//------------------------------// // Interval 2 - Part 1, The Uncertain Borders of Diplomacy // Story: Of Starships and Golden Armors // by Devona //------------------------------// "They say that deep inside their heads, they can still hear them sing, hear them talk, hear them scream. That they cannot continue like so, with ghosts haunting their dreams every passing day, spirits of those past a testament to actions undertaken. With will and resolve, we shall strive to put an end to this tendency. With guilt, one does not fullfil their potential best, leaving a margin we cannot afford. Under this document, I hereby put forth a proposal to introduce a full Military Habits standing LAW on all military planets, with an aim of extending its boundaries countrywide as adequate time comes to be. With any guilt and morals, crucial efficiency is lost and left to chance itself. Through such law, we shall extinguish these redundant qualities for good." ~Intake from the first official proposal advocating full coversion of Republican emergency Military Habits Decree into the Military Habits Law; the so-called "Shaffraint Document" after its original author, Henry Shaffraint ONE DAY EARLIER Dimension [YET UNCATALOGUED] Equis, Equis system [NOTICE: TEMPORARY DESIGNATION]; more precise location - Canterlot, Kingdom of Equestria Capital Universal Time (CUT) - June 18th, 6193; 2114 hours Local Operational Time - 1628 hours, day cycle 173/362 Four days after 'deployment'. Three days after initial 'talks'. Stanley stood alongside Luna in the dim corridors of Canterlot dungeons, making his way towards the one chamber that was their mutual destination. Contrary to the hallways criss-crossing the Castle proper, its expansive basements were everyhing but bright, with obscure, ancient walls hosting only a few very primitive torches, which stood out even in comparison with other pony contraptions. Spatial rooms and high ceilings were now a distant memory, and the lower the duo ventured, the more moisture could be felt in the air. Luna and Stanley passed a few mysteriously labelled chambers, a couple Guard offices here and there, before turning left into what appeared to be a prison block, with only a few cells occupied. Later, a tightly sealed gate led them into a quite contrasting, sterile hallway with snow-white walls, where a couple ponies in lab coats passed the two by, more bothered by the appearance of Luna herself then a literal alien being; Stanley could only guess they'd been informed of his existence in advanced, although he had no way to be sure. Leaving the short, white corridor, the duo took two turns right into an expasive staircase, leading them at least five floors down, each more dim and remote than the last. Once on the proper level, only a short trek remained. A few hallways and turns, and suddenly, Luna stopped herself beside a weirdly ornate, brightly-coloured, yet clearly deteriorated door. "We have arrived," the Princess announced, waiting for Stanley to join her. "Behind these door rests thine contraption." "Your dungeons are bigger than I supposed. The platform below the city didn't look nearly large enough to fit those in," Stanley noted, jogging forward. "We have revealed but an insignificant portion, either in scale or relevance itself," Luna answered with a chuckle. "The platform supports us not. We are, as of now, deep inside the mountainous peak." "Hm? That, yes, that's a... a good engineering decision. Bravo," Stanley stuttered, hoping to save his face more in front of himself then the Princess herself. The sheer fact that the city's architecture had somehow been able to deceive his senses was an incredible feat - he had to give the ponies that. "Going by thine own words, an 'engineering marvel', is that not accurate?" Luna asked rhetorically, before facing the giant - for the dungeon - door. Stepping back, she bowed her head and carefully inserted her long horn into a circular keyhole. Shortly, every crack in the gate glimmered indigo, and the pass laid open. Behind it, a mid-sized room stretched out, with a well recognizable, Republican drop pod. Granted, Stanley already knew this location from Selina, whose connection to the vehicle remained strong. There was no need for the ponies to be aware, however. The two stepped inside while the chamber's lamps lit up one after another following an indigo current traversing the room. "There," said Luna, pointing at a smaller doorframe on the opposite wall. "That is where thine private staircase would emerge, though I know not whether you have used the shortcut yet or not. Thou had asked for access, and we have provided." "Well, thank you. How would I even doubt?" replied Stanley with a tinge of irony. "Ha-ha," Luna rolled her eyes, stone faced. Momentarily however, excitement overtook her face. "So... where doe-... where do I stand now?" Stanley didn't answer. Instead, the human smiled wildly, and gestured at the Princess to follow him nearer the pod. "I cannot see!" "No wonder, the visor's blackened. Stand by," instructed Stanley, as his voice noticeably neared the waiting Princess. It wasn't long before Luna could feel the human's hand press against the side of her head, and soon, with one last click, the sense of sight returned as Stanley's naked face appeared up front, slightly taking Luna aback. "Keep calm," the soldier said, as he returned to finish the preparations by his drop pod. "The fix is only temporary though. You won't need to see, trust me." "How will we not need to?" Luna asked, as she tilted her head perplexed. "Were you not supposed to 'show' us something?" "Yeah, and because you're going to be watching that, you won't see your surroundings. Easy as that," Stanley claimed, pressing one of the many buttons somewhere in the interior of his pod. Lights over the entire machine blinked, and the soldier stood up, content. "You'll experience what we call a Simulation... kind of... there are many things called that way, as you can imagine, but this is what RSUs tend to go through while training, only in bases we have a lot more options and the thing is generally, well... more advanced. A lot more. Incomprehensibly even, but for a cinema substitute, a helmet's visor will suffice." "How can we know you wish not to restrain us? You wish us no harm?" Stanley made no reply. Instead, he firmly grasped his helmet, and with one quick yet smooth motion took it off of Luna's head. The Princess stuttered in surprise. "W-what is your intent?" she eventually managed to ask. "Decide for yourself," replied Stanley. "You're free to do what you want. I'm standing here, in your dungeons, likely surrounded by guards, and I'm giving you a choice. If you think I wouldn't accept a 'no', then go ahead and try. Isn't that a rather weird way to supplememt my vicious plans at 'harming' you, Your Highness?" Stanley sighed quietly. "You may not believe me, but as an official representative, I'd be screwed if I even tried to do something to you. So... what's the verdict?" Luna tapped her chin in thought. She already knew she wanted to see the 'Simulation', and 'wanted to' was saying it rather lightly. The whole question about safety was mostly a random remark coming to the surface simply as a result of failed attempts at mirroring Celestia's way of thinking. Luna had grown to trust Stanley to a decent degree over the last few days, and although it was obviously far too short a period for ultimate judgement, it was safe to say the Princess didn't feel endangered by him at all. On the other hand, precisely that would be a potential assassin's goal... wouldn't it? Achieveing their target's trust? There was no place to take chances when stakes were so high. Despite obviously planning to agree for the endeavor, Luna realised all too well that she had to at least give the impressing of being a responsible ruler. Suddenly, a bright idea appeared in the Princess' head. With a smile, Luna's horn flickered twice, and soon enough, accompanied by rumbling hoofsteps, two Royal Guards galloped inside the chamber. Stanley slowly raised an eyebrow. Luna meanwhile already had everything planned. Not about to let an overrecting EUP ruin relations with humanity even further, she immediately lifted her front left hoof into the air, signaling the pair to stop. "Outside," Luna commanded, not even glancing at the Solar Guards. "B-but, Your-" "We require no bodyguards. Remain where thou stand," the Princess cut the stallion off, before magically closing the ornate gate. Technically speaking, it was a gamble. Only Luna and Celestia were able to open these doors, so the Guards had no way of entering regardless; Stanley however obviously couldn't possibly know that. Nopony more inside in turn allowed for no disturbances during the demonstration itself. "Alright!" Luna exclaimed with an almost sarcastic smile as she turned to Stanley, who slowly shook his head in amusement. "We are ready." "Oh, I see. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to you, horses," the trooper replied with a chuckle of his own, sliding his heagear back onto Luna's head. "Okay, so, for starters, I can think of three things to display... but that may grow - as you said yourself, we have much time. Nevertheless, I think we'll begin with whatever I've already promised to demonstrate. Anything you'd change?" "I cannot say this helmet is... most comfortable," Luna stated, scratching the gear's side with her hoof. Stanley let out a quiet huff. "No wonder, it's designed for humans, specifically for me, to be more exact. It's nothing we cannot fix though," he explained, once again nearing the Princess. "Sela? You've got all the dimensions you need?" "Sure do," the AI's voice resonated from the helmet, for the third time this hour taking Luna aback. "Perfect," continued Stanley, ignoring the monarch's reaction. "Ready?" "Affirmative." "Roger, good," Stanley replied, pressing a small button on the back of the RSU helmet. Instantly, the space for a muzzle expanded exponentially, while the visor neared Luna's face to the point of nearly touching it. Similarly, the Princess' ears were not clamped anymore, proudly stretching upwards instead. "Better?" "It is." "Good," declared Stanley. "Now, I believe we're ready... There's one more thing before we begin, thought." "That is?" asked Luna curiously. "Well..." Stanley hesitated. "A Simulation isn't just the display itself... it's not like watching a play or something, alright? It's... more..." "What does thou mean?" "I... it's hard to describe it... it's like..." Stanley stuttered. "It's as if you entered the events you're watching... took part in them. Your entire body, everything you do, completely carries over to this simulated world. Now... back in the boot camp, whenever we were thrusted into a virtual training like this, we'd obviously be able to interact with the surroundings - you, in turn, will not. You'll be an immaterial observer in a world that's not really this world, but kind of still is... almost separated from your actual body, in a sense that you don't control it, yet in possession of another form that isn't really different at all... from your perspective... I'm not the-" "We are familiar with the concept," Luna stated stone-faced, cutting the human off. From what she understood, this wouldn't be all that different from the dreamscape - just this time, she would be watching over the human world...'s', and not Equestria. "Shall we begin?" Surprised, Stanley blinked a few times. "Wow. O...kay? That... that helps a lot, actually. Answering your question, however... no, we can't begin yet. That's the problem - because the Simulation engages all senses, just wearing a helmet technically isn't enough." "What solutions transpire, then?" "Normally, I'd have to inject you with a lot of different medicines to temporarily remove most feeling. You'd feel as if you were floating in a void." Luna tilted her head, staring at Stanley with an 'are-you-kidding-me' look. The trooper returned a chuckle. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do that, bacause, well... one: you're a country leader and this would be taking things just a tad too far; two: you're not exactly human, nor any Coalition species we've long had contact with, and so I'd prefer to take no chances with our remedies, and three... I have none of these medicines on me anyway. So the case is closed." Stanley explained, showing the reason count with his fingers. Luna rolled her eyes. "Thankfully. What is it that you plan to do, then?" "Glad you asked!" replied Stanley with a smile, which faltered almost instantly afterwards. "Not really, though. We..." the soldier sighed. "There is a way to circumvent it all, but... well... but you might not like it... just listen and decide. We can make the system tap directly into your brain via appropriate wave-length combinations together with a bit of quantum interactions to streamline the process, which'd make you experience exactly what we want... before you ask, no, it's not brainwashing, we couldn't go so far even if we wanted to. Also, this has a time limit, after which you'll immediately drop out of the Simulation... the exact same thing to be expected if anything happens to you in the... 'real world'," Stanley explained, worry already painted all over his face. And quite accordingly so, to be sure. Luna remained petrified, with her head slightly tilted and right eye half-closed. She wasn't even frozen anymore, no. At this point, the Princess might've just as well been deceased. Luna's mind operated on a weird compromise between complete standstill and utter overdrive - thousands of thoughts flowed through her head, but all failed at breaking the stalemate of ideas. The ever-persisting verdict to everything that came and went in this moment of silence... What?... This was ridiculous. Yes, Luna had been joking before, yes, not one of her suspicions had really, truly been real. But now? Truth be told though, Stanley must've already been aware of Celestia's de facto superior position in the state, it was obvious after all... right? And if the humans meant Equestria any harm, the soldier had had far better opportunities than now to subdue not only Luna, but her sister as well. The place was ridiculous as well, if his intentions were hostile. Why the dungeons? Not many witnesses... but other than that? Harder escape, so... Then there was the choice Stanley had given Luna - the choice he was pretty much giving her once again. It surely didn't feel like it at first, but given some thought... it was kind of a proof of his innocence as well. No matter though. No matter, at all. 'Tapping into the mind'? Was Stanley insane? How the hay was that supposed to work? And what, would Luna 'exist in an abyss' following the process, like the soldier had mentioned earlier? So that he can, what, attempt kidnapping? Murder? Check for weaknesses? Despite everything Luna had experienced, every opinion she had developed... this simply screemed hostility. Screamed retaliation. Screamed defense. Stanley seemed nice before, sure, he seemed trustworthy... with his fate, he almost seemed like a sisterly soul. This, however? No trust would be big enough... maybe that towards Celestia, right, but definitely nothing else. Especially considering Luna had only known Stanley for a couple days, less than a week. It can be enough to develop opinion, sure, a bond even considering they've basically been forced to spend a dozen hours together every day - not that the Princess had any problem with that, particularly if it meant slipping away from interactions with hateful subjects. It CANNOT however be enough to basically allow... ugh, this. Cosidering the circumstances, Luna couldn't even theoretically agree; it would be a diplomatic atrocity. Not that the Princess had ever particularly sticked for rules, to be sure... she herself was the rules incarnate, after all. Slowly, more and more new thoughts began forming, striving for solutions. As Luna thought, her first, instincively hostile reaction began to melt. If what Stanley had claimed about this Republic of Sol was right - which there was no reason to assume it wasn't - then Equestria was already on the losing position. Taking unnecessary risks was most undesirable... but so was spoiling relations. Luna should seek to improve them the most she could, so... but shouldn't she maintain the impression of a responsible, clever ruler as well? These two options now clashed. Accept, and fullfil the first, while spoiling the second. Decline - and the opposite transires. Maybe, however - just maybe - good, but subject-like relations with the humans would at least guarantee safety...? Maybe... No, thought Luna. We know too little yet, Equestria shall not fall by our own wish without reason! Perhaps we should not force our sister's teaching into every place there exists... Luna scolded herself quietly; she should've determined the diplomatic direction she'd pursue long ago... not like this one exchange could change much, though. It was, however, still risky. And there was the possibility of... harm... Luna clenched her eyes and teetch, letting out an annoyed huff. Alright! She had her solution. She knew what she'd do. Even if it was stupid beyond belief. Even if it guaranteed countless hours of lectures from Celestia. No matter. This will be an unbelievable gamble. This one situation, this single one, can be sacrificed for a test. A little too late? Sure, but a compromise between clashing thoughts regardless. This biggest gamble will be the ultimate test of trust. If nothing happens, then Stanley, Selina, the humans... they are trustworthy. At least enough not to stay suspicious all the time, the rest remained to be seen. And if this was indeed an attack attempt? Well, Luna knew her abilities. Stanley could be a soldier of whatever formation he wanted, he would not defeat her, period. Luna had what it took to hold her ground, and she knew it. To hay with forced modesty. Just in case however, Luna lit her horn up once again. Unbeknownst to Stanley, the guard count around his private quarters above had just doubled. In contrary to those behind the ornate gate, the contingents topside would be able to enter the chamber, because of the secret passage. Letting out one last huff, mustering all confidence, Luna finally broke the silence, still not fully certain of her decision's implications. She couldn't believe she was doing this. "Alright. Proceed. We are ready."