Chapter 35: The Capital Part 3
Monumental decisions affecting thousands of lives dwell in the air, stepping stones of history are now placed before two peoples. One now faces a threat greater than any seen before. With the looming threat of invasion before them, preparations and proceedings must now take place to secure the prosperity they've known for so long....................
Evening fell on the Crystal Empire with an elegant breeze as the first signs of autumn were beginning to set in. The Empire itself was ready to face its second change of the seasons since its return, which meant a whole lot of prepping for when winter finally came. But Cadence had no major concerns, last year's firewood shortage came as an oversight and was quickly remedied with a request for aid. Taking her aunt's lesson on "learning from your mistakes" to heart, Princess Cadence would ensure that this year's winter go much more smoothly.
While the pressure of running her own Kingdom was certainly a hard adjustment, Cadence felt she had finally gotten the hang of it during the summer of this year, practically turning a nation of amnestic denizens into a thriving cultural epicenter, with so many of the Crystal Empire's traditions still yet to come. But Cadence pushed the thoughts of running her kingdom aside for but a moment, taking the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of the evening, watching Celestia's sun begin it's descent so that Luna's star-dazzled night could take its place.
A twitch of the ear and Cadence could hear the distinct sound of the door being opened from behind her. Turning her head, she could only smile as her gaze was met with the sight of her husband, the one and only Shining Armor. Practically three years married with trials and tribulations, and yet the love she had for him still stood as strong as the day she had first met him.
"Enjoying the sights again are we?" He asked as he approached her, taking off his helmet and setting it on the table to her side.
"With a view like this, it's hard not to." She admitted.
"Guess that's just another benefit of being royalty isn't it? Getting the greatest views?"
"Well castles tend to have at least one balcony overlooking the city. Kind of requirement if you think about it?"
"Still, the fact that we have at least six is kind of over-doing it. Think that we could convert one into a pool?"
"And deprive this historical structure of one of it's scenic venues? Simply scandalous." Cadence chided in mock disgust.
The two shared a lighthearted laugh before Shining took the spot next to her. The couple began to snuggle up close and proceeded to enjoy each other's company. Between her own royal duties and Shining's as Captain of the Crystal Guard, time spent together was more often than not relegated to the evenings.
"Anything exciting today, sweetie?" Cadence asked.
"Nothing major, a slight scuffle between two vendors in the marketplace, but nothing to write home about." Shining answered. "In fact, this place has really started to mellow out since the crystal heart incident."
Cadence could relate to the truth behind that statement, as she herself couldn't help but notice how things had calmed down. The only recent crisis Cadence could think of would have been Tirek's return, but fortunately the Crystal Empire managed to evade his wrath when both her and Shining Armor traveled to Canterlot, effectively drawing him away from their home. Other than that, things had been pretty calm, enough where Cadence had been weighing her future prospects into consideration. She had been mulling it over these last few weeks, and she had finally come to a decision regarding a certain addition into both their lives.
"Indeed they have." Cadence said with a tone of suggestion to her voice.
Shining Armor was able to pick up on his wife's undertones very quickly.
"What? You not take a liking to the peace?" Shining inquired.
"No it's not that, it's just..............Shining, remember that talk we had that first night, right after the wedding party?" she asked.
"The one about how we should probably do a mandatory changeling check for all future ceremonies?" Shining quipped.
Cadence gave him an unamused smirk, one which he responded with lighthearted chuckle.
"Yes I remember." Shining relented. "You really think it's time?"
"You said it yourself, things are calm. I can't think of a more perfect time."
The two couldn't help but snuggle closer at this moment, as a life changing decision.
"Shining, I want to have a-"
All of a sudden, the doors behind were audibly and forcefully flung open as one of the crystal guards, a unicorn carrying a scroll of parchment in his magical grip, came racing towards them.
"Your majesties!" He addressed. "I carry an urgent missive from Canterlot!"
The couple turned around, caught by surprise and curious as to what could have been so urgent considering the hour.
"Could this not have waited till morning?" Shining inquired, a tad bit annoyed by the sudden intrusion.
"No, my prince. I'm afraid not." The courier stated.
"Why? What's happened?" Cadence asked.
"The letter contains everything you need to know, your majesty."
The courier proceeded to levitate the missive over to them, where shining took hold over it with his own magic.
"I won't lie to you, the contents are......dire, and very disturbing."
The tone of his voice said it all, whatever happened was serious, and more than likely carried with it bad news. Shining wasted no time opening it for he and his wife to read. A few seconds passed, and the two found themselves with mouths agape with what the contents entailed.
Dearest Sister and Brother,
Your presence is requested at once as Equestria faces yet another dangerous threat. I'm afraid I can't share every detail, but I will give the condensed account. About a week ago, a mysterious creature by the name of Tim Berfield came to Ponyville seeking aid. He was not of this world, belonging to a race of beings known as humans. Requesting a means of returning to his home realm, I and the elements of harmony, as well as Princess Celestia and Luna, agreed to help him in his endeavor. What we did not know was that his compatriots back home had the same idea. Unbeknownst to us, they launched a rescue mission of their own, which led them straight to Ponyville. Suffice to say, this has resulted in disaster. An unforeseen altercation resulted in these humans becoming hostile, with Tim being killed in the process. My castle lies in ruins, Princess Luna is severely injured, over 200 ponies lie slain, and the precipice of war now threatens the peace of Equestria. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have called for a royal congress. As co-regents of the Crystal Empire, we ask for your presence in this state of emergency. I urge you to make haste, as an attack from the humans could and can come about at any time.
Sincerely, Your beloved sister,
Twilight Sparkle.
"Mother of all that's gracious...this can't be." Cadence shuddered.
"I don't think Twilight would of sent this if weren't true." Shining assured her. "How soon can we depart for Canterlot?"
"Commander Gust took the liberty of preparing transport the minute he learned of the situation, sir. A train should be ready within the hour."
"Make sure the engine's stoked and warmed up by the time we get there. We need to start packing." Shining noted.
He looked to his wife, who still stood staring at the missive with a wide-eyed look of horror.
"Cadence?"
Cadence suddenly snapped back to reality, darting her gaze to that of her husband's.
"I'm sorry, you're right, there's no time to delay." She reaffirmed.
The two then practically raced towards their quarters, feelings of intimacy and excitement for the future now supplemented with thoughts of horror and anxiety. What could have led to this, Cadence wondered. How could peace that had withstood for months suddenly be shattered to such a drastic level? Cadence's resolve was ultimately shaken upon learning of the death count, though she did her best to conceal it. Shining Armor, while mentally stalwart, would be lying if he said this news didn't disturb him. In his years of service as a royal guard, he had seen his share of combat, even death in rare cases, but nothing on this level. These humans had managed to bring more death in one night than the combined efforts of the Equine-Griffon War, Equestrian's greatest conflict. Whatever they were, they undoubtedly sought blood, and were not to be underestimated. As to what extent these creatures possessed in terms of destruction and capability still remained unknown to him, but he undoubtedly knew it had to be considerable, and that alone concerned him to no end.
Twilight had been writing up a fury since they had arrived on castle grounds in Canterlot. After a brief period of being shown and situated to her quarters, her and the other elements wasted no time in doing what they could in preparations for the royal congress. For Twilight in particular, it meant writing missives to all of the Equestrian senators, a title which until now had mostly been honorary, but now the time had called for their duty to be fulfilled. There were a total of 251 delegates, and with fervent use of the copy and paste spell she had managed to send summons to all of them in just a little over two hours.
"There, that's last one." Twilight announced.
Spike had been on standby with spare ink, quills, and parchment, for which Twilight had already gone through a considerable amount of each, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Finally, I thought that would never end." He said, exasperated. "What now?"
"I can't thank you enough for help, Spike. Why don't you take some time to get some rest, it's been a long day." Twilight urged. "It's already getting dark, and I need to see the Princesses before retiring, if sleep is even up on the table at this point."
"Actually Twilight, if it's all the same to you, I think I'll go see what Fluttershy and Rarity were able to find with the head over at the school."
That prospect alone still seemed odd, but it was the task the two had volunteered for. Perhaps Fluttershy's expertise with animals and Rarity's craft could provide insight on how to utilize the Obelisk's head into an effective armor? Alas, that was hours ago, and it was no use speculating the results when she had her own duties to attend to.
"Alright, just don't burn yourself out, Spike." Twilight urged.
"Same to you, Twilight."
With the current task now done, Twilight wasted no time to attend to her second task of finding Princess Celestia and Luna, which would undoubtedly entail a discussion on the next steps towards the royal congress. Thankfully Twilight knew where they probably were when it came to carrying out royal matters, thus making the trip quite short. With a quick casting, Twilight teleported herself to the entrance of the throne room. Two guards standing vigil opened the doors and bowed as she made her way through. Once inside Twilight could see her mentor discussing matters with her chief secretary and adviser, Raven Inkwell. Twilight couldn't make hide or hair of Princess Luna, but considering her predicament and the time of day, it didn't take Twilight very long to assume that she either was attending to her royal responsibility or still required time to recuperate from her injuries.
"-I'll see to it that all the appropriate accommodations get set up, Princess." Raven assured.
"Thank you Raven, I know this is on such short notice." Celestia said in a slightly apologetic tone.
"With all due respect your majesty, I think the same could be said for this whole situation."
It was then that the two finally noticed the young alicorn make her approach.
"Greetings, Princess Twilight." Raven addressed with a bow.
"Hello Twilight." Celestia greeted, grim with its tone but still considerate in its nature.
"Hello Princess. Hello Raven." Twilight replied, a tone equally as somber. "I just finished sending the royal summons like you asked, and came here to see what else needs to be done."
"Of course, Raven if you don't mind, I'm afraid we'll need to discuss this next bit of planning in private." Celestia instructed.
"Of course, your majesties. If you need me, I'll be in the staff headquarters giving everyone their assignments."
With a final bow the white unicorn took her leave.
"This way, Twilight." Celestia instructed.
As the alabaster alicorn led her pupil to back chambers of the royal throne room, Twilight felt a sudden inclination to the whereabouts of her sister.
"Did Princess Luna already retire for the night?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. Her injuries were giving her trouble. She's already being treated by the royal physicians. I pray they'll help expediate her recovery."
The subject of Princess Luna made her think of how those grievous injuries came to be. The weapons of the humans able to penetrate the magical might of an alicorn's shield was horrifying, the physical damage it left in its wake even more so. The image of Sweet Apple Acres with the hundreds of corpses scattered across its ground was still burned into her mind. Twilight knew that this was nowhere the extent of their capabilities, and that a war with humankind, if winnable, would come at a tremendous cost.
Once the two had entered the back room, Twilight's gaze was met with the familiar sight of where Celestia held most of her foreign negotiations. The Princess sat down in her designated seat, and gestured for Twilight to take the seat next to her. Twilight did so, letting out an anxious sigh before speaking. The room was long, sporting and equally long table at its center. Wall sconces and chandeliers of gold lit the interior, as a long array of arched windows gave view to the spanning landscape of lower Canterlot and the horizons of Equestria. Twilight thought the setting would have been breathtaking if other matters didn't occupy her mind.
"So what happens now?" Twilight asked.
"With Luna absent, it falls on us to organize the resolution to present before the royal congress. Are you familiar with the procedures that come with such a summon, Twilight?"
Twilight pondered it, but ultimately her knowledge, while accurate, was very vague.
"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the specifics. I only glanced upon it during my studies."
"I thought as much, and I don't blame you for the lack of knowledge, there hasn't been a royal congress in over a thousand years. But I'll try my best to summarize. Royal Congresses only emerge in the greatest of emergencies, anypony who's been granted the title of Equestrian senator is tasked with attending when called upon."
Twilight nodded in affirmation, indicative that she understood.
"The purpose of a royal congress is relatively simple, if there's anything that the regents of Equestria cannot decide upon in full confidence, they call upon a royal congress to aid in the decision making."
"So....like an advisory Council?" Twilight asked.
"Not exactly, it's more of an open vote, with anypony able to put forward any motion that could remedy the crisis."
"A vote? On a royal level?" Twilight asked confused.
"I admit, it is rare to convene what's usually relegated to mayorship or local government for royal matters, but it is an integral part of the process. The royal congress was set up so that the hard, and even at times morally difficult decisions falls on Equestria as a whole rather than its leaders. Every Equestrian Senator can weigh in their vote on one decision or another."
"So, the outcome is a shared responsibility?" Twilight suggested.
"Precisely, the emergency will undoubtedly effect every Equestrian citizen, but because of the state of emergency, the majority vote, no matter what ratio, will be carried out, regardless of any reservations from ponies with opposing viewpoints."
The sudden realization then hit Twilight, causing her eyes to go wide.
"So what you're saying is, if they decide on something other than peace?"
"I can't stop it." Celestia answered.
That proposition sent the pit in Twilight's stomach to sink even further, as the already disastrous prospect of potential war could be seemingly made worse if attempts at peace weren't even pursued.
"Princess, we have to sue for peace, whatever the cost!" Twilight pleaded.
"With that we're in agreement Twilight." Celestia concurred. "But you now understand that the decision on this crisis of this magnitude isn't ultimately up to just me and Luna, we'll need to convince the congress as a whole if we want to sway in that direction."
"What about your authority? Doesn't it carry the ultimate decision?"
"My voice will undoubtedly carry a heavy weight with it, but we've already sent the summons. If I were to deny the will of the Congress should a majority fall upon something other than a peaceful resolution, that could be a disaster in its own right. Many could feel the vote was a waste of time, many more will feel their input went unheeded, and some may even claim I overstepped my bounds as a co-regent of Equestria."
"Is all that worse than a war with the human race?" Twilight objected.
Celestia opened her mouth as if to speak, only for a moment of silence to overtake the monarch. Twilight watched as her mentor took on an expression of trepidation in her posture. It seemed that even the great Celestia was uncertain what to do at this moment of turmoil.
"I would say no, but this is very delicate situation, Twilight. Were this any other predicament I would take full responsibility of the matter as I have in the past. But knowing what's already happened, what's at stake, this is a decision Equestria needs to make. The whole reason for a royal congress in the first place is to gain a foothold of Equestria security, with all perspectives taken into account. We may get two ways of resolving this crisis, we may three, five, any number. But whatever the case, we have to abide by wherever the majority vote lies."
"Do you think the congress will call for war?" Twilight asked, dumbfounded by this whole process.
"Absolutely not! Some may call for a rise in Equestria's defense, but I will use my authority to forbid any first strike against the humans! It's not our way, and I fairly certain everypony knows that."
Twilight was confused by this sense of anxiety she was getting from Celestia.
"Then if not war, then what?" Twilight inquired.
"I fear there will be a substantial number who'll refuse to treat with those that butchered our own kind. When the casualty reports are revealed, there will be ponies who'll seek to do everything they can to distance ourselves from the problem than actually remedying it, and with the humans coming from another world, that option would seem viable."
"But the humans know how to come to our world at will." Twilight argued.
"I know, and exactly when and where the reach of that ability spans has yet to be determined." Celestia concurred. "One thing's for certain, some ponies may be eager to sever ties and contact with humanity, but I doubt humanity will ever lose interest in us, or our world."
Twilight recalled the information Tim had shared to them before departing for the Everfree, painting a clear picture on the state of the human homeworld, and the problems they faced.
"Of course they wouldn't." Twilight agreed. "They're basically facing their inevitable extinction. No food, no water, and they suddenly find our world that's abundant in both."
"I agree, but I have a feeling that they don't want a war either." Celestia argued. "We saw firsthand what the last war did to Tim's world. It would be foolish to use the same severity to attack ours, lest they destroy it in the process."
The logic and reason of her mentor's statement seemed sound, but there was still one factor that would need to be addressed, one that had seemingly been tip-toed around during their conversation.
"What about the...incident. What do we tell the congress when they ask how this whole situation escalated?"
Celestia felt a moment of trepidation in touching the subject, but ultimately knowing that it would have to be addressed at one point or another.
"We.........should address that topic at another time. Right now it's best we direct our efforts towards presenting our resolution."
Twilight, while not as experienced as her mentor, did have the occasional spout of perception, especially when the off putting mood of the room had just been made evident.
"Princess, you didn't sound very confident in that statement." Twilight perceived.
"Was it that obvious?" Celestia asked, her stalwart manner somewhat faltering in between her sentences. "Your right, there is a plan in place, but...................."
Princess Celestia hesitated, but ultimately spat out the rest.
"Princess Luna wants everypony to know what exactly happened. She wishes for everypony to know it was her spell that caused Berfield's death."
Twilight's expression shot a look of utter surprise towards her mentor.
"Wait, what?" Twilight sputtered.
"She wishes for us to tell the truth, Twilight." Celestia reiterated. "As much as the thought of revealing my sister's mistake makes me hesitant, she feels it needs to be known."
"Princess, do you know what the repercussions of that will be!?" Twilight worried.
"There are several, all of them severe, all of them unfavorable, some even irrevocable." Celestia answered. "But if we hope to broker peace with humankind, everypony in the congress will need to know how the situation arose. If we admit our wrongdoing, even if it was unintentional, the humans may undoubtedly admit their's. That in turn could form the stepping stones to dissolving the crisis."
"Princess, I beg you to reconsider!" Twilight pleaded. "Tensions are high and everypony is looking for answers! The two of you are wise, and have much more experience in these things than me, but I feel we're thinking too far ahead! Revealing the truth could only escalate things, from either our side or the human's! What if it leads more ponies to shy away from a peaceful resolution? Not to mention how it will tarnish Luna's reputation. Think of what that would do to Princess Luna if everypony kn-?"
"I know!" Celestia shouted.
Twilight was taken aback by the sudden raise in volume, and action Celestia was quick to amend.
"I know, Twilight. I apologize for shouting, but everything that's happened is pushing even my resolve to its limits. But my sister was very confident in this decision. No, more along the lines of adamant, really. If she wishes to push this forward in an effort to broker a peace, I have no grounds to stop her. Even as a sister who loves her."
Twilight recollected, and in her best effort to come across as calm as possible, she asked one simple question she had neglected to ask.
"She has to know what this will do to her, why does she feel the need to do it?"
Celestia pondered the question, a heavy weight already on her shoulders as she stared out the window, watching as the sun had drifted into the lowest point in would allow. Celestia closed her eyes and took a deep breath as her horn lit with a magnificent golden glow. The sun then descended further from sight, as the sky grew dark and the last shimmers of sunlight vanished as night took its reign. When the sun had disappeared from sight, Celestia had finally spoke.
"Because she fears what she has seen, and she fears she'll see it here in Equestria. If she can avoid that fate, she'll do what she feels is necessary. Whatever the cost."
"GaaaAAAH!" Luna yelped in pain.
The process of detaching the mobile leg brace from her injured leg and moving to the bed happened to be more painful than Luna had previously imagined, as working with just three legs proved harder than it looked. Even with a professional aid from the royal physicians at her side, adapting to the pain was still a tremendous challenge.
"Princess, I need you to be more gentle when you climb into bed." The Aid said. "Too much strain is just going to result in more pain."
"I'm trying." Luna protested.
The aid overseeing her care, one Earth pony mare by the name of Nurse Nettlekiss, had been rather to the point with her direction for Luna, almost unapolgetically so. Perhaps it was due to her relationship she had with treating her sister's injuries over the years, but it seemed the Nettle-Green Earth pony wasn't giving any formalities to her when it came to this. Luna, while somewhat unaccustomed to this sort of behavior, knew it was in her best interests, as the pony had been given the monumental task of being entrusted in her care. Luna, who had already stumbled once and fallen on her bed trying to get in it, attempted a second go.
"Easy." Nettlekiss instructed. "Take it slow, and shift the balance so that your right side isn't taking all the wait."
"You sound like you've experienced it before?" Luna stated.
"As a matter of fact, I have. I broke my leg growing up and had to to deal with the same thing, minus the wing of course. And then I had a whole career's worth of helping ponies go through the same thing."
Luna shot her a look of mild disdain. While she wasn't about to weigh in on whether her injuries or a broken leg equated to same level of pain, she was very confident that the literal holes and multiple fractures in bones and wing her made this situation significantly different. Though ultimately, she held her tongue and did her best to listen to her advice, and with a little bit of effort, Luna found all three of her working hooves on her bed, and began to lie down.
"Alright, let's get you tucked in." Nettlekiss said.
"I do hope you don't mean that literally." Luna mouthed.
"Just a figure of speech your majesty." Nettlekiss clarified with a hint of sass. "Anything you need before you sleep? Refreshment or an extra pillow?"
"Just privacy, if you please."
"Of course, your majesty. But in case you change your mind, I'm leaving you this bell. Just ring it so the guard outside can hear, and I'll come at once. I won't be far."
As Nettlekiss left her the bell and departed the room, Luna found herself with her thoughts, something she both felt she needed and something she had feared. Despite the distractions of the day, nothing could divert her thoughts away from the events of the previous night. Gunfire, screams. Even though she wasn't there to lay eyes on it, she had imagined the worst when the humans had made their attack on Sweet Apple Acres. Visions of what she saw in Andrew's dream played out in her head, a level of war she couldn't have fathomed just two nights before. What could compel creatures to engage in such a level of madness? What she saw could only be described as the worst living nightmare imaginable, where beings were rendered into their most primal of urges, and became mindless beasts, with the sole intent to kill.
This in turn led to thoughts of what the road had in store. Debate, deliberation, and undoubtedly shame. Anxiety plagued every fiber of her mind, as nerves were racked from the guilt she felt mentally, and the pain she felt physically. That pain, that throbbing, ceaseless pain, as if shards cut at every angle of her injury. And the swelling, adding the burning sensation on top of all of it.
"I guess this is how it felt for Tim. Having a literally tear straight into you," Luna pondered.
That singular thought was one she immediately regretted, as her already troubled mind received another torrent of negative emotion. Tim, her friend, the one human who had entrusted her with knowledge that could bring ruin to his people if fallen in the wrong hooves, the human she promised to aid, killed by her reckless actions. Unintentional or not, the blood on her hooves was irrefutable, and this fact made Luna's grief and guilt effectively endless, enough to bring her to tears.
"Why did I do it? Why couldn't I just talk things out like my sister always does?! Why am I always making the mistakes? How many died because of my mistake? How many more will it take before I can finally stop causing so much harm!"
"Gah!" Luna yelped.
So entrenched in thought she was that she failed to notice that she'd practically been tossing and turning, putting stress on her injuries. She breathed a defeated sigh and took a more comfortable position. Once again she attempted to calm her thoughts and focus on rest. However her thoughts would not give her the inner peace she so desired, and when the minutes passed to hours, Luna came to an obvious realization.
"Who am I kidding? There'll be no rest this night." Luna admitted.
Luna shifted her gaze to the ceiling above, plaster adorned with a majestic mural of the night sky, cast over the realm she called home, the realm she loved, the realm she'd do anything to protect.
"Accident or no, I need to face something for my actions." Luna asserted. "Everypony needs to know what I did. I can only hope they give me the chance to make amends."
The latter part of her thoughts wasn't entirely for her people however, for she knew the humans would undoubtedly want answers as well. But even that wasn't entirely certain. Luna feared they would seemingly ignore their pleas for peace and see them as a threat to their own existence, for it wasn't guaranteed that every human could see reason when faced with dire circumstances. Tim's friend Achmed was proof of that. Luna recalled that look of pure hate on his face when he stared here down, the lack of hesitation when he drew his weapon and attempted to gun her down, what Celestia shared of his actions at Sweet Apple Acres. It took an iron will to face off in a shouting match with a pure-blood alicorn, it was another matter entirely to strike one down and take another hostage. Were the odds not stacked against him, Luna was certain he would have killed Twilight. To make this whole ordeal even more daunting, Achmed the only one present, the only one who truly knew the events of what actually transpired, and it didn't take a genius to realize that his people would take his word seriously.
"What stories would he tell of us? Stories of how we're murderers, liars, beings neither worthy of trust or mercy?"
These fearful notions created a pit in Luna's stomach, as hopes of averting conflict seemed to grow more and more slim. However, almost as if it were a natural reaction, the degree of trepidation and despondence gave way to an immediate outburst of defiance.
"Blasted, Luna! Snap out of this!" She shouted.
The outburst must have been loud, for the door immediately opened for the guard standing watch outside to check everything out.
"Your majesty, is everything alright?!" He asked in an alert tone.
"Yes." She was quick to answer. "Everything's all right, I'm just....frustrated is all. No need for alarm, you may return to your post."
"Of course, you're majesty." The guard nodded in affirmation.
As he exited the room and closed the door, Luna did her best to formulate a way, any way, this situation could be resolved, and what means it would take to achieve it. There were a few, and almost all of them ended in some sort of punishment for Equestria, and even a few for her. But these moves were still at a basic level, and would need time and the slightest bit of courage and sacrifice to achieve. It seemed this newfound sense of positivity helped in giving the Princess of the Night the sleep she needed. As the last trickles of thought left her mind as it transitioned into its unconscious state, they touched upon the humans one last time. According to Tim, his people were led by a Council, supposedly a collection of the best humanity had to offer. Luna hoped maybe they had the foresight and wisdom to see past Achmed's delusions. Perhaps it was a faint hope, but perhaps it wasn't. Regardless, they would know humanity's intentions when humanity saw fit, and time would only tell if their actions spoke of peace or war.
Nighttime had finally descended over New Damascus by the time the Council was ready to reconvene for a final vote. All participants were prompt and present, with everyone showing up a little before scheduled. When the final participant, Councilor Schafer, had arrived, not a minute was wasted to get things underway.
"I'm glad to see you all were very prudent in your timing." Schafer commended them all. "That's good. I suppose now, we cast our decision?"
The others generally nodded in agreement, eager but anxious to get underway. They all stood, ready to cast their vote.
"Then the decisions before us are as follows." Schafer announced. "For our first resolution. This Council has pressed forward the motion to attempt a peaceful settlement between our Coalition and the nation of Equestria, the goal of which is to ease the tension between our two nations and engage in negotiations to broker a peaceful resolution. Those in favor, raise your hand and say aye. All those opposed, say nay."
The votes went around the table starting with Schafer.
"Aye." Schafer announced.
Then to Bradford
"Aye."
Then Andrew.
"Aye."
And Patel.
"Aye."
All eyes were now set upon the final voter, Yeong, Councilor of Agriculture. A few seconds passed, before letting out a sigh and raising his hand.
"Aye."
They all put down their hands.
"The decision is unanimous." Schafer announced. "Now, onto the second matter. This Council has pushed forward the motion to send a force of the Militia into the borders of Equestria covertly. The mission, acquisition of desperately needed resources for the people of the Survivor Coalition. Those in favor, raise your hand and say aye. All those opposed, say nay."
Now came the moment of truth, the deciding factor on how much time the Survivors had left. Schafer was silent, contemplating the decision, but it seemed he would not succumb to the same pressure Yeong had.
"Nay." Schafer announced.
While disappointing, it wasn't surprising, as Schafer valued integrity of character above all, and sending troops in before a decision was reached was not something he could condone.
With one vote already against him, it fell to Bradford to cast the next vote. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and said, "Aye."
Andrew in turn, did much of the same thing, with a resounding, "Aye."
With that came Patel's turn to vote. With it came the difficult stretch for the decision, as the vote would undoubtedly have to be decided by Yeong yet again. But while the previous motion was undeniably the right thing to do, this one was a bit more tricky, and he'd have to be the tie breaker.
"Guess we'll see." Andrew thought to himself. "Hope to God he realizes how desperate a state we're in. Though he does tend to follow Patel and Schafer when comes to guidance, maybe if-"
"Aye."
Everyone in the room shot their gaze to Patel, wondering if there ears had not deceived them.
"Yes, that's right. I vote aye." Patel reassured them, aware of the surprise her decision brought. "No sense in holding up the vote any longer, I'll explain my reasons at a later time. Yeong, the final vote falls to you."
Yeong, like every other person in the room was found speechless, though through some effort, he found his voice yet again.
"A..aye?" he said, still dumbfounded by what just happened.
"The...majority....has voted in favor of this motion, and thus it passes." Schafer announced, a faint trail confusion in his voice. "Sawyer, jurisdiction over the force we send is ultimately up to you, but this Council would be grateful if you informed us on who you planned to over this operation."
"Of course, I had intended to reassign the 27th Field Operations Company led by Colonel Panjaitan for the task." Andrew answered.
"Are you certain there's not anyone else you could recommend?" Patel inquired. "Someone who's not keen on using force as a first resort option?"
"I admit, his tactics might be a bit harsh when it comes to dealing with threats, but his history and skill in dense jungle environments is exemplary. And he'll be given explicit instructions to avoid confrontation, which he's been capable of doing in the past."
Patel, while not entirely approving of Andrew's choice, nodded in agreement nonetheless.
"How soon can they be ready to depart?" Schafer asked.
"They'll be notified the moment we adjourn." Andrew answered. "This mission is to be priority one. With any luck, their withdrawal from their current AO will be expedient, no more than three days I should think."
Schafer nodded, and proceeded with the following.
"Then my friends, I believe the session has concluded for tonight."
"So it seems, though I doubt our work for tonight is over." Andrew claimed.
"That it is not." Patel affirmed. "It's best we discuss the specifics and next steps for our proposals come morning, but for now, we need to release a public statement for the people."
"Agreed. In fact I took the liberty of having all Coalition broadcast stations on standby for such a task."
"If you and Yeong could get started on that, I will begin drafting a proposal ready for tomorrow morning." Schafer asked.
"Of course." Bradford replied.
As Schafer left the room, all eyes turned to the Councilor of Peace and Justice, who was ready to face all the inquires her fellow Councilors undoubtedly had. However, Andrew was quick to jump in.
"Hey, look, we all have things to do. We can ask any questions later." He argued.
Andrew gave them a clear cut look, one that blatantly said "not now". Bradford and Yeong looked to one another, but ultimately found logic in his reasoning, and not wishing to cause tension, left without a fuss to see to their own business. Andrew gave Patel a quick glance, and upon seeing she was still silent, opted to do the same thing. However her words alone were enough to make him stop.
"I suppose an explanation is an order?" Patel announced.
Andrew turned around once again, and while his better judgement told him should honestly save this conversation for a later date, he could not deny that he secretly wished for some answers.
"I'll admit, it's not entirely beyond reason." Andrew confessed.
"I suppose it was a surprise to everyone, wasn't it?"
"That's an understatement. I don't think anyone could have imagined you ever signing off on a mission into the new world, especially after all that happened. Why the sudden change of heart?"
Patel let out a light chuckle, one filled that defied the clear cut tone of sorrow her voice adopted.
"Didn't feel so sudden to me. Those hours leading up to the final decision were......I don't even know what word would adequately describe it. Agony maybe. I was angry, angry at you, angry at world really. Every bad thing seemingly working together to undermine our lives, all while trying to hold what essentially amounted to a shit show together. There's days where I've honestly wondered if this Coalition is worth it. It's so easy to think that too, the bureaucracy, the decision making that affects everyone's lives. In a society of people who've had to survive by their own means for most of their lives, it's so easy to fall back on what you know, looking after you, your own."
The melancholic tone of her voice told Andrew that this was a serious conversation, that the words she spoke came from her very thoughts. In one of the few times in his life, Andrew neglected to speak, and instead chose to listen.
"But I've always held the belief that we can be better than that." Patel continued. "I've always believed that with enough effort and dedication, people can work together to overcome any obstacle, most times without resorting to violence. While my faith in the Coalition holding together has always walked the edge of a knife, by belief in people rising above their most basic nature has never wavered."
"An admirable ideal." Andrew admitted.
"Maybe, but still an ideal. Ideals don't hold up well when reality shows its ugly face, Sawyer. I suppose you know that better than anyone else on the Council. In all the years I've been a councilor, my ideals have been put to the test, by desperate situations, things out of our control, and even by conflicting views held by other councilors. And while I can honestly say my mandate of those ideals has not changed, I have had to make concessions for the greater good. This is one of those times. Make no mistake Sawyer, on moral grounds, I find this decision dangerous, and not just in the immediate sense."
"What is it you fear will happen?" Andrew asked.
"I fear for us, Sawyer. I fear that this situation can twist the idea of the greater good, and turn into a means of simply taking what we want."
"It won't come to that." Andrew asserted.
"And are you so certain of that? How many in the past have said the same thing only for them to become the very evil they swore to fight against? We walk a precarious road Sawyer, you're not blind to it, you must see that."
Andrew took a few hard seconds to ponder her words, finding truth to them, as he many events in his life felt so similar. His life and the foundations of the Coalition were very much a precarious set of events, and sometimes it was simply sheer luck that saw the body as a whole survive. But if there was thing that held the backbone of it all together, it was the commitment to seeing its survival.
"Maybe not, and you're right, this won't be an easy endeavor. But I'll tell you this much, so long as I am a member of the Council, I will do everything in my power to avoid that path. Unless this situation becomes literally life or death, I will not let another war befall our people. I will expend every option, make every sacrifice within reason, before I let us be dragged into another conflict. You have my word on that."
Patel looked back at him, herself now silently contemplating his words.
"You're reckless, Sawyer. You're stubborn, difficult, hard headed, and adamant." She announced, her voice gradually leading somewhere more positive. "You're a lot like me in many ways."
Andrew let a small smile cross his face from her bout of brutal honesty.
"But one thing you're not is a liar. In the time I've known you, you've always told us the truth, and while we've been at odds more often than not, you've never betrayed my trust."
Andrew felt a sense of pride from that statement, not entirely sure if it if it was genuine.
"Even in light of recent events?" Andrew inquired.
"You're actions were foolish, and they may very well haunt us for a long time. But you told us, despite the damage it would do to you. You essentially engaged in what many would see as career suicide so that we could be informed and make the right decision in the most dire of circumstances. Not to mention it would have been easy to favor a conflict with the information we have, but despite that, you saw past the inconsistencies and voted in the best interests of humanity. In a sense, you've shown me that you can put any personal grudges aside and put our people first, and that's the kind of man we need in your position. Especially now."
"Funny, thought this whole ordeal was going to cost me my seat at the Council."
"It probably will, Sawyer, just not now. As the saying goes, we have bigger fish to fry."
"I know. But when that time comes, I'll step down admirably without a fuss." Andrew promised.
Patel gave a slight nod, one with approval but not without its fair share of seriousness.
"Well, I hope that explains where I stand." Patel said. "We should probably get to back to our duties."
"Agreed. If you'll excuse me. I have a phone call to make."
As Andrew stepped out of the room, he could almost feel the disdain Patel carried for what details his call would involve. The individual in question had a bit a storied past with Patel, and the two were not on speaking terms. If Patel was the pinnacle of endeavored peace, Colonel Panjaitan was the opposite.
The room was dark, but even in the dim florescent light, one unfortunate soul could make out the tall and muscular figure of a man decked out in jungle DPM fatigues, tactical vest and weapons still attached. The figure proceeded to delivered another punch had been to the battered man who sat tied to an old chair, stained red with years of use in such endeavors which he currently found himself in. Each punch felt harder than the last, but the man remained silent. While the pain had been inflicted across multiple areas of his body, they had all been directed to the same places over and over with ruthless efficiency.
The figure stepped closer, revealing a muscled face set with thick patches of whiskers. His dark amber skin had seen a lot of damage over the years, ranging from combat to the elements themselves, giving his overall aesthetic a war weathered look and making his neutral expressions akin to an almost stern grimace. This man was none other than Colonel Panjaitan.
"Are you ready to talk, Baruch?" the Colonel asked.
"F.fuck you!" Baruch screamed.
"Wrong answer." The Colonel stated with a dismissive tone as he delivered yet another punch, this time directed to the man's abdomen.
Many within the Militia, as well as the Survivor Coalition as a whole, described Colonel Iskander Panjaitan as a bit of a ruthless personality. The man was a no-nonsense officer, and formerly ran with Indonesian KSF. During the Conflict, Panjaitan, or "Pan" as he was known to his men, worked in conjunction with the US Navy Seals to fend off the Chinese Invasion forces during their Pacific Campaign. For 15 years, he fought, bled, and breathed jungle warfare, even the less than ethical qualities it would commonly display. This interrogation only served to reaffirm those qualities.
"I'm growing tired of this, Baruch. Tell me where your buddies are hiding out, and I can make this end." Colonel Panjaitan
Colonel Pan delivered another decisive blow to the tied down man. Baruch, whether or not that was his real name didn't matter it was simply the one they got out of him, ran with a ring of local pirates. Just another name for the degenerates who resorted to violence to take what they wanted. In a sense they were raiders, bandits, outlaws, people who recognized no authority but their own. They'd been raping and pillaging for the better part of five years completely unopposed on the North Maluku Islands. That was until the Coalition sent him two years ago. For two years, Pan had put their feet to the flames, carving a bloody path into their activities until he finally had them on the run. Survivors of their terror gave vital information on their patrols, one of which Baruch had been a member. Colonel Pan theorized their base of operations was somewhere in the ruins of Ternate, all that was required was a specific location. Another punch, this one effectively busting out one of Baruch's left canines.
"I can go at this all day Baruch. If I wanted you dead, you would be with rest of that rabble you call friends. Now tell me what I want to know."
Baruch spat out blood in his direction, which landed on Pan's chest. Pan, not even phased, shook his head and smirked. Pan's strategy for dealing with problems had always been seen by his peers as drastic, even extreme in a few circumstances. But nobody else in the militia had level of expertise when it came to deep jungle operations, which for the Survivor's operations in Indonesia, were absolutely vital. Some of Pan's Lieutenants continued to watch as Pan kept the interrogation going, so entrenched they were with the process that they failed to notice Corporal Nikolai Sevchenko enter the room. The young man was relatively new to the unit but, had been with them long enough to get a grip on who to talk to about important matters that required the Colonel's attention.
"Colonel Pan, sir." He addressed in a slight Russian accent. "Urgent message coming through the communications channel."
"It can wait." Pan hissed, not breaking his sight from Baruch.
"It's priority one sir."
Pan had halted mid swing at the mere mention of that.
"Priority one?" he asked. "Who the hell is calling for a priority one?"
"It's....the Commander, sir."
It was at that moment Pan turned to face him, as any and all sense of anger seemingly faded away.
"Very well." He said with an ambiguous neutrality to his voice.
Baruch, who's face was practically swelling and bruised at this point, breathed a sigh of relief, a mistake he quickly regretted.
"Captain Kelly, take over for me would you?" Pan ordered.
"With pleasure, sir." He complied in a thick Aussie accent. "Alright mate, let's see if we can't improve upon the Colonel's handiwork."
Pan could hear the grunts and pained moans of Baruch as he left the interrogation room and made his may to the ops center. Their current base was a hold over from the Chinese, who set up shop rather quickly in what was lather referred to as Siwang Bao, or the Death Fort, a name fitting for what amounted to a structure composed of entirely concrete bunkers, Anti-aircraft and artillery dugouts, a triple series of trenches surrounded by about five dozen pillboxes and guard towers. But even a formidable fortress stood no real chance against the nuclear holocaust, and those who didn't die from the swaths of oncoming fallout fled elsewhere.
The local den of pirates had used it as a base a few months back, but the facility was severely undermanned, making it easy for Pan and his men to infiltrate and take it right under their noses. Since then it had served as a very effective forward operations base, a hub to conduct all the operations out the field. The route to comms, located in what was once the central guard tower, was thankfully a short distance, with the only real obstacle being the three flights of stairs one needed to ascend to get there.
Once there, he was greeted by the man standing guard outside. With a quick salute, the militiaman opened the door for the Colonel, who then stepped inside. Sergeant Pang was already on standby with the communications outlet, what essentially amounted to a jerry-rigged satellite up-link that was somehow still operational even after the war, but it made long-distance communication a breeze. Pang gave the Colonel the transmitter, which more or less looked like and old landline phone. As Colonel Pan pressed to his ear, he was the first to speak.
"Colonel Panjaitan speaking."
"*Hello Colonel, it's been a while.*" said the voice that was unmistakably that of Commander Sawyer.
"Likewise, sir, likewise. How are things in New Damascus? I've heard rumors."
"*If those rumors entail a shitshow, then I'm inclined to say they're true. In fact the situation as a whole plays into what I want to talk about.*"
"I'm guessing we're being reassigned back home?"
"*Reassigned, yes. But not here. I'm sending you to Berlin, something's come up that's of dire importance, and I'm fairly certain you and your company are just the right men to do it.*"
"Berlin? With all due respect, sir, but what's in Berlin that's so damn important that it's worth dragging us out of Indonesia?"
Pan could hear the faint chuckle from the end of the line, one of exasperation than any actual humor.
"*Well Colonel, sit down for a spell, and I'd be glad to tell you.*"
It had been about an hour since Colonel Pan had left to take the priority one call, leaving Captain Kelly, Lieutenants Garcia and Wau, and of course, Corporal Sevchenko to oversee the interrogation in his absence. It had been twenty minutes since they finally managed to get Baruch to talk, as he quickly succumbed to the beating and revealed his gang's hideout some 55 miles southwest of the fort. At this point, Baruch went unconscious and more less was absent as the militiaman stirred a conversation concerning the Colonel's call.
"So what do you think it is?" Sevchenko asked. "Think we're being pulled out?"
"Wouldn't surprise me none." Kelly admitted. "Only had a few month's worth of tucker and water, I gotta feeling things might have finally run dry."
"Then I guess we better start stashing boys." Wau stated. "Only a matter time before the whole thing goes to shi-"
The door suddenly swung open, and none other than Colonel Pan stepped inside.
"Colonel, sir." Garcia addressed. "He finally talked. His buddies are hiding out in some abandoned village out in the jungle some fifty miles southwest of here."
The Colonel looked over to the hunched over figure of Baruch, bloodied, bruised, and out-cold.
"Decided to take himself a bit of a nap." Kelly informed. "Orders?"
"Pack everything up, tell the Company we're departing for Fort Claret."
Expecting to follow up on their findings, the four were quite surprised what commands came from their CO.
"Wait a minute, that's in the opposite direction." Kelly pointed out. "Where are-"
"We have new orders. Commander wants us in Berlin ASAP." Pan informed them. "I'll brief everyone on the way there. See to it Captain."
As confused as they were, they knew better than to question an order, and each gave an affirmative nod that they understood. Before Pan could turn around and depart the room however, there was one more matter to be addressed.
"What about him?" Garcia asked, gesturing to Baruch.
Everyone watched in silence as the Colonel gave Baruch a good long look before drawing out his Five-Seven and firing two shots into the man. The Colonel didn't speak a word as he holstered his handgun and left the room of startled subordinates to carry out his task.
"Well.....guess that answers that question." Kelly said.
Stats
Page generated in 0.028 seconds
Total duration
1,079 users online
1,595,997 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
I’m glad that Luna is owning up to her actions, Twilight being protective of her reputation isn’t that surprising to me, but I’m glad Celestia understands it’s something she has to do. Hiding the causes of the conflict won’t help them at this point unless they want a full out war of attrition.
I have to wonder though, what happens after Luna comes clean? I can’t imagine her reputation before all this was as highly esteemed as Celestias, this might be the nail in the coffin for her “political” career as a princess. But perhaps she can find new meaning beyond trying so hard to play princess.
Absolutely. I love how you portrayed Colonel Panjaitan. There’s a lot of Panjaitans in the Indonesian military, especially the Marines, so I decided to make good use of their surnames.
I envisioned him being the Wild Dog with Sawyer holding his leash. His plans to defeat the Equestrians with Iron and Blood (or Fire and Fury whatever you choose) fall within Sawyer’s final say.
I know many like you and I love to see heavy equipment (but maybe a few like the Leopard 2 RI which is basically the M1A2 TUSK) lighter armor is more suited like BMPs, BTRs, other IFVs and APCs. As much as I love the Pzh2000, mobility is needed.
So I was thinking the truck mounted Nexter CAESAR 155mm with the M777 155mm and for pack howitzers, I was thinking the M102, L118, or the LG-1. All of them 105s that can be towed easily.
And also, contrary to what many Americans believe, wearing so much armor and equipment like soldiers do in the Middle East, it would be counter-productive in a guerilla unit like Panjaitan’s. Less armor and equipment for better mobility and stealth. It’s what the Vietnamese did in the Vietnam War.
9982641
I would wager she would be suspended from her duties and put under house arrest until the situation is resolved. Only when it escalates will Luna defy her punishment and leave to try to sue for peace on her own.
an update? Give me a moment to preapare so I can give a proper reaction. Cough Cough, clears throat, takes deep breath
...........YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS! GOD FUCKING YEEEESSSSSSSS! this is officially the best day ever!!!!!!!!!
While Luna owns up to her actions, the humans get a scolding from above but don't show any regret for what they've done in the massacre in sending out a fully armed force.
Phew! This was a simple if quite exciting AWESOME chapter. Xd
I was really expecting this chapter to be when the pony Congress took place, it seems thou the next chapter will have it, looking forward to seeing what happens! Xd
It's great to see you back in action bro, I really looking forward to your next update!
Any idea when the next one will be?
9982957
Probably start in january. I would like to release one more chapter for Fireteam Storm before the year ends.
9983118
👍
9982716
Even then once ponies realize it’s her fault, I doubt they would want her in any position to do much of anything. Any hope of reaching her sisters level is out the window with this diplomatic failure. I see her likely losing what little influence she has, maybe even some ponies will start to ask “why do we keep Princess Luna around again?”. Regardless of her intentions her actions have caused more death then what they understand as a war.
I hope this doesn’t become one of those stories with an unrealistic syrupy ending where everyone wins. I would prefer characters to grow then to just get a happy ending where they are set up to fail all over again. Consequences are nessessary, even if it makes Celestia feel like she’s swallowing her own broken heart.
9983190
Oh trust me, with my intended ending, NOBODY WINS.
9983198
That’s both refreshing and gives me the willys. I fear for the future of either group now.
Got some theme songs for characters
Panjaitan
Sawyer
Achmed
Kelly
Human Forces
And just for the oncoming guerilla war, this gave me some Vietnam vibes. Imagine Panjaitan leads a raid to destroy Equestrian outposts in the Everfree while supported by artillery fire.
wut? a new chapter? feels like few years. anyways, wounderbar chapter like always ^^. While reading the part with Celestia and Twilight, try listening Defeated Clown from the Joker (2019) kind of sets the mood.
Oh i understand patel. I dont think Sawyer cant control this situation
To me it feels like council is fading.
9983947
His agenda will have consequences. He just doesnt know it yet
How many chapters long will this story be?
Ooooh I’m excited for the equestrian royal congress. I always love seeing the politics of equestria and how nobles or those with agendas will try to play the system. Nobility is always so lacking in many fics
I was worried Equestria was about to catch some hands cause of Achmed.
Hey bro! How goes the monthly update? Xd
10053608
Currently in the process of job hunting. Haven't have nearly as much time to write as I'd like. Right now I'm writing for Fireteam Storm.
10057004
Ahh, I understand completely how hard it is to get a new job, good luck bro. 👍
10042259
Well, it's not like they have much more better options right now, so... But yeah, I agree with you that the humans have it very difficult to sort this problem out.
10057004
Good luck with finding a new job 👍
10057354
Thanks
Hey dude!
how are things going?
10181759
Could be better considering global circumstances, but progress is coming. Just got done writing another 1,000 words for the newest chapter tonight.
10181785
Awesome bro! glad to see your well. 👍
Nice to see Luna take accountability for her actions and tell the truth however people like Achmed and Iskander will make her actions pointless
I've met the Luna's Political Suicide trope. I've met dumber tropes than that. For example, 'Equestria is a constitutional monarchy'. I had hoped not to encounter any of these tropes, but alas, my luck let me down.
Fuck Luna, but why is Celestia setting fire to a powder keg at such a dangerous moment? She'll be blown away by this confession. The ponies will become less trusting of the monarchy, it will cause problems with government, which is incredibly dangerous in unstable times.
Why would Celestia convene a council of rich jerks if she knew they could make a terrible decision? Did ten thousand years of life lead to dementia? I shudder to imagine WHAT will happen next if the princesses are so stupid...