Part 14 - Know Thy Enemy
“The great kingdoms and empires, mares and stallions of this world have always been defined not so much by their friends… as by their enemies.”
During the times I have taken the quill from Captain Firefly, I have also had the opportunity to read pony literature. I found the above line in a book on military doctrine, purportedly said by Princess Luna prior to her banishment. I confess, when I saw it for the first time, and later when I shared it with my former adversary, it gave us both pause. For on further reflection… ’tis quite true. I would not be the gryphon I became in the days of the war without the Captain or her Bolt Knights, nor would the Captain have become the pony she did without myself or the Red Talons.
’Tis for that reason that she insisted I write the next chapter of this tale in full and by myself. I do so gladly, for the sake of a worthy foe, my greatest rival… and now, my most honored friend.
Signed,
Prelate Layan Kaval (ret.)
Ambassador to Equestria
Gryphon Kingdom Consulate, Canterlot
The Imperial Capital of Mosclaw was much as I remembered it.
From the massive moat and outlying villages that surrounded The Citadel to the ever-present smell of baking bread, scones and meat from their markets, the great fortress city had stood up to several sieges over the centuries and had never fallen once, not even to the Cloven of the Sun. Whilst the civilian areas were constantly patrolled by auxiliary guard gryphons, both from the ground and air, they gave way to green-armored Paladins the closer you got to the Citadel and seat of imperial power itself. Access to Citadel airspace was greatly restricted, and attempting to enter it without proper permission would either be met with a lethal bolt from the lightning orbs that studded the towers and ramparts or crossbow fire from patrolling Paladins.
We had such permission, but were scarcely treated less suspiciously for it. Every piece of parchment was scrutinized, as were all in possession of them; every signature and seal were checked and every gryphon magically scanned by mages. I was given particular attention and forced to surrender my weapons and armor before entering, but I cared not—a Talaeus was a living weapon, and I could fight quite effectively with but beak, claws and talons if need be.
In truth, I had been to the city and palace twice before, under far more auspicious circumstances. The first time I was welcomed as a hero, brought to meet the Empress herself after I had slain a full-grown dragon raiding our northern mines. I was then dyed black and painted with red stripes before being presented with my onyx armor, formally pronounced a Talaeus and named a protector of the realm, assigned to the then-Legate Gaius’ legion as the climactic campaign against the Elder Rams began. The second time was but two years later when my victorious commander was promoted to Consul and named commander of all forces on the Equestrian continent, entrusted in a secret ceremony with planning the coming war against the ponies.
And now he was being brought back in disgrace to answer for his failures. In my more private moments, I admitted they were real—that he had underestimated the ponies and perchance been a bit too enamored of his own plans. The former, however, was a fault shared by all of us, and the latter I at least partially blamed myself for—I should have spoken up more forcefully against sending assassins after the hatchling; what made him such a good commander in my mind was that he would listen to my counsel. Nonetheless, whatever mistakes he made, my loyalty to him did not waver, and I would risk my own remaining standing to try to save the greatest gryphon military mind and best commander I had ever known.
The Consul himself was very calm as we entered the Citadel itself. His wing shackles leaving him unable to fly, he was escorted up the steps and down the wide, firegem-lit hallway, one filled with statues of famous gryphon warriors, each in front of paintings depicting the conflicts they had fought in. ’Twas an impressive display that reflected our race’s war-filled past, and one of the reasons we thought ourselves better than the ponies we sought to supplant—we had to fight very hard for our survival over the many millennia we could trace our history, battling a multitude of powerful foes… and occasionally ourselves as we struggled to unite our tribes. In the end we had succeeded, building a prospering Empire in the face of harsh lands and hostile races, and all without the help of weather control or over-reliance on magic. We had to fight for everything we now had, and we believed that alone made us the superior race…
Never mind the fact that as predators, we thought it our right to rule plant-eaters like the ponies.
Such thoughts were lost as we finally entered the inner sanctum itself, an opulent great hall filled with crystalline floors and golden statues interspersed with oversized Paladin guards. Green armor gave way to red as we got closer to the other end of hallway, where the Empress’s Praetorian Guard took over. They were the equivalent to Celestia’s personal guard, and like them their members were selected for both ability and loyalty from the regular Paladin ranks.
And in their midst… sat a single figure, attended to by multiple viziers and maids, with dozens of other commanders and advisors present for the occasion. She was a resplendent sight, a large earth gryphon eagless who had presided over the Empire for the past thirty years, dressed in a royal red robe and gold tunic. Her hindquarters were tigerlike, orange with black stripes, whilst her chestfeathers were cream-colored… though her natural colors were nearly lost as her normally orange wingfeathers were dyed multiple hues and tipped with diamond dust, glittering in the low firegem light. Her ensemble was completed by the understated crown on her head, whilst the treasured symbol of gryphon heritage and might, the Boreas Idol, sat over her throne, marking her as its owner and rightful heir to its authority and power.
She was Empress Palamecia, ruler of the Empire… and if my former commander was not careful, she would be his executioner.
As we were brought before her and bowed in greeting, her Grand Vizier, a sky gryphon tiercel named Pascil, spoke first. “My Empress… by your command, I now present former Consul Salvio Gaius and his adjutant, Centurion Layan Kaval,” her chief aide and advisor informed her, slightly needlessly. But protocols had to be followed; all those she held audiences with would be formally introduced.
“We are surprised to see thee here, Talaeus,” she surprised me by addressing me first, speaking in the formal—if slightly archaic—court dialect and resorting to the royal ‘we’ as those in her station often did. “We would have thought thou wouldst have forsaken thy former master in light of his grave misdeeds.”
I stepped forward fractionally and bowed low, knowing better than to come too close to her; even my slight forward movement was met with talons moving towards sword hilts. “That I have not is because I feel the fault in this matter is not his own, My Empress. If you wouldst allow me to, I wish to speak on his behalf.” I held my bow as I spoke.
She studied me for a moment. “In honor of thy past deeds and service, we would allow thee to do so… once we have heard from thy former master himself,” she decided, turning her attention on the manacled gryphon before her, eyes narrowing as she gave a brief look and nod to Grand Vizier Pascil, who nodded and unfurled a scroll.
Pascil, a tiercel of somewhat reedy build that belied his booming voice, stepped forward to address the court as a whole. “Salvio Gaius, you stand accused of cowardice, gross negligence and incompetence, and dishonoring the name of the Empire for surrendering to the ponies without a fight,” he recited in a clear voice that carried to all corners of the room. “These charges carry the death penalty, unless you can convince the Empress to spare thee. Have you anything to say in your defense?”
“Indeed I do.” To my surprise, the Consul closed his eyes and smiled, then spoke in a slow, clear voice as if he was reciting something.
“The Art of War is of vital importance to a kingdom. ’Tis a matter of life or death, a road either to safety, or to ruin.”
Of all the things he might have said, that was perchance the least expected phrase he could have uttered as everyone stared at him, almost dumbstruck. But instead of explaining himself, he simply issued another cryptic quote:
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, whilst defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”
A low muttering came up, aides and soldiers glancing at and occasionally whispering to each other in low tones, wondering what in the name of our ancestors and present Empress he was doing. And I, too, had some sudden doubts about his sanity as he said his next sentence:
“To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.”
“Sacrilege!” a cry went up, and I was shocked at such a statement as well—how could you have excellence without conquering your enemies in combat? And I feared he had sealed his fate as he said another line:
“The commander who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.”
I and the rest of the gryphons present were now certain the former Consul had lost his mind. Gryphon commanders never advocated retreat; ’twas one of the crimes he was now answering for. “And you think you are this jewel?” the head of the Paladin order, Primarch Livia Cassius asked derisively. “You, who allowed the ponies to insult us and then abandoned his positions against orders without a fight?”
In response, the Consul turned directly to face her, the look on his face reminiscent of a teacher about to instruct a cub. “There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested… and commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed,” he informed us, drawing himself up straight again and turning back to face the Empress as he knew his final assertion amounted to high treason, stunning all present back into silence. “He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.”
All eyes then turned on the Empress herself as she narrowed her gaze and her tinted talons drummed at the ground beneath her. “Salvio Gaius, thy life now hangs by a thread. ’Tis only memory of thy past deeds and victories that has spared thee to this point. Nevertheless, our patience is at its end,” she informed him, leaning forward to pin him with her most intimidating stare. “We shall order thy death here and now unless thou explains what thy disrespectful manner and blasphemous statements mean immediately.” Her voice was calm and measured, which just made the threat they delivered all the more dangerous.
“Your pardon, My Empress,” he bowed low before her for a second time, finally sounding like he was speaking for himself, to my great relief. “I simply wished to share with you some small pieces of military wisdom I have learned from the ponies.”
Several scoffing sounds were heard. “The ponies have no military wisdom,” Primarch Livia claimed. “Just an overpowered princess they can hide behind.”
“Aye. ’Tis what I thought as well.” He spared the Primarch but a disdainful glance. “I am in fact quoting one of the greatest pony military minds to ever exist—one of Celestia’s first generals; an earth pony architect of the early Equestrian Army,” he explained. “His real name is lost to time, but he was given the title of Sun Master by Celestia herself and heavily influenced her. On the way here, thanks to materials obtained for me by the Centurion, I read his works and found his words compelling. Methinks there is much we might learn from him.”
“Learn from a pony?” The Primarch snorted in disdain. “You wouldst have us, the great Gryphon Empire, learn about military affairs from those leaf-eating preachers of peace and harmony?”
The consul gave her a dour look. “And thus do we fall victim to an illusion and very deadly conceit—that we alone know what it is to fight wars.”
“We do,” the Primarch grated—she had never liked the Consul, even going back to his days as a mere Legate. “Our many feudal fights. The Unification Wars. The struggle against the Cloven. The campaigns against the Harpies and Elder Rams. Border battles with the Zebras and Saddle Arabians. How could those soft-hearted ponies even begin to compare with our past?”
“As you have listed our conflicts, I shall recite theirs in turn,” Gaius replied, giving her a look. “The campaigns of the Crystal and Roaman Empires, which at their peak conquered half a continent. The invasion of the Overmare and her Maregol Horde. The Spursian and Peloponysian Wars, including the heroic stand at Thermarepylae. The Dragonic Conflicts. The Diamond Dog Battles. And most recently and bloodily… the War of the Celestial Sisters,” he recited evenly. ’Twas an impressive list, easily matching the Primarch’s in size. “The truth, which we were blind to, is that the ponies are very versed in warfare and fully capable of it. The truth is that despite their pretensions of peace and harmony, they have had soldiers and leaders, armies and warriors every bit the equal of our own!”
’Twas a full minute before the uproar that sparked died down, with several of Palamecia’s military aides now demanding my former master’s immediate execution for blasphemous and heretical statements.
But to her credit, the Empress was not given to rash judgments; I knew from prior meetings that she was always cool in emotion and measured in her responses. She had a sharp mind of her own and had not gained her post without learning how to navigate palace intrigue and make her own decisions, and her refusal do anything rashly was the only thing sparing the Consul now as she held up a taloned paw, silencing all her advisors.
“Thou makes very provocative statements, former Consul,” she told him in prize understatement. “Ones that would normally lead us to doubt thy state of mind. But we have known thee long enough to realize thee would not say such things lightly. So we offer thee one chance to explain thyself,” she promised, though her undertone told him to make his explanations good ones.
For the first time, I sensed some relief from the Consul as he realized that his first, and most crucial gambit had worked, and ’twas only later I realized exactly what he was doing—by making seemingly outrageous statements and assertions, he had gained everyone’s attention and an opportunity to elaborate on them, thus giving him more of a chance to save himself.
“I thank My Empress for her wisdom and patience,” he bowed low again, though both he and I knew at that moment he had only won the opening battle of what was likely to be a protracted war, now fought for not just his reputation, but for his very life.
“I would wish My Empress to know first and foremost that I take full responsibility for the failures of my command. They were ones borne of ignorance and arrogance, ones that would have cost us dearly had we invaded under my original strategy,” he began. “I would also wish her to know that in truth, Celestia has done us a great service by aborting our invasion. Had we proceeded as planned, our armies would have been obliterated within days, if not hours by her counterattack, followed by the ponies driving us from their continent with the loss of our entire force.”
More derisive sounds were heard, which the Empress silenced again. “Let us be clear on what thou just stated. Thou yielded… without a fight… to a single pony?” she paraphrased very simply and directly, the import of her statement obvious—a gryphon commander who surrendered without a fight was, under normal circumstances, not worthy of his race.
The Consul chose his next words very carefully. “A pony whose power dwarfs the entire Empire and whose abilities extend far beyond simply controlling the sun,” my former master replied evenly. “There is no honor and glory in needless suicide, My Empress. Had we fought her, we would have been utterly annihilated. In ordering a withdrawal, I recognized that our cause was lost and spared our forces to fight another day.”
Hearing the renewed doubt and derision, I stepped forward and bowed once more. “My Empress, if I may…” I spoke up, waiting to be acknowledged. She indulged me with a nod. “I was present at the parley. I know it seems impossible, but on my honor, the Consul is neither lying nor exaggerating. Celestia’s power is unequaled, even by the Empire’s full might. I have fought in many engagements against a multitude of different foes, and I know how to judge strength. So believe me when I say that the Consul is correct—that had we gone to war, she would not simply have defeated us. She would have destroyed us.”
She considered me for a moment. “Thy reputation precedes thee, Layan Kaval. Great are thy deeds, even amongst thy Talaeus brethren. But we must question whether thy long service to thy former master clouds thy judgement.”
And thus, ’twas now time for me to risk my own head. “’Tis true that I have to come to respect him greatly during my years in his service, My Empress. His mind is brilliant, his strategies superb. But ’tis also true that I know my place and duty. That I would not be here if I did not believe in him, and did not hold him at fault for what happened,” I told her with great conviction. “No warrior wanted to wage war on the ponies more than me. No warrior wished to strike back for the cowardly attack on our base more than me. And for all that, I now stand before you and say that had we done so, the results would have been disastrous. That acquiescence to Celestia’s terms was our only option. That by doing so, the Consul saved both our forces and our very Empire from destruction,” I told her fervently.
“This all seems rather difficult to believe,” the Primarch spoke again. “Celestia has never been seen to fight before, often going to great lengths to avoid conflict. By all reports, the last possible time she was in combat was against her own insane sister, whom she simply banished with some lost magical trinkets,” she rolled her eyes. “Hardly the work of this unstoppable force you describe.”
The Consul looked at me, and nodded. ’Twas time to bring out what ponies called our trump card… and hope we were not slain on the spot for it. “Your pardon, My Empress,” I bowed to her again. “But I regret I have broken the rules of your court. I have in my possession an item your Paladin Guards failed to detect.”
That brought an immediate reaction as several dozen Paladins and Praetorians stepped or flew forward, weapons leveled, and nearly a dozen moved in front of the Empress, forming a living wall between her and me as her mage also cast a shield spell around her. Assassinating her would have been impossible at that point, even for me, but ’twas hardly my intention. Ignoring the crossbows and blades aimed at me from grounded and hovering gryphons alike, I reached into a hidden pocket behind my wing and pulled out… a single rose ruby turned into a storage gem. We had come up with additional uses for them other than mind implants, and this was one—their invisibility to conventional magical scans made it possible to smuggle items into places that would normally be inaccessible, like The Citadel itself.
Showing ’twas but a simple gem to all present, I triggered it and then simply tossed it on the floor, where with a burst of magic it turned into… a single box, containing nearly a dozen green emeralds, all identically cut. “These are memory crystals, My Empress,” my former master explained shortly. “The Centurion obtained them at my request immediately after our meeting with Celestia, and smuggled them in at my direction. They contain recorded memories taken from soldiers present at the parley. I must apologize for the manner in which we present them, but we feared your agents and advisors would not let you see them. So if you think I exaggerate Celestia’s capabilities, you are invited to observe them for yourself.”
“My Empress, he has willfully broken the rules of your court, dishonored his oath and disrespected your throne! That alone merits his execution!” Primarch Livia pointed a talon at us. “Give us the order, and we will end this farce now!” she offered hopefully, only to be silenced with another raised paw.
“Methinks thou hath always had a flair for the theatrical, former Consul. And it may yet be the death of thee,” The Empress said, a warning note in her voice like she was actively considering the Primarch’s words. “But we find the testimony and loyalty of Layan Kaval to be compelling. We will therefore see these memories and judge for ourselves their validity,” she overruled her own protesting advisors.
At that, we both bowed and stepped back. If I’d been allowed to, I would have happily noted that these were normally devilishly difficult to obtain, especially under such short notice, but fortunately there were enough soldiers present at the parley willing to undergo the very intrusive magic it required, if it would prevent what they now knew to be a suicidal war.
After confirming the crystals only held memories and not something more sinister, the Empress’s personal mage levitated a random green emerald right out of the box and into the air, cast a spell and the playback began, projecting the recorded memories it contained right before the Empress and all watching.
It was taken from a nearby Talon eagless, and what we saw through her eyes and ears happened exactly as I remembered it. The initial arrival of the three ponies followed by the appearance of nearly the entire Gamma garrison… and then the Celestial Guard followed by Celestia herself, looking dangerous and deadly in her golden armor. She addressed the Consul in fluent Aeric, laid out the terms of our surrender in all but name, told him he was a fool who had neglected the most basic rule of warfare, and then when he provoked her, she demonstrated her power.
By the time the first recording was done, the room had fallen silent. By the time the third was shown, the mood had grown strangely nervous, eyes casting about anxiously, Paladin guards suddenly wondering if the Princess might even appear here. By the sixth, there could be no further doubt. One memory crystal could be faked. Perchance even two or three. But not the dozen we brought, all showing the same thing seamlessly from different angles and gryphons. By the time the Empress indicated she’d seen enough, the conclusion was unmistakeable:
Celestia was utterly unstoppable by any current craft or magic we possessed.
“Very well.” The Empress closed her eyes. “We concede that backed by their princess, the Equestrians are too powerful to attack. But how would we not see this as even more thy failure, Salvio Gaius?” she asked him pointedly. “Methinks Celestia was right—that thou failed utterly to understand thy enemy and plan properly for them. We assumed thou hadst plans to deal with Celestia. Didst thou have none?”
“I did, My Empress,” he promised her, and ’twas the truth—he had in fact devoted much thought and planning to the question of Celestia, how to both force her surrender and then take her power for our own. At the time, I thought his strategy to be quite solid… until its underlying assumptions proved false. “Unfortunately, none of my plans took her potential combat ability into account. For why would they?” he headed off her next statement quickly. “Her usual response to our provocations was restraint and offers of negotiation; actual retaliation was rare and limited.
“All we ever received from her were signs of weakness, My Empress; there was absolutely nothing to suggest she was willing or even capable of combat. As her last known war was three centuries ago, I thought at most she might command her forces from afar, but ’twas no indication she could actually take the field herself… let alone annihilate us.” He bowed his head. “Nevertheless, methinks you are correct. That we did not know the extent of her power was inexcusable. But ’tis an oversight I have now rectified.”
“Rectified? Hardly. She lectured you on military affairs,” Livia all but sneered. The two had never liked each other; the Primarch thought the Consul too independent and more interested in maneuver and machinations than direct combat whilst the Consul saw the Primarch as a mediocre warrior and leader at best, a commander who owed her station more to her familial ties than any actual ability, resenting her constant interference in his affairs and attempts to turn the Empress against him. “Does it sting, Salvio Gaius? To be told by a pony that you are a poor military commander?” she needled him.
For the first time, my master’s eyes narrowed, pinning the Paladin leader with a stare. Several times the pair had come close to a duel, and I wondered then if there might yet be a reckoning between them. “I say rectified because I deliberately provoked her, to get a sense of her and what she could do, Primarch,” he dripped scorn on her title. “Now we know, and all it cost us was a temporary withdrawal. And yes, it is temporary,” he insisted as he turned back to face the throne.
“As you yourself pointed out, My Empress, Celestia told me during the parley that I had neglected the first and most important rule of warfare—know thy enemy. And as I thought about it, I realized she was correct,” he closed his eyes and smiled. “So I have taken her advice to heart. Thanks to the materials obtained by the Centurion before my journey, I have embarked on a great study of pony history and culture, including their past wars with particular emphasis on the campaigns Celestia herself has commanded. After reading dozens of books and scrolls smuggled out of Equestrian lands—everything from history scrolls to military manuals to even their popular fiction—I believe I now know her mind and that of her ponies quite intimately. And armed with that knowledge, I now know exactly how to defeat them.”
His claim caused another stir. But despite his confident words, the Empress’ eyes narrowed. “Thou speaketh as if thou wilt command again. We would remind thee that decision rests with us, former Consul,” she spoke more sharply. “Thy words are intriguing, but remain just words. Thus far we have heard nothing but empty boasts and questionable quotes. Nothing that would incline us to grant thee a second chance.”
“Nor have I said anything that would merit one,” he agreed. “But my boasts are far from empty, My Empress. During my confinement, I devised a new war plan. One that will lay both Celestia and all of Equestria beneath our wings.”
* * * * *
The room fell silent yet again. “A bold claim, Salvio Gaius,” The Empress seemed to have a talent for understatement, I couldn’t help but think.
“An impossible one,” the Primarch retorted. “Methinks he has no plan, My Empress. He simply seeks to save his own hide.”
“We will be the judge of that, Primarch,” the Empress said sharply, for the first time allowing a note of annoyance to enter her voice. Her change of tone caused the Primarch to bow and move back, realizing she had overstepped. Several more seconds passed before the Empress spoke again; she seemed to be considering the Consul’s words carefully.
“’Twas it anyone but thee, we would give thy words no credence, Salvio Gaius. But we know thy record and reputation. We have seen thee turn failure on its wing before. We have seen thee salvage seemingly lost battles and campaigns, turning certain defeat into resounding victories. We have witnessed for ourselves the success of thy strategies and tactics, unorthodox though they oft are…” she mused aloud, the entire hall now holding its collective breath, myself and the former Consul most of all.
“Therefore… we will hear thy plans in private,” she decided, causing us both to mentally exhale before her eyes narrowed again. “All of them. We feel we granted thee too much freedom of action before and this debacle was the result. No longer. Thou wilt explain thy new strategy in full, Salvio Gaius. Thou wilt hold nothing back from us. Then, and only then, will we decide if it has merit,” she warned him, pinning her with her most dangerous stare. “Then, and only then, will we decide if thee will live or die.”
“My Empress is both fair and wise,” he bowed for the final time, his latest and most critical battle won, setting the stage for the climactic phase of his campaign. “And if I may indulge her further, I would request the use of the Citadel’s war room for my presentation…?”
The Consul’s request was granted, and the Empress even granted him time to prepare fully and have a real meal before the Imperial High Council convened. Even if ’twas a last meal, ’twas still appreciated by my former master, who had eaten little but stale scones and a few rotting fish during his long ride over.
The High Council consisted of the Empress and her closest advisors plus the various service heads. They were assembled within hours, and waiting in the war room as we finally entered. After smuggling in the gems, they had searched me far more thoroughly and shackled me along with the Consul, but I did not mind. My confidence growing, I now dared hope we would both be released before all was said and done.
The war room, which I had been privileged to visit just once before, was where the Empire’s grand strategies were planned and prepared. It consisted a very large room dominated by a circular stone table, upon which sat a map of our continent and Equestria’s, laid out side by side and carved directly into the stone itself.
’Twas not the whole world, but what was within our reach to that point. On top of the map lay a layer of sand which could be drawn in, showing lines and troop movements, with the Gryphon/Equestrian border already marked along with the bases, both theirs and ours… though the latter was a bit outdated given we had already shut down the forward bases.
“My Empress. Praetors, Primus, and Primarch…” he began, nodding to each in turn. “I present to you now, a new vision of Equestria. One under our wings, with the power to control the heavens where it rightfully belongs…”
* * * * *
The Empress was right, I realized. The Consul did have a flair for the theatrical, and knew how to use it to good effect. He spoke nearly uninterrupted for the next two hours, laying out his plans via speech and drawing lines in the sand.
The more I heard, the more impressed I became. He had indeed thought of everything—how to neutralize the pony weather advantage and remove the threat of superstorm strikes. How to weaken their resolve during the invasion and pacify their population afterwards by turning their own strengths and instincts against them. How to divide and conquer them by tribe. How to destroy their military in detail. Even how to cage Celestia herself.
“And what of the Princess?” Praetor Valan, the earth gryphon head of the Talons had asked at some length. “How will we counter her?”
“We cannot defeat her directly, so we must first pin her in her palace,” the Consul said, now speaking with more authority as he sensed his well-thought plans gaining not just the support of the Empress but the service heads themselves—support he would need not only to survive this day, but to implement his strategy later. “In showing her strength, she also revealed her greatest weakness, and ’tis one we can exploit. She said herself she would do whatever was necessary to protect her ponies; that their protection was paramount to her and she found no honor in death or killing.
“Therefore, we can be certain she will not abandon her ponies to their fate or otherwise fly into a suicidal rage when all is lost. Therefore, we can use her own foolish sentimentality against her by trapping her in a situation where the only way she can protect her ponies… is to surrender unconditionally to us.”
“And we assume thou hast such a plan?” for the first time, the Empress was starting to sound genuinely intrigued as she studied the maps and troop movements he had drawn.
“Indeed I do, My Empress.” He grinned like he’d saved the best for last. “I would first remind all present that Celestia is not the only mighty being on this planet. From my studies of pony history, I now know she has made some enemies. Some very powerful and deadly ones at that; some who have even outlived her. Enemies we should be able to strike an alliance with… if we offer them proper payment and the promise of real revenge.”
I blinked, knowing that there was but one race that could possibly have lifespans the equal of alicorns, and they rarely formed alliances with those they considered lesser beings, believing our affairs beneath them. Surely he couldn’t mean…
As he explained his plan to defeat Celestia in detail, I realized that he very much did. And like the rest of his grand strategy to conquer Equestria, ’twas breathtaking in scope and brilliance to behold. I sensed it would require a great deal of preparation and diplomacy, but if our efforts came to fruition, it could work…
If we could convince such beings to make common cause with us.
“…thus, by neutralizing Celestia and removing the pony weather advantage, we reduce the conquest of Equestria to a simple contest of arms which we can win. One in which our superior warriors, numbers and combat doctrine will tell,” he concluded, then went on to describe more local tactics designed to overcome the individual pony services.
The Aerial Corps border bases and storm cloud caches would be wiped out in the first night of the invasion by a surprise attack, eliminating their weather advantage and best regular forces almost immediately whilst simultaneously giving us control of the air. The Equestrian Army and remaining Corps forces would then be beaten piecemeal using superior gryphon mobility and shock tactics, preventing them from solidifying their lines or forming any coherent defense, allowing Imperial forces to drive deep into Equestria and their towns and bases to be quickly overcome and occupied. Any poorly-trained pony militia or partisan groups that attempted to fight would be crushed without mercy to drive home the futility of their resistance. And finally, the Royal Guard itself would be brought to battle and destroyed in a single decisive stroke, thus shattering pony resolve and taking away their final hope. And then…
“And then we will lay siege to Canterlot itself. Weakened and unable to defend her subjects against the multiple threats she will then be facing, we will present the Princess with a stark choice—surrender herself and her power, or watch her precious ponies die. In the end, by her own words, if there is no other means to save them… she will,” he reiterated, and after an hour of explaining how all this would come to pass, I believed him.
“Impressive…” even the Primarch had to grant, though she couldn’t help but nitpick again. “Though methinks there is something you overlook.”
He gave her a stare like an adult being spoken back to by a cub. “And that is…?”
“You have accounted for all their services… except their navy.” She wore a smug look.
In response, the Consul gave a scoffing sound, and I barely restrained one myself. “Their navy, Primarch, consists of a dozen antiquated airships that are barely flightworthy and lack sufficient crew. Their navy is a relic from the Celestial War that is little more than a glorified ferry service used by Equestrian nobles to say they joined the military without risking themselves in actual combat,” he announced in utter contempt. “But if it pleases you, our own navy will easily clear the skies of whatever they do manage to send up… if, that is, the project is nearing completion…?” he glanced over at Nautilla Primus Rallan, the new Naval head.
“It is,” the sky gryphon eagless confirmed. “The first ships of the new Raptor class will launch within three months… though ’tis certain to be some time more before crews are trained and they are pronounced battleworthy,” she qualified.
“Good. Methinks they should not be needed right away, so you should have sufficient time to fully ready them,” he nodded, staring to sound and act like a commander again. With that, he turned to the Empress again and bowed. “You wished to know my plans, My Empress. You have now heard them in full. And I will accept whatever judgment you may pass on me for it,” he told her. “But before I depart, I would leave you with one final thought from the great pony general known as Sun Master, a piece of military wisdom that is particularly relevant here:
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
“If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
“If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
He paused to let that sink in. “Before, we knew ourselves, but not our enemy, and thus we could not win. But I now know both. Accept my plans, and as this ancient pony says, you need not fear the results of war,” he told her. “Accept my plans, and by my honor and the Empire itself, I will lay Equestria before you.”
She nodded to him, genuine respect in her gaze. “Thou hast given us much to think about, former Consul. Thou shalt now leave us whilst we discuss thy fate and the merits of thy plans in private.”
“My Empress,” he acknowledged with a second bow, and the two us were removed by the Paladins, taking us to separate holding cells where we would now wait. The Consul had fought a valiant battle, but I had no idea if was enough. And as the hours stretched on, I could not help but wonder if either of us would survive the night.
’Twas late in the evening when we were retrieved, finding the service heads and Empress still gathered in the war room, having apparently taken dinner there whilst they continued to discuss the Consul’s plans. The Moon was visible through the skylights, with the Mare in the Moon looking down on us; a more paranoid part of me wondered if she could see us and communicate our plans to Celestia.
All the service heads and guards stood at attention as we entered; I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not. Regardless, we stood at the head of the table and bowed, whilst the Empress looked down upon us from her lofty perch above of the other end. “We have considered thy plans carefully, and at great length, Salvio Gaius,” she began. “And we have found them… to have potentially great merit. ’Tis a cunning plan, one every bit as brilliant and well-conceived as we would expect from thee,” she told us, causing our hopes to rise, only to seemingly dash them with her next words.
“However, ’tis not without flaw. Not the least of which is its reliance on other beings whose loyalty would be highly suspect. We do not like the idea of placing our fate in the paws of others, particularly those who would swear us no allegiance afterwards,” she told him.
The Consul started to speak again, but she held up a paw to silence him. “Further, the overall risk thy plan entails is very high. High enough that under any other circumstances we would say ’tis not worth taking and the Equestrians not worth fighting. Thou shouldst know better than any of us that no plan is perfect, no matter how well-conceived. Shouldst thou miscalculate, shouldst surprise be lost, shouldst thy timetable falter significantly or shouldst our erstwhile allies renege on their promises… we risk the wrath of Celestia and destruction of our entire Empire,” she noted, tapping her talons again. “But in the end, ’tis not that which sways me.
“’Tis that after witnessing the Princess’ power, ’twould seem the greater risk is in doing nothing. No single being should ever have the power Celestia possesses; no single being should control the heavens alone. Even if we would do all that she says, ’tis nothing to stop her from destroying not just us, but the world entire should she so choose. Her sister went mad, what if she did as well?” she wondered aloud, glancing up at the moon. “Her abilities are dangerous and her power corrupting, and thus even a single alicorn is a potential pox on all races of this world. One we must excise for the good of all. And therefore…” she nodded behind us, and guards stepped forward.
“Our decision is that thy plan represents the best chance to end her potential menace, and return the world to its proper state and natural order,” she said as our manacles were unlocked, causing our hearts to leap as we realized what she was saying. ’Twas not even an argument the Consul had made, but ’twas certainly a very valid one, I thought. “A world without pony princesses and unnatural magics, a world where the sun and moon would be allowed to rise and set not at her whim, or even our own, but of their own accord. A world where we sit properly as rulers, as befits the greatest warrior race and society this world has ever produced.”
We kept our eyes rigidly ahead as we heard more motion behind us, including the rustle of clothing. We sensed what was happening, but not yet the full import. “And thus, we will risk all for the sake of not just our future, but for all races of the world. For if there exists any living being who can make this plan succeed, whose mind is agile enough to overcome the setbacks that would inevitably arise in its course… ’tis thee, Salvio Gaius. We therefore place our fates and faith on the wings of the greatest military mind and warrior we have ever known. Stand and be recognized… Prelate Gaius and Tribune Kaval!”
With that, the entire room bared their throats and saluted us, pounding their right fists into their left shoulders as new uniforms and command chains were placed upon us by Praetorian soldiers and fastened to us, bearing our new rank insignia; I was shocked and even the now-former Consul was visibly stunned by the decision, which had just bestowed on him the highest military rank the Empire had. The rank of Prelate meant he now even outranked the service heads, wielding authority second only to the Empress herself. “I… thank My Empress for her favor and wisdom,” he returned the salutes, and then bowed low. “By the blood of our ancestors, I will not fail!”
“If you do, ’tis unlikely we will have much time to regret it,” the Primarch pointed out. “But far better to die on our wings than to live on our knees, at the capricious whims of a pony princess.” Somewhat reluctantly, she saluted him and bared her throat a second time, beginning the ritual oath of allegiance to her new commander. “The Paladin Order is at your command, Prelate.”
“As are the Talons,” Praetor Valan spoke next, duplicating her gestures.
“And the Knights,” added Praetor Chakar, the old Wind Knight tiercel following suit. “We stand ready to carry out any orders you give us.”
Within a minute, all the service heads had spoken, including myself as the leader of the Talaeus by virtue of my new rank. Once he had received our oaths, the newly-named Prelate took his place at the head of the war room whilst I was granted a seat at the table as well, my armor returned to me, already adorned with my new rank. “By your oaths and favor, I assume command,” he gave the ritual response, his eyes lingering on me for a moment, true gratitude in them for standing by him. I gave him a nod in return, eagerly awaiting his first orders.
“I thank you all for your loyalty and willingness to follow me. ’Tis a great honor which you have bestowed upon me, and one which I will do everything in my power to repay with victory. We have much to do, and time is short. So let us begin preparations now…”
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So soon? You spoil us.
Now... I wait.
How do you talk your way out of certain execution by an angry mob? Even better, convince said mob to elect you as a leader? This chapter isn't about Donald Trump but... seriously it may as well be because Kaval is going to troll the living crap out of these people for fun and profit.
Mostly poor peasants being sat upon by a cold-hearted aristocracy and pretty towers reminiscent of The Eastern Roaman Empire.
But can it match the glory of the Amber Room?
i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y486/Brian_Haughton/amber_room_zps36eef223.jpg
socialnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/u_mad_trollface-e1354317461581.jpg
What are you Lyra's boyfriend or something? Get to the point!
Oh well that's reasonable. Can we kill him now? In the face?
I do like the Griffies. They're a bit authoritarian, and kinda up their own ass when it comes to honor and such, but they make a lot of sense to me. What they lack is an appreciation for peace and harmony. Winners achieve peace and harmony! Strength should bring about peace, not an excuse to make war. Every empire in history that dedicated itself to endless war collapsed from overextension and most in less than 100 years, some didn't survive the death of the Great Leader.
You are very kind for adding my Siege of Castle Harmony reference into this story. I'm glad it's going into a story that will be appreciated.
It's the only thing that's kept the world from crashing down a certain American presidential candidate.
Too easy! Too easy!
I was really hoping he was inside the box!
Rules? Who cares anything about the rules? You took too long to stop him and now he's going to get away with it.
Now as outdated as the map I had on the wall in Junior High School. The Soviet Union was still on it.
The Griffins brought Primus!? Awesome!
It worked for the Japanese during their Singapore campaign. The Japanese were pretty much stopped by the powerful defenses of Singapore, but gave up to spare the citizenry in the event of a successful siege down the road. The clever Japanese general knew this and convinced the British they were stronger than they really were, despite being near exhaustion.
Pfft! The American Navy will never amount to anything!
I wonder if they'll function like Fallout Equestria's Raptor Class airships? If so, the Griffins are in luck since no one can yet cast the Sonic Rainboom, and there aren't any Canterlot Ghouls with lethal speakers blasting Nickleback (Don't ask!). At any rate, unless one of them is named after a cloud type, I'll be very disappointed.
This is an absolutely wonderful casis belli for war. I completely buy into their rationale for all of this! That makes them superior to the Grand Pegasi Enclave already! Good chapter and published in record time! Can't wait to see more!
7158100 Eh... I didn't read the story, but you make it sound like this chapter is about the radical constitutionalists and how bad they are.
Oh boy... So that Consul DID have a plan.... Crap....
Hope Firefly will be prepared for this, because it'll go down like Optimus and Megatron....
How interesting. Methinks changlings perhaps.
7158100
Well, I can't say I was thinking of The Donald when I wrote this, but it does kind of work that way!
The difference is, of course, Gaius is a far better leader.
Not quite that bad, but some of their earlier revolution's promise has certainly slipped away at this point.
Dear God, what decadence. I don't mind a little opulance, but that's a bit over the top.
Never! From now on I shall only speak in platitudes and crypic quotes!
Most of the room wanted to at that point. He really laid it on thick.
Most Empires don't. Genghis Khan's didn't, and neither did Alexander the Great's, fracturing quickly after their deaths. The Empires that did pass the test of time and last for centuries were ones that balanced military and non-military concerns well; sought to make, if not friends, at least loyal subjects out of their conquests.
The griffins are a bit different in that they've had to fight constantly just to stay alive. To them, at this point, going to war with Equesetria is just an extension of that struggle.
You're very welcome!
And I appreciated that story... even if it didn't work out, it did lay the groundwork for some of your other works.
Well that, and the equally bad alternatives.
Instead of the memory crystals, the storage gem contained Donald Trump! At which point he fires the Empress and installs himself.
Sadly, April Fools Day is over...
Nah. The Consul knows how to think outside the box.
Pretty much...
You know, that's pretty creepy to look at... a trip into the Uncanny Valley right there.
Hell of a makeup job, though...
Playing on the compassion of others when you have none is usually a winning strategy, sadly. When they have more to lose than you do, you can pretty much make them do whatever they want simply by being ruthless.
"Uh, sir? They're dumping all our tea into the harbor..."
Another unintentional FoE reference, then? I seem to be good at making those without even having read the story!
Thanks! But now back to TLaTU, for the time being... time to write a battle of a far different kind!
7157979
You're welcome.
Just one of those cases where the chapter was clamoring to get written. They're not all like that, sadly.
7158131
So what exactly is a radical constitutionalist?
7158523
He did indeed, though the particulars of his plan I'm keeping secret for now.
Well, that'll be her and Kaval. Going by that analogy, there may actually be a Starscream in the mix, however...
7158721
We'll see.
7158809
It's like if Applejack had Trump's money and have Rarity decorate her mansion. I love the Amber room! Damn shame the Nazis stole the contents from the original. The contents remain undiscovered to this day. We still have the recreation of it in Russia today and if I ever did visit, I'd go and see it, because it is absolutely breathtaking!
Slow and steady conquest was the Russian and American path and it worked exceedingly well, though due to different factors. The Russians, for all their excesses in war, proved to be great administrators matching and even exceeding the great work of the British Empire. So long as the people you conquer are properly assimilated into your culture, then expansion is possible. If you conquer a people that strongly identify with their nation, you're just looking over your shoulder until the dagger is buried in your back. This is why China has existed for 5000 years; even the Mongolians respected its institutions and culture, but no one gave a damn when Mongolia collapsed back into a mob of tribal horseman once more.
So much potential for parody... I can just imagine a storage gem scene ala "Pokemon" where Trump appears as the God Emperor of Mankind our of the storage gem, admonishes the booing crowd of griffin donors and special interests and proceeds to fire Palamecia, deport all non griffins, and force the ponies to pay for the Great Wall of Trump.
For the record: I don't really have anything against the guy outside of his ignorance of how international trade works. If he's elected I look forward to 4 years of nothing happening whatsoever, which is a sight better than 8 years of the systematic destruction of our great nation at the hands of The Left. I will gladly vote for him should he win the nomination, which is far from assured unless he does okay in Indiana and does exceptionally well in California. Also just think of the glorious memes we will get out of him! In less than a year he's provided me with a lifetime worth of entertainment. So many channels on youtube, people have made music about how Jeb Bush is a failure who got destroyed by Trump 24/7... great, great fun. He's like my second My Little Pony hobby. My Little Trumpy, if you will.
My Little Trumpy. I always wondered what high-energy could be. Until the day he shared meme magic with me.
Yeah, they're actually called "Raptor Class" ships. The larger ones that serve as a base for them are called "Thunderheads".
7158131 I'm just having fun. As far as the constitution goes, I'm all for it. I'm not sure how you define "radical" but no one is doing wrong by following the constitution. Though the idea that all people are created equal is one I have deep disagreements with as it's not precisely explained in the document if this means they are equal before the law or equal by birth. There is a HUGE difference!
7158976 I think it's pretty self explanatory. The constitution was drafted based on the idea that no one should be above the law. As shown in history, the idea of having someone control everything without restraint has lead to countless failures and power corrupt individuals.
The Constitution's main purpose was to protect the rights of men and women alike, and while that doesn't seem like the case the way it was written, you'd be surprised that it doesn't necessarily mean "only men"
"All men are created equal" Some may think this phrase ment "only the males", but it really means, "All humans are created equal". To sum it up, if man is not equal in body, then man is equal in spirit. Our forefathers very much believed in god(Regardless of what the liberals, atheists, and public schools say) and with this belief, the constitution was made to protect the rights of man and woman, if not in body, then in spirit.
So, I want to ask you... do you see anything in general about the constitution that strikes odd to you?
7158924
Well, according to the democrats, not me, a radical constitutionalist is someone who believes that we should go back to the "Stone age of America".
7159061
Just checking. I believe in the constitution and rule and law, so I guess by that definition that makes me one. But no, that wasn't really what I was going for here. I work with AJA a lot and he was just being funny. He always makes very lengthy comments on the chapters that sometimes get topical, but are always meant in good fun. You're invited to read the story to see what this is about.
7159276 He probably thought it wasn't a joke because of the length of the post.
That is a really interesting perspective shift and great usage of showing both sides in the coming conflict.
Clearly, this is far from over...
7159052
So it's an equal protection thing then? This is a definition I happen to agree with. But...
This idea that people are born equal is based upon feel-good nothing. People are born all sorts of different. Different strengths, different IQs, different potential. Unless you can show me a society where obligations as well as benefits are equal then it is not equal (or egalitarian) in any sense. Example: Who signs up for selective service to vote in the U.S.? Answer: Men. Who is allowed to vote? Everyone. See the problem? Calling everyone equal doesn't magically make them equal because nature is never equal.
As to god and all that... it makes no difference really. If law isn't applied equally than it's an unjust law whether you believe in a god or not.
In my first comment, I was just making satirical fun of the similarities between Gaius' and Trump's position, with basically having to put on a performance to win over a hostile crowd. I have no idea how I became anti-constitutionalist or anti-Trump or any of that. And you certainly wouldn't consider me a liberal if you spoke to me for any length of time. But we have gone far off the top of this story. If you haven't yet, give it a read. It's really quite a nice piece of fantasy fiction!
7159299 Perhaps not, but that's just how I roll.
7160488 I said, "If not in body, then in spirit" I I didn't say the body was created equal. We're all different in body, but we are all born equal in spirit. In hindsight, it means no matter what race, sex, or religion you are, you are equally protected under the Constitution.
Though, I think it'd be smarter to frown upon those who put themselves above the law. If someone tries to act all high and mighty on stage, act more important than the law, then he's not qualified for a vote.
Anyway, I'll probably give this a read later. Definately curious.
7159345
Thanks! What holds for Gaius and the Gryphons holds for Celestia and the ponies as well--if they want to win, they'll have to know their enemies and why they're fighting. Though the gryphon declaration of war will give them guidance on that score...
7160178
You better believe it, sir...
In many ways, this is just the beginning.
7161264
I'm really interested in seeing how this plays out. Gaius must have one hell of a really good plan. He's got to if he still intends on taking on Celestia after what just happened.
7158924 Even though I may be wrong. The reveal will be awesome.
7163080 Maybe set that story idea in the Lunaverse?
7162847
He's got to if the Empress is willing to risk her entire nation for it. She's no fool either.
Be some more intermediate chapters before the war erupts, however...
For now, back to writing TLaTU.
7163008
Here's hoping I can deliver!
7163080
Indeed. At this point in their history, they're got a rather large chip on their shoulders for all they've overcome and been through in their recent past. They're kind of a mix of Sparta and pre-WW2-era Germany in outlook at this point.
I daresay that if the Gryphons had emerged victorious in the war to come, they would have crossed over eventually, looking for new fights and lands to rule. And even in medieval times they might well have bit off more than they could chew.
To quote Celestia in The Lawyer and The Unicorn: "War is a terrible thing... It twists even the gentlest of hearts, scars even the hardest of them." He won't emerge unscathed or the same gryphon for what happens. War breeds many things, including sometimes great respect. For him the key will be he'll finally meet his match--a warrior and leader every bit as good as he is. One who makes him think and feel things he never has before. Take that as you will.
The war would no doubt play out much differently if it was Luna rather than Celestia at that point. You're right, she wouldn't dick around with them, probably leveling a base personally to make her point and killing Gaius before ordering the empire to leave the continent entirely, but on the other hand a Luna-led Equestria would be vulnerable in different ways. It would be a very interesting thing to explore.
If that's what you want, I for one won't stop you!
You'd certainly do it justice...
It's no problem. I'm just gratified you liked it!
Life happens, and I understand. Look forward to prereading whatever you come up with!
7163108
Seconded!
7163080
PLEASE. I've been sitting on a reaction to something i put in a comment on your chapters awhile ago and just cant wait to see your face to it
I wonder who the mysterious potential ally of the griffins is...
Diamond Dogs? I don't think they would be organized enough.
The Elk/Deer? In the fandom, Elk/Deer are portrayed as elves, so unlikely, but in the story, it is mentioned that the ally has outlived Celestia, so maybe a darker portrayal?
Draconequuses (draconequui?), if you portray them as a species, Discord being a very powerful one...
...
SEAPONIES!? Welp, if that is it, the ponies better run screaming in terror, Seaponies are all insane from fighting the terrors of the deep for so long! That or a bunch of singing pansies, depends on where you look on this site...
Could you give me a hint? Pretty Princess Please?
7188545
With apologies, I'm giving no spoilers or any real hints.
All I'll say is that it's well-thought out--I've already run the idea for what will happen past my prereaders--and there will be a couple more clues dropped in due course. Let's just say for now some of Celestia's past battles may come back to haunt her. 
7190669
I read through it and I don't see it. Where?
7190958
I understand. Thanks for writing this amazing story!
7190963
In Part 3:
7194706
Fixed, fixed and fixed. Thank you.
Y'know I hate Cliffhangers.
Why is Firefly wearing a purity seal?
7249420
You'd have to ask the original artist whose work I borrowed. I didn't commission the cover art, I just found it. I didn't know that was called a purity seal or it had been apparently borrowed from Warhammer. I will say that I do plan to have that ribbon actually have purpose.
http://equestria-prevails.deviantart.com/art/Firefly-351657539
The fact that Layan Keval mentions being a consul for the Gryphon Kingdom suggests that either the empire fell apart completely or that the part on the Equestrian Continent becomes a separate state.
9425058
At the point of this writing, he’s the Gryphon Kingdom’s Ambassador to Equestria, not the Consul. It just said he lived at the Gryphon *Consulate* in Canterlot--i.e., their embassy. Should probably change that word since they’re not quite synonymous. In any event, Consul is an old Roman military rank roughly on par with Major General, though its modern usage is that of someone who sees to the affairs of his citizens in a foreign country.
As for the Empire’s fate, the fact that they’re a Kingdom now certainly suggests something happened. I know the answer and have shared it with my prereaders, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for the end of the war to find out.
[Finishes Chapter]
"Oh dear..."
It is true however that Celestia should have someone or something that could overpower her, should she become mad. No matter how unlikely it is. The fear of not having control over such a counter for such a possible threat, would certainly be intolerable to most.
9952653
I think the gryphon reaction to Celly's display was probably a bit more worried than that!
Celestia would 100% agree with you, and she in fact does have contingencies for dealing with herself should she ever succumb to darkness like her sister. She has them because she knows she nearly did succumb once, as the chapter implied towards the end. At least one other of my stories explores such a contingency.
Slowly working my way through this, and I have to marvel at the doublethink involved in justifying this war.
Celestia: I don't like killing and have no wish to do so unless forced.
Gaius: The final masterstroke of my plan relies on Celestia's reluctance to kill.
Palamecia: By the Ancestors, she could kill us at any moment! We have to take her down for our own protection!
Just... just wow.
10898805
Kinda.
It’s more like this:
Celestia: I value the lives of my ponies and will not go to war unless forced.
Gaius: The final masterstroke of my plan relies on Celestia’s love for her ponies and her reluctance to sacrifice them.
Palemecia: Your plan is dangerous, but by the Ancestors, we must try it. For if her sister went mad, she could too! We must defeat her or we will never be safe!
It was initially just a war of conquest and attempt to replace Equestrian primacy with their own, but it quickly morphed into an existential fight for survival when they saw Celly get pissed at them.
Video links for "A New Plan" and "Safety or Ruin" are broken.
I plan to use Thrawn lines almost 1to1 later in my storys to
The Griffons have a point with Celestia but they are what they fear Celestia to become. Mad for absolut rule.
11134049
I admit I had Thrawn in mind when imagining Salvio Gaius. They’re alike in many ways; both strategic geniuses who specialize in analyzing an enemy’s psyche and tailoring their tactics to it.
11134058
Well, they want to rule, certainly, but this just changed from a war of conquest to an existential struggle for existence for them. They now fear Celly, and they do have some reason to. Celly isn’t Luna (or the far more useless show version of Celly, for that matter), but if you push her hard enough, she will come down on you with the fury of the sun itself.