*ping*
The screen illuminated his face with an eerie green glow. The distinctive ping of the sonar echoed through his headset as he stared at the fading blip on the screen. He swallowed. Sweat began to drip down his forehead and neck as he waited.
*ping*
“Target bearing twelve point five degrees. Distance, ten kilometres. Depth, 400 meters. Speed, forty knots. Course unchanged.”
The radar operator’s voice shook as he spoke. The crew of the control room echoed his fear in their expressions. All eyes not locked onto their instruments were striving to observe the sonar screen, to confirm what they dared not believe. Two ponies stood in the control room, the rest sitting at their controls. One of them, a brown stallion with a bushy grey moustache, approached the sonar station tentatively. His hazel eyes glossed over the screen, reflecting the green blob which grew closer to the center with every passing second. He looked down at the radar operator, whose name escaped him. He looked young, younger than anyone else on the boat. Hazel eyes locked with the blue eyes of the operator. Both were tense. The standing male turned from the sonar towards the center of the room where the other pony stood. She was young as well, but her face held the grim determination of one who has experience.
“Captain.”
The captain turned to face her second. Her blonde mane shifted under her cap as she did, and she unconsciously brought a hoof up to nudge it back into place.
“The target is closing rapidly. It must have detected us,” the second continued. “Submarines don't just cruise at 40 knots.”
The captain nodded. Her hat slipped forward over her eyes. With a smirk, she pushed it back into place.
“Looks like being the first mare under thirty to captain a nuclear sub hasn't given me a big head after all, 'ay number 2?”
“Very funny, captain," the second's tone implied the opposite. "But if that blip means what I think it means, then this is no laughing matter."
"You wouldn't know a laughing matter if it walked up and planted a wet one right on your big round arse," she said, rolling her eyes. She trotted over to the sonar as she continued. "Now shut your trap before you cause a panic. Whatever this thing is, I know it isn't from the Republic."
"Well what else could it be?" the second said just as the captain stopped along side him.
"How about another Imperial sub? Did you think of that?" the captain replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I checked the schedules. We are the only ship for miles."
"So they got turned around." She sounded less sure of herself but continued her thought. "Yeah, it happens to the best of us. Sensors get miscalibrated, a tech throws the wrong switch, and suddenly you're 20 miles off course." She looked down at the sonar screen and watched it cautiously.
"Then why haven't they established contact? And why are they heading on a collision course at 40 knots?" The second was nearly shouting now. "Everything points to one simple answer: This is a vessel from the Lunar Republic attempting to engage us. And if you don't do something everyone on this ship will spend the rest of this war on the bottom of the ocean!"
"Oh give it up!" The captain let out an exasperated sigh as she turned back to the second. "I am sick and tired of your constant ranting about NLR conspiracies! If I listened to half your bullshit, the entire crew would be under arrest for sabotage!"
The second snorted before saying, "Well maybe they should be!"
"Oh, empress, not again!" The captain brought her hoof to her forehead.
"I'm telling you, that was no accident!"
"It was a leaky pipe!"
"It would have killed me!"
"It would have mildly inconvenienced you!"
The sonar operator hesitantly interrupted their shouting match. "Target distance now five kilometres. Speed and course unchanged."
Both captain and second turned back to the sonar screen. The blob was only half as far from the center as when they last looked. The captain noted that it suddenly looked far more threatening than a blip on a sonar had any right to be. She turned to face her fellow officer, a sigh escaping her lips.
"Alright," the captain pinched the bridge of her nose with her hoof. "Supposing I believe you... What would you have me do?"
The second in command smirked. "A wise choice, captain. Now your inactivity thus far has likely lured the enemy into a false sense of security. They likely believe we can't detect them, or that we assume they are friendly. Now, because-" The captain placed her hoof forcefully over his mouth, silencing him.
"I just want to know what you suggest doing," the captain growled.
The second pushed her hoof out of his face with an annoyed grunt. "I thought it would be obvious! Attack! A couple of well placed torpedoes and we've got ourselves a commendation!"
"What we've got," the captain said, prodding his chest. "Is a full blown nuclear war! We sink this sub and that psycho Nightmare Moon has the perfect excuse to start throwing atomic bombs!"
"And if we are sunk, the Empress would do the same!" The second said leaning in so close that their muzzles practically touched.
The captain narrowed her eyes. "Bullshit."
"We have a payload of over fifty kilotons in nuclear weapons on this ship. Why would the Empress order their construction if she hadn't intended to use them?"
The control room was silent as the captain digested her seconds words. After several moments of consideration, the silence was broken by the sonar officer clearing his throat. He was looking over his shoulder at his superiors, his fear almost palpable.
"Whatever you're going to do," he said hesitantly. "You had better do it quick. Target is less than two kilometres out and still closing."
The captain looked between the sonar officer and her second before she let out a groan. "All hands to battle stations." she said, defeated.
At the flip of a switch the control room's soft florescent light was replaced with a harsh red glow. An alarm screeched and ponies began the frantic task of preparing the ship for battle. Torpedoes were loaded. Bulkheads were sealed. The crew rushed between stations, completing their tasks as quickly as possible. The captain glared at the flashing red alarm as the other occupants of the control room hurriedly attended their stations. She turned to look at another sailor across the room.
"Ensign, are we locked on?"
The pony turned from her screen to face the captain. "Aye, Aye, captain. We are locked on." She replied with a nod.
"Tubes one and two stand by. Fire."
"Aye, aye." the torpedo manager replied as she turned back to her controls. She lifted a hatch and pressed a pair of buttons underneath. "Torpedoes one and two pierced and left the tube." the ensign announced. The sound of the escaping explosives echoed through the ship.
The captain turned back to the sonar screen and watch as two dots darted away from the central point and sped towards the approaching mass. "Impact in eight seconds." The torpedo manager's announcement echoed across the room. All eyes watched the sonar.
"Target heading unchanged," the sonar operator next to her announced. The captain and second narrowed their eyes at the screen. The dots were an inch away now.
"Impact in three seconds."
The sonar pony shifted in his seat, his sweat matting his coat.
"Two seconds."
The dots raced across the screen.
"One."
The captain held her breath.
All three sonar blips connected.
The room vibrated as the torpedoes detonated, the sound reverberating off the metal walls.
"Direct hit!" the torpedo manner across the room shouted. The crew breathed a collective sigh of relief. The second turned and trotted toward the periscope near the center of the room. The torpedo manager turned and bumped her hoof on the hoof of the adjacent crew member. The sonar operator leaned back in his chair, a happy smile on his muzzle. He turned to see the captain hadn't moved at all. Her expression remained unchanged when she spoke.
"Target course unchanged. Speed increasing."
The second whipped back around and stared disbelievingly. The sonar operator jumped forward to look at the screen. The unidentified mass was still there, exactly the same. Only closer now. An alert began flashing on the screen.
COLLISION ALERT
"All back full!" the captain shouted to the ponies at the front of the room. The navigators began frantically adjusting their steering instruments. The captain looked back at the sonar and grimaced. It was nearly on top of them. Only one option left.
"Brace for impact!" She shouted.
All hooves clutched at the nearest stable object. The sonar operator gripped his chair's armrests tightly as his eyes darted between the captain and the screen. Her eyes never left the sonar. The object was millimetres away from the screen's center.
The impact shook the sub like a paper boat. Ponies who hadn't properly braced themselves went flying. A torrent of water rushed down the halls from the point of impact. Sailors screamed as they failed to escape the wall of water. The second lie on the floor of the control room unmoving as his head bled. The captain pulled herself off of the floor, only to be knock back down as the room shook violently once again.
"Captain!" Some pony shouted, but she couldn't tell who. "The target appears to have latched onto us!"
The captain rubbed her head as she finally managed to get her hooves below her, just in time for another tremor. This time she kept her balance, leaning on the sonar operator's chair. She glanced at the sonar to see that the green blob of light hovered over the center of the screen.
"What the hell is going on?! Status Report!" She yelled as the room shook once again.
"A series of hull breaches in a vertical line along the port side!" Responded another pony, struggling to stay at her controls. "Pressure readings on the outer hull indicate we're in some kind of grip, but the magic is experiencing a lot of interference."
"Bulk head shielding spells failing! Something is interfering with the magic!" Came another shout.
The groan of tearing metal ripped through the air of the control room as another quake rocked the sub.
"Oh shit!" The captain's eyes went wide at the exclamation. She quickly turned to the nuclear weapons manager and source of the latest expletive. The ensign turned to the captain, his face pale. "The Nuclear Weapons Bay has been breached."
The captain's pupils shrunk to pin pricks.
A payload of over fifty kilotons in nuclear weapons...
"For the empress's sake, disarm them!" The captain screamed.
"I can't!" He said, equally panicked. "The magical safeguards have all failed! The radiation shielding must have been breached!"
The captain's hind legs went limp and she sunk into a sitting position. "Oh gods..." she whispered as the next and final tremor struck the sub. Ponies screamed and metal tore while the alert on the ensign's screen flashed.
The next moment there was a boom from deep in the bowels of the ship. Then the control room was bathed in white light.
Books.
Books everywhere.
The rows of shelves which lined the walls were noticeably bare, with their contents spread across the floor in stacks of varying heights. The books slowly became more and more dense as they approached the center of the room, before culminating in a wall of book stacks. Behind this wall there was only one book, the only one in the room open. The muzzle buried in the text was a light purple. The eyes which whipped across the pages were violet. The pony smiled as her eyes consumed the tome in front of them. She lie on the floor with her tail to the book wall and her bangs dangling over her reading material. Her indigo hair was straight and cut in straight lines. The horn jutting from her forehead briefly glowed pink before the same glow encompassed the page of her book, gently turning it. The peaceful quiet of the library was barely interrupted by the light hum of the magic before silence returned. The mare let out a gentle sigh.
"This is unacceptable!"
The mare's ears twitched as the harsh whisper registered. With a frown, she pointedly ignored it.
"Well what do you expect me to do about it?" came another voice. The unicorn turned another page as she distinctly avoided hearing it.
"Just because she's the Empress's little pet doesn't mean she can barge in here whenever she wants!" the first voice replied in the most unwhisper-like whisper the reading mare had ever heard. Not heard, that is. She definitely had not heard any whispers.
"Do you want to tell her highness that? Because I sure as hell won't!" the second voice replied in what at that point would be absurd to call a whisper. Not that the reading pony would have called it anything as she had not heard any such voice or let out a small groan in response.
"No!" the first voice replied, accented by the sound of a hoof stomp. Said hoof stomp might have been more dramatic had the floors not been carpeted. "I am done with this! I'm going to give that little foal a piece of my mind!" All pretense of whisper had now been dropped. Nervous exclamations of warning accompanied the sound of approaching hoofsteps. The purple mare shifted her position, tucking her legs closer to her torso. A white mare rounded the book wall and entered the edge of the purple mare's sight. Her green hair was haphazardly tucked into a bun on the top of her head, with various strands and loose ends sticking out. Her wings, though folded against her sides, were visibly unkempt. Her half moon glasses rested slightly crookedly on her muzzle, just below her baggy and bloodshot eyes. The white mare walk quickly around to the other side of the open text, stopping to stare down at the reading unicorn. She waited.
She continued to wait.
The pegasus's frown deepened as the purple pony continued to not do anything. She loudly cleared her throat.
The unicorn's ears flicked.
"Ms. Sparkle." the librarian growled in the least patient tone possible.
"Ms. Catalogue." Ms. Sparkle responded, her eyes never leaving the page.
"Do you know what time it is?" Ms. Catalogue hissed.
"Five forty three am." Ms. Sparkle replied casually.
"And how long have you been here? If you recall." Ms. Catalogue said through gritted teeth.
"One hour and thirty nine minutes." Ms. Sparkle stated simply.
Ms. Catalogue's eye twitched. "And do you happen to know what time this library opens, Ms. Sparkle?"
"Six thirty am." was the reply. Another page was gently gripped in the magical pink aura and turned.
"So," Ms. Catalogue said with barely contained rage. "What exactly makes you think you can arrive at a library two hours before it opens," She raised her voice. "Break in," Her volume continued to rise. "Begin pillaging its shelves," She skipped shouting and when straight on to yelling. "And then casually continue your studies as though you hadn't set off the alarms" Her voice broke the metaphorical ceiling of loudness. "And forced me and my staff to rush to work before we usually even wake up!?"
There was a pause as Ms. Catalogue regained her breath. The library was quiet once again.
"Two hours and twenty six minutes."
Ms. Catalogue's wings flinched. She stared at Ms. Sparkle dumbfounded. The unicorn's eyes never once drifted from the book.
"Excuse me?" Ms. Catalogue responded once she her jaw overcame its limpness.
"I arrived here two hours and twenty six minutes before the library opens. Not just two hours." Ms. Sparkle's voice was calm and unaffected. She continued reading as she spoke. "I understand that the exact time may be a bit clunky to say in conversation, but in that case it would have been more accurate for you to say 'two and a half hours' rather than just the two you mentioned."
There was an audible cracking noise as Ms. Catalogue absorbed the correction. Ms. Catalogue opened her mouth wide, her face the epitome of rage, but before she could roar the unicorn's horn illuminated again. Ms. Catalogue's lips were enveloped by the aura and her mouth was forced to close. Then, with a pop, her lips became a zipper, which proceeded to zip itself shut. Muffled shouts of panic escaped the zipped lips as Ms. Catalogue fell to her haunches, her front hooves scrambling to get a grip on the pull tab.
"Also, you need to revise your security patrol." Ms. Sparkle continued, her attention solely on the words on the page. "The gaps between guard routes are massive. I was able to pick your rear lock during one, which, considering it was my first time picking a lock so I was constantly pausing to refer back to How to Pick a Lock for Foals, is fairly discouraging." The glare that Ms. Catalogue directed at her would have killed lesser ponies.
"Not that it would have stopped my own entry. This is just to ensure no actual deviants can enter after hours." She paused in her speech to look more closely at her current page. She made a soft 'hmph' noise before resuming. "I could have easily cast teleportation or invisibility, but I wanted to test out my lock picking skills. They're lacking, but I'm confident that with practice I'll soon be opening locks like they aren't even there."
Ms. Catalogue's hooves finally managed to grasp the zipper, which she immediately ripped open. As the pull tab hit the edge of her mouth there was a pop and a flash of pink light. Her lips returned to normal.
"You little-"
"Twilight!" a third voice was shouted from across the room. Out from behind one of the sparsely occupied shelves came running a bipedal lizard. His body was covered in purple scales, except for on his stomach where they became a pale green. In his outstretched claw he held a rolled up piece of parchment. "Letter from the Em-" His emerald eyes widened as he saw Ms. Catalogue. He skidded to a halt when she turned her glare on him. "Um..." the reptile stuttered, doing an admirable impression of a deer in the headlights. He looked down at the letter in his claw before shoving it behind his back and giving Ms. Catalogue the most innocent grin he could muster. "Uh... Hi." He gave her a slight wave.
"What," Ms. Catalogue spat out. "Is that thing doing here?" The unicorn froze instantly. The lizard turned his gaze to the floor, his posture radiating shame. "Twilight Sparkle, I know I told you that that reptile is not allowed inside this library!" Ms. Catalogue snarled down at the smaller reptile across the room. "It is a major fire hazard and I will not allow it to damage our precious-" She turned to face Twilight Sparkle and found herself muzzle to muzzle with the unicorn.
"He." she said in a voice that was perfectly calm but at the same time bone chilling.
"E- excuse me?" Ms. Catalogue stuttered. All her rage had melted away under Twilight's glare. Her eyes seemed to be staring into Ms. Catalogue's soul, burning it from within.
"Not 'it'. He." Twilight answered coldly. "And he has a name. Spike."
"Um, well, uh..." Ms. Catalogue stuttered and backed away from Twilight. "Y- yes! Of course! But we still can't allow a dragon to run around our library! I- I mean, he breathes fire! In a library!"
Twilight began to slowly stalk closer as she spoke. "Spike is a very responsible young dragon. He is not going to do any harm to your collection. He is no threat. He is not a fire hazard. And he is most certainly. Not. An. It." Twilight and Ms. Catalogue's foreheads met, the sweat on the latter's sticking to the former's bangs. "Do I make myself clear?" Twilight whispered.
"Crystal." Ms. Catalogue said after swallowing.
Twilight pulled away and smiled innocently. "Good. Now, if you don't mind, I have some studying to do."
Ms. Catalogue began frantically backpedalling. "O- of course! Sorry for the interruption! I just- I-" She backed into a stack of books, knocking it over. "Oh dear! Um, I- I'm so sorry about- um, I'll just be, um..." Her eyes darted from left to right for a moment. She spread her wings in an instant and bolted away from the smiling Twilight. Spike watched her as she fled.
"Woah." He muttered before turning back to address Twilight. "I ever tell ya that you can be really scary sometimes?"
Twilight sighed and let her disturbing smile slip back into one less likely to frighten children. "Sorry, but did you hear what she was saying about you?" She snarled in the direction the librarian had fled. "She's lucky I didn't do something really awful." Spike closed the distance between them and patted her on the shoulder.
"Eh, it's alright." Spike said waving a claw dismissively. "It doesn't bother me. Besides, she is kinda right." Spike giggled but Twilight gasped. She scooped him up in her front hooves and brought him to her chest in a full body hug.
"She is not! Don't you ever think of yourself as an it! Just because you're not a pony doesn't mean you're any less important! You are a brilliant, funny, and fantastic assistant, no matter what race you are!" Twilight nuzzled him as she finished her pep talk. "Can't... Breathe..." Spike choked out as he fought to escape. His claws pushed back against her chest until he could force himself out of the hug.
Once Spike's lungs were reunited with the wonders of air, he looked up at Twilight to explain himself. The top of his head only reached up to Twilight's chin, with his head crest of green spines extending up to about the middle of her eyes. "I, uh, I meant about the whole 'being a fire hazard' thing." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Remember what happened to your advanced pyrotechnics textbook last week?"
"Oh," Twilight sighed, relieved, before resuming with an indignant tone. "Well, okay, maybe she wasn't completely wrong. But she could have been a little nicer about it."
"Yeah, well what do you expect from your latest 'library invasion' victim?" He said, sarcasm mounting with each word. They both fell victim to a round of giggles. When the laughter died down Twilight's face lit with realization.
"Wait, didn't you have a letter for me?" She asked the still chuckling dragon.
"Oh, yeah!" Spike turned around and retrieved the roll of parchment from behind him. It was sealed with red wax in the shape of a stylized sun. Twilight gasped when she saw it and quickly snatched it from Spike's claw with her magic. She unsealed and unrolled the letter as she brought it up to hover level with her face. Spike watched her face while her eyes scanned across the page. Her eyes bulged as they read the final lines of the letter.
"Oh no!" Twilight shouted, tossing the letter away as she turned back to her mess. "Huh? Wha?" Spike eloquently questioned her. She grabbed a pair of saddlebags from the floor near the book piles, throwing it over her back before magically collecting an assortment of seemingly random books from throughout the room. The lucky few hovered around her body in a spinning circle which would pause as each book floated into Twilight's focus. Most of them were tossed away along with an expletive or two, but a few were met with an excited 'Yes!' and slipped into the saddle bags. Spike walked up next to Twilight and gently pulled on her mane.
"Uh, Twi?" He said, confused. "What's going on?"
Twilight tossed the last remaining book and turned to Spike. Before he could get a word out, he was enveloped by magic, lifted into the air, and deposited onto Twilight's back. Spike only had a moment to get his bearings before Twilight bolted.
Spike's claws held fast to Twilight's mane as she raced through the library's wide halls. "Sweet Celestia, Twilight! What's the matter?!" He valiantly tried to be heard over the wind whipping past them.
Twilight's expression was one of overwhelming fear. "Empress Celestia called us to an emergency meeting."
She swallowed empty air before she finished in a tone one usually reserved for the delivery of life ending news.
"And we're late."
The banging of the gavel echoed through the parliament chambers, silencing the dull roar of arguing voices which had been steadily growing in volume.
"Silence."
All ponies in the room immediately shut their mouths and turned to face the rear point of the room, where a raised desk, not unlike a judge's bench, sat, perfectly centered in front of the massive glass windows which made up the rear wall. Sitting in the desk, with the gavel in her magical grasp, was the most majestic pony one can imagine, though perhaps pony was not the right term. She was much taller than every other pony in the room, and not solely because of her raised seat. Yet her frame was much thinner and more elegant, and her form was more comparable to a perfectly toned horse. Her coat was the purest white, her eyes a vibrant violet. The horn which spiraled out from her forehead was long and thin, ending in a sharp point. Her wings, which at this point were spread out to show their full span, were massive and angelic. The mane and tail which flowed from her were not simply hair, but seemed to dance as though caught in some unfelt breeze, the stripes of pastel colors pulsing. Her golden and elegantly molded crown, necklace, and hoof boots only added to her regal appearance, the last of which were currently pressed firmly onto the top of her desk. Propped up by her front hooves on the bench, the both horned and winged angel positively towered over the now silent ponies. She looked down on the fearful assembly with an expression of both irritation and resignation. Behind her the rising sun framed her head through the window like a halo. A name plate sat at the front of her desk, inscribed with her title.
HER HOLY MAJESTY EMPRESS SOL CELESTIA
"Now I understand that this announcement may be a tad startling," The Empress said. "But it would be unwise of us to take any action before we have more information." Her voice was calm and serene, yet it had an air of authority, like that of a wise mother. Her point made, she lowered herself back into her seat. On each of her flanks was a stylized sun pattern made up of colored fur.
She scanned the crowd before her, the half circles of desks expanding away from her own like ripples in a pond. Many of the ponies shifted uncomfortably in their seats, most examining their desks or the floor, avoiding Celestia's eyes. However, one royal blue pony seated in the frontmost row slammed his hooves on his desk and propped himself up, much like the Empress had. He was much younger than the elderly ponies who filled most of the room and his expression held none of their fear.
"What more information do we need?" he shouted, startling the pony seated beside him. "It's obvious what's happened here! The Anchorage didn't blow itself up!" Several ponies in the audience nodded at this. "The only group with the sheer gall to attack one of our nuclear vessels is the Lunar Republic! It's plain to see that this is another attempt to antagonize us back into open conflict and I say we give them exactly what they're asking for!" Murmurs of approval flittered throughout the chamber. The Empress sighed before she responded.
"Councilmember Debate, please refrain from shouting your points," Celestia said with barely restrained exasperation. "As for your hypothesis, I have my doubts. While it is certainly a possibility that I will consider, Premier Luna as well as her staff have completely denied any involvement in the incident, even offering condolences for the ponies-"
"We can't believe them!" another council pony interjected. "You of all ponies should know those filthy commies can't be trusted! It's all secrets and lies with those Lunar scum!"
"Ignoring popular opinion of the nation's leaders," Celestia said with scarcely a hint of irritation. "Why, if their goal was to incur our wrath, would the Lunar Republic refuse to admit its actions?"
"Obviously they wish to save face!" Debate retorted. "By making it appear that we are the aggressors, they ensure civilian and foreign support! The only reason they aren't gloating is because they want to look like the victim!" Another round of affirmative murmurs began.
"While I understand why you believe this, I believe, regardless of any motive, that we simply do not have enough evidence to implicate anyone in this incident," the Empress said confidently. Several council members nodded as she finished. She continued. "I therefore propose that a special unit be formed to properly investigate this matter, staffed by experts in all relevant fields, to be selected by this parliament. In addition, I move that, until such time as this investigation is complete, we keep this incident on a need to know basis." Before she could continue, a third Councilmember raised his voice.
"How dare you keep the public in the dark! This is a matter of full scale war! They deserve to know!" The new voice accented his exclamations by stomping a hoof on his desk. Several surrounding council expressed their agreement.
Celestia's calm demeanor showed a hint of anger for a moment before returning to its previous serenity. "I agree that the public should be kept up to date on government activities," Celestia said. "However, I fear that, given the nature of this incident and our very limited knowledge of what occurred, the public might make certain assumptions which could easily result in mass panic."
Debate pointed an accusatory hoof at the Empress. "You're just afraid that the public will agree with my theory! You're scared they'll force you to take action! This 'investigation' is just a ruse to give you more time to think up some excuse that will keep us from giving the Lunar Republic the fight it deserves!" The other Council members stared wide-eyed at Debate's outburst, but the raging Councilmember failed to notice. "You've been in charge for a very long time and yet this war is still dragging on! You're getting old, Empress. Perhaps it's time you stepped down and let somepony else take the reigns. Somepony who can do what you couldn't and take the fight to those commie bastards and their insolent leader Nightmare Moon!" Nearly every pony in the room gasped as the last two words escaped his lips. As his brain caught up with his words, Debate's confident smile slowly morphed into a worried frown. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he stared at the still silent Empress. She had pressed her front hooves against one another in front of her mouth, her elbows resting on the desk. Her eyes stared unwaveringly at Debate, who began to stammer an apology as he sat back down.
"You're right."
Debate stopped his frantic babbling and looked up aghast. "I- I'm what?" he managed to say.
"You're right," Celestia repeated simply. "I am getting old. I have spent a very long time on this throne; managing this Empire, looking out for its citizens. And I have seen this war since its beginning. For one thousand years I have struggled to bring an end to it. One thousand years. I watched for ages as ponies fought and died by the thousands on both sides. I led an army into the bloodiest battles in history. I watched friends and loved ones sacrifice themselves again and again to combat the Republic's misguided beliefs. I have experienced every horror this war has brought about and more than once I considered surrender. But I didn't, because I believed that doing so would be the same as consenting to the Republics unreasonable ideals, and I could never live with that. But for the past hundred years we have managed to avoid any bloodshed. The cost has been great, however. I am not sure if you are old enough to have been alive at the time of the Everfree Incident, but as you so kindly pointed out, I am. And seeing the power of a nuclear explosive first hand is something you never forget." She paused to let her words sink in. The entire council stared at her, rapt. "If this war does return to open conflict, Councilmember Debate, it will not be with soldiers or tanks or aircraft. It will be with warheads, launched from across the continent. And, of course, the defending nation will respond in kind because what else can they do? Each of these warheads will have more destructive power than you can imagine. It is extremely likely that every major city on both sides will be completely destroyed within the first day. And it will not stop until one us is eradicated. So yes, Councilmembers, I am afraid. I am afraid that something, like this incident, will light a fuse that will end in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents. So forgive me if I take the time to make damn sure such action is warranted."
The chambers were silent when Celestia finished. Debate's jaw hung open as he sat completely still. Others gawked. Most simply stared. Once Celestia felt enough time had passed to make her point she added "And her name is Luna."
Debate's face went from horrified to confused. "Excuse me?"
"The Premier of the New Lunar Republic is to be referred to by her title or her proper name. She is not to be referred to by any derogatory labels by anyone in these chambers." Celestia removed her hooves from her face and leaned over her bench to look the Council member in the eye. "She may be misguided, but I will not allow you to make my sister into a monster." Debate shrunk under her glare.
"Y- yes, Empress. Of course!" he stuttered, vainly attempting to hide behind his desk. Celestia returned to her normal sitting posture and adopted a serene smile.
"Good. Now I believe it's time to call for a vote."
Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth in front of a pair of large oak doors. A plaque mounted above the doors read "Parliament Chambers" in large gold letters. The only noise was the clip clop of her hooves on the marble floor. Spike leaned against the door frame, looking past Twilight down the ornate hallway. Twilight's nervous loop took her between two spiraling columns which sat a meter from the door. They were each part of a row of similar pylons which stretched down the hall. On the walls, in the spaces between pillars were complex pictures made of stained glass. Each depicted an epic scene of various heroes battling overwhelming odds. More than a few showed a likeness of the Empress, as well as another pony with both wings and a horn. This other alicorn was depicted as a deep midnight blue, her mane sparkling with the light of countless stars. Spike admired the window from afar before the sounds of worried mumbling drew his attention back to the frantically pacing Twilight.
"Ooooooh! What am I going to do!" Spike rolled his eyes as he listened. "What if she asks to see how my research is coming along? What if she isn't satisfied with what I have?" Twilight froze mid-stride. "What if she's so disappointed in me that she decides she doesn't want me as her student any more?" Twilight's back legs gave out and she fell back into a sitting position. She stared wide eyed as her mind indulged in scenario after improbable scenario of ways her mentor could punish her. Spike sighed and left the wall to approach the catatonic mare.
"Twilight?" He snapped his fingers an inch from her face.
Twilight blinked and shook her head to rid it of the images. "Sorry," she said, blushing. "I'm just a little nervous." Spike crossed his arms and gave her an unamused look. She sighed and looked down at her hooves. "Okay, I'm a lot nervous," she admitted. "It's just... The way that letter was worded... The Empress sounded really serious. More serious than I've ever seen her. Whatever this is about, it isn't just an ordinary checkup..."
Spike relaxed his stance and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Aw, come on Twi. I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle," he smiled as he spoke. "Besides, you know how much the Empress cares about you. She'd never let you get hurt." As Twilight's frown slowly turned to a slight smile, she met Spike's gaze. "Thanks, Spike," she said as she pulled him into a hug. "You always know just what to say." Spike smirked as he returned the hug. "Yeah, I am pretty great." Twilight gently shoved him back and gave him a light punch to the shoulder. "Humble too, I see," She said sarcastically, smirking. Spike crossed his arms and swelled with exaggerated pride. "Most humble dragon in the world!" he proclaimed. Twilight giggled and Spike let his false bravado drop, leaving a worried look on his face. "But seriously, you feeling better?" he asked. Twilight smiled. "Yep. I'm not nervous at all."
*BANG*
That was the noise made by the Parliament chamber doors as they slammed open just a meter behind Twilight Sparkle. The sound she made as she accelerated towards the ceiling was significantly higher in pitch and much less dignified. It was objectively quite an impressive leap for a pony without wings, although wings would have helped make the landing significantly more comfortable. The horde of ponies wandering out of the chambers, composed of primarily male unicorns in fancy clothing, paid barely enough mind to the startled girl to avoid tripping over her. More focused on their hushed conversations than any other creature in the hall, they scarcely noticed Spike helping Twilight get back on her feet. The haughty crowd moved around them down the hallway as she dusted herself off and turned towards the now open doors.
Twilight and Spike slowly entered the Parliament Chambers as the last council member ambled past them out the door. The vast room was beautifully lit by the magnificent sunrise which flowed in through the glass walls on the opposite side of the room. Next to the central bench, facing out towards the rising star, stood Empress Sol Celestia in all her regal glory. Twilight paused when she saw her mentor, biting her lip and fidgeting in place, but soft nudge from Spike got her moving again. As she approached, Twilight couldn't help but stare at the Empress. She was beautiful, bathed in the orange light of the dawn. Twilight glanced at her mentor's flank, seeing the stylized sun mark which adorned it. She froze again just behind Celestia and readied herself to speak.
"E- Empress?" she nervously stuttered. Celestia smiled at the sound. "My faithful student," she said, turning to face Twilight. Twilight's posture relaxed significantly at the sight of her mentor's smile. They closed the distance between each other and briefly embraced. "It has been far too long." Celestia said as they ended the hug.
"It's barely been a week," Twilight said slightly confused.
"And that is far too long I've gone without seeing my favorite student." Celestia said, watching Twilight's smile double in size. Celestia turned back to the window but motioned with her wing for Twilight to join her in watching the sun rise. Twilight stood next to her teacher and gazed out the windows at the city beyond. Morning's light gleamed off the shimmering towers and skyscrapers which fanned out before her, silhouetting them against the ascending sun. Celestia looked at her awed student with an amused smirk.
"I see you enjoyed my little show today," the Empress said. Twilight blushed and looked away from the dazzling horizon.
"Well, yes, of course. Your sunrises are always beautiful," she said.
"I thought I might put a bit more effort into this morning after..." Celestia turned her gaze downward, her smile fading.
Twilight's ease faded when she heard her mentor's tone. "After... After what?" she asked cautiously.
Celestia looked back out over the city. Her posture shifted with her mood, becoming more rigid, unlike her light, comfortable stance before. Her smile was gone, all the mirth faded from her visage. "There has been... an incident," she said delicately. "Several hours ago one of our nuclear powered submarines carrying a large payload of nuclear weapons was attacked several miles out from Horseshoe Bay."
Twilight's face went pale. "But... that... How? Who?" Twilight stammered.
"We don't know," the Empress replied with a sigh. "And this isn't the first vessel to be sunk in those waters." Twilight raised her brow at that but kept silent. Celestia continued, "Several fishing vessels and a few private yachts have also gone missing in that area recently. The Parliament and I didn't believe it was more than coincidence but this latest attack..."
Twilight bit her lip as she listened. "Do you..." Twilight hesitated. "Do you think the Republic is behind it?"
"No, I don't, but the council does," Celestia replied firmly. "There's no pattern or plan to these attacks. It's not organized enough to be sabotage. It is far more likely this is the result of some new, unknown natural phenomenon." The Empress looked at her student solemnly. "Which is where you come in, my faithful student."
Twilight's eyes widened at those words. "M- me?! What can I do?" she stammered nervously.
"I have convinced the nobles to fund a research party to investigate the incidents. This team will determine the cause of these wrecks and give us the information we need to determine the best course of action." Celestia said. "But as the councilors will be selecting the research members, I cannot be certain their bias won't affect the result. I need somepony I can trust to lead this team. Somepony I know, but also somepony who is very well read in the areas of geography, marine phenomena, and ionizing radiation." Twilight tilted her head at the last item. "Somepony whose enthusiasm for organization and proper scientific procedure will filter out any erroneous data, intentional or not." Celestia bent down towards her student, bringing her eyes level with Twilight's. The Empress pointed a hoof at her protege. "Somepony like you, Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight's jaw dropped at the sound of her name. "E- Empress, you- you can't possibly... I'm just a student! I'm barely old enough to live on my own! I can't possibly..." Twilight was silenced by a gentle white hoof over her mouth.
"I have known you for many years, Twilight Sparkle. I have seen you do many things and overcome insurmountable challenges." Celestia lowered her hoof and smiled at Twilight. "I know you can do this." Celestia smiled earnestly. Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. When she opened her eyes her face bore a look of pure determination.
"Okay, Empress," she said. "Just tell me what I need to do."
