Repercussions
Boyce sat tight-lipped throughout the debriefing. When Wandering finished recounting the series of events, the Admiral remained silent for a long moment before he took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. “Captain Path, if you were a member of Star Fleet, you would have a lot to answer for because of your foolish actions. I expected a lot more from someone twice my age and having command responsibility. Nevertheless, we must now deal with the repercussions of this incident. First of all, though, why were none of the others in your party taken over by the controller?”
“That would be because of me,” Zane replied. “As a standard procedure, I put up a moderate telepathic shield around all of us as soon as we arrived on the ship. That was enough to block the controller until Captain Path pushed a link through it.”
“Thank heaven for small mercies,” the Admiral replied. “So let’s get down to the worst part – what information and how much of it did the Swarm get? You had your changelings hooked up to you at the time, Captain, so that’s potentially a huge amount.”
Wandering gave the Admiral a contrite smile. “I can only apologise once again for my blunder. However, I have a bit of positive news. I believe the Swarm controller was treating my linked drones exactly the same way as it treated its own – as uncomplicated extensions of its will, but changelings are different. While they are naturally inclined to be linked in a network, they are nevertheless independent beings. They choose to work with me, not because I control them. My team was prepared to receive data, but the demand for information took them by surprise and they did not comply until they figured out what was happening. They already knew that we had confronted what we believed was the leader of the Swarm on the ship, so they were suspicious of the demand and the controller got nothing from them.”
“That would be more reassuring if the same could be said for you. What information did it get?”
“I can’t be sure due to the nature of the unfamiliar exchange, but it did get a lot of critical information from me. You know all those planets that I visited to set up early-warning systems? The Swarm knows the location of every one of them now. Rather than checking out every star system for useful worlds, they now have specific targets. Worse yet, one of them is Equus. They know of the portal now, which means it’s even more vital to defend the Chakastra System.”
“We’re already doing that, but now it looks like our resources are going to get stretched even further. Assistance from Equus is going to be even more vital, and word from our ambassadorial team is that support for the Federation is fractured. After this incident, it’s only going to exacerbate the situation. I hope you got information about the Swarm that may somewhat justify this debacle.”
“I think we did. First of all, we now know exactly how the Swarm communicate. They share a link through the controller caste that works similarly to a changeling network, but with the range and speed of telepathy. That is why when one Swarm learns something, all know it virtually immediately. Also, we learned that the Swarm uses that mind power to dominate the wills of other beings. That’s how I was taken over so quickly, and that’s also why the Federation colonies were conquered rapidly and easily despite the large numbers of colonists who stayed behind to fight the invaders. They literally were turned upon each other by mind control. That’s the same way that they control all the creatures on the ship, including the ship itself.”
“The Swarm ships are confirmed to be alive like the stariionae then?”
“Alive, yes, but not like the stariionae. In fact, every living thing on that ship, animal and plant, is part of an ecosystem except for the Swarm creatures. The mana beasts collect mana energy, obviously, while others provide food, purify water, recycle air, provide light, and so forth. The ships are a colony creature – a self-contained living community.”
Boyce was surprised by that revelation, and he considered the ramifications of that. “So – the Swarm did not create the ships in any way?”
“No – I can confirm that because it’s something that I did learn from the controller. The Swarm originated in a world where life was in balance. Many creatures were immune to the mind control of the Swarm creatures, but the rest served their hives. Then one day a flock of those ship colonies arrived on their world to feed and take in fresh water and air supplies. Unfortunately, they fell afoul of the Swarm who immediately took advantage of them to travel to other worlds where the creatures had not evolved a defense against mind control. Whenever the Swarm encountered a civilization, they took whatever was useful and put it into the ships.”
Midnight interjected, “I can add that the Swarm’s modifications are to the detriment of the ship creature. While we were aboard, I could feel its pain. The weapons that they carry are forced upon them. The mana emitting tubes that were our biggest problem are literally pushed through its flesh. That accounts for why it’s such a primitive system, requiring the ship to be pointed at its target.”
“Commander Midnight is correct,” Wandering continued. “All technology that we saw has been added to the ships, and all of it was stolen by the Swarm from the civilizations that they conquered. That’s why the Swarm ships never got any faster – they were limited to the ship’s natural abilities. Warp drive provided by other means is obviously incompatible with the living ship lifeforms. The Swarm literally does not create anything – it only takes and replicates. That brings me to the next piece of good news. While it now knows about magic systems, it can no more use them than you can. However, that makes it even more important that Equus does not get conquered by the Swarm.”
Boyce groaned. “That will only add weight to the argument by the Equian isolationists to close the portal and leave us to cope for ourselves.”
Wandering nodded sympathetically. “I know, but there’s still one thing that you don’t know that I learned from my contact with the controller.”
“What’s that?” the human asked hopefully.
“The Swarm started spreading from their homeworld millennia ago. They have invaded perhaps a fifth of the galaxy so far, and that portion extends a long way towards where Equus is located. While we would be safe in the short term, inevitably the Swarm would reach us anyway if they are not stopped.”
“You do realize that many people, and I’m now confident that this includes Equians, only think in the short term?”
“I agree, and it’s not going to be easy to convince those people to act, but it’s absolutely vital.”
“To do that, we need to present them with a plan to destroy the Swarm,” Midnight commented.
Wandering shook his head. “You can’t. There are literally too many in the galaxy and they are too decentralized to ever do that, no matter how effective our attacks upon them might be. Even now, they are closing in from all sides on the little pocket of resistance that we call the Stellar Federation.”
“Then what do you suggest that we can do?” Boyce demanded.
“The Swarm’s greatest strength is also its greatest vulnerability. Their ability to control minds is the sole thing that enables them to travel throughout the stars and conquer worlds. Break that and they won’t be able to control the ships or anything else for that matter.”
“And how do you propose we do that?”
Wandering slumped a little and turned away from the Admiral. “I have no idea.”
Silence reigned for a long moment before Boyce said, “I want your team to record absolutely every detail that you learned from the mission, especially what you got from the controller. Meanwhile, I have to inform Star Fleet Command of this change in our situation. I suggest that you do the same for your leaders.”
Starry murmured, “Let’s hope that cooler heads prevail.”
Luna trotted down the hallway in Canterlot Castle, her expression grim. She paused before ornate double doors that bore the inlaid image of the rising sun. Taking a deep breath, she knocked and waited impatiently.
After nearly a nerve-wracking interval, the doors opened and her sister stood before her. Celestia’s expression was grim as she held her head high. Then she blinked as she read Luna’s frowning face and jittery wings. She was worried and scared. “Sister?”
Luna looked up into Celestia’s eyes. “There has been a development... a potentially disastrous one. The Swarm situation has become a lot more complicated. The mission report to the GEC happens in ten minutes.”
The Lunar Triarch turned and cantered down the corridor and Celestia hurried to catch up. “What happened?”
Luna swallowed and seemed to collect her thoughts. “Wandering rashly tried to link with a command-caste Swarm individual that they encountered on the ship. As theorized, the controller was linked to all of its ilk and the multitude easily overwhelmed his mental defenses. While Wandering did recover potentially useful information and vulnerabilities, it was done at the cost of some portion of his knowledge, including the location of Equus and extensive information about alicorns in particular.”
Celestia’s steps faltered a moment before continuing. “I... see.”
Luna stopped and faced her sister who likewise halted. “And I am very sorry for confronting you as I did at the Council. While we may have differing opinions, there was no cause for me to question you so forcefully in public. My actions caused both of us to lose authority before all of Equus. I am sorry, sister.” She bowed her head until it touched the floor.
Celestia gently raised her sister’s head with her forehoof and pulled the dark alicorn into an embrace. “I do not plan to lose you now of all times, dear sister. Remember that I always love you, little Moonlight.”
Luna closed her eyes and sniffled, tears running onto her sister’s neck. “And I, you, Sungleam.”
They held each other for a few minutes before pulling apart, both smiling with tears streaking their faces. Luna cleared her throat. “Well, we may be princesses, but they won't delay the meeting for us.”
Celestia laughed. “Relegated to second-rate afterthoughts. How times have changed.”
Luna grinned as they resumed their journey. “Yes, but for the better, I believe.”
Path took an all too familiar route to the convalescent wing of the House Path manor. As expected, he found his son there by the bedside of Silk Path. The aged thestral was smiling and chatting with Destined, but Path knew that his son’s husband was in constant pain and slowly dying. The earth pony admired Silk’s constant cheerfulness in spite of this, and his ability to give emotional support to the ageless alicorn whom he had married. It was greatly needed now in these times of crisis, and Destined was going to have to set aside his personal concerns and work toward the future of Equus.
“Good afternoon, Silk. I hope I am not disturbing you?” Path asked quietly.
The thestral gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s not a problem, Pa.” Silk had taken to calling his father-in-law by that name soon after the wedding, and the appellation had stuck.
“I need to talk with Des for a while. Can I steal him from you?”
“I feel like taking a nap anyway, so go right ahead. I’ll be here still when you’re done.”
“Thanks.” Path looked at Destined. “Come, walk with me, son.”
The alicorn gave Silk a parting kiss and got up to follow his sire. “What’s wrong, Dad?”
“I think that’s the question that I should be asking of you.”
Destined’s expression fell. “Oh. You’ve talked with Pen?”
“And Alexa. They’re worried about you.”
The alicorn snorted. “Notice how tight both of them are?”
“I’ve noticed and I approve, but you’re deflecting. I heard what you did with them.”
“And they’re still trying to get me to do what they want?”
“No, they’re trying to get you to stop doubting yourself.”
“You do realize that I have good reason to be afraid of meddling?”
“I cannot argue that you are capable of seeing possible futures, but your doubts paralyze you. Those doubts can also change the probable futures, most likely for the worse. We ponies who aren’t blessed with your special talent have to deal with those problems without anything but experience to fall back on. When you were a youth still learning your ability, you had the excitement of discovery, and in the far future, you will have the confidence of experience. But right now you know enough to realize that you don’t know enough. You’ve been in that situation before though. Do you remember your first times holding court as Prince of Equestria?”
“Of course I do.”
“You were a nervous wreck and full of self-doubt then too. But you did not have to face those problems alone, did you?”
“No, I didn’t, but I’m not an inexperienced youth anymore. I am responsible for my own actions.”
“True, but you are still ignoring the lessons of your youth. We all have self-doubts, and we all have times when we don’t know what to do. Tartarus knows that I made my share of mistakes, and it was for the best when Lucida wrested control of the House from me long ago. But I still worked for the betterment of the House and Equestria because my self-doubts did not stop me from acting when it was demanded of me. But then I started asking for help when it was needed instead of putting the entire responsibility upon myself. Son – you have enormous responsibility but you lack the centuries of experience of your fellow rulers, and you carry the burden of an ability that no one else shares. Of course, you are going to have problems, but that’s precisely the time that you ask for help. Responsibility for your own actions includes deciding to ask for advice from wiser heads and making decisions based on that advice. And above all, remember that deciding not to make a decision is also a decision with consequences.”
“If you had seen some of what I have seen…”
“But I haven’t. I can only tell you what I believe will happen if you do not act promptly. The unity of Equus is starting to fall apart over the current crisis, and now more than ever it is important that we act in harmony.”
Destined gave his father an intense stare. “And what if my decision is that Equestria withdraws its support?”
“Then do your best to work in Equestria’s defense, but know that House Path is already committed to defending the Federation.”
“And if I commanded that you stop?”
Path shook his head. “While you could interfere with the operations of the Chrome Hive and the House branch there, you do not have the authority to stop us. You know as well as I do that House Path has worked tirelessly to be apolitical. We are the final line of defense for those who cannot help themselves, and we work for the betterment of all Equus. Gisela will not change our mission because of you. However, she will work with you to improve Equus’ chances. You just have to make that decision.”
Path halted and Destined realized that they had entered the family room where Gisela and Penumbra were waiting. “And I suppose that I’m expected to make that decision now?”
Destined’s hippogriff niece and leader of House Path nodded and said, “There has been a significant turn of events, and it’s imperative that we deal with it quickly. You are vital to the future of Equus, Uncle Destined, and we need you to make a stand, hopefully in our favor. Uncertainty and fear are as much our enemies as the Swarm right now.”
Penumbra then embraced his father and said, “And if nothing else fails to persuade you, just ask yourself what Papa Silk would want you to do.”
Destined’s thoughts raced back to his dying husband – a pony who had never once stopped being cheerful and supportive despite his illness. Destined would do anything for his mate, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt what the loving thestral would want him to do. He took a deep breath and firmed his resolve. “Alright – let’s do this. We have a civilization to save.”
The GEC Triad was headed by Emperor Quinius this time, but even the stern thestral had a difficult time containing the uproar that Wandering’s report caused. While several of the council members demanded to be heard once the report was complete, Quinius gave the podium to Privileged Horn.
“It is obvious to us now that the Swarm will not negotiate with us, but it is equally obvious that this latest foray with our so-called allies in the Federation has exacerbated the situation. Therefore, we reiterate our demand that we stop supplying them with materiel and personnel, and our borders be closed to them.”
“What?!” screeched Precision Strike. “The Federation did not cause this situation!”
“Councilor Strike – you do not have the floor!” Quinius said sternly.
Privileged Horn sneered at Strike. “Yes, it was that idiot, Wandering Path, who came up with the plan, but it was the Federation that enabled it. Equus was not threatened until we encountered them. What was the first thing that they did when they met our peaceful ship of exploration? They tried to detain it! They are warmongers and trouble to all the peoples of Equus. We should have nothing to do with them. Even Princess Celestia knows that she cannot keep us safe if we continue to help them. I call on the Equestrian Triarch to support me on this!”
Quinius looked over to where the Solar Princess was seated at the table, replacing the Equestrian ambassador for this occasion. “Do you wish to take the stand, Your Highness?”
“We do,” Celestia replied.
The councilors momentarily thought that Celestia had used the royal ‘we’, but Luna and Destined also got up to accompany the Alicorn of the Sun, and it was Destined who took the podium.
“I speak on behalf of the Equestrian Triarchy on this matter. We thank the Solarist and Lunarist factions for their support of each viewpoint, but by our custom and law, when two triarchs are of opposing views, the third has the deciding vote. Equestria declares its continuing support for the war efforts against the Swarm. We will not agree to the closing of our borders.”
That definitely was not the result that Privileged Horn expected, and he started to protest. Quinius firmly told him to resume his seat, but Crafted Stanza gained the opportunity to speak next.
“On behalf of the isolationist faction, we welcome Privileged Horn’s call for closing our borders. However, we do not feel that this is enough. Nothing less than the complete shutdown of the portal will keep our world safe.”
“Only fools and cowards hide behind a shut door!” screeched Strike who ignored attempts to have her silenced. “We would be shutting our world into a prison of its own making, too frightened to step out into the bigger universe. Only an idiot would believe that we would be safe forever though. The Swarm will only grow in power and spread further if it isn’t stopped now!”
“Trust a griffon to think fighting is the only answer!” Crafted Stanza retorted. “I demand that the chair call a vote on the matter. The fate of our entire world is in the balance.”
There were cries from supporters seconding the motion.
Quinius banged his gavel. “A vote has been moved and seconded. I am declaring a recess for all councilors to discuss this matter between themselves or their superiors. You will gather here again in two hours to cast your ballots. This session is now adjourned.”
There was an immediate babble of conversation even as various councilors drifted around to talk with members of the factions that they supported. Others headed out of the room to talk privately. Long Path moved over from the spectator area to join Gisela and they started discussing something earnestly for several minutes before the earth pony departed the room. Cadance joined the other alicorns, happy to give her support to Equestria.
“How do you feel about Destined’s decision, Auntie Tia?” the Alicorn of Love asked.
Celestia gave her niece a calm smile. “Destined did what he is supposed to do and make a fair and balanced decision based on all viewpoints and information. Just because it did not go my way does not mean that I am unhappy with him, nor does it mean that I despair of protecting our subjects. While it is my final recourse, I have nevertheless fought many wars over the centuries, and I will help fight this one as well.”
“The Crystal Empire will always be at your side,” Cadance replied.
“Thank you, dear niece.”
“How do you think the vote will go?”
“The factions are fairly evenly split – it is difficult to tell. We have never encountered an enemy quite like the Swarm before, and people are justifiably fearful.”
“While I’d prefer a peaceful resolution to this conflict, even I can see that it is futile in this case, and the only hope of safety in the long term is to stop the Swarm somehow. That’s the sticking point though – no one has suggested a certain means of doing so, therefore the fear.”
Luna had been listening to the conversation, and she blurted out, “Exactly! Unfortunately, we may never get the chance to discover that answer if we merely try to pretend that the problem does not exist. Our war efforts must continue.”
Cadance glanced over at Destined who seemed to be gazing intently at nothing. She knew better than that though. “What are you seeing, Des?”
Destined blinked then turned to look at his aunt. “As I told Penumbra and Alexa earlier, the situation will get worse before it gets better. However, there is another player in this drama who has yet to make their move. A crucial moment in time approaches us, and we must be ready to deal with it.”
“Can you be more specific than that?”
Destined shook his head. “Without diving into the time stream, I cannot, and that I will not do. My power must be reserved for emergencies, but I will stand by my decision and continue to act as a Prince of Equestria should.”
They then parted to argue their case with other councilors, seeking support from those still in two minds about the situation. The hours passed rapidly and a bell began ringing to call them back to the council chamber. Quinius called them to order and then started the voting process.
“It has been proposed that Equus sever relationships with the Stellar Federation and shut down the portal to isolate us from the threat of the Swarm. Does anyone object to the terms of this vote?”
When he got no objections, Quinius continued. “Please place your votes now.”
The councilors leaned forward to press one of three buttons fixed into the table in front of them labelled ‘Yes’, ‘No’, and ‘Abstain’. The results were quickly tallied on an overhead display as the representatives of every nation and every sapient species cast their votes. Then the symbol of the GEC lit up to indicate that everyone had voted and a decision had been reached. The councilors started murmuring before Quinius banged his gavel once more.
“The vote by the full membership of the Greater Equus Council has concluded in the affirmative by two votes. Equus will immediately sever relationships with the Stellar Federation. The GEC Triarchy orders that Ambassador Alexa Mountaineer and her diplomatic team are required to depart Equus at the soonest opportunity, and the Cosmic Lotus be recalled and the portal be shut down immediately afterwards.”
Precision Strike was obviously fuming, but Privileged Horn and his allies were positively gloating over their win, further rankling the griffon. Then a firm voice cut through the conversations.
“Permission to address the council?!”
Quinius looked over to the spectator seats where Penumbra had stood up and spread his wings for attention. “That is most irregular, Penumbra Path. You have not been invited to speak by one of the councilors.”
“I so invite him!” Strike said immediately, sensing an upset.
“The GEC Triad recognizes Penumbra Path,” Quinius declared.
Penumbra flapped over to the podium and paused to see that he had the full attention of all the councilors. “The GEC has two major problems with this hasty decision. First of all – the portal. Equus does not own it, nor is it in territory claimed by Equus. As such, the GEC has no legal right to shut it down.”
Privileged Horn immediately jumped to his hooves. “Are you defying the council’s orders?!”
Penumbra shook his head. “I cannot defy your order because it has been made in error.”
The unicorn was about to retort when Crafted Stanza spoke up. “Peace, Lord Horn. This is a situation that can be easily solved. As the portal was discovered by an Equian ship, it and the immediate area around it can be declared the rightful territory of Equus by the GEC, upon which the order to shut down the portal will be reissued legally.”
Privileged Horn turned back to Penumbra with a nasty smirk on his snout. “I move a motion to annex the portal into the territory of Equus.”
There were murmurs of agreement and Quinius was about to respond when Penumbra’s calm but cutting voice responded.
“That brings me to the second problem. You cannot claim it as your territory.”
“And why is that?” the unicorn snarled.
“Because the Lunar Federation has already claimed it.”
The councilor blinked in puzzlement. “The what? What have the lunar colonies got to do with this?”
Penumbra gave the unicorn a slightly condescending smile. “I said Lunar Federation, not colonies. As triggered by the GEC’s decision to sever relationships with the Stellar Federation, the Lunar Colonial Council has declared its independence from Equus and I stand here as the new Lunar Federation’s first ambassador to Equus.”
That caused uproar among most of the councilors. Gisela just smiled while Luna was positively gleeful. It took all three gavels of the GEC Triad to bring the meeting back to order, but even then Privileged Horn continued to bluster.
“You can’t simply take Equian territory and declare independence! We will not allow it!”
“We can, and we have, Councilor. In keeping with the laws enacted upon their founding, a vote was taken with the citizens of the lunar colonies. The vote carried with a two-thirds majority and became legally binding. Furthermore, the Lunar Federation has declared its intention to continue working with the Stellar Federation to deal with the threat of the Swarm. And as I previously mentioned, we have claimed the portal as our territory, and Ambassador Mountaineer has informed us that they have ceded the territory within one light day of the Chakastran portal to the Lunar Federation as well.”
“I said that we will not allow the GEC’s will to be defied! Our military will restore proper order on the moon, just as it does here on Equus.”
“I truly hope you do not open relationships with the Lunar Federation with open hostilities. Besides, you may have some difficulty doing so. The majority of spaceships and all of the interstellar craft belong to House Path, including the Cosmic Lotus, and are at the service of the Lunar Council. Oh – and there’s an anti-teleport shield to stop uninvited guests.”
“House Path has enjoyed too much privilege as an independent entity not beholden to the GEC. I will make certain that changes. Your ability to provide ships and weapons to the Stellar Federation will be strangled!”
Penumbra laughed. “Magitek Incorporated, House Path’s commercial arm, moved the majority of its operations to the moon decades ago. And need I remind you that House Path’s laboratories have been on the forefront of research and development for over a century? The only people who would suffer from your ploy are the Equians who rely on our goods and services. I believe that would be unpopular among several of your fellow councilors.”
Privileged Horn became aware of the frowns on the faces of several of his peers. He then looked over to where the Alicorn of the Night sat listening intently. “Princess Luna – the moon is your domain. Will you not deal with these usurpers?”
Luna stood up and spread her wings, posing regally. “I have never been prouder of my subjects. They have my blessing.”
Outmaneuvered at every turn, the unicorn sat down hard, unable to see a way of enforcing his will.
Penumbra turned to address the GEC Triad who had let the conversation continue unabated in the interest of learning all the ramifications of this surprising turn of events. “My Lords, it is the sincere wish of the Lunar Federation that we will have free and open discourse and trade between our nations in the future. For now, we must agree to disagree. You have our vow that if worse comes to worst, we will close the portal to prevent the Swarm using it. The Lunar Federation has undertaken protecting the safety of all Equians, Lunar or otherwise. I thank you for your time.”
The thestral then bowed and exited the council chambers.
Quinius banged his gavel. “The Greater Equus Council is adjourned for today. We will reconvene tomorrow at the usual hour to discuss this turn of events.” For the first time, the Old World thestral allowed himself a smile prominently displaying his fangs. “I suggest that you all think long and hard about what is best for Equus because history will not be kind to those who don’t.”
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Wouldnt the Swarm be able to use the Portal even if its left open, beccause they only collect, not innovate as such, so even if they just shoot the asteroids, either they break and the portal collapses, or protective mechanisms activate and teh attacker gets disabled and portaled anywhere else?
How to hit, alter the Controllers, without obliterating all the Ship Colonies by resonance cascade?
The questions is will the swarm be able to open the portal with a mana-burst as compared to to an actual magical spell
As I thought. Despite showing an understanding of other species, the Swarm is not only like the Hivers from the Talent novels, but are worse than them.
They see races as useful, and think only of themselves. I respectfully request full genocide; that species is a detriment to all other life.
8966084
I'm guessing yes. I wouldn't be surprised if the portal has a threshold of mana needed to activate it. And the mana beasts easily pass that.
8966136 I don't know there is a lot to play out and controlled magic rather than just a burst of mana especially on the Chakona side of the portal seems like a reasonable precaution. WE don't know what Merlin/ Starswirl, Nimue and the others saw but it was enough to move magic from Earth to Equus and take steps to protect it
Oh snappity snap! Well, that's one way to end a meeting.
Also... still no word from Tech or the others. Hmmmmmmmmm.
8966108
No. Death is too easy. What is needed is a way to cut their telepathic link to the Swarm. Total independence from the hive mind would be worse as they lose all control of those they enslaved as the controled work to crush them throughout the galaxy for their impertinence.
Hm...I'm wondering if they could make a mental version of a computer virus to disable the Swarm. Something that will have to spread to, say, ten others, and then lobotomize the psi "transceiver"
attack the one who is in charge of all the swarm.....lol.
like the overmind and the cerebrates for the zerg in starcraft 1 and its expansion campaigns.
kill them both and the zergs are unable to do anything until sarah kerrigan took over the zerg permanently in the end of starcraft 1.
i'm sure it can be done since wandering path was connected to the swarm, his mind most likely contains the knowledge of finding out who is the leader of the swarm.
all it needs is someone who can enter his mind and filter out all those information properly.....lol.
the chrome hive might be able to help if wandering path were to transfer all the information he got to the chrome hive.
another way is this one
1) the rings that are being used to prevent unicorns, alicorns from using magic, that technology can be used on the swarm completely.
in other words, ANTI MAGIC technology that already existed on equestria will play a huge role.
8966108 Seeing elements of the Zerg from Starcraft too, along with the Thrint from Niven's Known Space ... and I agree that they cannot be allowed to continue to exist as they are, though modification would be preferable to extinction.
Whoa... looks like conventional force of arms is not going to work. Time to throw a monkey wrench into the Swarm's communications system... but how? Such a thing is beyond Radiance's capabilities... unless someone else sparks an idea....
8966385
reminds me of the story, "the culling of the hives", where a friendly Changeling queen captured an enemy Changeling, then helped Princess Luna access the enemy Hivemind...if i remember, Luna then caused EVERY Changeling in that hive to experience the same nightmare at the same time, knocking the enemy queen into a coma from the resulting psychic overload!
8966431
While I agree, I honestly don't see that happening. Modification would only work if there was some way to isolate new generations of Swarm from the old. We've already seen that the drones have no useful intelligence. This means that the ruling caste is likely also the breeding caste, and is in full control. Removing their ability to not only communicate instantaneously but also mentally control other creatures will free other species that have been under mellinna of control. At that point, those races will likely return the favor tenfold without the need of either Equian or Federation assistance.
Of course, we might also end up with a Tok'ra situation-- in which case, the race may yet survive.
In case you didn't get that reference, the Tok'ra are Goa'uld from the Stargate universe that enter a true symbiotic relationship with their hosts. Same race, different faction.
Hmph, the Swarm would be powerless against the Borg. They have no means whatsoever to resist nanoprobes. The Swarm ships themselves and every creature aboard could be infested by a single Borg drone.
THEY WILL BE ASSIMILATED.
And so, DisQord twiddles his talon-paw thumbs in the shadows, waiting for his curtain call.
8966513 *urp* First try a bioengineered disease attack. I doubt the Swarm leaders would be expecting that. *hiccup, belch* They don't seem to adapt very quickly, which is the major disadvantage of simply being technology leeches. No capacity for innovation.
With one fresh Swarm corpse, I can have a retrogenetic phage in *burp*, like, 2 days, tops.
zbrushcentral.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=533801
(Actual photo of Alondro from the year 2076...)
All Hail Lunar Republic, the only group with co mom sense.
8966513 I was kind of thinking of using that link as a vector to introduce the modifications. Something similar to what 8966359 suggested, but designed to overwrite the entire Swarm into something more benevolent in one fell swoop (and the Tok'ra are a good example of what I'm aiming for, as are the Trill from Star Trek). They'd probably need to access a controller on a planetary surface to make the changes, though.
8966605 DEPENDS on who you ask but they will be the scapegoats when things get worse
8966547 Well could argue the Lunar Republic is a new player. Why do have Discord somewhere you are forgetting Tech-bird and crew
8966560 I do believe that is a violation of both the laws of House of Path and the Federation.. That doesn't mean there aren't groups or people in the background willing to forgo the rules.
8950470
Wrong Federation. The Stellar Federation this story is from is from Goldfur's Chakat Universe.
He did borrow a lot of concepts, but there's no connection.
Unless, that is, that Star Trek TNG is part of past fiction in the Chakat Universe.
I think it more likely they will recognize him in another fashion. Loki comes to mind, but so does Eris.
Yes, yes, Eris is female. This is Discord we're talkin about, folks; since when is he ever truly predicable?
AS to Discord we don't know what he will do I assume he can just as readily bypass the portal as Flix apparently can
1. Capture and neutralize a Swarm Controller. Petrification serves nicely.
2. Place Swarm Controller Statue in a space station with a good view of the black hole it is orbiting.
3. Release Swarm Controller.
4. Cast Want It Need It on black hole.
5. Stand back and watch the fireworks as their entire galaxy-spanning civilization rushes to 'claim' the black hole.
8966651
Star Trek, the fiction, has been mentioned as existing within the Chakat Universe. Note that it isn't going to be any more known by a random person than you might know popular plays from the early 19th century.
I am getting more B5 vibes.
Lunar colonies declaring independence in reaction to bad decision by home government.
Beings that mentally enslave all others they come across.
-The Equians were our last, best, hope for peace. They failed. Now, they are our last hope, for victory.-
8967469
Well, there goes the end of the novel!
Watch for the new series: "Stellar Trek: The Search For Plot".
So, essentially, the "protagonists" shit on all the peoples of Equus and the very notion of democratic representation, force the planet to sit in harm's way, harm that really didn't exist for the Equus people prior to the self-same group of people fucking up hugely and revealing the location of their planet, and the portal, and likely a number of things about magic that the Swarm didn't otherwise know. A war that is, by all accounts, unwinnable, by admission of the those very protagonists.
I didn't realize this was a villain episode.
8967591
"Want It Need It" really is the answer to all "Equestria at war" scenarios.
8967679
Considering that the protagonists also said that they would close the portal themselves if it came to the crunch, Equus is in no more danger now than before. The major change is not the safety of the world, but the absolute commitment to helping friends.
8967679
There's certainly been poor judgement on both sides of the Equian's debate, but the Swarm threat has been revealed to have been inevitable in the long term anyway. Even before Wandering's catastrophic blunder, from the information he got in return the Swarm was already spreading towards Equus, and would have reached there eventually even without him revealing it's location. It's a case of hang together now for Equus and the Stellar Federation, or they're going to hang high and separately later on, even if the isolationists don't recognize it yet.
It's also worth noting that the Lunar secessionists were stated as working within the laws that established their colonies, set by the Equian governments when they were founded, while the first response of Privileged Horn was to threaten the use of military force against them to enforce his will, then continue on to threaten House Path before their own representatives could even comment about, whether to confirm or deny, Penumbra's claims about their support to the Lunar Federation. Hardly a shining example of legality or democracy on his side either. His conduct is the closest we've seen to villainy on either side so far.
Personally, I would suggest that while neither side is precisely in the right, the Lunar Federation secessionists are the ones least at fault in their observed conduct, and have the additional point in their favour of actually being sane enough to recognize that their world is screwed without the help of the Federation.
8967679 No they did nothing they weren't allowed to by the rules agreed to when the colonies were founded.. You might argue the changelings weren't going to vote against the wises of their queen..
You could also blame seperists for not making sure all their T's were crossed. They made an assumption rather than confirming who controlled what territory
8967679
I think you're ignoring another issue. The Portal itself is one relatively quick way to get into the Equian system. However, they now know that the Swarm has control of five percent of the galaxy. Plus, they know in what location Equus is, and may likely already have ships headed in that direction. Even though they lack warp capability, the living ships they use do have FTL capacity. It may not happen for centuries, but the SWarm will eventually make its way to Equus. By closing its borders, the GEC has doomed future generations.
Also, the idea that they can't win against the Swarm is only due to conventional means. The Swarm's means of communication is a massive Achilles Heel; strike that down, and the enslaved races will finish the job. And while it's true that they may not have a way to do that now, they also have three Equians who are empowered with the knowledge of the Old Ways. Also, don't forget the intelligence that Pif has.
8967559
If I didn't already have a bunch of other projects on my to-do list, I would so animate that...
8966431
The Thrintun were the first thing I thought of, as well.
8966645 Why have Discord? Seriously? Gee, why bother with the being that could snap his fingers and make the Swarm just not exist anymore?
It's like saying, "Nah, we're cool, God. We've got Nicholas Cage!"
8969355 Even before his reformation Discord drew the line at killing.. He is likely to help but erase the swarm no
8969405 Point is, he's powerful enough to do it. That makes him the single biggest asset they could hope for.
8967887
Ultimately, I'm agnostic about the exact direction, withdrawal or not, that the planet takes. Rather, its the observation that it is the will of the council, if by a slim simple majority, to withdraw and close the portal, and immediately the "protagonists" decide to subvert this because it isn't what they want, thus hanging everyone together, even if the isolationists would prefer to hang on their own (or perhaps consolidate their strength without being on the front lines of an explicitly unwinnable war).
8967887
8967946
No, explicitly, they're citing bylaws. Bylaws may well exist in the colonies that allow them to vote for independence, but in actuality that doesn't mean they can legally secede from their parent nation(s), because bylaws can be thought of as lesser compared to provincial/state laws, and national/federal laws. For example, if you were to go out in the desert of Arizona and found a township, you could pass bylaws, any number of them, but those bylaws exist within the framework of the state and the United States as a whole. If you were to pass a bylaw that allowed you to vote on secession, it wouldn't be legally binding to the state. Even seceding on a state level is dicy, because unilateral secession of the sort described here is rarely legal, in any country in the world.
In international law, which comes into play here, its unlikely that it would be legal again, because there's nothing to suggest in international law that unilateral secession would be legal, in a democratic nation, unless there is some sort of obvious lack of representation, or oppression, or something of that sort. This doesn't mean secession is impossible, but it does mean that both the seceding state, and the parent country have to negotiate it, even in the face of a majority vote. In other words, in the face of a majority secession vote, a state would not actually have seceded from the parent nation. Rather triggered the negotiations that might lead to secession, and the form that secession will take. For example, who owns what, exactly? What is the exact nature of the relationship with the parent nation? And so forth. Negotiations can take a long time. The UK voted to withdraw from the EU in 2016, and won't officially withdraw until 2019, and that's largely because the EU constitution under Article 50 has explicit timetables for withdrawing from the Union. It is, and will continue to be, a member of the EU until that date.
There's also the fact that they apparently held the referendum in secret, and failed to even notify the relevant parties (ie the GEC) of such a vote, casting severe doubt on the whole thing all together.
But, again, I'm agnostic on the whole question of whether or not they can secede legally. That really wasn't the crux of my post; it's the fact that they're insisting on dragging everyone into the war, even if a majority don't want to. Keeping the portal open means that everyone is threatened wholesale, and it makes a mockery of very idea that those people's views, via their representatives, are to be heard and respected. Not exactly what I'd consider "good guy" behaviour.
8971172
You wilfully and repeatedly ignore the Penumbra's explicit statement that they will close the portal themselves if it becomes necessary, thus nullifying the (short-term) threat to Equus.
And before you quote the rules of seceding, please quote the relevant Equian laws to support your argument. (Or in other words, please don't be pedantic about applying real world values to fictional ones that quite possibly have totally different rules. I'm uncomfortable with the way some people make the pony world just like America with a coat of multi-colored paint!) And give the American colonies back to Britain! How dare they secede!
8971233
My whole point is literally that, rightly or wrongly, the GEC has voted to close the portal now, and Penumbra and other such protagonists are wilfully subverting this decision, ignoring the will of the people, because they dislike the decision. Penumbra's statement, however explicit may be, doesn't resolve this in anyway.
As I said, your story has characters cite 'bylaws'.
Bylaws are laws created by localized organizations, or specific things like corporations of associations, etc. Legally, they are the lowest level of law, and do not apply to higher levels. This is so, even in Australia. If in fact that these are not bylaws, they shouldn't be referred to as such.
As for secession, I was describing the real world norms that govern secession to explain why unilateral declarations of secession don't actually work the way they're described here, even if it is done through "legal means", since it seems those posters were confused as to how secession would actually work in the real world. It seems unlikely that it would differ for ponies, since the alternative would appear to be that any small group of ponies could get together as an association, pass a bylaw declaring themselves the absolute authority of their lands, and secede from the greater nation, and in doing so, seize whatever they so chose. However, It isn't truly relevant to my comment.
8971172
I quote a Tom Clancy novel, Executive Orders: "The Constitution is not a suicide pact."
We have a situation where the elected leadership has, while knowing the Swarm has their location, decided to pretend they can hide. Morally speaking, the Lunar secessionists could be argued to be trying to stop them committing suicide and taking the rest of the planet with them. Remember, Wandering just went and painted a big fat target on Equus which isn't going to go away just because the portal is shut. The Swarm knows where they live in real space, not just how to use the portal to reach them.
Goldfur has already commented about trying to apply real world human laws to a civilization built by magical ponies, so I'll simply note that when a character in a story gives a legal position from actual in character knowledge, I'll take that as considerably more likely to be accurate in terms of the story than a commenter basing their position on real world laws. In short, Penumbra the character knows what the actual laws and bylaws involved in the story are, and is acting based on that knowledge. Luna certainly seems to agree with his interpretation too. Even Privileged Horn couldn't muster a actual legal argument against it - he went straight to threats of force.
And I second Goldfur - time for that immoral and illegal succession in the North American Colonies to be put down, it's leaders be immediately executed for high treason against the British Crown, and all stolen lands and properies to be returned to the Empire, as per the laws of the time of that little 'illegal' sucession. Or is succession only sometimes the wrong thing to do? :P
8971388
8971394
I will admit to making a mistake in describing them as "by-laws". That should have been just "laws".
I also seem to need to emphasize something I put in very subtly. The moon is Luna's domain. Its settlements were made with her blessing, which is not surprising considering that they were pioneered by House Path of which she is a member. The implication is that the lunar colonies answer first to Luna, then to Equus. This has never been an issue until now.
As for the fine legal details - I am writing an adventure-drama, not a treatise on law. Please cut me a little slack.
8971172
It is additionally worth noting that Luna, being a member of the Royalty and having direct dominion over the moon has every right to allow a secession - not that anyone is in a position to stop her anyway.
Did one of the council heads just make a threat of harm against half or more of the whole council? I think he did...
8971233
I think, evry country got people like that, who tries to rule that everyone in the world *should* respect laws of their own country and those alone.
Which is makes them perceived as rude at best, as total morons at worst.