Hand of the Ancients

by Starscribe

Chapter 7

Computer didn’t take them right down to the surface. The elevator didn’t even take them to the Horn’s entrance, but to a strange room of thick walls and no windows that Lyra hadn’t seen during their wandering. Even so, she knew instantly what she was looking at, she’d seen palaces like this in dozens of ancient ruins all over Equestria.

Even if she didn’t know the kinds of armor suits displayed here, or the weapons in their racks on the walls, she knew an armory when she saw one.

Even Sweetie Drops seemed to recognize them, because she stopped in the center of the long room, looking from one side to the other and glaring. “There’s nothing here for ponies.”

There were dozens of different suits here, some made of silvery cloth barely thicker than pony clothing, others so thick she didn’t even know how the huge metal plates could move. But it was all sized for a creature like Lyra. A human, apparently.

“That is correct,” Computer said. “Your physical structure is too similar to those that might threaten us. While this was by design, we were motivated by practicality to never design weapons our enemies might use against us. You are welcome to reconfigure as the captain did. It might enrich you in other ways…”

“No,” Lyra snapped, glaring at the specific patch of wall the sound had come from. She switched to Old Ponish, so the others wouldn’t understand. Even if Muffins couldn’t understand, she got nervous saying things about her girlfriend in front of Time Turner. “Computer, stop trying to get her to change. She’ll never do it.”

“Your orders are understood,” Computer said. “Though you’ll find your predictions are in error. EQ2.04 emotional behaviors are not meaningfully different from humans, and I understand them well. That was the entire point. My creators were unwilling to sacrifice their fundamental natures, no matter the odds arrayed against them. In this case, I predict that your romantic partner will request biological reassignment before we leave system.”

“I don’t understand the point of all this.” Time Turner wandered up the row and back again, ignoring what he couldn’t understand. “Computer, old fellow, we have cold weather gear of our own. We won’t be requiring… all this.”

Computer switched back to its immaculate Ponish. Lyra still didn’t know how it had learned so fast, but it sure had learned. “I require the one holding the Captain’s Mantle to be well protected, even if the chances of harm to her are remote.”

One set of armor among many detached from the wall, extending on a little platform that held it displayed for her.

Somehow, Computer had clearly modified this particular set just for her. Instead of dull metal like most of the others, this one was a faint green with lighter accents in-between sections, with her cutie mark perfectly replicated over the breast.

“For once I don’t disagree with it,” Bon Bon said. “You are always getting yourself into trouble, Lyre. Maybe this will slow you down enough to keep you safe.”

It was remarkably light under her fingers. When she first tried to lift the breastplate, she ended up taking the entire thing—it wasn’t individual pieces after all, but a single suit. Altogether, it weighed less than a Royal Guard helmet. “Remove all but your lowest layer of clothing,” Computer instructed. “The rest would interfere with your motion.”

Lyra obeyed, taking the suit with her around the corner. Even for a pony, changing in front of others was strange. She spoke as she dressed. “I don’t understand the point of wearing armor so thin it couldn’t protect me from a feather.”

Despite its apparent stiffness, the suit relaxed around her, then formed to her body, with just enough room that she could move her strange limbs in any direction they could. It had no helmet, though there was a clear shell bunched up at the back of her head and a little button near her neck.

To her surprise, Computer’s voice now came from the suit itself, right near her ears. It seemed to like speaking in Old Ponish, even now that it could use her native tongue. “I have total certainty this is the safest you have ever been, Captain. There is no weapon on your planet that could pierce the armor you wear. No sword, no cannon, no plasma round.”

“I don’t think I know those last two words,” she muttered, turning back to rejoin the others.

“Really? Apologies. Suffice it to say that I hope you do not require the protection I have given you. I would give the same to my… crew, even given their weaknesses. But I am forbidden from modifying military equipment for nonhumans, or gencoding it for their use. By the way, can you fire a rifle?”

Lyra stepped back into the armory, right as what was unmistakably a weapon extended from the wall just as the armor had. A metal rectangle as long as her arm, with various protrusions along its length and a cloth strap hooked to it. Lyra took it, shrugging it over her shoulders. “I have no idea what a rifle is,” she answered, in Old Ponish.

Computer ignored her. “At the end of the hall is the exit ramp. Captain, I will remain in contact with you during the entire trip. Follow my directions to the Conflux. We will uplink the Equestria’s status ourselves.”

“Then you’ll let us go,” Bon Bon interrupted. “Back home to Equestria. You’ll change Lyra back, and get a captain who actually wants to be out here.”

“Of course,” Computer said, voice suddenly emotionless.

They walked, past the weapons to a hallway that swept downward. Eventually they passed through a metal doorway, into a smaller room that sealed shut behind them. Lyra’s guess about the helmet proved accurate, because it snapped up around her head, a strange flexible glass so clear it was almost invisible. Except for the lights glowing on it—Old Ponish, mostly numbers and words she couldn’t translate.

Air hissed around them for a few seconds, before Computer spoke. She heard its voice both through her helmet and outside it. “Bioforming aerosols detected. Antidote administered. Crew is advised not to remain on the surface for more than twenty-four hours or transport organic matter found on the surface. Effects unknown.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you mean, but it doesn’t sound friendly,” Time Turner said. “Should we really be opening that door?”

Computer opened the door. Interlocking metal sections broke apart. On the other side was a metal ramp, leading down thirty feet to a thick jungle below. The ISS Equestria looked nothing like she remembered it—Lyra stepped through the opening and looked up, to where the tower now seemed to loom overhead like a mountain.

As she looked back down, she found arrows appeared in the glass in front of her, leading down the ramp and into the jungle. “The external node is waiting less than five kilometers away. I could not land closer, but you have legs.”

“How observant,” Bon Bon muttered, walking beside Lyra as they descended the ramp. She wore her full belt of SMILE gear, weapons and tools and all. Something tells me the one thing the Equestria gave us is more dangerous than all of that combined. “At least we won’t have to talk to Computer anymore,” she said, glaring back up the ramp. “I need a break.”

“It can, ummm…” She winced, tapping her helmet with one hand. “I think it can still hear us.”

“Indeed,” Computer said. Bon Bon didn’t seem to hear Computer, though. “I can remain silent until you encounter dangers or other disruptions. Please follow the augmented reality positional indicators to the external node. I will communicate again when we arrive.”

Lyra glanced to the side. “There, it said it’s going to leave us alone.”

Lyra stopped at the bottom of the ramp. The ground didn’t look like anything that different from what she’d seen in equatorial regions, where so many ancient cultures had lived. She’d seen incredible ruins built in places like this. But even though she stood twice as tall, the huge trees and thick vines didn’t seem any less imposing. Despite Computer’s assurances, the thin armor didn’t make her feel any safer.

“What are you waiting for?” Time Turner asked, holding the camera in front of him. “An alien world. The… homeworld. Still not sure I can get behind that. But certainly an alien world, which we will diligently document for everypony waiting behind.”

“She’s being sensible,” Bon Bon snapped. “Jungles are dangerous. The predators here can be some of the worst.”

“Nothing we can’t deal with.” Time Turner glanced nervously to the side. “Muffins dear, don’t be afraid to fly back here if anything dangerous arrives.”

She grinned blankly back. “Right now?”

“No, sweetheart. We aren’t in danger yet.”

“Oh, okay.” Then she bounced off the side of the ramp, landing on the mossy floor. Nothing jumped out to attack her, no pits of spikes swallowed her.

Lyra relaxed, then stepped forward into the jungle. “I know the way, everypony. Follow me. We can get this done, then get back quickly. Because… yeah, that’s the goal. Quick as possible.”

Bon Bon nodded, satisfied. Together, they set off.

It was hard to keep her mind focused on the task at hand. How could Lyra think about some boring delivery when she was walking through the jungle of her homeworld. The towering trees belonged to no species she knew, with gigantic leaves and parasitic vines that wound tightly around the largest specimens. The flowers growing here didn’t come in a few safe colors and orderly rows, but exploded in every shape and color, as varied as ponies’ coats.

She wanted to ask every conceivable question. Computer seemed to know that the humans would be gone, that had to mean it would know where they’d gone. Maybe they could find them!

But every time she almost asked, she glanced to the side, where Bon Bon seemed to be nursing growing resentment. For her, or Computer? Either way, she didn’t push her luck.

They found their first sign of ancient civilization after less than a minute of walking into the jungle. Beside the trail, the ground was shattered into a strange underground canyon. Instead of rock walls, Lyra could see sheer metal surfaces underneath, with dozens of little bridges and platforms connecting each side. Ancient flags hung from posts in front of each home.

Time Turner stopped them, aiming his camera down into the opening and taking a photo. “Fascinating. Were there griffons living with our ancestors, perhaps? Don’t they build their aeries into cliffs like this?”

Bon Bon glanced over the edge, her eyes darting from one darkened doorway to the next. There was no sign of motion down there, just creepers and other plants slowly reclaiming the city. “Griffons would hate living down there. They like to look down on the land from above, not up at the sky from below.”

“If I see a griffon ship within five parsecs of this planet, I’ll atomize it,” Computer snapped, its voice so loud that this time even Bon Bon turned to stare. “Earth is sacred. I’ll burn each and every one of them from the sky if they violate our homeworld.”

All three ponies looked up to stare, even Muffins.

Bon Bon seemed the most confused, though she clearly understood more than the others had. “You know what a griffon is? If Equestria can retain our independence, surely they’re not dangerous to a civilization that can…” She flicked one hoof back in the direction they came. The ISS Equestria still towered over the jungle, rising hundreds of meters over the tallest trees. “What would crossbows do to that?”

Computer didn’t reply for a long time. “Our experiences are not analogous. Please Captain, do not get distracted. The Conflux is waiting.”

They set off again. Bon Bon no longer seemed just bitter—now she was curious. Lyra could practically see the gears spinning through her head. This was the kind of thing Lyra didn’t think she would figure out first.

But in the meantime, they had a jungle to cross.

Comments

[Mister Morden]

Interesting, the AI has emotions... Why would they design it like that?

The rifle is probably a portable rail gun or something similar. Maybe gyro-jet rounds? Something insanely lethal is my bet.

[minibox]

Griffons as enemies? Perhaps that extends to all other nonpony races as well? Or something that looked like them. There's certainly a lot that's going on.

Bioforming aerosols detected. Antidote administered. Crew is advised not to remain on the surface for more than twenty-four hours or transport organic matter found on the surface. Effects unknown.

Well, some sort of life still exists on Earth. Though it's probably not the same.

“An alien world. The… homeworld. Still not sure I can get behind that. But certainly an alien world, which we will diligently document for everypony waiting behind.”

Well, most people don't consider the cradle of Humanity their homeland. you'll see the same thing if Humanity takes to the stars.

“Our experiences are not analogous. Please Captain, do not get distracted. The Conflux is waiting.”

Run a query when you can, Lyra. The story might provide important context to everything going on.

[paladinwolf]

10606831
I wager it's a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range...
i.gifer.com/IQmK.gif

[Mister Morden]

10607118
Quite possibly.

[HMage]

10539606
the latter.

[djthomp]

“If I see a griffon ship within five parsecs of this planet, I’ll atomize it,” Computer snapped, its voice so loud that this time even Bon Bon turned to stare. “Earth is sacred. I’ll burn each and every one of them from the sky if they violate our homeworld.”

Interesting reaction to the word 'griffon'.

[FanOfMostEverything]

She grinned blankly back. “Right now?”
“No, sweetheart. We aren’t in danger yet.”

To be fair, it's hard to tell. I can imagine a panicked scream behind that gormless smile given the current situation.

In any case, I can definitely understand Bonbon's growing frustration with the scope creep. The computer really didn't know things would be this complicated, but from a suspicious perspective, it's stringing them along for one thing after another. Let's hope things don't escalate to the point where she starts ignoring perfectly good advice just because of the source.

Also, very curious reaction to griffons. There's clearly some history there we don't know yet.

[DrCygnus]

“If I see a griffon ship within five parsecs of this planet, I’ll atomize it,” Computer snapped, its voice so loud that this time even Bon Bon turned to stare. “Earth is sacred. I’ll burn each and every one of them from the sky if they violate our homeworld.”

Angery AI is Fun