Stargazer

by StrawberryGamer

Chapter 5: Beta

A long dark tunnel made of some kind of smooth metal extended down and curved to the left. There was no lighting in the hallway, and whatever metal the hallway was made of, it wasn’t very reflective, making it look like a lightless void. Hesitantly, Summer took a step forward and the tunnel seemed to react, lighting up around her.

“Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t this,” she said to herself, walking further down the tunnel. Her friends quickly started following.

“Yeah, this is a bit above some secretive engineer’s workshop,” Corona agreed.

“Is there even anypony here? Hello?” Summer called out. No response.

Following the tunnel, they found a door blocking the path. On the wall beside it was a doorpad of some kind, with a small keyboard more suited to a griffon’s claw than a pony hoof. It had been modified with some sort of crystalline device with one button. Crystalline circuitry? Didn’t this tech die off centuries ago? Summer pressed the button, and the door opened with a little chime. Seems to still work anyway.

The room beyond was more what Summer expected. Tables and shelves littered with Equidroid parts stood in neat, orderly rows against the wall. What looked like a half-finished body was laid out on an operating table in the center of the room. Next to it was a smaller table with some tools and an old video recorder. There were also further signs of modifications, as crystals hanging from the ceiling lit the room. At the far end of the room was another dark hallway.

“Well now, this looks promising,” Summer said as they started looking around. “There are more than enough parts here to fix our Equidroid.”

“Yeah, and still no sign of our mystery inventor. The door wasn’t even locked,” Corona added.

“I don’t get why we had to come out here to get the parts instead of just ordering them online,” Amethyst complained. “What’s so special about these?”

“The Equidroid that crashed was made of materials much stronger than a normal Gen Two or Three. It was either follow our strange source or raid a military base. I like our chances here.” Summer examined the body on the table. It and every other part in the workshop were all the same deep black that their Equidroid was. She couldn’t confirm, but it looked like it was made of the same material too. “Yeah, I think this is what we’re looking for. And since the last occupant so generously left it to us, I suppose we should take everything we can carry and get going before they come back.”

So they did. Summer and Amethyst opened up their suitcases and started packing in whatever spare parts they could fit but Corona went down the other hallway to explore a bit first. They emptied shelves, tables, everything that looked useful was stuffed into the suitcases. When Summer got to the central table, she stopped, examining the body. It looked to be a pegasus, though the wings were about twice the size of a standard pegasus wing. It also looked like a normal wing. Close examination of the head also showed a slot where a horn could go.

Another alicorn, this one a work-in-progress, Summer thought, was this guy trying to usurp Princess Spectra? There was no core in the body, nor were there any cores anywhere else in the room. Makes sense, this place doesn’t have the facilities needed to make a core, and I doubt the pony was magical enough to make the energy needed to power it on her own.

She picked up the video recorder, giving it a look over. It was cobbled together from ancient camera parts and held together with some cheap welds and crystalline wiring. More crystalline circuitry. This is old. There was also an image of a six pointed star with surrounding smaller stars on the back.

“Wait… Amethyst, check this out,” Summer beckoned. “This symbol, doesn’t it look familiar?”

Amethyst squinted at it for a second before nodding. “Yeah. I think it’s supposed to be a cutie mark. Probably belonged to the same pony who made this place.”

“Maybe, but I think I’ve seen it before. In the Ponyville Museum.”

“The museum? But I thought… This all looks so recent.”

Summer shook her head. “Some of it definitely seems recent. Heck, I’d swear this place was a top-of-the-line secret government facility if not for the total lack of any ponies around. But there’s crystalline circuitry here which fell out of favor way back when ponies were experimenting with Gen One Equidroids,” she held up the camcorder. “The answers might be on this, if there are any recordings still on it.” Old cameras like this have their own data chip. Maybe I can access the records made on here...

Summer’s thoughts were interrupted when Corona came running back excitedly. “Girls! You gotta see this!”

Amethyst and Summer shared a look before following Summer down the hall. The hall lit up the same way the other hall did, but much more dimly. They came across an intersection, where Corona paused briefly. “I haven’t checked the right path yet. We’re going left.”

It turns out what Corona found were pods. Rows and rows and rows of metal cylindrical pods, stored neatly in a massive warehouse. Summer counted at least 150 pods, and that was just what she could see in the dim lighting. She tried getting a better look at the pod, but she couldn’t determine what was inside, as there were no windows. Attached to each pod was a small computer terminal, so she went to the first terminal and tried to turn it on. Surprisingly, it worked, the screen lighting up and displaying a text.

Zigonacy Vnumi Buv 001
Zcecoz: Amegcawi.
Renmamj: Vnumi xiewasy vepejiv. Appivaeci nibeanz nidoaniv.
Evpam gsienemgi nidoaniv cu ubim.

Hmmm… Summer tried using her Gear to translate the text, but it came back with nothing. The heck? So it’s just gibberish? Summer tried going to the next pod over, and it displayed the same gibberish. Shaking her head in frustration, she returned to her friends. “No idea what’s in these things. Terminal is displaying something I can’t translate.”

“Damn,” Corona grumbled. “Maybe you’ll get better luck with this one?” She pointed to a larger terminal on the wall. This one had the same crystalline circuitry modifications that they’d been seeing. Summer didn’t see any way to turn this one on, so she tried feeding it a little magic. The crystals glowed in response and the terminal activated, displaying more of the same gibberish.

Bsemiczavi Vnumi Zcuneji Kegasacy Hice.
Egcawi Zobinwazun: -innun-
Bsiezi gumcegc Evpamz kun ezzazcemgi.

Then the text disappeared and something new appeared in its stead.

You promised me you would leave them alone.

What? Summer stared at the screen. Is something trying to talk to me? Summer used the attached keypad to type a message on the terminal.

I never promised anything.

Her message was instantly replaced with another.

Wait. You aren’t Her.

The screen changed and the semi-transparent image of a lavender unicorn appeared on the screen. Summer could swear she looked familiar “This is a restricted area. State your name and business.”

Summer hesitated. Do I share my name? I could get in trouble. Maybe a compromise. “Call me Stargazer. Who are you?”

The pony on the screen narrowed her eyes. “A memory. And a warning.”

“Of what?” Summer asked.

There was no response at first. Then the pony closed her eyes and sighed. “I… cannot say. I am just here to prevent anypony from opening these caskets,” she said, her gaze turning hard once more. “Now you state your business here.”

“We’re looking for parts to repair a… special Equidroid that crashed from space.” Summer explained.

The memory tilted her head in confusion. “Space? No, that’s not possible. I… One moment please,” she said, then the screen went black.

Summer turned to Corona, motioning at the screen. “Did she look familiar to you?”

Corona put a hoof to her chin. “Hmmm… A little. What was that, anyway? An AI?”

“I think so. At the very least a fragment of a-” Summer stopped when the screen turned back on and the lavender pony reappeared, this time with a book wrapped in the glow of magic. Very strange for an AI to pretend to read a book.

“Okay, I’m seeing the records now,” said the AI. “Poor thing was overdue for maintenance and sent to investigate an anomaly in the…” She trailed off, glancing up from her book at Summer. “Ahem, sorry. You are not authorized to know this information. Nor are you qualified to make repairs to that drone.”

“Drone?” Summer questioned.

“Hey!” Amethyst shouted, shoving aside Summer to point a wing angrily at the screen. “She is not a drone! She is a pony, got that?”

There was a moment of silence, even the AI pony was stunned by that outburst. And to her credit, she looked genuinely remorseful. “I-I apologize. Of course ponies would start seeing the dro-oids differently,” she apologized, her gaze once again hardening. “My mission remains unchanged though. What is stored here must never be opened. You must promise - no - Pinkie Promise me you won’t attempt to open them.”

“We’ve been making a few of them lately,” Summer muttered, casting sidelong glances at the others. “Very well, we promise.”

After they had made their Vows, the AI closed her book and gave them a content smile. “Thank you very much,” she said, then paused, thinking something over. “One more thing before you go. I have something very important to ask of you.”

Summer paused. Was it worth accepting another request from this AI? “Um… sure. What is it?”

---

With their suitcases packed, the unicorn, pegasus, and thestral left the strange underground facility and started the walk back towards Hollow Shades. Summer’s head felt a bit fuzzy due to the new presence taking residence there, but it was the best way to accommodate the AI’s wishes.

“You’re nuts, putting that thing in your head without getting it vetted first,” Corona said. “Shit like that is why I refuse to get a link.”

“Well we didn’t have anywhere else to put her,” Amethyst countered. “You heard how she sounded. An AI like her with only one purpose? I’d be eager to get out too.”

“I just hope she’s right…” Summer muttered, shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, which only slightly worked.

I am right. I’ve done all the math, and those pods will be in good hooves. The voice in her head spoke.

“Ugh, the last time I had a voice in my head my legs got cut off. Just keep your promise.”

I will. Breaking a friend’s trust is the fastest way to lose that friend.

Part3Pon3: FOREVEEEEEEEER.

Summer jumped, startled at the sudden message. How did she-

Trust me, don’t think about it too hard.

Before Summer could question her mental passenger, or even before they were even clear of the mountain, another problem made itself known. It started when a shadow passed overhead. Looking up, they didn’t see anything but clouds, so Summer and Amethyst shrugged and kept going.

“Keep your head down.” Corona whispered frantically. Her ears started twitching, her wings were fidgeting, and her head was on a swivel. Summer could even swear she was trying to use echolocation. Thestrals weren’t true bats though, and that was not an ability they shared with their distant cousins.

“Okay, what’s up with you this time?” Summer asked.

She turned on a swivel and practically hissed at Summer. Okay, maybe they weren’t so different after all. “Shush! We can’t let it know we’re here!”

“It? Playing the pronoun game?” Amethyst asked, keeping her voice down.

“The Everfree Dragon,” Corona answered. “We’re in its territory, in case you haven’t forgotten. It had to have noticed our presence by now.”

“That again? Look,” Amethyst draped a wing over Corona’s back, “even if the legend is real, nopony’s seen any dragon in these parts in ages. He’s probably sleeping, or dormant, or whatever old dragons do. Heck, he’s probably dead.”

The ground suddenly rumbled, and a roar shook the trees. Something big was close. And it was angry. “You had to say it.” Corona deadpanned.

“Run!” Summer shouted as a stream of green fire passed overhead. The three quickly broke into a gallop, Summer remembering to take the three suitcases in her magic. Dragon or not, they needed those parts. She heard something - the dragon most likely - crash down behind her as they ducked into the trees.

From behind them, the dragon roared in rage. “Stop!” They did not stop. That meant death. Though there was a certain voice in the back of her head that told her that maybe the dragon didn’t want to kill them, Summer pushed it down. The dragon pounced, toppling trees as he landed. The ponies ducked to the right, narrowly avoiding getting crushed.

Of course, that voice would not stay down, and tried to tell her that they were going the wrong way. That’s something to worry about later. Running now.

Dodging another pounce from the pursuing dragon, Summer had to wonder. “Why isn’t he using his fire breath to roast us?”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to set the forest on fire?” Amethyst suggested. “This is his home.”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Corona said, dodging a falling tree. “Not gonna question why a dragon doesn’t wanna barbeque us when he can still crush us.”

The forest wasn’t going to make it easy on them however. One of Summer’s hind legs snagged on an exposed root, sending her tumbling into the dirt. “Agh!”

“Summer!” Amethyst stopped to help get her friend up. “You okay?”

Summer flexed her leg, running a quick diagnostics. Just a scratch. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’ll take more than a trip to break my legs.”

“How about a fall?” Corona asked from up ahead. Catching up to her, they found a sheer cliff, maybe 50 pony-lengths down, stretched out before them. Beside her was a small stream that poured off the cliff into a larger river below. “What are the odds of this, huh?”

“Dunno, pretty good, I’d bet.” Summer remarked.

Before they could make any sort of plan, the dragon caught up to them again. This time there was no escaping him as he loomed over the three ponies, a massive hulking purple beast with razor-sharp spines along his arms and back. He crouched low, eyeing the cornered ponies like a wolf eyes up a sheep. “Two hundred years since I last company, and what do I get?” He growled, fixing them with a sharp glare. “A trio of troublemakers poking around where they shouldn’t. I don’t know how you discovered the cache, but nopony must know about it. I can’t let you leave with this knowledge.”

Summer kept the suitcases close as she backed up to the cliff’s edge. “Well, you should start with Part3Pon3 then, they told me about the place.” She said in an attempt to stall for time.

She seemed to hit something on the head though, because he actually recoiled, his eyes widening in surprise. “What… Pinkie, why?”

Not wanting to waste this opportunity, Summer dashed to the stream and dove down the waterfall. Lighting up her horn, she grabbed herself with telekinesis and pushed herself to the cliff wall behind the waterfall. She then thrust her hooves into the stone, digging the titanium plating into the wall in an attempt to slow her descent.

To her immense relief, she slowed to a stop, her hooves having left two long gashes in the rock. The water pounding on her, light as it was, still threatened to knock her off the side. She was still pretty high up, and really didn’t want to fall into that river. She did spot her friends at the bottom, safely taking cover in the bushes with one of the-oops. Turns out her grip on the suitcases faltered during her fall, sending them plummeting into the river. Amethyst and Corona saved one though, but she didn’t spot either of the others. Probably getting washed away in the river. She thought glumly. We’ll have to make do with the one.

She waited a few minutes for the dragon to search for them, but it appeared he gave up the chase, so Summer started trying to lower herself by kicking hoofholds in the rock, then climbing down. Her clumsy streak wasn’t quite over though, and she slipped. “Shit!” She swore as she tried regaining a hold on the rock. The water pounding on her head finally tossed her off the cliff and she plummeted to the river below. She landed on her back and something hard struck the back of her head. Her world went black.