James took yet another look at his map and sighed. The war with the Changelings probably wouldn't be easily won. They were creatures of stealth and disguise, which made the task ever more difficult. All an enemy combatant here had to do to get into the camp was pretend to be a soldier who had been wounded and he would literally be carried in. Of course, he'd tried to beef up security, but the enemy would not stop trying. Not a day passed when the enemy tried sending at least one drone to infiltrate the camp. From the Queen's viewpoint, it was a relatively cheap tactic.
"Bring them to battle," he said to himself. It was proving more difficult than he'd thought. The enemy didn't need to defend a front line, or protect supply lines or anything of the sort. They got their food by living off the land... and, no doubt, off the love of the ponies they'd captured. It was frustrating, to say the least; an enemy without something to defend was one that couldn't have the initiative held against it this side of a military defeat, and the Queen was smart enough to avoid battle directly.
Blast, with all the new staff and officers I have to get used to, how am I supposed to know my own army, to say nothing of the enemy? That was another irritation. He'd forgotten to request that Crystal Clear be reassigned with him, and although he'd submitted a request for that to happen less than a day ago, it would take time for it to be processed. In the meantime, he was stuck dealing with commanders with whom he had no prior relation to. More than one soldier had questioned why a member of a different species was given authority over them.
It had been tempting, really tempting, to discipline those who said such things. Considering that most of the veteran troops from the previous battles here had been reassigned to the east when the Griffons had attacked, most of soldiers here, new and relatively inexperienced, didn't know him, except perhaps from the papers (which were of no use for getting to know someone for who they really were, in his opinion). He desisted, knowing that it would only fuel dislike and perhaps disobedience against him.
James took off his hat and scratched his head. Just then, he heard someone outside clear their throat. "Uh, General? We caught another one." The brown muzzle of a unicorn stallion shoved it's way through the tent flap.
"Another Changeling?" he asked, to which the newcomer nodded. "Has he said anything?"
"Nothing but the typical insults, sir."
James growled in frustration, though not at the soldier. "Have you gotten anything out of the prisoners lately?"
"No, sir, nothing."
"Blast," he muttered under his breath. He wasn't someone who approved of brutal beatings for prisoners... and the army had orders from the Princesses directly forbidding it in any case. The Changelings were desperately hard to interrogate, given their fanatical devotion to their Queen. A number of soldiers had been demoted for striking prisoners, which had done nothing to get the information sought. While a few Changelings were like Rand, most were not, and those few had reasons of their own for refusing to give information; the affection for comrades and a form of patriotism. They may also have been afraid of being killed by their fellow Changeling prisoners, which was a legitimate concern. He'd taken the liberty of separating the more self-aware Changelings from those who were not, which eased that problem, but did nothing to make them more forth coming. "Is there any other news you have to bring me?"
"Er... well, yes sir. A convoy carrying food for the army was ambushed. Three casualties, one fatal, and the destruction of three large crates of fruit by fire."
James groaned and put his head in his hand. The army did not have the numbers to keep after the enemy as well as maintain enough combat troops to reasonably engage the enemy. The miles and miles of desert between here and the train station would have made that impractical anyway. Maybe the modern day U.S. Army or Marines could do it. The Equestrian army could not spare the troops or resources.
"Well, is there any good news?"
"Uh, yes sir, though it's less significant. The shipment of mail from the camp has gone out and reached the station without incident."
"Thank God," James murmured, as much to himself as to the soldier. And he was thankful. The mail would mostly be from lonely husbands, sons, and lovers for those back home. His own request regarding Crystal Clear would be among them. "Alright, is there anything else that needs doing, beyond the usual?"
"No, sir."
"Thank you. You have my permission to leave, if you wish." He picked up his canteen of water and began to drink. He set it down when he was done and went back to regarding the map.
It took him thirty seconds to realize that the soldier had not left; the sense of being watched awoke him to that fact. He slowly raised his eyes from the map to see the unicorn was watching him with curiosity. So far, few soldiers in the army seemed to know how to respond to him, beyond the formalities necessary for military personnel.
"Is something wrong, soldier?"
"Er..." The unicorn started. "Uh, no sir. Nothing. Just... well... I guess I was... um... curious."
James nodded. "I understand. I hope things are well for you and your family."
"Uh, they are, uh, sir. They were proud to have a son in the army."
"Probably because they didn't understand what war is about, but then, I think we were all like that. What is your name?"
"M-my name? It's Coal Black, sir. My parents gave it to me because of the color of my mane and hooves."
"Well, Coal Black, carry on. You must have a few comrades to join up with."
"Yes sir." With that, the unicorn finally left, for once without a detectable trace of nervousness.
James sighed again. The soldiers here would have to get used to him, and he to them, very soon. He looked again at the map. The Changelings had been receiving reinforcements lately. As a result, they were growing more aggressive, though they refused to fight any large detachment of soldiers. Why they-
He stopped. He looked back at the map. Northwest of the desert wherein the army was stationed were the badlands the Changeling threat had originated from. The reinforcements were coming from there. Which meant...
"I've been stupid," he said slowly. He had been looking for a base like those the Changelings had built in their initial invasion, not the hive they had come from. It was logical to assure they would have made a structure, above ground or below it, to house themselves. While they might have indeed have established a hidden base of sorts, he'd missed the more basic fact that the enemy hadn't just materialized out of thin air. They had a home.
"Maybe they have something they need to defend after all," he thought out loud. The enemy had something they had to defend after all. If the army could go after it, he might indeed force the enemy to battle, and on his own terms as well.
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Boy, would I rather speak over radio than give speeches to a crowd, James thought. With the officers of the army, and a number of curious non-commissioned troops gathering to listen, he felt what an actor might have called stage fright.
"You all know that, several months previously, the Equestrian army fought against the Changeling menace and was able to defeat them," he started. "We did so, though sadly not without loss. Few of you were present for those battles, but your resolve must be as strong as those who gave their lives to defend your homes and your people."
"It turns out, the enemy has a home as well. That's where they are receiving these reinforcements from. Without delay, we must go after it. I believe it is somewhere in the badlands beyond the desert, somewhere to the northwest of here."
"Naturally, some of you will worry that taking the army out of Equestria will leave it without protection. While the enemy force isn't strong enough to properly engage us, I agree. I intend to leave half of this force of approximately five thousand to keep an eye on the enemy hereabouts, while I take the other half, invade their hive, and cut off their reinforcements. My hope is that the enemy will be forced to come to battle at last and be defeated on a field and at a time of our choosing rather than continue this futile chase across lifeless wasteland. Once this has been done, we'll be free to go to the east and put the clamps on the Griffon Kingdom and bring down their king, without fear of attack from another direction while doing so."
"All of us must perform to the best of our ability if we are to see this operation through to it's conclusion, and a successful conclusion; any other result is unacceptable. When you begin to wonder why this war must be fought and why you are fighting and how much longer this suffering must go on, and I believe that happens to all of us feel that way eventually, remember your families, your sweethearts, and your home towns, as well as the relative peace you enjoyed before the conflict. All those and more are what we are fighting to protect and maintain. We will be victorious in the fighting to come!"
Some, mostly recent recruits, cheered, as did some of the officers. Others began whispering to one another. James didn't complain; he' expected a response like this.
"Ready your weapons, and remain alert. That is all." He walked off the platform.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, sir?" an officer asked. "It sounds ambitious, and for all we know, the bugs could have hidden an infiltrator who heard everything you said."
"It is ambitious. But assuming that we outnumber them ten to one as of now, and that half our force would maintain that at five to one, that would allow either army the firepower and number to prevail should there be any trouble. As for the potential spying, I had unicorn teams scan everyone, or just about, so that shouldn't be an issue."
"I suppose that might be true, but how do we know what they have defending their main hive in the badlands, assuming your guess is correct?"
"We don't. If we find those defenses, should they exist, to exceed the capacity of the force I bring, I will, of course, withdraw and request that the other force join me. But the enemy will continue to be a thorn in our side until we destroy their ability to make war."
"Exterminate the nest, sir?"
"Who said anything about exterminating? The Changelings aren't insects, or at least, aren't regular insects like ants and bees and termites. Killing them off would make us even worse then the enemy we are fighting. No, we'll simply cut off the supplies and reinforcements they are receiving from there, and hopefully get them to fight the final battle on this front on our terms."
"What about our logistics?"
James winced. That was something he hadn't thought of. "I suppose we'll try to live off the land, insofar as we can, and protect our supply lines as best as possible. Of course, we could also try bringing them in by airship as well. That's probably the best I can promise you, unless you know how to dig a big tunnel from Appleloosa to there, or build a railroad from there to here."
The officer shook his head. "No, I don't think even the Princesses could do that. If you like, I'll make a request for the army to purchase or rent airships from the nearest suppliers."
"Thank you, um..."
"Sword Stroke, at your service, sir."
"Very well, Sword Stroke, I will leave that task to you."
"Yes sir, I'll get right on it."
James watched him go, then took a look at the army he commanded. Most of them weren't veterans. They were mostly armed with matchlocks, but a few units still used crossbows. Two of the most recent units were carrying a new rifle that had come out of a Canterlot manufactory. It carried a four-shot magazine, which could be ejected and have a new one put in it's place very quickly. It had a lever on the side. It wasn't a bolt-action lever; it was pulled downward, and the cartridge that had been fired would be ejected and replaced by a spring-powered mechanism, which would also pull the lever back in it's initial position. He'd used one and found it to be reliably accurate, much, much more so than the matchlocks the army was still using as a whole. Naturally, he found it harder to use than his own pistol, as he had to be careful not to depress the trigger, but then, it was designed for a different body than his own, so the design made sense.
Furthermore, the lines of supply weren't always secure, considering the recent attacks. While what he'd said to Sword Strike about numbers was currently true, it wouldn't remain that way for long. The 'real' war was in the east, which needed the resources more than he did. He acknowledged that, but he still resented the fact that he could not easily replace losses. He also resented having to think what felt like such a cold-blooded manner as well, but it was necessary for an officer, and especially for a general.
The army he wasn't going to be super powerful, and while it had a few new guns, it still relied on single-shot weapons to do most of the work. His army was made of inexperienced troops just out of training, and logistics weren't ensured.
He nodded. Of such humble beginnings did great expeditions arise. The odds had been against Hernan Cortes and William Eaton as well, and yet each of them had defeated enemies who outnumbered them. While the odds may not have been as great here, the experiment would be just as risky... and the rewards for winning would be great.
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The preparations didn't take long. He picked the units with the most updated weapons, and divided the existing supplies between the two forces. He was careful to try to include the veterans he had in it.
"I hope we'll have enough water," Sword Strike said.
"We should. The Buffalo have provided us with the locations of a few oases on the way, so we'll beeline for those on our journey."
"Good. Hopefully we'll be able to accomplish our mission."
James grunted, but otherwise didn't reply. He was still worrisome about the campaign himself. All sorts of things could go wrong; thirst was only one of them.
"Pity we couldn't get the airships we requested."
"Yeah, it is." James still felt flustered about that. One would think that the state would be able to provide the things he needed. He'd hoped that the Princesses could persuade the owners of some of them to part ways with them, at least for a while. But then, there weren't many airships that traveled in this area. Plus, he could easily imagine, to his chagrin, company owners trying to hold onto their airships; after all, they were probably expensive, and no doubt the rich could find ways of filibustering, even in a country that was run by an absolute monarchy. That last was only reason he could think of that the request hadn't been fulfilled yet, which was the reason he was incensed over the issue. "We'll still have to continue our mission," he said. "If only the Buffalo had offered to send us some scouts of their own, instead of mere directions; that would have helped us immensely."
"That is a shame, but it can't be helped now."
"I suppose not."
"There you are," came a welcome voice to James' ears. He turned to see Crystal Clear jump off a cart and walk toward him.
"I could say the same to you," he said, only to see the stern look in his aide's face.
"We're separated for a few days, and already you've replaced me with a local. Without even giving me advance notice, of all things!"
"Hold on now..." James paused when he saw the mischievous glint in his subordinate's eye. "You had me there for a moment."
Crystal smiled. "I'm glad I could do that at least once. How are things?"
"Friend of yours?" Sword Strike asked.
"Yes. Crystal Clear, my aide in the east. I'm glad he's come here. I would find it hard to get things done without him."
"I heard something to the point that a certain officer had made a request to transfer me here," Crystal said. "And I wondered, what if I could bring a little help with me?"
"I what manner?"
"I sent a letter to Her Majesty that a certain regiment be brought along with me. After all, the war out in the east is going well. A few hundred more soldiers on this front, on the other hoof, might be of some use."
"You didn't..."
"I did. The First Ponyville Regiment, or what's left of it, has arrived with me. And, incidentally, your friends Silver Shield, Silver Lining, White Knight, and Bright Star, who are part of that particular unit."
"You are a rascal, you know that?" James felt a huge feeling of gratitude rise within him.
"I am a fish out of water among pegasi. Or, perhaps more appropriately, a pegasus out of the sky and on the ground. How can I be of service?"
"Help me and Sword Strike here get half this army ready to invade the badlands and take the Changeling hive away from them."
"Hmmm." Crystal scratched his chin. "I assume you've thought this over?"
"I have. There isn't as much desert to cross as there might be. We should be there in eight days, maybe ten. It might not be the easiest task in the world, but it should be doable."
"I'll try to help ease any potential problems."
"Good. I'll be relying on both of you. I'm hoping we'll be able to get going in short order."
"We'll both do our duty to the best of our ability," Sword said, saluting.
James returned it. "I'm counting on it."
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James was happy to see his other friends once more. It was a short reunion, but one that all of them enjoyed.
"My friends, I am glad we had the chance to meet again before the campaign started."
"So are we," Bright answered. "And thank Crystal; if he hadn't made the request for our transfer, we wouldn't be here."
"I still wonder whether it was a good idea," James said. "It might have increased your chances of getting killed."
"We've have had that same chance out in the east," Shield said. "General Barrel is going on the offensive, and under him that means hard fighting."
"At least you wouldn't be in a sun-blasted place like this."
"We weathered it before," Silver Lining replied. "We can bloody well do it again."
"What's ya plan, chief?" White Knight asked.
"I intend to bring the war to the Changelings' front door and see how they like being invaded."
"My guess is, they won't like it all that much," Shield said, grinning. "Of course, we didn't like it at all when they did the same to us." His face sobered up a little. "I just hope we can do it without getting too many ponies killed or mangled."
James winced. He didn't like being reminded of that, general though he was. "I'll do what I can," was his answer.
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It was amazing how quickly some good bureaucracy could get things running smoother. Within two days, everything was ready. James found a Colonel, a unicorn named Golden Fire, to maintain command of the soldiers who were staying.
"Are you up for the task?" he asked the officer.
"I am honestly unsure, as I have never been in command of an entire army before. However, if you assign me the task, I will do what I can."
"I'm glad to hear you say that."
"I might not hold it long in any case. There's been a rumor that Prince Shining Armor will be arriving soon to take command in any event."
"What? I hadn't heard that. How did you obtain that information before I did!?" James was perplexed.
"I am not sure. As I said, it's a rumor. It could be utterly false, for all I know."
"Well, if it is true, then I apologize if you were expecting a longer stay in command."
"It's alright, sir. I didn't expect to hold it in the first place. I don't really mind who is in charge, as long as they can bring the war to a close."
"I think most of us can sympathize. Good luck, and keep an eye on the enemy, when and where you can."
"I will, General. Thank you."
James nodded, then left the tent. The hot desert air began beating on his face at once, a reminder that the whole enterprise was likely to be difficult.
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It was. While the desert here wasn't made of sand dunes, that didn't make it a place of abundant life. There was no grass that ponies could eat when they got desperate. The animal life only came out at night, except for a few curious specimens that emerged to watch the army as it marched.
"They ought to make umbrellas that repel sunlight," he grumbled to Sword and Crystal. "It would make things easier."
"Well, they haven't, and they aren't going to," Sword answered. "Besides, the other extreme is freezing, which is just as bad."
I don't know. I'd rather freeze than burn. He didn't say that out loud. "I suppose," he said. "Here's hoping that the badlands are better than this, although if they were, they wouldn't be stuck with such a name. Anyway, has there been any sign of the Changelings?"
"No sir. None."
"Hmm. I'm not sure whether that's good or bad. Or if that's because they're keeping themselves concealed better than we are. And unlike us, they don't have to worry about being sunburned or, as far as I'm aware, suffering heat stroke."
"The prisoners who were more open with us said that the chitin that forms much of their bodies is more immediately resistant to heat," Sword said. "It does have limits, though. One of them said that if they covered a member of their hive with their bodies that they could potentially heat that individual to death."
"Ugh," James said, as though that were happening to someone right now in his sight. "I'm assuming this particular individual witnessed such an event himself?"
"He refused to say, but we all got the idea that that was the case, given that he was so tight-lipped about it."
"That... would be terrible if true. I hope not."
He spent the next little while wondering how harsh Changeling life was. It kept his mind off the blazing sun for a while. He needed those kinds of distractions. While the supply lines hadn't been attacked yet, they were vulnerable. There was enough to eat right now, and the situation was the same with water, but he worried about it all the same.
The next nine days were full of ups and downs. The oases the Buffalo had directed them to were lush and green, and had plenty of fresh water to replenish their supplies.
"This place is still hot as hell," James mumbled, "but I can hardly complain."
"It's full of life," Coal Black said, taking a drink. "I'm tempted sometimes to follow our supposed neanderpony ancestors and just lap up the water from the pond directly."
"I am as well," James replied. "I'll be glad when we're out of this blasted desert. I'd prefer to go into a blizzard without proper snow clothes than go through this again."
"I wouldn't know about that, seeing as I don't have to wear clothes as much during winter. I would prefer it if we didn't have to wear these uniforms," Coal added, using his hoof to tug at the collar of his coat.
"It's necessary. Anyone without one could be a Changeling, seeing as their disguise would require that they steal clothes for it to be fully affective."
"I guess. Still..."
Coal felt his left hind leg jerk from some sort of impact. He pulled it away, and quickly turned to look.
A big snake had crept up on him without his being aware of it. It had bit him, or rather, it had tried to bite him; it had struck his hoof, breaking it's fangs against the hard, unbending surface. It wasn't done, though - it was rearing back for a second attack.
It never struck - James took out his pistol, lined up the snake's head, and pulled the trigger. The snake flew a couple of feet through the air in the other direction, twitching - it's didn't seem to know it was dead yet.
"Gah!" Coal jumped away from the body. "That was too close! That thing almost got me!"
"Yeah," James said, blowing on the end of the gun to clear the smoke away. "I expect all the carnivores and scavengers are going to be out; it's a feast, all laid out and ready to eat. I hadn't thought of that."
"Is everything alright?"
James started and looked around. A large group of soldiers had gathered around them, no doubt brought running by the sound of the gunshot.
"It is. But from now on, no one is to go anywhere without weapons and a partner in tow. I will be drafting orders to that effect. Everyone is to keep an eye out for poisonous and dangerous plants and wildlife."
His words were met by affirmative mumbling and whispers. Some of the ponies present were already looking nervously around them.
"Prepare to move out once we're restocked on water. And again, keep your eyes peeled. there will be worse enemies to encounter down the line than hungry reptiles."
"Mark my words, some poor guys is gonna get bitten anyway," Shield muttered. But he said this too quietly to be heard by anyone but himself.
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There was no further trouble with wild animals, though James resolved never to tell Fluttershy what had happened. It was still blistering hot, but it got less so the farther northwest they traveled. Supplies were holding out so far, though James continued to worry about it. He was worrying about the unknown quality and quantity of the enemy ahead, too. He had brought the heaviest artillery with his army, believing he was going to face structural defenses, which, although it was slowing them down slightly, would hopefully even out the playing field later.
In time, the landscape changed. It was no longer desert, but managed to look just as awful and lifeless. "So that's the Badlands, huh?" he said, looking at the land ahead.
"So the map says, and if I've calculated our position correctly," Crystal said.
"Hmph. No wonder the bugs wanted to leave."
"The trouble is, they wanted to leave and take over Equestria," Sword noted.
"That they did, and now they're going to pay for that mistake."
"Sir, something is approaching from the west," a soldier said, drawing his weapon.
James raised a pair of binoculars to his eyes. He saw a Changeling looking back at him on the ridgeline some distance away; there were others, standing alongside the one he was looking at.
"They're coming!" Shield yelled.
"Deploy in battle formation!" James shouted, putting the binoculars away. "Now, for crying out loud!"
His army was mostly made up of inexperienced soldiers who hadn't seen a real battle before. However, apparently, they'd been trained well. They began to from up in line of battle, matchlocks and rifles at the ready. Cannon crews loaded their pieces with the speed and air of professionalism that belied the fact that they were essentially greenhorns.
It still took some time for all this to be accomplished. James was surprised the enemy had not made more progress than they had in the five minutes since he'd seen them. In fact, they were still well over a mile away. And merely walking, not running in a headlong charge. Upon noticing this, James stopped waving his arm at his troops and took out the binoculars again.
There were only a handful of them The lead Changeling was holding something long and stiff. At the end of the object was a white rag.
"Hold on," he said, more to himself than to anyone else. "When have the enemy ever done anything other than attack, snatch, and suck the life out of people?"
"Ready to fire, sir, at your orders," an artillery pony shouted.
"Hold off. It doesn't look like this is an attack."
"Sir, we should blow them away with artillery," Shield suggested.
"They have a white flag. They're coming to negotiate."
"All the more reason to blast them now," the officer said. "They've never done this before. There's no way they're serious."
"I said hold off."
"Sir, with all due respect..."
"Trust me. I know what I'm doing." I hope. "We wait. And no one is to fire unless I give the order. There's only a handful of them."
Shield sighed, but obeyed. There was silence as the Changeling party approached. When they were twelve feet away, the one with the flag asked, "Are you the leader of this expedition?"
"I am," James answered. "And you are...?"
"I am Drone number 4502. Friends call me Fix."
James felt an eyebrow raise. That last was something unexpected. From what he'd learned, or thought he'd learned, the Changelings were, if not a hive mind, then dogmatically group - Queen - minded. They had no individuality, except for deviants like Rand. With a great effort he suppressed his curiosity. "What is your purpose in coming here? To discuss the Changeling Queen's surrender?"
The Changelings in the party looked at one another. It wasn't a conspiratory series of looks; rather, all of them appeared nervous. "Are you referring to Queen Chrysalis?" the flag bearer asked.
"That is the name of your queen, yes."
"With respect, sir, she is not our Queen," 4502 - Fix - said. My Queen's name is..." He said something unpronounceable in Changeling. "That would be something like 'Metamorphosis' in your language. Chrysalis claims to rule all Changeling hives. In reality, the only hive he has any right to rule is her own."
"I... have had claims to the contrary, made by her own subjects."
"Well..." Fix hesitated. "It is true, in a way. Her hive is the most numerous. She uses that fact to hold us under her in dominion. She has held us all in bondage. While we still have some freedom, she... has used her power liberally to keep other hives in line. I saw what happened one day when my Queen tried to, er, speak her mind. Chrysalis had her beaten in front of all of her own subjects... in front of me, and everyone here with me, to teach her to remain in line."
"It was the most numerous. The war has reduced their numbers greatly."
"Probably not as much as you'd think, outlander," Fix said, shaking his head. "At least, not as much as both of us would wish. She still has a couple... councilors at our Queen's palace to keep tabs on her. If they detect any sign of our disobedience, there will be trouble."
"Why have you come to us, then?"
"Merely to ask you to stay away. Chrysalis' councilors will force us to fight... to our destruction, if that's what's necessary to halt you. Luckily for you, they haven't detected your advance, though drones from our own hive have. My Queen, and by extension, all of us, would like to avoid any altercations between us."
James felt his head spinning. Rand had never let on to anything like this. None of the Changelings from Chrysalis' hive had.
"Alright, hold on, let me make sure I have this straight. There are more Changeling hives than one, though Chrysalis has held you all in some sort of union or as control of you as puppet states. She exercises that control. And you have some measure of individuality."
"All true. We have some individuality, though we are largely bound to obey the Queen."
"Has she used any drones from your hive for the war effort?"
Fix, and the rest in the Changeling party, again looked nervously. "Unfortunately, yes. She required all hives to take some part in the war. She required us to build fortifications and bases for her, and every hive other than her own had to provide some of our own as soldiers in her army. Most... have not returned." Fix looked down, in unmistakable misery. "We have lost numerous drones to the war."
"The why should we trust you?" Shield demanded. "You've helped the enemy, even if all this jaw you've spoken of is true. And you live off the love of ponies!"
Fix frowned. Then he scowled. "Don't act like you know what you're talking about," he growled. "We didn't want any part in this war; Chrysalis said she would kill our Queen and take all our supply of love, as well as all our eggs and larvae and food if we refused to help her. And believe me, she was in the position to do it then and there. Friends and neighbors of mine have disappeared off the face of the earth, whether worked to death or killed in battle I don't know. And we don't choose how our bodies work, either. At least our own hive didn't try to steal love. We tried to earn it."
"By hiding yourselves as us," Shield countered.
"It's what we have to do to survive," Fix yelled. "Ponies wouldn't just let us come up to them and ask, 'Hey, can you give me some of your love'? They'd jail or destroy us before we went twelve steps into a town. We have to disguise ourselves as ponies to survive, to exist!"
"Enough, both of you," James snapped. "I don't want either of you to bother the other again. Is that clear?"
Shield bowed his head reluctantly. Fix bowed. "I will say nothing further on that score if your soldier does not," he said.
"Are you sure you weren't followed?" James asked him.
"They have not; we still know some secret entrances to our hive that they have no knowledge of. We felt, er, no inclination to tell them."
"I can understand." James put a hand to his chin. His mind was not only spinning, it was also running, all the little gears chugging, clicking and whirring.
It sounds like the perfect situation to offer an alliance, he thought. But I have no political authority here; that's up to the Princesses to decide. He mentally growled. Be that as it may, it's now or never. It'll take three days, assuming a pegasus flies from here to Canterlot without stopping whatsoever. By the time the message reaches them, the decision is made, and a reply comes back, it'll be too late; even if they don't know this particular stretch of land well, Chrysalis' supporters will have almost surely detected us. He looked at Fix. Then again, how do I know these fellows aren't lying? for all I know, they could have made it all up, and this is all just an act to delay us.
James put his other hand, his right, on his belt, not far from his revolver. "How do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know everything you've said isn't just moonshine?"
One of the Changelings behind Fix, a tall one that, if he judged Changeling bodies correctly, was female, spoke up... in English. "Fix, step aside. You have not the means to prove our claims."
"But..." Fix dropped into Changeling for a moment.
The female Changeling said something forceful back, though it didn't sound cruel. She spoke with a voice full of authority, and suddenly James had an idea who this particular Changeling might be. Returning to English, she continued, "I, on the other hoof, have the proof our audience needs." She stepped in front of the group and looked James in the eye. "I am Queen Metamorphosis, and I come in peace."