There were several taps against the bathroom window.
“... ... ...!” Mamunia spun about, eyes wide. Jet trotted over from the lavatory entrance, muzzle agape. Both servants exchanged glances, then rushed forward, shoving the window open.
Fw-Fwump! A thoroughly frazzled pegasus fell through, rolling onto the floor and shuddering.
“Miss Dash!” one maid exclaimed while the other spun worriedly towards the restroom's entrance. Swiftly, they helped her onto her hooves and led her towards the wash basin. “What h-happened to you?!”
“Ran...” Rainbow stammered, wincing. “Ran into some of those green fart knockers...”
“Beg your pardon?”
“Guh... Soul Sentries,” Rainbow murmured. She felt the note with the written coordinates slipping out from beneath her pendant, so she shoved it back in. “Ran into four of them.”
“You ran into Soul Sentries?!” Jet exclaimed.
“And you survived?!” Mamunia added.
“Heh... guess you two ain't used to awesome.” Rainbow smirked at them wearily. “I totally got what I was looking for.” She gulped. “I-I need to talk to Arcanista P.D.Q.”
“Miss Dash, your forehead!”
“Hmmm?” Rainbow felt her skull, wincing as she felt the bloodstains. “Er... yeah. Almost had a brush-in with my less sexy half.”
“Huh...?”
“Nothing a little rinse won't help.” Rainbow reached forward with a fumbling limb, turning one of the faucets. “How's the situation out there?”
“Rather alarming,” Jet said with a slight shiver. “The reindeer guards who escorted us here have galloped off somewhere.”
“Yes...” Mamunia gulped. “It seems as though something happened on one of the higher floors and it's gotten all of security in a tizzy.”
“Yes, well, that something was me.”
“This isn't good.” Jet bit her lip. “If the Soul Sentries saw you—”
“I'm pretty sure I was too quick for them.”
“Even still. I-I don't think you're safe here anymore.”
“I can't give up my cover now!” Rainbow exclaimed. “We gotta get back to Arcanista with the info I found and—” She paused in scrubbing her forehead with water, blinking. “... ... ...I know what to do.” And she dunked her head completely in the water basin.
Mamunia gasped. “Miss Dash!”
“Don't!” Jet rushed forward. “Your mane—”
“Bllbblbb!” Rainbow raised her head just long enough to wheeze. “I know what I-I'm doing!” She dunked her head again and again, rinsing the faucet through her mane. “One of you know how to make a wicked quick braid?”
“Uhm... yes, but—”
“Get ready to put your slumber party skills to good use! Blblblbbb!”
The Council Meeting had come to an end several minutes ago. However, while the bulk of the crowd had dissipated, wandering off from their respective balcony seats, Arcanista and her two companions were still waiting to disembark.
“I... I-I don't get it,” Ebon Mane stammered, leaning closer towards the Duchess. “Why haven't we been dismissed yet?”
“I sense a heavy commotion,” Arcanista said. “Several guards have rushed down this hallway at least three times since the Meeting culminated.”
“Meaning...?”
“I fear Ms. Dash may have caused quite a stir,” the Duchess remarked. “At least more than she was hoping to.” Her lips tightened. “And seeing as we have 'royalty' in our party...”
“You mean they're forcing us to stay here because of me?” Kera frowned. “Yeesh. Being a princess sucks.”
“Or maybe they're all freaking out because somepony let slip about Mother!” Ebon snarled.
“I didn't say Chrysalis' name once!” Kera upturned her nose. “I generalized!”
“You just filled this whole entire kingdom with Grade A Paranoia!” the stallion hissed.
“Let's not condemn her so heavily, Mr. Mane,” Arcanista said. A slight curve came to her lips. “Her improvisation, although unwarranted, may have given us the precise edge we've always needed. I personally find Chancellor Fishberry's reaction to be most intriguing.”
“Duchess...” Ebon gulped. “Your Honor...” He trotted closer and spoke in a hoarse tone. “The entire time we were with the Chancellor, I did not sense one thing.”
Arcanista turned to squint at him.
“If it was her... if it was my Mother...” He sighed melancholically. “I-I think I would have noticed.”
“... ... ...” Arcanista glanced aside in dull thought.
Just then, Nilla bounced back into the balcony. “I am so terribly sorry, everyone,” she said, trying to look at least half as frazzled as she truly was at the moment. “The guards have to pull one or two more security sweeps, and then they'll let you out.”
“May I ask what is going on?” Ebon remarked.
“They won't give me all of the details,” Nilla said. “Only that Soul Sentries were dispatched towards one of the higher floors for one reason or another.”
Arcanista and Kera exchanged glances.
“But I bring good news!” the gazelle said with a smile. “Or, in this case, good ponies!” And she stepped aside while three ponies in servant gowns and hoods trotted forward.
Kera grinned. “Rainbo—!” She caught herself, flinched, and cleared her throat. “Ahem. Que'stromulian trennte!”
“Her Majesty is glad to see that the servants of the Duchess of Sehlp are in one piece,” Ebon Mane said, then smiled at Nilla. “We appreciate your timely delivery.”
“My pleasure.” Nilla bowed. “It's the least I can—”
“Excuse me,” boomed an authoritative voice.
Everyone pivoted to face a reindeer guard along with several grim-faced officers. They marched in from the hallway and stood before the royal entourage.
“I apologize for the intrusion,” spoke the head guard. “But I am performing a search of each balcony.”
“Is there anything we can do to assist you, officer?” Arcanista spoke in a calm tone.
“You and the esteemed Princess of Xona have nothing to be worried about, Madame,” the guard said. “However...” His eyes scanned the balcony, ultimately settling upon the three hooded mares. “May I ask... are these your servants?”
Arcanista nodded. “That they are.”
He took a deep breath. “May I ask that they briefly lower their hoods?”
Arcanista raised an eyebrow.
“Please, Madame. We have reason to believe that an intruder is on the loose and I must make a thorough search.”
After a firm breath, Arcanista spoke out the side of her muzzle. “You heard the guard, ladies...”
Ebon and Kera bit their lips.
One by one, the three maids lowered their hoods.
The guard's eyes wandered across Mamunia's plain complexion, Jet's simple curls, and Rainbow Dash's prismatic braids. Once his gaze swept back, he nodded. “Right. That will be all.” He turned towards his guards. “The suspect isn't here. Carry on to the next balcony.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Sorry for the disturbance, Madame.” The lead guard bowed out, then trotted briskly after his cohorts as they rushed down the hallway.
Jet and Mamunia exhaled swiftly.
“I'm so sorry about that,” Nilla said with a shudder. “But, in a place like the Sandstone District, these things happen.”
“I remember quite well.” Arcanista smiled. “You needn't apologize.”
“Anything I can do to assist you, Duchess?”
“Yes. We would very much like quick and safe passage to the Banquet Hall.”
“Consider it done!” Nilla bounced out of the room. Suddenly—the gazelle stopped. She spun around and stared at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash stared back, blinking.
“... ... ...” Nilla smiled. “Very... very pretty. It's a shame to hide that under a hood.” And then she was gone.
Ebon had to sit down, rubbing his forehead.
“Rainbowwwwwww...” Kera leaned in. “Why did you lose the boogers in your hair?”
“It... h-had to be done,” the mare stammered, slipping her hood back on. “I ran into a bit more than I could chew at Fishberry's office.”
“You mean...” Arcanista's brow furrowed. “Soul Sentries?”
“But Mamunia and Jet here were able to make quick work out of my... looks.” Rainbow smirked. “And besides...” She reached into the neck of her blouse and pulled out a scrap of paper. “I got something out of it.”
Arcanista took the sheet in her cloven hooves and scanned the numbers on it. “...coordinates.”
“To someplace north, eh?”
“Far north,” Arcanista remarked. “Like...”
“The Lemuel Tundra?”
Arcanista's eyes lifted. “Yes...”
Rainbow grinned. “Now what are the odds that both Fishberry and Sharp Quill would have cryptic notes about the same place in two separate offices?”
“What could be in the Lemuel Tundra?” Ebon Mane remarked.
“That's the golden question,” Rainbow Dash said. “But at least now we have the precise coordinates.”
“Well, I doubt you'll be flying there anytime soon,” Arcanista said. “You've an appointment at Shepherd's Rock tonight at First Shine.”
“Hey...” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Who said anything about me going there?”
“... ... ...” Kera blinked. “Well...” She smiled. “Here's hoping the Jurists are bundled up nice and tight!”
“Haman... he's the boss of the Cartel,” Jex muttered while tending to the various instruments of the goblin skiff's engine. “A big fat freak in a bigger fatter and more freakish walker.”
“Somehow that doesn't surprise me,” Roarke droned, eyeing the battleship's hangar outside the transport.
“He's had his slimy eyes on Val Roa all his freakin' life,” the goblin said, fumbling with his prosthetic as he turned a valve. “Gnnngh.... Same as all the maggoty imps who came before him.” Frowning, he turned and glared at the metal mare. “Only... for once in so many generations... Haman's actually found an edge.”
“Saikano...” Roarke remarked.
“I've no clue what the Val Roan General is getting out of this, or the rest of those deer-humpers in general.” Jex limped towards the other side of the compartment and checked the guages. “But they're promising us free passage into the Capital City. Not only that, but they're providing us enough silver to finish our megaweapons.”
“You mean the three battleships.”
“Pffft. You almost know more than I do.”
“Then why all of the raids on the villages all throughout the kingdom?” Roarke asked. “All the attempted enslavement of Val Roan citizens?”
“The Cartel's never industrialized like Haman has forced us to industrialize.” Jex gritted his teeth. “You think we can build all of this crap all on our own?”
“If you had the balls, you would.”
“Yeah, well, thanks to you stupid Jurists' meddling, we've been forced to tap into our own citizenry.”
Roarke cocked her head to the side. “How do you mean?”
Jex shuddered. “He's already sent droves of imp forces into the northeast swamps to... 'recruit' the families of goblins in the field.” He gulped. “Being sent to the mines is instant suicide. He's killing off women and children just to make sure we meet our quota in time to exchange with the Lounge.”
“For skystone, right?”
“And once all our battleships are packed with that glowy shit...?” Jex turned towards her. “We can finally raze Val Roa to the ground.”
“Especially if the Soul Sentries aren't commanded to stop you.”
“Damn straight.”
Roarke leaned back with a sigh. “But what does Saikano have to gain from this? Even if he sought power after betraying his own kind, he's giving way too much to the goblins.”
“I don't think this will work out for the Cartel,” Jex said, shaking his head.
“What makes you say that?”
“Haman is a fool, and he's being baited.” Jex frowned. “He's thrown so many resources into a flying technology that we've barely mastered. Something tells me that the Val Roans have a plan in store to sabotage us the very moment our usefulness has ended.”
“How so?”
“You think I know everything?!” Jex snarled. “I've dealt with Val Roans all my life. It's a gut feeling, okay?” He limped towards the other side of the compartment, shuddering. “Haman's put all of our strength on the line. All Saikano would need to do is switch those Soul Sentries back on, and these three battleships will be reduced to steam farts.” He gulped. “The Cartel will be bankrupt. Sapped dry. We'll be slim pickings for the Val Roans. Or even worse... the Lounge.”
“If you ask me, that's poetic justice.”
“Yeah yeah... hate on us all you want.” Jex swiveled to face her. “But something tells me you don't want the Val Roans to suffer from this any more than the Cartel. Or else... why the Hell would you even be here.”
Roarke took a deep breath. “Something is happening deep in Val Roa. And I think that the powers that be want as much pain and misery to spread through the land, even if they have to use the Cartel to achieve it.”
“Just what friggin' powers are you talking about, lady?”
“That engine better be up and running, runt!” growled a voice from the hangar, getting closer. “Cuz we're shoving off!”
“Hmmmff...” Jex grumbled. “Better hold that thought. It's time to disembark.”
“Where exactly are we headed?” Roarke asked, slipping back into the shadows.
“Cartel Central,” Jex remarked, pumping several levers as the skiff's engine hummed louder and louder. “You wanna see Haman face to face? Pretty soon, you can trot up and kiss him.”
“I think I'll just settle for plain old assassination...” And Roarke hid in silence as the transport prepared for its long-distance trip.