19 Unexpected Complications
Chapter Nineteen
Unexpected Complications
When I got back to Nebula, I had a little meeting with the rebel pegasi and tried to straighten them out.
"So you don't want us to kill your enemies, mistress?" Loose Leaf frowned, trying hard to grasp the alien concept.
She stood at the center of a score of pegasi, all fervently devoted to the "Terminator of Delights." All were nearly swooning in, yes, delight at being in my presence.
"Only if it's necessary. In battle... or to defend one of the crew, or an innocent bystander. But try to discourage your opponents rather than killing them. Show mercy, understand?"
It was obvious they didn't. A pegasus near the back of the crowd raised her hoof. "But what if they don't—"
"Look, just keep mercy in mind when you have to fight, okay?"
A murmur of what might have been agreement or confusion swept through the crowd.
I took a break from trying to inculcate a radically different culture into my fanatical feathered followers to say goodbye to the prize crews.
Filigree was captaining Death Strike and Stalwart Lance was taking command of Bloody Hoof.[1] They had charts of congruent areas between the Empire and Equestria that I had drawn up, with fairly generous margins of error clearly indicated.[2] They also had 4,500 medallions each, which left Nebula with nearly a thousand to distribute across the New Western Territory on our way back to the gate in the Badlands.
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[1] Honestly. If I had been told that somewhere in the Empire was an airship named Grim and Mighty Blood-Soaked Warrior Who Gets All the Cute Mares, I wouldn't have doubted it for a second.
[2] The spell would take care of elevation and material separation, but I didn't want anypony appearing in the middle of places like the Everfree or the Celestial Sea.
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"Be careful, you two," I told them. "If you get into a tight spot, use your parachutes."
They nodded, and Lance said, "It was a pleasure serving under you, Princess. If you ever have need for a big lummox like me as crew again, just let me know."
"Well," I said, thoughtfully, "we will be attempting a trade agreement with the Empire once they've become desperate enough to negotiate with an egalitarian government.[3] I'm sure there will be a need for ponies with practical knowledge of their situation. Would you consider a position on an interdimensional merchant airship? It probably wouldn't be aboard Nebula, but I own several other nimble little traders."
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[3] And once I'd figured out how to overcome the interdimensional barrier from the outside. Brute force was fine for pushing out of a dome-equivalent structure, but not so good at getting in.
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He considered that for a moment and then said, "I think I would enjoy that."
"Good!" I grinned. "We will settle the details when we see each other back in Equestria!" I turned to Filigree. "How about you? Any plans for when you get back?"
"Daisy and I are going to take a tour of Equestria together and pick out a spot to settle down," he said, smiling broadly. "Then we're going to open a workshop to develop new archanotech devices that will make good use of all the cheap orichalcum that will be available soon."
"Ah! Well, I have several old tomes on orichalchic working dynamics that would make the perfect wedding present!" I paused and then let my expression darken. "I am invited, aren't I?"
Filigree made a noncommittal movement of his head. "If you promise to change before showing up."
"But if I scare away all the other guests, you'll save a whole lot on the reception," I said, in a perfectly serious voice. "Think about it."
We couldn't keep it up. We both started snickering at the same time, Lance joining in with his big booming laugh.
"Alright then," I said, as my laughter trailed off. "Midnight is nearly upon us. Go well, and stay safe!"
The pegasi made one last sweep of the sky before we pulled aside the camouflage netting. After they gave us the all-clear, we lifted all together, Lance's ship heading north, Filigree's southeast, and Nebula turning her nose to the southwest.
Our plan was to sail across the border at high altitude again, and then run full-out for the rough passage through the Dientes Blancos mountains south of Palo Verde. Once we had ascertained what had happened to the Western Fleet, we could adjust our plans accordingly, distribute our medallions, and head home, leaving the Empire of Earth to flounder and collapse as its power supply vanished. Simple!
I had all of two hours to enjoy the feeling of a well-crafted plan going exactly as expected before the western sky lit up with a series of colorful flares.
One of Loose Leaf's pegasi, Sharpwing, was on watch, and I asked him if he knew what the signals meant. The answer I got was an unpleasant surprise.
"That sequence means, 'assemble downwind, in line'," he said frowning.
"A fleet maneuver?" I asked, appalled.
"A squadron, at least, ma'am," he replied. "They might be setting up a blockade. If so, we can expect a screen of pegasi, even at night."
Where had those ships come from? Was it the Western Fleet returning, nowhere near as damaged as we had hoped? It wasn't as much of a mystery that they'd strung their line to cut off our retreat to the west. Just a bit of sensible analysis of our movements would have given them a good idea of where we were headed next. Hopefully they would have assumed that our two prizes would be accompanying us, and not guess that they were headed deeper into the Empire.
I tapped the tip of a forehoof against the quarterdeck lightly, thinking hard. "We can go over them, but the chances of being spotted are too great," I said to myself in a low voice. "I want to keep that little trick a secret for as long as I can,"
"I beg your pardon, ma'am?" Sharpwing said.
"Just thinking out loud," I said, hardly louder.
"Pardon me, ma'am," he said tentatively. "May I ask a question?"
"Sure," I said, absently, still trying to think up a way to get more information about what awaited us out there in the dark.
"I don't know if Leaf had a chance to tell you, but others loyal to you have taken the Black Gate. Could you not return to your home for reinforcements?"
"Wait," I said, my half-formed scheme dissipating like a sneeze in a gale. "What?"
He let his ears droop, afraid he had offended me somehow. "A b-band of loyalists defeated the guardians of the Gate. The great gems are back in place, and it is ready for you to use as you please, oh Great One!"
"Just 'ma'am', please," I said almost automatically.
He nodded desperately. "Yes, ma'am!"
"You mean the gate to my home universe?" I asked, fervently hoping he would say no.
"Yes, ma'am."
That meant it was the gate to her universe. "And it's active… unlocked?" I had given up hoping by then.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Roadapples!" I turned and blew hard three times into the speaking tube to the cupola, and then repeated the signal into the one to the captain's cabin. Then I reversed our course, swinging Nebula a full one hundred and eighty degrees so sharply that her hull swung back and forth a half-dozen times before settling down.
"Ao, go roust Loose Leaf out of her hammock and get her up here!" I said, as soon as the kirin floated down beside the mainmast. She turned and went down the aft companionway without a word.
Skyla was on deck a moment later, looking sleep-tousled, but alert. "What is it, Ms. Nightshade?"
"We've got a problem. A big problem!" I gritted my teeth and shook my head. "No, two big problems… or… one big problem and one huge problem—"
Skyla stepped closer to me and said softly into one ear, "Breathe, Twilight."
Screaming in frustration would technically count as breathing, right? And it had all been going so well, too. I made do with a low growl as I exhaled.
Ao returned with Loose Leaf in tow.
"Change of plans, Loose Leaf," I said. "Can you get us to the Black Gate from here?"
"Certainly, my liege!" she replied immediately. No, she hadn't sworn fealty to me, and I had told her a dozen times to call me Ms. Nightshade or ma'am when onboard, but I didn't have any time to spare to correct her. Again.
"Good!" I nodded. "Ao, take the helm and follow the course that Leaf gives you. I need to speak to the captain alone."
Ao lifted an eyebrow about a hairsbreadth, and I replied with a subtle twitch of the corner of my mouth that essentially meant, A manticore has relieved himself above one of our propellers; be ready for anything. She sighed quietly and gave a nod so slight it was nearly microscopic.
Skyla and I flew up above Nebula and followed along in her wake out of earshot as we talked. After I had filled her in on the blockade and what Sharpwing had told me, she asked, "And you think this other Twilight might come through the gate? Wouldn't that be a good thing? She could help us, couldn't she?"
"It's possible, but I don't like the odds," I replied. "Even taking into consideration differential time flows, she's probably a lot older than I am, and certainly a lot more powerful. I'm pretty sure she didn't defeat the old pegasus kingdom by subterfuge. Also, they remember her as… Well, as I look right now. Not exactly a good sign."
"But she's essentially you, right? She wouldn't be a danger to us!" Skyla protested.
If she had ever seen the darker side of her beloved Auntie Luna, she wouldn't have held that opinion.
"Maybe not, but even if she shows up and isn't hostile, the rebel pegasi are going to be very confused by two Thieves of Honor. The only thing keeping them on our side is superstitious belief, and if they decide they're mistaken…"
Skyla nodded. "Right. So we get there as soon as possible and de-power the gate. What about the blockade?"
"We need more information," I said. "I'll ask Loose Leaf if some of her group can find out exactly what's going on. I'm hoping to be out of sight by dawn, but if it looks like the Empire is going to overwhelm us, we can always use the medallions to escape."
She nodded thoughtfully and then her eyes widened. "But that would mean leaving the ship behind! We can't do that!"
I shrugged. "Maybe I can retool the Black Gate to get her home again, but if not, we might have to abandon her, yes."
"Oh, Twilight!" she said, suddenly dropping her captain persona. "We can't! I don't want to be responsible for losing Nebula!"
"It's alright," I said, as my heart twisted in my chest and the wind blew a few stray tears from my eyes. "I've got other airships. Newer ones. I could even build another—" I stopped lying to her because my throat had tightened up too much to talk.
"No!" she insisted. "We're not going to lose her! Come on!" With two powerful flaps of her wings, she streaked forward, diving for Nebula's quarterdeck.
Her sudden departure caught me by surprise, and it took me another moment to compose myself before following. By the time I touched down, she was already giving orders.
"Loose Leaf, pick two of your crew with the best chance of infiltrating the imperial fleet. Get us detailed information on what is going on and what they know about us. No, don't look to Ms. Nightshade! I'm the captain here, and if you think she's scary, it's only because you don't know me! Get moving! I want that information yesterday!"
Loose Leaf fled below decks like her wings were on fire.
Skyla turned toward the fo'c'sle deck and yelled to the unicorn on bow watch. "Linwood! Get full charging teams to the engines right now! We're running flat out until we get to the gate! Move your tail!"
I opened my mouth to make a suggestion, but Skyla was at full ahead and in no mood to heave-to. "Ao, get whatever Zebra Fire we have left ready to use at a moment's notice. Have medallions and gems readied at all stations on board. Remind the crew that they need a unicorn present to use them, but also make it clear that anypony that uses one without being in deadly peril, will be in deadly peril when I catch up with them! Understood?"
She turned to Sharpwing without waiting for an answer. "Sharpwing, get the rest of your group into the air and scout ahead. I do not want to run into any more surprises tonight!"
Sharpwing snapped a salute and went to carry out his orders. Skyla turned back to me. "I hope it doesn't come to it, but what I need you to do is figure out how to defeat yourself. If there's anything I haven't thought of, tell me now."
I was so proud of my niece that I thought for a moment I was going to cry again. "Aye, aye, captain!" I gave her a full wing salute. "I'm on it!"
= = =
After an hour or so, I gave up on designing a set of guns that would duplicate Tirek's magic-stealing spell. It would take three of them fired at exactly the same time and precisely on-target to mesh the release, guidance, and absorption stages of the spell. It was certainly possible to build a mechanism that would automate the process, but even with Filigree's help it would have taken weeks or possibly months to create such a complex device.
A magic-sealing spell, like the one that had been used on me at Redkeep, was a far more practical and easier-to-build device, so that's what I concentrated on for the rest of the night.
At dawn, Skyla was on the quarterdeck with Sirocco at the wheel. Star was looking through a big telescope mounted on the aft rail. More ponies were at each side of the waist and near the bow, all scanning the sky with spyglasses, and there was a group of three unicorns at each engine pod, feeding them power.
"Good morning, Ms. Nightshade," Skyla greeted me. "What progress?"
"I've got the diagrams drawn out for a magic-nullification mandala. I should be able to produce one by tomorrow afternoon at the latest." I glanced down at the rumbling engine pods. "Still running over their rating?"
She nodded. "We throttled back a bit, but Swift Wing still has them at a hundred and ten percent. He's keeping a close eye on them, and they seem to be holding up well."
"I can take over for a while, if you want to get some sleep," I offered.
Skyla shook her head. "You need it more than I do. You'll need a steady horn to engrave that mandala. Why don't you grab some food and then turn in for a couple of hours?"
I hesitated, and she said, "Do I need to make that an order, Ms. Nightshade?"
I grinned at her. "No, Captain. But wake me if there's any news, please."
Of course, it was hard to get to sleep, even as tired as I was, and when I did manage it, my dreams were troubled.
= = =
"Majesty?"
I was instantly awake at Ao's soft word, and I sat bolt upright in my bunk, my horn reflexively coming to light.
"There is no danger," Ao said a bit more loudly from where she curled near the door to my cabin. "But the pegasus spies have returned, and are with the captain now. This one assumed you would wish to hear their report."
"Thank you, Ao," I said, throwing aside my blanket and rolling out of the bunk.
She followed me up the ladder to Skyla's cabin. In my eagerness, I almost barged in without knocking, but caught myself at the last moment. I rapped my hoof against the door. "It's Ao and me, captain," I called out.
"Come in, Ms. Nightshade!" There was some urgency in her voice.
And there was a good reason for that: Nebula had been spotted.
"So the Western Fleet is back unharmed?" I asked, frowning.
Skyla gave a bitter laugh at that. "Oh, no! According to these two—" She indicated the pegasi that Leaf had sent to spy on the blockade with a flick of her wing. "—your plan worked all too well! There are only three ships in the Western Fleet that aren't lost or crippled by engine and gun explosions, and that's after they cannibalized the wrecks to make repairs! Since they can't trust any of their gems, they're still moored at Palo Verde, just swinging in the wind."
I asked the obvious question. "Then what did we see last night?"
One of the pegasi replied, "M-ma'am, that was the First Squadron of the Imperial Fleet! They've mobilized the whole fleet! The Emperor's flagship is moored at Fort Blood right now!"
"Evidently, the Emperor really doesn't like it when other ponies break his toys," Skyla said with a sour scowl. "He was going to throw everything he had at the fictional pirate fleet in the west, until some smarter ponies put it all together for him. They still think there might be one or two enemy ships out west, but they've decided that the one they need to worry about first must be here in Blackwood Province. That's us, by the way."
The pegasus spoke up again. "When they got reports about the captured airships, that made up their minds. They've done everything they can to lock down the border, and they sent out every fast scout they have to search for you."
"And one of them spotted us?" I asked.
"Yes," Skyla said bluntly. "A quick little gem-powered ornithopter. Swift Wing saw it come up behind us, and he just barely managed to catch up with it when it turned and ran. He took out its engine, and the pilot had to ditch it in a farm pond. But the imperials are using line-of-sight coverage, and Swift didn't have a hope of catching the second ornithopter that was keeping tabs on the first. The fleet will know our location in a matter of hours if they don't already."
"What about the prize ships?"
"Well, there's some good news, at least," Skyla said. "Breeze Drifter?"
The other pegasus cleared his throat. "They're into the central Empire by now, and with all the imperial airships transferred out here, they should actually have an easier time of it. Nopony in the fleet has the slightest clue about that part of the plan. They assume you're only interested in attacking and destroying military targets. Maybe going after treasuries."
"Okay," I said, tapping my chin with a hoof. "The earliest we can expect to be attacked is… Drifter, do you think they'll risk a bunch of fast and light craft against us?"
"After Redkeep and the Western Fleet? I don't think so, ma'am. They'll send a swarm of fast scouts to keep tracking you, but they'll stand well off until they can bring up the biggest of the battleships. They won't take any chances, and the Emperor is going to want to be in on the kill."
"What's the top speed of the slowest of those battleships?" I asked.
"Uhmn… they'll probably leave the old dreadnoughts behind, so that means about thirty knots, maybe a bit less," he replied.
I did some quick mental calculations, and growled in frustration. "That means the fleet will catch up with us about the same time as we reach the Black Gate. Unless we get very lucky, I won't have enough time to modify the gate before we're attacked." I hated to say it, and my eyes began to sting just thinking about it, but the merciless math had no regard for my feelings. "We've got to face it. We're probably going to lose—"
"When the time, comes, Ms. Nightshade," Skyla practically snapped at me. "There are any number of things that may delay the fleet. We won't abandon Nebula until the last possible moment, is that clear?"
"Captain," I said. "I am not willing to risk a single pony's life for a beat-up old airship! It would be better if—"
"When the fleet goes home, I want them to find their towns and cities empty of unicorns. The longer we keep the Imperial Fleet focused on us, the longer Filigree and Lance will have to distribute the medallions," Skyla said calmly.
"That… That's actually a very good point." I sighed.
"Good," she said, smacking the table with a hoof. "We have a day and a half left to do everything we can to undermine this ghastly place. Let's be about it!"
"Aye, aye," I said, saluting.
I went forward to the galley to grab a bite before getting back to work, and Ao followed me with an odd expression on her face.
"What?" I asked her finally, as I piled some cheese, biscuits, and apples on a plate.
"The captain's last words were from a book were they not?" she asked.
"Yes. She was quoting old Commodore Cloud from Ms. Midshippony Breezie. It's what ponies nowadays would call his catchphrase."
Ao's little mustache tendrils wriggled in an odd way. "Does it not disturb you that she is imitating a storybook character?"
I smiled slightly. "A very wise old mare once told me that we become what we pretend to be. If Skyla is pretending to be a capable, wise, and heroic naval officer… I'm okay with that."
"This one suspects that capability may not be acquired through pretense…" She glanced around, and seeing that we were alone, added, "Majesty."
"And that's where we come in, old friend," I said, adding a couple of hardboiled eggs to my plate. "We fill in the little gaps and make it look like the happy ending was all her doing."
Ao looked at me sidelong. "And are you certain this story has a happy ending, Majesty?"
I wasn't, but it wouldn't do any good to dwell on the extreme unpleasantness that was our probable future. "As long as it has a safe ending, I will be happy. Give it a few years, and maybe a bit of creative editing, and this will all seem like a pleasant little adventure."
"As you say, Majesty," she replied, but she didn't sound like she believed it.
= = =
=
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"let's be about it."
Honor Harrington likes to say that...
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One of my editors mentioned that! Also that Honor Harrington is an homage to Horatio Hornblower. (Note the initials!) It's a very 18th century-sounding phrase.
I've considered ponifying Horatio Hornblower as well as Mr. Midshipman Easy, but "Hornblower" sounds a bit... suggestive in a word of unicon ponies, doesn't it?
You know, I think *every* chapter could be named 'Unexpected Complications'.
Alright. This was good shit. Got any more of dat good shit?
Ao sounds worried. She doesn't usually question Nightshade's plans, but she doesn't seem to put the same faith in Skyla.
The other possibility is that she knows Twilight too well, and has caught on to Twilight's near panic. If this is true, she's scared too, and just really good at hiding it.
Well now, Twilight's master plan is revealed, it's a good one, they are on their way home, and she just had to taunt fate into making sure she gets at least one last bit of bad news. So what's the real climax going to be?
Well, not ALL of them... Still, I really want to see their expressions as they try to work this out.
Fair enough, and a good, balanced view for Twi to take, also one they are likely to eventually be willing to go with. Not pacifists, just, keep the bloodlust to actual battle itself. Just make sure to check up on them this time.
Maybe you should just find them a foal sitter.
Wait, he's staying behind? Not leaving with the Nebula? Or, just going along to make sure they all know what they are doing, teach them how to run the ship, and get the whole project underway before taking one of the portals home?
It's the name of their fleet's flagship, isn't it? Also.... again, read Schlock Mercenary, this gives me SO many great vibes from that, this in particular O'Benn ship naming conventions. Always some from of "The [weapon] of [pretentious adjective/noun combo]" Stuff like. "The Sword of Inevitable Justice" or "The Scepter of Irreparable Damage". Best part, they are so easy to mock for that, isn't that right "The Scrapyard of Insufferable Arrogance?"
OKay, so, i'm assuming for the correlation it's assuming the portal they came through and Twilight Town are in the same place, and so worked from there. and yeah, from what we've seen, about Canterlot-ish sounds right for the area, the makes sense and, yeah smart planning. Though going to be odd having random group of unicorns just pop up all over the place and having to try and hunt them down and get them all gathered up. Still, like this idea.
Ohh, nice, even letting Twilight get in on the action. Fits though, want to get as many unicorns away ASAP before the Empire catches on and starts taking steps to stop it.
Alright, so yeah just getting them set up then leaving, and of course Twilight is telling them to do as she says, not a she does and save yourself immediately when there is trouble.
Also, the big trouble is going to likely either involve running into the fleet they sent, or finding it already at their portal home. My two best guesses.
Hmmm, okay, and guess that makes sense, it's easier to get out then in, but if anypony can figure it out it's Twilight, she does have access to the higher plane to look down and try to work on it from afterall. And nice to see her trying to open trade talks, and trying to work on ways to keep influencing and keeping tabs on the Empire without the hassle of having to park herself in their main city and just take over. Trying to find a way to encourage them to stop being assholes the polite way.
I am not the least bit surprised.
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwww
hehe, oh Twilight. So adorable. "No seriously, I better be invited!"
Fair enough.
Such as "Oh crap, make ready to fight!"?
In theory, when has ANY plan of yours gone as simply as you expeced Twilight? you should know this by now.
They see you... and sooner then expected too, must have turned around right after the power crystal explosion. Maybe you'll luck out and they'll be low on fuel?
Okay, so just setting up to try and trap them, not actually seeing them yet... odds of being able to just head up over them? Though, drawing them out the other way would give the other two more time.
Very much so. You did all but tell the last Pegasus where you came from..... maybe a screen to keep more of your kind from getting IN rather then out? Or them figuring you'll head back that way?
Fair enough, anything that can get you an edge when you need it. Keep a few aces in your mane.
Wait... what!? Are we talking about the one she came through, or a whole other gate? And no, no she did not. Also, do you not get she's going home to let you deal with this, not to come back with more?
Oh... oh.... OHHHHHHH
Oh crap! 
Ummm, well now that.... that one...... yeah did not see THAT one coming. This is ummm, this is going to be interesting, so a Twilight on Twilight showdown? Or, Double the Twilight fucking over the Empires forces?
Well, be glad Leaf, you are about to see your Dark Goddess act like the pissed off avatar of "ARE YOU A BUCKING IDIOT!?" you believe her to be.
Yup, yup, very much some problems here. I I totally am not grinning like mad at trying to see how you fix this.
Or the fact you might very well just have caused another imminent apocalypse. Totally not your fault this time though. Mostly. Maybe...
Slipping right into 'I am in charge" mode over Skyla... yeah this is serious. Very serious. I'd say maybe you'll luck out and she won't notice this portal is open after three hundred years but, what are the odds of that? Only good side, you two should be on equal magical footing hopefully. I mean, she's older but, milage and all that, plus limitations of this world. Though, if she's been here before, might have something ready to counter that.
I.. it.. that.. wha.... the fact she has a simple facial expression to convey that.... 1. I can fully believe it. 2.
Think of her titles, and thin how pissed this Twi would be to finally come back three hundred years later and see how bad this has all been bucked up.
All very good points. So... now then... This should be interesting. And yeah Even twilight knows the odds of her NOT coming through are pretty much nil.
ehhhhhhh hehehehehe... about that...... ummmm, see Twilight... tends to get a little.... obsessed with things at times....
Oh.... true. Not good.
If it's a choice of the crew or the ship, she'll choose the crew. And then come back later with a fuck ton of reinforcements to get back her ship.
Maybe you should have thought of that before stealing her young filly.
Hehe, go Flurry! Yeah, for all her mistakes, she's still got her heart very much in the right place.
DAMN! And when she is motivated... holy fuck. Yeah she is going to make one HELL of a Crystal Empress one day.
ALL OF THE EPIC!
Twilight... it is time to go for the ultimate weakness, to trust Flurry with the greatest key to your own downfall, the one substance that can render you helpless. Tell her to load the Quesadilla Canons!
Or, just, time to be Twilight Sparkle, and hope to be more Twilight Sparkle then the other Twilight Sparkle.
Or just get a bunch of Twilight's to help you out.
No matter what, this should be good.
Yup, all the liquid pride!
Smart thinking though..... maybe trick her back into the portal to her realm, trigger the spell there and come back? But, decent idea at least.
OHHHHH Very nice, and you know it can and will work here. Plus non lethal, just take her out so you can talk to her, and worst case, toss her home and slam the door in her face.
Yeah... not the best time to get any true rest.
Correctly I'd guess. Also Ao, still awesome.
Well fuck. Allow me to supply what you can't with Skyla around.
"Luna shitting moonrocks!"
Well then.... should feel at least partially honored they take you so seriously. But also pissed they take you so seriously.
What about steal them away? Also to bad, he'll just have to deal with it,
So Twilight v Twilight till they both agree these assholes need to get smacked around more first?
Though, could just try to get other Twilight to fight the Empire for you.
Well good news, and by the time the fleet gets home, be all out of unicorns to recharge with.
Well, likely to be A kill or two... hundred... involved, but not the ones he thinks.
And it'll be JUST in time for he to come through as well. It's almost like some grand cosmic force is arranging events for your life Twilight so as to entertain themselves with your suffering as you struggle to kick ass through overwhelming odds.
Oh hell yeah Skyla! Also, well, things like, a really pissed off you coming to help give the Empire the smackdown.
And really damn smart! Yeah keep dragging them around as long as you can.
Hey, do not doubt the power of memes! Also, if it works, it works.
Also smart move, and yeah, sometimes... it really can help. So long as she doen'st take it to far, and she seems smart enough not to.
True, but do not underestimate the power of self confidence.
Well she lived to tell about it, and so far been lighthearted action-adventure focusing on the excitement and fun, so yeah, maybe not perfectly everything amazing, no issues every again happy, but still overall happy.
At least it better be......
okay, THAT is one hell of a good meta joke!
Okay so, tune in next week for Twilight v Twilight v Empire action!
What maxim will win out?
MAXIM 6: If violence wasn't your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
MAXIM 29: The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy, no more, no less.
Or will we get to see another application of my personal favorite
MAXIM 37: There is no "overkill." There is only "open fire" and "reload."
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Oh, just wait...
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Tune in next week!
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Well, she certainly knows how much Twilight loves Nebula...
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Yeah, funny how that works out...
You know, I don't see how a demonstration of any of those maxims would be mutually contradictory.
Ooo, I had wondered if we were going to see the other Twi that caused this mess. I kind of suspect we will, now, given that one does not set up a Black Gate and have everybody important to the story racing towards it without it actually getting used!
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Well, I certainly don't want Checkov to make a frowny-face at me!
Oh dear. Be careful what you wish for; you may just get it. And in Twilight's case, that means fixing the way home at the worst possible time. Let's just hope the true Bludgeoner with Our Own Wings either isn't paying attention to this universe or is willing to listen to and cooperate with another instance of herself. And that the medallion plan goes off relatively hitchless. They never did get a chance to perform a trial run...
Still, at least Skyla's making a good account of herself. This has definitely been a good experience for her... thus far.
It's 2:00 am and I have to go to work tomorrow and I have to move next week and I should go to bed because I need to pack tomorrow before I go to work and everything in my life is SNAFU right now but
WHO CARES
'Cause The Skyla Pseudonym updated and...
Here.
We.
Go!
Edit: Worth it. Developments abound. Potential shows itself. Change comes, swift and without mercy.
Soon, an empire falls, and a nation rises in its stead.
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How 'bout Maxim No. Machine Gun?
I'm going to be travelling for the next couple weeks and don't know what the WiFi's going to be like, so I might be a bit slow on getting my commentaries out for a bit.
The carnivore-toothed "demon" trying to convince the pegasus scholars that tearing the heads off their enemies is going a bit overboard is quite a nicely-ironic image.
Um, Twilight, you. are. starting. a. war. Work on your economic destabilization as much as you want, it's ultimately not going to do anything without that extra push. Tone the pegasi down, certainly, but your enemies are going to need some killing.
All right, I'll give you being honorable. Just so long as you don't have any illusion it won't be needed.
I wonder how that copes with large caverns; raycasting down from a very generous height would put them safely on the surface but may require a bit more calculation, while raycasting up is more closely tied to the specific coordinates of the spell, but could get fooled by a big enough opening. Then again, it's going to need to cast downward anyway so nopony is appearing in midair above the Ghastly Gorge (though that's likely one of the places to avoid in the first place), so bumping up the starting elevation may actually make the logic simpler.
That's assuming that the Empire doesn't have any neighbors it can bully into trade more easily. Given what we've seen of the buffalo, griffons, and yaks, that's not all that surprising a thing for an Equestrian to overlook, but I'd expect Twilight to have considered the possibility; maybe the charts and natives let her know she doesn't need to worry about it? Still, assuming that she isn't kickstarting the next period of Imperial expansion and colonialism, that's not actually all that bad a push to finish toppling the culture here.
The other EITC: Equestrian Interdimensional Trading Company. I'll be keeping an eye on the Canterlot Business Daily to know if I need to press for royalties.
I don't think I quite feel the sense of doom this warrants, but as successful as Twilight is, she sure seems to love tempting the forces of fate and narrative irony.
Congratulations! Though I haven't missed any big hints toward that, have I? We've definitely been following Twilight on long expeditions away from the Nebula while they would have been bonding.
Now there's a fun image. Also brings up the point that the new hires will have some trouble recognizing her for a while; Nightshade certainly has quite a few similarities to Twilight, but she'll be missing many of her most... striking features.
That's some nice worldbuilding. I don't think flares here were really used in such structured communication, but that makes perfect sense when they can be magically launched without much of a power requirement (even in the Empire, I assume). Certainly a lot faster than a chain of flags and so much easier to see at night.
Also, that sounds like a lot of ships. Assembling downwind is an interesting tactic; I'd think upwind would allow you more control over the situation -- you can close more quickly, they have to fight the wind if they want to close, and the wind's at both of your backs if they decide to run. Actually, that just answered the question for me. The Imperials know that Nebula is faster, and they want to cut off her best avenue of retreat.
That one ship did make some strange maneuver that I interpreted as a tactical exit a while back, but I'm not finding where it was now. If it didn't happen longer ago than I was remembering, that could easily be running for help. Either way, think about who you've been fighting. Two or three ships does not a fleet make.
Definitely a reasonable assumption. Even if they know you commissioned the medallions you stole, and even if they got the die they were made with, I'm guessing it's going to take even these technomancers more than a day to figure out what the mandala does. They probably don't know you stripped the prize ships of weapons either, but even with the numbers of bloodthirsty groups you've been picking up, they could definitely be able to figure out you don't have enough trained sailors to be crewing them for separate missions -- the fact that you're only expecting them to distribute the keys and then to use them themselves means that you can get away with greener sailors than otherwise.
Also, I only just realized that this line:
was not actually talking about literal parachutes but the keys to Equestria.
In fairness, parachutes are a pretty necessary bit of equipment if airships get into tight spots.
Well, that would be helpful to know. I assume by the way you're talking that "taken" means "have obtained replacement crystals"? Or do you think she's already collected them?
That's easy. Too easy. We've definitely built up enough worldbuilding to transition to more of a political action piece, but unlike the mid-story-turns in the rest of the series, there's not really a viable alternative to making the Nebula less of a presence. Something's going to go wrong.
Oh, that is going to be fun. That does seem to mean that each gate has a fixed destination, though -- I was thinking of them a bit more like stargates. Makes me wonder why there was a gate to Equestria. Again, I don't remember many interdimensional travelers in the show's history.
So they are still point-to-single-point communication methods. Guess I was reading too much into the warning signal last chapter.
Counts as half of breathing, yes. For fully-implemented breathing, though, you still need to provide the other half.
Hasn't she? Maybe not explicitly, but have you raised that complaint to her? I'm pretty sure she'd have sworn fealty to the idea of you before you got here, and just assumed that that transfers over to the real thing.
Actually a really good point. We've been assuming she was just having a bad day with obstinate tribalists, but she's not called "the Evening Mistress" after all. The chance that she just happened to cast the same sort of transformation spell before entering the gate seems a bit too small. And this Twilight was certainly willing to be a danger to those of the other worlds she toured; the other way around is far from an impossibility.
One of the defining elements of my metaphysical beliefs is actually my solution to the Ship of Theseus paradox. The details don't matter beyond the parallel structure (especially, apparently, in the Aristotelian answer), but no matter what she tries to tell Skyla, nothing new she builds -- no matter how identical -- will have the same soul or (less provocatively) the same memories attached to it.
There you go. Finally embracing your role. I'm actually proud, and -- once again -- I don't have the same level of connection Twilight does. Doesn't help calm the "my ship" mutiny, though.
And it's not for Ao this time!
What's the rule for "anymore" vs "any more"? I only ask because the lack of a space jumped out at me. My best guess is that I only use "anymore" for time, and "any more" operates on countable objects or events, but I'm not sure if that's just me.
Exactly. The fact that unofficial writings based on a fictional show can invoke that feeling is both a testament to the world of the show and the skill of your storytelling.
Hmm, I'm assuming you don't want to cross the streams early, so one-way mirrors are out even if they would work in single-gun situations. (Though that might be an elegant solution if you can adjust the launch speed and timing of each barrel.) Getting the alignment right is the trickiest mechanical part, but that could possibly be "simplified" by working out some sort of parabolic reflector and setting up each gun parallel to its axis. You don't even need to have the full thing, just the hoof-or-two-wide sections immediately in line with each gun. Distance is just another mathematical equation, and you can probably rig something to trigger each of them easily enough, so long as the slop of the firing mechanisms is comfortably within the tolerance of the spell. Then it's just down to getting the Twilight to stop exactly the right distance away for long enough to aim and fire. Nets may be helpful.
Maybe a hard week or two to get that bit built, more if you need to track down parts, but creating the mandalas for each component is probably the more time-consuming. Filgaree's certainly gotten a bit of practice with his transformation-gun carvings, but it seems a rather fiddly process, and I doubt anypony has Tirek's exact arcane signature worked out yet.
I'm getting visions of the Mythbusters' ancient Greek death rays.
Oh, right, we did have a whole bit a while back on sabotaging power crystals, didn't we. Ignore my earlier comments on only having fought a few ships.
For some reason, my strongest reaction to that is "Aw, I bet it looks cute."
They will know you don't have the prize ships at that point, though. Not going to make it much easier to find them, but hopefully they got far enough away that the handful of scouts sent to spiral out looking for them can't reach them.
We're going to be taking her with us on a sequence of hops through several more dimensions before we can finally get back home, aren't we? The gate could easily be big enough.
I feel much less weird about calling that cute. Also, she's going to have so much fun when Twilight Velvet pulls out the photo album to embarrass Twi in front of her marefriends.
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At times like these, and even if she doesn't know it, Loose Leaf must be glad that Twi isn't actually the Dark Mistress -- as long as you aren't acting aggressively or stealing Nebula, Twilight seems like the kind of pony that gets deadly calm when she's angry. Could definitely be wrong (it's late and my memory's not running at full speed), but if I'm not, that would have been another hint the Twilight in the prophecy was a different one.
If we aren't going dimension-hopping and we do wind up fighting, this better not be one of those stories where the ship winds up on fire and breaking into pieces as it falls from the sky (or disperses into space) in a heroic sacrifice. I know there's quite a few other stories between this and Enigma, but I don't want to have to mourn Nebula.
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They are, however, interesting counterparts to them: the panicking lieutenant can easily lead to a sucking chest wound as they scramble for control, teamwork leads to everyone doing their part to prevent friendly fire, and all of that executing a plan and surviving it could be a lot easier with more relevant intel (in both potential parses of that phrase).
Well, things are about to get interesting...
Also, I am very happy you are not calling every big ship a Destroyer!
Devil's advocate - if Other Twilight turns up, and she's actually a bit more like this Twilight than not, but more powerful and older... She might not take too kindly to the Emperor. At all.
So there's a possibility it might not be bad for our Twilight as it might be.
(Or, and here's a hilarious thought, Other Flurry shows up, and turns out she's ALSO been her Twilight's student, only older and more powerful and the true embodiment of destruction or something. And also does not approve of the Emperor.
What? I can dream...
Also yes, I am a bad person. I tink we have established this before now.)
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Their confusion is understandable!
Oops!
Good catch! It should be "any more".
Yup! Think of a pony riding a big bronze dragonfly.
By any chance, have you read Eric Frank Russell's delightful novel Wasp? This plan sounds like something that the titular hero in the story would implement.
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But that is what you would expect, yes?
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Grim and Mighty Blood-Soaked Warrior Who Gets All the Cute Mares is a perfectly cromulent Culture ship name
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I haven't read Wasp, but it sounds awesome and I've enjoyed other novels by him! Just ordered it for kindle!
Yep! It would be a good Culture ship name, but it would be just a little more Culture-y as Grim and Mighty Blood-Soaked Warrior Who Gets All the Cute Mares But is Secretly Doubtful of His Masculinity.
I hope for your own sake, mister, that there will be Luna speaking in Middle Equish in the end
Otherwise I would be very,very sad
And Kathaarekket...or how it is spelled
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It is a good story, regarded as Russell's best. Terry Pratchett stated that he "can't imagine a funnier terrorists' handbook."
Ironhoof is the first.
There are plenty more to come.
The list is long.
Dirac Angestun Gesept Factio Unicornis Libertas
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A rec from Sir Pterry cinches the deal! (This is going to cut into my ponyfic reading time, you know!)
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A confusing mix of erotica and ship to ship combat.
Twilight's problem is that she too often lets her ability to anticipate problems drag her down and make her pessimistic. What is needed is to modify the plan to compensate for this complication. I would recommend a random evasive course coupled with taking down a scout whenever the chance presents itself. Create chaos in the enemy ranks and confusion amongst the general staff about your objective. As Flurry pointed out, the objective of this phase is to cut off the Empire's supply of magic; the entire engagement ahead is nothing but a feint to distract the enemy from the poisoned dagger being inserted into the heart of their war machine.
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Yes, Twilight's idiosyncrasies are definitely playing into her planning, and this is the first adventure in a very long time where she hasn't been able to just magically take a ship's crew or two by the scruffs of their necks and shake some sense into them. Her current lack of power is making her a bit skittish, even if she's not conveying that in her text. She's a bit of an unreliable narrator, after all.
Small typo:
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Fix'd, thanks!
What surprised her was its eponymous captain.
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I wish I could fave comments.
That is very meta. The Nebula is caught between a possibly hostile Twilight and a definitely hostile empire. You know how to write.