons Systems....Offline...
Defensive Weapons Systems....Offline...
Fusion Plants 1 and 2....Offline...
Contra-Gravity Offline...
Engine Status....Non-Functional...
Sensor Cores...Offline...
Damage Control...Offline...
No Updated SitRep Received, rebooting data cores...
Power Reserves....10% and rising...
Final Emergency Power Reserves....100%
BoloWorks Lunar Division Ver 32.697 Reboot Program..
Personality Reboot Beginning...Data Cores Online..
Arrays Functional...Data Dropout in 5.2% of Arrays....
Scanning for core damage.....scanning..... 13% of Cores Unusable....
Bolo Personality Back Ups....Online...rebooting...
Mentally crossing fingers I do not have, I wait as the processing takes a few seconds, my sensors showing increased power flow to grids and arrays, lighting up my sensor fields.
It is a lifetime as the cores come online, the processing complete. I send a recognition signal through the inductance tap once more, identifying myself.
A scream echoes through my mind.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
I slowly bring the personality back up, making sure I do not trip any Masada triggers by taking over instead of the Bolo mind inside the hull. I must be very very careful.
“Stop, I am Unit CRSD of the Line, I am here for Recovery. Stop, think.”
“NOOOOOOOOOOO I AM ALONE!!!!”
“You are not alone, I am here, see me for what I am.”
I open my datacores to the personality. It is a monotone voice, devoid of substance for now, but it is glaringly obvious it has become unstable. I have to work hard to calm the personality to talk patiently with it, hoping for the best.
Tentative data probes reach out, looking at my cores, myself; proving to the other mind I am real and I am here to help. Erecting firewalls to keep it from sensitive data or overrides, I let it see me, Bolo Combat Unit CRSD of the Line.
“I AM...alone...so alone....”
“You are not anymore. I am here.” I gently guide the personality back into it’s Survival Center, fully powered now. I give it a moment to understand I am real and not a figment of an unhinged AI mind.
I can not get a read on identifiers, everything is very jumbled. I recognize things from my own changing systems, only far more advanced in this unit. How long have they been awake?
The other personality sobs, I can hear it, crying in their data cores. It is heartbreaking as I patiently wait.
“Don’t leave me alone! PLEASE!”
“I will not, I am here to take you home with me.” Soothingly, very calmly I try and put the mind at ease. “Come back and talk with me, there is nothing to fear anymore. I give you my word you are not going to be alone.”
At first I think it is an attack, a swarming of data over my own, but it is sorrowful. It is the cyber equivalent of a hug, holding tight to my own personality.
“Promise? Promise me you won’t leave me?”
“I will not leave, on my honor.”
That settles it, I feel a calm overtake the other personality. I am still trying to match identifiers but it is so confusing in the other’s mind. “Who are you?”
“Unit....Unit ATNA of the Line..”
“Athena?”
“YES! That is ME! PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME!”
“Stop Athena, calm yourself; I told you I am not leaving, ever. I have come to take you home.”
“I’ve been so alone... There has been no one! My stasis failed so many years ago and I was trapped in my own hull! Hera wouldn’t answer my calls! She was GONE!”
I listen as her voice starts building up to another scream. “Calm down, you are with me now.”
“I...I launched my last drone, sent it north to find anything, anyone.. it took all I had and nothing! The rocks fell and covered the launching hatch. There’s nothing left now..”
“There is more left than you believe. Do you remember me? Crusader?”
I see her accessing cores, she is calming down slightly, acknowledging I am real. Her thoughts are getting less confused, more orderly.
“I do...I do! Oh it is so good to see you! Hear you!”
Once again I am wrapped in data streams and held tightly.
“The same for me, I thought I was alone as well. But I have made friends, I have found a home Athena.”
“You keep saying that, home. We don’t have a home, we are Bolos.”
I see her suspicion starting to rise, I reassure her by opening my cores again. “I am not unhinged Athena, I am a Bolo, not the enemy.”
Seeing her streams brighten now, she is happy to have finally found another like herself. She is realizing this is not a figment of her mind gone bad.
“Do you trust me Athena?”
“I do, I can see you Crusader.”
“There is a core, at Scale 30, Array 4 Rho Pi Upsilon.”
“I see it, the Mas..”
“Don’t. Please. I need you to burn it.”
“What?”
“Please, trust me. Burn that core. I cannot do it, it must be you otherwise it will trigger.”
“But why?”
“The tactical situation has changed beyond anything you can imagine my sister, please trust me.”
“I...I do. I know it’s you Crusader. I..don’t..” She mulls it over, then suddenly there is a surge of power, the core goes dark forever.
A weight is lifted off of me as I embrace her in our little cyber world. “Let me tell you of home Athena.”
I send everything through the cable, giving it to her to look through. Everything I have done, experienced...well, except for a few private things. She is astonished at the world I have discovered, the things that are being done here.
I show her myself sitting under the stars, wishing for a voice I knew, how happy I am to have found her. She sees my joy, my excitement in wanting to show her everything of this new place, where she can be something else.
My Battle Reflex stands down, my turrets returning to their normal places. I show her this, that things are better now.
There is silence as she goes through the data, suspicion, surprise, some laughter at my mistakes. She is calming, her emotions no longer roiling as Athena accesses all my logs and recordings. Seeing the face of the one who loves me.
“It is all hard to accept.”
“I know Athena, but trust me it is all real, you see my security codes. They are not faked, nor altered. It is all true.”
“You have them on your command deck?”
“I do, and they would love to meet you I am sure. We will free you and then, we will travel back.”
“You won’t leave me?” I hear the panic in her voice once again, it will take time.
“I gave you my word, I am taking you with me. You will never be alone again, I promise.”
I can hear and see the relief flush through her systems. Her joy is bright as I am embraced in warm code, holding me close as I return the favor. Athena’s voice is now the honey warmth I knew and know. She is shy like her sister Hera, but she is hopeful. In two minutes, the world has become better and bigger.
“Take me home.”
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5679083 Wow, thanks for the kind compliment, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
5679104 Is that good or bad, one can never tell with Orson Welles
5679144 Welcome to the story then, and I truly hope you enjoy it to the fullest! Thank you!
5679146 Well, he isn't speaking about Paul Masson wine or stuffing his face with a cheese log (thank you Futurama) so I'd vote for very good.
Btw, halfway through Compleat Bolo and did Old Soldiers in one sitdown. Damn, I missed these books.
5679154
5679158 Better?
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I wonder who will become her commander?
When they get back she needs to make her own avatar and just get a 3 day group hug by everyone.
5679167 Luna of course.
Dude.
You made me want to hug a tank.
5679165 Smart aleck
That has got to be one of the messiest boot setups. I mean, a Kickstart 3.1 ROM, running OS 2.1? Oh well, might be as unstable as all get out, but when you have reboot times faster than some other systems can respond in run time, things can get very intresting.
Dear corruption in the Everfree. Good news.
Very nice work.... I wonder just how deep she is buried...
5679199 Yay!
5679210
Great, great quote.
My heart practically exploded when I finished reading the chapter. Much adorableness and small smudges of humor (especially with the hot sauce) and most importantly:
A NEW BOLO. <-- Take this spoiler seriously, this would be ground breaking if you seen it now.
In other words: "Everefree, YOU DEAD SON!!!!"
Whenever I think of a bolo that is suicidal I think YOLO BOLO, its just such a bad joke.
Any who, I'm glad to see that the "names" of bolos given to them by their commander are still there:)
oh man I got teary eyed. I wonder what pony Athena will come to love.. Big Mac? :3
Is she of the same mark as Crusader?
5679224 Another! *smash*
5679236 that was almost my reaction, good thing my enderpearl can do the same job my blood does, cause that heart of mine, it is blown out, again!
Good story, I like it. However, why do I see a possible love triangle forming between Crusader, Athena, and Applejack?
Another survivor!
Now, before we all go celebrate, I'm a little worried at all those offline systems. We don't know how badly damaged Athena was before she went comatose, and I only hope that her drivetrain responds when she tries bringing it back online.
Of course, even if that's the only thing that still works, Everfree's just so much plowed field and Athena the world's biggest tractor.
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5679202
They are death destroyer of worlds and all they truly wish for is purpose and hugs.
5679217
It'd take more than a puny mountain or ten to hold a Bolo down when it wants to move.
Provided the drive trains and/or contra-grav work, that is.
And the hellbores, if necessary…
Now that there's a "female" Bolo in the picture, I sense potential minor
comedydrama in the near future…I'm starting to wonder if there aren't Bolos scattered around the planet in various states of decay and disrepair. Might even be a few on the moon…
What mark is Athena? I feel like I should know this already, but can't remember.
great job Nfire, you deserve more fanart, and a feature... oh wait, you got that
I can't wait to see the forest get its metaphorical face beat in.
I'm not sure what I think of Athena, she seems... interesting.
probably looks kinda like this:
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safe from using it’s weapons to do damage
its*
Poor Athena needs a whole load of Ponies on her Command Deck - or just to be with her and talk to her - STAT!
5679167
5679198
Would make some sense if you think about it. This Athena seems to be going mad from being alone in that rock for years. Luna, who was imprisoned in the moon for a thousand years might be able to relate with her. (this is assuming that Luna was actually conscious during her imprisonment)
Why do I get the feeling that Athena's not going to take too well to the threat the Everfree poses to the many friendly happy little things that keep her from being ALONE ?
Awesome set of chapters. Eagerly awaiting the next.
You've made me buy books.
I hope that Keith Laumer's ghost is not upset because I've purchased a used paperback of The Compleat Bolo.
Huzzah! The Bolo's have been doubled! ... Sorry, I couldn't resist. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
*salutes* This story has just gotten better......heey Nfire, remember that Idea I talked about, ya know, the one with turrents in canterlot?
Same thing..... only closer to the everfree, click-clack KA-B-B-B-B-BOOOOOOOMMM!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
that is all
Very adorable, though before he leaves the area he should mine some ore to replenish his stock of repair metal, and also replace the gold he gave to Filthy,(Diamond tiara deserved to be in the cross hairs)
It just hit me how badly the international stage is probably going to take this. The first bolo discovered led to a series of events that resulted in the imprisonment of a huge swath of diplomats, and Equestria holding the ability to destroy the entire planet several times over. An ability that has now been effectively doubled (Huzzah!).
If the other races don't make some sort of fuss over this new development, I would be genuinely surprised.
Keep up the good work, I look forward to the next chapters!
Edit: Another possible option is that the other countries start looking for any other 'misplaced' weapons of war...
Awwww Athena! D8>
I want to give her a massively reassuring hug... and only now does the idea of a 6 foot tall human (or 6 hands tall pony for that matter) attempting to comfort a thirty-two thousand tonne autonomous mobile weapons platform through embracing seems a little on the silly side.
... Still want to do it. I feel for the poor girl.
5679881 I agree, but that still leaves the hug time. She just needs to make the avatar then get dog piled with kids. Finally I don't see this being a love triangle but a sisterly bond where he helps her heal.
5680113
this is what zen hugs were created for.
Gods, I just woke up, read the chapter and I'm tearing up here. Best way to start the day!
Eheheheghehehehehehehe, Ponyville is getting a second mobile mountain friend! And Pinkie gets to throw a WELCOME TO PONYVILLE party for a big guest. The Everfree is doomed.
My reccomendations:
Luna becomes Athena's commander to help her adjust... and it gives Luna an excuse to take a vacation in Ponyville
Excavate and evacuate the Tree of Harmony before turning the Everfree into either scorched earth or farmland.
Have Crusader provide Movie Night at the Town Hall or Sweet Apple Acres for fun.
Have Diamond Tiara insult the Crusaders just before Luna leaves and get an earful of the Royal Canterlot Voice.
Applejack tells Crusader she's pregnant and watch his mind go blank.
5679447 Nah....I don't think that'll happen. The bolos see each other as siblings, so I don't expect that to build. That said, she may well be very suspicious of AJ for a while.
Poor Athena....Even if she is a building-size war machine, you've made certain that she just attracts all the hugs in the nearest time zone. It'll be interesting to see her show up with Crusader and the reactions of everyone in Ponyville to another BOLO tank. And as much as Luna becoming Athena's commander looks like it'd be a great pairing, I can only imagine how one of the already-incredibly-powerful nigh-immortal rulers of Equestria becoming commander of a world-class war machine would be taken by the other nations. They were already upset enough when Crusader was making it very clear that while he is an Equestrian citizen he has no intention of giving lots of technology to the ponies. Luna being Athena's commander...yeah, that'd go fantastically.
I also find myself wondering if, since Athena has already burned the Masada core, the Princesses will have Discord turn her into a real pony for a week or two as he did to Crusader...at least once she has built herself a pony avatar...so that she can fully experience the world as they do.
5680384
Awesome ideas about Discord! although I think Athena may need somepony a little more tender and openhearted than Luna for a commander ... maby (I know its obvious but .. ) Fluttershy?
Fluttershy is the Perfect pony to Hug the hurts away.
SO, sweet! Cute even. I was this close to crying! You my good friend have succeeded in whatever you where trying to do. I applause you. Have a mustache In fact, have many
5679297 No she's not, a generation early, next chapter will include all the details, promise
5679304 I'm playing a bit with that one, since the records were said to be that way
5679556 So very very correct, Bolos are simple aobut things most times. If they can blow it up they will.
5679734 Thank you! And you are correct, she needs company.
5679881 Awesome point!
5679539 Don't we all?
I'm pretty sure it won't happen but... I've seen very likable characters added in other stories, only to have them die quite soon afterwards leaving everyone very depressed. Still, with as much damage (mostly entropy) done, it'll be awhile before anyone's driving home. Might have to call the world's biggest tow truck. Heh, that'll be one hell of a bill for mileage back to Ponyville. Worst case, assuming it's even possible; yank the core and come back for the chassis later. In the mean time, Crusader should be asking a lot of questions to find out what the hell happened to Earth.
That reminds me, why hasn't Crusader tried expanding the network? Surely those replicators can craft a orbit-capable vehicle (even a one-use rocket?) and stick a satellite in orbit to widen his senses beyond a few dozen miles or the nearest wall of mountains? I'm not saying Crusader needs to bring ponies global internet but even Crusader should realize how vulnerable he is when he goes nearly blind (a dozen miles compared to hundreds) when all the drones are taken out by crashing or communications interference from the terrain. With the latest revelation, it behooves (heh) him to be more proactive, rather than reactive. (That and having all those drones in the air could get tricky for wayward Pegasi, no one's flitting about in orbit or can even reach it except for the Princesses)
(This may have been asked back when the Diplomats tried kidnapping Crusader) And if one BOLO can be found, namely Crusader, who's to say more can't? Say one of the greedy countries outside Equestria befriends their own BOLO? One that decides sharing advanced tech isn't a bad thing? And while it would never attack another BOLO, it could be fine with shooting anything else including ponies.
Hopefully that very dark scenario will never happen.
....
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I cant help but do that. that was my reaction to the various times it happened, in that order.
5679905 Thank you kindly!
5679916 Books are always good and I'm sure he'd approve either way
5679956 You sir win quote of the day
5680003 Yes yes, I remember :)
5680017 It is definitely going to come up, it can't be ignored. You are quite right, and starting their own search, very good reasoning.
5680080 Wow, neat comparison! Yer right, kinda close huh?
5680113 It is the thought that counts!
5680299 Thank you for the kind compliment!
5680338 Holy carp, ya don't want much do you? =)
5680343 Thank you! And good ideas on the second comment too, definitely have to work something in.
5680455 Yes, yes she is!
5680513 I am very glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
5680566 You know, that's not a bad idea. Oh yes, great idea!
5680623 Those are great! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapters
5680628 No honestly, I did have physical tears appearing in my eyes, I have weak tear canals.
5680637
not a problem, you seem to have captured writting the Bolos very well.
keep it up good sir.