Chapter 3: Threats Addressed?
The princesses trotted down the corridors toward the conference room, both more than a bit anxious. Neither said a word. Floating next to Celestia was a jade green crystal affixed to a thick metal base, the entire thing engulfed in a sunset aura. Around the last bend, Etiquette and Mind Games stood outside of the room.
“I'll be in in a minute,” Celestia said to Luna. “I have some things to discuss with Mind Games.”
“Be quick, Sister. I want to begin as soon as possible.”
“I will.” Luna entered the conference room and Celestia stopped in front of the duo. “I've already filled Luna in. Are the guard captains here?”
“Both of them were very quick to respond, Princess. They took the news very seriously.”
“And the generals?”
“All but Highflier are already in the conference room. Highflier insisted that he finish his report before he attended. He claims to have been 'finishing up.'”
Celestia just shook her head and sighed, understandably frustrated with the Pegasus general. “He has ten minutes before I march over there myself.” She took a breath and then turned to Mind Games. “What did she say?”
“She's agreed on the condition that nothing she says will be used against her or the Abandoned.”
“Done. Everything we discuss will be off the record and of the utmost secrecy. I want you in the meeting so we can speak with Sub Rosa immediately.”
Mind Games looked a bit incredulous. “With all due respect, Princess, it's difficult enough to connect short-range telepaths with long-range, but with ponies-”
“It won't be difficult. This crystal acts as an artificial telepathic medium.” She brought the crystal closer to the Changeling courier.
His expression shifted to one of interest mixed with slight confusion. “I've never heard of something like that.”
“I assume Chrysalis wants to keep them a secret. They're similar to crystal balls, but they're difficult to make and some of the materials are... rare, to say the least. I still need a telepath to make the initial connection.”
Mind Games stared at the crystal intently. “I'm honored to be included.”
Etiquette hid his skepticism and merely opened the door for the two. The conference room was plain, lacking in decorations. The oak table was similarly basic, as were the chairs around it. Luna sat on one side, Night Guard Captain Tenebrous Dusk – a Pegasus with a coat nearly the same shade as Luna's – sitting on her right and an empty seat on her left. Beyond that sat Shining Armor, a tired and worried look in his eyes. On the other side of the table sat a turquoise Unicorn mare with a graying lavender mane. She wore a white service uniform with an insignia on her left shoulder denoting her rank as a senior general. On her right was an empty seat. The chair after was occupied by a rust colored Earth stallion in a similar uniform with an identical insignia, his mane equal parts brown and gray with age. Both were highly decorated.
“Princess, are you sure it's wise to have a Changeling here?” the Unicorn general, Daisy Cloverhoof, asked, casting a glance to Mind Games.
Celestia took her seat in between Luna and Shining Armor. “Yes,” she replied, placing the crystal in the middle of the table. "I trust him."
"Then so do I," Cloverhoof stated as Mind Games sat on a the far side of the table, next to Shining Armor.
“Why can't Highflier ever be on time?” Tenebrous Dusk muttered in annoyance after running an exhausted hoof through her black, bedraggled mane. In spite of the biting edge in her voice, her midnight blue eyes revealed more worry than anger.
The Earth pony general, Quartz Armet, sat tall, his hazel eyes calm. “Be patient, Miss Dusk. Highflier just hates leaving things unfinished. Drives him crazy.”
“I say we start without him,” Cloverhoof remarked. The only look in her light green eyes was irritation.
“You need to learn some patience, Daisy.”
“And you need to learn to urgency! If Equestria's been attacked, we can't have generals telling the Princesses that they have to wait, just to satisfy some obsessive compulsion.”
“Y'know, you're really starting to-”
“Quiet, both of you!” Luna declared, her face austere. The room fell quiet and the generals turned away from each other. “You are acting like foals.”
They were both silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Quartz, I'm just..."
"Yeah, I get it. I'm sorry, too."
Tenebrous just shifted her wings and resettled into her seat. “I don't suppose we could get Etiquette to run us some coffee, could we?”
After a moment, Luna stood up and left, returning shortly after.
“Thank you, My Lady.”
Luna didn't reply, but she glanced at the guard captain in acknowledgment.
Finally, the door opened and a Pegasus strolled in casually. He was had a gray coat with a brown mane – an occasional gray streak from the stress of the job rather than from age – that was cut short. He wore a blue service uniform, the insignia was slightly different, and he was not as decorated as either of his associates. Following immediately after was Etiquette with a member of the kitchen staff, each carrying a tray with kettle of coffee and several cups.
“It took you long enough, Highflier,” General Cloverhoof remarked.
“I said that I was nearly finished,” he retorted, taking his seat in between the other two generals.
Celestia cleared her throat. “Before we start, Mind Games, if you would make the connection. Place your hoof on the base and pour any amount of magic into the crystal.” The Changeling did so, and both Celestia and Luna lowered their heads, magic forming around their horns. In a sudden burst, beams of magic shot from both of their horns, converging on the crystal. After a moment, their magic subsided and they both raised their heads. “Sub Rosa?” Celestia asked.
“Hello?” a voice emanating from the crystal asked. “Who is this?”
“Princess Celestia.”
“Y-your Highness, forgive me, but how are you doing that? I didn't think anyone other than Changelings were capable of telepathy.”
“I have a crystal apparatus here that acts like a telepathic medium. It's an old technology, I'm not surprised that you haven't heard of it.”
There was a moment of silence as the Changeling agent tried to collect her thoughts. “So I suppose you're having that meeting now?”
“Yes. I'm here with Princess Luna, the guard captains, and the three highest-ranking generals in Canterlot. Mind Games is also here.”
“Alright, where do we begin?”
“The attack,” Luna announced. “We need whatever details that you could provide.”
“I have your word that nothing will be used against the Abandoned?”
“You have my word,” Celestia said.
There was silence from the crystal for a few moments, Sub Rosa organizing her thoughts. “I was in contact with an agent in Port Gallop. We have eyes everywhere, but only to counter Chrysalis's influences beyond the Hive. Our agent in Port Gallop described five ships: a cross between an Equestrian schooner and a Griffon frigate. The design is popular among privateers and pirates. He said that a flare shot from one of the ships and a volley of cannon fire followed. A few battalions of soldiers poured out of the forest and surrounded the city on land.”
“Why would they surround the city?” Shining Armor asked.
“I don't know. Maybe to keep civilians in, maybe to eliminate any help that arrived. Grand Façade and his inner circle believe Chrysalis is-”
“We don't have any evidence that is Chrysalis,” Highflier interrupted.
“Five ships, all heavily armed, and a brigade of soldiers! Does that sound like privateers?”
“It could.”
“Sub Rosa is right, Highflier, and you know it!” Tenebrous exclaimed. “You're blind in your arrogance.”
Highflier leaned in, his hooves clasped and obscuring the lower portion of his face. “You're just a guard captain. You shouldn't even be here.”
“That's enough, Highflier,” Luna began, defending mare next to her. “If you disagree with Tenebrous's presence, you may leave.”
The room was silent for a moment. “I apologize for that, Sub Rosa,” Celestia announced. “What were you saying?”
“Façade's inner circle believes that Chrysalis planned this attack to lure at least one of the princesses and a portion of guards and soldiers away from Canterlot.”
“A trap,” Cloverhoof concluded.
“That's why that Pegasus from earlier managed to escape,” Mind Games said. “They let him escape. They needed a messenger.”
“By the scale of her recent mobilization,” Sub Rosa continued, “Examination assumes that she is – or was – preparing an invasion force. Chrysalis is cunning. She knows that either of the princesses are more than a match for her. Attacking Canterlot while both of you are present would be tantamount to suicide.”
“So she would separate the princesses and do what?” Armet wondered. “Lose to one instead of both?”
“Not likely. Façade believes Chrysalis is targeting Equestrian emotions.”
“How so?” Cloverhoof asked.
She paused for a moment. “Changelings 'feed' off of emotions. We need it. Certain organic materials can... 'store' the manifestation of these emotions and allow Changelings to feed at will until the reserve is gone. That's been the Hive's main supply of emotions since the Morning of Tragedy over fifty years ago.”
“Changelings normally take emotions passively to supplement regular food,” Mind Games added. “We don't need a lot of it, especially if the emotions are strong. Love, friendship, passion and other so-called 'positive' emotions are more potent than negative ones, at least for us. It has something to do with our physiology.”
“There's a caveat,” Sub Rosa continued. “We can steal emotions in large quantities, at great risk to the victim. Small amounts result in headaches, nausea, confusion. Large amounts can... destroy minds. Leave the victims without freewill or identity. Just mindless husks, slaves to the thief's will. Parasitism, we call it, and Chrysalis outlawed it long ago, but she suspended the ban just before the Abandoned were formed. It's still taboo, but...”
“If you can get all you need passively, why steal in the first place?” Armet asked.
“Power. Small amounts of parasitism can replace food entirely, and any excess beyond that goes from sustenance to magical and even physical strength. There are some psychological changes, too. Cognitive functions increase, memory improves, and so on. It's... addictive. Maddening, if sustained, almost irreversibly so.”
Luna and Celestia exchanged knowing looks. They both knew this already, but the reminder was still... unwelcome. “You believe that Chrysalis is hiding and stealing emotions?” Luna asked. “That she is seeking to become more powerful?”
“That's the only reason she would target Equestria. She wants to break the stalemate in this civil war, even if it means attacking neutral nation.”
“It doesn't make sense,” Highflier mocked. “Only a fool starts one war to end another. It would break the stalemate by weakening her own forces.”
“Not if you strike quickly and crush your opponent entirely, before they can defend themselves,” Luna said with a troubled voice, painful memories hitting her like a bad dream. “I should know.”
Celestia put a hoof her younger sister's shoulder. “That's in the past.” She looked back to the group. “Chrysalis prefers to strike fast and remain hidden. She fights wars in the shadows, if she can, and not the open conflicts most generals prepare for. If she can't she turns to maneuver warfare. Strike in the least expected spot, trade logistical support for sowing chaos behind enemy lines. I believe this is Chrysalis, and if she's already in Equestria, we need to find her.”
“What do you propose, Princess?” Sub Rosa asked.
“I know you're in Equestria, Sub Rosa. There's no way Mind Games could have reached Canterlot so quickly otherwise. I need your help. Whatever agents you have, I need them to look for any signs of Chrysalis's presence. Generals Highflier and Armet will help you in that matter.”
Highflier's eyes opened wide and he stood up, leaning onto the table. “B-but Princess-”
“No arguments.”
The general begrudgingly sat down, irritated by the idea of following the orders of Changeling freedom fighter, no matter the circumstance.
“Sub Rosa, is there any place where they could be that would help coordinate the search?”
She hesitated. “Colton. I'm in Colton.”
“That's fine. From now until this crisis is resolved, the search for Chrysalis will be directed from Colton. Highflier, Armet, you will need to relocate there for now.”
“Of course,” Armet replied.
“Fine,” Highflier responded, still a bit sore.
“Princess, what about Port Gallop?” Shining Armor asked.
“It's a trap,” Sub Rosa reiterated before Celestia could respond. “The best thing to do would be to ignore it, as terrible as it sounds.”
Tenebrous slammed her hooves onto the table and leaned toward the crystal, gritting her teeth in rage. “Ponies are dying. We can't just leave them to their fates!”
Cloverhoof shifted her front hooves and leaned in slightly. “If I may make a suggestion, I won't be able to deploy a brigade from the Reserves for at least thirty hours. But – and correct me if I'm wrong, Guard Captains – isn't the Royal Guard ready to respond to any crisis surrounding Canterlot in full force with a twelve hour notice?”
“Sooner. I see what you're getting at,” Shining Armor said. “We could have a brigade of the Royal Guard in Port Gallop by tomorrow afternoon, possibly sooner.”
“The Royal Guard is paramilitary, and the First and Second Battalions have combat experience,” Tenebrous announced. “They're as well-trained and as capable, if not more experienced, than the E.U.P. Reserves.”
“Alright then” Celestia concluded. “I will lead-”
“No, Sister,” Luna interrupted. The two stared at each other for a moment, both with knowing eyes that conveyed every thought between them, Luna's intent clear. At least to Celestia.
“War has changed, Luna. Swords and arrows have long been outdated. You're not familiar enough with the advancements to-"
"Yes, I am, Sister," Luna stated, adamant. "Do you forget my aptitude? That I am a quick student? Rifles and cannons, grenades and bombs, supplemented by Unicorn war magics are the norm in conflict, are they not?"
Celestia, trying in vain to hide a horrified look of concern and worry, leaned in. "Luna... Why warfare? Of all the things to learn, why war?”
Luna closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she next spoke, it was with a soft voice, although not quite a whisper. "I wish I knew. But if any good may come of Nightmare Moon, it will be in using that... knowledge of warfare to break the siege.” She returned her gaze to the group and spoke up. “Guard Captain Dusk and I will lead three battalions of the Royal Guard and a company of my personal guard to Port Gallop. We will take whatever artillery we may need.”
“Half of Canterlot's defenses?” Sub Rosa asked. “I feel that I need to advise against that.”
“You would have us ignore the pleas of our citizens when they cry for aid? Is that not a reason you fight against your own queen?”
Sub Rosa fell silent. In her hideout miles away, her shoulders dropped and she looked down with a tired, almost sad, resignation. “I see your point.”
"Actually, I might be able to solve that," Cloverhoof mentioned. "I might not be able to help Port Gallop immediately, but I could supplement the Guard here with the Reserves before deploying further assistance to Port Gallop. Reinforce Canterlot and put the Reserves on Defensive Alert."
“Very well,” Celestia announced. “We'll need the Reserves to be ready to respond to any additional attacks. For now, the First, Second, and Fourth Royal Battalions go to Port Gallop. If the siege continues, I want an entire division ready to deploy, as soon as they can. If an armed response can't deal with these assailants, than perhaps a show of force might force Chrysalis to concede before makes her next play. The best of luck, Little Sister.” She said the last sentence with a tone of sadness and the understanding that she was sending her own sister to war.
The last slivers of sunlight peaked up from the horizon, while the first of the moon glimmered from behind the mountains. A day's end, for tomorrow would bring bloody battle.