The pegasi mustered with military precision, and soon four of them were crowded around the sound stone on the bridge, alongside Valey, Shinespark and Gerardo. "What is the meaning of this, griffon?" the leader demanded.
"Well, don't you sound caught red-taloned. Doing something you're scared I'll call you out on?"
The pegasi all bit their tongues, fury written on their faces, but they were smart enough to hold any outbursts. "Reach your point," the captain growled.
"Impatient, aren't we? I bet you're ruing the day you messed with my ancestral hunt. I have three siblings dead because of you, and one ascended enough to make years of trouble for anyone he pleases later. It's you who owes me, here, and I'm well within my rights to ask you all to grovel before I even think of helping."
The Equestrians glared at each other, and for half a second Valey had a bad feeling they were judging the feasibility of trying to take hostages in hopes of leverage. She suspected Gunther wouldn't care, but fortunately the plan left their minds the moment their eyes passed across her.
"Fortunately for you, I'm more interested in the kind of debts you can repay. So here's the situation, pegasi: I'm currently playing host to a research submarine from your university. They're wary and ready to bolt at a moment's notice, and they move quickly. I haven't mentioned you to them and pledge neutrality if we can't reach a deal. So, want me to give this sound stone to someone who could stage a rescue, pass along a message or anything else you have the authority to ask for? The bidding starts now."
The pegasi all gaped, and a vein twitched in one's brow.
"What are you asking?" Valey stepped forward. "We've got griffon money."
"Depends which side you're on," Gunther replied. "I don't recognize your voice, but I don't see those chauvinists letting a mare into their ranks either. Are you with Gerardo? If so, we're not talking."
"And whyever not?" Gerardo insisted. "We do indeed have the means to-"
"Because I don't care to be indebted any further to you than I already am, even assuming you have money they haven't stolen yet. Now shut up until I can give back your sound stone in person. I said I was only borrowing it, remember?" There was a brief silence. "They, on the other side, owe me as much as I care to ask. And while I'm not about to stoop to blackmail or extortion, I don't need to when I have supply and demand. Pony up, ponies."
The lead guard stared at the sound stone with a thunderous look. "Refusal to aid Equestria in times of crisis constitutes-"
"Bluster all you want, but don't pretend you can make getting rid of me any more of a priority than it was already. Or, you could resort to working together with me so we both benefit. What was that called, again? Some Equestrian value I can't recall the name of..."
Gerardo shuffled tensely. "It would be very much appreciated if you worked with him and got us potentially un-stranded..."
"You don't know what you're asking," another guard grunted. "Him and his band have been making attacks on our fortress for years."
"And will your princess care more about that, or about how efficiently you prioritize your real mission?" Shinespark interjected. "I don't know how much is at stake for you, or anything about your plans. But I know a lot about getting distracted by grudges and emotions, and none of you are thinking clearly. We need help."
The pegasi didn't stop arguing. Valey had never met Gunther, but could practically see him grinning vindictively to himself on the other side of the sound stone as his ultimatum caused his enemies to quarrel. He was serious, she could tell, but far too interested in whatever leverage he had obtained to let a chance like this go easily. At least they didn't have to worry too much about him passing them up and leaving the ship alone...
Her eyes began to wander, and she saw Jamjars standing in the entrance to the bridge. Jamjars winked.
"Oh bananas." Valey broke away from the crowd to chase her as she disappeared. "Bananas, no, what are you up to? This is a terrible time for any stupid... stunts..."
Standing in the doorway, she found herself face to face with High Prince Gazelle.
"It's you," the sphinx breathed, standing on his own without assistance. His eyes were blank and unfocused, and his cutie mark a pure black outline, but he held himself with a posture so normal it sent a chill down Valey's spine.
"Uhhhhh." Valey swallowed.
"So it is possible to return," Gazelle whispered, reaching a paw and touching Valey's chest to make sure she was real. "You must help me. I have someone I'm looking for. She is important to me..."
Valey was too frozen to do more than turn her head as Gazelle walked past her onto the bridge. "Hello," Gazelle greeted the room, his voice unnaturally calm. "I'm looking for my sister."
The pegasi all turned from staring at the sound stone to staring at him. "Your Highness, you should rest," the leader said firmly. "Your injuries are-"
"Idle feet will not return Gwendolyn to the living!" Gazelle moved faster than teleportation, suddenly standing on two paws and pinning the pegasus who had spoken to the control console. A single claw pressed against the pegasus's neck, drawing a dribble of blood. "I shall not rest! I can't..."
The captain reacted instantly, kicking hard at Gazelle's belly to throw him off. But Gazelle was faster still, vaulting into a somersault and raking a full set of claws down the captain's face, opening several wide, parallel gashes. Gazelle turned as he landed and caught the captain with his tail, flinging him with unnatural strength into the room's far wall where he crashed, slumping.
"There shall be no rest," Gazelle threatened, tail lashing. "Thank you. I have a sister to find..." His voice returned to its previous calm. "Lyn, where are you? Lyn..."
None of the pegasi had entered the bridge armed, and all three conscious ones were stock still, knowing better than to subject themselves to the same fate. "Your Highness, what are your orders?" one asked.
"Take him to Kinmari," Jamjars said from the doorway. "Gazelle, it's the school I was telling you about. We don't have the tools we need to get Lyn back here, but they definitely will there."
"Agreed. This is a good plan. Very good," Gazelle said, his eyes still unfocused. "Let us move."
"This is an interesting drama to listen to," Gunther commented from across the sound stone. "I'm hearing one solid vote for Kinmari. Anyone else?"
Gazelle seized the sound stone. "Who are you?"
"Your best friend, if you can pay right. I know where you want to go. Convince these pegasi to play my game-"
"I am looking for my sister," Gazelle interrupted, voice steady. "She is the last ruler of the Griffon Empire. Name your price and help me, and we will grant you anything you could desire. My sister is worth far more..."
"Money for the sake of money is worthless. The act of being paid is what matters. I don't care about riches, I care about seeing Equestrians kneel and admit I'm better than them by paying for my services. And while I don't resort to blackmail, it sounds like they've done an excellent job on their own commandeering a ship with impatient travelers..."
Gazelle's tail lashed, and his claws flexed in and out as he scanned the room. "I'm looking for my sister," he whispered, his unfocused gaze passing everyone. "Please. Help me."
Valey glanced about nervously, hoping she wasn't about to have to beat Gazelle back into submission. "You know, it would be real cool if everyone helped the sphinx right now? All of us want to go to Kinmari. Right, big guy? Real good place to go."
Gazelle stiffly nodded. "She knows..."
The tension in the room was thick enough to shatter. "Name your terms," a pegasus growled. "But don't think we'll let you get away with this."
"What?" another pegasus grumbled. "How are we even supposed to pay him? He knows there's no way for us to give him money up front, right?"
"Weren't you listening?" Gunther sighed. "I already have money. Enough to hire some layabouts who knew how to crew a ship. I think I'll be satisfied... if you say please. Sixty-seven times, once for each month you kept my prey locked away. I kept count. And because I'm feeling generous, that's a total for all of you, not sixty-seven per pony."
The guards gaped. "Are you mocking us?" one demanded, pointing a wing.
"And I also want an apology. Make it as awkward and frustrated as you can, I want to relish this. And if you take the deal now, I won't ask you all to sing me the sappiest song about sharing you know from when you were foals."
"You're ridiculing us!" another exclaimed. "How dare you!? We are Her Majesty's personal royal guard, and-"
"I never pretended otherwise," Gunther drawled. "Your dignity for your jobs, your lives, and whatever else you have to gain from this. We both get something we want. It's just business."
"You little..."
"Hey!" Valey snapped. "Would you rather give him money? He's letting you get us out of here for free!"
"Yes!" all three conscious pegasi shouted as one.
"And that's the point."
Shinespark loudly cleared her throat. "For elite royal guards, your lack of professionalism is appalling. The role of any public servant is to give in service of their home, and for every bit of valor you displayed defending us a week ago, it's the opposite of what I'm seeing now! Is refusing to apologize to a griffon who clearly thinks you've wronged him more honorable than being humble and furthering your mission at the same time? There's no dignity in being held back by pride."
All three of the pegasi looked like they had had ice sculptures smashed across their faces. "You're good," Gunther commented.
"...That's an accusation I swore an oath I'd never have to hear," one of the guards said, helmet off and head and ears lowered. "You have the right of it, miss. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. To everyone."
Gunther whistled. "Didn't think I'd get to hear sincerity today. That counts for twenty pleases. Do continue."
Gazelle flicked his tail impatiently.
"We're not the ones you're interested in hearing it from," another pegasus said, glancing between his companions. "I'm from Canterlot, not the border. I was never involved in imprisoning your beasts. What I am supposed to be involved in is mediating and resolving disputes before they require us to draw arms. We're supposed to be a peacekeeping force."
"I don't know what came over me," the third muttered, shaking his head.
"So you're sorry for getting worked up now. But that's what I was looking for. How about my ancestral hunt?"
"We weren't involved in that," the first repeated, "but I'm sorry we couldn't do anything to resolve it rather than let it linger for years. The brood beasts were shackled for endangering the pass, but we should have done something to reach an agreement over them rather than let things escalate endlessly."
For a moment, the sound stone was silent.
"Huh," Gunther eventually said. "Well, it wasn't what I wanted, but it'll do. You Equestrians are a bizarre lot. One would almost think these northerners know more about your purported values than you do. But whatever. Don't go anywhere."
The room was still. Seconds passed, and then a minute, and Gazelle's tail returned to its tense twitching. And then...
"Hello?" a sharp, middle-aged mare's voice greeted, sounding practiced and well-used. "This is Doctor Sea Star of the Kinmari Marine Research Academy. To whom am I speaking?"
"That, girl," Valey began, "is a really long story..."