Nexus Effect

Ch.139

“Why haven’t they cleared this asteroid field if it’s so tightly clustered and conveniently trackable since it’s always in the way between Corneria and Fichina?” Joker scoffed at the idea of such a hazard being left alone when it wasn’t a whole asteroid belt and just a tightly-clustered field.

“The Lylat System, while advanced in some ways compared to us and the Empire, don’t have ready access to mass-destruction devices due to their limited resources from not being properly galaxy-faring yet. They’re keeping Meteo as-is mostly because once they have reliable FTL travel, they’ll need the resources from here then, not now.” EDI informed her husband and he shook his head in disapproval.

“That’s just political double-speak for not willing to front the cost of clearing this up. I’ve spoken to Slippy enough to know that the military’s favorite contractor has the designs of the Meteo Crusher from when they absorbed the enemy factories on Macbeth after the wars.” Joker rebutted as he flew his wife through the predictable flight patterns of the asteroids. He and his wife may be good enough to handle this place with ease, but he doubted most pilots and ships of the EDI’s size could do the same.

“Everyone here knows political BS wins over common sense, Joker.” Yeoman Kelly Chambers commented. The redhead was one of the few purely human crewmembers not on Penny’s team to take the empire’s modifications, turning her into a buxom amazonian ginger beauty. “If common sense was a pill, I bet politicians would be required to abstain from it as a ‘performance enhancing drug’.”

Everyone on the bridge snickered at Kelly’s joke, including Joker himself and EDI. “Indeed. I-oh! I’ve caught something on my sensors. Hadley, Matthews, confirm for me.”

“I can confirm on the starboard sensors we’re getting very familiar energy readings from what the Great Fox had on file about Aparoid energy signatures.” Crewman Richard Hadley reported and began coordinating with EDI to narrow down a vector.

“Thank you. Joker, move us in.” EDI ordered her hubby, who did as commanded by his wife like a good husband. “I can see something from here. The asteroids are going to be too small and erratic for me to weave through ahead. Order our Autobot Arwings to be ready to deploy.”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Please tell me you have starfighter training.” Paretia fretted as she paced in front of us, still wearing the uniform that Star Fox provided her instead of a proper hardsuit and armor.

“We Seekers have been put through the old training simulations, but we picked up a lot from being run through more advanced simulations devised by Slippy and Falco.” Minx declared, having been assigned to me since her ‘pilot’ Penny was preoccupied. Minx was one of Yola’s changeling daughters and was oddly petite and waifish by choice.

“That’s great, but I mean do any of your ‘pilots’ have experience?” Paretia stressed and I shrugged, having gone through the same basic simulation training as my Autobots have. It was mostly a formality, but since I can easily be the size or smaller of a starfighter, I was required to know how to move properly at that general scale. “Great, just please keep in mind that you all need to come back alive.”

“The Doom Marines didn’t just train us to fight demons, they also gave us fighter pilot training. We’ll be fine fighting against these drones.” Garrus insisted before we all began spacing apart. Only four of us were deploying, Paretia, Garrus, Yola and I. Out of everyone aboard besides Penny and Joker, we were the best pilots, so we were tapped for this team along with our Autobot Arwings.

“Ready, auntie?” Minx asked me perkily with her pink eyes shimmering in excitement while she did stretches.

“As ready as I can be, considering I’m used to being in your position. Also, cut that out. We all know that warming up doesn’t matter when using our alts.” I playfully chided my niece, who giggled and with the signature *Whirr-whoo-chi-che-chit!* She was now a sleek and beautiful Arwing starfighter.

“Climb on in, auntie! Mind the tailhole in the seat’s back. Aunt Penny didn’t like her tail getting all squished, so I had that worked in.” Minx said as I complied and indeed there was a tailhole in the lower back of the pilot chair. Is that not standard here when so many of the people here have tails to consider? It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but I could feel the cleft of my ass squishing into the gap as I buckled my harness and the canopy lowered.

“Okay Minx, I’m afraid I only have standard simulation training and my own floaty style of propulsion to work off of, so please take care of me if I don’t grasp you quickly.” I said to my niece as a countdown started on her dashboard, one that was likely to indicate when the EDI’s drop-bay would release us into the vacuum of space.

“No problem Auntie. I’ll help ease you into flying with me and don’t worry too much. Although Arwings are forward-propulsion machines, the multiple G-diffusion engines essentially make them almost as omni-directional as you or another Mass Effect driven vehicle, only more linear. You’ll get the hang of me-woo~!” Minx interrupted herself when the bay opened and dropped our strike force, which rocketed towards the Aparoid energy signatures.

Forget my concerns! This is fun!

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“There now. Do you feel better, my love?” Visilia asked Hunter as he and Juneau were staring at her belly after the matriarch of Hunter’s enormous family had enticed them into snuggling and rubbing her pleasantly hot massive womb. It was soothing to touch with it’s heat penetrating the flesh and warming them like a delightful hot sauna bath yet without water.

“For the most part, but that lockdown was starting to drive me crazy.” Hunter sighed as he leaned back in his seat on the recliner he’d fetched from his Inventory and let his body relax after his wife’s wonderful heat had soothed his nerves. “So, what has happened?”

“I have Urta and Penny in my womb.” Visilia chuckled as she rubbed her fecund sides. “And I may have taken out my frustrations on Nora and Yola.” Visi purred and hummed when her swollen abdomen swished about and an impression of a hand pressed against Visi’s own hands on either side while the demonic alicorn smiled beautifically.

“Uh, are you sure taking those two away from the team is such a good idea?” Hunter questioned as his blush showed through his fur, enjoying the view of his Queen looking heavily pregnant. Even though it was with another one of their Queens and potential Queen unbirthed inside her womb. It had been a while since he’d last seen Visi so matronly and serene.

“I’ll let them out once I feel they’re needed. I’m sure they can handle a few days or a month without Penny.” Visi casually replied, almost uncaringly. Hunter didn’t even need to skim her surface thoughts to sense just how little she felt Shepard’s team needed her around for everything.

“Well, if you say so.” Hunter shrugged, focused on the subject of the two sexy vixens currently swirling about within Visilia’s most intimate of places. “What about Runner?” Hunter asked as Visilia brought up the message.

“It looks like she has the prototype for the Anti-Hivemind up and running. She wants permission to test it out on the Aparoids. Specifically on a planet that’s infested with the buggers. Along with the progression of the cure, it seems to be coming along well enough, but it is still not ready.” Visilia replied as she thought about it. Trying to contact the Cornerian government would be a dodgy transaction, seeing as she might not be welcomed and seen as an enemy because of her ethnicity. At least, she assumed as much, since it was a common occurrence.

Not that she would blame them, she was a demon after all.

“I guess that could work.” Junaeu contemplated as she leaned on Visi’s womb, the tight red orb supporting her and warming her body like a heated cushion. “Mm~ so warm…”

“Hasn’t Corneria been overrun by the Aparoids? Wouldn’t helping them in retaking their homeworld be a boon?” Hunter suggested as he tried not to focus on the adorably sleepy expression on Juneau’s face as she snuggled against his demonic wife.

“I was thinking about that. However, they may think we are getting in the way or claiming it for ourselves.” Visilia countered his suggestion. “You know how reluctant some governments are in accepting help from complete strangers. Remember Ninia?” Visilia huffed and Hunter sighed at remembering the once-obstructionist demoness who ended up becoming a much beloved savior of Tartarus by being a major source of them repopulating once Corruption ended.

“True.” Hunter sighed as they thought it over.

“Um, any particular place this Runner wants to test this weapon out? Landmarks, buildings, et cetera?” Juneau asked as the two looked at her. “I mean, does she want to give the Cornerians a place where they can operate on the ground, without worry of getting overrun? Or find the most heavily infested place, like an Aparoid's nest, to test the effectiveness of said weapon?”

“Hm.” Visilia looked back at the message and scrolled through it. “Let’s see...yes, she has a few places in mind for the Cornerian Military to make ground combat a little more manageable.”

“Then I say to tell her to go through with it. The Cornerian Military won’t appreciate someone interfering, but in the end General Pepper and President Celestia won’t have any objections to a positive outcome. You being an equine would also be of interest to the Cornerian Government.” Juneau’s words confused the two alien visitors to this dimension.

“Why would that be?” Hunter thought back on his time on Zoness...he hadn’t seen a single pony besides Sunset Shimmer...

“Because ponies went extinct outside of Celestia, Luna and Sunset Shimmer over 1000 years ago.” Juneau answered in bemusement and they gawked at her. “Did...did nobody tell you this?”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Grr! Get off of him!” Sunset shrieked furiously as she used her magic to yank an Aparoid Dragoon off of a Thorntail, who bellowed his thanks as he ran away. Once he was gone, Sunset smashed the Aparoid into the rocky ground repeatedly until it ceased moving. She’d been fighting constantly for hours now, responding to Peppy’s reports of Saurians under attack.

She may have preferred flying, but this was essentially her homeworld with how they took her in and raised her after Celestia sent her here. It was supposed to be just to learn how to master her budding powers when she was a scared filly, having stumbled through the mirror at the last Bronycon. Sadly, the mirror here led to the Equestria Girls universe instead of her own.

Also, as a Saurian Citizen, she couldn’t be forced to be a broodmare because her species was pretty much extinct outside of her, Tia and Luna. “Sunset!” The furious unicorn perked up and ran for the familiar voice, glee filling her heart at the sight of King Tricky, who’d grown up quite a lot in several years. He wasn’t nearly as big as he would be when he’s an adult, but the adolescent triceratops was now several times Sunset’s size.

This didn’t stop her from pouncing on his face and hugging her breasts to his snout. “Tricky! Thank gosh you’re okay! Why aren’t you in a shelter though?!”

“I couldn’t just hide! You know my magic is the key to WarpStone. I had to stay with him to ensure my people could use his power to flee to safety. That Thorntail you rescued told me you were here, so I came to see if there’s anything you need on our end.” Tricky told his friend, who was currently blinding him with those massive orbs hanging off of her torso that he’d learned were what made mammals, well, mammals. They were awfully soft and warm and he felt warm himself at scenting she had one of her pheromone centers right on his snout.

“Well, if you could continue getting everyone to safety, that’s the most we could ask of you...uh, Tricky? I’m stuck on your horn…” Sunset blushed at having gotten her flight suit punctured beneath her breasts and Tricky’s forward horn was lodged between her tits. She felt so embarrassed! Getting her childhood friend’s horn stuck in her tits! So embarrassing!

“Oh, sorry.” Tricky lowered his snout to unhook his horn from her suit, but he didn’t do it enough and when he pulled away, he split her suit to the front of her breasts, causing a ton of under cleavage. “Woop! Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Now then, I’ve gotta-.”

“Sunset, we’ve gotten all the Aparoid Hatchers and we’re cleaning up. We can’t find any other Saurians in need. You can return when you’re ready.” Peppy called through her comm and Sunset sighed in relief.

“Thanks for the update, Peppy. I’m with King Tricky right now. Tell Fox and Krystal to come to my coordinates if they want to meet up.” Sunset replied and then turned to Tricky. “So! How has life been? You found a cute Earthwalker yet?” Sunset wagged her eyebrows and he mewled.

“Sunset~! You know I’m shy…” Tricky whined at her poking fun at him and she giggled happily.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

President Pepper watched what video he could get of the progress on the surface. Star Wolf was doing an admirable job fighting the giant monsters that the Aparoids had turned the very infrastructure of Corneria City into. However, by this point there was no Corneria City. Too much of it had been destroyed and lost to the machinations of the invading Aparoid Menace.

The Undercity may well become the new capital city of Corneria until they could eventually rebuild, but that could take decades, decades that Pepper in his old age wouldn’t see come to fruition. It saddened him deeply to know that the epicenter of his people’s metropolitan culture has been lost under his leadership.

However, things suddenly took a turn for the better when a golden and incredibly beautiful wolfess appeared in the midst of the monsters and left behind a fairly large device before she similarly vanished. When the cubic device went off, it blinded everything to the cameras. Once the light faded, all Aparoids in the area of effect ceased functioning.

“An Anti-Aparoid grenade? Who was that?” Pepper paused when Celestia got a call and she answered it, then hurriedly transferred the call to him. “Yes?”

“What you just saw was my wife dropping an Anti-Aparoid grenade for a test. Since it was successful, I’m going to have her start clearing out as many of the invaders for you as she can. Will that be a problem, Mister President?” The sultry and spine-tingling female voice on the phone informed him and he fought off a shudder.

“I welcome any assistance you can provide, so long as what you ask in return is not beyond reason.” Pepper checked that Celestia was tracing the call and she nodded.

“What I ask is that you allow us to broker future business deals with your government. Tech for tech, goods for goods, scientific advancements for culturally significant movements in your society, those kinds of things. Do we have a deal, President Pepper?” The enticing voice that sounded as if it was spoken by the ultimate temptress crooned and he fought off a fairly embarrassing amount of arousal he hadn’t felt since his wife passed.

“So long as you’re not asking us to completely change our society, I agree. Considering we do need the help. We’re not weak, but we often find ourselves in rather trying circumstances you see.” Pepper didn’t like Corneria being weak, but when faced with the machinations of madmen and monsters, there tended to be very little you could do to maintain faith with the public.

“Oh, trust me, I understand. I’ve been where you are before. That’s why you’re not making a deal with the devil, even if I tend to give that impression. Stay safe, Mister President.” The provocative sensual voice ceased and the line disconnected.

“That call was made from Meteo with an unknown method of communication delivery masked with standard call protocols so it could connect. We were unable to get any data on the sender’s location aside from the general region, not even the ship it was sent from.” Celestia dutifully reported and Pepper huffed, his droopy bloodhound cheeks wiggling with the exhale.

“Whoever they are, they reverse-engineered the Aparoid nanites that Beltino was having trouble safely analyzing. If they want to help, I won’t turn it away. However, we should be wary. Whatever that woman is, her voice alone had unnatural allure to it. I haven’t forgotten my history lessons on the Changelings and how they caused ponykind among others to go extinct. I can only hope that if they have returned, they are not here for the rest of us.” President Pepper chuffed worriedly, hoping that he didn’t just make a deal with someone worse than the devil.

After all, the road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions.