//------------------------------//
// Chapter 21: Boarding Party! 
// Story: The Koprulu Sector 
// by TheKopruluSectorUnion 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight was in her room looking over some video feed from the merchant starport. Despite the fact she was in a slight amount of trouble over the incident at the starport, it had so far been a good day. Up until now it was unclear whether or not it was possible to weaponize Sweetie Belle's ability. Twilight was confident it could be done if she could just trigger a strong enough emotional response. 

She was admittedly disappointed when the scenario on the bus failed to do anything besides force the nearby ponies to shed a few tears when Sweetie Belle thought she had killed her friend. While it succeeded to provide a strong emotional response, it wasn't the one she was looking for. Inspiring sadness into the minds of enemy soldiers was hardly what Twilight could consider a devastating weapon. The recent incident at the starport however produced a much more satisfying result.

Twilight didn't really have anything in mind for Sweetie Belle by the time she reached the merchant starport, and was actually on the verge of discontinuing the experiment. After the scenario on the bus failed, she believed Sovereign no longer had a use and ordered Rain Sight to retrieve him. It wasn't very hard to track him down, the fool had left his wallet in the hotel room with the time and location of their destination. 

A team of marine special forces was also en route to retrieve the potentially more dangerous Sweetie Belle, but something unexpected happened at that starport. For reasons still unknown, Sweetie Belle's emotions went widely out of control causing everyone around her to go into a violent rampage. That was what Twilight was looking for; she quickly recalled the retrieval team and instead watched the carnage. Sweetie Belle's powers did have a military application after all. 

If the Dominion could harness that power onto a battlefield, the results could be devastating for the enemy. She could imagine hundreds of guardsmen and zerg tearing each other to pieces, entire armies bursting into uncontrollable violence. She just needed to find out what the emotional trigger was. What caused the normally calm and gentle Sweetie Belle to go into such a state of pure and unrefined rage?

She did notice Sweetie Belle was wearing her goggles, so either she was watching psychic discharges, or she was looking through the security cameras that were recording the fight between Sovereign and Rain Sight. There were a number of cameras in that office, and Twilight had no clue which one Sweetie Belle had hacked, so she had to watch each feed individually. Finally she found a feed that looked promising. 

She fast forwarded to the moment right before Sweetie Belle lost control. Then she saw it, Rain Sight leaning in and kissing Sovereign. She checked the time of the two events over and over again, and everything lined up perfectly. Right when she saw Sovereign kissing another mare, Sweeties Belle's powers were unleashed. 

"So you're the jealous type I see" said Twilight to no one in particular.

Before she could think any further on it, Admiral Hawkens, the director of Dominion Intelligence, had walked in. He was in brown earth pony stallion, in the usual all black uniform. "Vice Admiral Sparkle! What the hell happened at the starport?!" he asked.

Twilight turned off the video feed, then turned around to confront her superior. "What happened was a complete success sir. It appears my investment into Sweetie Belle has finally been vindicated. Now we just-"

"There were over thirty civilian injuries, and now two citizens are dead!" he yelled. "The media is calling it an act of psychic terrorism, and now DI's ability to keep Korhal safe is being brought into question!"

Twilight remained calm as she responded. "Admiral, two civilian lives and some bad PR will be a small price to pay when you get to present a devastating new weapon to the Emperor himself. It's not like the Dominion suffered greatly as a whole, one of the dead was just a vagrant anyway."

"The other was a child, who was brutally beaten to death by his own mother! Do you have any idea how bad that makes us look?" he asked.
Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. "Sir did you see that kids grades? He was going to grow up to be a vagrant anyway. DI just saved the educational system the cost of one future high school drop out. I'd call that public service if anything else sir."

"I'm putting an end to this experiment Vice Admiral. I want her found and retrieved for a complete memory wipe." he ordered.

Now Twilights face was starting to show real emotion. "Sir! She could be one of the Dominions greatest assets! You can't just-"

"It's done!" he interrupted. "As soon as we find her, we're bringing her back. And if I find out you've been withholding her whereabouts, I'll crank up your neural inhibitor and never turn it off." Twilight didn't have a response to that. As much as she would have liked to completely destroy his mind right now, like every other ghost operative, she was a slave to her inhibitor. "I'll take your silence as a sign of understanding" said the director as he left the room.

If Twilight had fists, she'd be clenching them in anger right about now. But she let her rage dissipate. The director was merely an annoyance, and her experiment would go on with or without Hawkens blessing. She turned the video feed back on, and looked at Sovereign and Rain Sight kissing. 

The key to the puzzle was surprisingly simple, and yet incredibly complex. 

All she needed to do was find a way to break Sweetie Belle's heart, to get Sovereign to willingly dump her. Or at least make Sweetie Belle think he has. While the situation at the starport was an impressive display, it was still only a minor show of power. Twilight would need something more drastic to unlock Sweetie Belle's true potential. Just as a moment of passion is what unlocked her current powers, another moment of passion would be needed to unlock her rage. Simply killing Sovereign wouldn't work.

Watching a friend die seems to only inspire sadness. What Sweetie Belle needs to experience is cold and brutal betrayal. Twilight was good with stallions, and would ordinarily do it herself, but her relation with Sovereign had turned sour since their last encounter. She would need someone else to drive a wedge between Sovereign and Sweetie Belle. 

Tragically, with Hawkens keeping an eye out for betrayal now, her options were severally limited, and she had very few people should could count on. She needed someone who wouldn't betray her for a shot at a promotion. Someone whose only ambition and passion was, like her, strengthening the Dominion at any cost, even if it meant disobeying the orders of Admiral Hawkens. She knew just the mare for the job.





Another day, another round on the firing range. At this point, it almost seemed like a waste of Scootaloo's time. No one disputed she was the best shot in the cell block. She had just finished hitting twenty moving targets with pistols in both hands scoring a 100% accuracy. She reloaded her weapons and prepared for another wave of targets when someone placed a hand on her shoulder. 

"That's pretty good shooting there squirt," said a mare from behind. "I think shooting more targets at the moment would just be a waste of rounds."

A mare?! There is another mare here besides me?! Scootaloo thought to herself. Scootaloo turned around and saw another female reaper. Scootaloo knew she wasn't the only one. Every now and then a female did complete her training, and a few of those mares even survived their first mission as well. But it wasn't very common for real reapers to come to the cell block to visit recruits. "Umm... thanks," was all Scootaloo could get out.

"How about you take a break, come hang out with the real reapers," she said.

"I don't think I can-"

"You're the warden's daughter aren't you? I'm sure he won't mind," the mare interrupted.

Scootaloo was a bit embarrassed by the comment. Apparently it wasn't just the cell block, but the entire Ice House who knew about her relationship with the warden. "Yeah but... I still have to hit the rest of these targets first."

The mare chuckled at her reply. She pulled out a pistol of her own and hit all of Scootaloo's targets, also with 100% accuracy, but in a significantly shorter time frame. "Whoa," was the only thing Scootaloo could say. Damn it I just said 'woah' like a little filly! Way to make yourself look like a kid in front of the veteran Scootaloo!

"Well I guess that takes care of your targets," said the mare. "They aren't moving that fast. Try hitting a target flying through the air with a jetpack while he is shooting back at you. That aside, your dad is the warden so you might as well make the most of it. I know I would milk it if it were me."

Scootaloo blushed. Great, now she thinks I'm milking it. But if I blow her off, she might take it as an insult, and I don't want to make a bad first impression with a real reaper. I'm sure dad wouldn't mind. It's not like I can get much better shooting at targets this slow anyway. "Ok... sure I'll hang out. Lets go."

"Good to hear it squirt. I'm Captain Dash by the way" said the mare.

She's a captain?! She's a captain and talking to me?! Ok, this is my chance to make a good impression. Maybe she'll request to have me put in her squad? Just play it cool Scootaloo, play it cool. Wait a minute! She just called me squirt... twice... damn it! I have to do something fast or that'll be my new nickname around here forever! "I'm Scoota-"

"Everyone knows who you are Squirtaloo. Let's go," interrupted Rainbow Dash.

NO NO NO NO! That did not just happen! Just play it cool squirts- I MEAN SCOOTS! Scootaloo thought to herself.

"Umm... squirt are you coming?" said Rainbow Dash who had already started walking.

Scootaloo ran to catch up, not even noticing she still had her pistols in hand. "Yes Rainbow Dash... Captain Rainbow Dash... ma'am!"

Rainbow Dash smiled and shook her head. She is just like her sister she thought to herself. "I'm off the clock squirt, just call me Rainbow Dash."

"Yes Rainbow Dash!" said Scootaloo. "Where are we going exactly?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it. Just trust me, you don't want to be anywhere near the firing range for the rest of the day." she replied.





The crew of the Radiance was silent, and a hint of nervousness was felt with in the Khala. Not too far in the distance was a Kel-Morian asteroid mining complex, guarded by Diamond Dog ships armed to the teeth. Starsong put up a tough front, but even with the emotional support of the Khala, he still felt some fear and doubt at the sight of the ships. Still, he had to press on with his mission. Seeker was the only one who had a chance at locating Sovereign, and when the Supreme Matriarch personally gives an assignment, you follow through or die trying.

"Captain eight raiders are approaching... weapons armed." said a crewmate.

"Missiles and chain guns again?" asked Starsong.

"No sir... cannons and torpedoes. They're ready this time." replied the crewmate. The situation was far deadlier than before. Their shields and hull wouldn't last long against that kind of firepower. Not to mention, further in the distance were five frigates, three cruisers and a capital ship carrying who knows how many fighters. Experience was also a factor. His crew only had one battle under their belt, while many of these mercenaries were veterans who have fought in the sectors numerous conflicts. All in all if this turned violent, chances were neither the Radiance or its crew would be coming out of this alive.

"Captain we're being hailed." said a mare.

"Put them through" said Starsong who did his best to put aside his fear. It was important he did not sound intimidated when he made his reply. Any sign of weakness could be interpreted as opportunity by the enemy.

A voice starting coming through the ships radio. "This is a restricted area. Under the sovereign authority of the Kel-Morian Consortium, all resources in this region are the sole property of the Diamond Dog Security and Mining Guild. You are to turn around and leave at once. Failure to comply will be perceived as hostile action; any hostile action will be repaid in kind."

Starsong cleared his throat and prepared to sound as diplomatic and confident as possible. "Actually we are here on official business" he said. "We have recovered some cargo that belongs to you, and would like to return it. We would also like to hire your services in helping to track a certain ship." If there was one thing he could count on, it was typical Kel-Morian greed. No Kel-Morian in their right mind would ever turn away free cargo.

"What is the cargo, and where did you find it?" asked the voice.
"We have ten crates of Celestia's tears. We got it from a trader who was attacked by some of your own men. They were attempting to kill your client, then take the cargo for themselves. We stopped your dissident brethren and accepted the payment on your behalf. We are returning the cargo to you." replied Starsong.

The crew on the other ship were laughing. If there was one thing ponies could count on, it was typical Khalai honesty. Only a Khalai would be stupid enough to return stolen cargo to its "rightful owner."

A silence fell over the ships bridge. After a few minutes, Starsong ordered another hail. "Diamond Dog vessel, do you read? Do you wish to conduct business?"

"One moment" said the voice on the radio. "Our CEO has taken interest in your ship, she'll be there shortly."

Starsong was now confused, and in all honesty scared. He didn't know anything about the Diamond Dogs before, but linking with Seeker gave him some information on this company. Their leader known only as "the Prophet" supposedly came to power by overthrowing the leaders of several small mining guilds and security firms, then reorganizing them into the DDSMG. 

They were now on par with the largest security firms and mining guilds in Consortium space. The most disturbing thing he had heard was that somehow the Prophet did it single-handedly. Even so, if the CEO of DDSMG wanted to talk things over with them personally, then at least Starsong knew his offer was being taken seriously. 

Unfortunately getting all the way to the Diamond Dog headquarters would probably take days, which meant their target was only that much closer to Dominion space again. Starsong was about to order another hail, but suddenly all of the screens on the ship shut down, as did the lights. The ship was now enveloped in pitch black darkness. 

Then, out of no where came a female voice. "Where's the Prophet?" Starsong's horn started charging with psionic lightening in preparation for an attack. As he got out of his chair he heard, "HERE SHE IS!" as a pair of hooves wrapped around him from behind. It took everything he had not to scream, though his heart felt as if it were about to burst out of his chest. 

The lights come back on and the hooves wrapped around him pulled back. He turned around and found himself face to face with a young looking pink mare in a black robe. She smiles at him and say's, "Hi! I'm the Prophet. Who are you? No wait don't tell me! I want to guess..."

Starsong wasn't sure if he should keep his mouth shut, or if he should answer the question for her. He was also rather confused as to how the Prophet boarded his ship. Before he could say anything she continues. "Oh I know! You're pirates! No wait, you're a mining guild! No! Youur ship is Khalai. I know! You're those jerks who blew up three of my raiders! That wasn't very nice! How would you like it if I just killed your friends hmmm!?"

Starsong again tried to speak, but again she interrupted. "I know how you can know how I feel! We'll recreate the scenario!" The Prophet quickly ran to the window of the ships bridge. The window was thick and built to take a beating during combat. Yet with only a gentle tap of her hoof, the entire window shattered. Immediately two crew members flew out and were sent into the vacuum. 

While other Khalai were able to grab a hold of something, the Prophet simply stood by the shattered window, completely unmoved by the force of the escaping air. Just before the emergency doors closed, the Prophet put her hoof between the sliding doors. If anyone else were attempting this, the doors would have sliced their hoof clean off. Her hoof however stood strong, as if someone had just put their hoof in front of a house door to keep it from shutting.

The bridge continued to depressurize, and Starsong felt certain he was about to die. When the bridge was made completely devoid of air, she removed her hoof allowing the door to shut. One by one, the bridges crew fell to the ground and died. By now the doors and vents should have reopened to fill the room with air, but they didn't seem to be working at the moment. Starsong wasn't sure how or why, but something was keeping him conscious and alive, though his lungs did still feel like they were going to collapse. 

The Prophet seemed completely unaffected by the lack of air on the ship. Instead she casually walked up to Starsong and said, "And now you know how it feels to lose a friend! It doesn't feel good does it? I know I didn't like it when I lost my friends. Oh I know! We can be friends! We both already have something in common because we both lost friends! You can never have to many friends right!? Do you want to friends huh?! Do you do you do you do you do you?!" she exclaimed as she bounced up and down excitedly.

Starsong didn't really see a way out of this, so he did the best he could to nod his head. The Prophet jumped into the air excitedly while singing


We're friends! We're friends! That's the choice I'd recommend!
The others met their end, so you have me now instead,
But it's ok because we're both friends!



Why am I not dead yet?! Starsong thought to himself. Even though he was feeling light headed to say the least, he still felt fairly certain that he would have rather died than have to listen to this crazy mare sing.

The Prophet stopped her singing and finally noticed that Starsong was on the ground struggling. "And as my first act of friendship with my new friend, I'm going to let you live!" she shouted. The Prophet clapped her hooves together and the doors and vents to the bridge once again opened, filling the room with air. 

After taking a deep breath, he dared to ask the question, "Was that really necessary?"

"Oh who cares. They're all nameless background ponies anyway. You and I are the ones who matter here. What's a few dead ponies between friends right?" she asked.

Starsong had no idea what she was talking about, but clearly this mare was off her rocker. He did want to try to strike out at her for murdering his crew like that, but that would serve no purpose to the mission. Seeing no other logical course of action in this situation, he decided it was time to forward his request for assistance. "Well, since we are friends now, how about I give you a gift?" he said.

"Oh a gift! A gift! I love presents! What did you get me?! Huh Huh Huh?!" she asked excitedly.

"I felt bad for blowing up your... friends, so I decided to give you the goods you were owed. The ten crates of Celestia's tears." answered Starsong. "Also, they weren't your friends. They tried to kill your client and keep the cargo for themselves."

"They what?!" shouted the Prophet. Her voice was so loud that the room rumbled and all the remaining windows on the bridge shattered. Fortunately, the air didn't seem to force its way out again. The doors simply shut while the air stood still inside the bridge. "I can't believe that! I trusted them! How can I be friends with someone if I can't trust them! Losing a friends trust is the fastest way to lose a friend you know?"

"And I don't want to lose anymore... friends, which is why I'm giving it back. It's all in our hanger bay." said Starsong. "Though, since we are friends, I would like to ask something of you," he continued nervously.

"Well anything for a friend," said the Prophet. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't do favors for my friends right?" she asked.

"Right..." said Starsong. "Since we are friends, I was hoping you could use your resources to track a ship for us. They have a Dark Templar on board we need to either kill or-"

"You're going to kill a Dark Templar?!" interrupted the Prophet. "Well why didn't you say so silly! I hate those things! They're all such meanies! I'll give you anything you need, just find him and KILL HIM!" she demanded.

Starsong was going to give a bit more detail than that, but he figured it might be best not to look a gift horse in the mouth and just take the offer. "Well if you can give us any information you have on 'her' then we'll be on our-"

"Oh that's right! If you're going to find 'her', you're going to need some guys!" said the Prophet. She looked around the room at all the mares and stallions laying around. Some messier than others due to the result of explosive decompression. "Well not these guys, because you know, they're all dead. I'll get you some more guys ok?"

Sovereign was just going to use the ships gateway to have replacements warped in from Aiur, but something told him she wasn't going to take no for an answer. He needed a good excuse. "Well, only Khalai can use the technology on this ship-"

"Then I'll give you another ship! What's a ship between friends right?" she asked. The Prophet ran up to one of the shattered windows security doors and forced it open as if they were shutter blinds on a window. Despite the hull breach, the air stayed inside the ship just as it did earlier. "How about... that one over there?" she said pointing out the window.

Starsong couldn't believe it. She was pointing to the Capital Ship. She may have been a murdering psychopath, but he had to admit, she might have been the best friend he could ask for out here. "The Capital ship?" he asked.

"No silly! The fleet! I'll just send another one over here, it's no big deal. It's not every day we get to kill a Dark Templar you know? Oh I'll get to add another warp blade to my collection!" she said opening her robes. Aside from exposing her nudity, she revealed five warp blades on the interior of her robe. 

"Hey you perv! Stop staring!" she said as she slapped him. Starsong figured this mare must really hate Dark Templar if she was willing to send an entire fleet after one. Unfortunately this also complicated matters. While his cover story was to kill or reclaim her to prevent her information from falling into enemy hooves, he still planned on using her to help track Sovereign. That would not be an easy task with a small fleet following him. 

"Now, let's find that Dark Templar! Ooo I'll be just like hide and go seek!" (ha ha! Seeker get it?)