//------------------------------//
// The Hidden Dagger 
// Story: Iron Hearts: Book 3 - The Sept Lamman 
// by SFaccountant 
//------------------------------//

Iron Hearts: Book 3
Chapter 8
The Hidden Dagger


****


Sweet Apple Acres


The Chimera APC came rumbling up the road early in the morning, the low sun casting its shadow far across the dusty barn-bunker of the Apple farm.
High overhead, several pegasi were being directed by a weather team group leader, all of them looking fairly exhausted. They had spent all morning wind-blasting dust clouds away from the farm and nearby Ponyville, and most of them still had shifts ahead of them to help tamp down the even bigger dust clouds threatening to swallow Cloudsdale.
The Chimera's treads stopped for nothing, crushing fallen branches and scattered rocks underneath it that made the road all but impassable to wagons. Oily black smoke chugged from its exhaust vents and curled into the sky, but in this case the transport's puny emissions were utterly dwarfed by the vast column of smoke coming from the middle of the orchard.
The chimera came to a stop, its engine idling. Daniels stepped out of the rear hatch as it dropped down, his rail rifle secured against his back.


Apple Bloom opened the door when she heard someone knocking, and her neck craned up after she found herself staring at a pair of clothed feet rather than naked hooves.
"Oh, Hi Mister Daniels!" the young farmer chirped. "How are ya this morning?"
"Alive and happy for it!" the mercenary replied with a smile. "How you doing, Bloom? Any good diseases yet?"
Apple Bloom's expression soured. "Naw. Sis don't want me comin' down with nothin'. Says Ah'll get germs all over the crops."
Daniels blinked, then glanced outside. "What crops?"
Apple Bloom winced. "Er... right. Mister Daniels? Ah've gotta go to school today, but if ya wanna see mah sis, she's in the kitchen." Then she stepped closer to him. "Ah hope ya can cheer her up. She's been in an awful bad mood since yesterday."
"Well, I'll take a crack at it. You run along and learn your little pony facts and whatnot."
"Thanks, Mister Daniels! Later!" the red-headed filly dashed between his legs and out the door.


Daniels shut the door behind him before walking over to the kitchen.
Sure enough, Applejack was inside, seated on a stool with her face planted on the kitchen table and her forelegs dangling loosely between the two points of support. Winona was laying behind her, looking distraught, and Rainbow Dash was sitting across from her at the table, looking bored.
There were also four empty amasec bottles on the table; it seemed that she had found another use for them rather than selling them. Which was kind of unfortunate, since the Apple family was rather short on things to sell right about now.
"Morning, AJ, Dash. How's it going?"
Rainbow Dash perked up immediately at seeing him, but Applejack's response was more measured. She turned her head to the side so that her cheek was pressed against the table rather than her nose.
"Daniels. Mornin'. Care fer a drink?" the farmpony asked blandly.
Daniels glanced again at the amasec bottles, confirming they were empty. "A drink of what?"
"Well, we got fresh, clean water thanks to yer fancy aquifer gizmo," Applejack murmured, "but if y'all care fer somethin' stronger, I can offer ya a nice warm glass of burnin' promethium fuel or hard-packed DUST. How's that sound?"
Daniels looked over to Rainbow Dash. "She hasn't been taking the crash well, I see."
Rainbow Dash nodded gingerly. "It's been kind of a rough week down on the farm."
"A third o'the orchard. GONE," Applejack snapped, apparently feeling that she needed to justify her poor spirits, "years, DECADES o'work and time and money, smashed like an apple in a cider press. Ah don't even know if that land is gonna be good fer growin' nothin' no more. Every field and orchard that ain't destroyed was ruined by the dust and heat. If it weren't fer the animal pens y'all built bein' protected, they'd be gone too. They're all we got left now."
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth, failed to think anything to say, and then closed her mouth while scratching uncomfortably at the back of her neck.
"Heck, maybe we should change the farm's name," the orange mare grumbled bitterly, "welcome to Dry Dusty Crater, home of the world's biggest alien scrap pile and graveyard! How's that sound fer a pitch?"
"Totally inaccurate," Daniels replied, "with a whole bloody battlecruiser crashing under Cloudsdale, there's no way you have more wreckage and dead bodies here."
Applejack made an incoherent growling noise, and Rainbow Dash winced.
Daniels sighed. "All right, I get it. Get up, you're coming with us."
Rainbow Dash snapped her head up. "What? For a mission?" Applejack's ears rose, intrigued. She was certainly in the mood for attacking the Tau, if such an option was available.
"Nah. Me and a few other grunts got assigned to make a supply drop for Delgan. With that out of the way, we're going to head down to the river and do some fishing before we go back to the fortress."
Applejack's ears drooped again. "Daniels, we're ponies. Ponies don't eat fish."
"True," the human admitted, "but outwitting and tormenting slimy, pea-brained lower life forms for sport is very therapeutic. It'll do you some good."
Applejack looked like she was about to refuse, but eventually sighed and pushed herself away from the kitchen table.
"Ah, hay, why not? Ain't like Ah got anythin' better to do no more," the farmer grumbled, dropping to the floor. Winona perked up immediately, wagging her tail as it seemed like they would be going out.
"I'm in!" Rainbow Dash said, also happy to be presented with an activity besides watching Applejack mope.
"Cool. Let's load up."


****


Ponyville


"-and then Crabapple picked me up and ran back to the house!" Apple Bloom said as she swiped her hoof in front of her, mimicking the action of picking her up. "Ah looked up as we was runnin', an' lemme tell ya, that thing was HUGE! Just hurtlin' through the sky like a big ol' fireball! Like that firework project of ours times a thousand!"
"Think of what it must've been like to see the big one coming down," Scootaloo breathed, "I mean, I saw it from Twilight's balcony, but it was so far away! And we STILL felt it crash!"
"I'm kind of worried about the rest of the ships, though," Sweetie Belle mumbled, "didn't they only destroy, like, a dozen ships between them? What happens with the rest of them?"
The three fillies all craned their necks to stare upwards, looking through the sparse cloud cover at the empty skies above. They saw nothing, of course, so they eventually dropped their gazes down again in silent contemplation as they trotted to school.
"... Was it really only three days ago that we never went to school talking about anything other than our cutie marks?" Scootaloo asked, breaking their thoughtful silence.
"And here we are now, discussing space warfare," Sweetie Belle mumbled.
Apple Bloom puffed out her chest proudly. "So this is what it's like to be a grown-up."
Another brief silence lasted until Scootaloo spied another pair of fillies on their way to school, and a wicked grin crossed her face.
"Well, look who it is! Tiara and her pet henchpony!" the orange pegasus shouted.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon almost stumbled at the sudden shout, and then they whirled around.
"Well, you're awfully cheeky this morning, blank flaaaaaaaaaa..." Diamond Tiara's brain locked up as she spotted the glyph on Scootaloo's hip, and her jaw hung open as her voice slowly petered out around the horribly stretched syllable.
The three newly marked ponies grinned insufferably as the two wealthy fillies glanced from one of them to the next, taking in each mark with deliciously stunned expressions.
"What's the matter, Tiara? Cat got yer tongue?" Apple Bloom snickered.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon shared a glance, and then they quickly reined in their expressions.
"Well, how about that. How nice for you to finally catch up to the rest of the class. Well, the class a year before us, anyway. But I suppose you have to take what you can get," Diamond Tiara said calmly as Silver Spoon chuckled behind a hoof, "I'm happy for you. REALLY."
Sweetie Belle snorted. "Whatever. We didn't do this to get YOUR approval, and we're not about to let you get to us now." She smiled as she looked over at her friends. "We're Cutie Mark Crusaders no longer! From this point onward, we are..."
Suddenly, all three of the Chaos-marked fillies jumped into the air and shouted at once. "CHAOS MARK CHAMPIONS!!"
Diamond and Silver stepped back in surprise at the shout, and they raised their eyebrows at the title.
After a brief, awkward silence, Scootaloo spoke. "This way we can still use our old clubhouse stationary."
"I'm a little less interested in the acronym and more interested in the 'Chaos mark' thing," Silver Spoon noted.
"Yeah, that reminds me: what are your special talents, again?" Diamond Tiara asked, her eyes tracking over to the symbol on Scootaloo. "Those cutie marks don't exactly speak for themselves, and knowing you three, I wouldn't put it past you to just paint something on your rumps and hope nopony would ask questions."
The contemptuous grins she got from the trio were quite annoying, and Diamond Tiara had to admit that if they were lying about their new marks, they were doing an excellent job of it.
"Mah special talent is bein' immune to disease and pain," Apple Bloom said smugly, "Ah'm practically immortal!"
Sweetie Belle frowned. "I thought you weren't immune to disease, just its symptoms."
"Whatever. What's the difference?" the young earth pony waved a hoof at the unicorn. "You go next."
Sweetie Belle let the disagreement go and then grinned at the pair of fillies who had tormented her and her friends for so long. "My special talent is Chaos magic and secret knowledge!"
Diamond Tiara raised an eyebrow. "So you can finally use magic now? Well, how about that? Next thing you know the pegasus will actually be able to hover."
Both Sweetie and Scootaloo looked rather annoyed at this.
"Well... it's 'Chaos' magic specifically," Sweetie Belle admitted.
"Which means what, exactly?" Silver Spoon asked.
"She can't levitate things yet, but she IS good at wreakin' havoc and breakin' things," Apple Bloom clarified.
"Your parents must be SO proud," Diamond scoffed, rolling her eyes.
Scootaloo stood up on her hind legs and pressed a hoof into her chest proudly before she answered. "And as for me, my special talent is supernatural fury!"
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had to take several seconds to digest that before the latter asked, "Your special talent is getting angry?"
In the blink of an eye Scootaloo was nose-to-nose with Silver Spoon, and the gray filly recoiled as Scootaloo glared at her.
"Yeah, it is! So what? Wanna make something of it?!" the pegasus growled, her wings flared and one hoof cocked back.
"N-No! I was just asking! Calm down!" Silver stuttered nervously.
Diamond Tiara gave a sidelong glance at her friend backing away, and then looked back at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "Well, Scootaloo's 'talent' aside, I'm not convinced," she sniffed, "especially by that 'immune to pain' thing. Let's see some proof!"
The CMC glanced at each other hesitantly, and then they moved further away from their classmates and huddled up.


"Okay, so how do we do this?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Well, I could kick you," Scootaloo offered.
"Hmmm... might not work. They could just say Ah'm fakin' it," Apple Bloom reasoned.
Scootaloo thought about that. "I could kick you really HARD," she revised, "in the FACE."
"I'm more worried about my spell not doing anything here," Sweetie Belle confessed, "there are no machines to go haywire, and if I use it at school to start breaking things, I'll get in trouble."
Okay, hold on, I got this,Tzeentch said suddenly, causing Sweetie Belle to perk up, here's what you're going to do. Got a new spell for you and everything. Trust me, it'll be GREAT.


Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waited impatiently as the CMC whispered amongst themselves for a few more minutes.
"Are you three going to give up this charade any time soon? Because it IS a school day!"
"Two, not three," Silver Spoon mumbled, "I'm pretty sure Scootaloo is telling the truth."
"Got it!" the trio shouted as they broke their huddle.
Apple Bloom stepped forward, and then spread her legs outs slightly for stability. Scootaloo started climbing onto a post box that was sitting next to the path.
"You want to see some Chaos? Here you go!" Sweetie Belle said brightly as her horn sparked with coruscating ribbons of energy.
The unicorn's eyes turned sheer white, and her head rolled to one side as an understated rumbling noise started to grow from nowhere.
A black smoke started to seep from Sweetie's mouth, and it crawled upward over Apple Bloom before swirling and puffing up into a dark cloud hanging just above her. Within a few seconds the smoke had stopped coming out of Sweetie Belle, and the cloud bulged as sparks crackled all around it.
"GERONIMO!" Scootaloo shouted before leaping off of the post box and elbow-dropping onto the cloud.
Diamond and Silver both leapt back in shock and horror as a lightning bolt surged into Apple Bloom, the thunderclap nearly deafening them as they turned their eyes away from the flare of light.
The wealthy fillies gaped as they slowly turned their gazes back toward the act of terrible fillycide they had just witnessed.
Or, apparently, attempted fillycide.
Apple Bloom smiled brightly as her scorched fur and mane stood on end all around her. The young earth pony was in undeniably good spirits for somepony just blasted with a lightning bolt, and seemed to be unaware that her bow was now on fire.
"Hee hee! Kinda tickles!" Apple Bloom giggled. Scootaloo dropped to the ground, and all three CMCs gave smug looks to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
"Well?" they asked in unison.
"Yeah, okay, you were definitely telling the truth," Diamond Tiara admitted as she and Silver backed away, "and you're definitely a bunch of freaks."
"Have fun with your 'Chaos' talents, weirdoes," Silver Spoon mumbled, following her friend as she turned around.


The three other fillies watched them dash off, and then shared a look.
"Nailed it," Scootaloo said, grinning.
"Thanks Tzeentch!" Sweetie Belle said brightly.
No prob, tiny sorcerer-puppet. Anytime.
"Did ya see the look on their faces? Ha!" Apple Bloom laughed, stamping a hoof into the ground. "Also, you two smell somethin' burnin'? Ah can't really tell, what with the lightnin' and all."
Scootaloo frowned at the earth pony. "Stop, drop, and roll, Bloom."
"What? Why? Is there somethin' on-YIPE! Fire! Ah'm on fire! Help!"


****


Five kilometers outside Ponyville


Applejack dug her teeth into the iron handle of the fishing rod and then snapped her head to the side sharply. An iron hook and insect lure went sailing into the air over the river, eventually falling to the relentless pull of gravity and plunking into the water about half-way to the opposite bank.
Applejack dug a hole out of the dirt with her hoof, and then adjusted her mouth-grip before stabbing the rod into the ground.
"I will NEVER understand how you do stuff like that without wrenching your neck," Daniels said as he baited his own rod.
"Practice, sugarcube," Applejack said dryly before she laid down on the river bank.
Two other mercenaries were approaching the spot they had staked out on the river bank, carrying an iron chest between them. Rainbow Dash was laying on the chest and generally making a nuisance of herself, while Winona was dashing in happy circles around the men and occasionally stopping to sniff their legs.
"So you guys actually eat fish? That's gross," Rainbow insisted, sticking her tongue out as her tail swung back and forth over the side of the chest, "they're all slimy and scaly and they eat bugs!"
"Yeah, well you eat hay," one of the men countered, "it's dry and splintery and it eats dirt."
"Dash, don't feel like ya gotta hang around on my account," Applejack said wryly, "if ya don't wanna fish, you can go fly off and find Tellis or something."
"Nah. I already checked with him," the racer informed her friend as she was carried closer, "today he's hunting down the Tau savior pods and... well, you know. And after helping clean off the dust from your farm, I'm too tired for that."
"Huntin' Tau, huh? Now that sounds like 'therapy' to me," the apple farmer grumbled.
Daniels rolled his eyes at her dark mutterings as his fellow soldiers put the chest (and Rainbow Dash) down. "Nema, crack open a cold one for our lady friends, would you? Gotts, I have your rod."
Rainbow Dash hopped off the chest before Nema opened it up. "Wait, just one? To split? I can handle a whole bottle!"
"I can handle two," Applejack murmured.
"One to split," Daniels repeated firmly, "we're here to relax, not get blitzed."
He handed Gotts a fishing rod, and then flung his own line out.
"All right, then. Talk to me, AJ. Let it all out," the mercenary said, seating himself against a tree with the fishing rod between his calves.
The farmpony looked up at him, sighing as Winona settled in next to her. She didn't say anything for a short while, staring intently at the fishing rod as she sorted out her feelings.
"It's just... don't get me wrong, all right? Ah know this ain't the end for me and mah family. Ah know we got options, and we're gonna see this through. Ah got friends in the royal palace, friends in Ponyville, and friends in the 38th, too. Ah even know this one sloth of a pony on the weather team if Ah need a hand there."
"Really?" Rainbow Dash interjected as Nema handed her a bottle. "But I thought I was the only one on the weather team that you... oh." Then she frowned. "Hey."
Nema dropped another half-full bottle of synthehol next to Applejack.
"Anyway, Ah know Ah'm gonna make it outta this somehow. Mah family won't starve any time soon," the farmpony said before closing her lips around the bottle and swinging her head back. After taking a few hefty gulps, she dropped the bottle down in front of her.
"It's just... it wasn't supposed ta be this way," Applejack groused, "Ah was taught that when ya work hard and make sacrifices, ya get a payoff. We put our hearts and a whole lotta time and sweat into that farm. And the Tau have just ripped it up again and again. And mostly by accident, far as Ah can tell."
"I hear ya, AJ. Just ain't right," Daniels agreed as he drew his line up and cast again, "but it WAS an accident. The grays don't have anything against you. Well, not that you don't have their mystery gizmo anymore, at least."
"Well, Ah sure as hay have somethin' against THEM," the orange mare snapped before knocking back another dose of synthehol, "ya don't just rip up somepony's orchard and home like they did and then run off." She wet her lips as the deeply chemical taste of her drink lingered on her tongue. "Ah mean, would y'all have done somethin' like that?"
"Sure."
"Yes."
"Probably on purpose, too."
Applejack groaned. "Well, Ah guess all you aliens are just a pain in the flank. But mah particular problem is Tau."
"Hey, show me how to use one of those fishing sticks," Rainbow Dash demanded, walking over to Daniels.
Applejack watched as the man took out another of the fishing rods and then tied on a hook.
"Say, Daniels. What's yer home like?" Applejack asked suddenly.
Daniels took out a small metal box and then opened it, revealing several dead, bloated flies that they were using for bait.
"My home is a three by three meter sleeping space that I share with three other blokes," he answered as he impaled a fly on the hook, "one of whom I suspect is trying to kill me for my gear."
"Dark Gods, are you STILL on about that?" Gotts snapped. "I already apologized for the grenade, all right? Get over it!"
The ponies gave the other mercenary a look but then their attention returned to Daniels.
"Naw, Ah mean before ya hooked up with Chaos. Ya got a home planet? A family?"
Daniels finished with the fishing rod and then handed it over to Rainbow Dash, who eagerly took the handle into her mouth.
"Not anymore. It's long dead now."
"The planet, or yer family?" Applejack asked, raising her head.
"Both."
Rainbow Dash flew out over the river, scanning the water below for clusters of fish before dropping her line into the midst of them.
"What..." Applejack paused, and then polished off her bottle of synthehol before she finished her question. "What happened?"
Daniels gave her a sidelong glance before he replied. "Long story short: Alpha Legion, rebellion, exterminatus. Gossan IV is nothing but a ball of scorched rock now."
"Those fuckers," snarled Nema.
"Imperium, or Alphas?" Gotts asked.
"Both," Daniels deadpanned.
A dark silence descended over the group for a few minutes, until a splashing noise came from below Rainbow Dash.
"Ah-ha! I got one!" the pegasus cheered, yanking on her pole.
"Nice one, Dash! Pull it up! Nema, get the net!"
As the other humans helped Rainbow Dash with her catch, Applejack finally looked over at Daniels again.
"Well, Ah suppose that from yer perspective, mah problems look pretty darn petty."
"You're wrong," Daniels said firmly, "having void ships crashing on your property and your livelihood smashed isn't petty. Nobody's trying to make light of your loss, here."
The apple farmer quirked an eyebrow as she ran a hoof over Winona's back. "Well, okay, but compared to yer problems-"
"Again, you're wrong," Daniels interrupted, "having a dead family and planet aren't problems, they're facts. Problems can be solved." He chuckled humorlessly. "My problems consist of avoiding a Nurglite back at base who really wants me to join their rotting cult, and explaining to my captain why a simple cargo drop to Trademaster Delgan ended up taking all day."
"Eww! Nasty!" Daniels and Applejack glanced over at Rainbow Dash, who was gagging at the sight of Nema gutting the fish she caught. "And you do that while they're still alive?"
"Humans show no mercy," Nema said grimly as he continued cleaning the catch, "Gotts, go get the cooker. We'll grill this one up right here."
"Brutal, man," the pegasus said, grimacing. Then she turned to Daniels, her wing wrapped around the length of her fishing rod like it was a large hand. "Yo, I need another bug."
Daniels chuckled as he took out the box of flies and went about baiting Rainbow's hook again.
"And when yer done with that, Ah could use another bottle of that swill yer passin' off as booze," Applejack said, her mood already feeling much lighter, "a full bottle, this time! Ah ain't no lightweight like Dash!"
"Hey! Who's a lightweight?!" Rainbow Dash demanded. "I can out-drink you!"
"Sure ya can," the orange mare said with a grin, "which is why ya were hitchin' a ride on Mac the last time we had a drinkin' contest. Which Ah won."
"That didn't count! We didn't finish! I could've kept going!" Rainbow Dash insisted, hovering over to the farmer and glaring at her.
"Sugarcube, when yer in such bad shape that Big Mac has to keep ya from tryin' to do a Sonic Rainboom indoors, you've just lost yer drinkin' contest."
The humans chuckled at the confrontation. Not because of how immature and silly it was, but rather from the novelty of seeing it played out between ponies rather than men.
"Fine, then!" Rainbow huffed. "Fishing contest! Right now!" The pegasus smirked as she held up her rod. "I'll even ignore the one I just caught! Come on!"
"Yer on, Dash," Applejack replied as Daniels dropped another synthehol bottle in front of her, "now go make a racket somewhere else. Yer scarin' the fish away."
Rainbow Dash snorted and flew off over the river again, leaving the earth pony with the three humans and her dog. Although Applejack had just turned her period of relaxation into a competition, the farmer didn't really change her fishing method, and continued lying on the river bank with Winona curled up next to her.
Applejack spied an enormous shadow creeping along the length of the river, and she looked up at the sky. It was mostly clear of clouds, but as she squinted her eyes she could make out something crossing in front of the distant sun.
After a few seconds, she made a guess as to what the object might be.
"That one o'yours?" the farmpony asked.
Daniels looked up at the sun, a hand raised over his eyes. "Hmmm... don't think so. There would be other ships right next to it."
"That's the Tau battlecruiser," Gotts said, his voice dropping to a near-whisper, "they used the Warp rift on it, I hear."
"What's that mean?" Applejack asked.
"That means that I don't want to be one of the poor bastards assigned to capture it," Daniels shuddered, "well, with an enemy fleet in-system, we probably won't get the chance. All the better."
Applejack let the matter slide and took a swig from her bottle. Then she sighed as the looming shadow crept over her and the humans.
"Sure is peaceful now," she mumbled, "you'd hardly think there was a war goin' on."
Nema snorted. "That's why we wanted to get out of the base. The way they're scurrying around like crazy, you'd think we were about to take to the void again at any minute."
Applejack's ears twitched. "Well, as Ah hear it there's still a bunch o'gray ships up there. So ya could have to leave at any minute, right? Don't ya think y'all might get stranded here if the Company had to take off suddenly while ya were goofin' off by the river?"
Daniels smiled before gulping down a mouthful of synthehol. "I could live with that." Nema and Gotts tapped their bottles together in silent agreement with that sentiment.
Applejack shook her head as her lips curled into a smile.
Then her fishing rod started to tremble.
"All right! Caught one!" Applejack cheered as she bolted to her feet. Winona jumped as well, sensing the sudden excitement and wagging her tail exuberantly.
Applejack seized the handle of the iron fishing rod in her jaws and tugged experimentally, and she was rewarded by seeing a dark red, filly-sized fish leap out of the water before flailing wildly and dropping back down.
"Nice size!" Daniels cheered. "Now just reel her in nice and slow..." then he trailed off as the earth pony snapped her head to the side, yanking the fish clean out of the river and up into the air. "Or, you can do that."
The fish flailed about some more as it reached the apex of its flight and started descending toward the river bank, and Nema scrambled for the net.
Then, suddenly, a huge green body broke from the surface of the water, and a pair of long, jagged-toothed jaws yawned open around the hapless red fish.
Rainbow Dash, who was hovering nearby, yelped and bolted away as the jaws clamped shut around Applejack's catch, instantly severing the duralloy twine they had been using for fishing lines.
The creature plunged back into the water with a tremendous splash, and the mercenaries flinched away as they were pelted by the unexpected downpour.
For several seconds after that, all was silent save the for the sizzling of droplets of river water against the gas cooker.
"Huh," Daniels finally mumbled, scratching his head, "was that alligator made of ROCKS?"
"Cragodile," Applejack mumbled, "that there was a cragodile." Then she took off her hat and dropped it on Daniels' lap. "Hold this fer a sec."
Daniels blinked in surprise as he glanced down at the Stetson. "What for?"
"'Cuz this's a competition," the apple farmer said darkly as she cracked her neck to one side, "and that ugly varmint's got mah fish."


****


Lamman flagship Black Tide - strategic control center


*We're using the current lull in our operations to make what repairs we can, and our crews are grateful for the rest, to be sure. But we're more than a little concerned about the stories surrounding the fate of the Rep'talal. That... video of the bridge has been circulating amongst the crew technicians and is having a severe effect upon morale.*
*We cannot allow the threat of mutant boarders to stay our hand against a fleet a fraction of our size!*
*Are you still insisting that they're mutants?*
*Are YOU seriously telling me you believe in gue'la stories about evil spirits from the afterlife?*
*Please, not this argument again...*
*I still say the fleet isn't the primary threat! You've seen the reports from Black Point! These "Iron Warriors" can wipe out our base practically at will! This entire operation will be for nothing!*
*Can there really be no agreement with these rogues? They have no quarrel with us specifically, surely there must be something they're after!*
*Oh, DO give it a rest. These are militant cultists, Por'el, not mere criminals. And our mission is too important to trust them in any case!*


Voidsong and Helenis sat quietly at one end of a long table as officers of the various castes argued with each other, each one waving about holographs or readouts that supported their favored tactic or concern.
The arguments fell upon familiar caste lines. The Air Caste was confident of a naval victory but extremely concerned about their likely losses. The Earth Caste was concerned only with the project nearing completion on the planet's surface, and protested furiously at the prospect of possibly dropping more void ships onto the planet from orbit. The Water Caste made its usual appeal for negotiation that would be ignored by all others; the Water Caste had little to do in Sept Lamman besides keep the peace among the different species within its ranks, and its opinion was often dismissed out of hand.
The Fire Caste, excepting the Shas'o's opinion, wanted to rip the fleet apart and take a metaphorical hammer to the fortress that dared stand between them and their objective. Again, typical.
Voidsong sympathized greatly with her castemates, but had learned much from Helenis' lessons about Chaos and its power. She was also mindful that she had taken a distinctly aggressive approach when they had arrived, and gotten a good little chunk of their fleet annihilated as a result.
Normally, in situations like this, an Ethereal would be on hand to guide the castes toward a consensus and organize their squabbles into a list of proper priorities, but unfortunately no Ethereal guided the Hidden Dagger of the Tau Empire. Not anymore.


*All right. I've heard enough,* the Shas'o said, clasping her hands together as her forehead furrowed and the arguments ceased, *I am most mindful of the Fio'el's concerns. They are most pertinent to our mission. Victory in a void, and especially a ground engagement will be costly, and will not necessarily accomplish our objective.*
A Shas'el frowned. *The combat simulations have all shown-*
*I don't TRUST the simulations,* Voidsong snapped, *particularly those for a naval engagement. Tell me, how have our craft in these simulations fared against being suddenly boarded by monsters?*
The Fire and Air Caste officers shared a pensive glance.
*Without a clear set of functional parameters for their ability to deploy the so-called "daemons", we can't-*
*And there you have it,* Voidsong interrupted again, *our data is flawed and incomplete. The enemies have weapons that we don't understand. You can't even agree on what it was that killed us.* The High Commander shook her head. *Believe me, I want to make good on my threats to wipe out this nest of rogues that's planted itself in our path, but the cost cannot be accurately calculated, and the gains are too feeble. We will find another way.*
*I want to know what the enemy's motivations are,* said the Water Caste officer, *are they protecting this world? Do they know our plans for it?*
Voidsong glanced over at Helenis and nodded.
*The forces of Chaos do not have any particular grudge against the Tau Empire,* the human advisor admitted, *they are xenophobic by nature, if only because of the Imperial origins of most of their troops, but the elimination of non-humans is not a priority for them. They are also tremendously violent, owing to the dark motivations of their gods. Some wage war entirely for war's sake, like Orks. But their specific objectives can vary widely.* She paused. *I can only offer an educated guess, but given the extremely organized nature of this warband and its depth of strategic skill, we're not dealing with battle-crazed fanatics or insane zealots. "Pirates" is our best guess so far, but it's obviously unusual that they've established such a strong military presence on the ground if this is the case. Still, Chaos Space Marines are masters of military doctrine first and renegades second. Certainly no normal pirate band would challenge a primary battle fleet, or set such deep roots on a world with so little to offer them.*
*But if they're not here for battle sport and they're not fanatics, what's keeping us from negotiating with them?*
Helenis looked rather offended at the question, but Voidsong took over once more.
*Because we cannot trust them, and we can't afford to clue them in to our objective here. Their backs are to the wall and they're far, far too clever and well-equipped,* Voidsong grumbled, *that's why I wish to complete our mission right under their nose.*
She took up a control tablet and keyed in a command. A hololith of the planet appeared over the table, and then zoomed in considerably to focus on a single continent.
*After looking through the complete report from Shas'el Wraithstar, we've confirmed that Project Emerald Dawn is close to completion, and despite repeated military setbacks and the destruction of two bases, all the components are undamaged and most of them assembled. The PROBLEM is that a key component, the Warp core, is in enemy hands. That's not a component we can reproduce in any useful time frame.*
*If the Iron Warriors have the Warp core, then what option do we have BESIDES negotiation or all-out assault?* asked the Kor'o admiral. *Unless you really think you can infiltrate their base and steal it back...*
*That would be a tall order indeed, but you misunderstand. The Iron Warriors don't have the Warp core. The native aliens do.*
There was considerable confusion around the table as the hololith zoomed in past Ferrous Dominus and showed them a three-dimensional construction of Canterlot.
*Wait, the native aliens? Since when are they our enemies?* asked a confused Shas'el.
The water caste officer crossed his arms over his chest, frowning deeply. *You DO recall what we're about to do to them, don't you?*
*There's no way they could know that, though! ... Right?*
*What are these aliens, exactly?* another officer asked.
Voidsong silently brought up another hololith that flickered into place next to the first one.
For several seconds, incredulous silence dominated the room.
*Is that a horse?* one of the Fire Caste finally asked.
*Yes. Yes it is,* Voidsong said humorlessly.
*A pony, specifically,* Helenis explained, *or at least, a local mutant variant. According to the Shas'el's notes, they're highly intelligent, possessing many sapient qualities and unique traits.*
*How the blazes did a tribe of PONIES capture our Warp core?* demanded another Fire Caste officer.
*Wraithstar had no good excuse for that, but it's not important now,* Voidsong grumbled, *these equine aliens have secured the Warp core in this... fortification,* she gestured to the hololith of Canterlot.
*Okay. And what's stopping us from sneaking in and taking it back?* asked the Admiral. *Or just marching down there and taking it back, for that matter?*
*That would be this,* Voidsong mumbled, bringing up a new display. The hololith of an earth pony was joined by two more pony images, one of a pegasus and another of a unicorn. The unicorn image was then highlighted.
*Their civilization is small, and militarily they still rely on crude alloys and melee weapons. However, according to the reports gathered from Wraithstar, their species is divided more or less evenly into three races. One of which is composed entirely of psykers.*
This tidbit made the various caste officers flinch. They knew of psykers, of course, and thanks to Voidsong's efforts in acquiring human personnel they even knew some personally and had seen their abilities.
Which was, ultimately, the reason for their unease. Psychic powers varied widely in power and effect, and their deployment was almost impossible to model in simulations. And besides that...
*One THIRD of their species?* one officer gaped. *That means there are, what, thousands? Tens of thousands? There could be millions of them!* True psykers were usually rare even in species with widespread psionic potential; to think of such a large fraction of a population possessing powers they couldn't predict or counter chilled the blood.
*As you know, psionic powers aren't exactly a trump card; we certainly possess the firepower to take the core, and could probably steal it away by stealth if we had to. But the presence of so many psykers, and next to no data on their specific abilities, is another huge blind spot in our tactical data,* Voidsong grumbled, *we have basically no idea what we're getting into down there. But I think I might have a solution.*
*Shas'o,* the water caste officer stood up, his tone grim, *if I may interrupt.*
Voidsong remained silent, one eyebrow quirked.
*If our goal lay not with the gue'la renegades, but the local aliens - who we have legitimately offended, it seems - then we would not be best served by turning first toward use of force.* He glanced around at the others, most of whom looked to be politely containing eye rolls. *Especially if use of force may be problematic for us. I insist that the Water Caste be deployed to negotiate for the recovery of the Warp core before any assault upon these creatures be considered.*
Voidsong was silent for several seconds as she thought over the demand, the gears turning in her head.
*Your request is denied,* she said finally. The diplomat looked like he was about to protest, but Voidsong continued. *I will deploy the Water Caste, but in concert with another operation. If you fail, then I will waste no time in putting my own plan into action.* She stood up from her seat. *Select your negotiation team, and when you're done briefing them, send them to me for an additional briefing.* She turned to Helenis and nodded. *I have to formulate my own plan. I think we have a way to put a stop to our psyker problem before it starts.*


****


Research cruiser Desh'ruun - psionic labs


Shas'o Voidsong and Helenis allowed themselves to be blasted with jets of disinfectant vapors as they waited in the lab air lock, both of them enduring the quick chemical bath with almost comical stoicism.
After almost a minute of trying not to breathe in too much of the white fog, the vapors were sucked into the air vents and the door to the lab complexes finally cracked open.
Voidsong couldn't keep a smile off her face as she stepped into the yawning chambers and looked over the bustling scientists and engineers rushing about within. Many were Earth Caste, as one would expect of a Tau research and development crew, but a fair number were from other species. Key among those foreign minds were a cluster of individuals that very few would ever expect to see serving on a Tau vessel: human Techpriests.
To be sure, there were very few of the engineer-cultists dedicated to the Greater Good. Converting the dogmatic cyborgs after capturing them, or after their host worlds joined the Empire, was far more difficult than convincing the average brutalized Imperial citizen or soldier to turn against the Imperium. It was arguable, in fact, that many of the Techpriests even accepted the ideology of their new masters, and most seemed to simply re-interpret their own understanding of their Machine God to be less dependent upon the Imperium and its dead idol. They apparently decided that their devotion to the Omnissiah could be fulfilled outside the Adeptus Mechanicus, and even in military opposition to it, but this concession was rare and always hard-won. The Earth Caste was hardly more cooperative, disdaining the humans' spiritualistic approach to science and their inferior technology.
Voidsong and her Fire Caste's high officers had forced the issue, however, and had gotten results. No other sept had such knowledge of Warp space or psionics, even if Lamman's understanding of both was rudimentary at best. No other sept could fabricate devices even as small and underpowered as the Warp cores that underpinned their current mission. And no other sept had a lab of any note devoted to psionic weapons.


*Shas'o Voidsong. We were notified of your impending arrival,* said a man in dark red robes of vulcanized rubber. He face, or what was left of it, was completely overrun with small glittering sensors and cabling that ran down and behind his shoulders. He was accompanied by a lower-ranking Earth Caste researcher.
*Then may I presume that you have a report for me?* Voidsong asked, her hands clasped behind her back. *I want to know why Project Ghost Spark is behind schedule. I happen to have a use for it.*
*Of course. This way, please,* the Earth Caste scientist said, turning around.


The small group walked by the majority of the researchers and experiments in progress on their way to one of the containment cells, and the Techpriest spoke up again.
*I managed to acquire a memory coil containing our brief communication with the Rep'talal,* the cyborg said, his servo arm twitching. Voidsong's expression darkened immediately, but he either didn't notice or didn't care. *It's most unfortunate to lose a battlecruiser and that many crew in one fell swoop. In particular, Kyleth Jackson will be missed. His assistance was beneficial to many of our programs. Will there be any action taken to recover the vessel?*
Voidsong scowled. *No, not so long as the vessel is overrun with those... "daemons". Do you have any ideas on how to deal with those creatures?*
*I do not,* the Techpriest replied blithely, *although their existence is supposedly connected in some ways to psionics, daemonology is a very distinct and unique field. Little of what we study here would be especially useful against them.*
*Of course. It can never be easy when the Warp is involved,* the Shas'o grumbled bitterly, *but I'm not here to discuss our losses. Tell me about the project and why it's incomplete.*
The Tau scientist sighed. *It's a little embarrassing, honestly. After years of investigation into the effect that certain Tyranid psykers have on the psionic powers of other races, we've managed to isolate and boost the effective nerve clusters to amplify the dampening effect, their "shadow in the Warp". The Tyranids use this ability to foil astropathic communication, and in the field can suppress other psionic abilities attempted within close range to the shadow origin. Using the design principles of the gue'la psychic hood, we have developed a working prototype that has proven capable of expanding the "shadow" and can effectively stunt psionic abilities within a radius equivalent to a small operational theatre.*
They reached a section of the labs with numerous Fire Warriors lined up on guard duty, and the Tau engineer stepped up to a console.
*That doesn't sound embarrassing to me,* Helenis noted, *in fact, that sounds like a stunning success, if anything.*
*Yes, it would seem so.* The Tau scientist worked at the console for several seconds, and then a set of blast doors over a cylinder-shaped cell started to move open.
The Techpriest took over. *The difficulty lay at the core of the device; although we can amplify the dampening field of a Tyranid psyker, we cannot replicate the psychic ability itself. Even among psykers, this ability is seemingly unknown outside of the hive fleets.*
The blast doors finished opening, and Voidsong grimaced as she stared through thick layers of armorglass at the being contained within a womb of sedative-laced nutrient gel.
It was tall, much taller than a Tau or human or even a Space Marine. Its body was nothing special, for a Tyranid; just a few small, vestigial claws attached to a bean-shaped thorax and a long, thick tail tucked into a fetal position, all plated by segmented chitin. But the neck of the creature gave way to a horrifically swollen brain case that was almost the size of any of the observers on its own.
*A Tyranid Zoanthrope,* the Techpriest said, *our only test subject. It has reacted well to our experiments, especially considering the heavy sedation we keep it under, but as it is, this is the only subject we have that can activate the field.*
*The embarrassment I mentioned earlier was our complete inability to clone specific Tyranid tissues,* the Tau scientist grumbled, *our colleagues in biological sciences had thought it might be easy initially, considering the ease and speed with which the Hive Fleets produce thousands of such creatures. It was not. The Tyranid genomes are maddeningly complex, and we even theorize that it might require a psionic link just to get the cells to cease their absurd rate of mutation long enough to stabilize.*
*So we have the technology, but we're lacking in... "volunteers", eh?* Voidsong mumbled, watching the Zoanthrope twitch.
*That is one way to put it,* the Techpriest noted, his servo arm clanging shut, *what's worse is the deleterious effect the amplifier has on the psionic nerves: a psionic mind will only likely be able to power the dampening field for less than one hundred cumulative hours before breaking down. Obviously, if these devices require the live capture of extremely dangerous Tyranid psykers in order to be deployed, then their use is infeasible in most scenarios. That is the obstacle that has halted project completion.*
Voidsong tapped her chin. *So we have a perfectly workable device, but cannot produce another one? How small can you make the field generator?*
The two researchers shared a glance, uncertain eyes meeting flickering sensors.
*The field generator was designed with cloned tissue in mind, so its deployment model uses a lobotomized organ tank,* the Techpriest explained, *it is two-point-six-one meters in height with a diameter of point-eight-six meters.*
*Shas'o,* the Tau scientist began nervously, *you can't mean to deploy-*
*The working prototype? I do,* Voidsong said bluntly, *we find ourselves in a tactical situation where our primary obstacle is a proliferation of psykers, and with an objective that is absolutely crucial to the success of this campaign. I can think of no better use for such a weapon.*
*But this specimen is our only useful test subject! Using it in the deployment model will kill it!* the Earth Caste member protested. *Besides that, it's the most powerful psyker we have available! Two other projects besides ours depend on its availability!*
*Then they will go on hold, Fio'vre,* Voidsong snapped, causing the shorter Tau to flinch back, *difficult as these creatures are to capture, there is no shortage of them spilling out onto our planets. We will have another opportunity for that. But we will never have another chance like we have now to...*
She trailed off, well aware that the scientists were hanging on her every word.
*Never mind. You don't have sufficient clearance,* she grumbled, *you don't need to know what we're doing with it. But I need that psionic damper. Have it prepared within two hours.*
*It will barely take a quarter of that time,* the Techpriest said, his servo arms rising, *additionally, I would like to acknowledge my support for this course of action. I very much wish to see the results of the field test.*
The Tau scientist scowled. *Whatever is happening down on that planet, I hope this is worth it.*
*That depends on our success, Fio'vre,* Helenis noted, bowing her head slightly, *it is for the Greater Good.*
*Of course. It always is...*


****


Ferrous Dominus - command center


"That's correct, Warsmith. The Tau fleet is still holding their previous position, matching Centaur III's solar orbit and staying far out of engagement range," General Gnoss said, standing in front of a strategic hololith.
"But they've deployed landing craft?" Solon asked, his voice crackling as it was transmitted through the vox caster.
"Best we can tell. It was little more than a blip on our augers, and then they vanished. More stealth tech, no doubt," Gnoss muttered. He paused to take a bite of the chocolate cake sitting at the edge of the hololith table.
"Sho they're deploying ground forcesh? They intend to fight ush where they have the leasht advantagesh?" Solon asked. Iron Warrior crew made a marginal difference in a naval engagement, boarding actions aside, but on the ground the presence of Space Marines gave them a crucial tactical edge.
General Gnoss took a long moment to savor the rich, smooth chocolate cake before he answered, hoping his diversion would be mistaken for deep thought. "It does seem odd, my lord, but then this sept is unorthodox in its tactics. Or perhaps our lack of aggression against the main base has them convinced that we won't interfere with their troop movements."
"I doubt that. They're up to shomething. I want our auger arraysh to double their shcan intenshity and shearch for any irregularitiesh or ghosht shignalsh to be inveshtigated with shtrike forcesh. I will not allow their bashe to be relieved or reinforced."
"Of course, Warsmith. We will be vigilant."
The moment the vox line was cut, Gnoss whirled around toward the nearest officer. "Lieutenant Nerril!"
"General?"
"Get to sector 6 with all haste and bring back some milk!" the General demanded.
The Lieutenant blinked, having expected an order somehow related to what had just been discussed by the Warsmith. "Ah... all right. Regular milk or strawberry, General?"
"They have STRAWBERRY milk?! How is that even bloody possible?!" Gnoss demanded.
The other man took a tentative step backward. "I, uh... I don't know. Magic?"
"Must be. A bottle of each then. Go! GO! This cake won't wait, boy!"


****


Ponyville - Twilight's library


Spike trudged wearily to the front door as a hoof knocked politely against it, wondering who would knock to enter a public library. True, the library also served as Twilight's home, and whoever it was was arriving fairly late in the day, but it was still a strange habit, and it meant he'd had to pull himself away from his knitting just to open the door.
Whatever. If there was somepony who needed something it was at least a distraction from the racket upstairs. Maybe whoever it was would need help from Twilight or Gaela, and he'd have an excuse for one of them to be dragged out of the house.
He opened the door.
"Ah, greetings, Spike! We need inquire as to Twilight Sparkle's whereabouts! 'Tis an emergency!" Luna said, standing in front of the library entrance.
Spike blinked. Twice. "Well, this is a bit more high-profile than I was hoping for, but still pretty convenient," he said.
Luna tilted her head to one side. "Pardon us?"
"Never mind. Come in, please, make yourself at home," Spike said, stepping back and gesturing into the library, "you'll find Twilight upstairs, although I should warn you she's kinda preoccupied."
Luna glanced down at him as she entered. "This matter is of considerable urgency, but what doth demand her attention?"
"Oh, do NOT go there, Gaela!" Twilight's voice suddenly boomed from above them, causing the Princess to halt. She could hear more talking from upstairs after that at a raised volume, but it was not so loud that she could easily make out the words.
"She and Gaela are having a fight," Spike sighed, scratching the back of his head.
Luna's eyes widened. "They art locked in mortal combat?"
"Hah, no. Nothing that exciting. It's a nerd fight," Spike explained, shrugging his shoulders, "I guess Twilight had some questions after seeing the hololith of our solar system, and before I knew it they were yelling at each other. This has been going off and on for two hours now."
Luna quirked an eyebrow, and then she decided to trot up the stairs, hoping for more insight into the sudden conflict.


"I would expect this from your uneducated, simple-minded townsfolk, but you disappoint me, Sparkle," Gaela said, her voice like freezing ice over steel.
"Do NOT call them simple-minded just because any one of them would know you're wrong!" Twilight shouted.
"I am NOT wrong. This is one of the most basic tenets of the science of astromancy," Gaela insisted, she didn't have her axe, and her agitation showed in how her bionic hand kept clenching as if it was trying to grip something tightly for catharsis.
"And sometimes even long-recognized scientific theories can be overturned," Twilight said with her muzzle in the air and her eyes narrowed, "you could at least TRY to confirm an alternate theory before simply discarding it in favor of your own!"
"Putting aside that you're doing EXACTLY that, these aren't 'theories'. They are FACTS, established by literally millions of sample systems producing results as expected based on these principles! You cannot seriously expect me to entertain such tripe!"
Luna poked her head into the room. Gaela was looming over Twilight, her expression cold as ever as the alicorn glared back up at her. Behind both of them was the strategic hololith table showing a scaled-down model of the solar system.
Twilight opened her mouth to continue the argument, but then caught sight of Luna out of the corner of her eye. "Princess Luna! Perfect timing!" she said brightly, turning toward the larger alicorn without stopping to wonder why she might be here, in Ponyville's library.
Then Twilight pointed a hoof at Gaela. "Gaela says that our planet revolves around the sun and not the other way around, and that the cycle of night and day is regulated by planetary spin and gravitational orbit rather than the royal family's magic! Tell her that's not true!"
"Ah, yes, and who have we here to act as a neutral source?" the Dark Acolyte crossed her arms over her chest as her eye narrowed at Luna. "A member of your royal house, and apparently one of the agents propagating this absurd myth."
"It is NOT a myth!" Twilight snapped angrily. "And Princess Celestia is NOT a liar!"
Spike sighed as he ascended the stairs next to Luna, and she glanced down at the young dragon. "They've been at this for a while now. Feel free to interrupt with your thing. Whatever it is."
Luna frowned as she looked over at the hololith, and then she cleared her throat.
"Twilight Sparkle, on the matter of the positioning of celestial bodies in our solar system, Gaela is correct as far as We art aware. The sun doth not orbit our world." The younger alicorn's jaw fell slack, as if one of the most basic principles of reality had been overturned. "Miss Gaela, we do, in fact, control the daily cycle of day and night. Doth this resolve thy disagreement?"
Twilight glanced over at the hololith, stunned. "I... I had no idea. So this means that Celestia actually controls the world's rotation? Fascinating..."
Gaela was unmoved. "You do no such thing. Orbits and planetary spin in this system show no irregularities that would suggest interference, much less control, by supernatural forces."
Twilight beckoned to the woman while shaking her head. "You see? She just won't accept that she's wrong."
"You haven't offered any evidence for your asinine theory aside from testimony from one of the agents responsible for upholding this falsehood!" Gaela snapped. "If this is true, what happens when your sovereign is incapacitated? Would your world suddenly cease planetary rotation and movement along its solar orbit, in complete defiance of the laws of inertia?"
"Yeah, that's happened before," Spike noted, "it's a little creepy, actually. I kind of like Gaela's system better."
There was a momentary pause as the Equestrians waited for the Dark Acolyte to absorb this new testimony.
"You are all liars," the cyborg declared.
"Oh, for Celestia's sake," Twilight grumbled, planting a hoof against her face.
Luna sighed, dismissing the insult. "As fascinating as this debate hath been, We art here for a matter of grave import, not to resolve matters of scientific disagreement," she said.
This seemed to snap Twilight to attention as she recalled that Luna didn't usually just show up at her library for no apparent reason.
"Yes, Princess! What's wrong?"
Luna frowned. "It is the Tau. The aliens that have descended upon this world with the humans. They have come to Canterlot."
Twilight's eyes widened in shock. Gaela raised her eyebrow.
"They've invaded?!" Twilight asked, taking a step back.
"Nay. Like the 38th Company, they hath approached us in peace. A delegation of diplomats should be meeting with our sister even as We speak. We overheard little before We left, but it would seem the aliens mean to acquire some manner of device from us. A... Warp core, We believe they described it."
Twilight blinked. "Wait... the artifact? But we don't even have that! The Iron Warriors should have it by now!"
"We regret to inform thee that that is not the case. The object lay within our vaults, although how the aliens knew this is beyond us."
Gaela frowned as Twilight nodded slowly.
"Okay, well... okay. Fine. So that's where it ended up," the smaller alicorn mumbled, "and Celestia wants me to be there for the negotiations to provide advice?"
Luna winced. "That is... also not the case. Sister is proceeding with the meeting without thee. We recommended thy counsel, and that of the other Elements of Harmony, but she thought otherwise."
Twilight was rendered speechless at that, so Spike was left to ask the obvious question. "Why's that, exactly?"
Luna sighed. "Sister is aware of the... close contact that thou and other residents of Ponyville hath with the forces of Chaos. She considered that thou may be... biased in favor of the Tau's enemies."
"That's ridiculous!" Twilight protested.
"No it isn't," Gaela countered, "that's a perfectly legitimate concern, particularly in Applejack's case."
"Do you ALWAYS have to play Discord's advocate?!" Twilight growled. "Besides, Princess Celestia may not be AWARE that the Tau have made direct assaults on pony dwellings and attacked our citizens! It's not the sort of thing a Tau diplomat would mention! She needs to hear both sides!"
Gaela shrugged, apparently uninterested.
Giving up on the Dark Acolyte, Twilight turned back toward Princess Luna. "I'll go get Rainbow Dash and Applejack. I think both of them are at Sweet Apple Acres."
"Dibs on Rarity!" Spike said quickly. "... I mean, on telling Rarity. About this."
"Spike, make sure to pick up Pinkie Pie, too. Gaela, go to Fluttershy's cottage and bring her back here," Twilight ordered.
"I think it would be a better use of our time to resolve our previous debate," the Dark Acolyte insisted, "the likelihood of our reaching a satisfactory consensus with your sovereign, considering her own bias against the-"
Gaela vanished in a flash of purple as Twilight's horn flared.
"There. I gave her a head start," Twilight grumbled, "everypony will meet back here as soon as possible, and then we can leave."
"Aye, We will teleport us straight into the capital, and then make haste to the throne room," Luna said with a nod, "we must hurry, Twilight Sparkle. The delegation of the Tau has already found a far warmer reception than the humans, and I fear they will find little resistance in getting what they want from us."
Twilight thought it somewhat odd that Luna seemed predisposed to think that was a bad thing, as if she too had been hanging around the humans enough to want to take their side, but didn't stop to question it. "All right! I'll be right back!" she declared before her horn flashed purple and she disappeared.


****


Ponyville - Fluttershy's cottage


Fluttershy hummed to herself as she walked back home, a small sack of bird feed slung over her back.
She had already finished most of her chores, including making up for the days she was missing, and had taken the opportunity to head into town to restock her cabinets. Thankfully, there hadn't been that much to do, even despite her unexpected absence; there hadn't been as many animals around her home as usual. It seemed to her that most of the creatures that could fend for themselves perfectly well but hung around her cottage anyway - probably for easy food and attention - had decided to head back to their own homes and nests.
That was probably due to Tellis living with her. Not that the Iron Warrior knew or cared about her tending of the animals and which of them may or may not have been freeloaders, but his palpable aura of violence and tendency toward loud, unnecessary screeching when he spoke had convinced many creatures that it was time to look into independent residence. Those that remained had gotten used to the Raptor Lord with surprising - in her own opinion, disturbing - ease, however, which was another potential fear of hers that had proved unfounded when she took on a Chaos Lord as a roommate.
The Iron Warrior had taken off early that morning with the intention of doing awful things to helpless surviving Tau crew members that had managed to land safely in their ship's savior pods, so she was hoping he would be occupied for the entire day, and possibly even until tomorrow. Still, she wouldn't have been shocked or TOO disappointed if Tellis had come back before the sun set.
She opened her front door.
"YEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!"


A tall, skinny Tau female in a bedraggled naval uniform was sitting on Fluttershy's couch, and she politely waited for the pony's breath to peter out before she faced the pegasus and spoke.
"You must be the landlord. The Astartes told me that you like to scream when you come home sometimes," the alien said in slow, hesitant Gothic.
Fluttershy took in several deep breaths as her head whipped back and forth, searching for any sign of the flying, armored killer that had forced his way into being her tenant.
"Wh-Who are you? Wh-Where's Tellis?" The Iron Warrior was nowhere to be found, although the Tau was surrounded by a loose circle of bemused-looking animals, including Mister Bear.
"The Astartes left after dropping me off here. Presumably to murder more of my fellow crew," the alien said bitterly. She didn't answer the first question; she wasn't about to let herself be interrogated by some trembling avian creature less than half her size.
"I... I don't understand," Fluttershy said, stepping inside but keeping her back to the wall of her cottage, "I mean, I thought he was... uh, that is to say, why did he... er..." Fluttershy stumbled over her words, trying to think of a kind-ish way to ask why Tellis would let her live.
The Tau captive sighed. "When he found me I surrendered in his native language. I was with three others who were not fluent in Gothic, and he killed them immediately once this became apparent." She took a moment to scowl angrily at the memory, then continued her morbid tale. "He then said that if I could best him in a contest of riddles, then he would accept my surrender."
The pegasus blinked. "And you won?"
"He's not very smart," the alien admitted, glancing back and forth warily, as if the Iron Warrior might be around without her having noticed, "he asked me to identify all the skulls hanging around his neck, which were all from species the Tau Empire fights often. I asked him to name the four Tau working castes."
Fluttershy frowned as she thought back on what Twilight had told her about the Tau's caste system. "Um, that would be... fire, earth, water, and..." she trailed off, not remembering the fourth off-hand. "Wind, maybe?" it seemed like the logical compliment to the others.
"Air. Close enough. He guessed fire, plasma, lava, and spicy nacho." She seemed quite insulted by his failure, despite it apparently saving her life.


A heavy knock on the door interrupted their conversation, and Fluttershy turned back to the door.
"Tellis? Is that you?" Fluttershy asked nervously. "If so, we need to have a talk about you bringing your enemies home with you without asking!"
"It is not Lord Tellis," Gaela answered from the other side, "prepare to leave immediately. Once again your pitifully weak nation is apparently in peril, and for some reason your peers insist on your presence to aid it."
Fluttershy yelped, backing away from the door. "Oh, oh, uh, that is, now isn't really a good time," she said nervously, "I'm still very, very tired from our last quest, so please let Twilight know that-"
The pegasus yelped as a metal hand smashed through her doorknob, obliterating the lock before the door was pushed open.
Gaela stepped through the entrance, looking even more annoyed than usual. "I am not making a request. Either make preparations to leave, or..." she trailed off as she looked up from the trembling yellow pegasus at the surprised-looking Tau female. "... Are you playing host to grayskins?" She didn't sound offended, shocked, or upset at the prospect; if anything, the Dark Acolyte seemed intrigued.
"Less like 'host' and more like 'warden,' it would seem," the alien groused, "your pet monster left me here."
"That descriptor could apply to almost anyone in the 38th Company, but it hardly matters," Gaela said, her servo arm clamping shut noisily, "I'm here for the pony." She didn't think Fluttershy's presence would make a difference, and she wasn't happy about being given this task in the first place, but she had decided to see it completion before criticizing Twilight's plans and presumptions.
She took a step forward, and then suddenly found a cluster of animals blocking her path. Most were small and utterly harmless to a well-clothed human - much less a well-armored one - but the bear had also taken up position in front, its paws on its hips as it stood sentinel in front of its caretaker.
"Get out of my way, you glorified rug," Gaela said evenly, her optics glaring brighter. She hadn't been holding her power axe before she was teleported, but her servo arm clanged shut again mere inches from the bear's nose.
The hulking animal released a furious growl, refusing to be intimidated as it lifted its arms in preparation for mauling.
"WAIT! Stop! It's okay! I'm okay! I'll go! I'll go!" Fluttershy shouted, leaping upright as she heard a high-pitched whine coming from Gaela's actuator backpack.
The Dark Acolyte stopped charging her laser projector as the pegasus stiffly marched forward, and the bear reluctantly reined in its threatening posture.
"Good. Since you've already wasted too much of our time, we will leave at once," the cyborg said.
"Oh, but I need to finish feeding the animals first!" Fluttershy protested. "I mean, if that's okay with you."
"It is not okay with me," Gaela said bluntly.
"Please! I just need to feed Mister Bear and the other animals that need meat! I've taken care of all the others!" the pegasus insisted. "It will take... five minutes, maybe? I'll be quick!"
Gaela paused. "Just the meat-eaters? Then I have a compromise." Then her heavy laser fired.
The Tau prisoner screamed as she was struck in the chest by the spear of amplified light, and then she rolled off the couch and onto the floor as smoke poured from her corpse.
"The predators and scavengers among your menagerie now have a ready food source. We are leaving," Gaela stated simply, reaching down to pick up Fluttershy.
The yellow pegasus was frozen in horror at what had just occurred, which incidentally made transporting her all the easier as Gaela tucked Fluttershy under her bionic arm and then walked to the broken door.


As she was carried away from her home, Fluttershy eventually snapped out of her stupor, and then she glanced up at the woman restraining her.
"You know, I never realized it before, because I don't think we've ever really talked much, but..." she cringed uncomfortably, "you're even scarier than Mister Tellis."
"Flattery will get you nowhere."


****


Ponyville - Sugarcube Corner


The bell on the front door caught Pinkie's attention as someone entered the shop, and she grinned brightly as she bounced into the air and rotated around one hundred and eight degrees to land facing the newcomers.
"Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! Hi Rarity! Hi Spike!" the unicorn and dragon looked exasperated and concerned, respectively, which Pinkie decided were not the expressions that visitors to a bakery should have. "Are you here for some awesome-tastic sweets, or is this another intergalactic kerfluffle-ication?"
"The, uh, second one. I think," Spike said quickly, slightly relieved that he apparently wouldn't have to explain much.
"Hopefully we won't end up in Ferrous Dominus again this time," Rarity said with a scowl, "the emergency is in Canterlot."
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said brightly.
Mister Cake groaned as she started bounding over to her friends. "You have to leave AGAIN? Right before the after-dinner crowd?"
"Sorry Mister Cake! My country needs me!" Pinkie saluted grimly. "Desty, can you cover for me?"
The Chaos Space Marine was pulling a sheet cake out of the oven, and was wearing a tall apron with the words "Iron Chef" stamped on the front above the Legion emblem.
"If there is yet another conflict with the grayskins, would it not be better to have me address it and let Pie assist the bakery?" Dest wondered aloud as he placed the cake on the counter.
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Rarity sighed. "Sorry, Mister Cake. We should be back tonight, barring the outbreak of further intergalactic war."
The ponies and dragon slipped outside quickly, making a good pace for the town library.
"It feels quite strange to acknowledge that there are other options besides intergalactic war," Dest mumbled as he picked up a frosting tube.
Mister Cake sighed and turned toward the armored giant next to him. "So... would you like us to just hire you on formally? We have a health plan."
Dest paused in his decorating of the cake. "I'm not sure I would be more readily available than Pie. The Legion may return to regular combat operations any day now and require my services as a transport pilot. Sudden planetary evacuation is also likely."
"Well, if we can handle sudden quests to save Equestria, I'm sure we can work around that," the baker said hopefully, "and you did say that the Apples wouldn't need your help any longer now that their farm has been mostly obliterated."
Dest was silent for several seconds, staring down at the cake and the array of sugar-based decorating media he had already piled up in preparation to work.
"Tell me more about this 'health plan'."


****


Sweet Apple Acres - outskirts


Rainbow Dash glared across the width of the Chimera transport as it rumbled past the massive impact crater that had replaced much of the apple orchard. Across from her lay Applejack, the side of her mouth curved up in a lazy smile. Nema and Daniels were also seated with them, but to the pegasus all she could see was her best friend/rival and the little half-smirk that refused to disappear.
"You didn't win," Rainbow Dash said through clenched teeth.
"You keep tellin' yerself that, RD," Applejack said calmly. Her fur and mane were damp, and she had a trio of shallow cuts over her barrel that the farmer insisted weren't deep enough to warrant treatment.
"You DIDN'T. It was a tie!" Rainbow Dash snapped.
"Mmm hmmm," the earth pony replied.
"The cragodile doesn't count!" Rainbow insisted, jumping up off her seat and hovering over Applejack. "It was a fishing contest! Fishing! Not cragodile... uh... ing!"
"Sorry Dash, but havin' that space bucket crash on the farm musta damaged mah ears," Applejack said, "cuz' all Ah'm hearin' from ya is 'Gosh, Ah wish Ah hadn't thrown away mah lead at the beginnin' of the match'!"
Rainbow Dash made a series of incomprehensible growling noises, and then rounded on the humans.
"You guys know I'm right, don't you? In a fishing contest, only FISH count! That's obvious!"
Nema snorted. "I'm going to have to side with the pony that walloped an alpha predator ten times her size. Sorry, Dash."
"And I'm siding with AJ because of plain old favoritism," Daniels said, patting the farmpony on the head fondly.
As Rainbow Dash tried to suppress a conniption fit, the Chimera shifted gears and then came to a stop.
Daniels peeked out a vision slit. "Well, here we are! Dry Dusty Crater! Home sweet home!"
Applejack chuckled as she stood up, but without the bitterness and self-pity that had plagued her when that name had been first thought up. "Ah'll say! You boys absolutely need to head back to yer walls tonight, or ya wanna room here? We got plenty o'space!"
"Gotts? Whaddya think?"
"Doesn't make a lotta difference if we roll in tonight or tomorrow morning. Either way we're going to be lying through our teeth to the Captain and hoping they don't find the fishing gear!" Gotts shouted from the driver's compartment.
"That sounds like a ringing endorsement to me," Daniels said with a grin, "it'll let us finish off the rest of the catch, too."
"Shame we couldn't take the croc. Er, crag? The rock lizard," Nema mumbled.
The deployment ramp dropped open, and Winona dashed outside immediately, followed by a disgruntled blue pegasus.
Nema lifted a bucket full of fish and headed out. Daniels was about to follow him, but an outstretched hoof stopped him.
"Hey, Danny. Thanks fer takin' me out with you guys," Applejack said with a refreshingly full smile.
"Bah, nothing to it," Daniels said, waving a hand, "you've shown us a lot of hospitality, what with the Chaos pirate thing and all. Least I could do is invite you to join us as we plunder your rivers."
"Well, Ah don't think of it like that," Applejack insisted as she dropped off the seat and onto the Chimera's floor, "hospitable or no, if y'all hadn't come around Ah'd probably spend the whole day mopin' about feelin' sorry fer mahself. Ah'm gonna have to do somethin' nice fer you."
They stepped outside, and Applejack right away noticed her little sister rushing toward the Chimera with Crabapple lumbering along behind her.
"Hey Sis!" Apple Bloom shouted brightly, pleased to see her smiling again. "Can Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stay over tonight? We're gonna try a summonin'!"
Applejack paused, and fixed the youngest Apple sibling with a thoughtful expression. "Ya take yer bath without any fuss, and you got a deal."
Apple Bloom made a happy squeal and bolted for the farmstead.
"AJ, you know what a 'summoning' is, don't you?" Daniels asked.
"Nah. Figured it was one of yer kooky rituals or somethin'," Applejack admitted.
"Good guess."
"RAINBOW DASH!! APPLEJACK!! There you are!"


The two mares looked up to see Twilight soaring overhead, and looking quite frantic.
"Oh, what now?" Applejack mumbled under her breath as Twilight landed roughly in front of her.
The purple alicorn took a moment to catch her breath and steady herself - high-speed landings still made her dizzy - and then spoke again. "Where have you two been? I've been flying from one end of the farm to the other searching for you!"
Applejack quirked an eyebrow. "We was out fishin'. Why? What's the ruckus?"
Twilight was fairly stunned at that answer. Not only did she consider fishing a strange activity for ponies in general, but for Applejack to be out wasting time while her farm lay in ruins was utterly uncharacteristic of her.
She shook her head. That wasn't important. "We need to head to the library right away! Luna is going to teleport all of us to Canterlot!"
Rainbow Dash and Applejack shared a glance.
"Road trip?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight narrowed her eyes. "No, of course not. The Tau are in Canterlot, trying to make a deal with Princess Celestia!"
The other two mares gasped, appropriately concerned. The humans watching seemed less so.
"Is that a bad thing? I thought you liked all that diplomacy bunk," Daniels wondered aloud.
"It's complicated, and I don't have time to explain here," Twilight insisted.
"Ah'm with ya, Twi," Applejack said, adjusting her hat, "Daniels, you and the boys just make yerselves at home and try to keep mah little sis from startin' any fires. Ah'll be back in a bit."
"Have fun!" Daniels called out right before the three ponies vanished in a flash of purple light.


Gotts started setting up a mobile grill while Nema prepared the fish. Daniels was considering which task he'd rather help along when he spotted Apple Bloom wandering back outside, looking back and forth.
"Looking for something, Bloom?"
The young pony fixed her gaze on Daniels. "Where'd Applejack go?"
"Business call. Very important stuff," the mercenary replied, "why? You need something?"
Apple Bloom sat down on her haunches, frowning. "Yeah. Sweetie says we need a 'sacrifice' fer the summonin'."
"Not it," Gotts and Nema said simultaneously.
Daniels gave them an annoyed glance, then looked back down at the filly. "So what did you have in mind?"
Apple Bloom frowned. "Well, we don't really know what to do. Scoots says we should just use some of our animals, but that don't seem right to me."
"Yeah, that's a bad idea," Daniels agreed, "besides the poor state of your agri-facility already, farm animals are generally thought of as being very weak and expendable, and that affects the ritual."
"Well, we don't got any ideas, then," Apple Bloom admitted, kicking at the grass in annoyance.
Daniels paused and scratched at his chin for a few seconds. "Well... I DO know where we can find a wounded cragodile."


****


Ponyville - Twilight's library


Twilight burst through the door in a rush, with Rainbow Dash and Applejack galloping in behind her at a slightly less frenzied pace.
"All right! Is everybody here?" Twilight asked, scanning from one side of the library to the other.
It seemed liked the group was complete. Besides the Elements of Harmony, Gaela had retrieved her power axe and was waiting next to Spike off on the side. In the middle of the library, Luna waited with her wings spread and her horn already aglow with magic.
"Indeed, if there art no other matters to be resolved, then We shalt spirit us all to Canterlot immediately!"
Gaela frowned as the ponies all started encircling the dark blue alicorn. "All of us? Including me?"
"Of course!" Twilight said immediately. "Let's go!"
Gaela's frown shifted into a slightly more expressive grimace. "I believe my presence might create a prob-"
And then they vanished in a flash of blue magic.


****


Canterlot - royal gardens


Gaela blinked rapidly as the blue light faded, and then she squeezed her eye shut as her optical bionics and armor cogitator were overwhelmed with new telemetry data from the unexpected teleport.
"I don't like doing that," she mumbled as she rubbed at her biological eye.
Twilight glanced around and then up at the sky. They were in the gardens next to the palace, and the sun would be setting soon. Or rather, the curvature of their planet would be obscuring the sun soon. That was so WEIRD.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on astronomy, she chided herself before turning toward the others. "All right, everyone. Princess Celestia may not be thrilled to see us, so get ready."
"Speaking of individuals she may not wish to see," Gaela said blithely, "is it not forbidden for humans to be in your capital?"
The ponies seemed surprised at this, and Luna clicked her tongue. "Tch! We hath forgotten Sister's decree. However, do not fear; as a guest of mine, thou shalt not be detained."
"I'm hardly concerned about being roughed up by your enforcers," the Dark Acolyte said, "but how, precisely, is it helpful to bring me along? In addition to defying your sovereign's edict, you may recall that my skill in diplomatic conduct is..."
"Please darling, spare us," Rarity interrupted as Gaela trailed off, "I don't think there's a word strong enough to describe how bad it is, and if there is it probably isn't for the faint of heart." She turned to address the other ponies. "Miss Gaela has a point. Can you zap her back to Ponyville?"
Luna grimaced. "We would rather not, after having made such a leap just now with so many others. It is most tiring, and time is short." Then she glanced over to a pair of guards standing sentinel at the side entrance to the palace. "You two! Come hither!"
The guards had no clue what was going on, but when one of the Princesses warped in with the Elements of Harmony in tow, one didn't march up to them and ask for an update; one shut up and silently prayed that whatever brought them around wasn't going to start a rampage and plow through the Equestrian military. The two stallions approached stiffly, stopping a meter from Luna with their heads bowed.
"This is Dark Acolyte Gaela. For the time being she is exempted from the city's ban on humans. Thou art to be her escort and take her into the city, to ensure that she is not accosted by our vigilant military."
The guards saluted. Gaela frowned, but said nothing as the stallions led her away.


"Well, I'm pretty sure we dodged a bullet there," Rainbow Dash mumbled as Gaela walked out of earshot. Fluttershy nodded rapidly in agreement.
Twilight wasn't nearly as happy leaving the Dark Acolyte behind, but couldn't come up with a good argument for her to come with them. It had just felt... right to have the engineer-cultist along, even if it wasn't strictly in the best interests of their objective.
"Well, before we roll in there, Ah think we should have a plan," Applejack said, getting nods from the other mares, "so here's what Ah'm thinkin': Dash, Pinks, you two rush 'em as soon as we get inside and knock 'em down. Ah'll be right behind ya to finish 'em off. Twi, Rares, if any of 'em tries to pull weapons-"
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Twilight shouted, leaping up onto her hind legs and crossing her forelegs into an X. "Time out! Applejack, we are NOT going to burst into the throne room and murder a diplomatic delegation in front of Princess Celestia!"
Applejack blinked, and then her ears fell flat against her head. "Oh, right. Diplomats. Yeah, that'd be pretty bad."
"So, what, we just rough them up a little instead of killing them?" Rainbow Dash asked. Pinkie smacked one hoof into the other and grinned menacingly.
"No!" Twilight shouted, slapping a hoof into her face. "We're going to enter the throne room, introduce ourselves to the Tau, and talk to them!"
"Awwwwww!" Twilight was quite frustrated to hear groans of disappointment coming from her more aggressive friends.
"Twi, when you grabbed us from the farm like the sky was falling I thought we were going to see some action!" Rainbow Dash complained.
"We also must confess a slight preference for the Element of Honesty's plan," Luna said.
"NO! That is final!" Twilight shouted through clenched teeth. "Now let's go! You'll all have a chance to explain why the Tau are bad news, but no violence!"
"Fine. Whatever you say, MOM," Pinkie said before she and Rainbow snickered.
This, right here. This was merely one reason why she liked having Gaela around, especially with her other friends. It was SO much easier being the voice of reason when there was someone higher on the serious/brainy scale than she was. "Stop mocking me and let's go! We don't have any more time!"


****


Canterlot Castle - throne room


Celestia sat on her throne with a phalanx of soldiers standing at attention in front of her, their weapons shouldered but their poses vigilant.
Across from her stood a trio of trim, pale-skinned Tau with long and rather ornate robes. Between the three diplomats - Por'vre, in their language - was a hololith projector showing a three-dimensional image of the planet. Off to the side was a small chest full of gifts that Kibitz was sorting through. Most were small devices of one sort of another, none of them especially valuable, but Celestia had to admit it made a far better tribute than having her own stolen property returned to her by the thief who took it.
"As you can see, this project is of vital importance to our race, and of no particular interest to the humans. If they truly are raiders, as you've informed us, they're probably here for more mundane resources." The Tau diplomat said, finishing up his explanation of this "Warp core" and its function.
"We will of course withdraw any remaining military units from your borders to Black Point, and we promise the utmost respect for your nation's borders," said another of the aliens, bowing.
"What, in return for the core? Shouldn't you be doing that anyway?" asked Shining Armor. He and Cadence were both seated to the side of Celestia, serving as her advisors in this matter. Cadence seemed mostly content to leave the discussion to her husband, while she occasionally whispered in Celestia's ear.
Celestia wished Luna would attend as well, but for some reason her sister had decided on her own that if Twilight wasn't going to be invited, then she would not participate either. Celestia had been very surprised at that, but Luna hadn't provided any reasoning before she'd flown right out the window and disappeared.
Besides being troubled by the ultimatum itself, she dearly missed her sister's presence on this matter.
Cadence turned her head, and then lifted her muzzle to Celestia's ear before she spoke softly. "Look at that. The way that female smiles wider and starts fidgeting every time the guy in front speaks. She is SO hot for him."
Although Celestia certainly appreciated Cadence's help, her counsel left... something to be desired.
"The other male knows it, too. He's trying to take charge whenever he can, to try to show off and counter the main guy. I think he might be her husband. You should think of a way to ask if they're a coup-"
"Thank you, Cadence," Celestia whispered quickly, hushing the pink alicorn before clearing her throat.
"I am, of course, quite concerned with the toll that your war with the humans may have on our world. Some of your vessels actually fell from orbit onto the surface, and with catastrophic results. It's a miracle nopony was hurt."
The trio of diplomats shared a glance. They did that often, and she suspected they communicated far more to each other with those brief glances than they did to her with their extensive monologues.
"The presence of a human fleet is an unexpected difficulty for all of us," confessed a diplomat, "we possess the power to eliminate them, but the cost would be great. To us, obviously, but perhaps also to your world."
"The fact that these humans serve 'Chaos' is an added complication," murmured the female, "we have relations with the main body of human population in the surrounding regions, the Imperium, but these renegades are something new."
Before Celestia could mull that over, Cadence was whispering in her ear again.
"Ooh! Ooh! I think she's trying to impress the main guy! He gave that little eyebrow quirk! He wasn't expecting her to say that!"
"THANK YOU, Cadence," Princess Celestia said quietly, pushing her away gently with her magic.
"How exactly we deal with the humans is up in the air," confessed one diplomat as he nodded at Shining Armor, "we are not opposed to coordinating an action with your people, to minimize its impact. We may be able to force them off the planet without any major engagements, which would be to the benefit of everyone."
"Or, we could leave the humans alone," offered another of the aliens, "if we have the Warp core, we can complete our research regardless of their presence. It may suit you for the current stalemate to continue until both sides decide to leave."
Shining Armor glanced back at Celestia uncertainly. The Princess raised her gaze to the ceiling thoughtfully. It was certainly nice of the Tau - and suspiciously submissive of them - to let her needs dictate the course of their battle strategy. But exactly what were those needs? She wanted the humans gone, to be sure, but after they had failed to rampage through her villages and cities like she expected, she was a little hesitant about pointing another army at them. Decisions, decisions...
Then the side door to the throne room opened, snapping her out of her musings.


"Er, P-Princess Luna? You're attending after all?" Kibitz asked awkwardly as the dark blue alicorn trotted into the room with a decidedly defiant expression.
What was even more startling to the ponies in the room was the presence of six other mares and a young dragon behind her. Everypony knew who they were, of course, but very few of them knew why the Elements of Harmony would be involved with a matter of intergalactic diplomacy.
Celestia frowned slightly as Luna stepped up next to the cluster of guards and spoke.
"We apologize for our entrance at this late hour," Luna said, eyes narrowed at the Tau diplomats, "allow us to make introductions: We art Princess Luna, and the individuals behind us art Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. We believe they have questions for our esteemed guests that shalt prove most enlightening."
"I'm Spike," Spike mentioned briefly, raising his hand after noticing that he hadn't been introduced.
"Luna," Princess Celestia said gently, "we are concluding the negotiations now. Although I know you only have the best interests of Equestria in mind, this disruption is not helpful to our cause."
"Please, Princess," Twilight said, bowing her head as she approached her mentor, "I request permission to address the diplomats. There are concerns that I believe we need to put to rest before a deal can be made, but I will not stop you from reaching an agreement with the Tau."
Princess Celestia hesitated, but reluctantly nodded her assent. She could see that some of the other Elements of Harmony were restless, as if they were holding themselves back from hurling themselves at the aliens, but so long as they continued to restrain themselves she wouldn't embarrass them by having them thrown out.
Twilight turned toward the diplomats, who had been admirably stoic throughout the interruption. "I realize that you've probably already covered this, but I heard that you're here for this 'Warp core' that we've captured. What does it do?"
The lead diplomat smiled softly. It was quite common for native creatures to be suspicious of their technology. "It is part of a system we are developing to improve our method of superluminal travel. We are testing the establishment of a stable, permanent Warp gate that will allow our ships to make instantaneous jumps from one system to another without having to cross the vast empty space between. The Warp core is vital to this system."
"It is being constructed on your planet because its galactic positioning is ideal for our test runs," mentioned the female Tau, "although we never intended for it to cause such disruption with the native species."
"Oh, I see," Twilight mumbled, pressing a hoof to her chin as she nodded, "Warp space doesn't work like that."
The Tau blinked in surprise, and the ponies in the room looked startled.
"You can't arbitrarily link two points in the universe to the Warp and then eliminate the distance between them. Creating a doorway into the Immaterium creates a shorter path to your destination point, but you still need to travel through Warp space to get there. Which, as I understand, your ships can't do. Oh! Also, such doorways are all but IMPOSSIBLE to create next to powerful gravitational fields." One of her eyebrows rose. "So either you're lying to us, or I just saved you years of fruitless research and development work."
The other ponies had no idea what to make of the sudden lecture, but the Water Caste trio shared one of their silent glances before the lead diplomat turned back toward Twilight.
"Princess, while I gladly admit that my knowledge of our earth caste's technology is not perfect, I must question your apparent mastery of it. The principles of Warp technology are extremely complex, and slightly... esoteric, for a non-space faring species."
"That's a fair point," Twilight allowed, surprising the diplomats again by letting her challenge be dismissed, "so if you're here in Equestria to create and test this Warp gate, then that would make your facilities on our planet... research bases and fabrication laboratories, right?"
Shining Armor couldn't help but notice a moment of uncertainty as another diplomat cautiously answered.
"That is... one of their functions, yes," mumbled the alien.
"Wow, wouldn't have guessed," Rainbow Dash interrupted, glancing down at Fluttershy, "hey Flutters, did you see any 'research' going on in that Everfree camp? Like, were any of those nasty Kroot guys wearing white coats or handling test tubes or anything?"
"Oh, uh, no, not that I remember," Fluttershy mumbled nervously, pawing at the floor, "uhm, maybe they were studying the local wildlife? By, er, eating all of it?"
"You have some very brave and aggressive researchers, Mister Tau," Rarity said in a perfectly pleasant tone of voice, "why, with the way they charged into the human fortress, they were indistinguishable from hardened soldiers! I do have to question their field of study, however; they only seemed interested in analyzing the application of explosions to every living thing they saw."
"And that base we blew up in Salt Lick Canyon?" Pinkie said, giggling into her hoof. "I didn't see a lot of science going on! Even before it was mostly on fire!"
"Ah don't have nothin' clever to say about yer bases," Applejack said, trying to keep her voice as calm as she could, "but since y'all have shown up, ya knocked down mah house and barn, shot up mah sister's pet robot - twice - blew up mah orchard, and nearly killed mah brother. Was that all in the name o'science?"
By now the Water Caste delegation was quite uncomfortable. "We cannot apologize enough for the indiscretions of our Fire Caste," the female said with a bow and a grimace, "their only concern is furthering the interests of our people and defending their fellow caste members. In this matter they have acted... overzealous on this world. We are not here to harm your people."
"Oh, I don't doubt that," Twilight agreed, "but who ARE you here to harm? You can't seriously expect us to believe you have an entire army on hand just to protect your researchers; the assault on Ferrous Dominus alone took hundreds of soldiers!" Shining Armor nodded slowly, silently agreeing with his little sister's assessment (and trying to fend off the feeling that he had become rather redundant when she arrived).
The Tau delegation shared another tense glance, but before they could speak Princess Celestia cleared her throat.
"I have a question for you, my faithful student," Celestia said, her voice carefully unassuming, "what did Pinkie Pie mean when she said you 'blew up' a base in Salt Lick Canyon?"
Now it was Twilight's turn to tense and clam up. She knew why Celestia was asking, but this topic was a diversion from the matter at hand. She would just come up with a vague explanation and-
"Oh, it was so cool!" Pinkie said, bouncing in place as Twilight started to pale. "Shmithy turned Big Mac into a cyborg so then to pay him back we snuck into the canyon all stealthy-like and set a bunch of bombs and then this one Tau tricked us and we had to fight a bunch of robots but we won and then there was this big dramatic showdown where we were surrounded and gonna die but then a bunch of Iron Warriors beamed in at the last minute and totally kicked their flanks although they were kind of gross and victory was OURS!" the pink mare paused to suck in a deep breath, and then lifted up the heavy bolter round hanging by a chain around her neck. "Check it out! We got medals!"
Twilight smiled awkwardly as she found herself the focus of many incredulous stares.
"Twilight," Celestia said, noting with grave discomfort that four of the Elements of Harmony (Rarity and Fluttershy were not wearing theirs) boasted the crude amulets, "is this true?"
"Well... yes... but..."
As Twilight hesitated awkwardly the Tau sensed an opportunity and took it. "Please excuse me, Princess Twilight Sparkle, but I must ask: are you here as an agent of Equestria, or an agent of the 38th Company?" He asked as if he were genuinely confused, as if the Iron Warriors would send in a pony to represent their interests.
"Oh, we're totally with Equestria!" Rainbow Dash answered before Twilight could map out a properly measured response. "We just help the humans out because we're cool with them!"
"SUPER cool," Pinkie added, "like, the COOLEST."
"And for that you've attacked us and taken the lives of our comrades?" asked another of the diplomats, her tone quite disappointed.
"Not JUST fer that, no," Applejack said dangerously.
"ANYWAY!" Twilight shouted, her voice coming out extremely high-pitched. "I think we're getting a little off-point here! We were talking about how your military strength is entirely inappropriate for-"
"Twilight," Celestia interrupted softly, silencing her immediately, "thank you for coming to assist me with this matter, but I have one more question to ask you before I make my decision."
The Elements of Harmony found it rather ominous that Celestia's last question was apparently for them and not the aliens.
"When you spoke of this 'Warp' technology, and when you cast doubt on the Tau's reasons for coming to our world..." Celestia began, her tone neither presumptive nor contemptuous, "did that information come from the humans?"
Twilight's ears fell flat against her head. "Well... yes," she admitted weakly.
"Wait, why's that a problem?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Chaos is a terrible, corrosive force," Celestia said, heaving a sigh, "although it often prefers unsubtle means to further its twisted causes, deceit and misdirection is not unknown to it. I'm sorry my little ponies, but we cannot trust the word of the humans."
"But we CAN trust the grays?" Applejack asked through clenched teeth. She was keeping her temper in check, given that she stood before Celestia herself, but it was a near thing.
"I do not know," Celestia confessed, giving the Tau delegation a sidelong glance, "but I do believe that they wish us no harm, and that their interests lie solely with their experiment, whatever its true aim."
She spread her wings out, not to lift off, but in gesture of sorts as she declared her decision. "Here is my offer, Por'vre: I will relinquish the Warp core to you in return for the immediate withdrawal of all your kind and your equipment, military or civilian, from our borders. As soon as your experiment is complete - outside of our territory - I then wish for you to make all haste to leave our planet." She paused. "In the meantime, I insist that you avoid provoking or engaging the 38th Company. As much as I detest the forces of Chaos, they have so far kept from attacking my people, and have only been a danger to us in their conflict with you. Time will tell whether they are being true in their intention to leave our world on their own, but in the meantime the warfare must cease."
There were several nods of assent, both among the various soldier and minister ponies and the Tau.
"Finally," Celestia finished, "after you have withdrawn from our borders, then all the humans shall be instructed to do the same. Their corruption will not be allowed to spread through Equestria, whether by the sword or the coin. After today, no servant of Chaos or the 'Greater Good' shall be allowed within our settlements."
This, even more than the news of them surrendering the Warp core, sent a startled jolt through the Elements of Harmony.
"Whoa, what? You can't be serious!" Rainbow Dash said, a touch of anger in her voice.
"What did the humans do to deserve that? They ain't committed no crime!" Applejack added.
Rarity winced. "Well, possible crimes aside, I don't think it's necessary to exile an entire SPECIES."
"This is going to RUIN next month's party schedule!" Pinkie said, severely distressed.
Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her urge to defend her friends and demand more information about the Tau invaders had run up against a much deeper instinct: her respect for Celestia and her tendency to trust the sun Princess's wisdom first and her own feelings second. Wasn't Celestia right, in the end? Chaos was obviously dangerous. Its servants in the 38th Company were blatantly immoral killers. Why SHOULD she believe anything they said? Why shouldn't they work to rid Equestria of the possible threat altogether, especially if they could do so without actually fighting them?
The sound of Princess Celestia clearing her throat again brought Twilight back to the present.
"Loyal Rainbow Dash," Celestia said softly, "your instincts are noble, but they may yet betray you. You side with the friends you have made amongst the raiders, but their own loyalty lies with a power far more terrible than you can possibly imagine."
Her gaze moved to the side. "Applejack, honest and uncomplicated. You see the Tau as the source of your troubles, but they bear no grudge against the Apple family. It is war itself that has cost you so much, and in this the humans also bear responsibility."
Next was Pinkie. "Pinkie Pie, always welcoming with a smile. But in the void beyond our world live creatures and individuals possessed of such hatred that no amount of joy can move them."
Rarity. "Rarity, generous and clever. Your attachment to the humans is less emotional, and you are not ignorant of the threat they pose. Even so, you may yet find yourself more deeply influenced by their dark whispers than you'd thought."
Her gaze moved to Fluttershy, who surprised everypony by speaking up first.
"Actually, I could live without the humans," she said, raising a hoof meekly, "you can skip me."
Celestia blinked. She had been expecting more sympathy for them from the Element of Kindness. Well, whatever.
"And you, Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student," Princess Celestia began as she fixed her eyes upon the purple pony, "you have learned well the values of friendship and harmony, and remain undaunted and pure despite the trials I have set before you. Were that I could let my heart guide me now, as you have, and reach out even to these terrible raiders." Celestia shook her head. "I dislike the lessons I must impart to you now. I dislike shunning outsiders, managing military stalemates, and guiding the kingdom out of fear and caution. But Chaos poses a much deeper threat than to our mere well-being, and I cannot risk further harm to our country for the sake of their whims and cruel goals."


One of the male Tau tilted his head toward the other. *Laying it on a bit thick, isn't she?* he whispered in their native tongue.
The other diplomat snickered. *What a dork.*


Twilight wanted to argue. She wanted to plead with Celestia that the arguments weren't from the corrupt humans, that her information was sound, that her questions to the aliens demanded answers, that Chaos was being convicted in absentia while the Tau were being handed everything they wanted without being made to account for themselves.
Twilight lowered her head. "Yes, Princess," she said weakly, "you're right."
Celestia sighed wearily, noting the utterly defeated expressions borne by the Elements of Harmony. What had started as a simple task of dispatching a vile foe and sending it back to the void had turned far more complicated than she had expected. She'd never thought that friendship would turn out to be an obstacle rather than an aid to such an effort.
"Por'vre, are the terms I've outlined acceptable?" Celestia asked, finally turning her attention back to the aliens.
The Tau shared another of their silent glances, and then the lead diplomat bowed graciously.
"We had hoped that there would yet be some possibility of future cooperation and co-existence for our two peoples," he said with his head still bowed, "but given our missteps so far and our crimes against your kingdom, you are most gracious. We accept your stated terms."
"BUT WE DO NOT." Every pony in the hall, even Celestia, stumbled at hearing the booming voice interrupting the proceedings. The Tau schooled their shock more easily, giving a strange look to the dark blue Princess walking up in front of the throne.
"Luna? What are you doing?" Princess Celestia asked. Perhaps she should have been less stunned by the interference, considering that her younger sister had already gone against her wishes and brought the Elements of Harmony into this. But for the life of her she couldn't guess why Luna would object to their deal as presented.
Luna's gaze shifted back to the surprised and slightly hopeful Elements of Harmony, and then over to her sister.
"We must beg thy forgiveness for asserting ourselves thusly, dear Sister, but We must insist, as co-ruler of Equestria, that these negotiations be extended." She then nodded her head in the direction of Twilight. "In particular, We request that Princess Twilight Sparkle's questions be answered and her opinions heard before any settlement be concluded."
Both Celestia and Twilight looked fairly stunned by this demand.
"I don't... Luna, I have conducted matters of diplomacy and even war innumerable times," Celestia insisted, casting uncertain glances to a shrugging Cadence, "and we have all heard out Twilight's concerns already."
"Nay, Sister. Dare We say thou hast not heard her out at all," Luna said, "thou hast dismissed her opinion before she hath given it, by refusing to summon her. Thou considers her thoughts compromised by her exposure to Chaos. And by letting thy trust falter, We believe thy own sensibilities hath been compromised by thy fear."
She turned her head away from a stunned Celestia, and then nodded her head in the direction of the Water Caste delegation. "And besides: We art in agreement with Twilight Sparkle's opinion of thine experiment. Warp space doth not work that way."
Absolute silence dominated the hall for several seconds as Luna finished.
"And... you would know that... how?" Cadence asked cautiously, tilting her head to one side.
"We hath seen it. Or a memory of it. 'Tis complicated," Luna mumbled, "in any case, Twilight Sparkle will be heard."
"I have to agree," Shining Armor said, suddenly reminding the Princesses that he was still there, "I'm very concerned about Twilight's assessment of their military strength. We didn't get an explanation of that earlier."
"Although I understand your concerns, I am not sure these matters are pertinent to our settlement," the head diplomat noted.
"Then please, convince us that they aren't," Twilight said as she stepped forward, her head held high and her confidence restored, "I wish to know why you had a base established to foil vox signals when nothing on this planet uses those devices. Then you can explain why you spread three hidden bases around Equestria, and who you were trying to hide them from. Then, please, explain your completely oversized military presence, and why you've waited until now to make any sort of meaningful contact with us. Once you're done with all that, THEN I want to know once and for all what the Warp core is ACTUALLY being used for, and why you were obviously preparing to fight to defend it long before the Iron Warriors showed up!"
Twilight couldn't help but feel proud at the disturbed expressions on the Tau's faces as she finished. She didn't necessarily intend to ruin their efforts at peaceful acquisition of their former property, but if they were going to get the Warp core, they would pay for it with answers.
One of the diplomats coughed before he spoke up. "It was always a possibility that a pirate fleet would happen upon our project, especially in a sector as active as this one, and we took considerable measures to defend them in such a scenario. Considering that is PRECISELY what's happened, I hardly think that our military strength and security measures are at all questionable."
"This sector is 'active'?" Rarity wondered aloud. "Rather odd, then, that we haven't seen much in the way of space traffic on this planet before now. I'd think that between the pirates and your checking to see if there's pirates, alien activity would come as less of a surprise to us."
"There was always the possibility, even if remote..." the diplomat backpedaled.
"And if security was an issue, and for some reason this planet is the only one that would work, how come you didn't just take it as you normally do?" Twilight pressed. "Not that I want Equestria to become part of the Tau Empire, but here you've gone to great lengths to both hide and defend this experiment. If this project is so important, wouldn't you want to do it on a world you controlled?"
The female spoke quickly to respond to her question. "Surely, we would have taken more extensive measures, but there simply wasn't time."
"Time?" Shining Armor asked, tilting his head to one side. "Why not? What's the rush?"
The reaction from the Water Caste was quite telling. The diplomat that had spoken had frozen stiff, and her face paled slightly even as she carefully schooled her features. The other two aliens glanced at her sharply, their own features tightening angrily.
Celestia restrained a sigh as Cadence whispered to her again. "Oh-ho! She was NOT supposed to say that! Totally just ruined her chances with the main dude!"
"It's... It's just that we require this new transportation system at once, with all haste. Our military conflicts require it!" the female Tau said, regretting the excuse almost immediately.
"Kind of weird, if you ask me," Rainbow Dash muttered, "you go to all this trouble to get this super-important machine and test it out, but here you've also agreed to leave as soon as you've built it. What kind of a deal is that?"
"You did say it was a PERMANENT gate," Twilight noted, following up on Rainbow's musing, "putting aside that we don't believe you, you say that you're going to construct this machine, test it right in front of a powerful, hostile army, and then leave it never to return? You really ARE in a hurry. Would you care to explain the exact reasons why our planet is 'ideal' for this project?"
The head diplomat turned away from the Elements of Harmony, addressing Celestia instead.
"Princess Celestia..." he paused, wetting his lips, "I must confess to you that we have not been sanctioned to divulge ALL the details of our project here."
The white alicorn raised an eyebrow, and he continued, encouraged that she was at least listening carefully. "It is true that some facets of our presence may not make sense based on what we've told you. It may also be true that we have been... evasive in the exact nature of the Emerald Dawn project." He shook his head. "This is unfortunately beyond our control. I am not at liberty to divulge such things even to members of our own species below certain rank, much less other governments with no pertinent dealings with us."
Princess Celestia nodded cautiously, and the diplomat took a deep breath before he finished. "But I can ASSURE you that I can bring my sept into agreement on the terms you've outlined. You can rid your nation of our weapons once and for all, and need not fear further conflict with the 38th Company within your territories. With that goal in mind, is it truly worth endangering our agreement for military secrets that we can't divulge to you?"
Princess Celestia frowned deeply as all eyes went to her. She had to admit that she was quite disturbed by the suspicious reactions of the delegates in response to Twilight's questions, but at the same time the alien made a very compelling point. She didn't CARE what the Tau's machine did. If she could get them to leave, she would gladly give them the useless hunk of metal taking up space in the vaults.
"Princess Celestia," Twilight said, distracting the sovereign from her thoughts, "I know you think that I've become too close to the 38th Company. That I've made friends with terrible people, and been dazzled by their knowledge to the point that I don't question it." She swallowed nervously. "And... And you might be right. We haven't spent a lot of time hearing the Tau's side of the story. We've become so accustomed to the humans' violence that it barely fazes us anymore, and we shrug off the hints of dark influence without a thought, now." She chose to leave out that three ponies had already become Chaos cultists. Celestia REALLY didn't need that on her mind right now.
Then the young Princess pointed a hoof at the Tau delegates. "But you HAVE to believe me when I say that there's too much information we're not being told, here. There's another element to this conflict, some other threat that we're not aware of. And this 'Project Emerald Dawn' is definitely NOT as benign as we're being led to believe. For what it's worth, I strongly recommend we keep the Warp core until we get answers. REAL answers."
"Yeeha! You said it, Twi!"
"Could barely have said it better myself!"
"Indeed, I have to agree."
"Suffer not the alien to live!"
"Uhm, so, does this mean the humans AREN'T going to be forced out of Equestria? That part doesn't depend on the deal, does it?"
Celestia noted the Tau's attempt to restrain his frustration as the Elements of Harmony took turns cheering on Twilight (save Fluttershy; just what had the humans DONE to her?).
"I am sorry, Por'vre," Celestia said finally, "but my student has a valid point. As much as I wish conflict to cease in my lands, it would seem you have not been negotiating in good faith." She spread her wings again. "To this end, I must insist that we continue this meeting tomorrow. I will convene with my student and we shall discuss her findings, and you may contact your leaders and inform them that we need more information."
As the diplomats groped for something to say to challenge this decision, their communicators crackled in their ears.
*You may inform the 'Princess' that another meeting will be unnecessary. I've heard enough,* spoke a harsh voice in their ears.
The link was immediately cut, and the diplomats shared another uneasy glance. "It has begun, then."
Shining Armor blinked and turned toward them. "What? What's begun?"


****


Canterlot Castle - palace gardens


Several Stealth Suits stood among the tangled, extensive brush and vines of the royal garden, remaining absolutely still as their light refractor fields rendered them almost completely undetectable. A pair of guards stood barely twenty meters away, holding position in front of a palace side entrance, but the earth ponies remained completely oblivious to the alien warriors.
Behind the first suits, and completely out of view of any guards, another pair of soldiers in Stealth battlesuits worked around a large cylinder-shaped object, carefully calibrating the sensitive, one-of-a-kind machine.
*We are clear to deploy. Let's get this thing running,* one suit whispered into its commlink.
The other gave a slight nod as he powered up the cylinder's main generators. It had its own stealth field as well, but that would only activate after the dampening field was fully deployed.
*As the gue'la say,* mumbled a Stealth Suit as it reached for the final activation button, "deny the witch."


****


Canterlot Castle - throne room


Celestia jerked her head up suddenly as a chill ran down her spine.
She was not alone. Every unicorn and alicorn in the room suddenly flinched as a bizarre, completely unfamiliar feeling settled over them. Some of them audibly yelped in surprise.
"What... What just happened?" Twilight asked, reaching up and touching her horn tenderly.
"What? Something wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Aye, something is quite amiss," Luna muttered. Her eyes narrowed at the utterly unsurprised, if somewhat resigned, expressions on the faces of the Tau delegates. "We believe thou knows something of this, alien! Speak!" Her horn lit aglow with magic.
And then it flickered, and the blue light faded away.
"Wh-What? What is this?" Luna demanded.
"Ah. It works," noted one of the diplomats, "well, at least this isn't going to be a total loss."
The horned ponies in the room started trying to use their magic, and each one started to panic as their spells refused to manifest.
Twilight grit her teeth as she tried a simple light spell. The magic seeped into her horn as it normally did, but then the moment she tried to emit the spell it came undone before anything happened. She tried twice more, but the result was the same; it was like trying to light a wet match.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Princess Celestia demanded. "What have you done?!"
The Royal Guards were surrounding the Water Caste delegates, but they ignored the angry and fairly confused soldiers.
"I am being sincere when I say that I wish it didn't have to be this way," the lead negotiator sighed, "I do not want your people's blood on our hands."
"It ain't OUR blood y'all should worried about," Applejack was stalking past the guards now, her nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed, "Ah knew we shoulda trounced you grays the moment we saw ya!" A few of the soldiers raised eyebrows and took a cautious step away from the enraged mare.
The head diplomat regarded her with a pitying look. "There are those in every species who see force as the first and only solution to an obstacle. I fear that our failure here has reinforced that sad philosophy. Most unfortunate. Particularly for you."
The ponies' ears twitched as the hiss of jets came from behind the walls. There was some distant yelling from above, too, probably from some very surprised pegasus guards.
"May I present the Lamman Sept, ponies. The Fire Caste's hidden dagger."


Four of the great windows in the royal hall shattered, admitting a full dozen large, black shapes to land heavily on the floor.
Several ponies shouted and shrieked at the sudden invasion, and the equines quickly rushed toward Celestia, with the Royal Guards forming a thick wall in front of the non-soldiers and their Princesses. The unicorn guards seemed particularly nervous, though.
"Awww! That was the window where we were beating Discord!" Pinkie complained, pointing a hoof at one of the shattered panes. "RUDE!"
The Tau battlesuits turned toward the ponies, their optics glimmering and their burst cannons already spinning. They did not discharge, however, instead stomping up next to the diplomats.
"Battlesuits? But how did they get so close to the palace unnoticed?" Twilight asked as she backed away.
Having researched the Tau and seen plenty of their equipment up-close, she could see that these battlesuits were large and bulky, like the Crisis battlesuits, but their armor shimmered in the light and seemed to play tricks on her eyes as she tracked their movements. Her friends were likewise backing away nervously, not willing to provoke a firefight where none had yet broken out. None of them liked their chances in fighting off squadrons of battlesuits, even if the ponies did heavily outnumber the armored soldiers.
"These are the XV28 model Heavy Stealth Suits, a unique sept design," one of the Water Caste mumbled, "you'll find your... spears... quite ineffective against them."
"You treacherous cowards!" Shining Armor shouted, holding position at the head of the phalanx protecting the Princess.
"So this is the way of the Tau, then?" Princess Celestia asked darkly. "When you are denied you turn to murder?"
The lead diplomat sighed. "You may yell at us all you wish, but this matter is out of our hands, now. I only hope for a quick solution."
There were more noises coming from outside, now. The whine of antigravity engines. Many of them. There was more shouting from the various guard ponies, but Twilight was at least gratified that she didn't hear any guns firing yet.
"You were planning this all along!" the purple pony accused. "This... magic-blocking field, all these soldiers, it was all just waiting for us to finish up here!"
The Tau said nothing, their features schooled into expressions of mild regret. The whining sounds of the Tau engines increased in volume and frequency.
Then another suit flew in through the window, landing on the floor heavily enough to put cracks in the flagstones.
This suit was much bulkier than the others, boasting a set of larger thruster jets and a larger body. One arm mounted a Gatling plasma weapon, while the other carried a flickering shield on its wrist.
One of the royal soldiers, seeing the other Tau turn toward the newcomer, felt a surge of bravery and seized his spear in his mouth before hurling it straight at the larger invader.
The Tau didn't notice the attack until the spear cut by them, sailing on an unerring course straight for the Tau Empire emblem on the chest of the battlesuit.
The larger battlesuit swept its shield-arm forward, snatching the spear out of the air with contemptuous ease.
"That's cute," a heavy, electronic voice came from the larger suit before it flicked the weapon to the side and started stomping forward.
The guard that had just attacked gulped nervously as the battlesuit advanced, but its glittering optic sensors weren't paying him the least attention, instead fixed upon the white alicorn scowling from atop her throne.
As the battlesuit passed by the Heavy Stealth Suits, however, the Royal Guards stepped forward, with Shining Armor at the front.
"Stay back!" the guard captain demanded. "You will not approach the Princess!"
The suit halted and looked down. It probably could have kept on walking and just pushed through the wall of ponies with ease, spears or no, but instead the voice came again.
"Move aside."
Shining Armor didn't flinch. "You will not-"
His voice trailed off into a high-pitched yelp as he suddenly found the Gatling weapon just inches from his muzzle, and already spinning. He could feel the heat from deep within the gun barrels tickling his nose, a distant promise of his impending annihilation.
"Shining!" screeched Cadence and Twilight at the same time.
"Don't make me say it again," the battlesuit mumbled as a high-pitched whine came from its weapons.
"Shining Armor. My Royal Guards," Celestia said firmly, "move aside, please. Your sacrifice will not aid me here."
The guards spared a silent, worried glance at each other and then slowly complied, turning toward the center of the hall and then stepping backward to create a path to the throne.
"Who are you?" Princess Celestia asked as the larger battlesuit proceeded forward.
It halted briefly to glance at Luna as the younger Princess scowled, and then once again its optics focused on Celestia. "I am Shas'o Voidsong. I am the High Commander of the Lamman Sept here in the Centaur system."
Celestia nodded darkly. "I am-"
"I know who you are," Voidsong interrupted, "I was listening to that whole sorry affair through the commlink." Her head component turned slightly. *Por'vre. Your mission is over. You will find transport back to the ship after the Earth Caste are finished with their work here. Go.*
The Water Caste members sighed wearily as they bowed their heads and then headed toward the front doors.
"So, then," Voidsong returned her full attention to Princess Celestia. "Let me explain precisely what's happening here: you had the opportunity to resolve this the easy way. You refused. Now you face a new choice. We can do this hard way, or the bloody way."
Princess Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but Voidsong didn't let her.
"Specifically, you can either tell your armed forces and other enforcers to stand down immediately and surrender your city to me, OR, I can have all of those same individuals killed and you can surrender after that. Be quick about it; I'm on a schedule."
Celestia recoiled. "Surrender my city? Why do you want Canterlot? I thought your only interest was in the Warp core!"
Voidsong's sensor mount tilted to one side. "That doesn't sound like a surrender to me."
Princess Celestia was acutely aware of the burst cannons of the other suits starting to spin up again.
"You fiends!" Luna growled, her horn flashing briefly before fizzling out exactly as before.
"Luna. Please, stop," Celestia said, her voice tight. Then she spoke to Shining Armor. "Captain, spread the word to the guard. They need to stand down immediately to prevent the outbreak of violence."
Shining looked like he wanted to protest, but Celestia's attention was already focused back on the Commander. Clenching his teeth and releasing a pained growl, the unicorn stallion raced for the door.
"I will surrender to you on one condition," the white Princess said quickly, her voice strained, "do not harm my people. I have no idea why you're here, or what you hope to accomplish, but please, let my little ponies live."
"Princess..." Twilight breathed, her magic trying to manifest for the umpteenth time without so much as a spark. How had this happened?
Voidsong was silent for a few moments. "I hardly think you're in a position to be demanding conditions," she noted, "but sure. If we can smooth this along, I will not damage any of your people. Assuming they cooperate, of course."
Princess Celestia let out a deep, shuddering breath. "Then... I, Princess Celestia, under severe duress and threat of annihilation, formally surrender control of Canterlot City to you, Shas'o Voidsong."
"Good," was the Commander's simple reply as she stomped closer to the throne, ascending the carpeted steps.
Several ponies held their breath as Voidsong reached up toward the alicorn with her shield-bearing arm; it had occurred to some of them that not harming Celestia herself had not been part of the agreement.
The battlesuit's hand reached over Celestia's head, and the thick fingers of the battlesuit hand pinched closed around Celestia's crown.
"Don't be so bitter, 'Princess'." With a casual flick of the suit's fingers, the crown was sent bouncing away across the floor. "You'll get your city back in time. Lovely as it is, I don't intend to stay. For now, go make yourself comfortable in a corner. I have work to do."


Voidsong turned away from the humiliated Princess, her displays filling with tactical data as small dropships started landing in the city. She didn't keep a close eye on them; her men knew what to do and could make adjustments as necessary if there were any unexpected elements encountered.
"Now that we have that out of the way, what to do with YOU?" she asked as she stomped down the stairs toward the Elements of Harmony.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack couldn't be any more furious, as much at their helplessness as at the Tau themselves. Twilight's eyes, however, were fixed on the bejeweled crown lying in front of her hooves.
Then a hefty black foot striped with blue dropped on top of it, crushing the piece of jewelry like a scrap of litter.
"Up here, horse," Voidsong commanded.
"You said you wouldn't hurt them!" Celestia reminded the alien, her voice shrill and nervous.
"I did, didn't I? Fair enough," Voidsong mumbled, her scanners sweeping over the mares as they glared silently, "I couldn't help but hear you bragging about attacking my bases, however. I'll have to have you locked up with the other... 'military' ponies." There was an unmistakable note of contempt in her voice.
"Answer the question," Twilight mumbled.
Voidsong halted, her sensor head tilting down. "What?"
"Celestia's question. You got your surrender, now answer her," Twilight said, her voice a low growl as she looked up at the glimmering optics, "why do you want Canterlot? How does that help you?"
Voidsong hesitated for several seconds, wondering at the little pony.
The sound of more engines came from outside; this one was a heavy roar, that of an Orca troop transport.
"Our principle obstacle in re-acquiring the Warp core may have been you natives," Voidsong said, deciding on a whim to answer, "but don't flatter yourself. The 38th Company is the only military challenge on this world, and even if we have the core, the gue'la - sorry, the humans - can still ruin everything. They're our real opponents here."
Twilight frowned, her brow furrowing. That didn't explain much.
"You probably don't know this," Voidsong continued, "but searching for ground forces over the area of a continent from orbit is actually quite difficult. Sure, if your target is big and powerful enough you can pick it up with a surface scan, but trying to find a smaller force that's made planetfall is mostly an exercise in ruling out places they can't be and constantly checking on the remaining million square kilometers to see if you can catch them regrouping. That's exactly what the humans are doing right now."
Twilight blinked in surprised, realization dawning. "You mean-"
"Yes," Voidsong interrupted, "the 38th Company knows we've made planetfall. They know we're coming, and that our objective is to reach our last remaining base. They probably don't know much besides that, but these are Chaos forces; they don't need a good reason to try to stop us. And the last place they'd look for a Tau muster point preparing to assault their fortress is in the capital of their so-called 'allies'."
"Why you sneakin', no-good, rotten sonuva-" Applejack felt Rarity and Fluttershy latch onto her to hold her back, and her muscles tightened. She knew she could have thrown them off if she tried, but she didn't know how far she'd get making a berserker charge toward the Tau's Commander.
"Rein it in, darling," Rarity whispered, casting a venomous glance toward the battlesuit, "now isn't the time."
The front door to the throne room burst open, and a veritable parade of Fire Warriors marched through the doors, followed by a pair of Broadside battlesuits stomping heavily behind them.
"All military personnel are going with them," Voidsong declared, waving an arm toward the Fire Warriors, "that includes you six. Be assured that my promise not to harm Equestria's citizens and agents remains in force so long as you cooperate. Any attempt to escape or harm a member of Lamman Sept will negate your protection under this agreement, and you will be terminated without further warning."
The Fire Warrior Shas'ui gestured sharply, and the guards lowered their heads as their spears clattered to the floor. Then they began a long, miserable plod toward the waiting Fire Warriors.
Twilight likewise started moving past the Shas'o, her head down and her ears pinned. The others followed behind her, each one glaring angrily (or in Fluttershy's case, with great disappointment) toward the heavy battlesuit.
"Why are you doing this?" Twilight mumbled as she walked past. "What are you trying to do?"
To her surprise, Voidsong answered.
"I'm trying to save an empire."
Her answer was simple, short, and perhaps conveyed a bit more emotion than the alien had intended. The response seemed somehow... tired.
"Go! I'll be having a word with the other Princesses alone," Voidsong snapped, "any of you natives that aren't being penned up had best find somewhere out of the way to be during the occupation!" The Shas'ui nodded silently as the line of pony soldiers marched out the front gates.
The few ministers and others who were neither soldiers, Princesses, or Elements of Harmony took the Commander's suggestion and galloped for the exits, leaving through one of the side doors rather than racing past the collection of heavily armed and armored aliens filling up the front of the throne room.


As it so happened, that group of forgotten Equestrians included one young dragon.


"Not good, not good, not good," Spike mumbled as he weaved between the veritable stampede of hooves rushing for the rooms further in the palace. It was a technique borne of long practice, and soon he was alone in the halls, forgotten and unscathed.
Spike took a deep breath, for once feeling fortunate that he was so easily overlooked.
"All right, Spike. You're on your own now. The others are trapped, and they're counting on you," the young dragon mumbled as he jogged through the halls, "there's an alien army descending on Canterlot, but they'll probably leave you alone as long as you don't do anything suspicious. What do you do?"
Spike paused. Wasn't there a saying for times like these? A question that he was supposed to ask himself?
"What Would Celestia Do?" Spike wondered aloud.
Well, obviously she'd get Twilight to help, but Twilight being captured was part of the problem. So failing that...
"Go find somepony else to help!" he decided. "Or in this case: somehuman."
His mission decided, Spike rushed to find a route leading outside the castle. He had to find Gaela.


****


Canterlot - tea shop


"Well, it would seem your negotiations have failed," Gaela mumbled as she watched Devilfish APCs swooping in over the distant castle, "quite spectacularly, in fact."
She was seated at a metal table across from her guard escorts, sipping tap water and observing the apparent invasion with detached interest.
One of her guards happened to be a unicorn, and the stallion was squeezing his eyes shut and sweating as his horn glowed.
After a few seconds, the glow faded away with no effect and he panted heavily. "I don't get it! My magic just won't work! I can't even lift my teacup!"
Gaela frowned at the guards, then returned to watching and scanning the landing ships that were coming in over the mountains behind Canterlot. She briefly tried to establish a vox link to Ferrous Dominus or the fleet, but was utterly unsurprised to find her signal being disrupted.
"I knew this was going to happen," complained the other guard, "Elements of Harmony in town? Possible threat looming over Equestria? That means we get steamrolled. Might as well go find a hiding spot and wait for this all to blow over." With a disgusted grunt, the earth pony stallion flung away his helmet.
Gaela considered this as she finished her water, and then she powered down her armor suit.
The guards blinked as they heard a dull hum come from the cyborg, and then watched her stand up from her seat.
"My power armor will show up quite readily on Tau combat sensors if it is active," she explained, "with it on low power mode, they will be unable to detect me so easily. Let's go find that hiding place." Her armor felt heavy and sluggish without its active systems helping her movement, but she would still be able to run if she needed to.
The guards nodded emphatically. A bit too emphatically, in Gaela's opinion, but she supposed it was better that they were cooperating with her.
"I know this spot behind the Ivory Bridle," the earth pony said, "nothing will find us there."
"I already have a place in mind. A place where we can potentially leave the city entirely if we need to." She started walking away from the table, and the two stallions rushed to join her. "We're heading to the train station."


****


Ferrous Dominus - Solon's forge


Solon stared at the ion accelerator cannon in front of him, his mechatendrils running over its length and searching for any hint of damage to the device.
"Decent enough condition," the Warsmith mumbled, "now, whether to shcale it up or down?" Building it into a larger, more dangerous version would mean mounting it on a tank or super-heavy vehicle. Turning it into a smaller one would make it man-portable. Decisions, decisions...
His vox link crackled.
"My lord Warsmith," grumbled a voice into his ear, "there is a... situation here."
Solon looked up immediately, and a hololith screen appeared in front of him to display the soldier who was speaking. It was Warpsmith Pterax, on the bridge of the Harvest of Steel.
"Ah, nice to hear from you, Pterax! May I preshume you've located the Tau landing party?"
The Warpsmith briefly glanced over to his data displays. "No, that is... not why I am contacting you, Warsmith. We've found no sign of the forces we believe made planetfall."
"Oh. Okay then. Sho what ish thish about?" Solon asked as his melta cutter sparked to life and approached the outer shell of the weapon in front of him.
"It's... It's the planet, Lord. Centaur III has completely halted in its axis rotation and solar orbit."
Solon froze, the melta cutter slowly sputtering out just millimeters from the weapon he was working on.
"...... What?"