Arc 1 - Part 1: New Ponyville
New Ponyville
Active Log: 42 of 50 - Day 6 A.E
Present location: civilian mass transport craft
Status: passive observation
Equestrian Herd currently en-route to unknown destination at request of Citadel Council
Twilight Sparkle sat looking out the window as she lay across two seats directly behind the cockpit of the large civilian transport that had been provided. Her discomfort was evident, and she shifted her haunches around, trying to find a suitable position as the divot that divided the seats was obviously designed for bipedal creatures.
She was anxious, that much was certain. The sudden rush of activity that had begun a few hours prior had her on edge. She had not expected action to be taken so quickly, or in such an urgent manner, when a salarian captain from Citadel Security had arrived at her door, informing her that her people were to be “transferred” to their new residence immediately. She had asked what had happened of course, attempting to pry information from the bipedal amphibian, but it did no good, as she learned he was simply following instructions and had been given no specific details.
Twilight had assured her friends, who in turn assured the others, that there was nothing to be concerned about; that the Council was just eager to see them off.
The truth was, she didn’t like being kept in the dark like this at all. It had been only ten hours since her last session with them ended. The rush and urgency of the Council’s action had her worried.
Everything was happening so fast.
She spared a glance over her shoulder towards the black mech standing in the aisle, silently keeping watch as she tried to relax after the hectic job of getting the Herd aboard the transport and making sure everypony was accounted for.
The Equestrian Herd... Two hundred and ninety-seven mares and stallions, adults and children, along with forty-eight black metal mechs.
It was hard to believe that this paltry number of beings was what constituted the entirety of her species. And they barely took up half of the space inside the civilian transport, which she had learned had been designed to carry over five hundred individuals.
There were so few of them… What kind of a future could they possibly build for themselves?
No... Can’t think like that.
The shock of all they had gone through had worn off at least; small comfort to the lavender unicorn as as she took note of the general calm among the ponies riding the transport with her. Some were looking out the windows in wonder, glad to be free of the refugee camp where they had been held over the past few days, while others spoke amongst themselves, wondering what it was that awaited them at their destination. Clearly they were unaware of the fact that something as simple as a malfunction in the transport’s eezo drive could easily bring an end to--
Stop it, Twilight. Stop thinking about that.
Twilight swallowed, trying her hardest to smother the almost constant insecurity she felt on behalf of the ponies she swore to protect. She forced herself to concentrate on the scenery that was serenely floating past outside the transport window, and a relaxed sense of familiarity came over her as she was reminded of her many trips on Equestria’s railways.
However, the comparison was tenuous at best, as the scene she beheld was a far cry from the rolling green hills and tall, spindly mountains of the computer simulation she once called home.
The Citadel was truly a marvel of engineering, of that, there was no doubt. It was almost thirteen kilometers across and roughly cylindrical in shape, with five enormous arms, each one containing a cityscape larger than Manehatten could have ever aspired to be. All attached to the center ring that was known as the Presidium, where the rich and politically influential conducted their business in comfort of the highest quality among glittering fountains and lush greenery. It was also where she had spent the last five days, performing her role as “Madam President” in front of the Council and trying to secure her people’s place in this galaxy.
The Equestrian Board of Directors (ie. her fellow former Elements of Harmony), Councilor Anderson, and Forty-Two had all assured her she did a magnificent job in that respect. But now, as the transport was leaving the gleaming structures of the Presidium behind and beginning to descend over a particular Ward arm, she was beginning to have doubts.
The Wards were also impressive in their own right; each arm completely covered in bright steel and blinking lights, with tall skyscrapers reaching out into open space while still seeming tiny in comparison to the scale of the Citadel as a whole. What the Wards lacked in the Presidium’s tranquil beauty, they more than made up for in activity, as the streets and thoroughfares between buildings were alive with light and movement, like blood rushing through the veins of some great animal.
But as they grew closer to the Ward arm that was clearly their destination, the details of what lay below began to sink in for Twilight, causing her anxiousness to grow.
Large swaths of the section they were headed for were almost completely dark, in stark contrast to the bustling areas around it. While there was obvious activity, it was not to the degree one would expect from legions of aliens going about their daily business. Most of the action appeared to be that of construction and repair crews, maneuvering among wrecked buildings and collapsed infrastructure that looked like it belonged in a warzone. Even the areas that seemed to be cleared of debris also looked to be far more muted than the other Wards.
“Pilot?” Twilight spoke up, directing her question towards the dark brown turian in the cockpit. He wore a C-Sec uniform, his fingers maneuvering over the holographic console with a practiced ease.
“Yes, Madam President?” the turian replied pleasantly, managing to inject a degree of politeness into what was still an alien-sounding vocalization to the pony.
“Where are we going?” the unicorn asked, trying not to cringe at the title that she still was not entirely comfortable with, before thinking it might behoove her to be less casual in her speech. “That is, what is our destination?”
“Tayseri Ward, ma’am,” the officer offered as he nodded back to Twilight, his alien appearance preventing her from reading his expressions. “District Twelve-Eighty-Six. We will be making our final descent in just a moment.”
“What’s happening out there?” Twilight continued, her earlier concern hardly set to rest, as she took note of a large industrial machine maneuvering a heavy section of metal pipe over an exposed opening that appeared to be gushing waste materials.
“Reconstruction,” the pilot answered simply. Just then, Twilight felt a slight lift in her stomach as they entered the gravity field of the Ward. The resulting adjustment in the mass effect field keeping them aloft, imperceptible to most organics, was nonetheless felt as a subtle tingling in the base of her horn. “Tayseri got hit hardest in the Geth attack two years ago; lots of collateral damage when the humans blew up their flagship. Last I heard, they were still trying to get full power and atmosphere restored to the most-affected areas.”
“It looks...” Twilight hesitated as they passed over an area filled with grim-faced aliens milling about, and she tried to find a gentle term for what she was seeing “...a little run-down.”
“That’s putting it mildly, ma’am. Still, you should have seen it six months ago, back when they had finally done enough work on the Presidium and other Wards to even consider starting here,” the turian told her. “Lots of casualties, lots of damage, and a great big legal mess over who owned what was left.”
Twilight considered this for a moment, and was about to ask the turian if he could elaborate, before he unexpectedly spoke up, addressing someone else over the ship’s communication.
“This is C-Sec Civilian Transport Five-Five to Citadel Control, requesting clear descent vector to Twelve-Eighty-Six. Please confirm.”
Twilight’s ears pitched forwards as she listened in, watching a glowing panel on the dash of the transport open up a display indicating audio feedback.
“Confirmed, Five-Five. Public traffic diverted. You are clear to descend. Delegation is on standby and awaiting your arrival.”
Twilight drew back, glancing over to her personal mech, which met her glance with an equally curious expression communicating through its green crystalline eyes.
“Delegation? Why would--” the unicorn started before the turian cut her off somewhat curtly, while still attempting to maintain a polite, professional tone.
“I’m just following procedures, ma’am. Your contact at the docking area should be able to answer all of your questions. If you could please engage your safety harness, we can begin...”
The pilot paused a moment, looking back over his shoulder towards the quadruped laying across two seats, each equipped with a set of shoulder straps that were designed for taller, thinner creatures of a very different build. As he observed her, Twilight raised an eyebrow, giving the turian a dubious expression that communicated the obvious futility of his advice.
“Right... Nevermind, ma’am. Beginning descent.” The turian officer turned away, eager to drop off his cargo and return to active duty as soon as possible.
——————
The large, unremarkable grey transport, a boxy craft with large, clumsy-looking thrusters situated at its fore and aft, descended with an ease and grace that few could have suspected from its outwardly utilitarian appearance. Settling into a dock along the edge of the specified shipping lane, the large magnetic clamps set into the side wall reached up to secure the transport. Then, two narrow ramps unfolded from the ship’s sides, extending to reach ground level as the smooth metal doors connected to them slid open.
The first to emerge from the vessel, Twilight Sparkle blinked for a moment in the unfiltered light of the nebula surrounding the station as she stepped out onto the ramp to survey her surroundings.
One thing was immediately apparent: It wasn’t the Presidium.
There was no greenery here, or any signs of life at all, for that matter. Their surroundings were glaringly utilitarian, lacking any sort of organic feeling and utterly unadorned beyond the numbers stamped into the bulkhead panels.
The layout immediately struck Twilight as odd; running completely counter to what she normally considered a place meant to be lived in. The whole area, aside from the dock, was encapsulated by three steel bulkheads; two thick walls on the left and right, with the third being an inclined slope on which a majority of the district’s buildings sat.
The sloping area itself was divided into four shelf-like sections, like a staircase built for a giant, leading to the upper edge of the Ward arm. These platforms grew smaller as they moved up the wall, like layers of a cake, connected by a series of large stairwells that led up and down between them.
On the bottommost level, just in front of the dock, several buildings clearly intended to be some sort of storage warehouses sat lined up in a row, each one easily big enough to fit the transport that had ferried them there. Aside from the dock itself, the only other entrances to the district appeared to be a series of elevators set up along the walls lining the ground floor, obviously allowing for transit to and from the nearby districts.
Leading up, the buildings grew more diverse. Some were open-air configurations, where one might assume they would be perfect for storefronts. Others were more reserved, their only outward features being a door, and perhaps a window now and then.
The very top level, the unicorn realized, had room for only three buildings. When she squinted, she could see that one of them bore the icon she had come to learn represented C-Sec, leading her to immediately identify the Security Station for what it was.
But everything else was empty, sterile, and lacked any personality whatsoever.
Twilight hadn’t been sure what she was expecting, but this certainly had not been it. And as she turned her head to her left, she watched for a moment as a procession of ponies, lead by a familiar multicolored mane, began to move off the transport down the second ramp.
A cold nudge on her flank snapped the dismayed unicorn back to reality.
“Madam President?” Forty-Two queried, a tone of concern in his hushed voice before he nodded behind them, bringing her attention to the queue that was forming behind her immobile form.
“Right...” Twilight returned the gesture, moving forwards as she started down the ramp and for the first time brought her attention down to the dock itself.
She paused again, although this time, her expression drew back into a smile in realization of who their “delegation” happened to be.
“Good morning, Madam President. Welcome to the Wards,” came the deep, baritone voice that belonged to a clean-cut, dark-skinned human, standing at the bottom of the ramp wearing a dark blue suit she had seen quite often over the past few days. “I hope the ride down was comfortable.”
“Councilor Anderson?” Twilight was surprised, moving down the ramp at a steady trot now as she took note of several humans, asari, and salarians in matching uniforms that she had come to identify with the Council Tower’s staff. “What are you doing here?”
“Citadel Public Itinerary indicates the Council is currently in session,” Forty-Two stated, keeping just alongside the unicorn mare as it chirped in the emotionless fashion it used in the presence of other organics. “Councilor David Anderson’s presence was not anticipated.”
“This morning’s economic session was postponed, not that I’m complaining.” The former Alliance Captain shook his head, before his features creased with a warm smile. “This is a big moment for you and your people, Twilight. I’d rather be down here helping you get situated than up in the Presidium pushing papers around.”
“You set aside something that important just to see us off?” Twilight was shocked, bringing a hoof to her mouth as she considered that the action would actually be typical of the human’s past behavior. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Trust me, it wasn’t that important. And besides, it wasn’t my call to begin with,” Anderson explained, giving the equine president a short nod as she neared the bottom of the ramp. “The Turian Councilor called for the postponement; something about a clerical error down at C-Sec Headquarters. Unusual for Sparatus to rush off like that, but it gave me the opportunity to make sure that everything went smoothly with the Herd’s transfer. As for why I decided to come in person, well... I just thought it might make things easier.”
He towered over her, as humans tended to do to her species, but in Anderson’s case, there was much more to it than a matter of height. The gruff human simply had a special sort of quality about him, like he was the best one to turn to when tough decisions needed to be made, and could take command of any situation when the need arose. And yet, Twilight never got the impression that he was looking down on her in any way. It was just one of the things that had so quickly endeared him to her, and in the short time she had known him, she found herself trusting Anderson as readily as one of her own kind.
“That, and I felt you deserved an explanation for the suddenness of all this,” Anderson continued as they stepped away from the Herd. “I’m sorry it had to be this way, but we needed to move quickly in order to avoid... complications.”
“What sort of complications?” Twilight asked, now intrigued.
The Human Councilor let out a breath, raising a hand under his chin. “I’ll explain in detail later. Suffice to say that certain parties weren’t too happy about us setting all this up for you and your people.”
“Setting up what?” Twilight paused as she looked around, a sudden realization sinking in that she had glossed over during her preliminary scan of the surroundings.
There was nobody else here.
Aside from the Council Staff, who were almost finished rounding up the Herd near the exit of the dock, there wasn’t a single alien in sight. The streets and paths between the buildings were completely empty, as were the buildings themselves, which stood open and bare. The entire area had been cleared of debris, and simply sat there, as if it were just waiting for somebody, or somepony to occupy it.
“You can’t be serious...” Twilight’s earlier concern was replaced with shock as she came to realize exactly what was being offered.
“That’s right. The whole district,” Anderson confirmed with a nod, while casting his arm out in a sweeping motion. “Consider it a ‘protected habitat’ for the sake of your endangered species argument. It’s yours to do with as you see fit.”
“Hey, Twilight?” a new voice interrupted, drawing the unicorn’s attention to the approaching blue pegasus mare. Her wings beating softly and mostly out of habit, she floated towards them gracefully before hovering in place, folding her forearms together. “What’s going on? These guys aren't telling us anything.”
“Uhh... well,” Twilight stumbled slightly, her mind reeling as she came to realize the situation they had stumbled into before she looked past Rainbow to the Herd.
They were confused and uncertain, speaking amongst themselves in hushed, worried tones. Looking over their surroundings with critical eyes and clearly coming to the same conclusions that Twilight had first drawn of a desolate, empty place, the silence nearly deafening compared to the din of activity elsewhere on the station. A few of the more timid-looking among them cast their eyes backwards as the transport that had shuttled them there retracted its loading ramps, was released from the magnetic docking clamps, and slowly coasted away.
Those expressions made her heart sink.
“You should say something to them,” Anderson stated calmly, coming to the same conclusion as he too observed the Herd’s initial, unimpressed reaction.
“But... what am I supposed to say? I don’t even fully understand what’s going on myself yet.” Twilight shook her head, drawing a concerned look from Rainbow, who was also clearly in the dark. “Councilor, perhaps you could...”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Twilight,” the human answered solemnly, raising a hand to give her pause. “It’s not my place. These are your people, not mine. You’re their leader. They trust you.”
Anderson bent down, bringing himself to her level, before placing his hand on her shoulder in a compassionate gesture. “I can see you understand what’s ahead of you; what the stakes are. Now it’s up to you to help them see as well.”
“But... how?”
“Just tell them the truth,” the human said with conviction.
Twilight gulped slightly as she nodded, more out of obligation than agreement before starting away from the Human Councilor and following Rainbow back towards the Herd.
The assembled ponies quieted down almost immediately as she moved to the front, turning to face the Madam President while Rainbow pulled back to the front row, joining the rest of the crowd. Anderson and Forty-Two stood at her flank.
Twilight’s ears flicked slightly as she took a few steadying breaths, trying not to let it show that her heart felt like it was about to burst.
After the Exodus of Equestria, on the Normandy, there had been no great address or show of hooves. Everypony had known what had occurred; they all understood the situation. And while she was still unable to grasp when it happened exactly, everypony had immediately looked to her as their leader.
But this was her first real moment standing before her people as Madam President of the Equestrian Herd, their eyes on her and her alone as they waited to hear what she had to say.
She had been in front of an audience before. She had given countless private dissertations on various scientific and magical topics during her time as Celestia’s pupil, as well as occasionally sparing a few words to the residents of Ponyville at the request of Mayor Mare from time to time.
But this was different, she realized. There were no notes, no script to fall back on. Not even so much as somepony to give her a lead-in.
For a long, awkward moment, she merely looked back at them, her eyes roving over the dizzying array of colored fur as she picked out the ponies she recognized and the ones with whom she only had a passing knowledge.
Twilight then looked to her friends, each standing in the front row and waiting to hear what she had to say.
She took a deep breath, focusing on the five of them as she willed her composure to remain in place.
“My fellow Equestrians...” she started, having to pause as she tried to find the words. “When we first arrived here on the Citadel, we had lost so much.”
The ponies standing before her watched the unicorn as she started to move, pacing slightly as she continued to speak.
“We lost our homes... Family and friends... Our entire way of life was shattered... leaving what was left of us to try and pick up the pieces. I think... everypony here knows that pain.”
She saw a few eyes turn downcast, clearly having struck something among the gathered ponies. Applejack in particular seemed to be the most affected by her words, removing the stetson perched upon her head and holding it to her chest as she maintained a respectful silence.
“But... um...” The mare stumbled over her words a bit, losing her momentum as she was unable to think of a suitable follow-up for several seconds. “That pain isn’t meant to be ignored. It’s... it’s what gives us strength. And if we can rely on those around us to help us move past it, then I know we can weather almost anything.”
Twilight tried her best to inject an amount of bravado in her words, but to her own ears, they sounded hollow; detached from emotion. Once again, she looked to her closest friends as a source of encouragement to keep going, as she had so often done when things got tough in the past.
Little did she know they were about to do one better.
Speaking up loudly and clearly enough for everyone to hear, Rarity stepped forwards to give her piece.
“You’re absolutely right, Twilight. We’re all in this together, no matter what happens.”
“Darn straight,” Applejack added, replacing her hat on top of her blond mane. “Everypony here’s got yer back. We’re not gonna let nuthin’ tear us apart. Not now, not ever.”
“That’s right!” With a start, Rainbow pushed off the ground, hovering a few feet in the air as she turned to address the still-silent gathering of the Equestrian species. “Come on, everypony! Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna show Twilight some support!?”
A series of hushed murmurs ran through the crowd, a few of the ponies nervously shuffling on their hooves before another voice rang out from the masses.
“A’course we will!” piped up a voice that could only have belonged to little Apple Bloom. “Ya’ll can do it, Twi!”
Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie, whose happy grin was on full display despite her once-poofy mane laying flat against her neck, leaned forwards from the front of the group and cupped a hoof to her muzzle. “Keep going, Twilight! You’re doing great!” she whispered, offering some badly-needed encouragement to the purple unicorn that was accompanied and amplified by steady nods from the rest of her friends.
The Madam President set her jaw as she looked at each of her closest companions, who each looked back at her with expressions of the utmost faith and kindness. It took everything she had not to tear up in front of everyone, and yet she couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of moisture well up in her eyes as she found solace in what she herself had said just moments ago.
If there was one thing that remained true in the transition between fantasy and reality, it was that she could always count on her friends to be there for her when she needed them most.
Twilight closed her eyes and took another deep breath, the words now coming naturally to her, so full of feeling that she could have sworn it was her heart, and not her mouth, that was speaking them.
“But there is one thing that we will not, cannot lose. Something that can never be taken away from us, and that is the faith we have in ourselves and each other.” Twilight’s head was now raised high, and she noted several of the heads in the crowd start nodding in agreement. “Our ancestors were once in the same position we are now; thrust into the wider world. A whole galaxy filled with danger and uncertainty, but also filled with enormous potential.”
Twilight turned around, resuming her pace as a mixture of hope and tenacity spurred her onwards.
“Granted, we’re starting with considerably less than they did, and the odds are stacked against us... But are we going to let that stand in our way?”
A chorus of “No!”s rang out from nearly half of the crowd, accompanied by an impressive amount of stomped hooves on the metal floor; an unexpected reaction to the assembled aliens who observed them, a few of them taken aback by the sudden change in the atmosphere.
“That’s right! We will adapt. We will rebuild. We will stand tall, and we will stand proud! And in time, we will earn a place for ourselves among the people of this galaxy!”
The members of the Council Staff started to exchange a few wary glances, as the air filled with no small amount of enthusiastic cheering, and the floor rumbled beneath their feet with what took them a second to recognize as Equestrian applause.
“But we have to start somewhere, and that place is here! The time is now!” Twilight stood up on her hind legs, suddenly towering over the rest of the assembled ponies as she balanced herself and waved one hoof back towards the empty buildings. “Our friends and allies on the Council have offered us a grand opportunity. A place to establish ourselves; a place to call our own.”
Twilight went back down on four hooves and spared a look to Anderson, who had his arms crossed, and was smirking with approval.
“From here we take our first steps into the unknown. What I see here isn’t just a collection of empty buildings and steel bulkheads; what I see is opportunity. A place that will put us well on our way towards realizing our destiny...”
The purple unicorn paused, closing her eyes and holding a hoof to her chest as she allowed herself a brief moment of reflection. She thought about her past and the things that were important to her. Specifically, she found her thoughts turning to the fateful day when her once-beloved mentor, Princess Celestia, sent her on what she thought at the time to be an utterly pointless venture. The day when she left the ivory towers of Canterlot and discovered a quiet little town, where she would come to find the things that gave her life direction and meaning.
When she opened her eyes again, Twilight knew exactly what she wanted to say next.
“Fillies and gentlecolts-- No... My friends... Welcome.” The Madam President took a deep breath, knowing that this moment would stay in the hearts and minds of her people for perhaps the rest of their lives.
“Welcome... to New Ponyville!”
An even greater amount of shouts and applause emanated from the ponies, and Twilight’s chest swelled with pride as she noted how everyone in attendance was now looking at their surroundings with new eyes, their minds almost visibly alight with the possibilities.
And as her five friends galloped forwards to offer a generous helping of hugs and expressions of approval at her performance, a tiny part of her mind that wasn’t currently flooded with endorphins conspired to make one very sobering observation.
I’m going to be doing this for the rest of my life.
——————
“Whew! Not bad, right?” Twilight said to Anderson, after she managed to get away from the various members of the Herd that had rushed up to speak with her following the speech.
“Could’ve fooled me. You’re a natural, Twilight. Given a little more practice, you might even give Shepard a run for his money,” the Human Councilor responded with an added chuckle, before noticing the tension that the pony was still carrying in her body. “How do you feel?”
“Heart hammering, ears ringing, and I can’t feel my hooves,” Twilight related to the human, her smile still in place although her tone indicated that she was quite shellshocked. “Aside from that... doing great!”
“That sounds about right,” Anderson nodded. “To be honest, you did even better than I expected. Being able to appeal to a group on a personal level like that is a rare gift.”
Twilight released a soft sigh as she relaxed, looking over her shoulder as Forty-Two came up to take his customary position at her flank.
“The Herd has begun exploration of New Ponyville, Madam President,” the drone told her in its measured, digital voice. “Initial settlement is underway. Changeling units are coordinating with Council Staff to facilitate orderly integration. Directors will be immediately notified if any issues occur.”
“Thank you, Forty-Two.”
“Your assistant seems to have things well in hand, Twilight,” Anderson noted. “If you have the time, perhaps I can give you a tour.”
Twilight’s ears twitched slightly at the subtle shift in the human’s voice, which she took as an indication that a simple walk around the district wasn’t the only thing he had in mind. The mare had not been in politics for long, but as she watched his body language, with so many gestures similar to those of her own kind, she took note of the manner in which he looked over towards the Council Staff, who were smiling as they pointed out the surroundings to many of her fellow Equestrians.
The Madam President of the Herd folded her ears back, a serious expression taking hold of her features.
“Forty-Two, could you inform the others that I’m taking a meeting? The Councilor and I have things to discuss.”
“Of course, Madam President.” The changeling’s wings buzzed for a moment, the lights on the antennae that made up its “ears” winking in and out as they broadcast the directive, before it spoke up again. “Twenty-One of Thirty has been notified and will deliver the message.”
“Let’s get started then, shall we?” Anderson smiled again, motioning the Equestrian to follow him as he started into the lower level of New Ponyville.
——————
“How did the Council manage all this?” Twilight asked directly, worry in her eyes as she began to appreciate the sheer size of the Ward district that had been simply given over to them. “So much open space... just for us? The Wards always looked so… crowded.”
As much as she would've liked to just accept this gift at face value, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind told her this was simply too good to be true. There had to be strings attached.
“Brute force diplomacy, a lot of fast talking, and pointing out the right laws to the right people.” Anderson shook his head. “After your last session yesterday, the other Councilors and I spent a few hours going over our options. We couldn’t just throw you out into an occupied Ward unprepared, so we had to come up with something else.”
“I appreciate your concern,” Twilight nodded, finding herself imagining what would have happened if they had gotten off the transport in the middle of one of the Wards’ many thoroughfares and been left to fend for themselves among the hordes of locals.
“It wasn’t so much concern as it was a matter of necessity. The Council is well aware of the power the media has, as well as how much attention they have been paying to your plight. Dropping your Herd anywhere else would have been seen as akin to tossing an infant into a varren den.” Anderson didn’t seem particularly pleased about this fact, and although it did strike Twilight as rather blunt, she appreciated that the Human Councilor didn’t shy away or try to sugarcoat the facts.
“We had to come up with something else, and the timing for our ‘Plan B’ couldn’t have been more perfect. For the first time in millennia, there were entire areas of the Citadel Wards left completely unoccupied; all claims of ownership voided because of the casualties during the battle two years ago. All of the abandoned areas that we’ve managed to restore recently went up for public auction, including this one, which turned out to be the ideal choice.”
Anderson gestured to the large bulkheads that ran up either side of the shelf-like platforms, then to the Ward wall to which the levels were affixed.
“Blocks such as Twelve-Eighty-Six are arranged along the edges of the Ward, and the design isolates this particular area from the rest of Tayseri. Aside from the dock, the only way in is through either of the two adjacent districts. There’s enough designated living space for your entire species, and the rest can be modified to suit any number of functions.” Anderson proceeded to point out details relevant to his description, trying to put as much of a positive spin on the blank slate that was to be her new home. “The Council is hoping that this is enough to demonstrate their support to the public, while putting what happens next, including your decisions and the consequences that follow, squarely under your responsibility and not theirs.”
“So...” Twilight started, following the logic of his statement. “This is pretty much the Council kicking us out of the nest.”
“I wouldn’t put it that way...” Anderson shook his head, clearly disapproving of Twilight’s tone. “Don’t get me wrong; the other Council members are hardly rooting for you to fail. But they haven’t gotten to where they are without exercising caution in unknown situations. There’s a reason they waited as long as they did to intervene in the First Contact War with my people.”
Twilight nodded, having taken the time to read up on the rapid ascent of Humanity to their current position on the galactic stage. She considered this information as the two continued to walk down the streets of New Ponyville before something that had been sitting at the back of her mind came to the front.
“You said that we had to be rushed up here to avoid complications,” the mare pointed out, curiosity tinging her tone.
“That I did. You know how I said the timing was perfect? I’m not exaggerating. Twelve-Eighty-Six and seven other districts went up for sale several months ago, and no small number of private individuals were dead set on acquiring them. The auction was literally hours away from closing when we intervened and seized the property.”
“Uhhh…” Twilight hesitated as she paused in her gait, her expression worried. “I’m not claiming to be a lawyer, but that doesn’t strike me as being entirely legal.”
“It’s politics: Sometimes you have to stretch the law in order to get what you need.” Anderson shook his head, using his hand to rub the corners of his eyes. “In this case, we’re lucky we were able to work within the law at all. Several obscure clauses in the Galactic Species Protection Act allow the Council to designate areas in Citadel Space as ‘Protected Habitats.’ It's never happened on the Citadel, but there was nothing in the fine print that said it couldn’t be done. However, even though we refunded his credits, the highest bidder on the district was preparing a legal counter-suite argument before we had so much as finished finalizing the documentation. If we didn’t act fast, the decision could’ve been held up in the courts for who knows how long.”
“So, if I understand you correctly...” The wheels in Twilight’s mind were turning as she considered this, reaching the conclusion before Anderson could finish relating the story to her. “As the endangered species in question, we had to actually be in the district in order to make it qualify as a habitat.”
“Exactly. And it’s a lot harder to legally displace an endangered species when they’ve already settled in. The lawyers will keep trying to get their way, but now they don’t even have a leg to stand on.” The Councilor sighed, his expression turning serious. “However, I’m afraid that this offering is the most we’ll be able to provide to you. Anything beyond this, and the other species might start accusing us of playing favorites.”
“So we’re on our own now?” Twilight asked, although she regretted her tone immediately as Anderson’s expression hardened.
“In terms of direct support, I’m afraid so,” the human confirmed, his face turning grim. “You still have all the legal protections afforded an endangered species, but you’re also an independent sentient race, and with that comes an expectation of self-reliance. You need to show that you can stand on your own two feet... in a manner of speaking.”
From her position alongside him, the lavender unicorn rolled her eyes at Anderson’s attempt at a joke; a gesture that he happened not to notice as he continued to impart more details about their situation.
“That being said, this is still Citadel property, and not a sovereign Equestrian State. C-Sec will assign an officer to serve as the district’s liaison within the next few days. Whoever they select will be staying here indefinitely in order to make sure things stay peaceful and orderly. If there are any legal issues, or if you need to get in contact with C-Sec, you go through him.”
The Madam President considered all of this for a few moments, carefully filing away what she had been told before nodding.
“I understand,” Twilight replied blankly, not wanting to betray any emotion at what was clearly something that Anderson felt he needed to impress upon her.
“Good.” The human’s expression softened. “Now that that’s out of the way, do you feel like hearing some advice from an old war veteran?”
“As long as we’re clear that I’m under no obligation to follow it,” Twilight responded, perhaps a bit more sorely than she intended.
“You learn quickly...” Anderson smirked, his tone approving, before moving on to more serious matters. “In this galaxy, trust is a valuable commodity. It’s even more valuable on a place like the Citadel; there’ll be no shortage of folks who will try to take advantage of your situation.”
“I’m well aware of that, Anderson...” the unicorn remarked bitingly, feeling that the former captain was wasting his time pointing out the obvious. “You don’t need to worry; my people know how to handle themselves.”
“No, they don’t, Twilight. That’s the problem,” the human put it bluntly, as he stopped walking and turned to face her. “Your people are far too trusting for their own good. That might’ve worked well enough in your virtual world, but out here, if members of the Herd start associating with the wrong people, I have no doubt it’ll end badly. You need to be careful in picking those you choose to get close to, and the same goes for the rest of your species.”
Anderson’s words stung deeper than Twilight would care to admit, but she couldn’t deny that the veteran had a point. If the Equestrian Herd was to survive, they had to be vigilant in protecting their interests from those who would come bearing wide smiles... and sharp teeth.
Twilight closed her eyes contemplatively, taking Anderson’s advice to heart. She could tell he wasn’t quite finished, though. “I get the feeling you already have someone in mind.”
The Human Councilor nodded solemnly. “Cerberus, for starters.”
“Cerberus...” Twilight expression instantly soured at hearing the name of the pro-human paramilitary group, and with good reason.
One of the first things she had done upon acquiring an extranet connection at the Citadel was to look up as much information about Cerberus as she could, considering their connection with Commander Shepard and the role they played in ultimately uncovering the Equestria Facility. It didn’t come as a surprise that a lot of information about the shady organization and their mysterious leader, the Illusive Man, was either nonexistent, or made up of rumors and hearsay. What little she did manage to find only served to bolster her impression of the group as a brutal, uncaring gang of thugs who cared only about furthering their own goals.
Not that she needed any added incentive, seeing as one of their top scientists was almost singlehandedly responsible for pulling the plug on her entire species.
The very thought of what that man attempted to do nearly caused Twilight’s blood to boil, and she tried to shake her head clear of those thoughts before she was reminded of one... particularly unpleasant memory. She looked back up at Anderson with determination set into her features.
“I already know Cerberus can’t be trusted. If I so much as see one of their uniforms, the person who’s wearing it’s going to be shown the door.” Twilight then stopped, rubbing a hoof against her chin for a second before adding one exception to her declaration. “Unless it’s Shepard, of course.”
“Of course.” Anderson allowed himself a brief chuckle. “I’m glad to hear it. Although you might be glad to know the Commander’s business with them will most likely be coming to an end soon.”
“Oh?” Twilight perked up a bit, surprised, as news of Shepard’s actions had been virtually impossible to come by since the two of them parted ways.
“That’s right. At least, I’m fairly sure that--” The human was interrupted mid-sentence as his left hand started to glow a bright orange, giving of a computerized chirp. He brought his hand up in front of him, and with a swift motion of his fingers, brought up the main display of his omni-tool, which encapsulated his forearm in its holographic interface. He took one look at the information scrolling across its transparent screen before he let a heavy breath out through his nose.
“I’m sorry, excuse me… I have to take this.” Anderson sighed as he held up his hand, clearly not pleased about the interruption before moving two fingers to his ear and walking off to the side in order to get some privacy.
“Madam President,” Forty-Two spoke up, causing Twilight to jump slightly, having forgotten that the mech was even there and drawing her attention away from the Councilor. “During this meeting, I have received multiple communications from Changeling Unit Nineteen of Eighty. Director Pie requires your presence. I believe she considers her matter to be of utmost importance.”
“Okay…” Twilight nodded, thinking that if Pinkie considered something important enough to notify her about it, it probably deserved a moment of her time. “As soon as we finish up here, I should be able to set aside some time for--”
“I have also received requests for your attention from Director Applejack, Director Dash, Director Rarity, Miss Heartstrings, and Miss Silver, all marked as ‘urgent.’”
Twilight’s ear and eye twitched in sync with one another.
“Anything else?” she asked hesitantly, almost dreading the answer.
“There are one hundred and seventy-eight notifications for you of lower than urgent priority. Shall I relate them?”
Twilight set her hoof to her face with a slight moan. Clearly, getting settled in was going to be a little harder than she first thought.
“Madam President,” Anderson drew her attention again, shaking his head and looking less than pleased himself. “I’m afraid I have to end our conversation here. The Council will be reconvening shortly and I have to attend.”
“I understand, Councilor.” Twilight nodded respectfully. “I seem to have my hooves full as well.”
“I know the feeling. Don’t worry, it gets easier,” the Councilor assured her.
“Really?” Twilight looked up hopefully.
“...No.”
…
Twilight gave the human a half-lidded, incredulous look in response to his deadpan delivery, but was unable to hold it for long before she devolved into a short burst of snickering, which in turn brought the smile back to Anderson’s tired features.
“While I can’t officially give you any sort of direction, if you need someone to talk to, my door is always open.” Anderson offered his hand, which Twilight reached up to meet with her hoof, easily engaging in the shared custom. “Goodbye… and good luck.”
The Councilor turned to walk away, leaving Twilight and the black pony mech alone as the Madam President steeled herself for the tasks ahead.
And at her side, Forty-Two “blinked” for a fraction of a second.
*Updating Codex*
*New Ponyville: updated*
*Councilor David Anderson: updated*
——————
Imagination.
That was how she did it, she realized that now.
Hours ago, Twilight had enticed her fellow Equestrians past their hesitation at the dock and into their new home by encouraging them to imagine what it could be.
She had encouraged them to dream big.
Now, her head was laying on a table in what was clearly meant to be an observation deck on New Ponyville’s third level, with over a dozen individual datapads scattered haphazardly in front of her. As she half-listened to the back and forth between her assistant and the pony they were conversing with, trying to ignore the insistent pounding behind her horn, she realized her mistake.
She should have told them to dream conservatively.
Imagination was free. Reality, on the other hoof...
“...this is also taking into account the current taxation and importation rates on the equipment that is not produced on the Citadel. Add in the required licensing fees and that should just about wrap it up. Alright, Madam President, I believe I now have a rough estimate for...” The grey-coated earth pony mare looked up from her calculations for the first time in nearly half an hour and her expression dropped at the realization that she had been addressing the top of Twilight’s head the whole time.
“I’m sorry, Miss Sparkle. Am I boring you?” Sterling Silver, the financial expert and self-appointed “Treasurer” of the Equestrians, offered in a slightly condescending tone.
“No, but you are seriously depressing me, Sterling,” Twilight shot back. “And to think, I used to enjoy doing complex math.”
There was little love lost between the former librarian and the former premier banker and bit-lender of Ponyville. While the two had not known one another well enough to have bad blood between them, the very different manners of the two intelligent mares did put them at odds socially.
Whereas Twilight liked to think of herself as open and empathetic, Sterling often came across as cold and calculating. She wasn’t hostile or overly mean, but the pony was well aware of her skills in the field of finance and often went to great lengths to make sure that everypony else knew about it as well.
Of course, since their escape from Equestria and the realization that all of her hard-won wealth was now completely irrelevant, Sterling had taken it upon herself to study the economical intricacies of Citadel Space; something for which Twilight had had no time for and thus made Sterling (unfortunately) invaluable in the crisis which Twilight now found herself mired in.
“The mathematics are not the issue, Miss Sparkle.” Sterling shook her head, her manner entirely businesslike. “The issue is that we are attempting to build an economy within an established galactic financial system utterly from scratch. This will not happen overnight and it certainly will not happen with ease.”
“Yes... I have come to this realization several times in the last two hours!” Twilight snapped, lifting her head before she took a breath.
Sterling Silver held back another biting comment, clearly taking notice of the unicorn’s testy expression and keeping quiet until Twilight had taken a few breaths.
“Okay... Bottom line...” Twilight tried to relax, thinking that perhaps it might not be as bad as she feared. Perhaps she was just letting her imagination run away with her. “What do we need?”
Sterling was quiet for a moment as she set the datapad down, having painstakingly tapped out the numbers on the holographic interface to maintain an accurate accounting, and slid it across the table.
Ugh, give me an abacus and a roll of parchment any day, Twilight mused as her horn ignited in a soft violet glow, gripping the device in a gentle biotic field and maneuvering it over in front of her eyes.
…
That… was not a small number.
Or was it?
“Uhhh, just for the sake of reference, how would you quantify the exchange rate? A hundred credits to a bit? A thousand credits?” the unicorn asked hopefully.
“In terms of value it’s probably best to imagine it as a one-to-one ratio,” Sterling offered, her distaste of the sordid affair tinting her otherwise professional tone. “And this is just to get started. I haven’t even begun to figure in long-term expenses.”
Twilight’s biotic projection halted, dropping the datapad to the table with a deafening clatter.
“Th-that’s insane!” Twilight set two hooves together nervously, leaning forward. “There have to be corners we can cut. Some way to make it less--”
“Twilight, we are building a society literally from the ground up. Aside from basic amenities like food and maintaining utilities to the district, we also need to invest in multiple venues with the goal of generating revenue.” The mare raised a hoof and set it down forcefully on the table to punctuate her point. “We need income, Madam President, and the only way to do that is to get money we don’t have into the hooves of the ponies who need it to start businesses.”
Twilight set her face into her hooves as she felt her entire world start crumbling around her.
Everypony needed something.
Pinkie Pie had been adamant in her claim of one of the warehouses on the bottom level, assuring Twilight that her “research station,” and the accompanying results of her “research,” would play a vital role in establishing New Ponyville. She assured her that she could get started (on what exactly, Twilight was still unsure) as soon as they could secure some basic equipment.
She had Pinkie give Forty-Two a list of what she needed.
Meanwhile, Applejack was worried about food and other supplies while Rainbow’s primary concern was about security for their new home after seeing the admittedly-lacking living conditions of their neighboring districts. These were both reasonable concerns, but Rarity (for some reason that eluded Twilight completely) remained absolutely convinced that the Equestrians needed to place fashion as a top priority.
They had all of their needs added to Forty-Two’s list.
And everywhere she had went, there were ponies approaching her, not sure who else to speak to given their simple structure of authority. So many things were going to be required in order to make New Ponyville livable, and by extension, the Equestrians viable as a species. And everypony had a different idea on how to go about it.
When Forty-Two gave his list to Sterling, Twilight was only beginning to realize just how difficult this was going to be.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she kept her eyes closed as she asked the most important question. “What are our options?”
“Well, first I should point out that we are not completely lacking in revenue,” Sterling assured her, searching through the datapads for a moment before bringing up one in particular. “Over the past few days, with the press hovering like flies around the refugee camp, there have been quite a few well-wishers from across Citadel Space who have taken an interest in us. These individuals have been kind enough to supply a steady stream of private donations to the financial account the Council provided for our use. It’s only about a quarter of what we need, but it is certainly better than nothing. At the very least we won’t have to worry about going hungry before we get our hooves dug in.”
“It’s certainly refreshing to see,” Twilight agreed, grateful that there were at least some souls in the galaxy who were capable of unbidden generosity. “And to raise the rest?”
“I’ve already found a financial institution that is willing to take a chance on us.” Sterling sifted through the datapads again, her frustration evident as she apparently shared Twilight’s desire for a more pony-friendly method of organization. Eventually finding what she was looking for, she pointed it out to the unicorn before continuing. “Minerva’s Trust: a relatively small human and salarian co-op. They have thirteen years of experience in interspecies banking and a reputation for taking on high-risk cases. They see our potential and have offered to bankroll us with a starting loan. While you were in session with the Council, I went ahead and made contact with them and have read over their contracts. Based on everything I’ve seen, it looks like it’s on the up and up.”
“What’s the catch?” Twilight asked, crossing her forelegs and waiting for the hammer to fall.
“The interest rate is seventeen percent; a little higher than galactic business standard but considering that we have no credit history, it’s not out of the question. Also, we would need to provide collateral.”
“Collateral?” Twilight shook her head. “Sterling, we don’t have anything to use as collateral! All we own is this district and the fur on our backs. What are we supposed to give them?”
“I would have to disagree, Madam President. We do happen to have a sizable number of working Changeling Class drone units. I’ve done some research, and have determined them to have no small amount of value on the open market,” Sterling stated quickly. “A dozen units, offered up as insurance, should be enough to secure the loan.”
“I feel compelled to speak out against this plan,” Forty-Two spoke up suddenly as he moved around the table to Twilight’s side. For a brief moment, a bit of hostile inflection shone through his purposefully monotone voice, drawing an odd look from Sterling before she shook it off and elaborated on her point.
“The drones will be deactivated and placed into a secure safety deposit vault here on the Citadel where nopony can touch them. Once we’ve paid off at least forty-five percent of the loan and established a good payment history, they’ll be returned to us,” the grey mare explained. “It’s a win-win for us, Twilight. This is a perfect chance to built up good credit with minimal risk to our assets.”
“Well, I suppose--”
“Now hold on just one applebuckin’ minute!” Twilight was suddenly jarred from her considerations as she recognized the accented drawl of one of her “Directors.” “Don’t tell me yer actually thinkin’ about goin’ through with this, Twi.”
“Applejack? Were you eavesdropping on us?” Twilight lightly scolded the orange mare as she cantered up to the two ponies’ (and one mech’s) financial summit.
“Nope. Ah was just walkin’ by when Ah overheard this bean counter tryin’ to sell ya’ll some snake oil,” Applejack told her, her expression far from cheerful.
“We are in a meeting!” Sterling stressed, seeming far more upset at the farm pony’s sudden appearance. The two earth ponies wore matching grimaces as they stared each other down. “And if I recall correctly, financial expertise was my special talent, not yours, Applejack.”
“That’s ‘Director’ Applejack now, Sterling.” The orange mare reached up to adjust her hat, almost like she considered it an indication of her status. “And Ah gotta say, borrowin’ money ain’t gonna do nothin’ but get us into trouble, Twi. What if we can’t pay it back? Fellas like that are called ‘loan sharks’ for a reason.”
“I beg to differ! Minerva’s Trust is a reputable business engaged in numerous legitimate financial practices,” Sterling rattled off coldly, clearly showing her displeasure. “As a species, we need this money in order to build a foundation for ourselves. Or perhaps you would prefer us to live hoof-to-mouth like a bunch of vagabonds.”
“Now, Ah never said that. It’s just that Ah have mah own ideas on how to start us out on the right hoof!” Applejack shot back. “If we need money, then we’re just gonna have to earn it. Ya’ll saw the state of the Ward when we was flyin’ over. There’s gotta be a ton of jobs we could get for all sorts of ponies; things that’ll make use of our unique strengths! And ‘sides that, it’ll help us build a reputation for bein’ hard workers, instead of holdin’ out our hooves to folks who’ll just end up takin’ advantage of us.”
“Applejack, you don’t understand. We need a lot of money, and quickly. While I like the sentiment of your idea, we simply don’t have time for it,” Twilight pointed out. “Not only that, but the ponies who find work would have to give up most of what they earned to help support the rest of the Herd; assuming we could even manage to set them up with jobs at all. And to top it all off, we would need to keep track of who’s making what and where they are at all times so that nopony goes missing. Who would coordinate all of that? Certainly not me; I have enough on my plate as it is!”
“Well, shoot, Twi! Ah’d be more than happy to handle all that stuff! It’ll be just like runnin’ a business, and Ah’ve got plenty of experience doin’ just that.” The cowpony smirked, reaching up a hoof to draw her stetson hat down across her eyes. “Just call me Applejack, Director of Labor.”
“Remind me again, ‘Director’ Applejack...” Sterling’s tone had a slight sneer to it. “How many times did I nearly have to foreclose on Sweet Apple Acres?”
“Enough!” Twilight spoke up before Applejack could retort. “Here’s an idea: Why not just do both? We can take the loan to get started, then use the wages supplemented by working ponies to pay it off even faster.”
“And that, Madam President, is why it always pays to read the fine print...” Sterling leaned back, a self-satisfied smirk on her face as she proceeded to take the air out of both ponies’ sails. “If we were to take the Director’s suggestion, and counted the workers’ earnings as revenue towards the Equestrian government, then we would be forced to classify it as taxed income. Minerva’s public policy specifically states that no loan of any kind can be paid back with tax money. It’s a common practice used to prevent scrupulous governments from paying off private debt with public funds. In our case, it means we can only acquire the loan if we agree that our only source of income comes as a direct result of that money.”
“Okay, fine!” Twilight stopped her there, becoming aware that she had begun to grind her teeth. “What if we--”
“AJ! AJ!” a young voice rang out, calling the attention of the three mares and changeling mech as a small yellow filly darted forward at a gallop directly for the orange earth pony. “Ah gotta tell ya ‘bout somethin’!”
Twilight looked up, having lost her sense of their surroundings during the meeting and joining the others in noticing the group of young ponies making their way towards them. Applejack’s younger sister, Apple Bloom, reached them moments before her fellow (former) Cutie Mark Crusaders did. Moving along with them and trying to keep up was a single, tired-looking grey pegasus mare with yellow eyes and a blond mane.
Twilight was clearly glad for the interruption as two more familiar fillies slid into place next to the youngest Apple sibling while the elder Apple gave a resigned sigh.
“What is it this time, Bloom?” she asked, her voice hinting at the fact that she had had this kind of conversation many times since arriving on the Citadel.
“There’s this big, creepy-looking buggy thing that was moving stuff all around!” Sweetie Belle spoke up before her red-maned friend could respond, feeling as though she was relating something of monumental importance. “I thought this place was supposed to be just for ponies!”
“Yeah! We should have Rainbow Dash kick its flank outta New Ponyville! Or maybe call in those ‘Seasick’ guys with the big guns!” Scootaloo said with enthusiasm.
To Twilight’s surprise, a fourth filly moved up next to Scootaloo with a much meeker expression.
“...Hi, Mom,” she said quietly, head bowed as she looked up at the mare in attendance who shared her grey fur coloring.
Now it was Sterling’s turn to sigh as she quickly put together what they were talking about based on Sweetie Belle’s description.
“Oh, for Celestia’s sake, Silver Spoon. Sweetheart, don’t tell me you four were pestering a Keeper.”
“That thing was a Keeper?” Scootaloo turned her head at the realization, her eyes widening slightly. “As in, the things we were told not to mess with under any circumstances?”
The four fillies looked at each other with expressions of worry, before simultaneously uttering: “...Oops.”
Their concern was well founded. As the silent caretakers of the Citadel itself, the insectoid Keepers were as mysterious as they were antisocial. They had been present long before any other intelligent race had even set foot on the station, yet their only purpose seemed to be in maintenance and repairs. As such, it was against Citadel Law to so much as interrupt their work; a fact that was not lost on the incorrigible fillies.
“Uh... I mean, no, Mom.” Silver Spoon looked away hesitantly, as if she had been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar. “We were not pestering the creepy Keeper bug.”
Judging by the her tone and the reaction of the four to this revelation, it was almost certain that the grey earth filly meant the exact opposite of what she said.
“Goshdarnit, Apple Bloom! Didn’t Ah tell ya to pay attention when that blue lady was explainin’ this stuff back at the camp!?” Applejack started in on her sister, although Twilight’s attention was turned elsewhere as she was approached by the only other adult who appeared to be accompanying the children.
“Hi, Twilight,” she offered pleasantly.
“Hello, Ditzy,” the unicorn replied, smiling, and glad to see that the mare’s eyes were still looking straight ahead. While in Equestria’s system, her striking yellow eyes were unfortunately marred by a glitch that resulted in them being directed at odd angles; an issue that no longer plagued the former mailmare after she had been freed.
Twilight then leaned to the side, taking note of the almost a dozen or so other small pony forms that had formed a cluster behind the blond pony, seeming to be following her around. “What are they doing with you?”
“Oh...” Ditzy looked over towards the gathered fillies and foals, including the four who were now the center of a stern “talking to” from the other two adult mares. “Well, you see, not everypony was as lucky as Apple Bloom or Silver Spoon to have a direct relative of their own... It broke my heart to see that they literally have nopony to look after them, so I took it upon myself to remedy that. Um... I hope that’s alright with you.”
Twilight smiled warmly, as an issue she was not even aware of was brought to her attention and summarily dismissed. “Of course, Ditzy. I’m glad that you thought about that. With everything else going on, it’s a blessing that somepony stopped to think about them.”
“Oh, don’t mention it.” Ditzy beamed, blushing slightly as she and Twilight turned to look at the small herd, a laugh running through them as the former Cutie Mark Crusaders hesitantly explained what amounted to “pestering” the Keeper. “It’s really nice, actually. Dinky’s never had so many foals her age to play with. It’s just... rather hard to keep track of all of them at once, you know?”
“I think... we might just be able to help you with that.” Twilight smiled, glad that there was at least one problem she could fix immediately without needing a credit line. “Forty-Two?”
“Contacting units Twelve of Twenty and Eight of Ten.” The changeling didn’t miss a beat, wirelessly sending instructions to his fellow drones with a few blinks of his antennae. “Done. Miss Doo, when these two units arrive, they will act to follow your commands. You may make use of them as you need.”
“Oh, thank you so much! That will certainly help me out.” The grey pegasus smiled, realizing what it was that was being offered and grateful that she was about to have some extra hooves in keeping up with the young ones. “So... if you don’t mind me prying, that is... what exactly are you ladies discussing?”
The unicorn sighed, suddenly reminded of the situation.
“Trying to figure out how we’re going to pay for everything,” she admitted, shaking her head. “Starting up New Ponyville is going to take a lot of credits.”
“Oh, I have an idea!” Ditzy spoke up, her bubbly tone drawing Twilight’s attention while her next words drew everypony else’s. “I’ve heard there have been plenty of folks out there who’ve donated money to our cause already... What if we actually went out and started asking?”
“And the last thing you need to do now is to get wrapped up with...” Sterling paused mid-scold, her ears perking up as she turned towards Ditzy. “Excuse me? What was that?”
“Yeah! The nice blue lady at the camp said a lot of ponies were sending money because they saw how bad off we were and wanted to help,” Sweetie Belle offered, seeing a way out of their current tongue-lashing by completely changing the subject. “And some of that was just from seeing how cute we were.”
“And to think, we weren’t even trying!” Scootaloo added. “We can look way cuter!”
“How could anypony say no to these faces?” Apple Bloom, Sweetie, and Scootaloo leaned into one another, their eyes and expressions suddenly turning sad and pleading... The yellow filly even managed to throw in her special lip quivering maneuver, demonstrating her years of practice in manipulating her elders.
“And don’t forget: Charitable donations are non-taxable,” Silver Spoon noted sagely.
The three other Crusaders ceased their demonstration to look at their newest member with puzzled expressions.
“Well they are...” the young grey earth pony admitted, shrugging her shoulders.
“Apple Bloom! That’s a terrible idea!” Applejack shook her head. “Do ya’ll really wanna get yer cutie mark in askin’ fer handouts?”
“Well, duh; ‘course not. Cutie marks ain’t real no more,” the youngest Apple offered in a flat, chiding tone, which did elicit a collected amused snicker from the gathered foals. “Ah thought ya’ll knew that by now.”
“And you, Silver Spoon!” Sterling bore down on her daughter, clearly disgusted at the thought. “I don’t remember raising you to be a deadbeat, young lady.”
“It’s not really begging, Mom.” The younger filly, who could easily have been mistaken for a smaller, younger version of her mother, tilted her nose up at her in a rebuke of her words. “It’s emotionally-induced, voluntary contribution to a greater cause.”
Twilight had to hide a small chuckle at the way Sterling’s cheeks flushed at the foal’s observation, glad that the fillies had come along to offer the much-needed distraction.
“Madam President,” Forty-Two suddenly spoke up, sounding uncharacteristically concerned before he seemed to remember himself and took on a more neutral tone. “Units Twelve of Twelve and Seventeen of Twenty are reporting a disturbance at New Ponyville’s docking area.”
This caught both Sterling and Applejack’s attention as well, as Twilight turned to face the changeling. “What sort of disturbance?”
“Opening a direct audio feed,” Forty-Two stated simply, the green glow of his eyes thinning to a single horizontal line that jittered around, accompanied by a burst of static before the feed was established. Right away, a strange, halting voice could be heard emanating from the mech.
“Get out of my way... you mechanical beasts...!” came a frustrated, alien tone that paused every few of words to take what sounded like a gasping breath of air. Not only that, it was as if the being was also speaking through an electronic filter. “You are trespassing... on my property!”
“A volus?” Twilight tilted her head inquisitively as she listened.
She had met several of the rotund, pony-sized, exosuit-wearing aliens in the last few days, mostly in support positions at the Council Tower. However, she had never heard one speak with such obvious anger, and Twilight found herself wondering what could have worked this particular volus up to the point where even the sounds of his methane-based breathing apparatus seemed angry.
“This facility is not currently accepting visitors. Please stand by while administration is notified to resolve this matter,” came another voice, clipped and unfeeling, clearly belonging to one of the equine changeling mechs as it spoke a selected response from among its array of prerecorded reactions.
“I said... let me in!”
“Administration has been contacted and notified of your issue. Please remain patient.”
“Good...! Tell your masters to come down here in person...! Tell them that Jex Kailer is here to officially... serve them a notice of eviction...! If they think they can cheat me out of--”
The alien’s voice cut off as Forty-Two’s crystalline eyes regained their full luminosity. “Madam President, the drones are detecting an unusually high level of aggression from the intruder’s vocal patterns and body language. If the situation is not resolved quickly, subject Jex Kailer will be identified as ‘hostile.’”
Applejack and Sterling, both realizing exactly what that meant, looked to Twilight with worried expressions and were equally surprised to see how the Madam President’s eyes had hardened.
There was a moment of troubling silence as Twilight looked back over her shoulder towards the foals, some of whom were looking a bit intimidated by what they had heard.
“Madam President?” Forty-Two asked again as the violet unicorn held her silence.
“Twi...” Applejack appealed, which drew a shake of the head from the unicorn.
“Tell the drones to stand down, but do not let him into the district. I’m on my way,” Twilight stated, huffing softly.
“Ya’ll need help, Twi?” Applejack asked, stepping forward.
“No. Forty-Two and I will deal with him.”
“Twilight... err... Madam President,” Sterling hesitated, the fire in the unicorn’s eyes setting her back slightly. “I know this takes precedence, but I still need your approval to move forward with the loan...”
“Not now, Sterling. I’ll let you know my decision once I’ve had more time to consider our options,” Twilight dismissed her as she went from a walk to a quick canter. “Forty-Two, let’s go.”
Forty-Two’s eyes blinked out for just a moment.
Details regarding New Ponyville financial situation successfully catalogued. Final decision to be made pending further review.
The changeling, its update finished in a fraction of a second, flared its nano-fiber wings and lifted itself from the ground with ease, propelling forward after Twilight as the unicorn broke into a gallop.
——————
“Extranet search complete. Parsing results,” Forty-Two stated as he and the Madam President continued down the stairways to the base level of New Ponyville, the dock now visible with two changelings clearly blocking the path.
“What can you tell me about him?” Twilight asked, her frustration showing through in her words.
“Jex Kailer. Volus. Male. Born 2155, Earth Standard, on volus colony world: Talis Fia. Occupation: Colonial Trader and Investor,” the changeling rattled off quickly. “Owner of Expanding Reaches investment firm.”
“I’m going to need more than his biography, Forty-Two.”
“Expanding Reaches has been investigated multiple times since its founding for unethical business practices,” her assistant relayed. “Charges of unlawful intimidation and misrepresentation have been leveled primarily towards the firm, yet remain unsubstantiated. Mr. Kailer himself has never been personally accused of wrongdoing.”
“Anything else?”
“Affirmative. Mr. Kailer is specifically listed as a primary competitive bidder on District Twelve-Eighty-Six’s auction block. At the time of the Council’s seizure of the property, he was listed as the highest bidder with no new bids expected.”
“Perfect...” Twilight grumbled as she took a steadying breath, holding her head high and approaching the two changeling units at the entryway to get her first look at the black and white-suited volus.
Her already testy mood worsened once she could hear the incensed alien’s voice for herself.
“How dare you...! Do you have any idea... who I am!?”
“Again we recommend you remain patient while administration is en route,” one of the mechs stated blankly, showing no reaction at all as it stood motionless in the squat alien’s path.
“Bah!” The volus threw his three-fingered gauntleted hand in the air as he turned, the white glowing eyes of his exosuit blinking occasionally while the red circle between them denoted the use of his speakers. “I could expect... more intelligent discourse... with a krogan!”
“Administration has arrived,” the emotionless drone said as it and its companion took note of Twilight’s approach and stepped aside. “We thank you for your patience, and hope you have a nice day.”
Seizing the opportunity, the volus all but stomped forward.
“It’s about time...!” Jex Kailer pointed a stubby finger menacingly in Twilight’s direction, his tone translating the glare that must have been hiding behind the cold material of his suit’s mask. “At least I got the clanless in charge... and not some worthless delegate...”
Twilight took a short breath, forcing a smile.
“That’s right, I’m in charge here. You can call me Twilight Sparkle,” she greeted him with forced cordiality while she tried to suppress her urge to respond to the pompous alien’s aggression with some of her own. “Welcome to New Ponyville. I understand you’re having some problems?”
“I know who you are, Clanless...!” The volus all but spit the name through his breathing apparatus. “Anybody with an extranet or... News Net connection knows... who you are...! The Council’s latest... pet project!”
Twilight’s ear flicked as she let the faux smile fall, watching the volus intently with her violet eyes as he continued to vent his spleen (or whatever it was that volus had in place of a spleen).
“I am Jex Kailer... and this is MY property! Not... New ‘whatever you are trying to call it...’” the alien stated clearly (or at least as clearly as he was able). “I am here to inform you... that you are trespassing...! And if you and your fellow clanless vermin... don’t vacate this area in six galactic standard hours... I will be taking immediate legal action...!”
Twilight’s attempt at diplomatic resolution was gone from her expression as she prepared to hold her own against the volus.
“Now listen, Mr. Jex,” she started, trying to remain civil as she countered his argument with the facts. “In case you weren’t made aware, the Council acquired this property through perfectly legal means, and has seen fit to designate it as a protected habitat for my people.”
“Nothing but legal parlor tricks...!” Jex countered. “I paid a fortune for this district...! It belongs to ME!”
“As I understand it, your credits were refunded before the bidding even ended,” Twilight dismissed his claim outright, wondering if the rotund investor was even aware of this fact. To his credit, Jex didn’t even miss a beat.
“That changes nothing, Clanless... I will have what’s rightfully mine... and if you refuse to give it to me... I assure you...” The volus stepped right up to Twilight, as a member of the only species in the galaxy that could technically “stand up” to an Equestrian. His plated face was close enough to hers that she could smell the methane leaking from behind the mask. “I will do everything in my ability... to make you regret it...”
Standing just off to her side, Forty-Two watched, contemplating what was taking place as a tense silence filled the air.
——————
Log Entry: 42 of 50 - Day 6 A.E
Assets Acquired:
+50: New Ponyville - This Tayseri Ward district is little more than a prefab shell with the potential to become a home. New Ponyville offers a place to rest and the most basic of amenities to the Equestrian Herd, as well as a base of operations for future Equestrian endeavors.
Codex Update: New Ponyville; Councilor David Anderson
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On the Directive Decision:
Well, I know charity is right out. Yeah it's easy money, but we have to think of the Equestrians' reputation. They don't want to be labelled as a race of beggars.
Ditto for the loan. I'm a little wary about trusting those drones in the hands of anyone other than the ponies themselves. Besides, they are useful where they are.
So my vote is for AJ's option. Put those ponies to work! It'll go a long way towards building connections with employers and giving the ponies a more public face.
On the Choice:
Jex is a bully. The only thing that'll set him straight is to not back down or show any weakness. I vote for Retaliatory. Kick his flank out of New Ponyville!
Also, don't forget. Jex's business has a reputation for intimidation and ruthless business tactics. Do you really think he'll settle for a compromise if they try to come to an agreement? Not everyone can be converted to the light side.
"The fanfic you are tracking called 'Mass Effect: Shades of Twilight' has just updated!"
Have an adorable Sweetie Belle.
iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/28508__safe_animated_sweetie-belle_cute_adorable.gif
Also.
e621.net/data/14/79/14796a77dd2d661b79067b1271a8996f.png
How did you do those boxes Loyal?
Reccomend AppleJack's Option and Retaliatory
Directive Decision - A Capital Idea -> Applejack’s Option
Relying on charity doesn't seem a good idea in the long term, and it does not seem a good idea to give up some of the changling mech when they are one of the few resources the herd currently has.
Choice: -The Volus Investor -> Stoic
Retalitory is not a good idea if the rumors are true, and Conciliatory runs the risk of making you look weak. Go for the middle ground and get more info so you can figure what risk he posses.
Conciliatory option for the choice: Appeal to his better nature. Make the points known that he could help out the Equestrians AND be made to look good for providing assistance to an endangered species, which, in the long run will bring more business.
As for the Directive: I'd definitely say go with AJ's idea. Showing the rest of the galaxy that the Equestrians aren't as helpless as they appear to be would be a great stride forward in just about every way possible. And, since hard work is some of the best currency around, they can gain even more support from just about anyone, really.
Directive Decision:
I agree with 2dextreem, charity probably wouldn't do anything to endear the herd to the Galaxy, whereas there is just something about Sterling's option that rubs me the wrong way, especially with Anderson's comment about ponies being too trusting. Yes, Sterling was Ponyville's banker, but that was solely with extremely trusting and likely trustworthy ponies, perhaps I'm just being paranoid, but I vote for AJ's option.
As for the reply, I would go for Stoic; conciliatory seems to be giving in a bit too much, especially since the herd is backed by the council. Despite that, talking to Jex more may give us more clues on how he can cause trouble for the herd.
I actually think that the best option is the charity to pay off the loan. I don't mean ponies on corners with pans, I mean maybe a commercial like the ones we always see for African children. Use this money to pay off the loan more quickly.
Wait, you're voting for my idea? Yay.
So
I don't see Jex leaving without a fight, and while it may cause more trouble down the line, i only see Retaliatory working now.
grrr, TWILIGHT SMASH!
so
Directive Decision: I've never been a big fan of relying on handouts, so that's right out. Both Sterling and Applejack's ideas have merit, but after debating both choices, the sound strategy would be to go with Applejack's plan. This allows for the Herd as a whole to gain a reputation for individual skill sets and the race gets a whole "we are hard workers" attitude anointed to them. Also, this doesn't necessarily exclude getting a smaller loan later on to help cover final expenses depending on how they are received. Heck, if no-one is willing to hire them, then they default to the loan option.
Choice: Jex will home in on any sort of weakness he perceives, so Conciliatory is right ought. Here, I have to vote the Stoic answer. It asserts the ponies right by law and shows they won't be pushed without antagonizing the idiot too much.
Good chapter!
Would choose Applejack’s Option and Conciliatory
For the directive, I agree with those calling for AJ's option. I know it leaves them shorter on funds to begin with, but the loss of 1/4 of the Changeling mechs (assuming the collateral is as stated: 12 out of the 48) would not be a good idea. It also, as others have mentioned, puts
the ponies in a good light.
That said, Twilight should explain her decision in such a way that she makes it clear that she is not simply favouring Applejacks suggestion because of their friendship.
For the choice, I'd agree with conciliatory, but would suggest appealing to his business sense rather than his good nature, though Dragon Angel Knight's suggestion as to the fine details is good.
I guess I would say to go with AJ's option and for the choice most likely retaliate. So many choices yet you can only pick one.
AJ's option and stoic.
stoic, let him build up his tantrum so he can see what happens:
-let the changelings identify him as hostile and toss him into the recycler, no one ever misses a volus, not even the volus.
aside from that i agree with 2dextreem
Directive Decision: Applejack's option. If my years of playing Sim City has taught me anything, it's that a huge amount of startup capital isn't always a good thing, and you should steer clear of loans in the beginning. You know how it is, you build a residential district, add a commercial row, stick some industrial over by the power plant, and then you see all this extra cash in the budget and you think, "you know what's cool? El trains. I think I'll build one", and then your whole city goes the way of Marge Vs. The Monorail.
Choice: Conciliatory. The volus are a race of traders, investors, bankers. Jex may be a crook, but he can smell a good business arrangement from a mile away. If Twilight just kicks him out, the next time she sees him he'll be directing a group of Eclipse mercs as they burn New Ponyville to the ground. If she comes to an agreement with him, she might just get a little something-something, ya dig?
Here's a question: If a unicorn (who's horn is an incredible biotic conduit) and an Asari (who are all powerful biotics) had a child, would they be the greatest biotic in the galaxy? And would they still be bipedal? It seems like they'd probably be a quadrupedal Asari (which is a really funny thought).
Directive: I'd say go for the loan. If it's a well established business that's been around for years I don't imagine they're terribly shady. If they had a reputation for clients disappearing or having mysteriously shot off knee-caps it'd probly be semi-public knowledge by now.
Choice: The dude's a jerk, plus nobody likes the Volus. Still no sense being overly confrontational and making potential future headaches. I say go Stoic. Be firm but don't be rude.
Well that escalated quickly.
So Madam President you have already one difficult choice to make. But lucky for you I´m here to give you my opinion on it.
I would go with Appeljacks choice.
Why ? Well you said it yourself. "WE" will stand together an even if the Drones are not Ponys they are still a part of the Herd and should be treated as such and not Objects with wich you can barter. Also do you remember what Anderson said ?
An with AJ´s option everyone could see that you are willing to try to do so.
That leaves us with our "friendly" Guest the , little round bag of hot air, or Volus if you want to call him that.
In this phase of the integration of the Herd in the galactic Game you can NOT make Enemys. So i must unfortunately go with the Diplomatic choice
Why you ask ? Well you can surely convince him of a mutuality agreement, if not he will maby use force to take what is his and we can not allow that any harm comes to the Herd.
Also when you send the Ponys out to do work on their own, you should do it in little groups, so they could protect each other better and maybe send also a Changeling Drone so you could know all the time what is going on an as additional protection.
I also suggest with the little money you have you should first build a Hospital or some other kind of medical facility, because if your Ponys will work for their living they will maybe have accidents.
So thats all for the moment, good lucke in the Future from your friend Maid.
PS: Why the hell did I think about it so much .... well i know why, becaus i love MLP:FIM, i love MASS EFFECT and i love your story.
PPS: If there are a lot gramatical errors and stuff who makes no sense , im sorry my native language is not english and i have a little bit of a problem to express myself
If we go with AJ's decision, the most we can do with Jax is Stoic. If we go Retaliatory, he WILL hunt down ponies outside New Ponyville and he WILL use any twisted means possible to make those ponies hurt.
I vote for AJ - same reasons as many others. We will NOT be giving up our advanced mechs for a loan. But I don't see how that one eliminates Derpy's option either. Show the Herd as a race trying to get back on their hooves and how hard it is - please donate!
For Jax, Stoic. I agree he's a bully - but he's also used to getting his way. if we're pushy about it, he'll find ways to make the Herd pay. If we're conciliatory, that'll end up poorly because we'll be seen working with a shady business ... thing. Overall, a moderate approach is the most useful here I think.
I say we go with Ditsy and Applejack's plan. They aren't mutually exclusive exactly, plus we show we aren't just beggars by working also. That and the mechs are resources we can't spare at the moment, if we had maybe a hundred we could spare twelve. As for the volus we should be either stoic or conciliatory, I'm leaning toward stoic personally. Mostly because I don't trust that guy, if we come to an agreement it might be bad. However we ponies are an open friendly race, our ancestors offered friendship first and if that didn't work they offered death. I say we follow in their lead.
On the Directive Decision:
As much as I would love to go with AJ's suggestion, I don't think it is the right choice at this time. The ward they are living in is currently surrounded by derelict wards that, while they probably do have individuals who need legitimate jobs done for them, these kinds of places are also hot-beds for unscrupulous types (i.e. thugs, drug dealers, criminals, etc) to flock to. The chances are high that any of Twilight's herd could be injured or even killed by these types of people, let alone the risks are high that her ponies might be coerced into doing some 'jobs' that are less than legal (drug trafficking, theft, prostitution, etc).
So for now, Sterling's choice is the most viable to get them up and running. With the influx of raw capitol they can set up farming/food acquisition, open up Pinkie's research station (which is probably guaranteed to bring in revenue with all the new inventions she can come up with), and even get 'fashion' up in line with Rarity's thoughts (after all, what rich snobs out in the galaxy would pass up the opportunity to try out the latest fashion ideas from a unique new race of intelligent beings?). Twilight should, however, inform Sterling to negotiate with Minerva's Trust that, should ANY of the dozen Changling Mechs up as collateral should be stolen or catastrophically damaged (i.e. no longer able to function) then the Equestrians will NOT have to pay a single credit on the loan which would then become a compensation for the loss of irreplaceable ancient technologies.
They can still apply AJ and even Ditzy's suggestions to a degree. Since they cannot work without the whole tax thing interfering with the loan's term agreements, they could instead 'volunteer' their services free of charge to those in the most dire of need in the surrounding wards; this will give them the appearance of not only being hard workers, but those that can be trusted to help out the less fortunate when the going gets tough. Ditzy's idea can be implemented on a smaller scale (a few Extra-net commercials here and there) asking for charitable donations enough to tug at a few heartstrings (after all, other nations on Earth do this all the time, especially when it comes to helping other economies after a natural disaster or other such calamity).
As for what to do with the Volus:
Retalitory is a good course of action. Have 42 record their discussion (with Twilight informing him IN DETAIL all the legal protections they have), and that while she is sorry that his bid didn't go through as plan that if he doesn't leave he will be FORCIBLY ejected for aggressiveness towards a 'protected' race AND that the recording of this verbal exchange will be posted to the Extra-net for all the galaxy to see (and WHAT a PR nightmare that will be; a greedy Volus trying to intimidate such a 'cute' species). This own act of bullying/agression from Twilight might actually impress him and garner his respect (and if not, she can not too subtly after 42 stops recording remind him that she is friends with a certain human Spectre who does have legal authority granted to his status of being said Spectre to really make his day a 'living Tarturas').
In the long run the better choice would be Applejack's and despite what has been said I wouldn't trust any but the Equestrians with the changling mechs So Applejack Director of Labour has my vote
As for the Volus, while I would at first glance state conciliatory due to the questionable business practices he is stated to be under investigation for I wouldn't advise getting involved with him in any way so to keep hooves clean. Stoic has my vote
Look forward to chapter 3
Directive Decision - A Capital Idea -> Applejack’s Option
We have to build our world, and even though it is slower, a reputation can not be bought easily by anyone, and it is the most valuable thing the ponies can earn.
and
Stoic: “We know our rights; you have no authority here.”
We do not want to make an enemy, yet we do not want to appear weak to him, we tell him it on the up and up, and let him try and move a mountain with a fork.
start working for fornax , they can make a lot of money quick
Directive Decision - A Capital Idea -> Applejack’s Option
Applejack has the best option because it not only earns the herd money, but increases its public image at the same time. And it is also self sustaining, it is a steady stream of money instead of a lump sum. Also, might open loan options in the future once the Equestrians can show that they have a steady source of money.
Choice: -The Volus Investor -> Stoic
Being outright hostile is a bad choice here, this Volus seems like the type who might hire mercenaries to 'evict' the endangered species. Yet trying to come to an agreement might end up only being a financial burden to whatever he wants. Better to stand firm on the herd's legal rights at the moment.
On the Directive Decision:
AJ is right. The Equestrians must prove their value to the Citadel, and become self-reliant without loans or charity. Besides, working on reconstruction is a constant remind to future citizens: "We were here and raised this for you. Be grateful".
On the Choice:
Equestria Old Style:
a)Be nice and gentle.
b) if option a is rejected, stomp the impudent fool to the ground.
Stoic it´s fine, but with Retaliatory as a close second.
How come Ditzy's and anypony else's options are exclusive? I don't think charity has to exclude anything.
However, I vote for Sterling's option. The Herd needs money, and it needs money fast.
Volus option: Stoic. Show no weakness.
I think a balanced/mixed option would be good. Applejack's option is straightforward, but won't gather money fast. Asking for donations is a good choice, though again, income rate is a concern, as well as reputation. The loan provides a lot of money quickly, though how trustworthy it is remains another concern.
In the end, a mixed option could do: take a smaller loan to minimize risks, and make up for it with workforce and donations income. Additionally, Changeling mechs are working antique alien artifacts, even a single one is worth a fortune. Consider renegotiating the collateral.
I guess what the herd really needs is either a good lawyer to handle unscrupulous loan sharks, or an eccentric business man donating a million or two for publicity.
Oh, and Jex is a prick in a gasbag. Throw him out ass-first, I say. Though I suppose we should try asking nicely first
Bonus Idea: Get some pegasi to start an aerial ballet troupe, it'll be a sensation!
It's out! *rolls around in the awesomeness*
AJ's option.
For the Volus... I choose stoic. Getting in bed financially with that jerk is just asking for trouble. On the other hand... If I could choose one of these...
PARAGON INTERRUPT: "What, exactly, are you threatening to do, seeing as we're a Citadel-protected species and you have no legal standing?"
[Volus makes threat]
"Forty-two, did you get that?"
"I did, Madam President. Uploading to C-Sec."
Volus: "But... You..."
RENEGADE INTERRUPT: "What, exactly, are you threatening to do, seeing as we're a Citadel-protected species and you have no legal standing?"
[Volus makes threat]
"Forty-two, did you get that?"
"I did, Madam President. Uploading to C-Sec."
"Wait."
"Madam President?"
Twi: "Upload it to the media instead."
Volus: "WHAT?"
Twi: "You seem to like threatening ponies, Mr. Kailer. That'll do wonders for your reputation."
Volus: "WAIT! No! This is blackmail!"
Twi: "That would be true if I was demanding something from you. I don't WANT your credits. I don't want your help. I want you to leave. Us. Alone. Step out of line, and that gets this released to the public."
Taking a loan when they don't even have any known commercial or industrial way of paying it back is a suicide move. 17% interest is also rather painful. Avoid at all costs.
Alternatives: Once individual jobs are established, individuals could consider taking out loans to pool(If such a thing was legal), but pay them off under their own ability.
Charity would be a hit against their reputation further down the line and cause quite a bit of trouble, as well as be a avoidable mark on their record. Charity isn't ever a bad thing, but taking it when there are other options achievable under their own power will only breed bad habits and discontent.
Critical needs: Establish life support needs. Clothing, medical care, food and water. Power, communications. Education.
Primary goals: Establish source of income. Is there equestrian knowledge available for licensing? How difficult to gain access to manufacturing facilities, or suppliers for custom craft specialty wares? Right off however, Licensing Equestrian designs would be a very good choice, as well as finding a way to increase the number of Changeling drones.
!:If possible, reach the point where there is one drone per equestrian, both as data assistants, but more importantly, as bodyguards. Equestrians are endangered, and having guards hidden in plain sight as utility assistants is a good idea. Secondary:Keep control of Changeling design. That is an Equestrian ace in the hole, nevermind that third party study could reveal capability for sapience.
Lastly, Jex. Do a full background check, and communicate with trusted advisors. Anderson, Shepard, Normandy crew even. Then, with proper intel, arrange meeting, and Befriend Jex. Having an ally in the buisness market is a primary need, but he is obviously a shrewd and demanding individual. He obviously isn't hurting for money, but seems to want a high profile location for some reason. With suitable caution, bring to his attention that he would have far more to gain through public reputation if he was seen as helping the fairly popular newcomers in their time of need. After all, Even something as high profile as Citadel real estate pales in comparison to friendly relations with an entire race.
PS:Pinkie Pie needs OVERSIGHT. There will be no "Unknown creations" occuring in the dark depths. There's no room for that kind of shennanigan at this point in time.
PPS: In relation to the above, 4 Equestrians need to somehow gain access to police instructors, as well as establish a friendly relationship with C-Sec. Having their own police force will show that the herd isn't entirely dependant on outside assistance, and having good relations with the real police force will make people be more liable to want to help when problems do occur.
The Directors choice: Sterlings option seems like the best idea, and the most secure one. And I would choose stoic for the latter one.
Applejack and Stoic
Directive Decision: I'm having a bit of trouble choosing the best option. Basic needs are already being met, but all the credits they are getting are coming from charity, which I wouldn't really call reliable. We could go with Distzy's option, but eventually donors would start feeling like they are being suckered and it could damage the reputation of the Equestrians (not to mention that if we anger Jax he would do his best to do this). Who wants to live on handouts anyways. Then the loan... well, I'm kind of wary of loans. Even if the company has a good reputation, and Sterling is convinced they can cover the loan, perhaps it would be better to go for a more reliable choice while the whole species is still living on handouts. Also, some unseen complications, like a pissed off volus entrepreneur and his company might try to throw a monkey-wrench on this plan. Obviously, we need to get the Equestrians working regardelss of the decision, since apparently 80% of their population is currently unemployed. Still, AJ's plan makes it so working ponies would have to relinquish most of their earnings to get the funds needed in a reasonable amount of time and that could hurt motivation, unless the workers got the feeling they were achieving something for their community, which could be arranged with the right kind of publicity.
tldr
I vote for AJ.
Choice: The Equestrians don't need to be making enemies with any measure of influence, yet I don't see much good coming out of 'coming to an agreement' with Jex. So yeah, pound on the law and go for Stoic.
I vote the non exsistant renegade interrupt to deal with the volus: Twi shows him what a biotic god is (But really Stoic is my choice)
I also vote Applejacks choice for the money problems
Directive Decision: Applejack's option
Charity, even if it's generously large, can only take you that far. The herd have to stand on its four hooves and make a name for itself. And for Minerva's Trust... Just the name rub me off in the wrong way. Plus the Changeling mech are in little limited numbers and more sofisticated than regular mech and geth unit. Better keep then around New Ponyville. With a chace to prove their worth, working on the citatel is more likely the win-win situation that Sterling Silver seemed so adamant to have. Slow maybe but effective.
Choice: Stoic
Jex Kailer' is quite similar to another Vollus from ME2 who's name escape me... Retaliatory will only looks like Twilight is dissmissing him like she don't really care wich is something that would only make Jex more angry. He is pissed off so negociations is impossible anyway. And, as 42 of 50 pointed, Expanding Reaches is known for unethical business practices. Even if it remain unsubstantiated and Jex never directly accused, who in his/her right mind want to create a deal with a volus currently angry at you? And if the volus was in a similar situation, he would have probably pull the same strings as the council did. Volus lives by doing contracts and economic trades and are pro on obscure details. But the concil already use those aces. So he will only slam his head on the wall since the council must already covering all issues the stun they did may open.
As for the chapter itself now: you have Anderson's behavior spot on
. Great chapter that clearly set us with problems of immediate importance and a glimpse of what is to come. ''Ugh, give me an abacus and a roll of parchment any day.'' I feel sorry for Twilight and sorry that I laugh at that thought.
Also(and forgive this barbaric side of me): MOAR!
Have a
, monocle and top hat for you're work and continue what is for me : the Best Sequel Ever!
Edit: added more reasons behind Directive Decision and Choices.
Directive Decision -A Capital Idea: AppleJack's Option
Choice: -The Volus Investor: Stoic
I say AJ's option and "stoic". It'll be slower but it would probably be better for their reputation and they won't lose their drones as collateral. Also, Jex seems to be aggressive business man and any negotiations would end in his favor, but we can't risk antagonizing him. State our claim and leave it at that.
Directive: Applejack
Readily accepting donations would be really bad PR. Sterling's idea, even though the credits are sorely needed right now, has an uncertain future. One bad investment and the loans would tank. Not to mention the drones are the only thing giving the Equestrians any sort of military power. Applejack's idea is the one that has the most stability, even though it is still pretty high risk in it's own right.
Choice: Stoic
Jax is very emotional right now. Acting aggressively will only invite mercs. Recording and uploading the conversation would only result in the same thing, as Jax still has plenty of money. Volus are natural entrepreneurs. Coupling that with Jax's high emotional state results in high demands from him if negotiations are to occur. Befriending him would be the best option, but there is currently nothing that is possible at the moment due to his already negative view of Equestians or "the Council's pet project" as he calls it. As much as it will reinforce his opinion on the species, the Equestians will have to rely on the Council for now. The possibility of mercs being sent in anyway is high, but it still beats being trapped in a financial nightmare.
AJ option
Good chapter. Twi's already got alot to worry about, huh?
Directive Decision: Sterling's Option
Ditzy's option: Dismissed immediately. The fact that I feel there's little chance of it working aside, it just wouldn't look good for the Herd. At all. "Okay, we're new here, so the first thing we're going to do is BEG for all we're worth." Even if it did work, I don't think anyone's gonna like them after that.
Applejack's Option: This made me think a bit. Working from the ground up, and proving their reliability from the get-go sounds like the ideal plan. Income might be slow, but at least people will trust them, which I do feel is one of the most important objectives at the moment. However, as Jex has just proven, there are going to be people hoping they fail, and some of those people might not be content with just waiting on the sidelines for it to happen. With the slow income from AJ's plan, there might not be enough time to get the resources necessary to defend themselves, politically speaking, if their enemies make a move.
Sterling's Option: I'll admit I'm a bit wary. I don't like the idea of the drones being taken from the Herd's possession, even if only temporarily. However, right now, their most immediate concern is to get up and moving, and the context Sterling gave paints Minerva's Trust as reliable. Some might call the Herd weak for taking a loan at first opportunity, but just as many might also call them proactive instead, for acting so quickly. They can always prove their opposition wrong later, once they have a leg to stand on. I don't like loans any more than the next guy, and the high interest rate makes me nervous, but I feel this is their best option.
Choice:Retaliatory
.This required far less thinking. Jex is a bully, and one who I'm not sure will back off quickly. The best thing to do right now is to let him know that the Herd isn't going to take any of his crap. He got his money back, so he can shut up and leave.
Directive Decision: I think the Minerva’s Trust option is a bad idea. The temporary loss of so many changeling drones would hamper the construction efforts. Probably the best option would be AJ's as it puts them in a good light of self sufficiency which could mean good things further down the road.
On the Choice: I think a mixture of Conciliatory and Stoic are probably the only reasonable options. At least attempt to come to an agreement, and point out that if Jex does go for a co-op of some sorts its going to be a lot cheaper for him. If he won't except, that's his loss.
I vote for "Applejack's option" and "stoic". My reasons have already been covered by Spymanx.
Directors Choice: AJ, hard work is always valued regardless where you are, but Twilight should instruct them on how to effectively defend themselves and be aware of doubtful folks.
As for the Volus: Retaliatory seems like 1+ Paragon/+1 Renegade option, while Conciliatory is +2 Paragon and Stoic is +2 Renegade.
Being a none for goody good shoes, Retaliatory seems just fine for me.
Directive Decision- Ditzy's idea has some merit, but they really don't want to be seen as a charity case like that. But I don't see how her idea couldn't be implemented alongside one of the others, though low key and limited. Just a few commercials here and there. Maybe some that encourage charity/donations without outright asking for them etc... Though even then, it would work better if one of the other ideas is implemented first, show that the Herd isn't JUST looking for handouts.
Of those, it's a toss up. Minerva seems like a legitimate choice. Well established, trusted. So no real issue there. And as long as there terms are clear, and no loopholes left in to screw the ponies, as well as making sure the changeling drones are in fact simply held in a vault and not touched...no real issues with that. But it will screw over the herd if things go bad, or they don't get going fast enough. Plus, they really couldn't afford to lose that many mechs for that long. It's is a sure bet to start, but long term, might bite them in the ass.
AJ's has the best long term prospects and will do the most to show the Herd in a positive light to the galaxy. But is also more unreliable then the loan to start with. And carries the biggest risks to individual ponies. And yet, given ponies unique skills, they will be almost sure to be in high demand once some of the benefits are shown to the public first hand. Plus the PR boon to people that hire them for helping out the current charitable cause of the month. So they can capitalize on that if they work fast. But as other have pointed out, the places they would start to work at are rather seedy. While it does have the biggest risks involved, it also has the most potential rewards.
Final decision- AJ's option. has the highest benefits, as long as it's implemented in a way that minimizes the risks to ponies. Keep them working in groups, no pony being left alone outside of New Ponyville, be careful who they work for etc... And maybe throw up a few commercials showing the Herd making a place for themselves to raise a few more donations from people wanting to help them succeed.
The volus. His corporation is a bunch of bullies, and he will pounce at any sign of weakness. So conciliatory is right out. Besides Twilight and the Herd are fully in the right here. But no reason to be overly aggressive right off the bat either. Plus it's in keeping with how the ponies work. Be nice and get along. But one warning, then you are toast if you mess with them.
Decision-Stoic. And if he keeps pressing after that, have the mechs toss him back into his shuttle and Twi TK off the dock.
Non-Decision based. SO AWESOME, this is a great start. You really mesh the ponies into the ME verse well, and, and, can't wait for more.
stoic decision, and DIrector applejack's decision.
Directive Decision - A Capital Idea: Aj's plan
Sterling's plan is good for startup, but it directly impacts a valuable Equestrian resource - the changeling mechs. Those mechs can help in any number of ways that simple money cannot (at least not without then paying for the things that the mechs could do anyways). It makes no sense to me to give the mechs away just to use the money they bring to pay someone else to do what the mechs can do for themselves. Plus, the Equestrians need to work on being more conservative, and the mechs are likely quite interesting to many many people. I feel safer with them in Equestrian hooves.
Ditzy's plan might work, but it also could do two things: start a percieved precedent that Equestrians aren't going to work for what they need, and not be very effective once potential contributors see that and back off.
AJ's plan, while slower to start, may actually garner more supporting contributors simply because the Equestrians will be seen as willing and capable, and therefore as good to befriend.
Choice - The Volus Investor: Stoic
This volus may or may not be a major threat (based on suspected business practices) so I don't trust him enough to try and make a deal concerning the much-needed living space. However, it's also not the Equestrian way to respond with harsh threats and ultimatums, even to potential enemies. He needs to understand that the Equestrians aren't going to - and can't - just go away, but if at all possible communication must be kept open since this is the very first outside contact for the Equestrians. Be firm, but not antagonizing.
AJ's option and Stoic.
Directive Decision: Definitely going with AJ here, those drones constitute part of their workforce and having them out of commission
would hurt a lot. Also not a good idea to let another race take a look at them could lead to some problems later as they are also their primary defense force.
As for the choice i would go with stoic you can't show any weakness to the volus he would eat her alive.
AJ and stoic
I am assuming that the options you laid out for the economic choices and the choice responses are what we can pick?
If that's the case... For the Directive decision, take applejack's offer. The third option, while sounding okay at first, you cant really live on that. And ponies need to prove they aren't just dead weight. the first is pretty good, but those units might be needed. They only have 40 or so after all.
and the responses?
This guy needs to learn that the universe doesn't center around whoever has the biggest money stash. I don't think its possible to reason with him with simple diplomacy, and just telling him to leave is just going to put the problem off.
Directive: AJ's option - I don't like the idea of useful mech's being locked away in a vault, if they could even trust that this advanced tech wouldn't be messed with, and the herd does not want to develop the reputation of not being able to take care of themselves by employing the charity option.
Volous - Stoic (no bones about who is in the right) with a side of: "If you work with us here, we may be able to have profitable ventures with you in the future."