This is a section showing you the Weapons, Vehicles and classes of Nightlings. This chapter is not actually part of the story, but reading this will most likely improve your understanding of the story. Reading this is optional, but is recommended to you so you do not get confused through the story.
Thank you, -Sovie. :)
THE HEXABAND
(Crappy name, I know.)
The Hexaband, or the Nightlings as the HNM calls them, is a collection of different alien species, all from unknown planets, and have waged a bloody war against Ponykind for the single belief that Ponykind is an obstacle that must be conquered to achieve the Path of Glory, a religious path in which if the Hexaband achieve Universal Dominance, they shall become Gods in their own right. They are lead by the one high seat named Nightmare Moon, backed by the two co-leaders Sombra and Discord. Nightmare Moon, the old time leader of the first grand attack on Equestria, is now the leader of the whole Faction, seeking revenge on Equestria and its neighbours. Sombra, former slave ruler of the legendary Crystal Kingdom was banshied from Equestria after a desperate fight between the six ponies, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity and Twilight Sparkle, against Sombra. Along with Shining Armour and Princess Cadence, they used the Crystal Heart to banish Sombra. Discord, who is the sole commander of chaos itself, escaped his homestead in Ponyville, and was missing from then on. All three formed the Nightling government they now call the Hexaband, and is now the most powerful faction in the universe.
(Grunt)
Raavi: The Raavi are the main force behind the Hexaband. They are strong, flexible, and most importantly, expendable. They either wear light barding, or no armour at all, and are usually seen carrying TR-671 Magic Pistols. Though they are fast, agile and strong, their intelligence betrays them. They are usually led by Arial's, and will most probably flee when the battle falls in the enemy's favor.
(Jackal)
Shruti: These particular Nightlings are the snipers of the Hexaband. They are mainly seen with a TR-514 Sniper Rifles, a.k.a. 'Belters', though sometimes they can be deployed on the field, holding personal shields and using TR-061-b SMG's. These Nightlings have the sharpest eyes in the Hexaband army, making them vital to the armed force of the Hexaband. Though they have great eyesight, they are hardly put on the battfield because of their strength. They have a weak body structure, making them vulnerable to all kinds of damage, from bullets to explosions.
(Elite)
Arial: The sole commanders of all ground forces, Arial's are the back bone of the army that makes up the Hexaband. They will carry an array of weapons, from the TR-061 Magic Blaster, to the TR-514 'Belter'. They have also been known to carry TR-001 RPG's from time to time. They are also eqquiped with persoanl energy shield, which acts as a kind of temporary exo-skeleton. The Arial's are also the main guard for the three heads-of-government, Nightmare Moon, Sombra and Discord.
(Grunt - Modified)
Gautami: These Nightlings are one of Discords own little creations, taking a couple thousand Raavi and scrambling their minds to insanity, rendering them extremely dangerous and unpredictable. They have been tested on a number of subjects, and have come out successful, according to Discord. They are deployed in groups of 10, sporting TR-001 RPG's, TR-i30 Implosion Grenades, and highly explosive cannisters bonded to their backs, making them effecient suicide bombers. Insane, they behave like lunatics, though they still know how to use a weapon. These Nightlings are classified as High Risk, and should be treated with extreme firepower.
(Hunter - Modified)
Vruski: Vruski's are the heavy weapons forces of the Hexaband, possessing two TR-405 Miniguns. These Changlings were the creation of Sombra, the former slaver and ruler of the Crystal Empire. He took a couple hundred Arial's, and bonded armour to their skin, making it irremovable. He then put them through intensive training, armed them with Miniguns, then sent them out into the battlefield. These Nightlings are classed as Extreme Risk, and should not be engaged if you can help it. If you must fight it, use explosive weapons.
ALL WEAPONS:
How are they used?:
The weapons in this story, other than sidearms, are mounted onto specially built Back Mounts called 'Battle-Saddles' (All credit for that idea goes to Kkat, the talented author of Fallout: Equestria.) Their firing mechanism is based on a dog-bone structure leading from the saddle itself that the pony bites, triggering a series of reactions that allow the weapons mounted to fire. All military soldiers are equipped with armor, which already have a Battle-Saddle built into it. KNIGHT's, however, must aquire a Battle-Saddle themselves, seeing how the Saddle wasn't invented until after Dr. Coalsbey had made the blueprints for the KNIGHT-II Super Soldier. Handguns are used by a more simple contraption. Handguns are mounted in to a open-ended holster, which is connected to the torso of the pony via two leather straps that travel around the waist. This holster has the open-end pointing towards the front of the pony, and is fired via an electrical pulse from a chip inside the soldiers helmet. This certain holster mechanism, unlike the Battle-Saddle, comes with every suit of armour, whether it be the standard Mark-III Marine Armour, or the ultra-advanced KNIGHT-II Super Soldier Amour.
Just in case you are asking, the reason behind why the Battle-Saddle cannot run off of the same system that the handgun is running on, is because this is an extremely powerful, but small, chip. A handgun would already be straining the chip, so a primary weapon would most likely cause the chip to short circut, rendering all of their weapons useless. Research into more powerful chips are currently underway.
The Asterisk* will signify if it can be mounted to a Battle-Saddle.
HEXABAND WEAPONS:
TR-671 Magic Pistol: These pistols are the standard issue side arms for all military staff of the Hexaband. They use a specially designed Spark Pack that allows for 11 shots, each shot packing 1,500 Gemicules of magic. 1'500 Gemicules is enough to kill a lightly armourd marine. Though this weapon is powerful enough to kill, it has a poor fire rate, due to the cooling mechanism inside the casing.
Accuracy: 23/50
Damage: 19/50
Mobility: 45/50
Fire Rate: 14/50
*TR-061 Magic Blaster: The TR-061 Magic Blaster is the equivelant to the HNM gunpowder assault rifle. These, like the TR-671 Magic Pistols, are standard issue to all military staff of the Hexaband. These also use a specially designed Spark Pack, but hold 32 Centre Fire Aura Rounds, born purely from the core of magic. Just one of these bullets packs 1,900 Gemicules, more than enough to eliminate a fully armoured Marine. Once the round enters the victim, its tip explodes, sending tiny little shards through the victims organs, though this is not dangerous enough to kill them with one round. It has a good fire rate, and is reknowned for it's accuracy.
Accuracy: 38/50
Damage: 27/50
Mobility: 27/50
Fire Rate: 36/50
*TR-514 Sniper Rifle a.k.a. 'Belter': The TR-514 Sniper Rifle, or the 'Belter' as some call it, is the choice ranged weapon for the Predators of the Hexaband. These Sniper Rifles have a large Spark Pack that holds 5, 4,500 Gemicule Incindiary rounds, enough power to send one bullet through 4 fully armoured Marines. This weapon works on a bolt-action mechanism, giving it one of the slowest fire rates of it's class. This weapon is also one of the largest in the TR models, so it's mobility is limited, especially when firing.
Accuracy:48/50
Damage: 39/50
Mobility: 12/50
Fire Rate: 9/50
*TR-001 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG): This one-time weapon is one of the very few weapons that succeeded on it's first test, thus giving it the model number TR-001. This particular weapon also runs off of a different system, running off an Aura Battery rather than the usual Spark Pack. The Aura Battery doesn't run on Gemicules, and is measured by Klamites. A Klamite, according to HNM enemy weapons researchers, packs the same power as 10,000 Gemicules. The Aura Battery that this RPG runs off carries 2.5 Klamites, classing it as the most powerful ammunition source in the TR series. It's mobility is just as restricted as the TR-514 Sniper Rifle however, giving it a big disadvantage on a busy battlefield.
Accuracy: 35/50
Damage: MAX
Mobility: 9/50
Fire Rate: 5/50
*TR-405 Minigun: This firearm is capable of shooting 475 FMJ rounds every 7 seconds, classing it with the highest fire rate in the weapons catergory. This particular weapon runs off of 4 Spark Packs, each packing 125 23.5mm Full Metal Jacket rounds. The damage and fire rate on this weapon is superb, yet the mobility and accuracy truly are quite apalling. The reloading mechanism takes an entire 15 seconds before it is completed, and the accuracy proves that this weapon is of a spray-and-pray type. This is the heaviest weapon in the Hexaband, is should NOT be taken lighlty.
Accuracy: 10/50
Damage: 48/50
Mobility: 12/50
Fire Rate: MAX
TR-i30 Implosion Grenade: This is one of the most secretive explosives ever created by the Hexaband. Holding 5,000 Gemicules upon detonation, this is one of the most portable means of destruction around. With a 6 second timer, the TR Implosion Grenade creates a mini black hole, sucking in anything that happens to be near it. Only the damage is known of this weapon, due to leaks in the secrets system.
Accuracy: -/-
Damage: MAX
Mobility: N/A
Fire Rate: -/-
TR-061-b Sub-Machine Gun (SMG): This down-sized version of the TR-061 Magic Blaster is one of the only weapons in the TR series that is available only to the Predators of the Hexaband. The SMG has a Spark Pack that holds 25, 1,700 Gemicule Shatter-rounds. Although the TR-061-b does less damage than it's older cousin, it makes up for it in mobility and fire rate. This weapon is also fragile, which means cleaning it periodically is compulsory for it's survival.
Accuracy: 29/50
Damage: 24/50
Mobility: 34/50
Fire Rate: 41/50
HNM WEAPONS:
GP-425 Automatic Pistol: The GP-425 Automatic Pistol, also known as an Auto, is the standard issue sidearm for all military personale of the Harmonic Nations Military. The classic Auto Pistol is one of the most reliable weapons in the HNM. It's accuracy is pinpoint, and it's mobility is superb, giving nearly every soldier a reason to love this gun. It's magazine holds 11, 9mm rounds, the same amount as the TR-671 Magic Pistol. But, their accuracy and mobility aside, they are deadly for their extreme fire rate.
Accuracy: 28/50
Damage: 20/50
Mobility: 23/50
Fire Rate: 31/50
*GP-010 Assault Rifle: This, like the GP-425 Automatic Pistol, is the standard issue primary weapon for all military personale of the HNM. This particular Assault Rifle has been in production for more than 15 years, dealing death at an extreme rate. The main reason behind this is because the GP models are reasonably more realiable than the TR models. The GP-010 Assault Rifle has a magazine, holding 40 26 mm Centre Fire Rounds. The fire rate on this weapon is excellent, and the damage is also quite acceptable.
Accuracy: 31/50
Damage: 30/50
Mobility: 25/50
Fire Rate: 38/50
*GP-101 Long Range Rifle: By 'Long Range Rifle', it pretty much means 'Sniper Rifle'. The equivalent to a TR-514 Sniper Rifle, this powder-powered rifle is one of the most powerful weapons in the GP series, its magazine carrying 5 massive .50 calibre rounds, enough to relieve a Changling Juggernaut of its head. The size and mechanism of this weapon, however, slows its fire rate down to a near crawl, while it's mobility is extremely restricted. It's accuracy and damage, though, are unmatched by no other GP weapon, excluding one.
Accuracy: 48/50
Damage: 48/50
Mobility: 4/50
Fire Rate: 6/50
*GP-024 CLAW Rocket Launcher: The CLAW is currently the most destructive weapon in the GP series. This adapted rocket launcher is also one of the rare classified items on the weapons list. Its use is rare, and the type of missile it uses, or its method of firing is completely unknown, other than to it's manufacturers, who we are happy to say were in the United Griffon Army, or the UGA for short. We do know, however, that it packs enough punch to knock a Changling Dropship right out of the sky, causing destruction aplenty.
Accuracy: N/A
Damage: N/A
Mobility: N/A
Fire Rate: N/A
GP-013 Fragmentation Grenade: This is one of the most employed explosives on the battlefield. Mainly used by the HNM, this hand grenade has a seven second timer. Upon explosion, it sends out small shards of steel, killing anypony within ten hooves, and seriously injuring those within 15 hooves. Not much else can be said for this particular weapon, other than that it can be quite unreliable when it wants to be.
Accuracy: -/-
Damage: 40/50
Mobility: MAX
Fire Rate: -/-
ALL VEHICLES:
Now, before I do this, I just want to tell you, that I am not going to tell you how the ponies operate these vehicles. That takes away some of the imagination. So use your imagination, and see if you can think up ways that ponies can use these. :)
HNM:
IRVAN ATV: The IRVAN All Terrain Vehicle is the most versatile and used vehicle in all of the HNM. Wearing 2.5 inches of titanium steel plating, and packing a side mounted 9mm SMG, the IRVAN can climb up to 90 kph. Though it is fast, versatile and strong, it offers barely any protection for the rider, making it a vehicle of recon instead of battle.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Driver + 1 Passenger
Armament:
9mm SMG
154 Armoured Combat Jeep (ACJ): The 154 Armoured Combat Jeep, or ACJ for short, is the second most employed on-land platform used by the Harmonic Nations Military. Housing a massive V10 Turbo Z516 Diesel engine under the bonnet, topping off at 130 kph, and packing a two-and-a-half metre long 12.7mm LAAG Vulcan Machine Gun, this Jeep is a monster not to be trifled with. However, its weight, 3 tonnes, causes it to slowly climb to the highest speed.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Driver + 1 Passenger + 1 Gunner
Armament:
12.7mm LAAG VMG/ M68 25mm AFiM Gauss Cannon
z160-GT Snow Treader: This is the monstrocity that tops the entire vehicle list off. The z160-GT ST is the pony version of a tank. Complete with 14.5 inch thick depleted uranium plating, a M056 7.62mm inbuilt turret, and a 90mm main cannon, this big hunk of death on wheels is not to be taken lightly. With 360 swivel action, and having a top speed of 70kph, this tank can, and probably will ruin your day should you cross it.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Driver + 4 Riders
Armament:
M512 90mm SBHV (Smooth Bore, High Velocity) Cannon + M056 7.26mm inbuilt MMG
a56i 'Mosquito': This agile aircraft is the primary means of air defence in the HNM, kitted out with 2 12.7mm LAAG's, an M42 65mm MLRS missile launcher, and with a top speed of 834 kph, this aircraft makes for a mean fighter. Though it is quick, and carries adequate firepower to knock enemy fighters out of the sky, the armour plating of the Mosquito is quite thin. Covered in only 1.5 inches of titanium steel plating, the structural integrity of this particular aircraft is quite low.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Pilot
Armament:
2x 12.7mm LAAG's + M42 65mm MLRS Missile Launcher
D85-TC Descender: The D85-TC is the primary space-to-ground VTOL transport for the HNM. This HNM dropship can accomodate up to 10 passengers and 1 vehicle. This is an extremely versatile and manueverable platform, Even though these aircraft are usually used passively, or behind enemy lines, they can also be armed with a 20mm auto-cannon.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Pilot + 1 Co-Pilot + 10 Passengers
Armament:
M863 20mm Auto-Cannon
HEXABAND:
T-130 RAV Hunter: The Z-130 Hunter is the Hexaband's primary reconnaissance and rapid attack vehicle, armed by two linked TR-061 Magic Blasters. The speed of this vehicle is decent, though the protection of the operator is very poor. The material of the hull is unknown, the same as any other Hexaband vehicle. The structural integrity of this vehicle is also decent, but is not built for a full-blown battle.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Operator
Armament:
2x TR-061 Magic Blasters (Linked)
T-308 AGC Aura: This Hexie tank, is the primary armoured fighting vehicle for ground forces. This Hexaband tank sports a Heavy Magic Mortar, and a mounted TR-405 Minigun. Just like the Hunter, this vehicle uses an anti-gravity lift under it, giving it the ability to hover above the ground surface. Though the hull of this vehicle is thick, and is extremely hard to destroy, it has a blind spot, which is behind the actual tank. This spot is also poorly armoured, giving the HNM forces a chance to destroy it from behind.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Operator + 1 Minigunner
Armament:
Heavy Magic Mortar + TR-405 Minigun
T-73 UHAP Spider: This particular walker was first thought to be a Super Vehicle, though recent intelligence reveals that this is actually an ultra-heavy infantry unit, created by Nightmare Moon herself. Though the majority of the Spider may be mechanical, it is actually powered by the core, which is made up of tiny, worm like beings that were originally created by Sombra to control the HNM's forces minds. These beings control the movements of the mechanical parts of the Spider, making the Spider pretty much a massive Super Suit.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Pilot + 12 Defenders
Armament:
Ultra-heavy Focus Magic Cannon + Ultra-heavy Magic Mortar + 3x T-52 DESW Modified Railguns.
T-u25 Beetle: The T-u25 Beetle is the Hexaband's primary space-to-ground troop carrier and space gunship. The reason for the name of the ship is because of its shape, the hull curving fully at the top. This dropship is capable of carrying up to 30 passengers and 2 vehicles, which is decently more than the D85-TC Descender. The Beetle protects itself using 2 T-52 DESW Railguns.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Pilot + 2 Railgun Gunners + 30 passengers
Armament:
2x T-52 DESW Railguns
T-36 XMF Septre: The Septre is the Hexaband's primary ground support aircraft. This aircraft packs 2 Heavy Linked TR-405 Miniguns, giving it about the same firepower as the a56i Mosquito. Though this fighter is lightly armoured, just like the Mosiquito, it is extremely manueverable, giving it the advantage in dog fights.
Overall:
Crew:
1 Pilot
Armament:
2x Heavy FRC-G TR-405 Miniguns (Linked)
Author's Note
Just a little overview of everything used. :)
"Cryo one... Please... Breached..."
*Ugh, what happened? Where am I...?*
"Cryo one chambers are open. Please stay still while you thaw out. Warning: Perimetre to Cryo room three has been breached. Warning: Perimetre to Cryo room two has been breached."
KNIGHT 075 opened her eyes, adjusting to the bright lights that illuminated the cryo room. Lily Berries slowly regained her hearing, and thought that she could hear somepony calling her name. But she dismissed it as the PA system. The voice on the speaker was blaring out commands to all of the staff aboard the Dawn Of Time, aswell as keeping everypony aboard the ship updated on what was happening.
"Lily! Wake up!"
This time, she didn't imagine it. She aimed her eyes through a clear patch on the glass, and spyed a cryo worker practically smashing the keys on the control panel in front of him. He had a grey coat, complete with a silver mane that had been cut back to prevent it dangling in front of his face. Suddenly, a red glow illuminated from the control panel, and the cryo worker drove his hoof into it, most probably almost snapping the control panel itself.
This caused a hissing sound to eminate from the cryo tube she was in, the clear patch on the glass now blocked by the pressurised smoke spraying from the sides. She closed her eyes, and almost flinched as she heard a dull *POP* as the cryo lid began to open. She could finally feel her body, and reached up to push the lid all the way.
But, before she could even touch the lid, a red liquid splattered all up the glass, and a high pitched scream filled her ears. She didn't hesitate for a second, as she kicked the lid open, and dove out. She missed the midnight blue Raavi as she landed, but she wasn't aiming for him. She spun around, her power armour now guiding her hind leg into the Raavi's front legs, shattering them completely.
Lily spun again, driving the same hind foot into the chest of the shocked Nightling, breaking his ribs, who landed inside the cryo chamber with a loud *THUMP*. Lily ran up to the cryo tube, and with all her force, she slammed the lid down, sealing it as the metal frame distorted and jammed the lid shut. Lily turned to the control panel, manualy turning the freeze rate all the way to seventy five, the maximum level it could go.
She turned back around just in time to see the alien creature screaming in agony, kicking at the three-inch glass that sealed him from the rest of the ship. She watched as he slowly froze to death, the cryo chamber now giving off alarm signals that told her the vitals of the Raavi were dropping. She ignored it, and glanced up just in time to see another cryo worker being shot at point blank range by an Arial.
The large Arial looked towards her, and instantly, Lily legged it towards the door on the other side, grabbing the nearly depleted Magic Pistol that the Raavi had dropped. She checked the Spark count, and cursed as she found out that she only had four more rounds in the weak Nightling weapon.
She looked to the right of her helmet, as she noticed her vitals, her shield, the radar and her ammo count appear on her visor. She must have counted wrong, because the ammo-counter stated that she had five rounds in her pistol. Her shield quickly recharged, and her vitals were completely normal. The radar showed nothing but a red dot, quickly dashing in the other direction. She spun around, and saw nothing but the emptiness of the passage way. She dismissed it, and ran to the door in front of her.
As if somepony had set it up, an explosion blasted through the door, sending Lily into the wall behind her, ten metres away. She heaved herself back up, noticing that she had left a giant crack in the wall. Again, she pushed it from her mind, and ran to a set of pipes that ran along beside the hallway. There was enough space to crawl over the pipes, but the weight of her armour would most likely crush the pipes and trap her. So, she used her pistol to shoot one of the large U-brackets holding the pipes down, and ripped it off, freeing half the pipes. That was more than enough for her.
She turned swiftly, and with all of her strength, she bucked the freed pipes using both of her hind legs, sending them flying into the wall of the opposite hallway. It made a big racket, but she didn't think anypony would care, let alone come and check it out. She bolted under the big space she had made, and stopped dead centre in the hallway. She checked both directions, and saw that one set of doors was unlocked. Good.
She dashed through the doors, greatful that no second explosion was waiting for her. She bolted through the hallway, narrowly avoiding a flying piece of metal. Suddenly, a side door burst open, one of the doors flying and hitting the wall. An Arial stopped right in front of her, pointing a TR-514 'Belter' at her head. He fired, and only just missed her head, the bullet harmlessly hitting the far wall. Lily ducked under the Arial's weapon, and ripped it off, snapping the support that held the Sniper Rifle to the Battle-Saddle. She spun around, butting the Nightling in the front knee-cap with the end of the Belter, snapping the knee joint. She ripped the firing mechanism from the Battle-Saddle, latching it on to the trigger of the Rifle. She jammed the rifle between the Arial's madible and the ground, the barrel keeping his head up. She ripped the bone-trigger away from his jaw, stamping on it, triggering the firing mechanism to pull the trigger of the rifle. A deafening *BLAM* filled the passage, the head of the Arial decorating the walls.
She snapped the blood-covered rifle in two, making sure that no other Nightling would trot along and use the weapon. She dropped the now broken rifle, and bolted down the passage way, until she found a half-closed blast door, gunfire and grenades going off on the opposite side. She ducked, and narrowly avoided a magic bolt going through her head, as a group of Nightlings were holed up in a now empty armoury. The blast door to the armoury was now closing, first a clear blast door, set with acrylic instead of glass, seeing how it was more resilient. Then a second set of blast doors came down, this time made of depleted uranium. Pretty much nothing could put a hole in it.
She was just about to ask what was happening, until an announcement over the PA system came on.
"This is Captain Ashtonne. KNIGHT 075 to the Bridge ASAP. I repeat, I need Lily Berries here now!"
Lily, now with an objective, started towards a set of white doors, which had automatically been locked after the emergency shutdown. She thought that Ashtonne would probably unlock that certain door, but that would take time. And time was one thing that Lily didn't have. She reared up, and unleashed the force of both her hind legs as she kicked the door in, again and again, until they finally snapped off, revealing a dark passage to her.
She switched on her flashlight, sending a bright white beam down the passage way. The coast was all clear, so she legged it down the large passage until she saw a bright blue arrow on the floor saying 'Bridge'. It pointed through yet another locked door. But, before she could get the chance to smash it open like she did with the door before, the red light that stated it was locked now turned green, and the doors opened automatically. As she walked down the passage, the overhead lights turned on, revealing the entire hallway to her.
She switched off her flashlight, as not to waste the battery, and set herself at a jogging pace towards the door at the end. Its light was green, so she didn't have a beat the crap out of this one either. She walked up to the door, and they opened, revealing a dim room with a damaged door on the otherside. Its light was red.
She silently walked up to the doors, as not to alert any Nightlings that happened to be near-by. Lily put her front hooves inbetween the doors, and started to pull them apart slowly. She finally made a gap big enough to squeeze through, and as she did, she caught sight of a rather big blade laying on the ground just behind an Arial. The same Arial that had shot down the cryo worker in the Cryo room.
She crept up slowly towards the knife, hoping to grasp it then send it straight into the Arial's skull. She reached for the blade, and grabbed its hilt. But, before she could eliminate him, the tip of the blade brushed against his hind leg, causing him to spin around and butt Lily in the face with his Magic Blaster.
She scrambled back up, only just avoiding a shot from the rifle that the Arial carried. Lily jumped towards the wall, leaping off of it and kicking the weapon off of the saddle it was attached to. The weapon clattered to the ground, it's spark pack falling out and sliding across the floor. The Nightling spun and uppercutted Lily, resulting in her lying on her back on the ground.
The blade was still there, however. Lily dodged a stomp that would have surely broken through her shields and knocked her out, and grabbed the hilt of the blade. Before the Arial could stomp again, she drove the blade up his mandible, the tip of the blade exiting the top of his skull.
She left the blade in there, the Nightling's lifeless body falling to the floor in a heap. Lily checked on the pistol she was carrying, only to find that when she landed on her back, the weight of her armour had snapped the sidearm in two. She discarded the broken weapon and moved on.
She ran down the passage, turning corners and climbing stairs, until finally she reached the Bridge. The big, reinforced depleted uranium doors opened to a platform of working ship controllers. The ponies in blue were maintanance workers, the ponies in yellow were in charge of the weapons on the ship, such as the cannons. And the ponies in white were in charge of monitoring the ring-like structure in front of them, checking for pings.
Captain Ashtonne was dressed in a decorated black uniform, facing a screen showing the ship intergrity, and a ring-like structure, which was also visible from the front of the Bridge. Lily walked up to Captain Ashtonne, expecting him to be stressed about the boardings. But, if anything, he seemed calm, just like a professional captain would.
"Lily Berries KNIGHT-075, reporting for duty sir!"
"Ah, Lily. Its good to see you again. Do you know why you were frozen, and brought here?"
"No, sir."
"Well, I was going to put it all in a nutshell, but I think you need to hear the whole story. A military construct, an AI, was built by Dr. Kkat Coalsey. Dr. Coalsey is a world reknowned scientist, and is the original founder of the KNIGHT project, though I already expect you know that. Anyway, she thought that she could intergrate herself into an AI, putting all of her memories into a machine. She built an AI and named her Snowdrop, but she carries more than Coalsey's memories. She carries all of our classified weapons data, our ship routes. She was transported here as a last resort option when we were leaving Exuimm. Now, the Hexaband is on our ass and we need to either land or self-destruct. But either way, I need you to take Snowdrop and take an escape pod out of here. If the Hive capture Snowdrop, Lily, our whole race is in danger. They'll have everything: weapons research, battle formations, colony locations. Equestria."
"So, where do I go?" Replied Lily.
"The ring is sending back pings, which tells us that the ring must be habitable. You're going to take Snowdrop there, and keep her off the Hexies. Do you understand?"
"Yessir." Said Lily, her objective now set in her mind.
"Oh, and take this," Ashtonne handed Lily an Automatic Pistol.
"She's low on ammo, so you'll have to keep her loaded. Good luck, KNIGHT." Captain Ashtonne saluted Lily, then turned back to the screen, shouting orders to the yellow workers to unmount Snowdrop.
Lily walked up to a near by control panel, and pulled a blue chip out, plugging it into the back of her helmet. She recieved a light headed feeling and a zapping sensation down her spine, as Snowdrop loaded into her armours system.
"Well, hello Lily. Your armour seems fine, so lets move, shall we?" Said Snowdrop in her smooth, melanchollic voice.
She turned, saying nothing, and ran for the exit doors of the bridge. But, along the way, one of the terminals along the wall caught her eye. She stopped, and went to the terminal, which she now found was saying 'Incoming Transmission'. She sat down in the terminal's chair, not bothering on making herself comfortable. She reached towards a key on the keyboard that allowed permission for the transmission to come through.
A code instantly came up, stating the transmission ID it was using. [044657.04.21.21.34.56]
A robotic voice instantly filled the ear piece of her helmet, making her cringe in her seat.
"Warning! By order of the Eucamene Council, proximity to Installation 04 is forbidden. You continued presence will result in most unpleasent countermeasures. I must insist that you immediately change course and return to a minimum safe distance of one light year. This has served as your first, and final warning. I have activated defensive systems and you now have thirty seconds to return to the minimum safe distance of... wait."
The voice paused for a moment, as images of the old ages of Equestria flashed upon the screen.
"Curious.", continued the robotic voice.
Suddenly, as if from nowhere, Lily's helmet appeared on the screen, sending shock through her.
"Curious indeed! After all these years..." The voice seemed to trail off, as if distracted from some distinct thought.
"Welcome, Ponies! And welcome to Installation 04. Ignore prior warnings and please, continue! I have disabled defensive systems to allow your approach, but you must not exit your ship once you have arrived at the designated landing sector."
The voice now switched to a darker, stiffer voice.
"This ring contains significant dangers, and even with your assumed legacy, I must verify the presence and pitch of your GEAS before allowing full access. We have much to discuss, Ponies. I have been waiting for far too long."
The image suddenly switched to that of a robotic blue, floating orb, with strange sybols engraved into the frame.
"You have been away far too long."
The screen then showed five strange symbols, shimering, before finally, the screen flashed black, ending the message.
Lily was confused. What did it mean, We had much to discuss? By HNM knowledge, we knew of no such thing named 'Installation 04'. She couldn't figure it out, and so she just pushed it from her mind, pulled out her Auto and ran for the doors. They opened, instantly revealing three Raavi, all holding Magic Pistols. They all seemed stunned, and all of them hesitated for a moment too long as Lily sent a bullet through each of their heads, destroying their brains and sending blood everywhere.
She ran straight to the mess hall, where seven ponies were trying to fight off two shielded Arials. She looked down, a dead soldier at her feet. She ignored that, and went for the battle-saddle he had on, complete with a GP Assault Rifle. She lobbed the saddle onto her back, which automatically merged with her armour. She switched her active weapon from her pistol to the saddle-mounted weapon. She had a virtual sight display on her visor, showing her what she would hit depending on where she aimed. She lined the virtual iron-sights up with the closest Arial's head, and bit down on the bone.
The gun fired three times, sending all three bullets through the barrel. The first took out his shields, surprising the changling. The second round caught him in the leg, raising a yelp from him as he struggled to limp away. The third got him right in the spine, killing him instantly. The changling lifelessly hit the floor with a wet *THUD*.
She turned to shoot the other Elite, but was blocked by a pony that the changling had taken hostage. The changling was garbling incomprehensible bullshit, whilst the soldier was yelling,
"Shoot through me! Do it!"
And that's exactly what Lily did. She lined up the soldier in her sights, and bit down, sending three bullets into the soldier. The first two hit his armor harmlessly, but the third got lucky, and hit a grenade that was dangling off the side of his strap. The explosion was tremendous, sending little bits of changling and pony everywhere.
"Hey, who the fuck do you think you are, killing your own team like that!?" A pony with a long, red mane walked up to Lily and shoved her.
"It was either shoot the soldier, and kill the Changling in the proccess, or leave them to take the poor pony, and he gets killed anyway!" Lily yelled back, her helmet amplifying her voice.
The stallion cringed away, backing down as soon as Lily had finished.
Lily stayed silent, as she motioned for everypony to follow her to the escape pods. They exited the other side of the mess hall, entering a hallway littered with dead ponies.
"Those bloody bastards..." Gasped a mare up the back of the group.
They passed the bodies, hoping that it was the only pile they would see. Some of the soldiers stopped to scvenge some ammo from their dead comrades. Lily did the same, crouching down They ran down a corridor with an airlock in it, finding two more soldiers carrying Magic Blasters guarding the airlock. They glanced at Lily, and shouted from where they were,
"Hey! Whe-"
They were interrupted by a grenade, blowing up the door to the airlock, along with the two guards standing next to the airlock entrance, revealing a group of changlings. They didn't even give the changlings a chance to fire. The entire group of ponies, including Lily, emptied their clips into the airlock, filling the changlings with lead and magic. They continued forward towards the escape pods, but were stopped by three barriers lined up across the passage.
"Hey! Grenades! Yeah!" Shouted a blonde-maned stallion, walking towards a pile of TR Spark Grenades that were on the ground.
Lily and the rest walked up and grabbed some, seeing as how they might need it on the ring. They jumped over the barrier, and regretted it instantly, as four shielded Changlings bolted around the corner and started firing at them. They all took cover, making sure not to be hit by the Elites. Lily, a quick thinker, lobbed a grenade at the group, setting them apart from eachother. The mighty sound of the explosion filled the passage, causing Lily's ears to ring. She stood up, mouth on bone and ready to fire.
The first was hiding in a doorway, struggling to reload his weapon as it was damaged from the explosion. Lily ended his life with two bullets in the skull. The second was behind a barrier, and had now had time to reload his weapon, shooting at Lily with poor accuracy. She set her sights on his torso, and fired a three round burst, smashing through his personal shield and putting three big bullet holes through his chest. Lily looked for the other two, but found that the grenade had killed them both. She called everypony up, and continued on towards the escape pods.
After a five minute run, they finally made it to the pod bay. One escape pod was left, and the blast door was locked. One of the pony's was hacking the door so that it would open, but it took time. Lily and the other ponies took defensive positions, ready to defend. They were having trouble, though. The changlings seemed to be endless. Wave after wave, they just kept coming, first just normal changlings, then Elites.
"C'mon, Stardust! We haven't got all eternity, you know!"
"Ok, ok! I'm working on it.... There! It's open! Get in!"
"OK! EVERYPONY IN!" Boomed Lily, turning her voice emitter volume to full.
Everypony turned and bolted for the escape pod, almost tripping over eachother. Lily set her sights on a large Changling Juggernaut, who was firing at them with a TR-405 Minigun. Everypony ducked as the minigun spat magical bolts at them by the hundreds. Lily heard the minigun clicking, meaning that it was just about to overheat. Once the minigun stopped, Lily bolted upright, tugging a grenade from the strap around her waist. She pulled the pin, sending the grenade straight in front of the Juggernaut's legs. The grenade failed, however, producing only a small combustion. But, it was enough to send a few bits of steel into the Juggernaut's front legs, causing him to fall on his face, screaming in agony.
Lily leapt over the barrier she was behind, legging it towards the Changling. She reached the Changling, who was writhing in pain, and stomped his skull into the ground with her front hooves, spreading blood all over her armour. She wiped a drop of blood from her visor, smudging it more than anything. She reached down towards the minigun that was mounted onto the Changlings battle-saddle, ripping it off of it's supports and merging it into her own saddle. She snatched the box full of Spark Packs off the dead Changlings straps, then turned and bolted towards the escape pod.
She was almost in the escape pod, until suddenly, she tripped over something. She landed on the ground with a grunt, as she looked back to see what she tripped over. A pony, still alive. Three bullet holes in her neck, but she was still breathing. She ran up to the helpless mare, intent on saving her life. Lily loaded the bleeding mare onto her back, sending the mare into uncoinsciousness. She ran into the escape pod, slamming the hatch shut.
"Is everypony good?"
Other than a few ponies that were shaken up, they all looked fine. And her assumption was almost confirmed, as nearly everypony mumbled their approval. Nearly. There was one pony up near the pilot, slumped forward in her seat, the seat straps the only thing keeping her on her seat. With the bleeding mare still resting on Lily's back, Lily walked to where the pony sat, checking for a pulse. She had none. Lily checked the mare for any obvious signs of harm, and found two bullet wounds in her waist. Lily lifted the dead mare's head up, her lifeless eyes staring into Lily's visor, seemingly through her soul. Lily put her hoof on the dead mare's eyelids, shutting them slowly.
She trotted up to the pilot, now trying to keep pressure on the bleeding mare's wounds.
"We're heading for the ring. Take off, now!"
"Yes, ma'am." Replied the pilot, pushing buttons and pulling levers.
It took about thirty seconds before the pod finally blasted from the dock, leaving a trail of exhaust behind it for a short while. The pilot turned, now pointing the pod straight at the ring. As they descended, the oversized Halcyon Class ship named the Dawn Of Time passed over them, it's speed picking up as the Dawn got closer and closer. The pod only just avoided a flying piece of debris from the Dawn's waist, the pilot pushed a lever, forcing the pod to travel faster and faster, until the speedometre said that they were traveling at 1,300 kph.
"Engaging all flaps and fins!" The pilot yelled, as they neared the edge of the ring.
Thirty seconds, and they found themselves in the rings atmosphere, plummeting down at 1,400 kph. Their reverse thrusters had failed, and the flaps were breaking off.
"It's gonna be a rough landing!" Shouted the pilot, as the ground came closer and closer.
Lily decided that the only way she was going to survive was if she got out before they landed. The gel layer of the KNIGHT armour would absorb most of the landing, rendering her sore, but uninjured. Along the way to the hatch, she picked up the bleeding mare, who she'd found out was Icarus, by way of gossip. She had brought her this far, and certainly wasn't going to leave her on here where they were all most likely going to die. Lily rested Icarus onto her armour, adding extra weight.
Once she reached the hatch, she turned, and with all of her might, she kicked out with both of her hind legs, the KNIGHT armour adding tremendous force to her kick. On the first kick, she acheived nothing more than a big *CLANG*. The second, however, was much more succesful as the doors snapped open and flew away behind the pod, landing someplace below.
She took a spare strap from her side and used it to secure Icarus to her waist, seeing how Lily would have to land on her back. She made sure the strap was on good and tight, then with her wits about her, she leapt from the pod, descending rapidly. She took a glance under her and saw the big green blur that was the trees. Other than that, she could only just see a humungous mountain in the distance, overlooking a vast river filled with crystal clear water.
She knew what would happen when she landed, and until then, she closed her eyes. She waited for the crushing impact of the ground, holding and tightening the leather strap that secured Icarus without knowing. Then, as soon as she met the ground, the darkness overcame her.
