Zone of the Equestrians: The Antilia Raid

Chapters

We Are Finally Free In Space
Jehuty and L.U.N.A.
Slash, the Fiery Tempest

We Are Finally Free In Space

Prologue: We Are Finally Free in Space

Space, a vast and unexplored region that may be ponykind’s salvation or destruction.

The planet of Gaia was facing a major issue regarding its population, energy, and available resources. Many non-renewable fuels were being depleted rapidly with no appropriate substitute to replace them. Overpopulation has crowded major cities to the point of rampant crime and unsafe levels of pollution. The world needed to find a solution lest they stand idly and wait for the inevitable.

In the year 2014 A.C., the government of Equestria and several other countries formed an alliance, one that would bring about a new age to Gaia. Their first project, the “Orbital Transport Concept”, was announced. A space elevator extending from the surface of Gaia all the way into outer space, initially for the sole purpose of transport goods between the planet and several stations protruding from the upper parts of the elevator itself would be one of the major steps in extending the world’s population to more than one planet. However, the manpower and funds required to start such a daring project has delayed it for now.

The year 2020 played a major role in future colonization. The fervor for space development was rekindled as a result of ponykind’s completion of their first lunar foothold. A realm that was only known to one pony, Princess Luna, was now a potential home for many others. However, ponykind still had troubles transporting the necessary materials to and from the moon, which in turn prompted major funding from the alliance and many private investors for the construction of the Orbital Transport. With enough revenue to complete the project now secured, construction of the elevator began in 2027 A.C. The alliance still had another project in mind, now confident in the successful colonization of the moon.

The Ma-res Colonization Concept was next on the agenda. The project was set to colonize Gaia’s closest neighbor planet for habitation of the planet’s rapidly growing population. The plan recycled much of the lunar colony’s concept except for one major detail: the terraforming of Ma-res. If this part of the project succeeded, there would be no use in domes being constructed, as plants would be able to quickly transform the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into breathable oxygen for ponykind. However, Gaia was pressed for time as its resources continued to run out.

2040 marked an unusual discovery. An autonomous space probe has discovered mysteriously flat land on one of Cronus’s moons, Callisto. This seemed rather odd as the surface of the satellite was heavily cratered and uneven.

By 2045, the Orbital Transport was completed, propelling ponykind into a full-scale space age. Resources excavation facilities were built on the surface of the moon to look for any possible resources that it may offer to the inhabitants of Gaia. This called for a new type of work vehicle to be employed. Development of the Laborious Extra-Orbital Vehicle, or LEV, has begun thanks to funding from Rich Enterprises. The LEVs were first designed to help with excavation, construction, and emergency services and were eventually adapted for use in the military.

Ma-res saw its first pony visitors in the year 2052, as ponykind has finally established a minor foothold on the planet. Terraforming of the surface has begun thanks to the introduction of plant life. Ma-res was well underway to becoming the first planet in the solar system, with the exception of Gaia, to successfully sustain life. Gaia’s resources fared terribly, pushing the need for nuclear fusion to power the world’s cities. Worldwide generation of nuclear power was given top priority, but consumption of fossil fuels continued. By 2063, the United Nations announced that fossil fuels of all types have been depleted. The planet faced four years of stagnating progress due to limited application of nuclear power. All hope of moving out toward the stars seemed impossible.

The ponies of Gaia found hope, however, when an occupied space probe landed on Callisto in 2067. A new resource, possibly hundreds of times more powerful than fossil fuels, has been discovered in large deposits just under the moon’s surface. The ore has been dubbed “Celestium”, named after the princess of the sun that gave the ponies hope more than 2 millennia ago. Almost immediately, the ore was put to practical use, ranging from powering electrical technology to the discovery of the effect of spatial compression. With this new and more powerful resource at its disposal, ponykind saw a brand new age ushered in – The Age of Space Dependence.

Celestium, the “wonder ore”.

Since the dawn of history, ponykind has realized various forms of energy. Lives have been improved. Wars have been waged for control over them. Civilizations have progressed with them. These concepts rang true even for the wonder ore.

But where does such energy as Celestium lead OUR civilization?

“Ahem. Spike? Would you like to answer that for us?”

“Huh?” The young dragon snapped awake as he heard the teacher speaking to him. Shaking his head, he focused his thoughts as best as he could and spoke. “I’m sorry, Ms. Cheerilee. Can you repeat the question?”

Ms. Cheerilee, a fuchsia-coated earth pony, sighed. “Alright, but please try to stay awake during the lesson. What year marked the discovery of the spatial compression properties of Celestium?” The young dragon racked his mind thinking of the answer.

“Oh, right!” exclaimed the student. “The year was 2093 A.C.”

“Very good. Now class…” The instructor’s voice trailed off, continuing the lesson plan. Spike, the young dragon, looked out the window. Taking up most of the space colony’s view was the planet Cronus along with one of its moons, Europa. The colony of Antilia was just one of five stations past occupied by living beings, and is also the farthest from the planet of Gaia. Even if Spike never knew the beauty of a planet with an atmosphere, he would always have the colony and its amazing view of space.

“Alright everyone, that concludes today’s lesson. I’ll see all of you on Monday. Enjoy your weekend.” The classroom erupted into a din of voices and chairs scraping against the floor. Spike stood up and made his way outside of the room and eventually the building.

Walking down the familiar streets was an all-too-easy task for the dragon. He didn’t even have to pay attention to the street signs. His legs had the way home memorized. Back to the orphanage.

“What’s wrong, Spikey-wikey?” said a voice with a slight sarcastic tone. “Don’t you like that run-down ‘home’ of yours?” Spike hadn’t bothered to stop and find the source of the voice. He knew all too well who it belonged to. A small, pink earth filly made her presence known, flanked by two pegasi who appeared none too bright.

“I’m not in the mood for this today, Diamond Tiara” answered Spike. “Don’t you have some other sap to terrorize?”

“Unfortunately for you, those blank flanks gave me the slip. But I think you’ll make a suitable replacement for a little game.” The devilish sneer in her voice warned Spike that it wasn’t an innocent or fun game. At least not for him. He quickened his pace a bit, trying to lose her and her lackeys as soon as he could. However, the two pegasi took flight and circled him as he ran. Eventually, he realized that they wouldn’t let him escape; any attempts at doing so would just be thwarted by the pegasi simply by knocking him down from their flight. Eventually, Spike decided to stop running in an open parking lot. At least it would give passerby a better chance to spot his oppressors should they try anything to harm him.

Diamond Tiara joined the others, slightly annoyed at being left behind. “Dumb-bell, Hoops! Didn’t I ask you before we approached him to keep him within view? I had run the rest of the way here! Don’t you know how tiring that is?”

“Well, excuse me, princess Tiara”, answered Hoops, the dull orange pegasus with the basketball cutie mark. “Why don’t we just ask him to slow down next time? I’m sure he’ll take your poor little feet’s pain into consideration.”

“Yeah, if you can’t keep up, go back to that other friend of yours. What was her name? Aluminum Fork?” Dumb-bell, the dark brown pegasus, was next to answer.

“Is that sarcasm I hear? Don’t forget that my dad practically owns both of your dads! He can fire them right on the spot and force them to work on Callisto mining for Celestium!” With that in mind, the pegasi kept their mouths shut. Diamond Tiara walked up to Spike and gave him the most menacing smile that a filly can produce. “Now, how about we show our new dragon friend how we play?”

“Out of all the residents on this colony that you could ever terrorize, why did you go with the dragon?” Spike asked out loud, tied to a lamppost in the same parking lot. It seems as if his earlier plan went awry, as there was no one around to witness his capture.

“Terrorize? Moi?” Diamond Tiara circled her prey as she spoke. “Don’t be ridiculous, Spike. What would I be able to do against such a ferocious fire-breathing creature as you?” She laughed as she witnessed his predicament. A dragon with a weak fire as Spike’s wouldn’t be able to burn through the rope used to keep him still. “Now the question remains: what should we play with you?”

“How about we make him eat a bug or something? That should be gross enough for him.” Hoops gave Dumb-bell a high five for his suggestion.

“Don’t be stupid! We didn’t go through the trouble of binding him just so we could watch him eat…..bugs.” She shuddered at the mere utterance of the word escaping her lips. “No, what we need to do is something that would embarrass him. Something what would teach him a lesson once and for all.”

“But what did he do? If anything, we should be tied up on that post receiving a punishment.”

“Are you going back on your word to help me?” While the bullies bickered amongst themselves, Spike managed to loosen his bindings slowly and carefully, taking absolute precaution not to alert them until he made it far enough from them.

“C’mon”, he whispered to himself. “Almost there, just a little more…..got it.” The rope went slack in his hands and he lowered it slowly. He made sure their backs were still turned while he slowly slinked away, again making sure not to attract unwanted attention.

“Hey, he’s getting away!” Hoops noticed Spike already halfway out of the parking lot area. He gave chase and quickly flew to follow him. Suddenly, he was stopped in his tracks.

A large metallic pillar blocked his view of Spike. Structural failure was common in a colony as far out as Antilia, but never has a part this large come loose. The pegasus looked up, expecting to see a faulty piece of the colony’s frame many meters above his head, but what he saw wasn’t the ceiling of Antilia.

A large, bipedal robot focused its optic camera at the young pegasus. Standing several meters tall, the mech had a bare-bones appearance with equally short arms, and although its lower half had a more robust look, the frame itself was mostly skeletal.

“W-w-what is that thing?” exclaimed Diamond Tiara. Just as she finished her question, the sound of klaxons filled the air. The skies of the colony were dotted with similar mechs as the one staring Hoops down.

“Attention, attention!” said a voice through a loudspeaker system. “The colony is under attack! I repeat, the colony is under attack! All civilians make their way to the nearest shelter until further notice!”

The orange pegasus, now flying back toward the other two bullies, yelled at the top of his lungs. “We gotta get out of here! I don’t want to deal with this--!” His sentence was cut short as the frame lunged at him, only to be knocked back by a powerful explosion that also sent Hoops on a collision course with Diamond Tiara and Dumb-bell. As the three got up and shook of their daze, they noticed another mech in the vicinity, this time the all-too-familiar pony-like suit of a United Nations Space Force LEV unit.

“Attention, civilians! Please evacuate the area immediately! The UNSF is not responsible for loss of life caused by disregard of the colony alert system!” The mech was attacked by the frame just as he finished his message. Soon, the two machines were in locked in combat, the children standing around dumbfounded as the units clashed and shot at each other.

“Hey! Didn’t you hear that other guy? We gotta get out of here!” Spike motioned to his former captors. Despite all of the plans they made to ruin his day, he still couldn’t leave them in the middle of a battlefield. Instead of letting their pride get to them, the bullies followed the young dragon, leading them away from the parking lot.

“You know, I’m glad you got loose from our bindings!” yelled Diamond Tiara. “If you hadn’t, we would’ve been crushed by now!”

“We can talk later! Right now, we have to get as far as we can or--” A loud explosion drowned out the rest of Spike’s answer. The LEV was struck down and was catching fire due to the other mech’s superior combat skills. As it focused on the children again, another LEV stepped in and began its assault on the unoccupied frame.

“What are those things?” Dumb-bell said as the sound of battle died down.

“I don’t know. But I do know that we have to get to one of those shelters. If we stay up here, it’ll only be a matter of time before one of those things finds us.” Spike stopped the group in an alleyway and looked around the corner. He motioned to them that it was safe before leading them down the alley. It wasn’t long until another mech found them, already priming the laser mounted near its camera eye.

“Quick, get inside!” The group pushed their way into an old warehouse near their previous locale. “We’ve got to make it to the other side before--” Yet another loud noise interrupted them. The frame crashed into the warehouse, shooting its arsenal all around the compound. The group ducked behind an old storage container. The frame lost sight of the children during its frenzy, forcing it to scan for them while its weapons recharge.

“Oh man, did you hear that announcement? What the hell is going on out there?”

“Keep it together, Hoops. We just need to make it to one of those shelters that dragon-boy here mentioned and we’ll be alright.”

“I know, but….what about our families, bro? Did they get out alright?”

“Will you two keep your traps shut?” Diamond Tiara looked around the corner of the container, nodding as she does so. “Alright, that thing must’ve given up scanning this side of the building. If we can make it to the door and back outside, we’ll be able to get far away enough to lose it.”

“I think we should just stay put,” answered Spike. “It’s just like you said. If it’s not looking for us here, it’ll just fly off.”

“And what if it doesn’t? We’ll be sitting ducks if we wait any longer.” Diamond prepared for a short sprint toward the exit. “On my mark…ready…now!” The children ran toward the exit, determined to reach it.

Spike reached the outside first, encouraging the others to run faster. “Hurry up, before it looks this way!” The young dragon sprinted away from the warehouse, assured that his colleagues were right behind him. Looking back, however, painted a different picture than what he imagined.

Several LEVs had landed near the warehouse, fighting off a group of the unoccupied mechs. The debris from their battle has trapped the other three directly in the middle of the skirmish.

“Spike, help us!” yelled Diamond Tiara. She tried to climb the large pile of junk blocking their retreat, but it was all in vain. The pegasi couldn’t risk flying off either. One wrong move and they would be struck by one of the high-energy rounds being fired at both sides.

“Hold on! I’ll get something to help you out!” Spike’s action was a bit too late. One of the Space Force’s LEVs has been struck fatally, causing the mech to sway as it tried to maintain its balance. The trapped children could do nothing to escape, only wait for their inevitable demise. Spike, at a loss for words, looked on to what he knew would happen. It was already too late.

“SPIIIIIIIKE!!”

Hundreds upon hundreds of mechs surrounded the skies of the Antilia colony. Various parts were strewn about this area of space, some of already plummeting toward Europa and Cronus. The autonomous mechs continued their flight toward Antilia, already programmed to provide support to the units already within the confines of the colony.

Among the units in flight, there were several mechs that had a unique appearance, setting them apart from the usual rabble that were the self-operating units. Out of all of the mechs present, there was one that looked remarkably like a regal mare. As the vanguard approached the colony, a voice was heard over the comms system.

“Calling all Orbital Frames.” The voice was male with a commanding tone. “Our mission this time is to secure these two new frames or to destroy them.” The pilot of the mare-type mech studied two new images that appeared on her screen. They depicted two similar mechs, both of them having a dog-like appearance. “To complete this mission, you are expected to make whatever sacrifices are necessary.”

“Even if it costs us the colony”, replied the pilot with a sinister smile.

“Chrysalis”, addressed the voice of her commander. “Caballeron and I will secure target Alpha once we’ve entered through the colony shaft. You go in through the skylight with Slash and Nightraid.”

“I assume it’s my job to carry out diversionary tactics, is it not?”

“Correct. After that, you will confirm target Bravo is secured.”

“Roger.” There was a brief silence in the female pilot’s cockpit before her superior spoke again.

“Chrysalis.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t let your personal feelings intrude. Over and out.” Chrysalis silenced her comm unit and looked upon the colony. With a determined look in her eye, she readied herself for what lay ahead.

“Well…it’s time to play.”

Author's Note

Hello, and thank you for reading the prologue to my second story, Zone of the Equestrians. Since each chapter has this handy little space right under the story itself, I'll be using this space to share some things either about the story itself, the inspiration behind every chapter, or just simply explain why I did what I did in certain parts of the story. Let's begin with something simple: naming.

For those of you who are a bit confused, the name "Ma-res" is pronounced "Meh-reez". It's a pseudo-portmanteau of the word mare (since everything that has to do with ponies uses pony terms) and Ares, the Roman god of war. I know what you're thinking, and no, there would've been even greater confusion if I stuck with the name Mares, which would be the name Mars ponified. The reason I went with Ma-res was because it was easier to tell that there are two syllables, unlike the latter name, which would prompt people to think it's the word for "female horse" instead of the name of the planet Mars. I feel like this note is getting a little long, so I'll end it here for now. Expect the next chapter sometime around next week, time permitting.

Jehuty and L.U.N.A.

Chapter One: Jehuty and L.U.N.A.

Spike stood frozen in terror as he relived the horrendous scene in his mind over and over. As the pool of blood flowing from under the LEV grew, so did his fear of death.

“H-h-hey…” he finally managed to say. “This is all just a bad joke, right? You three aren’t…”

No response. The juvenile dragon simply stood there as the severity of what he just witnessed started to sink in. He was too wrapped up in his own dismal thoughts that he didn’t notice the approaching automaton, the very same one that brought the LEV down on his peers. The machine’s eye stalk focused intently on the dragon, targeting him and readying its shot…

Just then, the frame was crushed under the weight of another mech. The resulting vibration was enough to snap Spike out of his trance, being knocked onto the ground as well. As he stood and steadied himself, he looked at what was his savior.

The machine resembled a black mare with cerulean lines accenting most of its figure. The Celestium-powered propulsion system resembled green-tinted, insect-like wings. These wings gave it the appearance of similar to that of an alicorn, one of the creatures of legend said to have ruled ponykind in the olden days, albeit more sinister than the tales described.

The pilot of the mech looked on at the scrapped automaton at the feet of her machine, sighing angrily. “Fucking Raptors. Their awareness program needs a serious tune-up.” She surveyed the surrounding area, noticing several mangled Raptors and the LEV that failed earlier. “I have to admit, even with aging tech like LEVs, they won’t go down without a fight.”

“Life signs detected in the vicinity”, said the insect-like AI of the pilot’s frame. “Thirty meters west.”

“Bring it up on video.” The pilot’s cockpit screen showed a young dragon, still a child judging from its height, terrified. The mech turned to face him, the accents on it starting to glow, seemingly responding to his presence.

Spike took a step back as the frame looked in his general direction. The piercing green eyes of the mech stared at him, eager to hunt just for sport. He tried to run, but his legs wouldn’t respond. The mech’s eyes started to glow as if readying itself for the assault, which caused Spike to lose it, bolting away and trying to put distance between him and the frame.

“Runner, please confirm next course of action.” Chrysalis paused for a few moments. The dragon child was already making his escape, but she dismissed the issue.

“Forget about it. I’m not about to waste ammo on one civilian.” She closed the visual feed and turned her mech away from Spike. “H.I.V.E., search for any Celestium reactions from all non-BAHRAM frames. Prioritize Target Bravo once it has been located, and keep a close eye on enemy movements.”

“Understood.”

Spike continued to run in terror, not stopping even to catch his breath. In his panic, he narrowly avoided becoming just another casualty of conflict several times: a crashing mech here, an exploding building there, a skirmish just around the next corner.

“What are these things?” he asked himself as he ran for his life. “Why are they attacking us? Why can’t the LEVs fight them effectively?

As he’s lost in his own thoughts, a conflict between an auto mech and a LEV resulted in an explosive end for the manned machine. The explosion startled Spike and caused him to search a nearby building for an entrance, if only to avoid meeting the same fate.

“There! An entrance!” Spike ducked into the warehouse not a few seconds before a second explosion sent him flying into the building, causing him to land at the top of a flight of stairs. Dazed, he stood and grabbed the handrail and guided himself down the steps. He staggered onto the walkway and made his way forward.

He bumped into something cold and metallic once he reached the end. Still in a confused state, he assumed it was a door on the other side of the warehouse. Placing his claws on it, he searched the surface for a handle.

Once he regained his senses, however, he knew it wasn’t a door.

The metal on his hands clearly wasn’t standard for a door. In fact, it wasn’t one at all. Craning his neck upward, his eyes gazed upon a remarkable machine.

“Wow…” he responded. The machine looked similar to the ones leading the assault on his home, yet it was strangely different as well. The head was more akin to canines rather than horses, while the rest of the body resembled a bipedal creature. A folded blade was attached to the right arm of the mech, possibly able to extend itself for close combat. Its blueish hue served to calm Spike down despite the sounds of battle still raging outside the warehouse walls.

“I still need to find someplace to hide.” He pressed himself against the cockpit of the mech. “As much as I’d like to stay and admire--” Almost as if on cue, the cockpit’s shield dematerialized, causing the young dragon to fall headfirst into it. Once he righted himself, the shield had closed again, trapping him inside.

The onboard computer came to life, lighting up and displaying various parameters on several screens. Not wanting to be found out, Spike started pushing random buttons on the console to try and open the shield again. “Come on, come on! One of these has got to open this thing.”

The console began running its startup program, doing checks and scanning for any nearby threats before giving a positive readout on the screen. The name “L.U.N.A.” appeared on the screen, the name of the A.I. inhabiting the frame.

“Good morning”, said a computerized female voice. “Ready for combat operation.”

Outside of the building, a lone unmanned mech picked up a strong Celestium reaction coming from indoors. As per its programming, the mech started blasting and slashing its way through the roof. After a few seconds of persistent damage, the mech breaks through and stops just a few meters from the floor. The mech’s eye stalk scans the inside of the warehouse before locking onto an energy source coming from a rather large machine. The mech readies a pair of energy sabers and adopts a fighting stance.

“I detect a serious threat in the vicinity of this frame. Runner, please prepare for combat.”

“Combat!? I just want to--” Before the dragon could finish his plea, the crane holding the frame started to release its grip on the machine. The rest of the mech started to power up, managing to stay afloat once it dropped to the unmanned mech’s level. “Forget it, I’ll just have to fight.” Spike grabbed the controls. The onboard A.I. senses his will to fight and begins running combat protocols. “Let’s do this!”

Spike slams the controls forward toward the autonomous mech, the frame responding to his input. The combat A.I. follows up on his plan by blasting a barrage of energy blasts from the wrist-mounted blade. Once it closes the distance, the blade extends automatically and crosses with the auton’s sabers.

“Passive scan complete. Unmanned orbital frame, ‘Raptor’. Judging from the runner’s skill level, it is advised to take caution.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Spike pulls away from the Raptor just before it blasts him in return with its own energy cannon. He circles it, watching its next move. Before he can get a good study on his opponent, it lunges toward him swinging both sabers. Spike manages to avoid being struck by them and blocks the last strike. Seeing an opportunity to counter, the dragon staggers the mech and lands a blow of his own. The Raptor, too damaged to respond in time, succumbs to repeated slashes from the dragon’s mech.

Spike sat bewildered after his first encounter with the enemy. He shakily removed hands from the controls, letting the frame float in midair. After a few minutes of silence, he voiced his bemusement.

“Did...did I win?”

“Affirmative”, responded the A.I. “I have confirmed that the target has ceased all functions.”

“Who are you?”

“I am L.U.N.A., an advanced combat artificial intelligence inhabiting the orbital frame Jehuty.” The console beeped and lit up red once the A.I. introduced itself. “I detect that you are not the frame runner scheduled to pilot this orbital frame.”

“I’m not! I just ran in here to escape the fighting going on outside!” Several explosions interrupted Spike from explaining his situation further. The frame’s console displayed a warning message, followed by L.U.N.A.’s input.

“I have detected the presence of enemy frames outside of this facility. Unable to determine the exact number from this position. Please move outside to confirm the enemy’s numbers.”

Spike was lost in his own thoughts yet again. “Those explosions sounded pretty close. If I leave the frame now…” He grabbed the controls and attempted to move Jehuty just as before. However, his movement was very staggered, as if the controls suddenly became harder to manipulate. “Come on, move! Why won’t it listen?”

“Due to the inexperience of the frame runner, I have assisted the runner against the target.”

“You mean I wasn’t the one who pulled all of those sweet moves and bested that thing?”

“Affirmative. I am programmed to instruct a first-time runner on basic controls. Do you request control instructions?”

“Yes, please.”

L.U.N.A. brought up several informational screens, detailing a range of controls. “We shall begin with simple movement.”

“Strong Celestium reaction detected. Source is unknown.”

Chrysalis tossed aside a LEV she had disabled. Opening up a map of the surrounding area, she managed to find the location of the reaction. “H.I.V.E., what is this building?”

“It appears to be a large storage facility meant for large-scale cargo. The Celestium reaction has been traced to this location by a Raptor. The Raptor’s communication feed has ceased. Please investigate the source of the reaction.”

The runner lifted off and looked in the direction of the warehouse. “I want you to send a few units ahead of us, have them test the waters for us if you will.”

“Affirmative. Deploying two Raptor and two Mummyhead units to marked destination.”

As the units approached the warehouse, Spike emerged from the gap in the roof inside Jehuty. The frame immediately alerted the young dragon of approaching danger.

“Enemies detected fifty meters west, two waves of two.” The first two mechs to appear were the Raptors, already preparing themselves for a fight. “After practicing the basic functions of this frame, the runner has a seventy percent chance of surviving this conflict.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence”, Spike replied sarcastically.

Both Raptors rushed Jehuty and flew off toward separate points to throw off Spike’s sense of direction. Spike, on the other hand, gave chase to one of them while shooting at it from a distance. The energy blasts kept missing the target much to his frustration, while the second Raptor was hot on his trail.

“I’m never going to hit it at this rate. Time to give this a try.” Spike used the frame’s Dash function, activating Jehuty’s thrusters and quickly gaining on the Raptor ahead of him. “It’s still not enough. Here goes nothing!” Calculating Spike’s next move, L.U.N.A. locked onto the Raptor just as he pressed the fire button on the frame’s control console. A cluster of lasers homed in on the unmanned frame and struck it, damaging it enough to cause it to crash.

Quickly changing his course, Spike flew directly upward then stopped. The other Raptor was still behind him, adamant on capturing his frame.

“Alright, time to try this out.” He manipulated the controls just as L.U.N.A. had instructed him before, gathering Jehuty’s energy. As soon as the frame came within arms’ reach, Spike activated the blade and slashed the mech, causing his own to spin in place from the enhanced attack. The Raptor was sliced cleanly in half at the waist and was out of commission.

“Enemies approaching. Passive scan completed. Support orbital frame, ‘Mummyhead’. This unit is fitted with medium-range Halberd lasers, long-range Phalanx cannons, full frontal armor, and can repair damaged allied units, but lacks any close quarter combat capabilities. Approach with caution and dispatch with either long range blasts or close range melee.”

Just as L.U.N.A. concluded her explanation, the Mummyhead units fired on the dragon, landing a few clean hits. Jehuty’s cockpit rumbled as the enemy’s attacks landed, but Spike managed to stay in control. “I don’t think I can hurt those things enough as long as that armor’s in place. L.U.N.A., what should I do?”

“It is advised to strike a Mummyhead from behind, as the armor only protects the front of the unmanned frames. Use the Dash function to quickly maneuver and position Jehuty for a hind attack.”

“Got it!” Spike dashed toward the frames in a zig-zag pattern to avoid their Phalanx cannons. Apart from a few chance hits, he managed to get through their barrage relatively unscathed. Grabbing one of the units, he began swinging it around, gathering enough speed to turn it into a projectile.

His aim was a bit off, causing the Mummyhead to go flying off a short distance away from the other one. The remaining mech blasted Spike with its Halberd laser, sending Jehuty reeling backwards and crashing against a nearby apartment complex.

“Frame damage is exceeding fifty percent. Damage to colony residential area is increasing due to battle.”

“I’ve got this! Just let me know if and when other units are closing in.” Spike dashed straight toward the mech just as it was charging another laser shot. Instead of taking the blast head-on, the young dragon raised Jehuty’s energy shield and let it absorb most of the shock from the blast. Just as it was about to fail, the Mummyhead made itself vulnerable as it needed to recharge from two consecutive laserings in a row.

Spike grabbed the unit, but instead of tossing it like the previous one, he tore off the armor protecting it. L.U.N.A. chimed in with another notification.

“Mummyhead armor and cannons have been removed. Enemy reclassified: Raptor.”

“Nothing I can’t handle.” Spike extended the wrist blade once again and plunged it into the Raptor’s eye stalk, effectively disabling it before letting it fall onto the warehouse like scrap. However, before his adrenaline rush could subside, L.U.N.A. interrupted once again.

“I have detected a type C orbital frame in front of our position. The unit is being piloted by a runner, so caution is advised before engaging.”

Chrysalis kept her eyes focused on the orbital frame in front of her. She smiled menacingly, knowing that she found exactly what she had been tasked to find. “Jehuty, Target Bravo. Hey, you! The one operating that frame! I’m going to need you to surrender it peacefully. Otherwise…” Her frame started glowing, the wings on its back buzzing in anticipation for a fight. “I’ll have to take it by force.”

Several diagnostics screens appeared in front of Spike. “Scanning enemy unit…” After a few seconds passed, the screens showed a diagram of the frame along with projected stats. “Designation: Doppleganger. Frame runner unknown.”

“What should I do?”

“It is advised to retreat for the time being. The enemy runner is experienced and would most likely win should you engage in combat.”

Spike sat there staring at Doppleganger. In those few moments, images of Diamond Tiara’s demise flashed through his mind along with the frame, as well as his fear when confronting it before. He gripped the controls tight and steeled his resolve.

“AHHH!!” The young dragon lunged straight at the enemy unit, hacking and slashing to no avail. Doppleganger managed to block his attacks one after the other, not a single strike finding its mark.

“Wait a minute, that voice.” With Jehuty coming straight at her, she had an opportunity to view the frame’s cockpit. In it, she saw a familiar face. “What? The runner is that child!”

Spike had no other thought in his mind other than one of revenge. Despite being a victim of their bullying for years, he now had the means to avenge them. Yelling at the top of his lungs, he continued to slash at the enemy, becoming more erratic with every passing second.

Several hits finally managed to hit their mark, causing Chrysalis to pull back and think cautiously. “Damn, I’m being far too careless. Child or not, he’s dangerous in this state.” Just as she was about to retaliate, her A.I. picked up a message from Chrysalis’s commanding officer.

“Urgent message from Colonel Sombra. Shall I patch it through?”

“Just connect me already, you stupid machine!”

The colonel’s face appeared on her screen. Something was different this time, however. He wasn’t paging her from his usual frame. “Chrysalis, evacuate now.”

“You must be joking. The runner is just a child. I can take him even without my weapons!”

“I won’t repeat myself, Chrysalis. Pull back now!”

She stopped in midair a fair distance away from Jehuty. The runner seems to have stopped moving as well. After some deliberation, she decided to follow the order and flew off. “Don’t think you’ve won, kid! I’ll be back for you, and that frame.”

It has been a while since Doppleganger left Spike alone inside Jehuty. The dragon was curled up in a fetal position in his seat, not moving a single muscle. L.U.N.A. has remained silent as well.

“The target has escaped beyond the range of my scanners. I can detect no other vital signs in the vicinity.”

“I don’t need you to tell me everyone is dead, alright?” Spike sat upright again, leaning back against his seat. “I already saw most of it for myself.” Tears started welling up in his eyes. In anger, he slammed his fists against L.U.N.A.’s console, prompting it to give off a few warning lights. He curled himself up again, shaking in fear and frustration as he began sobbing.

“Runner’s mental level has fallen to minus eight. Combat operation will suffer substantially unless medication is taken to stabilize your condition.” Spike said nothing and continued crying, choosing to ignore the cold and calculating A.I. “I repeat, runner’s mental condition is declining rapidly.”

Several minutes passed before L.U.N.A. spoke again. “There is a transmission being broadcast on a commercial frequency. Bringing it up on audio now.” Static was heard as she began playing the message. Once it has passed, the sound of a female voice came through the console’s speakers.

“This is civilian transport ship Neptunus. To the runner piloting Jehuty, please respond if you can hear me.”

“I am the combat A.I. L.U.N.A. The pilot refuses to speak for the moment, but I can assure you I will record this conversation for future reference should the runner need to be reminded.”

“Very well”, responded the broadcaster. “I am Captain Mi Amore Cadenza.” Spike still refused to speak. “Listen, I know how you must feel. You’ve lost quite a lot in such a short amount of time, but I ask that you help us on a very important task. I saw everything that happened since you emerged from that warehouse, and I know you’ve caused a bit of destruction in your self-defense.”

“But...I didn’t have much of a choice,” Spike answered after a long silence. “It was either them or me, and I couldn’t let it be me. I was scared for my life, and I just want to go home.”

“You’re not in trouble, young dragon. I realize that what you’ve done wasn’t done of your own free will.” There was a short silence only interrupted by Spike’s sobbing. “I see that you are capable of running that frame you’re sitting in right now. The pilot designated to deliver it to us perished during the first few minutes of the attack, so I’m afraid to ask that you are now responsible for the safe delivery of Jehuty.”

“What?”

“As I’ve said, this is a civilian transport ship. The UNSF has tasked us to collect and deliver that orbital frame to Mars in order to help with the BAHRAM forces currently occupying the planet. I would be glad to send someone else, but we have no other option. Please, you must bring that frame here before the enemy gets their hands on it.”

“...No.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I said no! If those people are here because of this frame, then let them have it! The people living on this colony have lost enough for one day! I’m not going to be responsible for more loss!”

“Young dragon, I’m afraid that’s not an option. If BAHRAM manages to capture that frame, they will not leave this colony alive. Your best bet to save your friends and family is to bring that frame to us and get it out of here. If not, it may be the end of your colony. Perhaps even the end of civilization as we know it.”

Spike wiped the tears from his eyes, the information finally sinking into his mind. There was a chance to save his colony, but it’s not a sure thing. Yet from what he’s told, the enemy forces will decimate Antilia if they capture it while it’s still on the station.

“You won’t go without compensation, of course. We will make sure you are paid for this task, enough to live anywhere. Gaia, Ma-res, even enough to rebuild your life here.”

“My answer is still no.”

“But…!”

“Unless you agree to a couple conditions.” Captain Cadenza remained silent, prompting Spike to continue. “One: the moment you have Jehuty, you are to leave the colony immediately. If this frame is what they’re after, then they should follow you out of here.”

“I can agree to those terms.”

“Two: Before I hand it over to you, I’ll save everyone I can, no if ands or buts!”

“Very well, just as long as it gets here in one piece.” The captain asked him one last question before ending the transmission. “Tell me, what’s your name?”

“Spike.”

“Well, Spike. You can call me Cadence. We’ll be in touch.” The transmission ends with a moment of static, then silence.

“I shall explain our current main objectives.” L.U.N.A. opened a screen detailing the most important points of their conversation. “Our mission is to deliver the orbital frame Jehuty to the transport ship Neptunus, currently stationed in the colony’s freight hangar, and prepare it for battle on Ma-res. We shall encounter heavy enemy resistance along the way. Jehuty’s programming has only been installed recently, running on only basic combat protocols. Jehuty’s programming can be enhanced en route to our destination, either through programs found on the field or acquired from certain fallen enemy units.”

“Is it enough to get us all the way to the hangar?”

“While the enemy vastly outnumbers us, it should be enough to reach our destination, although the journey will be made difficult unless said programming is expanded.”

“In that case, we’ll need to keep a sharp eye out for these programs.”

“Correct. I also detect civilian vital signs along the various districts along the way. Heavy casualties will result if the runner does not take sufficient care to avoid civilians during evacuation.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice.”

“Shall I repeat anything you may have missed?”

“No, I can remember that. Let’s go, it’s a long way to the freight hangar from here.”

Author's Note

This chapter was long overdue. Almost two years, in fact.

That being said, first official chapter of Zone of the Equestrians is a go! In case you may not have known, Zone of the Enders was a huge part of my teenage years (and it still is). It's a shame how Konami is giving up on game production almost entirely, and along with Hideo Kojima leaving the company, we may never get to see a third installment to the series. However, I'm not here to talk about the trilogy that could have been. It's time to explain myself for certain naming conventions in this chapter.

In the original game, the enemy that Leo Stenbuck faces is none other than Viola, piloting the frame known as Neith. I could have gone with naming Chrysalis's frame "Neighth", but I wanted the enemy runners to pilot frames that pertain to an aspect of themselves. Namely, her frame "Doppleganger". As many of you know, a doppleganger is a person's look-alike, or in myth, a monster that takes on the appearance of a person and poses at them. Being a changeling, a mech named Doppleganger seemed like a no-brainer (at least to me).

Sombra will be popping up here and there throughout the story, but won't really be a driving force until the sequel (yes, there will be a sequel! At least some day...). He will only check in on Chrysalis and his other subordinates occasionally, but has a much more sinister plot in mind that will reveal itself in the future.

Slash, the Fiery Tempest

Chapter Two: Slash, the Fiery Tempest

Flying over the skies of Antilia, Chrysalis listens in on the radio chatter between her comrades. She was still bitter over Colonel Sombra’s order to retreat, hoping to keep her mind off it.

“This is Sombra to all units. I want a quick report on your status.”

“Slash, reporting in. I’ve arrived at Residential Block S03. I’ll start leveling the area.”

“This is Nightraid, calling in from Sector 05. The colony hydroelectric dam has been secured. No UNSF forces in sight. Should I be on standby?”

“Affirmative. We’ll need a fallback point in case things go south.” The colonel can be heard chuckling. “Not that we’re in danger of that happening, of course. Chrysalis, report your current status.”

“What’s there to report? You know exactly what happened.”

“Don’t take it so seriously. You’ll get your chance. Now that we have a lock on Target Bravo, we can complete more important objectives. Get to Sector 04. Caballeron has reported in with multiple sightings of UNSF LEVs.”

“Alright.” Chrysalis input the coordinates for the sector into her console. “But let’s get one thing clear: I won’t retreat next time, orders or not.”

“Haven’t you heard of saving the best for last? Don’t think of it as a wasted opportunity, but more of a reward for your efforts.”

“Yes, sir. Heading for S04 now.”

“We have obtained the monitor program. Jehuty is now capable of switching targets mid-combat in an instant. I have also downloaded map information for this and the surrounding sectors.”

“That’s pretty convenient” answered the dragon. “Is that everything we need to do here?”

“Negative. I have detected another local server in the area. It would be advised to access it before continuing with the mission.” L.U.N.A. displayed a map of the warehouse. “I have marked its location on the wide range radar.”

Spike flew his frame around the warehouse, searching for another spire like the one he accessed before. It didn’t take long for him to locate it, landing next to it and extending Jehuty’s arm. However, the console returned a denial of access.

“What’s going on? I can’t get into this server.”

“It appears that we need a passcode to interact with this server.” Warning lights flashed on L.U.N.A.’s console, signalling the presence of more enemies. “Frames approaching the area. Scanners indicate that one of them holds the passcode required for this server. Advising--”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Beat the passcode out of it.” Spike dashed underneath the unmanned frames, taking them by surprise as he rushed upward and clipped one of them. The struck Raptor couldn’t react and was disabled before its support could respond.

“We will hold battle position” commented L.U.N.A. The remaining Raptor and Mummyhead worked in conjunction against the dragon’s frame. The Raptor closed the distance and readied its sabers, but was a split second too late as Spike had already swung in retaliation.

Both frames crossed swords, emitting sparks from the force of their attacks. “These things are little faster than the ones we fought before.”

“It is possible that each frame we defeat sends combat information to a portable server, most likely guarded by the enemy. We will have to change tactics constantly to avoid being caught.”

“Roger!” Spike continue to lead the enemy to his advantage, blocking and parrying its advances until it left itself wide open. “Now!” Spike reached for the Raptor and quickly distanced himself from the Mummyhead, firing its Halberd to no avail.

Spike held his captive bound with energy as L.U.N.A. gauged the distance between him and the remaining mech. Once she had a proper lock-on, Spike hurled the Raptor at the Mummyhead, damaging its optics. Charging Jehuty’s laser, Spike hurls a large sphere of energy at it and obliterates it, armor and all.

The console beeps twice, followed by L.U.N.A.’s input. “We have obtained the passcode.”

Wasting no time, Spike dashes back to the server and inputs the code. The server opens its files to the dragon’s frame, which immediately downloads it. “We have obtained the flight mode module. Jehuty is now capable of sustained flight once it reaches a suitable height.”

“Great, now we can move on toward the hangar. L.U.N.A., get us to the required height.”

“Understood.” L.U.N.A. activated the autopilot, taking control of Jehuty and taking off. “Shifting to flight mode. Please stand by.” The frame’s legs straightened and locked together, its arms spread wide and the propulsion system hummed loudly as it gathered the necessary power to fly far above the colony’s buildings.

Spike could only sit back and take in the view with awe. “I’ve never been this high above the colony before. It’s so surreal.” Taking the controls again, Spike heads in the direction of the colony’s freight hangar. Something down below catches his eye. “Hey, is that…?”

Almost as if she was reading his mind, L.U.N.A. chimed in with an alert. “That is Residential Block S02.”

“But...that’s where I live!” Spike activated the frame’s thrusters and made a beeline for the sector, worried the entire way. “I just hope she’s alright…”

A lone filly runs through the barren streets, towel covering her muzzle to avoid breathing in the smoke from building fires. In the distance, a large machine spewing fire intimidates her, but still she presses on.

“Get to the church, help those in need, evacuate.” The filly kept repeating this to herself as she made her way there, oblivious to the frame above her.

“I detect vital signs in the vicinity”, prompted L.U.N.A. “Zooming in on the subject.” Spike’s screen showed a familiar filly running toward the orbital frame in the distance. He immediately recognized her mane.

“That’s Sweetie Belle!” Flying ahead of her, he lands on the street just before she makes it to a bridge.

“Ahh, it’s another one!” screamed Sweetie as she watch the frame kneel. She was about to turn tail and sprint the other way if not for a familiar voice.

“Sweetie Belle! Hey, Sweetie!”

She stopped dead in her tracks as she was about to run, facing the frame again and watching as the shielding on the cockpit opened up. In the runner’s seat, she saw a dragon she knew very well.

“Spike, is that you? What are you--?”

“There’s no time to explain. Hurry up and climb aboard before that thing sees you!” Sweetie does as Spike suggests, but as far as not being noticed goes, they were already too late.

“Vital signs detected south of current position.”

A fiery-red pony studied the energy readings shown on his console. Dismissing it, he turned the frame in the direction of the alert. “M.A.T.C.H., get a visual on the source of this Celestium reaction.” The combat A.I. does as it’s instructed, getting the specifications on the frame.

“Celestium reaction located. No data on frame model available.”

“I was afraid of that, but at the same time, it’s exactly what I was expecting to hear.” The pony pressed a sequence of buttons on his frame’s console, charging up a burst attack. Locking on to the target, he lets loose a ball of fiery energy aimed directly at the bridge.

L.U.N.A.’s proximity scanner lit up red. “Enemy attack incoming.”

Spike maneuvered Jehuty out of the way of the assault, barely managing to avoid a large ball of fire that crashes into a nearby apartment complex. Facing the direction of the attack, he realizes that the orbital frame in the distance has spotted him.

“Oh, he’s good”, commented the fiery stallion. “M.A.T.C.H., cancel the next burst. Let’s have a chat with our new friend.”

“Understood. Canceling burst attack.”

Spike looked around for Sweetie Belle, but couldn’t see her anywhere. “L.U.N.A., did Sweetie manage to escape?”

“Affirmative. I believe she is headed for the shelter located at the local church.”

“But that’s in the direction of that frame!” Spike dashed toward the enemy, stopping several meters away from them.

The runner of the enemy frame, one that resembled a giant jellyfish, spoke to the young dragon via comm link. “Target Bravo. I didn’t expect to have it delivered to me personally.” The stallion chuckled menacingly. “So, who exactly are you?”

“I can ask you the same thing!”

“The hell? It’s a kid. They let children fight in the armed forces on this hunk of metal?” The enemy runner laughed at the idea, calming down after a few seconds. “Ohhh, no wonder the Raptors are having such an easy time. You’re not even past puberty!”

“Answer my question, damn you!”

“Alright alright, no need to get your diapers in a bunch. The name is Slash, pilot of the OF Tempest. You saw earlier what it’s capable of, right?”

“OF?”

“Don’t they teach abbreviations to Enders? OF is ‘orbital frame’, numbskull. Not that it matters. You’ll be dead soon.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it!”

“That’s the spirit!”

L.U.N.A. interrupted their exchange. “Passive scan complete. Type B orbital frame, designation: Tempest. Runner is Slash, third lieutenant of the BAHRAM military.”

“What can you tell me about the frame?”

“Tempest uses an archaic fire-based weapon known as a flamethrower, one attached to each arm of the frame. It is also capable of firing multiple semi-homing lasers and a fire-based burst attack. While fire itself is not particularly damaging to Jehuty, the energy behind the enemy’s assault will surely disable Jehuty should enough damage be taken.”

“L.U.N.A., lock on to the target. We have to fight him here and now.”

“Understood. We will hold battle position.”

Spike weaved through several orbs launched by Tempest as soon as they engaged in combat. Still keeping his distance, Spike launched several attacks of his own, firing off laser after laser from Jehuty’s arm cannon.

Each attack struck the large dome on the frame’s head, still damaging it yet not quite enough to slow it down.

“L.U.N.A., what’s going on? Our attacks aren’t even fazing it.”

“The dome atop the orbital frame reduces incoming damage from all forms of attack. Scan indicates that the head is a major weak point. By continuously attacking the shield, you can destroy it and attack the head directly.”

“I’m on it!” Spike flew around a ruined building, hoping that Slash would fall for his ruse.

“Really, hiding behind some wreckage?” Slash charged up another burst attack, this time breaking it into multiple projectiles instead of one large fireball. He launched his attack at the ruins, confident that at least one of the blasts will catch Jehuty. The ensuing barrage toppled the building, but the frame was nowhere in sight.

“Percentage of projectiles hitting target: 0%”

“What!? Where did it go?”

A large explosion caught Slash off-guard, resulting in the dome shield breaking into pieces. He quickly regained control of his frame before it crashed into a cluster of apartments, but now his frame was left vulnerable.

“Nice work, L.U.N.A.! He should be on the defensive now!”

Slash lifted his head and stared at Spike’s frame, his eyes filled with malice. He repositioned his frame and took a battle stance, his anger causing him to shake. “You know, I was just taking it easy on you because you’re just a kid. But now...NOW!”

Fire burst from Tempest’s arms, burning what remained on the streets and scorching the buildings closest to it. Slash could do nothing but laugh as the inferno raged throughout most of Sector 02, his mouth twisted into a psychotic grin.

“Now you’ll REALLY feel the heat!” Tempest launched high into the air, all the while blasting the sector with lasers and fire, leaving it charred in some areas. The frame stopped its engines and let itself fall at an alarming speed toward Jehuty.

“Or not…” Spike dashed away from the impact zone, but he was a second too late. Tempest slammed against the ground, causing a shockwave and a burst of flame to radiate from it. Jehuty was caught in the ensuing wave, scorching one of its legs and causing the cockpit’s temperature to rise.

“Internal cockpit temperature approaching dangerous levels.”

“Dangerous for ponies, or for dragons?” Spike turned the frame around, dashing through the wall of fire to the other side. Jehuty was mildly burnt, but still functional. “L.U.N.A., target the enemy’s frame head! We have to end this before the whole sector goes up in flames!”

“Roger.” A targeting reticule was focused on Tempest as it righted itself. Jehuty readied a burst attack, a large blue globe of light held above its head. Slash noticed this and fired off a few rounds of his own, but realized too late that they wouldn’t make it in time.

“Fire!” Spike launched the energy globe straight at Tempest’s head. The projectile exploded once it made contact, disabling the frame entirely. As the body went down, parts of it burst into flames, almost as if it couldn’t contain the inferno inside of it.

“No, no, NO!” yelled Slash, futilely trying to move his frame. “He’s just some brat! How could he…?”

“Confirming ETR reaction from enemy frame. Its main engines have ceased function.”

Spike sighed in relief, releasing his grip on the controls. As he closed his eyes, L.U.N.A. chimed in.

“The targeting reticule is active. Target shall be destroyed.”

“What?” Spike moved his frame away from the wreckage, far enough to disengage L.U.N.A.’s lock-on. “We’re not going to kill him!”

“I do not understand the logic in letting the enemy live.” L.U.N.A. turned the frame back in the direction of Tempest, but Spike took over the controls yet again and kept the frame out of its firing range.

“L.U.N.A., we do NOT kill others! I said I was going to save my home, not take the lives of those jeopardizing it!”

“I can think of at least a dozen reasons why we should eliminate the commanders of the BAHRAM forces.”

“Name one.”

“The most logical conclusion is that the enemy will escape, perhaps board another orbital frame and return to cause even more destruction.”

Spike slumped in his seat, faced with the possibility of retaliation from BAHRAM. Even so, he chooses to look the other way. “We will not kill, L.U.N.A. That’s an order.”

The cockpit fell silent as both runner and A.I. refused to back down. The air felt tense as both stood their ground. After a minute had passed, L.U.N.A. spoke. “Understood.”

The fire swallowed Tempest as it started leaking fuel from its flamethrowers. Slash, however, wouldn’t let it end like this. The cockpit was launched from the orbital frame, becoming an escape vessel with the runner still inside. “This isn’t over, kid! I might’ve lost against you, but there’s no way you’ll drive us back!” Spike watched as the escape pod flew into the distance, far beyond the visual range of Jehuty.

“Oh no, Sweetie Belle!” Spike looked around frantically, looking for the church L.U.N.A. mentioned earlier. “L.U.N.A., is she alright?”

“I detect a single vital reading inside the church. It is most likely your friend.”

Spike let out a huge sigh, his worry dissipating. “Good. Let’s go pick her up. She can’t stay here.”

Author's Note

I do not know why a pony named Slash would operate a fire-based OF, but hey.

In reality, both Slash and Nightraid sound like pony names (to me, at least), but the third runner Caballeron was the only name replaced (the runner's name in the game was Axe). These three will also be operating the same frames as those in-game.

If it wasn't obvious, this chapter's title was all inspired by the enemy frame, complete with the runner name followed by the frame's and what kind of ability they have (in this case, fire).

I don't have much else to say other than there are two lieutenants left before the story is over, but that doesn't mean it'll come within the next few weeks. Thankfully, there's still quite a bit of in-between scenarios that will keep the story going for a while longer.