Fallout Equestria: Ballad of a Rogue Ranger

Chapter twenty-four: Offence

“So, this what pony does at night?” Riff asked as she finally got done looking over the improvements to the armor, as I worked inside it on my own drawing.

Namely the cannon on the side that almost matched her launcher in size. After my nights work, and a quick nap. I got right down to it, and looked over what I could of the map on my PB for any and all details I could give on the port. There wasn’t much to go off of with the line drawings on its screen, but I did get some sense of what we were up against.

Most ports back then were amped up in protection during the war, for reasons that should be obvious. Shipping was by far the best way to control supplies in most cases, and if the Zebras could hit Equestrias’ goods then I’d put a decent dent in their whole grand scheme.

“And will all that work be enough for this next venture?” Deacon kicked his hind paws up on the table, already having gotten a lay of the land.

It didn’t take them long to figure out what the next move was, and even less time for it to be shot down by the three of them the moment it left my lips. Facing a patrol here and there, or even the occasional squad of rangers was one thing. The few times I’ve done so, either had the drop on them or a more hellish support. This however, was attacking them outright on their home turf.

“It sounds crazy,” I knew it did.

“Understatement,” Tumble added on, and she was right, “but you have to have something more planned than knock on the door and ask to leave under your belt.”

You could say that, but I’ll save that for when the moment is right, “the fact is these guys won’t let somepony like myself go, I mean look,” I presented them the suit.

Broken down, built back up, and repaired every way imaginable. Then improved more than any ranger outfit in the area, it was a skill the wastes didn’t quite have. Plus, one the rangers could solely control all to themselves.

“They use power armor, that’s their biggest strength. All the guns and tech in the world don’t help if you can’t protect it,” the armor was an icon to them even during the war itself, and them trudging around the country in it only solidified that, “if they can find a way to improve it, then they’ll stop at nothing to do so… and the first step in all that is me.”

I’d call myself egotistical, but then again how many out here could say they had the same background?

“The last thing they need is any more power, especially with the ideals of their Elder at the helm,” the sour taste Snatchback left on my tongue lingered, even with him miles away.

Literal generations of the same ideal to bring the country back under rule by force, passed from grandfather, to father, and to son. Putting order in to things sounded like a good idea, but not when a hoof hadn’t even been lifted to start with, and yet you still wanted more power for yourselves.

I replayed the conversation I had with the Elder, how he wanted me to do the same to the rangers what I’d done to Rogues suit. Join their ranks, upgrade their chess pieces, and sweep the board. These three had already seen the rangers for what the wasteland made them, and although it wasn’t said out loud. Their faces said enough, they didn’t need better pieces.

Deacon went from kicked back to leaning over the table really quick, and took what looked like a closer interest in my little diagram. “The guy sounds like a charismatic, whack job… I should know, one raised me,” almost as if he was studying it, the talons of the gryphon started to dance over the drawing, “besides killing them all, how you plan on kicking them off the hill?”

I’m glad you asked, “The C.E.S. Cadance that’s moored there is their main base, but for a ship that size it’d need an actual pier to dock at,” the articles I read of it didn’t have any pictures, but there was at least statistic listed. my horn reached out and brought over the broken pencil I’d been using for this lesson plan, “and with some decent understanding to ships, you need fuel…” that was a given for any war machine the country had in its arsenal.

Along the largest pier I had drawn out, I put another line spanning the length of it. Coal was the driving force for fuel in the country, though liquids burned so much better for a ship that size. Plus, you didn’t have to worry about boiler explosions like you would from a normal steam engine. After some arcane engineering, it didn’t take much for both Equestria and its norther cousin to turn the solid fuel in to that liquid that could work on water.

“The Crystal Empire was ferrying supplies down to Equestria for a good part of this war, and her ships needed a way to top off… that’s were these lines come in,” I pointed to the one I’d just made, “even if there’s just fumes left inside, the right spark would blow the line all the way down its length.”

Behind me I heard a pair of hooves, and there upon the stairs was Alimite as she came in to join the party. She hadn’t heard this part of the plan, no matter how much she pried the night prior. Judging from the intrigue, the mare looked about as eager to hear what I was formulating as my friends did.

“Define… right spark?” I didn’t know if it was by reflex or not, but Tumble took a step back.

Now seemed a good time as any, and with a whisk of my horn I pulled a little trophy out from my cot. The Balefire Egg sat there on table, in all its envious glow. Something that made everyone there follow suit with the mare.

“I did say I could probably rig it as a bomb,” if only they could see the grin on my face, “Go in, plant bomb, destroy pier, get out… and maybe, break something on that ship as well.”

“What about other pier?” Riff added.

“None in this area that I know of,” unless somepony got a bee in their bonnet and built one while I was on ice, “even if there is, it’ll still put them at a greater distance than they are now.”

With a little bit of luck, they’d find a port far enough away that I’d be more of a hassle than anything to try and get to. Elder Snatchback was vengeful, but how much of a grudge could one pony hold?

Each of them looked to one another, then back to the map, to me, and one another again. This was asking a lot from my group. Coming along for the ride to find a mare was an adventure, working in a town to help out was noble in its own right, but taking on an entire faction of ponies? Just how far were they willing to follow me, till someone said they were done?

Apparently, this was the line, and Deacon shook his head before making his way to the stairs… “You don’t have to help if you don’t want,” I called out to him, and watched the gryphon stop mid step, “I know it’s asking a whole hell of a lot more than rescuing a pony from slavers.”

He turned back around to face me and- why were you looking at me like that? “What? You think this is where I call it a day?” those words appeared to be said around a laugh caught in his throat, “I live for this kinda shit…” spoken like a true adventurer, after that Deacon started back towards the stairs.

“Then where are you going?” Tumble took the words out of my mouth.

“You all suck at math… attacking an entire ranger port with, what? A group of four?” semi-solid plan or not, it sounded stupid when you said it like that, “I’m going to pull some strings, and see if I can get some support… or get shot, it could go either way.”

Before I could ask any more, his tail slipped away. So, this wasn’t where the line was drawn… don’t know if I should be thankful for the bunch I’ve run across, or worried about their mental health. For now, I’ll just be thankful. Tumble took hold of Riffs’ paw, and started dragging her along. Something about stocking up on munitions for the trip, Celestia knows we’ll need that fire power.

“Now, what can I do?” Alimite asked as she stepped up to the plate, “I need to hang back here, tend to my actual duties, though I want to do something.”

Let’s see… what was the most useful tool in an attack plan, besides weapons? “Can you get me information?” any strategist would tell you the same thing, “something on the port, layout, defense.”

Her hoof touched the end of her chin as she thought, “That… I might be able to do, there are some pre-war ghouls in town that might be familiar,” ahh yes, somepony like Mabel might be able to answer a few questions.

Now that the gears of the machine were ticking away, and with everypony else doing their part. It was my turn, the Balefire Egg hovered next to me as I made my way towards the stairs. Though I couldn’t help but see the worried look in her eyes from the munition, and to myself.

“Where are you going with that thing anyway?”

“Well, I have to make a bomb,” I just hoped one of these would be enough, “and I’d much rather not do that in the middle of town.”

***

Hours of tinkering, planning, and packing later. We found ourselves hiking out of town westward bound. How Mabel carried 14.4mm but not a Balefire Egg Launcher, I would never know. For now, the ADAC was fully stocked up, and we were all happy adventurers along the trail. At least three of us were, Deacon had flown off earlier the night before and promised he’d meet us just outside the port. Not that we were a hard bunch to find, though him possibly getting shot did have me worried.

He was already gone, and there was nothing I could do about it now except get to the task at hoof. My bomb was packed away in the sack draped over my back, and every step we took made the pair with me a little bit nervous as it jostled around. A perfectly safe munition, now dressed up with a makeshift timer to match. Though that makeshift part was probably what had them worried in the first place.

I’d come through on my end for the plan, Riff was stocked up, and Tumble had ample enough rounds for Mercy. Even Alimite was able to get me a bit of info to work with. Whatever ghoul she talked too knew their stuff. Apparently, they’d been there the day the bombs fell and held up at the port for safety. With its walls and fencing around it, plus the round about security at the time. There was little the Zebras could do during the war to get in and sabotage supplies.

After the war though, somethings just happened. Like a ship going off course and ramming in to one of the sea walls along the waterfront. According to the ghoul it happened a week after the bombs while the dust was still settling, and in the few times he’d been back before the rangers took over. That ship hadn’t moved an inch, but left a break in the ports’ defenses as it beached itself.

With my map brought up, I put a marker roughly where the ghoul had said the ship was, giving a nice waypoint to follow as we trudged through the morning sun. “We should get there towards the evening,” give or take a few hours or so, “with any luck, Deacon shouldn’t have to wait for very long.”

“Assuming he still makes it,” Tumble didn’t seem to trust whatever plan the gryphon was cooking up on his own, “one of us should have gone with him, just in case.”

I’m sure you would have liked that, “or it would have made negotiations harder for whoever he’s talking with to have myself and Riff there over his shoulder,” I saw her about to throw a hoof up, “and we’ll need your eyes, if we’re hoping to get even close to the place before all hell breaks loose.”

Tumble was the only one with a scope, and any sense of tact when it came to sticking to the shadows. For as many times as she reminded me of that, you’d think she’d remember it herself, “Alright you got me there.”

“Pony worry too much,” Riff gave her a pat on the shoulder, and not one Tumble was welcoming by the look on her face, “her turkey be fine… smart bird.”

Less than an hour out on the trail, and I already had one mare about to go in to cardiac arrest… or strangle a hellhound. As entertaining as the latter would be to witness, my eyes stuck to the map and ignored the pair bickering around me. Somepony had to plot a course after all, and to tune the pair out I just kicked on the DJ.

***

Just like the ghoul said, that vessel had punch right through the sea wall and done some damage to the ports’ defenses. There was a gap in its outer wall more than thirty feet wide from the bow of the ship running ashore into it. A clear weak point, and the Rangers knew it. Guards had been posted like I expected, but nothing compared to the actual main gates the compound had.

“I see… two,” Tumble relayed from scope as she looked over the ship, “Nope, make that three, actually on the ship itself.”

Too bad they didn’t make suppressors for anything we were carrying, short of her carbine. Whelp, option two, “Riff, you’re up,” she grinned a little too much at that.

The outside of the wall had largely been littered by everything from wagon ruins to craters of shells detonated long ago. It wasn’t ideal cover, but when was it ever? Those holes in the ground were still enough to cover both my frame and the hellhounds’, Tumble stayed back along the brush incase things got heated for us. For now, I had to wonder how it was us two who were being the quiet ones.

We stopped and watched the one guard up top take a long look out at the ground around us, and his visor scanned the surrounding. E.F.S. was great and all, but sometimes it would still mess up when it came to readings. Most things that moved with any form of aggression it could detect, but if you hunkered down, or moved more carefully. Then the spell in its matrix wouldn’t so much as give off a peep. A design flaw I heard off all too often, and one these rangers didn’t quite pay attention to.

Once his eyes were off of us, me and the hound got back too it and scurried our way to the edge of the vessel, as she stuck close to the brush built up around it. The first ranger I saw on my own visor was just around this corner, and in the lighting, I had to try something with him. Another step, and I was face to face with the pony.

“Ahh!” we both yelled for a moment.

“State your name and rank!” he shouted, aiming the LMGs on his side.

So far so good, “Knight Blaze, Sir,” I popped to attention, “sent here to relieve one of the rangers…” the suit wasn’t a perfect match to theirs, but at this time of night…

“Knight?” he paused for a second, and scanned over me, “how the hell did a knight get issued weapons like that?” I saw his bolt draw back once as he waited for my answer.

And… ya got me there, “…Riff…”

The ranger didn’t have enough time to yelp, let alone shoot back before the paw of the hellhound reached out and clasped around his throat. Those claws she was gifted worked just as well as her counterparts, and like that the husk of the ranger was dropped to our feet as something was ripped clear of his neck. Clean kill? Not judging from the shimmer of blood I was getting from my view. Though it was quick enough to keep the others there-

“What's all the commotion?” another voice called just past the hellhound.

Fine! Not quick enough. Bounding past Riff put me to the muzzle of the next ranger as he turned the corner, and my shoulder found his chest. Slamming him in to the side of the haul gave off a resounding clank like a hammer, but something like that at a port hopefully wouldn’t draw much attention. My hooves held him in place, as the colt tried to level his guns too me. Up until a paw passed inches by my head.

So, steel ranger armor, or the haul of a ship. In either case, hellhound claws could go through it. Riffs passed straight through his helmet and the ships siding, neatly pinning his head to the bulkhead as I slunk away and his body stayed in position dangling. I mean, there were probably worse ways to go by her hoof. Though one, two… that left.

“Halt right there!” number three, who as I turned stared down at us from the catwalk, “Don’t fuckin’ move, or so help me,” his missile launcher spoke for himself.

From this side of the ship, I was hoping Tumble could see the predicament, an AMR might raise the alarm, but in the end, it gets us out of- what sounded like muffled pffts broke out and the ranger jerked where he stood. After another sway, his suit fell towards the railing and pushed through it to meet us on ground level. Riff pulled her claws free, as I trudged up to the body. Along the back of its helmet were quite a few holes I’d grown familiar with… though that meant.

“Miss me?” the gryphon called from above us, as he glided down from the catwalk. Under one wing held a sacrificial pillow with cotton prodding out from a hole, “I’d have let you know I was on board, but these guys never seem to take a break.”

Makeshift suppressor, and AP rounds make for a lethal combo. Good thing he was on our side, and speaking of our side. From over the ports ambient noise, I heard the approach of a few unarmored hooves.

“Glad ya made it…” Tumble smiled at him, before both her and myself looked to either side of the gryphon, “though where’s this help you mentioned?” he didn’t have any new holes in him, so the get shot option was off the table.

“Trust me,” he passed her a wink, “They said they’ll come when the show starts…”

I had one hell of a beacon to light off to get their attention then. Together the four of us climbed to the bridge of the ship, giving us a bird’s eye view of the port itself… or at least close to it. My design might have been just a tad off when it came to scaling, but you get the gist of it. This place received all kinds of goods and supplies from the Crystal Empire during the war, to some of my drawing might pale in comparison.

One thing was for sure, I probably got the ships scale closest.

Out of everything to take in of the place. From the patrols of rangers along storage warehouses, to pallets and pallets of steel being brought down the pier. My eyes set on the pride of the Empire herself, the C.E.S. Cadance sat right where Tungsten said she was… What he failed to mention, was that ship was a loose term in this case.

That, was a submarine.

It might not have measured up to Equestrias’ own battleships, but for going underwater the thing was still as long as the pier itself. Plus, about two piers in width if I had to take a guess. There weren’t any guns along her top that I could make out, though you wouldn’t need em under the surface. What I did see, were the clean-cut outs and painted outlines that marked its main armament… Balefire missiles.

The Crystal Empires unspoken trump card should things have turned south… I hated being privy to knowledge at times. It’s amazing what someponies from work would talk about at the bar after a few drinks. Ponies made the megaspell, Zebras made the bombs, and to protect their own lands the CE put them onto a sub hidden under the waves. How many of those still worked after nearly two centuries I didn’t want to guess.

I thought this was supposed to be a supply ship. Yet, somepony way back when decided to take those supplies underwater… clever. Screw that particular pony for giving the rangers a base, but still clever. The Zebras wouldn’t be able to target those ships if there weren’t any to see, and if the Crystal Empire wanted, they could appear less involved in the war.

My eyes would have remained gawking at her glory, if it wasn’t for a tap to my shoulder. “What color were fuel lines normally painted back in your day?”

“Umm…” okay think damn it, somewhere out of all the newspapers and magazine articles I’d read, baring the political ones, I’d had to have seen… “Yellow? if I recall.”

“Then you had to have been here before,” her head started to shake for a moment before scanning with her rifle, “I found a pipe going the length of the pier, that should be it then.”

Even from here with just the suits view I could see that semi-rusted line running parallel to the Cadance. It’d be nice to have letters on the side that Tumble could read to confirm it, but I’d take the educated guess. There weren’t many other things it could be, a ship that size produced everything it needed but food and fuel. Plus, by the looks of things it led to a small building with other pipes running in to it from along the port. I’ll take pump station for a thousand?

“So, I’m up?” Deacon flared his wings out and gave them a light flap, “Fly in, drop the bomb, fly out, and blow the place so we all move in.”

Sounds so straight forward don’t it? Just one problem, “Until they saw you in half, the bomb’s heavy… I could hear Wilds’ suit whining from the weight all the way here,” Tumble pointed out to him, which mostly was my fault, I might have added a little something extra to it besides the Balefire part, “you’re not gonna be as agile as you normally would.”

Deacon’s beak shut shortly after that; he knew it as well as I did. A gryphon’s best friend was the same as a Pegasus, speed. If you slowed one down, then they were sitting ducks… no pun intended.

“So? Keep eyes off air,” Riff brought her 40mm back around to her front, “give eyes somewhere else to look, once they do, you go in and put toy.”

That’s more like a plan… even if I saw exactly where this was going. Still, it would draw their eyes away from the gryphon. Typical magicians’ trick, being played on highly trained soldiers. With a word of advice to put the bomb in that pumping station, and our overwatch staying with Deacon till we were situated. Myself and Riff looked out at the entire port we had to cause a ruckus in.

“Just like the stable, eh?” I cracked my neck, and looked for a place to start.

“Yes, but ponies shoot back,” as if I needed a reminder for that.

No point in hanging out here, right? The pair of us slid down the outer bank towards the interior of the port. Shipping and receiving was its life blood, and even after almost two hundred years, there were enough crates and rusted out containers to give scrap to the whole wasteland. For now, they’d serve a different purpose.

The maze of metal around us might have obstructed any view to patrols milling about, but it did the same to them. My E.F.S. brough three red bars in to place on the other side of this container, and my visor turned with them as they continued their patrol towards the end of the structure. Our steps were controlled, theirs marched as if they were stomping the ground itself. Riff didn’t have my eyes, but she was smart enough to figure out what I was getting at. The trio that rounded and met us had only a split second to realize what they were facing.

And that was too little too late.

ADAC went right off the rip and its first shell tore one rangers’ shoulder in half before his buddy opened up with a mini on me… sorry bud, mines bigger. His 5mm scattered across my platting, but for every shell I fired he met mine with a dozen. Slower rate of fire be damned! My mini before might have taken smaller bites in to plating, but the 14.4mm tore chomps from armor like a ravenous Timber Wolf! Every shell that left jerked me to the side, enough so that my hind hoof almost had to plant itself to keep the round on target… yeah, something I’d have to get used to.

Although, between mine and Riffs, I couldn’t tell which was carrying more explosives in its payload. As husks of their armor fell to the ground, with little bits of pony falling around us to join. I had to stop for a moment look over my inventory… and just like I guessed, Armor Piercing Explosive Composite Ridged. For when something absolutely cannot live to see tomorrow. Surprisingly overkill in this case, and I gave a twist to the bit as the gun cycled back to the normal rounds.

Regular Armor Piercing, as if those wouldn’t be enough.

Yep! That was an alarm if I ever heard one, and that was even more bars popping up now. Subtly was taking a back seat on this one, we had to get their attention. Something Riff was more than happy to do as her barrel pointed skyward, a quick burst from her let loose as we went in the opposite direction. Those bars were going towards where the gun shots were heard originally, and it wasn’t long before a few more explosives went off in the distance. I’d have been impressed if that killed any of em, but it got their attention.

We’d galloped between the containers to either side of us, trying to play chicken with those bars as they appeared. E.F.S. never told you just how far something was, or if it was higher or lower than yourself. Just the direction you’d find it, for this place though it was enough… kinda. Above several types of rounds dropped down to meet us as we went, those rangers had climbed atop the containers and were happy to reign down everything from 5mm to .50 on us.

The latter was what I really had to keep an eye out on. Without Deacon here to patch me back together, I doubted I’d survive another one of those rounds. Ah hello! The barrel of an AMR shoved just past the window frame of one building overlooking our maze of containers. His shot went wide, but still was enough to blow out the crane arm between us. With the arm on the ground, ADAC let rip in to its structure and my hooves got ready to counter its fire.

Huh? That was getting easier already! Thank you years in the testing room! Thankfully AP shells were wonderful at cutting through wrought structure steel. AMR here probably wasn’t expecting that, and I switched back to the other rounds to drive the point home. Three, four, and five rounds should do it. The window he or she once stood now just poured out smoke as myself and Riff went by it. Yeah, serves ya-

Thump, Thump, Thump.

That… wasn’t from Riff…

40mm might not have hit me the chest this go around. Though it sure as hell felt like it did, and once again like before I saw the warnings start to flash about internal damage. Injectors triggered underneath the plating, and I was steadily reminded just how fragile ponies could be…

Warning: Concussion detected!

Warning: Torso compression identified!

I just said I was reminded of that already! My lungs were trying to knock the shockwave out of my system, although a concussion wasn’t high on my priority list, not while I couldn’t feel em from the pain killers. First, I had to pry myself from this container, then I’d worry about that. The Ranger responsible started in his charge as his barrel let loose a few more, but I had another trick.

His shells struck and blew me free of the container, though when he finally caught up. My shield had just started to vanish, leaving the shotty to meet him head-to-head. Whatever was left of my arcane protection shattered from my shells at this range. Just like his helmet did, as both the shield and his head disappeared in a snap.

Armor integrity: 83%.

Mother- “I just had you fixed!” I cursed to no one, got back to my hooves, and joined back up with the sound of 40mm in the distance. Eighty-three was better then what I had most of this journey, should I really be complaining?

My side stumbled in to wall of a container as I trotted through the maze. Fog was building up in my vision, and with a quick head shake I tried to set things clear. Meh… no luck, everything in front of me still was a blur. Never the less, that figure I’d remember from anywhere. A blob pushed past me, before swiping against my head.

Not help-! Actually, it was starting to clear now, “Wild alright?” Riff asked as she brought back her paw again.

“No! No, No… I mean, yes!” I held her paw away. There was still a pounding in my skull, but for the time being my eyes were on straight. Although I was really hoping they were kinda screwy… that was a lot of bars.

Even if an E.F.S. didn’t give distance, I didn’t need it to tell me those were getting closer. The ground beneath me was starting to shake from those thundering hooves, and already I felt like we sat still for far too long. A missile going off feet from us only solidified that mindset! Without the shield up to deflect it, shrapnel from the warhead did more than its fair share of damage to the suit as even more signs lit up over my HUD.

Warning: Internal bleeding!

Armor integrity: 69%

I had to admit, it was holding up better than I thought it would… myself? Not so much. The taste of iron filled my mouth, and spread over the inside of my visor as I coughed. There’s the internal bleeding it’d mentioned. One of my legs started to buckle as I moved, shrapnel must have gotten to it as well.

As I started to fall from trying to find some semblance of cover, Riff wrapped her paw around my armored tail. She didn’t look much better after that explosion, and down along her entire side I saw the streaks of blood trailing.

Though the hound didn’t look anywhere close to done, “Dog drag,” her heals locked back next to me, “Pony shoot…”

Ahh, wha-? oh shit that’s what you meant! Dirt, stone, and whatever other debris this port could muster kicked up behind us as the hound did exactly like she said. Riff might have been bleeding and battered, but she wasn’t about to let that break her stride. My hooves and stomach dragged against the ground, though the faces of rangers passing by looked about as stumped as I was.

She was pulling her weight, literally, my turn.

The rangers behind us that opened up hadn’t counted on having to hit a moving target this fast, most of their shots landed every which way around us. My ADAC didn’t have the volume to guarantee a hit, but the explosive shells it was carrying would more than make up for that. Another chomp to the bit later, and empty shell casings started to litter off my side down the trail.

I was really starting to hope Riff hadn’t banked on losing them… given the trail of spent munitions and armor parts that shattered from the shell’s detonation. It wouldn’t take a detective to find- Nope! I saw the AMRs’ barrel coming my direction on top of a crane, and instantly my hoof dug in to the ground. It might have jerked Riff off to one side, but it made their shot miss its mark.

Fine! I call your .50 and raise you 14.4mm… they might have gotten clear from my strafe, but with the arm they were perched on now cascading to the ground. I doubted they’d survive the fall. Others had something closer to match mine, and I heard the steady thumping in the distance. With the delay between launch and detonation, most the 40mm that came our way only peppered me with the shards of metal as they went off a bit too late to land a direct hit. Although, that was a more direct approach. One launcher I saw face us from above a mound of crates, and the ranger tried to get his bearings.

Both himself and the crates were turned to splinters shortly after a barrage of my own. However, his friends threw the stop and aim tactic out the window and decided for accuracy through volume instead.

I didn’t have time to return fire before their own landed amongst us, and lifted my flank clear off the ground from the shockwave of the combined explosions. Thank the goddesses the shield on this thing was quick to appear! That said, I was getting tired of flying all the damned time… at least now I had company.

With my flank off the ground, I rammed in to the hound and carried her along for the ride as we found our target. Our combined weight was more than enough to break the door of this warehouse off its frame, and together we found ourselves littered across the ground. Until my back slammed into a pile of crates and I got an inverted image of the door we went though. Not a clean hole, but it gave me a view of those outside making their way to us.

Riff was the first on her paws, bleeding from a few new wounds atop her head, and she unslung the 40mm under one arm. A few of those shells went off at the base of several more containers inside, tearing more of the actual door apart. While I righted myself back up straight, the doorway inside was filled with cascading crates.

Not a perfect barricade, but I had a moment, “I think we got their attention.”

Riff chomped away at a healing potion, and bit the cap clean off with her teeth, “Wild state obvious,” she rolled her eyes at me.

Whoever this backup was Deacon had placed, they were sure taking their time getting here. Though if they were going to kick back and wait, then I planned on using this time we had down to let the suit do its thing and patch away from the damaged getting here. They weren’t busting the door down just yet. Steadily healing potions were trickled in, and underneath all this plating that was patching up I could feel my body doing the same. Luckily the taste of iron was gone from my tongue.

Though where exactly are we? Looking around, I had to guess this was a warehouse to whatever they brought off the ships… duh. Brick walls, pallets upon pallets of stuff either before the war, or the rangers had found. By the looks of it, some of this stuff looked fairly newish…

And… what might you be?

Similar to the box I’d found the chem pump in, this one instead had the M.W.T. logo etched in its side. I might have a whole lot of rangers out there gunning for me, but I couldn’t help take a peek inside. Amongst the packing was a small box, and as the lid lifted off, I saw an ambient glow of familiarity. Tumble picked one out similar when I uncovered the gauss rifle, that was a sapphire though, this was a diamond matrix…

Whatever it was, I knew it was valuable, and the rangers would want it. By definition of that, it was better in my hooves than their own. Which went the same for the thing under this packing. My horn pulled the rest of the packing off, and… oh sweet Celestia!

“I need you to hold them off for about two minutes,” Riff looked about ready to throw me back out there at that request, but before she could I was already out of my suit.

“What pony doing!?”

“Just trust me!” this might be all worth it… or it’d give me a more spectacular way of leaping to my own destruction. The matrix I had to work in later, this I could take care of now.

Thrust talismans were a simple tool, used a lot in robots. Some genius a while back decided hey what if we threw this on power armor? Thus, the creation of this work of art. I hovered the mod over top the suit, and upgraded or not it still retained enough of its original frame to hold the modification. With it locked in place, I went about using my horn and hooves to finely place the different connections and controls. Wiring them up to my matrix so the suit would recognize the contraption.

With time to spare, my hooves were stepping back in to the suit, and I saw the newest addition light up across the display. Alrighty, so far so good. While I was sitting at 75%, now seemed a good time as any for a trial run.

“I’ll go high,” I eyed the skylight above, as my hooves kicked out and I let them flex a bit. Servos were still intact, and it was holding up the extra weight just fine, “You go low… bust through when I get out there and surprise em.”

If she was confused before, then the ports along the newest attachment lighting off with flames didn’t help any. My hooves were already off the ground again, and this time I was doing it on my own accord. The glass above gave way with just the slightest push, and as those panes fell the hound readied herself by the door. See, she learned pretty fast.

Cutting the thrusters off, my bulk dropped to the flat roof. For a moment I was worried about punching through, yet that Equestrian over engineering did me proud. As I crunched my way towards the edge, I could hear the steady clanks of those suits over the side. They hadn’t expected to be attacked, and certainly didn’t expect any creature to get up here while the main door was covered.

Down below I counted out at least three dozen or so rangers, all geared up and waiting for us to make a move inside… where they thought we were trapped. Past them, and more of the shipping containers, buildings, and other random assortment of junk. I could make out a number of rangers going about their own duties in the port. Clearly, we weren’t worthy of all their consideration, and they thought this’d be enough.

I needed to get their attention away from that door just long enough for her to get out, and join in. Through the HUD I found the DJs radio station reaching all the way out here still, hopefully there’d be something to get the blood pumping. I could really go for a shootie kinda mood right… now? This song I didn’t know, nice jaunty tune to it thou-

“This is your time to pay,

This is your judgement day.”

Well… that’s appropriate.

“We made a sacrifice,

And now its time to take your life.”

Oh, how fitting! ‘Time to be a hero,’ I hovered over my chem pump and gave myself a combo they wouldn’t soon forget.

“We shoot without a gun,

We’ll take on everyone.”

I don’t know about everyone, but I’ll take this bunch for now. After one step and a leap, I let gravity take over from there.

“It’s really nothing new,

It’s just the thing we like to do!”

They hadn’t expected this! With the heft of the suit behind me, my hooves dug in to the ground forcing several of those nearby to stagger. Those rangers were wide open, having still been staring at the door… their fault for not looking up. S.A.T.S. clicked on, and from this range, I was right in that butter zone.

“You better get ready to die!”

One, two, three, and four shells, four targets… and click!

“You better get ready to kill!”

Shotty rang true to those caught up in the spell as time stood almost still around me. Anything past this range would have been null, but from this close each pellet shattered full plates of their armor. The first went down without a hitch, when one pellet broke off the armor the ones that followed tore at the pony underneath. Leaving target one, two and three a bloody pulp trapped in a tin can. Number four was still standing up, though he was the furthest out of the bunch.

“You better get ready to run!

‘Cause here we c-o-o-ome!”

As the spell wore off, my hooves went after the fourth. Behind me I heard the sound of 40mm being lobbed, and I knew I wasn’t alone in this surprise attack any more. My hooves wrapped around number four, and tossed the ranger Riffs way. Stampede made me stronger, Dash made me quicker, but there wasn’t a combo in history that could let me slice through a pony like she could!

“You better get ready to die!”

I saw the look of surprise finally vanish from those other visors around me, and wouldn’t ya know it? My trump card was back up and at the ready!

“Get ready to die!”

Before the shield even went around me, I was spinning with the ADAC. Explosive rounds were still equipped, but in a hay day like this accuracy forgiveness made all the difference! Though why was I off the grou-?! Okay, still a friendly. Riffs’ paw clenched around my waist as she hiked me up to her hip. With me under one arm, and her 40mm under the other. Together we were a damned gun turret!

That three dozen quickly cut down to half those numbers in our view, and with my shield at least covering half her side. If they wanted to take a shot at my friend, they’d have to get in her sights first. Shots were pining around the suit, and into the shield letting little flickers of light dance over its exterior. Though that was about to change faster than I had hoped… Alrighty times up! My shield flickered away all too fast from the rounds still hitting it, and as Riff dropped me to my hooves, I hit the ground running.

The song kept going as my hooves matched the beat. Riff was on my tail, and so were the rangers left over that they’d sent. With the chems still in my system I thundered between the containers, and one ranger was unlucky enough to get in my path. Shotty let a shell or two off to stun him, but before his barrels raised back up, I closed the distance. Helmet met helmet, and I won that battle by a landslide as he was tossed end over end into another metal crate.

From the cranes jutting over those containers, I knew I was heading in the right direction. Passing by the last container, I was welcomed with the open port before me… and a number of pissed off rangers. They had a fair gap between us, but with their volume of fire both myself and the hound kept our feet going against the ground. From the corner of my eye, I saw some racing along the vacant pier opposite of the Cadance.

As my eyes drifted to a crane nearby… Ding! Idea!

14.4mm poured out, ripping in to the base of the machine. These things were created to hull literal tons of supplies at a time, not to take explosive AP rounds to their structure. Several shells later, and with a busting screech the years out in the weather with no care added up. One or two of those rangers weren’t so lucky, and past the dust that settled I saw a few of the red bars vanish underneath. Some of them didn’t take the hit it seemed, and already I saw hooves clambering over top the-

And poof… their dead? “What the shit?” sure enough two of the rangers that tried to get over the debris, now laid slain in the wreckage. I didn’t do that, and they weren’t missing half their armor so it wasn’t Tumble.

One gryphon landed on our side of the crane, head to talon adorned in armor with face covered… nope, not Deacon. His goggles went to those rangers, and back to myself. With one talon, he passed me and Riff a salute before taking off to the sky once more.

A stomp brought me to a skidding halt, and I turned to face those soldiers behind us. There were less than I remembered, the flashes in the air above gave a clear reason as to why. Well now, looks like our support was finally here! Though they weren’t gonna have all the fun still, so long as I was in the fight, I could ignore my chest vibrating like a washing machine. Getting shot at has a way of focusing your priorities.

I flipped back to regular AP rounds and S.A.T.S clicked back on the first target I could find. With a clear line of sight three shells triggered across the frame of a ranger. One crumbled his leg, the second knocked the wind out of him, and the third ripped most of his head clean off. His body joined those before him as the spell ran out, and I kept my mouth on the bit. Was I getting shot still? Of course, but boy did I feel invincible in this-!

The radio broke with static as something slammed into my side, and hauled me in to a shipping containers wall. Invincibility gone now, snapping back to reality! My barrel turned towards the ranger, but before I could take another chomp on either of my guns, he pushed them out of the way. Instead, I became a fairs strength test game as his upper cut met my jaw. There wasn’t a bell above me, but damn there might as well have been.

Armor integrity: 63%

Before my hooves even touched the ground, he was back on me, up close like this he knew I couldn’t use the guns. It I had to guess; he was more chemed up than I was. At least the Med-X was already pumping in my veins.

Warning: Med-X port depleted!

You really have impeccable timing with this shit! His hooves rocked against my chest, and I felt a few of those plates dent from the impact alone. That explains it, somepony has been tinkering. This colt said screw it to guns and went straight for melee combat. Hydraulic pistons clanked against his forehooves as he charged in for another swing… three, two… one! Shield went- silent, not ready yet, and his hoof continued without heed.

Have I mentioned hoof to hoof wasn’t my forte? My horn reached out and held his swing in place, but it barely slowed his momentum. That armored limb still cratered against my head, and sent it as well as my body spinning. I couldn’t taste the dirt my muzzle was in, but that might have been a tooth on the tip of my tongue.

His stomping behind me was getting louder so I had to think fast on this one. With a slip I managed to get out grasping range as I beelined towards another crane along the pier. The rangers’ hooves were hot on my trail, and with everyone else seemingly occupied with the either the air support or Riffs’ thumping. Myself and the ranger were left to dance on our own.

Almost, almost, almost! After a tackle from him both of us rolled underneath the machines frame. Once again, our hooves locked with one another and he dealt two hits before I knew what happened.

Armor integrity: 57%

The adrenaline was starting to wear off, or it was the chems… either case his hits were getting worse with every swing. I didn’t have pistons that powerful, but I did have thrusters! His swing I grabbed hold of, and when his next one came around, I kicked on the pack. Together we both took towards not the sky, but the base of the crane. It wasn’t a straight shot, and from my grip on him I heard the clank of every support beam smash against his suit as I brought him up past my own helmet.

Turning him in to a makeshift battering ram, all I heard was a crunch as his helmet caved in on itself. Both of us fell from there, myself a bit more gracefully as I landed on my hooves. As for him, his frame beat against a few more of those beams before meeting me on the ground. Yeah… helmets were not meant to be retractable like that.

Fluttering wings passed through the gunshots around me, and Deacon landed at the base, “Told ya they’d show…”

I know I know, “Not a moment too late,” his back was clear, which meant one thing, “is it planted?”

“Oh, you know it,” he twirled the pull-pin I set up to start the timer, and I felt my heart skip another beat.

No wait, that was the drugs again. My chest clenched, and even in front of him I couldn’t help but grasp it in pain. Was I relying on that shit too much? For this little fight I felt it was warranted, how long do ya think I’d have last against mister Boxer here if I didn’t have em? Deacon didn’t need to ask, and was already by my side holding my shoulders up as best he could.

The gryphons head started to shake at me, “Coming off a high sucks, I know,” he wasn’t fishing out any of that shot for me. So, either he didn’t have any more, or this was punishment, “how big is this bomb supposed to be?”

Through the visor I looked past the reinforcing beams of the crane, ya know the crane that just happened to be right next to the pier… with the Cadance. Once more my heart kicked into overdrive, and I grabbed hold of the gryphon with a hoof tossing him over my back. Alongside I saw the yellow piping I so clearly marked before, and kept my hooves going to an imaginary song in the back of my head.

Bomb making back in the day was an exact science. Too little or too much of one chemical, and you could change the reaction time from a few seconds to minutes or hours. Having a detonator was good, but you didn’t always have the option to make a reliable timer with programing. Now try doing that while working with paperclips, and cooking timers.

My hooves cleared edge of the pier as I saw the ambient glow of green flames off the containers in front of me. Light traveled far faster than sound, and just as soon as I registered the flash the shockwave hit. Carried by it, I tried to slow down before meeting the wall of metal, though there’s only so much you can do.

Deacon I spilled off the side to avoid the upcoming pain before I hit, as he took off with those wings. It was only with a last twist of a hoof did my back take the brunt of the impact. That was not a pleasant sound to be made as my whole body splayed against the container. Then again, it did give me a stage side seat to the show. The fuel line ruptured along the length of the pier as intended, but that had a lot more than fumes inside!

Still liquid fuel cascaded from this pier to the one next to it as it showered flames down, and past it all I could see the Cadance take a hit as well. Fire spilled over her deck, and whatever shrapnel was created from the blast left a few gashes in her hull. More importantly, the whole pier was going up like a tinderbox.

Equestrian over engineering or not, this port still used wooden beams as support posts. With the heat getting them, plus the weight of the surface itself, parts of it started to wane side to side and crumble. Piping and equipment over its structure fell into the waters below, there might have been a few rangers amongst them. Yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off the sight I’d created.

For a few more moments, all the gun fire around remained silent as I watched it all unfold, and just like that I found my heart finally beating a tune I could actually survive. I guess an oh shit moment was enough to smack the shit out of my system to clear the chems.

Alright, enough hanging out. I pushed against the container, and like paint I peeled free of it with a thud to the ground… and a stab to my back. Ugh, what was the chances of finding a physical therapist in the wastes? I could figure that out later, but scratch my earlier statement. The only thing I heard over the flames was the occasional shot in the night. With a scan of my E.F.S. around the area I noted a few bars still active, though while some moved far past my vision, others were snuffed out.

One though, I could see from here.

Across the bow of the Cadance, stood one suit. I didn’t have enhanced vision with this thing, but that suit looked cleaner and more ordain than any other. S.A.T.S. clicked on, but from this range nothing lit up as even a chance to hit. As I canceled the spell, all I could do was watch as the damaged ship slowly started to creek back to the waters. That suit was smiling at me, and from this range Snatchback was more than able to take a shot with his AMR.

Yet, nothing came of it.

All he did was stare my way for a good minute, never moving an inch from that space on the deck. In fact, neither of us moved from the others view. He’d seen what I could throw together in terms of an attack, upgrade the suit mid-battle after stealing their gear, and improvise weaponry against them.

All in all, it was a slap in the face of the rangers, and he wasn’t likely to let this offence slide that easily. I’d kill for my own AMR right about now… but before I could procure Tumbles’, he started backing towards one of the hatches and disappeared below the deck. As the sub continued to pull clear from the remains of the pier.

“You sure know how to get their attention,” I knew that voice, more notably I knew that beam rifle.

Staggs strode in amongst the embers and smoldering debris of the pier, flanked either side of him by half dozen other gryphons loaded for combat. Weapons cleaned and maintained, armor patched and repaired as needed, while even a few of them sported medical bags should one of their comrades need some help in the field. Now these guys, and girls, looked like trained mercenaries. Not like the ones that tried to take Deacon out along the road.

Speaking of which… my own trio met me there with them, gryphon included, “Any stragglers?” he asked towards his dad.

“Eh the boys are takin’ care of em,” Staggs rolled off his shoulders, “and I already got more of the gang picking up the goods.”

Wait… goods? “Ahh, I don’t follow here?” somepony, or gryphon, fill me in.

“Just payment,” Deacon answered as he came back up to my side, popped the panel and jabbed a needle inside my system. Oh, that felt good, the kink in my spine straightened out immediately from that impact. “Gryphons don’t work for free, remember?” unless it’s you, “so for their help, I said they’d get to loot the rangers and whatever gear they could carry.”

The gunners were well armed, but compared to the rangers it was like a candle light to a bonfire. Getting top quality arms was rightful payment in my book, especially if Staggs and his mercs were taking contracts even against them.

“Fair enough,” I turned my attention to the elder, “thanks then for the help.”

“Little Chicky does make a compelling argument from time to time,” amongst those gryphons behind Staggs, I could hear the snickering and the groan of my own friend. “Getting to kick the rangers’ ass was just a bonus… as for you my good sir,” he pointed a talon to me, passing a small bow, “keep up the good work.”

There wasn’t much that needed to be said after that, so all we passed to one another was a nod. Maybe now we wouldn’t have to run in to a merc trying to collect Deacons’ head, not after this payout. With Staggs and his group heading back in to the ports’ compound to meet their own means. That left my group there at the wreckage of a pier, with the Cadance only a silhouette in the dark.

“They’ll be back,” Tumble killed the mood right then and there, but she spoke the truth. Their ship was damaged, and they’d have to get it patched up somewhere. Though that somewhere wasn’t here, and I could live with that much at least.

“Eeyup,” I sighed at that fact, but with the pain in my back dulled now and me still breathing. I’d count this little sucker punch as a victory in my book.

Footnote: Level Up.

New Perk: “…And A Pony Jumped Over the Moon”- Technology is a wonderous thing! With the installation of an improved Thrust Talisman, you are now able to take to the skies for a short distance. Just remember to watch where you land… or don’t.