Finding the security access junction was easy. I was replaying the message again, this time in my earbloom. It made no sense. But it had the singular benefit of not being overwhelmingly evil. I had to know more.

Pulling away the security panel, I found a maze of tubes and wiring. And set into it, a small yellow-orange box with a black jackpoint. It struck me that the last pony to try this was effectively electrocuted. Hooking my own PipBuck into the junction could be a death sentence. Fortunately, I had another option.

I pulled out Velvet Remedy’s PipBuck for the first time since shortly after I found her. It was a thing of beauty, but I realized it had a less pleasant meaning to her. Holding it by levitation only, I jacked her custom PipBuck into the junction.

Minutes later, I was looking though streams of data. One string caught my eye:

> Error Detected:

> Water Talisman functioning at 98% capacity

> Analyzing Damage

> Chance of restoring Water Talisman to full functionality: 0%

> Analyzing Options

> Surface Radiation level 1300% above survivable level

> Preservation of Pony Life requires water rationing and 0.02% reduction of Stable population

> Initiating water rationing

> Analyzing population for most expendable 0.02%

> Initiating population reduction