Northern Mountains
If one were to compare the Amberblade Fortress to Canterlot, most would see the sheer difference in scale. The entire mountain the fortress was built open had been entirely turned into a massive fortress on the outside as well as the inside. Black smoke puffed out from numerous smokestacks that emerged from the mountain itself while the surface of the mountain was full of Griffons, pegasi, and the occasional dragon that flew about transporting crates, bags, or were on patrol wearing armor. The armor in question was unlike the former plate armor of the past Griffon Empire, but appeared to be made of a matte material with soft clothlike material that connected the chest, arms, and legs of the patrolling Griffons. One thing that was universal about them would be that most if not all wore the color blue in some shape or form.
Another that a casual observer would see would be the fact that every Griffon on patrol was armed with blocky weapons made entirely out of metal with barrels and without stocks. This was added upon by several boxy cases strapped around their rear legs seemingly filled with brass-colored objects and a heavy saber across their backs. Adding the fact that they wore helmets fitted with full masks with tubes, it made for a fearsome look as they flew around with little to no difficulty in the cold weather.
However, within the mountain itself, there were intense discussions on what was happening at their borders.
“High Queen, it must be said that we should look into the matter that the historian brought up.” A large Griffon, fitted with green colored clothing across his chest, as his dark brown eyes glimmered brightly in the lighting overhead. “A solid thousand years ago, an entire city of magic crystals had been displaced by magic. This is a fact that had been recorded by Griffons that had survived the skirmish against the Diarch of Equestria.” His dark gray feathers cast a distinct shadow under his dark yellow beak.
“I do not deny that the city had existed at some point, Lord Greyclaw.” A rather petite female Griffon who wore a dark blue armor with gold embroidery commented as she brushed her talons over her amber colored beak. Her deep dark orange feathers shuffled as she contemplated on the numerous maps and documents all haphazardly placed on the table. “But the fact remains that the same Diarch lays claim to the frozen wasteland that our spies have found the most magically enriched crystals. We cannot also send in troops to secure the area as it would violate the treaty signed by my great grandmother with Celestia.”
“However, in order for us to power our Knight Engines; we require the far more potent magical crystals to create the Cores that will power the Engines.” Greyclaw growled as he slammed his talons onto the massive wooden table. “With our current cores, our engines can only operate for twelve hours at full combat situation. Our arcanists theorize that a Core made with such a high-powered crystal, we can create something that can last for weeks instead of mere hours.”
Steam Cores. The High Queen narrowed her eyes as she remembered her own Mother’s ramblings at the shortcomings of their primary way of powering their engines. While the initial version of a steam core had been built entirely without anything magical, there had been drawbacks. And how bad it was. If one were to use the non-magical Steam Cores to move even the smallest of bipedal engines, all it could do was walk for half a mile. Not run, as that would lead to the Core overheating and detonating in a massive blast of steam.
That poor test pilot was handsomely rewarded and his family elevated to Knighthood, but the fact remained that instead of a working power source; all it had gotten from them was a high powered steam explosive.
So it had forced the engineers to include arcanists into their development where a successful ‘modern’ Steam Core had been born. It allowed for flat out running speeds on nearly every Engine, be it bipedal, aerial, or tracked; but the drain on the cores were far too high and not as viable. This in return, forced the Knights under her to develop tactics that could only be described as lightning strikes followed by infantry which would be followed by the massive steam rigs that allowed for the recharging of the steam cores of the Engines that were sent in first.
“There… might be a way.” A young female Griffon's voice sounded from the side door of the war room. The High Queen and Greyclaw turned to look at a female Griffon with rather standard white feathers covering her head and chest, while her wings and body were light brown in color. Her golden eyes seemed to waver at the sight of the two most powerful Griffons, but merely entered the room with the most confidence she could muster.
“Gilda, I thought you were visiting a friend in Equestria?” The High Queen looked at the young Griffon who looked suddenly bitter. “Can you elaborate?”
Thankful at not pushing the topic, the Griffon held out a book she had been holding to Greyclaw who merely took it and inspected it. It was…
“Well, well, well…” Greyclaw chuckled as he handed the book to his Queen. “It seems that your heiress has brought something rather interesting.”
The High Queen gently took the book and began to skim its contents. As she read the slim book further and further, her mood seemed to have gotten better and better. In fact, she snapped the book shut and gave Gilda an appraising look.
“It seems that I have misjudged you, Gilda. I had thought you had gotten soft when you had left to learn in Equestria, but this…” She placed the book on the table and tapped at it with a smile. “Lord Greyclaw, do you have an empty position for a squire?”
Gilda’s entire body and mind perked up visibly at that. She glanced at the forebodingly large Griffon who began to rub at the bottom of his beak.
“Why… My own squire had been recently promoted to a Knight…” He grinned ferally as he looked at a nervous looking Gilda with an appraising look. Gilda snapped her eyes at her mother, The High Queen Demina Amberblade; and bowed her head.
“Can I trust you not to give Gilda special attention?” Demina looked at the map as plans began to form in her mind.
“You have nothing to worry about, High Queen.” Greyclaw placed a massive paw on Gilda’s shoulders as he began to guide himself and Gilda out. “I will forge her into the greatest Knight we will ever see.”
The High Queen would briefly look up from her planning to see Gilda with a fierce smile following an equally eager Greyclaw who looked like he couldn't wait to train another Knight. But for now, more planning. Planning to make the Knight houses under the Amberblade rule the most powerful military force on this planet.
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Patina sat on her haunches as she overlooked the small crowd of Changeling Queens that were all gladly eating the food grown with Ai-Mizu and made with it as well. She could spy a few from the platform by sneaking some food into their saddlebags, but didn’t bother to stop them.
There would be no need, she idly thought. Not after what she was about to offer.
She glanced towards where Gemini sat trying to figure out how Ambrosia of all Queens were familiar with her. Ambrosia herself was trying to drink a glass of Ai-Mizu while flying upside down like that of a foal, but made for an image of pure immaturity. But of course, no one bothered to tell off the young Queen as her entire hive seemed to be present now. Patina then turned to look at a confused Myxine who was sipping at a cup of Ai-Mizu while being suspicious of everything around her, and outright glaring at Ambrosia. Then there was Miasma, who was simply stuffing her muzzle with the numerous kinds of different foods that ranged from simple hayburgers, bowls of noodles, and various other dishes that had application of meats. Even Patina could not hide the disgust from her own face as one could see Miasma’s teeth chew on the food with some being forced out the sides of her mouth. Patina glanced over at a nonchalant Calliphora who was sampling every dish in a manner befitting of royalty, to the point where even Chrysalis, who was studying everything around her with a critical eye; and Patina met Chrysalis’ green ones with the intensity of fusion fire.
She would not back down from a self-declared Leader of Changelings, not at this stage!
“I greet you all once again, to all of my fellow queens.” Patina said in an even tone as she spoke through her helmet mike and projecting her voice through the PA system aboard the DropShip. Every eye turned and focused on Patina. “Any questions you might have, I would like to ask you to hold off until the end. Now then…”
Patina cleared her throat as some of her drones rolled out a cart fitted with some kind of device that proceeded to project an image of the massive clearing she had carved out with mechs and with the hard work of her hive.
“Some, if not all of you, are suspicious of me. A queen with no name other than being associated with the deceased queen Palinia Gear and appearing with things that seemed miraculous.” She motioned to the water and food being served still. “All of this is my family’s achievement throughout the centuries we have separated and briefly approached your Council in the past. Once, the amount of love we could fabricate was mere single digit gallons per month. Even when we had found out how to fabricate love, it had been in such insignificant amounts that we could not approach you all. But that changed when I completed a device that can theoretically produce thousands of gallons of artificial love. A fusion of technology and magic, Our magic.”
As Patina said this, the image of the clearing changed to a footage of the ALGT in full function with the footage showing the massive flow within the pipe attached to the bottom.
“But there is an issue. An issue that all of you should have noticed.” Patina motioned to the wall where a bird’s eye view of Griffon and Pony military forces being dispatched to various cities and key border fortresses. “Not only have the other races gotten better at detecting our race, but you must have noticed their far more extreme reactions?”
Various queens’ eyes became saddened, filled with fury, and/or afraid. Patina closed her eyes and breathed out.
“As I understand, all of your hives are practically rationing love to an extreme level and some of you had to resort to draining other races entirely. I will not fault you for that. Survival comes first. But can you all see where I am going with this?” Patina paused as she was handed a glass of Ai-Mizu from one of her drones. “Yes, you might be able to claim that I am trying to force you under me with the Ai-Mizu my hive produces. I will not deny that particular thought crossed my mind. But that can only go so far. What I want is for our race to have a unified front against the others. A unified front that can only be presented when certain conditions are met.”
As Patina paused, the image of the clearing reappeared, but with also the massive ship that she lived in. Every Queen, even the major queens, looked shocked at its imposing sight.
“A race can only move forward when they have shelter, food, and security. Look at how Equestria prospered! Only when food, shelter, and security was provided by their Alicorn Princesses; that they truly take their fate and run with it. The Griffons became the powerhouse that they are as their former empire paved the way with their fortresses, their massive farms in the valleys, and their rapidly advancing military providing security. But what of us? We are all scattered in cities, hiding from them, and trying to survive at the barest of levels. I have the means of providing all, but I lack one thing.” Images of empty vehicles, empty arm-mounted harness with the helmets, and so much were presented; then switched back to the empty clearing. “I lack the numbers to provide the shelter. You can see the machines outside, battlemechs. They weigh 30 tons, armored with lightweight metal composite, and armed with weapons that would only exist in our imaginations!”
With a flourish, Patina pointed at a boulder in the distance as she shouted the last word. Immediately, two of four ‘battlemechs’ rotated swiftly at the hips and unleashed a pair of azure lightning bolts and a single streak of green laser, that entirely obliterated the boulder. From within the hangar, two Changeling drones, sitting within an immensely heavy quadrupedal armor with a turret mounted on top of the barrel; also unleashed a hail of physical rounds as what appeared to be horns spat out fire. The rapid sound of ‘bram-bram-bram’ was reinforced by the cannon on their backs firing a pulsating burst of crimson laser that proceeded to set fire and cut down parts of the small forest around them. When they stopped firing, the other queens could finally observe the angular armored quadrupedal machine that was much larger than even Chrysalis, nearly a foot taller in height and much much heavier. The almost beastial prowling the quad battle armors did not do much to dispel the fear that now existed in their minds.
“You know and have seen the ponies’ usage of Golems and the griffons have begun to test cannons that far outrange anything the ponies have. And for your own information, other nations across the seas have also seen the usage of the Golems, a lower quality of course, that the ponies produce. And where does that bring us? Skulking in the shadows, afraid of being run out of cities, and/or being killed for what we are. No more, I say!”
She pounded her mechanical hoof into the platform as she gestured to the other queens with a mixture of power and pride in her expression and posture. A drawn picture of what could only be called a city of metal and a fortress with no peer appeared on the wall as Patina met every eye that was now on her.
“With all of us united, we can build. Build for a future where we do not have to worry about when love can be found! Build a platform from which we can become more than what we are now! Build for our future when we can colonize other worlds!”
A video, an old one that showed DropShips landing on alien planets, played showing that it could be done. Patina could feel the hope from the majority of minor queens and turned to the major queens who, other than Ambrosia, seemed to be contemplating things.
“What I want, no… Wish! I wish for our race to put aside past grievances against each other and work together with me to better our race. So… Join me. I will provide the transportation to bring you to my home in the Southlands, if you require. And together, let us propel our race into a future where we can live without looking over our shoulders.”
“...How do you intend to implement a unified government?” Chrysalis was the first to ask as she was still taking in what was said and what she had seen.
"Simple. We maintain the format as Council, but we all know each hive specializes in different things. So there will be various councils for each department, but they shall vote for their leader who will sit in the Main Council. However, the leader for our race should be voted into power by every queen. This seat will also have a limited time when they are in power and only be able to be voted back in a limited amount of times." Patina replied as she jumped down from the platform and stood before Chrysalis. "Monarchy and Diarchies are great when you can maintain a strong claim of power. Be it immortality or bloodlines, it is necessary. But we are all mortal. I and you will grow old and perish, but we can maintain a stable government with this system."
"And how will you determine who is in which department?" Myxine spoke this time as she jabbed a hoof at Patina. Patina merely smiled as she motioned to all the other queens.
"That is far easier than you think, Queen Myxine. We all live in different cities doing different things. And yes, the technology I possess uses those skills you all gained throughout living within Equestria and in the Griffon Knight Legions. I will, of course, provide classes on learning the basics of the technology I and my family researched for so long.” Patina said as she used the harness’ arms to grab a cup of Ai-Mizu from a passing drone. “And by teaching and speaking with you all, I can recommend where any one of you can go. Those that lived in farming communities can go into agriculture, those that lived working factories can enter manufacturing, and so much more.”
“You spoke about security.” Miasma managed to growl out as she continued to eat the rather delicious love-filled foods. “How are you going to organize a military from hives that can barely function together?”
At this Patina merely smiled as she pointed at the battlemechs that stood guard outside.
“Three of those mechs are piloted by Queen Gemini’s drones. The last one is piloted by one of Queen Ambrosia’s.” Patina spoke easily as she then pointed at the pair of battle armors. “Those two are piloted by my drones. Now you have to wonder how drones from three different hives can work together. The answer is a certain trait of Ai-Mizu that allows for drones to become… independent. It has been proven by my mother that it only affects a tenth of every hive, and those that become autonomous to a fault can act on their own without reliance on the hive mind.”
“May I ask why that is good?” Chrysalis asked with a straight face, but Patina could feel the doubt in her voice.
“If a queen is killed, do the drones go about their way to restore the hive or do they simply die a slow death?” Patina questioned Chrysalis and it seemed to dawn on her on why this was a positive thing. “By being independent, they can operate on their own despite their queen’s death. Not to mention, it allows them to be excellent career soldiers that can operate on a far more versatile level as they do not rely on a queen to survive. But of course, being only tenth of every hive could only amount to a few hundred. Not a proper military force.”
At this statement by Patina, Chrysalis and Calliphora nodded grimly as they were few of the queens that had seen the military formations of Equestria. Thousands of ponies served in many branches of the Equestrian Armed Forces, but their primary force multiplier has been their Golems. And they had hundreds.
“As I understand, only a few hives have some form of combat experience and the one with the most numerous and belligerent hive is yours, Queen Chrysalis. While you may eventually become the Council leader for the military, there is one thing you must respect. You will not be allowed to act on your own if you do join us.” Patina leveled a look on Chrysalis, who merely looked impassive at Patina’s look.
“B-but we will not be denied or discriminated against by the size of our hives?” The minor queen that had received Gemini’s flask spoke up as a mixture of hope and fear. “The love each hive may receive will not be different?”
“So should I distribute Ai-Mizu equally? So should Queen Chrysalis receive the same amount of love as you?” At this, the minor queen wilted; but Patina’s smile spoke differently. “No, the amount will differ between each hive. That is a given. But will they be held back from you? Never. Ai-Mizu will be freely distributed and we can certainly build more ALGT to generate more.”
“I-I’ll join!” The minor queen shouted suddenly as she ran up to Patina and held her left hoof with both of her front hooves. “I, Queen Magica of the Magicka Hive, will join you!” Patina stumbled at the sudden ‘rush’ and she studied the other Queen that was a few inches shorter than her. Her horn was shaped much like a unicorn's horn with three 'voids' that went from the base, mid, and near the top of her horn. Her back was a dull red color and the wraps around her barrel were various shades of red. Other than the fact that she was slightly skinny, Patina couldn’t help but to smile.
“Anyone else?” Patina asked no one in particular, but was met with an explosive reaction as nearly every Queen swamped her. On the side, Chrysalis and Calliphora sat watching the proceedings with mild interest and a blank stare respectively.
“I will not deny that this Queen has potential…” Chrysalis muttered as she leaned on her left hoof on a table she was sitting on. “But…”
“Afraid to lose what power you had over us?” Calliphora certainly didn’t mince her words as Chrysalis glared at Patina’s general direction.
“Perhaps, but it is most certainly better than my plan for Equestria.” Chrysalis begrudgingly admitted as she used her magic to levitate a sandwich and bit into it. The fried fish, shredded lettuce, and even the sauce all had the scent of love within them that filled her body with love. “Rather than throwing aside my hive in an attack that has a higher chance of failure, perhaps…”
As Chrysalis sat there planning, Calliphora merely smiled motherly at Patina who was now directing the Queens to fill out some paperwork that the orange-colored drones were passing around. She felt Patina’s drones approach her table with the form and writing instruments that were certainly strange. But regardless, the new Changeling Queen made a good point. Perhaps that vision her own mother saw was true?