Two Months Later
Today was an otherwise typical morning in Blackburn’s apartment. She and Gadget sat at their dining table enjoying a pleasant homemade breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup courtesy of Crossfire, who joined them after cleaning up the kitchen. While they ate, they watched television, as usual; the morning edition of the news would be starting shortly, and Blackburn always made it a point to keep up-to-date on the city’s news. She knew that until she felt the time was right to return to Hope’s Point and make amends with her father, New Pandemonium would be her home.
Crossfire took his seat at precisely seven o’clock, just in time for the news. An upbeat jingle played over a background displaying many sweeping vistas of New Pandemonium City - notably and impossibly smogless - as shiny gold text scrolled across the center of the screen: “Channel One Eyewitness News in the Morning”. The text then encircled a silver emblem that bore a glittering “1” in the center. A voice with a clear, deep tone spoke over the program’s introduction:
“You are watching Channel One Eyewitness News in the Morning. With Morning Light--”
The text and emblem swept off the screen to reveal an orange unicorn mare with a long red-and-yellow mane dressed in a neatly-pressed blue dress suit, a bright, professional smile on her face. Her name appeared at the bottom of the screen in the same shiny gold font as the earlier text had been.
“-and White Lily in the studio.”
A white earth pony mare with a wavy pink mane replaced Morning Light. Her dress suit was green and frilly, and she bore a confident grin. She was thinner and prettier than Morning Light by a fair margin, and also much younger.
“Featuring Meteorologist, Cloudy Day, with the weather--”
White Lily was replaced by a gray pegasus stallion with a short, dark blue mane. His bright yellow suit was clearly too large for him and clashed horribly with his coat and mane colors, and he wore an oversized bowtie. He gave the camera a little wave and smile, showing off his big front teeth.
“Stalwart, with sports--”
Next was a bulky sky-blue earth pony with a brown mane kept in a short crewcut. His dark blue sports coat was incredibly tight against his broad physique. He gave the camera an assured nod, otherwise wearing a neutral expression.
“And Skyline with the traffic--”
Another pegasus stallion, this one sea-green with a white-green mane tied in a long ponytail. He wore a red, decorated flight jacket and goggles, and gave the camera a brisk salute identical to those used by the NPAF.
“This... is Channel One Eyewitness News in the Morning.”
The jingle died down, and the images on the screen shifted to show the first two ponies, Morning Light and White Lily, sitting behind a newsdesk and shuffling papers in front of them, pleasant smiles on their faces as the cameras focused on them.
“Good morning everypony,” said Morning Light, light gleaming off her smile. “Our top story of the day has already been making the rounds on our sister station, Channel Two, and we’re here to present to you live with new information exclusive to Channel One.”
The camera angle changed, and Morning Light was now on the left side of the screen, a serious look on her face, while a still image appeared on the right. The image was that of the NPAF logo: a winged, plunging sword. “NPAF representatives have confirmed that last night’s attack on Hope’s Point was successful--”
Blackburn dropped her fork; it clattered to the ground like a rock. “What did she say?” She turned to Gadget in a panic. “Turn it up!” Gadget was already doing that before Blackburn had even asked.
“--City of Traitors, for those in our audience who may be unaware, was founded decades ago by the so-called ‘King’ Flashfire, a former NPAF Commander and deserter, along with a number of other ponies who are now enemies of the state, including other NPAF soldiers, scientists, and city personnel. The city has stood as a mockery of New Pandemonium’s dominance ever since.”
The camera shifted to White Lily, who also bore a serious expression. “While the Traitor King Flashfire was confirmed dead years ago by brave NPAF agents who entered the city to bring us information on these traitorous ponies, his son, Stormchaser, took up the mantle and has continued to spit in the face of New Pandemonium, taunting the NPAF with its supposedly impenetrable shield.
“Last night at around eleven-fifteen, the NPAF launched another surprise attack against the City of Traitors with new weaponry, under the brave leadership of Captain Air Raid. NPAF reports indicate that the field test of their newest weapon has met with rousing success. The once-impenetrable shield was brought down for the first time since it went up, and though it only stayed down for five minutes, that was enough time for NPAF forces to strike a serious blow to Hope’s Point.”
Blackburn paled. “No… no no no…”
Gadget shook her head in disbelief. “How the hell could they bring down the shield? Between Solarian and Spark Plug, that thing withstood everything thrown at it for decades! Decades! Something’s fishy here…”
Morning Light took over again. “NPAF readings of the damage inflicted and number of casualties at this point are only estimates, but initial reports are suggesting hundreds of thousands of bits in damage to the Hope’s Point’s infrastructure, though the extent of the damage done is speculative, and a death toll in the hundreds based on average power of NPAF weaponry.”
“Aw hell…” Crossfire muttered, hoof over his heart, a scowl on his face. He pounded his hoof on the table. “Damn them! They’re talkin’ ‘bout murderin’ our ponies like it’s some kind o’ high score! They’re celebratin’ it!”
“However, the best news is yet to come,” Morning Light continued as the camera shifted again. Beside her in a previously empty seat was a pegasus stallion with a red coat and gold mane, wearing a decorated black flight uniform. “With me now is Commander Air Raid, promoted just this morning after last night’s successful attack.” She nodded politely at the pegasus. “Commander, it’s wonderful to have you here this morning.”
“A pleasure to be here, Morning,” the pegasus said, cheerful and polite despite everything.
“An’ lookit this jackass,” Crossfire snarled. “Smilin’ there like he didn’t just kill hundred o’ ponies.”
“Congratulations on the promotion by the way, Commander,” said Morning Light. “I’m sure your family is very proud.”
The pegasus nodded. “Oh, absolutely. And thank you, my family and I appreciate the sentiment.”
“So, Commander, I hear that you have new information for us in regards to the attack, exclusively here first on Channel One?”
“That’s correct, Morning. I received a new report on the damages inflicted to the City of Traitors while on my way here for this interview, and I thought I’d share it here first. Channel One and the NPAF have always had a good relationship, after all.”
“We certainly appreciate the support, Commander, thank you. So please, tell us about this report.”
“As you know, the NPAF employs a number of agents with the express goal of infiltrating the City of Traitors in attempts to undermine their efforts to combat the NPAF, to gather information on their plans, and to deliver news to us that may be of interest. While I regret that some of the agents that brought me this report did not make it out of Hope’s Point safely, their memory will live on in the message they’ve brought me: fortune has favored the NPAF at last.”
“Fortune, Commander?”
“Yes indeed. According to the information I have received from our agents, the Traitor King Stormchaser was among the casualties in the attack--”
Blackburn sharply rose from her seat, knocking her chair over and moving the table in the process. “No!”
“--as was his Utopian Queen, Silver Glow, and a number of other critical personnel. We’re still sorting through which other individuals were killed in the attack and any had crucial or influential connections with the city--”
Blackburn stood in stunned silence, her face white, finding it hard to breathe properly. She couldn’t even manage to think of any words to say or what emotion she should be feeling. Rage? Sorrow?
Gadget and Crossfire couldn’t think of anything to say to her, or if they even should anything, or even if they should approach her, comfort her, shake her out of her sudden state of shock. What was there to say?
Morning Light leaned forward in her seat. “With such a substantial blow dealt to the City of Traitors, Commander, do you think that your next attack will be more successful? Is this the end of Hope’s Point at last?”
Air Raid chuckled. “I certainly think so, yes. We have a means to disrupt their shield technology now, and while it might take another year before we can produce them for all of our ships, or to have them last longer than a single use, rest assured that the NPAF will claim their victory over the subversives soon enough.”
“And what of the other leadership of Hope’s Point?” asked White Lily. “Our sources indicate that the Traitor King Stormchaser was not the only leader there.”
“We have reason to believe that at least one member of their city’s so-called ‘council’ was also killed in the attack, though we don’t know how many seats exist on this council. However, without the Traitor King and Queen, the City of Traitors has no central leadership as of this moment.”
“Did the city not have somepony in place to take over for Traitor King Stormchaser in such a situation?”
Air Raid nodded. “His daughter, Blackburn, is next in line for the ‘throne’. However, my information suggests that she has either gone missing during the attack, or was killed. Until I have confirmation on it either way I can’t make any further decisions, but we are operating under the assumption at present that she was with the Traitor King and Queen when they died.”
White Lily chuckled. “We can only hope.”
Morning Light nodded politely. “Thank you, Commander, we appreciate your time, but we need to go to commercial.” She turned to face the camera, her smile bright again. “Stay tuned, fillies and gentlecolts, for more--”
Gadget turned the television off, a fierce snarl on her face. “Those bastards! Those heartless bastards!” She tossed the television’s remote across the room; it shattered into a few dozen pieces against the wall. She turned to Blackburn, who was in a sort of fugue state. “Blackburn? What’re we gonna do?”
Blackburn didn’t respond, merely slumped onto the couch in a wordless stupor.
“Blackburn?” Crossfire said, stepping forward, hoof outstretched as if to comfort her. “I know it’s bad, but what’s the plan? We need ta do somethin’, don’t we?”
Again, Blackburn didn’t respond, just started breathing heavily, clearly having trouble doing so.
A familiar knock came at the door. Blackburn gave no indication of noticing it; Crossfire did, though, and answered the door swiftly, letting a very exhausted Lockwood into the room. Lockwood carried today’s newspaper with him.
“Did you guys see--” he breathed, taking no time to catch his breath. Then, he noticed the television remote’s remains on the floor, the despondent looks on Crossfire and Gadget’s faces, and more importantly the horrified, heartbroken expression on Blackburn’s face.
He immediately went over to Blackburn and embraced her in a tight hug, cradling her against him. “I’m so sorry, Blackburn. I came as soon as I heard.”
Blackburn finally reacted, hanging her head in dismal exhaustion. “It’s my fault… it’s all my fault, Lockwood...”
“No, it’s not--”
“It is. When we went south… I was going to present plans to our Chief Engineer. Improvements to the shield system. Backup generators.” She gestured glumly towards the television, even though it was off. “Might’ve prevented this…”
“You don’t know that, Blackburn,” Lockwood said, pulling her close. “You don’t know what that their weapon could do. You don’t know if your improvements would’ve prevented this. Don’t blame yourself. This is the NPAF’s fault, not yours.”
“Princess, I don’t mean to rush things here,” Gadget interjected, a sad-but-determined look on her face, “but we need a plan on getting out of this shithole city, and we need it now. We can’t stay here. Hope’s Point needs you more than ever.”
Blackburn took a long moment to collect herself, but then took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes... they do. Need to leave immediately.” She turned to Crossfire first. “Pack our things, essentials only. You have ten minutes. Gadget will assist when she finishes other assignment I have for her.”
Crossfire saluted briskly. “Roger that.” He headed off into the bedroom to start packing immediately.
Blackburn turned to Gadget next. “Gadget, are any Hope’s Point ships in New Pandemonium docks?”
Gadget raised an eyebrow. “I’ll take a look, sure, but what’s your thought process here, Princess? It’ll be easier to take a flight to Newhaven like we usually do.”
“Easier, maybe; faster, no. Also any of our ships here may be in danger of discovery. Priority is protecting citizens of Hope’s Point. Will encourage them to leave before caught, with us on board.”
Gadget nodded, took out her datapad, and started searching immediately and with great fervor. It took less than a minute for her to get results. “Just one, Princess: the Nighthawk, Captain Snowflake’s small-scale cargo vessel. They arrived yesterday afternoon, a few hours before the attack, apparently, to pick up a shipment of tech parts. They might not even know what happened yet.”
“Then that’s our ride south,” Blackburn said with an affirming nod. “Now, help Crossfire pack. Double time, please.”
Gadget saluted. “Right away, Princess.”
Blackburn then turned to Lockwood, her expression now tremendously sad. “Lockwood… when we go, we can’t come back here. I can’t come back. To the city. To you.”
Lockwood nodded. “I know.”
She paused for a moment, then shook her head. “Come with me. Please come with me. I don’t want… I don’t want to leave you. Not again.”
“I can’t, Blackburn. You know that.”
Blackburn sighed, and nodded glumly. “...I do. You can’t leave your family, not like this, not so suddenly. Crown Spectrum not fully automated yet, need to be in Hope’s Point to make that happen. Your passport isn’t upgraded, will take time to do. Our departure: potentially dangerous.” She looked him in the eye with a small smile. “Still thought I’d try…”
Lockwood stepped in to give her a tight hug. “Your city needs you now more than ever. They need their Princess… no, they need their Queen. You need to rebuild Hope’s Point, to reassure your ponies. You can’t do any of that from here.”
Blackburn leaned in and returned the hug. She used all of her effort not to break down in tears. “I don’t want to leave you…”
Lockwood pulled back and pressed his forehead to hers so that they were looking each other in the eyes. “You’re not leaving me. You’re putting me in charge of things here until I’ve put a plan together to get back to you. Until then, your city needs your focused determination. We’re in this together, Blackburn. Okay?” He kissed her nose. “We’re in this together. Distance isn’t going to keep us apart.”
She leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth, briefly. “I know you’ll come back to me, Lockwood.” She pressed her hoof against his chest, over his heart. “Until then, keep your promises. Stay safe; take care of yourself too.”
He smiled and nodded. “I promise...”
“I love you…”
“I love you too, BB.”
He broke away from her after a moment, then gestured to her with his wings. It his special gesture to her, letting her know that his heart was hers. She knew.
Gadget and Crossfire returned from the bedroom and saluted. “All set, Princess,” they said in unison. They saw Lockwood and Blackburn together, clearly having said their goodbyes.
Gadget approached him first, hugging him tight. “We’ll see you again, Lockwood. Stay safe until then, okay?”
“I will, Gadget,” Lockwood said, returning the hug. “You guys stay safe too.”
Crossfire didn’t wait for Gadget to break away before he wrapped them both in a hug together and lifted them into the air. “An’ y’all better’ve gained some weight next time we see ya, or I’m gonna have ta give ya a real piece o’ mah mind, got it?”
“Got it, Crossfire,” Lockwood coughed.
Blackburn took a deep breath. “Gadget, Crossfire, let’s go.”
The two bodyguards broke away from Lockwood and grabbed the suitcases they’d packed. The trio then headed for the door and made to leave.
Just before she left, Blackburn made to turn back to Lockwood, a weak frown on her face. “Have to leave now. Stay safe, Lockwood.” She was fighting with every ounce of her being the urge to stay, and the only way she could do it was if she left without another word.
Lockwood let them go without saying anything either, knowing that if he did, it would just make it harder to leave. He waited a few minutes in their apartment, taking the time to clean up their abandoned breakfast and the broken remote, then grabbed the key from a hook on the wall and closed and locked the door behind him.
He started thinking about what his next order of business was going to be. Closing down the “main office” of Crown Spectrum was a given, since he had no idea how to run the company the way they did, and needed an explanation for why ponies wouldn’t be able to contact Thunderbolt to do business. Claiming she’d gone to Hope’s Point was not only true, but made her sound like the altruist her reputation suggested.
Once that was done, and once he was certain nopony would bother him, he let the tears well up in his eyes. He’d be unable to contact her either. The emotions poured out all at once, and Lockwood finally allowed himself to break down.
*****
Airship tickets weren’t required for getting into the Docks themselves, so Blackburn, Gadget, and Crossfire were able to get inside without any trouble, aside from questions about their light packing, and make their way straight for their destination: Docking Bay 94. Because the bay was in use by what was explicitly a cargo ship, there weren’t any clerks or attendants standing nearby to take tickets that they didn’t need. The trio could just walk right into the docking bay without any sort of trouble at all; there wasn’t even so much as a guard pony on duty to question them.
The Nighthawk was docked in the center of the bay, currently at rest and in the process of being loaded with metal crates packed with cargo bearing the distinct Crown Spectrum logo. The ship itself was shaped like the head of a hawk with a protruding “neck” section; it was colored slate gray with silver accents. Its small crew busied themselves with the cargo and dealing with the two dock workers overseeing the process.
Blackburn recognized one of the dockworkers as Deadlift, who was a hefty white pegasus stallion with a short blond mane, but he wasn’t there long, didn’t notice her, and she’d had no pretenses of speaking with him anyway. It would just waste unnecessary time.
One pony of the crew, who looked to carry herself with authority, noticed Blackburn and her entourage approaching. She was an ice-blue pegasus mare with a short sea-green mane, wearing a flight jacket over her snug flight suit; the jacket was dark blue, the flight suit was gray-and-gold.
She immediately moved to intercept the trio, spreading out her wings to make herself look more intimidating. “Whoa whoa whoa, what’s this? What’s this now, hey? You folks can’t be here,” she said firmly. “This here’s a private docking bay--”
“We know,” Blackburn said, terse. She’d dropped all signs of her Thunderbolt persona now; as far as she was concerned, Thunderbolt was dead. “Are you leaving for Newhaven soon, Captain Snowflake?”
The mare blinked. “How in the blazing blue hell do you know my name, lady? You don’t look like you work at the docks.”
Blackburn narrowed her eyes in a withering glare. “Answer my question first. Quickly, if you would.”
Snowflake backed down a little under Blackburn’s gaze, her wings drooping just a little. “Uh… yeah, we’re heading to… to Newhaven…” she paused, and squinted as she looked at Blackburn’s face; Blackburn didn’t have makeup over her scar as she usually did while in Pandemonium. “Hang on a minute now, you look… really familiar…”
“I should,” Blackburn replied. “Have a new destination for you: Hope’s Point. Need to leave immediately.”
Snowflake scoffed and shook her head. “Look, lady, you’re barking up the wrong tree here. We’re not a passenger vessel, first of all--”
Gadget cleared her throat, drawing the captain’s attention. “Captain Snowflake, maybe you oughta take a second to think about who you’re talking to before you say something stupid?”
Snowflake looked at Gadget to retort, but paused, then looked to Crossfire, then back to Blackburn. The trio saw the gears turning in the captain’s head, could almost hear them cranking along. That’s when Snowflake’s jaw fell. “Shit.” She bowed low to the ground quickly. “I’m so sorry--”
“Not here, Captain,” Blackburn said, just as quickly gesturing for Snowflake to rise back up. “Need to return to Hope’s Point immediately. How soon can you depart?”
Snowflake was at a total loss for words. “I, uh… we… ahem! Right, yes, of course. We’ll be ready to leave in another hour or so after we finish loading up all the cargo--”
Blackburn shook her head, unsatisfied. “Not soon enough. Forget cargo, make preparations for departure immediately. How long will that take?”
“I… but… the cargo--”
“Answer the question,” Blackburn said, stepping forward and narrowing her eyes again, “Captain.”
Snowflake withered again, almost whimpering, in fact. “Uh… w-well, if we s-start right now, we’ll be r-ready to go in about f-fifteen minutes--”
“Then do it. Need to leave immediately.”
Snowflake raised her eyebrow, completely lost at this point, and dared to voice her confusion. “I hope it’s not too much to ask why the rush, Princess?”
“Hope’s Point was attacked last night,” Gadget interjected before Blackburn burned the poor captain alive with her glare. “The NPAF used a new shield disruption system and managed to get through the city’s shield. The King and Queen were both killed in the attack, so Princess Blackburn needs to get back to Hope’s Point immediately to assume the throne and begin repairs. Also, you and your crew are in danger if the NPAF realizes that your ship is from Hope’s Point.”
“That… but… H-His Majesty is dead? And Her Majesty, too?” Snowflake was floored, eyes wide and looking at the ground in shock. “That... can’t be--”
“It’s been all over the news today, which is how we found out,” Gadget continued. “I knew you guys likely hadn’t been keeping tabs on the news from here since you’re trying to get going and all.”
“Need to leave immediately,” Blackburn repeated. “Make preparations, double time it. Leave cargo.”
Snowflake nodded rapidly. “Right away, of course, Princess!” She turned towards her crew and flew over to them in a hurry. “Listen up, you slowpokes! We’re making preparations to leave, and we’re doing it now! Drop what you’re doing and report to your flight stations!”
The two crewponies, a unicorn and another pegasus, shared confused glances with one another. “Captain?” they said together.
Snowflake flared her wings in a huff. “Did I stutter?! To your posts! Now! Double time, move move move!”
“Yes ma’am!” The two crewponies saluted, dropped what they were doing, and started checking and double-checking instruments and sections of the ship to prepare for takeoff.
Snowflake flew back over to Blackburn and saluted. “Go ahead and get on board, Princess. There’s a small space in the forward section for passengers if we take them, which we usually don’t, but--”
“Thank you, Captain,” Blackburn said with a nod.
She, Gadget, and Crossfire moved to the boarding ramp and made straight for the mentioned forward section of the ship, finding a small seating area with five seats accompanied by seatbelts. As a cargo ship, the Nighthawk did not have stabilizers inside the ship to keep passengers comfortable, so the seats were designed to hold passengers tightly in place. Blackburn sat in the center seat, with Crossfire and Gadget on either side of her.
“When we land, and for long after, things will be hectic,” Blackburn said calmly to Gadget and Crossfire. “Will require assistance to maintain sanity; peacekeeping a priority. Will need to split duties at first; you are, have always been, my right and left hooves. Other ponies will respect your authority.”
“You’ve got it, Blackburn,” Gadget replied with a nod. “I’ll start by meeting with Spark Plug to make the arrangements needed to reinforce the shield systems. After that, I’ll start making a few rounds with the security department to ensure we don’t have this happen again. I should be able to set up a system to evaluate NPAF deployment preparations before they happen.”
“Excellent.”
Crossfire nodded. “I’ll meet wit’ Featherfree ‘n’ Gleaming Star ‘n’ start makin’ plans ta repair the damage done ‘n’ try ta put together whatever they might need. Then I’ll focus on makin’ sure survivors’re taken care of: food lines ‘n’ clothes ‘n’ all that. Surface levels sound like they took quite a poundin’.”
“Good.” Blackburn sighed and leaned back into her seat in an attempt to relax, which wasn’t working too well. “Will need to focus on establishing authority, filling positions of ponies who perished, showing leadership. Together… together, we can get through this.”
Gadget and Crossfire grasped her right and left hooves, respectively, in their own, a showing of unity between them. “Together!” they said as one.
*****
The following day, every station on every television and radio, every loudspeaker, and every datapad stream in the entirety of Hope’s Point, from the surface to the underground levels, broadcast in unison.
It started with an instrumental version of the Hope’s Point anthem, loud and proud, an arrangement of trumpets and drums in brilliant, triumphant fanfare. After a few moments to let the music’s passionate message sink in, the instrumentals quieted down, and the clear, concise voice of Queen Blackburn came to every household, business, agency, and street in the city.
“King Flashfire founded Hope’s Point on a dream: providing light in the darkness of the north; a beacon of hope for ponies wishing to escape their despair. His dream has stood for fifty years, withstood aggressions of NPAF time and time again. Has not fallen.
“King Stormchaser maintained that dream. Even with loss of his wife, passing of father, maintained that dream. Did not falter. Kept hope alive. Built upon his father’s legacy, brought prosperity to our city. His vision: true power of the north, more than a beacon of light, but a gleaming star.
“NPAF struck a blow to our great city, yes. But they think they have won, think we have been beaten. They are wrong. We still stand. Hope’s Point still stands. The dream still stands. They have not won, never will win, so long as you, the ponies of Hope’s Point, do not let them.
“The time has come, Hope’s Point, to rally. In unity lies strength. And we are strong. We are united. We will still mourn, but will also rebuild, will come together as one city, one nation. Show NPAF they will never extinguish our light. There will be no victory for them, can be no victory.
“We will be vigilant, will be aware. We will not give in to demands, will not submit to authority. Will fight them at every turn: in the streets, in the skies, in our hearts and minds. We are Hope’s Point, and we are the light in the darkness, and our light shall never falter.
“I will not let it. I will watch over every one of you, illuminate every dark alley, shine light through the sky, keep you safe. There will be no quarter for those that mean us harm, no place to hide for those that seek to destroy us, no forgiveness for those that would betray us. I will keep the dream alive, like my father before me, and his father before him. I am Queen Blackburn, and I will be your light.”
And with that, the broadcast ended, and everypony was returned to their original programs. But the message had been delivered.
Six Months Later
Early that evening, Queen Blackburn, dressed in her royal white coat and her lucky green-and-gold scarf, walked through the halls of the royal palace, Gadget and Crossfire by her side, and made her way for the council meeting chamber. She’d called a brief meeting about an hour ago, scheduling it for five minutes from now; the only pony she knew would not be in attendance was Concord, who wouldn’t be able to make it from Newhaven on such short notice. This wasn’t a problem; she already knew what his contribution to the meeting would be.
When Blackburn arrived at the meeting chamber, she was the first and only pony there, but only by a few minutes; she made it a point to always arrive early, without exception, as her father had often arrived late. As the other council members arrived, she greeted them politely, one-by-one, until the meeting room was full. The council had changed significantly since the attack, partly out of necessity, partly out of Blackburn’s preference, but there hadn’t been any major objections to her decisions, at least thus far.
The only ponies still on the council from the time of her father’s rule were Chief Engineer Spark Plug, and General Avalanche. Blackburn saw no reason to fix what wasn’t broken, and the two had always been capable and trustworthy.
Secretary Featherfree had retired a month ago, the stress of rebuilding the entire surface level of the city in five months taking a serious toll on her physically and mentally. Blackburn was sad to see her go, as she’d been a dedicated servant to the crown and exemplary in her work, but she wasn’t going to work the poor mare to death.
Skyrocket had, of course, been fired outright about three months ago once it was clear Blackburn didn’t need him, and he had accepted the decision without much protest. He, and everypony else on the council, knew that he was far from the most qualified pony for the position and had only gotten it because of his loyalty to Stormchaser.
Gleaming Star was, unfortunately, among the casualties of the attack, as she had been with the King and Queen at the time. One of her lieutenants said that she’d gone to warn Stormchaser of the impending attack and suggest an evacuation, but hadn’t been able to convince him of the danger. Blackburn admitted that Star, while nowhere near Evening Glitz’s level, proved herself a loyal and useful officer, and so had dedicated one of the new passenger ships in her honor and memory.
Sunbeam had resigned just two days after the attack; Blackburn hadn’t intended on firing him, but accepted his resignation without objection. When asked why, Sunbeam had said that he didn’t feel confident in his ability anymore, mainly because he felt he didn’t do enough to prevent the attack. Everypony knew it was really because Gleaming Star had been killed; the two were romantically involved and he was so broken by her death that he couldn’t stand to be in the city. He retired to the Utopian countryside, far, far away from anything that could remind him. Blackburn couldn’t blame him, really; she’d already blamed herself for the shield’s failure, after all.
Thus, the new council members were as such:
Moonglass, Chief Science Officer, a cream-yellow unicorn mare with a red-and-blue mane that she kept in a short ponytail. She wore a white lab coat over a purple turtleneck sweater. She’d come highly recommended by Solarian; her qualifications were developing a number of improvements to secure Hope’s Point network code, which would in turn improve the database constructor’s ability to compile data.
Secretary Cherry Tart, Chief of Sanitation and Infrastructure, a wine-red earth pony mare with a wavy pink mane, dressed in a simple white blouse. She’d been born and raised in Hope’s Point and was just barely older than Blackburn herself, but had a gung-ho attitude as a contractor; Featherfree often hired her on for projects, particularly after the attack, so she’d come highly recommended as well.
Fleet Master Lightning Flash, a sea-green pegasus stallion with a gold mane, wearing a decorated black flight jacket. He was a defector from the NPAF that had joined the fleet shortly before Flashfire’s passing, but had been passed up for promotion to the council - Skyrocket had taken the seat - despite his qualifications because Stormchaser didn’t know him well enough. He’d been vetted heavily by Evening Glitz, of course, so Blackburn trusted him; as for his qualifications, he’d been an NPAF Captain in charge of deployment logistics for years. This made him an excellent advisor for Gadget in developing her new algorithm.
Stellar Storm, Chief Intelligence and Enforcement Officer, a dark purple unicorn mare with a bright red mane, wearing a suit of body armor; her face was decorated with a series of scars and her horn was shattered. She, too, was an NPAF defector, a more recent one, and had been a high-ranking security officer before a series of demotions after disagreements with her superiors over their methods. She’d taken the land route here, and earned her scars dealing with the dangers en route while protecting those with her. Witnesses during the attack said that, even though she was not part of the Hope’s Point militia, she’d protected several ponies from A.M.P. Troopers, by herself, despite her shattered horn.
Once the entire council - save Concord, of course - was present, Blackburn cleared her throat to get the meeting started. “Will be brief. Discussed addition of new council seat at last meeting. Called this one, final debate on the matter, don’t wish to waste time. Does anypony have objections before we begin?”
Nopony objected; they knew already what this meeting was about and knew they only needed to be here to vote, really.
“Very well.” Blackburn leaned forward in her seat, hooves together on the table. “As I’ve presented before, I lack King Stormchaser’s experience in economic matters. Father never taught me, never wished to learn; regret that decision now, wish to correct. Proposal: new council seat with focus on city’s economic growth. Input, counsellors?”
Spark Plug spoke first, as his seat position was first in the order. “I don’t see any reason not to include a seat with that intent, to be frank with ya, Your Highness. I sure as hell don’t have much bloody know-how in the subject so I’d be at a loss if ya asked me any questions unless they were in my field, and even then it’s a stretch.”
Moonglass adjusted her glasses. "While I agree with Spark Plug's assessment of the issue, I see no reason to actually add a seat to the council to make such decisions. However, I do agree that that none of us have considerable experience with the subject of finances, budgets, and whatnot, so I can't in good conscience make a vote on a matter I don't really understand, and so will differ to the rest of the council on this decision. I abstain."
“I also approve of the addition of the new seat,” Avalanche added with a nod. “Like Spark Plug, I see no suitable reason why we wouldn’t. The only reason I can think of why we didn’t have the seat before now is that your father was more knowledgeable than anypony else on the council on the subject of money, except maybe for Featherfree, and that’s a big ‘maybe’.”
Cherry Tart cleared her throat. “Which, by the way, is why I object to the addition of the new seat, Your Highness. While I agree that the position is important, I think that economic growth issues should fall under the jurisdiction of my department, especially since the Infrastructure Service has been eating up a large portion of the budget since the attack.”
It would’ve been Concord’s turn to input next, but his seat was empty at present. However, Blackburn presented an envelope. “Concord unable to arrive on short notice; sent me this telegram minutes before I arrived here. Cross-oceanic communication regretfully still slow.”
She opened the envelope and set the letter that was inside in front of Concord’s seat so that everypony could read. “Concord expresses desire to abstain from vote as he cannot be present, but does not wish to impede decision.”
Next was Lightning Flash. “I also object to the addition of a new seat, Your Majesty. The handling of economic matters should be a field we all share a part of, as far as I’m concerned. However, I also disagree entirely with Secretary Tart’s assertion that she should assimilate such a responsibility into her department. If anything it should belong to mine, since the fleet’s focus is primarily on the import and export of goods anyway.”
Lastly, Stellar Storm. She leaned back in her seat. “I agree with both Cherry and Lightning: a focus on economic growth belongs to both the Infrastructure and Fleet departments. Therefore, it’s unfair to create a new seat or to give either of their seats control over that responsibility. I’m more of the opinion that if a new seat is added, it should focus on negotiating trade as well as economic growth. I abstain.”
“Two votes for, two votes against, three votes abstain.” Blackburn hummed and nodded. “Then I will break the tie.” She turned to Stellar Storm. “Agree with Stellar: an economic position should also focus on trade negotiations. Also agree that giving responsibilities to infrastructure or fleet exclusively could lead to bias in decisions; hence, a neutral new seat required.”
Blackburn then turned to the council as a whole. “I vote for adding the seat with that stipulation: they also focus on trade.” She clapped her hoof on the table once to indicate the vote was final. “Meeting will now adjourn,” she continued. “New seat has been added, need to consider candidates. If anypony has recommendations, communicate with me over the following month - will appoint somepony to new seat at month’s end.”
The council nodded in agreement, even those that had voted against; despite their protests, they were still loyal to their queen and city and knew the decision had been made fairly. They then waited for Blackburn to rise from her seat before rising from theirs, but they left the room before she did, as was proper procedure. Once she was alone with just Gadget and Crossfire, Blackburn took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling.
“Glad that’s over,” she muttered.
“Golly, I was almost - almost - worried for a second there,” Gadget said, wiping her brow with mock enthusiasm. “Stellar Storm sure knows how to make a point in the most suspenseful way possible, doesn’t she? I thought for sure she was gonna vote against the decision. No tie, no tiebreaker, no new seat.”
“O’ course ya realize that wit’ a new seat on the council, y’all might have ta use them tiebreaker responsibilities more often, what wit’ there bein’ an even number o’ seats ‘n’ all,” Crossfire pointed out. “Y’all okay wit’ that?”
“Tiebreaking less important than additional points of view,” Blackburn noted. She turned to her friends and let out a breath of relief, then gestured to the door. “Come. I’d like to get something to eat.”
Just as they were leaving the room, Gadget suddenly stopped in place as her datapad gave a loud beep and started vibrating in her pocket. She drew it out, tapped the screen a few times, then huffed in annoyance. “Welp, gonna have to put dinner on hold for a few minutes, Your Majesty.”
Blackburn raised an eyebrow. “Why? Surely it can wait, whatever it is.”
“Apparently your presence has been requested in interrogation room seven, on a priority one channel. Don’t know why they can’t wait a few minutes or gotta do it this late at night, but--” She tapped a few more buttons, then her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh. Oh. Golly, that’s… yeah, okay, I can see why that’s a priority one call.”
“What is it?”
Gadget flipped her datapad around to show Blackburn information on the pony being held for interrogation.
Blackburn’s eyes widened in surprise too: the mystery pony was none other than-- “Virtuoso? What’s he doing--” She shook her head, knowing it was a dumb question; Gadget wouldn’t know, and nobody had interrogated him yet. “Why is he in one of our interrogation rooms? Why the priority one?”
Gadget pulled the datapad back around to her and examined the data. “Uh… hmm, according to this, he used your Thunderbolt alias as his voucher to get into the city when asked for one.” She shook her head. “Wait… no, that can’t be right. All of our contacts were told specifically who to use to get in if they needed--”
“And we never told Virtuoso any of that,” Blackburn noted. “Never had reason to believe he would leave Pandemonium. Somepony told him…” She paused, then shook her head again, again knowing it was a waste of time thinking of it here. “No sense speculating. Let’s find out.”
*****
Blackburn, Gadget, and Crossfire stood on the opposite side of a one-way mirror looking into interrogation room seven, which was a small, nondescript room with nothing more in it that a clean, white metal table and two similarly-made chairs, one on either side; it was brightly lit and completely clean, its walls a dull gray. In the chair opposite the mirror sat none other than Don Virtuoso, who was dressed well but looked tired and aggravated. No, Blackburn thought, she knew that expression he had fairly well: he looked defeated.
Blackburn frowned and shook her head, both confused and depressed. “Something’s seriously wrong. He wouldn’t be here otherwise. Hmmm…” She turned to Gadget. “Voice modulator operational?”
Gadget nodded. “All set, Your Majesty. It should prevent him from recognizing you, especially if you’re not talking like ‘Thunderbolt’. If he guesses who’s who, I mean, you’ve got to give him some serious kudos.”
Blackburn sighed, then pushed a button beside the mirror to activate the intercom system. When she spoke, her voice came through the other end altered to be quite a bit deeper, like a stallion who smoked a pack of cigarettes every day.
“State your name,” Blackburn requested.
Virtuoso didn’t startle at the sudden voice in the room, merely glanced at the intercom in the corner briefly, then back towards the mirror that he definitely couldn’t see through, no matter how hard he tried. “Virtuoso,” he said.
“Business here in Hope’s Point?”
Virtuoso leaned back in his seat and sighed, rubbing his hooves in his eyes. “I’m seeking asylum. Refuge. Sanctuario. Whatever you want to call it. I fled from New Pandemonium, and I came here under the assumption that you ponies provided such things.”
Blackburn pondered this for a brief moment. Why would Virtuoso, of all ponies, be seeking asylum? And from whom? “What reason would Don Virtuoso of the Fantasia crime family have to seek asylum in Hope’s Point?” she asked. “Your empire should provide all the protection you need.”
That got Virtuoso’s attention. “So, you know who I am, then?”
“I’m asking the questions,” Blackburn said quickly, keeping him on guard, but relaxed; she wanted to seem like she had information, but wasn’t skilled at interrogations. “Answer.”
Virtuoso paused, then snorted; he’d taken the bait, assuming he was dealing with an amateur with a good spy network. “You’re right, as leader of the Fantasia family, I should have all the resources I need to do whatever I want. What I wanted was to maintain a good relationship with the rest of the Three Families--”
“Rossa and Amore. Former family made peace with your grandfather decades ago, focuses on casino business these days; latter has your aunt - mother’s sister, to be precise - in position of power, mainly focuses on real estate development. See no reason why either would give reason to need asylum.”
Virtuoso merely blinked, then gave the glass a cocky grin. “Who exactly am I talking to that thinks they know so much about me and my history?”
“Blackburn, Queen of Hope’s Point.”
Virtuoso paled. “You… you’re the queen?
“Correct.”
“Ah… perdonami, Your Majesty, I meant no offense--”
Blackburn smirked on the other side of the mirror; he’d taken the bait and fallen into her trap. She’d always liked to tease and test his skills, and was pleased with how well he usually handled her, but she couldn’t resist teasing him even now.
“Apologies unimportant; more concerned with answers. Hmmm… start of problems began within recent years. Coincides with time of major infighting between Three Families due to multiple factors, including betrayal of one… ‘Cotton Candy’?”
Virtuoso froze up, looking defeated once again. “Yes… that’s right. That... mare ruined my relationship with the other families, made them think I was responsible for their own problems which she was causing. I called a few meetings, fatto ammenda - made amends - or so I thought. The Rossa family turned out not to be as forgiving as they claimed to be.”
Blackburn frowned as she put the pieces together in her head. The Rossa family was, like she said, supposed to be involved in the casino trade these days, not at all involved in the competitive, violent nature of decades past, primarily thanks to Virtuoso’s grandfather. Apparently they’d decided to “get back into the game” so to say, and still blamed Virtuoso for Cotton Candy’s rampage, even with proof it wasn’t him.
“What happened, exactly?” Blackburn asked. “Seeking asylum, suggests your life is in danger, that you’ve lost everything. Your family - your real family, Ivory Charm, Crown Jewel - are they safe?”
Virtuoso nodded, surprised at the sudden concern and her intimate knowledge of his life. “They are. They came with me to Hope’s Point when we fled New Pandemonium. They’re all I have left, Your Majesty. Them and a few other ponies in my employ.”
“Who, specifically, from the latter group?”
“My underboss, Lyrica. She helped me escape. Brought her wife with her, as well as two members of her crew, Cutlass and Barnacle. They’re the ones that brought her the warning in time to get us out. There would’ve been more, but the Rossas found out we were trying to leave. Lost some good ponies getting to the Docks. Possano riposare in pace.”
Blackburn breathed a sigh of relief; she was sad to hear the Don had lost everything all over again, when she knew he’d been sincere in his effort to rebuild and contribute to the city and had spent so much time and effort doing it. But, she was glad that his family was safe, as well as one of his most loyal friends, Lyrica. She was also glad that Lyrica’s wife was alright; the world didn’t need more ponies being separated from their loved ones.
Now that she knew the what, why, and how for Virtuoso being here, there was still the question of why he’d mentioned Thunderbolt. “You used Thunderbolt as a voucher. Why?”
Virtuoso leaned forward in his seat, growing a little more comfortable speaking with her now. “I was told by a mutual friend of ours that Thunderbolt had come to Hope’s Point about six or so months ago, looking to expand her company and bring aid after that NPAF attack. I’d conferred with him about my departure in secret, since he’s a dear amico and business partner, and I wanted to make sure he knew what was happening.”
Blackburn felt her heart catch in her throat; he hadn’t put Lockwood in any danger, had he? “Why Hope’s Point?”
“To be honest, Your majesty, I was going to take my family and crew to Utopia, try and settle down there, but… I knew it wasn’t our speed. No good scotch,” he added with a chuckle. “Our mutual friend suggested here instead.”
“And he told you to use Thunderbolt as a voucher?”
“Yes. He said that if I gave Thunderbolt’s name when I arrived here, they’d let me in. I guess he was right, because they did, but I certainly didn’t expect to be hauled into a little room like this afterwards like some sort of common rat.” He snorted, unamused. “I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me why, Your Majesty? I’ve done nothing wrong but escape New Pandemonium with my life.”
“Certain ponies used as vouchers, suspicious. This ‘mutual friend’ of yours who told you, did he suggest anything? Ask anything?”
Virtuoso paused, confused, then nodded. “As a matter of fact, yes, he did. One of your guards confiscated a box from me earlier after I named Thunderbolt as my ‘voucher’. Our mutual friend asked me, sincerely, to give it to Thunderbolt if I saw her.”
Blackburn gestured to Gadget, who nodded in understanding, left the room, then came back a moment later with a small, nondescript box held aloft in her magic that she’d collected from the guard outside.
“What’s in it?” Blackburn asked, addressing Virtuoso.
Virtuoso shrugged. “He didn’t tell me. He just asked me to give to Thunderbolt if I ever saw her. He asked me to give it to her personally, I might add, so I’m a little upset that it’s being looked at by ponies who aren’t her, capische? I mean no offense, Your Majesty, but--”
“Don’t worry, Virtuoso, will ensure that Thunderbolt gets it.”
Blackburn motioned for Gadget to open the box. There wasn’t anything inside. However, Blackburn was well acquainted with the telltale signs of a hidden compartment, as was Gadget, because they’d worked together to put such compartments into their rooms in the palace when they were younger, into their apartment up in Pandemonium, into their luggage, and more. They'd even shown Lockwood how it was done. So, without needing further prompting, Gadget opened said hidden compartment.
Blackburn’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.
Inside the compartment were two items placed with delicate care. The first was a photograph of her, Gadget, Crossfire, and Lockwood posing together in front of the auditorium where Crown Jewel had performed her dance recital long ago. She and Gadget were hugging tight and smiling at the camera, close as sisters; Crossfire was standing tall just behind them, a polite smile on his face - he’d always been bad at getting his photo taken - like the big brother they never had; Lockwood was beside Blackburn with a bright smile of his own, his wing held up behind Gadget’s head so his feathers looked like bunny ears.
Gadget snorted, a loving smile on her face. “I’m gonna get back at that featherbrain one of these days, I swear…”
Beneath the photograph was Blackburn’s bracelet from Lockwood, which, in her haste to leave New Pandemonium after the attack, she had thought she’d lost. She teared up as she drew the bracelet out, set it around her foreleg, and examined it like an old friend that had been gone for, well, months. It had been polished to a lustrous shine that caught the dim light of the room perfectly, both on the chain and on the charm.
“So all o’ this… is from Lockwood?” Crossfire asked as he looked fondly at the photograph.
“He figured out a way to get a message out to us,” Gadget noted. “Do you think we can get a response to him somehow?”
Blackburn hummed and nodded with a smile. “Would involve careful use of smuggling teams; NPAF keeping better tabs on our ships. Manageable, however, if risky. Will consider options, take volunteers when appropriate.” She took a breath. “Time for the reveal.”
She pressed the button to speak into the intercom again. “Virtuoso, do you know who I am?”
Virtuoso raised an eyebrow. “You said you were Queen Blackburn earlier. That’s all I know about you.”
“Correct. But more to it than that.”
Blackburn gestured for Crossfire to turn on the lights in their room, which brightened immediately to reveal the white room around them, eliminating the effectiveness of the one-way mirror. Virtuoso could now see her relatively clearly, though without her makeup over her scar, and without her mane styled in just the right way, he wouldn’t recognize her immediately, only if he took the time to try. Naturally, he was trying.
“You look… familiar,” he muttered, eyes narrowed, stroking his mustache. “Do I know you?”
Blackburn nodded. “You do, Virtuoso. You know me better, of course, as Thunderbolt.” To prove it to him, she pressed the photograph against the mirror. “Photograph taken at your daughter’s dance recital the night of the fire that destroyed Lockwood’s neighborhood. Later that evening, you provided new home, new job: Southeast Point.”
Virtuoso squinted to look between Blackburn and the photograph, then his eyes widened in shock. “Mucca sacra. I’ll be damned, so you are. And are those… Tinker and Fireblast behind you?”
Gadget and Crossfire each gave a polite wave in response.
Virtuoso smiled and laughed. “Sorprendente. All this time, Thunderbolt the business mare was really Blackburn the princess, and now she’s the queen. I knew there was something special about you…” He shook his head in amused disbelief. “You play a mean game, Miss Thunderbolt… or rather, Queen Blackburn? Which should I call you now?”
“The latter,” Blackburn said with a nod. “Tinker and Fireblast are also false identities. Real names: Gadget and Crossfire. Fair to reveal it to you now.”
“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Virtuoso leaned back in his seat and put his hooves behind his head. “So, Your Majesty, all those questions you asked, they were just to make me sweat, huh? You knew a lot of the answers already--”
“But not all. Got the answers I needed, but also needed to keep up appearances at first. Reputation to uphold, policies to follow. You understand.” She took a breath. “Guards weren’t rough with you?”
“Not at all. They were polite and understanding, actually,” Virtuoso said with a shrug. “Asked me if I needed anything - water, stuff like that. Felt like I was being waited on more than being brought in for an interrogation. But they were thorough, too, and insistent. You run a tight ship here, Your Majesty.”
“I try,” Blackburn said with a smile. “Glad to hear your wife and daughter are safe, Virtuoso. Must be hard on them: new place, new situation, unfortunate reason to leave.”
Virtuoso sighed and hung his head, clearly troubled. “Ivory has been handling things pretty well, all things considered. She’s just happy we’re all safe, even if we had to leave everything and everypony behind. My little Jewel, though, she’s… she’s having a tough time with all this. I hope she’ll be able to adjust, but I know things will be tough. She’s lost all her friends, been taken from her school… la mia dolce bambina.”
“Will be happy to help in any way to accommodate them, provide them with what they need,” Blackburn said with sincere compassion. “Consider you a friend, Virtuoso. I do not abandon my friends.”
Virtuoso gave her a knowing smile. “Oh, I am very much aware of the lengths you’ll go for your amicos, Your Majesty. So… grazie. I appreciate anything you can do for my family. Speaking of which… I can only assume Lockwood knows who you really are?”
“He does.”
Virtuoso nodded in understanding. “That explains all the segreti. Now that I know why you two kept it secret all this time--”
“Kept what secret?”
Virtuoso smirked. “Ha! Your Majesty, you may have denied it every step of the way, but Ivory and I know what two ponies innamorato look like. She saw what happened between you two at that charity ball, same as I did. I can also see that charm bracelet there on your foreleg… and I know he got it for you.”
Blackburn hung her head. “Of course you do. He asked for your help, I assume? Doesn’t mean anything, necessarily.”
“He did, in a bit of a roundabout way. Didn’t use any names, of course, but I knew who he was getting it for. So, there’s no sense in denying what was going on between you two to me, amica. But, you don’t have to worry, I’ll keep your secret.” He crossed his hoof over his heart with a sincere smile on his face. “Attraversare il mio cuore.”
Blackburn nodded in appreciation; there was no sense in hiding it from him, after all. “Thank you.” She cleared her throat and swiftly changed the subject. “You say that the only ponies you have left with you are Lyrica and some of her crew, Cutlass and Barnacle?”
“Yes, purtroppo. Those were the only ones I had with me that managed to escape when I did. I lost several other good ponies in the process of escaping, and had to leave many more behind. I only hope the ones that remained are taken in by Amore instead of killed by Rossa… but that’s all I have left now: speranza. Hope.”
“Appropriate, given our current location,” Blackburn said, attempting to reassure him. She thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded, more to herself than anypony else; she’d made a decision. “Virtuoso… have a proposition for you, if interested.”
Virtuoso raised an eyebrow, definitely interested. “I’m listening.”
“As of tonight, Hope’s Point council adding new seat: Secretary of Commerce. Focus: trade and economy, including budget matters. Hadn’t considered many candidates yet… but fate works mysteriously, doesn’t it? Virtuoso, former Don of the Fantasia crime family, lands in my lap. Perfect candidate.”
“You… want me on your council? In your cerchio interno?”
“You are a trusted friend, Virtuoso. Also skilled negotiator, well-versed in money matters. Competed with city’s shipping contacts for a decade, dominated import market until Crown Spectrum… even profited from takeover. Thought I always had upperhoof with you, you proved worthy opponent.” She smiled. “Can think of nopony better for position.”
Virtuoso blinked, stunned, then, after a moment to process the offer and what it meant for him, nodded in appreciation. “I’ll accept your offer, Your Majesty… on three conditions.”
Blackburn gave a knowing smile. “Of course, cannot resist negotiation. Name conditions.”
“First, I want my crew taken care of: Lyrica, Cutlass, and Barnacle. I owe them my life, and I can’t repay them properly on my own, not now that I’ve lost everything.”
Blackburn nodded. “Will provide or suggest positions for them. Cutlass and Barnacle, perhaps with security department; proved skilled at noticing impending danger, dealing with issue. Will put them in touch with Stellar Storm, Chief of Intelligence and Enforcement. Lyrica… possibly could consider militia, has appropriate skill set, but may wish to settle down with Sweet Cream; recall discussion of starting a family.”
“Bene. They’re good ponies, Your Majesty, and they won’t let you down wherever they go.”
“Second condition?”
“You keep all that Cotton Candy business buried. Seppelliscilo. I don’t want a word spoken about it to anypony, ever, period. That whole business ruined me, ruined my family legacy, put my life and the lives of my wife and daughter in danger… and I want to put it behind me, for good. Capische?”
Blackburn nodded. “Agreed. Third condition?”
“You take me and the family out for dinner tonight,” Virtuoso said with a coy grin. “Crown Jewel might just forget everything that’s happened when she finds out her father’s business partner for all those years was a princess who became queen, and is now her father’s capo. Plus, I think we skipped dinner because of this whole ‘interrogation’ thing.”
Blackburn chuckled. “Also agreeable. Skipped dinner as well, same reason.” She turned to Gadget. “Gadget, arrange reservation for… ten at finest Baroque restaurant.” She turned to Virtuoso. “Invite the others that came with you, of course. Gadget and Crossfire will also join us.”
“Ovviamente.”
Gadget nodded in understanding and started tapping her datapad rapidly as she went about her orders. “Can do, Your Majesty. I think the one up on Nineteenth is particularly popular. Bella Serata?”
Blackburn paused in thought for a moment, then added: “Also… is your new algorithm functioning?”
“The new algorithm? Oh! Yeah, it sure is.” Gadget breathed on her hoof and scuffed it against her coveralls. “With the system I’ve got in place, Hope’s Point will be able to predict an NPAF excursion with ninety-nine-point-ninety-nine percent accuracy, give or take point-zero-one percent.”
“Good. Find out when next attack is scheduled. I feel refreshed, no, invigorated,” Blackburn said with a devious smile. “Want to prepare special ‘welcome wagon’ for them.”
One Month Later
“This... is Channel One Eyewitness News in the Morning.”
As with every morning, Morning Light and White Lily sat behind a desk with bright smiles as they prepared to present that morning’s news reports
“Good morning everypony,” said Morning Light, light gleaming off her smile. “Today’s top stories--” The camera angle changed, and she was now on the left side of the screen, while an image appeared on the right displaying a triple-seven jackpot on a slot machine. “The grand opening of the new Rolling Aces Casino is underway, and we have an exclusive look at the exquisite all-you-can-eat buffet and live entertainment slated for the coming month.”
The image shifted to that of the Dolorcorp logo: a simple “DC”, nothing fancy. “Also, Dolorcorp has officially released a ballot poll to all citizens of New Pandemonium City in an attempt to vote on the flavor of their new Dolor Black product, which has completed its trial safety phases and is proceeding through the next stages of the creation process.”
The image shifted again to show the NPAF logo. “And in other news, the NPAF has reported on a failed follow-up attack on Hope’s Point yesterday, placing blame squarely on recently-promoted Commander Air Raid.”
She then turned back so that she was in the center of the screen. “But first, here’s your weekly weather forecast with Cloudy Day.”
Lockwood leaned forward in his seat and waited anxiously for the weather report to conclude. He’d already seen the week’s weather forecast, which was rather typical: smog today, smog tomorrow, more smog after that. He’d wondered for years why they even bothered to have a meteorologist on the news team, at least in the studio, since the weather rarely changed and the anchors were more than capable of reporting freak acid rain or lightning storms.
Next was the morning traffic report with Skyline, which was also typically useless to him. Ground traffic was generally always clear enough except in the case of major events - the grand opening of the casino, for example - and air traffic was more important for pegasi that flew everywhere. Lockwood preferred to walk.
The other stories of the day were of little interest to Lockwood, either. He didn’t have the bits or desperation to care about a casino, even if the buffet sounded nice, and he was well aware that the casino had only opened because the Rossa Family had taken over more than half of Virtuoso’s empire in the past month. That last part meant he wasn’t about to visit one of their casinos anytime soon. As for the Dolorcorp news, he’d already cast his vote the night before - for black liquorice, incidentally - when a friend got him an early copy of the ballot.
The last news story, saved for just before the sports section, was where his interest lay.
White Lily presented the story with enthusiasm in a way that seemed to downplay the importance of the information. “In our last story of the morning, the NPAF has reported that yesterday’s attempted attack on Hope's Point was met with failure, due entirely to exaggerated information presented to them by former Commander Air Raid following the attack seven months ago.
“NPAF officials were quick to point hooves at Commander Air Raid when it was discovered that the surface levels of the city had not only been repaired fully following the previous attack, but that they had actually grown in size. In fact, one source stated that the City of Traitors looked like it hadn’t even been attacked in the first place.
“In addition, the City of Traitors had seemingly been informed of the approach of NPAF forces and displayed mocking banners and effigies, as well as employing skywriting to display vulgar messages directed at the NPAF cruisers. All of this was displayed behind their operational shield system, which proved resistant to Air Raid’s lauded shield disruptor, which reportedly had no significant effect.
“And finally, the NPAF’s agents in the field within Hope’s Point all reported in, having been extracted during the attack. There are no longer any NPAF agents within Hope’s Point according to our sources, who also claim that the new Traitor Queen, Blackburn, is ruling with an iron hoof and stamping out dissidents with tactics reminiscent of vermin extermination.
“The NPAF’s Admiral Hotstreak had this to say on the matter at a press conference early this morning.”
The image shifted to display Admiral Hotstreak, a dull-pink pegasus with a short, graying mane and matching bushy mustache, dressed in a black dress uniform and wide-brimmed military cap, the latter of which was laden with medals of all colors. He stood behind a podium with several microphones in front of him, and the distinct flashes and clicks of cameras peppered him.
The Admiral cleared his throat. “The actions of the Traitor Queen Blackburn are essentially little more than those of a rebellious teenager. She rides on the coattails of ponies smarter than her to achieve things she does not deserve. Her actions are those of a murderous tyrant, mad with power and without the maturity to handle her position.
“To any citizens of New Pandemonium that may consider supporting the City of Traitors and their queen, you will be treated as enemies of the state and may be subject to imprisonment or capital punishment. The NPAF will not stand while this mad dictator spits in the face of our city.
“For his role in allowing the Traitor Queen to make a mockery of our sovereignty, of our freedoms, of our values, and of the valiant stallions and mares of our armed forces that give their lives to protect each and every one of you, Commander Air Raid has been dishonorably discharged from the NPAF and will be subjected to trial to determine his loyalties.”
He then shuffled his notes and nodded stiffly to the audience. “Thank you for your time this morning, fillies and gentlecolts. No further questions, please.” And with that, he left the podium and walked off-screen.
The image then shifted back to White Lily. “And there you have it folks,” she said with a small grin. “Now, to Stalwart with sports--”
Lockwood turned off the television and leaned back in his seat, a wide smile on his face.