With the throttle of steam engines, the goblin skiff rocketed over a hazy, gray landscape. It passed several unnatural lines of craggy rock, all forming rough barricades that stretched east and west. Rusted metal planks formed platforms that connected the earthen walls together. Here, goblins patrolled with rifles and miniature cannons at their disposal. Upon seeing the arriving skiff, the imps stationed at various equadistant towers gave the airborn vehicle an acknowledging salute before lowering their weapons.
Thus, without much ceremony, the transport cruised on into Cartel airspace. The air grew smokier and mistier while the landscape dropped out below. Gigantic quarries ate into the earth, and their jagged walls echoed with the sounds of countless slaves being forced at whip and gun point to haul minerals up spiraling embankments. Past these quarries, the land rose again, exposing large and widespread plateaus of arid gray rock. Shanty towns stretched as far as the eye could see, featuring tiny ramshackled houses where impoverished goblin families lived—or once lived—by the tens and thousands.
Roarke peered through a tiny porthole, her blue eyes squinting at the polluted sprawl below. In the distance, rising like two mesas from the industrial decay, she saw a pair of enormous skeletal hangars made out of steel mesh. Even from a distance, she could spot the framework of two battleships, much like the one she snuck aboard when she crossed into Val Roa territory to the north.
The mare's nostrils flared. Roarke slid the porthole slat shut with a loud scraping noise. Cast once again in darkness, she turned and peered across the engineering compartment to where Jex stood, adjusting the skiff's steam array.
“We seem to have arrived,” Roarke said. “I can see your boss' airships.”
“Oh, we're not stopping here,” Jex said, grunting as he struggled to pump a lever with one good arm. “Nnngh... We have to swing by and convey the news to Haman.”
“You have no means of long distance communication?”
“Haman prefers to look his subordinates in the face,” Jex explained. “When it comes to news and—most especially—murder.”
“I see.”
“Also, the transfer of silver is going to take place to the southwest.” Jex squinted the mare's way. “The Lounge don't particularly enjoy flying deep into Cartel airspace.”
“I would never have guessed,” Roarke droned.
“I know I'm not in the place to say this, pony, but you're in over your head.” Jex glared. “You're so deep into goblin territory, it'll take a million years to drag your fossil out.”
“Almost gives you the courage to double-cross me, I imagine.”
“... ... ...” Jex turned to his machinery. “I have nothing to profit from it.”
“Is that a fact?”
“Turning in just one stupid horse isn't the same as defeating the entire Noble Jury,” the imp grumbled. “And even if I accomlished that, Haman still wouldn't reward me.”
“Makes one wonder why you ever worked with him to begin with.”
“I was born to the Cartel.” Jex took a deep breath. “I was Haman's property since I could first hold a wrench. You see, we're all slaves, even if it just takes a few pointed guns to finally get around to it.”
“You mean the families you mentioned earlier?” Roarke remarked. “The ones who are being thrown into torturous labor just now?”
“I shouldn't be surprised that Haman's resorted to working them to death,” Jex said. “I suppose I had hoped that we would have nabbed enough Val Roan legs to do the work for us.”
“It's easier to torment when it doesn't involve your own flesh and blood,” Roarke remarked.
Jex clenched his jaw. “Goblins have never cared about being liked.”
“That much is evident.”
“We only wish to get the job done.”
“And just what does all of this kidnapping, extortion, and torture accomplish?”
“Are you kidding?” Jex glanced over with a bitter smirk. “It gives us power... which is something Val Roa doesn't know how to use.”
“And that's why you wish to conquer them?” Roarke asked. “To show the 'proper way' things should be done?”
“There'll be no point if that general you were spying on decides to double-cross us,” Jex grumbled. “I wouldn't put it past Haman to throw us into a trap. The Lounge is hungry for resources, and we've done enough to piss off Val Roa. We're in the worst place if two angry kingdoms were to decide to tear us apart.”
“Forgive me if I don't feel sympathetic.”
“Yeah, well, what are you feeling?” Jex smirked toothily. “Brave? Suicidal?” He gestured outside with his good hand. “You're surrounded by hundreds of thousands of angry imps just like me who would want nothing better to do than to rip you into pieces.”
“Make it a hundred million and maybe it'll be a challenge,” Roarke droned.
Jex sighed. “Do you even hear yourself, pony?” He squinted. “Seriously. What's your plan here?”
“Your boss Haman must not be allowed to power those battleships with skystone,” she said. “The menace that's in Val Roa will use the goblin arsenal to spread death and destruction all across the continent.”
“And then turn on the goblins themselves, r-right?” Jex fidgeted.
“And the Lounge and the Alafreons and the Durandanans, most certainly,” Roarke said with a nod. “Nobody's sacred, as far as Queen Chrysalis is concerned.”
“The Dura-who?”
“We're dealing with an enemy that sees death and suffering as a means to an end. No amount of destruction is too much.” Roarke adjusted the metal casings along her forelimb as she felt the ship decelerating. “If Haman is one of the many pillars supporting Chrysalis' agenda, then he and everything he stands for must be toppled.”
“I see...” Jex nodded.
“It'll make no difference if you expose my position,” Roarke said. “Once this skiff lands, I'll have made so much stealthy distance from here that your superiors would resort to eviscerating you for wasting their time with such nonsense.”
“I doubt that,” Jex said.
“Trust me. You'll have no success in attempting to—”
“No, I mean I'm not telling any imp anything.” Jex's eyes narrowed. “As a matter of fact, I'm inclined to help you.”
“Help me...”
“That's right.”
“Help me do what, pray tell?”
“That depends, pony.” Jex smirked. “What do you intend to do to Haman, and how might I get a few kicks in for insult?”
“I'm not sure you want to get more involved,” Roarke said as she felt the ship's thrusters jolt and pivot. “You've lost enough limbs as it is.”
“Then toss me at Haman if you want to!” He sneered. “I won't rest until I've made that fat freak suffer!”
“Hmmm...” Roarke cracked the joints in her neck. “That could possibly be arranged.”
“It's a trap. It's gotta be!” Ebon Mane exclaimed. He twirled about as he paced across the Plaza Topaz suite. “Kera made her speech less than twenty-four hours ago! Now somepony in charge wants to have a word with her!”
“It's signed by the Prince himself, Mr. Mane,” Arcanista said from where she sat next to Midnite Bastion. “It bears the official Royal Seal.”
“It can still be faked, can't it?”
“Such would take a great deal of difficulty.”
“But we all know who we're dealing with!” Ebon frowned. “Mother has—” He winced, sighed, and restarted. “Queen Chrysalis has enough influence in this town to control the Senate.” He pointed at Midnite Bastion. “And to control the Soul Sentries, it would seem!” He glanced at everyone in the room. “What's to say she isn't in control of the Royal Palace!”
“I presume you're referring to Secretary Sharp Quill,” Arcanista said.
“My father went to meet with him and Fishberry,” Midnite Bastion said. She frowned. “To be perfectly honest, I've never truly trusted them. Even before the Soul Sentry program started being inflated, they were a crafty bunch of deer.”
“Yeah, that's the whole point!” Ebon exclaimed. “Fishy stuff has been going on in this kingdom long before the Noble Jury showed up at the Duchess' doorstep! Heck... we've every reason to believe that Chrysalis was stationed here even when stuff went down in Stratopolis! Who knows what kind of danger they could have cooked up for Kera if she just... waltzes in on the Palace lawn!”
“He's requesting my presence specifically,” Kera murmured, still grasping the envelope in her petite hooves. “To discuss the speech I gave.”
“As Princess of Xona?”
“Righto...”
“It just... screams 'bait.'”
“Or...” Kera glanced up. “What if Prince Eine is really... truly interested in what we've got to say?”
“Prince Eine is constantly under the watch of Secretary Sharp Quill,” Arcanista said. “Whatever opinion he may have on yesterday's events, it stands to reason that it's very much influenced by what the Secretary himself thinks.”
“Or...” Kera smirked. “Cuz he's reined in so tight, maybe this is his opportunity to prove himself!” She waved the envelope around. “Maybe he wants to learn something from the source!”
“You're all here to help out the Prince, right?” Midnite remarked, blinking. “His Coronation is tomorrow evening. If this monster you speak of wishes to control Val Roa, tomorrow's the most pivotal time to move. The Prince will be most vulnerable during the ceremony.”
“Which is why we gotta take this to the head!” Kera's voice cracked. “If Eine wants to see one of us, then who are we to turn that down?! He's the most important pony who deserves to be warned!”
“Fishberry and Sharp Quill will dance around you guys all day,” Midnite said. “But Eine is the very heart of this kingdom.”
“Unless...” Ebon Mane squirmed. “...he's under the influence of Chrysalis too.”
Midnite glanced across the way at him. “... then you guys would be really screwed.”
Ebon winced. He turned and looked towards the far end of the room. “Rainbow, you've been quiet a long time. What do you think?”
Rainbow hovered before the window, and yet she wasn't gazing outside. Instead, she had her body pivoted towards the east end of the suite. Her eyes were squinting at something and nothing at the same time.
“Rainbow Dash...?”
Rainbow took a deep breath. She turned around. “I think she should take the invitation.”
“Yes!” Kera pumped a hoof. “Haha! Finally somepony agrees with me!”
“But...” Ebon gawked. “Rainbow, it's too dangerous! Kera might—”
“—she might accomplish more than the rest of us have in all the time we've been here,” Rainbow said. “If Eine was part of the conspiracy—somehow—then I'm sure what I overheard at Shepherd's Rock last night would have indicated it. As it stands, I'm still pretty sure he's in a huge amount of trouble, and if he's reaching out to us in the midst of all this craziness, we'd be shooting ourselves in the hoof to not reach back. For all we know, this could be our one opportunity to save him.”
“It does seem like the only avenue towards progress that we can take at this moment,” Arcanista said. She smiled slightly. “And this is no doubt a result of Kera's brazen words which she improvised yesterday.”
“Who's got it goin' on?” Kera slumped back, pointing at herself. “This filly's got it going on.”
“Rainbow... please...” Ebon sighed. “You can't honestly think it's a safe thing to send Kera alone to the Palace like this?”
“Of course not.” Rainbow shook her head. “That's why you'll be going with her.”
Ebon blinked. “But... b-but can I?” He glanced across the room. “The Prince only invited her.”
“You're the Xonan Princess' royal advisor.” Arcanista smiled. “It is completely in your right to accompany her to the palace, and it will be up to the Princess herself to dismiss you.”
“So...” Ebon breathed easier. “She doesn't have to go alone?”
“Well there goes the fun of that,” Kera groaned, rolling her eyes.
“Sounds like the best idea to me,” Rainbow said. “Ebon, you and Kera take up the invitation. Find out what the Prince wants.”
“And if he asks us for the real reason why we're all here?”
Rainbow stared at him, then at Kera. “I'd say tell him the truth.” She smirked. “As far as the truth will help him without hurting us.”
“You mean... just tell him who Chrysalis is and what she wants?”
“Right.”
“And what will you and the others be doing while we fritter away at the Palace?” Ebon asked.
“The only thing we should be doing with as little time we have left,” Rainbow said. “While the Jury's investigating the Lemuel Tundra, we owe it to ourselves to figure out what's up with the Soul Sentries. If we count our cards right, we just might be able to find a way to let the rest of our Jurists in to help us.”
“And how do we plan on doing that?” Arcanista asked.
Rainbow said, “Well, it would help to have a way of getting into General Saikano's military compound...” She turned and pivoted towards Midnite Bastion. “...wouldn't it?”
The dark-coated mare bit her lip.