//------------------------------// // ... Or Patient Zero? // Story: Zero Point // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// The Changeling drone that had replaced Lieutenant Crispin was smiling to himself as he walked on the road back to Canterlot during the final hours of Celestia's day. His scheme to gather information based on Twilight Sparkle's behavior earlier that day had gone off without a hitch, helped by the fact that the ranking member of Ponyville's contingent - Lieutenant Meadow Song - had been kept busy on compiling the "official" report of the incident for his E.U.P. Guard superiors. This prevented him from ordering his subordinates to stop the drone's "unofficial" investigations, which would prove a valuable tool for sowing doubt and disruptions. One problem still lay in front of him, though - a Changeling drone could fly faster than an earth pony could walk, but in order to keep up the disguise walking was the only method he could use. It was quickly becoming obvious that this method alone would be too slow to make it to Canterlot before the following morning - and haste was necessary for the misinformation campaign to work - but didn't know what else he could do. He was approaching the waypoint closest to Ponyville, so he hoped that he could manipulate the attending pony into aiding his cause. When he stopped in front of the waypoint, with the sun already being lowered by Celestia, the disguised drone saw that the pony at the post was a pegasus. The drone knew that he was almost certainly one of the "unfavored" members of the contingent, and quickly changed his plan as a result. "Hello, sir!" the pegasus stallion hails the disguised Crispin as the latter stops in front of his door. "Hello, Guard, I have something for you." the disguised drone answers, a smile hiding his true intentions. "Is it something related to what happened to earlier today?" the pegasus hazards a guess. "Indeed, Guard. I have the report for Princess Celestia - it must be delivered to her as quickly as possible because I believe that Twilight Sparkle's behavior was triggered by some kind of effect caused by Discord." the drone answers, at best speaking a half-truth. "Understood, sir. The Captain previously authorized me to fly at night to deliver the message up the chain." the pegasus waypoint officer answers. "Good. I'll give you the report. The intended recipient is 'Chiton' - he'll be waiting at the Canterlot city gate to take it to the castle." "'Chiton'? Is he a newer Lower Class?" "Yes, he should be one of those watching at the city gate." "Understood, sir. Will you cover the waypoint while I'm gone?" "Indeed I will." the disguised drone answers, starting around behind the waypoint booth to enter it. While going back around to hand off the fake report, the drone quietly devised the next phase of his plan. Once the duped pegasus passed on the report, the drone would "eliminate" him by what looked like a bugbear attack on the return trip, cutting off any short-term chance Princess Celestia would find the source of the deceit. He would then temporarily take over the waypoint, allowing further Changeling infiltration in the process. All he had to do once the pegasus was on his way was wait... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MEANWHILE IN CLOUDSDALE... The pair of Changeling drones in Cloudsdale disguised as Cozy Glow's father and uncle were quite pleased at the line of pegasi waiting to be admitted into the meeting hall they had previously rented. This would be the first meeting of "PUP" ("Pegasi Uplifting Pegasi"), supposedly an organization devoted to combating misinformation spread about pegasi in the wake of Aten's rebellion but really concocted for more insidious reasons. "So many of them..." Uncle Kriegspiel eyes in both surprise and eagerness, the licking of lips almost (but not quite) betraying his true self. "You did a really good job with putting up those posters, Glowworm!" Cozy Glow's father praises, giving the filly a bit of a noogie as a result. "Do you think that this will ensure that the pegasi finally get the respect they deserve after being put down by unicorns for so long?" Cozy Glow asks, looking up with hopeful eyes. "It won't happen overnight, but it'll be a good first step. Now run along and see if any of your new school friends are in that crowd - I'm sure they'd be very happy to see you." the drone disguised as her father suggests, and Cozy Glow's eyes light up with excitement as she sprints off into the waiting crowd. "I can barely contain my anticipation!" Uncle Kriegspiel quietly states to his partner once Cozy Glow is out of earshot, the salivation of the starved encountering an abundance of food already beginning to drip from his mouth. "Easy, comrade. We need to get the crowd worked up first, only then can we feast. We don't need to drain them dry, just a little bit from each one..." his disguised partner cautions. "Then what are we waiting for? Open the doors and let them in!"