Hecate's Orphanage

by BlackRoseRaven

Age Quod Agis

Chapter Twenty One: Age Quod Agis
~BlackRoseRaven

Thorn calmly worked away in Consensus Gentium, tapping across the holographic screen in front of him as Worker Drones and several Dogmatists that had been shipped in from Decretum worked rapidly on assembling a new control core. Over the last day, several Overlords had been eradicated and a large-scale attack had been repelled from Thronus: it was only a matter of time before Seneschal was able to take over all of Fyrverǫld's systems and bring the world under their control.

They had a lot to do in the meantime, though: they had to establish a new uplink, and they had to build a new control core. A new AI would have to be created to watch over the entire world: Seneschal couldn't remain here for much longer, after all, even if Hecate had returned to Decretum for now. A crossworld communications tower would also have to be constructed: a powerful amplifier tuned specifically to allow contact between Endworld and Decretum, letting them effectively permanently link the three worlds.

Speaking of permanent links, new permanent portals also had to be established where possible: while it seemed like Thokk's retreat had been hasty, the witch had still been smart enough to destroy almost every single portal ring on the way out, leaving no trace behind as to where she had gone. Thorn had the feeling that if Thokk was smart enough to do that, she would also be smart enough to make sure she didn't go anywhere important for her first stop on top of that, so that even if they did figure out where she'd gone from Fyrverǫld, all they would find was an ambush or a jump location.

There were no signs of any Voidborn on this world, but they had discovered some security footage with the creatures on it, and a cache of strange metal, the same material that had been used in the knife Cadence had retrieved from the Voidborn she had fought. Useful as the latter was, it had been the former that interested Hecate: Voidborn apparently didn't show up very well on the security cameras, emitting some kind of strange electromagnetic current that interfered with the imaging, but they were still able to get a sense of what they were up against.

It seemed almost as if Thokk had planned her retreat from the start, and had just been waiting to be driven out: that was why they hadn't encountered any Voidborn during the takeover of Thronus, and possibly also part of why Thokk had been willing to give up the fight against Hecate relatively quickly, even if part of it was also likely because Hecate had obviously been a lot tougher than Thokk had expected.

Still, it had been disturbing to watch the security footage: all the Voidborn had simply been waiting patiently for Thokk by a portal with a team of Kirin. And when she had shown up, they had immediately turned on the Kirin and slaughtered them mercilessly, seemingly without even needing an order from Thokk as she had gone through the portal. One Voidborn had stayed behind after the massacre, patiently waiting a few minutes before it had destroyed the portal, and then it had simply killed itself, leaving no trace of a corpse behind.

The control Thokk could apparently exert over these creatures was frightening, especially considering the fact that even through the distortions, it had been very clear that very few of the Voidborn were anything alike. Different species, cultures, and everything else all commingled under one banner: the banner of Thokk.

And if it was true, that Thokk could simply bring these creatures back from the Void any time they were killed: they were faced with a new kind of threat, one that hadn't been seen since the days of Decretum and the Hexad. The worst part, though, was that they didn't know what it precisely was they were dealing with: all they knew was that the Voidborn were extremely dangerous and did whatever Thokk asked, but they had no idea just how many of their abilities carried over from the lives they had lived, any more than if they knew if Thokk was able to empower her soldiers further, or how long it took for her to dredge these souls out of the Void.

Thorn sighed a little as he began to dismiss the holographic screen, but he halted when it beeped at it and a flashing icon appeared in the lower corner of the projection. He frowned and touched this, before his eyes widened in surprise as a static-riddled, but still distinct image of Hecate appeared, the mare asking calmly: “Status?”

“Uh...” Thorn cleared his throat, then he replied calmly: “The wreckage has been cleared out of Consensus Gentium and the Dogmatists are installing the hardware for the new control core as we speak. Seneschal has reported thirty percent of Fyrverǫld is now under our control, and-”

“Operations will hereby be resuming as normal, Thorn. Team 0-0 has had enough of a break and we have been playing courteous host to others for more than long enough.” Hecate interrupted calmly, and Thorn blinked in surprise. “Furthermore, we've already been given another mission request. As a matter of fact, we have two: while one of them I feel obligated to answer, the other I am... hesitant to agree to. I have decided, however, to allow you to make your own decision in this regard.”

Thorn frowned slightly at this, tilting his head, and Hecate made a slight face before she said moodily: “The second request I received is in regards to a treaty. You are to be sent to an allied world with a small team to run an assessment. This particular world is also involved in helping protect the many realms of Midgard, in a sense.”

“Looking Glass World.” Thorn said softly, and Hecate glowered at him through the holographic screen before the stallion asked almost eagerly: “When would I be leaving?”

Hecate looked at him for a moment, and then she sighed before saying grudgingly: “Today will be the last day you and Team 0-0 spend in Fyrverǫld. Teams C-03 and C-07 will be taking over security operations, which will at least keep them out of trouble. You will leave at 2300 hours tonight, which means you'll arrive here in Decretum at roughly-”

“Two in the morning, due to the time difference.” Thorn finished before he could stop himself, and Hecate glared at him, making the stallion shift awkwardly before he apologized: “I'm sorry. I'm just... it's very exciting to think-”

Hecate grunted moodily, cutting him off. “In the morning, you will be part of the briefing with our new client. After you and Team 0-0 speak to her, you will be assigned your mission. While you finish your operations there, Thorn, see to it that you select your team. I want as much to be done as possible before you leave Seneschal behind, considering how inept he is.”

“Of course, Queen Hecate.” Thorn smiled a little despite himself, nodding calmly before he asked: “What operations do you want completed?”

“All of them. Priority on establishing the core, however: Fyrverǫld won't function forever on autodirect.” Hecate replied, and Thorn nodded before the mechanical goddess added in a quieter voice: “I wish to speak to you privately after you return.”

“Yes, Queen Hecate, of course.” Thorn answered, nodding to the screen, and his mother grunted a goodbye to him before closing the link. Thorn let his side of the link hang open for a moment longer, and then he shook himself out, terminating the call before he quickly tapped in a short command to send a call out to another pony.

After almost a minute, the link finally opened, Cadence asking in a flustered voice as her face appeared on screen: “Yes? Sorry, sorry, I was in the shower and-”

“Queen Hecate has recalled your team to Decretum. You're being given another mission. We leave tonight. I am uploading all the necessary times and information directly to your Mission Drive, which I hope you will remember to keep on your person at all times for the last few hours while here.” Thorn interrupted, and Cadence mumbled another awkward apology before the stallion asked: “Have you completed your own duties for the day?”

“Um, Thorn, it's only nine in the morning...” Cadence said awkwardly, and Thorn frowned in surprise before he brought up a digital clock, studying this curiously for a few moments before he shook his head briefly.

“Time difference, right. And I just mentioned that to Hecate.” Thorn muttered, and then he turned his attention back to Cadence, saying calmly: “Get your work for the day done, then contact me. I want to speak with you and the rest of your team and assign further duties. Do you know where Luna Brynhild is?”

Cadence grimaced visibly, but then she said in a neutral voice: “She's... we've been avoiding each other for the most part, but I think she said something about doing a patrol of the perimeter today, which I think is code for 'looking for Kirin to punch.' She seems to enjoy picking fights. If not, I'm sure you'll see her sooner or later, Thorn, it's not like she's ever able to stay away from you for very long.”

Thorn smiled briefly at this, and Cadence hesitated before she asked in a softer voice: “Do you mind if I send Moonflower by? He really sucks at his job. I think he'd do a lot better helping you out instead of fumbling around on the construction crew, welding the wrong things together and generally being a nuisance.”

The sapphire stallion hesitated for a moment, and then he grudgingly nodded before saying finally: “Alright. You might as well send him to me, then. I'll see what I can do with him.”

Cadence smiled and nodded, and then she simply looked at him through the screen. He looked back at her awkwardly, until he finally prompted: “Yes?”

“I uh... is there anything else you wanted?” Cadence asked after a moment, and Thorn frowned a little before the ivory mare cleared her throat and said almost nervously: “I mean... I don't know, it's just... you seem kind of like you're looking for something and if you want to talk about anything...”

“Goodbye, Cadence.” Thorn said dryly, and then he quickly closed the link before shaking his head slowly, but after a moment, he gave a wry smile, muttering: “She never used to be able to read emotions over long distance. I'll make a note of that.”

Thorn turned his eyes back towards the Dogmatists and the Worker Drones, and he dismissed the holographic screen as he strode forward with a sigh, deciding to focus on work for the moment: not just because he wanted to make his mother proud, but because he needed something to keep him busy and keep his mind off of the excitement and anxieties he had over the quickly-approaching future.

In Decretum, Hecate scowled moodily as she sat back at her desk, her least-favorite person in the entire universe grinning from bovine ear to bovine ear as she cooed: “See? I knew you'd handle yourself just fine, and-”

“What do you know?” Hecate interrupted, and Hel huffed loudly, the ice puppet crossing her arms. The mechanical goddess glared at her, but reached out to pick up a thick rubber ball from the top of her table, squeezing it slowly and doing her best to rein in her emotions. She knew that all her threats to Hel were empty ones, after all... well, almost all of them. “I know that no matter what you act like, you have some reason left. And I know that you understand if something is calling creatures from the Void-”

“No, no. They're not creatures, they're lost souls! That's very different, and...” Hel tapped her nose meditatively. “Well, actually, I'm not sure if it's better or worse than if the Terrors were out. I mean, Terrors are terrible, they're Terrors. That's what they do. Terrorize and terrible everything. But like. These guys? I mean, some of these guys that Thokk is bringing out, they belong in the Abyss!”

Hel laughed loudly, and then she suddenly slammed her fists down on the tabletop and leaned forwards, her gaze turning serious as she said coldly: “Thokk has to die, and I don't care who or what she brings back. You might not believe me on this, Hecate, but this is hard on both of us. But don't you get cold feet or hooves or whatever you have on me now. She will not give you your little boy back, any more than she will return my family to me.”

Hecate looked evenly at Hel, and Hel gazed back at her icily for a few moments before the cow-headed puppet suddenly smiled brightly and clapped her hands together, saying happily: “We just had a moment, didn't we? We did!”

The mechanical goddess simply snorted in contempt, and then she created a holographic screen off to the side, Hel cocking her head curiously as Hecate said shortly: “Look.

“What? Look at what? Hey, maybe I'm like a dog and I can't actually see the television screen even though I'm totally looking at it, just like-”

Hecate simply gestured shortly to the screen to make the clip play, and Hel went silent, narrowing her eyes dangerously as she watched the recording scrawl over the screen, displaying key points during Hecate's fight with Thokk.

“I see.” Hel muttered, sitting back in her seat and tapping a finger slowly on the arm of the chair. “Alright, metal momma. You got my attention, I'll put the crazy away for a few minutes. We'll have a nice little chat.”

“Am I correct in assuming that is Asgardian magic?” Hecate asked, not dithering around the point, and Hel smiled wryly.

“You have a lot of interesting sources.” she remarked, and then she clicked her tongue before saying softly: “You're half-right, in a way, and completely wrong in another. See, that's Jötnar magic. When the gods did great magic and feats of strength, they usually manipulated the elements already present in the environment. Made it look like they were pulling say, lightning out of their ass, in the case of Thor, for example... but really, he was just pulling from what was already there.

“Thokk there, like the Jötnar, isn't just pulling from any known source. No, no, oh no. She's creating a good amount of that energy herself. Oh, sure, the Jötnar were real fond of manipulating the environment to their advantage, too... that's where the gods got that from!” Hel smiled and tapped her nose knowingly. “We basically just stole all our culture and magic and everything else from the Jötnar, after all, no matter what anyone else might say. But I know! I was there! I stole a lot, including a handsome hubby!”

The ice puppet giggled, then suddenly slapped herself, making her head spin all the way around comically before she caught her bovine skull head and snapped: “No, no, no crazy, no crazy! I'm doing my best here, Hecate, don't growl all those thoughts at me!”

Hecate ignored Hel's outburst, her eyes sizing up the goddess before she asked calmly: “Are we dealing with a Jötnar?”

“Well, see, that's what's really interesting about this!” Hel said thoughtfully, looking back at the clip as it began to repeat. She smiled at the sight of the magic, but the puppet's eyes gleamed with a mix of malice and measurement as she murmured: “No, no. Definitely not a Jötnar. I knew all kinds of Jötnar, from the very weakest to the absolute strongest, and I'm sure you see precisely what I'm talking about, too, princess clockwork, you just want me to confirm it for you.”

“So confirm it.” Hecate said icily, and Hel shot her a sour glare.

“Rude, rude, rude.” Hel complained, but then the ice puppet sniffed disdainfully before hopping up to her feet, kicking the chair she had been seated in across the room before she said mildly: “But I guess there really is a time and place for everything, so I'll let it slide.

“She can't entirely control it. Just like you were able to so-easily cut the magic strings pulling that puppet of Vally-wally, just like you were able to stand against her, even if she can summon storms and throw lightning and call up the flames of heck, she's...” Hel wiggled her fingers thoughtfully, then she made electricity bounce back and forth in arcs of magic between her hands before she smiled suddenly and clapped her hands together, creating a bright flash that Hecate ignored. “She's underachieving. With that much power at her disposal, she could be doing so much more! But for some reason or another, she keeps on fizzling out.”

Hel clicked her tongue as she jerked a thumb at the holographic screen, and the video paused, showing Thokk in mid-lunge with one hand thrust out in front of her, a discharge of electricity captured in mid-burst from her hand, but there were visible arcs of multicolored light in the frame as well, and Hecate frowned slightly as Hel said mildly: “See that? That's called a dysynergy. That's-”

“Wasted energy. Created when a spell is unstable, usually because of a lack of concentration. So Thokk has power, but no focus.” Hecate said quietly, and she quickly created another screen to jot several notes across, the mare nodding briefly before she muttered: “We need more data.”

“We need to kill her.” Hel retorted, slamming one icy fist into her palm as she glowered down at Hecate, who frowned back at the puppet. And Hel shifted back and forth before she suddenly threw her arms up with a groan, grabbing at her face as she exclaimed: “Fine! Fine, fine, fine, you forced it out of me, I'll admit it! I can't...”

Hel gritted her teeth, then dropped forward, becoming serious again as she said coldly: “I can't track her. I know who she is. I know what she is. I know her magic, and oh, these Voidborn? They're icky. They're so icky that I can smell them halfway across the worlds. But Hecate, Hecate... I can't find Thokk anywhere. Not with all my puppets searching, not through the Archives, not a trace of her!”

Hel moodily laced her fingers together, continuing calmly: “Now, of course, I have a theory as to why I can't. And just because I'm in a 'sharing-makes-me-less-pissed-off' mood, I'll share my thoughts on that with you: Thokk keeps jumping to disconnected worlds. She's hiding her cowardly little butt out in places like your... Fever-old, or whatever the hell you call it. Worlds that have been disconnected, and now have rolled, just like marbles have a tendency to do, right on into places where they shouldn't be. Really annoying. Really... not fun.”

The icy goddess clicked her tongue, scowling off into the distance, and Hecate studied the ice puppet for a few moments before she said evenly: “Or she's found a way to interfere with your powers, just as I have.”

Hel snorted at this, and then she leaned slowly towards Hecate and reached up to press one icy digit into the mare's nose, saying moodily: “You watch your tone there, missy, or I'll show you just why even your ex-boyfriend was afraid of me. And we all know what a doof he was, don't we? Too dumb and too big to be scared of much of anything!”

“Valthrudnir was afraid of everything.” Hecate replied calmly, and she looked at the screen for a moment before saying quietly: “I cannot and will not delegate any further resources to tracking down Thokk than I already have. Should we find her or encounter her on another world, it will be dealt with then, as efficiently as possible. I recognize she is a threat to the worlds... however, I also recognize that she is a greater threat to you.”

Hecate looked fearlessly up at Hel, and Hel glared back at the mechanical goddess as the Empress of Decretum stated coldly: “I am not funded solely by you, and thus my priorities are not simply to act as your assassin, Hel. My resources are much more limited than yours, and unlike you, I am actually concerned with the state of the worlds. I have other threats and obligations to deal with.”

“You are such an enormous pain in the ass.” growled Hel, the ice puppet leaning forwards and snapping: “Sure, okay, maybe I get why everyone always thinks of me as the bad guy, 'cause I kinda am! But that doesn't mean that I just want-”

“Hel, I understand that Thokk is a threat and I understand she must be destroyed and dealt with. But at this very moment, there are three occurrences of Void energy being detected that may or may not have anything to do with Thokk. There is a minor deity attempting to corrupt a Class B world. There are fifty two minor alerts that will likely all result in no intervention, all the same require investigation and probing to ensure they don't fall under the category of my responsibilities. And there are several people to whom I owe unfortunate debts that have all made mission requests, one of whom is going on a wild goose chase for I don't want to imagine what, and will be taking my best team along for the ride.” Hecate explained calmly and patiently. “So, until circumstances compel me to act otherwise, Thokk will be investigated, but my resources are better put to use dealing with tangible, actual threats to the worlds. Unlike in your realm, Hel, I can't simply stop time or do whatever I please with my empire.”

Hel scowled horribly down at Hecate, who only continued to look calmly, patronizingly back at the icy goddess, until the puppet finally gave a cold smile and slowly clapped her hands together, saying quietly: “You know, one day you'll mouth off to me at the wrong place, wrong time, missy, and I'll have to just... put you down, like the dog you are.”

Hecate didn't look either intimidated or impressed, and Hel sighed loudly before she said finally: “Fine, fine. Your point is made, yes, yes, your world, your rules, your car. Shotgun's shutting her cakehole. God, I'd love to eat cake again. But if you start losing worlds, don't you come running and crying to me. Well, no. Do. Actually, I want you to come running and crying to me. It'll make it that much sweeter when I get to reject you for being such a poopy-butt.”

Hecate dismissed the holographic screens, then she asked calmly: “Is our business done, Hel? Because I have another appointment waiting, so if you don't have any further information it would be in both our interests if you left.”

Hel snorted at this, and then she grumpily dropped on her rump in the middle of Hecate's office, saying loudly: “Well, maybe I'll just sit here for the rest of my life, then! Or... well, you know what I mean, since this puppet ain't gonna die and I've got a thousand of 'em.”

Hecate only rolled her eyes, and then she shuffled through the papers on her desk before calmly picking up a pen and starting to write a report. Hel fidgeted, grimacing a little before she looked up with a scowl and asked: “Why write anything? You have your supercomputers and your digital screens and your freaky space-age technology. Why aren't you going to space, anyway? There's lots of cool stuff up there. Rocks and stuff.”

“I have plenty to keep me occupied between the worlds without discovering new ones, or worse, more 'sentient' life to deal with.” Hecate said moodily, continuing to jot across the paper. “Physical reports will always have their place.”

“You're boring. This is boring. I can't stand this.” Hel grumbled, and then she grabbed the edge of the desk and hauled herself back to her feet, brushing her snowy dress out before she grumbled: “Fine, you win for now, honeybutt. But don't forget our little talk here.”

“I won't. Make sure you remember as well.” Hecate retorted, looking icily up at Hel, who glared back at her, one eye twitching visibly. “Ultimately, we need each other. But I will not let you control me, Hel.”

“And I won't hesitate to reel you back in by your leash if I have to, dear, you had better keep that in mind, little metal momma.” Hel answered, moodily cracking her fingers before she blew a loud raspberry at Hecate, then spun around on her heel and vanished in a burst of snow.

Hecate sighed tiredly, closing her eyes and rubbing at her forehead slowly. But after a moment, she returned to the somehow-relaxing process of finishing her report, and then she pushed it aside before saying clearly: “Escort the next appointment in.”

After less than a minute, a Dogmatist opened the door and allowed another figure to enter: someone else whom Hecate did not relish dealing with, but another person who was rather important in the grand scheme of things. It was hard, though, even if Hecate never showed it; she hated looking at the mare she had once been, and hated being reminded of what she had become.

The ivory mare smiled at her, her white mane gathered in several large braids that hung around her head. Her single amethyst eye studied Hecate with the same old amusement: the other eye was long gone, replaced by a bauble of crystal beneath the simple golden patch she wore on that side of her face. And as if to compliment her strangeness, a key hung from one ear, the tarnished silver twinkling in the electric light of the room.

“So, Hel was here, was she? Too bad she didn't stay and chat. I would have liked to say hello.” Freya said easily, rolling her shoulders slowly beneath the massive set of golden plate mail that adorned her tall body. But the Valkyries were always the same, Hecate thought moodily, as she read into that gesture all too well: they loved to play dress-up in their armor, and they loved to fight. “Now, Hecate. Are you sure there's no way I could convince you to push things ahead of schedule just a little?”

“No. Team 0-0 will arrive tonight, and you will leave tomorrow. That has already been decided.” Hecate said irritably, narrowing her eyes moodily at Freya. Freya, who had once been the Princess Celestia of Looking Glass World, who was the sister of Luna Brynhild... who was just as insufferable as the rest of that particular world's inhabitants, in her own special way. “Your mission is already highly irregular. If it was not for the fact that you and Looking Glass World have offered-”

Freya strode forward and swept up the photo frame on Hecate's desk, and Hecate glared furiously at the ivory mare and leaned forwards to snatch it away, slamming it shut on the tabletop as she said shortly: “Keep your hooves to yourself.”

“It's funny that Hel has to play all the games she does, and that she cajoles others into playing along with her, like Brynhild and even you. But I suppose I understand, all the same; trees will be trees, after all, just as I've always been an old war-bitch and Celestia's always been unable to relax without scheduling a time and place for it.” Freya said mildly, and Hecate scowled before the mare bowed her head politely to Hecate, saying in a softer voice: “You have my thanks for looking after my nephew for so many years, and keeping the secrets you did.”

Hecate scowled at Freya, but then she finally only sighed and sat back grouchily, asking shortly: “Who else knows? Who told?”

“No one. Well... Brynhild, I suppose, told me in a way.” Freya gave a slight smile, winking at the mechanical goddess. “She's very proud of him. And all she really had to do was bring him up to say hello... or rather, drag him to this world on her steed... and of course I knew. He's got a bit of everyone who's parented him in him, I think.”

Hecate looked moodily at Freya, tapping a metal claw irritably against her desk, and Freya simply studied her before she said suddenly: “You look good. I don't just mean physically, but... you seem saner these days, Hecate. Healthier. Wilder. Like what a good roll in the hay does for me.”

“Do you know what I liked about Celestia? She was logical, and she thought with her brain instead of her muscles or her genitals, which is all that you seem to use to think with.” Hecate said icily, but Freya only grinned at her. “I am not in any mood for this.”

“Well, I suppose since your head is all you have left to think with, you're never much in the mood for anything but mind games, are you?” Freya replied glibly, before she added thoughtfully: “Although you do have a pretty mouth, even with your serpent's tongue. But then again, if it's anything else like the snake...”

“Get to the point, Freya.” Hecate said tiredly, dropping her face in one claw, and Freya laughed loudly before she leaned forwards with a teasing smile that all the same couldn't hide the sharp studiousness in her eye.

“I envy you sometimes, you know, funny as that is to say. Aye, with Celestia still... quiet in my mind, every day I wake up in this horse's body, I feel... strange, and not entirely myself. You, however...” She reached out, stroking silently down one of Hecate's steel limbs, tracing over metal plating in the shape of masculine musculature. “At least you can have whatever kind of body you want. And I know that with your genius, you can feel-”

“Nothing. I can create synthetic nerves, but even then it's nothing, Freya, like having a real body.” Hecate said stiffly, shrugging off the mare's touch before she said shortly: “I don't have time for games. I will not repeat myself again.”

Freya shrugged, and then she glanced down at the fallen chair before righting it with telekinesis and sitting herself comfortably in the large seat, half-crossing her hind legs and resting her forelimbs on the arms. She smiled wryly as she shifted uncomfortably back and forth, saying softly: “Maybe not, Hecate. But it's no fun being trapped in a body that doesn't move the way you want it to. That for all its grace and beauty, you can never get to work... just right. And that is rather...”

“Disgusting.” Hecate supplied in a dry voice, and Freya gave the mechanical goddess a mild look. “If you want surgery to rearrange the structure of your limbs, I will be more than happy to arrange it for you, Freya. Otherwise, tell me why you're here, or get out of my sight.”

There was silence for a few moments as Freya tapped a hoof slowly against the arm of her chair, and then she said softly: “Brynhild told me some interesting stories. I am looking forwards to meeting this Swan... and I have to say, it's rather interesting you're letting my Night Maiden parade all around your worlds, making a mess of things. Why, she told me she even stopped in at Endworld to 'look around,' as she put it.”

“We both know what she's doing. I'm not stupid, Freya. The Valkyrie is checking up on me, for her own sake and Hel's. Not entirely a stupid idea, since I wouldn't hesitate to eradicate her, given the chance.” Hecate said nastily, but Freya only smiled amusedly.

“You're half-right, but it wouldn't hurt to swallow some of that whine, Hecate, instead of spitting it out everywhere.” Freya replied, and then she said in a gentler voice: “She's checking up on you, aye: but she's more interested in making sure you're okay, than making sure you aren't about to betray us all. Her faith in you is more solid than gianttooth. You spent a night drinking with her, after all: there's few things that make a friendship firmer than that.”

Hecate rolled her eyes, reaching up to moodily rub at one temple. That was not a memory she wanted to remember. “Brynhild didn't drink a thing. Which surprised me, considering how wonderfully she handles her addiction to corruption.”

“But I heard you got plenty drunk, and that's what matters.” Freya paused, then added softly: “But let's get back to the matter at hand... hoof, I suppose I should say.”

Her amethyst eye spoke another warning to Hecate, and the mechanical goddess grimaced slightly before she grudgingly nodded. Freya was one of the few ponies she didn't want to antagonize, as much as she loathed letting the goddess trapped in a pony's form control the conversation. “Fine. What is your business?”

“It made me angry, when I first learned about Thorn. I suppose that's no surprise, most things either annoy or arouse me, and not a few do both.” Freya said casually, but Hecate ignored the baiting and banter, her eyes locking on the mare, immediately not liking where this sounded like it was going. “But then I started to think about it, and started to process it past my selfishness, and it all began to make much more sense to me. Even these days, Looking Glass World attracts more than its fair share of ghouls, ghosts, and goblins.”

Hecate only looked at Freya, waiting for her to get to the point, and the ivory mare smiled slightly before she said softly: “But at some point, Hecate, all our sons and daughters have to grow up.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Hecate said quietly, as she leaned slowly forwards: “Thorn has responsibilities here. And Thorn, furthermore, not only does appreciable work in this place, he does work he enjoys and finds meaning in.”

“Does he now? I suppose that's good, considering the only life he's ever known has been from cage-to-cage.” Freya replied evenly, and Hecate glared at the mare, but the golden-armored pony simply shrugged and turned her head away, but kept her single eye locked on Hecate, as she continued: “But he's no canary, you know, unable to care for himself and unable to choose.”

“I'm sending Thorn to do the assessment in Looking Glass World. But don't be surprised when he chooses to return here afterward, Freya, instead of joining you and the rest of your misfits.” Hecate said coldly, and Freya narrowed her eye at her. “He is free to make his own decisions. He has been given the tools necessary to do so, as well-”

“I can't imagine you're one for diplomacy or letting go, all this considered.” Freya gestured towards the closed picture frame on the desk, and Hecate slowly crushed the rubber ball in her claw, silently dropping her hands on the top of her desk.

“That is not a place you want to go, Freya.” Hecate said softly, and Freya turned her full attention back towards Hecate, the one-eyed mare grimacing a little, but seeming to relent slightly in the face of the seriousness of the mechanical goddess.

For a few moments, there was silence between the two, and then Hecate reached up and pointed at the door, saying shortly: “I have to work to do. If there's nothing else, then one of my Dogmatists can escort you to your room.”

“I think I would prefer to wander around a little. Take in the sights, see how your world works. Learn for myself about you and what a threat you are.” Freya smiled slightly, but Hecate could tell that the mare was only half-kidding, the two looking at each other evenly before the mechanical goddess finally gave a grudging nod.

“Stay out of the way of operations and do not disrupt my Dogmatists or the Orphanage, and I won't bother wasting the time or effort required to babysit you.” Hecate said moodily, and Freya smiled slightly and nodded. “Good. I'm sure you'll find some people to amuse yourself with.”

“I'm sure I will, too.” Freya said easily, and then she carefully clambered out of her seat, loudly cracking her back as she settled back to all four hooves before she asked curiously: “Could you really give me a woman's form, Hecate?”

Hecate looked grouchily at Freya, refusing to be baited into answering what obviously wasn't a serious question, and Freya simply shrugged before she said mildly: “Just something to consider if all this doesn't work out the way I want it to. I've got to plan for the future too, you know... and you can never be very sure of anything when it comes to chaos.”

Hecate sighed tiredly, but Freya only turned and opened the door, starting to step out before she added, without looking back: “I hope you give what we talked about some thought, Hecate. The problem with love is that it's a selfish emotion, after all. When we love someone, we want them here and present... and we tend to forget that they're their own thinking person. That's why they say if you love someone... let them be free.”

The mechanical goddess remained silent as Freya left her alone, the door closing behind the Valkyrie. And for a few seconds, Hecate only idly played with a pen between her fingers, gazing moodily at the desk until she finally sighed and called up a holographic screen.

A frazzled-looking Thorn appeared on it after a moment, the stallion blushing deeply as he blurted: “Queen Hecate, I apologize, I'll return to my duties as soon as-”

“Relax, Thorn.” Hecate said with surprising softness despite the way she glowered at the screen, and Thorn frowned a little, looking at her with concern even as he quickly brushed at his mane and hurried to make himself look more professional and presentable. “Are you in Decretum?”

“Yes, but I was about to head back to Fyrverǫld. I have a meeting with Team 0-0 to go over some things, I was just...” He glanced awkwardly aside, and Hecate could just imagine Brynhild sitting there, grinning her stupid grin. “Distracted.”

The Empress of Decretum grunted, and there was silence for a moment before Hecate said softly: “Alright. Get back to work, Thorn Blackfeather. I was just... curious.”

Thorn looked at the screen, tilting his head in surprise, but Hecate dismissed the link before her son could ask anything, the mechanical goddess sighing and sitting back in her seat. She glanced at the closed picture frame, then quietly picked it up and flicked it open, studying the two stallions inside before a faint, small smile crossed her lips.

She didn't want to lose Thorn. Here, alone and in secret, she could admit that to herself. She would do anything to keep him close, anything to protect him, anything to enjoy the time she had with him before they had to part ways... but oh, she hoped that was fifty, sixty, a hundred years away...

Thesis she had lost so young, after all: the prince had been... what? Twenty years old? Twenty two? No older than twenty-five... how could she not remember? But of course, it had been so long ago, and she could barely remember those years anymore, because she had worked so hard to bury them, so hard to forget Thesis, and Valthrudnir, she had tried so very hard to turn it all into nothing but corrupted data, to let the microchips in her brain and her ruthless hatred rule her...

She regretted that. So much.

Hecate stroked silently over the picture of Thesis with one metal thumb, silently gazing at the smiling picture of Thesis. Thesis, who had been so handsome, so good, so... strong. And who had become so broken, so tormented, and yet, she hadn't had the strength to stop him. She hadn't stood up to him, or tried to stand against him, or ever attempted to correct him and all the things he had done wrong, all his insane ideas.

She had fallen too deeply into self-pity and misery. She had wallowed in the despair, and the insanity. She had been so damned stupid...

Hecate sighed softly, and then she gently set the picture frame down. Yet she couldn't take her eyes off it, studying it quietly. She couldn't stop thinking about Thesis, and how she had failed him, and all the promises she had made that she hadn't lived up to because...

The mechanical goddess shook her head slowly, flexing one steel hand as she looked down at this moodily for a moment. She supposed that with everything that had happened, some of this was understandable. But she would never be able to forget or forgive herself for her failings. For being so weak that she had decided it was 'better' and 'stronger' to take the ruthless path, to spread her pain around, to destroy and... run away.

Hecate gave another sigh, and then she finally sat back and laced her metal fingers together, gazing at the picture of Thesis as she wondered for the thousandth time: was her son still somewhere in the Void? Had he been brought back with the other Voidborn?

And what would she do, if the worst came to pass? What would she protect? What was the most important thing in the world?

Family, of course. But Thesis and Thorn were both her children, and she had nations to think about. Entire worlds, as a matter of fact.

To Hecate's surprise, however, a knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts, and she scowled and straightened before barking: “Who is it?”

The door opened, and Hecate's frown deepened as Cowlick sauntered in, the demon grinning slightly before she asked easily: “Somethin' bothering you? And I ain't just talkin' about Hel and that crazy bitch, Freya. She was flirting with my son right in front of me, you believe that? Crazy bitch.”

Hecate sighed, then she asked shortly: “Is the Large Uplink Nexus online yet?”

To her surprise, Cowlick nodded with a grunt and answered: “Yep. Rusty and I just got it working an hour ago, should make your communications and monitoring across worlds a whole lot easier. That ain't what I'm here to ask you about, though, although I'm hopin' that maybe it puts you in a more considerate mood for what I'm about to suggest.”

The mechanical mare looked moodily at Cowlick, and Cowlick looked evenly back until the steel goddess finally gestured shortly at her to speak. And the demon grinned before she said calmly: “I heard you were thinking of building a base on Lookin' Glass World, maybe getting some help from there. Let my boy go set that up for you. I still got connections with some of the Nibelung, and I could have Rusty-”

“Waste his time in Ponyville. You and he both have a vested interest in Looking Glass World.” Hecate said shortly, and Cowlick grinned.

“I ain't denying that. But I also know you ain't stupid enough to think I'm just trying to wiggle a little more out of you than I have already.” Cowlick replied easily, shrugging and gesturing pointedly towards the mechanical goddess. “You're also smart enough to know our connections there are a real advantage for you. I even heard that Ross is still alive, can you believe that? Now imagine having a brain like his helping out.”

Hecate studied the mare coldly for a few moments as Cowlick leaned forward: impatient, eager, anxious, and a little pleading, she thought. The mechanical goddess surveyed the demon, and Cowlick cleared her throat loudly before the engineer grudgingly lowered her head and muttered: “Look, I get it. But do you get... what I'm asking here? And when I make a promise, goddammit, I carry it through. You can believe that, if not because you should know me by now, then because of my damn pride.”

The mechanical goddess tapped a finger slowly against the top of her desk, and then she shook her head slowly before she said shortly: “I have jobs for you and Rustproof to finish here, Bani.” She shifted, grimaced, and then added finally: “However, if the retrofitting of the main labs is completed by tonight... I suppose I can allow Rustproof to leave with Thorn's team for Looking Glass World, to help with the assessment. You, however, will be going to Fyrverǫld, to modify a communication tower for me. Understood?”

“You got it.” Cowlick nodded and stepped forward, slamming a hoof down on Hecate's desk and looking up at her with gratitude in her eyes, half-hidden behind her grin. “Guess you are getting a little soft in your old age, huh?”

Hecate only rolled her eyes, and then she glanced away and muttered: “More that I remember who I owe favors to. Insufferable and annoying as you are, Bani... you and I also had a...”

“Working relationship. You were a hell of a lot better to work with than Narcissa or most of the assholes I got stuck with in most places I worked.” Cowlick responded wryly, shaking her head briefly before she looked up and added quietly: “And look. Ain't really my place, but uh... I think that-”

“You aren't paid to think and I don't care about your opinions.” Hecate said shortly, and the engineer glowered up at the mechanical goddess as Hecate gestured at her dismissively. “You can argue with me pointlessly if you want, or you can go and get your job done. I would recommend the latter, considering the workload you have to finish if you want your son to be able to make this journey.”

Cowlick groaned, then grumbled before turning herself around and heading to the door, muttering: “You're still as much of a bitch as ever, but...” She stopped, then smiled slightly over her shoulder. “Funny. I guess I kind of appreciate that. It's good knowing there's always going to be someone around to make sure we all do what we gotta do.”

Hecate only grunted moodily, and Cowlick shrugged before letting herself out. The door closed, and Hecate tapped a finger slowly against her desk before she looked at the framed pictures on her desk, and she smiled briefly after a moment.

Like it or not, Cowlick was right: that was part of the reason Hecate was here. To make sure things got done.

To do what had to be done.