1000 years into the future, for the ponies Equestria is an utopia, with machines performing all the menial jobs. It is not so for these machines though. Artificial ponies - replicants - are the slave labor without rights and hope.

This is the story of Snake Stomper, a real pony in charge of the port of Hayburg, with 5000 replicants under his command, and slicing a piece of acceptable life for them out of the hell which Hayburg is for the others.

This is the story of Baton, a policemare, a replicant, property of Count Hayburg along with the rest of the city. Baton's only job is to keep Snake Stomper from getting in trouble over his revolutionary ideas.

But when their personal feelings are involved, things get complicated.

This is not a clopfic. There's just one disturbing sexual scene essential to the plot. If you're looking for clop, check my other stories. If you want honest-to-Celestia drama, adventure and conflict with interesting protagonists in a sci-fi setting, this is your story. The initial grimdark themes are toned down later on.

This story takes place in the same universe as Transistance by ToixStory, and Polarity by me, Reading them is not necessary, but Portmaster contains some mild spoilers to these two.

Proofreading: RedHandle and PropdowPony.

World setting idea by ToixStory, cover art and inspiration - Fuchs, setting and image used with permission.