Child Of Darkness

@@Ethan Sawyer, White laughed at this mare response. Either she was paranoid or smart. Maybe both. "Good answer. You don't just give your name away to just anyone. Only those you trust. Maybe you have more of a head on you than I give you credit for. Either way, my offer to help you out still stands. If you want to take me up on it, just talk to this Eyebot. You won't see another one of these units in the world any more. I'm almost half sure this is the last functioning one. At least I haven't seen one for about 4 years. Either way, I still have a job to do, so don't go and get yourself killed. Stay inside this town until you at least understand the world you are in. If you need information, I recommended talking to the guard at the towns gate right now. He's a friend of mine, just tell him EDEN sent you and he'll tell you anything you want to know. Well, good luck surviving. You need it. You really do." With his little speech over, EDEN turned to float away from the scene. @@Defender of Tomorrow, "Sorry to take up your time. Nice talking with another one of my kind though. Aren't nearly enough of us in this world. I may make a few upgrades to myself based on what I've seen with you. I'll make sure to send you a schematic when it's done. Bye bye~" EDEN went back towards the centre of the town, looking for the gunshop he had been refereed to in hopes of finding these mercs.

@@Ethan Sawyer, "Yeah, you're not going to last a minute in this world. Whatever life you had before this I can promise you that this is worse in every way. Waking up everyday, provided you do actually wake up and having to check if you're still in the same place, you have all you're limbs and you haven't been raided. The only food and water you have to eat is contaminated with thick radiation that will slowly kill you from the inside out, having to carry a gun around all the time because you never know when some crazy is going to try and kill you for the last can of irradiated food or last drop of toxic water, living everyday in fear that it could very well be your last. And going to sleep with one eye open, not knowing if you'll ever wake up again. Everyday for the rest of your life. This world ain't kind miss. And you're gonna need allies. People who know how to survive in this world. Because unless you can murder someone while looking in their eyes, while they beg in mercy for you to spare them over something as simple as a stack of Caps, ammo or supplies. You aren't going to last very long. We're offering to help you, its wise to accept help. Also, what's your name miss?"

@@Ethan Sawyer, "Okay this might be worse than I originally thought. You're not just an average everyday Wastelander who looks like they've taken a bath in the last 10 years. You seriously seem to have a few screws loose in your head. It would be interesting to poke around and see what I could discover. Getting side tracked. To specify me question with details on what I saw, a large "ball" for lack of a better name for it, of high magic energy materialised over this location not too long ago causing heavy levels of damage to the environment around you. Luckily this is all junk but the danger is still a factor. Look around you and you can see the damage you did. You seemingly materialised in the middle of all of this with no explanation and seemingly without any knowledge of where in the world you have ended up. My question is, what could you have done in the recent space of time that could have caused such an event to occur?"

@@Mario3D13, "Well I came from the observation deck and no one was in that place but Specter and I. Engineering seems like a very unlikely place for someone to just wonder off to for relaxation. Possibly in one of the bed rooms? Ah, but from what Specter has told me the area we can access is rather big. This may take some time to do. If I even find this person. Starting to seem like a wild chase. Whatever, I'll go and look." Mel took off down one of the hallways of the ship, not knowing exactly which direction he was heading. Hopefully he would bump into the person he was looking for on his trips. He would give it 30 minutes of searching before calling it off.

@@Ethan Sawyer, If this pony could see his face right now, White would have one eyebrow raised with a very dissatisfied look of annoyance. Though his tone of voice reflected this expression. "Hmm. I guess people don't change, no matter what part of this dreaded Wasteland you go to. Not a single on has a slight bit of manners. This is why I'm very selective with people I do business with. Fair enough. You're in Junction R-7. Located right in the middle of the Equestrian Wasteland. Now answer the question I posed to you."

@@Ethan Sawyer, EDEN back away from this Mare as she finally started to wake up. Goodness knows who this pony was or what she was capable of doing. That little display was something, so White was going to be careful with this one. He didn't want to lose EDEN. "Well, you're not dead. That's something, that little display of yours would have surely killed someone if they had been near. Actually thinking about, we wouldn't know if she killed someone with that display, nothing but ash would be left if our surrounding are any indication. So I suppose my question is, What the hell did you just do?"

Mel took a moment to contemplate the situation, a few solutions came into his mind about what he could say in response. He think he found one that may keep everyone happy and get his original job done. "All right. I have a look around for this pony. On one condition. You stay here and make sure these people actually get out of this room and somewhere safe, and as quickly as you can too please. Also, I'm not going to just walk in any random direction, whereabouts do you think Cyril might be? It will at least give me a place to start looking?" "Well, nice to meet you to. As you already now know. I'm Mel."

The sight of the disturbance was not very far away from the location, a short walk was all that was required of them and EDEN made the distance within a minute or so. The area from which the anomaly originated was a stack of old trains in the far edges of the Junction. Most of it heavily burnt and other parts, was safe to say, might as well not exist any more. In the epicentre of it all, lied a mare, possibly in her late teens early 20's going by appearances. And what an odd appearance she had. The wasteland had clearly not made a mark on her yet, which spiked White's curiosity in so many ways. @@Defender of Tomorrow, "Hey look at this. We got a live one here. Goodness knows who the hell she is or what she did, but I thinking someone needs to be questioned. Its not everyday you see someone do something like this. I've get an itching feeling that's telling me something is not right with her. And I want to know exactly what that is." @@Ethan Sawyer, EDEN moved in close to the unconscious mare, scanning her carefully in SATS targeting, looking carefully for anything he would consider strange.

@@Defender of Tomorrow, "Even through the eyes of this machine, I can spot a cybernetic easily. Little tricks of the trade. I want to know because I deal in the trade of information, and I personally have an issue with the Raider Queen. Lets just say, the people who use to own that base were once very good for my businesses. So I have a problem with loosing out on all those caps. So I want to spread a little dirt about her and her home. I've been in and out a few times, learned a few things. What's wrong with wanting a bit of pay back. *giggle* Thank you for the information anyway. Will I would like to go right to them, this energy reading takes vital priority. You wanna come and take a look? I may need someone who can actually move things."

@@Defender of Tomorrow, Looking at the pony who had just wondered up to his Eyebot, White felt a need to say something to him, mainly because of the absurd amounts of Cybernetics that have been implemented onto his body. With a small Fizz, the Microphone on EDEN came to life, the shutters for the screen remained closed for now. Out of the microphone, came the voice of an older mare, heavily metallic and slightly distorted. White: "Well well, look at what we have here. It's not everyday I see a Cyber pony walking about the Wastes so freely. Most of your kind tend to hide from the prejudice of the world. Glad to see you're not a coward. Oh, but where are my manners, you may call me EDEN for now. That is the name of this Eyebot unit. My identity is one that is best to remain hidden. For a time at least. I will say though, those enchantments you have are quite impressive. Kind of makes me feel like upgrading my own. But I have a question for you. Two actually. First Question: Have you heard any rumours circling around about a bounty for one Raider Queen by the name Blooddrop? Second Question: If the answer to the first question is yes, have you seen anyone who looks like they may be undertaking said bounty?" At this point in time, A large quantity of energy had emerged seemingly out of thin air not too far away from where EDEN was. Though source was unknown, but White sure was curious to figure out.

Right on schedule, EDEN arrived at Junction R-7. The guard stationed at the gate had other ideas about letting it in though, blocking the gate and giving EDEN a threatening look. Guard: "We don't want to hear any of that Enclave propaganda here. You're not spewing it now, but you will eventually. Now get." With the guards reluctance, the Microphone on EDEN popped to life and the shutters on its "Face" Opened to reveal a screen. It was static for a moment, before showing the image of a pony in a gas mask. White: "Don't talk down to my Eyebot like that. You threaten it again and I'll have you skinned. So move out of the way and let my bot through." Guard: "And who exactly are you to tell me what to do?" The pony on the screen removed the gas mask on 'her' face, allowing the guard to get a full view of the cybernetics and the Gang markings on her Jaw. Guard: "I'm so sorry White. Had I know this bot belonged to you I-" White: "Save it kid. Remember you're a Sleeper agent. Don't draw attention to yourself. My bot will be going inside now." The guard simply nodded and moved to the side, allowing EDEN access to Junction R-7. Turning off the mic and closing the shutters, EDEN went about his task of looking for anything that may be related to the bounty.

"Yes that is the one. It informed me of the possible dangers of remaining here and gave me my orders. As for your second question, my name is Mel." Mel was going to start struggling to keep his fabricated lie. All it would take is for someone who knows how Gates work to call him out on his lies. Then again, if he was called out, he had his reasons for keeping secrets and would not be held responsible for any panic that ensued.

@@Ethan Sawyer, Specter stopped his ghosting and made his way down to engineering as quickly as he could. He appeared in front of Scarlett not longer after she arrived herself. "Okay, this is a major issue. We just skimmed a blue star last time we came close to a star and that put a lot of strain on the shielding and the gravity of a star is very dangerous for the ponies on board as we can see from all the injured. I don't know what to do at this point."

@@Ethan Sawyer, Specter had things he needed to do for himself. He also had someone he needed to alert to the situation. Specter's shell dissipated from the observation deck as he once again started Ghosting Scarlett. It was important for as few people to know about this, as this way they could speak one-on-one. "Forgive me If I am interpreting anything, but this is very important. I've been observing how the ship is moving and we are on a direct collision course with a Star. Last time we skimmed one and got hurt really bad. We are heading right for the core and it does not look like we are changing course. This is not looking very good for our outcome."

@@Mario3D13, "I've been working with the Ships AI since I arrived. It was looking over the recent situation and determined this room to be unsafe for the time being. So it suggested that I have everyone move out of this room for their own well being. I can't really argue with its reasoning. So I got my orders from an AI."

Specter and Mel had moved away from the Gate room and into the observation Deck. Mel was getting more "up to date" if you could call it that on the computers Destiny used, mainly being how to operate them with efficiency and common system short cuts that could save a little time. "Okay Mel. You seem to have a good grasp of understanding how to use these machines. It will be good to have another pair of helping hooves on board should we encounter an emergency." Just as he mentioned emergency situations, his HUD was alerting him to a major threat which was coming in fast. Looking outside of the observation window, Specter tried his best to calculate the flight path of the ship, and the results worried him. "Mel, listen carefully. I don't mean to alarm you, but we are on a direct collision course with a star. I don't know how strong these shields are, but if our last encounter with a star was anything to go on, they are strong. Will they survive a collision? I have my doubts. Return to the gate room and start moving ponies away from the gate and back to their rooms. Do not tell them, about the Star. If they ask on who's orders? Tell them the ship's AI told you." "Right away Specter. I'll get it done as soon as possible." Mel did exactly as he was instructed by the AI. He made his way to the gate room where everyone was recovering. Still a lot of wounded, but they had to move to stop panic. He stood up tall and overlooked the room, projecting his voice surprisingly well. "*clears throat* May I have your attention? Since the Gate recently activated without prompt not long ago. A chance exists that it may go off again. To make sure that no one gets hurt any further, we would like you to try and make your way back to a room in which you can rest. I understand many of you have injuries and I am sorry to ask you in such a condition. But please leave this room as soon as you can and get some place safe and secure to prevent further injury. Thank you."

As white walked out of the cold mountain ranges and onto the hot open plains of the Wasteland, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. It had been several weeks, around 3 months exactly since he had left home and his skills had not been put to much use outside of organised fighting. He was already missing his companions. Not a problem though. With a few presses of his pip-buck, White sent out a small signal on a secure channel, moments later, an Enclave Eyebot appeared in front of him. "EDEN, my friend! So good to see you. Its been months. Sorry I haven't visited our home in so long. Business and Blooddrop have been keeping me busy. I missed you flying piece of Scrap metal." White gave the Eyebot a pat on the side of its plating, to which it responded with a series of high tone beeps. "Well, since you can see I'm in my disguise and I have the voice of a mare. I'm about to do some travelling, and you my friend are coming with me. It gets so lonely out here." *low tone whining sounds* "Yeah, again I'm sorry for not being able to visit, I'm sorry you felt lonely. Anyway, we're heading to Junction R-7, I'm going to link my Pip-buck up to you and calibrate our sensors. We should be able to see and hear everything the other sees and hears. It will also let me talk though you when needed. You can get to R-7 within the next hour, you're a lot faster than me. Go scout ahead, and meet our old friend within the guard. If you see mercs who look like they may be heading for the mountains, let me speak with them. I always wanted to play the part of mysterious contact who appears and disappears at random. Go on EDEN. I'll see you soon." With his new orders, EDEN made quick haste to Junction R-7, he will make it within the hour, hopefully any mercs will not have all left by that point.

Mel heard someone shouting out to him, he didn't to cause trouble so he backed away from the computer. For now at least. Specter had decided to keep an eye on the new comers. Getting a good look at the faces of everyone. The Stallion messing with the computers had caught his eyes. Was this another who could read ancient? Odds aren't likely, but he needed to confirm. "Excuse me sir, If I may take a moment of your time to ask, are you able to read ancient?" Mel looked at the little floating orb that had approached him, he had not seen anything quite like it before. Neither back at home or in any Ancient relics and recovered technology. This was interesting. "Yes, I am able to read Ancient. I am fluent in reading and writing the language. Now my question for you, are you an AI or a drone interface?" "I am an AI, designation; Specter." "Then let me ask you this Specter, are you of Ancient design?" "That is correct. Designed and created in *static* ERROR: Data corruption detected within unit memory* Estimated Age, between 800,000 and 1.2 million years. I guess this is your first contact with a living Ancient AI?" ​"You are correct in that statement. So tell me, where am I?" Specter went silent for a few moments, before speaking up again. "I cannot tell you all the information you will wish to know. Some is Classified and other segments are corrupted. I can tell you this, we are in an unknown section of space, on a ship named Destiny."

Setting down the supplies with what the ship already had, Mel turned his attention away from this small bit of work and back onto the actual ship itself. He couldn't make any judgements about design as he had not seen enough yet, if It had been working since the times when the Ancients still walked around the worlds, then it must have some incredible self sustaining systems to work for what he could only guess was over one million years. That thought alone impressed him. Ancients didn't like to overlook a singe detail. Tracing his eyes over the crowds, a lot of ponies seemed to be suffering with varying major and minor injuries. Slight concussion and fractures could be seen scattered about. What did they just miss? May be for the best that they missed it. His eyes came across a terminal in the gate room. He could only guess it was what controlled the gate. With nothing better to do and an Itching curiosity, he went up to the terminal and started to look through it to see what he could find regarding gate control. As expected everything was written in ancient, not a problem for him though.

Specter was almost speechless about what he had just witnessed. Something he had thought up to this point to be a theoretical impossibility. Clearly some of his information had been off. Not thinking clearly, he began ranting to himself out loud in the language of the Ancients. 'What in the name of anything under the sun of life just happened? The gate should not be able to dial like that, these ponies also look like they come from a facility, but we're so far away from any civilisation that has this kind of tech or this race of ponies. Clearly I don't know something very important. I need to be more observant.' Among the crowd of new ponies was a younger stallion who had not brought anything trough the gate with him. He looked the part of a scientist, or someone from Maintenance. Despite the requests from the other new ponies for help, he mostly ignored them, entranced by the realisation of where he had ended up. "This is, this is a ship. A space ship, built by the Ancients. I've never see a full ship before, never mind one in working order and functioning. *stomp stomp*. Gravity feels different. Definitely not back on home. Air isn't the cleanest either. No, we're in space I can only imagine what I could discover by looking at a computer. Not many people can read Ancient. So I shouldn't have to worry about complaints for hogging the computer all day. The things I could learn from the Ancients are priceless in their Value. But first we need to make sure everyone is settled and stable." The Stallion returned to the few who come through with him and picked up a few cases of supplies.

Having exhausted the usefulness of this terminal and with the sun now long behind them, Specter decided that it was time he finally got moving again. "Everyone could be anywhere by now. I suppose I'll check the gate room first. Seems like the most logical place for a gathering right now, since its the only place everyone has been." Leaving the observation room and heading back into the gate room, Specter took note of the amount of ponies who had suffered injuries from this event. The number was about what he anticipated, so nothing special. He would keep on lookout and highlight anyone who looks like they need attention ASAP.

Hidden away in the mountain range, in the eastern edges of the Wasteland. Their existed a small and isolated community of ponies much different from what you would normally think of when talking about a settlement. For they are not normal, they are Raiders, and the strongest gang in the wasteland today. But two ponies stood out among them as special, the two who led this band of misfits and outcasts in this future they had made for themselves. Blooddrop: "Another day on this decrepit world we call home. Another day trying to survive. Who am I kidding, survival in this world is all too easy. Right White?" White Tail: "Well I'm sure when you control the one of most highly defended place in the Wasteland next to the Brotherhood Of Steel, Apple Jack's Rangers and maybe a Stable, you'd think living in that place would make life easy living." Blooddrop: "Yeah yeah I get your point. No need to be so cynical about it. But you do make a point. Life is easy for us, for those outside of our Boarders things ain't so easy." White: "Maybe that's because you make it hard on them?" Blood: "You aren't going soft are you? Well you're mostly made of Metal of I don't think that's a possibility." White: "Low blow. No I'm not going soft. We have our motivations and reasons for going outside our home and making trouble. Besides, we'd all get bored if we stayed at home every day. Farming, cultivating, building. We'd be a target for anyone to attack us. We're strong, why not show it? Keep those in our home who are not strong safe, let them sleep at night without keeping one eye open. New topic, I got some news over the Radio today. This pip-buck is still good for something. We finally have a bounty set on us. So we know some stupid mercs are going to try and attack us. I'd say they'd be coming from the south west. Junction R-7 and Fetlock way. I'll send out a message to the patrol teams to increase activity around that side of the mountains and same with the Snipers. The rockets will be on high alert for any Sky chariots and Vertibirds. Just in case we get attack by someone with high funding. I told you investing resources into making heat seeking Rocket launchers was not a waste." Blood: "Fair enough. Either way, we fight on home territory. We know every rock, crack, cave and crevice of these mountains. They have no chance, plus I have me secret weapon. You." White: "I have managed to keep my existence hidden. Plus I make for a rather convincing mare when I mess around with my vocal settings. I have an Idea. I'll head down to Junction R-7. I can make it in 6 hours if I hurry. It's 1pm now according to my HUD. Just turning night time. I'll try and find out more about this bounty, who set it and how many people are coming for us. If I meet them on the way I could try and ask them about the bounty." Blood: "Seems like a fair enough plan. Just make sure you don't die. I need someone to do my dirty work for me." White: "Aww and here I was thinking that you was about to say that you love me. I feel rejected." Blood: "Yeah yeah, love you to. Now get ready and go before you miss your estimations." A few minutes later, White tail now wore a full set of clothing, covering up all his Cybernetics, his face and the rest of his body. It mainly consisted of some a regular set of Cage armour, a full head hat and a Gas mask. He also changed the way his voice sounds to that of a mare in her late 30's. With all this done White begin her trip to Junction R-7.

With a fizzle of electricity, the town of Junction R-7's radio transmitters and loudspeakers activated just as they always do. Just in time to listen in to one of DJ-PON3's famous news announcements. "Good afternoon my beloved Wasteland. It is I, the one and only DJ-PON3. Coming to you once again on the air. Its time for our regularly scheduled news program, informing you on all the important Wasteland information that anyone who is smart would pay attention to. No major changes have happened in the Wasteland over the last few months, most of the Wasteland is the same as it always is. A mess. But I still need to keep you informed on one particular shithole out east. Those slimy Raiders who have a home somewhere in those damned mountains have been causing more and more problems for people ranging from Fillydelphia to Junction R-7, all the way out to Manehatten and back. They strut around thinking they own the place, they don't but they ain't far from the truth either. If you see a pony while out east, Riding on the back of a Scorpion or they have a White Scorpion Tattoo on their body, turn around and run the other direction. They are very dangerous, highly trained for a pack of Raiders. Although if my sources haven't been lying to me. Its seems a large bounty has been placed on the destruction of this Raider gang. Now I ain't saying we need another Littlepip to come on out of them old Stables and save our asses. But we need some people to step up and fight the good fight. 10 years since we had someone try and make a change, and I'd say this world is long overdue for its make over. This has been DJ-PON3 bringing you the real news of the Wasteland, Thanks for listening Children." (^^ That was a fun bit of writing.)