//------------------------------// // 15 -- Confrontation // Story: Mente Materia // by Arad //------------------------------// "People speak sometimes about the 'beastial' cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts. No animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel." --Fyodor Dostoyevsky ------ 11:00, 11/17/2015, XCOM COMPOUND, CANTERLOT It took more than a little amount effort for Matt to maintain his level breathing as he entered the operating room. The operating table was just as he might imagine it, though the sheer amount of electronics and monitoring equipment in the room seemed a bit out of place. The thick straps that were attached to the operating table did nothing to help with his anxiety. "Don't worry," Hamil said as he came up behind Matt, though his expression was anything but calming. "Normally for a prosthetic installation like this, you would be sedated or even in induced sleep until the procedure was complete. As we are using this to test the regulators that Shen and Vahlen have developed, neither of those will be an option. The straps are there to keep you secure during the integration phase." More like to keep me from killing everyone if the regulator doesn't work. "I understand," Matt said, and he tried not to look down at where his left arm terminated. Over the past two days they had installed bits of hardware into his left arm to make the addition of the prosthetic go smoothly, as well as prevent his new arm from detaching during combat. The aforementioned regulator was also installed into the arm mount. In theory, he should have as much functionality as Lana without any... negative side effects. One of the medical techs walked Matt over to the table and ordered him to lay down. All of his efforts went into maintaining his breathing as the straps were secured around his ankles, waist, right arm and across his shoulders. Just breathe in and out. These people are the experts in this field, so there's nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about at all. "Captain Harris?" Hamil asked from outside Matt's field of view. "The prosthetic is being brought out now. When it is attached to the hardware in your body, it will begin to interface with your senses and you will feel some pain until that step is complete. Once that step is done, we'll run you through some basic tests to see if the regulator has any negative effects." "What precautions are there to prevent any 'negative effects' from causing damage or injury to the people nearby?" Matt asked as he pointedly tried not to think about how close he had come to killing Lana. Focus, breathe... breathe... "We have a Rule Breaker ring set up around the operating table. If the worst case comes to pass, we can shut it down and tweak things before removing the lockdown." Damn it, I can't object any more without sounding hysterical, Matt thought as his breathing finally stabilized. None of them realize just how bad this could turn out. Although, if they've thought far enough ahead to build a Rule Breaker ring for the operating table, then that's a bit of a relief. Who knows? Maybe there won't be any problems at all. "Prosthetic integration will begin in ten seconds. You may want to brace yourself, Captain." Matt had just enough time to take and release a long breath before it began. The dull ache from the phantom limb became excruciating pain from his shoulder all the way down to his nonexistent fingertips. Every inch felt as though it was being cut, crushed and burned simultaneously, and the animal part of Matt's mind struggled against the straps even as his more rational part of him tried to maintain his composure. And like a switch being flipped, the pain all but vanished and Matt slumped against the table. "Integration complete," Hamil reported from somewhere behind Matt. "You're now linked with the limb. You'll be a bit clumsy with it as your body was becoming accustomed to the lack of weight on that side of your body, plus you may need some practice grasping things since there's no tactile feedback either. For now though, we need to run our test and identify anything out of the ordinary. Captain, could you please move your index finger? Breathe in, breathe out, Matt told himself. It's just a test, and they have safety measures in place. Plus this is a prosthetic limb, not PSI gear. Nothing is going to go wrong. Breathe in, breathe out. He visualised the prosthetic limb that was now attached to his body and focused on the index finger. A cold sweat began to build on his brow as he expected that any minute he might-- "Very good, Captain," Hamil reported. "Can you move the rest of your fingers for me in sequence? Excellent! How are you feeling? Some residual phantom pain is to be expected due to the nature of the injuries, but pain spikes or painful movement should be almost eliminated." The engineer walked over to Matt's left with a scanning device before finally undoing the straps. "Power flow is optimal with no variation that I can detect. Try moving it around." Matt did as he was asked and slowly brought his left hand up in front of him. Like Lana's arm, it was a dark gray that lacked any sort of aesthetic features to it beyond the dark segmented pads that made up the palm and under each finger. He clenched his fist and the digits balled up easily without any of the mechanical sounds he had been expecting. The hand rotated and relaxed with an equal lack of noise, and Matt could only marvel at the construction, especially since he could not see a single mechanism that actually allowed the limb to move. "I think we can chalk this up to a success, yes?" Hamil asked as Matt began to rise from the table. "Ideally I'd like to do a quick test of the limb without the regulator but--" "No," Matt stated as he fixed the engineer with his best 'are you insane?' look. "Absolutely not." "Perfectly understandable, I suppose. We've got smaller scale testing we can run with the less exotic gear, but I'm glad the prototype works. If all goes well, we'll be able to field MEC support in under a week and the rest of the gear should be operational just after that. Again, if you start experiencing any sort of adverse effects, please come see me immediately. Do you think you'll need any help adjusting to the--" Hamil started to ask but stopped when he saw Matt was already in the process of changing from his hospital clothes and into the Strike team off-duty uniform. After a few false starts and some careful maneuvers, Matt was once again in clothes he felt comfortable in. He was even able to lace and tie his boots with only a minimum of difficulty, which he was more than willing to chalk up to the unfamiliarity with the limb. "Does this answer your question?" Matt asked as he stood and spread his arms. As his arms reached outward, a terrible RRRIIIPPP filled the operation room as some part of the shirt caught on the prosthetic that it didn't agree with. Well, now I know why Lana wears what she does. "Apparently so," Hamil said with a chuckle before turning back to the monitoring equipment. "I won't keep you any longer than I have to, Captain. Just let us know if there’re any problems." Matt sensed the dismissal and walked out of the medical area only to find Zhang waiting for him. I have to get my mind off of this thing, Matt thought as he addressed his subordinate. "Lieutenant, what's the news?" "We're at nearly eighty percent efficiency. Personnel and equipment expenditures have been relatively low for XCOM, though local forces have suffered significantly," Zhang explained, and his voice dropped a bit. "Refugees from Gryphos have been coming steadily in from across the borders. About half of them are in fighting condition, and every one approached consistently volunteers for anything they can. The boost in local troop levels is appreciated, but it's a pale shadow of what could have been." "I see. What about Minon?" "The Minotaur's home island chain has been almost completely ignored, which makes Asterion confident enough to bring some of his elite troops and some of his... exotic countermeasures to help defend Canterlot." When Matt looked over his shoulder and arched an eyebrow, Zhang continued. "They have developed some form of cannon with enough stopping power to damage an alien ship. The one and only report of an alien incursion near Minon occurred while the aforementioned weapons were coming out of storage for testing before being shipped out. The testing proved successful, and the alien ship was shot out of the air and into the ocean. After seeing a bit of footage of our Skyrangers and Interceptors, Asterion is confident his engineers can retrofit the Minotaur's growing fleet of airships for a similar role, though I am... less than confident in the airship's capacity as a troop transport." As if on cue, a dull roar began to ricochet through the castle corridors. Matt had just enough time to look out one of the windows to spot the ugliest aircraft he had ever seen hurtle towards the castle. It was an unaerodynamic hunk of metal with a pair of bulbous engines protruding from the sides that bellowed fire and black smoke even as it descended at an increasingly risky speed. At the last possible moment the engines cut into reverse and the airship slowed to a halt and began to drop with all the grace of a stone. Just before what would likely have been a catastrophic crash, the engines spat flame directly downwards. Despite the sudden thrust, the airship connected with the stone courtyard with a combination clang and crunch of a hard landing. "Excellent!" a minotaur shouted as he stepped out of one of the nearby buildings as the cargo ramp to the airship was lowered (or more accurately, fell) to the stone landing pad. "Smoothest landing I've seen all day!" "I think I see what you mean," Matt added with a deadpan tone before taking a step away from the window. He had just begun to walk away but stopped in place as he caught sight of the first creatures coming down from the ramp. A pair of goats with oversized headsets and barking orders led the procession, followed by a line of minotaurs and a trio of figures with vaguely humanoid proportions but with obviously canine features. It’s so easy to forget how many different races are on this world. They all are coming together though, which is good for everyone in the long run, Matt thought with a nod before continuing his walk down the corridor. "How have forces been deploying then? I know the Equestrians have some airships, but they're few and far between, and only one is really fast enough to be effective." "Princess Luna and every Arcanist capable of teleportation has been assisting with the deployment and recovery of troops in the field," Zhang explained. "As I understand it, Princess Twilight has been contributing as well now that you no longer require all of her attention." Matt threw a skeptical look over his shoulder only to find Zhang's expression as implacable as ever. "Did Lana tell you to say that?" "I have not spoken with Sergeant Jenkins today, though I understand that she wishes to speak with you regarding her recent investigations," Zhang replied as coolly as ever. I'm still not convinced Lana didn’t have a hand in what Zhang just said, but I suppose I should tell her what Princess Luna told me regarding that investigation, Matt thought with a nod before another question struck him. "Where has Discord been all this time? I would think he would be making a nuisance of himself, but I haven't heard anything." Zhang's voice dropped in volume, which prompted the pair to stop mid-step. "Information is sparse, but from what I was able to gather, Discord has taken to occupying the chambers just outside of the room where Princess Celestia is being treated, and he remains there despite the Equestrians best efforts to dislodge him. The only consolation they have at this point is that he has not made any attempt to enter the Princess's chamber since his return." "Do the Equestrians have any countermeasure that can work if he becomes hostile?" Matt asked, and he sighed when Zhang shook his head. "Well, nuts. One problem at a time then," he said as they resumed their walk. The pair passed the two human guards and their Equestrian equivalents as they left the XCOM compound. To Matt's surprise, it wasn't Twilight waiting for them, but the unicorn known as Rarity. "Captain Harris!" she called out with a smile and a hoofwave to get his attention "If I could just get a moment of your time, I would greatly appreciate it!" Matt gave Zhang a nod to dismiss him before walking over the unicorn. Let’s see what I remember... Element of Generosity, some sort of tailor and business owner. Both parents are alive, as well as her little sister. The moment Matt finished his thought, the memory of his conversation nearly a week earlier came rushing back to him. With that fresh on his mind, he couldn't help but notice that the unicorn in front of him was wearing nothing but a purple scarf that matched her mane. Damn it, Jenkins, I am going to get you for this. "How can I help you, Miss Rarity?" "Oh, I suspect you'll be able to help me quite a bit, captain," she said. To Matt's horror, something approaching a coy smile crossed her features as she batted her eyelashes at him. "But first I must congratulate you on your speedy recovery. Any friend of Twilight is a friend of mine, and I find myself doubly in your debt as you and your compatriots saved many innocent lives, my younger sister and her friends included. I just wish the price hadn't been so high for you." Her gaze drifted to Matt's left hand before snapping up to his face almost instantly. Matt couldn't help but turn slightly to the left to obscure the bare prosthetic before he answered. "The cost doesn't seem so great when losing lives is the other option," he answered truthfully. "Is there anything else?" "I've come to ask a favor of you, Captain. I'm working on something in my spare time and you would be absolutely instrumental in assisting with it. Plus it would give you the opportunity to get out of that dreadful uniform." Rarity's growing smile was anything but comforting in Matt's eyes. Before he could make his excuses, Matt found the perfect scapegoat to dodge what was becoming an increasingly uncomfortable conversation. "I'm afraid I don't have much free time today, but I'm sure Sergeant Jenkins would be thrilled to help you," Matt said just loud enough for Lana to hear as she approached. "Matt, we have to talk. Now if possible," Lana said quietly after giving a polite nod to Rarity. The note of seriousness in her tone might have given Matt pause if he wasn't quite certain she had orchestrated the current situation. "I'm sure our conversation can wait, Lana. Right now Rarity needs your help," Matt explained with forced cheer and a tight smile. "Oh, that's splendid! The both of you would be simply perfect!" Rarity said sincerely. "If two people are needed, then I'm certain I can find someone else to stand in for me," Matt said as he caught sight of the perfect victim. "Hey Finch! Remember that favor you owe me?" ------ Matt, I swear to God that I'm going to get you for foisting me off onto this... marshmallow. At least I have company in my misery, Lana thought as she forced her best smile in place. Jack Finch occupied the opposite corner of the spacious room that Rarity apparently ran her tailoring business from in the capital, and both humans had insisted on privacy screens to hide behind once it became apparent just what they were going to have to endure. "I had hoped that both you and Captain Harris could have attended," Rarity pouted as she used telekinesis and a ribbon to measure Lana's dimensions. "Not to discount your contributions, Mister Finch, but I had hoped to have some time to speak with Twilight's closest human friends." "Not a problem, glad I can contribute," Finch said from behind his privacy screen, and Lana was quite certain that the Brit had some less than polite words for Matt that were too quiet to be heard. "Excellent!" Rarity said, oblivious to either of her test subjects' reluctance. "As you might be aware, I do my best to craft the best clothing that anypony can wear in Equestria, but I've never had the opportunity to make anything for a bipedal wearer. It's a challenge I simply relish." The unicorn finally relinquished the measuring tape before heading to the center of the room. "The first step is going to be choosing the fabric to use and the colors. I think both of you would look amazing in red--" "No!" both Lana and Jack said simultaneously, and a long moment of silence filled the room afterward. "W-well, the customer is always right I suppose," Rarity finally managed to say. "I must admit to being surprised by the... severity of the rejection. Might I ask why you both are opposed to the color? I'm sure it would make a fine color for a vest or shirt." "Superstition," Jack said. "Personal preference," Lana added. "Well, I suppose there isn't much that can be done to help that," Rarity surrendered with a sigh. "Perhaps a nice mauve would suffice?" she asked hopefully. When she caught sight of the skeptical look on Lana's face, she let out a sigh. It didn't last long as she took a moment to study the woman's features before smiling brightly. "Oh, idea!" As Rarity turned away, Lana's forced smile dropped in favor of a sinister smirk. "Rarity, I think I understand why you wanted to talk to Matt. A girl has to watch out for her friends, after all. I'm just a bit confused as to why you wanted me here." "Both you and Captain Harris are Twilight's friends. Why would I want to speak with him instead of you?" Rarity asked absently as she flitted about the room gathering various tools that Lana only vaguely recognized. "Oh," Lana said with a forced pause as she schooled her features into something approaching awkward avoidance. "Well, if that's not the case then I guess it was just me jumping to conclusions. Nevermind." Just like her expression, she crafted her tone to indicate she had something to talk about but couldn't. The look on Rarity's face as she turned around was all the confirmation Lana needed that the unicorn had taken the bait. "Oh? Is there something we should be concerned about?" "Not at all! Matt is a really great guy, after all." "I would find it hard to believe he was anything but, given all that he has done for us in his short time here," Rarity stated, though her complete and focused attention was now on Lana as she tried to puzzle out just what it was Lana was hinting at. "Mhm," Lana agreed as she looked away and muttered just loud enough for Rarity to hear, "he did a lot for Twilight when she was on Earth, too." "Oh?" Rarity asked with an arched eyebrow, and Lana could almost see the light bulb turning on above her head. "Oh. Oh! Do you mean...?" "I really shouldn't be talking about such things behind their backs," Lana said regretfully, and she could see her avoidant non-answer all but confirmed the conclusion that Rarity had reached. Lets see if you can be so smug when this catches up to you, Matt,] she thought, and she was careful to keep any sign of her scheming from showing up on her face. ------ It had felt like hours before Lana was able to escape Rarity's numerous attempts to get her into a skirt. Once the unicorn had finally surrendered to the fact that Lana wasn't going to cooperate with that plan, she adjusted her designs to something a bit like the Chinese clothing she vaguely recalled during her brief stint at trying to be a regular girl growing up. I can't delay this any longer, Lana steeled herself as she turned to the other victim of Rarity's whims. "Finch, follow me. There's something I've got to take care of and I need backup." Finch spent just a moment evaluating the serious tone in Lana's request before nodding and falling into step behind her. "Can I ask just what we'll be doing, and why we aren't going to Captain Harris first?" "Matt is aware of this situation," Lana explained, before cutting any further explanation short. Finch doesn't need to know more than that. I spent the last few days tailing Firecracker to confirm just what he is, and if Matt is going to be a jackass then I'll manage this on my own, she told herself. When Lana caught sight of a familiar pegasus, she raised a hand to wave. "Headwind! Do you have a free minute or two? Finch and I were going to track something down real quick." Headwind was clearly off duty and not on alert status as he was without his armor, but he easily fell into step beside the two humans. "What's going on, Lana? You and Finch looked awfully serious just a second ago." "Hopefully it's nothing," Lana said smoothly. "Just hitting a few contacts about a security concern we have. Thought you might like to tag along." Plus if the worst case scenario comes about, it would be good to have an Equestrian there to back us up officially, she silently added as the impromptu trio weaved their way out of the civilian sections of the castle and into the Equestrian Guard's senior officers area. Lana and Finch received a few odd looks but were otherwise undisturbed as they made their way to Firecracker's office. "If you two don't mind waiting by the door, I would greatly appreciate it. I shouldn't be more than a minute inside," Lana explained quickly before stepping into the office and closing the door behind her. "Hm? Oh, Miss Jenkins!" Firecracker said as a charming smile appeared on his face. "I would normally be thrilled about your visit but I am terribly busy at the moment." He waved a hoof at the massive amounts of paperwork piled up on the desk in front of him. The desk itself appeared to be more of a supper table given its dimensions and general style but that hadn't stopped the unicorn from using it as a work desk. "I suppose I could make some time for you now though, since this paperwork is terribly dull." Lana took a seat at the far end of the table but did not lean back or relax. "I know what you are," she said simply as she stared directly at Firecracker. "Oh?" he asked with an arched eyebrow. "Well, don't keep me in suspense. What am I?" "Changeling." There was absolutely no reaction from Firecracker for a long moment before he tilted his head in confusion. "Well that's new. I've been called many things, but never that. Why do you come to that conclusion?" "Your marks are artificial: they use a punctuation mark of a language that Equestrian culture has never been exposed to," Lana explained levelly as she moved her legs slightly to launch herself out of her sitting position at a moment's notice as she continued to stare at the accused changeling. Firecracker's response was an unexpected burst of laughter. "I suppose it's in your species' nature to be suspicious of others, and in that light I suppose my marks are rather odd. However I can think of two mares right off the top of my head who live here in Canterlot that have cutie marks that are extremely similar to musical symbology from your world." His laughter died down and he fixed Lana with a good-natured smirk. "Surely you have more evidence to make such an accusation." It took a significant amount of effort to resist the urge to swear or show signs of the doubt Lana was now experiencing. I had no idea that there were any marks like that, but that still doesn't explain what I've seen over the last few days. "A week ago, a reporter with the same marks as you asked Matt and I several questions that no one should think to ask. I followed that reporter only for her to vanish one moment and for you to be in her place. Why is that?" Another moment of silence passed between the two, and Lana was just about to speak when Firecracker let out a long-drawn-out sigh. "Well, nuts. I guess the jig is up then, isn't it? I guess I have only one option left then," he said as he pushed the paperwork to the side and hopped up onto the table itself. Lana tensed her legs and her left hand grabbed the side of her chair. She was reasonably confident she could hurl the piece of furniture to buy enough time to call for-- "I'll just have to seduce you into silence," Firecracker finished with a smile as he sauntered his way across the table towards Lana. What? she thought, and all plans of self defense or detaining him came screeching to a halt. Lana had been steeling herself for conflict and even bloodshed from this meeting, but the blunt statement of intent from Firecracker had completely derailed her train of thought. By the time she had recovered even a bit, her opponent had crossed half the length of the table, and she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "You know I don't like guys, right?" God damn it, Jenkins! she nearly added, and the seriousness of the confrontation was the only thing that prevented her from facepalming. "Oh? Well, I guess that explains a lot about your previous reactions. Still, did you really think something as trivial as that could stop me?" Firecracker asked with a small smirk and half-lidded eyes as his voice rose two octaves. To Lana's horror, a faint but noticeable green light traced its way around Firecracker's frame, and his barrel became a little more slender, his legs a little less muscled, and his face adopted the more feminine shape that Lana had learned to associate with the female Equestrians. A moment later, Lana shot back as far as she could into her chair as she realised that Firecracker had almost crossed the entire table towards her. She desperately tried to regain her steel for the fight, but every look that the changeling gave her made Lana feel like a rabbit in the eyes of the wolf. That in turn sent Lana reeling back to the distant memories of her mom warning her that all boys were wolves and her dad's screaming when he found out she had someone she loved. Lana had thought she was prepared for everything, but every move the changeling made was now doing sent chills down her spine and robbed her of her determination. Firecracker was now less than a body length away and the expression of hunger only intensified-- And just then, the door to the office opened. "Lana, is this going to take--" Finch started to ask, until he noticed the scene before him. "Uh...I think I'll come back later," he said before backing out of the doorway. "This isn't what it looks like!" Lana blurted out as she bolted from the chair and into the hallway. "I disagree! This is exactly what it looks like!" the now female Firecracker said from her place at the table, as she made no move to pursue her prey. Lana caught one last glimpse of the changeling waving cheerfully at her as the door closed. "We're leaving, now," Lana hissed, and both Headwind and Finch fell into step behind her. "I've got to see Captain Harris right now. And Finch, if you breathe a word of what you saw in there to Matt, I'm going to tell everyone about your Rule 34 collection back on Earth." The British man blanched and tried several times to speak but Headwind cut him off, "Wait, I don't get it. Who was that mare? She looked a lot like Firecracker. And what's Rule 34?" "That was Firecracker," Lana stated simply as she turned the corner, only to leap backwards like a startled hare as the mare in question inexplicably appeared ahead of the group. "It's a bit confusing, I know," Firecracker said with a sigh and a forlorn look out the nearby window. "Dear Mother was a bit of a broodmare and she had a hard time keeping our names straight. So all the foals that looked like me got the name Firecracker. As to what Rule 34 is..." she stopped and glanced back at the group only to find Lana had vanished. "Boo, I forgot she could do that. Oh well, the chase makes the catch that much sweeter," Firecracker finished as she began to trot down the corridor, leaving a thoroughly confused Headwind and Finch behind. ------ Victor's time in Equestria had been a nonstop string of uncomfortable moments whenever he was in the presence of the natives. I'm almost starting to prefer the fights against the invaders, he thought ruefully. Shoot and get shot at, it's a fairly simple relationship. These Equestrians though, I can't tell if they're making conversation to learn things or if they're tailoring their topics to make things as awkward as possible. "I had a griffon friend, but I never thought to ask," the pegasus known as Rainbow Dash asked, "what’s it like to eat meat? What's the texture and flavor like? None of us eat the stuff so I've always been curious." "It's... well," Victor started as he spared a glance at Applejack. The earth pony mare had been his unlikely ally whenever Victor's conversations approached uneasy territories. The look of mild nausea on her face was a clear indication that he was going to get no help from her. A glance towards Fluttershy revealed the timid pegasus's surprising degree of comfort with the subject. Well, I suppose that might be understandable. She supposedly worked with all kinds of animals. It goes without saying that she probably had meat eaters on her guest list. "C'mon, spill the beans!" Dash pressed the issue. She leaned forward as far as her bandages would allow with an eager expression as she waited for the answer. "Beans," Victor improvised. "It tastes like beans." "No way. You're lying, aren't you?! AJ, he's lying, right?" Dash accused as she turned to the earth pony expectantly. "C-can we please change the subject?" Applejack said quickly, and her gaze wandered everywhere in the room except in Victor's direction. "Doesn't feel right to talk about this kinda thing." Victor was just about to offer his agreement when one of the unicorn nurses stepped into the room. Dash's disturbing conversation halted abruptly as the newcomer said, "I hate to interrupt, but would you girls mind coming with me for a moment? We've been getting a steady stream of refugees from the smaller communities out in the wilderness and I have two little fillies who would be thrilled to talk to the Element Bearers. They've... they've not had an easy time lately." The nurse's voice dropped as she finished her request. "That sounds like a great idea!" Applejack agreed hastily as she stood and stretched before looking to a smiling Fluttershy and a skeptical Rainbow Dash. "C'mon, RD, don't look like that. Since when have you passed on a chance to talk to your fans?" A small amount of pride and bravado entered the chromatic-maned pegasus's gaze as she stood also. "Well, I suppose I can't argue with that. You want to help, Flutters?" When the other pegasus nodded and joined the other Element Bearers, Dash turned back to Victor and fixed him with a good-natured glare. "Don't think I've forgotten about this! You'll answer the question one way or another!" "I'll keep that in mind," Victor said uneasily as he also stood to follow the mares out of the room. The trio followed the nurse out of the more private wing of the castle's medical center towards one of the public areas where a great deal of species came and went for less-serious medical treatment. Victor thought to return to the barracks, but he was still feeling a bit of high spirits from his conversations with the Element Bearers, disturbing conversations notwithstanding. I suppose I could tag along and see if there's anything I could do to help, he thought as he swerved to follow in the wake of the mares. The aforementioned fillies were surrounded by a herd of concerned adults that ferried in a non-stop chain of water and food for the younglings to eat as they recover. The wall of bodies opened to admit the three Element Bearers, and the two fillies eyes lit up when they caught sight of the trio. "It's-- It's--!" one said to the other with repeated hoof-waves and excited prods to the side as they recognized the three mares before both sets of eyes drifted upwards to Victor. Up until this point, Victor had thought he was proficient in handling children, even Equestrian children. He had even weathered the tin foil assaults of three little fillies who were convinced that he was somehow mind controlling Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. It had become something of a daily occurrence for him to encounter those three younglings, and if pressed he was confident that those experiences might come in handy. Victor had just raised a hand to wave at the pair, when they reacted in a way he did not anticipate. Both fillies dropped their food and drink, and they screamed. They stumbled off of their stools and bolted into the wall of adults with little success. Despite the barrier that held them in place, the two younglings still pushed with all their might before fixing Victor with two terrified looks that froze him in place. All hope of conversation with the pair vanished as they continued to scream despite the placating moves by the adults. Their cries only stopped when the nurse stepped forward and cast a spell. Both of the younglings immediately fell asleep. A brief commotion ensued as the pair were spirited away by the nurse to a private room, leaving Victor and the three Element Bearers to wonder just what had caused the outburst. ------ Matt wasn't really one to believe in karma or supernatural forces prior to his time with XCOM and before meeting Twilight. Since his arrival on Equestria, he was beginning to believe there were forces at work that were beyond his control. When Lana burst into his office during a meeting with someone else, Matt was convinced that things were finally going his way. "Good afternoon, Lana. We were just talking about you, in fact," he explained as he motioned to Firecracker, who turned and waved cheerily. Lana's response was a wince followed by a glare. "Captain, I need to speak with you. In private." "There's no need to be so formal, Sergeant. Firecracker has already explained the situation," Matt said as he clasped his hands before him. He suppressed a wince as his metal digits pinched their flesh and blood counterparts, but it was far harder to suppress the positively diabolical grin he wanted to direct at Lana. "As Firecracker is technically a civilian contractor operating under the authority of the crown, and not a direct agent of said royalty, XCOM regulations do not prohibit a relationship, should you two choose to pursue it." For the first time Matt could remember, Lana was reduced to incoherent babbling as her horrified look went from the captain's carefully composed expression to Firecracker, who waved a hoof excitedly in her direction. "This is no time for jokes, Matt! Firecracker is a changeling," she finally hissed while fixing the accused with a glare. "Indeed. Your point?" Matt asked. A full five seconds of silence filled the room as Lana's glare snapped back to Matt and her jaw slowly clenched. "You knew?" "I told you that I informed Princess Luna about our suspicions, and she was courteous enough to share the information with Major Fujikawa and I. Unfortunately, we were not authorized to share this with any of the lower ranks as Firecracker's service to the Princesses might be jeopardized if it becomes common knowledge." Matt did his best to give Lana an accepting smile, but he had no doubts that he was failing miserably. "It seems that Firecracker has been quite smitten with you for a while now, as Major Fujikawa stated that he was nothing but professional with her whenever they were working together. Annette also confirmed this when I asked her. It's only around you that he was so forward." "Oh stop, you're making me blush," Firecracker said with a hoof wave in Matt's direction and a giggle. "I will get you for this, Harris," Lana growled before storming out of the office. Something tells me that I might come to regret what happened here, but for now I think I'll enjoy my little bit of revenge, Matt thought as he let out a sigh. He turned to Firecracker and asked, "Was there anything else?" "That's all, captain," Firecracker said before hopping out of the chair. "Once again I must apologize for the deception over the past few months. The Princesses felt it was necessary and I'm inclined to agree." The changeling hesitated before saying, "Captain, if you feel I am prying then you'll have to forgive me. Was Lana... no, nevermind. It’s not my place." "Before you go, I suppose I did have one question for you," Matt said. "If you were the reporter asking questions last week, why would you risk your cover for something like that?" Firecracker smiled brightly as she replied, "Oh, I've been watching Princess Twilight flounder about whenever she tries to talk to you. I thought I could give her some advice if I knew a little bit more about you, but that didn't exactly pan out; poor Twilight would probably get the wrong idea if I told her you solicited horse rides as a dating mechanism." Before Matt could even begin to form a response to that, the door opened to reveal a quartet of grim-faced Equestrians in full armor with Major Fujikawa in tow. "Captain, Arcanist," she said, and the tension on her face immediately put Matt on edge. "Princess Luna requests our presence immediately." What's going on? Matt couldn't help but wonder as he stood and exited his office. Firecracker fell into step beside the two humans and the group marched out of the human area of the castle. The Equestrian guards had split up with two in front and two in back, and not a word was spoken between them. Matt spared a glance towards Fujikawa but a small shake of her head prevented him from asking any of the questions that were now eating away at him. The front guards took up positions in front of a pair of large double doors, which opened of their own accord to allow Matt, Fujikawa and Firecracker to enter. Shining Armor, Steel Song, and Star Shot, the three Equestrian Guard captains, were already in attendance. As the impromptu group looked to each other, Princess Luna teleported into the center of the chamber. "Guards, seal the chamber until I call for you. No entry or exit shall be permitted. Any who attempt to do so, or attempt to eavesdrop on these proceedings, is to be detained immediately on the charge of treason," Luna said, and it would have taken a deaf person to miss the degree of steel in her voice. The guards nodded and the door closed as Luna turned towards her Guard Captains. "I only ask this of you with the greatest reluctance, but I will require you to submit to a geis of secrecy. What I have learned must not leave this room, and I cannot have any risk that the news will spread." Geis? A magical compulsion not to share a secret? What in God's name could warrant that? Matt wondered as he spared a glance towards Fujikawa. Their eyes met for just a moment and he caught just as much confusion from her. "Princess, we can also--" Fujikawa started to offer, but Luna interrupted her. "No, Major, that will not be necessary. I have no doubts that you and your people are quite capable of keeping this secret." The words combined with the tone set off all kinds of warnings in Matt's mind. Another glance towards Fujikawa confirmed that she shared his apprehension. What is she talking about? Is it something she thinks we were hiding from her? That train of thought brought up an uncomfortably long list of possibilities. Did she find out what we do to the alien prisoners? Or what we nearly did to Twilight? What is she hinting at? Before Matt could question the Princess's motivations any longer, the lights in the room dimmed as Luna stepped into the center of the room. "Over the past two weeks, I have been unable to reach the dreams of the ponies that live on the outskirts of Equestria in the smaller communities. At first I thought that the aliens had wiped those settlements out, but I have just learned that this is not the case," Luna explained, and she pointedly did not look at either Fujikawa or Matt. "Two young fillies, Swan Song and Bird Song, were recovered by one of our teams and brought back to Canterlot for treatment. Not long afterwards they needed to be sedated by the nursing staff, and I was able to determine what tormented them." A flash of light emanated from Luna's horn and the darkened room vanished from sight. ------ "Mom, I'm tired," Swan Song said, and she struggled to muster enough energy to even look around their small village. Dozens of other ponies trudged along as though they carried some heavy weight around their hooves. Even the town itself seemed worn out, with dull shades replacing the once vibrant colors and decorations for the season. The unicorn beside Swan Song turned and tried her best to give a smile. "I know, sweetie. We're all tired, but we have to do this or things might get worse. Please try your best, okay?" The mare and foal merged into the flow of ponies as they entered the town square. The most prominent feature of the square was collectively known as 'the Tower'. It was made completely out of metal and lacked any of the aesthetic appeal of pony-crafted architecture. Standing nearly eight feet in height, it was all straight angles and black paint with a single orange stripe running down the middle of it, and a curious spinning device sat on top of the cursed thing. Everypony said it was cursed, and the curse kept them from using their magic. Nopony could even get close to it without passing out due to fatigue. Even the air itself around the tower seemed stale and gray. "No..." Matt heard Fujikawa whisper, and he could only agree with her statement as he realised what that tower meant. He followed the major's gaze and clenched his jaw as the memory advanced and confirmed Matt's worst fear. The other feature of the square that was most noteworthy was the small raised platform next to town hall, and the creatures that now stood upon it. Mom had called them 'humans', and several more of them lined the outskirts of the town square. All of them wore dark-colored coats that stretched halfway down to the ground, and black metal tools rested in their hands. What Swan Song found most disturbing about the humans was what they wore on their faces. Tinted glasses against pale hairless skin gave them a skull-like appearance on most, while others hid their faces behind black and orange masks or scarves. "Your attention, please!" an oddly accented voice called from the speaker's podium. "I have wonderful news for you all, but before I share it, I feel some introductions are in order. You may call me Vide." The human who was speaking wore glasses like the others, but the clear frames made his appearance less menacing. The smile on his face might have been charming to Swan Song if Mom's fear of the situation weren't present. "I am proud to report to you all that you are free from the tyranny that has ruled you for a thousand years," Vide said happily as one of the humans entered the stage and dropped a heavy sack beside him. "For too long your people have been suppressed under the iron hoof of Celestia, and she has kept all of you from ascending to your rightful place. Three weeks ago, she was struck down! You are all free to choose your own fate as a people, and I do hope you choose wisely." Even as a ripple of shocked whispers went through the crowd about Princess Celestia's fate, one of the humans untied the bag to reveal a badly beaten stallion with a shield and sun cutie mark. "This is Captain Shield Flare, who was responsible for the Princess's occupation forces in your area," Vide said as he turned his smile to the stallion. "Captain, are you going to stand in the way of progress and cling to the authority of your dead ruler?" An angry glare was shot at Vide before Shield Flare turned to the crowd and shouted, "She lives! The princesses lead the resistance against the invaders from Canterlot! Take heart, it is--" CRACK The crowd recoiled in horror as Shield Flare's head vanished in an explosion of superheated gore and burning hair. Swan Song tried to bury her face and hide from the horror of what just happened, but she found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from Vide. "The former captain chose his fate... poorly," the human said as he looked disdainfully down the sights of what could only be a weapon. Vide holstered it and turned to the now timid crowd. "Those that cling to the old order are an obstacle for the new. It is my job to remove these obstacles. Now, I hope that--" "Murderer! MONSTER!" a mare screamed from the crowd. "He had a wife! He had foals! How could you do that!? If you are a part of this ‘new order’, than I want nothing to do with it!" Less than a second passed before a second, then a third, voice joined her. Vide's affable smile slowly began to drop as the fear of the crowd began to morph into anger and outrage. Uneasy glances were exchanged between the humans as a dull roar began to fill the square and an airship flew over the town to hover over a nearby building. "Fine. Just as the former captain served as an example to all of you, so shall all of you serve as an example to others," Vide said as he turned away and leaned towards the nearest human. "Disperse the crowd. Don't be gentle," he said before leaping to the building roof and boarding the airship, which ascended into the sky. A second round of glances passed between the humans and the one Vide had spoken with started to reach down to his belt for a reinforced baton... until a thrown piece of pottery shattered against the side of his head. He staggered for just a moment before aiming his weapon at the crowd. "Weapons free!" the human roared, and he fired into the crowd. The outraged shouts were replaced with screams as the rest of the humans began to fire. Blood red beams of energy lanced out and killed several ponies, while the rest fell to panic and tried to flee. Swan Song clung tightly to Mom's back as she galloped away with the survivors. The pony running next to Mom tumbled to the ground after losing a leg, and her screams were cut short by another CRACK of the humans weapons. The flow of the stampede halted as a pair of humans running along the rooftop began to fire down on the ponies at the head of the herd, and Mom ducked in between two buildings to escape the massacre. The moment of safety was brief as Mom continued to sprint towards home. "It will be okay, Swan. We're almost home," she rasped as she continued her gallop towards their familiar front door. A swift kick was all it took to throw it open, and then they were safely inside. "Mommy, what's going on? I'm scared," Bird Song asked from her bed even as Mom kicked the door closed. "Girls, I need you both to get under the bed right now and don't make a sound," Mom ordered quickly, and Swan helped her little sister into the hiding spot. Less than a second after they settled in, the door flew open with enough force to knock it off its hinges. Mom whirled to face the doorway and she pleaded, "No! Please! I don't--" CRACK CRACK Mom fell to the floor, and it took everything that Swan had not to cry out. Bird Song began to sob, and Swan held onto her tightly even as a pair of boots stopped next to Mom. "Clear inside," a human voice announced before ordering, "Check under the bed." Fear gripped Swan as a second pair of boots approached the edge of the bed. One of the legs bent and suddenly she was looking into the face of one of the humans. Darker skin and long black hair tied into a tail behind the head separated this one from the appearance of the others, and for the longest moment she stared at the two sisters. "Clear here," she said before standing, and the two humans exited the Song home. ------ The memory abruptly ended as Luna turned to face the two humans in the room. "Major, Captain," she stated quietly. Her voice had taken on the fragile tone of someone who had the power, motivation, and fury of an wrathful god, but was containing the inevitable explosion out of polite courtesy. "You will explain this to me. Now."