//------------------------------//
// Day XX: Relay 
// Story: Pandemic: of Twins and Tails 
// by Seven Fates 
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"Really, must we make this call in the comm centre?" Search Fragment asked the human technician. She'd had a hard time getting the Equestrian, American, and Canadian governments to agree to the idea of a facilitating a call between between her and one of Canada's many transformed citizens. Even then, being a facilitator, the Americans stipulated that they wanted direct oversight over the call to ensure no classified information was leaked. "The workstation provided in our portable is just as capable, is it not?"
Unfortunately for her, they didn't want to do the call in there—not as secure, they claimed. That was why the unicorn was being led past armed guards into a secure part of the facility her group had been stationed at. To his credit, the technician was a patient man; he just shook his head with a smile. "The computer workstations in your office aren't equipped with microphones or webcams," he explained as he led her over to an empty station in the corner of the room. "They're strictly set up for basic access for data processing and limited net access."
Limited is right, she thought as he dragged over a piece of furniture the humans called an ottoman. It wasn't perfect, but it was the highest they were able to provide to ponies in a room equipped primarily for humans. It appeared that the computer screen was already angled so that it better met the needs of the pony that would be using it, and she could see a small device clipped to the top of the monitor. I could barely get any information on the site that Dr. Tara Weintraub's group of Atlantic ponies was relocated to. Even then, that was only second-hoof from news sources talking about the controversy of sticking the ponies in a national park out of the way, but still in spitting distance of Halifax.
As she hopped up onto the cushioned piece of furniture, the technician was already explaining to her how this would all work. The unicorn analyst wouldn't need to touch anything, as somepony—or rather someone—else would be handling all the technical side, including putting the call through to her station. He did, however, plug something in to the station. It at first only appeared to be a long white cable that forked off into two thinner strands. Then she saw the small nubs and realised that these were what the humans called 'earbuds'—a tiny little speaker that could nestle in the ear so that she could hear what was being said, without it disturbing others. They weren't exactly made for ponies, but they were much easier to use with her ears than the headphones made for humans.
While she waited for the arranged time, Fragment took a pen and a scratchpad out of her saddlebags. Even if the doctor couldn't give her all the information she needed, she might be able to point her in the direction of someone or somepony that could fill some of the gaps. That's all she was here for, after all: fact-finding in order to complete records. She definitely wasn't going to pass the information off to her supervisor later on if it turned out action was required.
The moment the clock in the corner of the monitor clued her in that it was time, a window opened on the screen. On the other end was a middle-aged unicorn mare of dark blue colouration and a fluffy teal-streaked green mane. Atop her horn rested a pair of glasses that didn't at all fit her pony face, and over her withers hung a stethoscope. It was hard to tell from her coat, but based on the twigs and pine needles caught in her mane, Fragment thought the mare must have run through a forest to make the call.
"I apologise for my appearance," the doctor explained, as if having read her mind. "Somepony felled a tree a little too close to camp and nearly destroyed one of our shelters. No casualties, thankfully."
What was it about this world where pony settlements seemed to end up in the sticks, so to speak? "That's quite alright, Dr. Weintraub," Fragment responded with a soft smile. "I'm Search Fragment, the data analyst assigned by the Equestrian crown to go through all of the data on ETS victims in your region."
That smile was short-lived, as the doctor soon wilted at the mention of her name. "Please, call me Moonglow Salve, Ms. Fragment," she said in a quiet voice. She stood and turned slightly so that the camera on her end could show the blue six-pointed star with a white rod and serpent over top of a moon. If she wasn't mistaken, that was some sort of medical mark common to this world. "There's no going back for me."
She frowned. From what her records stated, the doctor had just barely squeaked in her complete transformation before Princess Twilight's counter-spell finally dragged the transformation magic to a halt. It hadn't mentioned the doctor getting her mark, but it was entirely possible the data sent to them was weeks out of date. Her having a mark made sense though. Those who dedicated themselves to healing didn't seem to have much trouble finding their marks, for better or for worse.
"Yes, sorry. If you don't mind, Dr. Salve," Search apologised, redirecting the conversation, "I was wondering if we could talk about one—or rather, two—of your patients. Jacen Cadlow? I understand there is a degree of doctor-patient confidentiality limiting what you should or could discuss, but I'm more interested in whether or not you could answer questions as to their whereabouts."
To the doctor's credit, if she was at all surprised that the Equestrians had taken an interest in her patient, she did an excellent job of hiding it. No, the mare looked as though it was expected. "One half of the pair is actually at the Blue Mountain - Birch Cove settlement—here with me," Moonglow explained, her ears folding back as she cast a glance over her shoulder. "He... Lucky Streak doesn't remember much before the incident. Although some of it might be attributable to the traumatic brain injury he sustained, but the grief of losing his twin has a hoof in it."
"Lost? But none of the paperwork we've been sent—" Search Fragment started, before being cut off by the doctor.
"She's not dead, if that's what you're thinking." There was a tired look in her eyes, but the analyst thought she might've seen a hint of concern. "After the incident, Jinxi was taken by the Halifax Regional Police. Even when I provided video evidence proving that she'd only been defending her brother and the other party refused to press charges, they held onto her... until she up and vanished."
The analyst blinked and then stared at the doctor while her magic scribbled down some quick notes. "Vanished from police custody... without a trace?" she asked, unsure if she misheard. "Just so I'm getting this right, Jinxi is the night pony filly that the transformation produced, correct? And Lucky Streak is an earth pony colt?"
Moonglow Salve nodded. "It's kind of being hushed up, so I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't received anything from the last two weeks," she said through gritted teeth. "They couldn't keep her in a jail cell because she was just scrawny enough to slip between the bars, so they kept her locked up in a dog crate in a back office. When she escaped, they tried to cover it up." The venom in her voice reminded her of interviews she'd heard from Shimmerists. "Documentation went missing, and the ATIP request I made came back so redacted that they might as well sent a completely black paper. Disgusting."
After a quick clarification to what this ATIP was for her notes, Search frowned. The doctor definitely had some source feeding her information, but one question nagged at her. "How are you so sure that she's alive?"
That actually got a chuckle out of the doctor. "She came to me in a dream," she answered in a more relaxed tone. "She was acting quite skittish, mentioning something about not being allowed into her brother's dreams and practically looking over her shoulder as if the Devil himself was chasing her. Jinxi asked me to look after him and then left. I wish I could tell you more."
As Search Fragment concluded the call, she looked over the notes she'd taken. Both halves of Jacen Cadlow had taken on pony names, but only one was accounted for. From the sound of things, Lucky Streak was going to be well taken care of, but may not have any recollection of other half at all. That would mean that arranging a call with him, now that she knew where he was, was out of the question.
Then there was Jinxi herself. The night ponies of Earth were far more aggressive, and their protection drive was through the roof. That should've meant that she'd want to protect her kin more than anything else in the world. Why hadn't she made more than a token attempt to reconnect with her brother and the physician who'd taken guardianship over him? Even if she feared arrest, from what Search had gleaned, the authorities might very well just pretend nothing had ever happened to spare themselves the embarrassment after covering up and attempting to destroy records.
For that matter, how had she managed to escape, and continue to evade apprehension? Jacen Cadlow did not have any sort of military record or survival and evasion training to speak of. In fact, he'd been little more than a gambler and day-trader. That begged the question of how had she simply dropped off the radar? Unless she hasn't.
They hadn't been able to gain access to any of his financial records, and she doubted any of the Canadian financial institutions would be willing to just hand over private information to the Equestrians. That meant they'd have to try to convince the American government to give them a hoof. What could they even say, though? 'Help us find this anomalous pony; she's one half of an American citizen and was was mistreated by one of your allies?'
She still couldn't even adequately explain why she or Nine were so interested in finding this pony. Academic interest in the unique circumstances of their transformation was worthless. General empathy and concern after reading the file could only take them so far. Anything they did without going through the proper channels would be seen as interference. At least if they could create a justification, they could start an inquiry. All they really had to show so far was that there was indication that a pony was being mistreated in another country, and the authorities being alleged to cover it up.
By the time she got back to the office, her frustration was only growing. Dr. Salve had indicated that she'd been visited in the dream realm by the missing twin, but not specifically how long ago. If it'd been exactly two weeks since the visit, Jinxi could be dead now, or she could be anywhere. Perhaps the only pony around who might be able to help was Princess Luna. This almost feels like I'm trying to track down changelings for S.M.I.L.E. again.
"Good news and bad news, ma'am," she announced as Agent Nine looked up from her own mess of paperwork. "The good news is that one of them is safe. The colt, Lucky Streak, has some lingering memory issues from the incident, but he is under the care of Dr. Moonglow Salve, née Tara Weintraub, at the Blue Mountain - Birch Cove settlement site in Nova Scotia."
Agent Nine of Clubs nodded, but frowned. "That good news seems to hint toward where your bad news is going... Hit me with it."
"The night pony filly, known only by Jinxi, has vanished without a trace." Nine's expression darkened at this. Fragment glanced at her notes only once more before continuing. "Dr. Salve has asserted that she was held by police following the incident, even after the other party refused to press charges and evidence proving defence of her sibling was provided. She's small enough to slip through bars of a jail cell, and was kept locked in an animal crate. Apparently, she escaped through indeterminate means and has since been evading detection, even as the police agency involved covers its flank."
Nine shook her head, regarded the papers before her. "What a mess," she replied. "Do we even know if she's still alive? She could've gotten herself killed by some random humans since her escape."
"The only way to be sure is the dream realm," Search Fragment concluded. "The doctor's been visited once, but she seems to believe Jinxi yet lives, so she may have held back."
The field agent buried her face in her hooves and groaned. "So we either have to come up with a reason to get Princess Luna involved, or find a sympathetic local night pony to help out." Again, she glanced down at a print-out on her desk. "With her disposition towards us, I don't think that up-and-coming Shimmerist leader will be willing to help unless she sees something in it for her. Despite the large night pony population there, I don't fancy trying to get into contact with her flock behind her back, either."
As she waved Search Fragment back over to her desk, Nine of Spades creased her brow. "For now, why don't we try and figure out how our missing little pony has been evading detection for upward of two weeks."