I Blame You, Too

by Whitestrake

North Korea Sits on an Estimated $6,000,000,000,000 in Rare Metals and Minerals

More xenos piled out of chariots, which were pulled by winged members of their species. Was this some sort of slavery, or were they volunteers? One of the aliens wore a coat and hood that was obviously styled after Skully's armor, and I only say it was obvious because I doubt the man would paint armor like that to match some alien. So, if the psyker and the new xenos wore matching attire, perhaps even a uniform, did that make the new aliens member of the so-called Equestrian Inquisition? Void-black body coverings and ivory headgear seemed to be the the standard for them, if that was the case.

The first one out of the chariots was iron-grey and had a snout that was squarer than any xenos we had seen before. I'm not sure why I noticed something so small and insignificant, but I was starting to put the pieces of how this new species worked. The new xeno-inquisitor knelt as it reached us, probably honoring Skully, before speaking. Unlike the other quadrupeds, this one's voice was deeper, closer to a human male. It was then I made my first, possibly incorrect, statement about their genders. The psyker must have ordered the new male to rise, and he was obeyed.

Immediately, the newcomer knelt before the winged and horned purple xenos, kissing her forefoot. The female, and please remember that I was guessing sex here, retracted it with a look of what I can only guess was politely-concealed disgust.

Alright, pick a chariot; Twilight and I will take a separate one. Twilight must have been the female alien. However, this would not do; the strider was my baby, and I'd be damned if some aliens were going to touch it. Amos, I believe you have me confused with someone who gives a shit.

“I hate that you can do that.” He knew that already, but I still felt the need to tell him aloud. Dahl and Oleg looked at me strangely, but they also understood my feelings. Skully wasn't exactly a nice guy, but he was polite enough to be rude. “That is my ship, and one of your xenos might damage it.”

Rest assured that my men will treat your vessel with as much respect as possible.

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“Discord's on vacation in the Mild West right now, right?” Taylor had a very good reason for choosing a separate chariot: discussing the only chaotic being allowed to live. He may have been able to sense any attempt made by Dahl to read his mind, but the purple alicorn next to him wasn't. The Inquisition's prospects also provided aid by blocking signals with their own magic, helped along by their placement between the two chariots.

“For the foreseeable future, yes.” Twilight understood the necessity of keeping Discord as far from the Imperials as possible. Their Chaos may be confused with the draconequus's personal brand, which would result in unneeded deaths. “Though, it isn't Discord I'm worried about.”

“Their xenophobia? Trust me, I'll brief everyone when we arrive at the palace.” The Burned Man replaced his mask, though whether it was to combat the wind or utilize his armor's advanced communications or surveillance equipment, Twilight did not know. Almost immediately, the man's head twitched upwards, as though locking onto some distant object. The alicorn guessed he had found the captives' friends, though they must have been hanging back for the time being. If Inquisitor Dahl died, their mission was over and Ophidia would escape their grasp.

“I just figured, you know, they might not take too kindly to you and Chrysalis.” For all her power, Twilight Sparkle did her best to look after her friends, and she counted the psychic and changeling amongst them. When she first met him, the then-unicorn had almost despised him, a hatred which was helped along by Jay's lies of an assassination attempt. The months following it, and when he saved Cadence and her from Chrysalis during the First Battle for Canterlot, she had grown to trust him completely, and could read the semi-stoic like a book. The mirthless laugh Taylor chuckled only pointed to promised pain and death.

“Twilight, if they even think of harming my family, the Despoiler will be the very least of their worries.”

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“That is... odd.” Alexander peered through one of the small vessel's ports, totally enraptured by the three carriages flying with the strider in tow. The small xenos, which were oddly colorful even at this distance, seemed too weak to pull the carriages through the sky, yet their tiny wings allowed this. “Martellus, is the ship behaving abnormally?”

“Not at all,” The Magos Explorator replied, unsure of what the savant meant. Systems were optimal, gravity was well within acceptable ranges, and the wind seemed to aid in the ship's flight. The only thing the cyborg could even think of was the strange aliens, but he was withholding judgment until his input was needed. “Everything is acceptable. Have we any word from Dahl?”

“I'm hailing him as we speak.” Sister Delphine was to the point, not liking the flight, and enjoying the prospect of allying with xenos even less. The ship's vox-speakers crackled to life as a link was established. “My lord, go ahead.”

++Hold your fire, we are brokering a deal to capture or kill Ophidia++ The trio had been informed of the psyker captured the shore party. With such a man present, there was no need to use a coded language, though that hadn't prevented the inquisitor from using it earlier. Things would not be easy, but cooperation would be temporary and hardly last a moment after the heretic was burned. ++Address the psyker as Skully until proper communication can be established.++

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“What do you think we'll find in their capital?” I asked, my eyes stuck on the mountain in the distance. There was a palace built into its side, as well as what must have been a small city sprawling beneath it, also erected in the rock wall. The city must have been mostly vertical, much like a hive. That would make combat difficult if Chaos took root within, but Skully may have had experience in urban warfare if he had the planet Inquisition wearing uniforms modeled after his armor.

“More xenos, most likely.” Oleg had a penchant for sarcastic humor, a fact which I usually found just as grating as Dahl. He was right, though, as much as I hate to admit it. The unknown world was most likely packed with the colorful xenos, and possibly other humans. “Wonder what their leader looks like, with all these psykers under his command.”

“I have a feeling we will find out soon enough, Oleg.” The boss said, nervous in a way only those who knew him would notice. Inquisitor Dahl didn't like parting ways with his master's power sword, and I couldn't blame him for it. “Though, I can't help but wonder why Skully is taking us to this planet's leader. Does the so-called Equestrian Inquisition maintain its headquarters there?”

“I wouldn't look into it too much, boss; Emperor knows this place doesn't exactly abide by the universe's normal rules.” I only spoke the truth. The system was geocentric, and the planet was perfect for human settlement, down to the smallest trace elements in its atmosphere. I was putting two and two together and getting five, which was not good in my experience with the forces of Chaos. But, I've met many servants of the Dark Gods, felt the taint upon the worlds it touched, and nothing on this planet hinted at it. “Worst case scenario, we retreat to the Skyward Valkyrie and hail the Navy for reinforcements, then bombard this rock until we see the core.”

“Yes, and possibly lose Ophidia's trail.” I really hated when Dahl pointed out the obvious. Ophidia, as you know, was the slipperiest sonofabitch to ever live. Unless we had a body, which Exterminatus would not leave, we could not confirm his death. You know this is not some arbitrary rule passed down by the Inquisition; it is merely a precaution when dealing with the Ruinous Powers. “I am more interested in those insect-xenos we saw.”

“What about them? They seemed normal enough, all things considered.” I was still standing by my earlier assumptions that the two were merely Skully's friends, or perhaps a friend and its offspring. I saw a look flash in my boss's eyes, a look I had only seen once or twice.

“Yes, but he was perhaps a little too friendly with the smaller one, and his eyes seemed to linger on the larger.” This was bad, very bad. Being a rouge psyker was redeemable, Skully could always submit to a ride to Holy Terra on an Inquisitorial Black Ship, but xenophilia was... I don't even fucking know how to classify that. Everything else he could be forgiven for, but that, by the Throne, went too far. “Skully may be free of the taint of Chaos, but he still has crimes he must answer for.”

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Princess, we're coming in hot.

Celestia perked up in her throne, ears twitching. That was Taylor's mental voice, yes, and the message seemed urgent. The alabaster alicorn motioned for one of her guards to approach. The stallion dutifully knelt when he reached his princess, faithful as the day he first joined. “Steel Rain, would you be so kind as to deliver a message for me?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” This was the sort of the the princess's guards existed for, because the immortals certainly needed no protection from thing the stallions could defeat. Being a glorified messenger was a very cushy job, all things considered, but it could easily get exciting.

“Please inform the Secretary of the Inquisition that my guests will be arriving soon.”

Author's Note:

Well, here comes your first poll.
Who is the Inquisitorial Secretary?
It can be any pony, barring Lyra, Bon-Bon, Trixie, Chrysalis, and any of the Elements of Harmony.
Otherwise, have fun, and please back up your answers.

Comments

[Lamaredia]

Spike?

[Whitestrake]

2421464 Technically impossible, If you recall, he was in Ponyville.

[lolz anonymous]

derpy?

[Lamaredia]

2421471 Ah, i totally forgot that. Then who could it be? Hmm... Just for the heck of it, i will guess.... DERPY!!!

[Useless Machine]

Fancy Pants.
Just because nobody would ever see it coming.

[MasterPlan]

Secretary of Inquisition Fancypants. You need a charismatic gentleman who you know will put the the interests of Equestria first as the face of the Inquisition. I can also see him being a hero of the last battle of Canterlot somehow too.

[David Leatherhuff]

Gotta go Fancypants on this one.

[Izarra Kiania]

If only I had been here earlier, I'd have voted for Vinyl Scratch or Octavia, just to see if you would...

[Razzy]

Well, seeing as Chryssie is a shape shifter...