//------------------------------// // Agents of Chaos // Story: Cadance // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "Your Highnesses, let me begin by saying that we last night uncovered a very deeply embedded and dangerous threat to this kingdom. There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of its members seeded in the ranks of the Royal Guard. They hide under a facade of unwavering loyalty and only strike when opportunity arises to divide and conquer, such as with Princess Luna's arrival in Canterlot." "What do we know about them, Captain?" "Only that they call themselves 'Agents of Chaos'. They have worked their way into every section of our government structure, apparently for the purpose of subversion and spreading disharmony. The only reason they have been exposed now is because the failure of their plan to drive Princess Luna and Princess Cadance apart, codenamed 'Operation Love Lost'. We don't know who or how many are involved, but there are a great many of them..." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In a Canterlot meeting room, Captain of the Guard Gibraltar was giving Princesses Celestia and Cadance a briefing regarding the tumultuous events of the previous night, which had already sent a great shockwave through Canterlot society. The Weather Ministry offices were a total loss, but all the employees save one - Weather Minister Thunderdash - were accounted for as not in the building when the explosion occurred, and there were no other casualties save the two ponies that had detonated the device to start the fire. Sprinkle Medley, recovering in a hospital overnight from her more than a day in captivity without food or water, had given information that helped piece together the plans of the "Agents of Chaos". "The plan dubbed by them as 'Operation Love Lost' was intended not just to drive a permanent wedge between Luna and Cadance, but to end in disgrace the career of Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor. Had it succeeded, Luna would've been left open to their further predations and a return of 'Nightmare Moon' would not have been out of the question." Captain Gibraltar is speaking, using heavy language and fierce expressions to indicate how serious he is. "Who was involved in this plan?" Princess Celestia asks, both her face and Cadance's beside her showing deep concern. "There were five members of the Guard involved as well as at least one figure in the Weather Ministry. The members of the Guard involved were arrested and remain in custody. We have also identified the ringleader of the plot - Lieutenant Quill." Gibraltar answers. "Your secretary?!" "He is the only one capable of forging orders such as the one supposedly from Cadance that put the cloudbank over the moon two nights ago and the no admittance supposedly from Luna last night. The only reason we found the forging operation at all was because of the apparent necessity of using outdated and prototype seals for both Luna and Cadance to craft the orders. Since Quill controlled all information that comes and goes from my desk, it is possible he has been discretely forging orders with my stamping for months or even years without them being questioned or brought to my attention." Celestia's eyes narrow into a determined expression at hearing this. Captain's orders were not supposed to be questioned, that was a cornerstone of military training. Such an egregious abuse of military confidence and chain of command was a very serious threat indeed. "Where is Lieutenant Quill now?" Celestia asks. "Nopony has seen him since he went off-duty yesterday. By now, he could be miles away from Canterlot even if we knew where to look for him. I've named the night shift secretary, Lieutenant Biro, acting substitute for now." the Captain answers. "And you believe that Quill is the leader of the group?" "At least a very high rank within it. Their leader is codenamed 'Snake' or 'Snake in the Grass', and the only distinguishing feature any of the Agents in custody know about him is he has a gray unicorn horn. Quill is a gray unicorn, so it's possible that they are one and the same. In any case, our immediate objective is to find and root out the remaining members within the Royal Guard ranks." "Absolutely. Quill and the Agents in your custody now have all conspired against the Princesses of Canterlot and the harmony of this kingdom. I will see to the punishment of those already in your custody myself. Quill is to be brought back to Canterlot should he be caught." "Acknowledged. Unfortunately, the destruction of the Weather Ministry offices and the absence of Lieutenant Quill will make it extremely difficult to root out the other Agents in the Guard. Only 'Snake' knows of the locations of the other Agents - the Agents are generally kept in ignorance of each other's identities unless they are working together on a mission." "Then we all, but Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor in particular, need to maintain constant vigil against their actions, and ruthlessly uproot every trace of them embedded within us." Celestia states with determined seriousness. "There have always been threats to harmony within as much as without, but for something that has gotten this far we all must be relentless indeed." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unfortunately, as Celestia was speaking, a coded message was being passed around in the Royal Guard ranks to the Agents embedded within them that showed the true extent of the threat was greater than what was envisioned at the time. The message used a "chaotic" cipher that was extremely difficult to break, ensuring the message's security. Rendered in plaintext, it went as follows: "All Agents, Priority Message The failure of 'Operation Love Lost' last night has cost our cause grievously. Our operations have been both exposed and seriously hindered, and are in danger of being destroyed altogether. Five of our Agents are in Loyalist custody: 15, 27, 33, 41 and 67. I do not expect them to survive the wrath of the sun. In addition, two additional Agents sacrificed themselves to prevent their knowledge from incriminating others and to destroy incriminating documentation at the Weather Ministry. Thanks to Agents 2 and 5 - civilian identities Lieutenant Quill and Weather Minister Thunderdash - the immediate future of our operations is safe. R.I.P. Agents 2 and 5. In order for our operations to survive, we must take control of the moon's recovery. The shining one must fall, and all our operations from this point onward are to be directed toward that end. I expect all Agents to give their utmost to this effort. No cost is too great for the survival of our efforts and the resurrection of the chaotic one. Every Agent must do their duty if we are to survive. Glory to the chaotic one. - Agent 1 'Snake in the Grass'"