Cover provided by Kadlawuvswubs
Pre-Reading and other assistance by: Pseudonymous, Changeling 38, Luna Secret Stallion, Cobalt Blur, Omnicron25, and SPark
For the past few months Equestria has watched as the Griffon Kingdoms have been united by a single, powerful, warlord. The celebration of peace with the Changelings has been cut short as the rest of the continent has seen itself rapidly unravel under the weight of the griffons militancy. Parliament has been called, and the nation will soon decide the path it will tread.
The changelings bear the first assault in the opening barrage, but this is not the only problem facing them. Their origins, and what it means to really be a changeling, weighs heavily on the changeling ambassador as he grapples not only with the survival of his people through the war, but what their future will hold in store
Soon they will have to face them on the field, and there will be no turning back. What the Griffons really want, and how Equestria and the changelings will stop them, remains to be seen.
Note: Shorts are in a wobbly chronological order. Each separate will have holes in them, but all together them form a coherent chronological structure.
Pictures of characters, because why not:
[img]http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/112/3/7/comission_for_astral0blaze_by_kadlawuvswubs-d7fmgu9.png[/img]
First Class, wife of Wildcard.
[img]http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/014/f/a/changling_request_by_kadlawuvswubs-d728ywm.png[/img]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/8OybBcd.jpg[/img]
Wildcard himself.
[img]http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/120/8/4/gift___i_got_you_something_by_kadlawuvswubs-d7gjzym.png[/img]
Together!
[img]http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/346/9/d/request__changeling_by_kadlawuvswubs-d6xneaz.png[/img]
Medulla, the changeling leader.
Guest art also by Omnicron25
Kadla
![http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/112/3/7/comission_for_astral0blaze_by_kadlawuvswubs-d7fmgu9.png[/img]](http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/112/3/7/comission_for_astral0blaze_by_kadlawuvswubs-d7fmgu9.png[/img]){kind=link}
![http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/014/f/a/changling_request_by_kadlawuvswubs-d728ywm.png[/img]](http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/014/f/a/changling_request_by_kadlawuvswubs-d728ywm.png[/img]){kind=link}
![http://i.imgur.com/8OybBcd.jpg[/img]](http://i.imgur.com/8OybBcd.jpg[/img]){kind=link}
![http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/120/8/4/gift___i_got_you_something_by_kadlawuvswubs-d7gjzym.png[/img]](http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/120/8/4/gift___i_got_you_something_by_kadlawuvswubs-d7gjzym.png[/img]){kind=link}
![http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/346/9/d/request__changeling_by_kadlawuvswubs-d6xneaz.png[/img]](http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/346/9/d/request__changeling_by_kadlawuvswubs-d6xneaz.png[/img]){kind=link}
You have a quite where there should be a quit.
Also, throwing everything at the hive would be a colossal tactical blunder. They would be leaving behind a force capable of fending off moderate attacks, but deploying anything more would compromise their defenses domestically.
It's also a matter of common sense - you keep your response units wherever they'll have the shortest average response time, which would most definitely not be the badlands outside equestria.
3852061 I can't say more on your point without spoiling anything, suffice it to say that this was on purpose. Note how much it's been stressed that they're doing this as a show of good will, and they expect the griffons to be too scared of the scale of the force to attempt something again.
3852326
Yes, and that's the problem. It's an obvious feint to draw their forces away so the griffins can move on a more valuable target - potentially Canterlot.
Luna assumed direct control, and I can't imagine her falling for such a ploy. The hive has the labor resources to clean up after the attack, so the only things they could properly need would be supplies, a radio com system, and an aerial craft keeping a weather-eye out for further strikes. The hive has shown to be able to button-up and turtle its way through bombardment; they can hold out for the few hours it seems to take to move from one end of Equestria to the other.
Also, to prevent breakneck technology advancement how about having the com system use ticker-tape? That would be possible using only things which appeared in the show itself.
3853280
Or is it obvious? The griffons haven't shown to have a larger force to deploy on the continent, and their motivations (would seem) nebulous at best. The plan was to wait for them, and then send everything at once. Celestia remains in charge of the majority of the forces, and is still convinced that full scale war can be averted. Anyway I have to wait until the next chapter is posted to get into this further for ~spoiler reasons~
If you're okay with ~spoilers~ and want to continue the discussion you can PM me.
Besides, since when are wars anything but stumbling blindly from one tactical blunder to the next?
WRT ticker tape: I'll give it some thought, at the moment I'm using this idea to lead into a bigger one. The idea behind my tech ideas throughout is that Equestria had long been in a state of weird anachronisms because it had lived in a stagnant peace for so long. They always had the capability for stuff like giant floating airships, computers, possibly even complex rocketry- they just never felt the need. It's a complex idea and will be thought on intensely. Ticker tape might work better because it would obviously precede dial up computer networking, and I could work the whole 'Night Guard has it's shiz together' idea with it better, hmm.
Kinda surprised you've pointed out the computers instead of the kilometre long battlecruiser. I really love working with that thing and the fleet. I wanted airship battles and goddangit I'm gonna have them!
3853301
Celestia may send them out, but Luna would call them back.
Besides, the hive was recently invaded and it would be unsettling to have the ENTIRE legion right outside their door. The alliance is still uneasy.
Besides, a show of force is escalation - not very harmonious. Celestia would be going for a moderated response.
Wars are often a series of tactical blunders, but generally the decisions made are the best choice based on the available information. People who make bad decisions because of things they couldn't know get a free pass; people who make bad decisions based on what they do know get executed (if their soldiers let them live that long).
In this case the griffins have already taken one equestrian city, so there's ample motivation to have a force ready to not only prevent further incursion but retake lost ground. Deploying everything in the badlands goes against both goals.
Most importantly, it's really, really predictable. You're setting up what's known as an idiot ball plot.
They already have telegraphs and the ability to put signals on paper; those were shown when twilight investigated pinky and the trip to appleoosa respectively. Combining those two things is comparatively easy, but as somebody with a computer background I can tell you that computers are very not easy to develop. Computers are SO very not easy to develop that even if you had magic to fill in all the hard parts it would still be very not easy. A kilometer long battlecarrier is quite a bit more difficult than combining telegraphs and printers, but still far easier than developing a computer - real life shows this quite clearly, if you're willing to accept naval craft as examples.
Also, in order for the night guard to be more advanced you'd have to explain why nobody else has this technology in a society where national security and military interest aren't valid excuses for suppression. It'd also be getting into OP OC territory which you definitely don't want.
3854856
These are all incredibly good points, and I'll bear them all in mind (heavily) today. It might be too far along to do anything about most of them though, although perhaps I could have Spitfire leave a fast response team behind or something.
Night Guard could have their own force, hmm.
HMMM
I've adjusted your ticker tape idea and I'm going to be using it, thank you kindly.
I think I'm gonna fix this just by reversing what I was doing, leaving a token force at the hive and taking the fleet back to canter lot. I did a stupid here thanks for slamming me on it. With communications cut it still allows for the empire to be in trouble, in a less stupid way.
Cavalry: mounted combat unit.
Calvary: hill where Jesus was crucified according to the Bible.
<cue star flying across the screen> The more you know
3855014 I love you
I'm pulling Precedence for around a half hour while I do some editing.
Chapter repaired, thanks for Pseudo for not letting me get away with poor storytelling.
3855211
You are welcome!
Open request for ship and Wonderbolt crew names! There's a very good chance any good ideas will see it in here.
Duke and Duchess was suggested, they'll be a pair of corvettes that will debut in a while.
I want to stay away from anything super connected to reality, like Hindenburg was suggested. That's a negative, but I might use Enterprise- I guess it comes down to my own opinions.
Much better!
Now it's just a question of how long it'll be before ponies notice that nothing is coming back from the Empire,which could take days.
3857023 Well, Cadence holds a vote and she's not showing up.
Can't so more though, just stay tuned to this bat channel (probably update: tomorrow)
Can't wait for the next chapter. It's nice to see things heating up as they are. I was also really pleased that Twilight struck out on her own, so to speak. It feels like it painted her as more of an individual as opposed to catering to Celestia like a lost puppy/shadow, as she does in a lot of fics.
All in all, fantastic new chapter, can't wait for the next one.
Spitfire set an air-drop timer, then it was forgotten about.
Also, it would help to have some markings to show when there's a perspective shift. A line of dashes is typically used for that.
3865010 I'll try that.
Also it's true, I imagine it was death with on the way but I'll toss in a way to specify, thanks for noticing.
No colossal plot holes this time so that's good!
3864735 Thank you very much.
I do have an arc for Twilight planned, but as of right now I'm not actually sure how to play it. She's a minor character as it is, and I'm open to ideas.
Hey let's have a vote, which of the three major characters (Wildcard, Spitfire, Flash Sentry.) would you like to see have their own chapter first? Luna and Celestia retain background roles running throughout, and probably won't have extended character arcs- probably single chapter highlights. Each of the main three will have long arcs running through all the events.
Probably.
3868802 I suppose I should mention bonds yes, but the sudden uptick in taxation is of minor importance to ~the plot~ and bears mention.
As for the other points, way ahead of you. Weaponry is a major focus of one of the other chapters, but not this one. Same with Luna. I might actually blast the passage about loses, it could be too early in the fighting to get into that. Alternatively I could save this chapter for later.
I wonder if these comments are visible if the chapter is hidden?
E: They aren't alright good.
Oh god i accidentally hit publish when I shouldn't have I'm dearly sorry. I really hope the mods don't get mad and think I'm bumping it or something.
Hmmm this was pretty good man.
Removed a buttload of pre-reader comments. Just a reminder that it's just a cleanup thing, not an 'i hate your comments' thing.
Thoroughly impressed with your work, Astral. You play a great game of war and politics, and I'm impressed with how it reveals your world-building as well. You're creating quite the universe here. Keep up the great work!
3937307 Well thank you very kindly!
Serial Number THX1138?
3955903 Somepony got it!
I love you!
Whats with you and making Luna a bad mare?
3956180 Define 'bad'.
She's a ruler, rulers do what rulers need to do. I don't think she's ever done anything decisively 'bad'.
Well okay apart from that time a thousand years ago she tried to kill her sister and take over the state.
3956185 Oh no she not trying to take over the state. Nope she not being shady in anyway right.
3956202 This post confuses me, what are you saying here? If you don't like something specifically tell me what it is.
Wait no I think I get it now, I get it.
Luna thinks she would be a better leader then her sister, perfectly plausible. She's not gonna launch a coup or anything, she just wants to have that regency vote.