//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Secrets and Lies    (phase one) 
// by keithsterling 
//------------------------------//

January 1 2026, 09:00 hrs Equestria Standard Time, Automated Self Defense Coastal Battery 101, on the coast of the New Lunar Republic, New Lunar Republic.

The Automated Self Defense Coastal Battery 101 is a concrete and steel reinforced large square, missile battery bunker, housing a long-range missile launching system. This automated bunker is one part of the New Lunar Republic Self-defense system. To insure the safety of the installation, only high ranking officers in the NLR military, President Luna Silverlight and her appointed Moon Knight have access codes to the unmanned bunker mainframe computer. At the bunker steel door, an earth pony stallion wearing the uniform of an NLR colonel inputs his access code into the keypad. The steel door slides, open allowing him access to the mainframe computer in the bunker so the targeting system can be reprogrammed.

Watching from the other side of a large rock, just outside the chain link fence barrier, was a unicorn stallion attired in the black Special Forces combat body armor of the NLR soldier. This soldier is President Luna Silverlight’s personal knight. Everyone from the lowest to highest ranked soldiers knows if the president dispatches her personal knight it mean trouble is brewing for the Republic. His job is to terminate the offending party as it is an immediate threat against the New Lunar Republic and President Luna Silverlight herself. The soldier presses a single button on his MCV activating the cloaking system built into the armor and proceeds into the installation.

In the unmanned coastal self defense bunker, the earth pony stallion, wearing the uniform of the NLR colonel continues to reprogram the missile targeting system with the great skill of a master programmer. Unaware that his life is being forfeited, the soldier in the black body armor is standing in the entrance of the bunker watching him finish the reprogramming of the missile system. 

“I would suggest you don’t press that enter key and back away from the mainframe computer, Colonel.” the stallion’s voice sends warning. Slowly, the colonel turns around and the soldier in the black body armor reappears holding a custom pulse pistol pointed at him.

“I see Madam President dispatched her Moon Knight, we figured one of the lands intercepted one of our communiqué that an inexperienced communication technician forgot to encoded. But we never figured it was the New Lunar Republic.” The NLR Colonel said indignantly, as the lowered visor on the helmet of the Moon Knight prevented the Colonel from seeing the puzzled look on his face.

“Maybe your group should hire better personnel to handle your secret communication lines next time, Colonel;So Colonel will you surrender?” The Moon Knight orders holding the pistol trained on him.

“Fat chance Sir Knight, It’s over for me now.” The NLR Colonel said as he presses a button on the mainframe computer before falling dead away after biting down on something in his mouth.

“Self-destruct mechanism activated. All warheads will self-destruct in less than five minutes.” The computer voice said as the Moon Knight makes a dead run out of the installation.

A moment later, the brilliant explosion destroys the whole installation leaving behind a smoking crater. Slowly the soldier dusts himself off and removes his helmet revealing the face of Solar Prince Somnus Silverlight. He quickly dials a number on his holo-phone, a moment later the holographic head of Luna springs to life in front of him.

“Are you free Auntie? We need to talk.” Somnus said

“All right nephew, Let me quickly clear my agenda for today. I am in my office at the Presidential Palace.” Luna explains

“Understood Auntie, on my way back to Mare Serenitatis.” Somnus said as he puts his helmet back on and climbs aboard a hover cycle to head back to the Capital City.

January 1, 2026, 11:30 hrs Equestria Standard time, Presidential Palace, Office of President Luna Silverlight, capital city of Mare Serenitatis, New Lunar Republic.

After clearing her agenda for today, President Luna removes her pumps from her feet before Somnus arrives so she will not tower over him. Soon the door into her office opens and in enters a very vexed Solar Prince Somnus Silverlight wearing his light gray uniform. 

As he approaches her desk, she watches him slam his fist into his open hand a few times. She knows that something has got Somnus’s tail in a knot and must proceed delicately from here on.

“Somnus dear, please step forward and tell your auntie what is bothering you?” Luna said calmly as Somnus follows her direction. A second later, Luna hops up onto the edge of her desk and sits down on it. Instantly she stretches her long leg and foot towards Somnus.

“Grab it Somnus, I will not mind.” Luna said reassuring as Somnus grabs hold of her plushy and smooth dark blue, bare foot with golden yellow nail polish. As Somnus held his aunt’s foot in his hand, she chuckles softly into her hand.

“When you were a colt, you tickled my feet, just to hear me laugh. I asked you to grab my foot, because I wanted you to remember no matter what rank I have, that foot still belongs to your Aunt Princess Luna Silverlight, so feel free to speak your mind with me. I am still your aunt.” Luna said reassuring as she gently pulled away her foot and crossed her leg over the other one.

“Thank you, Auntie.” Somnus said appreciative as Luna had a smile on her snout.

“You are very welcome, nephew. Now tell me why did you want to talk to me?” Luna inquired gesturing with her hand a few times toward Somnus.

“We have traitors in the NLR Military, Auntie.” Somnus said coldly as Luna’s eyes widen with alarm.

“Traitors! In the NLR Military. How so, nephew?” Luna inquires as her breath catches in her throat.

“I just barely stopped an NLR colonel from carrying out a plot. He was reprogramming the targeting system mainframe computer in the Automated Self Defense Coastal Battery 101. But unfortunately, he bit down on something in his mouth that killed him, but before he died, he activated the self-destruct mechanism in the installation.” Somnus explains as Luna’s face becomes a mask of terror.

“Somnus! Do you know how stupid that stunt you did was! If you were caught in the explosions of all those warheads, you would have been killed! Your mother put me in charge of you! If you died under my watch, your mother would never forgive me for killing her son!” Luna’s voice explodes out of her as tears stream down her cheeks. Somnus’ ears begin to droop down on top of his head.

“Auntie, I am sorry for scaring you.” Somnus’ voice cracked as Luna kneels down in front of him and kisses him on his cheek.

“I see you understand where my concern comes from Somnus. Of all my soldiers that work for me, you are the one I most worry about. I know the missions I send you on are dangerous. But you always return to me, so when you told me that the missile battery exploded, all I could see was your broken dead body. Please Somnus, do not ever do that again. Your mother’s heart and mine could never heal if you died that way.” Luna said benevolent, touching the side of his face with her hand as she slowly rose to her feet again.

“Somnus, call your mother on her private line. that line shouldn’t be monitored by the NLR communications team. Till we figure out how many traitors there are in the NLR Military, tell no one what happened at the installation.” Luna explains as Somnus begins to dial his mother’s private line on his holo-phone.

“Auntie why do you want me to call my mother?” Somnus asks as Luna leans against the front of her desk.

“If we have traitors in our Military. There’s a good chance your mother has a traitor in her own military as well.” Luna says as the small hairs in his mane begin to stir, realizing that the traitor could go after his mother pretty easily eventhough she is an Alicorn mare.

“Mother.”Somnus said anxious as tears run down his cheeks

“Somnus don’t worry about your mother. That’s why I wanted you to call her. I wanted you to tell her to come to the NLR as discreetly as she can. If we tell her what we know, she can begin to ensure her safety. Plus, it’s been awhile since you last visited your mother in the Solar Empire, can you imagine how worried your mother will become after reading about some of the missions you undertook.” Luna explains as the holographic head of Empress Celestia Silverlight (Somnus’s mother) springs to life in front of him.

“Huh? Oh, hello, baby. I didn’t expect a phone call from you today. But it’s always a treat to hear from you.” Celestia said happy and relieved to hear from Somnus.

“Is something wrong baby, I can see it in your eyes. You can’t hide anything from the eyes of your mother. Tell me what’s wrong, baby?” Celestia inquires caring as she notices the worry in her son’s eyes.

“Mother, Can you come to the NLR as discreetly as you can?” Somnus inquires as he tries to hold a brave face in front of his mother’s holographic eyes.

“I suppose so, Somnus, but why do you want me to come to the NLR?” Celestia ask innocently as Somnus’ face becomes etched in desperation with his mother.

“Mother Please!” Somnus’ voice explodes out of him as the outburst caught Celestia by surprise. She watches as tears begin running down his cheeks right in front of her.

“Ok, baby, I’ll come to NLR for you. I should arrive at about 8:30 tonight. Is that ok, baby?” Celestia ask as Luna takes over the call from Somnus.

“8:30 tonight should be fine, sister. We will be at the presidential manor at that time. I suggest you pack for a few weeks. You are going to have quite a road trip ahead of you to get to the NLR from the Solar Empire.” Luna explains as she switches the call from Somnus’s MCV over to her MCV.

“That I know, sister, but the only way I can be discreet is by driving myself to the NLR from the Solar Empire, the brightside of this situation is that I am doing this for my foal and no pony else.” Celestia explains as Luna continues to relay instructions.

January 1, 2026, 22:30 hrs Equestria Standard time, Presidential manor, vestibule of the Presidential manor, capital city of Mare Serenitatis, New Lunar Republic.

After numerous delays on her way to the New Lunar Republic from the Solar Empire, Somnus’s mother finally arrives several hours late. She is greeted by her sister Luna in the vestibule of her presidential manor.

“I am sorry for being late sister. I had so many delays on my way here, that it seemed that something was trying to prevent me from arriving on time. But I made it (looking around for Somnus) Where’s Somnus? He’s the reason I made this trip here in the first place.” Celestia explains apologetic as she reaches up to untie the scarf on her head that holds her long mane hair in an improvised pony tail so she can pass herself off as a modified pony.

“I sent him to bed, sister, Somnus was mentally exhausted after all the events of today.” Luna explains as she gestures Celestia to follow her into the parlor. She follows Luna into an adjacent room just off the vestibule.

“I see sister.” Celestia comment anxious as she rubs her left arm up and down with her right hand nervously. She is standing in front of a bay window looking outside into the NLR night sky wondering why her foal wanted her to come.

“Sister?” Celestia said apprehensively as Luna pours herself a glass of apple cider on the rocks for her to drink.

“We have traitors in our ranks, sister. Somnus uncovered a plot of an NLR Colonel earlier today. He was reprogramming the targeting computer in one of my automated long range self defense missile battery on the coast. Before Somnus could question him further, he killed himself with something in his mouth and activated the self-destruct mechanism in the battery, destroying all traces of tampering of the targeting system.” Luna explains as Celestia’s heart pounds in her chest.

“No sister, not all traces. The NLR Colonel was’ probably targeting Princess Twilight Sparkle and her Friendship Kingdom on the island for the missile attack, that’s why he was reprogramming the targeting computer in the coastal battery.” Celestia explains knowing as Luna bolted out of her chair, spilling her drink on the rug beneath her barefeet.

“How do know that Celestia?” Luna exclaims as she stands in shock.

“My Solar Guard Military intelligence intercepted a communiqué from an unknown group last year, it mentioned a plot that involved the Friendship Kingdom. The communiqué said nothing more about how the plot was going to be carried out or by whom, It just said it would happen during the New Year.” Celestia explains as Luna gives a startled gasp with the info.

“What I know might be relevant to the info your Solar Guard gathered. Last year, my Shadow Guards were investigating rumors of a new splinter group making waves around the region. During the course of the investigation into this splinter group, my shadow guard happened onto a plot, my secret agents were unable to learn any more about the plot, all they got was it was going to happen during the New Year.” Luna explains as the two sisters continue to exchange notes from both their intelligence agencies.

After talking to her sister till 11:00 PM Celestia return to her hover car to retrieve her luggage from the trunk. With her bags well in hand, she made her way up to the second floor of the Presidential manor where Luna had her household staff make up a room for her which was across the hall from her son’s permanent room.

Once Celestia settled into her room, she opens her suitcase and retrieves her nightgown so she can turn in for the night. At midnight, Celestia tossed and turned in her bed. She didn’t want to let on that when Luna told her that the missile battery exploded she knew it could have killed her son.

Tears streaked the Alicorn mare’s face as her large bare feet padded out onto a small balcony adjacent to the guest bedroom. She stopped briefly to pull on her robe as this side of the building is much cooler than the other. As she stood on the balcony, her breath become raw in her throat as a light evening breeze played with strands of her mane and tail hair.

Soon, an alicorn sized portal opens inside the room. From the opening steps, this alicorn mare’s husband, Emperor Justice Silverlight who was attired in an orange colored robe with slippers on his bare feet. Without a word to him, Celestia turns quickly on her heels and runs into his arms. Once there, she presses her head against his well defined chest and, once again, begin to cry. Justice wraps his muscular arms and metal wings around his distressed wife, before resting his chin on the back of her head.

“We, we, we almost lost our son, Justice.” Celestia voice constricted as tears continue to stream down the front of Justice’s robe.

“I know Celestia, but he survived, that’s the best outcome for this.” Justice said calmly and reassuring, nuzzling his wife’s ear with his snout trying to soothe her frail emotional state. Slowly, Celestia backs away from her husband’s grasp; the rubbing of her ear took the edge off her anxiety.

“How can you be so calm, Justice? I was an emotional wreck. But you come and begin rubbing my ear with your snout. Then I start to feel better and the dark cloud lifts. Is that the power of an Imperator Alicorn?” Celestia inquires as Justice chuckles under his breath before walking over to a sizable bed, big enough for two large Alicorns to sleep together in comfort.

“Answer my question, Justice.” Celestia asked insisting as Justice hangs his robe up on a nearby coatrack, ignoring his wife’s query. He sits down on the edge of the bed and slips his feet out of his slippers, before sliding under the covers.

“Oh Justice fine, ignore your wife’s query and I am just happy you are here to spend the night with me.” Celestia said annoyed but happy. Celestia hangs her robe on the same coatrack. She slides under the covers and snuggles up close to him before falling fast asleep with her arms wrapped around him.