Three days. It had been three days since Kepler had awoken within the changeling hive, and in that time, he had learned a great many things about his current situation, as well as the world he had found himself in. While there were places within the hive that he was not allowed to enter, such as the hatchery and the pod chamber, for obvious reasons, the queen had not seen fit to limit his ability to move about in any other way. Kepler had quickly found the hive’s library, although the Changeling script was completely alien to the stallion in every conceivable sense of the word. The strange swirls and patterns had no analogue in the human world, which was strange, because the Gryphon text was identical to that of his homeland while those of the other major world powers were equally recognizable. Given the bug creatures had a rather diverse collection of books from various countries, including some detailing the history of what was apparently a world-spanning empire, there was more than enough to sate his hunger for knowledge about who and what he was dealing with. The Gryphon Empire reminded Kepler slightly of the English during their colonial days, although he was frustrated that there was very little in recent events for him to study. Most of the tomes were about the far-flung past or subjects that held no true interest for the stallion.
However, one of his greatest discoveries was a book he assumed to be from Equestria. It covered some of the more generic information about the natives of the land, including the basics of how their society was structured. Yet as he scanned through the pages and illustrations, one thing became immediately clear to him reading the blatantly English text. There were only four races of pony in the world, and he didn’t match up with the characteristics of any of them. Sure, he had the wings of a pegasus, but the ones in the book were covered in feathers, not flaps of skin and bone like a bat. They also lacked his slit pupils and ear tufts, further cementing the notion in his mind that whatever he was, he had not been transformed into a true Equestrian pony. More likely, he was some kind of offshoot from pegasi, that may not have even existed in the world. While the lack of information about himself was frustrating, it did at least help that he wasn’t a carbon copy of what constituted as this world’s Americans. Kepler wasn’t sure if he could have stood the sight of himself if that had been the case.
More to the point, after doing research on the multitudes of subjects within the library and digging around for whatever useful information he could get his hooves on, Kepler had quickly discovered that his superior hearing was very useful for gaining information from those who were unaware of his advanced abilities. He had found that the changelings were a rather talkative bunch when they thought no one was listening, and they were often foolish enough to do so out loud, even though they could apparently speak to one another telepathically. Kepler had gone for walks through the tunnels of the hive or sat in what constituted the hive’s canteen for several hours, just listening to those around him that assumed they were out of his hearing range. He learned a great many things, mostly about the gossip and day-to-day activities of the hive, but now and again he would pick up something interesting.
Apparently, Queen Chrysalis, he’d learned her name the second day in the canteen, was having a lot of trouble getting access to the Bismarck. The Gryphons were stepping up security and weren’t allowing anything or anyone near the wreck unless the individual had access to very specific passwords and key phrases. His disappearance had seemingly kicked the proverbial hornet’s nest, and the Gryphon leadership wasn’t taking any chances. This was making it very hard for the changelings to get anywhere near the ship, much less procure anything for him to teach them how to recreate. Meanwhile, Kepler continued to learn more about the world, the nations which called it home, and most importantly, what he could do to get Gloria and himself out from under the Queen’s hoof.
It was a full three weeks later by the time Kepler had everything ready. He had a plan that would either free the two of them or get him in a lot of trouble. He had spent nearly every waking moment learning all he could, in the hopes of finding something of benefit to his situation. He eavesdropped on the drones and even a few soldiers when he had the chance and went through almost half of the books available in the hive’s library. Now, as he stood before the two navy-armored guards and the doors to the queen’s chambers, he finally felt that he could pull it off. It was an all or nothing gamble, one that could either gain him a huge advantage, or the Queen could take away the freedoms he had been graciously given and stuff him in a pod like Gloria. It all depended on how Chrysalis reacted to what he had to say.
The two changelings stood in the stallion’s way as he approached, one holding up a hoof as the other crouched into an intimidating stance. “What business do you have with the Queen?”
“My business is my own,” Kepler replied, “but it is of great importance to the safety of the hive and the Queen’s grand goals for the future.”
There was a momentary pause before the guards backed off. “The Queen will see you.” Kepler stepped forward but was stopped by a hoof on his shoulder. The guard on his left hissed out a final warning as the unusual barrier folded open before him, “Be warned, the Queen will not tolerate any form of deceit.”
Kepler’s lips curled slightly as he turned his attention back to the opening. “Oh, I have no intention of lying. You can rest assured of that.”
The soldier nodded, removing his hoof as Kepler entered the Queen’s chambers, the emerald resin closing behind him as he walked further into the surprisingly small space. Other than the bed and a single bookshelf, seemingly made from the same material as the door, there wasn’t anything else within the Queen’s room, save for the changeling herself, although her imposing figure was enough to set Kepler’s nerves on edge regardless, as she regarded him with a calculating stare.
“My children tell me you have been a rather busy pony these past few weeks.” Her tone implied nothing more than if she was simply stating a fact, but they both knew that this was going to be a battle of words and wits, one that Kepler couldn’t afford to lose. “You have been reading a great deal about the world and the creatures that live in it, yet you come before me with proclamations of grand plans, and ways to help me further the changeling race’s agenda.” Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she gave no other outward sign of her emotions. “Speak. My time is valuable, and you are wasting it while I could be busy doing other things.”
Kepler held his head high and made sure to keep his gaze leveled with the changeling’s. This was his only chance to impress her. “Your soldiers and drones have been talking a great deal as of late of the many things you have been up to. I heard several muttering about how you’d thrown several scouts out of your chambers, on their heads, for failing to infiltrate the camp around my ship.”
Chrysalis’ eyes narrowed even further. “Choose your next words carefully, pony, or you will find out why those scouts were the lucky ones.”
Kepler forged ahead, knowing that he couldn’t stop until he had made his point, or the Queen tired of his presence. “I know the Gryphons have a massive empire, and that they have a large infrastructure powered by magical gems imported from Equestria. I also know that they are constantly under threat of food shortages from spreading themselves too thin and are thus forced to go to war with other nations to feed their citizens. It’s been that way for dozens of years and it’s getting worse. I also know that your people were forcibly removed from Equestria after a failed invasion, brought on by their starvation. I have been learning, but more importantly, I’ve been listening to your children. They are hungry and frustrated with the lack of results that your solo act is producing.”
The stallion barely had time to blink before he was pressed against the wall of the Queen’s chambers, the changeling’s eyes barely a centimeter from his, as he felt a hoof being pressed against his throat. He tried to move but discovered that he had been stuck to the stone with the same green slime that the drones made their pods out of.
“You are walking a dangerous line, pony,” Chrysalis hissed as her horn began to glow a sickly green. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just kill you and your little friend, and then take control of the ship by force?”
“Because you both need me,” Kepler growled back. “The Gryphons are starving, the changelings are starving, you both have something to gain from me and my ship. Why not work together and combine your might in gaining the resources that you need, instead of working against one another?”
The Queen’s lips slowly lowered over her fangs as the glow of her horn dimmed. “I’m listening.”
“You both want the same thing,” Kepler continued, “food. I have the means to get you both what you need and a target that can provide more than what you could possibly ask for.”
“You promise many things,” Chrysalis mused as she stepped back, “but what assurances do I have that you won’t simply betray me to the Gryphons the first chance you get?”
“Revenge.” The word cut through the air like a knife as the changeling turned to the stallion once again. “I can give you the chance to get back at the ponies that wronged you and provide you with the means to do so with minimal risk to your own people. Let me show you and the Gryphons how to build my ship anew, and together, we can bring Equestria to its knees. Your changelings get the food they need, the Gryphons get the food and industrial resources that they require to stabilize their empire, everyone wins.”
“And what do you get out of all of this?” Chrysalis asked, her hooves carrying her forward until she was nose to nose with the stallion once again. “Where do you fit into this grand plan of yours?”
“I get to create a home where I can live comfortably for the rest of my days,” was the simple reply. “I only want to live my life as best I can now that I’m here in this world. I have no home to return to, so I might as well make this world into one.”
Their eyes stayed locked for a moment, before the Queen backed up, her head lifting as a cackling laugh escaped her throat. “You’re serious? You would really bring war and strife to one of the most peaceful nations in the world, all so you can make this world a little bit more like your own?” Her front legs bent as she hugged her stomach, her wicked laughter echoing through the room for several minutes before she regained control of herself.
“So, what do you say, Your Majesty?” Kepler asked as Chrysalis got herself back together. “Do we have a deal?”
Where anger and suspicion previously warred for dominance, now only a grim satisfaction remained as the large changeling grinned. “Oh, we most certainly do. Uphold your end of the bargain, and I will see to it that you will be the most powerful pony in the new world order that we shall create.” Her horn lit up and Kepler found himself being pulled from the wall, the sticky substance falling to the floor as he was carried through the air up to Chrysalis’ face. “However, to ensure your loyalty, I will be keeping your little friend under my…personal care, until you have proven your claims. Betray me, and well, you already know what will happen to her.”
Kepler growled under his breath but nodded all the same. “I understand. However, I will need to get in touch with the Gryphon high command if any of my plans are to bear fruit. They have to be able to build my ship and be willing to work with you before any of this can get underway.”
“Oh, that won’t be a problem.” Kepler’s body was unceremoniously dropped to the floor as the Queen was suddenly enveloped in a ring of green fire. Before Kepler could process what was happening, a perfect copy of Gloria stood before him, albeit with an uncharacteristic smirk on her beak. “I don’t think high command will have any issues with the two of us speaking to their officers after we show up out of nowhere. We were branded as deserters after all. It would only be proper for the base commander to personally see to the prisoners’ punishments.”
Kepler shivered as the changeling spoke in Gloria’s voice. “Very well. Shall we go then? If this plan is going to work, we must work fast. The longer I’m away from the camp, the more about my ship the Gryphons are likely to figure out on their own, or even worse, misinterpret.”
The disguised Queen nodded, spreading her wings as she picked up the stallion and tucked him between her forelegs. “I’ll get us there in no time at all. Just hang on and we’ll have you back to work on your ship faster than you can blink.”
The familiar tone and form disturbed Kepler’s mind on a primal level, knowing what was truly behind that kind and energetic vener. The idea that the Queen could mimic his friend so perfectly, was unsettling in a multitude of ways. One of the more prominent aspects being the possibilities for infiltration, should his plans actually come to fruition, and how it could be used against him if they didn’t.
The guards didn’t shift positions as they flew out of Chrysalis’ chambers, likely due to the hivemind, or something similar, alerting them to their Queen’s identity. The duo ducked and twisted through tunnel after tunnel, dodging drones and soldiers alike, before they burst into the mid-afternoon sunlight. Kepler’s eyes burned from the sudden shift in brightness, having become adjusted to the dim interior of the hive long ago. As he blinked tears away, he saw they were flying through open air, as they left the tunnels of the hive behind, the opening in the rock face shimmering for a moment before shifting to look like the surrounding stone, as they rapidly gained altitude.
It took the two of them nearly an hour, by the stallion’s rough estimation of the sun’s movement, before the coastline came into view over the horizon. The camp came into view not long after, as the sunlight reflected off the plating of his ship, forcing the stallion to redirect his gaze to the gryphons that were flying up to meet them. Given the drawn weapons and the unfriendly expressions on their faces, he had a feeling Chrysalis’ prediction of becoming prisoners wasn’t that far off. Now if he managed to survive speaking with the Oberst, the real Gloria might somehow manage to get out of this situation in one piece. He just hoped he understood the changelings enough that they were good for their word, although he had a feeling he needed to keep an eye over his shoulder at all times until he had Gloria back. Otherwise, his entire plan could come crashing down around him and leave his friend a prisoner, or worse.
The thought never crossed the stallion’s mind as to why he was focusing on one particular gryphon more than the rest, but the disguised changeling above him certainly knew, if the half-hidden grin on her beak was anything to go by. She quickly wiped it away though as the guards approached, their swords held at the ready as the quartet came to a hover above the camp.
Kepler called out before the tercels could speak, hoping to get the upper hand before things could spiral out of control. “I would like to speak with Oberst Talonedge as soon as possible. I have some explaining to do as to why we’ve been gone so long.”
The two gryphons glanced at one another before nodding, flying into formation on either side of them and slightly behind. Kepler had no illusions that they were in that position for any other reason than to ensure they did not try to escape, as they flew down towards the camp. He only hoped that his plan would work, or else this was going to be a truly short talk with the Oberst.