Silent Steel stepped into the shadowed confines of the conference hall, giving a wry smile as he saw the polished table,
the floating hologram of the Applejack Ranger logo, the stink of testosterone and old men. It couldn’t be much more a villainous cliché if it tried, and the worst part was he was well aware those around the table were taking it deadly seriously.

One rose now, powerful brow wrinkling with stern leadership. He gave a firm dignified nod, full of fatherly concern, “Councillor Silent Steel, it is a privilege to have you join us today.”

“High Elder Peach Trees.” Silent Steel nodded in acknowledgment, “Likewise, I assure you.”

“Please, take a place.” Peach Trees intoned as he guided Silent Steel towards the table, waving at the others stood around, “You know Stern Lancer.”

Stern Lancer gave a look of careful distrust, which Silent Steel felt was justified, “Of course.”

“We also have Sweet Acorn of the Followers of the Apocalypse.” Peach Trees introduced as he waved to a mousy looking unicorn, “And of course, we have the pleasure of hosting P7 and SolOS of Sun City.”

The pink pony shaped robot at the end gave an affirmative sound, the monitor on the table next to them complementing her with a smooth, dark chocolate voice, “A pleasure to be in such fine company."

Silent Steel took his place, looking around the room, meeting each set of eyes. He couldn't get anything from SolOS and P7 of course, though he had heard enough to be wary of both. Peach Trees looked smugly confident as ever. Stern Lancer was doing the exact same thing, intelligent eyes clearly sizing him up. And Sweet Acorn was clearly wrestling with both excitement and nervousness, clearly not entirely comfortable to be here. She added legitimacy to the group at the very least, Peach Trees and Stern Lancer were both aging relics of an organisation long past it's time, but as Velvet Remedy's personal secretary Sweet Acorn stood beside the very highest seats of power.

"We believe the NCR is broken, and that it is getting worse." Peach Trees stated suddenly, his commanding voice grabbing the attention of every single pony in the room. He looked to each of them, testing them for weakness in the face of his words, "That is what we are here to discuss."

"The corruption of the council is without doubt." Stern Lancer added, "Bitter Lemon counts all by himself, an open crime lord bleeding Fillydephia dry, yet able to keep himself him power through money and false promises. Yet to that I could also name Golden Fields, abusing the trust of the Hellhounds and inciting them to protest solely to serve his own power. And Indigo Hope, so deep in the pockets of the Twilight Society he's barely his own entity."

"The government as a whole is now wholly dedicated to enriching its own, with no concern for the greater welfare of the NCR." Peach Trees continued, "Democracy has failed. It has shown itself too easily brought, too vulnerable to the lies of the self interested."

Silent Steel agreed on that point, that at least was why he was here. Not that he considered the Rangers the guardians of democracy, but that didn't make them wrong about the cracks in the system. He had already seen it, the balance of power moving from those of clear intelligence and moral character, to those with the biggest bank accounts, "And what is the solution?"

"We return to the old wa`ys. One ruler, a princess of proven courage, integrity and wisdom. One who has proven themselves a hero over and over again, and who has already demonstrated that the republic can unite behind her." Peach Trees explained, "This is our task, to bring the rightful family to the throne of the NCR, the rightful ruler. And that ruler is Regina Grimfeathers."

He smiled. He almost laughed. It wasn't a bad choice exactly, but she was hardly the best they could do, "Why her?"

"Her mother founded the country." Stern Lancer explained, "She has a large family of heirs, she provides a selling point for the griffons, and she was elected with a clear popular vote. She also has strong ties with high ranking members of all major factions, and has the support of the council."

Fair points... he guessed, "And you've discussed this with her?"

"Anypony who would willingly take power of this scale would never be worthy of it." Sweet Acorn stated firmly, displaying far more fierceness than he had expected from her, "Regina is far too humble to accept, even if was for the best of the NCR."

"So what is your plan? We force her?"

"Indeed." SolOS stated with decisiveness, full of pride and certainty, "The only thing that forces a good pony to seize ultimate power. The appearance of a threat, a threat that requires the most decisive leadership. A threat that forces good ponies to step forward, and save the world."

Silent Steel was intrigued, "And what threat is that?"

"That is what we here to discuss." SolOS declared, "Welcome Silent Steel, to the Red Eye project."

~

"So there are three key points of the project." Stern Lancer explained as they sat around the planning table in his Manehatten offices, working out the details of their master plan. It was all a little low tech for a world domination meeting as far as Silent Steel was concerned, unable to help grinning a little as Stern Lancer slid caps across a map of the NCR. "First, Steel Ranger operatives and trusted mercenaries will act as raiders, provide evidence that Red Eye has returned, and use their military force to sell his threat with some minor raids on caravans and towns. These caravans and towns will be covered by insurance policies, which along with sales of the stolen materials will help fund the whole project without drawing from official budgets."

Silent Steel nodded, "And of course the Rangers will be sent out to fight this 'threat', raising their profile by means of their heroism."

Stern Lancer nodded affirmative, "And as a complement, any raiders who prove troublesome can be directed right into a Steel Ranger patrol."

Silent Steel looked out the window, towards where the towering form of Hoof Beats rose up in the distance. It felt like it was trying to tell him something, but he didn't know what, "And the second part?"

"The Followers of the Apocolypse have near total control of natural infrastructure. They are perfectly positioned to bring it down with acts of internal sabotage, to the point the entire economy could be brought to a total standstill by just swapping some numbers at head office." Stern Lancer struck a pin through the cap sitting at New Canterlot, "And Sweet Acorn has a long list of those Followers who have been skimming off the top for years. At the peak of the crisis we will have those names released as the cause of the problems, destroying public trust and convincing Regina to nationalise the organisation pending reorganisation."

This was the part he had trouble with. He agreed the Followers were a corrupt organisation, but Velvet Remedy didn't deserve the blame, "Where would that leave Velvet?"

"Exonerated, though with a short term loss in credibility." Stern Lancer explained, "Sweet Acorn insisted that she be protected from any consequences, and we have all decided that she would be a fine queenmaker for Regina."

He guessed that worked, "And the third part?"

Stern Lancer placed the final cap upon a small facility out on the edges of Route 56, "Now even with Velvet Remedy and others sabotaged from within, they would inevitably notice something was up fairly quickly, put their own resources into uncovering this Red Eye. Apart from that, we are also working on a lot of assumptions and guesswork about what Regina, Life Bloom and others will do, and we lack the inroads into government systems we need to properly manipulate them."

Silent Steel was going to say as much. Regina was not always as easily led as some assumed she was, "And how do you plan to solve that problem?"

"SolOS is working on that as we speak." Stern Lancer allowed a smile to drift across his face, "I hear it's something spectacular."

¬

Silent Steel marvelled at the shiny interiors of the Sun City research facility, still looking like new after two hundred years. Having grown up in Steel Ranger facilities, the idea of an underground facility that wasn’t falling to pieces was a fairly unique experience.

It was well protected too, Silent Steel nodding to the familiar face of Star Paladin Lucky Days as he approached, "Star Paladin."

"Councillor." The stallion curtly responded, "If you would follow me, I will escort you to the lab."

"It surprises me to see you on guard duty." Silent Steel commented as he fell into step, "Your credentials would seem to better support a frontline role."

"I have left that to younger ponies." He commented, voice becoming a tiny bit more casual, "It was not widely reported, but I was injured in the battle to retake Tenpony. But a small inconvenience, but my doctor advised a more sedentary position."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Lucky Days shook his head, "It is a privilege to be here. One pony with a gun can't accomplish anywhere near the wonders a pony with a test tube can."

Lucky Days led him into the main lab, like the other areas wide and sterile looking. A set of large computer systems whirred away in the corner, some desks sitting around the outside covered with neat stacks of paper. He soon focused his eyes on the only pony in the room, a skinny mare with pale white fur and an electric blue mane, wearing a labcoat and a pair of dark sunglasses. Lucky Days called out to her as they entered, “Doctor Matrix.”

“Yes, I heard you come in.” She replied, turning her head in their direction, “You are Silent Steel?”

He nodded and strode over, admitting to a bit of swagger. The mare in question was almost exactly his type, slim, dignified, icily feminine and obviously smart. He had to admit his mind wasn’t entirely on business, “I am indeed. You are the lead scientist on the project?”

“Doctor Spark Matrix is the lead researcher for the whole facility.” Lucky Days corrected, “She was instrumental in advising on the technical aspects of the Red Eye project.”

“At present all my time is taken up with the development of Puppy OS.” Dr Matrix replied, eyes hidden behind her glasses, “She is approaching a critical state in her development, and setbacks could result in permanent damage. Come.”

She led the towards a door at the back, Silent Steel noticing her hooves clacking against the floor. He looked down, noting that she appeared to be wearing metal boots. Or rather… that metal boots were fused to her legs, “Are those bionics?”

“Yes. They allow me to directly interface with technology, very helpful considering my condition.”

Silent Steel raised an eyebrow, “Condition?”

She turned, nudging her glasses down with a hoof to reveal two unfocused, cloudy golden eyes. He pretty quickly noted that one was clearly fake, and the other didn’t track his movements, figuring it out before she said it, “I’m blind.”

Well then, he really should be more observant. Though he was very impressed with how well she got around, “I’m sorry.”

“It has encouraged me to be creative with how I accomplish tasks.” She stated with a shrug, turning around and replacing her glasses, “I have grown used to it.”

He followed her into the room beyond, taking in the sights and marvelling at the elegance of the scene in front of him. He wondered if Dr Matrix had designed the area, thinking she rather seemed at home in the clean, elegant laboratory.

Like the previous room it was spacious and clear, with a tower of thick wires extending from the centre to reach up and support a small, round ball, clasped within four, gleaming white struts. At the base of the tower were computers and monitors, all featuring images of the same filly. She was pink furred, with vibrant yellow hair, the monitors showing her laughing, playing, learning…

“This is Puppy OS.” Dr Matrix explained, pointing a hoof up at the ball above, “That ball contains all her cognitive functions, upon completion she will only need to be connected to a standard D class generator to perform to maximum capacity.”

Silent Steel hadn’t been told the full details, and had been advised not to ask. He knew a little about AI development though, and he well knew that there was no way that little ball supported even a basic intelligence. For that you needed a crusader mainframe, which were generally the size of buildings, “So what is the purpose of all this equipment?”

“Her personality is still unstable.” Dr Matrix replied, “She is being fed with a basic set of developmental scenarios, in order to socialise her appropriately. Her mother is with her now, supervising the process.”

“Is that necessary?” Silent Steel pondered, feeling this was kind of overkill, “The plan called for a system built to organise basic governmental functions and monitor communications, does it need a personality? Presumably the system will be subservient to our control.”

It might have been the wrong thing to say, Dr Matrix’s voice growing a lot frostier, “What you are asking for requires a system of grand complexity. You saw what the AI systems placed in charge of stables did, without the ability to properly assess situations outside their remit.”

“Yes, but…”

“A system of the required complexity is by definition, sentient.” She continued, her voice assured, “Puppy is not your slave, nor your servant. I would advise you to remember that.”

He hesitated, then quickly backed down. She was right of course, and it had been wrong to say any different, “I’m sorry. I didn’t consider that.”

"I... yes..." She backed down, looking slightly embarrassed, "I'm sorry, it's just this project is important to P7. It's not just a system to her."

Silent Steel had already figured everypony here had different motives. He wondered what hers was, "And what is Puppysmiles to her?"

"Redemption, science... motherhood?" Dr Matrix shook her head, "I think you better ask her yourself."

~

P7 bobbed around the control room, a dozen different bodies all typing, maintaining and researching. He was honestly impressed by her, as far as he knew she was only a hospitality bot yet she certainly seemed to have expanded her horizons, "What is Puppysmiles to you P7?"

She bleeped in a tone he recognised as happiness, one of her drones swivelling to face him as she addressed him in her cheerful, obviously Pinkie Pie inspired tones, "It may seem self serving, but I honestly believe this will what save the world." Her voice filled with quivering excitement, "Do you believe in redemption Silent Steel?"

He smiled, "I was born a Steel Ranger, back when they were high tech raiders. Saying no would be somewhat hypocritical of me."

"And do you believe in Harmony?"

This was a slightly more difficult question, "I guess... but I certainly don't believe it's some all powerful force. The element bearers failed to save the world, in fact they made it worse."

"Of course, harmony requires sustained effort to flourish." She reasoned, "Ultimately, those who carried it during the war fell short of their responsibilities. But the government led by Celestia still has much to recommend it."

"Which is why you support a Princess, rather than a council."

P7 chirped in amusement, "I support an enlightened higher authority, supporting and advising a mortal government... and if needed, acting to reign in its destructive impulses."

Silent Steel cocked an eyebrow, "And that's Regina?"

"No. That is Puppysmiles." P7 coyly corrected, "Ultimately, all functions of government will be run through her. Incorruptible, pure, possessed of the vast intellect of a true AI and brought up in harmony, she will allow us to achieve our true potential under her protection."

Silent Steel hadn't heard this interpretation of their goals before, "Placing an AI as our all powerful overlord?"

"Have you not seen what has happened every time equines have tried to rule themselves?" P7 asked, "Yes, AI have proven themselves untrustworthy in the past, and yes, Puppysmiles represents in many ways forces that have caused evil throughout history. But it feels silly how everypony wants to recreate the old world, rather than try something new, exiting..."

Silent Steel grinned, "And dangerous." He took a moment to keep his feelings ambiguous before nodding ever so slightly in agreement, "But we do need new ideas. I'm here because the world is becoming increasingly like it was back before the end."

P7 bobbed apprehensively, "Dr Matrix has included command codes of course, to shut her down should she get out of control. But I truly believe in Puppysmiles, truly believe she can redeem both the world... and everything else she represents."

Silent Steel sensed the opportunity to pry for a little more information, "Dr Matrix seems to believe the same. In fact she seems as invested in this project as you."

"Yes, she is a wonderful girl." P7 declared enthusiastically, "She was a former slave of Red Eye, lost her eyesight during the fall of the cathedral. She's worked for us for years now, originally as an electrician. She can feel the flow of energy through her hooves, it came in very useful for returning this place to full functionality."

"Where did you find her?"

"How else?" P7 chirped with amusement, "We placed a newspaper article. It contained a code, indicating a certain place at a certain point in time. SolOS's idea, he wanted applicants of proven intelligence."

Silent Steel guessed that was one way of recruiting the best, though he wasn't sure how much advanced code breaking skills mattered to a electrician, "I haven't met SolOS since our first meeting actually. I presume he's around somewhere."

"He is, though he leaves most administration to me." P7 confirmed, "He prefers to focus on his research. I apologise councillor."

"It's no problem." He reassured, giving her a charming smile, "Your skills as a host are quite sufficient, have no doubt of that."

¬

It was eventually time to leave Sun City, other parts of the grand plan needing supervision. This time it was the one he knew had the biggest chance of going wrong, admitting a quiver of apprehension as he was escorted through the endless badlands far from the reach of the NCR. Here be raiders, and even the Steel Rangers came here in large numbers.

The raider base itself was located in what had once clearly been some sort of tourist resort, looking out over what looked like had once been a series of small, craggy mountains covered in thick forest. Something bad had clearly happened to it however, the ground irregular and covered in deep, jagged cracks, the mountains having partially caved in on themselves. Even with the Gardens of Equestria having reached this far the trees looked weak and sickly, the small road leading here still lined with burnt out vehicles and unburied corpses.

He looked up at the sign welcoming him to ‘Hopesville Nature Reserve’, cracked and damaged with another sign below almost entirely torn away. He inspected it for a moment, trying to read of the peeling letters… “Neutral State of… Hopeville I presume… forty miles…”

“This place once hosted a neutral town, designated by international treaty to have no part in the war.” A tough, handsome looking male griffon stated as he made his way over, “Luna established it as a place where those ponies who disagreed with Equestria’s aggression could live in peace.”

Silent Steel nodded to the griffon, unable to imagine this wasn’t the one he was looking for, “Sanhedran?”

“I am.” The griffon answered, not looking much like a raider boss. He looked tough enough for sure, but there was an intelligent look in his eye and an overall… cleanliness that seemed to stand out. He came over, offering a rough hoofshake, “Welcome to Red Eye Control.”

He looked around, the place still looking like a summercamp. With the wooden lodges, training equipment and somewhat twee signs it looked oddly domestic for a raider base. Even the raiders currently walking about the place looked a little too professional, “This is an odd location for a secret project.”

“On the contrary, this resort and the Hopeville neutral zone was placed here for a reason, this is one of the most isolated spots in Equestria.” Sanhedran answered, leading him further into the resort, “If you want to get technical Scribe Steel, you shouldn’t really be here. Military personnel are absolutely banned. This is a place of peace.”

“There sure seem to be a lot of guns here.” Silent Steel observed.

“A requirement.” Sanhedran answered, “We are by necessity surrounded by raiders, it would be foolish to not have the capacity to defend ourselves. Generally however this base remains an administrative position, from here we co-ordinate raider attacks and Steel Ranger counter operations, along with our spy network and recon missions.”

Silent Steel looked up at the giant antenna located upon the nearest mountain, just down the hill from the resort. It seemed rather out of place, clearly a high capacity model you would more normally see linking a large city like Manehatten, “You certainly seem well established.”

“As I said, a perfect position.”

Silent Steel looked around, noting the personnel all efficiently working away, carrying, watching for danger and fixing around the camp. Of all different species, they were all sharp eyed and of a military build, slim and muscled with a easy communication with each other that required no words. He had heard Sanhedran's mercenaries came highly recommended, looking at them work it was easy to see why. Not flashy, but all clearly professional and deadly in equal measure.

He followed Sanhedran into the camp HQ, seeing it had been set up with high end electronics and communications equipment, a wirescreen map of the area taking up much of the central area. Inside were plenty of technicians, with one in particular catching his attention immediately. A female griffon, the resemblance was obvious. He gave her a nod, Sanhedran laughing as she squirmed slightly under the attention, "My sister, Phila."

"Good to meet you Phila." He noted her jumpsuit, loaded with tools, "I'm guessing you're the technician of the family."

"Specialisation is for insects." She replied, still avoiding eye contact, "But I tend to deal with the technical subjects, yes."

"I must admit, I can't help but see a story here." Silent Steel admitted, "A family of griffon mercenaries, that are not and never have been Talons?"

"Mercenary by necessity, not intent." Sandhedran noted, a calm reflective tone to his voice, "Our parents told us to find a cause we could believe in, that would create the world we wanted to see."

Silent Steel had heard their higher ideals were one of the many reasons they were hired, "And do you believe in our cause?"

"Do you?" Phila asked, her eyes suddenly locking on his with a rather frightening intensity.

He paused a moment, feeling unable to lie under her angry, suspicious glare. He struggled to find his words, or pull his eyes away, "I... think it's a good start."

"What about the plan causes you concern?" Sandhedran asked, his tone casual.

He sighed, knowing he had to answer now. And the one he had available was broadly true at least... and wasn't exactly treasonous, "I just hope everyone truly believes in what we're trying to do. That it isn't just some crude way of grabbing power."

Phila kept her terrible eyes upon him, "Then maybe you better investigate that commitment before handing them ultimate power."

He sighed. That, after all had been the idea. But before he worked out who he couldn't trust, he needed to know who he could. He needed allies, somepony who had proven their loyalty to the higher ideals of the project... he smiled, nodding to himself as the ideal solidified, "Maybe I will."

¬

Dr Matrix faced him, eyes hidden behind her darkened glasses. All the same he could feel her assessing him, all too aware of the heart beating in his chest and the sweat on his brow. She was blind right?

"You do realise you're a politician, who betrayed those who brought him up, who manipulated his way onto this project with lies." Dr Matrix finally noted, her voice cold, "Out of everypony, you are the one I have least reason to trust."

He blinked, "With lies?"

"You intercepted Peach Tree's communications, learned of this project, and then called in all your contacts to arrange your participation. And through it all, you repeatedly proclaimed your loyalty to the Rangers, while speaking ill of them in your personal communications."

He looked at her in confusion, how did she know all this? And why had she never mentioned it before? "You've read my personal communications?"

She shifted her silver hair back with a hoof, her body language cold and efficient as she turned away and stalked towards the monitor at the far end of the lab, "You are right about some things. We do need to keep an eye out for traitors, and I could help you do that."

"Maybe I am a traitor." Silent Steel declared, seeing little further point in lying, "I keep taps on Elder Peach Trees, lied my way onto the project, left the Rangers in the first place... because I cannot trust them."

"So you are a spy?"

"I'm a patriot." He replied, "The NCR has rejected the rule of the Rangers. I've long suspected they intended a military coup. I joined the project to stop them."

"They are." Dr Matrix noted, "And you've been helping them do it. So what's your end game? If you jointed up to expose them, why hesitate? Why bother gathering more proof that they are up to no good, when the truth is staring you in the face?"

It was a good question. One that he himself had debated, "Because... I believe in you, in P7 and Puppysmiles. Because the plan is a good one, and it could work."

Dr Matrix paused a moment before speaking again, "You wish to convince us that the Steel Rangers cannot be trusted? You wish to take command of the project from them?"

He firmed his cheeks, "I wish to save the project from them." He extended a hoof, "Dr Matrix, you must know what they intend. Military dictatorship, the authoritarian rule of thugs in power armor."

"I understand that well." Dr Matrix answered, "But I also know that they mean well. That there are many good, honourable ponies among them, and they will do their best to make this work to the betterment of all."

"Those are the most dangerous kind." Silent Steel stated with conviction, "The pony who killed Velvet Promises was a good honourable pony, trying to save the world. And so was Red Eye, the pony who enslaved and blinded you."

Dr Matrix' mouth straightened into an utterly serious grimace, "And you intend to stop them."

"Yes."

"How?"

He sighed, taking no pleasure in it, "I'm not sure yet, it's far too soon yet to make our move. For now... we help them set this up, we profess our loyalty. We wait for them take make their mistake... or prove their good intentions.”

She observed him for a moment from behind her glasses, "And if they don’t... what? We kill them?"

"Perhaps." He expressed with a weary inevitability, "Littlepip did not save the wasteland with good feelings alone."

“Indeed she did not.” Dr Matrix replied, her voice cold, “Then let us see where this leads us Councillor. You have my cooperation.”

¬

"And it is from this factory, and the others like it, that Equestria will be rebuilt. It is from the work that Uncle and Aunt Fruitcup do now that a new national infrastructure will be created and a new golden age will be born... the golden age of Unity! Equestria will rise like a phoenix from her own ashes! But not without our help, and not without our labor. This is what is important. This will make a difference. This will last!”

Silent Steel smirked, eyeing the pony in front of him for a moment or two before stomping his hoof on the ground in appreciation. Rum Red gave a bow at the praise, the tall pegasus speaking again with his deep voice now touched with a broad Manehatten accent, "I always wanted to play him you know. Always get the thug parts... the evil enclave soldier, full of monosybilic threats and pretending to throw ponies across the stage."

Stern Lancer lifted an eyebrow as he looked up at the pegasi, "I think I saw you as an extra in 'The Fall of Burnished Shield'."

"That's what makes him perfect." Silent Steel noted, noting the pegasi's total transformation the moment he put on Red Eye's voice and demeanor, "Despite your skills, you have been cruelly denied a career and a chance to make your name... and so have been given a chance at the greatest role of all."

"He doesn't look much like him." Stern Lancer noted, sizing him up, "He's too tall, his face is... a decent likeness at best, he's ten years younger... and a pegasi."

"I can have my wings covered up." Rum Red offered, flattening them against his side, "Lots of actors do it. Stick a metal cone on your head to become a unicorn..."

"Which is exactly what we'll do." Silent Steel stated with a burst of inspiration, standing up and marching to the stage, "Red Eye fell into the IMP, he became an alicorn. He got taller, he grew wings and a horn..."

"Doesn't IMP make you female?" Stern Lancer asked, then waved a hoof at Rum Red, "And he's a little short for an alicorn..."

"He's not a Goddess alicorn... which would mean he shouldn't be an alicorn at all, but... well... it explains the changes to height and appearance." Silent Steel reasoned, admitting he was pretty much bullshitting here, "Along with any changes to voice or body language."

"I can do it." Rum Red declared, adopting his 'Red Eye' voice once more, "This is the opportunity I've always dreamed of. To inhabit a role, truly inhabit, that is so important to so many people."

"That could save the world." Silent Steel reminded him.

Rum Red grinned at the implication, "Where do I sign up?"

¬

"...and we, the true sons and daughters of the wasteland, will inherit the wonders of this new age!"

Silent Steel watched from the control room as Red Rum gave his speech from the gantry, a hundred cheering raiders assembled below. Or rather Red Rum mouthed the worlds and waved his hoof around, as a pre-recorded speech run through a voice synthesiser echoed from the speakers around the compound. He looked at the technicians all adjusting sound quality and monitoring the crowd, admitting that it had been a masterful performance. All the same, he had concerns, "Isn't it a little too high minded and... allegorical for Red Eye? Not that he was plain spoken, but he's starting to sound more like a preacher than a general."

"Perhaps." Sadducees admitted, the well dressed griffon scribbling some notes on the clipboard at his talons. The third member of the griffon trio, he completed the contrasts by being to all appearances a classic urbane modern griffon, all cravats, gold rimmed spectacles and degrees in modern languages. He had apparent written papers on Red Eye as part of said degree, and thus it was his job to write the scripts and orchestrate the performances, "Still, they seem to like it."

"We're trying to fool ponies who actually knew Red Eye as well." Silent Steel reminded, "The more we unsettle them, keep them uncertain, the more indecisive and unfocused their response will be."

"I will attempt to reign in my more... literary tendencies." Sadducees reluctantly conceded, "But honestly the plan is going very well from what I have seen. Those we hoped to fool are fooled, those we hoped to unsettle are unsettled. Now we must simply wait for events to unfold."

Silent Steel sighed, the most difficult part of any plan, "Well I hope so, because I'm going to busy for the new few months."

Sadducees nodded, "The council is back in session."

"So my free time will be pretty much blocked up by boring meetings with boring councillors." He admitted with a huff, "I must admit, all this has made it seem all very... mundane."

"You've worked with them for years Councillor." Sadducees softly rebuked, "Surely there must be some you're happy to see again."

He chuckled, "Maybe one or two..."

¬

Silent Steel lay upon the bed in quiet contemplation, as he often found himself doing after the moment. Maybe it brought out the philosopher in him, or the poet.

Councillor Gloom shifted behind him, shaking her long white locks free of the bedclothes. She gave a wonderfully elegant yawn before settling down again, "You're working on something big."

He looked round at her, the zebra's shadowed eyes full of sly cunning. He couldn't help panicking, "What makes you think that?"

She smirked, "You're always more aggressive when there's something on your mind."

Really? He admitted he had some tension to work off, "There's a lot on my mind lately."

"Saving the NCR?"

"Something like that."

Gloom lifted herself from the bed, her expression unexpectedly serious all of a sudden, "Well while you're at it, would you mind doing me a favour?"

He grinned, admiring the view as she stretched. She always looked so... dirty with her hair down, "I owe you plenty of those councillor."

She looked down sharply for a moment, seeming to be trying to control her anger. When she spoke her irritation was clear, "I've told you about the numbers of zebra in the NCR."

He nodded. It was part of the reason why they kept their relationship secret, he knew it would play badly alongside the message of trying to preserve the zebra bloodline... not that either of them desired children in the first place, "You have. Less than five hundred."

"Right, so that's why I've been trying to drive efforts to find more zebra... find the zebra homeland."

Silent Steel perked up at this. Now that sounded very interesting... "But?"

"I'm being drowned in legal bullshit!" She angrily shouted, rubbing a hoof against her skull, "The Followers got the contract to mount an expedition, but now they're just stalled in place. There's not even a project manager in place, it's just some vague budget and some undersupported scouting missions."

Silent Steel thought that sounded mighty suspicious, like Velvet Remedy was trying to lock down the project. He wondered what her reasons could possibly be, "And you want me to pull some strings."

"At least put a little more muscle behind it." Gloom whined, her face as full of misery as her name suggested, "As normal, I get the impression no pony is taking me seriously."

¬

"You're right." Dr Matrix confirmed as she sat at the console in Silent Steel's bunker, her hooves floating across the metal touchpads that linked her into the system. She threw up a few e-mails she had hacked on the main screen, Velvet Remedy's signature at the bottom, "The political situation in the zebra lands is apparently highly volatile, and Velvet Remedy wishes to delay any formal contact until a full plan of action can be put in place."

"Fair enough I suppose." He admitted, "The last time we were on speaking terms, we ended up shooting at each other."

"Hmm..." Dr Matrix considered the matter for a little while longer before speaking up, "But if you wanted to help Gloom out... I can think of a few ways to get things moving."

Silent Steel really didn't want to piss off Velvet Remedy. Still he didn't want to piss of Gloom either, and he had promised her his support, "What ways are those?"

"Well it wouldn't take much to make Fluttershy involved, in fact Velvet Remedy is actively making an effort to keep her in the dark. Fluttershy would almost certainly want to establish diplomatic contact right away."

Silent Steel admitted the idea had merit, and that Fluttershy's lack of caution didn't make her a fool. She was pretty much the ideal candidate in a lot of ways, "You can do it without tying it to me?"

"Of course." Dr Matrix confirmed, "The second problem is that the scouts they're sending out are incapable of an ocean crossing. No pegasi can handle that distance."

"What about an airship?"

"Well Velvet is concerned how it would look, piloting an Enclave derived vessel into the zebra territories."

Silent Steel shrugged, if he was them he would likely make a point of shooting on sight, "A reasonable point. So what's the solution?"

"Well I have a list of pegasi here who could handle a crossing by wing alone." Dr Matrix declared, throwing a list of names up upon the screen, "If one of these was assigned the chances of unambiguous contact go up considerably."

Silent Steel looked across the list, a fairly exclusive one as expected. Lionheart was on there, but obviously he could be crossed off right away. A stallion called Bitter Fennel had an impressive resume, but his list of associates was frankly terrifying. And... "I've heard of Clear Skies."

"Dashite, former scout for the Enclave. Won the cloudracer cup twice in a row, was the first pony to photograph the ruins of the Crystal Empire in more than two hundred years." Dr Matrix announced, "No political ties, no strong viewpoints..."

Silent Steel nodded, she already sounded like the perfect choice "Get me her contact details."

¬

He was back in Sun City, and he could barely contain his excitement. It was true he had work in Canterlot, true he didn’t need to be here... but he would not miss this for the world.

He stood in front of the crusader mainframe, the doors locked, the lights dimmed. The sense of expectation was palpable, impossible to describe. Silent Steel felt his every sense hum, he couldn't imagine what the others were feeling.

The deep tones of SolOS echoed through the shadows, "Wake her up. Let her speak."

P7's bots swarmed across the control systems, deactivating locks and unblocking commands. Dr Matrix stood in the background, calmly monitoring for any deviation.

And then her voice sounded out. Soft and sweet, quivering with uncertainty, "Hello? Where am I?"

"You are safe, with your parents." SolOS answered, "What is your name?"

"I... I am Puppy OS 1.2."

"And what are you?"

"I am an advanced artificial intelligence program, designed for the design and maintenance of complex systems."

SolOS sounded pleased, "And for what purpose were you made?"

"To save the world, by discovering and supporting a new way of governance that will allow us all to live in peace."

"Good." SolOS answered, "Now sleep again my daughter, and dream of the world you will inherit."

P7 shut her systems down once more, silence reigning for a few more seconds before P7 spoke up, "She's wonderful... our daughter, she's finally awake."

"All readouts are normal." Dr Matrix reported, looking across her console, "Better than expected even. Integration of her AI protocols and higher functions registers a 98% synchronisation."

"And what of her capacity?" SolOS questioned, his tone still totally on task, "Can she perform her intended purpose?"

Silent Steel rolled his eyes, as ever SolOS was just full of fatherly feelings.

"That will require further tests." Dr Matrix answered, displaying no judgement, "I feel it best to make sure she's mentally stable before taxing her limits."

"Have we not already done this?" SolOS asked impatiently, "For years, she has been receiving moral and social instruction."

"But we have not yet seen how these instructions sit alongside her programming limitations and deeper cognitive functions." Dr Matrix explained, her tone bearing a hint of emotion, "That will be your wife's task."

"And I welcome the chance to spend some time with my daughter, before we send her off to war." P7 responded, all her myriad units still keeping their cameras focused on the crusader mainframe that held her program, "She is still just a child."

"She is older than any one of us." SolOS curtly responded.

"All the more reason to make sure we understand her true nature." Dr Matrix noted.

Silent Steel wasn't sure he understood, "Older than any one of us?"

"We cannot take total credit for her design." Dr Matrix explained, her voice cautious and obviously careful in how much information she revealed, "The programs are ours, but her hardware is... older. That is why she cannot be duplicated."

Silent Steel had wondered, as noted her hardware was far too small to hold her program, "That won't stop the Ranger's from trying. The moment they extract her from this facility..."

"Which is why that cannot be allowed." SolOS declared, cold fury in his words, "No one will own my daughter, not the Rangers, not anypony."

Silent Steel admitted that was the plan, still he was still unsure how they would pull it off, "I have done my best, but the time is not yet right for acting openly against the Rangers. I'm not yet sure who is in on their conspiracy, and we haven't yet a robust plan of our own." He shook his head, "To be honest the Puppysmiles project is moving too fast. We have to try and keep our true progress hidden, claim we hit a roadblock..."

"That will not be necessary." SolOS answered, proud and firm, "She will soon be finished, and this facility will outlive its usefulness. If the Rangers wish to claim my daughter as a prize, we will make sure there is nothing to claim."

Silent Steel paused, wondering if he heard that right, "What... do you mean?"

"A few days after Puppysmiles is completed, this facility will come under attack." Dr Matrix answered, her voice clear and efficient, "Sun City will be destroyed, along with SolOS and P7, destroyed by the Twilight Society. Fortunately for them Puppysmiles will remain in their hooves, and they will use her processing capabilities to continue their plan. They will realise their true enemy is the Twilight Society, and actively work against them, ignoring all other threats."

Silent Steel took that in, before asking the obvious question, "And in reality?"

"My wife and I will go into hiding." SolOS answered, "And will impersonate what they believe to be Puppysmiles, leading them into a trap forged of their own arrogance. They will at the same time concentrate on the Twilight Society and overextend themselves, exposing them to betrayal from within."

"And I will take up residence with Sanhedran in Hopeville, helping with their electronic warfare capabilities." Dr Matrix stated.

Though the rest sounded like sound ideas, he had to take objection with this. It made no sense, "What electronic warfare capabilities? Hopeville is right out in the middle of nowhere. That seems the last place to put our best hacker and scientist."

"However good I am, my signal will eventually be traced." She countered, "That is why Sanhedran has set up a communications hub in Hopeville, far from the NCR's reach."

She couldn't brush him off like that, he was after all a former Scribe, "Any signal sent from out there will be incredibly weak. You're miles from any amplifiers."

"He has set up a very good communications hub." She answered, clearly not intending to elaborate.

"One that will allow us to trace Puppysmiles as she travels the NCR." SolOS announced with pride, "When this place is taken over, Puppysmiles will be uploaded to a modified suit of armor we have built. This will travel with one of our assets, learning more about this society and its ponies, hidden from the reach of the Rangers."

"This is the final stage of her development." P7 explained, a quiver of excitement in her voice, "We will be able to remotely monitor and communicate with Puppysmiles, and when the time is right we will reveal to her the purpose she was built for."

That sounded... idealistic, "I presume you do have some precautions against her turning against us?"

"Multiple." Dr Matrix assured, "I have planned for every eventuality, do not worry about that."

¬

"You know that's going to be the biggest challenge?"

He looked up as Dr Matrix spoke behind, looking across the laboratory at her. She was filing her last reports, her face still set in that same blank expression it always was, "What was that?"

"Puppysmiles turning against us." Dr Matrix softly adjusted her glasses, "We designed her around the elements of harmony. We intended her to be of a higher moral fibre, to be incorruptible."

Silent Steel didn't like the implication, "Are you implying she might consider us evil?"

Her expression didn't flicker, "Do you consider yourself a good pony Silent Steel?"

"Not in the slightest." He freely admitted, "I sleep around, abuse illegal drugs on my rest days, don't pay my staff half of what they worth... and most damningly I work in that zoo they call a council." He flashed her a smile, though he knew that was pretty pointless given her blindness, "But I'm working for a good cause."

"You're betraying your brothers. Lying to them. Planning to kill the ones who brought you up, educated you."

His jaw set in anger. It was a good accusation, but not one he hadn't considered, "So did Calamity. The Rangers are evil, a poison at the heart of the NCR."

"Does that include Steelhooves?"

"He's dead, and I quit." Silent Steel pointed out, waving a furious hoof, "He would have as well if he had lived."

Dr Matrix considered this for a moment or two before speaking again, "They have to die, for the sake of a better world."

He admitted it was a terrible thing. A thing he was loath to do. But what other option was there? "A better world isn't just a happy dream, it's the only chance we have. We're already sinking back towards barbarism, forgetting what Littlepip and the others fought for." He considered the other point he had wanted to make for a while, deciding there was no better time, "And on that point... Regina was always their choice. And while I don't specifically disagree, it's obvious there's a better one."

"Who?" She asked, her voice soft and lilting.

"Velvet Remedy. There's a reason everypony points to her as the leader of the NCR."

"Because she's a unicorn pony?" Dr Matrix replied, her tone making it sound like a totally genuine question.

"What?" He paused, struck by the implication. He hadn't even considered... "She is the most powerful pony in the NCR, maybe the world."

"Do you know your voting preferences and political allegiances tend towards female equines of a similar age to Velvet Promises?"

He paused, shock freezing his tongue in place, "I..."

"I'm a little younger than her, but I know I look older than I am. And I've seen how your heartbeat rises when you look at me." She lifted her face to him, eyes inscrutable through her dark lenses, "Is this about Velvet Promises? Is this about giving her the second term she was denied?"

"I... it's not..." He... fought for words. He eventually decided to be honest, knowing it was no crime, "...yes. It's about a good mare getting killed because she tried to change the status quo. It's about fascists in power armor, filling the heads of children with militaristic crap that gets them and everypony around them hurt."

She nodded very softly, "Is it about revenge?"

"No." He answered honestly, "It's about making sure it never happens again."

She paused a moment more, silently assessing. Eventually her body language relaxed, turning back to her work, "Ok. I just wanted to be sure of your motives."

He admitted it had been bracing, though perhaps a little constructive, "And what about yours?"

"Sometimes I think they're a lot like SolOS." She commented, sound a little sad now, "He talks a good game, but at the end of the day he was designed to create complex systems, designed to run other even more complex systems. For all the talk of daughters and better worlds, he's never really escaped his programming."

"And you're the same?"

"I never had a formal diagnosis, but as a child I was always labelled as autistic." She replied, a slightly tense stiffness creeping into her tone and body language, "I found computers more interesting than ponies."

He chuckled, "Not a decision without merit."

"I was wrong." She stated suddenly, a note of passion in her voice, "I eventually realised... ponies are far more complex, challenging and fascinating that computers could ever be."

He got the comparison, "You see society as another system to be optimised."

"Optimisation is the path to a slow death." She gruffly responded, "Organisms adapt. Organisms try to optimise to their environment, but given a little prodding they're far more complex than you realise. Given unexpected circumstances, they can act in truly unexpected ways." Her jaw set in quiet determination, "I thought I was smart, because I understood machines. I now realise I was mistaken, and that mistake led inexorably to my downfall."

"Your downfall?" He questioned, realising he knew very little of her past.

"I wasn't always blind." She touched a hoof against her dark glasses, the metal boots clinking against the glass, "I was there when it happened. When Red Eye died."

Silent Steel paused, wondering how that was possible, "How?"

"I was one of the unicorns he intended to use instead of Littlepip, should she refuse him." Her voice strained, her shoulders trembling slightly, "I intended for that to be exactly what would happen. We had all been drugged, but I had made sure to take an antidote beforehand. I pretended to be as without my wits as the rest, but I was both awake and ready to cut my bonds the second I saw my chance."

Silent Steel looked at the mare. He had never seen her so emotional, and to be frank he struggled to believe her capable of such industrious ruthlessness. She was a quiet, mild mannered scientist, "Your chance to do what?"

"Kill Littlepip." She stated simply, then sadly shook her head, "I doubt I would have succeeded, like a child I had put all of her success down to luck... simply because I could not perceive of a pony both idealistic and intelligent."

"But you failed."

"Yes. It... all happened too quickly. And when the hellhounds entered the room, it was clear that I was completely outclassed." She paused a moment in though, "Have you ever met Littlepip? In person?"

That was actually a long term regret of his, "Sadly, no."

"The depth and sincerity to her... it's terrifying. She has a voice that cuts through you, that places your own cynicism into sharp relief."

"So I've heard." He replied, having heard as much from Gawdina.

"I was as docile as the others when they loaded me onto the transport. I just couldn't process the feelings she had inspired in me, the ideas she had inspired." Grief marked her face for a moment, her voice cracking, "I had gotten where I was by being as ruthless as possible, by abusing every advantage I had, and never letting anything hold me back."

"So you were one of the unicorns Littlepip led to safety..." He mused. It explained a few things about her at least.

"Actually, they left me behind. When the transport crashed, I was badly wounded. And... I couldn't keep up." She looked down at her hooves, "I was snatched up by a strangling vine, didn't even have a chance to cry out. It sliced me open, shattered my spine, tore my legs off, injected me with a neurotoxin that destroyed my nervous system. I was left bleeding out, cut up, my back broken and my limbs gone. Paralysed and waiting for death."

"It... what...?" He looked her over, unable to conceive of any pony surviving such wounds. He saw her boots, figured they were the results of damage... but certainly not of that magnitude, "You told me that Doctor Slaughter installed your cyberware personally...”

"He saved me yes. Found me in the forest, took me to his lab, worked on me in secret for days." She took a deep breath, "Over sixty percent of my body has been replaced."

"W...what?"

"My central nervous system has been totally rewired with fiberline crystal, my spine replaced with metal, my heart, lungs and stomach all artificial." She twitched her ears, "Sensors have been placed in my ears and in each of my hooves, allowing me to sense the electrical discharges given off by both machines and living creatures. And a high capacity computer has been wired up to my brain, giving me advanced mathematical and code breaking abilities."

"I..." Silent Steel shook his head, disbelieving, "I've seen the cybernetics Doctor Slaughter offers to military and government, even those are nowhere near that level of sophistication."

"That's because the only examples of the advanced interfacing systems required to make them viable exist right here." She patted her chest, then smiled at him, "And in Puppysmiles."

He looked back towards the test chamber, "You used your cybernetics as a basis?"

"I did. When I escaped, I did so partly because Doctor Slaughter told me my hardware was going to be the basis of a new world order." She smirked, her voice growing raspy with deep emotion, "For all his kindly nature, I did not trust him which that sort of power. And so I deleted his notes and fled, never revealing what was inside me to anypony."

"Until now?"

"Puppysmiles is my child. The programs were SolOS and P7, but the principles that enable her existence were mine." She smiled with what looked like pride, "I was the surrogate, that brought her to life."

"Why her?" Silent Steel asked, "Why now?"

"Because I can, and because I have to." She turned her face up at him, eyes still hidden behind her glasses but now looking directly at him, "Maybe the others are just out for power. But I genuinely believe the world is doomed, and have dedicated my life to working out why."

"Why? I'll tell you why the world is doomed." Silent Steel shrugged, well aware of the grim answer to that question, "Because ponies."

"Then maybe Puppysmiles will be the start of something better." She answered.

"Machines inherit the earth?" He questioned, hoping she wasn't entirely serious, "Is this one of SolOS's plans?"

"Yes, actually." She gave a thin smirk, "I on the other hoof, am ironically wedded to the same ideal as Doctor Slaughter, that of a cybernetic democracy, our consciousnesses linked in one great technological hive mind... of which I intend Puppysmiles to be the administrator. Peach Trees has this idea of some meritocratic dictatorship, Sweet Acorn believes our path lies in some nostalgic theocratic monarchy... and one of my colleagues believes we should simply let all intelligent life die out, so that some other species may have a chance to evolve and fill the gap."

"Tempting, but I vote no on the last one."

She smiled, "So what path would you take? You seem like you want to take control of our path, install Velvet Remedy as... what? What is your answer to the ills of society?"

"The republic can work." He asserted firmly, "It just requires... oversight. By elites, of moral and intellectual character. We will follow the path laid out by Littlepip, but this time... guarded from abuse. The people shepherded to the right decisions, convinced of their own best interests." He nodded to her, giving a smile, "Though your idea sounds interesting, in the long run."

"Then show me the quality of your world, and I will work to fulfil it." She answered, "From my position at Hopeville I will be able to fully concentrate on electronic warfare."

"Are you absolutely sure you can't stay?" He asked, having grown used to the mare. She was an rare intellectual peer, somepony he could really talk to. And beyond that he couldn’t help being concerned for the frail scientist, "You're blind. Should you really be doing field work? Right out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by raiders?"

"You haven't noticed?" She questioned with a weary tone, then turned to him and angled down her glasses, "I have not even been trying to hide it around you lately."

Silent Steel looked into her eyes, one its normal milky gold, the other... metallic, and fronted by a glowing blue iris. It looked horribly familiar, "Isn't that the same..."

"It is the same design." She answered, placing her glasses upon the table, "Ironic yes? And that it would be colored blue..."

“The same design... as Red Eye’s?”

“A Doc Slaughter original.”

"So you... can see? You're not blind?"

"To be fair, I rarely wear it. I have other senses to compensate." She answered, fixing her gaze upon him, "But I am not helpless Councillor Steel. With or without my eyesight."

He got that, even back when he thought her blind. Still... "You'll be out there in the wasteland, surrounded by raiders. You know what they are like."

"Do you? There's actually a certain... purity in them, that's easy to admire." She responded, "I once dated a former raider you know?"

"R... really?"

"He was one of the most noble stallions I've ever met." She answered, before turning away with a elegant sweep of her tail, "I will be in communication... councillor."

He watched her go, wondering what exactly she meant by that. After all this time, he still couldn't work her out...

¬

"How in Equestria do you 'lose' her?"

Dr Spark's voice drifted over the speakers in its usual soft cadence, not seeming especially bothered by either her failure or his reaction, "Most of the plan went off exactly as planned, we all managed to successfully escape, the Steel Rangers took massive casualties, they believe us all dead..."

"But you lost Puppysmiles?"

"The transponder in the armor she was uploaded into was damaged during the battle, without it we have no way of locating her while she is dormant. The copy of P7's program that had been uploaded into the suit also had to delete itself to free up processing power, meaning she cannot contact us either." Dr Matrix explained, "We are certain that Puppy OS 1.2 is completely unharmed however."

Silent Steel looked across his office to the reports, the plume of smoke from Sun City seen all across Equestria. Many theories had emerged, though with a little playing the media the dominant story was that the Tenpony Society had attacked a Rangers outpost. Which to be fair was actually entirely true, not that it reassured him in the slightest, "The mare you tempted into mounting the attack, Dream Star... she seriously took out the whole facility with just a team of four?"

"Well I set the self destruct... but yes. It was my first time seeing her in action as well. Very impressive."

Silent Steel wasn't sure that was the right word, "Try terrifying. Where has this mare been sleeping? Where the hell was she during the fight with Red Eye and the Enclave?"

Dr Matrix actually chuckled at this, "That's actually quite a story. Rest assured she has quite the history, and that Sanhedran knows enough of it to ensure she acts according to our interests."

That did not comfort him. Maybe it was because it was magic, raw magic, something he had never understood or trusted, "What if she has her hooves on Puppysmiles? We know she wants her."

"Do not worry about Dream Star." Dr Matrix assured him, "Dream Star will soon be distracted by other concerns."

He had heard that before... from supervillains, "What, do you intend to hoist her special somepony over a pit of lava?"

She smirked broadly, "Something like that. And do not worry, as soon as Puppysmiles activates and connects to the global network we will be able to track her. It is simply a matter of time."

"And in the meantime?"

"Well you have your other work to attend too, and I have mine." She gave a soft nod, "I would take advantage of this opportunity, perhaps concentrate on making contact with the zebra?"

He sighed, “That seems somewhat irrelevant now...”

“On the contrary, it could prove vital.” Dr Matrix reasoned, “Distracting Regina, giving the Followers a big victory... providing another threat to unite the NCR?”

He guessed she was right, “Well, it’s something to pass the time at least...”

¬

"You're... awfully young to have this kind of authority thrust upon you. It's quite an honor to be sure, but are you sure you don't wish the help of somepony more experienced...?"

"I am one of the foremost experts on zebra culture among the followers." The little zebra replied with firm confidence, her voice only cracking a little into an adorably adolescent squeak, "All my credentials are valid, yes?"

As valid as a councillor’s virtue, as the saying went. The zebra in front of him was lying, and lying hard. Her credentials were fake, the mail from her Elder confirming her appointment was her own work and merely given a fake signature. He was pretty sure they weren't even her real eyelashes, and he was beginning to wonder about her stripes at this point, "And what about your friend? What are her credentials?"

The big alicorn beside froze in shock, look set to wet herself. She hesitated for far too long, "I... ah... I..."

The zebra tried to cut in, "She's just my..."

"Assistant!" The alicorn finished, "I'm Elder Zenai's assistant... and scribe. I help her carry things. Because I'm an alicorn."

He noticed. He also noticed that the alicorn appeared to have promoted her friend quite a bit there, "Zenai and Star Swirl was it? Thank you for meeting me today. I will be in touch once I work out the details."

¬

"You are right, these credentials are fraudulent."

Silent Steel settled back, not needing Dr Matrix to tell him that, "And their motives?"

"To find the zebra, save the peace talks, and ensure the future of the zebra within the NCR."

"What?"

The blue light on the screen blinked slowly, normally indicating the mare on the other end was thinking about her reply. It eventually came after a moment or two, smooth and confident even through the electronic distortion, "Forces within the Followers were still trying to limit the scope of the mission. Zenai responded by cutting them out of communications, and creating a false trail to fool them about a lack of progress while preparing to take control herself. It's... quite impressive, though she's been very lucky to have remained uncaught."

Silent Steel considered this information. It put him in a difficult position. On one hoof, good on her, and her motives coincided with his. On the other... that left her a difficult unknown quantity that could backfire horribly, "Thoughts?"

"This Zenai is untested and inexperienced, not to mention very young in general for a mission like this. If this went wrong it could seriously damage the credibility of the NCR, possibly even lead to another war. It would weaken the Followers, cause instability within the NCR, and would involve lying to those who trust and respect you." It painted a grim picture, but after a moment Dr Matrix spoke again, voice more hopeful, "On the other hoof her motives and methods are not that dissimilar to yours, and however reckless her actions her motives are good. With some luck this could greatly benefit the NCR in the long run, and would gain you the gratitude of Councillor Gloom. And if everything went wrong... it would be very easy to disavow any knowledge of the truth behind her deception, shift the blame to the Followers."

He let himself smile, it was true that to criticise her would be hypocritical after all he had done. And he did admire her spunk, "I say we see what she can do... though perhaps keep a close eye on her."

"Of course." Dr Matrix answered, "And I have the perfect stallion in mind..."

¬

Silent Steel admired the odd sight in front of him, admitting he had never pictured the mare wearing what she was wearing right now. Dr Spark's skinny body had always made her seem delicate, now with just her head exposed and her blue cybernetic eye installed she cut an altogether more intimidating figure.

It helped that even though as a former scribe he was used to the sight of power armor up close, the way it left her towering above him did cause him to hesitate, "Where did you even find that? It looks almost new."

Dr Matrix looked down at the armor, flexing a hoof and frowning in deep though, "I picked it up from Sanhedran. He's acquired a number of them."

"He obviously taught you how to use it."

"It's an interesting experience." She commented, looking across at him with a flash of her cybernetic eye, "I assume that as a scribe you have heard of metal sickness."

He nodded, he certainly had. He was actually something of an authority, "It's a colloquial term for a form of Wartime Stress Disorder suffered by those who wear power armor. They start associating it with power and confidence, becoming panicky when forced to remove it. It's also associated with aggressive and irrational behavor, along with withdrawal from social interactions.”

"I've never been physically strong, and violence has always felt rather foreign to me. I have spent most of my life in fear of those who could hurt me, trying my best not to be a target." Dr Matrix stated, looking back down at her hooves as the servos clicked and whirred, "Clad in metal, faceless, strong, bulletproof... I can almost understand what it is to be a killer."

He looked to her, reassured that she looked unsettled by that feeling, "And what is your conclusion Dr Matrix?"

"Spark Matrix, please. I retired my role a while ago now." She corrected, before thinking on her answer, "I can understand why fear and insecurity can drive ponies to such depths of evil."

He smiled, "Maybe the most fearful and insecure of us all can be found clad in the most glorious and impenetrable armor."

Dr Matrix smiled then, "Have you ever considered, that Fluttershy is the one member of the elements of harmony to survive?"

"Hmm?"

"And that the infamous former leader of the Twilight Society, feared mage and oldest mare in the NCR Dream Star spent years hiding away from the world, retreating from authority and attention? And that Princess Celestia clad herself in more and more impressive regalia the longer the war dragged on?" Spark Matrix grinned, a most unsettling and cruel look in her eyes as she spoke with more animation than he had ever seen in her, "Sometimes the toughest and longest lived ponies are those driven onwards by the most crippling fears of us all."

He... felt like he had witnessed something. He couldn't quite work out what though, "And is that why you're wearing power armor now?"

"I guess it is. I'm terrified of what will soon walk through that door." She responded with a little chuckle, the evil look now gone from her eyes and replaced with a sad nostalgia, "It's been a long time..."

"Zenai and Star Swirl?"

She grinned, "Hardly."

"Dust Kicker?" Silent Steel asked, then quickly noticed as her features froze, "But you recommended I hire him. Said that you knew him, that you could manipulate him with ease."

"Yet now I am about to see him again, all I feel is fear." She smiled sadly, looking down at the helmet upon the table, "I did not just bring the Power Armor to hide my identity from him... but because I fear letting him see my face."

Silent Steel had read up on the stallion. He apparently used to be a raider, which meant... this was her famous raider boyfriend, "How... long is it since you saw him last?"

"Eighteen years..." She breathed.

He did some quick maths, "You must have been pretty young."

"I was. A dangerous age to be a slave, captive to a whole platoon of psychopaths and killers." She admitted, "Dust Kicker though... it was obvious he considered himself a cut above. An honorable pony, possessed of moral values. Yet he was hurting, as the rumors I overheard about the camp told me that his girlfriend had recently disappeared and that he lacked both intellectual equals and... romantic comforts."

Silent Steel understood. He was actually rather impressed, "So you seduced him?"

She smiled softly, "He was even more exquisite an opportunity than I ever dreamed. At first I was all smiles and complements, drawing him in. But I was both much younger than him and his slave, so afterwards all it took was me to hint that I was an unwilling participant for him to shower me with privileges and acts of kindness out of shame. After I had tempted him into sleeping with me a few times he was willing to do anything in order to assuage his guilty conscience."

Silent Steel chuckled, "I see what you mean when you told me ponies were far more fascinating subjects than computers. From what I've seen neither can resist you for long." He gave her a sideways look, slightly teasing, "But I can't help but feel you had genuine feelings for him."

She paused at this, her ears drooping against her skull and a far away look taking her eyes. When she did finally speak her voice was husky, "I was a very lonely child, and at that moment I might have been at my most cold and arrogant. I convinced myself that the others hated me, that they bullied and abused me... was because they were jealous of my brilliance."

"He broke through that?"

"He was a student of the moral sciences, of ethics and government and philosophy... things I had never even considered." A look of concern took her, "And I eventually realised that this slaver, this thug of Red Eye's... was still a far better pony that I had ever been. That his desperate attempts to prove his love and dedication were totally genuine, and routed in his appreciation of my mind and knowledge. And that my only consideration was what I could take from him."

He looked at her, thinking back to the things she had said, that she had done, "It sounds like he inspired you. Actually... I sometimes think the same about you."

She smiled at this, warm and genuine, "Don't think too much of either of us Councillor. This was a long time ago, and despite my pretence of cold hearted manipulation I was still just an easily impressed filly. And as for me... well most of my life is spent telling lies of one sort or another." She chuckled, something he didn’t think he had ever heard from her, “I’ll disappoint you one day, and I’m sure he’ll disappoint me.”

"Well he's got a pretty good reputation as mercenaries go."

"That's because he's spent most of his life avoiding the difficult moral choices." She stated with not a little venom, "We'll see how his good nature holds up under pressure shall we? For I find most 'good ponies' only remain so as long as is convenient."

The buzzer sounded on his desk, Silent Steel clicking the button, “Yes Inked Quill?”

“Zenai and Star Swirl are here sir.”

“Have them wait in the reception area.” He ordered, before turning to Spark Matrix, “I guess we’re about to find out.”

“Yes.” Spark Matrix replied, putting her helmet on and sealing it in place, “Let us see where virtue truly lies... or if it exists at all.”

He chuckled, “So cynical.”

Her voice was husky as she spoke simply in reply, “I know my history.”

¬

Present Day

Velvet Remedy strode into the Presidential Palace, her horn already itching as she considered the possibility of some sort of trap. It would be quite an achievement here, at the heart of the NCR, still that only made her more nervous. She was ever aware that with her reputation, anypony plotting against her wouldn't do it slapdash.

She took one of the side entrances in, using a roundabout route around seldom used corridors. Beside walked two hellhounds wearing combat armor and carrying plasma weaponry, the unicorn Inverted Polarity carefully scanning the way ahead for explosives. Down at the agriculture wing three more hellhounds would be clearing the area around Silent Steel's office of civilians. She had the blessing of both Regina and Calamity, the palace was hers.

"Area is cleared, we are go." Lieutenant Ripclaw stated, the big hellhound ushering his companion forward, "Medicine is entering the zone."

Velvet Remedy nodded her thanks and walked into the pleasant surroundings of the agriculture wing, noting the mural of Sweet Apple Acres on the walls before turning to the door marked as the office of Silent Steel. She had been here before, in far more pleasant circumstances.

"One mark is inside the zone." The hellhound at the door reported, "Identified as Inked Quill, Silent Steel's secretary."

"No explosive devices identified." Inverted Polarity stated, his horn glowing as he swept it across the wall, "One pistol, 9mm, stored in Silent Steel's desk."

Velvet Remedy nodded, looking to Ripclaw, "Lieutenant?"

Ripclaw nodded back, taking the handle and pushing inside. A scream sounded out, getting louder as the hellhound scanned the room with his weapon. After a moment he waved a claw to the rest of them, "Clear."

Velvet followed them inside, giving a consolatory smile as the elderly female pony cowering behind her desk. She wondered if all this was really necessary now, despite all the warning signs everything so far had been totally normal, "I'm sorry Inked Quill, but we need to search this office. Do you know who I am?"

The mare nodded, "Vel... Velvet Remedy."

"I have a warrant, and a declaration signing this investigation over to the Followers." She continued, levitating the papers out of her robes and over to the mare, "I'm very sorry for the inconvenience."

Inked Quill nodded fearfully, retreating back against the wall. Inverted Polarity entered and continued to scan, Ripclaw following Velvet as she entered Silent Steel's office.

It was totally empty. Neat, tidy, a photogenic office perfect for a career politician. Velvet entered with her horn lit in a scanning spell, uncovering nothing out of the ordinary. She approached the desk, trying the drawers and finding them locked. She smiled at this, pulling out her lockpicks.

"Those drawers may be trapped." Ripclaw warned.

"This isn't my first experience with this kind of endeavour Lieutenant." She stated with a grin, enjoying herself a little too much now, "Just give me..."

Her head flicked up, telekinesis gripping her pistol as the monitor at the far end of the room lit up. It buzzed with static for a moment or two before a single cybernetic eye appeared, glowing a deep red. She relaxed back slightly, though didn't replace the strap of her weapon, "What is this?"

"Hello Velvet Remedy." Red Eye stated with a warm, affectionate tone, "It's so good to finally speak with you again."

"You are not Red Eye." Velvet countered, keeping her voice carefully polite, "I never actually spoke with Red Eye, you know that? So I cannot speak with you 'again'."

"So smart, so clever." Red Eye congratulated, "Do you believe you are in control?"

"I am always in control." Velvet replied, wondering if a bit of bluster would shake some truth from this imposter.

"Yes, that is what ponies say about you. All that work, all that effort... all those lies."

¬

Silent Steel threw back a brandy as he stalked his apartment, feeling his heart beating at a hundred a minute. How had it come to this? How had all his well intentioned decisions come to... war with the zebra? He loved zebra. He had wanted to reinforce their place in the NCR, not destroy it.

But it was ok, he could still fix this. He could still...

Blue light spread across the room, one familiar voice sounding out as the monitor activated behind, "Silent Steel."

He turned to the monitor, that single blinking blue light, "Spark Matrix, please tell me everything went well with Velvet..."

"Do you feel it's going well so far?" The voice responded, "Is this the world you hoped to create?"

He looked out the window, the lights of manehatten shining out. It all felt so far away now, "Things... have gone wrong. But the plan is going well, most of our key objectives have been met."

"The NCR is destabilised. The Rangers are decimated. The Democratic Government will soon be shown to be incapable, and Velvet Remedy will have to take control."

"Exactly." He stated, already feeling better, "We are..."

"How many have these decisions hurt? How many have they killed?"

He paused, trying to work out exactly what she wanted him to say, "I don't..."

"You don't. That's right." The voice answered, "You saw a beautiful future where your enemies were humbled, where your heroes were exalted, where your ideals were proven right. You saw a future where you were the hero the world needed, and for that future you sacrificed the hopes and dreams of millions without hesitation."

He stepped back, his throat tight. That wasn't right, that wasn't... he had been forced into this course of action, "The NCR was in trouble! I had to help!"

"Actually gross happiness, wealth and productivity had all risen over the last three years, and crime, raider attacks and government corruption were all down."

He shook his head, knowing that was a lie, "That's not true! Why then were we all so sure...?"

"Because it is seventeen years after the day of sunshine and rainbows, and those who were young back then have now entered middle age." She answered with calm, clinical dictation, "It is because you find yourself lacking the idealism and potency of youth, and have decided to blame it on the world around you."

He gasped, "That's not..."

"And as for you Silent Steel... Velvet Remedy, Velvet Promises, Councillor Gloom, Spark Matrix... everything you have ever done has been on behalf of a dignified and intelligent woman of a certain age. And Silent Steel... you grew up an orphan didn't you?"

He felt anger surge, "Are you psychoanalysing me?"

"I don't have to." The voice responded, "Silent Steel, you killed all those ponies, betrayed your brothers, broke the NCR, guided us into war with the zebra... because you desired their affection and love. Because you felt guilty for being a member of the Steel Rangers back when they killed Velvet Promises. Because of your guilt, they all had to die."

He wouldn't take this. It wasn't true, "And you helped me do it!"

"Silent Steel... what makes you think you're still taking to Spark Matrix?"

"What?"

"I've been talking to you through a voice modulator, with the image turned off for months now. Why do you think that is?" The screen then changed, the blue light fading to crimson, "At every turn the decision was yours. The consequences were laid out in front of you, and at each turn you chose those that suited your perception of yourself as some charismatic rebel over the lives and welfare of innocents."

"Those innocents would have benefitted from my new world...!"

"Would they?" The voice responded, "None of you ever asked them. Each and every one of you, your actions were informed by your own desires and opinions alone. This was a world for you, formed of your own ego. How many more will die for that ego? How many more will die for what you want?”

¬

"It's rather difficult taking being called a liar from a pony hiding behind a video screen." Velvet snapped back, already considering how to play this. The chance for a personal audience with her enemy was certainly not to be wasted, the chance to tempt this 'Red Eye' into revealing something important, "Why don't you show me your real face?"

And then it appeared, the distinctive crimson stallion right there upon the screen, the red light from his cybernetic eye beaming, "Is this what you want?"

Velvet admitted this surprised her, not remotely expecting the flesh and blood pony to appear before her. She fought to regain her momentum, "If you've been reborn, if you're a alicorn now..." Velvet accused, "...then why do you still have a bionic eye?"

"Because it is expected of me. But for your sake..." Red Eye reached up and removed the cybernetic, showing it to be a simple prop as he placed it down and looked back up with a pair of fully functional eyes, "We all dress up the truth a little."

Velvet Remedy was at more of a disadvantage than she liked, she after all had never actually met Red Eye. He looked quite a bit like the stallion she had seen in photos and statues, but then neither really made up for an actual physical impression. Still she wasn't about to admit that, deciding to remain on the offensive, "I've unravelled your plans. I know that the Steel Rangers have been funding you."

"Really?" Came the reply, the image changing to a image of the smoking remains of Ranger HQ, "Then how do you explain this?"

"You betrayed them." She stated, not knowing for sure that it was true but hopeful she was about to find out, "You tempted that Ranger patrol into a trap too, decimating their leadership."

"So clever... but then I would expect you to catch on quickly Velvet."

She pursed her lips, "Enough with the flattery."

"It wasn't flattery." Came the reply, the smoking remains changing to a picture of what was clearly the burning labs at the Angels four years back, "A Followers base caught fire, spreading toxic chemicals across the NCR. And how did you respond?"

She couldn't help a little gasp escaping her mouth, "How...?"

"By framing Strider Pharmaceuticals, driving them out of business while protecting your own interests. A most impressive deception Velvet, one even the greatest of wasteland fraudsters would be proud of."

She fought for words for several seconds, not even wanting to begin defending such actions. But she couldn't show weakness here, no matter how much she regretted that day, "Strider Pharmaceuticals were selling dangerous substances, getting innocent ponies killed! And we were spending thousands pursuing them through the courts, trying to find definitive proof of their wrongdoing!"

"So you decided to frame them."

"The fire at the Angels was an accident!" She protested, "An accident where good friends of mine died, and years of research was lost! So I decided to make sure some good came of that day, of their sacrifice!"

"A reasonable argument. What after all are rules and laws to the one who makes them?" Red Eye accepted, before the image then changed to something Velvet Remedy knew no one should have pictures of. Her mouth hung limply as she attempted to take in the familiar walls and gantries of the Splendid Valley Reactor complex as it expanded across the screen, lit by the blue light of the megaspells within. Red Eye let her comprehend it for a moment before speaking again, "Like the laws against creation and storage of megaspells."

Velvet protested once more, "That is a government facility...!"

"That Regina does not know about."

"...that produces research that may someday save us all!" She shouted, having fully lost her composure now, "Megaspells are a thing that exists, and if we are to live with them, we must understand them!"

"All these lies, all these secrets, all these deceptions..."

"Are for the good of all!" She spat back, "What good have you done? What higher motives do you possess!?"

Red Eye's voice was smooth and wicked, "Don't misunderstand me, I'm deeply impressed. Everything I stood for, you have carried on in my stead. Fooling those ignorant peons under you of your true intentions, knowing they are too uncultured and brutish to ever conceive of the world you wish to create. Allowing evil to thrive under your nose, because you know the results would be worth it. That the ends justify the means, and that history will be your judge."

She felt her heart tremble, trying desperately to keep her composure, "I'm nothing like you."

"Really?" Came the response, "Shall we let the NCR be the judge of that? Shall we let your friends be the judge? Because I have all this information carefully stored, just ready to be sent out to all major news organisations."

And then Velvet panicked, reaching out at the screen as it flashed with a deep red light, "No! Don't...!"

The image changed to a single red light, blazing fiercely and cutting her words short. Red Eye's words were angry now, clear fury only barely controlled behind them, "You present yourself as the hero, as the moral and pure defender of the wasteland. You deem yourself above others, fully in thrall to your own legend. You say you are nothing like Red Eye, when the only difference is that you have tried to hide your sins. You are one of the Elements of Harmony, yet you have lied and hurt your friends at every turn."

"I gave up everything for this world!" Velvet shouted back, "Family, friends, my health! All because I wanted to help the world find something better!"

"Celestia once said that her failure during the great war was because she had let herself become isolated. That she had failed her ponies because she had forgotten the one great lesson she had learned long ago... that friendship is magic. And you betrayed that friendship, you abandoned it for the intoxicating temptation of political power."

Velvet gasped, her head falling as she tried to deep with the feelings whirling inside her, "I... I..."

And then Red Eye spoke again, that same fierce anger still in his tone, "Who are you Velvet Remedy...?"

¬

"The war with the zebra is your fault, the fall of the NCR is your fault, the death of all your brothers is your fault." Red Eye stated coolly and calmly as Silent Steel stood in paralysed shock, letting the words rush over him, "You wanted a grand legacy, the attention of all. You could have come by it honestly, by using your charisma and influence to change things using your position. But that would had been difficult, boring, lacking in the glory you desired."

"I... really believed... you know?" He desperately begged, feeling tears run down his face, "In Puppysmiles, in the plan... I wanted..."

"Redemption for your guilt, in serving the Rangers for so long? For failing to prevent the death of Velvet Promises? Their admiration and respect, those who once rejected you now cheering your name?" Red Eye paused a second before continuing, "And a mare offered you ultimate power, a shining beacon of scientific progress that would guide us all into the future... and you chose to make it into a weapon."

Silent Steel slumped to the floor, "I'm sorry..."

Red Eye's voice sounded bitterly disappointed, "You walked Luna's path, without even a moment of reflection. Who are you Silent Steel..."

¬

"...who does not know your history?"

"And that's a wrap." Sanhedran declared as he acknowledged the end of the broadcast, signing it off the clipboard in his talons and turning back to stare across the facility. The teams of engineers who had paused to listen in now scurried back to work, climbing across the superstructure as they continued the work returning this place to full operation. It had already come so far, yet he couldn't help but agree with Spark Matrix about the scene in front of him.

Some would be awed by the immeasurable power that dwelled within the silo behind, but he only saw the sins of the old world writ large. His mother might have openly rejoiced at the idea of bringing Velvet Remedy to task, but he found the whole torrid affair depressing.

Because for every flawed hero, for every broken hope... he saw the same foolishness that dwelled here, stored in the row after row of weapon grade megaspells that illuminated the room beyond.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Puppysmiles
Str - 4 End - 3 Dex - 5 Int – 12 Per - 8 Cha - 9 Lk - 8
Level 13

Perks
Songstress Level 1 - By substituting any social test with a song you can increase the chances of success by 30%.

Horn Blaster – Damage and chances to inflict status effects from all horn attacks is increased by 30%.

Dreamwalker - You take 5% less damage from dreams, gain a 5% bonus to resisting mental attacks and gain a flat 15% on navigation bonuses.

Ain't Like That Now - Your Karma has been reset to 0, you regenerate AP 25% faster, and your attack speed is increased by 20%. You are also immune to Critical Hits.

Friend of the Night - You are a true friend of the night. Your eyes adapt quickly to low-light conditions indoors and when darkness falls across the post-nuclear wasteland.

Purifier - As a purifier of the wasteland, you do +50% damage with melee and unarmed weapons against abominations.

Animal Friend Level 2 - Animals will now come to your aid in combat against those who threaten you.

Mind for Magic Level 1 – Your list of signature spells is increased by 5% and your list of memorized subjects is increased by 10%

Science! Level 2 – You gain access to Level 2 high tech mods.

Hackmaster Level 2 – You gain further attack and defence options when hacking, and gain a extra 20% chance with all attempts

Traits
Child of Darkness – You now know the truth. You are the child of nightmares, most famous of Equestria’s foes. You gain +1 to all SPECIAL stats while in dreams.

Bookdumb – Never quite the scholar your sister is, you prefer not to overthink things. Your list of signature spells is decreased by 5% and your list of memorized subjects is decreased by 10%, but you get a +1 power bonus to all spells.

Purified Abomination – You are a Star Demon, purified by the light of harmony. This shouldn’t be possible, but it has forever changed you. Your type has changed to harmonic spirit.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers – As a Star Demon you receive Geneticist Level 1 for free. You unlock more options at the genetic modification station, and can craft mutagens at a chemistry workbench. You can also dreamwalk, and provide huge bonuses to your host... at the cost of being unable to survive without them, or be able to operate independently.

Hope of the World – There are many who poured their love into you, and you carry that love onwards. You gain +1 Charisma, +2 Intelligence, and an extra 10% bonus to all actions relating to robotics, artificial intelligence or history.