Linkin Pony - Recharge: Revamped

Chapter 46

Over the next few days, the ponies in camp worked to find ways to make use of the underground water. They had found some old pipes underground that lead to the water source to the village. There had to be a way to get them back to functional standards. In the meantime, ponies just collected water from the energy mill instead of traveling all the way to the stream.

EchoBeat was one of the ponies put in charge of distributing the water supply. After all, it was the most important resource for growing food. He wanted a good stock of filtered water saved so they didn't have to go through the processes every day.

Collecting water would be even more important as it started to rain over the camp. It seemed to rain all day. Echo made sure everyone had set out buckets to collect the rainwater.

As evening approached, Echo finished his work for the day and headed towards the base. Inside the main room CharmingRhythm gazed at the computer on the right wall. Echo stepped towards his chair.

"Oh hey," Rhythm greeted, although didn't turn his head."Everything going smoothly?"

"Yeah," Echo said, nodding. "Just finishing for today."

"Sounds good." Rhythm continued to read the screen, it's light reflecting in his attentive eyes.

"What are you looking at?" Echo wondered, slightly concerned. Rhythm seemed more interested with the words on the monitor than he did hearing about Echo's progress.

"I'm just reading through reports from HQ. Trying to figure out how the situation in Haythorn is going. They've got a communications connection for a small part of the city, but the majority has no access."

"You've been really interested in Haythorn lately," Echo stated, not even pretending to hide his concern.

"Ever since I went there and saw how bad it was with those rogues, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Those ponies don't deserve that treatment. Haythorn is meant to be a safe Resistance city," Rhythm sighed.

Echo slowly moved towards the hallway. "Well, I'm calling it a day. You try not to stay up too late with that computer. It's not good for your eyes."

Rhythm gave a single huff of amusement. "I'll try not to. Thanks."

The rain pattered on the roof until sometime in the middle of the night. The new silence was almost eerie.

Then a sound broke that silence. Echo blinked his eyes open to the darkness. It sounded like shouting came from outside. Echo used his hoof to feel around his nightstand until he found the lamp he could switch on. He sat up and kept still as he listened for the noises, his ears alert.

For a moment, it was quiet again. Then the shouting returned. In the midst of the muddled voices, it sounded like crackles of energy beginning to start. EPDs weren't that loud. Only Hybrid guns created that distinct noise.

Echo hopped off his bed and peered out the window, which faced the north. He sought to make something out in the darkness. There were small glowing red dots that moved. Those lights were attached to Hybrids. Then they disappeared out of sight, passed the base. They're moving into camp! He quickly equipped his EPD.

Echo found FeatherTune awake when he entered the hallway.

"What the hell is going on out there?" Feather mumbled sleepily.

"There are Hybrids in camp!" Echo answered.

"Really? How do you know?"

"Because I saw them moving in, and I can hear them fighting," Echo explained.