//------------------------------//
// Chapter 19 
// Story: Hegira: Rising Omega 
// by Guardian_Gryphon 
//------------------------------//

Earth Calendar: 2117
Equestrian Calendar: 15 AC (After Contact)
Twelfth Month, Eleventh Day, Celestial Calendar

IJ

'But...  Why?  What reason would the fell thing have to do that?  The enslaved under Chrysalis harbor no love for us, and it makes the most perfect sense that she would think of us as a serious threat to her regardless!'

They were right of course.  I let my agreement be felt, mixed with a brief snippet of memory to show them how much the Gryphons and Ponies agreed with that assessment.  

Another voice, like a trill of a woodwind in green.

'That is like wasting a dart from the quiver *after* someone else has already filled your enemy with a dozen bolts!  Surely there is a reason.  Your memories of the Wisps show them to be exceptionally well coordinated.  A Hive mind likely not unlike that we have access to...  Not the sort of creatures to waste resources I think.'

Hope always seemed to know how to find a good visual metaphor.  They had taken to that faster than almost anyone in the Hive.  I recalled some relevant moments from my own encounters with the Wisps, and we all watched them together in relative silence, sharing a thrum of connected emotions, and half formed thoughts, but nothing outright that could be transcribed to words.

A sudden knocking at the door of my guest chambers pulled part of my mind back to the reality of the physical.

I left them with the equivalent of 'talk amongst yourselves, I'll be close if you need me' and tuned that part of my mind to hear and absorb everything they were discussing, but on a delay, so that I could devote the majority of my mind to the present, and the physical.

"Enter."

To my surprise, it was Sildinar who opened the door, padding softly across the beautiful woven flax rug to take a seat across from me on his haunches.  He seemed to notice something in my expression, a distance that I often wore just after coming out of a full Hive-link.

"I am sorry...  Did I interrupt?"

I shook my head, and glanced off to the side, doing my best to bring my expression back to full 'neutral' and keeping my tone the same.

"Not especially.  We were going in the same sort of circles that every discussion about our discoveries has been for hours, regardless of the parties involved.  What brings you here?"

The roan Gryphon scratched the back of his head thoughtfully, and took a moment to compose his words before speaking.  His mannerisms always struck me as a middle ground between Kephic and Fyrenn's more colloquial, open, earnest behaviour, and Varan's exceptionally staid, calm, unreadable personality.

"Even without the field of emotional manipulation the infiltrators were producing...  These sessions are going to be a hard fight.  I more than many Gryphons have some experience with these nobles, by dint of my station.  While Luna and Celestia can make the choice outright, as they have said, and while they may have more incentive to break with moirés now...  What happened in the city square has frightened many of the citizens and nobles here alike."

I knew from both the logical construction of his words, and the tone in his voice, that he was not finished, so I pricked my ears and inclined my head in a gesture of assent for him to continue, indication that I understood, and curiosity.

All good infiltrators knew how to use body language, and for that I was grateful.  I loathed the idea of having to try to learn it all from nothing.  The isolated minds of the other kinds seemed to thrive on, and rely heavily on, such non-verbal communication.  To lack understanding of it would have made me a conversational cripple.

At the gesture, Sildinar continued, his tone becoming less preparatory, and more assured as he fixed his eyes on mine to underscore his intent.  He'd also somehow picked up on my desire for him to skip to his point, then work backwards if necessary, in spite of my attempt to hide that emotion for politeness' sake.

"I want to propose a formal alliance between your people, and mine.  Not just an extension of our non aggression pact, and our historical archive cooperation initiative...  An outright alliance.  That means trade...  And the free exchange of all knowledge, including weapons...  Mutual protection...  And that means at least partially open borders between us as well."

There were not many things he could have said that would shock me enough for my muzzle to show it in spite of my usual restraint.  That was certainly one of them.

He held up a claw before I could speak, and I gathered he meant to elaborate, so I shut my open hanging muzzle, and let him proceed, as much so I could have time to process as anything else.

"There has been much blood, and pain between Changelings and Gryphons.  But what you are is something new, and different.  We can no longer afford half-measures in this world, nor can we afford to take things more slowly because of old scars.  We will heal, adapt, and move on, or we will die.  Too much was bound to change already with the coming of so many Converts...  How much more now that we face the Nightmare, and whatever she has planned?  I trust Fyrenn, Kephic, Varan, and Neyla to the hilt.  They all vouch for you, and yours.  What better recommendation could I have?  I'd be a fool not to accept a hoof of friendship...  If you're willing to extend it."

I nodded slowly.  Everything he said resonated with me, and with the Hive as I began to share his proposal, and receive feedback in turn.  Almost all positive, very little that was truly negative.  There was strong consensus.

One of the benefits of a Hive mind; No need to stand around in a room physically deliberating for days at a time when you could poll your entire population and have true sharing of thoughts and feelings, without duplicity, nor the slowness of spoken word.

I spoke aloud one of the more poignant items of feedback, that mirrored my own thoughts.

"And an alliance between us would push the Ponies much harder in the direction of acceptance.  They are all but required to treat your friends as their friends, and vice versa."

He smiled warmly and nodded once, his one word response conveying a wealth of similarly positive and genuine emotions.

"Exactly."

And then he extended a fisted claw.  I hesitated for only a moment, double checking the emotional tenor of the Hive in full, before extending my own hoof to bump the proffered limb.

"We accept your proposal.  Shall we discuss particulars?"





Earth Calendar: 2117
Equestrian Calendar: 15 AC (After Contact)
December 11th, Gregorian Calendar

Martins

"No.  I promise you, unequivocally, that the Council has no idea what happened, neither does the Military.  We're happy to share every last piece of evidence, telemetry...  Whatever you want, in lieu of being able to provide Norris to you in person."

Urgh.  Zero Five Hundred was too early for bullshit.  I winced, and took a deep draught of my coffee.  Black, scalding, and as caffeinated as I could get.  It would have to do in lieu of a full night's rest for at least a little longer.

Seyal's expression made it abundantly clear that she didn't accord any more value to Lindstrom's words than she might have given to a dead rat speared on an index talon.

I'd seen that expression on a Gryphon more than once.  And I'd learned to trust it as being near to infallible.  My gut was in complete agreement with hers.  Councilor Lindstrom had always struck me, the little time I'd known him, as a 'kinder gentler' Matthas Korvan.

He raised his hands in a conciliatory manner, and seemed visibly grateful for the length of the conference table that sat between him, Councilors Xaelus, Sakai, Finch, and Couldoire, and the small entourage from GMCC.  

Of the bunch, Xaelus and the military big-wigs seemed surly, even unashamedly angry.  Sakai had that level-headed even-tempered tranquility that had always made her so popular with constituents and colleagues alike.  Finch and Couldoire looked completely shell-shocked.  They were uncontroversial picks, like Sakai, but clearly less experienced.

Not that experience was much good for the end of the world in my opinion.  I had almost as much experience as Sakai, and I knew I wasn't doing the very best job of containing my emotions.  How could anyone be expected to contain the emotions associated with the idea of a WMD exchange?

That Sakai could hold an even temper was just a testament to her exceptional self-control and professional comportment.  

Xaelus was the obvious pick from the military side.  A former officer himself, he was about as good at politics as the Army is at 'intelligence.'  Sakai and more moderate Councilors had obviously pushed for Lindstrom as a strong counterbalance to Xaelus' age, and heavy-handed pro-Human disposition.

On our side of the table we had Generals Seyal, Arnshekh, Sorven, and a Pegasus two-star named Dappled Stratus whom I was less familiar with, along with myself, and a small collection of my advisers from every species in the Genesis program.

Seyal finally broke the long silence, sharpening the edge of one index talon absently on the granite of the conference table's edge as she did so.  A brilliant intimidation mannerism if ever I'd seen one.

"You expect us to set aside suspicion when the woman who you placed in charge of your military forces fires weapons of mass destruction at civilians, of several different species...  And then she vanishes in an 'accident' which you can not explain?  Aboard an exceedingly reliable aircraft, flying a well traveled military executive flight route, and less than five minutes from the runway?"

As Xaelus opened his mouth to answer, indignation clearly written all over his face, Seyal held up a claw, and cut him off sharply.  Damn.  Smart negotiator.  She'd done that on purpose.

"Let me reiterate two points to you which are vital to your response.  The first being that if we ever discover that you have lied to us about this?  We will find, and execute, every single person involved in the decision to tell that lie, as well as every officer or official in their immediate chain of command."

Xaelus' face hardened even further, and he rose to place two fisted hands on the table, leaning forward as he tried and failed spectacularly to project an air of authority, and menace.

"And the second?"

Seyal, glanced down at her index claw, and then back up at Xaelus with a frighteningly deadpan demeanor.

"Gryphons do not ever make idle threats, bombastic exaggerations, walk back statements, or fail to keep a promise.  We only deal in facts, and truths."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head as Xaelus glowered impotently, and practically spat his response across the table.

"Is that a threat, bird?"

Seyal offered the man another terrifyingly casual glance, then held up her index talon as if offering it for his examination and opinion.

"A promise, monkey."

At last, Lindstrom raised an arm to press Xaelus back into his chair, forcefully interjecting in those naturally soothing tones that he had doubtless spent many hours further honing into the perfect pitch, and practiced hypnotic patterns.

"Delegates, please!  We are all *civilized* creatures here, and I doubt anyone wants to see a demonstration of the Gryphons' considerable physical and tactical prowess applied to anything other than our *mutual* enemies.  The fact remains that we have no way of knowing what happened to Norris' flight until the investigation is complete, and even then perhaps not."

The man spread his arms almost as wide as his smile.  I couldn't help but narrow my eyes.  I never did like anyone who was that comfortable using flowery prose in a high-strung conversation with real stakes.  Give me the blunt honesty of a down-home no-nonsense go-getter like Hutch any day over the velvet cloaked knives of someone like Lindstrom or Korvan.

Lindstrom rose to take a more inviting standing pose, a stark contrast to Xaelus' previously gorilla-like stance, even as the latter sat and glowered with arms folded.  Lindstrom's voice continued on that just-slightly-too-warm key.

"You knocked out the majority of our military defense and tracking systems with your...  Retaliatory action.  Many military marked planes are now running afoul of an angry Pegasi and Gryphons in the airspace around runways now, and a few have even been damaged in the last couple of hours, albeit without serious casualties.  Likewise we have had several near-misses with our own defensive emplacement malfunctions.  And there are still multiple terrorist cells, from numerous factions, who are doubtless acting in the power vacuum to make gains."

Lindstrom sat down once more, and leaned forward, hands clasped together, meeting the eyes of each person at the table calmly as he masterfully wrapped up his little speech.  Slick bastard.

"Right now our first priority must be reaching a mutually agreeable framework for lasting and stable peace between all our governments and military entities.  Immediately secondary to that prerequisite goal, we must work together to create and implement a mutually acceptable deconflicted plan for securing this planet against the protests, riots, brushfire civil conflicts, and terrorist actions that are rushing to overwhelm the dikes even as we sit here tossing childish insults!"

Arnshekh entered the conversation then.  I didn't know him well, but I'd met him briefly more than once.  His temperament reminded me strongly of Sakai's, and I was pinning most of my hopes on the two of them;  Willing them to find common ground in their selfless, tranquil, caring dispositions, backed by the cold steel of their deep well of experience and fortitude.

Of course, it never hurts to have a Dragon on your side for numerous other reasons.  Even a Gryphon can't beat a Dragon for raw intimidation resulting from sheer size.

"Our terms are simple;  We feel that the best status quo moving forward will be to systematically remove the key points of conflict between us.  We wish for both sides to dismantle any and all strategic weapons, excepting a small mutually agreed arsenal which will require positive control from all interested parties to fire.  This will include mutually agreed limitations on any heavier tactical railgun systems.  Anything with significant over-the-horizon capability."

I could immediately see from Xaelus' face, and the shift in posture of the Earthgov Military Generals and Captain, that our first demand was going to be one of the biggest sticking points.  Arnshekh continued unabated, like the gentle flow of a river inevitably over a small waterfall.

"We also wish to disentangle the Military Police from the Conversion Bureaus as much as possible, and rely entirely on JRSF and ConSec not only for the defense and policing of the immediate structures, but the largely Equestrian communities surrounding them."

That seemed likely to be the least argued point, and I could see that as well in the faces on both sides of the table.  The ones I could read, at any rate.

"Finally, we desire a better solution to the question of general Terran governance.  One that respects both the desires of the populace, the growing Equestrian segment of Earth's demographics, and the justified anger of a majority of the populace at the actions of your military.  One that also respects and understands the limited time this planet has left.  As to the question of stability, we can discuss formal apologies and statements of friendship from both sides, as well as a fairly divided and mutually acceptable plan for planetary defense and policing after these other points are settled."

Sakai blinked, and folded her hands under her chin.  While not flustered, her tone was certainly notably concerned as she proffered the first Earthgov response.

"While understandable, your terms are steep, General.  Particularly the first, and last.  You are proposing an unprecedented decommissioning of assets which we, as a sovereign government, lay exclusive claim and right to.  You are also proposing formal secession for some portion of the globe, which will only add to the complexity of the geopolitical situation."

She inclined her head, and stared forlornly at the center of the table, raising one hand to indicate that she was not quite done.

"Nevertheless...  Irrespective of what my colleagues in the Military may have to say, I believe I speak for at least a plurality of Councilors when I say that we are horrified, and ashamed at the actions of our Military Command, and General Norris in particular.  We did fire weapons of mass destruction at civilian targets.  That action must have consequences for us beyond your initial retaliation.  Just as we in Earthgov will expect consequences to be dispensed on your side for the decision to kill four thousand of our own, and to strike a crippling blow against our defense infrastructure."

Xaelus nodded sharply at the back half of her statement.  The first was probably lost on his thick skull.  All he was there to look for was reparations for the dead at Creek Mountain.  Good riddance to bad pennies as far as I was concerned.

One of the Earthgov Military officials, 'Sommers' by her uniform nameplate, a Force Captain by her rank chevrons, raised one finger, asking the question at last that several of huad been dreading for hours.

"You demanded the right to try and punish the officer who fired our strategic weapons at your Conversion Bureau, and this facility.  We have every right to, at minimum, know who fired the potentially illegal, secret, antimatter weapons used to retaliate against us."

'Secret.'  She hit me with the hardest direct glare she could when she said that word.  Well why do you think I kept them a secret?  When you know you've got too many fascists in the hen house, it doesn't do to share your plans for the fox traps with the whole barnyard.

Seyal and Arnshekh also proffered a questioning glance in my direction.  No one on the Shenzhou's bridge, or in the Mission Ops Center, had breathed a single word about Alyra's choice.  

Aside from the fact that I wasn't about to expose that poor girl to any more heat from the Earthgov, I knew the political fallout of 'Isaac Wrenn's Daughter, also a Gryphon Convert' as the news ticker headline paired with the words 'Fired Antimatter Warhead' would badly inflame more than a few already overboiling sensibilities.

"I gave the order."

My head was drawn to the source of the words as if by a steel cord welded to my nose.  Hutch.  He strode into the conference room with the kind of devil-may-care expression and walk you might expect from someone who had cheated death by a very small margin, and consequently had no patience left for anything short of the apocalyptic, or the personally relevant.

"I also gave the order to strike the Hatchet bomber group.  I take full responsibility for the consequences of both actions.  But if you expect an apology?  You've got a whole other thing coming.  You fired at civilians.  Both times.  I took defensive actions as a result.  If I hadn't?  I'll bet you every last measly bit of my life savings that you'd all be dead now, and Gryphons would be hoisting their flag over every Earthgov complex on the planet.  You're welcome."

As Hutch stood between Arnshekh and Seyal, arms folded behind his back, one eyebrow raised, a frustrated silence fell.  I suppose the spectrum dipped far closer to 'angry' than 'frustrated' on the far side of the table, particularly where the Earthgov military officials were concerned.

I shot Hutch a short sharp glance of support, and thanks.  I knew what he was doing.  Suspected what he was about to do.  It would save Alyra and Fyrenn a lot of headaches, and it would help open doors in the rest of our negotiations.

Xaelus rose, and levelled a finger at Hutch as if the sheer force of the action would somehow strike him down on the spot.  The demanding nature of his tone matched the gesture, and his affronted-old-white-entiled-male expression perfectly.

"The minimum terms *we* will accept as consequence for this man's war crimes?  Are these;  He is to be reduced in rank, dishonorably discharged from your 'JRSF,' his commendations and former rank in the Earthgov Military revoked, and his Earth citizenship cancelled."

"Done."

Hutch's words, underscored by the 'THUNK' of his rank insignia hitting the center of the table, shocked every being in the room, except perhaps me.  And maybe Seyal.  I'd noticed the chevrons clutched in his hand, rather than pinned to his collar.  

I knew about his fast-track conversion slot in thirty minutes, that Fyrenn had graciously forced through.

And I had an idea he hadn't been exaggerating when he said he would ask Aston to marry him as soon as he saw her next.  Given what had happened to her, two and two easily made four.

"I'll prepare and sign whatever affidavits anyone might need.  I'll be off-planet before the end of next week at the latest.  And you can bet your sorry asses I will never be back to darken the door of this hell-hole ever again.  I don't feel comfortable sharing a planet with HLF shit-headed mass murderers who carry nuclear command codes."

Hutch could afford to take the heat.  His mind was made up.  I didn't wholly agree with his exact feelings, but in no way did I blame him.  He'd been through hell for the planet more than once, and very nearly laid down his life on several occasions.  It was a vile disgrace that he'd nearly died at the hands of his own former colleagues, and that the consequence of his justified defensive actions would be an ignominious end to steller service.

It would also make very little difference to the man's happiness, or the future centuries of his life as a Gryphon, while making an enormous amount of difference to our negotiations, by giving the Earthgov a punching bag to crucify in-effigy.  He knew that, and he'd decided to do what any good soldier would do when sacrifice could secure victory.

Hutch grinned, and offered a mock left-hand salute to Xaelus' color-drained, defeated face, and then to Force Captain Sommers' confused scowl.

"Fuck you, fuck you..."

Hutch continued to mock-salute each of the Earthgov military officers on the other side of the table.

"Fuck you, fuck you, and fuck you.  To everyone else in this room, thank you all very much, and if you need me, you can come see me sometime this evening after the feathers are in, and I've re-learned how to stand without making a fool of myself."

Dammit Hutch.  The antagonism is *un*-helpful.  Though not underserved, and all things considered not likely to make a big difference to the important outcomes.

He smiled down at me, and proffered a tip of his standard issue uniform cap.

"Janet.  Come find me later, Aston and I would love to take you up on your previous offer for official services."

I smiled warmly in return, and nodded, before fixing my eyes on Xaelus and his entourage of Military officials, drinking in the confusion, anger, and frustration as Hutch strode blithely out of the room, tossing off one last proper right-handed and genuine salute to his JRSF former-colleagues.

Seyal raised one eye crest, allowing the terse silence to lengthen to the edge of discomfort before leaning forward over the table, grinning, and seizing control of the conversation.

"So.  First concession down, and that before breakfast.  Let's talk about strategic weapons."





Hutch

I'm not prone to crying.  I got no issue with the viewpoint that men should cry freely when they want to.  I agree whole-heartedly.  But I'd just never had a whole lot of cause to.

I'd cried over Aston's body when they first brought her in.  I'd cried uncontrollably.  I shivered involuntarily.  I knew I was never gonna forget the feeling that had hit me when I saw her cradled in Fyrenn's forelegs, a hole shot straight through her...  Not even breathing anymore...

I've always been a 'church three times a year, only pray when the shit hits the fan' kinda guy...  But I honestly believe in that moment that only God's grace kept me from just dying on the spot.  I still think I would've if she hadn't pulled through.  And I think that was a miracle and a gift from God too.

Maybe it was time for me to explore a little more faith in somethin' besides myself, and the service.  Lord knows both had let me down far too many times recently...

Apparently Gryphons are big on faith, but not frivolous religiosity.  So that meant I was headin' to the right place.  Maybe it was the fear of what God might say to me if I talked to him, sure, but it was also the hollow and twisted plasticy fakeness of 'church' in most places I'd tried to attend that put me off.

Maybe I just needed to find the sort of fellowship where relationships meant more than liturgy, and where a man could cry openly before God.

Fyrenn's expression?

That was making it pretty hard for me not to cry in the moment.  For plenty of bitter-sweet reasons.

When I'd met the guy, I'd been sure I'd be ringing him up on disciplinaries for his attitude.  He'd obviously wanted to deck me for trying to keep him out of the loop on that first ever crate of Gryphon potion, and his brother Kephic almost had come to blows with me, though they'd barely known each other back then.

And there we were three years later...  Three long years of trust, and friendship...  I wouldn't quite have thought of him as a son, and I don't think he saw me as a father per-se...  But it was closer to that than not.  Maybe like a really close uncle with a favorite nephew, or a godfather with a godson.  A kind of partial father-son relationship in its own way.

I felt like a fool, dressed in nothing but my birthday suit draped in a paper-thin biophobic medical gown, that felt awful on my skin.  And him looking like the picture of magnificent mythical elegance.  And sporting a second of Neyla's crest feathers on the other side of his head to match the first.

He thought he was keeping it so secret, and on the down-low.  But I knew what he'd done.  He'd finally gotten smart, and made the only right choice.  He was more or less glowing.  Somethin' in his head had broken loose, and a little dark piece of him that had been there ever since I knew him, diminished as it was over the years by his brothers and the others, was finally completely and wholly gone.

He reached out with one foreleg to grip my hand and arm in that medieval thing that all Gryphons seemed to like so much.  To my surprise, he then rested his forehead on mine, the warm feathers of his crest tickling ever so slightly, and his words resonating right down through my bones.

"I can't think of any Human I know who is more suited for this.  You're family to me, Hutch...  I'm not ashamed or afraid to admit that I look up to you.  And I love you.  I've been waiting for this day for a long time.  I'm so, so happy for you."

The waterworks started up then.  I just couldn't keep it down.  He pulled his head back, and I could see hints of tears in his eyes too.

Damn.

I'd always wanted kids, but never found the time...  Maybe he was more of a son to me than I'd realized.  And I a father to him.  His next words sure gave that impression too.

"I want you and Aston to join our clan.  Be a part of our family.  I'm through with surrendering to fear, or compromise.  Neyla, and Alyra, and I...  Kephic, Varan...  Skye...  Stan and IJ if they're willing...  We're going to put our beaks, and noses, to making a better world over there.  Together.  As a family.  Actively.  One where none of these horrors will ever overshadow innocents ever again.  With no room for fear, bigotry, or mistreatment.  Come with us...  It'd be great for Alyra to have godparents...  Grandparents."

I nodded slowly, trying to work the tears out of my eyes with my free hand, then patting him on one of those enormous feathered shoulders as he released the arm-lock.  What he was offering was like a man holding out peace, rest, and food to someone starved, marooned, and exhausted as they finally stepped over the threshold and made it home...

"I gotta talk to the missus-soon-to-be, but she's already been talking about sticking close to folks we know.  I think she'll be all for it.  She's warmed back up to you, she's a kindred spirit to Neyla, and she loves the ki--  Alyra.  Not such a 'kid' anymore I guess..."

He nodded in turn, and inclined his head, placing a comforting claw on my shoulder as he spoke.

"Thank you.  I heard what you did...  You spared her a lot of potential future grief.  People are going to remember what she did for a long time...  Some of them are going to resent it, and carry that resentment through to Equestria when its their time.  Thank you."

I snorted, and patted the side of his foreleg.

"Hey?  What is family for if not for coverin' for a little shenanigans with strategic weapons now and again?  It was time for me to stop holding on to the past.  This job?  It's been killing me these past couple of years, Fyrenn.  I don't want to stop holding command, or defending people...  But...  I just..."

He folded one wing around me and dropped to a seated position at my side, finishing my thought with perfect clarity.

"You can't stand to bleed any more blood for this soil when every time you make five steps towards saving the place, the dipshits make ten steps back.  And you can't stand to watch the ones who care have no power to make a difference, and the ones who have power make it abundantly clear that they don't care."

I nodded, and scratched thoughtfully at the back of my head as I collected one last thought to add to the pile.

"In Human terms?  I'm gettin' too old for this by half.  Time for younger, fresher fighters to carry that particular torch.  There's not much future left for this planet anyway.  We're not gonna miss anything that we'd want to see, or that either of us could do much to soften.  Better for someone less controversial, and more optimistic, to step into that breach and try to cushion the landing."

He sighed deeply, as if what I'd said had given him some kind of release too.  We were both alike that way.  We hated to stand back and let someone else try to put out the fires.  But I knew as well as he did...  It was the only play that made any sense anymore.

"Aston said she didn't exactly dream, because of the way that she had a double dose, and her process went faster.  They say that's why its taking her a little more time to get her head and her body lined up...  Will I dream?"

Fyrenn nodded, and tilted his head slightly, as if lost in his own warm memory of the moment.

"Yes.  It's an amazing experience.  Something you'll cherish your whole life after.  It's not long...  You'll feel like almost no time has passed once the disorientation lifts...  You're sure you want me to stay with you?  They say that the process can pass genes across from other Gryphons in proximity, if you share a close bond.  The manner of sharing matches the manner of the bond, or bonds.  That's why Alyra..."

I could feel a big fat grin filling my face.  I'd always wondered how that worked, and I couldn't resist a little good natured ribbing.

"So *that's* why she looks so much like the both of ya.  Poor kid."

He chuckled, and ever so slightly batted me with his wing.  I decided I very much liked the level of informality we could reach as family first, warriors second, and officers distant third.  I sighed, and nodded slowly as I dipped back into a more serious tone.

"Yes.  I'm sure.  If it means I'll come out related to you like an uncle...  Or a father...  I'd be honored."

Somethin' about the idea started up both our tear ducts again, and we sat in familial, emotional silence for a good ten minutes, before the attending physician, a Zebra with a perfectly fitted gray lab coat, popped into the isolation room with a familiar looking paper cup filled with a glowing golden liquid.

I made my way across to the biobed, shaped to hold first a Human, then a Gryphon, and lay down on my stomach.  Fyrenn had already given me that little pointer, based on his own experiences.

"Alright then.  Let's get the rest of my life started, shall we?"





Neyla

Just before we'd started the landing sequence, Fyrenn had taken another of my primaries for his crest, and I had finally reached a moment I'd dreamed of for years, taking two of his for mine.

I'd almost missed the beauty of the sunrise during the high altitude portion of the approach.  I was too busy looking at my reflection in the canopy.

After landing, we'd splayed out on the Shrike's warm wings with a blanket, shared the bottle of soda and sandwiches he'd packed for our picnic, and watched as planes came and went from the facility's runways.

We'd talked in breathless terms about shared dreams for the future.  Dreams we both knew others would want to soon share with us.  Dreams of a clan like nothing else that had ever been seen in either world.  Dreams of a little home high in a distant mountain redwood, far beyond the frontier, facing south so we could see each sunrise and sunset in equal measure, just a twenty second flight from a keep standing watch over the whole valley.

Dreams of a place where everyone who could be open, and share in fellowship, would be welcome.  With a home for all who needed it, and hundreds of children of all kinds, Native and Convert, rolling and tumbling and roughousing together through a highland glen with a view to take the breath from you with every shift in the light.

Dreams of celebrating Alyra's hatch-day as a fully fledged family for the first time.

And all the while each of us nestled as close together as we'd ever been physically, my left wing over his back, his right foreleg around my neck, our tails entwined, sides pressed together, breathing in synchronization, and spending far too much time staring into each other's eyes.

We had so much lost time to make up for, both in terms of the time we'd known each other, and in terms of all we'd suffered even before that.

It was a gift like nothing anyone but the Creator could have ever given...  To express the love I felt, and have him accept it!  To have him express the same in return unabashedly, unafraid, and to accept it in turn!

As full and proper morning came, gray and dull as always at Earth's surface elevations, he'd asked me to go to Alyra while he tended to other matters.  I knew neither of us would be able to sleep for some time, and I didn't envy him any of the tasks I guessed he'd set for himself.

I padded softly into the room, laid myself down beside Alyra...  Very soon to be *my* daughter, in name, and truly, for all time, not just informally...  The very thought brought tears to my eyes...  And then I'd tried to get some waking rest, matching my breathing to hers and just glorying in the moment.

Only a half hour passed, and her eyes fluttered open.  She yawned, stretched, and noticed with a groggy but luminous smile that it was I, not her father, whose wing she was cuddled up under.

And then she noticed her father's feathers in my crest.  Her brain was fast, and the speed with which she went from slowly building average morning energy, up to an excitement that might as well have been lightning in a bottle, was incredible.

She almost knocked me off the bed, her embrace hit me so hard, wings and forelegs wrapped around my neck as if I would vanish, and she would wake up to find it had all been a dream, cruelly snatched away by dawn's light, if she didn't hold tightly enough.

She didn't so much say anything coherent as she let out something like a fit of glorious laughter, mixed with occasional heaving sobs.  And then she finally got out one word that brought about sobs of my own.  A word she'd never said fully aloud directly to me in anything but a half-joking manner, always catching herself.  A word I knew she used privately for me, internally, with much more earnestness.  Holding back in hope, and fear, for a day that had finally come.

"Mom!"

I folded my wings about her, and held her there for almost another half hour, laughing, crying, laughing again, breathing deeply and quietly as we matched heartbeats and tried to just get our heads and our hearts around the whole huge scope of the truth...  She was mine.  And I was hers.  We were his, he was ours.  All was going to be exactly as it should be.

Home can be a strong sense of place.  But also of people.  In that moment, the high flying surreality of accepted proposal, and dancing in starlight, finally gave way to a golden-hued sense of true reality.  The memories slotted into place as something hat had *happened,* truly, along with the softness and joy of the present.

And I felt as though I had come *home* for the first time in my entire life.





Skye

That sneaky little no good, stuck up, scruffy... CAT-BIRD!  He'd thought I wouldn't notice!!   Oooh, the NERVE!  Or maybe he knew I'd notice, and just wanted to see my reaction...

I'd spotted the second blue feather in his crest instantly.  I may 'only' be a Unicorn, but I *have* eyes, and they work above average for my species, thank-you-very-much!

I rushed forward and prodded his chest with one hoof to get him to dip his head so I could see better.  My magic wouldn't lock on to him, Gryphon that he was, or I'd've yanked his head down straight away.

"Oh my CELESTIA!  It happened!  It finally happened, and...  Did you two finally kiss, and I WASN'T THERE TO SEE IT?! "

He actually had the gall to give me a grin, and a wink!  I couldn't be truly mad at him.  I was so excited it was hard not to lose all self control and lock the big lunk over with a hug.  Still, it had taken him far to long to sort himself out, and as the closest thing he had to a younger sibling, I felt I had a solemn duty to poke, prod, rib, and irritate him in good natured fashion as much as possible to make up for that void in his life.

Finally I gave in, dropped my mock pouty lip, and pressed my head into his side for a hug.  He put one wing over my back in that way that made me wish he was my big brother, instead of the awful rump-horn that I had 'officially' 'by-blood.'

"We want to have a ceremony as soon as we can get back home.  Something very small, just family;  You, Stan, IJ, Kephic, Varan, Hutch, Aston, Sildinar...  Probably the King and Queen, but only if they promise not to make much of it and turn it into something larger and showier.  I think Neyla will ask you to play a part for her in the ceremony, but I don't want to say anything else and spoil any surprise she has planned."

I turned and poked my head out from under his wing to look up at him.  He was clearly the happiest I'd ever seen him, except for maybe when he'd first got the feathers, and when Alyra had first gotten hers.  It felt good to see him free-er.  At peace.

Breath filled my lungs to ask the question I'd been meaning to put to him, on and off, for years.  

But it sounded stupid in my head the second the thought really crystallized.  

What Gryphon would want a Pony in their clan?  That was something so rare, I'd only ever seen mention twice in a history book.  And why would he, or I, want to bother with any of the official fol-de-rol when I was already as close to being an official little sister to him as one could get, without it being official?

A much smaller voice at the back of my brain tried to poke through;  Is that really your best excuse you foalish little filly?  Is it really that you don't want to 'inconvenience' anybody, or is it just the same kind of hang-up you bothered him about for three years?

Is it really stupid?  Or are you just afraid?

Are you really worried about cultural nonsense...  Or is it because of all those bad memories of---

I got a lock on the little voice and squeezed until it choked out of existence.  Just like always.  Much better.  No distractions.  We had a busy day to get to, and I needed a clear head to do my job.

With a warm, genuine smile, I nodded, and stepped out from under his wing.  I was so happy for him, and Neyla, and Alyra...

He didn't say anything, but I think he'd caught something behind my eyes...  The expression he gave me managed to breathe life back into that little insistent voice.

Just ask him.  He already treats you like a sister.  Why not go all in on that?  Officially get rid of the 'blood ties' of the old ass-wipes, and put the past to bed?  You want in on that warm fuzzy family?  You want to spend the rest of your life with them, and have three big brothers, a big sister, and a favorite niece for-realsies?

He'd take you in a heartbeat.  They all would...  Just ask!

Ok, fine...  But not today.  Today there's work to be done.

I shook myself, and gestured down the hall with one hoof.  Fyrenn fell into step beside me.

"Honestly?  I'm so happy I could *burst* feathers!  But before we can get to the 'happily ever after' part, we have some work to do.  I stayed up all night working on a new twist on an old spell, and I think I can manage what we need to get some answers."

He nodded as we rounded the corner, and started the check-in process for the secure area beyond the corridor's huge double blast doors.  A Gryphon and a Pegasus stood guard in Genesist armor, eyeing us calmly, but carefully, as we both provided DNA samples, eye scans, and typed passcodes to the doors' access pad, each in turn.

"It hasn't said anything since it woke up?"

I shook my head as the doors began to slide open at last, waiting until we were firmly on the other side before continuing the conversation.  As I talked, we walked down the darker gray, more thickly armored hallway.  The floor began to slope as we passed underground.

"It made some pretty awful sounds...  Tried to hurt Astris' body, but the security team put it into gel-padded restraints after that.  Everything in the room is as Thaumophobic as it gets, so no easy way out through any magic tricks.  Besides, it's got a twenty-four-seven Gryphon guard to clamp down on any shenanigans, and the spell I left inside Astris' head seems to be preventing it from cutting loose and getting out that way...  Although I'd rather we just let it go, or killed it after this.  Astris has suffered enough."

It had taken far less convincing from Fyrenn than I'd have expected for Martins to agree to his plan;  Hold the Wisp inside Astris' head in-place until I could devise a spell that would let me link up with it, and sift its mind for useful intel.

I had expected...  Hoped...  That Martins would overrule him.  I think in a way he had too.  

I knew we all hated the idea of that thing being inside his head a moment longer...  I guess Fyrenn just had a better emotional grip on the stakes.  How important the information was that we could potentially extract from a trapped live Wisp.

And we had no other way to contain the thing besides Astris' body, let alone trying to find a way to link up to it if it wasn't latched onto another Unicorn.  That was the lynchpin of my whole strategy.

We finally reached our destination.  I could tell Fyrenn didn't like being underground, in spite of the twelve foot ceilings.  Or maybe it was just the idea of what we were about to do.  Or just some dark melange of both.

Lucapa didn't have a dedicated high security brig, just a small light-duty facility that rarely saw use, mostly dealing with petty crimes and the occasional similar bad behaviour you always get when you toss a bunch of stressed people together in a concrete maze.

Martins' security department had been forced to convert an Antimatter warhead storage room.  And given what the thing inside Astris had tried to do, they'd wisely cleared the entire wing of the facility of anything more explosive than an over-pressurized ketchup packet.

It took several more minutes of fiddling with access credentials and biometrics, and at last the heavy blast-resistant door to the chamber itself dropped away into the floor.  The room was divided in half by a heavy transparisteel barrier, with a small steel door in it.  A hastily assembled prefab.

On our side was a small metal table, a couple of multispecies chairs, and nothing else whatsoever.  On the other side, bolted to the floor and ceiling, a medical restraint device designed for use on Ponies during surgery.

Inside Astris.  And inside him, the Wisp.  His eyes never seemed to stop glowing telltale red, not since we'd captured him at least.

Leaning against one wall, a very alert female Gryphon in the heaviest armor Genesis could provide, was pointing the largest particle rifle that I'd ever seen right square at the point between Astris' eyes, just beneath the base of his horn.

I winced involuntarily.  Fyrenn put one wing over my back again, and came to an abrupt stop.

"I want to tell you we don't have to do this...  But I am not about to throw away our best chance at finding the Nightmare.  The sooner we end this war?  The fewer people are going to die, and the sooner we can get to that 'happily ever after.'  I'm sorry that  there's no one else I can ask to do this.  With any luck, he will be free after this, and we'll know exactly where to put that last antimatter warhead."

He was right.  Fyrenn never asked anything of anyone that he wasn't willing to put himself through...  And he'd put himself through a lot worse than what he was asking of either me, or Astris.  And like all of his kind, he never made a consequential decision without carefully weighing the costs and outcomes.

I nodded firmly, and nudged the base of his wing with the side of my head.

"It's ok.  We need what it knows, and we can get it, and then we can let it out, and I'll blast it to little bitty subatomic giblets.  Typical average Saturday's work."

He crooked me to his side for a moment with his wing, then folded it away, and rapped lightly on the transparisteel with a fisted claw.  The Gryphoness inside the chamber unlocked the connecting door, and exchanged places with us, offering only a silent salute.

She closed the connecting door, then excused herself out into the corridor, taking up a guard position by the exterior access hatch.  Once the main blast door had fully closed, I finally sat down across from Astris' body, and set to work.

The Wisp inside watched silently as I started my spellweave, piercing me with an unnerving glare that was probably intended to break my concentration.  Yeah.  As if.

Fyrenn sat on his haunches just over my left shoulder, forelegs crossed, glowering right back at the Wisp with a much more intimidating expression.  I felt perfectly safe.  I'd;ve felt perfectly safe if I'd been locked in with the thing alone, and unrestrained.  I could out-duel any Unicorn, with the possible exception of Twisprite Spangle, or whatever her name was.

As I reached the last part of the spellweave, I opened one eye, and glanced up at Fyrenn.

"I can't link you to the network I'm forming, for obvious reasons.  But I can project your image and voice into it, and I can project what I'm seeing and hearing into the room.  You sure you're ok to come with?"

He nodded, and smiled ever so slightly, returning his gaze to the Wisp as he answered.

"No sense in you going alone.  I want to see this for myself.  And I want to be there for you if you need me."

I exhaled slowly, and began to reach out with a tendril of white, teal, and blue magic towards Astris' horn.

"Ok.  Here goes..."