They're... ON HOLIDAY?

Day 2 - Points: 2/9

"Thank you, Miss boxy!"

"This has been Fuzzy Nimbus, and now it's time for some easy listening!"

"Thank you, Miss Fuzzy Nimbus!" 99380 waves at the radio before mumbling, "What a friendly talky box. Did you name it?" it asks the bartender.

"You don't have a radio where you come from?" asks the pegasus.

99380 creeps closer to the box.

"Nope. First time I'm seeing something like that. It's amazing! How does it talk without a mouth? Is it like our head talking?"

Seeing the drone smile from ear to ear, the pegasus feels a stab of pain in his heart at having to tell it that the radio can't hear it.

"Fuzzy Nimbus is a weather pony from Maretime Bay radio station. We're still sailing down the Equestrian coastline so we can catch their signal. The radio just lets us hear what they're saying, they can't hear you back. It's part technology, part magic. You'd have to ask a smart unicorn for more details. I use it for the news and some ambience."

"Ohhhh..." 99380 nods, and the pegasus lets out a sigh of relief as the drone's mood doesn't seem to worsen at all, "We don't have thingies like that back home. When we need to talk to others who aren't around, we use our links. That's like talking but without a mouth. We can talk to a whole bunch of changelings like that at the same time," 99380 rubs its chin, "Hmmm, I've got an idea."

"Hello, hive mind! This is 9-"

"SHUT UP THIS EARLY!" comes an immediate angry reply from Chrysalis.

"Oops. Sorry, Your Majesty!"

Chrysalis' link locks up.

"Are there any problems?" asks 93.

"Uh, no. I was just trying out something new."

"Explain."

"I'm listening to a talky radio box up here on the top deck and there was a nice lady speaking out of it. She said the weather would be nice all day but that we should find some shade around noon or the heat would smack us. So... I just wanted everyone to know."

93's link remains silent for a moment, but 99380 can feel she's still actively connected, just either thinking or busy. Eventually, she doesn't reply. Instead, 99380's mind lights up with a mysterious reminder before 93's link disconnects.

New task:
>Meet 93; location: B-3-21x5y; time: +5h 21m; reward: 1 point<

***

"Your Majesty?" asks 93 after quietly tapping on Chrysalis' door.

After a groan from the suite, Chrysalis replies:

"Come in, 93."

Inside, 93 gives the messy bed containing one unconscious griffon a curious look before bowing to the Queen.

"Your Majesty, I would like to request time off over noon. Presumably from 12:00 to-"

"Sure. Who's the lucky stallion?" Chrysalis winks at her.

"Your Majesty, that's not-!" 93 huffs.

"A mare then, I don't judge," she shrugs.

"It's 99380!" blurts out 93.

That gives Chrysalis a pause. However, being the infiltrator queen she recovers near instantly.

"By my irresistibly addictive holes, I heard about slumming, but a drone?"

"Your Majesty, I just want to-"

"No need to describe your specific kink," Chrysalis waves her foreleg dismissively, "You're way too vanilla for me not to get bored anyway. Do you want to hear about how I-?"

"You've stretched this a little too far, Your Majesty..." 93 groans.

"Exactly what all three of them said when they slid off of my three d- so you already heard that one?" Chrysalis smirks. When 93 only sighs and looks at the floor, she rolls her eyes, "Look, 93, when I need you I'll call you. Until then, stick to the plan. Phase one went off almost without a hitch yesterday, but you still have a lot to do."

"I am nervous, Your Majesty."

"That's your problem, 93. I hereby order you to get buzzed ASAP. It'll make dealing with the usual drone nonsense easier too."

93 sighs.

"Understood, Your Majesty. Do you require me to..." she nods to the griffon on the bed.

"Obviously. Should I start giving you points as motivation too?"

"No need, Your Majesty."

"Good, then go out and enjoy yourself. Remember the plan."

With another bow, 93 leaves the suite. Chrysalis shakes her head as she glances at the completely exhausted griffon, and mumbles to herself:

"Not a particularly filling experience, but so far it doesn't feel like the drones need too much of a refill. Shame they did a better job in that regard than both 93 and 387."

What she doesn't know is that 387 is standing by the wall of the hoofmaiden suite next door, ear pressed against it, with a devious smirk on his face.

I KNEW IT! I knew there was more than just going on a trip. Now, how to figure out her overall goal and stop it before it screws us over?