//------------------------------// // Morning Activities // Story: Casus Foederis // by Walt2012 //------------------------------// Casus Foederis © 2014 by Walter Reimer Chapter 4. Reintief looked the kudu over as it stepped further into the dim glow of a nearby streetlamp. “Hello there. Nice night for it, eh?” “You are not welcome in Kuduvania,” the kudu declared. The horned antelope gave his head a toss that Reintief correctly interpreted as a textbook 8-k (Right This Way, Boss). Another, slightly larger kudu stepped out as the first one said, “You ponies will not intervene.” The earth pony looked them both over and remarked, “One might say the same about the two of you.” “What – er, what pony mean? We are Kudu.” “No, you’re not,” Reintief shook his head. “I’d wager a case of Dionysus Dark Premium Hard Cider that you – “ he pointed at the first kudu “ – are Lieutenant Mandible, which makes you Captain Thorax.” He gestured at the second kudu. “I’m not going to ask where Ambassador Gaster is. I know he likes his beauty sleep.” The kudu gave him a puzzled look, and a gout of magical green flames erupted from his horns. When the flash subsided, the tall antelope was replaced by a slightly fatter-than-normal Changeling, his chitin freshly polished and sporting the three pips of a staff officer. “Curses, Reintief! How did you know?” “You still haven’t mastered the trick of impersonating non-equine legs, Mandible. You always end up looking bow-legged and knock-kneed simultaneously.” “Drat. Still, what makes you think this is Captain Thorax?” “Simple. After his demotion, Queen Chrysalis had Foreign Minister Pronotum assign you as his keeper. He never goes anywhere without you.” Another wash of green magic, and the second kudu was replaced by another Changeling, this one with a slighter, more spindly-legged build, and the chrome inlays of a field-grade officer. “And don’t think I have forgotten your perfidy in my downfall, Reintief.” “It was your idea to sell your Queen on the notion that invading Canterlot would topple the entire Equestrian government,” Reintief said, “not me. So, what brings two officers of the Changeling Intelligence Agency to Kuduvania?” Thorax waved a perforated hoof in a tut-tutting (96-a) motion. “Now now, Reintief, you know that’s not how the game is played. Changelings by their nature play ‘em close to the chest. And as for Ambassador Gaster, that greedy old grub is, as you have perspicaciously indicated, probably fast asleep, leaving us poor toilers in the pod chamber to stay up all night.” “Uh-huh. So he gave the reception tonight a miss just to get some sleep?” “Exactly,” Mandible said smugly. “You’ll forgive me, of course, if I don’t believe you.” Thorax bared his fangs in a grin. “That, too, is part of the game. You distrust me, I toy with you, you guess and run about, I gloat over you – “ “I win.” “You win – hey!” “So just between us beings of the world, why not spill the beans now, and save Equestria the trouble of having to teach you all a lesson. Again.” “You didn’t teach us a lesson. We lost through Equestrian perfidy!” Thorax suddenly screeched. “Our beloved Queen was many months getting her strength back, with the healthier members of the Hive waiting on her palp and hoof. We – “ His voice became muffled as Mandible shoved both forehooves in his superior officer’s mouth. “You’ll have to forgive him. Ever since Princess Cadence – “ Thorax gave vent to another screech, which caused a light to come on in one of the nearby buildings. A sleepy, querulous voice yelled in Kudu that whoever was torturing the cat needed to wait until after the sun was up. A window slammed shut and the light went out again. “Phew,” Mandible remarked as the pony and the two insectoids emerged from the shadows. “That was close.” “Ever since Princess Cadence what?” Reintief prompted, causing Thorax to writhe in Mandible’s grasp. “Ever since she and her husband expelled the Swarm,” Mandible said, struggling with his captain, “his self-confidence was completely shot, poor fellow. As you know, he was the principal strategist on Her Majesty’s staff – “ he lost the battle to keep Thorax quiet and the captain clapped his hooves over his ears. “I told you never to say her name again!” Thorax hissed. “Why not peel my chitin back and pour in some nice lemon juice while you’re at it?” Mandible whispered, “Cadence!” “Ahhh!” Thorax started to stagger away, his lieutenant in hot pursuit. “Cadence!” “AHHH!” More lights started to come on. “Cadence!” “I’m not listening!” “CADENCE!” Mandible shouted, a glow of magic transforming him into a familiar pink alicorn. “CadenceCadenceCadenceCadenceCadenceCadenceCadenceCadence!” The duo stormed off down the alleyways, accompanied by the shouts of awakened sleepers and the clatter of overturned trash cans. After a while, the echoes of screaming and banging died away, leaving the neighborhood silent once again. Reintief headed back to the wharf, finding no sign of the guards he’d knocked into the water. “Must’ve gone for a moonlight swim,” he mused. The next day the capital was decorated with two sets of banners, the flag of Kuduvania hoisted higher than the banner of the Camel Sultanates. The populace was turned out in their best, but the cheering was desultory and the crowd’s mood left something to be desired. “Things seem a bit tense, Reintief,” Mulegan remarked as he fidgeted with his formal mid-semi-morning cloak. The earth pony nodded. “If the atmosphere were any more poisonous, I’d suggest ordering in a crew of pegasi to clear the air. A nice typhoon might do the trick.” “I heard that!” and Reintief was confronted by Ambassador Cross Purposes himself. Mulegan eeped and somehow managed to duck under Colonel Mess Kit. The unicorn had to tip his head back to glare straight at Reintief’s face. “Your reputation in some of the most historic incidents in the CDE’s copybook is well-known to me, Reintief! I don’t know how you ended up in this mission, but one hoof out of line and you’ll spend the entire time in your quarters! Do you understand me?” “Clearly, Your Excellency. But – “ “But? But what?” “I wish to respectfully point out to Your Excellency that Sultan Shaykh an-Baykh and his retinue are arriving.” “Whatwhatwhatwhat?” The Ambassador whirled, wide-eyed, and the staff scattered as he galloped forward to take his place in the receiving line. The unicorn pulled to a stop and nearly wilted from Supreme Patriarch Yimbombollabu’s angry snort. His sister, Itchykitchykoo, merely sniffed at him disdainfully. Trumpets sounded and the kudu guards straightened as an honor guard of camels in flowing robes marched up the street toward them. Trailing behind the guard was a massive bull camel in ornate gold-embroidered silk robes. Gold ornaments gleamed on his ears and his hump as he nodded and smiled to the largely quiet crowd. As he drew near the dais where the Patriarch, his sister, and the Equestrian diplomats were standing, his booming laugh and equally resounding voice could be heard. “Ho ho! Greetings, one and all! Greetings from Shaykh an-Baykh, and from all who live in the Sultanates! Ho ho!” Retainers scattered rose petals and silver coins in his path, but no one dared move past the lines of guards to gather up the money. Finally he stopped in front of the dais, and bowed with a flourish of his long neck. “Shaykh an-Baykh, on behalf of the Camels, Sultan and Keeper of the Sands, greets his brother monarch Yimbombollabu, Supreme Patriarch of the Kudu.” Yimbombollabu inclined his head graciously, a sneer contorting his muzzle in Obvious Malevolent Pleasure (27-b). “Kill him.”