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// Axis Meetings 
// Story: Terror in Equestria 6:  The Great War 
// by StormLuna 
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Five days later Lyra and Lemon Hearts arrived in Prancington where Lyra led Lemon Hearts into her castle.  They headed directly to the throne room where they were greeted by Lyra's top dark Alicorn officer, General Black Rocks.  Black Rocks said, "It is so good to see you Lyra!  How did the summit go?"

Lyra growled, "It didn't.  We are no longer allies with Luna, Colgate or Brevity.  They have decided that the world has to move on to a new era.  They have decided that money and stronger militaries are more important than love and harmony."

Black Hooves asked, "What are we going to do?"

Lyra replied, "Go get every dark Alicorn officer and every changeling officer.  Lemon Hearts and I need to discuss things with you.  Oh, and tell Grand Prince Silver Star that I need him here as well."

"Yes your Majesty." Replied Black Hooves

Lemon Hearts asked, "So what all are we going to discuss and why do you need all your officers along with your grand prince here?"

Lyra replied, "Just sit back and relax.  You will find out in good time."

Lemon Hearts had an uneasy feeling about all of this.  In the back of her mind she was worried that Lyra was going to start making plans for a war before they even had the proper equipment.  Finally all of Lyra's officers and grand prince Silver Star were present.

Lemon Hearts asked, "So who are all of your officers?"

Lyra walked up to her dark Alicorns and said, "Well from left to right we have General Black Rocks, Colonel Stone Gray, Major Rock Crusher, Captain Steel Seas and Lieutenant Gray Mist."

Lemon Hearts said, "It is nice to meet all of you."

Black Rocks replied, "Likewise."

Lyra cleared her throat and continued, "These are my changeling officers.  From left to right we have General Green Eyes, Colonel Blue Streak, Major Green Death, Captain Fly Wings and Lieutenant Black Haze.  And the Alicorn to my right is Grand Prince Silver Star."

Lemon Hearts asked, "So Lyra, what are we going to discuss?  I do hope it is more than just having me meet your officers."

Lyra sneered, "Well of course it is more than just meeting my officers.  Bringing you here solely to meet my officers would be a waste of not just my time but yours as well."

Silver Star asked, "Your Majesty, what sort of things do you have planned."

Lyra replied, "Ok, for my plans.  We must get out of the dark ages.  Only having wool as an export is causing us to fall behind.  We need to start exploring the hills in our nation, on BOTH ISLANDS."

Black Rocks asked, "So do you want me to go find the strongest stallions to start these mining operations?"

Lyra replied, "No, Major Rock Crusher will round up our dark Alicorns and have them blast the rock formations open.  Any non-precious metals such as iron and titanium are to be separated from the precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum.  We need to build several open-hearth furnaces to convert this iron into steel.  After all, we are going to need better materials to build our carriers with."

Colonel Blue Streak asked, "Your Majesty, couldn't you just use your magic to transform the iron into steel?"

Lyra replied, "I could do that.  It would make the process easier and much more efficient.  Good thinking Colonel."

Lemon Hearts asked, "How do you convert iron into steel anyway?"

For Lyra this was one of those facehoof moments.  Yes while Neigh Zealand was not exactly a nation that did much work with metals she did know that spell.  She asked in return, "Lemon Hearts, you are an Alicorn and you don't know one of the most simple spells on the face of the planet?"

Lemon Hearts replied, "No, I don't.  For the small amounts of steel we have produced we used an open-hearth furnace, which is obviously more than you guys have ever done since you don't even have one."

Lyra rolled her eyes and continued, "Ok, once you get this iron out of the ground and get it transformed into steel here is what I want you to do.  Go to the library, there are books in there about carriers and how to make metal made carriers that do not sink.  I want you to build those carriers."

Major Rock Crusher asked, "How many of us do you want to work on this operation?"

Lyra replied, "I want you, Captain Steel Seas, Lieutenant Gray Mist and every single available dark Alicorn soldier to work on this.  If all ten thousand of you work on it, hopefully when I return from Ridead I will see a whole fleet of carriers."

Rock Crusher asked, "How are we supposed to turn all this steel into carriers?"

Lyra yelled, "Weld it together using your magic!  What are you, stupid or something?"

Rock Crusher replied, "No your Majesty, I am not stupid and what if they are not perfect?"

Lyra shouted, "IF THEY'RE NOT I WILL FIND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE AND FRY THEM!  Oh and then I will use my magic to make the carrier perfect."

Lemon Hearts was quickly seeing a side to Lyra she never knew existed.  For all of her life until just the past few days, the Lyra she knew was sweet, kind and caring.  Now she sees a Lyra that is not preparing to defend her homeland, but to go on the offensive.

Lyra looked at her officers and asked, "Any questions?"

Steel Seas replied, "Where do you want us to put the precious metals when we find them?"

Lyra said, "Take it to the palace storage facility and we can remove the impurities later.  Right now we need to get a good fleet built."  She then looked at her generals, colonels and Silver Star and said, "Come on guys, we need to get going.  It is a long voyage to Ridead.  Let's get going."

Lemon Hearts asked, "Lyra, don't we need to get some food and water?  The ship is running very low on both."

Lyra replied, "Yes, we better.  Black Rocks, Stone Gray, get some of our soldiers to take those bins of apples up to the ship.  Have some others wash out old cider bottles and fill them with water.  Hurry up, I want to set sail before nightfall."

Lemon Hearts asked, "Can't we just wait until the morning and get some sleep here?  It would give everypony more time to get the ship stocked with what we need."

Lyra rolled her eyes and replied, "Fine.  But we are getting up and eating breakfast early.  I want to get to Ridead as soon as possible."

The night passed all too quickly for Lemon Hearts but all too slowly for Lyra.  They got up early that morning and ate breakfast before dawn.  While they were eating Lyra asked, "Is everypony going to be ready for when we depart.  It is anywhere between a seven to ten day voyage to Ridead, depending on the weather."

Lemon Hearts asked, "Lyra, can't we wait a couple more days?  I don't know why you are in such a hurry."

Lyra growled, "Look, the sooner we get to Ridead, the sooner we can start getting Saddle Arabia moving into the modern age.  You never know, Luna might try to strike first.  The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get your country ready for the upcoming war.  Silver Star, round up both the generals and colonels.  We need to get going."

Lemon Hearts looked stunned.  She asked, "Upcoming war?  How do you know that there is going to be a war?  Are you going to start it?"

Lyra laughed and replied, "Now Lemon Hearts my friend, now why would I want to go starting a war?  What I said just came out wrong."

Lemon Hearts was frustrated but knew better than to keep questioning the much more powerful Lyra.  Finally breakfast was done and Lemon Hearts, Lyra, Silver Star and Lyra's generals and colonels boarded their ship and headed towards Ridead.

It was a rather uneventful week during their voyage to Ridead.  Finally on the morning of the eighth day they saw Ridead in the distance.  Lemon Hearts smiled and said, "Finally, soon we will be able to step back on dry ground!  I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight!"

Lyra glared at her and said, "Look, I know Ridead is your capitol but once we make landfall we are having a meeting similar to what I had in Prancington."

Lemon Hearts asked, "So do you want me to have my dark Alicorn soldiers go out and look for iron and precious metals too?"

Lyra glared at her and replied, "Yes, I do.  Unless you want my forces to come in, raise my flag over your capitol and do it themselves."

Lemon Hearts was quickly getting sick and tired of being treated like Lyra's subordinate.  She shouted, "LISTEN LYRA, THIS IS MY CAPITOL AND WE'RE DOING THINGS MY WAY!"

Lyra's eyes began to shine white and she pointed her horn at Lemon Hearts.  She asked, "Oh really?  Are you sure about that?"

Lemon Hearts hung her head in defeat and replied, "Ok, we'll do things your way."

Lyra smiled and said, "Good!  You know my way is more efficient anyway."

Once they arrived in Ridead they headed to Lemon Hearts' castle to have their meeting.  Lemon Hearts still seemed a bit hesitant to call a meeting but felt like she had to as Lyra glared at her.  Lyra asked, "Lemon Hearts, I would like to meet your officers.  Could you go and get them?"

Lemon Hearts looked at her dark Alicorn general and asked, "General Black Feet, could you go round up all of my officers along with Grand Prince Crescent Moon"

Black Feet replied, "Yes your Majesty."

While Black Feet was out rounding up the rest of the officers Lyra asked, "Lemon Hearts, why do you seem so ancy?  You act like you are preparing your officers for an execution."

Lemon Hearts replied, "I'm just nervous Lyra.  I'm nervous about why you think it is so important that we meet one another's officers and the fact that you brought your generals, colonels and your grand prince with us really makes me wonder what you are really up to."

Silver Star asked, "No offense your majesty, but why the hay does it make you so nervous?"

Lemon Hearts replied, "I have seen Lyra's actions lately.  She says she wants to build a good military to protect her homeland but she is building the type of military back home that is designed to launch invasions with."

Lyra interrupted, "Oh Lemon Hearts, you are just as bad as the dark goddess was, OVERLY PARANOID!"

Finally Black Feet returned with all of Lyra's officers and her grand prince.  Lemon Hearts walked over to them and said, "Ok Lyra, here are my officers.  My dark Alicorn officers are General Black Feet, Colonel Iron Hooves, Major Black Iron, Captain Dark Hooves and Lieutenant Thunder Hooves.  My changeling officers are General Green Cloud, Colonel Sticky Ooze, Major Green Poison, Captain Deadly Ooze and Lieutenant Chryso.  The Alicorn to my right is Grand Prince Crescent Moon."

Lyra said, "It is a pleasure to meet all of you."

Crescent Moon replied, "Likewise Queen Lyra."

Lemon Hearts started, "Alright troops, we are going to do things similar to how Lyra is going to be doing things in Neigh Zealand.  We need to begin exploring our hills for natural resources, both precious metals and industrial metals such as iron and titanium."

Crescent Moon asked, "Your Majesty, will we be building a fleet of carriers with the iron and titanium?"

Lemon Hearts began to reply when Lyra interrupted, "BRAVO!  We have a star student here!  What do you think I would want done with it?, have shiny decorations made with it?"

Lemon Hearts shouted, "Look Lyra, this is my capitol and my meeting.  You DO NOT try to run my meeting."

Lyra's eyes began to shine white and her horn began to glow gold as she replied, "Oh really Lemon Hearts?  Remember which one of us is more powerful."

Lemon Hearts grunted and just allowed Lyra to continue on.  Lyra continued, "When you are doing this, you will come across both precious metals and industrial metals.  Take the precious metals and store them here in your royal depository or wherever you store items of high value.  Take the iron and turn it into steel.  Use the steel and titanium to build a fleet of carriers with it.  You will need a good fleet of carriers if you are to defend your homeland and invade other territories." 

Lemon Hearts shouted, "INVADE OTHER TERRITORIES?  Listen Lyra, I am not going to go invading other countries.  You want to go wage war on the world, be my guest but count me out.  That is something I will not do!"

Lyra smirked and replied, "Oh we'll see about that."

General Black Feet asked, "So who will be doing all this exploring?"

Lyra replied, "Major Black Iron will lead all the other dark Alicorns in doing this.  You along with Colonel Iron Hooves, Crescent Moon, the changeling general and colonel, my officers and Silver Star are going up north to inspect the fence along the border with the Equine Empire."

Lemon Hearts realized that it would be best to just let Lyra run the show.  Crescent Moon asked, "So when do you want us to head up to the border?"

Lyra replied, "I want the ten of you to head up there right away.  You can all fly so it won't take you that long."

Before they headed out Lyra gathered the officers of Lemon Hearts and her own together and said, "Listen, if you eight know what is good for you, you will kill both grand princes, come back here and claim that Luna's soldiers killed them."

Green Eyes gasped, "Really?"

Lyra replied, "Yes, really.  Now get going.  Border security is a must."

While the ten sped off to the north neither Crescent Moon or Silver Star knew that Lyra was sending them on what amounted to a suicide mission, that she would make sure something would happen to start a war.  Lyra watched the ten speed off to the north with a huge smile on her face.  Lemon Hearts saw this and asked, "Lyra, what is the huge grin for?"

Lyra replied, "Oh I'm just happy to see that we are going to start getting both our nations moving forward into the modern era.  I think if we sell our precious metals to Alicorn Island at even one percent lower than Equestria or the Equine Empire does, we can sink them."

Lemon Hearts asked, "Lyra, why can't we just use diplomacy instead of building powerful militaries and using unfair economic practices to crush Equestria and the Equine Empire?"

Lyra rolled her eyes and replied, "Trust me Lemon Hearts, this will create balance across the whole world, not just military balance but economic balance as well."

Lemon Hearts just couldn't help but worry about Lyra's true plans.  She wanted to believe her friend but deep down she believed that Saddle Arabia would soon be thrown into a war never before seen by ponykind.