//------------------------------// // Aggressive Negotiations // Story: The Red Sun Rises: Siege of Manehattan // by The Atlantean //------------------------------// Crimson Dawn stayed next to the map table, contemplating his choices. If he made one mistake, the entire war could be over in less than a week. The fate of a country sat on his shoulders, and it was a feeling he knew well. One could never forget that, especially when it happens a second time. The colonel was so focused on his strategizing that he neglected to notice a request from the Crystal army’s commander. By the time he did see it, the magical scroll had been sitting there for ten minutes. Crimson picked it up and read it. Colonel Crimson Dawn of the Second Coastal Regiment, you are ordered to surrender your army in four hours’ time to the Crystal Empire at Greenwood Park. Failure to comply will result in your defeat and possible death. Do not turn away from this offer to save the lives of your entire army. “Fuck you,” he said under his breath. Raising his voice, he called, “Private! Send this message to the Crystal Empire’s commander in the area.” The Unicorn raced over with a magic scroll, ready for writing. “What is your message, sir?” “Commander of the Crystal Empire, you are outnumbered four to one in this city. If you do not surrender your forces in the next twenty-four hours, I will take action and your army will be destroyed. You will meet me in Garnet Island Park to discuss the matter further.” Nodding to the Unicorn, he finished. “Send.” Crystal Snow was surprised at the resistance to her offer. She expected at least a consideration; instead, she received a counterproposal. But, to continue discussion of the matter, she had to follow Crimson. Rocky Road could see her problem. “Major, are you sure that this is a good idea?” “Yes, Lieutenant, I am. Take care of the army while I’m gone.” “At least bring some guards with you.” “If it makes you feel better, I will. Four guards. Happy?” Rocky nodded his consent. With the Major preparing for her diplomatic trip, he walked off to gather the soldiers for her guard. Each one would be a fairly good soldier, one who knew exactly what the hell he was doing. Crystal Snow came down the stairs in full uniform. Her coat matched the color of her guise, and her mane was tied into a Katniss Everdeen-like ponytail falling to her left. Most officers looked at this thinking, Damn, she is hot! The Major left her headquarters with her guard around her, heading to Garnet Island. In their hurry to meet with their adversary, who didn’t give them a short time limit, they forgot a white flag of truce. Crimson held his gaze into the mirror, teeth clenched, working the Atlantean steel armor around his robotic wing. Even after all these years, it still shot pain through his side whenever he donned it. He winced as the injury that was his severed wing came into contact with the steel, putting pressure on the old wound. He walked with a five-guard entourage towards Garnet Island, where Lieutenant Silver Comet would facilitate the meeting. Having two high-ranking officers seemed to be an honor to him. When they got there, Crimson saw his enemy in chains, along with two guards. He raised an eyebrow in question to silver Comet. The Lieutenant immediately answered. “Sir, they carried no flag of truce. Under rules of engagement authorized by Princess Celestia, we took prisoners after realizing their purpose for entering our territory. Unfortunately, two Crystal soldiers were killed before we did.” Crimson bobbed his head to acknowledge the Lieutenant, but found his eyes wandering to his adversary, who looked absolutely terrified. Her eyes were wide with fear for both her life and the lives of her guards. “Lieutenant, unbind their chains. There’s no need to be hostile.” The deep blue mare looked… familiar. Kind of like Rose Thorn, only without the wings and horn, with a different color scheme. The black crown atop her head had a magical aura to it, but felt like it was missing something. Silver Comet saluted and follow the Pegasus’ orders. The Crystal ponies were unbound, and they stood to look at Crimson. “Sir, forgive us for not bringing a flag of truce. It slipped my mind as I thought meeting my adversary was more important than the little details,” the Earth pony said. Her voice sounded like Rose’s, too. “I don’t doubt you know the name of the Equestrian commander is Crimson Dawn, Colonel of the Second Coastal Regiment of the standing army of Atlantis. He served throughout the Atlantis-Dominion war, received an Atlantean Congressional Medal of Honor, and retired from military life before coming to Equestria two weeks ago. I am he.” The female Earth pony stood a little straighter. “Crystal Snow, Major of the Fourth Crystal Army of the standing army of the Crystal Empire. Two Crystal Achievement Medals, one Imperial Insignia, and five victories in the early war around the Crystal Mountains. Held back the Equestrian advance for three months until reinforcements arrived and I was forced to retreat.” “Is there a reason you look familiar to me?” That question came out of nowhere. Crystal Snow knew that Crimson probably didn’t know who she was, or how they were related. “Colonel Dawn, I am the daughter of Silver Quill, sister of Moonstone Winter.” The look on Crimson’s face was absolutely priceless. “You’re my cousin? Well, this war certainly has turned brother against sister.” He turned to Silver Comet, ‘WTF’ painted like a bullseye on his face. Almost nothing could explain the comical confusion radiating from the Atlantean. When Crimson finally regain his composure, it was too late to prevent a small amount of laughter. “Uh… I was not expecting that.” Crystal Snow smiled. “I wasn’t expecting you to actually do that. I mean, it is true, but my reaction was more along the lines of surprise, compared to your confused look.” “Hmm. well, um, I guess, welcome to my family.” His face still had some weirded out expressions, but he was able to keep a mostly straight face. “I should tell you that Princess Celestia is your cousin as well.” “WHAT?!” It was Crystal’s turn to look bewildered. “That’s insane!” “No, it isn’t. If you’re on Rose Thorn’s side of the family, then your genetic information has some resemblance to Celestia’s in the way that the Princess’s aunt is your ancestor.” It took a few minutes to sink in. when she accepted Crimson’s surprise statement, he went to the purpose of their meeting. “Now, we are here to further discuss the terms of either your surrender or mine. Since you forgot the white flag of truce, that technically means I win. Unless you left the power to make decisions in another officer, you have lost.” “I did, in fact. He is authorized to continue with classified troop movement.” “You mean the massing of soldiers near the Hubson River Tunnel? I admire your tactical maneuvering, but I can easily counter it.” “No, you can’t.” Crimson looked into her eyes to see a plan to go under the rail line. He shook his head and looked again. This time, he couldn’t see anything but her blood red irises surrounding white pupils. It was like she mentally told him what her plan was. “Sir, what do we do with them?” asked Silver Comet. “We can’t just let them go.” “Put the two guards in the prison. As for our friend here, escort her to Bricklyn Plaza. She can be of good use deep inside our lines. Disarm all of them completely right now, including communications devices and the sort. I’ll be in Headquarters if you need me.” Crimson turned around and walked away. “You’re not going to let us go? This is unheard of!” Crimson turned back. “In fact, it’s quite a simple concept. Bringing a flag of truce means I can let you go back to your lines. Not doing so means that you are prisoners of war now.” He continued on to Dynamo Plaza, where his headquarters were located. Lieutenant Rocky Road paced the Crystal Empire’s headquarters’ ground floor, worry plastered on his face. It was seven hours after Crystal Snow left to Garnet Island, and she had yet to return. He hoped she would come back in about four hours at the most. Finally, a scout reported in. “Sir, I saw Major Snow. She has been taken prisoner by the Equestrians, along with two of her guards. The others were killed near their front lines.” “The Equestrians disrespected the flag of truce?” “Sir, they claim that Major Snow did not bring a flag of truce with her. Taking her prisoner was only following regulations.” Rocky frowned. That wasn’t like her to simply forget the details. “Send them a message. Tell them I want proof.” The scout saluted and left, carrying a white flag. When he arrived at the Equestrian front, he waved it high in the air with his magic. A few hours later, he stood before Crimson Dawn in Solar Park. “Your commander asks for proof that Major Crystal Snow did not have a white flag when she crossed my lines? I can tell you right now that I have none. But you can trust that I would’ve let her go back with all four in her escort alive and before the day was out. I’m no monster; in fact, I know what they look like.” The scout became intrigued. However, he didn’t get a chance to ask what Crimson meant because Crystal Snow walked up with several Equestrian soldiers surrounding her. “Ma’am! Have they mistreated you?” “No. It’s actually better here than in the Crystal army. Not that I want to defect, but the food is definitely a hell of a lot more delicious. And Colonel Crimson is generous compared to King Sombra. He’s ordered his troops to give me probably more privacy than regulations allow.” “Well, Lieutenant Road wanted to be sure you were safe and that they didn’t just take you prisoner.” “I deserved it. Forgot the flag.” Since that practically concluded the scout’s trip, he was escorted back to his own territory.