//------------------------------//
// New Blood 
// Story: Iron Hearts: Book 4 - Emerald Dawn 
// by SFaccountant 
//------------------------------//

Iron Hearts: Book 4
Chapter 3
New Blood


****


Ponyville - Twilight's library


"So then I said, 'Oatmeal? Are you crazy?' and he was all like, 'Fhtagn!' It was SO awkward!"
Pinkie shouted her story over the rumbling beat of the music booming through the library, a party hat strapped to her head and a plate of snacks on her withers. DJP0N3 was the source of the music, of course, her turntable set up under the stairs.
In addition to the usual assortment of ponies partying, there were also a dozen humans in attendance, as well as a trio of Iron Warriors that were clustered in a corner with their helmets off.
"Hey, Dest! Hey, extras! How are you liking everything?" Pinkie asked as she bounded up to the Chaos Marines.
One of the less familiar Astartes was observing a cupcake critically, and he spared the pink equine a suspicious glance. "I find this auditory environment uncomfortably pleasant, and your consumables satisfactory despite a distinct lack of nutritional value."
"That means he's having a good time," Dest assured the pink mare before eating another slice of cake.
"Awesome possum! Thanks for coming, you guys!" Pinkie shouted, giving each of the armored warriors a hug on the leg. Or trying, rather. The last one intercepted her mid-lunge and grabbed her by her mane before flinging her away.
Pinkie took the rejection with exceptional grace, tucking into a roll and then bounding to her hooves right between Twilight and Gaela.
"Hiya, girls! What's shaking?" Pinkie asked, causing the two to recoil from her sudden appearance. They had been doing their level best to separate themselves from the rest of the party-goers and talk between themselves. Which, of course, went against the spirit of Party and thus needed to be corrected.
"Gaela was just going over some of the functions of her new servo arms," Twilight said as she steadied herself and the levitating cup of punch that she had yet to take a sip of.
"Oh, yeah! They're super! Now you can punch even more bad guys when your main arms are all punched out!" Pinkie said as her eyes looked over the Dark Techpriest. She had no party hat, her rubber cloak had been cleaned of confetti, and she was holding a cup of tap water. No, that would not do at all.
"We were actually discussing how unfortunate it is that I hadn't thought to ask for a tranquilizer dart attachment," Gaela said as she stared down at Pinkie, "I didn't think of it when my actuator rig was being replaced."
"Oh, I know! We can have you hoof-wrestle six ponies at once! Doesn't that sound fun?" Pinkie asked, her eyes locked onto Gaela's and utterly unflinching.
"No. It's also physiologically inaccurate, since I do not possess hooves," Gaela said sharply. She didn't like the look in Pinkie's eyes at all; this level of focus and intensity was unusual to the bubbly mare.
"So anyway, how does the ion blaster work? Does it use magnetic fields to contain the radiation pulse, or emit a directed particle stream?" Twilight quickly tried to shift the topic to a more technical level, hoping Pinkie would get bored and leave.
"Ooh! And how many shots per turn?" Pinkie asked, bouncing on her hooves and dashing Twilight's hopes.
Also, turn? What kind of a time frame was that?
Then Twilight's front door exploded inward.


The purple alicorn quickly stopped the shattered pieces of wood with her telekinesis, freezing them in the air before they could land and possibly hurt someone.
"Tellis! Stop doing that!" Twilight snapped as the Raptor Lord ducked into the room. "Just because our doors don't open automatically doesn't mean you have to break them down!"
Tellis ignored Twilight as he looked over the ponies in the room, most of whom were quietly edging away from him.
Then he looked over to the purple alicorn. "Is Fluttershy here?"
THAT raised a few warning flags. "Why?" Twilight asked cautiously. "Is there something you need to talk to her about?"
"Yeah. Is she here?" Tellis asked again, walking up to Gaela and Twilight. His tone was calm and his voice just loud enough to be heard over the music, which was a sure sign that something was off.
Twilight was about to begin a long series of probing questions to determine if it was safe to let Tellis into the same room with her meekest and most sensitive friend, but Gaela wasn't willing to tolerate the Khornate for that long (and also didn't care about Fluttershy in the slightest).
"I believe it was mentioned that she's upstairs with Dash," Gaela said, ignoring the sharp look from Twilight.
"Cool," Tellis started toward the stairs, then glanced back at the Dark Techpriest. "Heh. Nice hats, nerd." With a snicker crackling in his vox grille, he headed toward the stairs.
Gaela frowned. "Hats?" She swiveled a servo arm around to sweep over her head, with the intention of checking for any small paper accessories that had been put on her.
Then she saw that the servo arm itself had a small paper hat secured above the pincer claw. A quick check of her other servo limbs revealed that they had all been thus decorated.
Gaela looked down into her cup, which now held a bright pink fluid rather than the water it was supposed to have.
"I looked away for PRECISELY three-point-six seconds," Gaela fumed, scanning the room for Pinkie Pie.
"You, uh, have 'Party girl' written on your robe in chalk," Twilight pointed out, "along with a few smiley faces."
"One day I am going to dissect that pony," Gaela growled as she dumped her punch over a potted plant, "and then her secrets will be mine."


****


Upstairs


"You YELLED at him? At Tellis? That's what this is about?" Rainbow Dash asked from where she was restlessly rolling back and forth over Twilight's bed. It had taken her some time to coax the story out of Fluttershy, but she knew the other pegasus well and could be very persistent when she thought the subject was important.
Fluttershy was seated at the edge of the bed, facing the balcony.
"Well... it was more like screamed, really," she said quietly, fidgeting with her front hooves.
Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows as she stopped rolling about, and then settled on her back. She knew what Fluttershy was like when her seemingly infinite patience broke. But she also knew what Tellis was like when he was agitated.
"Well, you're still in one piece, so it couldn't have been that bad," Rainbow reasoned.
Tears started welling up in Fluttershy's eyes as she thought back on the encounter. "Oh, Rainbow, it was awful! I said so many terrible things to him!" She sniffled. "And not even about the things that are actually his fault, like how I don't feel safe in my own home, or how Angel Bunny has a new hobby making necklaces from the skulls of fish and rodents! I blamed him for everything the Tau did, and called him useless! And now he's not even going to be leaving like I thought! I feel horrible!"
Rainbow Dash clicked her tongue. "Okay, but I stand by my earlier thing. When Tellis gets upset, he doesn't mess around. So he can't be that upset."
"What if he was just holding back so he didn't make you mad?" Fluttershy asked, shivering.
"Yeah, no, I'm pretty sure he isn't capable of planning that far ahead," the blue pegasus scoffed, "Tellis makes ME look cold and collected. C'mon Flutters, just talk with him. Normally I'd say you could just give him some room and let the whole thing blow over, but you're roommates. Still. For some reason." She frowned at that thought, and then shrugged it off. "You can't not go home again just because you yelled at him."
Fluttershy said something in response, but Rainbow couldn't make it out.
"Huh? Speak up," Rainbow Dash said, squirming up closer to the yellow pony.
Fluttershy cringed and took a deep breath. "I... also... kind of... hit him."
Silence followed the reluctant admission, allowing the thumping beat from downstairs to permeate the room.
"Bwah ha ha ha ha!" then Rainbow Dash laughed, rolling onto her back. "No wonder you had that funny limp all yesterday! You're crazy, Shy!"
Fluttershy moaned and rubbed at her foreleg. It no longer hurt, but she could still vividly remember the pain of trying to break through a shell of ceramite and adamantium with her bare hoof.
"It's... It's not funny, Dash..." Fluttershy mumbled.


Due to the heavy noise coming from downstairs, neither pegasus noticed the thumping of power armored boots coming up the stairs until it came from within the room. Rainbow rolled over onto her belly again and then craned her head around to see who had joined them.
"Tellis! Dude! Perfect timing!"
Fluttershy immediately launched herself toward the balcony, her wings pumping furiously like those of a startled bird.
Tellis was faster, though, and the meek pegasus yelped as the Chaos Lord caught her tail and held firm. Her wings immediately folded tightly against her sides, and she clamped her hooves over her eyes as she hung in the air by her tail.
"Dash! Tell my animals I love them!" Fluttershy squeaked as she prepared for The End.
Tellis stared down at the pony hanging from his fist, and then up at Rainbow Dash, who was still seated on the bed.
"What's her deal now?" the Iron Warrior asked. Last time he had seen the yellow pony she had screamed at him for his incompetence, and now it looked like his presence filled her with mortal terror. Again.
Rainbow couldn't restrain a chuckle, even though she felt bad for her longtime friend. "She thinks you're angry at her."
"Oh. Okay, yeah, then this is a pretty reasonable reaction, actually," Tellis mused as he stared down at Fluttershy again.
"Please make it quick," Fluttershy whimpered, still holding her eyes shut with her hooves, "oh, and, uhm, if you don't mind, could you leave my wings intact? It's really important for pegasi funerals. Would that be too much trouble?"
Tellis wordlessly dropped Fluttershy onto the bed next to Rainbow Dash, and then crossed his arms over his chest. "Shy. Look at me. I want your attention for this, because it's only going to happen once."
Still shivering, Fluttershy pulled her hooves away from her face with some effort, forcing herself to meet the masked gaze of the Raptor Lord.
"I'm sorry," Tellis said.
Fluttershy blinked.
"There aren't a lot of things I'm willing to apologize for," Tellis said quickly, continuing before the pegasi could really process what he had just said, "but not killing enough is one of them. I'm sorry I didn't murder the Tau that doomed your entire world."
Fluttershy blinked again, but this time more slowly. "Uh... that's... not really-"
"Look," the Astartes interrupted, "you don't need to pepper me with details. The fact of the matter is, this is a problem that could have been solved by killing more people, and I didn't do that. If I had been on top of my game, there wouldn't be enough Tau left on this rock to build a see-saw, much less a super Warp beacon or whatever. So I'm sorry for not being violent enough. Okay?"
Fluttershy stiffly turned her head to glance at Rainbow Dash, but the other pegasus was just watching expectantly.
"Uhm. It's really okay," Fluttershy said, droplets of sweat crawling down her head, "I was mistaken, really. I'm sorry I lost my temper. You don't need to be more violent. In fact-"
"Are you turning down my apology?" Tellis said, sounding somewhat indignant.
"APOLOGY ACCEPTED!" Fluttershy yelped, her fur nearly standing on end.
"Awesome! Now we're all friends again!" Rainbow Dash said brightly as she threw a forearm over Fluttershy's withers.
Fluttershy honestly didn't know whether to laugh or cry anymore, so she simply laid as still as possible with a nervous smile on her face.
Rainbow stood up on the bed. "Hey, you guys wanna head down to the party now?"
"Nah. We need to get home," Tellis said before he walked over to Fluttershy and picked her up off the bed, "her animals are all worked up because she hasn't been home. Also, Angel is holding a bunch of kittens for carrot ransom. Flutter might want to defuse that." The Iron Warrior tucked his landlord under his arm, and then walked back toward the balcony.
Fluttershy gulped as she was carried along, and then gathered her courage to speak. "Oh, uh, thank you Tellis, um, but I can walk on my-"
"We ain't walking," Tellis said as he ducked outside and let the wings of his flight pack spread to his sides.
"Oh... Oh dear..." the yellow pony mumbled as she squeezed her eyes shut and promised herself that she wouldn't scream.


****


Downstairs


Twilight's head snapped up as she heard the sound of booster engines activate from her room, and she frowned as she heard a feminine shriek of terror.
"Spike, remind me to check with Rainbow Dash later to make sure Fluttershy's okay," Twilight shouted over to the dragon. Then she turned back to Gaela. "Sorry about that. You were saying?"
Gaela's robe had been scrubbed clean of the chalk, and she had successfully removed the party hats from her servo arms. Twilight didn't actually know why she'd bother, since Pinkie was likely to show up again and reverse her efforts, but Gaela had always been rather over-dignified.
"The notices are being disseminated to Equestria's major cities even as we speak," the Dark Techpriest explained, "the selection process is tomorrow, in Canterlot."
Twilight pursed her lips. The 38th Company really was wasting no time in preparing to construct the Nethalican, and that first meant collecting the psykers that Serith apparently needed.
Unicorns across Equestria were receiving notices that their presence was requested in Canterlot for possible conscription, and many were no doubt already on their way. Many would not show up, Twilight was sure; either because of conflicting obligations, inability to get to Canterlot on such short notice, or simply fear of having to work for the 38th Company. But if Serith only needed around a hundred psykers to make his plan work, he was sure to get them.
"I wonder what he needs them all for," Twilight grumbled, "how does having a lot of unicorns help?"
"I know little about sorcery," Gaela admitted, "it is one area of knowledge that the Dark Mechanicus treads lightly."
That seemed odd to Twilight. Certainly Gaela's prayers to her "Machine God" seemed to generate a tangible magical effect. Was that really so different?
"But I do know that certain psychic tools work best in choir. Astropathy in particular is best done with several individuals," the Dark Techpriest finished.
"Fair enough, I suppose. I'm just suspicious since all of this is coming from Serith," Twilight couldn't keep a sneer off her face at the name. It was a conditioned response by now.
"Yes. We feel the same way," Gaela noted, briefly checking her water to make sure it was still water before taking a sip, "you're exceptionally fortunate that the Warsmith decided to build the Nethalican after all. Both Lord Sliver and Magos Kaelith were strongly opposed, and their opinions are not easily dismissed."
"I know. And thank you," Twilight said with a smile, "I can't say for sure, but I bet you helped us, didn't you?"
Gaela shifted uncomfortably for a moment, the plates of her armor suit scraping against each other. "I... did not make a very good case for your people this time. Whatever swayed Warsmith Solon, it was not I."
"Well, even so, I appreciate it," Twilight said happily, raising one foreleg up to the cyborg, "hug?"
"There will be no hugs," Gaela snapped.
"Please?"
"Put your leg down."
Twilight pouted as she did so.
"In any case, I should go. Macintosh is also joining us, and I need to explain his function to him, as well as perform a maintenance check on his augments."
"His function? Why is Big Mac coming?" Twilight asked, tilting her head to the side. "Applejack would make sense, I suppose, but Big Macintosh hasn't joined the 38th Company."
"Correct. But he follows orders anyway, so we've taken to treating him like he has." Gaela shrugged and finished her cup of water before turning to head out the door.
"Uh, Gaela?" Twilight stopped her. "You have 'Boot Me' written on the back of your robe."
With a long, grumbling sigh, Gaela headed to the kitchen instead.


****


Canterlot - train station, the next day


As she departed the train, Twilight idly wondered if there was any kind of frequent traveler discount she should apply for, what with how often she was traveling to Canterlot these days. Spike was following closely behind her, carrying a backpack with several books and a few dataslates. Gaela was behind him, her new harness and thicker armor barely fitting through the passenger cars' doors.
Twilight looked back at the train, seeing Big Macintosh slowly exiting behind them. He was wearing his power armor suit, complete with heavy bolter, and the train car had leaned over to one side quite noticeably from the weight as he and Gaela disembarked.
After the armored stallion came, of course, the rest of the pony passengers, most of whom had been either staring at the sight of a power armored pony or simply waiting for the massive passengers to get out of the way. The vast majority were unicorns, and most had satchels levitating behind them or resting on their withers as they headed out into the streets.
Twilight offered Big Mac a sympathetic smile. "All the staring can be a little embarrassing, huh?" The glimmering crimson visor turned toward her. "I remember how it was to travel just after I was crowned as a Princess. Ponies tend to notice when an alicorn is sitting in the same train car with them. Although I don't think I stick out quite as much as you do!"
"Eeyup," Big Mac mumbled, keeping his helmet on. It was much easier to ignore the curious gazes and quiet whispering coming from the other ponies with his face completely encased in metal.
The sound of jet engines screamed from overhead, and they looked up as a Thunderhawk transport zoomed through the air.
Twilight might have supposed it carried the Iron Warrior leadership, but there was another Thunderhawk lifting off from behind the palace, headed in the opposite direction. In addition, she couldn't help but notice that the train station employees didn't look up. Apparently there were enough gunships going to and from Canterlot now that the ponies living here had come to dismiss the vehicles as part of the ordinary background noise.
As she led her small party through the streets, it was hard not to notice that there were quite a few humans around, now. All of them were armed, naturally, and she didn't see any Iron Warriors or Dark Mechanicus about besides Gaela, but unlike before the humans here didn't seem to be on any particular mission. Most of them were standing about and chatting with ponies, a few were seated at restaurants while mildly nervous pony waiters served them, and some carried small packages, apparently out shopping. Almost all the debris from the battle in Canterlot had been cleared, and she could also see a few humans standing by with ranks of equine workers as architect and engineer ponies pointed to partially collapsed buildings.
"So this is what a xeno alliance looks like," Gaela remarked as she joined Twilight in staring, "fascinating."
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh agreed, keeping pace toward the castle.
"An alliance, huh?" Twilight mumbled. Two weeks ago, she wouldn't have dared consider such a thing. Two days ago it had seemed a desperate hope. But here they were.
"I'm really glad," Twilight said, grinning as she picked up her pace to follow Big Mac, "it's scary to think of how close we came to ending up as enemies."
"I too am satisfied with this result," Gaela agreed, "it seems my initial decision not to pulverize Apple Bloom when I first met your kind was correct."
The others had to roll their eyes at that, although Twilight distinctly remembered fearing exactly that result when she had first seen the woman.
Approaching the palace, Twilight could see that the large transport gunships had landed in the ruins of the garden, probably waiting for equine passengers. Unlike in the city, there were plenty of Iron Warriors patrolling around the castle, and she was surprised to see a full squad of them standing at the main doors, looking for all the world like they were conducting an ordinary guard detail. The only thing that ruined that perception was the ACTUAL guard detail for the front gate; the spear-armed ponies had grouped together to either side of the doors, and they stared forward grimly even though they stood too far away from the entrance to plausibly do their job properly.
Twilight had to admire them for bothering to stay for their shifts, honestly. They must have felt horribly redundant and not a little intimidated thanks to the massive, armored super soldiers next to them.
One of the pony guards spotted Twilight's group while they were still some distance away, and he quickly ducked into the castle entrance. Twilight almost giggled at the way the Chaos Space Marines tracked the stallion's movement and watched him enter the doorway, as if the castle's own soldiers were a potential threat.
By the time that her group had reached the gates, the guard had re-emerged with another stallion in tow.


Prince Blueblood strolled up between the Iron Warriors on guard, casting a subtle glance to either side of him before his gaze settled on Twilight.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle," the blond unicorn said with a diplomatic nod of his head, "as always, it is a pleasure to have your Highness with us in the palace proper."
Twilight normally would have asked a pony greeting her not to refer to her as "Highness", but she was surprised and uneasy enough to see Blueblood that she let the formality stand. "Prince Blueblood? You're receiving us?"
The unicorn stallion nodded again as his eyes darted to Gaela. "Yes. Normally such menial tasks are beneath me, but the royal family has been very busy as of late, as I'm sure you're aware. So they called me in to play dignitary."
He glanced to the side again, comparing the Iron Warriors to Gaela's armored form. Then he frowned and addressed her directly.
"Pardon me, Sir, but may I inquire as to... well, what you are, exactly?"
"I am a Dark Techpriest, a keeper of the Machine and servant to the Omnissiah," Gaela explained, "my name is Gaela."
"And she's not a Sir," Spike pointed out, since Gaela apparently didn't care enough to specify her gender.
"Is that so," Blueblood mumbled as he walked into the entry hall. Twilight's group followed, and he tilted his head at a unicorn Captain off to the right. "He will see to your weapons, Techpriest."
"No, he won't," Gaela replied immediately, "or do I need to relate to you what happened the last time one of your soldiers tried to disarm me?"
Evidently the Captain knew that particular story; he scowled deeply at the woman, yet made no move to try to take her power axe.
"Don't worry about her! She's with me!" Twilight said quickly, figuring that as long as she was being treated like a royal figure she may as well use the influence to smooth things over.
Blueblood halted and quirked an eyebrow, but let the matter go. Then his eyes moved over to Big Mac.
"And you must be one of the ponies that helped make a mess of the gardens," Blueblood mumbled, staring deeply into the glowing red slit on Mac's helmet, "I believe the servants referred to you as 'Ironside' Macintosh."
Twilight, Spike, and Gaela all stared at the power-armored stallion, who merely dipped his head and looked away in embarrassment.
"'Ironside'? That's new," Gaela noted, "and quite appropriate."
Big Mac continued to remain silent, hoping that attention would pass from him soon. The new nickname was one that Tolken had come up with as a token reward for his first successful mission. Naturally, all the other Astartes had started calling him that immediately, although he hadn't expected other ponies to overhear. Or care, for that matter.
"This is Macintosh Apple, Applejack's brother," Twilight said, figuring that Big Mac wasn't going to properly introduce himself any time soon, "he's with me, too."
"Nice legs," Blueblood said to the farmer with a hint of amusement, "quite an... unusual bodyguard detail you keep, Princess."
Gaela decided to be diplomatic and not display her offense by testing her new ion blaster on the stallion. A largely verbal threat seemed much more appropriate for a formal affair. "Refer to me as a 'bodyguard' again, and I will beat you," she said coldly, her servo claw clanking open and closed.
Blueblood recoiled, stepping away and then glancing at Twilight.
To his shock, the alicorn just shrugged, a nervous smile playing over her muzzle. Clearly she was used to this sort of behavior. The Royal Guard captain was also making no move to berate the woman, although his scowl had increased slightly in intensity.
"Well, I see that they don't teach you Techpriests much about manners, do they?" the Prince grumbled before he turned around sharply.
"No, they do not," Gaela admitted blandly, "why? Is there a certain etiquette to threatening violence against you?"
Blueblood assumed she was joking, and let out a dry snort as he lead the group down the hall. "You know, Princess, I figured this would happen," the Prince muttered to Twilight as they walked, "and now it's official, even! Equines and hominids, standing together as a force united."
"You, uh... don't sound very happy about that," Spike said.
Blueblood favored the dragon with a long glance, as if finally noticing his presence. "I have some... reservations about the matter," he admitted before turning back to Twilight, "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Princess."
"The entire reason we need the 38th Company is because we DON'T know what we're doing," Twilight retorted, "but I don't intend to abandon Equestria. We'll get through this, and with time and understanding, make a better, safer world for everyone!"
"That's rather unrealistic," Gaela noted, "you may want to try for an objectively worse, but highly efficient and ultimately tenable world. That seems more likely."
Prince Blueblood scowled. "Quite a sense of humor your friend has."
Gaela looked down at Spike. "I have a sense of humor?"
"He doesn't know any better," Spike whispered up to her, "let it go!"
After several minutes, and after having passed by another two patrols of Iron Warriors along the way, they reached the entrance to the throne room.


Blueblood turned toward Twilight again, although this time there was a very obvious nervousness to him.
"The Warsmith is already here, in audience with the Princesses," the Prince said, which explained why he was trembling, "the meeting is informal, it would seem, and the 'selection ceremony' or whatever isn't for another half-hour, so you may enter if you wish, or wait here." A very audible gulp came from his throat. "I advise waiting here."
Twilight couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for him being so terrified just at Solon's presence. And slightly smug that she had no such issues anymore. "We'll be fine. Thank you, Prince."
She levitated the door open, and quickly trotted inside.


"Ah, Techpriesht Gaela! Hello!" Solon said cheerfully as the purple pony and her entourage walked through the doorway.
Twilight made a quick check of the situation. Serith was here, which was bad but expected. Trixie was here, which was not expected, but good, sort of. Celestia was on her temporary pillow-throne with a look of tired resignation on her face, which was the best that anypony could really hope for. And Luna was next to Solon, looking over a stack of some kind of large colored panels, which was probably a good thing.
"Hello Twilight, Spike," Princess Celestia greeted them one by one, her eyes narrowing as she got to Gaela, "Dark Techpriest," waiting a moment to let the frost in her tone settle, she got to Big Mac and nodded. "Ironside." Macintosh winced at the realization that Equestria's sovereign now knew him primarily by his squad nickname. "The Warsmith was just presenting us with a gift to commemorate this event."
Twilight froze, and she immediately glared at Serith. "Don't tell me that he broke into the Hall of Elements, stole the Elements of Harmony, and then presented them to us as a gift again!"
"No, it'sh theshe window panesh," Solon said, pointing to the armorglass panels in front of Luna, "these are manufactured from armorglash composhites. They should prove more reshilient than the onesh decorating thish hall before."
"Oh. Well, uh... that's very nice of you," Twilight said, looking embarrassed.
"To be fair, I DID try to steal the artifacts again," Serith admitted, glancing in the direction of the Hall of Elements, "but whoever makes your enchanted doors knows what they're doing. I can't get through the barrier without bringing down much of the castle along with it. And that would be wrong."
As Twilight tried to glare a hole through Serith's helmet without the aid of magic, Spike moved to an angle where he could see the window pane that Luna was looking at.
"Hey, that's pretty good!" The colored glass was designed into pictures like the old windows, and the one being levitated featured a pair of stylized alicorns laying at the bottom, one light and one dark, while an Iron Warrior faced off against a Crisis Suit.
Celestia didn't seem nearly so impressed. "I don't suppose you made one of you being decapitated, did you?"
"Shecond one from the bottom," Solon replied.
Luna quickly levitated most of the stack to the side so that she could lift up the pane in question. Solon was at the center, dominating the image with his helmet separated from his shoulders, and Voidsong's battlesuit was pictured in mid-flight just behind him with power blade extended. Luna promptly snorted as she tried to suppress laughter.
"You do realize that window makes Voidsong look like the hero... right?" Trixie asked.
"I do. The High Commander wash taking on a foe far more powerful, experienced, and capable than hershelf in a deshperate ploy to shave her people," Solon explained, "from a certain pershpective, she very much wash the hero. Beshidesh! I play besht as the antagonisht, don't you think?"
"We like this one better," Luna said as she placed the window pane down and levitated up the last one. This piece of armorglass featured all the Equestrian Princesses plus Rarity surrounding Voidsong's battlesuit and shooting it with magic. It reminded Twilight immediately of the image of her and her friends defeating Discord, and may even have been modeled off of it.
"Trixie thinks this window is the best one, personally," the armored unicorn said, levitating up a different panel from the stack. Unsurprisingly, it featured herself, in her armor, standing against Fire Warriors in front of a background of stylized flame. Below Trixie was Applejack and Big Macintosh, both rearing up atop a pile of Tau bodies.
"Not bad," Celestia admitted before facing the Warsmith. "Much better than your last present. And so long as we're all trying to get along here, I have a gift for you, as well."
Solon leaned back slightly as Celestia's horn started to glow, uncertain if he should order Serith to intercept whatever was about to happen.
"What are you doing?" Gaela demanded, her bionic hand tightening around her axe.
"Gaela, relax," Twilight whispered, "the Princess isn't going to hurt him." They did need him, after all.
Seeing as none of the ponies seemed at all alarmed, Solon remained still as Celestia's horn pulsed and released a wave of magic into him. His armor was blanketed with warm yellow light, which faded away after a few seconds.
"... I feel shtrange," Solon admitted after a few seconds, looking down at his chassis. Nothing seemed any different, and his diagnostics didn't reveal any issues. "What jusht happened?" Gaela was also running a host of scans, but whatever had just occurred was beyond her optical scanner's ability to detect.
Princess Celestia got up and started heading toward the exit to the residency halls. "A little something to help you make friends more easily. I have to get ready for the ceremony. I'll see you again soon."


Solon watched her leave, and then went back to staring down at himself, utterly confused.
Twilight likewise stared at the Iron Warrior, a hoof to her chin. There was definitely something different about the Chaos Lord after the spell had taken effect. Not a physical difference, but something more... primal. Perhaps even... emotional?
"Ah ha!" the purple alicorn shouted suddenly, pointing to Solon. "I see now! She purified that fear aura you have!"
"Wait, what?!" Solon shouted, recoiling.
"Right! Trixie sees now!" Trixie acknowledged. "Trixie couldn't tell at first because Trixie isn't afraid of you anyway, but now Trixie doesn't get that scuzzy, dirty feeling Trixie usually gets when looking at you, either!" Serith chuckled at that.
"That aura wash a daemonic gift and a major tactical ashet!" Solon complained, slamming a leg on the ground and smashing a new hole in the flagstones. "She can't jusht 'purify' daemonic mutationsh! They're usheful!"
"That IDIOT," Gaela growled. She was quite tempted to follow after the white Princess and berate her. Physically. With her guns.
Luna clicked her tongue. "T'was quite rude of Sister. But surely it will be of aid to thee to meet ponies without them fleeing in terror?"
Solon leaned forward on his chassis toward her. "That'sh hardly the point! I shpend more of my time in battlefieldsh than conferencesh!"
"Really, I don't see the difference. I think you're plenty scary already," Spike pointed out.
"When you aren't talking, anyway," Trixie sniggered.
"Enough of this," Serith said with a wave of his gauntlet, "we have much to do, and little time. I imagine that the Princesses have questions."
Twilight didn't need any further invitation. "Why do you need so many unicorns - or psykers, rather - to make the Nethalican? Is it a physical building, or an energy form?"
"It is both," Serith answered as Solon started bringing up hololith screens and scrolling data in the air, "psykers are necessary to breach the Materium. The Nethalican itself is needed to maintain the breach and translate the master's will into reality. Or unreality, rather. First the lodestones must be constructed and deployed. Then the offerings laid bare. Then the choir shall rend this world open, and our task will be complete." Twilight didn't fully understand that, but it was more helpful than she'd expected Serith to be.
"Dost thou truly need so many unicorns, however?" Luna asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Princess Sparkle and We hath many times more magic power than the average mage. Surely we may account for some great portion of the magic necessary?"
"That's not how it works, I'm afraid," Serith replied, "if anything, your considerable power makes you unsuitable for the choir. The psykers that call upon the Warp thusly must be taught to act in concert, which is difficult when one will smothers those around her. You two will not be used in establishing the Dark Portal."
The two alicorns shared a glance, uncertain as to whether that was good news or not.
"I assume Trixie cannot help for the same reason," the sole unicorn in the room sighed melodramatically, "a pity, but there's nothing to be done."
"Sure. Why not," Serith shrugged, "shall we head outside? I do believe our new recruits await."


****


Canterlot Castle - Royal Plaza


Shining Armor stepped out into the yard, his gaze taking in the ranks of hundreds of unicorns clustered amongst the damaged statues and dried-up fountains.
Most looked nervous, and understandably so; the letters that had summoned them to Canterlot had not been very detailed, explaining only that their service to the 38th Company was required for a matter of absolute urgency. None of them knew how dangerous the task was going to be, how long it would take, or what kind of compensation they could expect.
Then again, neither did he.
The unicorns started looking up as some of them spotted Princess Celestia emerging from a tower balcony overlooking the plaza. Before long the entire crowd was craning their necks upward to stare in awe and wonder, deciding that the matter had to be important indeed for Princess Celestia to oversee it personally.
Shining Armor's horn flashed with magic, and when he spoke, his voice was magically amplified to be heard across the plaza.


"LOYAL UNICORNS OF EQUESTRIA!" Shining said, playing out the short opening speech in his head. "I AM SHINING ARMOR, CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD! I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SWIFT TRAVEL TO THE CAPITAL FOR THIS ADMITTEDLY AUSPICIOUS OCCASION!"
He paused, glancing at the other Royal Guards standing at attention around the plaza. They nodded back at him. There were also several Iron Warriors watching the spectacle, and much to his surprise, some of them nodded too.
"I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD LITTLE, AND MUCH OF WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN COBBLED TOGETHER FROM RUMOR AND HEARSAY! LET ME TELL YOU NOW: A DIRE THREAT APPROACHES OUR PLANET FROM THE DEPTHS OF SPACE! A THREAT THAT COULD EASILY WIPE OUT NOT ONLY EQUESTRIA, BUT ALL OF OUR WORLD IF IT IS NOT TURNED AWAY!"
Shining Armor paused to take a breath. "BUT WE HAVE HOPE! THE 38TH COMPANY HAS TOLD US OF AN ARCANE CONSTRUCT TO STOP THE ONCOMING HORDE! AND MANY OF YOU WILL BE THE KEY TO THIS MAGIC DEFENSE!"
There was a lot of talking now among the crowd, and a great deal of fear mixing with excitement. As was expected.
"I KNOW IT IS NOT A SIMPLE THING WE ASK OF YOU, AND THERE MAY BE DANGER! BUT THE FUTURE OF OUR ENTIRE WORLD LAY IN YOUR HOOVES!"
He turned toward the castle's entrance behind him. "WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 38TH COMPANY IRON WARRIORS, WHO WILL CONDUCT THE SELECTION!"


The doors opened, releasing a pair of quadrapedal power-armored figures out of the castle.
Trixie and Big Mac lumbered forward, their helmets on and their weapons aimed high. Gasps and pointing came from the unicorns, and Trixie grinned widely behind her vox grille as she basked in the attention.
With a dull hiss, their helmets cracked open and depressurized. Trixie levitated hers off her head and then settled her wizard hat over her horn, while Macintosh shook his mane out after his headgear disengaged on its own.
Behind them came Serith, and the Sorcerer walked up between the armored ponies before bowing deeply to the crowd.
"MAY I PRESENT THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE, MACINTOSH 'IRONSIDE' APPLE..."
Big Mac promptly slapped his bionic hoof against his face at hearing his introduction. This only served to make the augmetic limb - and the reason for his nickname - more obvious, however.
"... AND HIGH SORCERER SERITH OF THE IRON WARRIORS!" Shining finished. A moment later he heard the unmistakable sound of Solon approaching, and he took a deep breath. "FINALLY, THE HIGH COMMANDER OF THE 38TH COMPANY HIMSELF: WARSMITH SOLON!"
The shock at seeing ponies in powered armor was soon eclipsed by the startled gasps of seeing Solon himself walk out into the plaza. He was followed by Twilight and Luna, but the Princesses were barely noticed in the shadow of the hulking Chaos Lord.
To Celestia's satisfaction, none of the ponies screamed and ran, however. Solon also noticed the difference and felt thoroughly annoyed, though he had to admit that sending the crowd of psykers into a panicked stampede would have been inconvenient.


The Warsmith's legs lifted his chassis higher, and he beckoned to the crowd with his flesh-arm. "Equeshtria'sh citizensh! I come to-"
"Warsmith, please," Serith suddenly interrupted, causing his superior to halt mid-speech, "allow me." Serith was normally perfectly happy to watch powerless civilians trying not to laugh at Solon's slurred speech, but in this case he wanted their full attention and plenty of fearful respect.
Solon lowered himself down again and then grumbled something under his helmet. Luna patted one of his legs sympathetically, although she was giggling as she did so.
"Greetings, ponies," Serith said as he spread his arms wide. Despite the lack of any perceptible magic energy, each member of the crowd heard his voice as if he was speaking right into their ear. Most found it quite unsettling, and would have preferred Shining's simple magic loudspeaker approach.
"You have been gathered here because you have a gift. A gift that places you above the meager pegasus and earth races of your world, and makes you uniquely suited to the task that lay before us."
The unicorns shared dubious glances and nervous whispers as the earth pony and pegasus guards around the plaza looked properly affronted.
"The power you refer to as 'magic' will shape the ocean of power known as the Warp and stop the Orks before they can lay waste to your home." Serith paused briefly. "Let me keep this simple. I shall personally select those of you most suitable based on a psychic assessment. If selected, you are to give your name to the Astartes," he pointed briefly to one of the Iron Warrior squads at the plaza's periphery, "and then proceed to the waiting gunship."
A certain pale green unicorn mare near the front raised a foreleg into the air. "Question!"
Serith's helmet tilted forward to look at her. "There are two exemptions from service to the Company: we will not take your soldiers, as your nation has need of them. And the Princesses themselves will not be taken. We already possess two of them, after all."
Lyra's jaw hung open, her leg still raised. "... How did you know what I was going to ask?"
"Your mind is... poorly protected," Serith said simply, "incidentally, we don't want you. You are excused."
"Woo-hoo!" Lyra whooped happily and galloped away.
"We will begin immediately," Serith said to the remaining equines, ignoring the hooves rising up to indicate that more of the potential conscripts had questions.
He walked to one corner of the crowd, and pointed to a unicorn with a bright yellow coat. "You," he said simply, turning away immediately. He then passed by another two ponies before pointing at another. "You."
He continued down the row in this manner, barely offering each unicorn a passing glance before either pointing and speaking or moving on to the next one. Those selected hesitantly plodded toward the waiting Iron Warriors, nervous but also quite curious.
Serith passed by a unicorn with a blue mane and a monocle, and then his visor lingered on a shapely unicorn mare next to him.
"You're trying to hide your potential from me," the Sorcerer said as the mare gasped, "very impressive. Report to the Marines at once."
"Fleur! No!" Fancy Pants cried out, his jaw hanging open. "Please! Don't take her! Take me instead!"
"Fancy! Don't leave me!" Fleur de Lis wailed, throwing her forelegs around the other unicorn and sobbing into his shoulder.
"Oh, cruel, cruel fate!" Fancy Pants shouted up at the sky with a scowl as he hugged his crying lover. "For the sake of my country, you would separate me from my love? Neigh! NEIGH!! For even if-"
"STOP that," Serith interrupted dryly. He was still standing in front of Fleur de Lis, his arms crossed over his chest.
Fleur quickly stopped crying and cleared her throat awkwardly. Fancy Pants pulled away from the hug and then straightened his suit, brushing at the new damp spots.
"I didn't think this would come up, but if any one of you wishes to volunteer service to the Company for whatever reason, you may. Simply follow the others that are selected," Serith explained blithely.
"Capital! Come along, dear," Fancy Pants said, cantering alongside his marefriend toward the Iron Warriors.
To Serith's surprise, nearly a dozen other unicorns broke ranks and did the same, apparently not wanting to wait to be judged.
"So it's not a problem if you get some ponies that aren't 'suitable' or whatever?" the next mare in line asked.
"Not at all," Serith chuckled, "no matter your talents or deficiencies, we will find a use for you. Chaos accepts ALL within its ranks, my little pony." He started walking past her. "Also: you."
The unicorn mumbled a curse under her breath and trudged off toward the waiting soldiers.


"Well, this is FAR less intriguing than We hast imagined," Luna grumbled as she watched Serith walk and point.
"When do you think he'll have enough?" Twilight asked, fidgeting with her front hooves.
"When he shaysh he doesh," Solon answered simply.
Then his optics caught sight of a particular blond unicorn waiting behind a group of pony soldiers, separated from the rest of the unicorns in the plaza.
"Who ish that? I think I shaw him before," Solon asked, pointing his augmetic claw toward the stallion with the exquisitely styled mane.
"Oh, that's Prince Blueblood, Celestia's nephew," Twilight replied. She would have followed up with a brief description or some relevant information, but found that none came to mind; she barely knew a thing about the Prince other than who he was and the fact that he and Rarity didn't get along.
"Hey, Sherith!" Solon called suddenly, causing the Sorcerer to halt. "What about that one?"
Prince Blueblood recoiled as the metal goliath pointed at him, and he started looking back and forth as if for an escape route.
Serith stared at the white stallion for a few seconds before turning away. "We don't need him."
Blueblood would have been immensely relieved to hear this, except that Solon was already lumbering toward him. His guards, meanwhile, moved from in front of him to behind him in short order.
"Oh, come now! He'sh a Prince! That hash to be worth shomething!" Solon insisted as he loomed over the terrified pony. "Don't the Dark Godsh favor thoshe with rank and title?"
Serith sighed as he pointed to another unicorn stallion. "Warsmith, if you want that one, then we can take him too." He continued with his selection process, deeming the matter concluded.
"W-Wait! Hold on!" Blueblood stuttered. "I'm part of the royal family! I'm exempt!"
"Was that the agreement?" Luna asked, tilting her head to the side. "We thought the only allowances were for Princesses and soldiers. Thou art neither, as far as We art aware."
Blueblood sputtered incoherently for a moment, intensely aware of the way his guards were continuing to back away from the encounter rather than trying to help.
"Auntie Celestia! Say something!" Blueblood cried, looking up toward the balcony where Celestia watched over them.
The white alicorn shook her head sadly. "Forgive me, my nephew. But I cannot spare those close to me. How could I after asking Equestria's citizens to sacrifice for our nation's future?"
"Easily!" Blueblood countered. "Nopony would judge you for that!"
"Trixie would!"
"Shut up, traitor!"
Prince Blueblood yelped as Solon's servo claw reached down around his middle, closing around his body just tightly enough to hurt. Solon walked over to the nearest Iron Warrior and unceremoniously dropped the whimpering stallion in front of him. "Here you are. Take him along with the othersh."


Deciding the matter concluded, Solon turned back to his former waiting area.
He paused when he saw a new pony in dark purple armor hovering in front of Luna, whispering something to the Princess. At first he thought it was just a pegasus guard, but a closer inspection revealed that the pony had a pair of bat-like wings instead of feathers.
Luna nodded to the Lunar Guard, acutely aware of Solon walking up to her again.
"Very good. If Nightfall can hold court properly in our absence, then that may relieve much of Sister's burden," Luna said, finishing up the discussion she was having with her agent.
The Lunar Guard nodded back, choosing not to point out that Luna had already been neglecting the Night Court by spending an obnoxious amount of time dreamwalking as of late. With her report given, she turned about to leave.
"And what'sh thish one? A bat variant?" Solon asked, causing the Lunar Guard to freeze.
"Warsmith, this is Midnight Blaze, a Lieutenant of our Lunar Guard," Luna introduced the batpony mare, who was obviously doing a rough tactical assessment of the Chaos Lord and not liking the results.
Midnight Blaze stared hard at Solon, her face twisting into a grimace. "So YOU'RE the one who our Princess has chosen to serve, hm? Disappointing."
Luna's expression hardened, and she was about to chastise the guard when Solon started laughing.
"Oh, would you jusht look at her, trying to be all dark and edgy? That'sh adorable!" Solon said brightly as his optics whirled in their sockets. "I'll take two shquadsh of them!"
Midnight blinked in shock, but Luna looked pleased.
"Very well! Lady Blaze, awaken Shadow Lancer to see to the selection! Only our finest warriors shalt join the crusade against the green tide!" Luna commanded.
The batpony's eye twitched, and she glared up at the crimson lights of Solon's optical array. "Do you want us gift-wrapped, while you're at it?" she growled.
"And they even have a shenshe of humor! Make it three shquadsh!" Solon decided.
"D'oh!"


As Serith and Solon went about recruiting ponies in their own ways, Twilight settled in between Big Macintosh and Trixie.
"Trixie has to agree with Princess Luna; this selection process is DULL," the unicorn complained, pointing a foreleg at the crowd, "Serith is quite capable, but he has no flair; no sense of showmanship. He could at least do a little light show or something during the selections."
"I think that would be quite a waste of time and energy, actually," Twilight mumbled.
Trixie noticed that the purple Princess looked rather preoccupied, her brow creased in thought and her expression fixed into unusually deep concentration for a pony that wasn't in the middle of casting a spell. Determining that her old rival was probably rather stressed by the rapid pace of recent events, Trixie decided to help ease the Princess's mind and heart with the sound of her voice, which always made things better.
"Trixie has to hand it to you, Sparkle, you really made a breakthrough this time," Trixie said, making sure not to sound TOO impressed, "the 38th Company was already starting to move vehicles for off-world transit when the order came down to suspend the withdrawal. If it wasn't for you, right now Trixie would be in space picking a bunk to live out the rest of her life from."
Twilight blinked and looked over to the unicorn, who was very deliberately avoiding eye contact. "Well... thank you, Trixie. Although Princess Luna did more than me."
"Princess Luna certainly made an effort in reaching out to the Iron Warriors, but she has only so much room to act while staying at Celestia's side," Trixie continued, "whether on purpose or not, you brought the 38th Company here, and you've been bringing the Iron Warriors and Equestria together ever since." She coughed lightly. "Trixie is... very surprised it came this far. Trixie recalls that it wasn't long ago that you were stumbling around Ferrous Dominus with the idea that you were going to assassinate the Warsmith."
Twilight couldn't help but cringe at that. She duly regretted taking on the mission that had first brought her to the Iron Warriors' doorstep, although even at the time she hadn't thought of her goal as an "assassination".
"Trixie's first action upon meeting the humans was to take up a job with them, but even Trixie had never thought they could actually be allies with Equestria as a whole. The slavery thing alone makes it almost impossible in any circumstances OTHER than imminent, worldwide destruction."
Twilight blinked. "You're right... I actually forgot about that."
"Exactly! The impending apocalypse tends to obscure niggling little details like a vast and well-organized system of cruel exploitation."
Twilight smirked slightly, although she wasn't very happy to be reminded of the Company's atrocities on the same day that they were forcibly conscripting hundreds of unicorns into their service.
"Thanks, Trixie. It means a lot to me to hear that," Twilight said, her head drooping slightly as she felt some of her tension fade away. She had been pushing herself quite hard recently, and she wasn't so foolish as to think that trying to manage the relationship between Equestria and the Iron Warriors - mostly against Celestia's wishes, at that - hadn't taken a toll on her.
"It's no matter," Trixie said, waving an armored hoof nonchalantly, "besides, as your superior, Trixie needs to be generous with praise to maintain morale, tempting as it may be to begin listing your myriad flaws for Trixie's own amusement."
The uplifting mood died a harsh and painful death as Twilight's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me? Superior?"
"Well, of course! Trixie joined the Company before you, so Trixie is your senior!" the unicorn explained happily. "You don't have to worry about giving Trixie tummy rubs, since Suuna has that covered, but don't think Trixie isn't going to put you to work!"
"Trixie, you're my 'senior' by less than a month," Twilight said tightly, "I think being an alicorn Princess might have priority over your 'experience'."
"Really, Sparkle?" Trixie asked, unimpressed. "You're trying to lord your noble status over Trixie? Not very progressive of you."
"You're an ENTERTAINER, Trixie!" Twilight said through clenched teeth.
"So what's your job, then?" Trixie countered.
Twilight opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
After several seconds, she closed her mouth, and then put a hoof to her chin.
"Huh... I don't actually know. I didn't really think about it before now," the alicorn admitted. In Ponyville she was a librarian, but surely there was no need of such a pony to manage the 38th Company's electronic data stores.
"Pft. And you think you're going to outrank Trixie?" the armored unicorn scoffed. "Don't worry. Trixie will find something for you to do. Trixie could always use a sideshow to warm up her crowd, if nothing else."
Twilight rolled her eyes before turning to Big Mac. "Hey, Big Macintosh? When you were staying with..." she trailed off once she realized that the other armored pony wasn't there.
Which was very strange, when she thought about it. Big Mac was hardly stealthy, especially with two bionic legs and a power armor suit. How had he snuck off?


****


Canterlot Castle - main armory


"I'm sorry, Princess, but there's no way."
A hefty earth pony with burgundy fur shook his head as he stood over Big Macintosh, a set of jeweler's glasses resting over his muzzle. Big Mac was standing stock-still in the middle of the armory, his helmet disengaged and a worried expression on his face.
"Reverse-engineer something like this?" Forge Coals scoffed, taking off the lenses. "You might as well ask me to raise the moon for you."
"Tch! So nothing can be done? Not even with magical substitutions?" Luna was overseeing the two stallions from the corner of the armory, looking disappointed. Having grown bored with Serith's recruiting process, she had caught Big Macintosh staring at her and had been struck by a sudden whim.
Well, two sudden whims, actually. But the armor wasn't very conducive to making out, so she went with the second one and teleported Macintosh to the armory to have his gear inspected by their master smithy.
Forge Coals grunted as he banged a hoof against Mac's shoulder pad. "Hardly. I don't even know what this thing is made out of, but you can't pack a pony in this much metal. The pegasi and unicorns won't be able to move, and even the earth ponies will tire themselves out too quickly to be much use in a fight. You can enchant it to be lighter, I suppose, but not enough that a pegasus will be able to fly, and it will still be too cumbersome for a guard to fight well. I don't know how this guy is supposed to get around in that."
Big Mac was thoroughly ignoring the stallion as he tapped and prodded his armor, wondering if he could get away with putting his helmet back on. His rather dim mood was due in part because he hadn't had anything in the way of warning before he had been teleported away from the plaza. The other part was undoubtedly because of the other stallion poking at him and talking around him as if he was some sort of armor mannequin. This wasn't going quite like the last time Luna had spirited him away.
"These seals are something else, though. I don't even see how he's supposed to take this thing off," Forge grumbled, inspecting the seams closely. Then he tapped Macintosh on the back. "Hey, put the helmet on."
Mac sighed before doing as asked, and the plates of metal slid up over his muzzle and engulfed his head before interlocking and sealing with a sharp hiss.
Forge's ear twitched at hearing the sound. "Wait... is that thing PRESSURIZED?" he asked Luna, pointing a hoof at Big Mac.
Luna shrugged, not knowing or understanding the significance of such a thing. Big Mac knew the answer, but since he hadn't been asked he kept his mouth shut.
Really, Macintosh didn't know what he should have expected. What was he to Princess Luna, anyway? A source of amusement? A fling? A passing curiosity? The first time they had met, Luna had spent much of a festival with him because he was the largest and most able pony there. The second time she had wanted to play around with his augmetics. This time she wanted to look over his power armor. Even if their last encounter had been surprisingly enjoyable, there was a dubious pattern to their interactions.
"The slug-thrower I could do SOMETHING with, probably," Forge muttered as he kicked lightly at the heavy bolter, "at least I have an idea of how those human guns are supposed to work, so a magic-powered mock-up is possible. But the armor may as well be magic already for all the sense I can make of it." Then he grimaced at Big Mac's left legs. "What they hay happened to you, anyway? How'd you end up with so much alien tech wired into you?"
"The result of an altercation with the Tau, it would seem," Luna volunteered what little of the story she knew, seeing how Macintosh was unlikely to tell it; the draft pony was as silent as ever. "His recovery and equipment was provided by Warsmith Solon himself!"
"What, that metal spider creep?" Forge asked, shuddering as he looked at the bionics. "Do those metal legs even move right?"
"Aye!" Luna answered again, smirking to herself, "they art surprisingly limber, in fact!"
Big Mac kept his head held high, enduring the other stallion's grumbling. Regardless of how annoying this was, his presence had been demanded by a Princess, and he wasn't going to get all huffy because he had foolish, unlikely expectations of what a veritable pony goddess wanted him around for.
"Well, as long as we're here, let's test out that gun," Forge muttered as he pointed to a corner of the armory that served as a small practice area. There were several wooden pony-shaped dummies set on metal pegs, all of them covered in deep gouges and the odd arrow shaft. "Fire a shot over there and let's see what it can do."
Big Mac looked over to the area, his visor glowing softly. "... Nnope."
The smithy recoiled, looking affronted at having his orders refused. "Excuse me? Why not?!"
"S'not safe," Big Mac said simply. He'd seen what the heavy bolter could do, and had no intention of firing it outside of an actual battle or a purpose-built gun range.
"I think I'll decide if it's safe or not," Forge Coal said, his tone carrying a hint of warning.
"Nnope." Big Mac brushed him off again with ease, and Luna had to restrain a giggle at Forge's frustrated expression.
"All right, then strip that thing off, soldier. I'll give it to somepony who knows how to follow orders," the other stallion growled, blowing some steam out of his nose.
Big Mac didn't even bother to answer this time, still staring straight ahead. He didn't answer to "soldier".
"We do not believe matters art that simple," Luna interjected before Forge Coals started getting belligerent, "that armor is Mister Macintosh's personal affect, not an artifact given to Equestria's ruling family and then loaned to him."
Forge gave the armored stallion a suspicious look. "That mean he's one of those ponies that joined up with the humans, doesn't it?" His eyes narrowed. "Bunch of traitors, if you ask me. Bad enough we have foreign soldiers in Canterlot, but actually working for the creeps should count as treason!"
"We suppose thou hast not heard, then," Luna said with a distinctly less amused tone, "that We hast offered service to the Company as well. Would thou have us judged as traitor?" Her eye twitched. "Again, that is?"
Forge Coals stood shock-still for several seconds, suddenly regretting his decision not to stay fully updated on the specifics of the impending human/pony alliance.
"I... I, uh... well..." he stammered for a moment, and then bit his lip. "I can't really think of anything to say to that to make this less awkward, so I'm just going to leave."
"Aye. Thou art dismissed," Luna grumbled before the smithy scurried out of the armory entrance and into the hall.


Big Mac sighed as the door closed behind the other stallion. "Sorry," he mumbled. It wasn't really his fault, but barring a destructive accident things almost certainly would have gone better if he'd just done as the smith instructed.
"Not at all, Macintosh," Luna said breezily, "We must apologize for Mister Coal's behavior; he is a military pony through and through, and stubborn as they come." She paused as she approached him, peering deeply into the ruby lens of his visor. "We suppose it was absurd to show thine equipment to him in any case; there is no possibility of pony artifice matching such devices, and little point when we may turn to the Dark Mechanicus itself."
Big Mac remained silent as she did her own close observation of his power armor, albeit with a gentler touch than the stallion had. Which was saying something, since Luna was definitely not very gentle.
"How doth it feel to wear something of this nature?" Luna asked, prodding at a piece of exposed hosing.
Big Mac took his time to think it over, lifting his back leg and noting how it felt almost weightless.
"It's not somethin' easy to explain," he said finally, "it's like having a shell all around ya all the time, blockin' everything out and feedin' sight'n sound to ya. Makes me uncomfortable at times, not bein' able to feel nothin' around me. And it really bugs some ponies to try 'n talk to me with this helmet on." He shifted his weight from side to side. "When it comes to movin' though, it don't feel like Ah'm wearin' armor at all. The suit lifts mah legs fer me rather than makin' me lift it. It's mighty strange, being surrounded by metal and movin' so easily."
"And in battle?" Luna asked eagerly. "How did it feel to take to combat in such wargear?"
Big Mac frowned beneath his helmet. "... It's like there's a wall between you and all the fightin'," he said finally. "The visor draws up targets, the helmet blocks out the worst noise, and then Ah just tense mah chest a bit and the grays got torn up. Until Ah got hit by somethin,' it almost felt like Ah was just watchin' from behind a window rather than fightin' too." He turned his helmet to look at the Princess through him visor, watching as targeting sensors bracketed her and started beeping at him. "Ah felt like the armor was carryin' me along with it, fightin' as much as Ah was."
He chose to leave out the part of the battle where he had been subjected to combat stimulants and mauled dozens of aliens in a bloody-minded fury. That had less to do with the armor than his personal augmentation, and besides, his memory of it was hazy.
Luna nodded thoughtfully, and then her expression hardened.
"Macintosh, We know that thou art no soldier, and that thou hast not pledged thyself to the 38th Company." She held up a silver-encased hoof to forestall any interruption, apparently imagining that Big Mac might actually speak out of turn. "We shalt not ask thee to do any such thing. But thou hast been given gifts to aid thee in the making of war, and We would ask that when the time comes that thou would stand with us against the alien threat to defend our nation and planet."
Big Mac hardly needed to deliberate on the request. "Eeyup," he said simply, smiling slightly.
"Thou hast our deepest gratitude," Luna said with a gracious nod, "so then, back to the matter of your armor..."
Her smile took on a decidedly salacious nature as she drew a hoof across the horn of his helmet. "Show us how to take it off."


****


Canterlot Castle - Royal Plaza


Princess Celestia gazed sadly at the last batch of unicorns that were being led away into the gunships, the colorful cluster of equines flanked by silver and gold bodies walking in escort.
One hundred and sixty-two unicorns was the final tally; substantially more than the "hundred" that had been mentioned when Serith had first revealed his idea, but not so many that she could seriously object on the basis of there being too many recruited.
Of course, that was just the unicorns. There would also be eighteen Lunar Guard taken on a whim, ten earth pony cooks that had made the error of watching the ceremony close enough to attract attention, and it had even been suggested by some overly-helpful advisor that the Wonderbolts could be used as aerial scouts. Luckily, Equestria's elite team of pegasus stunt fliers hadn't been here to be snatched up and herded onto a transport like Prince Blueblood, but Shining Armor had seemed entirely too receptive to the idea of "loaning" them out.
Celestia shifted her view downward, toward Solon. He was talking to Twilight as the last of the Royal Guards dispersed to return to their usual duties. Celestia's eyes narrowed, and she spread her wings to carry her off the balcony and toward the ground.


"Your job? Well, I wash conshidering ranking you ash a Shorcerer, shince your talent lay with the arcane artsh," Solon explained to the lavender pony staring up at him.
Twilight cringed. "Would that... make me Serith's subordinate?"
"In a way, yesh," Solon admitted, "although hish actual command authority over the other pshykersh ish meager, on the battlefield you would be expected to follow hish ordersh."
As Twilight chewed on that (rather distasteful) idea, Solon noticed Celestia landing gracefully off to the side and approaching them.
"I believe your shovereign wantsh to chat," Solon said, his legs carrying him backward, "if you're kept too long, you can ride one of the other transhportsh back to Ferroush Dominush. There are gunship convoysh shcheduled throughout the day."
Princess Celestia cleared her throat gently. "Actually, I was hoping to speak to you, Solon," she said calmly, glancing at Twilight only briefly, "alone."
"No," the Iron Warrior answered curtly before swiveling his torso around.
Celestia recoiled, surprised at the flat rejection. "What? I merely wish to-"
"I don't care what new troublesh you want to bother me with now, Princesh," Solon interrupted, "I have had ash much of your 'hoshpitality' ash I can tolerate, and I have important mattersh to shee to back home." He started to walk away, not deigning to face the alicorns. Twilight sucked in her breath through her teeth, trying to think of a way to de-escalate the tension.
Celestia was stunned for a moment at being brushed off, but then quickly recovered. "It's about the Elements of Harmony!" she admitted, irritated at having to shout the matter at the Chaos Lord's back. "You have all the ponies you need for your task and you've even taken the planet! You don't need Twilight and her friends! There's no reason for it! Release them back to Equestria's service!"
Solon didn't even bother to acknowledge her plea, reaching a squad of Iron Warriors and speaking to them instead.


Twilight could feel Celestia's temper boiling, and she quickly moved between the larger alicorn and the Chaos Lord. "Princess, is that what this is about?"
Celestia's anger fell to a simmer as she met the eyes of her faithful student, and her wings hung from her sides. "You've already sacrificed plenty for Equestria, Twilight. You and all the Elements. You six least of all should have to offer yourselves up to these killers like prize livestock."
"That's... very kind of you to say," Twilight said, an embarrassed blush playing on her muzzle, "but we can't start chipping away at the deal now, before anything important has been done."
Celestia continued to grimace at Solon's back. "I simply cannot understand how you can tolerate these Chaos Marines. The smaller humans at least don't seem beyond reason, but the Iron Warriors are utterly repulsive," she growled.
Twilight's ears flattened against her head, and she wondered if it would be wise to try giving a preachy friendship speech about tolerance to the Princess.
"Warsmith Solon was actually really offended when you purified his aura," Twilight said instead, sighing, "as far as he knew, he was making a real effort to keep everything cordial."
Celestia's grimace shrank to a frown. "I was doing him a favor."
"He... didn't really see it that way," Twilight insisted, "the Iron Warriors don't look at Chaos as a blight to be cured."
"Of course. To them it's the 'truth' to be spread," Celestia grumbled.
"Not really." Celestia looked surprised to hear her student contradict her. "The Iron Warriors are surprisingly... pragmatic about Chaos. They emphasize control, and are actually very skeptical about claims of an objective truth. To them, Chaos is a means to an end, not an end in itself." She shrugged. "They certainly haven't put much effort into spreading their cult since they got here. Me and the others haven't been subjected to any sort of 'Chaos pitch'. I really don't think they care."
The elder alicorn considered Twilight's words for several seconds before replying. "You can't possibly think them benign, Twilight. They don't even pretend at such things."
"No, they're not," Twilight admitted, "but I think Spike said it best when he pointed out that they're not evil 'at us'."
Then she paused and wet her lips, looking away. "Besides that, I think..." she trailed off uncertainly.
"Twilight?" Celestia asked.
"I think... they're changing," Twilight mumbled, "I mean, it could just be my imagination, or wishful thinking, but... Gaela's been acting differently since I first met her. Dest has DEFINITELY changed. Even Tellis seems somehow less dangerous since he's started living with us." She looked up at Celestia again. "Harmony and friendship may act as a countervailing influence against Chaos. I believe that's what protects ponies from corruption, at least in part: without the cycles of fear, violent hatred, and depravity that seem to drive Chaos worship in humans, we're almost invisible to it. And I think we may be eroding those cycles in the 38th Company."
Princess Celestia was clearly mulling over the matter with intensity now, and Twilight pressed forward. "I want to go with them, Princess. I want to study them, learn from them, and... maybe... someday... I can save them."
The two alicorns stood in silence for a long moment, and Celestia sighed as she looked up at a thunderhawk gunship blasting into the sky.
"Do you really think it's possible?" Celestia asked quietly. "You saw Solon fight. You saw what he did... what he IS. His corruption is total: body, mind, and soul, completely given over to the Lord of Plagues. You think friendship can heal that?"
"I don't know," Twilight admitted, "but we have a chance to try. The influence of Chaos isn't stronger than that of Harmony. I know it isn't. It's what you taught me, after all."
Celestia found herself chuckling at that, and suddenly felt much of the despair that had burdened her lifted. "Perhaps I've been too cynical after all. Thank you, Twilight. As ever, Equestria and the royal house stands in your debt."
Twilight bowed her head. "It's an honor, Princess. I hope I don't regret whatever comes in service to the Company, but no matter what I'll miss serving Equestria as your student."
Celestia nodded sadly as another thunderhawk roared overhead. "And you will be missed dearly, Twilight." Then she paused. "Will you and Luna be leaving straight away?"
"Well, I was planning to go soon; I know that Gaela is waiting on me." She looked around uncertainly. "I don't know about Luna, though. Where did she go, anyway?"
"I'm sure my sister is working hard right now getting ready to leave Canterlot," Celestia said solemnly, "arranging for her sudden departure is no small matter, and she's normally sleeping at this time of day. She will be along when she feels we can make do without her." She let out a heavy breath. "At least Luna can still handle the moon from her new station. I certainly don't want to shoulder THAT burden again."
"Sparkle."
Gaela's voice, filtered though it was from her vox grille, got the attention of the two alicorns as she and Spike approached.


"The last of the thunderhawks is being loaded. If we do not depart with it, the next aerial transport will not be here for two-point-four-seven hours," Gaela remarked, "are you ready to leave?"
"Oh, sure!" Twilight said, glancing to Celestia again. "Goodbye for now, Princess. It shouldn't be too long before I'm able to visit again."
"Farewell, Twilight. And farewell to you too, Spike." Her eyes met the glimmering emerald visor of Gaela's helmet uncertainly. "Dark Techpriest Gaela."
The helmet shifted to face her, as if suddenly noticing the Sun Princess's presence.
"Obviously our relationship has been... strained since we first met. In part due to your actions and countenance, but my own prejudice played no small part in your treatment while a guest of the Equestrian royal house," she lowered her head in a display of humility. "I apologize for my past rudeness, and beg your forgiveness. It was unbecoming of a leader of Equestria, and a poor display of my own creed of love and tolerance."
Gaela stared at the white alicorn silently, and then looked over to Spike.
"Say something back!" the young dragon hissed up at her. "Something NICE!" he amended quickly.
"I have no way of properly communicating my contempt for your sovereign and rejecting her entirely inadequate contrition while also being 'nice'," she explained to Spike.
The dragon groaned, slapping a hand over his face. "Then, please, DON'T."
"That is an acceptable compromise," the Dark Techpriest noted.
Then, without another word, she walked off toward the gunship landing zone. Spike offered the ponies a helpless shrug before he scurried after her.


"...... So, that's Techpriest Gaela after she's been 'changed' by friendship, is it?" Celestia asked dryly as she and Twilight stared at the armored woman's back.
Twilight winced as she said, "I would like to point out that taking advice from someone friendlier than her and deliberately avoiding confrontation is a SUBSTANTIAL improvement over her past behavior."
"Even friendship must be taken one step at a time, I suppose," Celestia sighed, "good luck, Twilight."


****


Ponyville - Delgan's market


Applejack grimaced as she looked at the dataslate in front of her, her eyes locked on the rather unimpressive number featured on the bottom.
"Ya ain't serious, are ya? That's all Ah can earn on one of yer contracts?" she looked up at Delgan, trying to keep from scowling.
"That's all," Delgan said calmly, his face betraying no apparent sympathy for the apple farmer, "and that's generously taking you on the same contract offered to our regular mercenary corp, who usually come to us with extensive experience. And hands."
Rarity was standing behind Delgan, silently thinking of any avenues she could take to help her friend while pretending to inspect a riot drone.
"Well, what about them workers? Ya know, the menials? What do they make?" Applejack asked.
"A little more than half that," Delgan replied.
"What?! How can anyone live on those kinda wages?!" Applejack demanded angrily.
"Our mercenaries and workers are supplied with food, housing, medical attention, and have precious few shopping opportunities,"  Delgan explained, "there isn't enough for them to spend their money on for them to experience any true poverty, although many make a fair attempt by wasting every stipend of credits on underdeck liquor."
Applejack fixed him with a suspicious stare. "You sure seem to do pretty well fer yerself, though."
"Oh, don't get all Greater Good on me," Delgan scoffed.
"Delgan, what if she joined your guards rather than the general mercenary corp?" Rarity asked, jumping into the conversation.
The Trademaster shot her a narrowed glance. "I don't see that happening. She hardly qualifies."
Applejack smacked a hoof against the table she was seated at. "Come again? You think Ah can't handle mahself in a fight?"
"I've heard that you're quite capable, actually," Delgan assured her, "but I'm not hiring anyone known as the 'Element of Honesty'. Lying is a critical job skill."
Applejack clicked her tongue in annoyance as she went back to the contract. Even if she got an advance on her annual pay and spent every credit to cover the farm, it would barely put a dent in their current deficit.
"Excuse me? You're Miss Applejack, aren't you?"


The farmer twisted her head around to see who was speaking, and then raised her eyebrow. Standing at the entrance to the market space, and looking quite out of place, was a well-dressed unicorn mare in a dark red jacket. Her coat was a rich burgundy, and she had a crumbling vase for a cutie mark.
"Yeah, that's me. Can Ah help you?" Applejack asked after assessing the unicorn.
"Oh, it's a relief to finally meet you," the mare said with a tired sigh, "I'm sorry I didn't contact you earlier, but there was that dreadful conscription affair at Canterlot today and I rushed here as soon as it was finished." She shuddered. "I just don't know WHAT I would have done if I had been selected! You earth ponies are quite lucky nopony's asking you to serve the humans; those big ones in armor are just TERRIFYING!"
"Ah AM servin' the humans," Applejack deadpanned, "volunteered 'fore that conscription hullabaloo even happened. Already ran a mission fer 'em, even."
The unicorn's jaw hung open for a few seconds before she seemed to collect her bearings well enough to change the subject.
"Oh, but WHERE are my manners? My name is Relic Duster, and I'm a junior director at the Canterlot Institute of Equestrian History. It's so nice to meet you!" She smiled nervously, and extended a hoof. Applejack shook it firmly, almost lifting Relic off her hooves.
"And what would a historian want with me?" Applejack asked. "You doin' some work on the Elements of Harmony?"
"Oh, no, not that," she said before quickly stuttering, "I mean, th-that's not a bad idea! A great idea, even! But that's not why I'm here! Why, did you want to talk about that?"
"Miss Duster, why don't ya sit down and calm yer nerves a bit?" Applejack asked, mildly amused at the unicorn's tension.
"S-Sorry. I don't get out of the Institute much," Relic mumbled, shifting to move opposite Applejack at the table and looking around uncomfortably.
"Yeah, ya remind me a little of how Twilight Sparkle used to be," Applejack chuckled, "but that's okay; she's one of mah best friends. Now what can Ah do ya fer?"
Relic Duster took a few seconds to puzzle out that question before she spoke again. "Well, the reason I'm here is that the Institute has taken up my proposal to fund the construction of a museum dedicated to Equestria's first contact - and subsequent conflict - with alien life!" Relic looked proud as she turned to look at the chimera APC and human guards around the market. "And clearly I've come to the right place! Ponies have said that Ponyville is the nexus of human-equine coexistence, but you can't really appreciate it until you see this place!"
"Okay, Ah get it," Applejack said, "yer here fer an interview, right? Collectin' stories and such?"
"Oh, no, not at all," Relic said quickly, looking bashful at once again refuting Applejack's assumptions, "I mean, I'm sure you have some great stories to tell, don't get me wrong! Lots of them! Did you want to tell me one right now? I have a notepad and-"
"It's all right, sugarcube," Applejack said gently, "Ah should just stop makin' guesses if yer gonna get so worked up."
"Right. Sorry. Uh... the first thing that the Institute wanted before beginning the project was to make sure we'd be able to secure sufficient artifacts for study and exhibition," Relic sighed, "When I mooted the idea, I had hoped there would be sufficient wreckage left over in Canterlot to fill a museum, but the 38th Company was very thorough in salvaging the remains in our capital. But then I heard that a certain region of Ponyville had been subjected to unusually frequent alien attacks."
"That would be mah farm, all right," Applejack said dryly.
"I don't suppose you would happen to have any alien artifacts scavenged from the encounters, would you?" Relic asked timidly, tapping her front hooves together.
Applejack laughed, startling the unicorn. "Are ya serious? Filly, Ah got more space junk than yer Institute knows what to do with!"
"Really?!" Relic asked eagerly, leaning forward onto the table. "Er, anything you can name, off-hand? I mean, you probably can't guess at an alien device's function, but if-"
"Lemme stop ya right there," Applejack drawled, "Ah got Tau guns. Ah got human guns. Ah got ammo and energy cells. Ah got Tau armor and human respirators. Ah got engines. Tools. Med-packs. Busted drones. Gunship wrecks, Tau and Company. Transport wrecks, Tau and Company. Fuel tanks. Flak armor vests. Dismembered bionic limbs. Sensors. Battlesuits. And besides all that, yeah, Ah got plenty'o stuff that Ah can't make heads or tails of."
Applejack had been slowly leaning forward as she listed the junk that had accumulated on her farm, and by the time she reached the end she was looming over the unicorn mare.
"Ah have the wreck of a Tau space ship - an ACTUAL SPACE SHIP! - sittin' in a big hole where mah orchard used to be!" she shouted at the wide-eyed historian.
Then Applejack dropped backward, falling back into a seated position. "So Ah'd say ya came to the right pony, Miss Duster."
"I... I see..." Relic said meekly. "I'm very impressed. It couldn't have been easy to collect all that."
Applejack was so overwhelmed with potential sarcastic responses to Relic's presumption that she couldn't decide on one before the unicorn continued.
"And I don't suppose these relics are... for sale, are they?"
The apple farmer's eyebrow arched.


"Well, that's convenient," Delgan mumbled, "and here she was complaining that my men had never gotten around to salvaging everything on her farm."
He and Rarity had been waiting together behind the table, expertly looking like they weren't eavesdropping on the conversation next to them.
Rarity looked thoughtful. "Delgan, I don't suppose you can help her out, can you?"
"Why?" he asked, giving Rarity a slightly annoyed look. "She seems to be doing just fine on her own to me."
"Oh, come on. It doesn't cost you anything," Rarity whispered, pressing a hoof against the man's leg, "please? I'd owe you a favor."
"ANOTHER one, you mean," Delgan mumbled, "I don't know why you thought to swear service to the Company when you owe so much time to me already."


"... And there's HOW MANY of these articles?" Relic asked, gaping.
"'Bout two barn fulls," Applejack explained, not really understanding that Relic Duster would have no concept of a barn's potential volume. "The vehicles that wouldn't fit inside are just piled up behind it. And that don't count the ship, which o'course is bigger'n the barn. Though Ah don't know how ya might plan on gettin' that off'o mah farm, much less into a museum."
"We'll work something out!" Relic said excitedly, clearly trying to restrain herself as she discussed the prospect. "Maybe... Maybe an exterior exhibit! Maybe we can even refurbish the craft and put exhibits INSIDE it!"
Then she shook her head. "But anyway, as to payment for the relics... would 100,000 bits be enough?"
Applejack raised her eyebrow again. THAT amount would cover the harvest quite nicely, and then some.
She would have agreed then and there, but she was suddenly aware of Delgan stepping up behind Relic Duster and looking surprisingly bemused.
"Excuse me, Miss 'Duster', was it?" the Trademaster drawled.
Relic looked straight up, blinking in surprise. "Oh! Hi! You're a human! Wow! I've never actually talked to a human before!"
"Charmed, I'm sure," Delgan mumbled, "I couldn't help but overhear your offer, and I wanted to stop you before you offended Miss Apple, here."
Relic immediately locked up nervously. "Offended? D-Did I do something wrong?"
"Hey, why would Ah-" Applejack was immediately cut off by Rarity, who levitated the farmer's chair around one hundred and eighty degrees.
"So, Applejack! How IS Apple Bloom doing nowadays? I'm afraid I haven't had much time to look into our sisters' condition since you-know-what happened!"
"What in the-Rares! Not now!" Applejack complained, trying to turn around again.
The snow-colored unicorn leaned in close to stop her, whispering, "Let the man work, Applejack. Trust me."


Relic Duster gulped as Delgan stared down at her, feeling much like a prey animal caught in timberwolf territory.
"Did you know that the artifacts you seek to purchase are from the very first human-Tau conflict on your planet?"
"Er... no?" the unicorn replied.
"Then you may be forgiven for such an insulting offer," Delgan said sharply, "but many of the items you seek to purchase are the very articles that were present, used, and in some cases, destroyed, when equines met humanity and did battle with the Tau Empire for the very first time. Others document the Tau's escalation in hostilities as they began sending armored vehicles and then even full-blown assault forces into pony-populated regions. Surely you, as a historian, recognize the inherent value of such things?"
Relic gasped, slapping her hooves to her face. "I am SO sorry! I really didn't know!" She fidgeted with her hooves for a moment. "Maybe... 200,000 bits, then?"
As Applejack's eyes widened, Delgan clicked his tongue. "Well, at least you're approaching the market value of the scrap material alone. Although I know for a fact that Miss Apple has some entirely functional weapons among her 'inventory'. The 38th Company has been too busy up until now to take all these artifacts for salvage, but I assure you, they are of value to us humans, too."
Relic Duster sputtered. "Th-Three hundred thousand! Final offer?" The questioning inflection at the end of her statement wasn't doing the poor mare's bargaining position any favors, and Delgan had to wonder why anyone would trust this pony to promise large sums of money that wasn't hers.
"I'm sure you're on a budget of some sort," Delgan mused, scratching at his mustache, "historical institutes don't typically operate with exorbitant treasuries. So let's be fair about this: 500,000 bits for the vehicle and equipment salvage. If you want the void ship wreck as well, then the total cost will be a clean million."
Relic Duster gaped. Applejack gaped too, for that matter. Rarity raised a hoof to her mouth as if in shock, but it was entirely for appearance's sake.
"Well... uhm... let's start with the smaller artifacts, then," Relic said meekly, "I'll, uh, have to talk to the other directors to see if we can do anything useful with the ship wreckage before we can commit to that payment."
"Fair enough. Miss Apple?" Applejack jerked her head up to stare at the Trademaster. "You'll need to draw up an inventory. Nobody pays that kind of money without an itemized receipt."
"Ah... uh... okay," Applejack mumbled as her head swam. Five HUNDRED THOUSAND bits! They could rebuild the entire farm for that much, and easily cover all the seasons' harvests they'd miss in the process! All for having the alien junk cleared off of her property!
"Oh, that would be perfect!" Relic Duster said, regaining some of her earlier cheer. "Is it possible for me to come look over the artifacts first, though?"
"Sure thing, Ma'am," Applejack said with a sharp nod, "Ah can show ya down to the farm whenever yer ready."
"Oh, but can I take a look around the market, first?" Relic asked, stepping away from the table. "I've visited the Iron Chest in Canterlot, but the inventory here is very different..."
"Of course," Delgan said quickly, gesturing to the booths set up nearby, "do you do a lot of field work? We may have some tools that can help you with your trade..."


Applejack collapsed back onto her chair, and then she took off her hat to fan herself.
"... Rares?" the farmer asked after a moment of deep concentration.
"Yes, darling?" Rarity replied, taking some effort to conceal her victorious grin.
"Ah'm not sure if all that just now was dishonest or not," Applejack confessed.
"It's quite a common feeling when working with Mister Delgan," Rarity giggled, "you get used to it."


****


Ferrous Dominus - Solon's Forge


Solon's servo welders burned noisily as he worked at a small circuit wafer hovering in front of him. On the tables all around him were small pieces of machinery and stripped parts, most of them salvaged from the considerable cache of Tau equipment the 38th Company now possessed. Huge servo tools of various functions rumbled along ceiling-mounted rails, and hololith screens flickered on the walls around him to display random torrents of data. He was alone, and surrounded by the hum and rumble of industry.
At last, for the first time in days, no other matters demanded his attention. The unicorns were being processed and housed, Serith was working on the foundations of the Nethalican, Twilight had literally teleported into the newly rebuilt secondary data repository to make use of her new security access, and Sliver was seeing to the defensive disposition of the fleet. With no overriding priorities, the Warsmith was at last able to get back to rebuilding his chassis; although it functioned well enough for basic mobility, he'd barely started replacing the many devices that had been destroyed during his duel with Voidsong.
This was where Solon was at his best; where he truly felt at peace. Being at work in his forge with nothing pressing for his attention and time was the only thing that could truly balm his battered soul, and he reveled in the sense of freedom and power counter-intuitively granted by the gloomy halls and choking atmosphere of his work space. When his subordinates remarked that he should have been given over to the Adeptus Mechanicus rather than the Iron Warriors, they were not offering insult to the Warsmith. Although he had early on been taken into the ranks of the Techmarines after his initiation into the Astartes, even that hybrid status of warrior and engineer had never truly suited him.
Like all Iron Warriors, Solon was a dim reflection of his Legion's Primarch, and where Sliver embodied Perturabo's slow-burning rage and harsh paternalism, Solon's natural gifts were enhanced by the Siegemaster's subtle artistry and cold intellect.
Alone in his forge, surrounded by the accumulations of metal and the seething alchemies of technology, Solon created things on a whim that others would deem impossible or useless. And it was only in this state that he truly felt complete.
"Yo! Solon! How ya doing, big guy?"
Okay, what the hell.


Solon swiveled his torso completely around, quickly catching sight of a hovering blue figure zipping toward him.
"Hey, funny meeting you here!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Thish ish my forge," Solon said blithely, "it'sh the firsht place you would expect to find me."
Rainbow chuckled as she waved a hoof in front of her face, trying to dispel the foul gases that polluted the forge interior. She wasn't nearly as cautious as her friends when it came to breathing protection in the fortress, but in this case she wish she'd worn her respirator. She'd forgotten how nasty this place was.
"Yeah, I guess you have a point, there. So anyway, I have a problem I was hoping you could help me with," the pegasus continued, landing in front of the hulking Chaos Lord, "you see, a lot of you aliens seem to carry weapons, I've noticed. And as undeniably awesome as my body is, it isn't plasma, laser, chain-saw, or bullet-proof."
She trotted over to the Iron Warrior and then positioned herself to jab her elbow into his foreleg. "I was hoping you could help me out with that. Eh? Know what I'm saying?"
Solon was silent for a solid twenty seconds as he stared down at the pony, his optics rotating in their sockets.
"... How did you get in here?" he finally asked.
"Tellis let me in," Rainbow Dash answered, "so: power armor. I was thinking-"
"Tellish doesh not have accesh to thish area," Solon interrupted, "I keep him out becaushe he might do shtupid and dishruptive thingsh. Like letting xenosh into my forge to annoy me."
"Yeah, he couldn't get in on his own. He went around the manufactorum looking for Dark Mechanicus people and throwing them at the door until it opened for one of them."
Solon sighed. "Of courshe. Anyway, if you want armor, check the armoriesh. I'm shure a flak vesht can be modified to offer you shome protection."
"Whoa, whoa, a FLAK vest? Come on," Rainbow scoffed, placing a hoof against her chest, "I'm RAINBOW DASH, Element of Loyalty and the most awesome pegasus ever! I can't fly around a battlefield in that flimsy stuff your redshirts wear!"
"Feel free to bother shomeone elshe about it," Solon said as he made a shooing motion with his flesh-arm, "now get out."
"C'mon man, don't be like that," Rainbow said, smiling brightly as she hopped up onto one of his legs, "I get that ponies and evil cultist humans haven't been best buds for long, but I work for you now! You've gotta protect your investment!"
A sharp puff of air was all the warning Rainbow Dash got, and all the warning she needed. The pegasus leapt into the air as a tranquilizer dart zipped under her, and its needle snapped off when it struck Solon's leg plating.
"C'mon, Sol! Do you mind if I call you Sol? I'd totally owe you one, Sol!" Rainbow Dash held out a hoof as if for him to shake.
Then she cut to the side and twisted in the air to avoid another pair of darts fired in rapid succession.
"I have to admit that your agility ish rather impreshive," Solon said as his targeting systems adjusted to her reflex action.
"I know, right? And you'll want to be protecting this agility with top-quality power armor!" Rainbow said proudly.
Before dodging another volley of three darts. She veered back and forth to avoid the first two, and then slapped the last one out of the air with her wing when it seemed she had been boxed in.
"Ha! Did you see that? I am the BEST! So how big a gun do you think I can carry while flying?"
Solon paused, and then glanced at the mechatendril that expelled sedative darts. Its jaw was hanging open, and it seemed to be panting in exhaustion. "You know, after I run out of dartsh, I'm going to shtart ushing lashersh."
"Pft! Come on. In the time it would take you to actually hit me, you could just build me the armor," Rainbow insisted, hovering closer to the Warsmith but just out of his augmetic arm's reach, "now let's talk features. Obviously, it has to have holes for my wings to stick out. That's a basic requirement."
"That'sh shtupid," Solon countered, "you'd be too heavy to fly with your natural wing power."
"Well, obviously that's where your egghead sciency stuff comes in," the pegasus said decisively, "you'll need to make the armor pretty light. I'm really strong, though, so you don't need to worry too much."
"Even if I accept that, it'sh shtill shtupid," Solon insisted, "making any appendage work againsht the armor'sh weight defeatsh the whole point of powered armor. Beshidesh, leaving your wingsh exposhed would leave two large, extremely vulnerable pointsh on your body. Jusht a bit of shrapnel would completely incapacitate you."
Rainbow Dash rubbed a hoof against her chin as she mulled that over. "Huh. Okay, I see your point. So what do you suggest?"
"Impulshe rocket clushtersh," Solon answered, the nearby hololiths flickering to reveal engine schematics, "they would be built around a wing cashing, and controlled by the angle of your wing poshition. Perhapsh alsho in the legsh, to aid aerial mobility."
"Awesome!" Rainbow Dash said with a grin, landing on the Chaos Lord's pincer-tipped augmetic. "What're we looking at for weapons? How big a laser to you think this beast will have?"
Solon shook his head. "Lashersh are unshuitable. The heat dishpersion ish already going to be shignificant, and the flight pack will make a poor firing platform for a weapon that reliesh on accuracy. The problem with ballishtic weaponsh, of courshe, ish that you'd need to be weighed down by ammunition, and that you wouldn't have a shervo arm to help reload."
The pony and Iron Warrior fell into a thoughtful silence. Several seconds later, Solon saw a distant hololith wall randomly display a picture of an Eldar witchblade.
"Got it," the Warsmith said suddenly, "a shuriken catapult. Excellent firing shpread and damage potential, low energy ushe, and the ammunition shupply ish extremely light and..."
Solon trailed off, and he swiveled his helmet around to gaze into Rainbow Dash's grinning face.
"Thish ish really happening, ishn't it?" Solon sighed, realizing that he had actually created most of the armor's design in his head already. He rather wanted to build it now that he'd worked out the main propulsion and weapon systems.
"Just so you know, I REALLY appreciate this, buddy," Rainbow Dash could barely contain her excitement. If it weren't for the relatively claustrophobic area and the fumes that were leaving her short of breath, she would have done a victory lap in the forge.
"Great," Solon drawled, "well, fine. At leasht I'll have the petty shatishfaction of getting to drill holesh in you."
Rainbow Dash's smile dimmed somewhat. "Uh... say what?"


****


Sweet Apple Acres - farmstead


"Really? Ya mean it, Sis? We're gonna be just fine?" Apple Bloom asked, her face lighting up.
"Ah ain't lyin'," Applejack said with a grin as she pulled her little sister in close for a hug, "lemme tell ya, it woulda eaten me up inside to leave mah family with no money and no crops to go work fer Solon. With the kinda cash we're gettin' fer that space trash, ya won't want fer nothin', Bloom!"
The redheaded filly giggled happily, but her expression soured as Applejack non-too-quietly sniffed at her mane.
"Siiiis! Ah been bathin' every day like normal, just like ya said!" Apple Bloom protested, trying to squirm out of the orange mare's grip.
"Just checkin'," Applejack said with an embarrassed chuckle, "and ya ain't come down with nothin'?"
Apple Bloom pouted and kicked at the floor. "Naw. Not even a cold."
"Good," Applejack said decisively, "'Cuz with all this money we can finally set up a proper college fund fer ya, but it's hard to attend class from quarantine."
"Ah don't even know what that means," Apple Bloom grumbled.
"It's where we put really sick ponies who can't be saved from their diseases," the elder sister said grimly, taking off her hat and pressing it to her chest, "they live out the rest of their short lives there, unable to be with anypony else."
"That's dumb," Apple Bloom scoffed, "why don't they just send 'em to a Temple of Nurgle? They could live a long time and have lots'o friends!"
"Well Bloom, that's..." Applejack trailed off as she thought about that. "Huh. Ah guess that's actually an option now, ain't it? Weird."


The door slid open behind the two ponies, and Applejack put her hat back on as Big Macintosh walked into the house.
"Hey, Mac! It go well in Canterlot?" Applejack asked as she turned around.
"Eeyup."
The stallion was still wearing full power armor, including his helmet, and Applejack frowned at the blood-red visor that stared back at her.
"Well, take off the suit, Mac! Yer back home, now!" Applejack said, pounding a hoof into one of the ceramite shoulder pads.
"Nnope," Macintosh said, much to his sisters' puzzlement.
Deciding that Big Mac could wear his armor all he wanted if he liked it so much, Applejack shrugged it off and turned so that she could address both her siblings at once. "Well, Ah got some mighty good news, Mac! Ya seen some skinny little unicorn out there pokin' at the junk in our barn?"
"Eeyup," Mac confirmed, turning his armored head in the general direction of their barn and principal scrap piles.
"Well, she's from some kinda history club or somethin' and she's droppin' half a million bits to take all that garbage off our hooves!"
Applejack grinned as the stallion's head jerked back, clearly as surprised by the amount as she had been.
"Ha! She was nervous about the payment at first, but y'all shoulda seen the way her face lit up when she saw the barn! Now she's runnin' around out there like a filly at her first rodeo!" The Apple siblings shared a laugh, immensely glad that the destruction of their land and business had eventually provided the means for its survival.
Then the main door opened up again.
"Miss Apple!" Relic Duster shouted as she staggered into the farmstead. Her pale yellow mane was quite out of sorts, and her horn was sparking with magic. "One of those gunships! The human one! It still has dead bodies in it!"
Applejack felt her heart sink like a stone as the unicorn panted desperately.
Big Macintosh winced. He'd known there were a few corpses still lodged inside the gunship wreck, but they'd been crushed into the folds of metal so badly that he hadn't been able to get them out. Luckily the barn's ventilation system handled the smell of rot quite well, so he'd completely forgotten about them.
Applejack swallowed deeply as her ears fell flat against her head. "Ya don't say? Is that a... problem, Miss Duster?"
"Problem? It's FANTASTIC!!" Relic shouted, bouncing on her hooves and washing away the farmers' sudden fear. "I hadn't even considered a biological exhibit! I assumed the aliens would intern their dead! The moment I found the corpses I cast a preservation spell to prevent further decay! They come with the vehicle, right?"
"Uh... sure," the middle sibling briefly considered the possibility of using this strange turn of events to get even more money out of the bargain, but she decided against it. No telling what would happen if she got greedy about this.
"The only thing that could make this more perfect is if there were Tau bodies too!" Relic Duster gasped, literally prancing in place.
Applejack shared a glance with Big Mac - or rather, the visor that he refused to take down - before turning back to the ecstatic unicorn.
"Well, we do have some buried across the fields. They been in there just a few days."
Applejack managed to restrain her disgust at seeing a pony making "Squeeee!" noises at the prospect of finding more corpses, but it was a near thing.
Relic was about to demand to be shown to the graves at once, but then she finally noticed the rather easy-to notice pony that was wrapped from head to hoof in alien armor.
"Oh! What about this? Do we get this, too?" she asked, zipping over to the stallion and looking him over.
"That's mah brother," Applejack said with a smirk, "and Ah'm afraid he's not fer sale. Rent, maybe, as long as ya bring 'im back in good shape." Big Mac snorted from within his helmet.
"Maybe later! Oh, I still have to check on the starship wreck! Oh, but those alien bodies need to be preserved right away! Blast it all, why aren't there any good digging spells, anyway?"
Applejack chuckled lightly, leaning over to Big Mac again. "Ah think Ah've got some diggin' to do. You gonna help?"
"In a little bit," Macintosh rumbled as the he headed to his room. He needed to clean up some hickeys before he wanted to be seen without his armor on.
"All right. Come with me, Miss Duster. We'll see about diggin' up them grays fer ya," Applejack said as she strolled out the door.
"Oh! I hope I'm not being a burden!" Relic said as the apple farmer walked past her, trying to tone down her excitement somewhat. "I mean, after you went through the trouble to bury them all, I know it's a bother to exhume them!"
"Oh, that's all right," Applejack said with a note of dry humor as she trotted out into the fields, "come a few weeks from now, Ah think we're gonna have more bodies to fill 'em with anyhow. Follow me."