private After Destiny

[Unicorncob 5,681]

Amber was a little surprised hearing the voice behind her, but her expression softened again when she noticed it was Solar. Her fuzzy cheeks warmed up to a crimson red and she smiled.

 

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure I could fire one up for you too if you give me some time." She winked at Solar, laughing. "You know what? Yeah! We'll find a nice, quiet room, clean it up a little bit, and I'll set up my own little therapy clinic!" She strode up to the pegasus and craned her neck slightly. "Don't worry, I'm only kidding." Amber whispered, stifling a giggle.

 

"Heh, the way ponies are going I think you'll be popular," Solar smirked, going with the joke, "Even I might give you a visit!"

 

Considering what was on her mind, she might actually make good on that joke.

 

She continued leading the group, and lowered her visor to speak with Scarlett. "Where're we headed?"

[1Bit 1,531]

@@1Bit,

 

Sapphire followed Amber to where they were going, she was despite the pep talk very uneasy in seeing Scarlett again and so soon, she just had threatened to throw her into space and kill her she had totally lost the plot, she knew what she'd feel like if someone would have do than to her. "I'm still not sure this is a good idea."

 

"Honestly, what's the worst that could happen?" Amber replied, leading the way through the steel hallways, her hooves echoing loudly with each step. "You want to know something? Back when I was at Corbulo, the team I was with was undergoing a physical examination. I was team leader and we had to finish an obstacle course and get the whole team up a climbing wall to complete it successfully. I got so wrapped up in winning, in being the best, that I made it to the end...but I left everyone behind." Her head lowered and Amber's gaze fell to the ground. "We failed. I failed. All because of a stupid mistake I made, and you know what I did? I tried to run, to hide myself away from the pain I had caused the ponies I was supposed to be friends with. But at a military academy, there isn't many places to hide and eventually I had to go back." The three ponies finally came up to the door to engineering and Amber could clearly notice how uneasy Sapphire appeared to be, shuffling her hooves and her eyes frantically darting around. "But you know what happened? I came back to my group, and one of them leapt up and hugged me. I thought I would return to jeers and hate, but instead they hugged me. It turns out I was letting my own fears get to me." She grinned as she reminisced. Many, much worse memories came from Corbulo but there were still a few happy ones she could draw upon. "And that's what's happening now. Your mind is getting worked up over nothing, really."

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

@@1Bit,

 

Sapphire was looking at the floor (ah man all my posts look bad now, 1bit!!!) "yes that is nice to hear but you failed a simply test, not to trivialize your experance but I threatened to kill her, I mean she is not going to hug me and If she dose I'll eat my helmet."  sapphire kept her head down as they walked back into the room wiht all the others.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Emerald Bolt

[Flamestreak1990 1,172]

@@Unicorncob,

 

Flamestreak while listening to Amber's speech trotted to Solar still amazed by the story Amber was telling.

 

"Goodness that's the second time in the span of a few minutes! Where does she get  this stuff from. I'm starting to think she really COULD be a good therapist."  

[1Bit 1,531]

@@1Bit,

 

Sapphire was looking at the floor (ah man all my posts look bad now, 1bit!!!) "yes that is nice to hear but you failed a simply test, not to trivialize your experance but I threatened to kill her, I mean she is not going to hug me and If she dose I'll eat my helmet."  sapphire kept her head down as they walked back into the room wiht all the others.

 

"Oh yeah, I may have left out the fact that the obstacle course involved live weapons fire." Amber added coldly. "And not all of my group were there to greet me upon my return." 

 

No, no, no Amber! What are you saying, girl? She shook her head as it dawned upon her the cold mentality that had slowly crept upon her. Just keep your head on straight and stay positive. 

 

"So please," She added quickly. "I know the situation was slightly different, but keep your head up high and trot with confidence. It'll all turn out fine, I promise. I mean, heck-" She chuckled again. "-I can probably throw my potential career as a therapist out the window if it turns out I'm wrong."

[Chaton 3,765]

"I have to say I'm a little impressed Scarlett. I didn't think that the system would so willingly give away a map of the entire ship. Seems like a major security oversight. And having it contain the exact locations of vital ship components, shortest routes, functionalities and the like, it all does seem logical in my mind.

 

Pay no mind to this, for it may just be my paranoid self talking, but the way I see it, we have four possibilities.

 

1, it's a design oversight. And a major risk to the safety of the ship.

 

2, This map is a fake. Designed to mislead trespassers of the lower intelligence who don't think about these possibilities.

 

3, This terminal was left unlocked by the last person who used it. A person that should be punished for such a mistake.

 

Or 4 and my personal favourite, You're familiar with this kind of tech and know how to access it. A near physical impossibility, but 'One percent is better than None percent.' As some people say."

 

"Something like that" she said before saying to the group "Once you are all ready, follow the corridor behind me. I'll be guiding you using the map, which would be easier if we had sensor access but some access is better than no access so let's get on with this. The faster we find the problem, the faster we can fix it, ergo the slower we die."

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

@@Ethan Sawyer,@@1Bit,

 

If you could see ponies sweat, you'd see Sapphire sweating bullets, she walked up to Scarlett, she was terrified of what was going to happen, she half expected Scarlett to shoot her across the room, her voice was weak and quiet "you asked to see me, what can I do for you?"   

[Chaton 3,765]

@@Ethan Sawyer,@@1Bit,

 

If you could see ponies sweat, you'd see Sapphire sweating bullets, she walked up to Scarlett, she was terrified of what was going to happen, she half expected Scarlett to shoot her across the room, her voice was weak and quiet "you asked to see me, what can I do for you?"   

 

Scarlett looked at her blankly for a moment, before remembering that she was supposed to answer "I'm sorry if I upset you or anything, but, umm. Let me put this simple. You're in charge, and that is fine. But when it comes to situation where you do not know anything about what is going on, it's best to leave it to someone else. In this case, you can definitely help. I need you to go to the gateroom and get anyone else willing to help. You all right with that?"

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,025]

@@Ethan Sawyer,

 

"ok." The ok was spoke as if she was fluttershy () Sapphire then back paced and left the room to return to the gate room to check on the other's and find volunteers she supposed. She says i'm in charge then gives me a order, sure that makes lots of sense.  Sapphire walking into the gate room. 

 

@@DustJacket, 

 

"THE ENGINEERING CHIEF NEEDS SOME ASSISTANCE, ANYPONY UP TO IT GO TO HER." She then walked in and started talking to one of the medics. 

[DustJacket 213]

"There you go, good as new," Dust said after he helped patching up a slightly injured mare, and then sent her off to her mother. He, never thought life would take a drastic turn -- one day, he was writing books, now looking around; stranded someplace far from the comfort of his books, attacked by an unknown party and forced to flee through a Gate, riddled with some light bruises here and there. An event which he always thought possible only on the underside of a book cover, and yet, there he was among the survivors of the attack, administering basic assistance. The thought of death by suffocation crept in his mind, although, he was optimistic that they would run out of supplies first -- neither is good. Then it hit him, supplies, he noticed some crates lying around. Still... how long would they last, not sure whether anypony realizes this.

[Unicorncob 5,681]

Solar blinked at overhearing Scarlett's casual talk over the comm channel. She was waiting for directions to the scrubbers, but maybe Scarlett got sidetracked?

 

She'd have to try again.

 

"Yo, Red!" She yelled, making sure she heard her, "The scrubbers, woman! Where they at?"

[Chaton 3,765]

Solar blinked at overhearing Scarlett's casual talk over the comm channel. She was waiting for directions to the scrubbers, but maybe Scarlett got sidetracked?

 

She'd have to try again.

 

"Yo, Red!" She yelled, making sure she heard her, "The scrubbers, woman! Where they at?"

 

"Oh my god, right. So. At the end of the corridor you'll have to take a left, and then a right, and then two more lefts, then follow the curved corridor to the end and at the junction turn right. In that corridor on the left there should be a panel with two small vents on it. Tell me once you're there!"

[Unicorncob 5,681]

"Oh my god, right. So. At the end of the corridor you'll have to take a left, and then a right, and then two more lefts, then follow the curved corridor to the end and at the junction turn right. In that corridor on the left there should be a panel with two small vents on it. Tell me once you're there!"

 

"A left, a right, then two more lefts and a right, right?" Solar repeated, blinking as she registered the directions, and nodded, "Right, on my way."

 

She began trotting down the corridor, then look a left. "Was it two lefts now or a right...?"

 

She made a right. "Ah yes, that's right. Then two more lefts, right?"

 

Two more lefts she went. "Down this corridor and a right, right?"

 

After some more confusing mumbling, she made it to the corridor with the two vents. "Okay, I'm looking at the panel now."

[1Bit 1,531]

"Woah." Amber's jaw seemed to drop a little further with every turn she followed Solar around. Ancient technology spilled out of the bulkheads, connections and pieces that she'd never even seen before. Her pace slowed to a steady trot, her view panning around the tight spaces they traversed, marvelling at what clearly used to be quite a grand ship on both scale and technology. "You know," She turned to Solar, smiling. "It never crossed my mind that I would slowly die on board such a magnificent hunk of ancient junk! But hey, it's way better than a standard coffin."

[Chaton 3,765]

"A left, a right, then two more lefts and a right, right?" Solar repeated, blinking as she registered the directions, and nodded, "Right, on my way."

 

She began trotting down the corridor, then look a left. "Was it two lefts now or a right...?"

 

She made a right. "Ah yes, that's right. Then two more lefts, right?"

 

Two more lefts she went. "Down this corridor and a right, right?"

 

After some more confusing mumbling, she made it to the corridor with the two vents. "Okay, I'm looking at the panel now."

 

"Wow, that two vents was a guess. So it is standard Ancient design. Anyhow, can you please describe to me what's on the panel. Any visible patterns of buttons? And visible anything? I need to know as much as possible." She began looking through the portion of the database that could be accessed for any sort of information on the vents. If it was anything like the other few Ancient ships that she had encountered in the past she already knew a multitude of problems that could be wrong with it.

[Unicorncob 5,681]

"Woah." Amber's jaw seemed to drop a little further with every turn she followed Solar around. Ancient technology spilled out of the bulkheads, connections and pieces that she'd never even seen before. Her pace slowed to a steady trot, her view panning around the tight spaces they traversed, marvelling at what clearly used to be quite a grand ship on both scale and technology. "You know," She turned to Solar, smiling. "It never crossed my mind that I would slowly die on board such a magnificent hunk of ancient junk! But hey, it's way better than a standard coffin."

 

"Yeah, suppose that's true," Solar agreed, smirking back at Amber, "At least our tomb will be all shiny and have a lot of blinky lights."

 

 

"Wow, that two vents was a guess. So it is standard Ancient design. Anyhow, can you please describe to me what's on the panel. Any visible patterns of buttons? And visible anything? I need to know as much as possible." She began looking through the portion of the database that could be accessed for any sort of information on the vents. If it was anything like the other few Ancient ships that she had encountered in the past she already knew a multitude of problems that could be wrong with it.

 

"Okay, uh," She muttered, taking a close look at the panel, "There's the two vents, uh, some colourful buttons, a blinky light, and a big red button that says 'Push to plunge ship into nearest black hole'."

 

She waited a few moments for a response.

 

"...I got a good feeling about that one." She smirked, hovering her hoof over the non-existent button.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Unicorncob

[Chaton 3,765]

"Yeah, suppose that's true," Solar agreed, smirking back at Amber, "At least our tomb will be all shiny and have a lot of blinky lights."

 

 

 

"Okay, uh," She muttered, taking a close look at the panel, "There's the two vents, uh, some colourful buttons, a blinky light, and a big red button that says 'Push to plunge ship into nearest black hole'."

 

She waited a few moments for a response.

 

"...I got a good feeling about that one." She smirked, hovering her hoof over the non-existent button.

 

Scarlett decided to play along for a moment, but only partially. In a really sarcastic voice she said "Ohhh Noooo!" before laughing a little. She then said "You do realise the Ancients had a different language right? Anyway, are there only two buttons? A red one at the top and a blue at the bottom?"

[1Bit 1,531]

"Well there's a yellow button over here!" Amber called out over the receiver. "Found another panel off to the side. All sorts of wires flying about." She hesitantly scanned her eyes over it, afraid it would spark or attack her or something. Just her being paranoid of course.

[Unicorncob 5,681]

Scarlett decided to play along for a moment, but only partially. In a really sarcastic voice she said "Ohhh Noooo!" before laughing a little. She then said "You do realise the Ancients had a different language right? Anyway, are there only two buttons? A red one at the top and a blue at the bottom?"

 

"And you do realise that shut your face," Solar retorted, smirking and looking down at the panels, seeing the buttons in question, "Yup, lookin' at them right now."

 

 

"Well there's a yellow button over here!" Amber called out over the receiver. "Found another panel off to the side. All sorts of wires flying about." She hesitantly scanned her eyes over it, afraid it would spark or attack her or something. Just her being paranoid of course.

 

"Red blue and yellow buttons, and flying wires," She added, looking at the other panel, "We just need a green one and we have the world's awesomest Celestia Says."

[Chaton 3,765]

"And you do realise that shut your face," Solar retorted, smirking and looking down at the panels, seeing the buttons in question, "Yup, lookin' at them right now."

 

"Red blue and yellow buttons, and flying wires," She added, looking at the other panel, "We just need a green one and we have the world's awesomest Celestia Says."

"Stick to the first panel for now, the broken panel is most likely either conduit control or something related nearby. Press the top button on the panel, it should slide into the embed and rise up in to the wall. Tell me what happens after. it does that though."

[Unicorncob 5,681]

"Stick to the first panel for now, the broken panel is most likely either conduit control or something related nearby. Press the top button on the panel, it should slide into the embed and rise up in to the wall. Tell me what happens after. it does that though."

 

"Gotcha," Solar muttered, and pressed the top button like she was told. A big metal cylinder emerged from the panel, with a glass ring around the center that could be looked through. The cylinder was filled with some form of black sludge, which dripped onto the floor.

 

"Augh, oh my-- ewwww!" She complained, "Okay, this cylinder thing came out and it's leaking this tar stuff. Somepony call housekeeping!"

[1Bit 1,531]

"Ring-a-ding-ding! Housekeeping!" Amber slid out onto the scene, and pushed everypony away from the sludge. "I got this everypony!"

Her wing extended out and she briskly swept away all the tar that was seeping out, as easily as if it was with a mop. She stood back to admire the nice, clean floor that was left as well as the well cleaned cylinder in Solar's hooves. "Aw yeah! Score one for Amber!" The looks on everypony else's face suggested otherwise.

 

Amber slowly turned and her pupils shrank as she saw the tar sticking her feathers together. "Ew ew ew ew! Yuck!" She licked her hoof and desperately fumbled with her wing to get all the tar off as quickly as possibly. "And that's score ZERO for Amber. Ugh."

[Chaton 3,765]

Scarlett, guessing as to what just happened, was horrified. "Let me get this straight. You put the black sludge, which is obviously bad by anyponys standards, back into the air filter? The air filter that isn't working? Most likely due to the black sludge?"

[1Bit 1,531]

Scarlett, guessing as to what just happened, was horrified. "Let me get this straight. You put the black sludge, which is obviously bad by anyponys standards, back into the air filter? The air filter that isn't working? Most likely due to the black sludge?"

 

"What are you talking about, girl?" Amber laughed as she continued to get more of the sludge off her wing. "I simply swept all of it off to the side of the room. Come on Scarlett..." She smiled wryly. "Did you really think I'd be THAT stupid."

 

She then remembered exactly what she'd just done with her wing, and blushed. "Actually, don't answer that."

[Chaton 3,765]

"What are you talking about, girl?" Amber laughed as she continued to get more of the sludge off her wing. "I simply swept all of it off to the side of the room. Come on Scarlett..." She smiled wryly. "Did you really think I'd be THAT stupid."

 

She then remembered exactly what she'd just done with her wing, and blushed. "Actually, don't answer that."

"You know what, maybe I should come down there. Actually, I am going to come down there"

 

Scarlett then walked through the corridors to find the mess on the floor. Levitating a pencil out of her saddlebag she dipped it in and scooped a little out to get a closer look at. "This must be the residue from whatever 'magical' substance the Ancients used to filter air."