//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Alicorn Pearl // by keithsterling //------------------------------// It 1500 hrs three weeks later, Bank Robbery investigation, Canterlot Military police Department, Main building headquarter, Detective Division, Alysia’s office, Judicature ward, City of Canterlot and Capital City Of Equestria. It has been over three weeks since the theft of the Alicorn Pearl from the vault of the Canterlot Central Bank. Since that time, the CMP detective division has been in overdrive chasing down lead after lead after lead in the case. But yet, none of the leads have panned out to solve the case. In her office, Alysia taps on her keyboard doing some research on a name of a group that keeps coming up in every conversation with informants. “Neo-Steel Talon. I know Steel Talon, all too well. Prior to the combined forces joining the Crystal War against Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle. The Steel Talon, using some of Flurry Heart’s troops to aid them and try an unsuccessful coup d’état, against my aunt, The Grand Princess Aurora that was lead by the Griffonstone Ambassador Gardi Red Claw. When he was discovered to be the Mastermind behind the coup d’état the tentative agreement with the Crystal Empire forces shattered and the troops retreated back to Crystal City. Leaving the hand full of loyal Steel Talon troops to be defeated by the combined forces and Gardi Red Claw killed by Chief Razor Ironbeak. The leader of Griffonstone.” Alysia thought as she continued reading the info on her screen. “After the death of Griffonstone Ambassador Gardi Red Claw, the troops that survived quickly took flight. Along with the mercenary troops hired by the ambassador to boast his handful of troops, last I heard from the Solar Guard Military Intelligence was most of the surviving Steel Talon troops went underground never to be seen again. As for the mercenary troops under contracts with the Griffonstone Ambassador, mostly made up of ponies, they surrendered to the Equestrian Royal Army and fought in the Crystal War under contracts, of course.” Alysia thought as she continued doing research into the Neo-Steel Talon Group. Then she hit a very powerful firewall on a file containing information on the Neo-Steel Talon Group. She inputted her Royal Passkey into password options. This allows her access to any files in the royal palace archives on the Canterlot Matrix no matter the level of security clearance the document has, but one. After several attempts to gain access to the file using her Royal Passkey the connection was terminated with the Canterlot Matrix. Alysia flustered with the results, dials her Aunts’ numbers to seek her help in gaining access to the file. Her vid-phone rings once, a moment later the holographic head of her Aunt Grand Princess Aurora springs to life in front of her. “Oh hello Alysia, what can I do for you?” Aurora inquiries friendly “Greetings Auntie. I am having trouble accessing a certain file with my Royal Passkey.” Alysia explains as a dumbfounded look appears on Aurora’s face. “That’s strange; all the files are accessible with your Royal Passkey, Alysia.” Aurora explains a bit confused with the trouble her niece is having. “That’s why I called you, Auntie as the ruling Princess of Equestria. I am hoping you can help me gain access to the file.” Alysia inquiry “What’s the file number, Alysia?” Aurora inquires “File NSTG-S-41.” Alysia said as Aurora’s eyes widen with alarm “File NSTG-S-41. Is Alpha Princess Priority Security level which means you may not access that file even with your Royal Passkey Good bye, your highness.” Aurora said abruptly hanging up on her niece. In the office Alysia, sat stupefied with her Aunt Aurora’s abrasive reaction towards her, undeterred by it. Alysia heads down to the CMPD motor pool and repair facilities to borrow CMP plain clothes patrol vehicle and drives over to the Grand Royal Palace to talk to her aunt. To find out why she couldn’t access the NSTG-S-41 file about Neo-Steel Talon. Sometime later that same day, Canterlot Grand Royal Palace, empty Throne room pause between Aurora’s court sessions, Royal Ward, City of Canterlot and Capital City of Equestria. “Why have you forbade me from accessing NSTG-S-41 file on Neo-Steel Talon and mark it an Alpha Princess Priority security level?!” Alysia said hotly as Aurora’s eyes narrow with contempt toward her niece. “I don’t appreciate that tone of voice you’re using, Alysia. I am the current sitting Princess at this time show some respect to my rank Princess Alysia Ara Silverlight.” Aurora said deliberately as Alysia’s mouth crimps in annoyance. “Very well explain to me your highness. why you will not let me access that file on Neo-Steel Talon?” Alysia said coldly but politely toward her aunt. “I already told you, your highness, it’s an Alpha Princess Priority security level. Enough said, you have taken up enough of my court time you are dismissed, your highness.” Aurora said testily as Alysia storms out of the throne room. A small wooden door leading into a side hallway next to the throne room closes with aloud slam, Aurora shaking her head in commiseration. “I am so very sorry, Alysia. But I can’t let you see that part of the file. You have too much of my late father in you he will definitely not approve of the method I am using to gather evidence against Lord Darkmore.” Aurora thought as she went back to conducting business of the court. On a small balcony, adjacent to the hallway that she uses to leave the throne room, Alysia slowly calms herself down. Leaning against the balustrade of the balcony, she once again brings up her vid-phone and dials another number. It rings once and a holographic head of her father, the Grand Prince of the Moon, Somnus Silverlight, springs to life in front of her. “Greetings Alysia, what’s wrong daughter you don’t look to happy about something.” Somnus said knowing as Alysia sighs once. “Are you in the palace somewhere today, father?” Alysia inquires. “Yes, I am dear, I am in my office doing some paperwork.” Somnus answer. “May I talk to you, father, about Aunt Aurora in your office?” Alysia explains as Somnus was a bit puzzled with the request from his daughter. “Sure alright come down to my office. I am very interested in what you have to talk to me about my sister Aurora.” Somnus said as he hangs-up the vid-phone. It took a few minutes for Alysia to get to her father’s office located in the private living area of the palace. She walks in and he gestured her to sit down on the chair in front of his desk. “So what did you want to talk to me about your aunt Aurora, Alysia?” Somnus inquires “You know I am investigating the thief of the Alicorn Pearl for the Canterlot Central Bank the one name that keeps coming up from the informants was Neo-Steel Talon. They might be the ones that took the pearl to fund something. I was doing some research into the Neo-Steel Talon group when a file about them came up. It was sealed behind an Alpha Princess Priority security level. I asked Aunt Aurora to unseal it so I can see what’s in the file, but she refused.” Alysia explains as her father gawked in disbelief. “What is Aurora up to? She can’t seal a file behind an Alpha Princess Priority Security Level without permission from me and Blueberry we must first review contents of the file before she can seal it. I received no request from her.” Somnus said gruffly as he quickly accessed the Canterlot Royal Matrix via his office computer. “Alysia what is the file number you’re try to gain access to?” Somnus inquires “NSTG-S-41.”Alysia answered as Somnus entered the file number into the search option on the matrix. A moment later the files come-up on his computer. He inputs his Royal passkey into the password option. “What! Access denied!” Somnus said sharply as Alysia knew not even her father’s Royal passkey would open that file. “Alysia, Call your Aunt Blueberry’s number she’s here at the palace today and ask her to come to my office.” Somnus asked as Alysia shook her head. She dialed her aunt Blueberry’s number. A moment later the holographic head of her Aunt Blueberry springs to life in front of her. “Oh hello Alysia what can I do for you?” Blueberry said friendly “Hello Auntie, father said you are at the palace today, is that right?” Alysia friendly as Blueberry shook her head. “That I am.” Blueberry answered “Father asked me to ask you if you can come down to his office, Auntie.” Alysia said “Sure I’ll come down. I am not that far from your father’s office. See you in a moment.” Blueberry answers as she hung up the vid-phone. A moment later, the door into Somnus’s office opens and in walks the Grand Princess of Love, Blueberry Swirl Silverlight. She’s dressed in an off white sleeveless slightly below the knee length dress and brown gladiator sandals with her Princess’s regalia. The gentle unicorn mare leans down and places a kiss on Alysia’s cheek before walking over to her brother and hugging him. “Alysia asked me to come to your office, brother, Why?” Blueberry inquires as she sat down on the armrest of the sofa next to her brother’s desk. “Can you try your royal passkey on this sealed filed, sister?” Somnus inquires as she walks up to her brother’s computer and inputs her Royal Passkey into the password options. “What’s going on? Access denied!” Blueberry exclaimed as her breath catches in her throat. “Aurora locked-out our Royal passkeys and sealed this particular file behind an Alpha Princess Priority security level.” Somnus explains as Blueberry stood thunderstruck. “I received no request from Aurora so she can’t do that.” Blueberry said in a huff “Neither did I, Blueberry.” Somnus said hotly “So our sister did this and locked both of us out of the system that goes against royal protocol that the three of us agree on. Anyway what was in the file she sealed?” Blueberry inquires still fuming at the break of protocol. “Apparently the file was about a group called Neo-Steel Talon.” Somnus said as Blueberry’s face glazes with shock that was quickly picked up by Alysia. “Do you know something about Neo-Steel Talon group, Auntie?” Alysia inquires hopeful as Blueberry’s breath becomes raw in her throat. “Why do you want to know about the group, Alysia?” Blueberry inquires “That group name keeps coming up from many informants who might have taken the Alicorn Pearl. So I am trying to find out about them.” Alysia explains as Blueberry saw the hopefulness in her niece’s face. “All right Alysia, there’s rumors going around my Crystal City of a bitter group of griffons’ anthros that attack any ponies that enter a particular region of the forest between the Crystal Empire and Equestria. I have sent the Crystal Army Rangers into the forest to search for them and they come up with nothing.” Blueberry said as it sparks a memory in Somnus head. “Wait a minute, .I just remembered something like that too. A scout team from my Night Wing rangers encountered a small flight of griffon anthros heading towards the Crystal Empire they fought them and killed one of them. A search of his MCV revealed that the Neo-Steel Talon had their eye on an earth pony that was very deep in debt to a local casino and was in a position to get his hands on a lot of bits in a short amount of time to pay off the debt that’s all the team could get from his MCV as it was busted.” Somnus explains as Alysia leaps to her feet. “Father! Tell me you kept the broken MCV?” Alysia asks “Of course I did, it’s intelligence, Why?” Somnus comment “Father if you will give me your permission to take the MCV from military intelligence. I’ll take the device over to the department and let Black go thought it and try to recover more data from it. if you like, I’ll have Black make copies of the data he recovers from the device for you.” Alysia explains as Somnus shook his head. “Would you like a copy as well, Auntie?” Alysia inquires looking toward her aunt Blueberry sitting on the sofa. “Yes, Alysia I would It would be very helpful to the safety of the Crystal Empire to have that data maybe my military intelligence analysts can find out why Neo-Steel Talon has taken up residences in my Empire.” Blueberry said a bit crossed with the idea of having a bitter griffon group living in her empire. Sometime later that same day, the main Equestrian Royal Army base, Department of Special Services Building, Solar Guard Lieutenant Colonel’s office, Military Ward, City of Canterlot and Capital of Equestria. The military ward is the only ward that is separate from the main wards of Canterlot. It has its own Military police unit with no connections to the Canterlot Military Police department that serves as the city’s main law enforcement and internal security division for the whole City of Canterlot. Ponies living in the Military ward hold to the code of uniform law that all military follow. The Department of Special Services is the main command and control of the Special Forces divisions within the Equestrian Royal Army. In a small office inside the Special Services building, with her back turned, looking out a small window was a ravishing, beautiful, 5ft 9in navy blue bat pony hybrid mare with a lime green mane and tail. She was attired in the gunmetal gray Nano-suit of a Solar Guard trooper. Her navy blue leather like bat wings are covered with a fine layer of jet black feathers. This bat pony hybrid mare is Lt. Colonel Adrian Nightwing the commander of the Grand Prince Somnus’s troops. “Your father already sent word to me, your highness to hand over that dead griffon’s broken mini-computer vambrace. So here it is.” Adrian explains as she pushes the box containing the MCV with the end of her bat wing across her desk toward Alysia. “Thank you Adrian.” Alysia politely says as Adrian covers the box with her wing before Alysia could grab it. “Tell me Alysia, do you really want to do this? I mean you thought that you lost your father during the initial attack on the Border Assault command base that started the Talon war.” Adrian explains as she waited for Alysia’s answer. “Huh? Why would you ask me that, Adrian?” Alysia inquires a bit confused. “Just answer my question, your highness?” Adrian asks “I have no choice this is where the evidence is leading me toward this MCV. So, yes, I really have to do this.” Alysia answers as Adrian lifts her wing off the box. “We recovered an old video feed recording from this MCV. This MCV belonged to an original member of the Steel Talon. It was this very griffon that targeted the command tent that your father was commanding the combined forces at the base and call down a artillery bombardment that destroyed the tent.” Adrian explains as Alysia gasp. Soon her eyes begin fill with tears. A moment later, a memory forms in Alysia’s mind of the burning command tent. When the fire died down, two troopers recovered a badly burned body that has the same build like her father. The next thing she hears is her yelling, ‘Father’ and everything going black. “I understand and thank you for telling me.” Alysia comments as she takes the box and leaves.