DARING DO AND THE COMPASS OF DISCORD

by De Writer

Chapter 3 A Meeting at the Adventures Guild

Author's Note:

This tale takes place in an AU some years advanced from the regular MLP timeline.

There have been advances in both practical magic, technology and a blend of the two known as Mage/Tech, or MT.

This tale also touches on the real purpose of Eris/Discord. It is far more complex than simply sowing chaos, though that is often a side effect of her/his real goal.

Back in her office, Daring Do began to search her personal collection of literature for information on Antiquities, known ruins and sites of interest, from the Selene Mountains area of the Zebra Confederation.

She had out a regularly published map of the mountain range and was marking the locations on it. There was a gentle tapping at her office door.

At Daring Do’s call of, “Enter!” Morail, the zebra from the library, pushed open the door. She had a rolling cart filled with books, expedition reports and high quality maps of the Selene Mountains.

Daring Do looked through the mass of material gratefully. “Why did you go to this much trouble, Morail?”

Grimly, the librarian reached into her saddlebag and laid out a Zebra Confederation Travel Document and a letter, also from the Confederation.

As Daring Do reached for them, Morail stated flatly, “I overheard your conversation with Withers and Cyrene. Discord is not the only one to detest and hate the Discordians. I hope that this information will help you to destroy them.

“Our family farm was not far from the Selenes. I used to play and rock climb up there among the old ruins. Then Discordians began to show up. Not the Hidden Temple lot. They were at the other end of the range.”

Daring Do let the letter fall and offered Morail a hug. “They ‘spread Chaos’ to your family farm? All of your family is gone?”

Morail hugged back fiercely and then snorted, “Some Chaos! They waited until the harvest was in but not sent to market yet. They stole everything.

“My family was paying for my education here. They hoped to start a quality library in Okapitan. Now, the Discordians have even taken my education.”

Daring Do sat and thought for a moment. “Would you be willing to put your studies on hold for a while? In return, you would receive a fully paid scholarship to the Royal University.”

Morail gave Daring Do a troubled and considering look. “What would I be doing to merit that?”

“Professor Withers and I are going to need a guide who is familiar with the Okapitan district, especially that end of the Selene Mountains. If you are that guide, I can guarantee the scholarship, if we survive the expedition.

“On a related, side note, Morail, how is your shooting with things other than MT84 quick fire cannons?”

Morail relaxed and smiled for the first time since she came into Daring Do’s office. She pulled a Royal Officer Training Corps medal case out of her saddlebag. Flipping it open, she pointed. “Unit Best at handguns, Sniper Qualified at rifle. Close Quarter Sword Qualified. I was taking the ROTC program to reduce my family’s financial burden. I am good with guns.”

Daring Do gave Morail a piercing look before asking, “Have you ever actually shot at a living pony before?”

Morail hoofed over a book of news clippings from papers of the Okapitan area. She opened it and found her place. “How well do you read Zebra, Doctor Do?”

As Daring Do took the clippings book, she replied, “Fer passin vell, eh tonk.”

Morail grinned as she watched Daring Do read the account.

Daring Do commented, “Raider band of mixed ponies and zebras attacked several local farms. They were stopped with five dead and seven wounded by the defense of Blum Fauntin Farm.

“That is pretty impressive. How many were yours?”

Morail, gone serious now, replied, “I killed three and wounded two.” Gone into personal grief, she added, “I wonder if my being here is why my family died?”

Daring Do reached out and took her into another hug. “There is no way to know that, Morail. The answer depends on too many things that we not only don’t know, we can’t know. You were not there. That is the only real fact that we have.”

Daring Do stepped back and said, “You mentioned playing in the old ruins up in the Selenes? I have never heard of ruins in those mountains. Tell me as much as you can about them. They may give us the solid base for the expedition.”

Soon Doctor Do was questioning Morail on details of wall structure, pillar shapes and types, the size and placement of the ruins that she remembered from her fillyhood.

Shortly, Daring Do looked up from her work and reached for her Magic Net mirror. After tapping codes, she inquired, “Office of Royal University Chancellor Luna? This Professor Daring Do of the Antiquities Department. Please put me through to her. She is expecting my call.”

She listened for a moment and snapped, “I know that she is very busy, Count Umber! No. You may not inquire what this call is about. You cannot erase any call using this code group. Luna will audit the incoming calls on this group this evening, and you know it! Now put me through!”

In only moments, Daring Do and Morail were looking at Princess Luna, who grinned happily. “Doctor Do! You have saved me from adjudicating a water dispute between two baronies! There is enough supply for BOTH of their needs but neither one wants to yield a drop to the other! Thank you.

“Now what is it that has you calling on this code group?”

Daring Do replied in her best professional voice, “I have three issues that need the support of the Chancellor of the University.

“First: In response to the request of a mutual friend, we have found the general location of the artifact that she wishes to have conserved when found.

“Second: We have located a potential source civilization for the Nil Eya civilization along the banks of the Forgotten River. I have eye witness accounts of walls, columns, pillars, lintels and floors that show an apparent relationship to the early Dynasty Nil Eya works. There are inscriptions in some of the stone work that resemble Nil Eya hieratic script but the witness can not be sure of that.

Third: My witness to all of this lived near and used to play in those ruins. She is a Zebra Confederation exchange student with excellent grades and has qualifications that would be useful to any expedition to the Okapitan district of the Confederation.

“Unfortunately, this student of Library Science was being financed by her family who had a farm in the region, close to the Selene Mountains. The farm was destroyed and all of her family were killed by a band of raiders.

“As I have done in the past for other deserving students, I wish to set her up a fully paid Royal Scholarship in return for her expedition assistance. The potential returns from this expedition easily justify it.”

Luna’s image nodded. “That should be no problem, Doctor Do. It might be more of a problem to actually mount the expedition itself. Have you chosen any others?”

Daring Do agreed, “I have. For this survey study of the ruins in question, Professor Withers has volunteered. His statistical work actually gave us the general area to search. It was by good fortune that Morail, the student that I spoke of, was utterly familiar with the area due to being raised there.

“Professor Withers wants to see how closely his statistics called it.”

Dryly, Princess Luna replied, “I am sure that is the reason.

“There are practical reasons why the expedition might be difficult to mount. Recently, the friendly Matradin government has been toppled by a populist, isolationist, government headed by the Downitall party. They have already attempted to set aside years of peaceful trade without tariffs.

“They have seized several ships and forced the payment of unilateral, unannounced, and unnegotiated tariffs. As a result, we have ordered all of our ships that can, to turn about and either return or seek other ports. Degrate, at the mouth of the Forgotten River is no longer a useful port. Even tourists are being required to pay excessive fees.

“The Ambassador from the Zebra Confederation is here in Court at this time. We can ask him about the expdition.”

The Ambasador, a portly Zebra listened for only a few moments before interrupting rudely, “Quite out of the question! We cannot allow Doctor Do back to pillage our rich history, distorting the well known facts with so called “evidence” and stealing our priceless artifacts!

“If she has information of any importance, she can communicate it to OUR experts. They will carry out whatever work is deemed necessary!”

Luna snapped, “You have refused the request of a friendly government to mount the expedition! That was quite enough! Your slander of Doctor Do, one of the finest, if not the finest living Antiquarian, is not to be tolerated!

“You may leave this Court now, or be removed by our Guard!”

Shaking her head sadly, Princess Luna watched the Ambassador leave, escorted by two Royal Guards. She told Daring Do, “We are on the edge of cutting off all travel and trade with the Zebra Confederation. We are not alone in that. Even the Diamond Dogs are considering abandoning their mines and enclaves because of violations of custom and treaties.

“Supreme Matriarch Amber and I were discussing that exact matter just yesterday.”

Daring Do’s eyebrows lifted and her eyes widened in surprise. “The Diamond Dogs abandoning active workings? Unheard of!”

The husky, rough voice of an unremarkable looking female Diamond Dog agreed, “Indeed it is. Doctor Do, I understand?”

Daring Do replied, “That is me. What can I do for you, Supreme Matriarch Amber?”

“Rather, it is what I can do for you, Doctor Do. Would it be possible for us to have a private discussion about your planned expedition?”

Daring Do nodded. “It certainly is. I have rooms at the Adventures Guild. I will bring the other confirmed expedition members along. Dinner will be on me. Their kitchen is used to fixing meals of the sort that your species finds agreeable.”

“That sounds most excellent. At six, Doctor Do?”

“At six. See you then, Amber.”

They closed the Magic Net call.

Later, in the quiet low light of the Adventures Guild dining room, Withers, Morail and Daring Do were waiting for Amber. Their orders were being taken by a waiter dressed in the exotic silken robes of X'ibia.

The waiter quietly informed Daring Do, “Most High Guardian, you are being watched. The pony near the door is using a mirror to keep you under surveillance.”

Morail, overhearing, quietly added, “He is not a pony. Look at the conformation of his head. The fur dye is a good job but he is a zebra, like me.”

Withers put in, “Not like you, my dear. Unless his posture lies, he has a long military career behind him, like I do.”

Just then, the front doors of the club were pushed open by a nondescript looking female diamond dog. As she removed her dark glasses, the waiting zebra in disguise stepped forward.

Offering a hoof, he said, “Lady Amber, I presume? I am Withers. I will take you to the private dining room where Doctor Do awaits you.”

Instead of taking his hoof, Amber instantly made an expertly delivered poke toward his eye! As his hooves came up to defend his face, she planted her right paw almost wrist deep into his unprotected gut while her heavy, club-like tail swept his hooves out from under him!

She landed across his neck! Grabbing a foreleg, she heaved him around flat onto his side! Her weight astradle his neck held him from getting his legs under him and rising!

“Now,” she said mildly, “let me see who you really are, ’Withers.‘” With that, she began to rummage his saddlebag.

Chortling, Daring Do lowered her throwing knife and sheathed it. Imperturbably, the X'ibian waiter put both of his into sheaths hidden in his big sleeves. Morail silently returned a small semiautomatic pistol to her saddlebag.

As Amber was removing a wallet from the fallen zebra, he called out frantically, “You can’t do that! I have diplomatic immunity! I am attached to the Zebra Confederation embassy!”

Amber retorted tartly, “Too bad! I have diplomatic immunity tool! I can do whatever I darn well please with you! Attempting to kidnap a head of state is not a crime that even YOUR PRESENT STUPID GOVERNMENT can condone!”

“You digging mutts don’t have a Government!”

“You are really uninformed about us, aren’t you, MAJOR Hoofinmaw? Let me educate you. For each point that you fail to grasp, I will cut your throat a little deeper. If you are a slow learner … Well, let’s just say that you won’t learn anything ever again.”

The X'ibian waiter put his hooves together and bowed a bow of deepest respect toward Amber. His usually imperturbable face showing the slightest of smiles.

As Amber was educating the major about Diamond Dog government, the waiter said, “I like her style. It will be my pleasure to serve her meal.”

The major proved to be a quick study with the incentive of not getting his throat cut!

As Amber got off of him and let him go, she radiated a powerful sense of happiness and, considering her previous nondescript appearance, a surprising beauty.

She noticed how the real Withers was looking at her. She did nothing to hide her newly apparent sexuality as she approached. She smiled at all of them as she seated herself.

Turning to the waiter she bowed the bow of equals as she asked in X'ibian, “<Are you X'ibian or just dressed as one for color?>”

Placing his hooves together and bowing back a bow of deepest respect he replied, “<I am indeed from the land where desert and sky meet.>”

Offering him a golden bit, as she bowed back her bow of equals, she continued, “<I saw your support when I was beset. It was most appreciated.

“<Now, if you would be so good, guide my choices among the foods that you have that are suited to my sort.>”

Turning to the others, she smiled again before saying, “I heard the Ambassador from the Zebra Confederation refuse you permission to carry out your expedition. I was further informed, upon inquiry, that besides the Nil Eya civilization origins, you had another matter of importance to take care of.

“It was not specified but was stated to be vital. Curiously, Princess Luna informed me that the favor was for Eris, the female form of Discord, who has an extraterritorial enclave somewhat outside of Ponyville.

“Is this all correct?”

Daring Do nodded. “It is.”

Taking her appetizer plate. Amber began dipping small fried bones into a sauce and crunching them with enjoyment.

To her surprise, Morail requested, “May I?” She was extending Maize Chip toward the sauce.

As Amber nodded, Morail dipped and ate her chip. She explained, “Your local enclave had an air shaft in our cherry orchard. I used to go visit them. Of course, I wasn’t much for the meats and bones but some of their sauces were delightful.”

Withers smiled across at Amber and commented, “You look lovely now, Amber. Did the fight bring that out in you?”

Amber made a quick flicking gesture as she replied, “I look like that to keep away fleas! When I like the company, then I look like this. Call it camouflage.”

Withers grinned. “I see. If I had thought to bring a weapon to a dinner in one of Canterlot’s more exclusive clubs, I would have been among those ready to render you aid.”

Amber leaned across and patted Wither’s hoof. “I know that, Major. The Equestrian Army is the poorer for your forced retirement. Your two Solar Medals of Courage, your Lunar Medal of Valor, your three Solar Hearts for injuries sustained in combat, your two Lunar Crescents of Mercy for the rescue of fallen on both sides and your amazing defense by one platoon at Grayshire Pass against two divisions of Prance regular army, tell adequately of your courage and ability.”

Amber paused to thank the server with a proper X'ibian bow and a small coin offered, which he took with a smile. She began to cut up her steak, watching the others closely for signs that they might be distressed. She relaxed, smiled broadly and began to eat happily.

After a short while, Amber turned her attention to Morail. “Miss Blum Fauntin, I looked into your past and present skills too. I have seen your ROTC shooting scores. My local Okapitan enclave under the area where your farm was has informed me of your part in defending the farm from an attack by a platoon of ZC regular army, disguised as Discordian raiders. It was observed by the air shaft watchers in your cherry orchard, close by your family compound.”

Amber produced a map of the Zebra Confederation and unfolded it on the table. She pointed and traced a route from the High Plains District into the Okapitan District.

“The raiders originated over here, where a quick check for army involvement would not show anything amiss in the Okapitan District. They followed this route. Your family’s farm was the specific target of the raid.”

Almost woodenly, Morail stated, “You are very sure of this. Why would our army attack our own citizens?”

Compassionately, Amber laid a paw over Morail’s hoof. Looking her directly in the eye, she replied, “The Downitall Party was rising in strength and control, long before they actually won the ruling majority that put them openly into power.

“They detest opposition to their programs and propaganda lies. Your father not only opposed them openly, as was his right, he wanted to establish a LIBRARY, open to the public. An honest library, making the true facts of everything in it available freely. Truth is the greatest enemy of totalitarians like the Downitalls.

“That is why they targeted your farm the first time.”

Holding rigidly to her composure, Morail demanded, “What of the second attack? The one that killed my family? I got a letter from our neighboring farms saying that we were struck by Discordians.”

Amber nodded slowly. “They told you honestly what they believed. Here is why they think so.”

She pushed a picture over to Morail. “This image was taken from the cherry orchard air shaft. They were trying to get weapons up and into action but the attack was over except for the looting by the time that they could get them set up.”

Morail studied the image carefully. “These are Discordian slogans and signs that they painted onto the wall.”

Amber nodded. “They certainly seem to be, don’t they? Your neighbors believed what they wrote to you because of them. Look again. Look for what they missed.”

Morail’s brow wrinkled in concentration as she studied the image. Suddenly her eyes widened and she began to tap her hoof carefully across the wall in the image. Then again, a different line.

She passed the image to Withers and asked, “Are those bullet holes from an automatic weapon?”

Withers took a quick look and replied, “No. They are from three different weapons. All automatics.”

Very slowly Morail crumpled, weeping. “I am so sorry, Doctor Do. I blamed the Discordians for murdering my family. As bad as they are, they are innocent of that crime. My own government did this.”

Withers gave Morail a puzzled look. She paused and spoke brokenly, “Discordians will not use automatic weapons. Their precise regularity is seen as a disruption of Chaos.”

Amber patted Morail’s hoof again and stated sincerely, “That is correct. This vengeance, which should be yours to take, is beyond you. It will be taken, never fear for that!

“The Diamond Dogs have this attack on our friends as well as many other grievances against the Downitall government to avenge and set to rights.

“Your work with Doctor Do will be deadlier to them in the long run. Hold to THAT. If you will swear to let us take this vengeance and work with Doctor Do to get the truth of the Nil Eya origins proved, you will strike the Downitalls a deadlier blow than any weapon.

“They have based their entire nationalistic, ethnological purity notions and rebuilding the Greatness of the Past on the false claim that ZEBRAS created and built the entire Nil Eya civilization. You will be striking that leg of their program from under them.

“Their whole program of building a New Order is based creating a war machine. The flaw in that plan is that they can’t do it without the metal ores that we Diamond Dogs sell them. Recently, they have tried to purchase shipments with IOUs. They will not honor them. We have tested that. We have plans in motion to remove that leg of their program out from under them.

“Their other program is isolationism while they build up a war machine to conquer the entire continent. That one, we will encourage! It will leave them with no outside sources of supply! That will kick the other leg of their program out from under them.”

Recovering her composure, Morail returned Amber’s comforting hoof pats with a firm grip. “My word on it, Amber. Bringing the Downitalls down is more important than my small vengeance. I will do my part as well as possible.

“From what you have told us, I am reminded of an old jest. What is the most important leg of a three legged stool?”

Amber tilted her head as she thought through the possibilities. Finally she ventured, “You mean, the one that is missing?”

Morail grinned, though weakly. “That is the one!”

Quietly Withers pointed out, “Morail, Doctor Do, we have just been given what must be treated as a classified pre mission intelligence briefing.”

Amber nodded. “True. Doctor Do, you cannot get into the Selene Mountains from the Zebra Confederation. Fortunately, the mountain range has TWO sides. We Diamond Dogs can get you all into the Selenes from the Eland Republic side. We will give you Diamond Dog travel clearances. We will also provide you with safe passage on our transports. Your Princesses will handle most of the rest of the expedition. Whatever your needs, just ask. My enclaves will provide it if possible.”