//------------------------------// // Dreams of Empire // Story: Fractured Moon // by DefiantPosition //------------------------------// As Stars Whirl runs walks out of the room after Rarity, Starry Glory is sitting contently in his chair this meeting turned out much better than he had hoped. He thought it would just turn into a pointless shouting match which it did but in her anger Rarity said something very important. "I will never allow you to implement you twisted ideas and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that your dream will remain dreams." And this made Starry Glory realise something. The Night Guard Counsel is ruled by three creatures and decisions can only be made if they are supported unanimously, but what if the counsel can't come to a decision or more importantly refuses to even do the task which Nightmare Moon tasked them to do. Rarity had said so herself, she will always vote against his ideas and by doing so she is actively preventing the Night Guard Counsel from doing it's job. During such a crisis it would be very reasonable for Starry Glory or any other individual for that matter to abolish this defunct organisation and assume control himself. The only thing he needs for this plan to work is to seize the Lunar Castle and arrest Rarity and Stars Whirl before they can stop him. Starry Glory also needs to keep them away from Nightmare Moon. They have already poisoned her mind with this counsel idea and he is sure they will try to turn his queen against him if they get the opportunity. Starry Glory gets up from his seat, there is no time to lose the future of the Lunar Empire depends on his success. A short while later Starry Glory has managed to assemble quite a large group of creatures in his office. All of them are batponies with important roles within the Lunar Empire, there are generals, admirals, managers from the departments of infrastructure, finance and even healthcare, in short everyone you would need to control a country. Starry Glory looks at those present, there is a lot of murmuring going on, no-one know why Starry brought them here. Starry Glory can't help but smile. Just a couple of years ago he was just a simple journalist and columnist writing for a small newspaper that no creature would even remember the name of but now he was about to write history. Starry Glory get's up from his seat it's showtime. "Mares and gentlecolts I have gathered you all here today to tell you about the greatest threat against our kind since the rule of Celestia. Rarity and her clique of dishonourable opportunists and traitors are refusing to do the job that was given to them by our great ruler Nightmare Moon, and by doing so have betrayed the Lunar Empire and all its citizens. I therefore have decided to remove them from power and assume control of the Night Guard myself." Murmurs erupted again from the room, something like this had never happened before in the empire and no-one knew how to handle a situation like this. Starry Glory gestures the room the be silent again and continues. "But to do this, to save the Lunar Empire from those who wish to destroy it I need your help. Only together can we free Nightmare Moon from their influence and when they are gone we can finally shape our nation the way we want to without any pony influence." Many agreeing voices sounded from the small crowd except for one, general Selenite commander of the first tank division currently deployed in the Everfree forest. While everyone was busy paying attention to Starry Glory she quietly slipped out of the room. In the cafeteria of the castle Rarity and Stars Whirl are sitting together. "We need to do something to stop that monster. Maybe we could approach Nightmare Moon? Surely she would understand that this counsel idea of her doesn't work." Stars Whirl asks. Rarity sighs. "I am not so sure if even she can stop this, sure she has the power to remove Starry Glory from his position but by doing so she would lose the support of him and all his followers and I am not so sure she would risk her empire falling apart." Rarity answers. Their conversation is interrupted when a batpony mare wearing an army uniform takes a seat at their table. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" Rarity asks. The batpony looks around to see if she isn't being spied on before speaking. "My name is Selenite I have come to warn you. Starry Glory is plotting to overthrow you and install himself as leader of the Night Guard and he is mobilising his followers to help him. I don't care about your different opinions I only care about what Nightmare Moon wants and if she wants you in that counsel than I will support her decision, so you have my support if he makes a move." Stars Whirl is skeptical about the situation. Why would a batpony help them? It could be a plot by Starry Glory to provoke a reaction. "Why are you helping us?" She asks. "Why? Because not all of us are like him, most of us just want to live in peace without any violence. Also because I fear that his ambitions go far beyond the you two and the Night Guard, maybe tomorrow I will be branded as a traitor, I doubt even Nightmare Moon would be safe. So I am telling you this for all of our sakes." Selenite answers. After she is finishes Selenite get's up and leaves, leaving Rarity and Stars Whirl alone. Stars Whirl slumps in her chair. She wants to be surprised about this development but a part of her always knew Starry was capable of this. Meanwhile Rarity is sitting anxiously. This is what she always feared would happen but she can't do nothing, she has to stop Starry Glory and protect the Lunar Empire and its citizens from his madness. Rarity and Stars Whirl decide to leave, they have a lot of work to do.