//------------------------------// // II. A Meeting At Top Level // Story: The Conversion Bureau: Flicker Flame // by Arcturus //------------------------------// “…Hmpf! ‘Rulers of neighbouring state’! Did you see that – ‘neighbouring’! I wonder if that's subtle mockery, or an honest slip-up, and I find it pressing to decide what's actually worse!” “It could be a meaningless mistake on their part, nothing more - don’t you think?” “Yeah, Abe, it’s just a sort of template commonly used in missives such as this. Of course she’s aware we cannot actually make contact, she – erm, I mean, they probably just put it in without, well, without giving it much thought. That’s just too much drama over a small thing, you’re making mole-hills into mountains!” “Oh, really, am I? Do you two even believe it yourselves? I’d say – when a person of her position so casually mentions something like that, it’s anything but small or meaningless!..” The huge, furious sun of winter midday hung low above the city. Northern winds had blown away any remaining cumulus, leaving it to blaze alone in the serene sky; it appeared to be even closer and larger than usual, flooding the heavenly dome with an angry shine and drowning out its natural blue color. The sparkling, snow-covered ground responded in turn, bristling with spikes of reflected light, as if trying to force back an unwanted gift. Upwards and downwards rays blended together, creating a strange, ubiquitous illumination that permeated every recess and corner. This cold, shiny, eerily shadowless world was almost painfully bright to look at. It was especially noticeable from inside the large, dimly lit circular chamber located just beneath the administrative building’s spire. At the time, direct view of the sun was obstructed by the ceiling; and though the room practically lacked walls, its perimeter completely made up of tall windows and narrow pillars in-between them, a good share of the diffused light was filtered out both by the tinted photochromic glass and by a layer of dust piled up on its surface. That’s why the figures of men and women seated at the long, oval table were standing out as darkened silhouettes against the lustrous background. The shadow on their faces made their expressions somewhat difficult to read. Perhaps that was exactly what the designers of this conference hall were aiming for. Still, there could be little doubt about the emotions of a man who currently held the letter. One did not need to be a mime expert to read acute irritation and resentment off his face. Snorting, he threw the offending paper back on the table and glared fiercely at the duo he'd been talking to. One, a blonde man in a classic business suit, apparently was unfazed by the spectacle; the other, a tawny woman with distinct Asian features, was muttering something under her breath, likely trying to invent a counterargument. As she didn’t come up with any, the man sighed and turned to face Frank, who was occupying the top of the table. “You do understand that’s going to get us in all kinds of trouble pretty soon? Pray tell, there is no way we could… somehow… ignore this?” “You know we can't, Abraham,” a different voice spoke up. “They’re coming no matter what we think or do about it. However, the - errrmm - conditions may differ.” The youngest man in the group threw a quick inquiring look at the Administrator and, having received an affirmative nod, went on: “But what's more important, we need answers badly, and we need them first-hand... or hoof.” He left his chair and began strolling along the table. “For instance,” he extended his arm theatrically, ”why does the commonly so-called ‘thaumaturgical radiation’ only emerge around the Barrier, while normal unicorn magic – including that utilized by the Serum – has proven to be completely harmless to humans? Why is it lethal to humans exclusively? Why has the expansion of the Barrier retarded? Could it speed up again at some point? I'm not ashamed to admit that even with the recent valuable…” he gestured towards an elderly man in military uniform “…additions to the team, my Research Division is still heavily lacking in knowledge of both inter-dimensional geometry and magic to properly approach these questions. But we need them answered if we are to have any chance in this race against time. And if someone at all can give us these answers, that would be the Equestrian Sisters. Well, that is, provided you don’t have a copy of the WG archive stashed under your bed, Abe.” Having finished his walkaround, the scientist came to a stop beside his own chair. Leaning against the table, he tapped his fingers on the smooth plastic surface. “And then there's the million credit question, of course,” he glanced over the assembly. “Do the Princesses have a way of vectoring the Barrier, or do they not?” “You sound like there's a way to compel them into holding it back, Karl, even if they could”, the Asian woman chimed in, sarcastically grinning her radiant teeth. “Well, there might be.” Abraham waved a finger in the air. “By the way - why the change of heart, dear Isra? Weren’t you just protecting these two decent diarchs against my unjustified attacks?” “I was not.” She brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead. “What I was trying to say is that I don’t think they would bother either harming or helping us… without some solid reasons for it.” “Oh, I think we could give them quite a few!” “Why not try talking them into it first?” Frank interjected, knitting his brow quizzically. “I'm honestly marvelled to hear that from you, Abe. It'd be more understandable if the General over here brought it up…” He glanced at the military man, who appeared to be thoroughly studying the surface of his forage cap. “That's if they really can control the Barrier, of course. If they can't, there's no point in wasting time.” Silence reigned in the room for a short time, only to be ruined when another person decided to join in the conversation. “I’ve been thinking, about what Isra said earlier…” That immediately earned a heads’ turn. The man in a classic business suit wasn’t exactly the most talkative member of the gathering. In part, his tenseness owned itself to him still being new to this kind of sessions. That day, he’d been mostly silent as usual, only making a brief remark during Abraham’s rant. Now he apparently had something to say. “I agree with her on that, all else being equal, the Princesses would’ve rather left us alone. The important question is, what exactly did we do to draw their attention? Ladies, gentlemen - any sensible guesses?” Karl, with his head drooping, was nipping at his chin pensively; Isra gave a visible shrug. “It’s kinda written there, in the letter… isn’t it?” “Now you’re going to buy that slipshod excuse about news coming late, aren’t you,” muttered Abraham. “Right now, mind you, there’s one of them sitting just a few kilometres from us.” “The colt at the Bureau? He isn’t here exactly to monitor us, you know. Besides, he’d never…” “Listen, he might be a very nice little guy and all, but we don’t know what his job actually obliges him to do. I’d be much surprised if he doesn’t have to report on things that could catch Celestia’s attention, at the very least - and if he does, then we have no idea how is he balancing between us and them and... whatever he personally feels like doing.” Frank could very well see where this was going, and opted to quickly put an end to this conversation: “Abe, you’re strolling off topic. There’s no need to educate us on your mistrust of ponies, we’re all aware of it quite enough. Other ideas anyone’d like to share?” “..This still doesn’t cancel the fact that it’s been whole seven month since we ‘established’ anything, you know,” stubbornly muttered Abraham. To his left, Frank could hear some rustling, squirming and quiet coughs. He sighed mentally and partly closed his eyes. Even if hadn’t been here the whole time, even if he had been blind, he could easily tell who it was. Strangely enough, she had always been so confident and composed in a dialogue, yet she always needed extra time to rally her thoughts when addressing more than a couple of men. “Ahmm – actually,” Maria began half-heartedly, “I’ve been wondering about the same thing as soon as I read the letter. And I had that opportunity earlier than anybody else here except Frank, so, before the meeting, I took the time to skim through our journal of major events…” she trailed off. “So?” the man in business suit pressed on. “It is a bit funny you were the one to bring up this question, because the reason they contacted us now and not earlier likely is… well, it is you.” “Me?” “Yes, I’m quite positive it’s you, Daniel – or, rather, your recent appointment as the first member and representative of Supreme Court. They… They needed some sort of confirmation that we aren’t just a dictatorship that upholds order at a point of the sword, I think. ” “Really?” he inquired dryly. “You know, if the Princesses were paying such close attention to our politics, I’d expect them to be aware of the terms ‘State of Emergency’ and ‘Martial Law’. And of the implications they bring, and how the latter doesn’t bode well with law per se.” “Daniel…” She now sounded almost apologetic. “Perhaps it isn’t so much about your current duties and status as it is about our intentions. They’ve decided we deserve to be spoken to, at least.” “I suppose we should be flattered, but still, I highly doubt they'll simply tell us all we want to know.” Dashpots squeaked plaintively as Abraham leant back into his chair, arms crossed on his chest in a skeptical manner.   “Well, actually there's a chance they just might,” chuckled Frank. “I'll do my best to make use of the conversations we're about to have." “Now wait a minute. Did I just hear that you're hoping to outsmart the two beings, each of whom has more years of experience than all our lifetimes combined? ” the man rolled his eyes. “That's exactly why Frank won't be alone at this.” The man in uniform spoke up, finally letting go of his headgear. “We'll have a team of best psychologists study their every word, every move, every gesture…” “Your specialists must have an extensive knowledge of equine gestures, Alex,” someone chortled in the background. “Don't call me that!” snarled the officer. He quickly looked around and then, failing to identify the speaker, finished in a previous calmer tone: “Sometimes, the hidden is more obvious than the revealed.” “So it'll be… quantity versus quality?” questioned Abraham. “Like it's often been the other way around,” Alexander grumbled dimly. Maria gave him a sympathetic look. “Anyway, we’re bound to give it a shot,” summed up Frank.  “This Equesrtian embassy is a milestone – it could be either a turning point for the better, or the beginnings of a disaster. We must do our best to prevent the latter. And in no small part that depends on the impression we’ll make – so put away your emotions for a time, will you? Any objections?” Indeed, though one could hear a few unamused murmurs – not a single one came from Abraham, surprisingly – but no objections were openly voiced. The sun was already long past its highest point in the sky, now casting soft, yellowish rays through the dusty windows, when the assembly decided to make a break for dinner. Driving through the elevator’s doorway, the autonomous tray announced its arrival with a soft ding. Isra was the first to stand up and approach the wheeled robot. However, she quickly returned to the table looking rather perplexed. “Boy and girls, look what the kitchen brings us today.” The thing lying on her plate was most similar to a brown-greyish brick; applying some fantasy, one could imagine it was an oversized piece of fudge.  That was just another proof of how deceiving good looks can be. “Oh, these,” cringed Karl. “Can't say I missed them for an instant. Seriously, what the hell, Sheng?” The man he was addressing had already rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and was operating an implant on his left forearm. “Well, I can't control every single storehouse, but food supply levels should be okay… At least they were this morning,” he said with a puzzled look. “Actually, I am the reason why we're not receiving any normal food for dinner,” admitted Maria. “Everybody's getting these, protein cocktails and synthesized meat starting tomorrow, except for the Equestrians when they arrive. Sorry for issuing directives over your head, Sheng.” “I'm not actually offended… But why?” he shook his head, clearly surprised. “It’s been part of the agreement,” said Frank. “Right… at the time you weren’t here yet. The problem is, we still have no idea how will the Princesses react to our partners on that side of the Barrier. Neither do they, apparently – when the deal was struck, we were warned in advance that if the Princesses were to discover we’re getting produce from Equestria, they want no part of this. Can’t blame them for their discretion…” he explained. “Anyway, we're temporarily cutting all contacts until we can test the grounds and decide if Celestia is okay with the idea. If she is not… actually, from now on, consider nothing like that ever happened. I’ve made some preparations to pass our stock for a result of several one-time actions, if needs be, but even if she sees through this, we’d better take a little blame, but not give away the true origin of our supplies.” “The things I have to put up with…” sourly uttered Abraham, unenthusiastically pecking at his briquette. “You know, Mary has sacrificed more than you have, Abe!” laughed the Administrator. “She's switching to coffee substitutes from now on!” The joke relaxed the gloomy atmosphere a bit. “So, I believe there're just a few minor matters left to discuss for now. Let's start with transportation,” Frank gestured at the Chinese man. “Sheng, I believe that's your area of expertise.” “Aren't they arriving by their own means?” “Only up to the airfield, Sheng. Then it's up to our side. I'm pretty sure Celestia and Luna could've just teleported in, but they stated they'll be bringing some other ponies along. I guess it'll be something more conventional, then - though I'll try to clarify this in our further correspondence - and they wouldn't like to split up from the rest of the group. So... try to think of something appropriate that can move.” “A usual car won't do? The ponies have… I mean, they would fit in just fine.” “Please,” Frank glared at him. “No more slip-ups like that in the future. And you're forgetting the size difference.” “Well excuse me, but not everybody here has had the privilege to see the Princesses with their own eyes. It's not easy to judge by the holorecords, it almost seems like their size is… inconstant.” “It is, believe it or not.” “Oh, right,” he glanced at Karl. “You probably have it all documented, don’t you. So tell me, how big are we talking about, at max?” “Think of a normal horse, but...” “Never seen one, either.” “Okay, she’s… maybe one-fifth taller than me, horn included.” “Thank you very much, but passenger compartments are not normally measured in ‘Karls’.” “Ahhh - fine then!” The scientist jumped to his feet, extending his arm to the holoprojector hanging overhead. The device’s bulb-shaped emitter began to glow with a soft, pearly white. As a glowing cube began to form in front of him, Karl took a few more steps back, allowing him to lower both his head and hands while still keeping a line of sight with the emitter. His fingers began to move, tracing complex curves with swiftness and grace of a practiced skill. The semi-transparent display projected into air was so small that one could barely see glimpses of file managers, terminal windows, worksheets and company logos as they were trading places, like colored bits of glass in a swirling kaleidoscope. After a few minutes, satisfied with the result at last, he made a pushing gesture, and the miniature shape began to glide towards the table, multiplying in size along the road. Upon reaching the chamber’s center, it became large enough for everyone to see that the image portrayed a human figure and three silhouettes of a winged and horned equine side-by-side, complete with a measuring scale.   “I still took the liberty to model the human after myself, if you don’t mind,” Karl clarified flatly. He waved his hand a little, forcing the image to rotate towards Sheng. “Good enough?” “Wow, that’s… pretty big,” he replied, eyeing the picture. Indeed, even if one did not take the long, pointed horn into account, the crown of the smallest equine would be just below Karl’s chin level. As for the tallest figure, though the difference in size wasn’t all that significant, one would probably have to tilt his head backwards a little to look it in the eye. “Who’s who, by the way?” “They’re all Celestia. The biggest one is based on a photo of her meeting with a WorldGov diplomatic mission, three month after Equestria’s emergence. The smallest was taken from a video feed of her partaking in a joint effort to quell public disorder in Atlanta. And the one in the middle corresponds to Celestia’s latest sighting that we were able to get a picture of, namely her appearance after the PER attack at São Paulo.” “Well, one way or another…” Sheng screwed up his left eye, counting the graduations. “Now I really don’t think a car would work. I mean, she’d probably fit in if she really wanted to, but it’s like offering a chair that’s too tall to sit at a table. No reason to do that if we don’t want to offend them. So... Should I begin bringing the monorail branch to the airfield back online?” Alexander shook his head; Frank lifted his palm in an arresting gesture. «I think it’s a little bit too attractive as a target for sabotage. The Black Wednesday at Barcelona – you remember?” Abraham, Isra and Daniel nodded almost synchronously. “We’d better stick to wheeled vehicles.” “Well, then… The best I currently can think of, aside from trucks, is a city bus.” “You must be kidding!” several voices merged in unison. “No I'm not. If we use just its chassis, remove all the railing and most of the seats, there will be plenty of room inside. It has a high ceiling, which is crucial, and the doorframes are tall enough, too.” “Then please,” said Frank, “make sure it doesn't even remotely look like a city bus by Tuesday, either on the inside or the outside. And, speaking of safety…” “I'll provide the reinforced plating and armored glass,” nodded Alexander. "Okay, I suppose that's enough talking for today. Thanks everybody, and now - dismissed, you know what to do." Men and women began to rise from their seats. "Karl, stay with me for an extra minute, please." The scientist halted and turned around. The Administrator walked in close to him. “How much time do we need?” he asked quietly, after a brief pause. “Why, didn't we all agree that five days is enough to prepare everything?” “That's not what I'm talking about, Karl!” “Oh, right,” he rubbed his forehead. “Well, I suppose it should be about eight to ten years to finish the initial preparations, and no less than six years more if we’re leaving no one behind - at least this is what Indrik said last time. That's assuming everything goes smoothly and without a hitch. But it won't. And besides, you don't want to hear his estimation of risks if we are going to rush the project like that.” “So…” Frank staggered for a couple heartbeats. “How much do we have, then? Your guess?” “If the Barrier moves at its registered speed minimum, that should be some forty years from now. However, you understand we'll run into difficulties as soon as it starts creeping into our territory, so... discount about five years more. Thirty-five years – that's the best case scenario. Not a very likely one, though - E-dimension has been known to advance in fits and starts in the past. The steady movement we currently observe is but a last couple of years’ trend.” “And the worst case is?” “…Four years. Provided that the Barrier expands no faster than it used to in the first several month of emergence, which is a rather bold assumption on our part. ” “Four years, damnit,” whispered Frank. ”And we need twice as much, at the very least!” “There's always a different solution… you remember,” dubiously added the scientist. “And you remember what I said about it last time.” Frank dejectedly shook his head. «It’s about as bad as Conversion. Hell, it is Conversion; it just adds a twist to it. That's not what everybody out there,” he waved a hand in the direction of windows, “expects from us. That just won't do.” Stooping, he returned to his chair. "Thanks anyway. That's all for now, Karl". A big thanks goes to Zobeid, who agreed to pre-read this text and give some critical advice. Without his aid, this chapter would’ve been worse than it is :)