Ditrysium
March 11, 1007
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It was another cold and windy day in the port of the Changeling Queendom. Across the sprawling city, changelings trotted and flew about as they went about their daily lives, chatting with coworkers as they made their way through the towering buildings. The massive dockyards, recently cleared of melting ice were abuzz with activity, as the battleships and cruisers docked there were under maintenance.
Far from the bustling noise, on the highest floor of the hive tower, Queen Helvia looked out across the water through the window. Every morning, before starting her day, she would stand here and simply watch her subjects as they all scurried about. She did it to remind herself of her obligation to her changelings, that as Queen of the hive, it was her sole responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all living there. It was a heavy responsibility, though one she had been trained to take on since her birth.
The door opened behind her. "Helvia," a familiar voice said behind her, "we have to go. If we don't leave now we'll be late for the naval meeting, and you know how Admiral Lysander gets when we're not on time."
Turning, the Queen of Ditrysium saw her sister, Princess Silva waiting impatiently at the door. "Ah, apologies," she answered back. "It appears that I lost track of time."
Silva waved a hoof dismissively as Helvia made her way towards her. "And stop being so formal! Noling's around."
Helvia shook her head. "It is the duty of the Queen to always act regal, composed and dignified. Always act-"
"Like everyling is watching, I know. You've told me this many times, Helvia." The two royals started their way down the stairs, the ceremonial guards present paying no attention to their conversation. "But come on, sister! You don't have to be so distant all the time! It's okay to lighten up a bit once in a while and enjoy life, like the drones do."
"No, Silva. I can not afford to slip up with so much responsibility. It is a sacrifice that I am willing, prepared and have been taking since I became Queen, for my subjects." Helvia's tone become more authoritative, making clear that there was no room for debate here. Silva's face fell, and she remained quiet as they lifted off and flew down the hive tower, landing on the ground floor.
Her face softening, the Queen paused before opening the door outside. "Though I will take your advice into consideration, sister."
The chilly wind blasted into Helvia's face as the pair of changelings stepped outside. Even with her royal heavy coat, the cold was still enough to almost make her shiver. Silva, less accustomed to this weather didn't have the fortitude to resist, her entire body visibly shaking. Opening the car door in front of her, Helvia got in first before waiting for her sister to enter and sit beside her and closing it with her magic. Starting the car, the driver slowly drove forward as they made their way on the city streets towards the docks.
As the two passed by countless drones walking or flying by on the sidewalks, only a few actually stopped to kneel before her. Most simply paid her no heed, or gave a respectful nod towards her. Helvia appreciated this; it would become quite tiring to have everyling stop whatever they're doing just to bow whenever she entered a room or walked past.
The low hum of the motor was the only sound for a long time, before the car finally stopped near the Ditrysium dry-docks. A group of drones were already waiting for them as they got out, a few of them wearing the signature black of Queen Chrysalis' Queen's Guard. Helvia sighed internally. These changelings were always a nuisance to deal with, almost as much as Chrysalis herself. Her one saving grace was that they were usually few and far between in her hive, congregating mostly at the U-boat bunkers where state secrecy was absolutely necessary.
"Queen Helvia. You are exactly two minutes late." Lysander's voice had an annoyed tone, as if he had been already been waiting there for several hours. Admiral Mimic, standing a few feet behind him rolled her eyes.
"My deepest apologies," Helvia responded. "I was preoccupied with other issues. So what is the reason for today's meeting?"
Lysander opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off by Mimic. "We were going to discuss a possible shifting of the Kriegsmarine's priorities, funding allocation and naval doctrine." This earned a glare from her counterpart but no objection.
Nodding, Helvia turned to being walking along the docks. "Let us depart for the bunkers, then." Taking the lead, she was flanked by both her sister and her ceremonial guards, with the various naval officers and Queen's Guard close behind.
Once she was sure they were out of earshot from the drones, Silva quietly spoke again to Helvia. "So, how long do you think it'll take for Lysander and Mimic to get into another argument?"
"Hopefully at least ten minutes."
Silva laughed. "That's what you say every meeting, and yet you continue to be disappointed."
"Well, perhaps this time they will be feeling more agreeable towards each other."
"I've heard you say that before too."
Helvia sighed before continuing to walk in silence. Soon, the massive metal ships in the dry-docks gave way to empty ocean, and the number of Queen's Guard around steadily increased until they stopped at a large concrete bunker. The metal door had the words "ZUGANG VERBOTEN" emblazoned in bold on the front, in Herzlandish. It was a language that most drones would be hard-pressed to translate, as only the military and royalty were taught to read and speak the language of the griffons.
As the various drones made their way inside, Helvia's sister turned to her. "Well, this is where I leave you to your oh-so exhilarating naval talks. I will maintain business until you get back, as usual."
Helvia nodded back curtly. She trusted Silva to maintain order and deal with any issues until she returned. For all her lightheartedness and generally bright attitude, she also knew how to solve any problem that the hive or drones may encounter, as well as at least delay any important visitors until the true Queen returned. They may be very different changelings and argue from time to time, but they were still sisters, and Helvia trusted Silva with her life.
And with how hive politics ran, she could very well be doing so right now.
After one last bow, Silva turned away to head back for the dry-docks, as the Queen made her way into the bunker.
The naval command room had been one of the most expensive places to furnish and equip, perhaps even more than Helvia's throne room. At the center of it was a large round table, complete with a map of all of Equus on top. Ten chairs ringed around it, with two special ones reserved for Queen Helvia and the One Queen Chrysalis, whenever she came to personally oversee the matters of the Kriegsmarine. Other things inside included blueprints of conceptualized and current ship models, reports from the various lower admirals, and a massive magically reinforced glass window where one could look out over all the U-boat pens.
Today's meeting was a little more crowded as usual, consisting of Helvia herself, Admirals Lysander and Mimic, and four other naval officers which the Queen presumed were their subordinates. Each group took a seat at the table, the two opposing drones sitting on opposite sides already making their rivalry clear.
Helvia sighed internally; this meeting was already off to a great start. "Generaladmiral Lysander. Your proposal is to divert funding from the current submarine production to focus more on cruisers and battleships. Your reasoning?"
The purple drone coughed, adjusting his uniform before answering. "Queen Helvia, too much focus has already been given into the U-boats. While they admittedly play a role in the larger Kriegsmarine operations, such hit-and-run tactics that they are commonly used for are not what win wars on the high seas. No, only great battles fought by entire navies are, and that is what battleships and their escorts excel at."
"On the contrary," Mimic interrupted, glaring at her counterpart, "it is exactly those tactics that will give us victory. By slowly whittling down the enemy forces and striking where they are weakest, we can wear them down until they can be destroyed. It is the true changeling way to use subterfuge and deception, just as the failure of the brute force attack on Canterlot showed."
"An attack that was only necessary because that very subterfuge failed! Overwhelming force will never fail, it never has, and it never will! Your submarines will do nothing of value and waste our surface fleet waiting in the dry-docks!"
Helvia slammed a hoof onto the table. "Enough!" The sheer authority in her voice was enough to give both sides pause. "I will not have you two bickering like children! Either you two will work out your differences and make an agreement or the navy will go nowhere!"
The two drones gave each other dirty looks before Mimic turned smugly to the Queen. "Or, you could just promote me to Hivesadmiral to end these little debates..."
She gave a level look back. "Admiral," she warned sternly.
"Of course I'm sure Lysander would be a bit upset," they continued unimpeded, "but with my new position I could easily find replacements for him. Take these two talented leaders, for example." Mimic gestured at the officers flanking her. "Admirals Clypeus and Labrum, experts at destroyer and carrier tactics respectively. I'm sure they could fill in where Lysander would refuse to work."
Slamming both hooves, Lysander got up out of his chair, hissing. "On the contrary, my appointment to Hivesadmiral would allow me to promote talented changelings, such as Palpus and Maxilla here. Not only are they masters at commanding battleships and cruisers, they also work very well together. Something that myself and Mimic," he paused to give another glare across the room, "can not seem to do."
Helvia took a deep breath. "That position," she began calmly, "is not my position to give, Only Queen Chrysalis has that authority, and I will not take sides in this argument between my two most talented admirals. All of you are dismissed for the day." Her look almost challenged the drones in the room to question her, and all of them backed off. Though there was a fair bit of grumbling, soon all the staff members had left the room, leaving the Queen alone.
Once the door had shut with a resounding clang, Helvia let out a sigh she didn't even know she was holding. It was getting worse and worse every week, their debates and fights. It was getting harder and harder to get the two to compromise or even agree on anything. And it was all part of the larger issue, one of the many problems spouting up as the hives got ready for war. Some may have denied it, but Helvia already knew that the fight with Equestria was inevitable by now. Chrysalis had banked everything on it, with all her propaganda carefully cultivating a hatred towards the equines. To go back now would be to commit political suicide.
But understanding that it was necessary and wanting it were two very different things. The rewards for defeating the current hegemon of Equus was great, yes, but the risk was even more so. For how could one feel knowing they ordered their loyal subjects to fight and die, when it was all futile in the end? Perhaps her fellow royals in Vraks or Vesalipolis itself did not care, but Helvia did.
But in the end there was nothing she could do. Nothing but stay loyal and continue leading her hive, as not doing so would only increase the chances of all changelings falling. Perhaps one day she would be able to relax, enjoy the fruits of her labor and simply be family with her sister instead of a ruler.
But that day had not yet come. And as she looked out the window at all the sailors flying about, Queen Helvia of Ditrysium only knew one thing: she would fulfill her duty, no matter the cost.