Author's Note
When you hit the dear Red Eye part listen to this
Reapers
Project Horizons: Reapers
Log update1 to Fillydelphia, Vermilion of the third flight wing speaking.
Hoofington has given me mixed feelings Red Eye, while it’s a place of riches from the war it’s also a damn death trap. Poisonous fields of taint, more deadly wildlife then I care to count, the Steel Rangers are even more violent here than usual. And to top it off we’re not liked by anyone here, we’ve been receiving negative comments from several locals.
Our first contact after we sent up camp was with scavengers fishing up by the lake, we captured them and began questioning them. One was a former ganger and the other was a trader of sorts, both refused to question the area until we used more “convincing” means. Most of the information we extracted was similar to the briefing we got before coming here, but there were a few differences of note that our spies failed to pick up on.
It appears the Hoof is currently going through a cold war between the Steel Rangers and the gangs of the Hoof. Both sides are building and stockpiling weapons for the day of some great battle. I think it would be beneficial for us to use this rivalry to our advantage, Sir.
On a side note, our patrols over the last few days have encountered raiders and gangers more than usual. At first it would seem simple just to capture them and send them back to Filly, but these Raiders were more violent and tough to take down. All encounters end in dead raiders but it takes a lot to put them down, it’s like they can’t feel pain or something. Whatever affect these raiders made them something fierce, maybe we could send a body to Doc in Filly.
But ultimately we’ve started to build a base, within a month we should have an operation going and a presence in the Hoof.
Vermillion of the third Wing signing out.
Log update2 to Fillydelphia, Vermilion of the third flight wing speaking.
It’s been a few weeks since we’ve started operations here, the base is not complete yet but the defenses are set. Talon and air balloon patrols keep the trash and wild animal away. Still, we get the crazy beasts around here attacking us ever so often, apparently tainted super ghouls are a thing here, {Wonderful). Besides that we’ve made contact with several settlements around the Hoof, some have refused to work with us while others see us as good business partners. Society and Paradise have open communication with us and are making deals.
Trade has started with Paradise with a nice flow of slaves coming in, in exchange for weapons and bomb collars they’ve become a good trading partner. As for the Society, we will trade some of our slave stock in exchange for their food, this way we can keep the troops fed without a supply line to Filly.
Other factions of the Hoof seem to be worried of us, Steel Rangers and gangs keep their distance, the Finder Keepers traders will only do business with us from the safety of their hubs. The Collegiate has banned us from their medical center. But what seems to make my feathers peck, even more, is that we’ve had little contact with the group known as the Reapers.
The Reapers are the dominated power here yet we’ve met none of their members around the Hoof. At first, I thought it was because there were few of them but now I’m not sure, I will send scouts up to monitor their headquarters. Apparently, it’s an old sports area. Hump, gangers always chose the worst hideouts.
As for our secondary objective here, we’ve collected several containers of Taint already. I would ask that Filly send more hazard suits, we lost a good number of slaves in the gathering process and it’s hard to replace them.
As a side note some of the crew have been complaining about the contest rain here, seems every few days it showers. Some of our equipment gets waterlogged, add on the effect that it floods a lot around makes doing our operation harder. Really only flyers can perform duties on some days, honestly makes me wonder if the damn feather heads up there want to flood this region.
Maybe they want to keep anyone out, keep ponies away from that tower. Anyway, that’s this month’s report.
Vermillion of the third Wing signing out.
Log update 3 to Fillydelphia, Vermilion of the third flight wing speaking.
Things have progressed slowly Red Eye, but things are still on schedule. However, we’ve had some trouble lately. Several scouting parties and search and capture bands have gone missing. Not unexpectedly, we thought the dangers of the Hoof got them but we never find any bodies, nor do we find their weapons or armor being sold around the Hoof. It’s like they just disappeared.
I request more professional mercs be sent then mercs we hired, maybe those ponies in the Bloody Herd could do well here since their from Tottenham to them this place must seem like home.
Another problem we’re having is entering the tunnel system in this city, and attempting to secure a tunnel that can be used to further our operation here has met with failure. The tunnels of this cursed city have to be on the list of the deadliest places in the Wasteland. Between zombie ponies, robots, and defense systems they are death traps to enter. Our teams have recovered some useful data from the tunnels like old magic weapon designs and never used Talismans. We will be sending them on the next train cart out.
Honestly, boss, I don’t think we should set up a permeated operation here. Between dangerous environments and the locals not warming up to us any attempt to have full control of this area will be an uphill battle. Perhaps instead of setting up here, we could form an alliance with a faction around as we did in Baitmare.
We could make pacts with Usury, she seems interested in more than just trade. We could use her as a means to get a claw hold into the Finders, take control of trade in this region. Usury could make a good region for the Hoof, she’s a good eye here.
Well, that’s this month’s report, I will be sitting up at a radio tower in the next few weeks so these reports would have to switch to the communications department.
Vermillion of the third Wing signing out.
Vermilion of the third flight wing calling in, report 4
The last week has been a pain in the claw. Between the rain, the society walking back on our deal, and a shipment going missing things have been bad. But the real problem is the gangs, we made an example of a few of them that tried to muscle in on us but all that did was kick the Sprite nest. Now all the gangs have declared us enemies, are patrols get harassed, are workers get kidnapped. This all came to a head last week when one of the gangs launched an attack on the base.
We beat them of course but this sent a message. They don’t want us here and they’re making sure we know that. I think we should send a message back, the headquarters of the gang that attacked us isn’t far, a shock and awe tactic should tell them how we operated.
I request two wings and one company should do the job, once they see what a drop of our forces can do they will stay in their little hideouts, hell maybe some will join us.
On a side note about the “special” agent since I know Red Eye’s been asking. She’s been helpful a lot actually, she’s been providing us with information and even some juicy bits about the core. Though she hasn’t been able to access it yet she’s found a lead that could help.
Gotta say boss I don’t like her, she doesn't act like the others of her kind. She’s weird, she is calmer and gentle than any of them I’ve met yet, how should I put this? There’s just something not right about her, she just feels wrong. Two weeks ago when she brought us a set of Ranger as prisoners in full armor we were in shock and asked how she captured them alone. Her only reply “To catch a Timber Wolf you don’t hunt it, you set a trap for it. Create bait to lure it out, I simply created bait that’s all.” I never knew any of those creatures to be that clever, what the chilling part is when one of the prisoners tried to resist she just stared at them with the coldest stare I’ve ever seen and they obeyed us without question.
Boss, the fear in their eyes was something else. When she left they seemed relieved as if being in our custody was better than being in hers, couldn’t even get a read on her from them, whenever she was brought up they would go into a panic attack. I don't know what breed of pony this one is boss but she worries me.
Vermilion of the third flight signing out.
Vermilion of the third flight wing calling in, report 4
We stuck fast and hard boss that that ganger trash didn’t see coming. That company you sent has been doing a great job. I think there are promotions coming. Hang their bodies as a display along the main road, that should send a clear message. Though it wasn’t a clean victory, some escaped through tunnels they owed, plus we lost a lot of some good griffins in the fighting.
However, there was one thing of note that worried me a lot. Our forces suffered a lot esnot to most of the gang but from three ponies alone before being put down by anti-material rifle fire. These ponies were part of the gang by their colors but they wore strange combat armor than the rest of them, looking like some weird fusion of those old hoofball uniforms from the posters and Zebra armor. Almost no fire except for the rifles and minigun took them out, but what’s scarier is how they fought. They didn’t fight like normal Wasteland trash, no, they fought like real soldiers.
They used ambush tactics, hit and run tactics, and flanking. In all my 30 years of being a Talon working in the Wasteland, I’ve only seen three groups do that, all of them were remnants of the Equestrian military. I believe these were Reapers gangers but they don’t match any record we have on them, from what I remember in briefings and the Wasteland survival guide the Reapers are just some gang made of all toughest ponies in the Hoof nothing more nothing less. But these ponies fought like Talons, should I add that two of them had stealth abilities.
I found myself facing one and the bastard nearly took my wing off, but I was fast on the draw. Still but the fear of death in me, I’m gonna send the pieces of armor we savage back to Filly, maybe someone can take a look at these, find out what made them so damn tough.
On a side note, our agent has informed us that she has found a way to get to the core. However, she says this information is only to be shared with Red Eye personally and she can’t leave the Hoof for some reason. She wants a line to the boss I’m not sure I can trust her, I will allow of course but I have my eyes on her.
Vermilion of the third flight signing out.
Vermilion of the third flight wing calling in, report 5
I heard Stern’s order and I agree with it, its time we teach these Reapers the might of Red Eye’s army, and with the new shipment of heavy weapons Filly sent they should be no problem. Just in time too, those bastards killed one of my flyers and sent his head back with a message on it.
“Leave.” Was all it said but we got the message. I’m gearing up two wings and half dozen platoons for the job, a night attack would do best. When they get a rude waking those damn whole Hoof will be in shock.
I’ve pulled all patrols into the base until it’s done, don’t want to leave our operation open to a counterattack. Also, your “special” agent showed up today, she told me that this plan was doomed to failure and that it would ruin the operation here. I got a little angry at that and explained to her nicely. “If these orders come from up top if you have a problem with it go to Filly yourself. If not, get back into the field agent.” At that, she got quiet and just nodded.
Guess she isn’t completely all tough under that calm exterior. Anyway, I need to prepare the troops for our assault so this report will be shorter than my last one.
Vermilion of the third flight sighing out.
Hello! Hello! This is captain Maria of the Second Wing calling! It’s crazy, just crazy what happened to us. They came out of nowhere from all sides, we weren’t ready for them but they knew we were coming. They attacked with weapons that just tore through us like we were nothing, they even had fucking monsters helping them. One of them was a mutant dragon that turned guys to stone, another was some red zebra that tore us apart with her bare hoof. They even had a robot Steel Ranger on their side.
We fought as hard as we come but just killed us like Radhogs, even the Talons suffered when the enemy grew bat wings and started FUCKING FLYING! We’ve lost almost half of the task force sent here, most of whose left is in the base. Damn! Why is this happening to us!
Vermilion is severely injured, he’s missing a wing and an arm. Some yellow pegasus bitch rips them off with her bare hooves. I recovered him but just barely. Everything went to shit, I’m charging now so I’m making the decision to cut our losses and retreat.
This operation is completely a failure lord Red Eye we can’t fight them, I’m sorry but we’re taking the next train out of here.
…..Wait what’s that?
By the great egg! They're already here!
----Transmission lost--------
Dear Red Eye,
love and wishes from your friendly sports conch Big Daddy.
I just wanted to say hi and thank you for gifts. How did you know it was tryout season for the Reapers, we needed test dummies for practice and you just kindly gave a whole shipment of them, so for that, I thank you.
As for thanks I will be sending back one of them to you. Your griffin boy was very broken up but don’t worry my ponies fixed him up good but you might want to give him a check-up. Also, we will be keeping all the workers and toys you brought here, thinking they will be better in good hooves like ours.
Oh if your thinking about sending more gifts for us, next season. Don’t, I don’t think your toys are up to our level of training yet we may break more of them. I think you should only send your best shipment of practice dummies, and make sure there are a lot of them. I'd say 10 for every Reapers just so every pony gets a tryout, okay?
Oh maybe next time send some of those Alicorns things up here, we haven’t had many chances to practice on them, we wonder if they will be as good as your Talons. Those overweight chicks really gave our flight teams some fun and games. Also, come yourself next time, I really want to meet you, we can sit down, I will get you my special drink. And we can have a good old toss pony match.
Sincere yours, Big Daddy Reaper.
