//------------------------------// // 8 - The Ancient Hive // Story: Change: Queen of The Hive // by tom117z //------------------------------// Fort Hurricane, not far from the Equestrian Hive It was early in the morning, and Sergeant Sky Tail was tired. Normally, his shift wouldn’t be starting until later on in the day and he could get a decent amount of sleep; that all changed however when new orders direct from Equestria’s princesses came through. Now patrols in the area had been increased, and he and his squad were forced into an early start they were not used to. Still, they had a job to do and they would do it. Sky Tail was leading a patrol of two other ponies, all three of them adorned in the standard silver EUP armour. The patrol they were undertaking was pretty generic, and it was also taking place well within view of the fort itself. They were essentially tasked with a lap around the perimeter a short distance away from the structure, keeping an eye for anything threatening to both the fort's security and safety and that of Equestria as a whole. It was a standard task for the EUP, but an important one nevertheless. “So tired…” the youngest member of the squad, Nimble Force, groaned. The Sergeant shot Nimble a glare, ruffling his wings. “That’s enough, Private. We’re all tired, but a little professionalism wouldn’t go amiss.” “All due respect sir, but what are we even looking for?” the unicorn asked in return. “If we want to find changelings there is a whole hive of them a short helicopter trip away.” “They’re not quite the changelings we’re searching for,” Onyx Shield, an earth pony and the third member of the squad, commented. “Though, speaking of helicopters, aren’t we getting a couple more?” “Two,” Sky Tail answered. “I believe they’re already at the depot, just getting fuelled up and having the enchantments tested. Last thing the pilots need is the levitation spell failing, those blades can only do so much on their own.” “I wouldn’t know, I’m not a technician or a mage.” The trio stopped at the top of the hill they were climbing, a large rocky outcropping at their backs as they looked over towards the distant Fort Hurricane. The sun was still moving to take its place in the sky, and lights could still be seen emitting from the fort in the emerging light of the dawn. “Can’t deny the scenery,” Nimble commented. “A small consolation for the early start I suppose.” “We’re halfway done anyway,” the Sergeant stated. “A little more and we can head back.” As the Pegasus and unicorn looked out over the landscape, Onyx Shield began to feel uneasy. He turned away from the others and towards the outcropping behind them. A few boulders were scattered about in front a steep rock face leading further up the hillside. He looked left and right down the pathway, but saw nothing. “Something isn’t right here.” The others glanced towards him. “I can feel it in the ground, something is… out of place.” Nimble tilted his head. “I don’t see anything. Are you sure you’re not just imagining it?” “Maybe, but I’m not sure.” Sky Tail hummed, turning to the unicorn next to him. “Private, I want you to-” He was cut off by a shout of surprise. A boulder in front of Onyx Shield suddenly lit up a fiery green as it shifted into a changeling drone. This drone lunged forwards and sank his fangs into Onyx Shield’s neck before his blade could be drawn. He bit deep enough to find the jugular, delivering a fatal wound. The remaining EUP soldiers flinched back at the sight, quickly drawing their swords as the Private also charged his horn with combat magic. The drone let go of the limp Onyx Shield’s neck, blood covering his muzzle. The drone was snarling, seeming almost feral in nature. He slowly arched his head to look towards the other two ponies, his eyes glowing a horrifying red with magic trails emerging from the formally blue orbs. Then, as the ponies looked on in horror, about a dozen more changelings began to emerge from over the top of the rock face. These changelings stuck to the surface of the steep, nearly vertical incline, scurrying down towards them as their horns glowed a bright green. Nimble Force fired his charged spell, hitting the changeling who had killed Onyx directly, ending him instantly. A loud hiss emanated from the other changelings as they launched off the rock face with their wings spread, descending quickly down onto the two ponies. The overwhelmed guards raised their swords in an attempt to fight back, but as Sky Tail lunged towards the closest incoming drone a green bolt of magic caused his left wing to all but disintegrate. The Sergeant shouted in pain as two drones landed on top of him and quickly ended his life. Nimble, now alone and leaderless, looked desperately around for a quick means of escape, but all he saw was more armoured changelings with their own blades drawn rushing towards him. He found no escape, quickly joining his squad. The Council Hive Queen Twilight Sparkle had just entered through the Council Hive’s perception filter, the large circular structure quickly growing larger as they approached. She and the rest of her changelings, along with one dragon, came to land by the edge of the treeline surrounding the hive. They touched down at the end of a long cobblestone pathway leading up to one of the hive’s four entrances. Large statues of changeling guards lined the pathway, watching over all arrivals. Other drones in various armours could be seen around the perimeter of the hive in patrols; however, there were not nearly as many as the last time, which was also the first time, she had attended an actual Council rather than meeting with Changeling Queens individually. Even that had been uncommon to occur, much to Twilight’s frustration in her efforts to convince the other queens to exit isolation. “Captain?” “Yes, your highness?” Captain Scorpion responded, standing next to the Queen. “See to it that our changelings get set up wherever we have been placed within the hive, and then see to it that our guards join the patrols. I want this Council to be particularly secure with everything that has happened, understood?” “Yes, my Queen!” Scorpion bowed down, before rising and turning to Spike. “Spike, I could use your organisational skills.” “It is why I’m here,” Spike responded with a fang-filled smirk. “First things first, we need to see which wing of the hive we’ve been set up in.” “One more thing,” Twilight called after them as they began to walk off. “If you see anything suspicious, I want to know immediately!” Scorpion nodded. “We understand.” “Good,” Twilight stated, nodding towards two of her Royal Guard. “You two are with me. The rest of you, Captain Scorpion and my assistant will tell you where to go and what to do.” As her entourage got to work, Queen Twilight turned away from them and began to approach the hive itself. Several patrols examined her warily, but they quickly moved on nevertheless. “Name and hive?” one unarmoured changeling asked, approaching them with a clipboard held in her magic. Queen Twilight gave the drone in question a deadpan look, glancing back to the starburst cutie mark on her flank. The drone chuckled sheepishly, writing something down on the clipboard. “Queen Twilight Sparkle of the Equestrian Hive. Who am I talking to about arrangements for your changelings?” “That would be my Captain,” Twilight stated, gesturing towards Scorpion back by the treeline. “Now, excuse me.” The dismissed drone nodded, heading off to where Scorpion was located. Twilight rolled her eyes, before she then heard another voice that caught her attention. “Don’t be too hard on her, she’s just doing her job,” Queen Cocoon stated as she emerged from the large entrance of the hive. Her daughter, Princess Insecta, was with her. “Cocoon,” Twilight greeted. “You are well, I take it?” Cocoon nodded. “I am, as is my daughter.” “It is a pleasure to see you again, Twilight Sparkle,” the younger of the two changelings stated, who was ever so slightly shorter than both Cocoon and Twilight, despite being Twilight’s age. “Insecta,” Twilight greeted in turn. “I thought you were planning on leaving and starting your own hive last we met?” “I was,” the Princess responded. “But certain elements delayed those plans, and now all this has happened.” “Ah,” Twilight said in understanding. “Well, I hope your fortunes change soon. After the deaths of Queens Vespula and Crudelis we are down to eighteen hives, so adding another to that number would be beneficial.” Cocoon and Insecta glanced at each other in concern, before the former stated: “Saying there are eighteen hives may no longer be correct…” Twilight gritted her teeth, the question that had been on her mind since before she arrived coming to the forefront. She didn’t really want the answer, but she had to know. “How many?” she asked. “How many have now gone missing?” “Eight,” Cocoon grimly responded. Twilight’s eyes shot open wide in horror. “Eight?! We only have ten hives confirmed still standing?!” Cocoon nodded. “Yes, and they are all here for this Council. For that reason alone we have mages tending to the perception filter constantly and heavy patrols around the hive. But, given our lessened numbers that effort has become more difficult.” “So who is attending?” Twilight enquired. “Aside from us, Queens Xerox, Plastron, Pupa, Tempora, Antannae, Carapace, Acadica and Arisana.” Twilight sighed. “So the missing hives are that of Austriaca, Germanica, Nursei, Ingrica, Orbata, Pensylvanica, Vulgaris and Draco. What of Vulgaris’ daughter, Imperious?” “Gone with her mother,” Insecta stated. “She was actually the reason I did not start my own hive, we both wanted the same plot of land to start our hives in. Guess I don’t have that problem anymore.” “That joke was in poor taste, Insecta,” Cocoon scolded. “Still, now that all the remaining queens are accounted for we can soon begin. Once things have settled, I imagine that meeting shall take place some point tomorrow.” “That’s good to know,” Twilight stated, before humming in contemplation. “Hmmm, I can sense the unease around here. But… that isn’t all.” Cocoon’s ears straightened up. “You can feel it too? Not the unease, that’s understandable given all that has occurred. I’m talking about that ‘other thing’.” “It’s…” Twilight paused as she tried to describe the creeping feeling of dread. “It’s like a power, a pressure even at the back of my mind. It began as we approached the building.” “I thought so,” Cocoon stated, glancing around. “The drones feel nothing, but all the Changeling Queens do. I can’t help feel that something just isn’t right about all this.” “That’s dangerous, considering we don’t know how or why the other queens are going missing,” Twilight pointed out. “All the hives in one place would make a most tempting target.” “We know,” Cocoon stated. “I said about security, and we’ve gone over the place top to bottom for any signs of a trap. We found nothing, and none of us knows what this ‘feeling’ is about. But still, Twilight, I recommend you and your hive be ready to leave at a moment’s notice if there is an attack.” “This hive is the most secure location in changeling society during a Council, if we’re not safe here then where will we be?” “Equestria?” Cocoon suggested. “I’m starting to think I should have taken your offer.” Despite it all, Twilight managed a genuine smile. “It’s not too late, Cocoon. That agreement with Equestria is still on the table.” “We’ll talk about it further,” Cocoon agreed. “After the Council is over. I’m sure Queen Xerox will agree, she is the one arranging it this time around so she might even be able to talk some sense into the others.” Twilight chuckled. “That’ll be the day. I shouldn’t keep you too long, we’ve all got work to do.” Cocoon nodded. “Very well. Good luck, Twilight Sparkle.” Queen Cocoon motioned to her daughter, and they both turned around and headed back towards the hive’s entrance. As she watched them walk away, Twilight suddenly remembered something important. “One moment!” Twilight called out after them. The two Changeling Queen stopped halfway into the hive, turning to face Twilight as the Queen asked the question on her mind. “I need to know something,” Twilight began. “Have any of the remaining Changelings Queens got scouts in Equestria? Specifically, drones with some kind if magic trailing from their eyes?” Cocoon tilted her head. “No. Not that I am aware of anyway. Twilight… what have you and the Equestrians discovered?” Twilight sighed. “Nothing yet. But still, I shall explain more during the Council itself. Cocoon was hesitant, but the Queen nodded in understanding. She and her daughter entered the hive, and then quickly fell out of view. “Twilight?” Spike called out as he and Captain Scorpion approached. “What was that about?” “The Council is proceeding,” Twilight stated, not looking at the two of them. “But, Scorpion?” “Yes, your highness?” “I want our changelings ready to leave at the first sign of trouble, understood?” “Leave?” Scorpion questioned. “Are we expecting trouble, my Queen?” “I just want to be prepared,” she answered grimly, walking away from the two and into the hive with her two guards following closely behind. Spike and Scorpion glanced towards one another, equally concerned. “Scorpion?” “Yes?” “Do you ever have that feeling of dread?”