//------------------------------// // 16 -- The Calm // Story: Mente Materia // by Arad //------------------------------// “The hooves of an infiltrator can do far more damage than any number of dragons, griffons or ponies. The strike you cannot see is often the one that will end the fight.” --Clover the Clever (attributed), on the subject of spies ------ 19:30, 11/22/2015, CANTERLOT RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS “Okay, troops! We have to think of a new angle of attack,” Sweetie Belle said as she paced back and forth. “Unless we make some progress now, the evil Organization X will win!” she finished dramatically as she turned to face the other occupants of the room. Scootaloo and Applebloom were both enraptured by the presentation, but the newest addition was a bit skeptical. “What is the ‘evil Organization X’ trying to win?” Alvar asked patiently, and Sweetie Belle could hear the air quotes in his question. “Knowing your opponent’s ultimate objective is the key to seizing the initiative and victory. If you don’t know their goals, you’re forced to give them the initiative.” “What’s ‘initiative’?” Applebloom asked as she sounded out the unfamiliar word. “Initiative means making the first move. For two opposing forces, the side that doesn’t have the initiative is one step behind the other. Now, if one side knows the objective of the other side, they can make a pretty good guess as to what their move is going to be and take steps to block it. Sometimes one side will simply act so that the other side has to react to their moves, however hasty. Because that side is now making its moves first, it now has the initiative.” “Oooh!” both Applebloom and Scootaloo said as Alvar continued his explanation as he provided more examples of his wisdom in practice, but Sweetie Belle remained silent. He looks like he’s having fun whenever he’s explaining things like this. He’s nothing like Spike, the unicorn observed before sparing a glance at the dragonling that was fast asleep in a chair that sat in the corner. Spike tries his best but he acts like an adult herding a pack of foals. Alvar treats us like we are adults. Though I think our plans would be a little more successful if he actually participated rather than just observed. “So, how do we gain the initiative?” Scootaloo asked. “That is something you will need to decide for yourselves,” Alvar said regretfully as he rose. “I’m afraid I have another engagement that I need to attend to. It shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours. Good luck!” And with that, both the young griffon and his gigantic (but still nameless) shadow left the three foals and the sleeping dragon behind. Alvar seems to have a lot of ‘engagements’. And he never tells us where he goes or what he does, Sweetie Belle wondered before pushing those thoughts from her mind. “Well, any suggestions, girls?” “We tried to warn Twilight, but she told us that we shouldn’t worry about it,” Scootaloo reported. “Her face got really red when we warned her, though, so she’s trying to fight it!” “Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and my sister aren’t going to be any help,” Applebloom said with a sigh. “While they were recovering, they were talking with one of the humans just about every day! I saw them talking over lunch today, too!” “I think we can also rule out Pinkie Pie also. When I tried to ask her for help, she said that Twilight and that human were ‘OTP’ before she distracted me with a cupcake and vanished,” Sweetie Belle said with a sigh. “Who does that leave?” ------ 20:02, 11/22/2015, CANTERLOT TRAIN STATION In the end, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had only two other ponies they could go to regarding Twilight’s perilous predicament, and both just happened to be at the same place. Cadance and Shining Armor shared a long embrace as both supplies and soldiers were loaded onto the waiting train. The workers and soldiers maintained a respectful distance to allow the couple some privacy as they said their farewells. The prince and princess separated, and both favored the three foals with warm smiles as they approached. “I’m afraid I don’t have much time, girls, but something tells me that you have something very important to tell me,” Cadance said. “Yes, we do!” Sweetie Belle blurted out. “It’s about Twilight!” “What about Twilight?” Shining Armor asked with a note of concern as he stepped forward to join the conversation, but he stopped when Cadance waved a hoof at him. “Don’t worry, dear,” the alicorn said. “You’ve got more important things to worry about. Plus if you stay and listen, you’ll be grumpy for the rest of the day,” Cadance explained with a giggle, and she gave a final wave to the unicorn as he bowed and headed back into the castle. “Now that its just us girls, tell me all about Twilight!” “It’s horrible!” “She’s in danger!” “The evil humans are controlling her mind!” Cadance smiled patiently as the three fillies all started talking at once. When they stopped to take a breath, she raised a hoof to stop them. “So, what you’re saying is that Twilight is spending lots of time around a human, she blushes when she looks at him, and she goes out of her way to help him in any way she can?” When the three foals nodded vigorously, Cadance asked, “Girls, if you saw Twilight acting this way around Big Macintosh, what would you think?” “Well, it would be pretty obvious that she would want Big Mac to be her special somepony,” Applebloom answered. “I see,” Cadance said with a knowing smile. “And why do you think Twilight is acting this way around this particular human?” “Because he works for the evil Organization X and he’s controlling her mind!” all three Crusaders answered simultaneously. “That is quite serious, indeed,” the alicorn nodded gravely even as she stifled a giggle. “In that case, I have a very special mission for you three. I want you to watch Twilight and this human, and then have Spike send a report to me in the Crystal Empire. I also want you to tell me if any of you start feeling strange as well,” Cadance added while winking mischieviously. “Especially around a certain young griffon that you all have been spending time with. ” “Don’t be silly, griffons can’t do evil mind control magic,” Scootaloo declared, before faltering. “They can’t do evil mind control magic, right?” “I don’t think so, but a girl can’t be too careful, right? Now run along, you three have a lot of work ahead of you!” Cadance ordered with regal authority, and all three foals saluted before vanishing into the crowds. Once she was certain the three were out of sight and hearing, Cadance allowed a smile to show itself. Even in times as dire as these, I am glad that love can still take root, she thought as she boarded the train. ------ 20:31, 11/22/2015, ENTRANCE TO XCOM COMPOUND Fifteen minutes had passed since the Cutie Mark Crusaders had spotted Twilight with the evil human that was controlling her mind. Ten minutes had passed since they had entered the human-held area of Canterlot together. Five minutes had passed since the three foals had tried to enter as well, but were turned away by the two mares that flanked the doorway. Not even their insistence that they were following Princess Cadance’s orders could get them past the two stern guards. After several moments of debate, they found their means to infiltrate the compound when a trio of ponies pushing food-laden carts approached the guarded checkpoint. It was quite literally child’s play to distract one of the delivery mares long enough to sneak under the cloth covering the carts. From there, all they had to do was keep silent as they were wheeled past the guards and into the compound. Several more minutes passed before the carts finally stopped and the Crusaders were able to regroup. “Okay, girls! We’ve got to find where they’ve taken Twilight,” Sweetie Belle whispered, and the other foals nodded. “If we can find evidence that proves Organization X’s evil goals, grab that too! We have to find Twilight first, though.” “I don’t know for sure, but I think we should look there first,” Applebloom said as she pointed a hoof at a nearby hallway that was obscured by a heavy plastic curtain. Bold red letters in an alien language across the curtain was a clear indicator that something evil was going on down that hallway. MEC CONTROL AND PILOT CARE CAUTION: HEAVY MACHINERY IN OPERATION BEYOND THIS POINT “I wonder what it means,” Scootaloo asked as she stared at the massive red letters. “We can worry about that later, but that place looks as good as any to start,” Sweetie Belle stated as the three began the arduous process of darting from hiding place to hiding place to reach the curtain. Once they were through, they let out a sigh of relief at the apparently deserted corridor they now found themselves in. While Sweetie Belle and her friends were relieved to find themselves alone for the moment, the corridor itself was far from empty. Machines and electronic devices lined almost every wall, and the gentle hum of their operation provided an almost pleasant background noise. The trio had just started to move when a human wearing a long white coat stepped out from one of the rooms that lined the hallway. Once the human had disappeared from sight, Sweetie Belle peeked around the corner to look into the first room in the hallway. While many things were different in scale and shape, Sweetie Bell was quick to note what looked like a hospital bed in the center of the room along with several bits of furniture that appeared to be suitably human in size and aesthetic. This looks a little like the room that Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash stayed in while they were recovering. Why do the humans have their own rooms here? What are they hiding? she thought as she slowly made her way to the side of the bed. The small sounds of Scootaloo and Applebloom conducting their own investigations in the room met the unicorn’s ears, but all her attention was on the center of the room as she hopped up on the bedside chair to see just who was laying there. Deep down in her heart of hearts, Sweetie Belle knew that everything the Cutie Mark Crusaders were doing was just the idle activities of foals. There was no evil Organization X, there was no vast conspiracy, and for some reason Twilight liked being around that particular human despite her carefully hidden anxiety. Deep down, Sweetie Belle expected to find nothing in the human compound before they were inevitable caught, scolded, and told never to trespass again. When Sweetie Belle hopped up onto the chair and saw the bed’s occupant, those naive expectations were shaken to their core. It was human, or at least it had been at one point. Sweetie Belle recognized the general shapes of the human head and torso lying on the bed, though that was where the similarities ended. The normally smooth human skin was almost completely burned away as the foal’s too-sharp mind connected that appearance with what Applejack’s flank had looked like when the monsters had attacked Ponyville. While Applejack had suffered just a graze to one side, this human had been on fire from head to toe at some point in the past. The horror of the moment only grew for Sweetie Belle as she noticed the flat space on the bed where his legs should have been, plus the shriveled stump on his right shoulder. The only limb that remained was its left, which ended in a hand that held only one finger and a thumb. The unicorn’s gaze travelled slowly upwards to its heavily scarred face and the odd helmet that rested over its head. Dozens of wires connected the helmet to the wall of electronics behind them, which beeped serenely despite the unicorn’s increasing panic. “G-girls. I think we should go. Right now,” Sweetie Belle said as she slowly started to lower herself down from the bed, but a quiet retreat wasn’t meant to be. The human on the bed convulsed as it took in a ragged breath, and that was all it took to make the foal scream and bolt for the hallway. Unfortunately, Sweetie Belle’s escape was cut off when another human pushed the plastic curtain aside and made it one step into the hallway before catching sight of the unicorn. “Hey, how did--” the human started to ask before Sweetie Belle turned and went screaming down the hallway at full speed with Applebloom and Scootaloo in tow. More and more humans began to appear from the various rooms, and a few tried to block or grab the fillies as they ran for their lives. Shouts began to fill the hallways behind them, which only motivated the Crusaders to run faster. A dizzying amount of corridors and doorways were passed before the shouts gradually stopped. The electric lighting the humans used was nowhere to be seen, and the magic torches that should have illuminated the hallway were all dark. Any attempt that Sweetie Belle was going to make to conjure light would have to wait as all three fillies tried to catch their breath after their desperate escape. Several moments passed as the trio recovered, but any hope of safety was lost when a human voice echoed down the dark corridor. “Hello! Are you kids in here?” it asked, but rather than answer, the fillies bolted for the nearest hiding spot. A nearby room off the corridor with it’s door slightly open proved to be their salvation as the Crusaders ran inside and pulled the door shut. “Do you think we lost them?” Scootaloo asked before a very audible sniff filled the darkened room. “Ugh, what is that smell?” Any further complaints were held as metallic footfalls could be heard echoing through the corridor outside. “Are you certain my presence is necessary?” a second human voice asked with a curious monotone. “I would think that if they see me, they would just keep running.” “We can worry about that later,” the first human voice answered. “These three have sisters that are extremely high up on the Equestrian food chain, so we might get brownie points with them if they come back with us. I don’t know what set them off, but the captains and Princess Luna have been rather frosty, so Fujikawa wants anything she can get. Just start your scanning and report anything you see.” “Understood, beginning my scan now,” said the second voice. Metallic footfalls began to fill the corridor again, and each step grew increasingly louder. The stone floor under Sweetie Belle’s hooves shook ever so slightly, and fear began to take hold in the filly again. Whatever was coming down the hallway was big, and the metallic steps stopped just outside of their hiding spot. Sweetie Belle’s fear increased tenfold when she heard the rattle of the doorknob being turned. Think, think, think! What would Alvar do? she asked herself in a panic. He would seize the initiative! He would ATTACK! The door swung open, and Sweetie Belle grabbed the nearest thing she could and hurled it at the massive figure that was hunched there. The impromptu projectile flew true and struck the figure in the face, with absolutely no effect. A long moment of increasingly awkward silence passed before Applebloom hurled a second projectile and Scootaloo contributed a third. The hulking figure simply hunched in the doorway and weathered the increasingly frantic hail of projectiles without any reaction. “Johnson, I think I’ve found them,” the thing said in its dry monotone even as another projectile (a Guard helmet, Sweetie Belle noted absently) ricocheted off of its head. Two more objects connected harmlessly against the thing before it spoke again, “Johnson? Do you copy?” A sudden flash of light stunned the three fillies, and a monotone voice came from the figure blocking their escape. “Girls, I didn’t mean to scare you, but could you please stop that?” The lights dimmed enough to stop blinding the fillies and they got their first look at what was blocking their path. To Sweetie Belle’s eyes it looked like a gigantic suit of human-shaped armor, though the legs were the wrong shape and its hands held only three thick digits. Its face lacked the features that she had come to recognize in humans, with just a simple flat metal face and a gold plate of glass where the eyes would normally be. From its armored head to plated feet, it was adorned in red, black, and white colors. That armored head looked up slightly to bring the flashlight beam further into the room before it snapped back down to look at the Crusaders. “I know it’s a lot of fun to play around, but we really need to go back, girls. If you like, you can ride on my shoulders on the way back,” it said, and it pointed one metal hand at the rails on its shoulders. The other hand was lowered to call the trio forward. When they hesitated, it added, “If we hurry, we might be able to think up a good story for your sisters so you don’t get in trouble.” That was reason enough to motivate Sweetie Belle, and fear of an angry Rarity overruled her fear over whatever this thing was. She slowly stepped forward and into the palm of its hand, and she hung on desperately as that hand raised her up to its shoulder. The process was repeated twice more for the others before the thing stood and turned back down the hallway. “Hold on tight. We’re going to be running back,” it said, and then all three girls were screaming again as their ride sprinted back the way they had came. “Command, Beowulf. Seeker presence confirmed. Harold Johnson is MIA, presumed dead,” their ride said, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders were too occupied in clinging to the rails on its shoulders to notice. They had also fled their temporary hiding spot fast enough not to notice the pile of strangulated ponies that were stacked up at the far end of the room. ------ 20:30, 11/22/2015, GRYPHOS REFUGEE COMPOUND, CANTERLOT He’s punctual enough that I could set a watch to him, Alvar thought as he caught sight of Shaojie Zhang making his way towards the place where they had first met. All of their meetings were at that spot, to the point where the griffons and ponies alike began to refer to the place as ‘Alvar’s Audience Hall’. As a courtesy towards Zhang’s increasing discomfort in the late fall air, Alvar had taken the extra step to have an iron brazier installed where the table had been. The fire crackled merrily as the human took his usual seat and brought his hands forward to warm beside the fire. After their somewhat thorny introduction, Alvar’s discussions with Zhang had covered a great deal of topics about the culture of their respective races. Tonight, though, he had a very specific topic in mind. “Lieutenant, I have been told that the organization you serve only takes the absolute best in every field. I’m afraid I have neglected to ask where your skills lie.” “I was trained by my country’s special forces for a variety of skills. My primary focus has always been sniper training and demolitions,” Zhang explained, and his eyes narrowed when he spotted something in Alvar’s expression. “You do not approve of such things?” “I will not fault any culture for its chosen forms of warfare,” Alvar said hastily. “It’s just that it seems… cowardly. To strike a foe from such a distance that he can neither anticipate or counterattack, or to demolish what should be taken from an enemy by force of arms is not the path a griffon would take.” Several moments passed while Zhang continued to warm his hands before he finally answered. “It is my understanding that a significant portion of griffon culture is centered around the concept of a ‘fair fight’, be it between individuals, an army, or even competing businesses, correct?” When Alvar nodded, Zhang continued, “My people, and humans to a certain extent, believed something similar in the past, until we came to realize that there is no such thing as a ‘fair fight.’” The words struck Alvar like a physical blow. How can there be no such thing as a fair and honorable fight? That’s like… like saying there isn’t wind beneath the wings. It makes no sense! “Perhaps I should give an example,” Zhang said as he waved towards the Myrmidon beside Alvar. “Your guard is obviously trained to a significant degree, and blessed with both size and strength, yes? I can also see that he is equipped with only the best armor and weapons. If he were to encounter an opponent of lesser stature, would he pull his blows so as not to overpower them? If his opponent were unarmed and unarmored, would he discard those advantages?” “Of course he wouldn’t, he’s a Myrmidon,” Alvar explained. “They do not enter fights, they end them. They are only ever seen when there is a threat so dire or dishonorable that extreme measures must be taken. Most griffons will surrender on the spot if confronted by a Myrmidon because they will do anything and everything to defend Gryphos. Only the truly wretched or corrupt attempt to resist, and none of them succeed.” Zhang gave a thoughtful look to the Myrmidon as Alvar finished his explanation. “The days of large armies clashing against one another has past for humanity. The few conflicts that remain are often prosecuted with methods that render those armies ineffective at best and counterproductive at worst. The most significant fighting before the alien invasion pitted a standing army against the broken remnants of the opposing force. The opposing force has to pursue these methods because a ‘fair fight’ would utterly destroy them.” “But that makes no sense! The defeated submit to the victor! That’s how things work!” Alvar blurted out as he tried to wrap his head around what Zhang was saying. What kind of people continues to resist after being defeated through conflict? It’s the shameful flailing of a hatchling that doesn’t get its way. “Have you and your people submitted to the aliens after your defeat?” Zhang asked, and the young griffon nearly fell out of his chair at the question. “I apologize for bringing such recent events into the discussion, but it illustrates my point: When the choices are extinction or resistance, the choice must always be resistance. It’s something that your people are learning now, and it is something humans have practiced for many years.” “But--” “Perhaps… we’ll revisit this subject, as we’ve strayed a bit from our original topic. I will agree with you that my role as a sniper is inherently unfair to my target as they are unaware they are being targeted, or in a fight they often do not know that I am targetting them. This can often allow me to remove a powerful enemy from the field and potentially save the lives of my comrades. What’s the value of my personal honor when the lives of my fellow soldiers are on the line, or the lives of innocent people? That is a sacrifice I am willing to make.” Alvar tried to reconcile the image he had for Zhang with everything that the human had just told him before glancing at the Myrmidon. ‘There is no greater honor than their sacrifice,’ that’s what Father told me. They give everything that they are to Gryphos, even their identities, lives, and any possibility for personal honor or titles. Is that really such a foreign concept, hatchling? A twinge of annoyance interrupted Alvar’s thoughts when the Myrmidon responded with his characteristic head tilt before turning his helmeted gaze down one of the castle corridors. Smug turkey, I bet he grins under that helmet every time he has a chance to respond like that. “You had mentioned in previous conversations about how the Myrmidons were different from the troops that serve the Talons,” Zhang said as he also eyed the larger griffon. “Do they serve the High Talon exclusively?” Alvar all but pounced on the new topic to escape the old. “The Myrmidons serve Gryphos, just as the High Talon does, and they answer to no power other than themselves and the will of the Empire,” he explained almost verbatim from what he had been taught. “Forgive my assumption, but the organization seems like it might be vulnerable to abuse of position,” Zhang said after a moment of consideration. “Without accountability, it seems too easy a thing to take advantage of their anonymity for personal gain.” “The Myrmidons answer to themselves. That is, they answer to their peers. Because they sacrifice their names and identities, every action the individuals take reflects on every Myrmidon. If one acts dishonorably, that one is likely to be never seen again,” Alvar elaborated. “It’s one of the reasons why Gryphos and the position of High Talon exists in the first place. All of the Talons trust the Myrmidons to ensure the High Talon acts honorably because of their code. In turn, if one of the Talons receives an order or missive delivered by a Myrmidon, he will follow unquestioningly.” Zhang’s eyes drifted from the Myrmidon and back to Alvar. “The Myrmidons then act as a check against both the High Talon and the lower Talons? What would happen if an action were taken that the Myrmidons disagree with?” “If any griffon takes action in a way that damages the Empire’s citizens or its reputation, the Myrmidons remove that griffon from his position. By force, if necessary. It’s extremely rare for that to occur though. The mere presence of a Myrmidon is enough of a warning to any loyal citizen of the empire.” “They seem well respected, and with good reason,” Zhang complimented before looking back to the Myrmidon. “What prevents a common citizen from impersonating one for personal gain?” The sheer impossibility of the question left Alvar speechless for a moment. “One does not impersonate a Myrmidon! Wearing armor meant to resemble them is a crime equivalent to treason and is punishable by years of hard labor if the Myrmidons don’t kill the pretender first! And besides, Myrmidon Plate simply isn’t made anymore, and anyone who were to wear it would--” Alvar’s explanation died in his throat as the Myrmidon’s helmeted head jerked around to fix the young High Talon with the same faceless stare as always. To Alvar, though, the glare’s message was simple: Say no more. Zhang spared a glance to the Myrmidon, then to Alvar, but said nothing. He opened his mouth to speak when the sound of hooves entered the corridor behind them. A month earlier, the only times that Alvar had heard the sounds of hooves on stone was when the Equestrian ambassador had paid a visit to High Talon Gerhard. Since his unexpected elevation and residence in Canterlot, he had become quite familiar with the sound. The cadence of the reports told him how fast the pony was moving, and the sound of each report told him the general size as well. A dozen other tiny factors could be read to determine if the pony was carrying anything, if they were armed or armored, and sometimes their intent could even be guessed as well. To Alvar’s admittedly inexperienced hearing, the hooves simply sounded… off. The cadence was all wrong, and there was a second sound that could be hear almost simultaneously with each hoof-fall. Only when the Myrmidon moved to place his armored body to block Alvar’s line of sight did he finally recognize the second sound: Claws. “That’s not an Equestrian. They’re above too!” Zhang hissed as he shot up from his chair, only for a projectile to strike him just below his chin. The projectile burst into a noxious cloud that burned Alvar’s sinuses even from several feet away. The human staggered out of the cloud and fell to his knees. Before Zhang was halfway done speaking, the Myrmidon launched forward. It spun mid-charge and launched a blade into the darkest corner of the arched ceiling, and was rewarded with a hiss that ended abruptly. The Myrmidon paid the enemy above no further heed as he charged further down the corridor. One swipe of its talons and a head went soaring through the air, and the talon came swinging around for a vicious backhand that sent another enemy flying into the stone wall with a wet crunch. The sounds of retreating hooves/claws further down the corridor halted when the Myrmidon threw two more blades at the enemy’s retreating back. With no further enemies present, the griffon turned to face the enemy that had been backhanded into the wall. To Alvar’s horror, it appeared to be an Equestrian in shape, but that was where the similarities ended. While it did have a passing resemblance to a pony, Alvar’s keen eyes could pick up the dull sheen of tiny scales in place of a coat, and golden eyes with vertical pupils glared at the Myrmidon as it approached. It hissed like an angry winged viper, and it bared its too-sharp teeth before spitting a projectile at the elder griffon. It exploded into a cloud of gas as it impacted on the Myrmidon’s chestplate, but it didn’t keep the elder griffon from taking the imposter’s head off with a talon swipe. With the last of the threats dispatched, the Myrmidon plowed through the poisonous cloud as though it wasn’t even there to stand watch over the younger griffon. “Guards! To arms!” Alvar shouted as he scrambled to Zhang’s side. The human struggled with every breath and his skin had taken on an unhealthy grey shade. We have to help him, Alvar thought as his eyes travelled upwards to the corpse that had been nailed to the ceiling from the force of the Myrmidon’s throw, then to the place where they had been sitting just moments earlier. The attack that struck him was meant for me, the young griffon realised, and the implications sent a chill down his spine. A half dozen griffons with varying degrees of arms and armor joined the Myrmidon on the balcony before they caught sight of the corpses and the injured human. The guard captain turned to Alvar, but the young griffon spoke first. “Captain! This was an attempted assassination, and I doubt this is the last attack that will occur in the city. Raise the alarm and send messengers to the Equestrians. A larger attack may be imminent.” “Understood! Where will you be, sire?” “Lieutenant Zhang took a blow meant for me, captain. I will see him safely delivered to the healers. The Myrmidon will accompany me,” Alvar said sternly, and his glare all but declared that the topic wasn’t up for debate. “We must hurry if the Lieutenant is to survive.” ------ 20:15, 11/22/2015, LUNA’S OBSERVATORY, CANTEROT Princess Luna sighed as she looked over the dozens of reports that now cluttered her desk. Everything on the desk was important, but the most recent additions to the pile worried her far more than the rest. They were written in human English but with translations and additional notes that bristled along the margins, and a few even had photographs of Equestria’s human allies fighting other humans. Exalt, Luna thought distastefully as she tried not to think about the confrontation several days earlier. To say that Luna had been livid after learning of the hostile humans’ presence on her world would be an understatement. She had been fully prepared to render judgement on the humans in Canterlot if their answer was less than sufficient, but that had not come to pass. Major Fujikawa had taken advantage of the memoratorium to show Luna and the guard captains the first encounter XCOM had with the nefarious Exalt. The images of hundreds of human corpses that were twisted and mutated through alien experiments was not one that she would soon forget. She was also sharp enough to recognize during the fighting that Exalt had outfitted its soldiers with XCOM’s armor and had even procured one of their airships. To what vile end they had intended she could only speculate, as that particular cell had been shut down. Captain Harris’s memories had also proved to be enlightening as they shared his encounter with the human known as ‘Vide.’ The only pony more enraged than Luna at Vide’s attempted murder of Twilight was Shining Armor. The guard captain’s dreams over the past few nights had been consumed with that moment when the smiling and affable human had tried to shoot his little sister. Thoughts of dreams caused Luna to sigh again and bring one hoof up to her temples. Out of courtesy, the lunar princess had deliberately avoided the dreamscapes of the humans save for Captain Harris, who had appeared in almost physical pain from his nightmares during his recovery. Her respect for their privacy had ended when she had seen the nightmares of those two little foals, and Luna had watched the dreams of the humans every night since. Thus far, what they had shared matched what she had been able to retrieve from her nightly interrogations, and she was beginning to realise that they were finally being honest with her. I don’t know if I can exactly fault them for their choice though, Luna thought as she used her magic to attempt to organize her desk for the fourth time that evening. XCOM controls the only human access point to our world. I suppose they cannot be faulted too heavily for assuming Vide and his treacherous cohorts lacked the expertise and the funds to create their own version of ‘Kaleidoscope.’ That is of course assuming that was how they got here in the first place. Again, the lunar princess sighed as she resisted the urge to sag in her chair before looking out the window. The night was slowly overcoming the day, and it was becoming increasingly easy for Luna to maintain both the sun and the moon. Her pragmatic side attributed this to her acclimation to moving the two celestial objects around, but her hopeful side knew it was due to her sister’s slow recovery. She still had yet to regain consciousness, and nopony knew why. Enough of your own worries, Luna. You have responsibilities, she chided herself before closing her eyes. A song from her distant memories came to her as the material world around her was replaced with the abstract and surreal dreamscapes of the creatures in Canterlot. Her first visit was always to the foals and younglings in the capital, and their dreams were filled with the warmth of the sun on their backs and the laughter of friends chasing them. Her little ponies were next, and their dreams were filled with memories of happier times and joy. The griffons took pleasure in their mock fights and games with their clutch mates, and the roaring fires of the communal hearths back at their mountain aviaries. The warm winds and rustle of grass on the plains settled the hearts of the zebras. The steady cadence of hammers on metal and the creation of mechanical wonders gave comfort to the minotaurs. As for the humans… If her dream form were capable of it, she would have let out a sigh. Some of the humans dreamed of happier times on their world, of loved ones and warm homes. Others dreamed of the fantastic and surreal that would have made Discord proud. The vast majority, however, simply could not escape the horrible things they had seen over the course of their lives. One human in particular stood out from the others, though. The events that replayed in those dreams had very nearly caused Luna to teleport directly into the humans’ compound to demand further answers, but only three things stopped her: Fear, guilt and regret. The dreamer spent nearly every sleeping moment drenched in those emotions, and Luna’s own subtle investigations seemed to indicate the human suffered through them while awake as well. The reports will keep for another night, Luna thought as she rose from her chair and went to her balcony. The night did nothing to inhibit her vision as she scanned the castle’s lower buildings before she caught sight of the human in question. I do not know the humans well enough to guide their dreams, but perhaps simple words will be enough, she thought as she spread her wings to silently descend upon the troubled soul. ------ “Tally one-two bogeys dropping from high altitude, multiple classes.” “What are they attacking out here? No cities or--” “Radio discipline! Sky Eye, this is Foreman, requesting permission to engage.” “Negative, Foreman. Maintain current position.” “Sky Eye, Lancer! Eyeball one-two crossbones from the west, burning fast towards the bogeys!” *breathe* “Copy that, Lancer. Crossbones marked as friendlies.” “And there they go. Shouldn’t we be engaging?” “Sky Eye, this is Foreman, requesting permission to engage.” “Negative that, Foreman. Maintain your current position.” “I think I see plasma fire. Are they bombing something out there?” *breathe* “Two crossbones just dropped off the IFF.” “Sky Eye, Nightlight. We are on station and prepared to engage.” “Copy that, Nightlight. Hold position.” “Jesus, three more crossbones just dropped off the IFF. They’re dying, man!” “Radio discipline! Sky Eye, this is Foreman, I am again requesting permission to engage.” *breathe* “Negative that, Foreman. Maintain your--” “Sky Eye, Archer. We are on station and requesting permission to engage.” “Sky Eye, Nightlight, requesting permission to engage.” “Negative that, your orders are to-- wait one.” *breathe* “Sky Eye to all callsigns, green light! You are weapons free and clear to engage all alien craft. Be advised that allied air assets are approaching from the east and west, and friendlies are in the furball.” “Foreman, solid copy! Boys, snap right and full burn. Targets will be designated as we approach. Remember, ripple fire with one second intervals will give you the best chance to hit.” *breathe* “All callsigns, be advised, tally one-five new contacts descending from orbit.” “Loose formation, once we fire they’re going to fire back!” “Foreman, fox three.” “They’re onto us.” “Enemy contacts are breaking from the furball with intent to merge, Foreman. Crossbones are in pursuit.” *breathe* “Jesus, Nightlight just took a hit. I don’t see a ‘chute!” “Break formation and keep your head on a swivel!” “Kill confirmed, moving on.” “Beagle, targets are marked.” “Sky Eye, all callsigns, friendlies inbound to the furball, ten seconds.” “Break left, now!” “All callsigns, be advised. Target priorities are now marked on your HUD. Skull Actual, out.” “Who was that? One of the crossbones?” *breathe* “BEAGLE, BREAK RIGHT!” The shout knocked Victor out of his focused state and before he could follow the command, he had been hit. A loud BANG sounded, followed by a chorus of alarms, and his stricken craft began an uncontrolled spin towards the ground. Victor stole a quick glance over his shoulder to see the left wing was totally gone before reaching for the ejection levers. The canopy flew away, and the pilot followed soon after into the dusk sky. Victor’s parachute deployed and he had just enough time to see his aircraft crash into the ground and explode. The skies themselves teemed with hostile and friendly fighters. Missile trails and plasma bolts flew in every direction, and Victor could pick out the crossbones firing purple beams at the enemies whenever they had the opportunity to. His passive observation of the battle could only last so long as the ground rushed up to meet him. What was more distressing to him were the clearly non-human shapes lurking in the darkness where he was going to land. Victor’s landing was less than graceful as he scrambled for his sidearm. The pistol rose up and the pilot finally got a good look at the army of monsters surrounding him. They were all undoubtedly the aliens he had seen during briefings and occasionally on the news, but the one he was aiming at was made completely of stone. A chill ran through him as he realised that all of the figures around him were made of stone. Victor didn’t waste any time on that mystery as he freed himself from the parachute and ejection systems. Despite no indication that there was anything alive in the field of statuary, he tried to stay low and watched for movement. His rational mind knew that if there was anything alive out there, his little pistol and flight suit would be about as intimidating as-- He caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye, and Victor had just enough time to register the target as ‘not human’ before he pulled the trigger. It was quadrupedal and the size of a large dog or even a small horse, and it was the most curious shade of purple he had ever seen. Lighter highlights could be seen running through its tail and the hair on its head and neck. What was perhaps most shocking were its eyes; so filled with pain and shock. That look didn’t cease as it collapsed to the ground. Victor’s eyes were torn away from the alien when a human soldier interposed himself between the pilot and his target. “DROP IT!” he shouted, and the rifle lined up with his face told him just what the alternative was. He had just lowered his pistol and brought his finger outside of the trigger guard when something hard connected with the back of his head and everything went dark. What woke Victor up was a blinding beam of light directed right into his face. He tried to shield his eyes but found that his arms were zip tied to his chair, and the chair itself had been bolted to the stone floor. The rest of the room was completely dark, and the blinding light in his face only allowed him to see the metal table that was directly in front of him. Several footsteps could be heard from the darkness to his right, but he never came far enough into the light to identify himself. He simply placed a laptop computer on the table and pressed one key, then vanished into the darkness again. The laptop screen flickered on to reveal a video of the alien he had shot, though the lack of injuries seemed to indicate the footage had been taken sometime earlier. It began to hum a little tune as it trotted over to the desk on the other side of the room. The humming did not stop as a sheet of paper and pencils floated over to the writing surface. This continued for several minutes before a voiceover spoke. “I’ve been able to speak with the creature identified as Twilight Sparkle several times over the past few weeks, and I’m reasonably confident in giving a summation of my findings,” the female voice said, with some form of indeterminate European accent. “To state the obvious, she is both extremely curious and intelligent in equal amounts. While some sciences we possess are unknown to her people, she has quickly grasped the concepts of anything we present to her. Even that was made possible because she had attacked the English language with a degree of dedication that is simply astounding. She went from hearing her first human words to being able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language in less than a month. “It seems that in spite of my earlier… mistakes, Project Stardust is showing drastic and immediate results which are best described by Charles Shen’s Gate of Babylon down in the Foundry. When the aliens attacked, we were rather brutally made aware that our understanding of how the universe worked was extremely limited and we have scrambled to keep up with their technology and abilities. With Twilight Sparkle’s cooperation, we may finally gain an edge over these enemies. If humanity survives this confrontation, I expect we will undergo a new age of technological revolution based purely on what she has shared with us over the past few weeks.” The security camera feed zoomed in on the alien as it raised up the piece of paper to inspect its work, oblivious to the narrator or the surveillance in the room. On the paper was a colorful sketch of what appeared to be a bipedal lizard with young features and waving a single outstretched claw. The narrator continued, “As much as I would like to elaborate on these recent developments at length, what is of a greater concern are the ties to her people. If her stories are to be believed, she is within extreme proximity of her world’s ruling leaders, both on a personal and familial level. Should they find a way of travelling to Earth after this current conflict is done, Twilight Sparkle will be the key to peaceful first contact with an alien race. If contact is established before this conflict is resolved, we may be able to rely on her to petition her people for aid. Of course, all of this depends on us lasting long enough for this to come about, and for Twilight to survive that long as well.” The video went on for hours as it showed the alien participating in all manner of activities, sometimes by herself, and other times with a small group of humans. The voiceover also changed as well to various people. Another apparent scientist, this one with a Korean accent, was next, and she was followed by a gentleman with Canadian tones in his voice. The longer the video continued, the more Victor realised that his actions might have consequences that went far beyond himself. It was during the alien’s song about the periodic table of elements that Victor screamed, “Why are you making me watch this!?” “So that you might understand the precariousness of your position, Victor Spiegel,” a disembodied voice said from somewhere behind him. The voice itself was rough and deep, and evoked images of a disapproving father in the pilot’s mind. “If Twilight Sparkle’s people were to make contact now, they would demand blood for her. If the worst case comes to pass, we could be under siege from another alien power that has the capacity to appear anywhere on Earth at any time, and with the capacity to alter the fabric of reality with their minds. It is also possible that they may turn Earth into an uninhabitable rock without sending a single soldier to the surface. The fate of every human that will ever exist is now in jeopardy because of your actions.” Victor might have been able to twist around to identify the source of the voice but he didn’t think to try. His eyes were stuck on the laptop screen as the full weight of his mistake came crashing onto him. “You now have three options, Victor Spiegel. You may choose to remain our guest for the duration of this current conflict. If Twilight Sparkle’s government comes into contact with us, you will be offered to them to appease any bloodlust they may have.” A seemingly disembodied hand appeared in the darkness to place a syringe on the table beside the laptop. “Your second option is to be reported killed in action during your last deployment. Your body will be returned to your next of kin and your demise will be shared with Twilight Sparkle’s government in the event that contact is made. “Your third option is to serve. Victor Spiegel, you possess skills that can be used in the defense of your species and your world. If you choose this option, you may save countless innocent lives from the alien invaders before you die. “Now, choose.” ------ Victor’s eyes shot open as he pulled in a ragged breath. Damn it. Less than an hour of sleep that time, he thought as he glanced at the clock beside his bunk. I need to sleep, but I don’t think I can at the moment. With only the smallest of grumbles, he stood and exited the barracks. Victor was only vaguely aware of his surroundings as he wandered the corridors. He waved weakly to some of the other Strike operators that stopped to compliment him on his performance in the last deployment, but his heart wasn’t in it. A blast of cold air washed over Victor as he stepped out of the compound’s main structure and out onto one of the massive balconies that Canterlot bristled with. After talking with Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy for just a little bit, I was able to forget, Victor thought ruefully as he looked out into the city. The image of two fillies fear-filled eyes caused him to wince before looking down to the streets below. What’s the distance from here to there? Sixty feet, seventy five? It would be so much easier for everyone if I just jumped off, or if I had died back in that forest. Another memory, this time of the three mares he had been visiting in the medical wings, came forward to haunt him. They all seem nice, but would they be so friendly if they knew I shot Twilight? The sound of hooves on stone caused Victor to look over his shoulder, and when he recognized Princess Luna he whipped around and gave her a short bow. “That is not necessary, Corporal,” Princess Luna said before turning to look over her shoulder. “Sentinels, disperse,” she said, and Victor caught only a flicker of movement in the shadows before the Lunar diarch turned back to him. “You have not been sleeping well, it seems.” “It’s not a problem, ma’am,” he answered, and he found that he couldn’t maintain eye contact as she continued to stare at him. Why is she here? Victor asked himself, and a timid sort of apprehension began to take root in his mind. “It is a problem, I am afraid,” Luna said quietly before standing beside him at the railing. “I know that humanity has a healthy skepticism of the abilities of my sister and myself, of which I do not blame you. My sister moves the sun and I, the moon; both feats which are not currently possible or realistic with your current sciences. This is quite understandably the focus of attention on us, but I understand that many humans are not aware of my other duties. The night is my domain. I also act as a shepherd for the dreams of my little ponies, as well as the griffons, minotaurs and zebra. Humans as well, for as long as you remain here.” The apprehension in the back of Victor’s mind turned into full-blown horror as he realised the implications. He tried to step back as Luna turned to face him, but his legs refused to obey his commands. We’re dead. We’re all dead. It’s all my fault. The enormity of that realisation, of his worst fears being realised, took command of his mind. They know where Earth is. They could just push the moon into a decaying orbit and call it a day. There’s no way we can fight that. Oh God… we’re all dead. “Corporal…” The word snapped Victor out of his horrified spiral only to see that Princess Luna had taken a step towards him. He again tried to take a step back but only succeeded in stumbling backwards and falling to the ground. “It’s not their fault!” Victor pleaded desperately. “Corporal Spiegel…” “I made the mistake! I pulled the trigger!” he blurted out in a panicked rush. “I was scared, but it’s not their fault! If anyone has to die, then it should be--” “VICTOR SPIEGEL, REMEMBER TO WHOM IT IS YOU SPEAK!” Luna roared, and Victor felt very much an insignificant mortal as their surroundings darkened. “WHEN I LOST MYSELF TO MADNESS, I DID EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER TO DESTROY MY SISTER. HAD I SUCCEEDED, THEN EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD WOULD HAVE FALLEN TO DARKNESS AND PERISHED.” Luna’s coat grew gradually darker until it was pitch black, and the irises of her eyes began to stretch vertically. “TWICE I ATTEMPTED THIS, VICTOR SPIEGEL. AND WHEN I WAS FINALLY DEFEATED…” The aura of darkness began to recede and the horrifying visage morphed into one of compassion. “...my sister forgave me. Twilight and all of her friends did as well. “You carry tremendous guilt with you for your actions, which is to your credit, Victor. I understand that you were rightfully afraid for the future immediately after the incident, but I must ask something of you,” Luna said with a doubtful expression. “After working alongside Shining Armor and spending time in this city, why would you still think that we would not forgive you? Do you honestly think that my sister or I would be so wrathful as to doom your entire species for a mistake made in the heat of a battle?” The questions struck Victor like kick to the head. She’s right, isn’t she? When I first got into this mess they had told me what was going to happen if they found out, so I just assumed they knew what they were talking about. Every day, I had nothing to think about but what they told me. Then they showed up and I was tersely reminded to keep my mouth shut or else. Victor closed his eyes before running a hand over his face as he went over everything that had happened since the Equestrian’s arrival. She’s right. Have I really been that blind until now? When that realisation finally struck him, he couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh. All that worry and stress, gone. All it took was a near heart attack from one of the princesses. Luna smiled and sat next to Victor as the last of the stress-induced laughter worked its way out of him. “I am glad to be able to lift this weight off your shoulders, Corporal. However, you still must speak with Twilight Sparkle. I believe it will give you both some closure. As you have the acquaintances of three of her friends, I am sure you will be able to settle things amicably.” “Yeah, I guess so,” Victor finally said as he sat up. “I just feel like an idiot for not putting this together sooner.” A quote from his childhood came floating to the forefront, and his still relief-addled mind insisted it would be good to share considering who his present company was. By the time his rational mind caught up, he was already speaking. “They say people are like the stars. There are bright ones and there are those that are dim.” Luna’s reaction was the most unladylike snort that Victor could possibly imagine, followed by an attempt to stifle her own giggles. The effort proved to be in vain as she surrendered to the laughter that demanded release. “Oh… oh my, it has been millenia since I have had reason for such good humor. You have my thanks, Victor,” Luna finally said as she regained control of herself. Victor allowed himself to bask in the good will of the moment before sparking a glance towards the lunar princess. To his shock, her expression no longer held any of the mirth that she had expressed a moment earlier. Her eyes had narrowed and what little body language that Victor understood about the Equestrians seemed to indicate anger. “Uh, Princess--” “INTERLOPERS!” Luna roared as she turned to face the balcony behind them. Her voice struck like a shockwave and several figures shimmered into existence. There were a half dozen of them, with squid-like tentacles that writhed through the air as they recovered from Luna’s shout. The alicorn was far quicker as she lashed out with her magic. All six of the intruders were cleanly bisected and fell to the balcony in pieces. “Sentinels, to me!” Luna ordered before turning to Victor. “Return to your people, Corporal. The enemy approaches, and in great numbers.”