9 Making New Friends
Chapter Nine
Making New Friends
"Bind their wings, hobble them, and dump them in the hold," Skyla ordered after she had gotten tired of blustering, insults, and general uncooperativeness. (About five minutes from the moment her hooves touched the desert.)
"I am Baron Ironhoof, Imperial Governor of the Western Territories!" the big earth pony shouted indignantly. "You will keep me in quarters befitting my station until my ransom is paid!"
"Gag that one," Skyla said. "Cream Puff, take a boarding pike and keep watch over them. If it looks like there's any chance of one getting loose, yell for help. If one of them does get loose, pin him to the deck, baron or not."
Cream Puff swallowed hard, but saluted her and said, "Yes, Captain!"
I kept out of sight, even though the pegasi had gotten a brief glimpse of me earlier. Whatever they had against alicorns might work in our favor, but we needed to be clever about getting information out of them to make sure we weren't fed a pack of lies.
I settled Swift Wing into the second mate's berth with a splint on his broken wing. I treated him with several spells and a dose of a Zebra potion, with the promise of a more prolonged session of healing after we'd gotten clear of the area.
"I'm sorry I can't use the more powerful spells I know," I told him. "I'm afraid you're going to be off that wing for at least a week."
"That's alright, Ms. Nightshade," he replied. "I'm just glad—"
He was interrupted by Skyla entering the cabin. "How are you feeling, Swift?"
"Hardly hurts at all, Captain! Really!"
"Good." She leaned over and examined his splint. "That was very brave of you, Swift Wing." She turned her head and gave him a rather lingering kiss on the side of his muzzle. "Thank you."
She might as well have hit him over the head with a dropstone for all the sense I got out of him after that. I left the job of getting us back to Palo Verde to Skyla and went back to my cabin, where I studied the baron's broken gun while I cast healing spells on my own wing.
The gun was powered by a crystal about the size of a hen's egg, and the matrix was not overly complex. A simple mechanism closed a contact between the crystal's setting and the waveguide for about a second with each pull of the trigger. The matrix was designed to focus the mana into a tight, hot beam. Nothing fancy, but nearly four times as powerful as an average unicorn guard's magical strike and quite deadly at close range. The gem held enough of a charge for at least six shots.
I wished that I had been able to get a look at one of the crystals powering the airship's guns; it would have given me a good idea of their general capacity, and that was something that I was afraid we would need in the near future. Judging by the force of the explosion of the broken crystal in the forward gun pod, my rough estimate was between five and ten shots.
Thinking about that explosion, I put away the gun and went topside to survey the damage. My poor Nebula was badly scorched at the stern of both her hull and her envelope, but the anti-magic coating had saved her from any significant damage. The coating itself had been degraded and was flaking away in a couple of spots. I made a mental note to get some more of the alchemical goop out of stowage and paint on another layer as soon as possible.
Thanks to massive over-engineering, the broken liftstay could wait until we were done at the town. The damage to the starboard bow seemed to be, thankfully, mostly minor. The shrapnel from the explosion had peppered the planks and scoured away most of the paint and anti-magic coating, but some telekinetic probing revealed that the planks and ribs were sound. Considering we'd been jumped by an unexpectedly powerful enemy, we had gotten off lightly.
"Coming up on the outpost!" Sirocco cried out from the quarterdeck.
I got out my spyglass and scanned the area. There were a score of earth ponies setting up big wooden shields around the buildings and wreckage of the tower. They had set up several tripod-mounted magical guns and well as smaller hoof-held versions, and the now-bandaged and splinted ponies that had been pulled out of the rubble were operating most of the stationary weapons.
I snapped my spyglass shut and trotted back to the quarterdeck, calling out to Skyla, "Captain, may I borrow one of your prisoners for a while?"
= = =
I'm not sure whether the governor was well-liked by his troops or they were just wiser than the average group of soldiers, but in any case, they didn't fire on us as we eased up to the grounds of the outpost with the baron tied to the bowsprit.
He ordered them to surrender and to cooperate with us, but we herded them into the barracks and nailed the doors and window shutters closed just to be on the safe side. We collected the guns and hoisted them aboard Nebula before we broke into the warehouse.
Now… I think I need to take a moment to justify our behavior, both on that occasion and afterwards. An Equestrian pony witnessing the resupply activities,[1] might be forgiven for failing to grasp the ethical niceties of the situation.
----------
[1] Oh, all right, looting.
---------
A pirate is an airborne or nautical thief who pursues her profession solely as a means to self-enrichment. A privateer engages in nearly identical activities, but under the auspices of a government in time of conflict. The former is a criminal, the latter, a legal agent of one of the combative nations.
And that is why I had taken the time to draw up a formal declaration of war before attacking the Empire's outpost. I even had Sirocco look through a couple of the books we'd gotten to make sure that the document was dated correctly according to local usage, though I didn't tell him what I wanted the information for.
Skyla frowned down at the document when I presented it to her for her signature. "Are you sure this is necessary, Twilight? You want me to use my real name on this?"
"It won't be legal unless you do," I explained.
"But… I'm declaring war in the name of the Crystal Empire! How can that be legal?"
"Your mother and father aren't available. You are the highest ranking imperial royal on this world."
"Why can't you do it?"
I sighed. "You are in charge here."
"But—"
"Look, it's just a technicality. It doesn't mean we will actually get involved in an interdimensional war. You see, we don't know enough about this world to trust whatever they have in the way of a postal service to deliver this declaration, so we will have to hang onto it until we can guarantee the emperor will receive it. Now, the likelihood of us meeting him personally is vanishingly small, so we'll just file this away as a little bit of insurance in case of… legal complications."
Skyla tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at me. "You've done this before, haven't you?"
"Uhm…"
"How many times have you done this?"
Off-hoof, I didn't really know. "Quite a few times, actually," I muttered. "I'm technically a queen, so… well, it's convenient[2] sometimes."
----------
[2] It can also be a gigantic pain in the rump. Twilight Town once fought and won a war that none of its citizens were even aware of. When an unexpected delegation of giraffes, offering an official surrender and asking for reconstruction money, arrived in town, Buzzy took it in her stride. But she was a bit cross with me for months afterward.
---------
Skyla frowned and tapped a hoof on the chart table. "Well... if it's worked for you so many times before…" She floated over a quill and inkwell and signed the document. I had a bizarre moment when—for some inexplicable reason—I pictured pasting the declaration into one of my scrapbooks next to Flurry's baby pictures.
At any rate, that document—and a Letter of Marque to authorize Nebula's activities during the conflict—made our attack and acquisition of supplies perfectly legal according to the majority of sensible international treaties.
= = =
The inhabitants of Palo Verde had gotten a good look at us as we toppled the outpost tower, and the fireball that rose from the desert when the airship Ironhoof[3] crashed would have been spectacular, even leagues away. So the townsfolk weren't all that welcoming as we maneuvered to a position above the town square. In fact, they had barricaded themselves inside their shops and homes, and the streets were completely deserted.
----------
[3] Yes, I confirmed that the baron had named his ship after himself. Who does that? It might be great fodder for a comedy act, (e.g., the uncertainty concerning which big flaming gasbag one was speaking of) but it would be bound to cause a lot of inconvenient confusion in practice.
----------
Palo Verde was a charming little town with mostly one and two story flat-roofed adobe buildings surrounding an arcaded plaza. There was a large tiled fountain in the center surrounded by healthy shade trees. The plaza itself was paved with natural stone slabs, which was very convenient for us. The sound of gold coins hitting them from a height made quite a noise.
Doors and shutters creaked open by a narrow amount; just enough for the good folk of the town to visually confirm that their ears had not deceived them. The rush started an instant later.
When the plaza was packed side-to-side, Captain Skyla, her wings once again hidden beneath her greatcoat, stepped to the rail and spoke to the crowd. "Good people of Palo Verde! I am Captain Skyla Windsong of the pirate ship Nebula and the Free Company of Friends!"
The townsfolk looked up with varying degrees of wariness, and Skyla scattered another bucket full of gold by way of reassurance. "What the Empire has taken, I return to you!"
The chest marked "taxes" had probably been a collection from most of the territory rather than just Palo Verde, but most wealth-redistribution schemes are fundamentally flawed in some way, so we were in good (or at least typical) company.
While Skyla gave a stirring, if deliberately vague, speech, I scanned the crowd from a half-open port on the crew deck. Most of the people were burros, mules, and earth ponies, but there were a dozen or so unicorns as well. The only pegasi were a pair that stood on either side of a frowning earth pony on the roof of one of the buildings that faced the square. They had crossbows slung across their barrels.
I examined them and the building they stood on more closely. There was a big wooden sign that bore the same symbol that had been on Ironhoof's side. (The airship, not the pony.)
"The Free Company of Friends holds that all ponies are equals and all people of any stripe stand equal with ponies! Our crews have all the tribes among them and we rise by merit alone!"
That caused quite a stir, and the earth pony with the pegasi bodyguards bared his teeth and said something to them I couldn't make out above the general noise of the crowd.
"You have seen what we can do today!" Skyla continued. "When our fleet returns from the west,[4] you will see even more! The people of this land will be free once again!" She gestured grandly with a sweep of her foreleg, and Lance and Puff upended the tax chest, spilling the last of the gold into the eager hooves below.
----------
[4] A deliberate misdirection, of course.
-----------
"Wait! Wait!" somepony cried out from below.
It took me a second to pick out the pony who had yelled at us. She was a buttercup yellow unicorn with a white mane toward the back of the crowd, rearing and waving her forelegs to catch our attention. "Take me with you!" she screamed. "Please!"
The grin dropped off my face when the earth pony on the roof bellowed, "Shoot that screwhead!"
The pegasi leaped into the air and unslung their crossbows, taking aim at the unicorn who had called out to us. I brought my gun to bear on one of them, hoping that Filigree would make burning them out of the air unnecessary, and indeed he did. The deep whump of the net launcher shook the deck and the weighted bundle of unfurling mesh smacked both the pegasi out of the air.
The net launcher was designed to work at a height that would allow time for the parachute attached to the net to open and soften the landing of the captured pegasi. We were well below that altitude. The chute had just enough time to stream out into a festive-looking bit of red and white cloth before the two tangled ponies crashed through a wooden awning over a balcony and landed in a groaning heap.
To register my disapproval, I swung the barrel of my gun to the building where the foul-mouthed earth pony who had ordered the outright murder stood, gaping. I did not shoot him dead. I put a blast into the parapet in front of him. The spatter from the shot and the fragments of adobe shrapnel may well have done some damage, and falling backwards down the hatch in the roof probably did him no good, but that was purely incidental.
"Anypony else want to use that word?" I growled out of the port, leaning forward just enough to let my horn show.
The general murmur of the crowd included no clear insults, and I settled back, reaching out with my telekinesis for the yellow unicorn. She was light enough that I probably could have lifted her aboard by myself, but we had arranged to work in tandem, so Skyla's magic joined mine almost immediately, and the mare floated up and over the rail in moments.
"Anyone else want to join my crew?" Skyla asked, putting a hoof on the rail and tossing her head in a rakish manner. "Even earth ponies are welcome. Isn't that right, Lance?"
Stalwart Lance snapped her a salute. "Right indeed, Captain!"
Ah, theater!
One of the unicorns glanced around nervously, but eventually sighed and hung his head.
"Very well then!" Skyla said, with another carefree toss of her head that sent her mane rippling. "We go now, but look to the west for our return!"
That was Sirocco's cue, and he rang the engines to Half Ahead, slowly turning Nebula above the square to display the huge Jolly Roger flying at her stern, and pointed her nose west.
It wasn't a minute later when I heard the clatter of galloping hooves behind us. Skyla looked over the stern rail, then called out to me, "We've got another one, Ms. Nightshade!"
It needed the both of us to lift the big jack mule aboard. He probably weighed twice what the unicorn mare did.
"Whoo…" he gasped as his hooves came down on the deck. "Thank ya, kindly! I didn't wanna git stomped to death back in the zócalo, so I held my tongue until I could git clear of the crowd. I didn't think I was gonna make it there for a—holy spirits! What in the seven hells are you?"
"This one is a kirin," Ao said calmly. "This one is from a land very far from here. As the captain said, all are welcome aboard her ship." She did not smile; not even a little bit. "Even mules."
The poor guy's ears were flopping all over the place. Glancing around, he caught sight of me, which, even though I was wearing a light cloak over my wings, did nothing to help restore his calm. "Oh… what have I got myself into?" he moaned.
"Please," Skyla said softly. "You won't be harmed. If you change your mind, we will set you down on the road outside of town. But won't you have a meal with us first? The young unicorn who joined us has gone below to meet the rest of the crewponies and to eat some supper. Do you know her?"
That settled him a bit. "Daisy? Uh, yeah… I know her to say hello to, anyways. Nice little filly. Thanks for not lettin' El Jefe shoot her, by the by."
"Our pleasure, I assure you." Skyla said, smiling. "And what is your name?"
"Oh." The mule's ears drooped. "Well… my given name… what they call me… is Barro."
"That means 'mud'," I said, translating for Skyla.
The mule cleared his throat. "Yes… ma'am. That it does. My grandpappy hung it on me. Sorta a joke, I guess."
"You're starting a new life, so you'll need a new name," I said through my teeth, barely able to contain my fury. "What shall we enter into the logbook?"
He looked up at me, obviously thinking that I was also playing some sort of cruel joke on him. "Is that right, ma'am?" He looked to Skyla for confirmation.
"Absolutely. You are free to choose any name you like." Skyla cocked her head in thought for a second. "The crew will likely shorten it for you, so choose carefully," she advised.
"Huh." A slow grin spread across his face as he began to believe we were telling the truth. "Well, I always did fancy the name Star. Would that be alright, ma'am?"
I almost bit my lip before I remembered what my teeth would do to it.
"An auspicious name, this one believes." Ao to the rescue!
"That would be fine, Star," Skyla said, and her smile could easily have been taken for a kind one. "Now… you must address me as Captain Skyla, or just Captain. This is Ms. Nightshade, our first mate and sailing master, and this…"
= = =
The officers joined the crew for the evening meal, and we all got to know our new members a bit better. Skyla and I still kept our concealing clothing on; we thought there were enough shocks to fill the day as it was. Time enough to reveal the full extent of our alien nature on the morrow.
Filigree showed them how to rig their hammocks when dinner was cleared away and the tables stowed. Both seemed nervous but hopeful, and I eagerly anticipated getting to know them over the coming days.
I took the night watch, as usual, and wasn't surprised to see our new recruits walking the waist together, looking out over the moonlit desert and talking. Their lives had been dramatically changed in a matter of moments, and the only familiar things left were each other. I thought I could guess the general content of their conversation, but an unexpected outburst from Daisy proved me wrong.
"What?" she cried out in dismay. "But I like my name!"
= = =
=
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The horror.
Maybe she could change her name to Sky. To go with her new job, and the name Star. Or maybe Quake. Because...uh...she wants to shake up the world?
...The joke only works if you've seen Agents of Shield. Skye and Quake are way better names than Daisy anyway.
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8104554
Alright! Inspiring the
peopleponies has commenced!It is grand to see ponies joining up with the crew, though it makes me wonder how serious they are getting about this. It was my understanding that they would do what they could while they sought out the gems, and would leave thereafter. I can't imagine these new ponies will be ready to leave behind their home world, but at the same time... they have thrown away everything else to join this rebellious crew.
Well, with the energy weapons (at least the smaller ones) obtained, here is to hoping Twilight improves upon their designs. If she could find some way to give Unicorns an extra edge, it could go a long way towards a full scale revolution. Concerning the issue of magical flow/current... perhaps there is a solution similar to Alternating Currents uses in electricity? Electrical wires would need to be much thicker and more numerous to match modern standards if they still used Direct Current, after all.
It's not looting! It is pillaging with style!
8104653
Privateers pillage with purpose. Pirates plunder personally.
Our rag-tag band has grown a bit more rag-tag
For the revolution!
Why is it no matter the countless interdimensional trips we go on, the most awful things we encounter are racists? There's a metaphor in there somewhere, I'm sure. Maybe Twilight can somehow introduce these Earth Ponies to a universe where Sombra has won, see how they feel then?
I love how, every story, you have a different set of companions that you focus on. I'll admit, I like seeing the same characters all the time just the same, but having new faces and new dynamics every book is refreshing in its own way.
So, we found out this world does know about Alicorns, but sees them as demons. So... the Alicorns here actually evil, or they just such bigoted, racists assholes that the idea of a pony employing all three tribes simply has to be evil?
Still, Making Friends. This is right up Twi's ally. Time to start getting a resistance movement together! Or maybe meeting one.
There are benefits to being a pirate, no having to worry about things like, laws, and proper treatment of prisoners. Can just have them dumped somewhere they won't annoy you. Simply for annoying you.
Also you know Twi has stuff down there set up to serve as a brig.
Oh wait you're serious. Let me laugh even harder
Still this tells you something. These ponies are used to pirates and bandits pulling off this type of thing, to the point a high ranking officer/noble being captured and ransomed is treated this ordinarily that he simply assumes that is what they intend and they have protocols expected for this. Very interesting bit of information. If they are this used to them and this kind of thing.... definitely something that might be exploitable.
Now to watch him learn just who he is dealing with this time.
Good call Captain.
Very true. Time for sneaky sneaky time. To bad Pinkie isn't here, she'd have them telling her everything inside an hour.
Still either trickery and what not, or, given the title, maybe trying to sweet talk them and trick them that way.
Still, a week for a broken wing isn't that bad. Also, that was rather epic way of breaking it. So all in all.....
TOTALLY WORTH IT!
... I used that to soon.
Also, he can literally say "I'll be in my bunk" right now and get away with it.
Time for some good old reverse engineering! Twi with a magical/tech problem to tackle give her five minutes till she figures out how it all works better then the ponies that built it. Twenty max till she figures out how to replicate it.
Okay, so not TO huge a threat. Needs to be close to be deadly, and limited shots before needing reloading. Given the mana budget on this world, likely to be rather stingy with the gems so.. shouldn't have to worry about everypony wielding these, just ranking officers or special troops. Still, crude but effective, yet not a game breaker.
Okay, still not TOO bad. Just gotta be really good at dodging for a bit.
Batmare level preparedness saves the day again. Let's hope it holds out for awhile longer.
Oh crap. Still at least they know about the weapons now so can take precautions. Gotta wonder at the enemy crews reaction to shots just splashing off the hull.
OHHHH it's a physical substance, let's hope she's got a really good supply on hoof. Or can find the stuff to make more.
Poor poor foals. Like those will get in the way of Twilight getting what she wants. Be glad she's playing nice for now.
Or so regimented and having the command chain so beaten into them that they couldn't even think of disobeying or threatening a superior? Or, then again, as noted, could be so used to this kind of thing they assume it's just a pro-forma ransom demand and are sticking to the script for these things.
SCORE!
Also.... well, he's being rather complaint. Still figuring this will all work out lie normal and just planning to give them a 1 star thrashing on their ransom taker rating service once he's free?
At least you're honest about it.
Still, seems legit to me. You do need supplies. They have. And they are an oppressive, racist Empire. Who better to steal from?
And seeing as how Twilight essentially constitutes a government in and of herself. (She is the Dark God-Empress of Twilight Town after all.) Even if you discount Equestria.) Then by definition, anything she does is privateering, not pirating. See, perfectly logical.
Precisly. Also, love the nuances here, and just how letter of the law Twilight is being about what she's doing. I'm she declared war. It's not her fault none of them heard her from her cabin.
Nothing illegal about it. No treaties here after all. And you have ample reason, both war of emancipation for those under the Empire's yolk. Or just "you have something I want." War is funny like that. Also, few things are more satisfying as building a close, trusted alliance with another country, get them to help you crush all others, weaken their own army... just to turn around and annihilated them to ensure your victory! (I might be playing a bit to much Civilization...)
Aside from you Twilight...... But this was Flurry's idea after all.
I'm sure any court that would be trying you would be quite appreciative of these details
Also, Twilight... you know that means you WILL end up meeting him at some point now. Hope you don't forget the letter. Likely just as you get the last gem. "By the way, we're at war, but it was just to get these so, we're cool now, peace out!"
Better question, how many nations/cities is Equestria/Twilight Town still technically at war with while neither side knows it?
Just once?
Such is the price of living under the rule of a dark Goddess.
"Little Flurry's first declaration of War!"
I am sure the Empire will be quite happy to see things that way.
Now where do they keep the real goodies!
But.. yeah do love this. Twilight covering her bases, trying to keep Flurry out of as much trouble as possible. And also trying as hard as she can to stay 'good' and do the 'right' thing, even if it is matter of semantics.
ponies that really deserve a nice long trip in the hold.
I'm sure it's just a cultural issue at work.
maybe that's this worlds version of a ticker tape parade. Showing respect by allowing them to just take what they want and leave. I bet "Please don't hurt me" is an expression of joy and relief at being near such a strong warrior.
And now they really are the town's best friends. Good luck convincing the common ponies this ship is evil, Empire.
"My statue should be at least 80% as large as I am minimum. And if I find a single bird dropping on it when I come back SO HELP ME!"
but still quite fun to do.
Guessing either the mayor, or the town's rich guy. Also, slung across.. as in, attached battle saddle style to be fired like that, or 'holstered' and needing to be held in hooves to work?
military Governor? Or just the local Imperial liaison type deal?
He knows how dangerous that idea could be. Also.. go ahead and try something asshole.
Both the direction and there being more of course.
Though keep this up... might just be more. If nothing else, the rumor and stories will make this one ship seem like a fleet.
New recruits NICE! And gee can't guess why a unicorn would want to escape.
Oh fuck you asshole! Yeah, you're going on Twilight's list. Also, guess who just lost ANY chance of salvaging this situation.
Very nice. Now, what's the asshole going to try and do next? Also, going to bring her on board Captain Skyla? Can see some good reasons not to... yet at the same time given their lives, I'd do it just out of sympathy, and if she stays now, she's dead.
[Insert maud emote] That is such a huge tragedy. I feel so sorry for them.
It's both a very short, and very long list. The shear number of names is quite long. Those that are not crossed off... not so much.
That would be a bit TO merciful. instead, leave him to tender mercy of the townsfolk, and to seeing his precious oppression and tyranny come crashing down around him.
Good to see the rules of comedy are the same here.
Also, very nice call back on that one!
And already planning to take any pony on that wanted to come. Freaking awesome. And also, doubt they've ever seen ponies pull off a trick like that so, drive in some "Holy fuck!" awe about them as well. Very good use of multiple fronts on the psychological war.
OHHHH really going multi-racial, VERY nice.
Hello Babylon 5 flashbacks, Very nice.
The Empires worst Nightmare!
Also an adorable book-horse with a very badass streak.
Oh responding to Ao, not Twilight.
One hell of a fun adventure! Enjoy the ride!
One of the lesser advertised perks of becoming a pira...err privateer. Getting to pick a cool new name.
Yup this world is just making it easier and easier for her to enjoy this.
Okay, that makes the bit from earlier make sense. Also, wow.. nice choice.
And with Ao.. can't be sure if she's fully serious, or having just the tiniest bit of fun at Twi's expenses.
AKA Her, Skyla and Ao.
And she fully means this, and not just in anyway having to do with learning more about this world or getting information. Because Twilight is awesome that way.
Hey now, you don't HAVE to change it if you don't want to!
THIS WAS AWESOME! not quite as I LOVE EVERY MOMENT OF THIS as that previous one, but still damn good. Showing the seeds of the uprising. Spreading the legend of this ship and crew, setting the stage for a full uprising, gaining new friends, Showing the Empire can be stood up to. So far so good, now to see what the Empire does to try and deal with them, and bad they screw it up.
8104614 Given how crap their lives have been, what is there to stay behind for? Get a free trip to a better world? Why not? I'm figuring that when they leave, some of the recruits will come with, other's will stay behind to help lead the rebellion they've started and finish what Twilight and Skyla began.
8105180
"in moments
."Anyone"
The period appears to have found itself on the wrong side of the paragraph break.
8104874
Probably because it's one of the few things just awful enough to get us high on moral outrage
, but not awful enough to make the story depressing 
.
8105180
More likely to be the latter. Earth ponies and (to a lesser extent) pegasi have a vested interest in making sure that the living batteries never rally behind someone powerful enough to challenge the status quo. Best way to do that is to engineer a society that sees alicorns as abominations right off the bat.
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Fix'd, thanks!
Flurry's first words
Flurry's first steps
Flurry's first destructive magical surge
Flurry's first day at school
Flurry's first stallion-friend
Flurry's first inter-dimensional declaration of war...
*sniff* They just grow up so fast...
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Well, every Royalty do it once in their live.
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I actually miss that changeling crewmember ( and I feel trully terrible because I can ' t recollect name... Kheeteraaket or something like that
8105180
Or maybe the last alicorns to visit this world were interdimensional travellers - perhaps even an alternate Celestia and Luna? Who promptly objected to the local treatment of unicorns, and were only beaten back with significant effort?
Suuuuuuure, Twilight. You just keep telling yourself that.
And the legal complexities are going to be so much fun to work through as time goes on.
8104697 Perspicatious pony pirates, purportedly, pillage, plunder, and ply their way to pretty pennies.
Continue? Y/N
8110048
8110664 English is wünderbar.
img06.deviantart.net/bd90/i/2014/011/1/b/p_for_pugnacity_by_foxy_noxy-d71txra.png
Dammit, Twilight, why can't I get my diplomats to forge a casus belli that easily in Europa Universalis IV? It takes them months, the lazy fracks.
Maybe after you are finished here, you can come and work for Necrolantis?
...
Look, it's called that because the Paragon Priestess wanted to make a new Atlantis, they don't actually use necromancy or anything. Probably. They're good people, I'm sure. Okay sure, they might have conquered a few peope, but that's, just like you to get rid of the current regime, and come on their cheif enemy is the French, so you know we must be on the right side...!
Actually, I'd give my eyeglow-teeth for an airship, come to that... Nowt like air superiority by dint of being the ONLY flying force...
Leave it to Twilight to make sure all the paperwork is ready before collecting the spoils of war. Girl, at this rate you might want to get a template drawn up. "Be it known that on _____(current date)____, I, _____(name and current titles)_____, declare that a state of war exists between ______(friendly municipality)_____ and _____(hapless victim)_____..."
The fact that this chapter was lacking in lots of apostrophes made me sad.
8129298 N'deed.
8104554
Mah boi!
Lol
I like this chapter too.
So much naval speak!
This chapter mentions income-redistribution. I have a few ideas:
I support progressive taxation. I also like squareroots. We currently have push for a 15.00U$D/Hour-Wage. Assuming that a worker works 2,000 hours/year, that is 30,000.00 U$D/Year. We shall make that 1 unit. Let us suppose that some teenager earns 15,000.00 U$D at a part-time job. After taxes, that pony earns 21,213.20 U$D. Let us suppose that somepony earns 60,000.00 U$D, that pony has 42, 426.41 U$D.
For estate-taxes, I suggest that the unit be a million dollars of wealth.
I like mincome. I suggest that one pay 12,000.00 U$D/year of mincome.
All employers should have to offer 401Ks.