Along the shores of Baltimare Harbor, in the halls of old 33 Hoebuck, our heroes have discovered a dark secret. What started as a mundane mission to stop illegal immigrant smuggling has uncovered something far more horrific - a cult from Griffonia. The party has successfully challenged and defeated many of the cultists and hired criminals, but in the process, has nearly died themselves. Now, low on health, they must both recover and put an end to the evils in 33 Hoebuck once and for all - before it puts an end to them first.
Way up north, in the Iron Range of Whinnysota, the ponies their inquire into exact who or what is damaging so many machines. Investigating and following leads, they may unveil the faults and problems of the Haysabi Iron Mine, and gain favor with Changeling authorities.
Damn it, I missed 123,000
1710 replies and 24 files omitted.
>>123601“Being suspected of being one of the terrorists they are looking for... because he dented a shovel.”
>>123602Brie runs his hoof across his forehead. "Thats horribly underwhelming."
>>123603“Well, I suspect seeing a monster will be more than enough to get them to change their minds.”
>>123606"Not really, to be honest. Let me get this straight: the productivity loss is due to drunken-ness and a lack of discipline, and the Changelings who are 'in charge' are afraid to send the truth up the communication lines?"
>>123607“Well, seeing as the pony that told them is being tortured to the point of hardly living, I would think they would want to keep south of that. And besides, the commander is stopping the chain of command himself, in order to save his own hide. So we have a choice to make, screw over the ponies and changeling grunts, or the high command.”
>>123608Brie smiles. "The high command it is! We'll still go with your plan, but it needs a little refinement to accommodate the new target."
>>123609“Sure thing. What do you suggest?”
>>123609"The queen isn't going to want to hear that we sleuthed the cause of the lack of productivity, the High Command is responsible for maintaining discipline. Its quite simple, they have failed in their duty. An example must be made."
>>123610"Well, its probably best to go ahead with your existing plan. For one, that will make an impression on the ponies in this town, and for two it will give plenty of distracting cover to acquire the bug in charge."
>>123612“Alright. Sounds good. Shall we begin immediately, or should we wait for closer to night to give them a good jolt?”
>>123614"The detonation of the bombs, is that to draw attention? I'm wondering if we can do that with just one bomb, rather than all three."
>>123615“Yeah. Just one, but closer so they believe all three went off. Then another on some structure for the ‘monster’ to destroy, then the last you can keep and do with as you please.”
>>123616Brie smiles. "Sounds good. So one at the entrance to the forest, one at a 'random' building, and one underneath the High Command? I'll get right on it."
>>123617“That might work, but then again, we need the command to report this as a monster and not terrorism. If they are dead, then they will assume the ponies or even changeling grunts are responsible.”
>>123618"I'm not planning on killing the
whole command, just the guy at the top. I'm also planning on taking credit for the kill when the time comes."
>>123619“Cool. When do you think the right time will be though?”
>>123620"Can you see in the dark?"
>>123622"Cover of darkness isn't going to help then. Hmmmm."
>>123594Is Zu Lang the head bug of the gendarmerie?
>>123624K, what time is it 'currently'?
>>123625Some time in the afternoon
~3 PM
Comparatively early nightfall because of the northern latitude and a little less than a lunar cycle after the Winter Solstice
>>123626K
>>123622"In that event, I would advise nightfall. Just before full darkness, where light is largely diminished but not vacant."
>>123628"No offense, but somehow I don't think this is going to go entirely according to plan. Having said, as long as I end up with,..." he glances around and then whispers the following "As long as I end up with Lang's head, this mission should be a success."
>>123627“Anything else we should do in case they don’t buy it?”
>>123631“How do we sneak the explosives by Lang?”
>>123632"Well its not ideal, but if we start blowing things up and they're not buying it, that will hurt our position. As long as the ponies are sufficiently panicked it shouldn't be an issue, I should be able to make somebug disappear in a crisis."
>>123634“Anything else before we start setting up?”
>>123635"Not really. These have a 1-minute fuse on them. I'm keeping the big one, but there's the two smaller ones. We'll need 2 units, one at the forest and one at the to-be-demolished building. Demolitions can be one of us, or we might get one of our Bug-friends to lend an appendage. I would prefer to not be setting the two bombs, so I can be close to Lang when they go off. Beyond that, I've got nothing."
>>123636“I think I can work with that.”
>>123636>>123594Spark gets to work setting up the explosives out of sight.
>>123638They are very big sets of explosives. The fuses are set, either by Spark or Brie
>>123639Spark stands near the forest, by the tracks, reay to cast an illusion.
>>123636>>123638The officer, before this standing still and stoically, comes to the cart, and knocks
>>123641Brie opens the door and steps out.
"Yes? Something I can help you with?"
>>123642From a quick look, it seems to be another officer of the Gendarmerie, though one lower ranking than Zu Lang. He blinks
"You are one of those allegedly sent by the queen, are you not? I met your partner, but not you."
>>123643"You'll have to be more specific, I have many associates." Brie smiles
>>123644"Your unicorn friend who asked the prisoner be brought out. But never mind him. I trust you spoke to Zu Lang?"
>>123645"Once, yes. I suppose I should update him on our plan for the insurgents though."
>>123646"So he told you his theory about insurgents then. What is it, pray tell?"
>>123648"I am First Lieutenant Drie Zwanzig. Zu Lang's Executive Officer"
He shakes a little in his right foreleg, but otherwise does not move nor inflect his words
>>123649"Very well. The plan is to engage arial reconnaissance until the target site is determined. Afterwards, to approach the site and bomb essential supplies/equipment and engage any hostiles. This insurgency should be over before dawn."
>>123650"Well I hope you have found something then. Have you found information from the workers or the drones?"
>>123651"Oh yes, I understand the prisoner you're keeping has been most,... reluctantly, helpful." Brie smiles.
>>123652"Well, he is still up at the top of the mine. I take it you will scout the forests for yourself?"
>>123653"Yes, we have enough preliminary intelligence to move off of. We're just waiting for nightfall."
>>123654"Very well. I can have a drone help guide you. We don't know where anycreature is in the forest... if indeed it is a creature. But we do have the location of where a patrol disappeared"
>>123655"I think we're fine with the preparations we've made so far."
>>123656"Really? In such a short time?"
The limited muscles on his face constraint much of his attempt to emote
"Very well. We shall see"
Will there be explosions?
>>123658We shall see, little pony
>>123659Maybe we can play some tomorrow.
>>123676I will be free tomorrow if there are ponies.
>>123677I shall watch if there are ponies.
All ponies in this thread are beautiful horses.
Where's Undertoe, in relation to Silver?
>>123701Behind, evidently. She did not come into the Printing room
>>123702Silver trots out of the prinint room to look for her, then.
>>123703She's there in the hallway. Towards the back. With an anxious looking White Sands, and Khoi and Jubilosa outside coming towards Silver
>>123704Silver looks to the approaching Khoi and Jubilosa.
"Is something wrong?"
>>123705Jubilosa makes a sound as if about to form words, opening her beak, but little comes out as she seems a bit unsettled. Khoi stands silently in suppressed haste, staying silent out of politesse and deference. Then Jubilosa gets her words out:
"The prisoners in the main area, I am not sure they will be secure if unguarded. Those creatures earlier almost set them free."
Khoi speaks now, though she speaks so quickly that it seems to take the form of an interruption, undoing whatever good form she maintained in her initial silence:
"And what of the straglers? Where will they stay? The big horse, the colt. And her."
She moves her muzzle a bit to the left, as if to point behind her to Undertoe
>>123706Silver acknowledges them both, but addresses Jubilosa first.
"Do you have any suggestions about how to deal with prisoners?"
>>123707During a momentary pause her wings move an inch upwards and forwards, moving back down as she speaks
"Well, just do not let them be untied"
>>123708"Hmm...I see. Give me just moment to think on what to do."
Next, he turns to Khoi.
"I know about Loputu and Meadows, but is something wrong with Undertoe?"
>>123710He nods.
"I will go speak with her, and think of plan for how to proceed forward."
With that, he he bids them goodbye for the moment, and trots over to the hippogriff.
>>123711She's looking forward at him, making her purple eyes contact Silver's Blue, until he nears her, at which point she moves a step back and breaks eye contact
>>123712He stops when he sees her take a step back, and he sits down. He smiles at her.
"It is okay, I do not bite. I just wanted to talk with you."
>>123714"I wanted to know how you were doing, and holding up. And learn more about you before we got into next big fight."
>>123715Her head wobbles around looking kind of like a magnet repulsed by another magnet, turning around clockwise, moving from up to level and right, to down and center. With her head down, her eyes come back up to Silver and look at his directly.
"What do you want to know?"
>>123716He smiles again at what seems to be an attempt by Undertoe to be friendly.
"Well, perhaps you could start by telling about yourself. You know, hobbies, interests, where you come from, that kind of thing."
>>123717She blinks for a moment. Now she levels her head to where she is staring directly at Silver
"That's quite a question from some one I just met"
>>123719He looks awkwardly at her, and rubs the back of his neck.
"Sorry...I am not so good with talking to others...where did you come from, before this?"
>>123720A pause
"Alright... I was born in Hippogriffia and raised there"
>>123721He smiles.
"What is it like, living there?"
>>123722"It was different in those days. We weren't under water, but we were inland, up cliffs away from the coast. There were caves caverns beneath the rock though, at it was our outlet to the sea. We were in a small town, and I can't really say how much different it would be from most anywhere else."
>>123723He raises an eyebrow and lowers an ear.
"You were not under water?"
>>123724"So you've heard"
She blinks slowly closing her eyes and opening them
"We were further away from the pearl. Something like holdouts. Not wanting to give up our land, but too afraid to be conspicuous either. Or so most of the town was. Farms further way were abandoned. I don't have memories of before the Storm King. Except maybe for one of attending a festival on a mountain, but it is vague. We stayed close to the water though. Very close."
>>123725He nods slowly, after a few seconds.
"I see...what happened to cause you to be in this mess?"
>>123726She blinks. Her eyes are rounded like a pony's and her ears have tufts of fluff
"I was a student at Jim Haykins, and had been for several years. A friend wanted to visit some part of town, and I went with her. A few wrong creatures trusted, a few mistakes made, and I ended up where you found me."
>>123727Silver lowers his head.
"I am sorry to hear that, Undertoe. This 'Jim Haykins' school, where is it?"
>>123728"Right on the edge between the North and the city center. Nicer neighborhoods to the west. But to the east of campus that's a pretty quick declination."
\r
>>123729"I have to ask...what about your friend? Was she captured as well? Do you know?"
>>123730"I know she was held up by gangsters. I think she was transported with me after I was blind folded. What happened afterwards I've spent a lot of time wondering about. She may have been ransomed, for all I know. But I don't know."
She clearly speaks Ponish better than Jubilosa and Khoi, and has
much less of an accent than Johann.
>>123731He looks at her with genuine sorrow. She might notice that her Ponish is less accented than even Silver's.
"Мои соболезнования...I am sorry."
>>123733There's still something...
proper in her speech, whether it be a hippogriff accent or something bourgie she picked up in Equestria.
She looks silently at Silver, breathing in and out. As she said it she doesn't seem to express much emotion about
that set of events, though she doesn't look comfortable
>>123734After a few seconds of awkward silence, Silver speaks up again, breaking it.
"What is it you were studying?"
>>123735As if picking up where she left off
"Mechanical Engineering. I was looking to work with a shipping company before the war broke out, and with the Navy afterwards."
>>123736"Huh. You must be very intelligent, Undertoe."
>>123737"I'm charmed you think so"
She says it fairly quickly, and with a similar inflection to all of her previous answers. Still, something in her response sounded slightly sarcastic
>>123738He gives her a confused look.
"Is something wrong?"