//------------------------------// // Chapter 55: Starlight Focus // Story: Luna is a Harsh Mistress // by Starscribe //------------------------------// If only Magpie still had her shadowstep abilities, and all the other magic Nightmare had once granted her, the infiltration probably would’ve been easy. Unfortunately, it also would’ve been quite a bit more lethal, since a single failure would likely result in the city trying to kill her.  A flexible plastic tunnel now connected the teleport platform to Vanaheimr’s entrance, which had been moved so that it was only a dozen or so paces away. For magical reasons she wasn’t qualified to understand, it couldn’t be placed in the city. More of Vanaheimr’s defenses, probably.  Most ponies had to wait for a permit to visit here, either as tourists appreciating what Tranquility should aspire to be, or as part of a research team studying its infrastructure and construction.   Gatecrashers from after the revolution had bridged gaps in the metal floor, removed collapsed doorways, and erected their own little building in what had once been a vast central square. Parts of the city’s life-support worked, but like Starseed many of them relied on the structural integrity of the dome overall, and the damage was far too extensive for them to fix. Besides, the princess explicitly forbade ponies to take possession of the old city. They could study, but must live only in tents, and take only their notes and photographs with them. Magpie had resisted the temptation to bring her own air-armor and bypass the line—if she had any hope of escaping the Polestar’s notice, it would not be by broadcasting who she was. She’d have to wait at the back of the line with the scientists and tourists, ignoring their stares and politely refusing their questions. When she finally got to the front, she had to ignore the indignity of wearing a child’s armor. But she could do that, for such an important cause. Right by the exit airlock was a massive bronze plaque, as tall as the tent itself and polished to a shine. Down one side was a list of names, memorialized in metal and going most of the way to the floor. On the other, a description of how they’d been killed. “Exposed hard vacuum, electrocuted, accidentally activated defense system.” “Remain in designated areas if you do not wish to join them,” said a bright yellow sign, along with a smiling batpony’s face. There were no crowds once she got into the city proper, and out of the plastic tunnels of the Gatecrasher Antiquities Society. Here the common tunnels and corridors of the city had been marked with green or red cordons, depending on whether they were safe or unexplored. Venturing beyond the red marks meant for an instant, lifetime ban from visiting the city that had once been sacred. But Magpie wouldn’t be putting her name up on the wall beside so many others. She knew the city as none of them ever could. She did wander further through the central corridor than she meant to, all the way to the old library. This was one of the most popular destinations, where ponies could try their luck conversing with the systems or tinkering with data access. Occasionally somepony would shake something loose, or for reasons unknown the city would respond to them as it had once responded to Silver. But Magpie wasn’t here to try anything like that. She ignored the door and the pony shapes inside. She dodged around a corner, which led to an alley ending in a red rope almost immediately. She waited a few seconds, listening for anypony who might be coming. Her suit respirator hissed, but that was all. She no longer had a heartbeat. And there’s no air. I wouldn’t hear someone coming. She needed to dust off her old instincts, from lifetimes spent as a vagabond on the moon’s surface and caverns. You never told us what we were looking for out there. But Nightmare had only really spoken to Aminon. It only gave the rest of them commands, and expected obedience. After waiting almost a minute, Magpie ducked under the rope, then hurried down a set of stairs into the service tunnels. She remembered the passage clearly, even if many years had passed. Maybe it was something about being made of rock that kept her memories crystalized, instead of fading the way they had while she was a Voidseeker. The Nightmare didn’t want her to remember the past. Her service was the only life that mattered. There were still signs of exploration, even out here. Gatecrashers themselves used little green tags on doorways and passages that had been fully explored, and red ones where danger could be found. Last Magpie checked, theirs was still the most dangerous job in Tranquility, with by far the highest mortality. Shame Silver couldn’t be here. She could imagine his enthusiasm, even after being turned to stone. He would be able to read the messages on the walls, not have to rely on where Gatecrasher translation teams had chalked their meaning beside them. They’d only bothered with the directional signs, leaving the things Magpie took for civic messages and art untouched. Something moved from just around the corner, near one of the very signs she’d been looking at. Magpie lunged around a the edge, peeking out with the tiniest corner of her helmet. But so long as they aren’t looking back at me, it shouldn’t matter. They can’t hear me. There was no mistaking this creature for a Gatecrasher—they always moved in pairs at least, and wore air-armor with dark helmets to mark their official permissions. Someone else is slinking around the city. Their air-armor was large, with inflatable wing sections on the sides like hers. Voidseekers? Maybe the trick Silver had once proposed all those years ago actually worked? Once they were in the armor, the city’s defenses left them alone. The figure twisted one shoulder, in a movement Magpie recognized. But before they could turn around, she had ducked fully behind the corner, and didn’t see what they did next. Magpie counted off a few seconds, long enough that she was sure the mysterious stranger would have fled. She crept low, peeking her head around the corner… And nearly smacked her helmet into the other creature’s bubble. Their suit wasn’t working properly, or maybe they’d just forgot to defog, because the glass was cloudy and she could only somewhat make out the face inside. That would’ve completely obscured the pony’s identity, except that it wasn’t a pony in there. Sharp beak, bright yellow eyes, there was no mistaking who they belonged to. “I didn’t think I would have company,” she said, her voice muffled as it came through the glass. “I don’t know why you would be out here without a guide or a visitor’s permit. You’re out of bounds, don’t you know this is a lifetime ban from visiting Vanaheimr? The authorities are going to be very interested to hear I saw you out here.” Magpie rolled her eyes. The bird was pressing slightly down on her, holding her in a submissive position. But she also didn’t know what she was doing. Her suit hissed and squealed unhappily at the mistreatment, as opposed to Magpie’s that made little sound at all. It was just a formality really, since she didn’t care about air or heat. “You’re wearing a white helmet too, stupid,” Magpie shot back. “I work for the Prime Minister’s office. You really think I’m going to get in trouble being here? You, though…” She couldn’t retreat too far, or else break contact and make conversation impossible. Somehow she doubted this bird knew how to use the radio. “You have no idea how dangerous this is. The signs aren’t just for show—tons of ponies have died messing with things they don’t understand. And believe me when I say you don’t understand any of this.” She scoffed, then retreated. Maybe she didn’t understand the point of their contact, because it looked like her beak was still moving. Magpie sighed, then extended one foreleg and showed how to activate the radio. She had never been one for machines and inventions, but if even she could understand how to get it working, then this mysterious bird could. Solar Wind seemed suspicious at first, because she was slow to respond. Finally she turned on the local radio. “Twist the dial all the way before it clicks,” Magpie said. “That’s transmission strength. If it’s up all the way, then the ponies in that library will still hear you.” And maybe more. Magpie didn’t really understand how these new technologies worked. It went through the air, yet every search she’d ever made to see the messages traveling had failed. “I don’t have anything to say to you,” Solar Wind finally said. “You followed me. You’re here to enforce orthodoxy. To stop me from… proving just how oppressive Tranquility is. Built on a foundation of lies, and everyone will know!” Magpie yanked suddenly on the bird’s foreleg. Probably she wasn’t expecting so much power from a creature that was transparent and made of rock. It wasn’t quite what an earth pony could manage, but it was almost as good. “Hey stupid, if I wanted to oppress you, all I’d have to do is let you wander out here on your own. You’re going to get yourself killed. Just turn around and get back to safety. I won’t say anything about seeing you out here. Creatures can be as insane as they want, it’s none of my business.” She walked past her, continuing the way she’d been going. “I don’t know what you were looking for in the city to prove your conspiracy theory, but you wouldn’t find it. Just be smart and head back.” It was too much to hope that she would. Magpie’s supply of compassion was running dangerously dry as she felt the ground shake behind her. “This is the ancient city,” Solar said, following. She had something wrapped in thin plastic, and she held it up in front of her. It flashed, bright enough that Magpie’s old instincts flared and she shielded her eyes with one hoof. But it didn’t burn the way it would have—she wasn’t a bat anymore, even if she still looked a little like one. “Alicorns built their city with air and heat. We’re supposed to believe that our Alicorn doesn’t need either one? You can’t lie and say that the palace gets either, I’ve done my research. It doesn’t even have emergency connections, or staff quarters.” I bet she couldn’t live up there anymore even if she wanted to, Magpie realized. One more vulnerability for their princess—she was just as alive as all the corpses that had once filled the city. “They had slaves,” Magpie said. “Ponies like the rest of us. You can ask about it in the library. You’re not going to convince anyone like that.” Even though it’s the Nightmare that gave her that power, not being an Alicorn. But she didn’t bother explaining any of that, why should she? Solar Wind had done nothing but annoy her, and now apparently she wanted to make her mission a little more difficult. “Look kid, I don’t really have time for this right now. If I don’t get this done, the princess really might be dead. Go back, or don’t. Tell them I was here, or don’t. I don’t even care right now.” She sped up, trying to hurry past the bird. In vain, unfortunately. She couldn’t even wear the oversized shoes while wearing the air-armor, and even if she had it would probably offer no advantage in speed. This bird could take one step for every three of hers—it wasn’t even a contest. “You really aren’t here to stop me?” she asked, sounding genuinely surprised. “Why else would you be here?” Were you even listening? “You’re going to the wrong place for city records,” Magpie said, gesturing with one of her wings over her shoulder. “You want the library for that. Ask all the questions you want. Most of the database was destroyed when Vanaheimr was bombarded all those years ago. Maybe there’s something in there you can put in your newspaper.” “I’m not really a reporter,” she said casually, not missing a beat. “I’m a private investigator, the best one in Moonrise. And… all of Tranquility now too, obviously. Reporters will share my story with all the moon when I get it ready.” You don’t sound so sure about that last part. Magpie didn’t slow down, and she was nearly halfway to the Armory now. Here they passed a dozen red markers, all proclaiming the same danger. And they were probably right—the Polestar had no regard for bioservice agents, and would eliminate them without hesitation if it thought they had come to put the armory at risk. “Great, fantastic. Investigate somewhere else.” She pointed at the chalk sketched out on the floor up ahead. “Nearing Polestar. Do not enter without Princess. Spells hostile to visitors.” “See that? It means—” “That we’ve found something you don’t want us to see!” Solar started running, bounding past her in huge loping strides. The natives born up here could all move better than she could. Even Silver was like that, able to easily outpace her. But he was conscious of their distances, and careful to accommodate her. This bird was actively trying to get away. “Fine.” She didn’t chase after her, not that she expected she would’ve won the race even if she did. “Get yourself killed. You won’t have me to blame, hippogriff.” She didn’t have to run to still be heard, though if Solar Wind kept up that pace for much longer she would soon be completely out of range. There was no hoping that she might wander down another path and lose track of Magpie’s own destination. The Gatecrashers had chosen overpreparation in their warnings, which left a direct trail to the Polestar’s chamber. Magpie followed at some distance, bracing herself for whatever grim reality would be waiting inside. The airlock was already empty by the time she arrived, so she had to wait through an entire cycle. She told herself that she didn’t care what happened to the hippogriff, but that was largely a lie. In another life, she might’ve thought the same thing. Why should she believe the princess was real just because creatures said so?  She unzipped her helmet in the airlock—early enough that it beeped and hissed in protest. But Magpie didn’t care. The entire thing was a formality, made to get her here. Any chance of a stealthy infiltration was gone now, with this hippogriff barging into Polestar’s presence before she could get there. Not that she’d been expecting success, but at least she could’ve kept her pride. Magpie had no positive memories of this place, dominated by irregular metal towers on all sides blocking the view to a single, central point. Light pulsed from the Polestar, and she couldn’t have said what kind of creature she was looking at. Was it living rock, like herself? But it had more magic than Nightmare Moon. She stayed well away from a silvery patch of ground near one of the computers, where shards of blue crystal had crept slowly over one of the metal boxes. In many centuries, they had spread perhaps half a meter in all directions—a fungus that Polestar had never pruned. A set of air-armor held perfectly suspended in the before the polestar. There was no hiss from inside, no twitch from her legs or shift of its mechanisms. “Intrusion. Degenerate half-breed,” Polestar said. Magpie was quite familiar with this kind of talk, an echo directly into her mind.  Even if this being did not dominate and torture her, it still brought back unpleasant memories. The less I have to be in here, the better. “That’s rude,” she answered. “Maybe a bit of an idiot, but ‘degenerate’? What does that even mean?” The polestar shifted from searing white to searching blue, probing beams shining from it like shafts of hardened starlight. One fell on her, and the others all froze. “Your responsibility?” “No,” she said. The suit of air-armor began glowing brighter, plastic joints hissing in the heat. Oh buck it’s burning her alive. “Wait, yes! Yes she’s my responsibility please put her down.” Solar dropped to the floor in a limp heap, and the glowing stopped. “Inferior age, inferior servants,” the Polestar proclaimed. “You should not have brought her.” I didn’t, but if I say so you’ll probably kill her. “I’m here with an important mission, Polestar. What do your eyes tell you about Moonrise?” It answered with a noise, a terrible solar roar like stars vomiting gas through a hole in a magnetic field.  “Your favorite princess is Purified. Shouldn’t that matter to you?” The stellar hissing stopped. “How?” I should probably care that you’re overhearing all of this. But there’s nothing I can do about it now. Pity the whole stealing thing was always a lie. “Nightmare abandoned her. It brought its Voidseekers back to kill her. I guess… they’ve probably been on their way back regardless. It’s a bucking long trip, even with shadowstep.” “Ughhh,” Solar groaned over the radio, her armor sending more static than actual words. “What happened?” She ignored the question. She couldn’t reach the broadcast button with her helmet hanging off the back of her head, in any case. But in an environment with air, the bird would probably overhear what they said, even through a helmet. “Information is unverified. If true, the outcome for Moonrise is significantly improved. Preserving her life should be a priority.” “Obviously,” she snapped, annoyed. “I’m here because we don’t know how to stop them. The Voidseekers are already here, moving through Moonrise and our new dome without detection. They got past our airlock security, and we don’t have much of an… army, exactly. My husband kinda dismantled the whole thing. Five Voidseekers could probably overpower as many constables as got in their way. We couldn’t stop them.” “Confusion, rectify. Inquiry. Why deliver this information?” “To ask for some bucking help, maybe? You’re supposed to care about Luna, aren’t you? Do you even care that she might get murdered by demons? Don’t you want Alicorns ruling the city?” Polestar fell abruptly silent again, leaving her alone with Solar’s struggling suit systems. Her voice was still distorted over the radio when she spoke again. “What are you talking to? What kind of magic did it use on me?”  On the plus side, the drop had been quite unkind to Solar’s camera. At least her pictures of Magpie breaking rules wouldn’t be used against her.  “Purpose unaltered, I will not assist,” the Polestar said. “Vanaheimr does contain some useful systems, however. Map dictation begins now…”