It had been several days since Eva was laid to rest. Rather surprisingly to everyone in the town, the touched were coping well with the death and maiming of two of their own. Eva was interred in one of the four pre-dug graves under an eave of the cave beside Wave Echo. It had been a simple eulogy that was only attended by some of the more violence inclined humans and members of the militia, as well as Salvei and . “If you ever need to talk, let me know,” was an offer extended to them by Indigo, Salvei, and many others.
Electrode however took it fairly poorly, though not in the fashion one would expect of a pony who got her leg and one of her extra slicing limb both chopped off in the same afternoon.
“What the hell do you mean I'm being discharged!?” Electrode said angrily. “I can still fight!”
PSI shook her head. “Not with two out of six limbs missing you can't.”
“But I barely know how to do anything else! You can't seriously think I can just pick up a trade just like that!” Electrode looked like she was on the verge of tears. True she did a lot of odd jobs around town when she was running solo drills or fighting, but all in all she was a pretty substandard worker in general.
“We don't expect you to Electrode. In fact we don't expect anything of you.” Indigo said, trying to sound comforting, but obviously her wording could have been better.
Electrode glared at her and PSI. “Oh, you think I'm a broken old cripple now!?” She nearly shouted. “Electrode, please calm down-” PSI was cut off by a very shrill “DONT YOU FUCKING TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!”
“Electrode, you missing a leg and an arm, we can't in good conscience let you keep fighting. PSI made a recommendation to ease you being discharged from the regular militia though.” Indigo said, trying to maintain a calming tone.
“And what the hell could I possibly do that doesn't involve hurting other living things?” Electrode asked, her voice cracking as she spoke.
“We need a Chief of Security.” Indigo said rather bluntly. “I know we don't have an issue with crime at the moment but I'd like it to stay that way, and the threat of a beating or jail time should be enough to deter most ponies and humans from doing something stupid.”
Electrode sat and stared at them for a moment before she finally said “I want an axe.”
“I'm sorry what?” Indigo asked after blinking in surprise. “But that-”
“I'm not gonna relearn how to fight by using a blunt metal stick or use an arbalest. I want an axe.” Electrode said irritably. She had at least regained a normal tone in short order.
“Well, one of the diomedians we killed had one made of rainbow metal, you could use that.” PSI offered. The one good thing about these attacks were the arms the enemy brought with them.
“Fine, if that's what you prefer, but don't go killing everypony who shirked off a production order ok?” Indigo said after a few silent moments.
Electrode nodded. While not quite happy, she at least wasn't completely edged out of what she did best. Plus Velvet Sands did give her that beautiful stocking she made to try and cheer her up over loosing two limbs.
Indigo sighed in relief. While Electrode was still obviously upset, there wasn't going to be a hissy fit that could get somepony killed. “There is one more thing,” She said, turning to PSI. “I understand you wanting to reserve the teams you lead directly for other tainted mares, but since your numbers are fairly low right now, I asked around and Ember Current is willing to replace Electrode in your squad.”
“I'm sorry what?” PSI asked, whether in simple shock of a royal volunteering to be a rank-and-file grunt, or irritation over the same however, Indigo couldn't tell.
“You need somepony who'll know what they're doing, and since nearly everypony else with any shred of combat training has already been assigned to a squad or.... Worse, you need to make up for the lack of numbers.”Indigo waited for a response, but when none was forthcoming, she continued. “Ember Current has every right to want to help protect Jackirons, and she already has basic combat training. She just needs somepony to teach her the ins and outs of using a weapon instead of her hooves.”
“Almost a thousand years old, has combat training, and yet doesn't know which end of a pointy thing she's supposed to hit something with? That's sad.” Electrode thought aloud.
“Yes, very. But at least she has the basics down. Electrode, would you mind donating your armor and weapon to her? I've already had a partial uniform put together for you as chief of security.” Indigo asked, not wanting to send Alina and the other miners on a wild goose chase for weapons-grade metals.
“Huh?” Electrode asked before snapping back to her senses. “Oh, yeah I guess I can, if she can squeeze into them.”
Indigo smiled. “Thanks, and I really do wish I could get your leg to grow back, but at least if we do need you, we can still call on you to help protect the town.”
“Yeah, right. I need to go lie down...” Electrode said, her anger seeming to be swept aside with sadness.
“Oh, I didn't forget to get the accommodations for a pony in your position done. You're new rooms are upstairs in the cave. Let me know when you have some new recruits so I can direct them up there too.” Indigo said to her as she left. Electrode nodded and closed the door behind her.
-
The following day Satin Spirit had asked Hyena and PSI to come to the 'hospital' for a check up. Both were feeling fine over all, though Hyena figured she could get her hind leg looked at since it had been fairly sore.
“Hey Satin, What's up.” PSI greeted the mare as she looked over Hyena, who seemed to distinctly upset.
“Have a seat anywhere PSI, I'll be with you in a moment.” Satin said, gesturing over to the tables. PSI sat on one of the extra beds and looked up to Hyena. “You alright? That frown doesn't look good on you.” PSI asked the pegasus.
Hyena said nothing. “She's developed an infection in her hind leg. It's not festering or anything, but it does have the potential to get much worse. So long as she keeps it clean though she should be fine.” Satin said for her. “I'm gonna ask Tropic Thunder to get some lye made since we're running low on soap. Otherwise Electrode and Opal Shift will probably end up with them too.” As she finshed her inspection, she looked up at Hyena's face, saying “Good news is you haven't gotten an infection in your foreleg. Keep the back one clean and you should be fine. You go out and try to have a good day, ok?” Hyena nodded and got to her hooves on the floor and walked out, trying to keep her head up but failing.
“Alrighty, let me see your flank PSI.” Satin said rather bluntly.
“Wooooah there Satin, I dunno what you've heard, but I'm married.” PSI said with a laugh. She then laid down on the bed and waited, jumping slightly at having a pair of hooves on her backside and messing with her hind legs.
“Hmmm.” The doctor said after a few minutes of pokes, prods, and eying her. “Legs are fine, foreleg is fine.... And your flank has developed a small infection where it got chipped. You didn't change your bandage there every couple days like I told you to, did you.” Satin said, looking PSI in the eyes with an annoyed look on her face.
PSI's ears flattened to her head and she looked a little embarrassed at having forgotten. “It.... may have slipped my mind...”
Satin sighed. “PSI, keep it clean and maybe you'll be fine but for Celestia's sake, don't let it get any worse, ok?”
“Alright... Anything else?”
Satin Spirit thought about it for a moment and then said “Yeah, you're a monkey-fucking sociopath who I think needs some serious mental help.”
PSI just stared at her. “And is there anything I didn't already know you wanna tell me?”
“Yeah, actually.” Satin said.
“What?”
Satin got her upper half on the bed and gave her a big hug “Just kidding, thanks for doing what you do.”
-
Beryl and Ember Current were having lunch out by the farm plots when a stallion came over and left them a note from Indigo. He didn't say anything other than “The boss needs some stuff done.” and running along to whatever he was doing.
“Let's see...” Ember said, levitating the message up and unfolding it. “Huh, seems we have some proper work to do.”
“What's it say?” Beryl asked. “I mean that guy brought to us both right?”
“Yeah, looks like the Sub-Overmare wants you to get some extra farm plots made. I have to process some plants. Guess we're running out of thread or something.” Ember said standing up. “Guess lunch is over.”
-
Indigo was out for a walk, getting away from her paperwork when she spotted one of the workers in charge of processing the diomedians from the ambush. “Excuse me, you're one of the tanners right?” She asked.
“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Whatcha need?” The human said, looking up from the journal he was wiritng in.
“Well, I haven't heard anything from down below, is there anything the workers down there need?”
“Barrels, workshops, and more people or ponies.” He said.
Indigo was taken aback by this ready answer. “Uh...”
“We're running low on barrels, and there's not enough workers to process the bodies quickly.” He said, closing his journal. “Alina wanted me to tell you about that since she's been down there mining all day and knows what's going on. Oh, and something about jugs.”
“Jugs?”
“Yeah, one of the weird looking ponies said something about jugs so I figured I'd let you know.”
“I see... Well, thank you, uh...?”
“Oh, Finn. I'm one of the newer people.”
“Are you a friend of Alice and Dawn's?”
“Whatcha mean?”
“Well, the mask-” Indigo was cut off with an “Oh this? Yeah, we're all Boomers. Never met them before I moved here though.”
Indigo nodded, though it was obvious she was confused. “I see. Well, tell the processing crew I'll get some more ponies down there to help out by this after noon.”
Finn smiled, not that Indigo could tell. “Alrighty boss, I'll tell the others, thanks!”
Indigo went about her business when Tropic Thunder approached her, looking a little embarrassed. “Something wrong Tropic?” Indigo asked.
“Uh yeah.... We uh... We need more wood for the burner. I may have accidentally made a bunch of potash instead of the lye you wanted...” The pegasus said, rubbing the back of her head.
“What.” The unicorn said flatly.
“I... I misread the work order... I thought it said to 'make potash,' not 'we've got seven units of ash.'”
Indigo facehoofed. “There is no way...”
“I was in a hurry ok? Can you ask Opal and Replica to kncok some trees down though? I'll make double what you asked me to if you can get me the supplies.” Tropic said, trying to apologize with the offer.
“Fine,” Indigo said, her voice shaky with irritation. “I'll let them know, just get it done.”
Tropic's ears went down and she backed up a little at Indigo's tone. “I will boss, don't worry.” She said quickly before flying off.
“I swear to the gods things like this are gonna be the death of me.” Indigo said to herself as she walked back to her office.
-
The following day was a nice one. The rain had stopped (everypony was getting sick of the constant downpours,) and work was getting done. Seth had made a request for a baracks to be made, and in short order (Only eight hours!) Cleavage Fracture and his masonry crew had obliged, though it still needed roof, the walls, flooring and supports were all up, with a pair of beautiful chestnut doors added afterward. Seth had assembled his squad after Eagle Crater had forged three saronite steel longswords and a pair of hook swords of the same material were scavenged from the battle with the Diomedians. Seth saw it fitting; he'd destroy the enemies of Jackirons, and by extension Equestria, with their own weapons.
The town had also put it to a vote to have the cave reshaped into a roughly step pyramid type shape, similar to those of the monuments of the jungle ponies overseas. At least that's what Salvei said the cave would resemble. The upshot of such a seemingly pointless project would be providing housing in the cave, with the space being more manageable and the excess being repurposed into more building materials.
Another plan for the day was refuse sorting: Piles of turtle shells had begun littering the meat production plant, so a smaller storage afera was to be carved out and all the shells placed there. While this was being done, more jugs were produced, as Glaive said they needed them to process the nervous tissue scraped out of the diomedians' spines, with barrels to store the resultant spectral essence that could be made from the residue of creating spectra.
Sometime before dinner, Opal Shift had killed an eagle. When asked why, she stated it was grievously injured so she put it out of its misery. Worked continued well into the night afterward, with some only knocking off when Indigo came and told them to go to sleep.
-
A knock on her bredroom door pulled Indigo out of a sound sleep late that night. Glaive generally didn't sleep much so she figured she was just stopping by to let her know she and Arctic Burst had changed shifts.
“Mmm... What is it Gl- Arctic? What are you doing here?” Indigo asked, still groggy.
“I wanted to bring you the sign in sheet now before I forget to.” Arctic said, levitating a note over to her.
“Huh? Oh. Ok, let's uh...” Indigo trailed off, begining to doze where she stood. “Uh, Indigo?” Arctic said, prodding her with a scythe. “Huh? Oh, right.” Indigo said, jumping at the contact. She looked over the sheet.
Migrants
Prarie Lyricjack - Mare, Hammerpony/Furnace Worker, Pegasus
Stone Daliah - Mare, Ex-merchant, Earth
Virdian Treasure - Mare, Expert Surgeon, Earth
Bandfire Dineknot - Stallion, Milker/Novice Markspony, Pegasus
Diamond Sparkle - Mare, Knife fighter/lasher/High master bowyer, Unicorn
Hagglund Laborsmile - Stallion, Shearer, Pegasus
Golden Forest - Mare, Legendary Grower, Earth
Andrew Mercier - Male, Infantry, Human (Bearclaw Tribe)
Indigo looked up from the sheet, saying “Looks like Hyena has a new recruit... Uhm... If that's all, I'm going back to bed. I'll talk to the new arrivals in the morning.”
“Of course. Sorry I bothered you ma'am.” Arctic said, closing the door.
-
Things were still mercifully quiet in Jackirons. Electrode had accepted her new posting, if grudgingly and was now plastering recruitment posters all over town to get some recruits for the town's police force. Unfortunately there didn't seem to be any takers, much to Electrode's dismay. Was she really that unsettling to look at since her injuries?
-
“Glaive! Hey, Glaive! Help me out will ya?” Came a call from seemingly nowhere.
Glaive perked up and looked around, but saw nopony. “What the- Who-” “Look up brainless.” the voice said. “Lockheed? Why are you upside down on that ledge?” Glaive asked upon seeing the moss green pegasus against the gray shale cave face.
“Oh I just thought maybe I'd admire the forest from a new perspective. I'm stuck genius, what the hell do you think I'm doing.” Lockheed answered irritably.
Glaive seemed surprised by this. “How the heck did you manage that?” She asked.
“This is my reward for not looking before flying. I smacked into the cave and would prefer not breaking my head getting down from here. Could you help me down?”
Glaive stuck her nose in the air “No, you were a smartass and I don't appreciate being spoken to like that.”
“You've got to be fucking kidding me.” Lockheed said flatly.
Glaive couldn't help herself and giggled. “Sure I will. You're a bit high up for me to get you down but I can ask Replica to put something together so you can roll onto the wall. On one condition.”
Lockheed rolled his eyes. “What?”
“Say I'm attractive. And you have to pretend to mean it.” Lockheed rolled his eyes again. “Why?” He asked.
Glaive pouted at this question. “Look, we tainted mares aren't exactly fending suitors off with a stick. It helps to hear it sometimes. Y'know, something to help with confidence.”
Lockheed sighed and, as best he could manage given he was upside down, said “Glaive, you're one of the most beautiful mares in the whole world... Why more stallions aren't after those flanks I'll never know.”
Glaive blushed visibly at this and smiled. “Thank you, Lockheed. I'll be back with Replica shortly.” Sure enough, about ten minutes later Replica came out on the same rough level as himself and laid a hastily made grate across.
“Come on, roll over.” Replica said, holding the grate steady. Lockheed complied and after a little clumsy maneuvering, he was safely upright.
“Thanks Replica.” He said, shaking her hoof. “No pobem.” Replica mumbled with the grate in her mouth. The two went airborne after this little exchange, Lockheed desperately needing something to drink.
-
“Come on everypony. Hop to, we got zebras inbound.” Amber Bolt said, strolling into the inn.
Pnfire sighed and looked at his lunch. “Couldn't have waited another ten freaking minutes...” He said as he got to his hooves. “Always when I wanna eat.”
“Cheer up Pinfire, you have a pretty easy job. Would you rather trade places with Satin?” James said, opening and holding the door for the others. “Hell no. I don't think I could handle having other ponies' lives besides my family's depending on me to not screw something up.”
“Less talky, more trade good movey.” Andrew said. He certainly was a no nonsense sort. Almost irritatingly so. At least Smash would be more pleasant to speak to. Or hear, thick accent aside.
-
Indigo opted to spend the time the other settlers spent trading with the Zebras to check on this remodeling the miners were doing with the cave. She found that in the space of three days it was largely turned into an aesthetically pleasing roughly pyramid shape. Once it was finished the end result would be a nice place for some of the town's residents to move into. She was startled when she saw a tiger roaming the town following behind Seth.
“What the hell is that thing doing out of a cage!?” Indigo asked him angrilly.
“Dunno. Lace just started following me around when she got loose.” Seth said with a shrug. Satin said she was gonna train it to fight but it bolted after she slipped the training collar on.
“You named it Lace.” Indigo said flatly, obviously in disbelief.
Seth shrugged again. “Seemed like a good name at the time.”
She shook her head, saying “Fine. But just so your squadmates don't feel left out have them all pick a fighting animal to back them up too.”
Seth saluted “Sure thing ma'am. I was about to tell them to do so myself.”
Indigo couldn't help but chuckle. “Great minds think alike I guess.” She said. She turned to leave but stopped and looked back to the masked human “If you see Morgan and Eagle Crater let them know I'd like to speak with them.” Before trotting off as she had planned.
Not long later, the two mares in question entered her office. “You wanted to see us ma'am?” Morgan asked for the two.
Indigo looked up from her paperwork, the new stocks having just been handed in by Velvet Sands. “Yes, I just wanted to let you know your personal forges and apartments are ready for you. Head through the food storage and you should find them.”
The two seemed surprised. They had arrived quite recently compared to most of the population.
“Uh, not that we're complaining Sub-Overmare, but aren't there other ponies who've been waiting for housing longer?” Eagle Crater said. Her reasoning was obvious; why should they have their own homes so soon?
“You two possess the training that takes years to build up otherwise, or supplies of materials we don't have and constant work. You two are valuable and therefore need to be treated well.” Indigo replied. “And I won't take no for an answer. Take any belonging you need to move and go ahead and move in tonight.”
The metalworkers nodded. They weren't exactly pleased with this sort of favoritism, but they decided to simply roll with it.
As the duo walked out they could hear that woman Alina shouting something that sounded like “No you idiot don't-!” But they were startled, as was the human's speech cut off by, a sudden crash of shal into the fruit orchard.
“What the hell was that!?” indigo shouted as she came galloping out, only to be greeted by a could of dust and bits of flying tree.
“We're o-okay!” Cleave Fracture said, stumbling out of the dust cloud. “Just a minor construction accident!”
“Minor? You could have killed somebody you fucking moron!” Alina shouted at him.
“Yeah, but I didn't now did I.” He snapped back.
“Yeah, unless you count severely damaging some of our fruit trees as being something almost fatal.” Morgan said.
“I tried to tell you to stop, but nooooo. Nobody listens to the human!” Alina said as she stormed off, wiping shale dust from her sleeve.
“She's not mad at me or anything is she?” Fracture asked.
The only response he got was Indigo hitting him with a broken tree limb, saying "Moron."
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Topic: Jackirons - Rampage Mod Community Fortress - Retired (Read 12413 times)