chapter 1: The start
" Sir, we are out of the warp." Scaerta transmmited over the noosphere.
Magos caervolla was suddenly pulled out of his reflection by the sudden burst of information in the noosphere. He immediatly issued his orders. He then linked himself to the cogitators of the heavy assault torpedo. he was in the exosphere of a planet. The velocity of the torpedo was about 231m/s. acceptable. It was by the Omnisiah's holy will they were still alive.
" Praise the omnisiah. keep us at this pace." He ordered.
"sir, our thrusters our badly damaged." the skitarii quickly replied.
The tech-priest assimilated the information as he considered alternatives. The gravity on this planet is about 0,67 Terran gravity, which ment that the speed at impact considering the low gravity and the terran-like atmosphere, terminal velocity would be about 340m/s.
This will badly damaged the already fragilized equipment on the archeotype torpedo.
The parachutes are out of the equation, they will burn as soon as deployed.
" Are the grav-chutes still functional?" Caervolla inquired
" They are operational. " the skitarii pilot answered.
"Set the torpedo at 39° upwards and fire the grav-chutes."
the torpedo was now slowing down and stabilizing. However, they were over an ocean. Not the perfect landing place.
"Magos, I recommend diving to achieve 500m/s. This should get us overland in a few minutes" the pilot suggested.
" Excellent Scaerta, you may proceed."
The magos felt the gravity of the planet "suck him towards it" for the lack of better words. However, his augmented mind gave it little attention as he was way past the feelings and suffering of the meat-bags.
After a few seconds, the pilot redressed the torpedo at a near-horizontal bearing.
succeeding to few tense minutes, the torpedo was now flying horizontally at 408m/s, which was too fast for a landing.
" fire the retro-thrusters when we are at 4 meters from impact. we will only have 5seconds of fuel to burn. Activate the frontal drill;"
" 1800 meters from impact" blared the warning.
"1000 meters from impact " Blared the warning in a fatal rythm"
All over the torpedo bursts of static could be heard. The skitarii were praying. Praying to the sacred trinity. Praying to the Omnisiah, The god emperor and the motive force.
" Brace for impact!!"
The reinforced adamantium hull shook as it took the impact in a calculated way in order to diffuse the most energy possible. For a short period of time, the torpedo continued to shake and spasm in an odd way.
Then the lights were out.
The magos quickly adjusted the issue, a simple side effect of the unhappy machine spirit.
"It appears we have drilled 6 kilometers into the ice, magos." The pilot transmitted as the power slowly came back online.
" How deep ?" Caervolla inquired.
" About 500 meters, sir." came the answer.
" There is no time to lose.Tell the skitarii vanguard to solidify the tunnel with the hull of the torpedo. Awake the battle automatons. Tell the rangers to drill into the ice around the torpedo. ready the thallax cohorts. Start to set up camp and construct a reinforced door at the entrance. Prepare our base and start to construct a platform for the archeoptor and the arvus lighter " The magos ordered.
The magos gave a crisp sallute to the pilot, who returned it. He then walked past the munitiorum, past the refectorium and into the " war room". He had previously installed a rule before the mission, should a emergency like this occur, the important personnes of the crew of the boarding torpedo would meet here.
He could see that the marshall and the alphas have heard and understood his rule. after all, they were skitarii. He signed for them to sit around the table.
" Are there any sign of Xeno civilisation, Marshall?" he asked
" Yes magos. A city is detected 20km from here to the south." he answered " It would be wise if we would be, cautious towards the xeno on this planet. We have neither the resources nor the manpower to wage a war, even against a primitive xeno civilisation."
" Indeed. " the magos responded. " tell your men start to mine resources. Do to the lack of servitors, we will builled a space-ship ourselves. Even if it takes months."
"estimated resources are 4500 tonnes of raw metal, copper, zinc and diamond. The torpedo should be enough to get half of those materials listed, plus the functioning warp reactor, circuits. The rest may be used as a base to start build a ship. Estimated time of 9 months and 5 days." the alpha designated as " retygh-089 answered.
"We have a lot to do if we want to leave this planet"
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a few hours before, in Equestria......
During the years of the war, ponyville has lost a lot of things. It's joyous attitude, the collorfull houses, even pinkie pie's legendary parties. Now, an eternal grey reigned over the once happy town.
In an old tree, scorched by time and which the last green leaf had fallen a long time ago, a window basked the surrounding darkness with light.
In this window, a single princess still hoped for the end of the war, the return of friendship. Twilight sparkle, princess of friendship, glazed through her telescope into the night sky.
"Hmmmm, I wonder what is going to...."
Her thoughts were interrupted by the blazing light of a meteor, falling towards the crystal empire.
quickly, she started to make notes and calculations. The meteor has indeed fallen in the crystal empire, near the crystal heart in fact. about 40 equestrian miles.
Perhaps there was hope after all. Perhaps they can find enough celestium to boost the army and most importantly the princesses.
"Spike! " she called
" I'm here, i'm comming!" her number 1 assistant responded as he ran towards her.
" take this leter, please."
Dear princess celestia.
I assume you must have seen this meteor falling. This is the first time in one tousand years!!
According to my calculation, It will fall about 40 miles north from the cristal heart.
I hope you will help us explore it. This might be the opportunity to find the rare cellestium. Perhaps it can be THE turn of the side of this war. Perhaps, we can restore friendship and harmony again.
Perhaps there is hope.
Your dear student, Twilight sparkle.