Chapter 43: Stitch in Time

Dr. Hardy listened to Marky over his headset in a group channel with Celestia, Emmy, Chris, and Jeff. He could see him out the windshield, down below and at the front line, firing at targets between sentences.

"The beam cannons have a frequency control, right?" Marky asked.

Dr. Hardy peered at him. "Yes, they cycle through a wide range of different settings, it increases their damage to most targets."

"Can you patch a microphone in?"

"What?"

"Can you override the automated frequency control module, and patch our microphones in so that our voices modulate the beam emitters?"

Dr. Hardy frowned. "I think so, but it will require several delicate adjustments to the master control system here in the Overwatch. It's impossible outside the laboratory."

"Why is it so difficult?" Marky said, frustrated.

"Because we modified the system. There's an imbued crystal console here that remotely controls the frequency of every tank out there. We had hoped it would give them a way to penetrate the magic fields. Looks like we were wrong."

"What about Rarity? She helped them build the system, didn't she?"

Dr. Hardy exhaled heavily. "Modifying it in the field will be far more difficult than that. And if she makes a mistake, she will bring all our tanks offline, permanently. Without them we have zero ability to penetrate Shub-Niggurath's defenses. We won't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning this, Marky."

Marky's voice spoke insistently. "We aren't getting through right now." Far below, he waved a hoof at the hellish battle taking place in front of them. "It's a stalemate, and we will run out of resources first. Shub-Niggurath keeps popping out more enemies, and we are getting short on things to throw at them."

Dr. Hardy threw his hands up. "I still don't even see what you want to do!"

Emmy sighed. "I don't see it either. We are using both our technologies combined. And we are still losing."

Marky gesticulated, desperately trying to get his idea across. "We aren't getting through because the plasma beams are not enough. They combine magic and science, but we need MORE than that. We need to take direct control of our weapons or we will lose. We need to add the power of our spirits!"

"That makes no sense! We can't risk everything on this nonsense!" Dr. Hardy was about to say more, but Celestia put a hoof on his shoulder.

"I understand what he wants to do," she said gently. "I believe it's worth a try. If we keep going as we are now, we will fail."

"Make it happen," Jeff agreed. "Do whatever we need to."

"Fine. I still don't think it's a good idea. But I'll do my best," Dr. Hardy said, standing and heading out of the cockpit. "Get Rarity, bring her to the command core. And you'd better hurry. I don't know how long it's going to take for her to make the system changes."

***

Within a minute, Rainbow Dash picked up Rarity and flew her swiftly to the rear top hatch on the Overwatch tank.

Dr. Hardy hit the release button, and it opened with a hiss. Rarity slid in, her hooves landing on the metal grate flooring with a clank. "Thank you, darling! Be careful!" she called up to Rainbow Dash, who waved and unslung her rifle before zoomed back to the fight. "What can I do for you, Doctor?"

"I need your delicate skills, Rarity. There's no micro-manipulator on this vehicle, and we must reroute this circuit. Come over here and I'll show you."

The hulking machine rocked from an impact while they were moving through the back compartment. Rarity and Dr. Hardy both stumbled, grabbing for the handholds.

"Hurry, Rarity!" Celestia called urgently from the front. "A couple more hits like that and the defense crystal will shatter!"

"I'll do whatever I can, Princess!" Rarity replied, picking herself up and following Dr. Hardy to the modulator panel, which he quickly shut down and unlatched.

An alarm sounded. "Warning. Networked weapon systems efficiency reduced by sixty percent."

"Shut up." Dr. Hardy switched it off with a swipe of his hand.

Rarity used her ARHUD to magnify the tiny circuit board, holding tools ready with telekinesis. "What should I do?"

Dr. Hardy gave her directions on a schematic. "You need to sever that circuit there, then use the solder laser to connect this junction here, and then try to shunt these wires. Be careful, that part of the board is still live."

The tank shook again as she tried to comply, and a shower of sparks sprayed against her protective ARHUD visor. Rarity squeaked, yanking the tools back to keep from melting the assembly. "Another hit like that while I'm using the laser, and there won't be a circuit left to fix!"

"Think you guys could keep it steady?" Dr. Hardy bellowed towards the cockpit. "Delicate stuff going on back here, okay?"

"Doing the best we can!" Jeff answered, glaring at the "AMMUNITION DEPLETED" warnings blinking over the external weapon controls. "We will lose defense shields soon. Try to hurry."

A sharp cracking noise came from the dashboard, followed by the tinkle of tiny fragments hitting the floor.

"Well, there goes the crystal," Celestia sighed, watching the pieces fall in dismay. "I can't protect the vehicle anymore."

Jeff quickly called Chris's ground squad on his headset. "Can you bring yours and Twilight's group up here and keep them off us for a few minutes?"

"On our way."

Rarity waited impatiently, the tank shaking and rattling around her while several monsters pummeled the external armor. Soon, there came the sound of intense rifle fire outside, and the pounding ceased.

Jeff called back to Rarity. "They've got us covered for now. Try to finish quickly!

"I'm on it!" Her soldering laser hissed and zapped, moving minute fractions of an inch under her careful guidance.

***

Outside, Chris had crammed into Twilight's APC with everyone else, and they had driven quickly up the slope, piling out to clear the area. Now ponies and humans stood around the Overwatch tank, hoping Rarity's modifications would give them a chance at survival.

Chris took a deep breath and let it out slowly, monitoring the ammo counter in his ARHUD between trigger pulls. The mindless, terrifying enemies kept approaching, grinding the falling bodies of their comrades into the dirt.

"I hope Rarity can get this done quickly," Emmy said, picking off targets next to him with her rifle.

"You and me both."

Just then Jeff's voice came over their ARHUDs. "It's a go! Get to your positions! Remember everypony, you must be on top of the tank, keep your ARHUD within eight feet of the cannon."

"Roger that!"

Marky and the Mane Six scattered, each pony heading for a different beam tank.

Seven tanks, seven ponies.