Use the Contingency. 63%
“I can make it work!” Pinkie declared, her voice confident. “Trust me, captain! Please.”
She never would’ve considered it if she were still on the ground. But Twilight was still ten minutes away, no matter what she did.
“Okay,” she said. “Rainbow, prep for evac. If this doesn’t work, run for the city in two minutes. She has that long.”
“I… believe I can keep up a shield for that long,” Rarity muttered. “Yes. I’m sure of it. Two minutes. You better get going, Pinkie.”
Twilight listened as they swapped channels, grinding her teeth together in frustration as Rarity’s panicked voice joined the others. “One of them got in! Rainbow can you… thanks, darling. Can’t express how much I appreciate your help.”
“Don’t mention it.” Rainbow said. In the background behind her, Twilight heard gunfire. “How are we on the Device? Pinkie?”
She wanted to teleport straight down, to stop them somehow. But a teleport from low orbit while descending at entry speed was likely to end with her becoming a red smear in the grass. Her crew didn’t need that.
“That should be enough power!” Pinkie called, about a minute later. “Everypony… I don’t really know what this is gonna do. So, uh… everypony smile I guess?”
A wave of static overwhelmed the channel, building louder and louder until the speakers cut automatically.
Twilight moved faster than she had in her life, hooves dancing across the controls as she adjusted the external camera. She was low enough to get a good view of what was below.
Some part of her knew what she would see: a spectacular explosion, turning the surface of the planet into molten slag for miles around.
But that part of her was wrong.
She was already crying—but there was no explosion. No crater, no energy warnings. Nothing. She was still too high up for the Prospector’s cameras to show her individual ponies, but she could see the outline of buildings down there, and something large and black around the Memorial.
Nothing moved. The cloud didn’t expand, and she saw no suggestions of firing turrets or ponies rushing around. Twilight sat back in her chair, swiveling it around again to face the coms.
“Proximus B Landfall base, this is Prospector actual,” she said, her training blurring together into a soggy mess. “Come in.”
No response. No blast of static this time, so that was good. Maybe it was some kind of EMP? Radio might be down.
But if it was, what did that mean for Apple Bloom? Had she just ordered her killed in front of her own sister? Node too, and that weird robotic animal thing that had been Applejack’s leg. Okay, she could live without the last one.
“Memorial base, this is Prospector actual,” she said again. Please come in. I’m… nine minutes out. Confirm landing viability, over.”
Nothing.
Twilight switched to the conversational channel, and again her speakers began to squeak with feedback. She switched it off quickly, after listening to be sure there were no voices that she was missing.
Well, something’s transmitting that. That’s a good sign, right?
Twilight switched channels again. “Equinox, this is Prospector. Come in.”
A few seconds of silence, then Spike’s voice answered over the line. “Equinox here. Doctor is… still unconscious. What happened down there?”
“No idea,” Twilight answered, voice desperate. “Pinkie and Apple Bloom activated the Contingency together. The camp is intact, but I’m not getting a response.”
“Do you want me to wake Fluttershy?”
“For what?” Twilight asked. “Just keep an eye on Sunset. Call the instant she wakes. I’ll update you when I land.”
“Got it,” Spike said. “Equinox… out.” It didn’t go out, though. He went back to snoring, right over the line. Twilight switched back to the main ground channel, trying a few more times. All without success. The ground got closer, along with her view.
The cloud was made of thousands of little metal shapes, six-limbed and with strange weapons mounted on their underside. They were flat, and possibly built to fly. She couldn’t tell, because every one of them had crashed out of the sky. They littered the ground in broken mountains, spreading away from the camp and up to the building.
One of the stationary guns had exploded, leaving a crater near one edge of camp. But as her camera resolution got closer, she saw none of what she’d feared most: There were no corpses.
As her ship got closer, Twilight rushed about in the storage lockers, pulling on the armor fitted to her alicorn body. There was no telling if it would be effective against alien weapons, but that didn’t mean she should be stupid and leave it behind. She fitted the energy rifle from earlier into her holster, complete with three charged cells. Her sidearm had regular bullets—the combination would have to be enough.
The landing pad was mostly clear by the time she touched down, settling down on long landing struts. She didn’t even bother with proper engine shutdown, just slamming a hoof on the emergency button and ignoring the blaring sirens that followed.
She didn’t rush right out of the ship—even Twilight wasn’t that reckless—but instead she searched each of the windows, looking for any sign of motion from the piles of broken equipment. There were none on the landing pad, but a large hill gathered outside Lab N. Nothing.
Twilight briefly considered firing the mining laser directly into the pile and seeing what happened—but there was at least some chance that actual hostility would be returned in kind.
She didn’t walk out of the ship, at least, but teleported directly out onto the landing pad, rifle in her magic.
Nothing moved. Up close, the little robots didn’t seem so dangerous. She nudged one with a hoof, and one of its flat metal arms deformed under the pressure. It didn’t move. Not so much as a camera pointed at her.
“Is anypony there?” she asked.
Only silence answered.
But it was no mystery where she would have to go. Twilight marched up to the lab. N now had the best access to power, thanks to all of Node’s fabrication work. It would’ve been the natural place to take the Contingency. And defend it.
She wouldn’t be getting through the front door—the pile of drones here was gigantic enough that it deformed the wall, and she didn’t intend to waste time moving them.
She went instead to the emergency fire escape in back, which the drones had left alone. IT looked like regular wall, but Twilight knew what she was looking for. On the other side was a lever, which she reached for with her magical senses. She yanked, then stepped aside.
A small explosive charge shook the field as cracks formed in the wall. It didn’t get flung into the air—that kind of force would’ve hurt the occupants inside. But scores in the steel and woven carbon canvas gave way, letting Twilight yank on the wall section. After a few seconds of effort, she pried it loose, and crawled into the tube-like emergency exit.
There was no airlock waiting, just the flashing red light of the emergency exit.
Her friends lay scattered on the ground inside, unmoving. Twilight froze, teleporting directly to where Rainbow lay beside the guns. Her armor was dented, and there was a little blood—but nothing that would’ve killed her.
She reached down with a hoof, dreading what she would find… but no, there was a pulse. Faint, but distinct. She was breathing too.
“Rainbow?” She asked, nudging her with a hoof. “Rainbow, wake up.”
No response.
Twilight shook her shoulder, then tried a simple wake-up spell she’d often used instead of coffee in the academy.
Nothing.
Twilight removed her personal radio, holding it to her mouth. “Equinox, this is Twilight. Come in.”
Static.
“Equinox,” She raised her voice, pacing quickly over to Rarity. She didn’t respond any more than Rainbow had, but just like her she showed only superficial wounds. She was still alive. “Equinox, this is captain Twilight Sparkle. Come in.”
Silence.
“Probably just… some kind of interference,” she whispered to herself, returning it to its clip. She still needed to figure out what had happened.
The interior of the lab was well lit, with work lights pointing towards the airlock. Two stationary guns were pointed at it, and the front wall was peppered with holes. Shattered bits of metal refuse littered the ground, along with the plastic clips that linked their magnetic shells together for auto-loaders.
But the exit was right in back, so she was directly beside where the Contingency had been used.
There it sat, lines of its construction glowing brightly. Pinkie and Apple Bloom were motionless beside it, with Node not much further.
“Node? Apple Bloom?”
They didn’t move.
Twilight slumped weakly onto her haunches, feeling utterly defeated. The stimulants were wearing off, and as they faded the crushing reality of her situation was descending rapidly.
For the first time since her mission began, Twilight didn’t have a clue what to do next.
It was a good thing she had i̥̭̞n̜̱̞̤͜s̵̺̟̣̥į̲͙̣g̞h̙̞̫̣̖͈̯t̨̫̖̦͈̟.
(Certainty ?? required)
Clearly the best option is to reboot reality.
Is there a way to check whether they've been drawn into the contingency?
Well shit. That’s unfortunate.
Uhhh have they been digitised, somehow?
Sounds like the contingency basically sucked up their minds, leaving the bodies behind. I get the feeling Twilight is going to end up having to enter the orb and find her crew/friends, and I'll bet she ends up having to convince them to leave.
Hm. Perhaps the contingency is storing their consciousness within it? Twilight should bring their bodies back to the ship for Fluttershy to examine. If it can be confirmed (or inferred) that their minds are in the contingency then something should be done to free them.
Woah. So... we're the Insight? That poses a lot of questions. Are we the Hunger? Or a third-ish party of some kind? Even if we aren't that, this still implies that we have the ability to alter reality to some degree-- mainly by influencing various people to act in certain ways. Now, though, we'll be creating information based on what most of us like? Or maybe we've just been given free reign to command Twilight instead of being confined to votes. It's probably the latter, but it would be really cool if it were the former... Also begs the question of who the Signalers were if they could create the Perseverance, and if they may be related to the Hunger somehow.
Of course, we still need to figure out how to help Twilight. I also want to actually try communicating somehow, though I'm not really sure how to do that. Experimentation will be necessary, but we also can't know when we'll be given this opportunity again, so we should make the best of it. Ugh... what a dilemma.
My commands go as follows: Twilight should determine where exactly her friends are-- hopefully there's a spell for that sort of thing-- and she should figure out how to use the Contingency in case there's a way to 'open' it to allow specific people to leave it. If this fails, she should evacuate the camp like they would've done if the enemy hadn't attacked, store the Contingency and her crew's bodies somewhere safe on the Equinox, and prepare to interrogate Sunset. Lastly, whenever possible, Twilight should experiment with the Insight and attempt to gain experience in its use, while preferably taking the necessary precautions to keep her mind safe.
EDIT: Based on some stuff others have said, I agree that she shouldn't release her friends yet. She should wait until they're all on the Equinox before even attempting it.
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I concure whit these guys.
A few chapters ago Applebloom said that the "contingensy" was an entire world if not a univers as she could get in and out of it so most likely when it activated it took and digitized all minds in the vesinety.
Now if she can interface whit it she might be able to get them out.... maybe.
Ah. We're looking beyond the fourth wall for this one. Well then.
The Contingency as virtual sanctuary certainly makes sense. Thank goodness it's nondestructive. For now, the best move seems to be getting everyone back in one spot, and by that, I mean the Equinox. Once Fluttershy's back on her hooves, she can hook up the bodies to any necessary IV drips while Twilight has time into investigste the Contingency in greater depth, possibly even going in herself once she has people on the outside to watch over her meatbody. Plus, it'll avoid any other surprises waiting on the planet.
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Or else she'll get trapped inside as well. Why did all the attacking drones deactivate? Did the contingency suck them inside too? Are they still chasing the crew in there?
Wow.
Step 1: Step outside, use the radio, determine where the boundary of the interference is.
Step 2. Assuming radio is fine outside, and just dead inside, ... err ...
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Espresso Fox gets my vote for being the highest score that has all the prerequisites I believe. I also dropped a negative in the hopes that it will be worked up together. The current leader is too vague, even though it’s part of what I would like to see.
1) evac contingency and personnel to Equinox
2) have Fluttershy ensure their physical health
3) study the contingency to determine if activating it caused a transfer of consciousness or a simple loss of consciousness of the crew on activation.
Activating the contingency shut down her crew plus the attacking drones. If their minds are now within it, Twilight could simply gather up everyone plus the contingency itself, fly back into space away from the drones, and try to reverse the contingency there. (Trying to reverse things first could have the major disadvantage that it might restore all the drones as well.)
Well, they're not dead. Well, their bodies aren't, at least.
I like the "examine the contingency" idea.
Ok so if it's electromagnetic, it would make sense for it to shut down applebloom and node as well but for an emp to shut down active brain activity ..... Well that would take more energy then could be handled by the body, and they obviously weren't charred by discharge. A shockwave sufficient to knock them out in addition to an emp would have burst open the fire escape before twilight got there (that would have been the path of least resistance for a shockwave) plus there would have been internal structural damage. While an emp COULD still have taken place, somethinf else had to happen too. Look for evidence of either nural gases or of lingering evidence of "THE HUNGER"
Highlighting my main addition / variance from the prevalent ideas (which I shared).
I agree with others that the best thing to do for now is to scoop up the living bodies of the crew and take them to the Equinox. We may want to let Fluttershy rest a bit as she's already exhausted to injury, but she can then ensure their physical health. Meanwhile, Twilight should of course have taken the Contingency to the ship if she determined it is safe to touch / levitate. Before physical examination however I think she should reach out to 1) Her friends minds and if that's lacking 2) The Contingency with her thought reading. Finding thought is plenty of cause for celebration and may eliminate some of our middle steps and panicking. If that produces no results then we can examine the contingency itself, perhaps enlisting Spike and Sunset for some amount of backup if they're awake.
If all of this fails entirely consider returning to the planet and trying to access wireless communication akin to what Iron Horse experienced, as minds may have been scattered to the internet.
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Brilliant. This is the ideal solution. Well, personally, while the contingency is in effect, I'd eliminate as many drones as possible while they're still deactivated, and then determine if the source can be shut down permanently in order to preserve the base camp, and then, I'd gather up the crew onto the ship and reactivate the contingency while we're all a safe distance away, in orbit, theoretically putting their minds back in their bodies. That way, we could observe the camp from afar and see if it's safe, or if it's crawling with drones. It would have to be done quick, though. There's no telling how long their bodies can survive with their minds pulled out, or what will happen when, and if, they're put back in.
Realized something folks. If you think your idea is outdated compared to newer ones or see one you just plain like better, you can delete your old high vote comment. Could be risky maybe? But it is a way of updating our preferences.
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Agreed. Though if time allows, I'd also suggest loading up the prospector with supplies.
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We should try for at least a nudred up votes. Every one plz give your energy /upvote to this individual comment to rescue the girls.
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Is that a typo in my brain!?
I have to agree with what the early birds are saying below. Check to see if they're drawn into the Contingency
THEIR MINDS ARE IN THE CONTINGENCY, EVERYONE! GO DOWN, UPVOTE ORSUROS'S COMMENT ABOUT CHECKING THE CONTINGNECY!
So are we (the readers) the H̷̬̹̫̥̗͓̍U̶͈̱̼̓̊͆̓̇N̶ͪͯ͌ͬͩ̿̈̌͏̗̭̜͇̻̟̲͡G͆ͥͦ̿͌͛ͬ̆ͯ҉̰̲̺̮͙̯̦E̷̩͓̺͇͓̐̎ͭ̔̾R͚̯̗̘̖̰͇̪̭̾̏́͂̓̽ͮͣ̍?
Sorry, my memory got a bit scrambled, can someone remind me what the Contingency is and where they got it? I got it in my head it was one of the three thingiebobbers from the main building but I realized that was incorrect and I'm hitting a mental wall here.
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Considering we never once chose one of those? And DON'T want life extinguished to avoid suffering? Not likely.
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A different one has more... but it seems pretty unanimous that "they're in the contingency" is the case.
Gonna go with the crowd here. Get everyone back onto the Equinox and check the Contingency to see if their minds are there.
Why am I thinking of the Matrix at this point?
Check Contingency.
Get them into the ship...check the contingency
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THEN THAT ONE WILL BE UPVOTED TOO!
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The contingency is indeed one of the three things from the building. It's the orb that Twilight felt 'gravity' from and didn't bother Node, who then took it back to their camp for Twilight. Applebloom studied it and said it contained a world full of trees and cities and so on. She seemed to think she could enter and exit it without much problem.
What Pinkie has wrought though.... who knows what effect it may have?
Show of hands. During last chapter's vote, who didn't think that the defenders would somehow be pulled into the Contingency?
Gotta remember the stims are wearing off and Twi is gonna come down hard with exhaustion. Better get everyone and the contingency safe on the Equinox ASAP and leave other things for when the crew actually has an ounce of stamina to spare.
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I could see one problem we might be overlooking acting before making sure we should move the bodies and the Contingency.
Whatever the contingency did might still be reliant on the power they used to boast it. And the bodies might only be alive because of their proximity to the orb. It might be wise not to move them without the orb or if power is still being shunted to the Orb, to figure out how to get them out before she crashes the other world and kills them all.
Though at the same time I'm concerned that Twilight is getting tired around the orb and is getting alien font in the word Insight. I hope that isn't the Hunger, and it's just the alien speak from the chair giving a possible hint on how to safely proceed.
( I agree with Expreso Fox, with modifications.)
I would say that Twilight's insight would be telling her that the Contingency is the reason the drones stopped.
Let us review.
The HUNGER is uninterested in what it considers non-living sentience.
The Hunger most likely infected its old prison, and set the pre-existing Nanobots to consume available materials to crate drones that would kill the closest living sentients.
Her friends are alive, but completely unresponsive presumably, because they're theoretical Souls have been sequestered in the Contingency that is already a pre-existing Digital Universe.
Apple Bloom has already visited said Digital Universe, so we can resume the artificial ponies are inside with Twilight's friends.
I would say the Twilights intuition would have her take her friends, living and robotic, along with the Contingency back to The Equinox, before the next wave of Hunger-Drones attacks Twilight for being the only available living sentence on the planet.
But,first things first, close the emergency hatch. Then gather her friends, and the Contingency, teleport back to the Prospector, and RUN.
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this
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I had my doubts. And this sort of outcome, with not being able to get the crew out, was one.
9582703
It's a fair point that moving it may actually somehow cause a problem. But that wouldn't suit the original design intent. Pinkie however went against said intent so something could indeed happen. I think though that other comments have too much sway to really change things now. Besides, staying could have its own dangers.
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This. Go back to the Equinox, bring the bodies and the Contingency. Rest.
Also, it's intresting that we are the Insight. We know we are voices in the void, at least. But are we the HUNGER too? I'm not sure. So far, I'm loving this story.
: "Yup, that would create a mess."
: "And cleaning it up would take ages."
Good idea for this chapter, especially the voting process.
I can't wait to see wich comment will gain the most attention.
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OHHHHH right! I was thinking of the three 'halls', the Contingency was connected with the Insight hall. Thanks for the refresher!
Well that's great, time to rescue them from VR...
** Idea:
As mentioned, Twilight at least is running on eggshells.
So how about a good night's rest before we do anything else, and *then* take one of the other options?
I agree, get Contingency and all the bodies, mechanical as well as physical, up to the Equinox and then see if they are inside. However, do notice that Fluttershy fell asleep, Spike did as well, now the radio isn't working and we can only hope at this point that it is interference, but is it? Or have the stimulants so far kept Twilight from falling under some spell?
That said, vote for FanOfMostEverything.
Honestly, I really enjoy the storytelling in this (and the general idea behind it being audience-driven). That being said, the sheer amount of horrific setbacks and complications the characters experience is really bringing this down.
There's never a sense of anything going in their favor. It all just feels like various gradations of: 'They didn't get screwed over as hard as they could have been. Yet...' It seems like every single choice invariable leads to terrible consequences, without their actions (and by extension, the audience's choice) ever having the intended result.
Whenever a bad choice is made, terrible stuff happens.
Whenever a decent choice is made, terrible stuff happens.
Whenver a good choice is made, terrible stuff still happens.
It's just a non-stop cascade of things going wrong. To the point that anything good happening doesn't feel like something good happening. It just feels like a short pause for even more horrific events to be piled on later on. And to me, that's the biggest factor holding this story back.
I'm still reading on, just out of curiosity for where this thing eventually ends up going.
But I'm sad to say that the expectation that I'll enjoy the story itself has kind of died out...