Chapters
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“How’re you feeling, sweetheart?” Lucky heard Lightning Dust’s words behind her, and she half-turned, though she didn’t look up. They were supposed to be so much more prepared than this. But what choice did they have? Equestria and Othar’s futures both hovered here, unresolved. What they did with Harmony in the next few hours would decide the future for both races. We must not fail.Lucky was sitting on the empty edge of the railway platform, sitting almost like a human might, with her hind legs…-
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The jumper was not an entertainment craft, with dozens of screens hidden everywhere. It did apparently have a projector, which could aim at the ceiling of the passenger area and display tactical information. Forerunner switched that screen on as they began firing back, and Lucky got her first good look at the fleet.She knew instantly why Forerunner hadn’t shown them this at first—these ships were so large, so powerful, she felt herself start to shake. Ponies used lighter-than-air technology for flight,…
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The Effigy was supposedly one of the fastest pony airships ever built. It had the look of something sleek, with swept-back edges and low railings over the sides.Lucky walked slowly along the deck, her wings free to catch her if the air-shield failed and she got ripped off. But nothing like that happened. The world blurred by just over the polished wooden side, fast enough that even Lightning Dust seemed impressed.They were not alone on the sloop’s single deck—there were five or six guards, which were…
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Lucky advanced through the ancient facility, conscious of every quiet second, every hoofstep. Mogyla and Abubakar brought up the rear just behind her, protecting them from an ambush. Forerunner led them from passage to passage without much slowdown, except when they reached a place where mobility was required. Just as in Transit, there were places where flight was apparently expected, to cross between different elevations.Crossing Transit had only been possible thanks to the large number of flying…
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Ponyville was not a very large town—Lucky knew that, and she knew not to expect much as they finally angled down for their descent. Flying with her mom had been a return to something familiar, back when she had been pretending that there would never be anything more to her life.It was fun to pretend again, though she knew she couldn’t stay. Last time I forgot what I was doing here, Olivia got captured and I ended up in charge. I can’t forget again. Some little part of her felt the temptation to slip…
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I always did my work out on the plateau. It didn’t matter that the major considered it a security risk, didn’t matter that she actively complained loudly to me whenever I got back. Dr. Nolan was in charge, not her. Dr. Nolan didn’t care where I worked, so long as I worked.I watched the rain on the distant horizon, wishing, calling out to it. As though I could bring it here through a force of will. I picked one of the dozen computation surfaces from around me—most of them were just left out here at…
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Lucky Break worked for a year.It was a good thing that time moved differently on the inside, or else she might very well return to an Equestria that had already made important movement without her. More importantly, she was inches away from being able to see Flurry Heart again. Her friend had already endured a long time with whatever Princess Celestia had done to her. Lucky didn’t intend to keep her waiting that long.Still, she could take solace in the work. There were many dead ponies waiting to return…
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Lucky Break did not get a chance to enjoy her victory for very long. No sooner had the control room apparently accepted her instructions than she felt herself lifting into the air again. She screamed, reaching out towards her bruised and battered mother. She needed medical care, dammit! She couldn’t just leave her lying around like this!Her squeals of protest went unanswered, however, and she disappeared.She appeared in an orchard. It could’ve been anywhere in Equestria, though Lucky knew without…
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The screen went black.“That was it,” Forerunner said. “Dr. James Irwin Generation Two tried to treat his injuries, but you know better than most his medical training wasn’t sufficient for an intestinal wound. Without robotic assistance, he passed away a day later. His final instructions were a single command.”Again the recording, though only audio this time. Lucky shivered as she heard her old human voice one last time, shaking with agony. “I order you, Forerunner… don’t… make another…
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Princess Luna nodded towards the side of the controls, though there was a flash of annoyance in her eyes. I’d be upset if my sister talked to me like that. Isn’t she in charge too?Lucky started walking, following her off the edge of the glass. All this… they’d come so far, and they lost. There was no way the three of them could beat the princesses, not with one badly-injured Lightning Dust and one Forerunner with nothing but a crossbow. She didn’t even know if this was the right place—for all…
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